The Lamppost Vol. 2006/6
June 2006
The Official Newsletter of the Walden Pond Homeowners' Association
On the Internet at http://waldenponddurhamnc.org
Regularly Scheduled HOA Board Meeting
Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 7:00pm
McMannen United Methodist Church
4102 Neal Road , Durham
All Walden Pond owners and residents welcome
Walden Pond HOA Seeks ANOTHER New Manager
As this newsletter goes to press, the Walden Pond HOA board is in the process of hiring a new property agent.
Mr. Harold White, of Property Management, Inc., who started the job on May 1, has submitted his resignation, effective at the end of June.
Mr. White notified HOA president Don Barry of his resignation about June 1, citing health reasons.
Barry, 2 Durbin Court, and HOA vice president Laura Atkinson, 10 Prestwick Place, have spearheaded the effort to identify and contract with a new property agent before White's contract expires on June 30.
At this writing, the board has an excellent prospect for replacing Mr. White. Pending an interview this week, the board hopes to be able to announce a new manager by its next regular meeting on June 20.
“We regret that Harold White has decided to step down, especially after such a short time, but I understand that his health concerns have to take first priority for him,” Barry said.
“We are pretty sure we can have a new property agent on board by July 1, and Mr. White has assured us that he will make every effort to assure a smooth transition to the new management,” Barry added.
“Our biggest concern, of course, is to make sure that HOA members will receive accurate information on how to submit their fee payments and how to contact the property manager about any problems or concerns.
“We plan to get a mailing out to the membership on the management situation just as soon as the new person is hired,” Barry said.
IMPORTANT!
Membership Fees for June 2006
If you have NOT paid your standard $68.00 monthly fee to the Walden Pond HOA, or you need to pay past monthly fees that are delinquent, all payments through June 30, 2006 should go to:
Walden Pond Homeowners Assn.
c/o Property Management Team, Inc.
126 White Oak Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Pending the HOA's change in property management agents, a letter will go out to all HOA members before or about July 1, 2006, giving new information on paying the monthly fee.
And What About the Cats???
Just a reminder: All dogs in Walden Pond are to be on a leash in common areas (outside a townhome).
If you see a dog that is not on a leash or not under complete control, notify the dog owner immediately. If the owner is not available or unknown, you should contact Durham County Animal Control at 560-4606, or by phoning 911.
More information about the rights and responsibilities of dog owners can be found at the Durham County Animal Control website, http://www.co.durham.nc.us/common/db-dept.cfm?ID=1
Pressure Washing Completed – So What Do YOU Think?
Pressure-washing of almost all units in Walden Pond is now complete, according to the contractor, Advance Cleaning Systems.
The overall cost to the HOA was approximately $9,500, paid for out of accumulated monthly fees.
At least one owner opted out of the washing, and some units were only partially washed because residents left open windows or other hindrances.
During the washing process, Advance found it expedient to use water from various individual units. In some cases, this was done without direct permission of the owner.
In these cases, the board instructed Advance Cleaning Systems to keep track of the water used from each unit that was tapped , so that the HOA can reimburse these owners for the water at standard city rates. The reimbursement plan is still in process at this writing.
Comments to the board members about the pressure-washing and its effect on the appearance of Walden Pond have been overwhelmingly positive.
What do you think? Do you think the washing was worth the $45-per-unit rate? Is this a service that the HOA should provide to individual owners annually? Every other year?
How about the gutter cleaning that was done in December – is this another annual project the HOA should undertake?
Make yourself heard – send a letter to the board at the mailing address on the front of this newsletter; or better, send an Email to: directors@lists.waldenponddurhamnc.org
HOA Board Changes Meeting Time
At the request of property manager Harold White, the HOA board has moved its regular monthly meetings to a time closer to the middle of the month.
Beginning June 20, the meetings are scheduled for the third Tuesday of each month.
The meeting was moved because the old time, during the first seven days of the month, did not allow adequate time for management to prepare a financial report on the previous month's HOA expenses.
The board plans to maintain this meeting schedule, at 7pm in the McMannen United Methodist Church on Neal Road, through November. Tentatively, the HOA plans to hold a joint board/membership meeting in the first week of December, which will feature the election of board members for 2007.
HOA Bylaws and Covenants
If you're not familiar with the basic documents that govern Walden Pond and the HOA, they are now available on the official website: http://waldenponddurhamnc.org
Note: If you plan to make a change in your property's exterior – an enlarged deck, a new fence or walkway, etc. – you MUST present your plans to the HOA board for approval before making the alteration. The board has the responsibility to ensure that such changes are in keeping with the association's covenants and appearance policies.
Newsletter Contributions
The editor is always looking for items of interest to ALL Walden Pond HOA members. You can leave submissions at 10 Prestwick Place, or E-mail them to: emcintyre@waldenponddurhamnc.org
All submissions are subject to editorial consultation for length, content and style.