Villages of Decker Oaks - May 2016

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS VILLAGE OF

Decker Oaks MAY 2016

WELCOME TO VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS HOA NEWS

ANewsletter for the Village of Decker Oaks Community

T h e Vi l l a g e o f D e c k e r Oaks Newsletter is a monthly newsletter mailed to all Village of Decker Oaks residents. Each newsletter will be filled with valuable information about the community, local area activities, school information, and more.

If you are involved with a school group, play group, scouts, sports team, social group, etc., and would like to submit an article for the newsletter, you can do so online at www.

PEELinc.com. Personal news (announcements, accolades/ honors/ celebrations, etc.) are also welcome as long as they are from area residents.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5

UPCOMING BOARD MEETING DATES: Monday May 16, 2016 Monday June 13, 2016 Monday July 11, 2016

Meetings start after executive session at 7pm.

Please note the signs will no longer be used and will be posted in the newsletter and online.

Please go to SCSGO for official community news as the newsletter will not be the official posting space as information may change after production.

GO GREEN! Subscribe via Peelinc.com to have an email sent to you with a link to a PDF of the newsletter, or have an email sent to you instead of having a newsletter mailed to you!

Copyright Š 2016 Peel, Inc.

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

1

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS IMPORTANT NUMBERS ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT CO.: SCS Management Services, Inc. Phone:.............................................................. 281-463-1777 Fax:................................................................. 281-463-0050 ...................................................... 7170 Cherry Park Drive ............................................................Houston, TX 77095 Website:..........................................................www.scsgo.com Association Manager Jessica Smith..................................................... 281-500-7129 Service Manager Jessica Riggs..................................................... 281-500-7111 Deed Restriction Coordinator Susan Spratley ................................................. 281-500-7118 FIRE DEPARTMENT: Cy Fair VFD.................................................... 281-550-6663 HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF Sheriff Dispatch............................................... 713-221-6000 SCHOOL DISTRICT: Cy Fair ISD...................................................... 281-897-4000 WATER DISTRICT MUD 10.......................................................... 832-467-1599 HEALTH DEPARTMENT Harris County.................................................. 713-274-6300 CYPRESS POINT RECREATION ROOM RENTAL Voicemail......................................................... 281-256-1579 ELECTRIC COMPANY/ OUTAGES Centerpoint...................................................... 713-207-2222 http://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/residential/in-yourcommunity/electric-outage-center/report-streetlight-outages GARBAGE SERVICE Best Trash ........................................................ 281-313-2378 (Service is contracted through the MUD and trash pickup is on Wednesday and Saturday) HELPFUL NUMBERS Montgomery County Constables .................... 281-356-3883 WCA .............................................................. 281-766-1914 Enviro Waste Systems..................................... 936-264-3001 Hughes Natural Gas....................................... 281-356-8241 Quadvest ........................................................ 281-356-5347

2

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

IN AND AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD…

by Barbara Ballard, HOA Treasurer Here is a list of some events in and around our neighborhood for the month of May 2016.

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS • HOA Board Meeting, May 16, 7:00pm in the Children’s Room • See more at https://villageofdeckeroaks.nabrnetwork.com/index. php TOMBALL ISD • THS Athletic Booster Club Meeting, May 2, 7:00pm-8:00pm • Night of Scenes presented by the Tomball STAGE, May 5, 7:00pm-9:00pm • Night of Scenes presented by the Tomball STAGE, May 6, 3:00pm-5:00pm and 7:00pm-9:00pm • Night of Scenes presented by the Tomball STAGE, May 9, 7:00pm-9:00pm • TISD Board Meeting, May 10, 5:30pm • THS Spring Band Concert, May 13, 7:00pm-9:00pm • THS Band Banquet, May 14, 7:00pm-9:00pm • THS Spring Orchestra Concert, May 19, 7:00pm-9:00pm • THS Percussion Concert, May 21, 7:00pm-9:00pm • THS Choir-Spring Concert, May 23, 7:00pm-9:00pm • THS Theater Banquet, May 27, 7:00pm-11:00pm • Class of 2016 Baccalaureate, May 29, 3:00pm-5:00pm • Memorial Day (Staff and Student Holiday), May 30 • Early Release Date (High Schools Only), June 1 • Last Day of School, Early Release Date (All Schools), June 2 See more at http://www.tomballisd.net TOMBALL • Rails & Tails Mudbug Festival, April 30, 11:30 AM - May 1, 6:00 AM @ Tomball's downtown Depot Two days of celebrating the tasty crawfish through food, music and fun. Scheduled to perform on Sunday . . . Pelican 212, Guppies From Outer Space, the Chubby Knuckle Choir, and The Fab 5.

Competitive eating contest and crawfish racing, a kids zone, vendors and more.

• Memorial Day Weekend Chili Challenge presented by Kroger, Saturday, May 28, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM @ Tomball's downtown Depot It's a day filled with the national food of Texas . . . CHILI! Performing is "The Posse". This CASI sanctioned event includes professional cookers, local businesses and organizations, and kids kook teams! Call 281-222-4775 for team details.

See more at http://www.ci.tomball.tx.us TOMBALL COMMUNITY LIBRARY AT LONESTAR COLLEGE (HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY) Many free events, clubs, and programs for all ages. Please see more at http://www.hcpl.net If you know of any other events that are coming up, please feel free to email me at barbaram.ww@gmail.com. The deadline for newsletter submission is the 10th of the prior month.

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS FREE CHANCE FOR A $50 Spring EGGStravaganza VISA GIFT CARD! a Success

Presented by the VODO HOA, Written by Barbara Ballard, HOA Treasurer Whether you rent or own, all residents of the Village of Decker Oaks subdivision have an opportunity to win a $50 Visa gift card*!

Please read below for all the details…

The April newsletter featured an article about a great resource provided by SCS Management—the SCSgo NABR website. The SCSgo website is the best way to keep up with the Village of Decker Oaks news and events and is the official website for the homeowner’s association. In an attempt to streamline all communications to the SCSgo website (rather than other social media), the HOA is offering a chance for a $50 Visa gift card just for registering to the SCSgo website before June 30, 2016.

How do you register? There are two ways to register: from a personal computer or from the mobile app on your phone.

PC Registration: Go to https://villageofdeckeroaks.nabrnetwork. com and click on the “Login” link in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Once the window pane pops up, click on the “Not Registered” link. From there, follow the directions to get registered.

If your last name does not match the official HOA documents, SCS Management will have to manually verify your information. Once you are verified, the registration is complete!

Mobile Registration: Download the SCSgo app from iTunes or your Android app store. Click on the “New User Registration” link and follow the directions. As listed above under PC Registration, verification will need to be done before your registration is complete.

Already registered? Guess what?! You are still eligible for the drawing!

No access to the internet? No problem! The Harris County Public Library on 30555 Tomball Parkway, Tomball, TX, offers free computer and internet usage. Please note that a library card may be needed to access computers, but luckily, library cards are free, too.

The drawing will be held at the July 2016 HOA meeting. If the winner is not present, he or she will be contacted and notified of the winning entry.

Good luck to all! *Subject to rules. Property must be part of the Village of Decker Oaks association. Open to all residents and owners of said property.

Residents and homeowners will be verified before being allowed to register to the site. Multiple residents/homeowners are allowed to register to the site, but there will be only one entry per household. (e.g. both spouses may each register, but there will only be one household entry for the drawing). Residents/homeowners who are already registered still qualify for the drawing and one entry for each household will be entered. Registration must be done before June 30, 2016, 11:59 p.m. CST. Drawing will be held at the July 2016 HOA meeting. In the event there is no July 2016 HOA meeting, the drawing will be held at the next meeting. The board of directors and their own household are not eligible for the drawing.

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

By Barbara Ballard, HOA Treasurer The association held a gathering on Sunday, March 20 to welcome in the spring season. The event included a variety of snacks, pastries, and appetizers along with a bounce house, face painting, an egg hunt, and two raffles. The day could not have been more perfect for such an event. There were approximately 75 attendees, making the celebration quite a success!

The egg hunt was for children of all ages. Nine children won special prizes from the hunt and all participating children walked away with candy eggs.

There were also two raffle drawings for $25 gift cards to Olive Garden and Chili’s for the adults. Residents in attendance filled out a brief survey for a chance to win. The winners of the raffle were Jordan C. and Caitlin N. The Spring EGGStravaganza was a great opportunity for the association to give back to the community. There were a few hiccups—shortage of eggs, shortage of sodas, last minute search for tables and tents—but those oversights were a great learning tool.

Thank you to those who let us borrow a second smaller bounce house for the younger children, a pop-up tent, and tables! And another thanks to all who came out to participate in our community event!

As Robert F. Kennedy once said, “It is not more bigness that should be our goal. We must attempt, rather, to bring people back to...the warmth of community, to the worth of individual effort and responsibility...and of individuals working together as a community, to better their lives and their children's future.”

“We had a lot of fun at the Easter Egg Hunt...

Thank you all for putting it together.”

-Kristy R. “It was so much fun! And I told my husband the brownies were really good too!”

-Katelyn B. “We had a Blast[.]”

- Andrea S. “I look forward to more events to bring everyone together. Looking forward to more great times with our neighbors!”

- Mary F. Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

3

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS

Summer Safety

by Barbara Ballard, HOA Treasurer The bliss of summer is almost upon us. Time for lots of sunny days, water fun, family vacations, and barbeques. However, all of that summer fun comes with its own list of safety suggestions.

According to HowStuffWorks, “The National Safe Kids Campaign estimates that every year, one in four kids ages 14 and younger will sustain an injury that requires medical attention. Forty percent of all injury-related emergency room visits and 42 percent of all injury deaths happen between May and August, they report, but it's not all bad news. We can keep kids free from about 90 percent of these accidents by educating ourselves and our kids on how to stay safe while still enjoying summer vacation.” Here are some of tips to help you and your family stay safe this summer.

SUN: Living in Texas, temperatures can easily reach 100 degrees during the summer months. It should be no surprise then, that sunscreen should be worn EVERYDAY. This is true all year round, but is especially a must for summer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the majority of skin cancers and melanomas are related to UV radiation from the sun and that blistering sunburns, especially in childhood, can significantly increase the risk of developing melanoma. Prevention, per The Skin Cancer Foundation, includes applying 2 tablespoons of a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 to your body at least 30 minutes before going outside. If you are outdoors for an extended period of time, look for a broad spectrum water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or right after swimming or excessive sweating. Covering yourself with clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, and UV-blocking sunglasses are other simple ways to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays.

INSECTS: With all the diseases that can be spread by insects, it is important protect oneself from these biting nuisances. Again, one of the easiest things you can do is to cover up with clothing—long sleeved shirts, pants, and socks. However, when living in this heat, this may not always be practical. Another option is to use insect repellent. There are all kinds of repellents on the market. DEET and Picaridin are man-made repellents, while oil of lemon eucalyptus, oil of citronella and IR3535 are made from natural ingredients. For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using products containing no more than 30% DEET. Whichever you use, please be sure to follow directions as listed on the label.

PLAYGROUND: With children out of school, trips to the playground may be more frequent. Parents should always inspect the equipment prior to use to ensure that the equipment is not broken.

In the past, someone was vandalizing the community playground and setting up dangerous booby traps for unsuspecting children. The vandalism was quite disturbing and consisted of nails, tacks, wire, razors and other sharp objects. These viciously planned acts were previously done to the slide, but please inspect all equipment just to be sure. In addition, metal, rubber, and plastic products tend to 4

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

get dangerously hot, especially when in the direct sun. Always check equipment to ensure that it is not too hot so as not to burn a child’s delicate skin. Once all equipment has been checked, it is always a good idea to supervise children to ensure that the equipment is being used as intended. Make sure that children cannot reach any moving parts that may pinch. Furthermore, make sure that nothing (jump ropes, leashes, hoses, etc.) is attached to playground equipment as they pose a danger for strangulation. Although, the playgrounds are typically filled with rubber mulch or other safety material, children should never be allowed to play barefoot.

BIKES: According to How It Works, “[N]early 300,000 kids make a visit to the emergency room every year with bike-related injuries, some resulting in death or severe brain injury.” Wearing a helmet is imperative anytime one is riding a bike, even if just riding on the driveway. As a parent, become an example and be sure to wear your helmet, too. When selecting a bike helmet, look for one that meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets standards for helmets. A helmet should be level when worn and cover the forehead without the need to tip forward or backward. When fastening the (Continued on Page 5) Brilliant Energy Texas OUC #10140

Easy Online Sign-Up at

BrilliantElectricity.com USE “NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER” AS REFERRAL

BRILLIANT ENERGY = SERIOUSLY LOW RATES BRILLIANT ENERGY’S ELECTRICITY RATES CHALLENGE THE RATES OF EVERY OTHER PROVIDER IN TEXAS! LOCK-IN A LOW ELECTRICITY RATE FOR UP TO 3 YEARS BRILLIANT ENERGY IS RECOMMENDED BY TEXAS ENERGY ANALYST, ALAN LAMMEY THE HOST OF THE “ENERGY WEEK” RADIO SHOW ON NEWSTALK 1070 KNTH! Ask the “Energy Analyst”

281.658.0395

GREAT BUSINESS RATES TOO! Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS (Continued from Page 4) strap, make sure it fits snugly with only enough room for two fingers to fit between the chin and strap. Make sure the bike is the right size for your child. To check the size, have your child straddle the seat.

Both feet should be flat on the ground. It is not a good idea to buy a bike that a child has to “grow into” or to ride a bike that he/she has clearly outgrown.

SCOOTERS, HOVERBOARDS, SKATEBOARDS, SKATES, ETC.: Just like with bikes, protective gear should be worn when riding a scooter, hoverboard, skateboards, or skates. This may include, but is not limited to, a helmet and protective elbow, knee, and wrist pads. When selecting protective gear, make sure that the gear meets the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) set standards. In addition to safety gear, make sure your child knows never to ride/skate in or near moving traffic.

HYDRATION: Did you know that by the time you feel thirst, you are already slightly dehydrated? With Texas summers, it is crucial for everyone to stay hydrated. To help kids stay hydrated, remind them to drink throughout the day. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) children 9-12 years old should drink 3-8 ounces of fluid every 20 minutes of exercise. If your child is going to engage in physical activity or is going to play outside for an extended amount of time, the AAP recommends weighing your child before and after

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

the activity, so you know how much fluid was lost. Doing that will help you know how much fluid he/she needs to drink next time to stay hydrated. About.com, suggests drinking the following fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated: water, milk, juice, and sports drinks. For ages over 2, non-fat or low-fat milk is recommended.

When drinking juice, limit it to 4-6 ounces for children under the age of 6 and 8-12 ounces for everyone else. Sports drinks should be consumed only with vigorous activity because of the high sugar content usually associated with these. Energy drinks and soda should be avoided. In case you are concerned about you or your child being dehydrated, you can always look for these signs: dizziness, dry mouth, thirst, an abrupt end of sweating, irritability, extreme tiredness and fatigue, dark yellow urine or lack of urine, tearless crying, headache, dry skin, or constipation. According to the Mayo Clinic, mild or moderate dehydration in healthy adults can be treated by rehydrating with water or a sports drink. If the mild/moderate dehydration occurs in a child or elderly person, you should err on the side of caution and call your family doctor. If severe symptoms (e.g. extreme thirst, extreme fussiness or sleepiness in children, extreme dry mouth, little or no urination, shriveled skin, dizziness, confusion, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat or breathing, fever) develop in (Continued on Page 5)

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

5

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS (Continued from Page 5) anyone—young, old, or in between—you should take that person to the emergency room or call 911.

SWIMMING POOLS: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “[f ]rom 2005-2009, there were an average of 3,533 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States… About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.” With statistics like these, it should go without saying that supervision of children when in or near water is imperative. Another tip, is to use the buddy system or only swim where lifeguards are present. Additional things you can do to increase safety is to get formal swimming lessons, avoid alcohol when near water, and learn CPR. Also, please note that air-filled floaties or tubes and foam noodles are NOT safety devices and should not replace a life jacket.

JUVENILE MISCHIEF: As a kid, one of the best things about summer was being out from school. However, after a few days of lounging around the house watching TV reruns and eating pizza rolls, I remember becoming bored out of my mind. I imagine today’s children and teens feel the same. Boredom soon creeps in and unfortunately, boredom can lead to mischief. Last summer, there were reports of car break-ins and recently, the break-ins have

resurfaced again. One cannot be sure of who is committing these crimes until the person or persons are caught red-handed, but given the time frame (usually summer, winter break, and spring break) and the types of crimes being committed, many believe that these breakins and thievery were the acts of children. It is also believed that the vandalism at the community park was at the hand of a juvenile or juveniles. Last year, there were also details of inappropriate (explicit) behavior at the community park, which took place in dark corners in the cover of night. More recently, there have been accounts of children misusing the workout equipment, loitering in other people’s yards, ringing people’s doorbells as a prank, and taunting a dog who was gated in. Some of these are annoyances, but some of these acts are downright dangerous. In the case of the provoked dog, the dog was aggravated so much that he began breaking the fence to try to get out. This is not only costly to the owner who now has to replace the fence, but also extremely hazardous to the children should the dog finally escape. In many of these cases, the children were caught, but where does one go from there? Should the acts be reported to the parents, to the authorities, or both? What do you do if the child will not say who their parents are or if the parents deny that their child had nothing to do with it? These are questions to ponder. Unfortunately, (Continued on Page 7)

BASHANS PAINTING & HOME REPAIR • Interior & Exterior Painting • HardiPlank Replacement • Sheetrock Repair • Cabinet Painting • Pressure Washing • Fence Repair/Replacement • Custom Staining • Gutter Repair & Replacement • Crown Molding

• Wallpaper Removal • Wood Replacement • Interior Carpentry • Wallpaper Removal & Texture • Garage Floor Epoxy • Roofing • Faux Painting

NO MONEY UP FRONT

20 Years Experience • References Available Commercial/Residential ~ FREE ESTIMATES ~ BashansPainting@earthlink.net

u Fully INSuREd

281-347-6702 281-731-3383 cell

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

SERVICING ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS

• Panel Upgrades • Home Inspections • TV Install/Mounting • Troubleshooting • Remodeling • Landscaping Lighting • Home Generators RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL LICENSED & INSURED

24-7 SERVICE

Take $25.00 Off Your Next Service Call FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

713.467.1125 or 281.897.001 www.WiredES.com TECL 22809 Master 100394

6

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS (Continued from Page 6) I cannot say what is the absolute best way to handle each situation.

All I can say is that if you have children, please remind them to be courteous and respectful of community property and other people’s property. As an adult reporting such incidents, please do so in a respectful way without cursing, name-calling, or angry rants. Also, the Sheriff’s Department cannot allocate extra patrols if no crimes are reported, so please be sure to report any non-emergency crimes like break-ins and theft (after-the-fact) to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department at (936) 760-5800. If it is a crime in progress or other emergency, please call 911.

Summer can be lots of fun for everyone—swim days, hours of playtime with friends, family barbeques, vacations, and relaxation.

Whatever summer has in store for you, may you have fun and stay safe.

Sources: https://www.aap.org, http://www.about.com, http:// www.cdc.gov, http://www.fda.gov, http://health.howstuffworks.com, http://www.mayoclinic.org, http://www.skincancer.org

At no time will any source be allowed to use the Village of Decker Oaks 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 Village of Decker Oaks Homeowners Association and Peel Inc. The information in the Village of Decker Oaks Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Village of Decker Oaks 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.

NOBODY IS DROWNPROOF WATCH KIDS AROUND WATER

COLIN HOLST

14 Texas children have already fatally drowned in 2016 DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE THESE WATER SAFETY TIPS CAN SAVE LIVES

WATCH KIDS & KEEP IN ARM’S REACH

LEARN TO SWIM

WEAR LIFE JACKETS

MULTIPLE BARRIERS AROUND WATER

KEEP YOUR HOME SAFER

CHECK WATER SOURCES FIRST

PRACTICE DRAIN SAFETY

BE SAFER IN OPEN WATER

LEARN CPR

BECOME a Water Guardian for your child

TAKE the Water Safety Quiz PREVENT drowning www.colinshope.org/quiz LEARN more at www.colinshope.org Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

7

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PEEL, INC.

VDO

8

Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - May 2016

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.