Creekside Village Newsletter -- February, 2020

Message from the Board of Directors: The Board elected officers for 2020: Kathy Anderson will assume the duties of President, succeeding outgoing President, Dick Walsh, who retired after four years of outstanding service. Craig Illman, will continue as Vice President, Norm Culbert as Treasurer, and Peg Noetlich as Secretary. The Association owes a great deal to Dick Walsh, whose leadership established a new era of open communication, transparency in governance, and objectivity in decision-making. The Board of Directors for 2020 is committed to maintaining these principles as Creekside moves forward, and we invite each of you to join us. Thank you. Kathy Anderson, President

2019 Major Achievements:

1.       Painted eight buildings on Creekside Lane, including the triplexes,

2.       Leveled and restored 9 concrete drive or walkways that were trip hazards

3.       Landscape maintenance comprised 54% of the total operating expenses (32% of total revenue) in 2019 to fund:

·         Grounds and sprinkler maintenance and repair

·         Pruning and mowing

·         Irrigation, water, and electricity

·         Fertilizing and controlling disease and insects

·         Plant replacement

4.       Welcomed 13 new homeowners and hosted 7 social events

5.       Revised Rules and Regulations updated information, clarified maintenance responsibilities, and added an appendix of forms and helpful information. Large print versions are now available to anyone who wants one.

6.       Condition Assessment: In anticipation of the 2020 Reserve Study, the BOD assessed the general condition of each building and common areas, which it combined with owner reports of needed repairs. Here’s what we learned:

·         Building foundations are sound, and we found no cracks.

·         Roof systems are in generally good condition, but about 17 require some routine maintenance and repair to restore soffit vent screens, repair or replace flashing, soffits, and fascia boards. Most are experiencing intrusion by trees and shrubs, and some collect more tree debris and moss than others.

·         Concrete: Only two driveways or walkways have more than ¼” lift or separation.

·         Drainage systems: All but a few buildings have gutters and downspouts that leak, are cracked, or are in general need of major maintenance or full replacement—a priority project.

·         Lattice, deck rails, and posts: All buildings exhibit some deterioration that will require repair, restoration, or replacement within two years.

·         Windows: 13 windows and six skylights require replacement.

·         Siding: We found 18 instances of siding deterioration which require painting, resealing, or other repair. There’s some rotting fascia board, exposed bare wood, and failed caulking. Trees or shrubs located too close to buildings are likely to compromise structures.

·         Garage doors: 18 exhibit some form of damage or deterioration, such as buckling and sagging panels.

2020 Tree Removal Update: Creekside has contracted with a certified arborist to remove trees, including vine maples located too close to buildings. Consistent with the association’s primary responsibility to manage risk and preserve assets, the Board decided to remove dead trees and those located closest to buildings that are most likely to cause damage. After consulting industry professionals, considering options, and talking to homeowners, the Board arrived at a unanimous decision to move forward.  In January Board members hand-delivered notices to each unit adjacent to trees selected for removal and spoke personally to nearly all residents. Thanks to all who contributed to this effort.

Mark your Calendar for the March Workshop 9 am, Tuesday, March 10, Boyd Hall, Anacortes United Methodist Church, 2201 H Avenue. The Board encourages owners to attend workshops and participate by listening, asking questions, and providing constructive input, verbally or in writing, on priority issues. This is your opportunity to learn about and contribute to important decisions that affect your property’s value and your quality of life.

Discussion Topics:

1.       Project: Gutter & Downspout replacement

2.       Project: Inspect roofs for moss and removal

3.       Project: Renovation pruning and coordination with building painting

4.       Rule revisions: Establishing a minimum contribution requirement to reserve accounts and contracting controls.

5.       Develop a mission statement to use as the basis for future decision-making.

6.       Enforcement Issues

7.       Other topics as time permits.

What’s New? Creekside has a Web Site! Kudos to neighbor Dave Wenning for developing Creekside’s first web site, on-line access to Creekside’s governing documents, request forms, calendar of events, meeting minutes, newsletters, budget and financial reports, reserves study, and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Although we haven’t added all the information, yet, you can preview the site at csvanacortes.blogspot.com

Fiber Optic Internet Access: Over the next few years the City of Anacortes plans to expand Anacortes Fiber Internet, public high-speed internet access, into every neighborhood. Neighborhoods with the most pre-orders are likely to be considered first. We encourage Creekside residents to place non-binding pre-orders by completing an order form at https://www.anacorteswa.gov/984/Access---Anacortes-Fiber-Internet. To learn more, contact ianh@cityofanacortes.org,  www.fiber.cityofanacortes.org, or call Ian Houben at the City of Anacortes, 360-588-8361

Creekside Weather: Neighbor Dave Wenning maintains the most up to date and accurate weather information for Creekside Village at http://www.fidalgoweather.net/p/current-weather.html

Lawns remain “squishy.” Don’t get stuck. Avoid rolling wheelchairs and other adaptive vehicles into grassy areas.

Rats! Public Health Alert: Pick up after your pet, and don’t feed deer or birds—except hummingbirds.

Glad you asked that: At the annual meeting an owner asked about the fees Creekside charges to use the Recreational Vehicle Facility. The Board wanted to respond to this question and share the answer with everyone.

           

Question: Is it fair to charge Creekside residents the same fees it charges non-residents for using the Recreational Vehicle Facility? Don’t owners’ monthly maintenance fees already contribute to maintaining the facility? Shouldn’t "outsiders" pay more?

Answer: No portion of the monthly maintenance fees paid by all homeowners is used to fund the maintenance and operation of the RVF. The RVF is completely self-supporting by the fees it charges.

Earthquake Damage Prevention Option: Seismic shut-off valves are safety devices that automatically shut off and reset natural gas flow if a pipe breaks or if there is an earthquake of significant magnitude. Although it is possible to shut off the natural gas supply manually, not everyone is able to do this, and there is a charge to restore service once the emergency has passed. The primary benefits of safety valves are fire prevention and potential insurance cost savings; however, to realize the benefit, all connected owners in a building would have to participate. Initial inquiries suggest the cost to install valves that automatically shut off and reset would be from $500 to $700 per unit. Kathy Anderson is willing to explore the issue in more detail and contact licensed installers to find out if Creekside owners could realize significant cost savings by contracting for installation as a group. If you think you might be interested, please send an email to creeksidevillagepres@gmail.com

Next Monthly Board Meeting: Thursday, March 19, 8:30 a.m. at the Senior Center