Jun 1, 2017 | President's Message
This summer we are planning changes to our fitness center that improve the quality of life of our residents. Expect an announcement for a grand opening once all the details have been completed. Our fitness committee presented a compelling comprehensive plan to the Board of Directors to modernize our facility. Many thanks go to our volunteer committee members who spent many hours collection information from users, equipment providers, professional instructors and researching fitness best practices.
Our all-volunteer committee consists of your neighbors who are licensed fitness instructors and users. A survey was conducted with over a hundred participants using our facilities providing valuable feedback to consider.
The plan encompasses a large age range of needs from young adults to seniors. For the young adult, the demand for data from the equipment is paramount during their workouts. Many corporations are demanding wellness metrics like steps, calories burned, and other wellness biometrics to provide incentives like reduced health premiums or even online shopping rewards. The quality of life goal for our youth is to provide a convenient, comfortable and safe place to create a habit-forming lifestyle of wellness. For our seniors, the focus is on aerobics and resistive training. A combination of these two routines improves cardiovascular functions, bone density, and joint strength. Joint strength is very important as we age, thus having the best ergonomic equipment is paramount to train muscles correctly to strengthen joints throughout the proper range of motion without stressing the joint itself. The equipment was also selected based on our need to rehabilitate after corrective surgery. Obtaining instruction from your Doctor or specialist allows you to continue rehabilitation nearer to home. Perhaps we need to think about a SKYPE alternative to allow your therapist to monitor your progress from a remote location? You have to love technology.
The plan also included not only what equipment to purchase, but how to sustain the program going forward. This includes proper maintenance of equipment and cleaning to assure a healthy environment. A checklist was developed to periodically inspect various aspects of the fitness facility to assure corrective action occurs quicker to ensure the longevity of the program.
I hope this article encourages you to join a committee to help make things happen towards improving our quality of life. If you have not, please visit our fitness center. You can work on a habit-forming a routine to improve your health. It is also a great place to meet your neighbors.
May 1, 2017 | Neighborhood News, President
Your all-volunteer Board of Directors and committee members have been working diligently to ensure the preservation of property values and focusing on enhancing the quality of life. It is amazing how much a community changes for the better when there are a lot of activities to enjoy.
If you are not participating in Food Truck Friday, you are missing out on a wonderful opportunity to meet the neighbors. We also had many neighbors come out last month for the plant sale by the Lady Bugs. I scored a large jalapeno plant for under three bucks and shared recipes on how to prepare stuffed jalapeno peppers. Also, last month was the Easter egg hunt. If you are on Facebook, perhaps you saw the dancing Easter Bunny on the playground bench. I certainly enjoy seeing children having a wonderful time; I realize this sort of thing is therapeutic for me.
Now let’s talk numbers. In political terms, a super-majority is a number well above a simple majority. In the House and Senate, for example, this can be as much as 2/3. I have not found a term to describe greater than 3/4; let’s call this a galactic-majority. Managing by the numbers helps separate facts from emotional bankruptcy. For example in March, 23% of homeowners received a letter requesting some sort of maintenance to be performed; about half of these dealt with lawn care. There was a lot of negative feedback concerning this, but we must remind ourselves 77% of homes did not receive a letter at all. This galactic-majority has lush green lawns with no weeds. Obviously, these owners either pay for a service or spent personal time spreading out a bag of turf builder. Perhaps visit your neighbor and find out the secret to their success.
Switching subjects to the annual assessment (maintenance fund), historically we achieve a 96% participation rate; meaning almost 4% try to opt-out. Opting out is a not a good strategy because eventually, the Association receives payment from the equity when delinquent owners property is sold. It is only fair that there are penalties, interest and legal reimbursements required from delinquent owners while they take advantage of the generosity of others. Last year we recovered just over $125,000 from delinquent accounts at closing. I point this out to reassure the super-duper-majority that your continued support and efforts are creating the best place to live.
Several homeowners have contacted me and expressed passionate concerns describing the obvious items like repairing fences, removing broken down vehicles, materials or trailers stored on the property, parking of commercial vehicles in driveways and streets, the un-kept basketball goals, trash cans stored in plain view or just general cleaning. The good news is about 90% of homeowners make corrections after the first letter. After the second letter, we usually see another 5 to 8 percent making the necessary corrections. Then we spend $47 for the certified letter requesting the property owner to please take action. At this point, most comply with this request and reimburse the cost of the certified letter. Then there are the stubborn few. This is when unfortunately requires a judge to help enforce the restrictions resulting in time and money being spent. Before you email me, if I am describing your neighbor next door, be assured we do follow all the required legal steps to enforce the promise we all made when they purchased the property.
Lastly, The Board of Directors has approved the hiring of a consultant, Counsilman Hunsaker, to provide a conditional assessment of our existing aquatic facilities. A third party consultant was selected to help us attain factual information and based on experience help us discern a reasonable next step. As a community, we have two options to consider: invest in a short-term or a long-term investment. The long-term will eventually happen given nothing last forever; the only question is when? The short term solution consists of making an investment to repair the existing pool while hoping it will last. Both options are viable with different risk factors to consider. The question to the owners is which direction should we take? We hope to get your input on this very important topic.
Apr 1, 2017 | Neighborhood News, President
Greg Schindler
Technology has made it possible to instantaneously connect everyone, just about everywhere at any time. Today we seem to communicate less and less as we seem to be forced to be brief and to the point.
We live in a world where 140 characters in a tweet motivate many people in a variety of ways. That word “motivate” may easily be substituted with “manipulate” depending upon your view of the world “half-full” or “half-empty.”
Stay with me for a moment, take a deep breath, and become an observer. As an observer, there are strict rules not to engage in the process or influence the situation in any way. Just sit back, watch and take notes.
There was an article written on a social media site last month regarding a benevolence activity. The intent was simply to motivate some of the readership to participate in a fundraising event. Then there was a response written, just a “few sentences” trying to convey a concern that the recipients of the benevolence activity may have a negative impact to our neighborhood. At this point, there were several written responses taking offense to this concern.
I guess if I were not in the observer mode, I might have jumped right in with the offended and provide my two cents. I thought about the words in those few sentences made by the offender and then spent some time trying to understand the individuals that were offended.
Reading each sentence carefully, this person had a genuine concern or fear. Have we come to the point that we no longer take the time to understand intent?
How about a committee of volunteers who decide that several trees on a median should be removed? Because we don’t understand intent, should we quickly respond with outrage? Do we fully understand the consequences of our response? Who will volunteer if the thanks you get are lots of criticism?
I think Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote is more relevant today than perhaps in her time; “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” The word “inferior” may as well be substituted with “outraged,” “offended,” “angry,” etc.
Assuming “good intent” is much more important with your neighbors than anywhere else in our social media lives. We will never understand intent if we don’t spend more time listening to each other or participating in the process.
Perhaps prior to giving “consent” to how you feel and respond, perhaps ask a few key questions: Can I make a difference? Am I willing to participate? What are the possible consequences of my response?
Because you are my neighbor, whatever you choose, I will always assume good intent.
Mar 1, 2017 | Neighborhood News, President
Last month I had an opportunity to present the Fundamentals of HOA Governance to several Board Members and Home Owners at the Community Center. The intention is to equip individuals on how an all-volunteer organization functions under Federal and State laws and our governing documents. The key to all decisions is all about timing. Understanding the process steps involved determines whether you participate directly or just influence.
We are living in very interesting times as we find ourselves totally overwhelmed with all of the political happenings at the national level. Does watching the news or discussion political topics with family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors increase your anxiety? If these things stress you out, perhaps it is time to refocus on action where you can make a difference. We have a lot of opportunities right here in our own community and potential activities requiring political influence.
Even though each of us would want to influence the decisions made at the national level, we may have our own challenges brewing right here in our own neighborhood. One of the best things I love about our neighborhood is how families come together when challenged; hurricane Ike comes to mind. Overnight we were all transported back in time nearly 125 years when the electricity went out. Hopefully, you didn’t have a boss chastising you the next day for being late to work. The reality was everyone in Houston understood the devastation and the impact to our routines. Empathy for each other came pretty easy and taking action was even easier.
Empathy seems to be more difficult when we get busy in our routine and tend to ignore something affecting others right in front of us. We convince ourselves, “I don’t need to take action because someone else will,” or “it is their problem, not mine,” or the most apathetic reason, “not my job.” Eventually, lack of action is like slow drips from a pipe eventually leading to a flood before you know it.
Google this interesting article found on Click 2 Houston about “Unlicensed assisted living facility still operating after the order to stop running.” This story is about how individuals start up a business operating in residential neighborhoods. Don’t waste your time by sending me an email questioning “how is this possible, we have deed restrictions.” By reading the article you find out “Operating an unlicensed assisted living facility, by itself, does not carry criminal punishment in Texas. Instead, the Office of the Attorney General pursues such matters via civil courts.” Even after a judge issued an order and fine, nothing has been done.
Attracting families to our neighborhood is a key strategy to maintaining our property values and not overburden our single-family community. So what can you do? Pay attention to the details around your home. Get to know your neighbors and new neighbors. Most families move in quickly after the SOLD sign is removed out of the front yard. A potential business typically requires more time to set-up and may require construction or renovation. You may notice multiple individuals and a variety of vehicles in and out. Take action by becoming that caring, but nosey neighbor. Take the time to question individuals you don’t know around your home. Remember, you live here and have a right to ask and know. The owner will have a compelling story, yet the employee or contractor another.
Once there are children or elderly residents as customers, shutting down this sort of business is nearly impossible. The money involved certainly makes one wonder why nothing gets done.
Get to know your Area Director and have frequent conversations about what is happening around your home. If there is something that needs to be done, it may be time to gather all the neighbors together. When we start caring about each other and take action when required, we are living in the best place in Northwest Houston.
Jan 1, 2017 | President's Message
Greg Schindler
As 2016 comes to a close and 2017 is before us, many thanks to outgoing Area Director Connie Shinaver with over 10 years of volunteer service to our community. It takes a special person with steadfast strength of character and a strong will to have such longevity of service; thank you Connie for your patience and wisdom.
A special thanks to the 2016 Board of Directors and committee members for achieving much this past year. The Board of Directors focused on the governance processes involving inspections, application of uniform standards, contract performance, and community outreach. This work could not have been accomplished without the 49 volunteers on the committees. Our committees are involved in the day-to-day challenges that occur in our community and make the necessary operating decisions – Common Areas, Community Center, Deed Restriction & Architectural, Fitness, Security & Safety, Social & Educational, Tennis, and Web & Social Media.
Most notable accomplishment highlights include: leveling the concrete walkways, removal of invasive trees and drainage improvements at the Community Center; holiday decorations throughout the community; improvements in content management HOA website; multiple free educational presentations; free introduction to fitness by licensed professionals; a community National Night out event; implementation of a color newsletter; our first reserve accounting study; and much more. None of this would have been accomplished without the help of our volunteers.
We would have preferred to have made progress on the 45 year old pool, but frankly, there were not enough resources to take on the work required compared to all other priorities within the community. Perhaps the Board and those on the committees can help address this topic in 2017. If you want to participate and make a difference, join a committee to help share the work for improving our community.
Lastly, the 2016 Board of Directors felt we needed to raise the assessments by 10% to cover anticipated costs for 2017 and beyond. The Board commissioned a professional reserve study to hopefully better prepare our community for future replacement costs like our recent community center. We are also anticipating operational costs to increase somewhat as we have learned that low bid adage “you get what you paid for.” The budget will be presented at our Annual February Membership as mandated by our governing documents.
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