The Dominion - May 2012 by Peel, Inc.

THE OUTLOOK

The

MAY 2012

VOLUME IV ISSUE V

OUTLOOK News for the Residents of The Dominion

GET IN THE ZONE By Erin Conant

We attempt to save water in many ways, such as collecting rain water or installing water-efficient fixtures in our homes. But putting extra thought into your landscape’s design can save water, too. Hydrozoning is a technique that groups plants according to the amount of water they require. It generally includes three zones: Principle – This area likely contains turf grass and gets the most use as the home’s main outdoor activity area. Plants in this hydrozone typically require more water than any other plants on the property. Secondary – This zone receives less human contact and often contains beds used exclusively for visual appeal. These plants use moderate to small amounts of water. Minimal – Involving the rarely accessed reaches of a property, this zone includes plants that have a knack for surviving without much care and should receive little or no supplemental watering. While this all might seem a bit complicated, the idea of organizing the landscape by water needs is not only water-wise, but it also reduces your neverending maintenance load! Erin Conant is conservation consultant for San Antonio Water System.

FINANCIAL PLANNING BASICS

THERE ARE FIVE PRELIMINARY STEPS THAT ARE IMPERATIVE BEFORE A SOUND INVESTMENT DECISION CAN BE REACHED. Submitted by Kenneth C. Meissner

First – Establish a current Financial Statement by listing Assets into Investable and Non-Investable Categories. Non- Investable assets are your home, automobiles, furniture, personal, etc., the remaining are available for Investments. Investable assets are grouped into four categories: Liquid, Hard, Debt and Equity. Liquid Assets are checking and money market deposits (normally equal to three to six months’ spending) and which are used to pay living expenses and to help prevent forced liquidations to meet financial emergencies. Hard Assets are gold, silver, and other precious metals and should range between 3 to 10% of investable assets, depending on age, economic conditions, and personal apprehensions about paper currency. Remaining assets are divided into two categories: “Debt” and “Equity”. Debt Assets are assets that have a fixed rate of return and offer a specific maturity. These might include municipal and corporate bonds, treasuries, CD’s, fixed annuities and whole life insurance. Equity Assets are investments in which there is ownership, such as real estate, preferred and common stock, and variable annuities. The primary objective is capital appreciation and keeping up with inflation, as opposed to providing current income. Second – The Financial Statement identifies the Asset Allocation between the debt based and equity based assets and determines your Debt/Equity Ratio. As a general guideline, the percentage of Debt Assets should correspond to your age. For example, age 75 should have 75% in Debt Based and 25% in Equities, of course depending on your risk tolerance. Third – A current cash flow estimate, which includes a current Income Statement and Monthly/Annual Budget for expenses. If your expenses are greater than income then the investment decision is to increase current income with higher investment returns, in addition, reducing taxes and reducing debt. If income is greater than expenses then the investment decision is to defer income with tax-free and tax-deferred investments. Fourth – Establish a current year estimate tax simulation to determine possible tax strategies to keep taxes under control. Fifth – Legal Documents – Wills – Trusts – General Power of Attorney – Health Power of Attorney – Directive to Physician are current and conform to the laws of the state you reside. The Outlook - May 2012

THE OUTLOOK

IMPORTANT NUMBERS EMERGENCY NUMBERS EMERGENCY................................................................911

Fire....................................................................................... 911 Ambulance........................................................................... 911 Police Dept – Non-Emergency.............................210-207-7273 Fire Dept – Non-Emergency................................210-207-7744

DOMINION SECURITY

Chief of Security..................................................210-268-9932 Main Gate................................ 210-698-2997 or 210-698-2998 North Gate............................... 210-698-7812 or 210-698-1224 South Gate...........................................................210-698-5323

CITY

City Customer Service..........................................210-207-6400 Solid Waste (Trash)..............................................210-207-6428

OTHER NUMBERS

PERSONAL CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE: Selling my collection of Lalique, Baccaret Erte Bronzes, Sehring Bronzes and many pieces of art work unframed. Other antique items available. If interested, please call Jackie at (210) 698-7071 CAR FOR SALE: 2009 Jaguar XF Silver with gray leather interior. Good condition. Almost, 50,000 miles for $25,000. If interested, please contact Scott at (210) 372-2893 FOR SALE: Louis XVI style, 19th century chairs, table, and sofa for sale. Professionally appraised. For more information, please call 210-698-1487. WANTED: Puppy Trainer - Looking for a qualified puppy dog trainer. Smart, lovable 4 month old Sheltie female puppy with a not so smart Mommy. I prefer for the puppy to be trained in my home at the Cottage Estates. Please call Sylvia at 210-363-0883.

Cedar Elm Postal Office.......................................210-641-0278

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER

Peel, Inc...............................................................512-263-9181 Advertising............................................ dominion@peelinc.com

MISSION STATEMENT The Outlook, For The Dominion

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

The mission of The Outlook is to provide The Dominion Community with one source of local news content that is written by Dominion residents. Our goal is to help build the community by connecting local businesses with residents and residents with relevant neighborhood information.

"Be the community."

ARTICLE INFO The Outlook is mailed monthly to all Dominion residents. Residents, community groups, churches, etc. are welcome to include information about their organizations in the newsletter. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, recipes, special celebrations, and birthday announcements are also welcome. To submit an article for The Outlook please email it to dominion@peelinc.com. The deadline is the 20th of the month prior to the issue.

The Outlook - May 2012

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THE OUTLOOK The Dominion News A Dominion HOA Publication - April 2012 NEW GENERAL MANAGER

The HOA Board and the Association membership welcomes Rob McDaniel as the new General Manager of the Dominion HOA effective April 2, 2012. Rob has 25 years of experience in large scale community property management, professional management company experience and professional property management certifications. An informal ice cream social reception for Association members to meet Rob is being planned for April 22, 2012. More information will be forthcoming when the event planning is finalized. In the mean time, you can reach Rob at the HOA office or by his email address robmcdaniel@sbcglobal.net. The Board recognizes the outstanding job by Julie Rincon and the HOA staff in “holding down the fort” while the GM search took place. Julie and the staff’s efforts are very much appreciated.

HOA ANNUAL MEETING & PROXY VOTING

As a reminder, the HOA Annual Meeting will be held at the Leon Springs Elementary School at 7:00 pm on April 24, 2012. During the meeting, we will complete the voting process for three positions on the HOA Board. All Association members should have already received in the mail a list of the five nominated candidates, their background information, any prior involvement with the HOA and their aspirations for the Dominion community. The voting proxy form along with instructions on how to complete the form were included in the mailing in order to facilitate membership voting. Your HOA Board encourages all members to vote and to submit their proxies to the HOA office no later than April 20, 2012. Besides the completion of voting for Board of Director positions, the tentative agenda

includes a management report from our new General Manager and the committee reports from Finance, Development, Landscape and Security. DOMINION STRATEGIC PLANS The HOA Board has completed its work on updating the HOA Strategic Plan and approved the revised plan in the March Board meeting. The Strategic Plan has been a very useful tool in guiding the Board and its Standing Committees in identifying the tactics, priorities and funding in fulfilling our vision and the goals of our eight strategic pillars. All Association members are encouraged to review the plan which is posted on the HOA website. As with any strategic plan, it is a living document that continually should be reviewed and updated as circumstances warrant. Input to this (Continued on Page 4)

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The Outlook - May 2012

THE OUTLOOK The Dominion News- (Continued from Page 3) process is certainly welcomed through the Neighborhood Outreach Committee or through any of the HOA’s standing committees. DOMINION COUNTRY CLUB SURVEY One of our strategic pillars for the Dominion HOA is the symbiotic relationship with the Country Club. The presence of the Country Club within the Dominion Planned Unit Development (PUD) has direct impact on the level of prestige and desirability of locating in the Dominion. The success of the Club has influence on homeowner values and of course the proximity of The Dominion residents has direct influence on the Club membership. As such, the Board has been working with the Club on some joint projects in recognizing the need for greater collaboration. The Board encourages all Association members who are also members of the Club to complete the survey recently sent by email to all Club members by Friday, April 13, 2012. Only through your direct feedback and interest can the Club determine how to manage its future and fulfill the vision its membership desires. VIOLATION OF HOA COVENANTS & RESTRICTIONS Many of us, at some point, have been pulled over by a police officer for a traffic violation. Whether it was for driving over the speed limit or running a red light, most drivers have (intentionally or unintentionally) broken a traffic law. While we all are grateful to have traffic laws and want police to enforce those laws, we are generally less pleased when we are the person receiving a citation. It is likely few of us have actually thanked a police officer for a traffic citation. Instead, we tend to get angry about the citation. There are many similarities between a police officer enforcing traffic laws and The Dominion Homeowners Association (HOA) enforcing our covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs), both related to property issues and traffic issues. All residents of The Dominion are generally thankful they live in a community with deed restrictions. Most residents expect their HOA to enforce the covenants consistently. However, like traffic citations, few residents are happy to receive a covenant violation letter.

The Outlook - May 2012

Like traffic citations, covenant violation letters may cause residents to become angry, anxious or frustrated. Often, violators direct their frustration at their HOA’s staff and board members. However, neither the “ignorance defense” “I didn’t know I needed approval for that” or the “marginal violation defense” “but my construction is only one foot over the guideline, or the “point the finger defense” “but all my neighbors leave their garage door open”, justify violating the covenants. All residents are responsible for knowing, understanding and adhering to the HOA CC&Rs. Incidentally, most of the time, the HOA is made aware of violations by other residents. Your HOA has no desire to punish residents. It merely wishes to resolve violations as quickly and amicably as possible. So, in the unlikely event you receive a notice of covenant violation from you HOA, including traffic citations, your HOA asks you to remember your HOA staff or its security officers are merely attempting to protect your quality of life and investment in The Dominion. Do your best to resolve the violation as quickly as possible. Your HOA Board and the staff appreciate the anticipated cooperation and support in adhering to the CC&Rs SECURITY UPDATE As reported in the last HOA newsletter, there have been unfortunate and potentially dangerous incidents in The Dominion related to Dominion residents authorizing the entry of visitors for the purpose of allowing those visitors to visit a location in The Dominion other than the home of the resident admitting them. As a result, the HOA has established such an admittance as a Class A Violation of the HOA rules, pursuant to The Dominion’s Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions applicable to all Dominion residents. This means any resident who admits a visitor for the purpose of going to a Dominion location other than the resident’s home, will have the transponders registered to vehicles at that residence deactivated for thirty (30) days. This action by your HOA was necessitated by recent resident complaint/concerns related to these improper admittance authorizations. If you have any questions about this, please contact the HOA office. (Continued on Page 6)

THE OUTLOOK

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THE OUTLOOK The Dominion News- (Continued from Page 4) MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF LANDSCAPE UPDATE SPEED KILLS… REMINDER: The Landscape Committee addressed the Observing speed limits is critical to the technical details of establishing a master safety of all Dominion residents. Recently, communication/management plan for the 5 there have been several speed violations that irrigation test sites. Eventually all irrigation could have resulted in serious accidents or systems will be controlled automatically fatalities. Speed limits in The Dominion are from a master command center at the HOA 20 MPH in residential areas and 30 MPH office, thus allowing for more efficient and on main roads. cost effective water usage. The Committee is Violators ticketed for 16 MPH in excess of evaluating landscape plans for beautification posted limits will receive a Class A citation. of some of the neighborhood main entrances Violators receiving Class A citations will with the intention of implementing some automatically lose their gate access for 30 plans this Spring and next Fall, the optimal days along with all other vehicles registered time to plant. The Committee is working at the residence. Violators receiving three (3) with TxDOT and the City on weed control Class B citations in any six (6) month period and litter around the IH-10 underpass will automatically lose their gate access for 60 and the undeveloped areas around CVS days along with all other vehicles registered and Chase Bank. The Committee is also at the residence. reviewing and monitoring landscape plans for the new developments being built along BE ALERT, BE AWARE, the Brenthurst Extension. BE CAREFUL & STAY SAFE

PARADE OF HOMES The 2012 Parade of Homes will be held in The Dominion from May 26th to June 3rd, 2012. The Parade location is a collection of 12 homes on the new Brenthurst Lane extension in a new development called Aragon and Andalucia. The hours of operation for the Parade will be as follows: Memorial Day & Weekends: 8:30am to 6:00pm Weekdays: 3:00pm to 9:00pm Parking for the Parade will be located at Oak Hills Church on the IH-10 access road where shuttle buses will carry visitors to The Dominion. This is the only form of entry for the general public to the Parade. The shuttle buses will enter The Dominion via the new south gate at Tejas Trail and drop off patrons at the Parade main entrance at the Aragon development. Shuttle buses will depart The

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(Continued on Page 7)

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The Outlook - May 2012

THE OUTLOOK The Dominion News- (Continued from Page 6) Dominion via Brenthurst and Dominion Drive through the main gate. Dominion residents will not be able to drive or walk to the Parade location by car or golf cart. Residents will either have to park at Oak Hills Church and use the buses or use a special pickup for Dominion residents that depart from the HOA office. This special pickup and entry will be by official Parade of Homes golf carts only. Parking for the special Dominion resident pickup can be at the HOA office or at the Club for members. Brenthurst Lane from Tejas Trail to the inside gate at Vail Abbey will be closed to all traffic (autos & pedestrians) from Thursday, May 24th through June 3rd, 2012. This is required since the Parade structures will obstruct Brenthurst Lane and for safety reasons. Security for the Parade of Homes will be provided by off-duty uniformed SAPD officers. THE DOMINION TNR INITIATIVE The San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition estimates that there are 250,000 free-roaming cats in San Antonio. In 2007, San Antonio adopted a policy of Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) as a humane method of reducing the free-roaming cat population across the city. The Dominion TNR Initiative is a program that provides assistance in TNR to the Dominion community to reduce the feral cat population in our neighborhood.

The Dominion TNR Initiative group is comprised of neighborhood volunteers who assist with trapping feral cats who are then neutered, vaccinated, and returned to the location where they were trapped. A tipped left ear indicates a cat has been neutered and vaccinated. The program is supported financially by voluntary donations. TNR benefits both those who love and those who don’t love cats. Feral cats have difficult lives. Half of feral kittens do not survive. It is better for the cats to prevent births and to trap and socialize the kittens so that they can be placed in inside homes. TNR not only reduces the number of feral cats by preventing births but also decreases nuisance behaviors such as fighting and spraying of pheromone-laced urine. The neighborhood TNR group needs volunteers interested in being trained in TNR, in fostering kittens or abandoned cats, or in assisting in other ways. Please contact Louan LeDoux at (210) 854-8055 or Lyn Hicks at (210) 219-9772 to volunteer, to request information, or to report feral cat sightings. Sincerely, Richard Dietz, Chairman The Dominion Homeowners Association, Inc.

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The Outlook - May 2012

THE OUTLOOK A Focus on Physical Activity - Pathway to Improved Health By Concentra Urgent Care

Being physically active is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain or improve your health. When combined with eating a healthy diet, regular exercise can substantially reduce your risk of chronic disease, prevent weight gain, and improve your overall level of physical and emotional fitness.

Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes a week • Both aerobic (endurance) and musclestrengthening (resistance) are beneficial

HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DO I NEED?

SHOULD OLDER ADULTS EXERCISE,TOO?

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has recently published several recommendations related to exercise: Any physical activity is better than no physical activity • Includes people with disabilities & far outweighs the possibility of risk of injury or illness

For most people, additional benefits occur when • You increase the intensity, the frequency, and or the duration of your Physical activity.

The same HHS guidelines apply, but older adults need to make sure that their fitness level and any chronic conditions allow them to safely perform physical activity. For example, if an older adult is at risk of falling, he should do exercises that maintain or improve his balance.

WHAT IF I HAVE A CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITION?

If you have a chronic medical condition, you should be under the care of a health care provider. It is important to consult your physician about the type and amount of physical activity appropriate for you. HOW DO I GET STARTED?

The health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks and some activity is better than none. Persons who have not been diagnosed with a chronic condition (such as diabetes, heart disease, or osteoarthritis) and do not have symptoms (e.g., chest pain or pressure, dizziness, or joint pain) do not need to consult with a health care provider prior to starting an exercise program.

For more information on total fitness programs in general, you can contact your health care provider, your Concentra health specialist, or visit the National Safety Council’s Web site at: http://www.nsc.org/resources/Factsheets/hl/fitness.aspx.

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The Outlook - May 2012

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Did you know that drowning is still the #1 cause of accidental death for children under 5 and the #2 cause for children ages 1-14? Join us as we celebrate May as National Water Safety month. Please keep your family safe around water and have the Best May Ever! CPR Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

Sudoku The challenge is to fill every row across, every column down, and every 3x3 box with the digits 1 through 9. Each 1 through 9 digit must appear only once in each row across, each column down, and each 3x3 box.

View answers online at www.peelinc.com DOWN ACROSS 1. Incline 1. Tack 2. Change 5. Giant 3. Small particle 9. Philippine dish with marinated 4. Compass point chicken or pork 5. Night bird 11. Journalist's question 6. Body snatcher 12. Tiny insects 7. Cultivate 13. Cut of beef 8. Volcano 14. School group 10. Change into bone 15. South 16. Musical productions 17. United States 18. Canadian prov. 18. Bottle need 19. Palladium (abbr.) 20. Upset 20. Many 22. Cow's chow 21. Perfect 23. Year (abbr.) 22. Captain (abbr.) 24. Computer makers 24. Institution (abbr.) 27. Brews 25. Swain 29. Sleep disorder 26. African country 31. Parent teacher groups 28. Fast plane 32. Strong rope fiber 30. Pastry 33. Bend 34. Decorative needle case © 2006. Feature Exchange

SUDOKU

Sudoku

The goal is to fill in the grid so that every© 2006. row, Feature everyExchange column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. Each digit may appear only once in each row, each column, and each 3x3 box.

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YES! YOUR NEWSLETTER IS PROVIDED 100% FREE OF CHARGE TO YOUR HOA and is made possible by the advertisers within. Please frequent© 2006. Feature Exchange their businesses and let them know where you saw their advertisement. While there, be sure to say “Thanks!” www.PEELinc.com

THE OUTLOOK At no time will any source be allowed to use The Outlook contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in The Outlook is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above. * The Dominion HOA does not endorse any of the advertisers contained in The Outlook.

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The Outlook - May 2012

THE OUTLOOK Top Ten Tips for Improving Bad Breath Suffering from bad breath, but not sure why? Think about drinking more water and using less mouthwash. Find out why and learn more ways to improve your breath with these top ten tips. Call it by its fancy name, “halitosis,” and it won’t smell any sweeter. Bad breath is frequently a sign that you’re not keeping up with your oral health. The source of this unpleasant odor is, in most cases, bacteria living on your teeth, gums or tongue. Follow these ten tips for a breath of fresh air: Brush your choppers twice each day. Better yet, brush after every meal. If you eat lunch at work or school, keep an extra toothbrush there. Also, be sure to replace your toothbrush regularly. Every few months, swap your brush for a fresh one. Reach between your teeth. Flossing daily helps you remove food particles from between your teeth, where your toothbrush just can’t reach. Flossing also helps keep your gums healthy, preventing periodontal disease, which can also lead to bad breath. If using regular floss is difficult for you, try one of the many interdental cleaners available at drugstores. Pick up an electric toothbrush. Along with floss, an electric toothbrush removes plaque better than a manual toothbrush. Treat your tongue right. Bacteria can gather on the surface of your tongue, so use a soft-bristled toothbrush or a tongue scraper to clean it every time you brush.

The Outlook - May 2012

Tap your inner teenager and chew gum. The act of chewing (sugarless!) gum stimulates the production of saliva, which naturally washes away bacteria and food particles. If you suffer from a lack of saliva due to “dry mouth,” a condition sometimes caused by medication, let us know; we can help address the problem. Don’t fall for the myth of mouthwash. Most mouthwashes merely mask the smell of bad breath and don’t do anything to solve the underlying problem.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink water regularly to keep your mouth moist, and go easy on alcohol and caffeine, both of which are dehydrating. Turn off the tobacco. Smoking and chewing tobacco lead to bad breath. They also increase your risk of a host of serious health problems, from periodontal disease to cancer. Take note of what you take in. Certain diets, foods and medications can affect your breath. If your problem doesn’t appear to be oral, make a list of the foods you eat and medications you take. Review it with your dentist or your family doctor to assess the source of the problem. Call in the experts. It’s important to have your teeth professionally checked and cleaned twice a year. Your dentist can give your teeth a thorough cleaning that isn’t possible at home, as well as check for and treat early signs of problems such as cavities or periodontal disease. In rare cases, persistent bad breath can be a sign of a larger health problem. The American Dental Association lists possible medical sources of bad breath, including respiratory infection, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, gastrointestinal disturbance, and liver or kidney ailments. If your dentist suspects that your breath problem stems from a medical issue, he or she will recommend speaking with your family doctor immediately. Submitted by Dr. Flury

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The Outlook - May 2012

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The Outlook - May 2012

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This Award-Winning floor plan includes many luxury upgrades, such as marble flooring, custom built-ins and a fireplace in the beautiful family room. A chef’s kitchen shows SS GE Monogram appliances, 2 dishwashers, granite & a brkfst area. The master features walk-in closets & spa-like bath while a private study gives direct access to a peaceful courtyard with lush landscaping. MLS# 935853 Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.