Fairlington Glen
NEWSLETTER June 2005
JUNE 7TH BOARD MEETING
ROOFS. The Board approved a bid from Walls Contracting for the replacement of a roof in Court 1 (3527-3529) at a cost of $64,022.
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.
INSURANCE BROKER MEETING
Our insurance broker, USI, has been invited to the July Board meeting to discuss the market, the assumptions and the general insurance coverage as they relate to the needs of the Glen. All interested residents are invited to attend this meeting.
POOL NEWS
A schedule of events at the pool during the month of June, and other information of interest to users of the pool, is attached to this newsletter.
CRIME
All Glen residents should be vigilant regarding suspicious activities in our community. The police need to be aware of such activities in order to help us maintain security throughout the Glen. If you notice any suspicious activities you should immediately call the police at 911 if it appears to be an emergency or at 703-558-2222 if its not an emergency. Both of these numbers are answered 24 hours a day. In addition, please inform the Security Subcommittee (Dean Montanye at 703-379-6801 or Hal Vorhies at 703-820-2505) and one of the Board members as soon as possible since these are community issues and both the Security Subcommittee and the Board need to ensure that all of our residents are kept informed.
If you have a general security concern that you feel should be brought to the attention of the police, please contact the Security Subcommittee. Do not contact the police directly since they desire a single point-of-contact for such concerns to ensure they don’t waste time addressing multiple requests associated with a single concern.
PARKING IN RESTRICTED AREAS
Parking is not allowed in court entrances, in fire lanes, on lawns and sidewalks, and at other areas designated by the county. The curbs in the "no-parking" areas of the Glen have been repainted with bright yellow paint. This is an important reminder not to park at the entrances to Glen courts which must be kept clear to allow for the entry of emergency vehicles. In addition, its been noted that the police are ticketing cars parked in "no-parking" areas on the streets in the Glen such as the handicapped access areas. Please avoid parking in areas that would inhibit access by emergency vehicles and other areas designated by the county as “no-parking” areas.
HOT WATER HEATERS
Hot water heaters have a life expectancy of around 7-10 years and usually fail without warning. Because water feeds into a hot water heater constantly, any failure will result in an outpouring. If your hot water heater is getting old, you may want to consider buying a new one. In addition, before leaving your home for any length of time, consider turning off the water service to your hot water heater.
WASHING MACHINE HOSES
Standard issue washing machine hoses eventually dry and become brittle, and can crack or burst. Most homeowners do not turn off the water to the washing machine when they have finished the laundry which puts constant pressure on these hoses. Since the faucets are open, if the hoses burst water will flood your home until the faucets are turned off ... a disaster at any time especially if you are not home. Consider replacing your old hoses with new, steel-reinforced hoses and always turn off the water when the laundry is done ... any plumber can install a simple lever that will allow you to turn off your hot and cold water faucets.
PLUMBING REPAIRS/WATER CUTOFF
Arlington County must cut off the main water valve whenever repairs are needed. If you have scheduled a plumbing repair that requires that the main water valve to the court be shut off, you must take the following steps:
• Contact Ricky a week in advance.
• Ricky will call the county to arrange the cutoff.
• Ricky will advise you when the county can cut off the water.
• Bring a check for $25, payable to Fairlington Glen, prior to the cutoff date. The county will charge the Glen $25 for every water cutoff, and will only bill the Glen since we hold the master account.
If you have a working-hours emergency, call Ricky to cut off the water and he will notify the county. If you have an after-hours emergency, call the county at 703-228-6555 and leave a message for Ricky informing him of the problem and the actions taken. There will still be a $25 charge for emergency cutoffs.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
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
BEDROOM EXITS
Co-owners who convert attic and basement areas should be aware that the building code requires the following:
• Basements with habitable space and each sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided, they shall have a sill height of not more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor.
• Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well.
• All emergency escape and rescue openings shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet, including the tilting or removal of the sash as the normal operation. The minimum net clear opening height shall be 24 inches and the minimum net clear opening width shall be 20 inches. Exception: Grade floor windows may have a minimum net clear opening of 5 square feet.
PHONE LISTS
The list of phone numbers and email addresses for the Board, Court Representatives, and other Glen personnel is attached. Changes to this list should be provided to Charlie Robbins at 703-998-6815 or at charles_robbins@hotmail.com
RICKY’S CORNER
• Its been noted that individuals have been climbing the pool fence and entering the pool area when its closed. Such actions are prohibited due to safety and insurance considerations, and incidents will be reported to the police.
• The crew is in the process of cleaning gutters throughout the Glen. Please let Ricky know if you note problems related to these efforts.
• The Glen continues to experience rare, but occasional, sewer backups. Please do not put anything in the toilets other than human waste.
REMINDERS
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.
VARIANCES. Changes to a unit, including both exterior appearance and interior structural modifications, require permission from the Board prior to the start of work. If you desire to make any changes to your unit, please refer to Chapter 5 of the Fairlington Glen Handbook. If there is any doubt regarding the need for a variance, please check with the applicable individuals listed in the Handbook before taking action.
B-UNIT STORAGE. Bicycles and tricycles may be stored in the common hallways and basements of B-Units if all residents in the building agree and they do not block access to exits (some limit on the number may be imposed). No other items may be stored in the hallways or basements. In addition, nothing is to be affixed to hallway walls and plantings, furniture, etc. in the hallways is prohibited.
OUTSIDE LIGHTS. Please keep your front porch and back lights on to provide additional security throughout the Glen.
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.