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Message from the President
Dear Mews Owners and Residents,
We in the Washington area—and
certainly Fairlington—are used to people moving in and out throughout the year.
With elections every two years, military and State Department postings, and a
vibrant regional economy ensuring that people come and go often; the pace of
the moves ebbs and flows—and schools change and adapt, government decisions
move office locations, and old buildings give way to new. If you left the area
in the early summer, you’d be quite surprised to see the changes in Shirlington
and in the Potomac Yards area south of the airport.
Though the residents can change
fairly regularly, Fairlington itself has changed slowly through the years. (I
recommend to newcomers the book Fairlington at Fifty that was re-published a
few years ago to see how Fairlington started out and how it became what it is
today.) Our well-constructed buildings remain solid, the landscaping has matured
slowly, and you’d be hard pressed to find as much open space and greenery in
any townhouse community in greater Washington.
MEWS CALENDAR ·
Sep
20 Mews Board of Directors - South Fairlington
Community Center @ 7:00 PM ·
Oct
1/Nov 5– Large Item Trash Pick Up ·
Oct
25 - Mews Board of Directors - South Fairlington
Community Center @ 7:00 PM ·
Nov
29- Mews Board of Directors - South Fairlington
Community Center @ 7:00 PM ·
Dec
20 - Mews Board of Directors - South Fairlington Community
Center @ 7:00 PM
Summer in the Mews also brings
change. (More moves, yes...) The Mews annual meeting in June brings in new
board members: this year we welcomed Fern Birtwistle to the board, and the
board members have switched hats (see the back page for the list of officers).
We also have a new property manager, Steve Navar, who began not too long ago,
replacing Sher Opal who worked with the Mews for so many years. As new
neighbors take up residence throughout the Mews, I would urge all of you to
reach out and say hello and welcome these folks to the community.
And the Mews is a community,
part of a larger Fairlington community, and unusual in this area. I’ve heard
many former residents say, “We do miss Fairlington!”
Volunteers make for a strong
community and the Mews is lucky to have a good crew of volunteers. Board
members volunteer considerable time to make sure the association is run
properly in the best interests of the community. Committee members volunteer
enormous effort and time on special projects and standing committees.
The beauty of the landscaping
in the Mews would not be what it is without the volunteers who engage and work
with the professional landscaping companies. Members of the finance committee
did a complete review of the Mews’ finances and reserves and recommended to the
board ways to improve the financial health of our association. The recreation
committee oversees the pool and tennis courts, making sure that our assets are
in good condition and that we provide a safe environment for residents. Court
representatives distribute notices, greet new residents, and act as eyes and
ears and principal contact for each of the courts. Volunteers also form
committees for short-term projects, such as the renovations to the stairwells
in the apartment buildings. This newsletter is written by volunteers!
And working in the community is
not only for resident owners. Join a committee that interests you—work with the
court rep—attend the monthly board meetings. Renters (well, owners, too!) are
especially encouraged to participate in Mews activities: get involved in the
community you live in! We would love to see young people become more involved
in the community, also parents of young children and long-time residents who
might have hung up their Mews volunteer hats for a while.
--David Biette
New Board
Member Fern Birtwistle
Taking Notes…
I am probably better identified
as the mother of the 6'5"
lifeguard at the Mew's
swimming pool, but I now
find a subtitle added to
my calling card, that of Mew's
secretary. Having lived here in the Mews
for the past eleven years, and twenty years ago, in an adjoining association for
another four years, I am very pleased to now be part of both the
"problem" and the "solution". Growing up on the shores of
Buzzard's Bay (early explorers misidentified the seagulls), the concept of
"community involvement" was a family reality. I received a B.S. and an M.S. in Biology from
the University of Massachusetts, and spent five years in the mud and seawater
in and about Woods Hole, working with spawning and raising hard shelled clams
("quahogs"), then grinding them up to study the chromosomal distinctions
in their various populations skirting Cape Cod.
I then moved inland to Concord, New Hampshire, while acquiring a law
degree. A subsequent marriage brought me
south to these latitudes, but now, even without the husband, I'm not moving
back. It is only when I no longer have
the ability to stage even the mildest of protests, I will be carried out of
Fairlington. My son is a junior at William and Mary, leaving me here to my own
self-employed pursuit as a researcher of intellectual property - one of those
folks who reads patents to see whether a "new" idea is patentable, or
invalidates a granted patent to spare one the penalties of infringement. After hours, I serve on the Board of Trustees
at the church I attend. I've got more
than a handful of hobbies, a decent set of wood-working tools, a few bikes, a
few boats, and a good spade ax for digging in the gardens. Now if the weather would just cool down a
bit…!
Thank you, Ron and Tom!
In a few words, it’s not possible to express our debt and gratitude to
longtime community members Tom Corbin and Ron Patterson, but nonetheless we
want to send out a very big “thank you.” Tom has stepped down from the
Landscape Committee and both he and Ron as editors of the Mews News. While
their participation on those committees will be greatly missed, we're happy to
note that Ron continues as the Webmaster for Fairlington.org.
Both Tom and Ron have been invaluable leaders, with a record of
accomplishments within the Mews and the larger Fairlington community. Among other things, they actively led efforts
to get Fairlington on Arlington County’s historic register and contributed a
monthly newsletter column with gardening tips for Mews residents. Their efforts
to beautify our surroundings have produced a visible legacy, both in the
well-chosen, well-tended plantings throughout the Mews (including the new
magnolia sapling located near the pool), and in their own splendid garden,
which we all continue to enjoy.
Word
from our Outgoing President
Dear Mews Residents,
Thank you for your support and cooperation during my tenure as the
president of the board. It was a pleasure to serve you, and I look forward to
the next year with David Biette as president. Please continue to be the eyes
and ears of the board, and let us know when we can help you.
Gretchen Martin
Click Here, Dude!
Fairlington
Web Site Resources
Many of you already
have visited and made good use of this Community web site - www.fairlington.org. Here are some helpful links:
·
Mews Handbook www.fairlington.org/mewshand.htm
·
Board Minutes/Newsletters www.fairlington.org/mewsindex.htm
·
Condominium Resources Site www.fairlington.org/condoresourcepage.htm
·
Emergency Preparedness Page
www.fairlington.org/emergencypreparedness.htm
Volunteers
At
Work
Landscape Committee
Environmental
Enhancements, our grounds maintenance contractor, continues its excellent
responsiveness in addressing our general grounds maintenance and residents’
concerns regarding overgrown shrubs.
In our May/June newsletter we
reminded residents with specific fall planting requests to submit their
requests by July 15. The committee
received several requests for landscaping modifications. Most were approved and will be included as
part of contracted fall work. However, due to a cut in our landscaping budget,
some requests may be delayed until next fiscal year. We appreciate input from residents, as it
indicates an interest in our committee’s desire to improve our community’s
landscape. For any request, please use
the landscaping modification form which may be downloaded from the Mews website
at www.fairlington.org.
In August, the
Landscaping Committee chairman walked the grounds with Mr. Fred Peratt of
Environmental Enhancement to plan for our community’s fall planting. Mr. Peratt
will develop a fall planting proposal which the committee will present to the
Mews board at its September meeting. The
current plan is to complete the fall planting in October or November. Some plantings could be delayed until spring.
Residents are asked to water
trees and shrubs that appear dry, particularly in periods of hot weather. Several hollies planted in the common bed at
the corner of 36th and S. Wakefield dried for
lack of water. If there has been no rain
in three days and plants appear dry, please give them a good soaking.
Rejuvenation
of our over grown shrubs is a work in progress. While it may not come to a
complete halt, the rejuvenation will slow down somewhat due to the cut in our
landscaping budget. The improvement of
the appearance of our grounds has not gone unnoticed, as we have received
positive comments from residents in our village as well as from other
Fairlington villages.
Mr.
Ron Rubin, of Thrive Plant Health Care Solutions, conducted an analysis of the
trees in our village. He evaluated
potential hazardous conditions posed by trees, noted those in a declining
condition, identified those infected with insects and disease, and made
recommendation to maintain the overall health of our trees.
Don
Hook of Hook’s Tree Services completed pruning to remove removed dead limbs
from trees in the common areas.
The
Landscaping Committee generally holds its meetings on the second Monday of each
month at the South Fairlington Community Center. If you are interested in attending, please
call Lori Olivas at (703) 379-4927 to confirm the date and the place.
--Lori Olivas
Recreation Committee
The terribly hot summer
ended with a big splash with the Labor Day picnic and of course, the annual DOG
SWIM! Interest in picnicking by the pool
area is increasing and another picnic table may be procured. The Recreation Committee is looking for more
people. If you would like to help out,
contact Ann Timmons (703) 820-9589 or Joanne Herman (703) 931-5867.
Finance
Committee Update
The Finance Committee met Tuesday, August
23rd. We are in the process of
identifying all the projects the Finance Committee should be working on, what
each involves, what is achievable, and its priority. The results will be presented to the Board of
Directors for approval. Once approved we will identify a lead for each
project. This is where the Mews
Community comes in. If you have
suggestions for the Finance Committee and/or you are willing to volunteer time,
please send Ben Marglin, Treasurer, an email at marglin_ben@bah.com. We will review your proposals and include
your suggestion in our list and prioritize it along with everything else. Our plan is to publish our list of projects
and ask for volunteers to help us accomplish our goals during this fiscal year.
--Ben Marglin
Tennis Update
On
a wet Wednesday evening in July, tennis-playing Mews residents held their first
official tennis night. We didn’t get
much more than a half an hour in before the rain came, but we found a group of
avid tennis players and have been coming out most Wednesdays since then. The players range in ability, and we hope to
see more residents come out and join us.
All you need is a racket and some enthusiasm for the game! Call me if you’d like to come out.
In
other news, we still haven’t gotten our backboard yet. It is on back order (as it were) with no
information yet about when it will arrive.
A number of residents have inquired about the backboard, so we expect to
see it put to good use.
If you have any tennis-related questions, or would like
to find someone to hit with, give me a call—I’ve got a list of people who play
and can help you find someone at your level.
Tennis
Tips
Does your backhand send the
ball high into the air, or well beyond the baseline and with no topspin if you
swing hard? That may be because you
aren’t switching to a backhand grip, or at least not a deep enough grip. So what’s a backhand grip? Well, let’s start by noticing the grip most
players use for their forehand.
Most players hold the racket
with an Eastern or semi-Western grip for the forehand. Look at the bottom of the “V” formed by your
hand where the thumb and index finger come together: with an Eastern grip that
“V” it is located on the grip clockwise (or to the right as you look at it) at
about 1 or 2 o’clock from the grip panel that lines up with the side of the
racket (as opposed to the face).
O.Kk.,
so what about the backhand? Move your
“V” so that it now is counterclockwise from the frame edge at about 10 or 11
o’clock—about the same amount in the counterclockwise direction as it was in
the clockwise direction for your forehand.
This grip is used for both one-handed and two-handed backhands.
If you’re not sure about where
your grip should be, ask a tennis player with some experience; they’ll be happy
to show you. In any event, a proper grip
should enable you to hit a fairly hard ball low over the net with some topspin
so that your shot doesn’t fall long.
Good luck
--Roger Taylor
Board
Minutes
Highlights
Tuesday, March 29th, 2005
Fairlington Mews Board Meeting
·
There
was a general discussion regarding delays with trash pickup. The Board asked
the Management Company to conduct a short informal survey of other trash pickup
options should problems continue or worsen.
·
Seth
Low presented the Treasurer’s Report and noted that the Association had a
$16,195 surplus. A comment was made that expenses are greater in the spring and
summer months and that it should even out by the end of the fiscal year.
·
Sher
Opal presented a first draft of the FY ’06 budget for review and discussion.
The Board agreed to hold a separate budget meeting to allow for a more thorough
review of the budget.
·
Tom
Corbin presented the Landscape Committee Report including several proposals for
Spring 2005 work. The Board approved the spring planting estimates.
·
There
was a general discussion around the need to notify residents in advance of
landscaping work when trees/bushes/plants are to be removed.
·
David
Biette presented the Recreation Committee Report including the upcoming
distribution of pool pass applications and the pool contract.
·
There
was a general discussion on the new bulletin board. It is due to be delivered
within two weeks and will be stationed on the fence of the single tennis court
near the pool.
·
Tom
Corbin presented the Newsletter Report noting the cost for the last newsletter
and the schedule for the upcoming newsletter.
·
Seth
Low presented the Finance Committee Report stating that the group was still
working and was due to have a report out to the Board in time to influence the
FY ’06 budget.
·
Sher
Opal presented the Management Report. Although the contractor will be ready to
go on 4/1/05, the Board instructed Management to hold off until we have a
better estimate of the costs.
·
The
Board approved a contract for stairway cleaning.
·
The
Board approved a contract to camera 10 sewer lines.
·
The
Board approved a contract for drainage work in Courts 9 and 13 and asked
Management to create a separate Operating Budget account code under Repair
& Maintenance for this work.
·
There
was a general discussion of a Legum & Norman replacement for Sher Opal.
·
As
a follow-up item from the February meeting, Management reported that utility
late fees that had shown up in the last month’s bills were incorrect and would
be waived.
Tuesday, April 26th, 2005
·
Gretchen
Martin introduced Steve Navar of Legum & Norman who will be replacing Sher
Opal.
·
There
was a general discussion around the plumbing work in Court 14 and the impact on
the landscaping. A point was made that the work was not complete, and that
landscaping the area to return it to its’ original condition was included.
·
Gretchen
Martin presented the President’s Report, informing everyone of the Fairlington
House Tour on 5/14/05. Gretchen also mentioned the Board had an informational
meeting with Management and the Finance Committee to discuss the FY ’06 budget.
Of note was a complimentary letter she had received regarding landscaping.
·
Seth
Low presented the Treasurer’s Report noting that the draft FY ’04 audit was not
yet complete. Low also projected a $22,400 deficit for the current FY.
·
Tom
Corbin presented the Landscape Committee Report, noting that the tree spraying
was complete; elm tree work is scheduled for June; Fred completed his plantings
before the recent rain; Court 14 landscape repairs are necessary; and repairs
were being made to the King St. hedge and fence. Corbin also inquired about
money from the last FY being carried over to the current year.
·
There
was a general discussion regarding committee management of contractors and
problems with residents completing the flower bed waiver form correctly.
·
David
Biette presented the Recreation Committee Report noting that the pool pass
applications were beginning to come in and that this year’s lifeguards would be
local residents (same as last year).
·
Roger
Taylor presented the Tennis Report noting vandalism on the tennis court lock
and the need for a better way to secure the court. Taylor also presented a
proposal for work on the single court. There was general discussion and Management
will go back to the contractor to ask some clarifying questions.
·
Tom
Corbin presented the Newsletter Committee Report noting the deadline for
submissions of 5/1/05.
·
Seth
Low presented the Finance Committee Report stating that the Committee’s work
needed to be completed before the May Board Meeting in order to influence the
budget. A planning meeting was scheduled to address the Finance Committee’s
recommendation in advance of the May meeting.
·
Sher
Opal presented the Management Report. Sewer line “camera-ing” is ongoing and
when finished, the report will be provided to the Board to inform future
decision-making regarding the sewer lines.
·
The
Board approved Shannon Watson’s variance request for her back door.
·
The
Board approved Margaret Kammeyer’s variance request for her kitchen.
·
There
was a general discussion regarding cost and quality of masonry repairs that
were started last year and would be continuing this year.
·
The
Board approved a contract for the masonry repairs with a requirement for a
weekly status report from Seal Engineering.
The summary of the
May Board minutes will be in the next newsletter.
Tuesday,
June 28th, 2005 Fairlington Mews Annual Meeting
·
The meeting was called to order and last year’s
minutes were approved.
·
Introductions were conducted of the Legum &
Norman representatives.
·
Introductions were conducted of the Mews
volunteers across the different committees and court representatives.
·
There was a general synopsis of the work that had
completed over the last year including painting, parking lot signs, and roof
replacement.
·
An election was completed for the inspectors of
the election.
·
An election was completed (without a quorum) for
the three Board Member spots.
·
There was a presentation and significant
discussion of the Mews FY06 budget. Collectively, the Finance Committee and the
Board walked through a presentation that included summary tables, several
graphs that provided historical perspective, a breakout of the budget,
comparative data of the Mews against other Fairlington communities, and the
rationale behind the proposed increase in fees.
·
General topics for discussion on the FY06 budget
included the proposed 12% increase in condo fees, status of the replacement
reserves, and repairs and maintenance expenditures.
·
There was additional discussion regarding the
Finance Committee’s work over the last year and going forward into the next
year
Timely Tips
By Steve Navar
Management
Agent
Representative
Your Association Funds at Work
Continuing Maintenance Projects
·
Masonry Repairs: Some masonry repairs are still outstanding and management is working
with the contractor to get them completed
·
Exterior Painting – Palmer Brothers has just completed Courts 12-15, which is the last
phase of this painting cycle
Community Bulletin Board
Check out the Community Bulletin Board by the Tennis
Court (by the pool) for current information pertaining to Mews residents.
Legum & Norman Preferred
Buyer’s Program
Visit
any Sears or go on-line to look for selected appliances. Once you have selected
your appliance, by getting the make, model number and store/website price, you
may contact Kathy McKenny at the Appliance Select Center located at the Fairs
Oaks Mall. Ms. Kenny works by
appointment if you wish to visit her personally or you may call her at
703-385-2300 to obtain price of the selected appliances and place your order.
You will need Fairlington Mews’s account number
01-011653-000. Do not give this account
number to anyone other than another Fairlington Mews owner.
News of Our Neighbor Associations
Fairlingtonians are lucky to have www.fairlington.org, a
community website which features the newsletters, archived minutes and
handbooks, and many other items of interests of our six neighbor
associations. The website has a “link”
for each of the seven Fairlington condominium associations as well as links to
pertinent information from Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.
It’s interesting and informative to check out the website
of Fairlington Villages, being the
largest community. You can access the
North Fairlington newsletter at www.FairlingtonVillages.com.
The “Notes from the Board” in the March/ April Meadows
association newsletter – “Meadows Messenger” - gives an informative look at
Comcast and the problem with cables, cable installation, and cable “ugliness”!
Are you aware that associations can “negotiate” with Comcast? (The Meadows newsletter is available at www.fairlington.org.)
Meet Your Neighbors!
Fairlington 30-somethings.
Meet your neighbors at an
end of summer happy hour at 7pm on Wednesday, Sept. 21st at Vermillion in Old
Town (1120 King Street, Alexandria). Then we'll meet at 7pm on October
19th at Carlyle in Shirlington. Happy hours are the third Wednesday of
every month. Everyone (singles and couples) is welcome! Other
events, such as kickball and a wine tasting, are being planned. If you're
interested in the group, but can't attend the happy hour, we can add you to our
email list! Contact Jennifer Sledge at jennsledge@aol.com or
Natalie Halpern at nataliehalpern@yahoo.com.
Fairlington Singles
This
group of 40+ singles meets once or twice a month for dinner at a local
restaurant. Other activities such as the
annual Christmas party with gift swap, games (indoor and outdoor), chili
night, and swimming pool party have been
offered. , call Carol at 703-379-6840
for questions about the group or send an e-mail to Lynn at widget_lmb@yahoo.com
to be put on the mailing list. Please
put Fairlington Singles as the subject of your e-mail.
Walkabout!
The Fairlington/Shirlington area is one of three selected
areas for the Walkabout on Saturday, October 1.
The other two areas are Donaldson Run and Ashton Heights. The Fairlington Walking Tour begins at the
Village at Shirlington at 3:00 pm. The
walk will be 1.5 to 2 miles long. Check
the WALKArlington Web site for updates: http://www.walkarlington.com/home.html
In Memoriam
Peggy Bailey, a longtime resident of
Fairlington Village and wife of Rodger Bailey, a past president of Fairlington
Village Board, died at her home on June 21, 2005, where her husband cared for
her until her death. She was very active
in the landscaping planning and was often consulted by committee
members about the appropriateness of the plantings.
Margaret (Peggy) Ann Bailey began her earthly journey in Portsmouth,
Virginia on March 31, 1924. Born to the
proud parents of Robert T. and Josephine Cleaton Hobday, Margaret was one of
four children. She was predeceased by her two brothers Robert and Joseph, her
sister Elizabeth and her children Rodger Jr.
and Linda Denise.
Margaret attended the Palmer Memorial
Institute in North Carolina. During World War
II Margaret worked for Winchester Arms as a Tool and Die Operator during the
war effort. In
1954 Margaret married Rodger Bailey in Front Royal, Virginia. To this union
four children were born; Judith, Rodger
Jr., Linda and Rodger II. This family unit enjoyed many cherished and loving
times with this strong, dynamic and witty woman. A loving wife and mother, Margaret always found time to explore her
creative side and other interests. She
loved to bowl, dance, and she enjoyed good music and was an avid traveler. Yet,
her development as an artist was key. Not limited to a
single media, though oil and watercolors reflected some of her key works of
art. One of her most memorable experiences was when she had the honor of
attending and working with the artists'
colony in the Hamptons of New York, where she received scholarly awards and recognition for her work.
Upon retirement, Margaret and Rodger returned to Virginia, the state of her birth where she continued her political and artistic interests. This time she selected horticulture as her media. Margaret planned, organized and directed the horticultural restructuring of Fairlington Mews, their condominium home. Her impeccable and expansive horticultural talents provide, to this day, beautiful flowers, shrubs and greenery gracing these historical 277 residential units in