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Homeowners’
Association Newsletter
– April, 2008 Volume 6,
Issue 1 |
Board of
Managers
To ensure
that
Carlyle Management Co.
Phone: (216) 464-7465 Clubhouse email: hpclubhouse@highlandparkassoc.com
for information or Clubhouse reservations. This email will automatically forward to Heather at Carlyle
Management. Property Management – Edward Fratus, Extension 228 |
Dates to Remember WHAT: Homeowners Annual Meeting WHEN: Tuesday,
April 22 TIME: WHERE: Clubhouse WHO: All
Homeowners |
Board of Managers Dave Celznick, President 934-6174 Karri Furness, Vice-president 934-7219 Bill Mazzolini, Treasurer 934-0710
Jeanne Stark, Secretary 934-3348 Kevin Malinowski 216-403-8233 Website: www.highlandparkassoc.com |
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
By
Dave Celznick
I
would like to take this opportunity to thank the current Board members for
another year of great service. Karri, Bill
and I are at the end of our two-year terms.
NOTE: New Board members will
be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Homeowners’ Association (see “Dates to
Remember” above).
Each
fall, the Board of Managers set goals and objectives for the upcoming year. Status of the 2007 Goals is as follows:
Ø
Budget and Finance - The financial outlook remains
favorable allowing for continued maintenance and improvement projects. The Annual Assessment Fee remains at $400. However, for 2008 the Board has voted to
grant a rebate of $30 thus making the 2008 Fee $370 plus any unpaid balance
carried over from 2007. We have
established cost-effective multi-year contracts with key vendors and continue
to refine the Code of Regulations.
Ø
Maintain and improve
Highland Park Structures and Amenities. Repair and improvements completed in 2007 include
parking lot lights Phase(2), parking lot sewer & pavement
improvement, clubhouse painting, clubhouse carpet,
Nature Park water study, Nature Park drainage, pond fountain replacement,
Montrose Basin landscaping, tree replacement, clubhouse security upgrade and
the removal of several dead trees from Association property.
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Ø
Liability, Risk Assessment
and Reserve Analysis. This activity is
focused primarily on the clubhouse and pool areas. The result of this effort will help determine
lifecycle replacement cost and provide input on optimizing the level of
contingency reserves.
Ø
Mailbox - Improvement Plan
– Phase 2
is the action plan backed by Deed Restrictions that includes sending
notification to those homeowners whose mailbox and/or mailbox post is in need
of upkeep. The expectations are: no peeling paint, no unpainted surfaces, no
rust or dents on the box and no cracked or missing components. Thank you to all that have responded to this
effort. Well-maintained mailboxes
contribute to the aesthetic value of our community.
Ø
Zero Shutdowns for the Pool
in the 2007 Season. The heated pool remained in
operation from Memorial Day weekend thru mid-September. Please realize any
broken glass in the pool area will cause an immediate closure and pool
inspection/cleaning as well as the added expense of draining, filling and
reheating the pool. The small pool was
shut down for one day to adjust chlorine levels.
Ø
General Operations
Ø
The
first fifteen minutes of each Board meeting are open to homeowners that would
like to express concerns or comments to the Board of Managers. A few residents
have taken the opportunity to discuss issues. Please call any Board member for
the time and location of the next meeting if you have an issue to discuss. This
is your opportunity to address the Board face-to-face.
As
a general awareness reminder, we are all owners of Association property. The Board has set a high quality standard for
our vendors and expects each homeowner to maintain property within the Deed Restrictions
and Highland Park Rules. This agreement was part of the documentation each of
you signed when you purchased property in
AND THE SURVEY SAYS……….By Jeanne Stark
Thanks to the homeowners that took
time to respond to our fall 2007 Homeowner Survey. A total of 88 replies were received and
compiled. This represents a little over
20% of the households in
The purpose of the Survey was to
give you an opportunity to tell us what is important and what you would like to
see – and not see - in
Survey Results---Summary
(Percentages shown below refer to survey
respondents only and not to percentage of all homeowners)
Page 2
MANAGEMENT
AND THE BOARD
v
66% have confidence in the Board handling our finances.
v
56% agree that the Board does a good job enforcing rules
and deed restrictions.
v
Only 41% feel the Mailbox Improvement Program has been
effective.
SWIMMING
POOLS
v
85% agree with pool hours of
v
59% agree that the
pool is too crowded in June/July whereas only 43% agree that it is too
crowded in August.
v
47% agree with limiting the number of guests; 36% disagree.
v
Generally, Metro Pool Services got favorable ratings in
several categories. We will review
numerous critique items with them face-to-face.
v
43% agreed, 35% disagreed with expansion of the existing
pool/parking lot.
v
19% agree, 52% do not agree that a lifeguard is needed
whenever the pool is open.
CLUBHOUSE
v
35% agree, 8% disagree that the clubhouse rental process is
well-managed.
v
46% consider the clubhouse clean and well-maintained; 13%
don’t agree.
v
Limited input on adding more amenities at the clubhouse.
Most common request is for an oven.
v
More frequent cleanup is
needed in the bathrooms during the pool season.
PLAYGROUND & TENNIS COURTS
v
16% have used the tennis courts frequently.
v
39% believe that
additional playground equipment is needed and swings were the most common
suggestion. However, 32% were neutral and 22% disagree or
strongly disagree.
OTHER COMMON AREAS
v
51% see no need to replace the white plastic fences at the
Rt. 83 entrance and by the pool/playground.
v
44% would like to see the trees illuminated along
v
88% agree that the lawn and grass areas are well
maintained.
v
85% agree that the trees, shrubs, mulch and flower beds are
well maintained.
v
83% feel that the Nature Park and walking trails are well
maintained.
v
40% would support modest improvements to the grassy area in
the nature park for pick up games, flying kites, etc.
The weather in
The
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strictly enforcing the 9 week pre-paid "Membership
Cards" again this year. In the event you are not able to play on a
league Wednesday you will be able to use the card for golf on any other day
should you decide to play on a non league day (special events and tournaments
excluded). There is no expiration date on the cards.
There will most likely be folks that head over to the course over
the next couple week to get in some practice rounds. Please email Sean
Flaherty at flahertysean@yahoo.com if you are interested or have
any questions.
PILATES IN THE PARK……….By Colleen Smitek
Highland
Park residents have a unique opportunity to get fit and have fun this summer in
our own back yard. Beth LaFarciola, one of
Beth,
the owner of Symmetry Pilates LLC, has taught Pilates at EMH, Urban Active
Fitness, Community Health Partners, NASA, Kim's Martial Arts and Chu To Bu Judo
Academy. She currently offers morning Pilates classes at Step by Step dance
studio in
What
makes Beth's classes so effective is that she offers an incredible abs workout
while strengthening and lengthening nearly every major muscle group.
Beth
stresses that anyone can come and get a good workout irrelevant of their level
of expertise in the field of Pilates. Both men and women are welcome.
Classes
start Wednesday, June 11. Participants pay on a per class basis — a fee of $10
per class. No advance sign-up is required; simply bring your $10 and meet by
the playground at
If
you're interested, email Beth directly at Symmetrypilates@roadrunner.com.
In the event of questionable weather, she will then be able to send out an
email announcing class cancellations. She will also send out a reminder email
prior to the first class.
The
class needs at least five participants to remain viable. Call if you have questions.
HELLO, NEW NEIGHBORS!
Please extend a “warm
welcome” to the following families who moved into
fall. If we erred
or missed your name, we apologize. Please
let Bill Mazzolini know.
On
Bellcrest: Kujawski; Hoch &
McEaneney
On
Billingsley: Distler; McClain; O’Farrell.
On
Cranlyn Terrace: Kumar & Mathur; On Edenhall: Foertch; Zurinsky.
On
Glendenning: Roman. On
Haverford:
On
Montrose: Bang; Morton. On
Truxton: Kappa
On
Wendell: Aksoy;
SWIMMING
POOL & CLUBHOUSE UPDATE..........By Bill Mazzolini
The pools will open on May
24th! A new contract was
negotiated with Metropolitan Pool Service.
Swimming lessons are tentatively set for June 16-27 and July 7-18.
NOTE THE
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS:
To reserve the clubhouse, send an email to Heather at Carlyle:
hpclubhouse@highlandparkassoc.com).
Details and a calendar are on the website.
Page 4
FINANCIAL REPORT..........by Bill Mazzolini
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Operating
Fund – Summary |
2007 FINAL |
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Full Year, 2007 Actual vs. 2007
Budget—in 000’s dollars |
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Revenue |
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Twelve Months Actual |
Twelve Months Budget |
Variance |
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2008 Budget |
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Annual
Assessments @ $400 |
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168.9 |
167.2 |
1.7 |
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171.6 |
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All
Other Income |
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8.1 |
6.0 |
2.1 |
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6.4 |
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Less
Rebate |
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(10.5) |
(10.5) |
0.0 |
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(12.9) |
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TOTAL
REVENUE |
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166.5 |
162.7 |
3.8 |
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165.1 |
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Expenses |
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Administrative |
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8.7 |
10.1 |
(1.4) |
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9.7 |
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Professional |
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10.9 |
11.9 |
(1.0) |
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11.4 |
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Contracted
Services |
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87.0 |
77.7 |
9.3 |
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82.9 |
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Maintenance
& Repair |
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12.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
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7.7 |
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Utilities
& Energy |
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13.3 |
14.0 |
(0.7) |
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14.0 |
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Taxes/Other |
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8.8 |
6.8 |
2.0 |
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8.8 |
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TOTAL EXPENSES |
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140.7 |
126.5 |
14.2 |
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134.5 |
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Budgeted
Improvement Projects |
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24.3 |
27.0 |
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17.5 |
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Surplus
Available |
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1.5 |
9.2 |
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13.1 |
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Higher-than-budgeted
expenses in 2007 were caused by completion of several planned projects, some
unplanned emergency repairs, increases in property taxes/income taxes and
additional lifeguard hours at the pool. Expenses
for routine operations/maintenance (except for the taxes and pool expenses),
met the budget. “Contingency reserves” and
operational cash on hand remained level at $80.8k.
Over and above the budgeted
routine operations/maintenance expenses, about $35k of the Association’s money was
spent on the following improvements in 2007:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION COST STATUS
*** Parking
Lot Lights, Phase 2 $4.4k Complete
***
***
***
*** Parking
Lot Repair $10.5k Complete
*** Clubhouse
carpet, painting $2.8k Complete
*** Removal
of 5 dead trees $0.7k Complete
*** Replacement
of trees near clubhouse $1.5k Complete
*** Clubhouse
security locks $1.0k Complete
*** Rt. 83
Entry Fountain Replacement $4.5k Complete
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here’s
a few FAQ’s received by the Board. There’s
other FAQ’s on the
Q: I
lost my copy of the Deed Restrictions.
How can I get a copy?
A: A copy of the Highland Park Deed
Restrictions can be obtained from you builder or from Carlyle Management. A simplified version is in the “
Q: I saw some ATV’s in the Pelham detention
basin and on sidewalks. What are the
A: Please see the next article by Kevin
Malinowski.
Q: What are the requirements for installation
of trees on tree lawns?
A: Tree lawns are “owned” by a
governmental agency (i.e., the town) but maintenance and landscaping of the
tree lawn are the responsibility of the homeowner. The original tree (or trees if on a corner
lot) is owned by and shall be maintained by the homeowner. Generally, the tree is warranted for one year
by the builder; after that it’s up to the homeowner to replace the tree if it
dies.
Q: Where can I obtain some advice regarding
an effective sump pump system to protect my
basement during major storms?
A: See the “Prevention of Basement
Flooding” article on page 7 by Karri Furness.
SAFE OPERATION OF ALL-TERRAIN
VEHICLES (ATV’S)
By
Kevin Malinowski
With the presence of ATV’s in
ATV Registration
All ATVs must be registered with Ohio DMV unless
operated exclusively upon lands owned by the owner of the ATV. Registration requires the ATV to be equipped
with equipment like front and rear lights, etc.
Owner shall place registration sticker and identification numbers on the
ATV.
Operator’s License
No person who is less than 16 years of age shall
operate an ATV on any land other than private property owned by the person’s
parent or guardian, unless accompanied by another person who is 18 years of
age, or older, and who holds a valid driver’s license.
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Accidents and Damage
Any
operator involved in a an accident resulting in personal injury, death, or
property damage in excess of $100 shall report it to the Avon Police Department
with 48 hours.
Ohio and Avon Operation Regulations
An
ATV may be used:
An
ATV may NOT be used:
Highland Park Requirements
An
ATV SHALL NOT be used:
With
all the activity on our streets, sidewalks and yards with children as well as
adults, it should remind us all to remember safety when is comes to our speed
limit (25 mph) and right-of-way for pedestrians.
PREVENTION OF BASEMENT FLOODING
By
Karri Furness
After the
rainfall and subsequent
flooding of the area. Mr. Bramhall’s
evaluation and recommendations
are on the Highland Park
website. Below is the portion of Mike’s
assessment specifically focusing on
sump pump maintenance and
optimal back-up design:
“Observations of the
Summary: On
Question: What can a homeowner do to
reduce the chance of future water in the basement?
Response:
Main Sump Pump Inspect the sump pump operation
periodically. Make sure the float is not sticking (some pumps have internal
floats, observe pump operation – use hose if necessary). On an annual basis
unplug the pump and make sure the suction screen is free of material or debris.
Replacing the sump
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pump
every three years is recommended by some manufacturers. The few homeowners that
have slimy red iron deposits on the crock walls need to be on a regular
maintenance program to check for iron deposit build ups in the pump and
discharge line.
Back Up Sump Pump Homeowners that want to further reduce the
chance of water backing up the sump pump may want to consider the installation
of a backup sump pump. The most successful seem to be the battery backup units with
the battery charging station/ monitor. The “Basement Watchdog” has a model that
indicates how many hours of continuous operation the battery has (usually up to
eight 8 hours). They can be expensive ($400 - $500) but several residents say
it has saved them. It is best to have a separate
discharge line for the backup sump pump. This separate line should discharge to
grade level a minimum of five (5) feet away from the foundation. A flap to
prevent pests is needed on the discharge line.
The
water
siphon version of the back up sump does not appear to perform well in
severe inflow conditions. Several homes in
NEW NEIGHBORHOOD DIRECTORY
By
Jeanne Yeagley & Sean Flaherty
We
are in the process of updating the Highland Park Homeowners’ Association
Directory. This year, in order to
streamline the process we have created a link on our website to submit your
information. Just log on to http://www.highlandparkassoc.com/DirectoryForm.htm to submit your data. This makes it easy for us to merge the data
into the new directory format. If you
don’t have access to the internet, complete the form below and send it in. Distribution
of the directory outside of
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Please
complete the following contact information on the website or mail this form to:
Highland Park Directory Update
c/o
Jeanne Yeagley
36131
North Park Drive
Avon,
Ohio 44011
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Home Phone |
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E-mail |
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Child #1 Name |
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Birth Date |
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Child #2 Name |
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Birth Date |
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Child #3 Name |
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Birth Date |
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NEWSLETTER ADVERSTISING
Thanks to the residents who have
used the Newsletter to advertise their businesses. If you have a business you’d like others to
know about (or if you have been satisfied with work completed by a local
company and think they could be a good resource for other residents), consider
advertising in the Highland Park Newsletter. The fee structure for a business
card-size ad is noted below.
To advertise your business, please
mail in the “Newsletter Advertising Form” below or e-mail your company info to MazzOhio@aol.com.
If you have a company logo that you’d like included, please enclose it.
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Newsletter Advertising Form
Mail to: Bill Mazzolini 3861
Silsby
Please check one of the following (assumes three
issues per year):
HP Resident: □ □ Single Issue Business/Service Advertising
(resident $25 / non-resident $40)
Non-Resident: □ □
Annual Business/Service Advertising (resident $60 /
non-resident $105)
Company Information:
Company Name:
Contact Name:
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Business Description:
Additional Information:
Please enclose a check payable to
Please support our
advertisers.
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Signature ELECTRIC Michael Mazzola Office: (216) 485-8710 Fax: (216) 485-8711 Cell: (216) 695-5607 Email: mmazzola@signatureelectriccorp.com |
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FACE PAINTING Diane DiRienzo 934-1188 Kids
love it! Call me! |
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