Oct 31, 2015 | President's Message
Greg Schindler
Halloween will soon be behind us and Thanksgiving ahead. Hopefully, it’s a good and prosperous season for all. September and October were certainly momentous for MNW as a community. These months saw the ends of service for two longstanding board members: Phil Blagg, who served for almost two years as VP of Contracts before assuming the position of President, and Eileen Koscho, who will have served many years as Area 4 Director at the end of her term in December. Both of these individuals brought valuable experience to the Board and demonstrated true dedication to our community. Their service is much appreciated.
The month of September also marked the beginning of service for two new board members. Stan Thurber was appointed as the 1st Vice President, and Jamie DeLoatche was appointed as Treasurer. Both men are greatly appreciated for their willingness to serve in these long vacant positions. Already they have brought fresh insight to the board.
As most homeowners know, October was the election month for several board positions. In an effort to work seamlessly with our new management company and provide every opportunity for the community to express itself through the voting process, the October HOA meeting, regularly held on the first Tuesday of the month, was pushed back to the last Tuesday of the month. During this time, the only contested position on the ballot suddenly became uncontested with the acknowledgement that Ms. Eileen Koscho will not run again for Area 4 director. This effectively nullified the mandate of a specific election. The remaining incumbent board members will remain in their positions. Area 6 Director Greg Schindler will assume the position of HOA Board President effective January 2016. Greg’s years of experience will be invaluable to the board as our community moves forward. Kelly Minor will assume the role of Area 4 Director in January.
Both will be in place to discuss a new matter coming before the board that is certainly worth community involvement. Eileen Ferris has worked on Saturdays and as a fill-in for our manager at the community center for some time. She has done a great job for us, taking a position that could be very difficult at times with situations such as dealing with irate homeowners. Unfortunately, because of other commitments moving forward into November, Eileen will no longer be available to work as she previously did. She has done an outstanding job, so please tell her when you see her. She will be missed.
I would like to extend an invitation to all MNW homeowners and renters to come to the monthly meetings. YOU are important. Your view is important and the best one to let us know exactly what you think is YOU. Don’t just idly stand by and watch decisions being made that you don’t support, or views being expressed that don’t represent what you believe. GET INVOLVED! Your board wants to hear from you.
Sep 28, 2015 | President's Message
Change.
It’s a word that immediately evokes some sense of apprehension in most of us. What kind of change? What does this mean to me and my family? Why can’t things just stay the same? Your Board of Directors has been reviewing many things over the last several months as we’ve transitioned out of summer and are preparing for fall. This has included updating several of our ongoing contracts; establishing or reestablishing our professional relationships with our new management company and our attorney; critically examining our pool committee recommendations and determining how to move forward with Homeowners making the final decision; evaluating traffic safety within our subdivision and re-setting our enforcement priorities with the emphasis turning decidedly to safety first. We have seen much success and progress in all these areas and others.
Also covered in just about every monthly meeting and by multiple BOD members outside the meetings were the tremendous amount of deed restrictions violations either observed directly or reported. This may not apply to you directly, but it does to someone you know or someone on your street. You may follow all the rules to help keep our subdivision pristine and orderly, but you undoubtedly know or have seen neighbors who do not. For the most part, I’m talking about relatively simple or small things here that have a tremendous adverse effect on what MNW looks like and how it is perceived by people driving or walking through our community.
MNW deed restrictions state that two days a week our garbage, recyclables and lawn waste will be picked up. Accordingly, Homeowners are directed to place their items for collection at the curb no earlier than evening of the days prior to the pickup days. Additionally, on a regular basis, refuse containers should be stored such that they are not visible from the street. All, or most of us, have seen neighbors who blatantly disregard this restriction. For example, if their yard people cut the grass and trim the trees on Tuesday and place the yard waste cans or plastic bags at the curb, the homeowners leave them right there until they are picked up Thursday. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to drive down any street of our subdivision on non-pickup days, and see yard waste and trash containers sitting at the curb.
We’ve all seen our share of neighbors who post advertising signs on display in their front yards. In an isolated case, we have a neighbor who placed high wattage light bulbs on the property. These interfere with the vision of passing drivers as well as annoy and inconvenience those who live nearby and must endure this glaring light all night. We probably all know at least one neighbor or MNW resident whose garages and driveways are so filled up with other items, they park all their personal cars on the street, further narrowing streets that are not wide in the first place, congesting traffic when more than one car at a time must pass and forcing pedestrians to walk near the center of the road to get around.
I could go on with examples, but I think the point has been made. And, based on the homeowners’ attendance at monthly meetings to complain, I think most would agree there is an issue. That issue involves our deed restrictions and our enforcement posture. And therein lies the upcoming change. To this point, the BOD has been fairly accommodating with respect to violations. If we are to address homeowners’ concerns and elevate our community to where we believe it should be, deed restrictions should and must be enforced impartially and fairly. Your BOD is currently in the process of examining our past practices with respect to deed restriction enforcement. Working with our new management company and our legal advisors, we are striving to find ways to evenly, consistently, and compassionately enforce the restrictions as they are written.
As articulated so well by 3rd Vice President Ryan Pyle, it is the responsibility of ALL of us to ensure MNW is the best community it can be. By adhering to the guidelines, by talking with your neighbors about matters that may bother you, we truly can make this a better place.
Sep 1, 2015 | President's Message
Our president, Phil Blagg, is temporarily unavailable due to unanticipated personal circumstances. The entire HOA BOD looks forward to his return as soon as possible.
As school’s opening day rapidly approaches, we look back on what was hopefully an eventful and fun summer for all. It’s certainly been eventful for MNW. First, I’d like to recognize a woman who is nothing less than an icon in our community. It’s with a great deal of personal sadness that I publically announce that Eleanor Naremore is moving on from MNW. Those who are associated with her know her as a dedicated resident, absolutely committed to the betterment of this community. Over the decades, Eleanor served with distinction in several positions on the BOD. Even when not actively on the board, she remained a force in bringing to light and addressing issues of public concern. Wherever your journey takes you, Eleanor, know that you have the thanks of this entire community for all that you have done here. You will be greatly missed.
Unfortunately, due to the absence of our president and his anticipated return, several key administrative issues that might have been resolved in August were deferred to a later date. Because we don’t know when exactly that’ll be, the BOD is exploring all lawful methods to proceed. One issue of particular import involved the naming of the nominating committee. This is an effort President Blagg was personally involved with. As the acting president, I am proceeding with caution to make certain the president’s concerns are addressed and his direction followed.
The final report from the Pool Committee was also delivered at August’s HOA meeting. This issue is of great importance to the community and the meeting was well attended. Unfortunately, because of miscommunication amongst some BOD members, critical mistakes were made and the report was released to the public before the BOD had a chance to review it. For this reason, I suspended public comment on the issue or the report. After the report was delivered, board discussion ensued and several items needed further research. As was originally directed, the objective of this report is to gather facts representing two options concerning the future of the community pool. These options will be presented to all homeowners for a final decision.
Finally, as 2nd VP of security, I have faced almost constant constructive and not-so-constructive criticism about the safety and traffic issues around Theiss Elementary School. The tactics from the past for addressing these problems have not been successful, nor do I believe they ever will be. We are not going to get speed bumps, bike lanes, sidewalks, etc., on Hidden Trail. I do not believe we will ever convince anyone outside MNW to redesign Theiss Mail in front of Theiss to accommodate our traffic problems. KISD police are not going to suddenly bump us up on the priority list and start showing up regularly for traffic enforcement. But we’re not helpless. We can do something! You can do something! We’re way beyond continuing to pointlessly talk about these issues. I have a plan to address the safety of our children at Theiss, but I can’t do it by myself. I’m asking those who can to step outside their comfort zones and recognize our children on those streets are in real danger, then resolve to do something about it beyond just talking. Our children face this danger twice daily: when they are going to school and then again when they are going home. I need volunteers to work with me during those times to ensure their safety.
MNW has a choice. We can continue to argue and debate the same safety issues that have been regurgitated ad nauseum for decades, to no successful results. I guarantee this will result in no actions being taken and we will continue to talk about this until a child is actually seriously hurt. Or we can join together and do something to protect our children. If you are 18 or over, can stand for at least a half hour, and can commit a little time during the week, please call me for additional details. I need you to make this work!
Please see the website at www.mnwcenter.com for ongoing information regarding the HOA upcoming election, etc.
Lawrence McKinney
Acting President
Aug 3, 2015 | President's Message
The Dog Days of August are upon us and air conditioners are running 24 hours a day! There are also not many more weeks until the new school year begins. To this end, it has been decided to hold a community ‘End of Summer Swim Party’ to put a cooling splash on all this heat. This wet gala will be brimming with pizzas, games, prizes and a giant-screen movie event, all poolside – happening the Saturday evening (8/22) before Klein ISD classes commence. Check out all the fun details (and a few swim rules) further inside this newsletter.
On a more serious note, we pick up a continuing theme from last month’s message regarding continuing concerns about overall traffic safety on our streets. At the July HOA meeting several homeowners expressed their concerns about local traffic conditions and, as well, raised quite a few questions as to what could be done. Later in that meeting, Lawrence McKinney, VP of Safety, gave an extensive review of new (and of renewed) efforts to not only elevate resident driver awareness but to also more effectively communicate resident’s concerns to our patrolling officers.
Nevertheless, the statistics are undeniable – most accidents take place within a short distance of home. You could add to this fact that most people believe ‘their home is their castle’ And, by extension, could we not also say that their surrounding neighborhood is ‘their manor?’ It is, at any rate, their ‘comfort zone.’ But this excess of familiarity of surroundings often breeds carelessness and unwatchfulness. There is often a lack of attention to the ordinary details – an accident just waiting to happen.
Try out this little mental familiarity test the next time you “arrive” at the corner grocery or at the school parking lot: ask yourself if you can honestly remember interacting with all of those two dozen stop sign intersections that you needed to traverse to your final destination. Or did you just “suddenly” arrive?
That is a familiarity that can (and will) breed carelessness; it happens NEAREST to home, your community. Traffic safety is an active mentally-engaged process; familiarity is most often not that.
Phil Blagg
MNW Board President
Jul 5, 2015 | President's Message
The Board of Directors regrets to announce that our president, Roy May, recently needed to resign his position due to urgent personal and business considerations. The entire Board would like to take this opportunity to thank Roy for his strong leadership role during his tenure as president. The policies and procedures of your Board of Directors provide for constancy of office in this leadership role and, as such, it is provided that the 1st vice president should migrate to the role of president. I, Phil Blagg, as your former 1st vp, do accept this interim role and its responsibilities.
To more personally acquaint you, my family and I have been happy residents of this great community for over 20 years. The three young sprouts (3 boys) that we brought in and raised up here have since moved on to other pastures and are pursuing great adventures of their own. Nevertheless, the ‘old folks at home’ (Jackie and I) are still firmly planted here and looking forward to the next 20 years of MNW community life. To that end, I do pledge these next efforts and civic responsibilities to maintaining and cultivating this family-friendly and diverse community for the benefit of all of our futures here.
On a more day-to-day but important note about neighborhood safety, I would like to remind our residents that the summer season is upon us. With that season comes an abundance of joggers, dog-walkers, bicycles, and multiple children on foot. All of our family drivers are cautioned to take extra care and precautions during this time. Parents: please caution your own young drivers again about the increased hazard potential. In addition, our non-resident-through-traffic has increased greatly over the recent years. To that point, your Board continues to communicate with our Sheriff’s patrols to aggressively target any and all of the careless and unrepentant stop-sign-rollers and excessive speeders throughout the subdivision. Personally, it is hard for me to imagine wanting it otherwise.
Thank you for taking the time to peruse your new president’s first monthly message. Comments from the community are welcomed at any time. (Email is generally the communication mode of choice.)
Phil Blagg
MNW Board President
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