ROOFS. The Board approved a bid from John R. Walls Contracting Co. Inc. for the replacement of roofs in Court 3 (3581-3585) and Court 14 (4200-4210, back only) at a cost of $109,143 plus $3,132 for associated gutter repairs.
There have been recent cases of vandalism to cars in the Glen. All residents should be vigilant. The police are aware of these events and should be called immediately if you notice anything suspicious. The number, which is answered 24 hours a day, is 703-558-2222. In addition, please inform one of the Board members as soon as possible regarding vandalism or other criminal activity. These are community issues and the Board needs to ensure that all of our residents are kept informed.
The co-owner is responsible for the deductible portion ($5,000) of an insurance claim submitted for your unit. Individual coverage for the master deductible under your policy is sometimes a question of asking for the right coverage. While most H06 policies cover "special assessments" for "deductibles" for reconstruction associated with a covered claim, that coverage is usually only applicable to an across-the-board special assessment and is limited ($1000 in most cases). Owners should ask for increases in the "building or dwelling" coverage section of the HO6 policy and such increases should be pegged to at least the amount of the master deductible. The premium increase for such coverage should be reasonable. While certain carriers have revised their HO6 policies, or do not offer the additional "building or dwelling" coverage, a reputable source in the community association insurance industry has stated that Travelers, Hartford and Chubb are agreeing to such increases and paying individual deductible amounts without much fuss. Co-owners should check with their insurance carrier to ensure they have adequate coverage for the master deductible.
Capitol Painting will return to Courts 13-16 this Spring to paint all exterior wood surfaces and replace broken and rotted wood in such areas as porch columns and porch ceilings. If you live in one of these four courts and feel that there is a problem, please call the maintenance office or your court representative to make sure that the problem is included on our list. Glen Board Member Bob Patrician will be assisting Ricky Solares in the oversight of this contract. Please feel free to contact Bob (703-379-4379) if you have any problems with the painting project as it proceeds.
The two lists of Court Representatives and Important Phone Numbers are not current and will not be published in the Newsletter until they are updated. If you desire information regarding these lists, please contact Paul B. Greenfield at 703-820-9692 or at paul@paulgreenfield.com
ALLEYS. The alleys between courts are provided for maintenance access. While residents can use these alleys for moving items from vehicles to units, parking for any length of time for any purpose is prohibited. The alley leading to the pool is for both maintenance and emergency access and, while moving items from vehicles to units is permitted, vehicles parked for more then a few minutes are subject to being towed without notice.
TRASH PICKUP FOR MAJOR ITEMS. Large items that you need to dispose of will be picked up on the first Saturday of every month. They must be placed on the curb at the street by 9 a.m. These pickups are free. Please do not put large items out at any other time ... THEY WILL NOT BE PICKED UP.
PATIO TRASH. Spring has arrived and we really appreciate residents taking care of their patios. However, please remember that any debris and trash placed outside the patio gate, near the community trash barrels, and on the lawn will not be picked up. Please keep these items in your patio overnight and place them in front of your unit for the morning trash pickup. Remember courtesy is contagious ... please be considerate of your neighbors and help to maintain the looks of the Glen.
SPRING SPRUCEUP. Now that Spring is upon us and folks are out and about, we should spruce things up a bit. Residents might want to consider replacing worn doormats and picking up hoses or other items strewn in plant beds. In addition, personal items (e.g., bicycles, scooters, baby carriages, toys) left in the common areas or on the front porches are unsightly and detract from the enjoyment of the community by your neighbors. Please make sure that these items are put away as soon as possible after use.
RED REFLECTORS. Now that spring is here, our landscape contractor will be a frequent and welcome presence. If you do not want the contractor to prune the shrubs around your unit, put a red reflector in the front bed. The contractor will continue to perform routine mulching and weeding, but shrub maintenance becomes a co-owner responsibility. If the shrubs are not properly maintained, the co-owner will be notified and will have 30 days to perform the necessary maintenance. If this is not done, the contractor will be directed to maintain the shrubs at the co-owner's expense.
LANDSCAPING IN COMMON AREAS. Pots, trellises, or other structures are not to be placed in any of the common plant beds including those in front of your unit. There is to be no edging around the plant beds other than that provided by the Glen's landscape contractor or, in a few cases (e.g., provide a retainer on a sloping area), through co-owner submission and Board approval of a landscape variance request. The Glen's policies regarding landscaping in common areas, found in the Fairlington Glen Handbook on pages 4-7 and 4-8, address plantings in front and side beds, containers/hanging plants, plant bed edging, use of red reflectors, and vines. Please note that vines such as ivy are not allowed on building facades and fences due to the damage they cause. Co-owners will be responsible for any damage and will be asked to remove them. If the co-owners do not remove them, the Glen will do so at the owners' expense.
PESTICIDES. The use of pesticides by residents in the common areas is not permitted. The Glen has a "no pesticide" policy and any deviations from this policy (e.g., use of environmentally safe pesticides or situations requiring more extreme measures) will be implemented by our landscape contractor only after approval by the Board.
EXTERIOR RODENT AND PEST CONTROL. The Glen has a contract with Triple "S" for exterior rodent control problems only. If you see mouse or rat droppings or have actually seen the critters, call 703-352-7738 and ask to speak to P.J. Gilmer. Do not call Ricky. Do not try to get rid of them yourself; you may end up destroying wildlife which is harmless to you and the community. If you have an exterior general pest control problem (ants, termites, bees, wasps, yellow jackets, etc.) please call the maintenance office and leave a message for Ricky.
REPORTING PROBLEMS. You can contact Ricky and the chairpersons of the Landscape Subcommittee and Pool Committee by calling 703-820-9567. You can leave a message by pressing "1" for the Landscape Subcommittee and "2" for the Pool Committee. To leave a message for Ricky, wait for the tone at the end of the recorded message or press "9" or "#" to end the recorded message and go to the tone. Please be courteous and don't call these people at home. If you have an after-hours emergency maintenance problem or can not reach Ricky after a reasonable time, please call the Legum & Norman 24-hour emergency repair number ... 703-600-6000
HANDBOOK. All residents and co-owners should have a copy of the Fairlington Glen Handbook dated November 1999. Please review it occasionally since it provides essential information to ensure that you and your neighbors enjoy the wonderful experience of living in the Glen.
All Glen meetings are held in the Fairlington Community Center at 3308 South Stafford Street. All residents are welcome.
Visit "http://www.fairlington.org/glenindex.htm" for draft Board minutes, newsletters, and the Handbook. Please contact John Fuller if you have comments on Fairlington Glen information on this site.