Decorations, Village E-mail Lists, Volunteerism and Annual Meetings
Brentford
I thank everyone who made our little piece of Westchase look so beautiful during December. For me, nothing evokes the feelings of holiday spirit like palm trees wrapped with thousands of tiny lights.
Special accolades are offered to those who have embraced the future and converted to LED bulbs, (I’m still waiting for my strings of old-school incandescent bulbs to kick the bucket, so I can make the switch) and to Joe Davis, who added lights synchronized to music which surprisingly wasn’t annoying.
I believe 2011 was a good year for Brentford. Almost every house that went up for sale was bought, there were plenty of kids and dogs out playing in yards (and the street), the corner of Gretna Green and Gretna Green didn’t flood (that I can recall), we had an awesome Oktoberfest hosted by three outstanding brewmeisters, and my lawn didn’t have a summer swoon (condolences if yours did). I wish all of you a happy 2012.
This year I have resolved to update the neighborhood e-mail list. Of course, that has been my resolution for the past two years as well so I’m not too optimistic that I’ll get it done. Nevertheless, if you live in Brentford and are not getting an occasional e-mail from me and would like to, please e-mail me at ltcmartyhamilton@hotmail.com and I’ll add you to the list. Last, space in the WOW is not solely reserved for me, so I encourage anyone in Brentford who has something to say to send it in to the editor.
By Marty Hamilton, Brentford VM
The Greens
Welcome to 2012!
On Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Westchase Community Association (WCA) conference room we will have The Greens Annual Meeting, where we will elect a voting member and alternates to represent the Greens in 2012. If you know of anyone who is interested in serving, please have them contact either the Westchase Association Manager or me so we can have their names placed on the ballot.
With the new year, please review those who have access to The Greens via your guest/service providers’ list. Please make the necessary corrections so the gatehouse can be more efficient in processing guests and creating fewer backups at the gates.
Last, should you know of any new residents, please advise them to send me their e-mail addresses, so I can pass them on to our Greens Webmaster for inclusion on all Greens and Westchase news.
By Gerald (Jerry) Pappa, The Greens VM
Keswick Forest
Happy New Year! I would like to say thank you for being one of the most proactive neighborhoods in all of Westchase. As your voting member and dedicated alternate, Heather Greeley-Hessefort and I take great pride when we get showered with compliments on how actively involved all of you are. We now ask that you once again let us beam with pride – simply mail in your proxy card before Keswick Forest’s Jan. 19 annual meeting. One hundred percent participation would be really awesome. All you have to do is fill out that card and drop it in the mail. For those who would like to attend the Keswick Forest annual election, it’s Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center across the street. This is the time to come out and discuss neighborhood issues, so please feel free to join us.
Second, I would like to thank Nikki and David Smith for doing such a great job organizing our Keswick Santa visit this year. For those who missed it, we had a jolly time with Old St. Nick. We also offer our kudos to Brian and Michelle Loudermilk for again hosting this year’s New Year’s Eve bash. What a great party with wonderful friends!
Last, as a reminder, all holiday decorations have to be down no later than Jan. 15.
To sign up or make changes on our Keswick e-mail list, please e-mail me at lmccluskie@tampabay.rr.com or Heather Greeley-Hessefort at heather.greeleyhessefort@gmail.com.
By Leslie McCluskie, Keswick Forest VM
The Shires
Happy New Year! I hope that I have represented our community well as voting member and I hope to continue serving you in the future. I nevertheless still encourage each of you to take more of an interest in our community’s affairs. While The Shires inhabits a far corner of Westchase, we need to represent ourselves on committees or even just help out in any way possible.
Please remember that your association always needs volunteers. Just contact me or any other voting member, board member or the association manager and they will direct you to the right person. As always, if you are new to the neighborhood and would like to be included in the e-mails that I send out – or if you have a new e-mail address, please contact me at theshireswestchase@hotmail.com. Last, if you are on Facebook, please join the page for The Shires. Lots of information gets posted there as well.
By Patrick Knight, The Shires VM
Villas of West Park Village
On behalf of your Villas Board of Directors, I offer my best wishes to all association members for a happy new year full of happiness and health.
As mentioned in our last month’s Village Voice, on Dec. 5 we held our Villas annual meeting. Following the meeting, your 2012 board of directors met, elected the officers and took action for a new program.
During the annual meeting we had 51 out of 92 members present in person or by proxy. The three declared candidates, George Pennington, Christine Miller and Carlos Quiros, were elected to the board for the year 2012. During the regular meeting the officers remained the same as last year with Carlos Quiros as president; George Pennington as vice president; Kevin Riley as treasurer; and Christine Miller as secretary.
A motion was made and approved that board meeting times and information related to association activities were to be relayed to association members via e-mail. The Villas’ e-mail list is still incomplete as we still lack some 22 electronic addresses. I wish to take this opportunity to request that those members send me an e-mail so I can complete our members list. Also, a motion was approved to apply the excess of income over expenditures in 2011 against the year 2012 members’ assessments as provided by IRS Ruling 70-604.
The final issue discussed and approved was for the board to assume, for a two-year period, the responsibility assigned to owners in our Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions for the pressure washing of lead walks and driveways. The board will also cover the pressure washing of the property line sidewalks and the curbs in the front of the units and in the alleys. We received two bids and the contract will be formally awarded to the lowest bidder. This service will be performed twice a year as determined by the president with the advice from our property manager.
By Carlos Quiros, Villas HOA President
Holiday Parties, Santa’s Visit and Annual Meetings
The Greens
Welcome to the holiday season in Westchase!
On Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Westchase Community Association (WCA) office building on Parley Drive, we will have The Greens Annual Meeting, where we will elect a voting member and alternates to represent The Greens in 2012. If you know of anyone interested in serving, please have them contact either the Westchase property manager or me so we can place them on the ballot.
Please make sure the gatehouse knows of your holiday party/dinner guests prior to their arrival so there are fewer backups at the gatehouse. Further, if the gatehouse is not made aware of a delivery in advance or if they cannot reach you, the delivery will not be made (this does not apply to the USPS, UPS or FedEx).
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
By Gerald (Jerry) Pappa, The Greens VM
Keswick Forest
With December already here, please mark your calendars for our annual Santa's Coming to Keswick Party on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m. The children will have the opportunity to tell Santa what they would like for Christmas as well as listen to Santa read his classic poem, A Visit from Saint Nicholas. Please bring a dish to share and your favorite holiday spirit. If interested, we will be taking up a collection of unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. To help cover the cost for Santa’s visit, we ask for a $10 donation per family. Don’t forget your cameras.
As a reminder, we’re still looking for any homeowner that might be interested in running for Keswick voting member and/or alternate. Leslie and I have decided to keep our names on the ballot again this year but we could always use one more. As of this writing, we have not confirmed the dates of our annual meeting, but details will be sent out via Keswick e-mail distribution list. To sign up for e-mails please contact Leslie at lmccluskie@tampabay.rr.com or me at heather.greeleyhessefort@gmail.com.
By Heather Greeley-Hessefort, Keswick Forest Alternate VM
Radcliffe
Thanks to all who stopped by to enjoy our Oktoberfest block party on Oct. 8. We appreciated all of the delicious food and drink that so many brought. We hope the spring/fall block party format remains a tradition for voting members (VMs) moving forward. Tamara and I are already prepared to host again next spring.
I have heard several mentions of theft from cars in recent weeks. Please keep your cars locked when parking in your driveway overnight and never leave valuables in plain sight.
The success of our discount palm trimming program continued last month with our highest participation levels to date. When you participate, your palm trimming costs can get as low as $20 per tree. If you’re interested in taking advantage of this deal next spring (May 2012), please let me know at radcliffevm@gmail.com.
Last, just a quick note that our annual neighborhood meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on Jan. 24 at the Westchase Community Association (WCA) office on Parley Drive. This marks the time of year when the Radcliffe VM is elected into office. Please consider joining your neighbors in attending this meeting as it is a great opportunity to express your opinions, concerns or praise. If you can’t attend, please make certain to mail in your election proxy when it arrives. A quorum of at least 30 percent is necessary to ensure that the VM election occurs.
Happy holidays to everyone!
By Eric Holt, Radcliffe VM
The Shires
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
We will be having The Shires voting member/alternate elections on Jan. 15. If you would like to run for the position, I encourage you to join me and the other candidates. If you can’t get me your name in advance, please list yourself as a write-in. We can always use more volunteers.
On the proxy there will be a space for a vote on the replacement of our Shires mailboxes. Fifty-one percent of Shires homeowners must vote in support of the change for it to go into effect. I will leave it up to you to either sell it to your neighbors and friends or not.
The Mailbox Committee is working diligently to get bids. As soon as we get the best one, I will send it and related information about its appearance and installation via e-mail. We are looking to stay in line with what some of the other neighborhoods like Radcliffe have done. I understand concerns about the economy. Please realize that I am doing this because multiple residents have asked me as voting member to do so. I am aware that there are very passionate views on both sides and I ask that you discuss it with your neighbors during the next two months. Personally I believe that new mailboxes are needed and that a few hundred dollars is very little compared to keeping our neighborhood looking as good as possible.
Last, if you are not on my current e-mail list, please e-mail me at theshireswestchase@hotmail.com or knight.patrickj@gmail.com to be added.
Additionally please check The Shires Facebook page as I will post current information, including mailbox news, there.
By Patrick Knight, The Shires VM
Village Green
It was wonderful to see all the neighbors who came out for our annual Halloween street party. As usual, you outdid yourselves with the tasty food offerings and fantastic costumes. Special thanks to the Tran and McElroy families for generously sharing their electricity to power the bounce houses. Also, thank you very much to Vivian and Lisa for their tireless dedication to organizing the get-together. Everyone seemed to have a great time.
A number of neighbors have contacted me regarding the recent break-ins here in the Village Green. If you have any knowledge of break-ins, unlawful activities or even shady characters, please share that information. I would be happy to put out a timely village e-mail alert regarding possible threats.
Another issue that has been brought to my attention is that vehicles are parking in the center of the intersection of Green Links and Gretna Green in the morning. The traffic congestion combined with the cluster of vehicles at that intersection has become a safety hazard for our high school and middle school kids, who wait at that corner for their bus. With all that is going on there, it is sometimes very difficult to see them.
By the time you read this note, the updated Village Green Directory should be in hand. Please forward any additions or changes to me. I greatly appreciate those neighborhood business owners who purchased ads to support its printing. Please remember their contribution when you are in need of the services that they provide.
I wish everyone a very special holiday season!
By Bobbi Pitcher, Village Green VM
Villas of West Park Village
On Monday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. our Villas sub-association will conduct its annual meeting. It will be held at the Westchase Community Association offices, at 10049 Parley Dr. If by any chance any Villa owner has not yet returned his/her proxy, please do it today. We expect many of you will be in attendance and will participate during the meeting. Once the meeting is concluded, the elected directors will meet to elect the board officers as well as discuss and approve any legally presented issues. Owners attending the annual meeting are welcome to stay for the board meeting. Your board has always maintained that this is your association and that you should actively participate in its meetings.
Recently I forwarded to all members for whom we have electronic addressees an annual report were I presented what your board has accomplished during the 2011. If you have not received a copy of the annual report, please e-mail me and it will be my pleasure to send one.
In order to maintain the best possible curb appeal, it is the responsibility of all of us – the association and Villa owners – to comply with the requirements of Article IV, Section 1 of our Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, especially where it refers to the rights and obligations of the association and the owner’s responsibilities. I honestly believe that of all the neighborhoods in West Park Village, our villas are second to none when it comes to curb appeal and it is the board’s intention to keep it that way.
Finally, on behalf of your board I want to wish everyone the very best during Christmas. I hope that the year 2012 brings health and happiness to all Villa owners.
By Carlos Quiros, Villas of WPV President
Wycliff
Hi, Wycliff! I start by offering our big thanks to Melinda for organizing our annual kiddie Halloween party for the kids, Nancy and Ken for letting us trash their driveway and everyone else who helped out.
Speaking of parties, our annual Pot Luck Block Party is just around the corner. The festivities will be held Dec. 10 from 3-7 p.m. The Santa parade will be down our road around 3:30 p.m. The party will feature live music, a bounce house, and, as always, some of the best home-cooked dishes and desserts. If you plan to come, R.S.V.P. by Dec. 4 to me (Shaney) at 727-0082 or ksmagee@aol.com with what you plan to bring. Don’t forget an unwrapped gift to donate!
Happy holidays!
By Shaney Nadel, Wycliff VM
VM Candidates, Food Drive, Chili Cookoff and Holiday Block Parties
The Greens
Welcome to fall in Westchase and the unofficial beginning of the holiday season 2011! With the cooler days and evenings, look out for more Greens residents outdoors running, bike riding and walking.
As we approach the end of 2011, please think about serving the Westchase community in 2012. Did you know that there are a variety of programs and committees throughout Westchase that need your help?
Come January we will have our Greens Annual Meeting, where we will elect a voting member and alternates to represent The Greens in 2012. If you know of anyone who is interested in serving, please have them contact either the Westchase Community Association Manager or me so we can place them on the ballot.
By the way, when did you update your list with The Greens gatehouse last? Does it include your cell phone number?
Last, should you know of any new resident, please advise them to send me their e-mail address, so I can pass it onto our Greens Webmaster. That way they can be included on all Greens and Westchase news.
Happy Thanksgiving!
By Gerald (Jerry) Pappa, The Greens VM
Keswick Forest
Hi, fellow Keswickians! I hope that everyone had a fun Halloween with more treats than tricks! Let's start out this month by congratulating our newest homeowners in the neighborhood, Samuel and Lindsey Dorrance and Naim Hamdar. Welcome to the neighborhood! Christy Grimste will be delivering your official welcome bag as she has enthusiastically volunteered to take over as our new Welcome Committee representative. Thank you, Christy!
It’s time to pull out your favorite chili recipe for the annual Keswick Forest Chili Cook-off. Details on the event will be sent out via e-mail to the Keswick Forest distribution list.
If you would like to be included on our e-mail distribution list, please e-mail me at heather.greeleyhessefort@gmail.com or Leslie McCluskie at lmccluskie@tampabay.rr.com.
By Heather Greeley-Hessefort, Keswick Forest Alternate VM
Townhomes of West Park Village
Our Townhomes of West Park Village association had its annual meeting on Oct. 6 and we just achieved the quorum to make it all legal. We were able to accomplish a few things that needed to be done. Mary McQuinn and Mike Niemis were re-elected to the board for new terms. Karen Harte will continue on the board and was named secretary/treasurer. Mary Rodriguez will also continue as the board’s vice president and I will continue to serve as president.
The most important item taken up was the dues. The board unanimously voted to raise the dues $16 a month starting Jan. 1 to cover maintenance expenses such as irrigation repairs, tree trimming, landscape maintenance as well as general maintenance so we do not have to dip into our reserves.
The contract for mulching has been signed and we will all see new mulch soon to complement our beautiful new fences. We are going to review the covenants over the next couple of months to address two major items. One will change our requirement for audits every year to just a financial review, which will save us some money. The state does not require an audit yearly so we are planning on changing our covenants to match state law. The other change will clarify the association’s responsibilities regarding painting, roof replacement and other repairs. Changes to our covenants require a 51 percent vote in favor of any change so we will need to have a majority of our owners support the revisions. We plan to take action in the spring on these items.
Last year we voted to use some of our roof reserves to pay for the new fences. Unless we can extend the life of our roofs beyond 15 years, we will have to make that reserve money up over the next few years. We tried to not raise the dues too much this year, but we will likely have to raise them more in the future to make up for the expense of replacing the fences, which were not originally budgeted by the developer as part of our dues. Considering all that is going on in the world of real estate, we should consider ourselves very lucky to be living in such a nice neighborhood and be in the financial shape we are in as an association. Others have it much worse.
On the lighter side, one of my family’s favorite holidays occurred on Oct. 31. There is no better place to be that night than West Park Village. It is truly a community made for Halloween. There were lots of decorations and people out for a good time coupled with the perfect atmosphere to celebrate the day. If Halloween can measure the health of a neighborhood, ours is doing great. Most of our family and friends cannot believe what a big deal it is here in our own neighborhood. We are so lucky to live here.
If you would like to get on an e-mail list to be aware of what affects our association, please send your e-mail address to ne at ramondchiaramonte@msn.com and I will put you on the list. I appreciate the chance the serve our association as president and look forward to any input or guidance you would like to provide.
By Ramond Chiaramonte, Townhomes of WPV President
The Vineyards
Greetings, Vineyards residents! November is suddenly upon us, which means that it is time for the holidays, Vineyards flag football and the pool heater (set at 86 degrees). Please remember to contact The Vineyards Compliance Committee if you need a parking pass for your guest (three or more days).
The first week of November features the annual Westchase food drive. Please try to participate to help families in need enjoy their holidays.
Last, we thank the social committee, especially organizers Kristin Butts and Sarapage Bauguss, for the Halloween social on Oct. 28.
Please stay posted for news about our annual December party, which includes horse-drawn rides. Go to www.westchasevineyards.org.
By Kevin Kwan, The Vineyards HOA President
Wycliff
Happy November, Wycliff! First let me say that it has been a pleasure being your voting member (VM). Due to family and work obligations, however, I can no longer provide the necessary commitment for the VM position. I ask that one of my fellow Wycliffers please consider taking over the position. Wycliff’s annual meeting and election will be held Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested.
Wycliff’s Holiday Block Party will take place Dec. 10 from 3-7 p.m. Santa will visit around 3:30 p.m. so please don’t forget your unwrapped gifts for his sleigh. It will be a potluck, so please e-mail me if you plan to attend and let me know what you would like to bring. As always, bring a chair and your own beverages. A bouncy and band will provide our entertainment.
By Shaney Nadel, Wycliff VM
Halloween, Oktoberfest, Mailboxes, the New WOW Online and Annual Meetings
The Greens
Here we are entering the month of October! As we enter fall, we’ll experience some great, cooler evenings along with the kids trick or treating in Westchase. Let’s all be extra careful driving throughout The Greens.
If you’re thinking of painting your home, contact the Westchase HOA office first !
When did you last update your list with The Greens’ gatehouse and does it include your cell phone number?
Also, this month I’d like to invite you to check out the new Web site for WOW Online. If you log on to www.westchasewow.com, you’ll find a new site that allows residents to read WOW’s content, post comments and classifieds, and offer reviews of businesses within its online business directory. To participate fully, simply register for your online profile. (Note: The information residents provide to WOW within their profile is not shared with other entities or businesses for commercial purposes.)
Last, should you know of any new residents, please advise them to send me their e-mail addresses so I can pass them onto our Greens Webmaster. That will enable them to be included on all Greens and Westchase news.
Happy Halloween!
By Gerald (Jerry) Pappa, The Greens VM
Keswick Forest
It’s that time of year to start hunting and gathering for that perfect costume for Keswick’s annual Halloween party, sponsored by yours truly, me. It’s going to be tough to outdo some of the fantastic costumes and food we saw last year, but I know you will give it your best Girl/Boy Scout effort. Any brave soul not dressed in proper attire (a costume) will be promptly camouflaged in whatever remnants that have been leftover through the years. The date and time will be sent via Keswick e-mail. If you haven’t signed up to be on the list, please e-mail me at lmccluskie@tampabay.rr.com or Heather Greeley-Hessefort at heather.greeleyhessefort@gmail.com.
By Leslie McCluskie, Keswick Forest VM
Radcliffe
Hello, neighbor! Hopefully you have already received your invitation to our Oktoberfest block party taking place next Saturday, Oct. 8. Our family is excited to be your host and we are looking forward to a great time, complete with festive favorites like bratwurst, pretzels, music and beer (of course)! Please consider stopping by even if for a brief stay.
Discount tree trimming season is here! We are inviting all residents to once again take advantage of the volume discount program we have negotiated with Mays Tree Service. As was the case this past spring, we only need 11 or more homes to get rates as low as $20 per palm tree. Cutting will most likely take place in early November, so if you are ready for your bi-annual trimming, let us know!
Last, I’d like to recognize and thank Radcliffe resident Darrick Sams on behalf of the entire neighborhood. Darrick recently stepped up to the plate and agreed to run for one of the open Westchase Community Association (WCA) Board positions last month. Truth be told, many are simply unwilling to consider that sort of commitment to the community. Even though he was not voted into the position (this time), he deserves some thanks and praise for his readiness to volunteer his time and effort on our behalf.
Thanks, Darrick!
By Eric Holt, Radcliffe VM
The Shires
School is back into full swing and that includes all of the activities that go along with it! From soccer to Scouts, from football to tap dancing, your time management is key to making sure that everything is accomplished on time. Please make sure to plan out your days well in advance. My advice is to get a large, dry-erase calendar or chalkboard and have each day’s/week’s activities listed so that everyone always remembers what’s going on around the house.
A couple of items for your review for the upcoming months:
I will be gathering bids for new mailboxes at the request of quite a few Shires residents. I will be utilizing the same companies that some of our other neighborhoods have been using. So no one has sticker shock, they were in the neighborhood of $300 per mailbox, including installation. Realize that this is the bidding procedure for me to get a cost estimate. Final approval for the project will depend upon Shires homeowners’ votes during the election for next year’s voting member. Now is either your time to express your disdain or sell this to your neighbor. It will come down to majority rules – 50 percent plus one of Shires homeowners.
I have noticed more and more people exercising around our community and a lot more in our neighborhoods. This includes joggers, families riding bikes, parents taking the newest addition out for a stroll, or residents taking the dog out for a walk. Please remember to utilize our sidewalk system for safety. If you decide to jog or run on the streets, please use the proper precautions by wearing reflective clothing so that the drivers can see you. If you are wearing earbuds, make sure that the music isn’t so loud that it prevents you from hearing what is going on around you.
Don’t forget that the Fall Westchase Garage Sale is Oct. 1, so start cleaning out those closets and empty that chest of drawers for some extra holiday cash.
By Patrick Knight, The Shires VM
Townhomes of West Park Village
We have an important meeting coming up on Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Westchase Community Association (WCA) offices located at the Village Swim and Tennis Club. This is the date and time of our annual budget meeting and also the election of board members for our Townhomes association. I hope we can have a good turnout for this important meeting, as well as people interested in running for the board. Nominations from the floor are allowed. This meeting is a chance to ask questions and better understand the issues of our association. Please plan on attending.
The association still has not settled the sale of the townhouse it owns but we are working hard on bringing it to a conclusion. Somehow this has been extremely complicated even for a short sale and some problem always seems to appear at the last minute. Hopefully we will have solid news at our meeting.
One of the other important issues at our meeting will be our dues and the need to increase them to make sure we keep the proper reserves in our accounts. We will have relevant information at the meeting for review and discussion.
I hope everyone has had a great summer and be sure to remember that the Westchase Fall Garage Sale is Oct. 1.
I hope to see many of you at the annual meeting Oct. 6.
By Ray Chiaramonte, Townhomes of WPV VM
Village Green
The 2011 Village Green Directory assembly is under way. I have received many of the neighbor info-update forms, but not all. If you haven’t given yours to me, please do so as soon as possible. If you have not received the info-update form, please get in touch with me so that I can make sure that you are included. Also, we are still in need of business owners in the neighborhood who would like to support our directory by purchasing an ad. Additionally, we will need artwork for the directory cover as our former cover artist has moved away. I am hoping to have one of the Village Green children create a picture for the front cover. I will update more about that via e-mail at a later date.
One online message board that is available to us is the Greens Yahoo group. It has proven to be very helpful in many ways and puts us in touch with all of the Greens neighborhoods and events. If you have not received an invitation and would like to become a part of the Greens Yahoo group, please get in touch with me and I will be happy to help with that.
Once again, I extend the invitation to let me know if there are any concerns that you have regarding our neighborhood. I am always happy to help. Some fall get-togethers are in the works. I hope to see everybody soon.
By Bobbi Pitcher, Village Green VM
West Park’s Single Family Homes
Hello, neighbors!
I am certainly appreciative and thankful for the trust and confidence you have placed in me by allowing me to serve this past year as your voting member (VM). I assure you I have dutifully tried to represent your interests in the VM meetings. As we wrap up the year, I highlight a few items that affect West Park Village.
A couple of years ago, the Westchase Community Association (WCA) Board of Directors established a working group of residents to interface with the Westchase Town Center (formerly The Avenue) and its tenants. This committee was intended to work with our commercial neighbors to address and solve any continuing problems that adversely affect our community. I invited you to e-mail me with any issues that you would like the committee to address. It seems the growing neighborhood consensus is that the benefits outweigh the detriments.
In recent months, the flooding of our streets and yards has worsened. We have engaged the Community Development District (CDD) in the process of identifying a solution, and CDD staff is working with the county to press for a resolution (There has even been talk of sending a diver into the storm-water drains!). Please alert CDD staff of any problems or issues.
During this past month, it has unfortunately been reported that we had a mid-day break-in of a single family home. Please be on the lookout for vehicles staking out the community; do not hesitate to report any strange occurrences to the legal authorities. Also, continue to implement safe measures for securing your home and its contents. On that note, if anyone has seen the brass sundial missing or stolen from the CDD park at West Park Village Drive and Rowlett Way, please contact me.
The general feedback is that folks appreciate the WCA’s efforts to add community activities, such as pool parties and movie nights, even if they potentially impact our neighborhood. Please let the WCA know if you have any requests or suggestions or if you are experiencing any particular problems.
As always, thanks for being a great neighbor.
Brian Ross, WPV Single Family Homes VM
Wycliff
Hi, everyone! The September voting members (VM) meeting was dedicated to filling three positions on the Westchase Community Association (WCA) Board of Directors. After all nominees introduced themselves, answered written questions presented by the VMs and issued closing comments, the VMs voted. The three people selected to serve on the board of directors were Dyan Pithers, Joaquin Arrillaga and Ken Blair.
Also, make sure to check out our new WOW Online Web site, www.westchasewow.com.
Happy Halloween!
Shaney Nadel, Wycliff VM
VM Elections, Foreclosure, Flower Beds, Traffic, Budgets and Document Changes
Keswick Forest
Hi, fellow Keswickians! Let's start out this month by congratulating our newest homeowners in the neighborhood, Steve and Rachel Gage, along with their two boys, Tom and Luke. It’s great to see that you decided to stay and put down roots! Also, we offer a great big welcome to our newest bundle of joy, Lily Norris. Congrats to Heather and Craig and big sister Maya!
It might be seem early to send out a call for volunteers, but it is never too early to get involved. If you are interested in running for Keswick Forest Voting Member or alternate, I encourage you to contact Leslie or me for details. I also encourage you to attend a voting members meeting. It is a great opportunity to give back to the community.
Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!
If you would like to be included on our e-mail distribution list, please e-mail me at heather.greeleyhessefort@gmail.com or Leslie McCluskie at lmccluskie@tampabay.rr.com.
By Heather Greeley-Hessefort, Keswick Forest Alternate VM
Radcliffe
Over the past several months, many of you have noticed the persistent, unappealing condition of 11906 Wandsworth Dr. To help shed some light on the situation, I reached out to Radcliffe’s Nena Cox (one of our neighborhood real estate gurus), who has offered a brief explanation of the foreclosure process.
Technically, foreclosure begins once a homeowner is 30 days past due on their mortgage payment. It varies by bank, but if the mortgage remains unpaid, a homeowner is served legal notification of foreclosure proceedings at about the four- to six-month mark. Then the path can fork, depending on whether the property remains occupied. If the property is abandoned (as is the case with 11906), the bank moves into “property preservation,” during which time the bank doesn’t own the property, but has an obligation (and interest) in doing limited maintenance. The bank occasional checks the home, primarily to ensure that there has been no security breach. The home will remain in this stage until the foreclosure process is completed, which can take up to two full years. Unfortunately the home cannot be put up for sale during this time. Given that the home cannot be sold until the bank owns it, the bank has a minor interest in spending money on curb appeal.
Naturally, that leads to the question of whether the association should step up and address the property’s maintenance needs. There is an outlet for this called self help, but getting on the list requires a formal process. Once approved, the cost of this maintenance is borne entirely by Westchase’s existing owners. Although the association can make an attempt to collect these costs when the home is sold, it’s extremely unlikely that they will be recouped.
Just as important, the bank immediately loses any incentive to maintain the property if the association or neighbors are doing it.
So, there you have it. The ugly result of a national mortgage crisis. It’s certainly less than ideal and I keep hearing that it’s far from over.
By Eric Holt, Radcliffe VM
The Shires
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable summer! Now that the kids are back in school, I want to remind everyone about some of the things that happen around our neighborhood around school time. Please remember these few things and I believe that everyone will be safer for it.
First, remember that we have children that are walking from their homes to the front of the neighborhood to catch the bus in the mornings. Please therefore slow down when driving through The Shires. The posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour but you don’t have to go that fast.
Second, I’d ask that parents of children who walk up the front of the neighborhood please instruct their children that the area around the brick wall leading into Aryshire is a flowerbed. It also has sprinkler heads, so they should not be standing in it, walking through it, or playing there. Doing so causes damage to the sprinkler system and kills the plants.
Third, traffic in Westchase continues to get worse every month. As new apartment buildings on Countryway Boulevard, Waters Avenue and even Sheldon Road are finished, we will see more people moving to the Westchase area. This, in turn, increases traffic on all feeder streets as well as the main arteries like Linebaugh Avenue, Waters Avenue, Hillsborough Avenue and especially Veterans Expressway. Make sure you stay alert and give yourself extra time in the mornings so that we all remain safe.
There are a few other items that we all need to remember. Please remember that your garbage is not supposed to be placed at the curb untill after 6 p.m. on the night before trash collection. Last, with all of the recent rain, I still notice a considerable amount of water running down the gutters every morning. This tells me that some folks’ yards are saturated with water. Remember that it is possible to water your lawn to excess, which is just as bad as a lack of water. Just because we are using reclaimed water doesn’t mean we have to waste it. With that in mind, adjust your sprinkler systems and cut them back until drier weather returns.
By Patrick Knight, VM The Shires
Townhomes of West Park Village
Another summer is coming to a close and vacations are ending, but things continue to happen regardless of the season. The most important news for our residents is that it looks like the townhouse that the association owns is finally close to being sold. The remaining issues look on track to being resolved soon. Owning this unit has been an unpleasant experience for our association and it will be a great day when this closes and we get our past dues paid back. It is always a problem for us when dues go unpaid, when we have to spend money on legal action and when we find ourselves short of money that should be in our funds.
Our fences are finally finished and certainly have improved the appearance of our community. It shows how important it is to be able to adjust our regulations when new products prove to be a better solution. My thanks go out to our past board, led by Mike Niemis, who had the foresight to deal with this issue and do what was necessary to find a solution.
I want to clarify responsibilities of our association since some confusion exists regarding homeowners’ responsibilities. We are not condominiums, but fee-simple townhomes. Therefore nearly everything is the responsibility of the homeowners. The association is solely responsible the periodic painting of the outside of the units and the townhomes’ roof replacements. Maintenance of landscaping in the front and side yards is also done by the association, but typically not the rear yards, especially if the gates are locked. Normal maintenance, such as replacement of rotted wood or other types of damage, is not covered by the association.
It is always important for us to keep up the appearance of our homes since it affects the property values in our community. After coming back from a long vacation this summer, it was certainly pleasant to return to Westchase and see through different eyes how good our community looks compared to so many other places.
I cannot think of another place in the Tampa Bay area where I would rather live.
By Ray Chiaramonte, Townhomes of WPV HOA President
Villas of West Park Village
At the last Villas Board meeting, held Aug. 8, our property manager presented a draft budget for 2012. After explaining all budget items and answering questions from board members as well as from association members, on a motion made by Richard Johnson and seconded by George Pennington, the board resolved to approve – unanimously – the 2012 budget as presented. The 2012 budget includes no increase to our current monthly assessment.
As mentioned in the August WOW, some villa owners had their trees in front of their units replaced as result of the last walk-through, during which it was noticed that the previously planted trees were dying. It is board policy to do whatever is needed to maintain the best possible curb appeal of the villas. Also, we expect to complete the Villas’ painting project and the affected owners will receive written notification of the painting schedule as well as information regarding what they must do with furniture on the front or back porches.
At the meeting board members also approved holding the annual meeting on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. This meeting will be held at the Westchase Community Association (WCA) offices at 10049 Parley Dr. We wish to remind all villa owners that there are three board positions up for election. If any owner wishes to be on the ballot, please let Property Manager Denise Schek know via e-mail at dschek@greenacreproperties.com, by Wednesday, Sept. 28. Remember that ballots have to be prepared, mailed and received before the annual meeting. Notification of your interest in appearing on the ballot should be through written communication – via U.S. mail or e-mail – as telephone calls will not be accepted for this purpose.
By Carlos S. Quiros, Villas of WPV HOA President
The Vineyards
Greetings, Vineyards residents! I hope you had a great summer. By now, all the kids are back to school and all of the traffic has returned.
As you recall, The Vineyards residents voted this spring/summer on three issues: (A) amending The Vineyards painting requirement from five years to seven years; (B) eliminating the requirement for a secret ballot during annual elections; and (C) removing language requiring an audit of the annual financial statements.
The good news is that we were able to secure enough proxies/votes to pass items B and C. We did not, however, receive enough votes to address the painting issue (we were eight votes short). Therefore, Vineyards residents are still required to paint every five years.
A couple of other recurring issues that I would like to remind Vineyards residents about are parking and caring for the pool furniture. Vineyards residents are required to park in their garages or completely on their driveways, which means that your car should not be sitting halfway in the street. Vineyards residents are also not allowed to park on the street or alleyways.
Last, we ask that you please care for the Vineyards pool furniture as if it were your own. This means moving the furniture back to its original location and closing umbrellas upon leaving. The biggest risk is losing open umbrellas in a summer storm.
Please direct any questions or concerns to our Web site, www.westchasevineyards.org.
By Kevin Kwan, President of The Vineyards HOA
Wycliff
Hi, everyone! I hope you all have had a great summer. We welcome our new neighbors, the Crowleys. We hope they had an easy move and we look forward to having them on the block.
There was no voting member (VM) meeting in July. At their August meeting VMs discussed updating some of the language in our governing documents. Some of the verbiage is very generic and in need of updating.
To complete Wycliff’s mailbox project, we have one remaining mailbox to which we must attend. We are working with the Westchase Community Association (WCA) on this particular home. It will eventually get done.
As for roads, we are still on the re-pavement schedule for 2012.
Please feel free to e-mail me at ksmagee@aol.com or call my cell at 727-0082 with any questions. Please do not call my home phone; I never answer that line.
Also, if you have any shout outs, please e-mail them to Chris Barrett at editor@westchasewow.com.
Looking good Wycliff!
By Shaney Nadel, Wycliff VM