March 2010 Newsletter
Spring has sprung and everyone is now out and about working in yards, cleaning garages, doing stuff that people do during the spring! Don’t forget to smell the roses as you go about your daily routines! Enjoy your family and also visit with your neighbors! Take that first step to say hello and visit with those around you! One thing we have learned as Board Members…Atasca Woods is filled with GREAT NEIGHBORS! Please read your newsletter and then pass to other members of your household, so everyone is up-to-date on community events! Post the last page “IMPORTANT CONTACTS” on your refrigerator door or someplace that is readily accessible!
Website
Website still to be improved! If you haven’t been to the new web site at www.atascawoods.org, please check it out and REGISTER! When you register at our web site, it allows us to communicate with you with important security alerts and other information that may be of importance to you! We will keep your information completely secure and we WILL NOT sell or give your email address to anyone! We are still not 100% satisfied with the website. We are in the process of working with the designer to make it more current as well as user friendly.
Board Elections
May 19th! The Board of Directors for Atasca Woods currently consists of three (3) members; Ernest Bezdek, Jim Shaver and Barry Turney. Each member serves a three year term. The term for Ernest Bezdek will expire this year. Jim Shaver’s position is up for re-election in 2011 and Barry Turney, 2012.
Nominations for the Board will open April 1st and will conclude on April 21st at 6:30PM. Nominations for this position can be made in writing to Community Asset Management (CAM). Candidates must be at least 18 years of age and a homeowner in good standing residing in the Atasca Woods subdivision.
If we have more than one candidate for the single seat on the Board, proxy’s will be mailed to all residents during early May and should be returned to Community Asset Management (CAM) office (9802 FM 1960 Bypass West, Suite 210, Humble, Texas 77338) before noon on May 19th. You can also bring your proxy to the Homeowners meeting on the evening of Wednesday, May 19th. The meeting will be held at 6:00PM at the CAM office in Humble. Proxy’s will not be accepted after 7:15PM on Wednesday evening, May 19th and you must be current on your homeowner dues in order to vote.
Splash Day
Annual Splash Day to be held Saturday, May 15th! The festivities begin at 2PM and will continue until pool closing time! All Atasca Woods residents are invited to attend! BBQ (served at 5PM and until we run out), cold drinks, music, and loads of fun! Bring your lawn chair, sun screen and get ready to have some fun!
Pool Information
The Atasca Woods pool will open on Memorial Day Weekend (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 29-31). The pool will begin the regular season on June 3rd (Thursday) and will be open the following hours after June 3rd…
Saturday
10AM – 9PM
Sunday
12Noon – 8PM
Every Monday (except Holiday’s)
Closed for cleaning
Tuesday – Friday
10AM – 8PM
When a holiday falls on Monday, the pool will close for cleaning on Tuesday and be open on the holiday.
Swim Tags can be picked up at the CAM office after Splash Day, or at the pool on Splash Day, May 15th. Tags will be REQUIRED for entrance to the pool after June 7th. The line to get your pool tags at the CAM office is usually very long and we do not recommend that you go to their office to get your tags. Also, keep in mind that they have now moved to Humble and are no longer located in Atascocita. Pool Tags will be free this year (limit 6 per household), $5.00 each for additional tags.
Texas Aquatics (our pool management company) has asked us to remind residents about the use of swimming diapers at the pool. Toddlers that have not been “potty-trained” will not be allowed to swim unless they are in swimming diapers (NO EXCEPTIONS). The Lifeguards are the final authority in this matter and will enforce this rule strictly! Please help us with this problem! Thanks! Also, Texas Aquatics is looking for Life Guards. Interested parties Age 16 and up should call (281) 852-5630. Training will be provided to interested parties.
Swim Lessons
For swim lessons this year, call Texas Aquatics at (281) 852-5630. They have Red Cross certified instructors that will work with your child in an individual or group setting.
Pool Parties
For private pool parties you can also contact Texas Aquatics for information. Parties are normally held after hours… 8PM-midnight or on Monday after 5pm. Cost is $20.00 per guard, per hour (at least 2 guards required up to 40 people) minimum 2 hours. There is a $150.00 (refundable) security deposit due at least 2 weeks prior to party.
Street Light outage
Street Light out on your street? You can report that street light on line! Obtain the street light number from the side of the pole and approximate address. Then go to www.centerpointenergy and scroll down to “Electric Services” and click on “Report a street light outage”. Then just fill in the blanks. The process takes about 5 minutes and they usually fix the light within a few days.
Morning Coffee with the Board
A way to communicate! Join the Board for morning coffee and donuts at the pool on Saturday morning, April 10th for a cup of coffee, donuts and visit! A time to talk about issues or just chat about the weather! You be the judge…bring the kids! Rain or shine? If the weather is bad we may move the party over to Jitters Coffee Shop in the Colonnade Shopping Center. Sorry, no swimming on this date.
Parking in the street
Parking in the street within Atasca Woods is not allowed as per our Deed Restrictions. With that said, we realize that there are times when you may have visitors or you are mowing your yard and may need to park in the street and that is certainly acceptable. On the other hand, if you keep your boat in the garage and have four cars, two of which end up in the street on a nightly basis, the Association will pursue you through the appropriate channels. This has gotten better and most residents try to abide by the rule. It is in our Deed Restrictions for two reasons… 1. SAFETY and 2. The general good and neat appearance of the community! Please neighbors, if you absolutely cannot make room for you car in your garage, please park in your driveway. This is a safety issue as well as it makes our neighborhood look better for visitors and prospective home-buyers.
Cats and Dogs
Barking dogs and stray cats continue to be a big complaint from residents! Dog owners please respect your neighbors and insure that your dog does not bark during the day and night! Our houses are close enough as it is without having to worry about the noise! When you bring an animal into your family it is your responsibility to insure that this animal is well cared for! If he is in the back yard howling for hours on end, you are not doing your job as an animal owner and good neighbor!
Also, dog walkers…PLEASE pick up after your animal!! We have several complaints at every Community Meeting from people that have to clean up after folks that walk their animal(s), the dog does his/her business and leave the mess for someone else to deal with! Please be a responsible dog owner and clean up the mess!
If you encounter stray cats or dogs, please call Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) at (281) 999-3191. They also have a “TRAPPING SERVICE” where they will deliver a free trap to your home to trap stray animals. All you have to do is bait the trap and call them when you have captured a stray animal. They will then come to your home and pick up the stray. They will then attempt to give the animal to a caring home and family or find the owner. Visit their web site at www.countypets.com.
Community Meeting
Location has been changed to the CAM office in Humble. Their office is across the street from the Blackeyed Pea Restaurant at 9802 FM 1960 West Bypass, Suite 210. The meetings will now be held on the third Wednesday, every other month at CAM’s office beginning at 6:00PM. See attached list for detailed dates.
Spring-time is here!
Take advantage of the cool weather. Now is a good time to work in the yard… you know that flower bed that your wife has been hounding you to put in??? What better time to do it than right after a seasonal cool front…get out there and DIG (before the heat and mosquitoes return)! Other items include pressure washing the house, driveway and fence! Also, now is a good time to fertilize the yard and shrubs.
Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department
VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS WANTED! The AVFD will train new members and all equipment/training is free to interested residents of Atascocita. Classes will start in April and will be held on Monday and Thursday nights and every other Saturday.until September. After that you will be qualified to run calls on their apparatus. Get involved and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! If you are interested, drop by Station 1 at 7642 Farmingham (near the main entrance to Walden, near the Bank of America) and fill out an application or call 281-852-2181.
Vandalism
Vandalism is still an issue in Atasca Woods and across Harris County! We have been hit hard with thieves stealing the brass PVB valves from the irrigation system located throughout Atasca Woods. We have lost seven of these units which are very expensive to replace. These units stick up above the ground as required by our MUD District. Thus far the cost for replacement and the addition of steel cages to protect the valves from future theft is about $7,000.00. The new dark green steel cages are constructed in a way to prevent easy removal as each cage is bolted to a concrete slab that also has to be added to each location. If you see any suspicious activity on AW grounds or around the pool, please contact the Constable Dispatcher and they will send out a unit to investigate. Our contractor is Lake Houston Lawn Care and they are always in marked vehicles with strobe flashers.
Rental Properties
Do you have rental property in Atasca Woods? Do you rent a home in Atasca Woods? If the answer to either of those questions is yes… please take the time to contact Pam Valentine at Community Asset Management Company to advise her of the mailing address of the owner of the home as well as your name and mailing address. This will make it easier should CAM need to contact you regarding issues with your property. It will also insure that you are notified of the many events within our community for your family to participate.
Trash Rate Reduced
Trash rates reduced slightly due to new contract with our provider. The Board was able to negotiate a lower trash rate for our community with Republic Services. The invoice is mailed on a quarterly basis and the decrease is not a lot of money, but every little bit does help. The Board has made a concerted effort to keep costs to a minimum and is proud to say that we have been able to keep the maintenance fees the same or lower for the past two years!
Security
Board to discuss new security options for 2011. The Board continues look at new options to improve security and hopefully reduce the overall security cost to residents. Many ideas are on the drawing board and the next several months will be critical to implement the new plans. Crime is on the rise across Atascocita (and Harris County) and your Board has begun discussions with other area homeowners Boards to add additional patrols to our community as well as new ideas like Bike Patrols for our communities. Continue to watch for updates in our newsletter and attend Board meetings held every other month. (See the attached schedule for exact dates/times. And, as always…CALL TO REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO PCT. 4 CONSTABLES AT: 281-376-3472
Board Position Vacancy
It is with regret that we have to inform you that Jim Shaver will have to resign his position on the Board effective at the end of April. Jim accepted a position with a company located in Sugar Land about a year ago and knew he would have to eventually locate closer to his office. He put it off as long as he could and recently placed his home on the market to see what would happen. Well, it sold rather quickly!
We will miss Jim and Paulette and especially Jim’s leadership abilities and his GREAT sense of humor! He has been a very valuable member of our community and we wish him well! We wish them good luck and thank them for their service to our community! Jim was the original community representative on our Board and he has contributed many hours as a volunteer!
If you are interested in his position, please contact Pam or a member of the Board.
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