FAll 2015
Leander seeks volunteers for Bond Task force
The City of leander is seeking members of the community to volunteer for a committee to review and recommend proposals for an upcoming bond election. The commitee with be tasked with reviewing optios for capital expenditures and making a series of proposals to the Council. The committee will include three City Council members— Place 3 Councilwoman Shanan Shepherd, Place 4 Councilman Ron Abruzzese and Place 5 Councilman Jeff Seiler. Council members said they also want to include representatives from the Leander Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center and from the city’s ETJ, leaving 10 other city residents to fill the committee.
City staffers will vet committee applicants and bring recommendations to council in October.
5 Smart Ways to Help Your Kids With Homework
1. Stay positive school-supplies-drawercompartments Photo by Jonny Valiant No matter how irritated you are at Common Core. “Kids want to please their parents and teachers. If you’re negative about homework, they’re put in the middle, and it stresses them out,” says Nichols. Rant to your friends or husband, but never in front of your child.
Council members said they want to fund the projects with city-issued bonds only. The city would also avoid passing any property tax increase to fund interest from bonds, Fielder said.
2. Don’t push to “Get homework out of the way.” Some kids can dive right in after school; others need to play or eat before they can settle. Try a few routines to see what works. Ellen Main, a former elementaryschool teacher and a mother of two in South Pasadena, California, had her daughter practice spelling while on a pogo stick—a letter a bounce. “We’ve done homework in sidewalk chalk. She needed to be active after school and have time with me,” says Main. “This way, she got both, and the work is finished.”
The city may have about $100 million worth of projects for the bond committee to consider, Fielder said Aug. 20.
3. Get an analog clock— and draw on it For elementary kids who aren’t whizzes with telling
Staffers will also assemble a list of potential city projects, such as road improvements, public safety projects, or parks and recreation projects, for committee members to discuss. The list would include estimates of each project’s potential cost, Mayor Chris Fielder said.
time (or sitting still): Use a dry-erase marker to shade a “pie piece” of time on the glass face of an analog clock. “It helps kids understand what 10 or 20 minutes looks like and how much time has passed,” says Nichols. 4. Know when to break the rules A beautiful study space may not work for every kid. “Parents need to be flexible,” says Marcia Tate, an educational consultant in Atlanta and the author of Preparing Children for Success in School and Life. “I had one child who loved a designated spot; another wanted to be near me in the kitchen with a clipboard.” As long as your child proves she can do the work well with distraction, let it go. And take fun breaks. “After every math row, I’ll try to throw a raisin in your mouth!” 5. Farm it out If homework is a constant struggle and everyone is miserable, pay an older kid to be a homework helper. Keep your child on task and answer questions, says Bryson: “Don’t let the battle consume your relationship.”
6:30pm – 9:00pm Got Solicitors? Vista Ridge Pool Officer Elizabeth Conrad
Tuesday October 6th
of the Leander Police Department has given us some information on exactly how solicitors are able to operate inside the city. “The solicitor will have a city issued photo ID card that they are required to have clearly visible on their person when they are soliciting.” Conrad noted. “It will have their name, their company name, and their photo. The permit is issued to the person, not solely the company. The ID card will also show an expiration date and permit number on it.”
Share the Strength! Vista Ridge HOA welcomes you to come share in building the strength of our neighborhood! Our power is in numbers! Be seen, be heard and enjoy National Night Out on a cool Texas evening!
The event is about neighborhood camaraderie, building partnerships in the community and with our public servant agencies all while becoming more knowledgeable about crime prevention. We will have activities for old and young alike along with food and beverages. We are also still looking for
volunteers to help with the event, even if it just for 15 to 30 minutes. Come on out say hello to Leander’s finest public servants and meet a new neighbor even if it is just for 5 to 10 minutes! If you’d like to volunteer please contact Bob McDonald or Marissa Burill.
Below is an example of what this ID card should look like. If a solicitor indicates that thier boss keeps the paperwork or they simply forgot thier ID card you can make a non-emergency call to the Leander Police. 512-528-2800
Example Solicitor Identification
lvrcrimewatch@gmail.com
Proposed Activities include: Meeting with Leander Police, Fire Department, and Emergency Responders, Mayor & City Council Food Drive • Art with Focal Points of Leander • Community Groups FOOD
FUN
PRIZES
GAMES
JOIN NEXTDOOR
Keep up with what’s happening in Vista Ridge and around the corner.
http://is.gd/nextdoorVR
ACTIVITIES ANNUAL HOA Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13th – 7:00PM Leander Public Library
A note from the Liaison
601 S. Bagdad, Leander TX
Friday, September 25th, 2015 7pm - Four Fights Per Pint 8pm - Indian and the Jones 9pm - Billy Strings and Don Julin
Saturday, September 26th, 2015
6pm - Piney Grove Ramblers 7pm - Blue Skyz Band 8pm - Noah Jefferies & Matt Downing 9pm - The Quibble Brothers
Improvements underway at neighborhood entrance
Neighbors,
I hope you have noticed some positive changes in our community this year. A lot of great neighbors and committee members have spent countless hours cleaning and repairing Randy Hutchison facilities, hosting social events, beautifying the common areas, and keeping the neighborhood safe. Because of these volunteers the HOA has saved money and Vista Ridge is a better place to live. Thank you to those of you who have volunteered! We have a few projects left to complete before the end of the year and every little bit of help is greatly appreciated. We also have some social events coming up if you’re looking for opportunities to have fun and meet neighbors. The Annual HOA meeting will be held on October 13th. This is your chance to discuss the budget, vote on items that need approval, and elect new committee chairs. You’ll also elect a new resident member of the HOA Board who will act as a community Liaison to the Board. I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as your Liaison and look forward to helping the new Liaison transition. Some of the duties include; working alongside the management company to ensure our common areas are maintained, reviewing the financial reports on a monthly basis, identifying capital improvement projects and ensuring they are completed, and lastly but importantly leading the group of committee chairs (aka CAG), chairing its meetings and having general responsibility for the neighborhood. The management company handles the legal and financial aspects such as HOA rule violations and annual assessment collection. Our HOA is also nearing a critical period when we will transition from Developer controlled to Resident controlled. We’ll need a strong leader to guide us through this transition. If you are considering running for this position and would like more information on the time commitment or any other question please email me. lvrliaison@gmail.com
The Lawn and Garden Committee has gathered volunteers to start plantings at the neighborhood entrance. After a number of months of waiting on the signal and crosswalk installations to complete work is underway on entrance improvements. Connie White one of the Chairs of the Lawn and Garden committee noted
that all of the plants being put in would be droughttolerant plants which should save the neighborhood about $6000 each year. If you would like to volunteer to assist the Lawn and Garden Committee please email Connie White or Gabe Pope: lvrlawnandgarden@gmail.com
Halloween Costume Contest and Parade October 31st – 6:15pm Vista Ridge Pool
Community Services Directory Babysitting Name
General Availability
Contact Number
Lyle Beasley
Evenings/ Weekends
512-528-8824
Marlene Beasley
Weekends
512-528-8824
Nadia Fedrick
Weekdays 12-10PM/ Weekends
512-909-4052
Tanna Hutchison
After 5PM Weekdays/ Weekends
512-912-6105
Tori Hutchison
After 5PM Weekdays/ Weekends
512-653-2331
Abby Michalik
Extremely flexible hours
214-695-9741
Kendall Reinhardt
Weeknights/Weekends
512-964-6810
Taylor Roberts
Weeknights/Weekends, Flexible during Summer
817-776-2711
Paige Stamm
Evenings/ Weekends/ School Holidays
512-699-5624
The directory is a place to find neighbors that provide professional or babysitting services. We have made an attempt to verify that each person on this list is a current resident of Vista Ridge. If you find that any information on this page is incorrect or someone listed here no longer lives in Vista Ridge please let us know. Additionally, please contact us if you would like to be added to the directory. lvrcommunications@gmail.com
Professional Services Name
Service
Contact Information
Evan Bolton
A/V wiring, design, and install
512-426-7816
Bo Bosley
HVAC Services
512-853-0509
Marissa Burill
Independent Jewelry Sales/Insurance and Financial Services
512-736-9337
Elizabeth Capps
Young Living Essential Oils Distributor
cappselizabeth18@gmail.com
Brian Crooks
Mortgage Consultant
512-874-3733
Antonia Esmeralda
Hairstylist
512-203-3522
Nadia Fedrick
Maid/Cleaning Services
512-909-4052
Brian Goldstein
IT/Computer Services
goldstein.bryan@gmail.com
Anthony Gonzales
Mobile Auto Mechanic/Used Tire Sales/Handyman/Lawn Care
512-665-9955
Tiffany Hammond
Dog Sitting, Handmade Crocheted Items
512-496-6515
Alexis Vo Kwan
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
901-246-4929
Lung Kwan
Math Tutoring, ACT/SAT Prep
901-216-7162
Jennifer Ligori
Custom cakes, cookies, printables & party planning
jenligori2@gmail.com
Bob McDonald
General Handyman
630-209-7146
Gabriella Pope
Dog Grooming
gabriella.pope@yahoo.com
Rich Poulton
IT/Computer Services
rich@richpoulton.com
LeAnn Urbina
Organic/Natural airbrush tanning
512-735-4025
Andrea Wright
Real Estate Floor Plan Services
andrea.interactiveplans@gmail.com
To the reader: This list is voluntarily offered by the Vista Ridge Community Action Group for informational purposes only. These are members of our community who offer professional services but inclusion on this list is neither an endorsement nor recommendation. No warranty, implied or otherwise, is given regarding the quality of these individuals’ services.