November 2008

 

It’s that time for your friendly update about the on goings of Avian Glen. I would like to introduce your new Avian Glen HOA Board, update you on our website, and discuss the landscaping, talk about crime watch, our new committees, and finally the pool, ponds and sprinklers.

 

 

The current board would like to thank the outgoing board members: Kevin Kultgen – President, Debbie Kelly – Vice President, Collette Murphy – Social Committee, and Katie Hollman – Social Committee. Your new team for 2008/2009 is: Bob Percy (me) – President, Bryan Klepinger – Vice President, Secretary – Vicki Shafer, Treasurer – James Murphy, and Architecture Review – Joe Loomis. Sharing responsibility for the Social Committee is Stephanie Black and Anne Lally, and Crime Watch has been taken over by Kim Greene. Please feel free to reach out to anyone of us. I would like to ask that we channel all formal comments through our Property manager – Cindy Armour. Her contact information is located on our website www.avianglenhoa.com

 

 

We are pushing our website (www.avianglenhoa.com) as our formal communication tool and main source for information concerning Avian Glen. We the board has set a lofty goal to have a 100% of our homeowners registered by the end of 2008. I am asking each of you that if you have not registered please do so. The information on the website is only available for viewing by other “registered” Avian Glen residents. None of your information is public. The advantage of registering is being updated with the latest board information, social committee events, updated neighborhood directory, crime watch information, architectural change applications, covenants/by-laws, and an easy place to comment with ideas, suggestions, and complaints, active message board, photo albums, and a classified section. One of the biggest features this brings is the ability for us to send an email to all that are registered, such as pool opening/closing information; crime watch updates that come from the Carmel Police department, special social committee updates, etc… This email will go out to all the email addresses you have listed in your profile. We are working on the following possibilities and are open for ideas: paying quarterly dues on-line, sponsors with promotional items, kids of Avian Glen, ability to upload pictures, and committee updates. I would also like to thank Jason Bickett who has put a lot of time into the organizing of this website.

 

 

As you have seen the Landscaping is finished in the entrances. We were all hoping to have this project wrapped up prior to fall. This would have allowed all to enjoy the color of the new landscaping, but instead of color we got brown. We will just have to hold our excitement and anticipation until spring. The next step to completely finish the project is the lighting. This will be our next priority. As you may know the landscaping project hit numerous delays and the plans had to be changed, but even with the delays and change in plans the project came in under budget.  Next spring the Board will review all the common areas to see what may need to be done.

 

 

We are reactivating the crime watch program. Kim Greene has volunteered to take on this important job. She has already been in contact with Carmel Police department. We are looking to add more signs to our entrances as well as having the city periodically place electronic speed awareness signs at different areas of our neighborhood and having the police department more visible on our streets.

 

 

During the last board meeting two committees were approved: Softball and Capital Improvement. The softball committee is going to be chaired by the Architectural Review board member (Joe Loomis). The Capital Improvement committee is going to be chaired by the Treasurer (James Murphy). These two committees for now will not be formally written into the by-laws, however informally adopted by the Avian Glen board. I will keep you up to date on these committees as they start taking shape and speed.

 

 

 

How about a quick update on your pools, ponds and sprinklers? As you may have noticed the pool is still uncovered. Last year the federal government signed into law the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. This law requires us, prior to December 2008, to ensure entrapment devices are added to prevent accidental drowning by being trapped in the drain. Summarizing the approach and trying not to be overly technical, we can either install a device that will relieve the vacuum pressure from the drain system if the pressure is out of the normal limits or add protective covers on the drains at the bottom of the pool so that individuals cannot get stuck. We are currently discussing our options and receiving bids. The ponds, there is some concerns with primrose, water levels, and the erosion control. I never thought I was going to be an expert on pond management. So if you see a strange guy walking through your back yard – don’t shoot - it might be me. I am just trying to understand what we are up against. We are going to ask our pond guys to evaluate our ponds. The north entrance sprinklers – We have been investigating the water puddles around the ends of the islands on the north entrance. There is a lot of run off from the islands due to water being sprayed into the streets and plants blocking sprinkler heads. We have readjusted the watering time from 15 minutes to 8 and readjusted some of the spray heads. We are keeping a close eye to see if 8 minutes is enough water and the run off is reduced.  If this does not work the other thought is to run it for less time, but 7 days a week.

 

In closing, I don’t want to bring you all down, but winter is on its way so my next update may be talking about frozen ponds and snow removal.

Best regards,

 

Bob Percy