July Board Report
By Tom Coulter
Summertime is here! As we head into the heart of summer vacation, there are a few issues to bear in mind in order to strengthen the wonderful community in which we live. With the warmer weather, the Board has seen an increase in the number of requests to renovate/modify homes. This is great news for our community, as it shows that residents are interested in investing in AshCreek. Of course, the number of requests also poses challenges for the Architectural Modifications Committee (“AMC”) and for the Board. Residents understandably want to customize their homes in ways that are unique for them. But, we all must keep in mind the community will likely be around longer than many of our residents and we must keep our area attractive for the next residents, who choose AshCreek. When residents’ modification requests run counter to the AshCreek Standards and Covenants, the AMC is forced to make hard decisions about whether to approve a particular renovation request. Communication is the key and there is often a solution if we all work together – one that satisfies the resident requesting the modification and one that maintains the beauty of our community.
With the economy still sputtering, cost containment is an important issue for the Board. We are faced with an upcoming significant expenditure, as work on the BMP repairs, which are required by Hanover County, begin in full. In addition, the clubhouse and common areas are in need of maintenance and upkeep due to the age of the neighborhood. While there is not much we can do to avoid these costs, there are other ways we can all try to keep our dues/assessments from rising any more than necessary. Each week, our property manager provides a report of maintenance/repairs throughout the neighborhood. Here are a few recent examples: keys broken off in the tennis court locks; broken road signs; broken gate at the playground; trash/litter that must be removed; broken/missing items in the Clubhouse. Accidents happen, but let’s all make an effort to try and avoid any more of these unnecessary costs. We will all benefit from doing so.
Now, for some good news. Our swimming pool was refurbished during the Spring and seems to be a welcome upgrade. We have also spent a good deal of time and money to maintain/upgrade the Clubhouse so that it will continue to be one of the nicer common facilities for neighborhoods like ours. In addition, we have now replaced all of the signposts throughout all of AshCreek, which help keep our community looking good.
All in all, we live in a great community with a terrific group of residents. Let’s keep that in mind as we work toward making AshCreek an even more enjoyable place to live. Hope all of you have a happy and safe Summer.
Social Committee - Children
Come swim with the gators at the Family Pool Party Saturday, July 25th. Join us for games, food and fun. Be sure to bring your camera! See the registration flyer inserted in this newsletter for event details and registration. Calling all Kindergarteners - The "Meet and Greet" will be held Tuesday, September 1st in the evening. More details will be available in the August newsletter.
368-0092
Social Committee - Adults
Book your sitters and mark your calendars for the Annual Adult Pool Party on Saturday, August 15, 7:00 pm - 11:30 pm. Swimming NOT required! The theme will be “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” with DJ Wayne Smith and catering by Nacho Mama’s. We’ll have a keg and soft drinks or you can BYOB. It promises to be a fun time. All Adult AshCreek residents are invited. We’d love to see you there!
Did we say swimming optional? Those of you who are modest and camera-shy need not don your swimsuit! Alden Rice and Karen Zingaro are coordinating. See the insert/flyer for more details.
Home Swim Meets
The pool will close July 2 and July 14 at 3 pm for a home swim meet. Please stop by and cheer for the Crocs!
BMP Informational Meeting
The Board of Directors has scheduled an informational meeting to update the community on the progress and plans to repair our BMPs.
The meeting date has been set for:
Tuesday, July 21, 7:00 pm
in the clubhouse.
More information will be forthcoming. We hope to see you there.
