Brook Meadows - September 2012 by Peel, Inc.

BrookMeadows Brook Meadows

The Official Publication of the Brook Meadows Homeowner's Association Volume 7, Number 9

www.brookmeadows.org

September 2012

Brook Meadows Homeowners Association Revenues and Expenses

Dear BMHA Neighbors, Last month we reviewed the income for Brook Meadows Homeowners Association (BMHA), this month we will review the expense side of the ledger. As a reminder, our budgeted income

from dues for the 2012/13 budget year is $36,300. In an attempt to make the expenses easier to understand we have divided them into 3 categories. Those categories and budgeted expense is reflected in the table below

BMHA 2012-‐13 BUDGET

HAVE TO HAVE NEED TO HAVE WANT TO HAVE Insurance Landscape & Fountain Communications CPA & Accounting Utilities Holiday decorations Fees & Permits Capital Improvements Welcoming Meeting Expenses Directory Postage, Supplies, etc. Legal & Professional Budget $10,864 $29,900 $715 on the BMHA website Full detail of 2012-‐13 budget is available

Have to have: Think of these as the everyday cost items associated with running the homeowners association. Some of these items, such as resale certifications, are offset by revenue. Unfortunately some of the CPA and postage expenses are driven by those homeowners delinquent on their dues. Each month the CPA firm sends them a letter with their outstanding balance. The legal expense budget is $4,000 in 2012-13. As you may recall through various BMHA communications, the Texas legislature passed new requirements for HOA's in the last session that required a complete rewrite of the by-laws, much of this expense will be paid this year. The good news is the Texas Legislature will not meet this ear! Need to have: These expenses can best be summarized as required to retain Brook Meadows as a premier, desirable place to live and maintain/increase the value of your home. Landscape/fountain, water and electric Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

Total $41,479

account for $27,900 or 93% of the budgeted 2012-13 expense. In an effort to reign in this expense the Landscape Committee has recently reduced from 3 to 2 plantings per year. From the table above, you’re probably asking why on earth does BMHA have money set aside for capital improvements? In this case it's really big ticket items that aren't expected or budgeted. Last year we replaced the entry signs after the original signs were stolen. Previous years required replacing much of the electrical work at the entrances. In the 3 years prior to 2012-13 we spent an average of $3,000 per year on "capital improvements", this year the budget is $2,000. Want to have: This category is what makes Brook Meadows a special place to live and all for just $715 budgeted in 2012-13. As anyone still reading this article will attest it isn't the money spent on “want to have” that makes Brook Meadows special, it's the volunteers. (Continued on Page 2) Brook Meadows Homeowner's Association Newsletter - September 2012

Brook Meadows ASSOCIATION INFO Brook Meadows Homeowners Association, Inc. PO Box 492 • Colleyville, TX 76034

Brook Meadows Directors: directors@brookmeadows.org Please visit our website often: www.BrookMeadows.org

2012 Board of Directors

President - Mic Deakin................................. 817-399-9885 Vice President - Walter Aue........................... 817-300-3718 Treasurer - Roger Poirier................................ 817-684-0419 Secretary - Sally Wheeler................................ 817-PHONE At Large Member - Rich Shcreder................. 817-545-7753 Newsletter Editor Shelley Haaker.........................shelley.haaker@staples.com

NEWSLETTER INFO PUBLISHER Peel, Inc........................ www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising........advertising@PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 ADVERTISING INFORMATION Please support the businesses that advertise in the Brook Meadows Community Newsletter. Their advertising dollars make it possible for all Brook Meadows residens to receive the monthly newsletter at no charge. No homeowners association funds are used to produce or mail the newsletters. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 1-888-687-66444 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 20th of each month for the following month's newsletter. At no time will any source be allowed to use the Brook Meadows Community Newsletter 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 the Brook Meadows Association and Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Brook Meadows residents only. 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. 2

Brook Meadows Homeowner's Association Newsletter - September 2012

Revenues & Expenses - (Continued from Cover) We want to recognize the volunteers on Landscape, Architectural, Decorations, Welcoming, Social, Newsletter and all the committees. Our thanks to them all, their contributions are priceless (with all due respect to MasterCard). You likely noted dues revenue falls short of budgeted expenses for 2012-13. Some of this is offset by other than dues revenue (covered in the last newsletter issue) but the fact is we are projecting a budget shortfall. Unlike the government, we cannot run deficits and will likely dip into our reserves this year. In the coming issues we will review dues of other HOA’s in Colleyville and review the results of the survey taken last year.

New Residents at 4901 Green Oaks Welcome to Chen “Ed” Wang, his wife Jean Gao, and son Grant. They joined Brook Meadows in July, relocating from Arlington in order to give Grant the benefit of our superior school district. He will be entering the 7th grade at Colleyville Middle School where math will probably continue to be his favorite subject. He also enjoys swimming, reading, and origami. Ed and Jean are originally from China, but met here in the USA while studying engineering at graduate school in Indiana. He currently is in business for himself creating IT hardware products for sectors such as the international automotive industry. Jean is a professor at UTA in the Computer Science Dept. Their passion is traveling and they have the goal of seeing as much of the world as possible before Grant goes to college. How’s THAT for a bucket list?!

HERE

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Brook Meadows

BMHA TEEN JOBS BULLETIN BOARD name

address

dob

phone

cell

Alexis Norwood............ 2920 Meadowview Dr................................ 817-540-2522.......................................X............... X................. Allison Pappas.................4806 Shadywood Ln............. 2000............ 817-366-2522.......................................X............... X................. Amanda Wheeler............. 2808 Meadowview Dr........... 2000............ 817-488-1482.....817-658-7520............X............... X.................

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE Emma Sexton ............... 4506 Shadywood Lane........... 1997............ 817-864-0376.....817-675-9277............X............... X.............. X Christine Wendt...............4900 Wildwood Ct.............. 1996............ 817-283-0303.......................................X............... X................. Cubby Wendt...................4900 Wildwood Ct.............. 1994............ 817-283-0303........................................................ X.................

Grace Hall....................... 4801 Shadycreek Ln............. 2000............ 817-312-9856.......................................X................................... Jared Cobb..................... 4900 Green Oaks Dr............. 1994............ 214-601-9063.....214-601-9063............. ............... X.............. X Joseph Russell................. 4617 Green Oaks Dr............. 2000............ 214-534-0173........................................................ X.............. X William Pappas...............4806 Shadywood Ln............. 1994............ 817-366-2522......................................................................... X

Attention Teenagers

BS = Babysitting | PS = Pet Sitting | YW = Yardwork *-CPR Training | +-First Aid Training

The Teenage Job Seekers listing service is offered free of charge to all The Brook Meadows Messenger teenagers seeking work. Submit your name and information to directors@brookmeadows.org by the 9th of the month!

IMPORTANT DATES SEPTEMBER 25 LAST TUESDAY - 6:30 PM

Bottlecap Alley, Grapevine, decent patio. good inexpensive burgers and pints of beer, family friendly. FALL TBD PATIO PARTY VOLUNTEER HOST NEEDED OCTOBER 30 LAST TUESDAY - 6:30 PM TBD OCTOBER 31 HALLOWEEN PARADE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR NEEDED Not receiving the BMHA e-mail blasts? Try these two steps. 1.In your email account set up, make both directors@ brookmeadows.org and social@brookmeadows.org as approved senders. 2. Go to www.brookmeadows.org home page and fill out the “E-MAIL ADDRESS - CLICK HERE” link. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

Brook Meadows Homeowner's Association Newsletter - September 2012

Brook Meadows 308 Meadowlark St. Lakeway, TX 78734-4717

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Brook Meadows Homeowner's Association Newsletter - September 2012