HICKORY HILLS NEWSLETTER
Volume 2
~~~ April 2006
From the President's
Comer
“Forecast
of Spring” by Rev. Milly
Collins makes me think that Spring is just around the comer. “I saw you little
goldfinch sitting in a tree. The snow was falling softly as you chirped
persistently. Neither showering of snowflakes~ nor grey of sky above deterred
the sharing of your song, or pouring forth of love. The beaded icing on the
limbs, outpressing winter's cling did not deceive the
heart of you, which throbbed with joy of spring! I thank you little goldfinch
for the message you impart: Spring is first recorded in the chambers of your
heart.”
Here
is what has and/or is happening at HHPOIA.
The Lake:
Here
is where we are on the Lake. Both CLPOIA and HHPOIA jointly have
submitted a proposed draft Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to TCEQ to see if this
is what they want. This was done on February
1, 2006
and we are still awaiting their reply. HHPOIA has extended the fence as
requested by the lake on our side. Very little work otherwise has been done, as
the call for volunteers has gone unnoticed. Therefore both CLPOIA and HHPOIA
management will get together and we will hire the requested items out as the April
14, 2006
deadline is fast approaching. Gordon Larson is working on getting the new
grates installed soon. There are about 28 items still to do on the list. We are
looking into bids for Lake Maintenance from at least six (6)
companies capable of doing the work~ registered etc. Please NOTE~ the
vegetation of the lake WILL NOT go away in a year~
it will take time to do the job right for the quality of the lake and the fish.
What we are looking at for this year is· around $30,000 for the inside erosion
repairs. Just to let you know, both HHPOIA and CLPOIA have approved the
expenditure for Triploid Grass Carp Fish permit. This permit was about $1,200
for each side.
Maintenance Fees:
Letter
of our intended action for those Past Due on Maintenance Fees have been sent to
these property owners. If you are one and would like to AVOID the minimum 45%
attorney fees, you need to put in writing your intend to satisfy the past due.
Thank You:
From
Layne and Arnold DeSandre, we wish to send a special Thank You to the residents
of HH for your prayers~ cards~ phone calls, visits, flowers, food and Get Well
Wishes during Arnold's surgery, hospital stay and recuperation at home.
That's
the happenings of the Board, till next time, Godspeed.
Your Association has Sold the Lot For Sale:
Just
to let you know that your Association has sold Lot 4 on Rosebud Lane for $2,000. These funds
will just about finish the street signs and stop sign project.
Candidates and Election:
It
is time to think about running for the Board and serving on the Election
Committee. The terms of Gary Averitt and Arnold DeSandre are expiring and you
will have the opportunity to elect two (2) directors to fill these chairs. We
want to encourage you to be a candidate for the Board of Directors.
Maintenance:
We
finally got the gate repaired and closed!!! A new box to operate the gate had
to be replaced. We were told it would be cheaper to buy a new box instead of
repairing. The gearbox was beyond repair.
Some
of the big holes in the road have been repaired. As the weather warms up we
will be able to get more filled. I know that some of them are large. Maybe some
will be filled before you get the newsletter, if the weather co-operates.
An
extension to the dock at the Boat Ramp is being enlarged to aid the boaters
getting in and out of the water. Freddie
Scaggs.
Scrap Iron and Metal:
Your
Association has made arrangements with a party that will pick up all scrap iron
and metal. All you as a property owner has to do is
bring the item(s) down to a selected area near where the quarterly roll off
dumpster will be. If you don't have a means to haul the item(s) to this area,
please call the office and we will make the arrangements to pick up the metal.
This is a good time to get rid of all metal ere in the bar ditches.
The Roll Off Dumpster should be here either Thursday March 30th or
Friday the 31st.
Architectural Control
Committee (ACC):
I
would like to thank the people who continue to keep their yards clean. However
there are those who haven't and we need to encourage them to live up to the
Deed Restrictions. Don't forget, we have the bum pile for those items that are
BURNABLE only by the back Bathhouse. Layne DeSandre, Chairman
Ladies Club:
Welcome
to the New Year from the Ladies' Club of Hickory Hills. We would like to invite
the ladies of our community to come and join our fun times together. We have
many scheduled activities just waiting for your attendance!
Let's
take a moment to thank Layne DeSandre, Nora Freemantle,
Betty Miller, Linda Chambers, and Julie Van Der Meer for faithful service in guiding the Ladies' Club for
the past two years. Your efforts moved us to new levels of harmony and
achievement for the community.
The
Ladies' Club White Elephant sale in January of this year was an entertaining
success for all. Thank you, Clodine Voyles, for serving as auctioneer. You are a natural!
Our
first semi-annual Ladies' Club Garage Sale is on the calendar for May
6, 2006.
Ladies' Club member or not, if you would like to rent a pavilion table or space
for this event call Betty Miller at 903469-3759 for details.
Other
scheduled, activities for this year already include groups of ladies going to
the Trail of Bluebonnets, the Rusk/Palestine Train, the Polka Festival, and
many others. It will be a lot of fun for everyone attending.
We
are also working on another Easter Celebration for the children who are friends
or family of those in our community, for April
15, 2006.
So
come join in the fun at the Ladies' Club of Hickory Hills. Monthly dues are a
mere dollar, or nine dollars for the year. Door prize
dues are a quarter per meeting. A potluck lunch is included and we meet at 12:00 noon the second Wednesday of
each month except June, July and August. We will be looking for you and save
you a chair!
Help:
Your
Association has been working with the East Texas Council of Governments on 911
maps for Van Zandt and more specific Hickory Hills. We have found errors in the
mapping for a number of our full time residences that are not listed on the
map. Without this 911 would not know where to go by the phone number, as it
would NOT be listed for Hickory Hills. This is another reason why we asked a
number of times who lives where in our Community regarding renter's names etc.
We do sent a Newsletter to the renters on file so that they know what is going
on in the community. Thanks.
HH Web Site:
Ed
Deane, one of our property owners who is an expert in
Web Page Design and its application has got our web, page up and running. Go to
www.Hickory-hills.com and see a GREAT web page about HHPOIA. To get into the
'property owners' part, the password presently is "arnie"
which you will be asked for at two (2) different times. We believe it is a
GREAT tool, listing the minutes, financials, and deed restrictions. Also we
have the ability to list different items for sale, like lots and homes, for a
donation to HHPOIA.
Tailgating Problems:
Folks,
we are still having a lot of tailgating problems. There are, a number of
property owners that tailgate, why not use your 'card' and do it right. We also
have a large number of people that DON'T own property in HH that tailgate also.
If you have friends coming to see you, it is up to you to see that they get in
correctly. Why not to tailgate? -- Improper use could and has impaired the Gate
electronics to the point that we just had to spent $3,000 for new motor and
related items. HHPOIA does not want to be responsible for Police, Fire or EMS not being able to get
into Hickory Hills for some emergency.
We
will be working on the security cameras to get a better picture of the vehicles
coming in so that we can turn them over to the VZ County for prosecution. More
on this later, as you will be surprised. Lets all do our part. We are looking
into a possible contract with Van Zandt County and the Sheriff's Department to
extend state traffic laws to roads in private subdivision such as HH for
enforcement, speeding and tailgating. Tickets will be issued if this gets
approved. Thanks.
Policy and Procedures:
Your
Board with the help of a committee is in the process of reviewing and updating
the policy and Procedures: for Hickory Hills. These procedures have been sent
to our attorney for his review. Once that review is done, they will be sent to
all the Property Owners to be voted on. Remember, this is your Community and we
ask all to participate.
Vandalism:
Your
Community has had a rash of vandalism the last six (6) weeks or so. One home on
Dogwood has been broken into three times in a very short period of time. If you
see anything at all, report it to the Sheriff's Department. Your Board had
authorized a $200.00 REWARD FOR THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF ANY OF THESE
PERSONS.
Community Yard Sale
On
Saturday June 10, 2006 HHPOIA will have our
annual ALL COMMUNITY garage yard sale. If you would like to sell items from
your front yard, please notify the office so that your location can be placed
on a map to be passed out when folks come into the property. The Gate will be
open until 4:00 PM.
Burning Trash and/or
Leaves:
Please
be careful when burning leaves and/or wood etc as we nearly lost two (2) homes
in the last two weeks. It doesn't take long for a fire to go out of control
with a little wind. Please stay with the fire until it is out or that you put
it out yourself. One of these fires, the person apparently left the fire and
did some damage. The other fire nearly took the woods by the lake and a home.
We
would like to thank those people who manned Garden Hoses before the Edom Fire
Department arrived and who helped them in putting out the fire. Thanks for YOUR
SUPPORT.
Come
to the Board meeting, the 3rd Saturday of each month. We do listen to the
Community, so come get involved.
~~~~
ELECTION DATE SET &
CANDIDATE SEARCH BEGINS !!!
Election
of HHPOIA Directors will be on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at 10:00
AM
during the Annual Property Owners Meeting to be held at the Hickory Hills
Pavilion. Your vote and participation are critical to the success of our
community. Arnold DeSandre, President and Gary Averitt, Vice President, terms
are expiring and you will have an opportunity to elect two directors to fill
these chairs. We want to encourage you to be a candidate for the Board of
Directors. An application is printed below this letter. If you want to be on
the ballot in May, fill out the application and return it to the office by April
10, 2006.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THE FOLLOWING RULES FOR THE ELECTION PROCESS OF 2006:
1.
All candidates wishing to be on the ballot must file an application by April
10, 2006
with the HHPOIA office or Nominating Committee member.
2.
No nominations will be accepted after April
10, 2006
until nominations are called for from the floor on May
20, 2006.
3.
A printed, numbered ballot will be mailed to you on or around April
18, 2006.
4.
Per the By-Laws of the Association, maintenance dues must be current (including
any Finance Charges or other charges/costs) through the second quarter of 2006
by May 10, 2006 (10 days prior to the
Annual Election).
IMPORTANT DATES TO
REMEMBER:
April
10, 2006 Last day to apply to get your name
on the ballot.
April 18, 2006 Notice of Annual
Meeting and ballots mailed
April 29, 2006 ‘Meet The Candidate Day’ At 10:00 AM at the Pavilion
May 10, 2006 Maintenance dues
must be paid in full by 5:00 PM to vote
May 20, 2006 Annual Meeting and
Election Day
ELECTION COMMITTEE
MEMBERS ARE:
Jane
Mucci
Barbara
Mortella
Donna
Holz
Freddie
Scaggs
CURRENT BOARD OF
DIRECTORS:
Arnold DeSandre, President
Karl
Holz, Secretary
Gary
Averitt, Vice President
Jane
Mucci, Treasurer
Freddie
Scaggs
HICKORY HILLS PROPERTY OWNERS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
BOARD MEMBER CANDIDATE FORM
If
you are interested in serving your property owners association and proving the
type of leadership that will enhance your community, please fill out the
questionnaire in 200 words or less and return to the association office or to a
nominating committee member by April 10, 2006.
(If
you need more space, please attach another sheet which includes your name.)
NOMINEE
NAME: __________________________________________________
ADDRESS:
_________________________________________________________
PHONE NUMBER: (HOME)___________ (WORK)___________
(CELL) __________
WORKHISTORY
______________________________________________________
WORK
HISTORY / AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN ACHIVE IF ELECTED?
_____________________________________________________________________
PLEASE
LIST YOUR EXPERIENCE RELATED TO EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
ORGANIZATIONAL
SKILL / PLANNING: ____________________________________
BUDGET
PREPARATION / GOAL SETTING: _________________________________
DECISION
MAKING SKILLS / TROUBLE SHOOTING: _________________________
TEAM
WORK / COMMUNICATION SKILLS: _________________________________
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