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In Asheville, amid the WNC Mountains - December, 2016
December Activities at Crowfields Clubhouse
Thursday 1 Board of Directors meets 4:30 pm
Friday 2 First Friday – All Welcome social time 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesday 6 Executive Committee meets 4:30 pm
Thursday 8 Holiday Dinner 6:00 pm Mondays 12 Monday night movie: “Concussion” 7:00 pm
Tuesday 27 Work session pre-Jan. 6, ‘17 Exec. Comm. meeting 4:30 pm For all December activities, please refer to page 5.
This was a new, unwanted and scary way to “Light Up The Holidays!”
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"Congratulations to the newly elected officers for the coming year, and many thanks to those who served this past year! We have our annual Holiday Dinner gathering this week and I would like to remind all of our residents to please donate if you haven’t as yet to our employee bonus fund. (Deadline Dec. 10) Our staff works hard and spends long hours to provide us with our wonderful environment as well as helping us with various personal grounds and building tasks. Please remember to show your appreciation in this special way.
This is a time of fellowship with family and friends! I wish everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!"
Bob Ray, President, Crowfields Executive Committee.
Well here it is, already December. As I’m writing the forecast for tomorrow is rain! Finally some rain worth talking about! Hopefully this will be the trend for several months. Many plants on the property are on the brink of no return. This rain will help but more is needed to aid in their recovery. Leaf removal has been extremely dusty and smoky this year. It will be nice to have less dust and smoke in the weeks to come. It looks like the bulk of the leaf clean-up should be wrapping up late this month. Of course there will be those pockets of leaves that seem to come from nowhere.
Fence work has been delayed due to moving our labor force for leaf removal. With a little luck it will resume soon. Only four clusters remain to be done and then all clusters will have new composite fences. Some work will carry over into next year but the bulk of materials are onsite waiting to be installed.
Stream Stabilization Project: In the upcoming weeks preliminary work will be conducted to ready for construc-tion of the creek stabilization project. Owners in the area of H cluster will be mostly affected. Scrub trees and brush along the creek banks will be removed to enable access at the construction site. Equipment and materials will be delivered soon to the work zone, i.e. South corner of H cluster. Underground utilities will also be marked in the next few days. If you are traveling along Crowfields lane at the culvert bridge, please be aware of trucks that will be entering the roadway in that area. I don’t anticipate actual construction to begin until the week of December the 19th or thereafter. Construction for the entire three area project is expected to take approxi-mately six to eight weeks weather permitting.
Pete is now taking seasonal greenery orders. Please call the office with your request and allow him at least two days to process your order. Leland cypress, American holly, Magnolia, Spruce, Arborvitae, Nandina and limited amounts of white pine are available. All greenery will have vapor guard spray on it to help retain freshness.
I would like to thank all the volunteers who gave their time this year to help make Crowfields the great community it is. Countless hours of dedicated service has been shared by many volunteers over the years. I do truly appreciate their time and effort as this makes my job possible and also more pleasurable. Thanks to their efforts this year much work was accomplished as it has been in years past. It is difficult to find residents who wish to serve on the many committees, so please make yourself known if you are able to serve. Talk with someone who has served and see if your talents could be valuable and appreciated by your neighbors. I can’t encourage you enough to volunteer and see how your community is operated. See how rewarding it is to help guide in the decision-making process and input your ideals and visions for the future. New officers have just been elected and I look forward to working with them in the New Year. If you are unable to serve, please attend monthly meetings to be aware of what’s happening in your community. Monthly Executive meetings occur the first Tuesday of every month. Hope to see you there.
Until next time, have a Joyous Holiday Season with family and friends. – Charles B., Property Mgr.
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The officers voted in unanimously at the Dec. 1st Board of Directors meeting were: President: Bob Ray; 1st Vice Pres.: Lisa Oberreuter; 2nd Vice Pres.: Gene Presley ; Secretary: Jane Fant; Ass’t Sec, Carol Schmidt; Treasurer, Katherine Soderquist; Ass’t Treas., Calvin Christopherson; Member At Large: Kathy Hemes; Member At large: Milt Lambert.
NOTES ON THE BUDGET FROM THE FINANCE COMMMITTEE
Crowfields Board of Directors passed the 2017 Operating and Reserve Budgets at the December 1, 2016 Board of Directors meeting. The budget is a document of anticipated income and expense, but a necessary guideline to maintain the financial stability of Crowfields. Charles and the Finance Committee spent many hours scouring every line item for possible savings. The 2017 budget is based on 2015 actual spending and 2016 year-to-date expenses annualized with known community needs for the coming year. Here are some highlights:
1. City services (water, sewer, storm water runoff, fire lines and trash pickup) constitute the major increase in budget expenses rising 34% over last year. That line item alone accounts for an additional $15.20 per unit in increased fees. We are not alone. Every water customer in the city has the same increase. Measures are being taken to reduce those costs at Crowfields such as limiting the number of green trash containers on campus. You will hear more about this in the next few months. In the meantime – please be mindful of your water usage.
2. Several operating budget items increased more than 15% over last year. These items include maintaining the website, expanded services from Asheville Phoenix Properties, and items that enhance the maintenance of the grounds such as a new part-time employee, rental equipment and supplies.
3. The cost of insurance is always an issue. For 2017 the $1000 deductible policy will no longer be available, how-ever the cost in the premium is reduced. The Board voted to raise the deductible, per occurrence, to $5,000. The premium cost will drop 5%. (See the article below, page 4, on insurance)
4. Regarding the cash flow budgets for the Reserves the changes include new line items. These include Clubhouse Doors to replace the slider for access to the patio and build a gate to secure the pool; repairs to the bridges on campus; capitalizing long-term landscaping; purchasing community owned trash cans (more to come about this), and an aerator for improving the grass areas.
There will be an increase in the operating fees in your monthly payment for 2017 of approximately $21.77 per unit per month. (Some units will vary based on the ownership allocation on page 31 of your Bylaws.) The good news is that fees for community reserves, management reserves and cluster reserves will remain the same as last year. As always, we are here to answer your questions. Please contact either
Katherine Soderquist, [email protected] 828-231-8010 or
Gene Presley, [email protected] 828-785-2387.
Consolidation Update
Thank all of you for the support you gave at the October Board meeting with the unanimous Board vote to move forward with Phase 2 of the Consolidation Project. The committee has requested the attorneys to proceed with developing a timeline, the delegation agreements and the revised Bylaws. We expect that information back from them before year end. Once we have that package, the Consolidation Committee will review their recommendations and hold community meetings to get your thoughts on them. We also will then be able to more fully address the questions that came up at the prior community meetings. Thank you for your continued support of this project. Feel free to reach out to any committee members with any questions, suggestions, or comments. Thank you and happy holidays!! – Anne Brady
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MAJOR CHANGE TO THE CROWFIELDS INSURANCE POLICY
Nationwide Insurance Company at the Doug McKinney agency has satisfactorily covered the insurance needs of Crowfields for many years. Two years ago we competitively bid the insurance and Nationwide, hands down, was able to meet our coverage and price needs. As with your own insurance company, you have little control over the guidelines of the underwriter. This is the case for 2017 with the Nationwide policy. Historically our deductible per occurrence has been $1000. That deductible amount is no longer available. We are faced with a $2500 or $5000 deductible amount. The Board of Directors at the December 1 meeting voted to go with the $5000 deductible. What does this mean for you? You will pay less monthly in operational fees, as the premium for the comprehensive policy is less. You should have an H06 insurance policy (not a general homeowners policy), which covers your personal property and personal liability.
Included in that policy you need a “loss assessment” clause with a value of at least $5000. You choose the deductible you wish on your H06 policy (i.e. $500) If you have a loss in your unit that is covered by the general Crowfields policy you will pay the deductible on your
personal policy and the “loss assessment”clause will kick in with the balance of the Crowfields deductible. According to our research this clause in your policy is very affordable. Please make a point to check with your insurance agent to make sure that you are properly insured. Should you have any questions, please contact Katherine Soderquist, Crowfields Treasurer at [email protected] or 828-231-8010.
The Website Committee has been working hard to improve the site. The section For Residents is complete except for
some minor details. Here are the latest updates:
The Resident Directory Icon: Now has a Cluster Directory listing.
The Committees & Officers Icon: Has been updated with our newly-elected Cluster Presidents.
The Community Layout Icon: Has a map of the cluster addresses.
The Recommended Icon: Has an updated list of Tradespeople and Businesses.
The Operations Icon: Has an organizational description.
The Forms Icon: You can now download the majority of the Crowfields forms. More will be added as they are approved. The For Sale Listings Form is available for you or your realtor to submit a property listing to the office. It should be limited to 100 words. Just as before, you can and should call the office to inform them if you are listing a property for sale.
Please be sure to explore the resident side of Website if you haven’t recently. There are many new things to see.
http://crowfieldsasheville.com/
Username: Crowfields
Password: #1ParklikeSetting
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IT’S DECEMBER! Many regular & special events are planned:
Look forward to seeing you at The Crowfields Annual Holiday Dinner this Thursday, December 8th "GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT" Dec. 4 (Sunday) Hendersonville Community Band presents their annual Christmas Concert. Traditional Christmas favorites including a Dixieland combo, sing-a-long, "Sleigh Ride". Concert begins at 3 pm at Blue Ridge Community College Auditorium ($10). Carpool leaves the clubhouse at 1:00 pm. CROWFIELDS GETS “SNOWBOUND" Dec. 9 (Friday) Join the theater group for a trip to Asheville Community Theater to enjoy "Snowbound", a holiday play about a group of travelers who become stranded by the weather. Live music played onstage, some audience singing. ($19) Carpool leaves the clubhouse at 6:30 pm. Call for reservations (Bonnie Gordon 773-1809) "COOKIE EXCHANGE" Dec. 14 (Wednesday) at 4:00 pm. Join us for tea and cookies. Just bring some ziplocks of your favorite cookies - please, no more than 6 cookies per baggie. We'll swap. Take home the same number of baggies as you brought, just different kinds of cookies. Have a hot 'cuppa and enjoy this pre-Christmas get together.
Regular & Special Activities: Holiday Dinner Thursday, the 8th, starting at 6 SIMPLE SUPPERS for December: 14: Carrabbas; 21: FarmBurger. Menus, Sign-up sheets in lobby & via email.
Men's Coffee Mondays 10:00 Crafts and Conversation Mondays 1:00 Senior Exercise Tuesdays 10:30 Thursdays 2:00 Cancelled on Dec. 1 and 8 Hand and Foot Card Game Thursdays 1:00* new day Cancelled on December 8 Holiday Dinner Celebration Thursday December 8 6:00 Movie Night Monday December 12 7:00 "Concussion" Biographical sports drama with Will Smith. Cookie Exchange Wednesday December 14 4:00 Fifth Friday BYOLunch Friday, Dec. 30th – more info later (Book Group Members meet in December to socialize & plan for new year.)
We have so much musical talent at Crowfields, I wish we could gather with voices and instruments, say on Boxing Day, Monday, Dec. 26th if clubhouse is available,- or at another time - and make music together. Call me, Jocelyn Baumgarten, at 277-7469 or email me at [email protected] with interest and/or ideas on how to make this casual ‘Christmas Jam’ happen.
Our first Potluck dinner in 2017 is planned for the third Friday, January 19 at 6 pm. See y'all at the upcoming festivities at the Clubhouse. Happy Holidays! - Adrienne
Notices of Interest:
Legette Zorn, watch keeper over the Home Health Aids, says there are calls for wheelchairs; if you have any to give or loan, please call him at 505-4587.
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● Celeste Selwyn, volunteer for the Safe-Driving AAAP program, is setting up her schedule. She served here as facilitator for this 4-hour program before. Her program is interesting, interspersed with videos and anecdotes. She is a good speaker – and she’s funny! We’d like to set a date for sometime in January. If interested in signing up for this valuable senior driving safety concerns program, please contact Helen Eill @ 505-2336. ● Angie McDonald refers us to a Nov. 26 Carole Currie AVL Cit-Times article: “What you don’t know about recycling.” Most of us are aware of the general guidelines, but there were some surprises. Carole briefly describes a visit to the Curbie recycling center at 116 N. Woodfin Ave. in North Asheville (Mon. men’s group interested in organizing a trip there? – call Curbside Mgt. 525-2532). #1: Plastic bags are a big no-no (jam up the works) – return them to Ingles, Publix, along with bags from dry cleaners, food & zip top bags. #2: Recycle containers of all types, leaving tops on cans & jars, also accepting empty aerosol cans. #3: Put containers that have oily residue in trash, but most containers can be recycled if moderately clean. Also for trash = napkins, paper towels, tissues & sheer tissue wrapping paper. Shredded paper welcomed, but should be enclosed in paper bag. Break down & flatten all corrugated cardboard. Angie reports that Office Max/Depot offers $2 reward credit on up to 10 returned ink cartridges/month. She also will take Styrofoam & popcorn packing material to Asheville Green Works Hard2Recycle events: call her at 277-7795.
The Crowfields 3rd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner, a lovely celebration of Friendship and Gratitude. With many thanks to organizer, Adrienne Williams (a number of guests missing for pic.)
● Thanks to the contributors to this issue, and others, of the “Crowfields Chatter”. I would really welcome help in putting together this newsletter! Let me hear from you at [email protected]. - Jocelyn Baumgarten, editor Remember to read & look up The Chatter & get much other useful information on the online-in-color version!
This past month, and year, has been a stressful one, with Nov. 8 election, fires, standing with tribes, etc. Which brought to my mind this quote by Thomas Paine, spoken on December 23, 1776:
“These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” jsb
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