MAY 3RD BOARD MEETING
LANDSCAPE. The Board approved a bid from Living Colour for Spring plantings at a cost of $7,781.
TREES. The Board approved a bid from Davey Tree for Spring tree work at a cost of $5,035.
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 SCHEDULE/ACTIVITIES
Mark Your Calendars!! The Glen Pool will open for the 2005 Season on Saturday, May 28th at 10am. So get your pool pass and sun screen handy for the day at the pool.
The Glen kicks off the pool season with our Opening Pool Party on Saturday, June 4th at 4pm. We will have burgers (veggie, too!) and dogs on the grill. Bring your favorite beverage and a dish to share and join the fun and festivities. Paper products are provided, but we do ask for a pool toy to contribute to the fun of the pool this year. We will celebrate the opening of the pool until 7pm! The rain date is Sunday, June 5th.
To ready our pool area, we are also having a wine and planting party. Bring your favorite beverage (wine or anything you prefer!) and a plant to beautify the pool area on Saturday, May 21st at 4pm. Let's jazz up the area and enjoy our neighbors' company in the process. Recommended plants include anything that loves sun such as vinca vines, million bell petunias (the tiny ones) or regular petunias, or bring a plant that you've "weeded" from your own garden. We'll find a place for it. The hours for the pool are 10am until 9pm every day starting June 23rd. Prior to June 23rd, the hours are:
• All Saturdays 10am - 9pm
• 5/31/05 - 6/17/05: 3pm - 8pm
• 6/20/05 - 6/21/05: 3pm - 9pm
• 6/22/05: 1pm - 9pm
New this year, you will have the opportunity to give the pool committee your email address so you can be notified about all the fun activities. You will want to take advantage of this because we are planning lots of casual get-togethers for all ages and interests. Watch for the calendar of events in the June Newsletter.
FAIRLINGTON FINS SWIM PROGRAM 2005
Fairlington FINS is a fun and instructional swim program for children ages 5-14. FINS runs for 4 weeks in July with afternoon practices and a Friday evening meet. The Glen has kindly agreed to host the FINS again this year from July 25th to July 29th. FINS will utilize two/three lanes of the pool Monday - Thursday (July 25th - July 28th) from 3:30pm to 5:20pm. On Friday, July 29th, we will have our swim meet starting at 6pm and ending around 7:30pm. Come join us for the races and fun! For more information about FINS contact Sue Shapiro at 703-671-4098 or dsha@netscape.com
ROOF REPLACEMENT PROJECT
The roof replacement project was discussed in the April Newsletter; however, some confusion arose regarding the overall scope of the project. It should be noted that the project only includes 35 full roofs. The remaining 22 full roofs are Vermont slate that has a 100 year life and will not be due for replacement for decades. In addition, since a roof replacement could be a full or half roof, the use of the term “roofs” in the April Newsletter was misleading since it didn’t differentiate between full and half roofs.
Of the 35 full roofs in the project, 19 half roofs and 4 full roofs have been installed or are in progress and 21 half roofs and 11 full roofs will be replaced in the future. Since roofs vary significantly in area, looking at the completed roof area is more indicative of the actual progress of the project. The roofs completed or in progress total approximately 66,300 square feet and the roofs that will be replaced in the future total approximately 91,900 square feet. This results in a total of approximately 42% of the roof area in the project completed or in progress.
BUDGET WORKGROUP
A Budget Workgroup was established by the Board to follow up on issues raised at the Annual Meeting and to examine the Glen's finances, as well as propose a budget for 2006. The Workgroup is chaired by Bob Patrician, the Glen's Treasurer, and includes Sandy Heaton, Jim Hewitt, Vicky Mason, Doug Miller, Dan Shapiro, Dave Sherman, Will Smith, Alison Trimble, Margaret Windus, and Bill Worsley. The Workgroup has been meeting monthly since January and has 5 subgroups, whose charges are:
• Audit. Examine the last 3 years' audit reports and submit questions to the auditor and the Board for discussion at the May 3rd Board Meeting.
• Contracts. Review all existing contracts and make recommendations for bid specifications and others matters. Its first product was new specifications for this year's painting contract.
• Operations. Review the general ledger for the past year for possible areas of savings.
• Other Community Budgets. Compare Fairlington Glen's process and budget with those of other Fairlington villages.
• Reserves. Examine the economic theory of reserves and the most recent reserve study, and produce an updated product with recommendations for the future. The report will be presented at the June 7th Board meeting.
The Board intends to hold a special all-Glen meeting later this year to assure that co-owners have an opportunity to ask questions about its proposed budget before the Annual Meeting vote. We will keep you informed as events unfold.
CHECK FOR LEAKS
Water leaks are expensive 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 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.
FAIRLINGTON AT 50
Fairlington at 50 - 60th Anniversary Edition. A history of Fairlington, along with photographs (1943-2003), authored by resident Catherine Fellows, are available at $20. Order by calling 703-379-6860 (Sandy).
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
• We appreciate residents taking care of their patios; however, remember that 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.
• It has been noted that some contractors have failed to pick up their construction debris. Please ensure that they do so ... if a special pickup has to be scheduled for this debris the cost will be assessed to the applicable co-owner.
• No major efforts are currently underway. If you have a need for repairs that are beyond co-owner responsibility, please let the crew know.
REMINDERS
FLAGS. It is great to see so many residents flying the American flag; however, please note that guidelines for display of the flag require that it not be worn out, torn, or tattered. When a flag is no longer fit for display it should be replaced and the old flag destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.
POTTED PLANTS. You can plant flowers and small shrubs in containers but there are some restrictions. These containers can not be placed in common plant beds including those in front of your units, they can not obstruct pedestrian traffic in or out of units, and they must be carefully maintained with regular attention to watering and ensuring they do not become unsightly.
TREES. Common area trees will be maintained by the Glen and its contractors, and residents are not authorized to prune them. In addition, these trees are not to be used as for recreation ... do not hang swings from them and see that your children are not climbing or defacing them. If a problem is detected, please notify the Landscape Subcommittee. Patio trees are your responsibility. Please keep them trimmed so they do not impinge on the roofs or gutters. If you want to plant a tree in your patio area, you need approval from the Landscape Subcommittee to ensure it conforms with species appropriate to small spaces, and from Ricky to ensure that sewer and water lines are not affected.
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.