Fairlington Glen
NEWSLETTER July 2005
JULY 5TH BOARD MEETING
INSURANCE. Ms. Theresa Swan, representing our insurance broker (USI), attended the meeting to discuss the market, assumptions and general insurance coverage as they relate to the needs of the Glen. The presentation was very informative and, while the final set of insurance carriers has yet to be selected, it appears that we will be able to continue our current coverage at an equal or lower cost over last year and no increase in the $5,000 deductible.
WOODWORK. The Board approved an expenditure for woodwork repairs by Capital Painting, associated with the painting effort in Courts 1-4, at a cost not to exceed $1,900.
BOARD MEETING SUPPORT
The Board is looking for a responsible individual to prepare the minutes of the monthly Board Meetings which are held on the 1st Tuesday of the month and last approximately two hours. Minutes generally run no more than five pages and need to be provided in draft form within a week. The Board will provide compensation for these efforts.
POOL NEWS
A schedule of events at the pool during the month of July, and other information of interest to users of the pool, is attached to this newsletter.
2006 BUDGET PLANNING
Co-Owners recently received a report from the Budget Work Group (BWG), which has been convened by the Glen's treasurer, Bob Patrician. The BWG was established in January to help the Board do a thorough review of the Glen's finances and prepare a budget for 2006.
We thank the members of the BWG for their efforts thus far and are pleased to note that the Group supports the Board's plan to significantly increase our contributions to our replacement reserves in the coming years so that we may be better positioned to meet future needs (as was presented with the 2005 budget last fall). This has become necessary because of sewer lateral upgrades and the on-going roof replacement program, both of which were begun after years of relatively little work in these areas.
As with any committee making a wide range of recommendations, there will undoubtedly be some with which the Board will agree and others on which we will differ. All of us are interested in the future health of Fairlington Glen, and the Board will continue to work with the BWG, and other Co-Owners, to assure that health.
At this point the BWG is developing a budget to recommend to the Board for its consideration at its August meeting. The Board plans to propose a "draft" 2006 budget to Co-Owners in August. We will invite the community to an open forum to discuss that proposal in early September. After that meeting, we will finalize the budget to be distributed later that month. This schedule will insure that there is time for all Co-owners to reflect on the Glen's needs and its priorities and make a reasoned judgment of the budget proposal in that light, at the annual meeting in November.
CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY
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 Dave Reiten at 703-228-4247 or by e-mail at dreite@arlingtonva.us
INSURANCE
The insurance deductible on the Glen’s Master Policy is currently $5,000 per occurrence and is the responsibility of the co-owner. All co-owners should so advise their insurance agents and ensure that you carry coverage for the difference between the deductible on your homeowner's policy (e.g., $250) and the Glen's $5,000 deductible. Otherwise, you may find yourself paying for damages up to $5,000 for floods, leaks, sewer backups, fires or other losses. The coverage under an HO-6 policy to cover repair or replacement cost of damage within a unit owner’s unit below the Glen’s Master Policy deductible is not something unique or difficult to obtain; however, since the levels of coverage provided vary widely, co-owners should confirm with their personal insurance agent and/or company that their HO-6 policy provides this coverage.
In addition, renovations to a unit are not covered under the Master Policy. These would only be covered under the homeowners' betterments and improvements clause to their individual homeowner policies. This applies to all types of unit renovations including kitchen and bathroom upgrades, basement and attic conversions, and any renovations made by a previous owner. All owners should check with their agents on a regular basis to ensure that improvements and betterments are adequately covered by their homeowner policies.
MAINTENANCE OFFICE EMAIL
Please remember that we now have email capability in the Maintenance Office. Residents are requested to use email for routine maintenance requests to ensure the maintenance staff has a clear understanding of the problem and the address and phone number of the affected resident. The email address is ricksolfg@aol.com. The phone (703-820-9567) is still available for emergencies or those without an email capability.
MAINTENANCE OFFICE PHONE CALLS
If you need to contact Ricky, the Landscape Subcommittee or the Pool Committee by calling 703-820-9567, please remember that your phone number and address are essential and must be understood. Please speak slowly when providing this information and consider repeating it to ensure it will be understood by those accessing your messages.
RICKY’S CORNER
• If you request repairs or other activities that require access to your patio areas, please remember to leave your gate unlocked. If the gate is locked, the crew will not enter your patio area to take care of your problem.
• Preventative maintenance has been completed on all sewer laterals.
REMINDERS
SEWER LINES. While sewer backups are very infrequent due to the efforts of Ricky and his crew plus our sewer replacement efforts, they still occur. We need to support ongoing efforts by keeping items that contribute to sewer blockages and backups out of the sewer system so that neither you nor your neighbors have to experience a backup. Please be considerate by not putting sanitary napkins, dental floss, baby wipes, paper towels, condoms, tampons, or diapers down the commode ... our sewers are designed solely for human waste. In addition, please inform your guests, house sitters, babysitters, etc. that our sewer lines are fragile and must be treated accordingly.
KITCHEN SINK BACKUPS. If you experience a backup of your kitchen sink, do not assume that the Glen is responsible ... most sink backups are the result of clogged pipes within the unit. The best way to determine where the fault lies is to flush the basement toilet. If it flushes properly, the backup is not a sewer problem and the co-owner is responsible for all efforts required to clear the backup. You should coordinate with your neighbors regarding both the repairs and what should and should not be placed in the sink drain since you probably share a common pipe.
REPAIRS. The maintenance staff places cones and tape in areas that present a danger to personnel. Please do not remove the cones and tape ... this could result in injuries and legal claims against the Glen.
CLOTHES DRYER DUCTWORK. The ductwork within the wall behind your clothes dryer accumulates lint. If its not cleaned it can catch fire from an errant spark, overheated machine, or even a lightning strike. Clean your dryer ductwork at least every other year. Many chimney sweeps provide this service.
PARKING. Parking in all courts is restricted to lined spaces. Parking is not allowed in court entrances, in fire lanes, or on lawns and sidewalks. Particular care should be taken if you are moving in or out of a unit ... make sure that you do not drive a trailer or other vehicle up on the grass. If you see this happening, please remind the resident and movers that it is not permitted. In addition, there have been instances where contractors and delivery personnel park in the courtyards while conducting their business. Please inform these personnel that the parking spaces are reserved and they need to park in the street.
ALLEYS. The alleys between courts are there for maintenance and emergency access. While residents can use the alleys for moving items from vehicles to units, parking for any length of time is prohibited and the vehicles are subject to being towed without notice.
STREET PARKING. Parking is a bit tight in the Glen, so please be considerate of the other residents and try to maximize street parking. When you park on the street, park as close as you can to the cars in front or in back of you. While you need to allow for a bit of maneuvering room, there is no need to leave a 10-foot gap between you and the other parked cars.
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.
MEETINGS
All Glen meetings are held in the Fairlington Community Center at 3308 South Stafford Street. All residents are welcome.
• Board of Directors, 7:30pm, 1st Tuesday of the month
• Building and Grounds Committee, 7:30pm, 3rd Tuesday of the month (no meetings in August, November, and December)
• Landscape Subcommittee, 7:00pm, 2nd Tuesday of the month (no meetings in July, November, and December)
ON THE INTERNET
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.
The Fairlington Glen Newsletter is a communication channel by which the Board of Directors disseminates information to Glen residents and co-owners. Please provide any comments or recommendations to the Board Secretary, John Fuller, at fairlingtonglen@aol.com, or to any other Board member, prior to the monthly Board of Directors meeting.