GUTTERS. The Board approved a bid from Affordable Quality Roofing, Siding, Windows, Inc. for the replacement of gutters in Court 1 (3519-3517 S. Stafford Street), Court 4 (4111-4105 S. 36^th Street), and Court 5 (4112 S. 36^th Street) at a cost of $2,310.

Christmas trees that you would like to have hauled away should be placed at the curb by 8am on January 13^th and 15^th. After January 15^th you will be responsible for disposing of them, so your cooperation would be appreciated.

The Arlington County Police Department conducts two sessions of their Citizens' Police Academy annually in March and September. The classes will be held on Wednesday evenings for twelve weeks. Topics include search and seizure, laws of arrest, traffic enforcement/radar, firearm safety, gangs and K-9 uses. Participants will also be introduced to basic self-defense techniques. If you or anyone you know is interested in attending, please contact Sergeant Roger Stegall at 703-228-4247 or by e-mail at rstega@co.arlington.va.us

Unless you live in a Braddock, please secure your outside faucets (front and back) in order to prevent burst water pipes when the temperature drops and the weather remains cold. In the Barcroft units there is one valve to control both faucets located above the hot water heater in the utility room. For other units there are two valves ... one behind the disposal under the sink for the patio faucet and one over the hot water heater in the utility room for the front faucet. To shut off the water, turn the valves off inside the unit and open the valves outside in order to drain the pipes and keep them from freezing. Leave the heat in your unit on to at least 55 degrees (even when you are away) to prevent broken pipes.

Water leaks are expensive to the Glen and may waste thousands of gallons of water. Potential sources for leaks include washers in faucets and shower heads, washing machine hoses, ice maker lines, HVAC units, and dishwashers. It is recommended that residents inspect their homes quarterly. It is also prudent to equip showers, sinks, and tubs with drain screens to catch the debris, hair, and bits of soap that can cause clogs and back-ups.

During the quarterly inspection residents should check all exposed pipes for leaks and check all faucets for leaks or corrosion. Inspection of the rubber connecting hoses for dishwashers and washing machines is essential since, contrary to what some believe, such hoses do not last forever. Because these hoses wear from the inside out, a visual inspection will usually not reveal any worn spots and these hoses should generally be replaced every three to five years, or sooner if evidence of rot appears.

The most substantial loss of water can come from our bathroom toilets:

• Your toilet may have a leak at the overflow pipe if water is still running into the bowl or if water can be heard running after the tank has stopped filling.
• You may have a silent, plunger-ball leak. To test for a silent leak, drop some food coloring into the tank and wait ten minutes. If the food coloring appears in the toilet bowl there is a silent leak.

Residents should review their procedures for responding to emergencies including man-made threats and natural disasters. Emergency preparedness documentation provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can be found on the following web pages:

• Family Disaster Plan: http://www.fema.gov/library/famplan.shtm
• Disaster Supplies Kit: http://www.fema.gov/library/diskit.shtm
• Emergency Food/Water Supplies: http://www.fema.gov/library/emfdwtr.shtm

• Its likely we will have additional snowstorms with significant accumulation this winter. Please be patient regarding snow removal from our sidewalks. Ricky and the crew, as well as additional help as necessary, will work as hard as possible to clear the sidewalks. If possible, you can assist in these efforts by clearing the snow from your porches and walkways.
• All of our gutters have been cleaned and final repairs are under contract and should be completed shortly. If you need further assistance from the crew regarding your gutters, please let Ricky know and include the applicable addresses and whether the gutters are in the front or back of the unit.
• Please let Ricky know if any of our carriage lights are out. Since the crew is here principally during the day, its unlikely we will notice any lights that are not functioning. Please note that residents are responsible for replacing lights on their porches.
• The cleanout of all sewer laterals has been completed. Please let Ricky know if you have any problems or concerns with our main sewer lines.
• Ricky and the crew want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year.

RATS. There have been sightings of rats in the Glen. Rats are not uncommon in populated areas and normal control efforts have been undertaken; however, we are investigating more aggressive efforts should the problem continue. It is essential that all residents take appropriate measures to prevent access to food supplies and should:

• make access into homes difficult by putting screening around any ducts or holes in the outer walls,
• ensure that pet food and litter in the common areas and patios is disposed of promptly, and
• place garbage in a closed receptacle on your patio if you can not put it out for the regular pickup.

If you see any indications of a rat problem in your area, call Triple "S" at 703-352-7738 and let Ricky or a Board member know of the problem so we are fully aware of its extent. Please do not try to get rid of them yourself; you may end up destroying harmless wildlife.

TRASH. Trash must be put out during the week by 8am and on Saturdays by 9am. Large items are put out only on the first Saturday of the month and should be placed at the curb by 9am. Please do not put trash out the night before pickup or on Sundays since this will be a temptation for rodents, birds, and other pests.

COMMON AREAS. In order to maintain the quality of the Glen and ensure common areas are maintained in a consistent manner, significant restrictions are in place regarding what residents can do. When in doubt about doing something in common areas such as adding items to the flower beds, leaving personal articles in the common areas, and placing items on fences or having items in the patio area that are visible above the top of the fences, please check the Handbook or call Legum & Norman.

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.

• Board of Directors, 7:30pm, 1^st Tuesday of the month
• Building and Grounds Committee, 7:30pm, 3^rd Tuesday of the month (no meetings in August, November, and December)
• Landscape Subcommittee, 7:00pm, 2^nd Tuesday of the month (no meetings in July, November, and December)

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.