Laurel Creek - April 2014

LAUREL CREEK

LAUREL CREEK April 2014

Official Newsletter of the Residents of Laurel Creek

Volume 1, Issue 4

Our Community Signs of spring are all over the neighborhood. We still need to remember a few things that we have already mentioned this year in the previous newsletters.

1. If you have your dog off your property, it MUST be on a leash. This is the law of Harris County and the Laurel Creek deed restrictions. Many people are still complaining regarding dogs being walked OFF LEASH, either with their Owners or without their owners. PLEASE put your dog on a leash when it is off your property.

2. Trimming of hedges and foliage between the houses is a must. Please refer to the previous newsletter if you want to see the ACC article location in the Deed Restrictions.

3. Please put your trash out NO EARLIER than 6:00 p.m. on the evening before trash pickup.

4. Please have your yard maintenance persons take the clippings with them or move them out of sight from the front view of your house after yard maintenance.

It is now getting to the time of year when folks begin to put their houses on the market if they are planning to move. Let’s all help our neighbors keep their property values up by having our own places looking great!

We are still waiting to hear regarding the fencing issue at the basketball court area. We will advise you of the status when we know something. Thanks for your patience!!

2014 ANNUAL MEETING Copyright Š 2014 Peel, Inc.

BOARD MEETING Our next scheduled Board Meeting is May 15, 2014 at the Mauna Loa Windfern MUD building at 6:30 p.m. All Homeowners are welcome to attend and have the opportunity to address the Board. The general Board Meeting agenda is as follows: I. Call to Order General Session Approval of Agenda Approval of Minutes II. Guests or Homeowners to Address the Board III. Financial Report IV. Old Business V. New Business VI. Executive Session a. Collection Report b. Attorney Status Report c. Deed Restriction Report VII. Adjournment

The Annual Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. (sign-in at 6:45 p.m.) at the Windfern Forest Utility District building at 14410 Mauna Loa, Houston TX 77040.

There will be two open Board positions this year and if you are interested in

serving Laurel Creek, please contact Frank Cario at Sterling, 832-678-4500 or frank@sterlingasi.com If you cannot attend the Annual Meeting, please help us ensure that we have a quorum by completing the proxy/absentee ballot form in this newsletter and returning it to Sterling.

Laurel Creek - April 2014

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LAUREL CREEK COMMUNITY CONTACTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Becky Lacy............................................................... President Tom Tamaborello..............................................Vice President Vince Barrale.............................................................Secretary Ray Beishline............................................................Treasurer Sue Beishline..............................................................Director To reach a Board Member, please email frank@sterlingasi.com

FOR HARRIS COUNTY

NEWSLETTER INFO

Please be a responsible pet owner and pick up after your pet.

EDITOR Frank Cario...........................................frank@sterlingasi.com ......................................................................832.678.4500 Janine Cruz........................................... janine@sterligasi.com NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Peel, Inc........................... 888-687-6444, www.PEELinc.com Advertising.................................... advertising@PEELinc.com

IMPORTANT NUMBERS Sterling Association Services, Inc. .................................................servicedesk@sterlingasi.com ..................................................................... 832-678-4500 6842 N. Sam Houston Parkway W., Houston TX 77064 Mailing Address – P.O. Box 38113, Houston TX 77238-08113 Association Manager Frank Cario...........................................frank@sterlingasi.com Administrative Assistant Janine Cruz........................................ janine @sterlingasi.com Call Before You Dig ................................................................ 1.800.DIG.TESS ...................................................................1.800.344.8377 Street Light Outage www.centerpointenergy.com (Have light number) ......................................................................713.207.2222 Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Service ............................................. http://records.txdps.state.tx.us Police Information If you witness a crime or suspicious activity call Pct. 4 Constable

......................................................... 281.376.3472 or 911 Cy Fair Volunteer Dept. (Ambulance) ........................................ (Non-emergency) 713.466.6151 Poison Center ...................................................................1.800.222.1222

LEASH LAWS Your pet must be on a leash while off your property.

Laurel Creek

IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE

Let’s keep it that way!

Your newsletter is provided 100% Free of charge to your HOA ... and is made possible by the advertisers within.

Please frequent their businesses and let them know where you saw their advertisement.

While there, be sure to say “Thanks!”

www.peelinc.com

Please remember: We do not live in the City of Houston but in Harris County.

Inform the emergency operator of this to assure a more prompt response.

Street Light Outages Centerpoint...................................................713.207.2222 .............................................. www.centerpoint.com/outage

You will need the 6 digit from the pole

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Laurel Creek - April 2014

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LAUREL CREEK

Suspicious Activities If you see any suspicious activity, please call law enforcement. To report non-emergency activity, please call Precinct 4 at 281-376-3472.

The more information you give law enforcement personnel, the more effectively they can pursue potential suspects. If you witness a crime, take a cell phone picture of the car license plate and pictures of the suspects. Remember to call 911 for emergencies.

Please remember to keep your vehicle(s) locked and if you are not outside keep your garage door down.

Garages should be for vehicle parking purposes only.

If you are planning on selling in 2014, NOW is the time to prepare your home for the spring market.

I have buyers ready to purchase in your neighborhood!

Do you need help in deciding what updates will net you the most money? Are you unsure of how to stage your home or what repairs need to be done to get top dollar? Would you like to work with an agent who promises to be there every step of the way and available when it’s convenient for you?

Let my real estate expertise help you prepare for a spring sale!

Taking the time to do it better!

Lynn C| oLLins, mba | realtor® chms cne

Certified Home Marketing Specialist Certified Negotiation Expert Area Resident

281.743.1159

Office: 281.444.5140 lynn.collins@garygreene.com ©2014 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated. If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers.

Copyright © 2014 Peel, Inc.

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281-347-6702 281-731-3383cell • Interior & Exterior Painting • Garage Floor Epoxy • Hardi Plank Installation

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• Ceiling Fan/Light Fixtures

• Fence Repair/Replacement

• Trash Removal

References Available • Fully Insured NO PAYMENT UNTIL COMPLETION bashanspainting@earthlink.net Laurel Creek - April 2014

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LAUREL CREEK PROXY AND ABSENTEE BALLOT for the LAUREL CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, INC. Annual Meeting of Owners – May 15, 2014, 7:00 p.m.

WFUD Building, 14410 Mauna Loa, Houston TX 77040 Please place a √ in the ⃝ to indicate your choice/s below: As member(s) in the Association, a non-profit Texas Corporation, the undersigned: ⃝

Appoints _________________________________________ as proxy of the undersigned and to vote the number of votes the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present;

⃝

Appoints the board of directors as proxy of the undersigned and to vote the number of votes the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present; or

⃝

Submits this proxy/absentee ballot for quorum purposes only and votes as indicated below (please indicate your choice/s with a check (√) mark:  Vote for Board of Directors: ⃝ ____________ ⃝ ____________ ⃝ ____________ ⃝ ____________ This proxy, once signed and filed with the board secretary shall be in effect indefinitely unless revoked in writing, a new proxy is signed and received or a change occurs in the ownership of the signatory’s property in Laurel Creek prior to the beginning of said meeting.

Dated this _______ day of ____________________, 20 __ Property address__________________________________________________________ E-mail address____________________________________________________________ _______________________________ Signature of Member

______________________________ Printed Name of Member

Please return via facsimile to 281-598-4487, e-mail to janine@sterlingasi.com or mail to:

Laurel Creek P. O. Box 38113 Houston, TX 77238-8113

If no choice is indicated, then the proxy will be used for quorum purposes only. ∇ By casting your vote via absentee ballot, you will forego the opportunity to consider and vote on any action from the floor on the vote(s) stated above. If any amendments to the above are made, your ballot will be voted as submitted. ∇ You may submit an absentee ballot and later choose to attend the meeting in person, in which case any inperson vote will prevail.

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Laurel Creek - April 2014

Copyright © 2014 Peel, Inc.

LAUREL CREEK

The Pride of Home Ownership

By Tina Merritt – Nest Realty

There seems to be something missing in all of the media discussions regarding the recent housing "crisis". It has nothing to do with short sales, adjustable rate or interest only mortgages, deflated prices or the number of foreclosures. It has to do with pride. Where is the pride in home ownership? Yes, a house is a commodity just like any other and it could be argued that if owning 20 shares of Microsoft doesn't bring a sense of pride, why should a home? Many buyers could tell you that they look at a house as an investment...a vehicle to get you from point A to point B. Point B may be a larger house, it may be a child's college education or a retirement fund. That being said, it should still be a source of pride. Some people seem to have no problem dropping $4,000 on a new flat screen, but shudder at the thought of spending that on a roof. It seems that today's homeowner, for the most part, just expects a house to "take care of itself" and if something breaks, they are quick to find blame in someone other than themselves. It's rare nowadays to see homeowners outside

Copyright Š 2014 Peel, Inc.

painting their trim, cleaning the gutters, trimming the branches off the roof. Why? This seemed to be a typical weekend for homeowners 20 years ago. Is it because back then, a 20% down payment was needed to purchase a home? Maybe since there was more of a financial investment, the incentive was there to take better care of it. The gap is evident; the majority of homeowners over the age of 50 can tell you how old their HVAC system is, the last time it was serviced, how old the roof is, when the last time was the interior was painted, etc., etc., etc. For the most part the "new" homeowner hasn't a clue. Maybe the current flood of short sales and foreclosures is a necessary correction.

Perhaps these people weren't ready to be homeowners. Perhaps they were buying just because everyone else was and really had no idea what the responsibility of homeownership entailed. While a house is still a vehicle for investment, it also is unique in that it provides one of the basic human needs, shelter. Shelter is a necessity...homeownership is not.

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LAUREL CREEK

Choosing a Summer Camp

By David Ettenberg, co-owner of Camp Shane Summer camps come in a wide variety of interests and themes -- from number of camps are now owned by corporations or investors who music and sports camps to weight-loss and peace corps camps -- there is a produce the marketing materials but have zero contact with your child. camp for every child who has ever said, “I’m bored.” How do parents sort Look for realistic reflections of the camp and specific information that through them all to find the right one for their child? Dave Ettenberg, will give you insight to determine if the camp’s philosophy, people and co-owner of Camp Shane (a weight-loss camp for kids), recommends procedures will create the best experience for your child. Also, make sure that parents consider these six guidelines before registering your child. to read the fine print; some weight-loss camps in particular advertise 1. The Staff What are the camp’s hiring procedures? Do they check insurance reimbursements – but check with your particular carrier, as references and run complete background checks? Also - many camps this is often times not the case.

5. The Facilities Are the buildings in good repair? Has everything hire teens as junior counselors, which can be a wonderful experience for all, but it can cause problems if the camp relies too heavily on this been freshly painted? Has the grass been cut? Chances are if they don’t cheaper workforce. It is important that a number of experienced adult take care the facility, they won’t do such a good job with your child.

6. Kid’s Choice Make sure to keep your child involved with the staff members are on hand to deal with any problems that may arise. decision-making process. He or she needs to be comfortable with the Also, ask to speak to the camp’s director, he or she sets the tone for absolutely everything and will be able to give you an immediate sense camp, or the experience won’t be optimal. Also, does your child want to focus in on a special skill or sport? Be sure to consider his or her of the camp’s culture.

2. Referrals Get them, but get meaningful ones. Don’t make the specific interests and needs. State-of-the-art athletic fields are great but common mistake of relying solely on the names offered to you by they won’t do anything for a kid who loves music.

Taking time to research summer camps is key to ensuring a fun, safe, the camp—these are typically hand-selected and will undoubtedly be and enriching environment for your children - but it doesn’t have to be positive. Instead, try to get five names of families that live within 20 minutes from you to ensure a more random sampling. It’s ideal if you overwhelming,” said David. “By focusing your search based on a few can ask someone you know whose child has attended the camp. If you key factors and by asking the right questions, you can easily find a great don’t know anyone personally, ask around in your community, chances match that suits your child’s particular needs.” are you’ll find people.

ABOUT CAMP SHANE. 3. Healthy Atmosphere If possible, try to visit the camp during the For more than 45 years, David Ettenberg’s family has owned and operated Camp summer while in session to ensure there is an active, “happy” atmosphere, with a non-cliquey and non-threatening environment. It should be a Shane, successfully helping children shed pounds and establish a healthy, confident lifestyle place where your child can find strong support and make lifelong friends. at Camp Shane (www.campshane.com) Currently Camp Shane operates in Georgia, New York, California and Arizona; Camp Shane Texas will open this summer in San Also, ask about the kind of food that is served at the camp—make sure Antonio. Kids shed unwanted pounds, gain self-esteem and learn how to live a healthy they provide healthy, balanced meal options. You would be shocked to lifestyle while having a blast. An average weight loss for campers is 10-15 pounds in see what’s on the menus at some “reputable” camps. three weeks; 20-25 pounds in six weeks; and 30-35 pounds in nine weeks. For more 4. Marketing Materials Read all marketing materials carefully. If overweight campers, it is not unusual to lose more than 50 pounds over the summer. they are sloppy and unimpressive it may reflect how they run the camp. Camp Shane has been featured in all national media, including NBC Nightly News On the flipside, beware of materials that appear super-slick; a surprising with Brian Williams, 20/20, Oprah, Dr. Phil, MTV and Family Circle.

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Laurel Creek - April 2014

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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

2007. every Feature column, Exchange and The goal is to fill in the grid so that every©row, every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. Each digit may appear only once in each row, each column, and each 3x3 box.

LAUREL CREEK At no time will any source be allowed to use Laurel Creek'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 Laurel Creek is exclusively for the private use of the Laurel Creek 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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