Lynn Creek Hills SUMMER 2013 A PUBLICATION OF THE LYNN CREEK HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. www.texas.fsrconnect.com/lynncreekhills We are very proud to be able to offer all of our homeowners a web-based service that utilizes proprietary software to give you real-time information about your community and your homeowner s account. By logging on to www.texas.fsrconnect.com/lynncreekhills you will be able to: View your account balance and history in realtime Access the governing documents for your association Submit inquiries and service requests to FirstService Access modification forms and track progress Receive real-time emergency alerts and general community related updates Search frequently asked questions Read current and archived newsletters View account information, including address, phone number and email Dear Lynn Creek Hills Homeowner, Welcome to the neighborhood! We have received 19 new families into the community this year so far. We want to invite each of you to participate on a committee and get plugged into your neighborhood. We have an active Welcome Committee, Social Committee, Landscape Committee, Safety and Architectural Control. Call me or email me if you are interested, 817.380.7006 or leslie.gamel@fsresidential.com. In this newsletter you will find a list of aquatic parks in Grand Prairie where you can enjoy summer days with your family. Also enclosed is a copy of our meeting minutes from the 2013 Annual meeting. During our annual meeting we exchanged ideas about the future of Lynn Creek Hills HOA. One open suggestion is to create a PID for common area maintenance. Be sure to read the letter from your board President regarding this action. Collection of association Dues is one of the many duties of the board. Those of you who attend the meetings are familiar with the graphs and delinquency totals. The HOA has a policy for collection of dues which is outlined below: 1st Friendly notice issued after the late date on the statement. Late fees start adding to the account at 18% per year plus the cost of letter. 2nd Formal notice includes the Fair Debt Collections language and is sent certified mail. Added fees include interest and cost of mailing. Demand Letter is then sent 30 days after that if the dues are not paid. This letter is charged by the attorney and costs escalate (sky rocket!) from there. Lien is filed. If the dues remain unpaid, the attorney will file a lien against the land. If the homeowner wishes to re-finance or sell the land, the lien must be satisfied (paid) to have clear title. Foreclosure. Unfortunately this is the ultimate end to non-payment of dues. If a home is not abandoned and for whatever reason the owner chooses not to pay the dues, the HOA will foreclose on the house. The HOA then owns the house and evicts the occupants. Throughout the collection process, the HOA urges payment plans. Each owner has the opportunity to set up a payment plan. If your dues are not past due but would like to pay monthly or quarterly in advance of the January 1 date, you can do that. Contact Customer Service at 1-877-378-2388. Also, on-line payment, ACH auto draft and are available to you. Visit your website at www.texas.fsrconnect.com/lynncreekhills. Leslie Gamel, Association Manager
Timely Tips for July Gardeners from Calloway s and Cornelius Nursery This article is offered to the gardening public and Homeowner's Association Program members free of charge, you must include the attribution provided at the bottom of the page. Mulch Helps Plants Weather the Summer Heat! Summer is upon us and your garden may be feeling the affects of the heat. Mulch can help your garden plants weather the summer heat and still thrive. Reduce Water Use Mulch provides several healthy benefits to Texas gardens in the summertime. One of the most well-known benefits of mulch is to reduce evaporation and water use. In the heat of summer conserving water can be particularly important. Mulch reduces evaporation preserving the water in the ground where your plants can access it through their root system. Regulate Sub-Surface Temperatures Another very important benefit to mulch in the heat of summer is regulation of ground temperature. A 3 to 4 inch blanket of mulch is excellent insulation, protecting the ground from direct sun, and greatly reducing the temperature several inches below ground leve. This is where your plants' roots live, thrive and do the hard work of absorbing moisture and nutrients. They will be much healthier and more productive with the reduction in temperature that mulch provides. Types of Mulch As for types of mulch, we recommend hardwood or cedar wood for most gardens. Some gardeners prefer pine mulch, but while it is somewhat less expensive, it also breaks down more quickly and will need to be reapplied frequently. Cedar is the most expensive of the three but does help reduce garden pests in some instances, due to its natural repellant properties. To apply mulch, simply place it in the garden from the bag or with a shovel, and carefully spread it around your plants by hand or with a rake. Mulch will reduce your water use, reduce the time required to weed, as well as reduce soil loss due to wind and run-off. Plus it will help your plants to thrive through the summer heat! Find more garden tips here, or go to www.calloways.com/good-neighbor-homeowners- association-program. Upcoming Clinics You May Enjoy! July 13 Water-Wise Gardening. Save water in Texas! Discover tips, tricks and expert advice on water-wise gardening. Laugh at the summer heat with drought-tolerant plants. Get tips to conserve moisture and learn effective watering techniques! Clinic at all Calloway s and Cornelius, 10:15 am, Saturday. Information courtesy of Calloway's Nursery 2013, www.calloways.com. Attribution to Calloway's required for all use and reproduction. Timely Tips for August Gardeners from Calloway s and Cornelius Nursery Summer Lawns; Feed, Mow, Prevent! This article is offered to the gardening public and Homeowner's Association Program members free of charge, you must include the attribution provided at the bottom of the page. The key to a great looking summer lawn is to be proactive. For a great looking summer lawn, advance planning can be your best friend. When the summer heat hits, grass grows slower, so any damage or stress will take longer to remedy and repair. Hence, your best strategy is to keep your grass healthy and green, so that it can hold its own through the summer. Water Only 1" Per Week. Our Calloway's Lawn Care specialists suggest that lawns require only 1" of water per week in the summer time. That includes rainfall. When watering, water two days per week (or one if you are subject to restrictions), preferably in early morning so that the water can seep down into the ground around the roots and build a healthy root system. Excessive watering leads to waste and disease, which can srpead very quickly in the warm summer months. When Mowing, Let Those Blades Stand Tall! When mowing in summer, most Texas varieties of grass should be left relatively long. As a matter of fact, our garden expert suggests raising your adjustable lawn-mower blade to at least 3" or the maximum height for St. Augustine; or 1" to 2" for Bermuda. Leaving the grass blades longer helps them to handle the stress of summer heat and also helps to shade the ground at the root level, keeping the roots cooler. You may need to mow more often to keep your lawn looking tidy, but longer grass means healthy grass in summer. Use a Top Quality Pre-Emergent and Fertilizer You should also fertilize your lawn around the end of August, to prepare it for the fall growth period. Apply a good pre-emergent weed killer, created specifically for the warm-season grasses that we have in Texas. Then you can apply your choice of fertilizer, either Calloway's Organic Mix, Calloway's Premium Lawn Food 25-5-10 fertilizer, or Calloway's Phosphorous Free Lawn Food of 21-0-0, which helps to eliminate salt build -up in the soil and the water table. Plan ahead for a beautiful end of summer lawn, and an even more beautiful fall season. Find more garden tips here, or go to www.calloways.com/good-neighbor-homeowners-association-program. Information courtesy of Calloway's Nursery 2013, www.calloways.com. Attribution to Calloway's required for all use and reproduction. Yard Work and Property Maintenance With summer here this is the time of year that we are all working to spruce up our property. While we are busy mowing the lawn, planting flowers, and spreading mulch, there are a few areas that are more commonly neglected. In addition to mowing, the weeds in the lawn and landscaping beds need to be removed, and the grass along the sidewalks and curbs should be trimmed. Please also make sure that your trees and shrubs do not obstruct sidewalks and alleys. A section of our property that is very easy to forget about, since it is not typically seen from the street, is the area behind the fence in the alley. Please remember that this also needs to be mown and kept neat! Another commonly overlooked item is the fence. While we see it every day, we tend to not notice that the stain is fading and a few of the pickets are popping off. Most fences need to be stained every 3-5 years. Pet Responsibilities Please be courteous of other residents and remember to clean up after your pet. Pets must be kept in a manner that does not create a noise, odor, or other disturbance or nuisance that interferes with the peaceful enjoyment of residents of other lots. No pet may be permitted to bark, howl, whine, screech, or make other loud noises for extended or repeated periods of time. www.lynncreekhills.com
LYNN CREEK HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. A Corporation Not-for Profit MINUTES OF MEETING OF THE MEMBERS June 4, 2013 Call to Order The Meeting of the Membership was held on June 4, 2013 at as set out in the Notice of Meeting fixing such time and place, and attached to the Minutes of this Meeting. Notice of the Meeting was posted via US mail 30 days prior to the Meeting. The President called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. Calling of the Roll A quorum was established being 50 votes represented in person or by proxy. There were present the following Board Members: Delano Naylor Gwen Massey There were absent the following Board Members: Wendell Rosales There were present the following Management Representatives: Leslie Gamel Charles Wray Reading of the Minutes of Previous Meeting The Minutes of the previous Meeting were read by Leslie Gamel. A motion was made by Mike Warranty, seconded by Katie Williams and unanimously adopted, accepting the Minutes of the previous Meeting. Election Leslie Gamel presented the nominations for the open director position. The nominees were Mary Curran, Antonio Barron and Escoffrey Thomas. Each candidate addressed the membership. Written ballots were collected. While the votes were being tabulated committee reports were presented. Committee Reports Welcome Mary Curran Social Clara Naylor Landscape Cynthia Fraser Communication Dale Naylor reported for Lauren Rosales Safety Mary Curran for Jamie Curran Architectural Dale Naylor reported for Ben Watkins Budget Presentation Leslie Gamel presented the 2013 budget. Delinquency Delano Naylor presented the collection efforts. Also presented was the plea for homeowners to enter into a payment plan to avoid expediential costs to their families and the association for collection. Common Area PID Consideration Charles Wray presented general information regarding a Public Improvement District. A motion was made by Tonya Davenport and seconded by Cynthia Fraser, unanimously adopting the desire for the HOA to pursue necessary steps to create a PID for Lynn Creek Hills. Discussion from the floor included vehicles parked on street, landscape curb appeal, violation of the governing documents, committee participation. Election Results A report of the tabulations was presented, elected by majority vote Mary Curran. Conclusion The President requested the following action to be taken: the HOA will arrange for a PID meeting to be orchestrated by Lee Harris of the City of Grand Prairie. Attend this meeting to learn about the pros-cons of developing a PID. Dale urged each person in attendance to participate in the process and function to create the PID. Adjournment At the conclusion of comments by members, the President called for a motion to adjourn the Meeting. Upon a motion made by Mary Curran, seconded by Clara Naylor and unanimously carried, the President declared the same adjourned at 8:50 p.m. As of June 3, 2013, the following restrictions will be implemented in the city of Grand Prairie: No watering on Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Even Numbered addresses may water on Mondays and Thursdays. Odd numbered addresses may water on Tuesday and Fridays. Handheld and soaker hoses are allowed to be used any time. *The following restrictions also apply at all times: Residents and business are prohibited from watering their lawns anytime between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. When watering, a constant stream of water should not be allowed to flow into the street drainage. Watering during precipitation is prohibited. Rain sensors are required on newer watering systems Visit the Grand Prairie website for more information on a healthy lawn during drought conditions. www.gptx.org
LYNN CREEK HILLS HOA INC. C/O FIRSSERVICE RESIDENTIAL 3102 OAK LAWN AVE, STE 202 DALLAS, TX 75219 WWW.FSRESIDENTIAL.COM TELEPHONE: (214) 871-9700 FAX: (214) 889-9980 Association Manager- Leslie Gamel (877) 378-2388 lgamel@fsresidential.com Accounting / Billing questions- (877) 378-2388 Accountservices.tx@fsresidential.com Resale & Refinance Certificates- (888) 679-2500 www.fsresidential.com/resale.html After hours Property Emergency number- (214) 871-9700 ext. 350 Hello, Our Name is FirstService Residential Great New Name. Same Great People and Service. For years now you ve come to know the smiling faces and helpful nature of the property management and support teams committed to enhancing your community living experience Premier Communities Management Company. Our faces are the same, our service is the same, but we ve just taken on a new name and it s time to reintroduce ourselves. Hello, our name is FirstService Residential. What s in a name change? On June 27, 2013 Premier officially changed its name to FirstService Residential. So what does the name change mean? When it comes to FirstService Residential, it means quite a bit. FirstService Residential is North America s largest residential property management company supporting more than 6,000 communities and serving more than 1.5 million residents throughout North America. Our client base includes: Homeowner associations, cooperatives and condominiums Large-scale master-planned and active adult communities Townhouse and garden-style home communities Rental properties; and More luxury high-rises than any other property management company on the continent www.lynncreekhills.com FirstService Residential also means giving you added benefits gained from access to an expanded core of corporate resources, including: Aggregate purchasing power on national resources to reduce costs, improve operating efficiencies and increase real estate values. FSRConnect the industry s only fully integrated community management system uniting resident communication with property-specific amenities, security and management functions under one simple interface. Customer Care Center A 24/7 call center and database populated by more than 500 community-specific questions which allows more than 90% of your questions to be answered on the very first call. The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same As you see the FirstService Residential name pop up around your community on associates uniforms, property signage, correspondence and more, take heart in knowing that this a change in name only, and things will remain business will as usual. The day -to-day operations of your current property management teams will remain the same, and your management teams will still be made up of the right people - caring, smart, trained, dedicated, and experienced who are local experts that live work and play where you do. For More Information Please visit www.fsresidential.com to learn more about our company, and feel free to talk to your Community Manager or call our Customer Care Center 24/7 at 877.378.2388 with any questions.