Travis Country West

Volume 11, Number 3

March 2016

TCW Neighborhood News Official Publication of Travis Country West Community

Your Curb Appeal Checklist The curb appeal of our community depends on each resident maintaining his or her property as completely as possible. For those who keep their homes and yards well maintained, the association thanks you for your efforts and good examples. We encourage all residents to pay particular attention to the following maintenance items. • Exterior paint. Paint is a quick and easy way to keep your property looking fresh, new and clean. It will also protect against corrosion, weathering and insects. • Landscaping. Landscaping is extremely important to our community’s curb appeal. Please remove dead plants and branches. Keep shrubs properly pruned and flowers well-tended. Keep yards free of leaves and remove grass clippings. • Roofs. Please insure your roofs are properly maintained and cleaned. • Driveways and sidewalks. Please repair cracks, pitted or flaking surfaces and other concrete problems. Remove weeds from sidewalk joints and debris from driveways and sidewalks. Do not use driveways for storage or auto repairs. • Gutters and downspouts. Please keep them cleaned out to prevent overflowing and flooding. • Window boxes, awnings and decks. Please replace worn or damaged fixtures, check fittings for stability and paint all items at least bi-annually. • Fences. Please replace any broken fence boards. Even color is important, so please pressure wash fences annually. Thanks for doing your part to keep Travis Country West a premier community. Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

TCW Easter Egg Hunt Saturday March 19th 11am Please join the neighbors in our Easter egg hunt which will be held the weekend BEFORE Easter this year. While the event is still in the organizing stage as we go to print with this newsletter, we wanted to get the preliminary information out for all to know and share. Any neighbors willing to assist with this event, please contact: Dayna at 512-496-4763 OR go to Neighbors of Travis Country West FB Page This is what we did last year: We ask that children 4 years and up kindly let the littlest of our community lead the hunt for the first 20 minutes. Don’t worry, kiddos! There will be a golden egg that will take a very skilled Easter egg hunter to find. There will also be an egg-in-spoon relay race, so any over-achievers out there may want to consider practicing with a plastic spoon and hard-boiled egg. Grab a partner for the Easter-egg toss, too- big or small. Hop over to the field behind the pool parking lot, adjacent to the playground. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. Don’t forget to bring your basket! Any neighbors willing to assist with this event, please contact Dayna at 512-496-4763 or go to our facebook Page: Neighbors of Travis Country West

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

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GET INVOLVED

All residents—long-time homeowners, new residents and even renters—can contribute to making our community a great place to live by volunteering a few hours, or less, a month on any one of several association committees. The next time you’re looking for an activity or a way to meet your neighbors, consider participating on the social committee or volunteering to plan a casual neighborhood social gathering. Your ideas, time, and effort will be a valuable contribution to making a neighborhood event successful. Your neighbors aren’t the only ones who’ll benefit from your volunteer endeavors. According to HELPGUIDE.org, volunteering can reveal untapped talents, teach new skills, introduce you to new activities and increase your self-confidence. Participating in a community activity also can provide networking opportunities that can benefit your career and your social life. Please help make a difference – the Social and Communications Committees need a chair and help. Contact Ascension Property Management soon to ask how you can get involved in our community. Who knows? In the future, a vacancy on the association board could lead to being filled by someone just like you.

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS?

If you or your children are looking for an community service project that will have a lasting impact on your own community, consider partnering with the Travis Country West HOA to do a project right here in our community! Our southern neighborhood entrance could use a water-wise landscaping solution, or we could use some help from energetic young leaders to organize a neighborhood clean-up in the greenbelt area, plant trees, or plan and execute a neighborhood event. Volunteers from the HOA board can coordinate with interested persons. Please contact Ascension Property Management at 512-255-1671 for more details.

Travis Country West IMPORTANT NUMBERS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY Ascension Property Management Paul & Melissa Yehl admin@ascensionpm.com www.ascensionpm.com Ph: 512-255-1671 Fax: 512-777-4905 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President.....................................................................Julie Saft Vice-President......................................................... Gary Jones Secretary........................................................... Tim Shelhamer Treasurer.................................................... Jonathan Gallmeier Member At Large...............................................Dave Chastain Email........................................ Board@traviscountrywest.com

CITY OF AUSTIN CONTACT NUMBERS Dead Animal Pick up................................................ 947-9400 Abandoned Vehicle.................................................... 280-0075 Pothole Repair........................................................... 974-8750 Street Light Outage................................................... 505-7617

TRAVIS COURTY WEST ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT! We need volunteers to organize this fun event. Please email Melissa : melissa@ascensionpm. com if you can help out.

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Peel, Inc.............................www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Editor - Pat Muntz................................. patmuntz@gmail.com Advertising..............advertising@PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181

ADVERTISING INFO Please support the businesses that advertise in the Travis Country West Community Newsletter. Their advertising dollars make it possible for all Travis Country West residents 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 512-2639181 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 8th of each month for the following month's newsletter.

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

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Why HOAs Need Professional Management There’s a lot more to managing a community association effectively than you may realize. It’s much more than property management; it’s also about governance—enforcing rules, conducting elections and more. Your home and your ownership interest in the common elements represent a huge asset—possibly your largest asset. Doesn’t it make sense to have a knowledgeable, trained, professional community association manager watching out for your interests? Consider all they have to offer. • Professional managers must be aware of many laws and regulations—real estate, corporate and labor laws; federal laws and state statutes and government regulations. • Professional managers must have a working knowledge of finances, accounting, budget preparation, taxes and insurance. • Professional managers must have strong personnel management skills—hiring and supervising contractors and staff.

• Professional managers must work and communicate effectively with residents, resolve disputes and facilitate communications. • Professional managers must have a keen understanding of property maintenance—landscaping, repairs and replacements, facilities upkeep and mechanical maintenance. • Professional managers coach and mentor the board members who govern the association. They help conduct meetings, supervise elections and ensure compliance with governing documents. Governance is one key area where property management and community management differ. We (Ascension Property Management) are committed to serving Travis Country West to the highest standards. Please contact us anytime with questions, concerns, or comments. We are here to take care of you!

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SOUTHWEST FAMILY YMCA 6219 Oakclaire Dr & Hwy 290 512.891.9622 • AustinYMCA.org 4

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

ZIKA VIRUS

Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and there is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. The best way to avoid getting the virus is to avoid being bitten by infected mosquitoes. About 20% of people with Zika virus actually get ill. Severe disease, requiring hospitalization, is uncommon and death due to the virus is rare. The incubation period of Zika virus is thought to be a few days to a week, but is still unknown. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and headache. Symptoms tend to be mild and last from 2-7 days. Zika virus can be contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, through blood transfusions, through sexual contact, and from mother to child during pregnancy. The mosquitoes that are able to transmit Zika virus are also able to transmit dengue and Chikungunya viruses. These mosquitoes are daytime biters, but can also bite at night. Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water- buckets, tires, tree holes, animal water dishes, etc. To protect yourself from mosquito bites, wear light-colored clothing that covers as much skin as possible, use insect repellent (read and follow label instructions), use screening on doors and

Travis Country West

windows, use mosquito netting (if needed) while sleeping, and reduce standing water areas. For more information on Zika virus, please see the CDC website here http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600. Check out my blog at www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com

Call today for more info

512.263.9181 From design to print to mail, Quality Printing can help you with all of your printing needs! QualityPrintingOfAustin.com

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

Travis Country West At no time will any source be allowed to use TCW Neighborhood News' 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 TCW Neighborhood News is exclusively for the private use of the Travis Country West 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.

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

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XERISCAPE Before you nix the xeriscape, know this: it doesn’t mean you have to convert your lawn to a rock garden. Nor do you have to go cold turkey on turfgrass. But you do have to keep seven principles in mind. www.gardenstylesanantonio.com Coined in 1981 by Denver Water, xeriscape (xeris is Greek for dry) refers to the principles of matching low maintenance landscape with low water usage. Xeriscape is not just rocks, cactus, agaves, synthetic turf, decomposed granite and rain barrels, although these could all be components of a xeriscape. A xeriscape in its simplest form is minimal lawn, native flowering perennials and shrubs with no more than two inches of mulch, and pervious patios or decks. THERE ARE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF XERISCAPE. THEY INCLUDE: 1. Planning and design 2. Soil amendment 3. Efficient irrigation 4. Appropriate plant selection 5. Mulch 6. Limited turf areas 7. Appropriate maintenance Now let’s look at what these principles really mean. PLANNING AND DESIGN Always begin with a plan. Consider aspect, shade, slope, soil, and existing and desired species. Always have in the back of your mind the goal of one third lawn, one third beds and one third pervious patio or deck.

SOIL AMENDMENTS Soil holds moisture. The more soil, the less supplemental water needed. One way to increase water holding capacity is compost. Add one inch of compost to the soil. Expanded shale, while not organic, is excellent for heavy clay soils. EFFICIENT IRRIGATION Of course, the most efficient irrigation is rain. But the second best is a hose. Let this sink in — an in-ground irrigation system will use 50 percent more water (70 percent in the summer) than a hose-end sprinkler or hand held hose. Which do you think does a better job of conserving water? APPROPRIATE PLANT SELECTION Pick a good shade tree or two. Enjoy some native plants or ones well-adapted to our area. An extensive list of options is available at GardenStyleSA.com. MULCH Two inches of mulch, whether organic like woodchips or river rock, is sufficient. Xeric plants prefer limited mulch. LIMITED TURF It’s really simple. Lawns uses an excessive amount water. Therefore, reduce the size of lawns. The recommendation of weekly mowing suddenly becomes much easier. APPROPRIATE MAINTENANCE Excessive pruning and fertilization does more harm than good. Just keep it simple – mow weekly, prune perennials no more than three times a year, prune trees once every five years and fertilize once a year or use compost in spring and fall.

Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016

Travis Country West 308 Meadowlark St. Lakeway, TX 78734-4717

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Travis Country West Homeowners Association Newsletter - March 2016