GARDEN LAKES DECEMBER Mark your calendar, the next Garden Lakes community-wide garage sale is scheduled for

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Emmeline Paul
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President s Message Water Resource Project Update They are back until spring Boat Parade Vision Community Management DECEMBER 2016 GARDEN LAKES Mark your calendar, the next Garden Lakes

For all other dates, please submit Garage Sale Request Form for review. Enforcement Policy will be applied for unapproved sale violations. Signs for unapproved sales will be removed.

However, this is something new communities can not enjoy. This is, no doubt, at least in part, why our property values have not diminished as some other communities have.

1 President s Message Water Resource Project Update They are back until spring Boat Parade Vision Community Management DECEMBER 2016 GARDEN LAKES Mark your calendar, the next Garden Lakes community-wide garage sale is scheduled for D 9, 10, 11 This is a great opportunity to do some spring cleaning! The community holds four scheduled community garage sales per year. For all other dates, please submit Garage Sale Request Form for review. Enforcement Policy will be applied for unapproved sale violations. Signs for unapproved sales will be removed. Those We live in an established community. While not new, we tout something few other communities can. Garden Lakes has lakes. This may be taken for granted as we see the lakes daily. However, this is something new communities can not enjoy. This is, no doubt, at least in part, why our property values have not diminished as some other communities have. As an established community, there is upkeep involved. As would be expected, with the physical size of Garden Lakes, our largest expense is landscaping. This is something that the Board does not take lightly. In fact, we have recently released our previous landscaper and are currently contingently contracted with our interim landscaper, ELS. As home owners, if there are items you would like to discuss about landscaping, or anything else in your community, please attend one of the open Board meetings and let your voice be heard. Meeting times can be viewed on the community management website, wearevision.com. While the contracted landscapers and other vendors do their part in keeping things looking good and functioning properly, there is another, and equally important part in the community equation, You. You are the other important part of the equation. I recently visited a new community and noticed that a few of the home owners were parking in their yard. This is something I have noticed in our community as well. Not only is this in conflict with our CC&R s, but it is also against City of Avondale code. If the City Code Enforcement sees it, they can assess a fine in excess of $500. But back to the point. That being, little things mean a lot. Little things like parking in yards, not cleaning up after our pets, and placing items in the street before bulk trash pickup. Just as a side note, bulk trash pickup is the third full week of each month. These things may seem little, but these little things all add up to a community that is less desirable than it can and should be. This affects us all in the form of pride of ownership and even property values. These little things are thankfully not the norm. The majority us do take pride in our homes and community and that is reflected favorably. However, there are a few who do not. The few unfortunately adversely affect us all. On behalf of our community, please don t be one of those. 1

Neighborhood Block Watch Opportuni es! You probably have noticed how crime has increased over the last couple of years in Garden Lakes. Car and home burglaries are the most common crimes.

But again, the Chief indicated that one of the best things the Garden Lakes homeowners can do, is to start local, smaller-sized Block Watches.

2 Neighborhood Block Watch Opportuni es! You probably have noticed how crime has increased over the last couple of years in Garden Lakes. Car and home burglaries are the most common crimes. The City of Avondale Chief of Police has been able to add a few more resources to Garden Lakes in order to crack down on crime. We should see increased patrols over the next few months. But again, the Chief indicated that one of the best things the Garden Lakes homeowners can do, is to start local, smaller-sized Block Watches. There are only a few requirements in order to have a recognized Block Watch in your neighborhood: Have an initial informational meeting Appoint a captain and one or two co-captains Provide a list of participants names, addresses, s and phone numbers (traditionally called a phone tree ). s are strictly to let YOU know if there is a problem. Each Block Watch group must meet at least twice a year. (Your initial meeting counts as your first meeting.) After each requirement is fulfilled, the Avondale Police Department provides two metal signs to post in your neighborhood and individual Block Watch window sticker signs for each participating home. If you would like to start a Block Watch in your neighborhood, please contact the Avondale Police Department Community Services Bureau and speak to Kathy Laneri at (623) She will be happy to answer any questions and set up an initial information meeting. Finally, if you see something odd or suspicious in your neighborhood, say something! You know the neighborhood better than anyone. Call the non-emergency number for Avondale Police at (623) and report it. You can even remain anonymous when you call. The calls for service are important as they give an accurate picture of the activity that is occurring in all neighborhoods and helps the police to assist with crime prevention. If you would like to know the crime statistics that are occurring in your neighborhood, you can use the website Block Watch is a positive way to encourage crime prevention in your neighborhoods. Thank you, Fishing Reminders Fishing in Garden Lakes is restricted to residents and their guests only. Fishing permits must be obtained from the Management Company for Garden Lakes Community Association for an annual fee of $2.00 per person per year, or $6.00 per family per year. A fishing permit is required for anyone six (6) years of age and older. All fishing permits expire one (1) year from date of issue. Please be sure to renew your permits by submitting a Fishing Permit request form that can be found online at 2

3 Annual Christmas Boat Parade Watch the Parade at Kimberly Park! Saturday, December 17th, 6:00 PM (In case of bad weather, the event will be held Sunday the 18th.) Grab the kids and the camera and head for Kimberly Park in December. The parade, boats decorated with Christmas lights circling the south lake, is always a special treat. 3

Trying to catch a goose like that takes a lot of patience and multiple tries as they can still fly away or move into the lakes. Liberty Wildlife volunteers are rare on the west side of Phoenix.

4 Update to the Discarded Fishing Line And Hooks Cause Injury And Death Not even 2 weeks after writing the article for the last newsletter about wildlife dying due to discarded fishing line and hooks, we encountered a goose at Kimberly Park with fishing line wrapped around both legs and connected. It was one of juveniles that was born this spring. Here is the picture. Trying to catch a goose like that takes a lot of patience and multiple tries as they can still fly away or move into the lakes. Liberty Wildlife volunteers are rare on the west side of Phoenix. Catching a goose with fishing line is a 2 person job, therefore difficult to find 2 people willing at the same time as the geese are present. It took us volunteers many tries to catch this goose and after almost two weeks we finally had her. By that time, the fishing line was so tight and cutting into the legs that she could barely walk. It took a good 10 minutes of cutting and digging out the fishing line but eventually she was freed but still limping. Fortunately the line had not cut the skin, otherwise we would have had to take her to Liberty Wildlife for further treatment. Eventually she flew away with the whole family. Please contact Vision (so they can contact me) if you would like to volunteer to help rescue wildlife within Garden Lakes. We can always use more help. And as always, please don t leave fishing line and hooks laying around. Thank you, Sandy Schaedler Board Member and Chair of ARC and Improvement Committee We Need You Next year in May, the names of newly elected members of the Board of Directors will be announced. Why is this topic of interest now, five months early? Because the election process starts in December. Our Bylaws require the currently seated Board appoint a Nominating Committee in December. The nominating committee is responsible for reviewing the candidates for the Board to ensure they are excellent choices for the association. If you are interested in volunteering for the nominating committee, please contact Vision Community Management at gardenlakes@wearevision.com or You are also encouraged attend the December Board of Directors meeting on December 21, 2016, which is when the committee will be appointed. This is a great first step to becoming more involved with the Board if you are not quite sure if you would like to volunteer as a Board Member just yet. If you would like to serve on the Board of Directors, please consider becoming a candidate. Garden Lakes needs people with ideas about the direction for our community. The Board is responsible for determining policies that affect our neighborhoods, our budget of over a million dollars, our rules and regulations, selection of vendors, and setting important policies for Garden Lakes. As a homeowner in Garden Lakes, you are qualified to run for the Board of Directors as long as you ve been an owner for six months and are current on your dues and assessments. To learn about becoming a candidate for the Board of Directors, you can attend Board meetings, talk to a current board member, or read our Bylaws (available at 4

It is very common in Arizona during these timeframes, and can be found near our lakes and canals here in Garden Lakes. they are highly The female Belted Kingfisher is more colorful than the male.

5 Belted Kingfisher They are back until spring The Belted Kingfisher is the only kingfisher in North America with a widespread range. This bird is present from fall through all of winter, and continuing through spring. It is very common in Arizona during these timeframes, and can be found near our lakes and canals here in Garden Lakes. they are highly The female Belted Kingfisher is more colorful than the male. A female Belted Kingfisher has a blue band across her breast and a chestnut band across her belly, while the male only has the blue breast band. The Belted Kingfisher feeds primarily on fish, but also eats amphibians, reptiles, and insects. It is very fun to watch while it hovers over the water, and diving into the water after its prey. Belted Kingfishers give a loud distinctive rattle call, which is often heard as vocal. Here is link to hear their rattle sounds. h ps:// Belted_Kingfisher/sounds. American Coot The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. A close look at a coot that small head, those scrawny legs reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. Coots don t have webbed feet like a duck. Instead, each one of the coot s long toes has broad lobes of skin that help it kick through the water. They propel themselves through the water by pumping their heads back and forth. To become airborne, they must scramble across the water with wings flapping vigorously. teal. And as always: PLEASE DO NOT FEED ANY WATERFOWL If you find an injured bird, please take it to Liberty Wildlife immediately or call Like so many other birds, Coots are protected by the Migratory Bird Act! Under United States Code Title 16, Chapter 7, Subchapter II, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 is the United States legislation implementing the convention between the U.S. and Great Britain (for Canada). The United States subsequently entered into similar agreements with four other nations (Canada, Mexico, Japan and Russia) to protect migratory birds. The statute makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell birds listed therein ("migratory birds"). The statute does not discriminate between live or dead birds and also grants full protection to any bird parts including feathers, eggs and nests. Over 800 species are currently on the list. The Garden Lakes Improvement Committee 5

Garden Lakes Bulk Trash Collection Schedule 2016 December 19 2017 January 16 February 20 March 20 April 17 May 15 June 19 July 17 August 21 September 18 October 16 November 20 December 18 Please do

6 Garden Lakes Bulk Trash Collection Schedule 2016 December January 16 February 20 March 20 April 17 May 15 June 19 July 17 August 21 September 18 October 16 November 20 December 18 Please do not put bulk trash out more than 2 days prior to the collection date. Bulk Trash Bag or box small items, thorny plants or cactus to not create a litter hazard Tires are NOT collected Hot ashes or cinders, burning matter, loose sawdust or hazardous materials will NOT be collected Home remodeling or construction debris is NOT collected Bulk collection crews will be by to collect separate from green waste Place windows and mirrors in strong boxes and set them apart from other materials for the safety of our crews 3 cubic yard limit per household per month for both bulk/ green waste piles combined Green Waste Separate green waste from non-organic material Cactus and palm fronds are NOT collected Cut tree trimmings to 4 feet in length. Stumps and tree trunks larger than 6-inches in diameter will NOT be collected Grass and leaves need to be boxed Green waste crews will be by to collect separate from bulk trash Dirt and sod are not considered green waste and will NOT be collected 3 cubic yard limit per household per month for both bulk/green waste piles combined Our community has a website intended to keep you informed of our rules and regulations, activities, important announcements, and your account balance! We invite you to visit the website any time you wish, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to look up information about your home, check the schedule of activities and view any other important updates within the community. There is both a public and private area to the website. To register, visit the community s webpage at and click the Register button in the login box. In the public area you can: Check board meeting schedules and locations View announcements Access Garden Lakes including CC&R s, Rules & Regulations, Architectural Applications etc. In the private area you can: View your current account balance and compliance records Add additional addresses to your account Add or update your telephone numbers View and download documents including financials, board meeting minutes, newsletters, etc. 6

Water Resource Project Update On the Threshold Finally, after years of consideration and delay, it seems like we will soon start construction of the Water Resource Project.

approved the plans, the City Council has approved an agreement to allow the pipes to cross City property (the streets), and we have a permit in hand.

The city has announced a plan to raise water rates 7.5% per year for six years, starting in the current year. However, the per-gallon cost the Association has seen has risen more like 15 20%.

7 Water Resource Project Update On the Threshold Finally, after years of consideration and delay, it seems like we will soon start construction of the Water Resource Project. The Board has approved the bids, we have contracts with the system designer to oversee the Project and with an engineering firm to locate existing utilities as required by the City, the City has approved the plans, the City Council has approved an agreement to allow the pipes to cross City property (the streets), and we have a permit in hand. We are currently polishing the contract with the company that will actually perform the construction, and they are working with SRP to provide power to the pump station. This comes just in time! The city has announced a plan to raise water rates 7.5% per year for six years, starting in the current year. However, the per-gallon cost the Association has seen has risen more like 15 20%. In June and July alone (though not completely due to the water rate hike), the Association spent $100, on irrigation water. There is no way the Association could absorb these increases. The governing documents allow the Board to raise the assessment to respond to the utility large increases in addition to the 5% max per year normally allowed, and the Board did just that when Avondale raised the water rates 6% per year for 6 years, and NOBODY was happy. But facing an increased assessment is far better than having the Association go bankrupt. Because the Board knows the Water Resource Project will dramatically drop irrigation water costs, this step has not been considered. We are hoping to begin in November so the Project will be completed and operational before next summer. The contractor estimates three months to build the system, I suspect four is more accurate, so if we can have the pump station installed by Christmas, we may be able to have the system operational in the March-April time frame, before the heat really hits. This would allow the system to be brought on-line and tested without having to supply the larger water needs of the summer months at the same time. Any down time in the summer is critical. We apologize in advance for the mess that will be created, but we really DO need to get this job done. Please avoid marked-off areas during construction, and please tell your children to do the same. There will be supplies around, so please also let them know to leave these alone. Any missing or misplaced supplies will cost us more money since the contractor will have to buy replacements, and make the mess last longer. Thanks for your cooperation and patience. By: David W. White Vision Community Management Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your assessments, a violation notice, the community, rules, regulations, or the Association s documents, your experienced team of professionals is ready to assist! VISION COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT VISION Community Management S Desert Foothills Parkway Phoenix, AZ Ph: Fax: gardenlakes@wearevision.com 7

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From the HOA President

1 of 5 12/1/2017, 10:24 AM View this email in your browser Winter Newsletter December 2017 Contents: From the HOA President Election & Candidates BOD Meeting Schedule Survey Results Water, Cable & Trash