Mar 24, 2015 | President's Message
Spring is close at hand with the evidence being redbuds, ornamental pear trees, and azaleas in bloom. The bareness and drabness of winter will soon be over, and many of us will turn our attention to doing whatever we can to add more color to our yards. One way you can do this without driving to many of the area nurseries is to come by the plant sale held by the Ladybugs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 28th at the Community Center. There will be a variety of plants for selection to meet just about any of your needs.
Simultaneously, we will have our annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 28th from 10 a.m. to noon on that Saturday. For those who attended last year, we will have much of the same agenda, and I’m confident that our children will enjoy it just as much. One of the things that makes these events a success are the number of volunteers that devote both their time and efforts. I urge you to consider doing so; and if you are so inclined, please contact Ann Kidney at the Community Center. It is never too late to offer a helping hand.
The Board has voted to form a committee to address the needs and desire of the homeowners concerning the swimming pool and/or other amenities. This committee will constitute both board members and homeowners, and a majority of the committee will be homeowners. They will solicit input from a variety of sources in the course of their work. The results of their work will ultimately be presented to all homeowners for their consideration. This will be accomplished by both a general homeowners meeting to fully explain the committee’s report as well as an opportunity for each homeowner to voice their preferences for any recommended course of action. The committee will be formed prior to the next board meeting. Contact information for the committee will be provided so any homeowner may express their views. The committee will not have a deadline for completing their work, but we can reasonably expect it to be concluded in sufficient time to permit any potential work on the existing pool to be completed prior to the 2016 swimming season.
As I write this article, I’m disappointed to report that we are in the middle of making approximately $4,000+ in plumbing repairs for a restroom in the tennis court area. These repairs are necessary because some users of the facility ignored the cautionary signs about flushing items in the toilet. As a result, the pump was completely clogged and the motor burned out. We plan and budget for replacement of items based on their expected life-cycle, but we cannot anticipate these types of repairs. We will put up additional signs but, ultimately, the real solution is for everyone to adhere to the printed signs.
For card aficionados, there is now a poker night at the club. If you are interested, please contact Ann Kidney or Tim McWilliams and they can give you some additional information.
We are also taking steps to make our website more current and representative of the interests of our homeowners. I think you can expect to see additional information in both written and graphic forms in the weeks and months ahead.
Roy May
MNW Board President
Mar 1, 2015 | President's Message
Our February 3rd general homeowners’ meeting was well attended despite some disagreeable weather outside. I believe everyone who signed up to address the meeting was afforded that opportunity. Homeowners voiced a number of views and opinions concerning the MNW swimming pool. After listening to homeowner input, the Board deferred making a decision regarding the pool until more information is obtained about the various options. Ultimately, we want the MNW community as a whole to indicate their preference for repairing/refurbishing or replacing the pool. Therefore, the Board will solicit homeowner input at least one more time before deciding the best course to follow with regard to the pool.
During the February general meeting, multiple homeowners expressed a desire for more timely communication of issues affecting the community as a whole. Years ago, the Board would communicate this information by mail or posted signage. Today, the vast majority of communication occurs through electronic means. It is difficult for the HOA Board to rely on this means because: (a) email addresses for most homeowners have not been provided to the HOA; and, (b) some homeowners may not have, or use, email. Considering the number of homeowners in MNW, compiling a complete email database does not appear to be a viable option. Therefore, available options include posting signs, communicating through area directors, using our website, or by direct mail. Only the latter method comes close to guaranteeing each homeowner receives information from the Board. “Snail mail,” as we are wont to call it, is also the most costly of all options. Part of the Board’s challenge is to improve communication with homeowners, and we will look at that more closely as we go forward.
Please note that accurate communication of any item concerning MNW HOA members must be recognized as coming from a means sanctioned and approved by the Board. Some confusion has arisen in the past about means that purport to represent the MNW HOA. The MNW HOA website is the official, electronic method, and direct mail is the other means. Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, and a number of other social media are both widespread and heavily used, but to date, the MNW HOA Board has not elected to use an electronic alternative to its website as a means of communicating with its members. Please keep this in mind as we continue to address topics of interest to the MNW community.
At our recent meeting, there also appeared to be a lack of clarity concerning homeowner voting. Our By-Laws, as well as Texas statutory law, are quite explicit concerning the process that must be used when a homeowner vote is requested. Each homeowner must be contacted with information about the issue under consideration, and this information must be communicated no less than ten (10) days or no more than sixty (60) days before a vote occurs. Each homeowner must be afforded the opportunity to vote as they see fit (e.g., by mail, email, in person at the MNW Community Center, or by fax). Proxies are permitted and may be solicited, but they must be within the guidelines of the Texas Property Code and the MNW HOA By-Laws. Relative to a membership vote, the Notice and Proxy/Ballot forms are generated by the MNW HOA and provided to all HOA members. I assure you that the Board will communicate with homeowners in an approved manner prior to any homeowner vote. As such, I fully expect we will solicit homeowner guidance before any vote is taken by the Board concerning the future of the swimming pool.
Finally, I want to reiterate something I said at the February general homeowner meeting. Any decision about the pool’s disposition will not find 100% universal favor just as virtually no other election, for any reason, ever shows this degree of acceptance. What I am committed to is meeting the stated charge to all Board members as stated in Article IV Section 7 of our By-Laws: “… When acting as a member of the Board of Directors, each person shall place the interest of the Association and its members before his individual interests or the interests of any other group or association of persons…”
Again, thank you for your participation and attendance at our general meeting. I look forward to receiving more input from you as we make an important decision about the swimming pool.
Roy May
MNW Board President
Dec 29, 2014 | President's Message
Our Evening with Santa on December 5th was a wonderful success in all respects. It was very well attended, lively, and thoroughly enjoyable by parents and children alike. The weather cooperated nicely and allowed us to show Frozen, one of the recent movies that is well received by people of many ages. None of this, however, was possible without the many volunteers that worked tirelessly to ensure all who attended had a memorable experience. It was especially nice to see a number of our teenagers manning the crafts, and even more gratifying to realize the spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in a younger generation. Incidentally, if you missed out on the great cookies provided by The Ladybugs, then you also missed another one of the things that made the evening a night to remember. Finally, Santa was just perfect and enjoyed by all.
Before the days get more frenetic as December 25th closes in on us, remember that one week later the year will come to an end. I know from past experience that the last week of the year is a time to unwind and relax, reflect on the year, and make plans for the New Year. There will be no shortage of places to go and parties to attend throughout the Houston area, but really, can you relax and enjoy yourself if you have to fight crowds, disappointing food, and traffic? I invite you to relax and reflect close to home. The Memorial Northwest HOA New Year’s Eve party at the Community Center on December 31st from 7:00-12:30 a.m. is a superb alternative. Since seating is limited and reservations required, please don’t wait any longer to make your reservation and join us that evening. We are almost two-thirds booked, and don’t want you to miss out on this event. Please contact Ann Kidney at our Community Center office for more information and to make reservations.
The holiday cards are already flooding our mailboxes, but they are joined with some correspondence most of us would rather not receive at this time of year. (We might feel a wee bit better if Uncle Scrooge, at the very least, formatted his notices with a more festive design.) Like some (many) of you, I wasn’t all that thrilled to see the tax numbers for this year are up more than a little from last year. That said, though, it’s also nice to see that our HOA assessment remained at the same level as last year. Additionally, our new credit card payment option also allows you to feel a little less pain at this time of year.
It is probably safe to say that our desire to give everyone whatever was on their wish list for Christmas was tempered by the reality that our finances didn’t quite match up with the list. That is a common occurrence, though, and one that we face both as individuals and a community. Going forward next year, the HOA Board will continue to consider and evaluate those things that enhance life in Memorial Northwest. More specifically, we want to ensure that our decisions provide tangible benefits for the entire community. The Board not only welcomes but solicits your input as we go forward. Please contact your Area Director or any Board member with your ideas. We really do want to hear from you.
As a last matter, the holidays also tend to bring an uptick in accidents, many of them on the road. Whether these accidents are caused by drivers distracted with the many demands of the season, or by drivers whose celebrations were a bit too extensive, I ask that you remember to literally watch out for “the other guy.” You may not be able to control their actions, but you can mitigate the effects of their driving inadequacies. This becomes doubly important, and more so, within the confines of our subdivision.
The MNW Board wants to extend to each and every one of you our best wishes for a joyous, holiday season, and an exciting, prosperous, and wonderful New Year. I personally hope your greatest wishes were fulfilled, and you are anticipating what can be the best year of your life in 2015.
Roy May
MNW Board President
Dec 29, 2014 | President's Message
The new year began both peaceably and with acceptable noise levels for the Memorial Northwest community. Well, I suppose the latter was true except for the usual spate of fireworks around midnight as well as a very well-attended New Year’s Eve party at our own Community Center. I’m not sure, but I believe the fireworks were drowned out by the music and merriment inside the building. We had a capacity crowd that was energetic, loquacious, and focused on enjoying the food, friends, and music. Our dance area was fairly well crowded most of the time, but I was mildly disappointed that I saw no one dancing with a lamp shade on their head. The term “and a great time was had by all” is a mild understatement. The success of this evening was possible for the countless number of people who contributed to the planning, but among those, our CC manager, Ann Kidney, should be singled out for special attention. She did a wonderful job, and as a special treat for the MNW HOA, Ann not only did not require any of the allocated funding from the HOA but returned a modest profit of $100. Thank you, Ann, from the entire community. Now, what are you going to do for next New Year’s Eve?
Our monthly meeting in February will be a General Homeowner’s Meeting to be immediately followed by our monthly Board meeting. While we have several agenda items, the most pressing issue is the swimming pool. As with any facility, repairs and maintenance are a fact of life, and a necessity. We have reached the point that some significant repairs are required to the pool. During recent Board meetings, however, there were suggestions about the scope of the repair proposal. These ideas ranged from doing nothing to revisiting the master plan presented to the community in 2012. The Board will consider four options at the February meeting before deciding the most appropriate course of action. The timing of the decision is important. If we proceed with repairs, construction must begin in February in order to avoid a negative impact on the swimming season. Therefore, the Board needs to make a decision in February.
Any decision by the Board concerning the pool, except for doing nothing, will impact the current budget. The dollar level of that impact depends on what is ultimately approved by the Board. Currently, funding options range from paying with available cash and no impact on homeowner assessments in the next year or so, to a loan and still-to-be-determined amount of increase in assessments starting next year. Due to the sensitive nature of household budgets, I believe it is necessary that we make informed decisions that reflect the needs of the MNW community. We solicit this input from you at the February general meeting.
If you attend the meeting, and we certainly hope you will, there will be a summary sheet that encompasses the four options along with the estimated cost and funding method for each option We will have an open forum for questions from homeowners, with the forum lasting approximately an hour or so. Individual comments and responses will be limited to no more than three minutes each in the interest of allowing as many as possible to address this issue. With the adjournment of the general meeting, a Board meeting will convene to evaluate and discuss the various options with the intent of reaching a decision about the pool facility. During the Board meeting, comments or questions from the floor cannot be entertained during the Board’s discussions. I ask that each of you honor this procedure as we move forward with this agenda item.
As several, or many, of you are aware, we have experienced, and continue to experience, some problems with facility access with the biometric reader system. Since the nature of these problems are recurring, with an apparent increase during cold weather, we will issue reader cards for homeowners who request them. The cards do not appear to be affected by weather changes, and the card issue is without cost to the homeowner.
Two street lights were recently replaced by Center Point after homeowners notified us the lights were out. I sincerely appreciate the notifications I received from homeowners about these lights. Security throughout the MNW community is perhaps the primary concern for all of us, and it takes active involvement by the community as a whole. We take seriously these concerns, I want to assure you the Board shares your concerns. Any comments or suggestions should be sent directly to our 2nd Vice President for Security, Mr. Bill Burton, who has done an admirable job. Alternatively, please express your ideas and concerns to your area director.
Finally, two additional items of interest. Thank you for your patience concerning recycling and trash pick-up during the holiday period. In the future, we will try to address the recycling issue to avoid the need for three weeks of storing recyclables. Second, Consolidated Management, our property management company, recently relocated offices. Some homeowners have experienced return of their assessment payments by the US Postal Service, and this is in spite of a valid forwarding order entered by Consolidated Management. They have addressed this issue with USPS and, hopefully, the problem is corrected. Regardless, no late fees will be levied until assessments are received after the end of January. Also, please remember that you also have the option for assessment payment by credit card.
Roy May
MNW Board President
Recent Comments