Wood Glen
Official Publication of the Wood Glen Property Owners Association
May 2013 - Volume 7, Issue 5
Howdy Wood Glen!
A big thank you Morris Glass for sponsoring our Spring Festival and to Natasha Baker, REALTOR for sponsoring our Garage Sale, thank you to all those who helped with the Spring Festival, and thank you to our Social Chair, Gloria Gomez for organizing everything. We are planning quarterly events this year, with a summer event around the Fourth of July. Gloria will let us know the details as we get closer, but if you are interested in sponsoring an event or volunteering, please let her know. As I sit here and write this newsletter in mid April, we recently received a lot of rain, but that usually doesn’t last through the summers around here. So, it may be time to take a look at your irrigation system and make sure things are working efficiently. The city of Round Rock provides free irrigation system evaluations to residents. Schedule yours by calling (512) 671-2872 or emailing Jessica Woods at jwoods@roundrocktexas.gov. During the evaluation, they will determine how many gallons of water your irrigation system is currently using, and provide a recommended watering schedule based on the type of vegetation, the amount of sun, and the type of sprinklers in each zone of your system. They can also recommend upgrades that may benefit your yard, and help with rebates for certain upgrades. Given that we have a heavy clay and very shallow soil in most of our yards, it is recommended to have multiple short watering cycles rather than one long one. This allows the water to soak into the ground rather than running off into the street. How you do that will depend on the controller you have. Mine provides the ability to program 3 start times for a program, so what I have done is taken the recommended watering time for each zone and divided it by three. Then I programmed 3 start times, an hour apart, and the landscaping now gets the recommended amount of water spread over three cycles so that it has time to soak. It is also recommended that you water late at night or early in the morning to reduce water loss due to evaporation during the heat of the day. My irrigation audit recommended starting at about 1 AM. This avoids having the plants wet all night, which can encourage fungal growth, and completes watering before the sun comes up, minimizing losses due to wind and evaporation. Another thing to note is that plants will develop a deeper root system and have better drought tolerance with deep, infrequent watering. While the city typical has no restrictions on which days Copyright Š 2013 Peel, Inc.
we can water in the spring and early summer, during drought conditions they may limit us to watering twice per week, once per week, and ultimately not watering at all in a severe drought. While we have only had an outright ban once in the 6 years I have lived in Round Rock, we typical see restrictions on the number of days per week we can water each summer. Adjusting your system to watering deeply only one day a week during the spring and early summer can help promote the deep roots that will help the plants survive when restrictions are put in place. While on the subject of water, did you know that our storm drains throughout Round Rock empty directly into the creeks without being filtered or treated. That means that during a rain, everything washed into the storm drain heads straight to the creek. This includes any leaked or spilled oil or other pollutants, grass clippings, animal waste, excess fertilizer, cigarette butts, and other trash. Further, since we are in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, that water may end up going straight into the Edwards Aquifer. Help maintain our water quality by not dumping pollutants into the street or on your driveway, keeping yard debris out of the street, and cleaning up after your pets. As a reminder, changes to your lot or exterior of your home may require approval in advance from the Modification Committee. See Art. IV, Sect 4 (page 16) of Covenants for details. Typical projects requiring approval include the addition of a swimming pool, outside storage buildings, fountains or statuary in the front yard, building projects, projects that modify the drainage like raised beds, changes to the color or look of the house, and adding a playscape or basketball goal. Most changes are approved, unless they are specifically prohibited. Sometimes plans need to be changed slightly to accommodate limitations, such as the size of an improvement or the amount of impermeable ground cover. It is a lot easier to make those changes before construction starts than after a project is completed. The form is available on the website, and the Modification Committee is usually fairly quick dealing with requests. During the March Board Meeting, our management company, CMA, asked us to provide them guidelines for procedures to collect past due assessments. We are working with them to get that in place. If you have a past due balance, please work towards getting that taken care of. We have a standard payment plan outlined for those who may have difficulty taking care of their balance all at once. Please (Continued on Page 3) Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013 1
Wood Glen BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: David Schell................................ dschell@gmail.com Vice President: Eric Boren..................eric_boren@sbcglobal.net Treasurer: Wayne Solum.............................. wsolum@juno.com Secretary: Lela Solum..........................lelasolum@austin.rr.com Section 1: Eric Boren......................... eric_boren@sbcglobal.net Section 2: Sean Copeland.........................place2wg@gmail.com Section 3: Bob Hill..................................bobhill64@gmail.com Section 4: David Schell................................ dschell@gmail.com Section 5: Donna Tucker...............donnactucker@austin.rr.com Section 6: Matt Baker................... matthewbakerpe@gmail.com Section 7: Wayne Solum.............................. wsolum@juno.com
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Do You Have Reason to Celebrate?
We want to hear from you! Email: donnate@austin.rr.com to let the community know!
The Wood Glen News is paid for by advertisements. If you are a business owner, please consider placing an advertisement.
Modifications: Sam Myers ....................................... slmyers58@earthlink.net Pool/Amenity Center/Landscaping / Greenbelt: Karen Fischer...............................................kfischer4@att.net Social Events: Gloria Gomez......................... gloriasproductions@gmail.com Communications: Donna Tucker..............................donnatucker@austin.rr.com ...........................................................donnate@austin.rr.com Ant Bait Control Program: Leslie Myers..........................................myersls@earthlink.net Welcome Committee: David & Elaine Lloyd.............................Lloyd1111@aol.com
MANAGEMENT CO. Certified Management of Austin (CMA) 9600 Great Hills Trail, Suite 100E Austin, TX 78759, Tel: (512) 339-6962 Fax: (512) 339-1317, Email: frontdesk@cmaaustin.com Contact: Jennifer English
NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE
NEWSLETTER INFO Editor Donna Tucker......................... donnactucker@austin.rr.com Publisher Peel, Inc........................ www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising........advertising@PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 2 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013
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Wood Glen Howdy Wood Glen - (Continued from Cover Page) contact CMA if you ever need to take advantage of the payment plan. You can reach CMA by email at frontdesk@cmaaustin.com or by phone at (512) 339-6962. Speaking of CMA, they handle a lot of every day things for us, like replacement cards for access to the Amenity Center, managing repairs to POA property, sending notifications for violations. Contacting CMA directly can be the fastest way to get these kinds of issues resolved. The change over to the new website hit a snag when we were trying to point our domain to the new provider. Turns out, our domain was registered so long ago that all the people who knew the account information have since moved out of the neighborhood. At the moment, our domain http://www.woodglen.org still points to the old website and the new one can be accessed at http://woodglen. hoa-express.com. Feel free to check out the new website and sign up for an account. We will get our domain pointed in the right direction as soon as we resolve the issues. I hope you enjoy all the new features with the new website, and I’ll keep you posted as things move forward. - David Schell
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Food Safety Tips Help Prevent Food Poisoning
When getting together to cook for loved ones, the last thing you want is to get sick from the food you eat. Roberta Anding, a registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine, has a few tips to keep your food safe. • A l w a y s u s e a m e a t thermometer to check if meat is fully cooked. The color of the meat can’t determine the safety of the meat. All meat should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly during food preparation. • Wash all produce before cutting and chopping. • Refrigerator leftovers within two hours. • Use a thermometer when reheating food as well. Following these basic guidelines will ensure that the food you serve is safe to eat, said Anding.
Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013 3
Wood Glen WOOD GLEN GREENBELT, TRAILS AND AMENITY CENTER When you received your City of Round Rock Parks and Recreation program guide, did you notice that the Wood Glen Greenbelt was highlighted in green and the legend designated it as a city park or open area? Did you notice that part of our trail was highlighted in yellow and listed as T6 – part of the city trail system? That would only invite the public to use our trail and greenbelt without regard to our posted rules for use or the fact that you as Wood Glen home owners pay the taxes, insurance, for all necessary clearing, mowing and trapping as well as maintenance of the trails and Amenity Center. And that could damage your property values. As I write, there is good news and bad news: The good news is that RR Parks and Recreation has removed the green highlighting of our greenbelt and the yellow highlighting of trail with the listing T6. The bad news: There is proposed House Bill 3808 in committee which would give cities and counties the right to tell an association like Wood Glen that we must open our facilities to the public while still bearing the expenses of it… among other negatives. What can you do? You can call or email the committee chairman Rep. Rene Oliveira and his staff and comment on HB 3808. Rene.Oliveira@house.state.tx.us Staff: JJ.Garza@house.state.tx.us michael.gray@house.state.tx.us
Knowledge, Integrity, & Hard Work.
Phone: (512) 463-0640 Fax: (512) 463-8186 Below is a suggested text for your message which will also help you understand why we need to be against this bill. Dear Representative Oliveira: As a citizen of (City) and a resident of (Name of Homeowners Association), I’m writing about the HOA bill, HB 3803 (McClendon) which is on the Business and Industry Committee docket for hearing. This bill is based on erroneous assumptions about HOAs. Non-profit entities in Texas such as HOAs are controlled by the applicable provisions of the Business Organizations Code. No other non-profit entity in Texas is subject to this degree of scrutiny and this level of regulation will chill volunteerism and unnecessarily drive up costs for both HOAs and the State. I oppose this bill and urge you to vote NO against it. Thank you for protecting the homeowners of Texas from the egregious consequences of this bill. Sincerely, (Name and Address) I would like to encourage you all to send a message to Rep. Oliveira and copy his staff members to protect Wood Glen as you know and love it....and for residents of HOAs and POAs all over Texas. We can make a difference! Donna Tucker
Paul & Jan Gillia
Do Not Pay 6% To Sell Your Home! Our full service listings are now 4.5%. We Also Do Leasing. Call or Email Before You List! 512-388-5454 • pgillia@austin.rr.com www.homeselect360.com The Right REALTOR Makes All the Difference! 4 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013
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Wood Glen Looking for Volunteers!
CRANE FLIES
High School Students from 60 countries are arriving to our area this coming August and I am looking for volunteers to host them. You need to provide a bed and meals for the student. They have their own spending money and are fully insured. If you are interested in volunteering and making a dream of a teen come true please email or call. Jennifer Tausworthe jennifer4cci@aol.com 713.203.6556
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO YOUR NEIGHBORS Support Your Community Newsletter Kelly Peel VP Sales and Marketing
PEEL, INC. community newsletters
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Crane flies can be small to large insects- topping out at about 1 inch- with long, slender legs and a V-shaped suture on the thorax. Legs tend to break off very easily, so you may often encounter these insects with less than 6 legs (see image). Adults are often mistaken for giant mosquitoes and may frighten some people. Crane flies are often referred to as “mosquito hawks”. The name mosquito hawk is usually used to refer to dragonflies, but sometimes is also used to refer to a large species of mosquito with a larval stage that feeds on other mosquito species. Some people think that crane flies eat mosquitoes, but this is untrue. Adult crane flies feed on nectar or are non-feeding. Crane fly larvae are found in moist soil feeding on decaying organic matter. The larvae are wormlike and legless without well-developed heads. Some species of the larvae feed on roots of turfgrass or other plants. Crane fly larvae usually do not cause enough damage to be considered a pest, but with very high populations management may be needed. In Texas, crane flies can become abundant in the spring. While the adults may become a nuisance coming into homes or disturbing outdoor activities, they do not cause damage and do not bite. Encourage people to keep doors and windows closed, make sure that screens are in good repair. Either turn off outside lights at night or use “bug bulbs” to reduce the number of crane flies that are drawn near the home because of light sources. For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Also check out www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com
512-263-9181 ext 22 kelly@PEELinc.com
The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service or the Texas A&M AgriLife Research is implied.
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Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013 5
Wood Glen At no time will any source be allowed to use The Wood Glen Newsletter's 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 Wood Glen Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Wood Glen HOA and 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.
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Wood Glen
Drowning Is Preventable The Texas weather is warming up. Summer is almost here. Pools will soon open and the cool water will be calling your name. You can almost hear your kids laughing and the playing in the pool. Your family deserves to have many Best Day Ever moments in the water this summer. Please do not let those moments be ruined by the sound of a life guard whistle blast or the need to do CPR in order to save your child’s life. Most families love a trip to the swimming pool, the lake or the beach during the summer…but the water can be deadly for a child. Did you know that drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children between the ages of 1 and 14, with kids under the age of 5 at even higher risk? Colin Holst’s parents did not know either. Sadly, June 13th marks the 5 year anniversary of his drowning in a public, lifeguarded pool in Austin. Since Colin’s drowning in 2008, Central Texas-based Colin’s Hope has become a nonprofit leader in water safety and drowning prevention. My name is Alissa Magrum and I am the Executive Director of Colin’s Hope. But I am also a parent to 8 year old Ella. So, from one parent to another, please listen to this message. It is simple but filled with purpose: DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE. YOU can help protect your children. Following a series of simple water safety tips creates multiple layers of protection. These layers WILL keep children safer in and around the water and CAN prevent drownings. THE FIRST 3 OF THESE TIPS ARE KEY. Practice constant visual supervision. Always assign an adult “water guardian” whose ONLY responsibility is to watch children who are in, near and around the water. If that water guardian needs to take a break, they must transfer their “watching” duty to another adult.
Learn to swim. Enroll children (and adults too) in formal swim classes. For kids under the age of 4, taking formal swim lessons reduces the risk of drowning by 88%. Wear life jackets. Children who cannot swim should ALWAYS wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when in and around the water. You can see additional tips, as well as more information on water safety and drowning prevention, on our website at www.colinshope. org.. Each year, Colin’s Hope volunteers stuff and distribute 75,000 water safety packets to families in zip codes that have been targeted due to the high number of near drownings and drownings in recent years. This life saving information along with a Peel Inc. ad campaign, a Reagan National Adverstising billboard campaign and a presence at many community events is helping to raise water safety awareness to prevent children from drowning. WE ALSO NEED YOUR HELP. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION with family, friends, neighbors, teachers, babysitters…everyone! We have seen the difference that being aware and being prepared can make. Communities that have received our water safety information in prior years have seen child drownings and near drownings in their areas reduced to zero! Please visit www.colinshope.org to find out how you can get involved in your own community. Find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our monthly newsletter or even support our efforts with a donation. We envision a world where children do not drown. Please share that vision and together we will get there. Wishing you the SAFEST AND BEST SUMMER EVER, Alissa Magrum Executive Director, Colin’s Hope
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Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013 7
Wood Glen
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308 Meadowlark St. Lakeway, TX 78734-4717
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DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE WATER SAFETY TIPS AT
WWW.COLINSHOPE.ORG 2013
May ar Calend
May is Texas and National Water Safety Month Ongoing: Volunteers needed to stuff and distribute water safey packets info@colinshope.org Ongoing: Colin's Hope Athlete Ambassadors needed! http://www.tinych.org/signup Now-June 18: Discount Schlitterbahn Tickets for sale. http://www.tinych.org/tickets May 18: Colin's Hope Got2Swim Pure Austin Quarry Lake. http://www.tinych.org/QuarryLake Water Safety Alert: 74 Texas children drowned last year. Keep your children and families safe in, near and around all bodies of water. Multiple layers of protection can prevent drowning.
Volunteer - Donate COLINSHOPE.ORG
LAYERS OF PROTECTION
CONSTANT VISUAL SUPERVISION
LEARN TO SWIM
WEAR LIFE JACKETS
MULTIPLE BARRIERS ON ALL POOLS & HOTTUBS
8 Wood Glen Property Owners Association Newsletter - May 2013
KEEP BACKYARDS &BATHROOMS SAFE
LEARN CPR
CHECK POOLS & HOTTUBS 1ST FOR MISSING CHILDREN
VISIT US ONLINE
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