F.Y.I. The Newsletter of Edgewood Townehouse Association
PO Box 5424, Eugene, OR 97405

May 2017 Edition

Upcoming Events

Next Regular Board Business Meeting:
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 6.30 pm in the Clubhouse

By-The-Brook Book Group:
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 at 2 pm in the Clubhouse

Tea Time:
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 3 pm in the Clubhouse

July Quarterly Open Forum Business Meeting: 
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 at 7 pm in the Clubhouse.

CONTENTS

Message from the Board
May Board Business Meeting Minutes
Board of Directors Quarterly Open Forum Business Meeting Minutes
Facilities Report
Website Report
Things to Know at ETA
Monthly Checking Activity (Omitted)

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD  
Preserve. Restore. Maintain.
Robert Bruce Trafton, President, Edgewood Townehouse Association (__)

With this Message from the Board, I would like to welcome everyone to the 2017 Pool Season. The Pool will open, weather permitting, on Friday June 16, 2017 and close on Sunday, September 17, 2017. This year’s Pool Season is ninety-six (96) days long.  And since the Pool is open from 9 AM to 9 PM daily that is a total of one-thousand-two-hundred-and-fifty-two hours (1,152) of Pool time.  Let’s get splashing! 

If you plan on using the Pool, please remember to complete and submit a Pool Use Form. There are many important State of Oregon rules this year.  The Pool Use Forms are available just outside of the Pool Entry Door. After reading the new form, sign it, keep one copy for your records (the yellow page), and submit the white page into the Clubhouse mailbox. Once we have your signed form, we will issue you the new code number to access the Pool. 

One of the most important things to do when using the Pool is to remember to sign in. The Sign-In-Record is hanging on the wall just above the drinking fountain. It is important for us to know how many folks use the pool during the Pool Season. 

Another important thing to remember is to never ever swim alone. This is a State of Oregon Law, and it is intended to save lives. Always bring a friend if you plan on swimming. And remember that any person fourteen (14) years of age or younger must be accompanied by an adult or a person who is at least eighteen (18) years old or older. 

There are other rules that apply to the pool, and you can read them for yourself.  The Pool Rules are posted in several locations on the Pool Deck and Shower Rooms at the Clubhouse, and of course, they are all stated in the Pool Use Form.  All Pool users must follow all of the Pool Rules. But beside all the formal rules, please remember that the Pool is also a center to have fun, recreate, and socialize. It is a place where harmony, tranquility, and peace need to prevail.  Please remember, the pool is for all of us to use. Be respectful, tolerant, and understanding of your neighbor’s peaceful enjoyment of the Pool too. After all, we are all neighbors, and we will continue to be neighbors even after the 96 days of this year’s Pool Season.

Last, I have the sad duty to report that some of our grounds’ power tool were stolen earlier in the month. Burglars cut the padlock on our Maintenance Shed door as the sun was rising on the morning of Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Two of our homeowners, walking their dogs at 6 AM, may have actually seen the burglars.  A description of the suspects and their vehicle was given to Eugene Police, who investigated the theft and found other evidence at the site. One of the homeowner reported in an email, “He didn't look as if he lives in our neighborhood.” The other homeowner noted a suspicious vehicle cruising down the road, and reported the suspects and vehicle to police.  Police applauded the homeowners for observing and reporting the incident. Let’s all be observant of suspicious behavior, observe it, and report it.

EDGEWOOD TOWNEHOUSE ASSOCIATION
Board of Directors Monthly Business Meeting
Preserve – Restore – Maintain
Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were: Bruce Trafton, Darell Bidstrup, Michele Coney, Christine Donahue, Sharon Kimble, Michael Maulding, Jennifer Smith, Don Pasquali, and JoAnn Wilson. Also present was Frank Gaddini, ETA Director of Operations and Facilities. No homeowners were in attendance.

Approval of Minutes: The Board approved the minutes of April 11, 2017.

Standing Reports:

  1. Facility Report: Submitted
  2. Treasurers Report: Submitted
  3. Website Coordinator: Submitted
  4. Swimming Pool: Closed
  5. Clubhouse Coordinator: Pending
  6. Hospitality Coordinator: None submitted. A volunteer for this position is invited
  7. Welcome Coordinator: None submitted

Old Business:

  1. December 14, 2016, Ice Storm Damage Report: Checks from State Farm are being processed and will be paid this week or next; they will bring the total reimbursed to $__. ETA will be presenting one more document for processing to State Farm in the near future.
  2. Website Review: The Board began a review of the website links. Operations and Facilities Manager Gaddini will look at the Welcome Section and make suggestions at the June business meeting. The Board expressed an interest in enhancing and updating both the aesthetics and functionality of the website.

New Business:

  1. Waivers: 140 BB, 2001 Toyota Camry to park in guest parking, 5/15-11/30/17. Conditionally approved for 3 months. 35 WW, Green Prius to park in guest parking from 5/10-6/15/17. Approved.
  2. Pool Updates and Opening Date: Angie Call has volunteered to continue as Pool Coordinator this year. The pool will open on Friday, June 16, 2017, and close on Sunday, September 17, 2017. This is the same length of time as in the last two years. Pool Rules in effect in FY 2016 were approved without change by the Board for FY 2017.
  3. Burglary of Maintenance Shed: There was a burglary of powered maintenance tools on Tuesday, May 2nd about 6:00 AM. Replacement value of the items is about $__. A report was filed with the Eugene Police Department and the shed door has been secured. Additional security measures are being considered. Homeowners are encouraged not to leave their garage doors open and unattended and to be prudent in securing their homes.
  4. Levels of Maintenance: Frank Gaddini reviewed the following levels of landscape maintenance: Level I (twice/week services; 40 site visits), Level II (weekly services; 20 site visits); Level III (every other week services; 10 site visits); and Level IV (minimal cleaning and mowing for fire prevention). ETA currently employs a Level II approach with 22 site visits. Each level clearly has budgetary implications.
  5. Executive Session

Announcements:

  1. The next Board of Directors Business Meeting: Tuesday, June 13, 2017, in the Clubhouse at 6:30 PM
  2. The pool will open on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 9:00 AM.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.

JoAnn Wilson, Secretary ( __ )

Looking Back Over April 2017 Facilities and Operations Report
Frank L. Gaddini ( __ )

Looking back over the month of April, Edgewood Townehouses can be described as a month that was dripping with color.  The month saw many gentle soaking rain showers. During April, most of our trees and shrubs bloomed in beautiful shades of green with color bursts throughout our rhododendrons and azaleas. 

Rainfall did not slow down our maintenance, though.  We recorded and completed eighty-four (84) maintenance and repair jobs in April.  Our facility restoration project focused on completing December 14, 2016 storm damage at 128 Brea Burn, minor replacement of exterior siding at 167, 181, 183, and 185 Westbrook Way and a major restoration of the boardwalk and front entrance deck at 152 Brae Burn Drive.  We also replaced gutters and downspouts at 100, 101, and 181 Westbrook Way, and we replaced the garage passageway-doors-to-patios at 67, 71, and 150 Westbrook Way.

On the grounds, we continued to cleanup after the December 14, 2016 Storm.  A highly qualified arborist team climbed eleven (11) of twenty-seven (27) mature trees that were severely damaged, selectively pruned, and then extracted “widow-maker” branches and limbs.  We prioritized the hazardous trees and addressed this first group of eleven riskiest trees to people and property.

We will continue to pursue the remaining sixteen trees, in a prioritized manner, and in accordance with other competing projects in our budget, over the final six months of Fiscal Year 2017.  Most of these trees are in areas that pose minimal or a lesser degree of danger to people.

Of course, our lawns and weeds were growing at an astounding fast pace during the month.  Our skeleton crew of one (1) student contract laborer during the month could barely keep up with tree limb debris collection and disposal, our rough area weed-eating, and lawn mowing.  The explosion of rapid growth overwhelmed us.  The lawns were growing so fast that we activated our lawn maintenance contractor two weeks earlier than planned and increased the number of lawn and bed maintenance service days from twenty-two (22) visits to twenty-five (25) this year to help us in this extraordinary year.

EDGEWOOD TOWNEHOUSE ASSOCIATION
Board of Directors Quarterly Open Forum Business Meeting
Preserve – Restore – Maintain
Tuesday, April 25, 2017

The second 2017 ETA Quarterly Meeting was held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in the Clubhouse. Attendees included 15 homeowners, members of the ETA Board, and the ETA Facilities & Operations Manager. The Board’s President, Bruce Trafton, offered opening comments and thanked the volunteer homeowners who contribute to the ETA community in a variety of ways. President Trafton also updated attendees on the status of repairs and cleanup necessitated by the ice storm of December 14, 2016. Out of 18 identified areas of storm damage, 16 have been completed. Finally, he summarized the Board’s strategic goals for FY 2017 which are as follows: (a) Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Plan; (b) Clubhouse ADA Compliance Plan; and, (c) Market Plan/Strategic Planning 5, 10, 15, 20-Year Planning and Development for Future Technologies.

President Trafton then turned the meeting over to a guest, Jill Hoyenga, of Eugene Water & Electric Board. Ms. Hoyenga gave a slideshow presentation on EWEB’s Water Reliability Initiative. She brought printed materials on emergency preparedness and accepted last-minute orders for discounted emergency water supply containers being offered by EWEB. Another offering will be made by EWEB, probably in the fall. More information is available at eweb.org/waterreliability or by contacting Ms. Hoyenga at ( __ )

The meeting was then opened up for other questions and comments. They are summarized below:

  • A homeowner thanked the Board for restarting lists of checks in the FYI and expressed an interest in seeing a detailed report of 2015 and 2016 expenditures as well as a full accounting for the foundation repairs to 10-40 Brae Burn Drive.
  • Following up on the topic of emergency preparedness, a homeowner asked if there were ways to use Brae Burn Creek in case of emergency. It was pointed out that the Creek does not belong to ETA.
  • Other homeowners suggested ways homeowners could act as a community in case of emergency. Ideas suggested included a generator to charge cell phones and using camp stoves for “community cook stations.” One homeowner recently completed an emergency preparedness course (CERT training) and others are considering signing up in the future; see the Community Emergency Response Team website for more information at https://eugeneorcert.samariteam.com/.

President Bruce Trafton adjourned the meeting at 8:35 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
JoAnn Wilson, Secretary ( _ )

Things To Know in May

RIPARIAN CORRIDOR
Did you know that City of Eugene Code requires that we keep the undeveloped areas of our property free of obnoxious vegetation and vegetation that poses a fire hazard during the period from June 15th to September 30th.   The majority of our undeveloped property resides along Brae Burn Drive and the Brae Burn Creek.  The area along the creek is known as the Riparian right-of-way – this is the area between the creek walkways and the creek basin.  During this period, we mow and use other methods to keep the invasive weeds, grasses, horsetail rush, and poison oak under control.

POOL PRACTICES
First, our Pool is managed and inspected daily during the ninety-six days of the Pool season.  Each morning and each afternoon, the Pool water is sampled and tested for clarity and sanitation.  You can help keep our Pool water clean by always taking a cleansing shower before entering the Pool water.  

Second, “Never Swim Alone.”  Our Pool Operation License is defined as a Public/Private Pool.  Under State Law, and for safety, only enter the Pool when another person is present in the Pool or on the Pool Deck.

UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES
The December 14, 2016 Snow Storm and subsequent Deep Freeze of early January has had many consequences on our planned maintenance this year.  The foremost consequence has been the re-prioritization of work for the rest of the 2017 Fiscal Year (FY).  Although insurance has covered a substantial portion of our facilities’ property repairs – the repairs to roofs, decks, patio walls, light poles and fixtures – were well covered by insurance; however, there are many indirect collateral costs that are not covered by insurance.  For example, costs for the continuing cleanup including extra contract labor costs, unanticipated and additional disposal costs, unanticipated and widespread hazardous tree limb removal and disposal costs, and the cost of stump grinding and removal.  All of this work has to be done.  It is all expensive.  And, we still have more to do to finish the storm damage cleanup.

As we move forward through the next six months, or second half of the FY, we will be practicing “cut-back” management.  Our 2017 FY Budget has limitations.  Our goal is to manage the next six months within the parameters of our 2017 FY Budget.  Some of our intended maintenance projects will be minimized or even postponed until 2018.  We plan to address building repairs, safety, and security matters as our highest priority.  Grounds projects will be our second priority and only conducted as needed during the next six months, or until we recover from the unanticipated costs related to the December 14, 2016 Snow Storm and Deep Freeze.  Please be patient over the next six months.  We will be back to normal – soon!

WEBSITE REPORT

During the period April 9, 2017 to May 3, 2017, our website, www.edgewoodhoa.org had 201 visitors who looked at 291 pages.

Toni Horodysky, Webmaster for Edgewood Townehouse Association (__)

[Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and street addresses have been removed for privacy reasons.]

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