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Hickory Hills Property Owners
Improvement Association
Newsletter October 2004
From the President's Corner
Before long summer will be over and fall will be upon us, and yes the leaves too. I'm
glad the sky is painted blue, and the earth is painted green, with such a lot of nice
fresh air all sandwiched in between. I hate to say this but the Holiday Season will be
upon us before long. Are we ready for it? Bring it on.
Association BurnPile:
After much discussion and many meetings on this subject, it was decided by the Board to
move the BurnPile to the left of the back Bathhouse. PLEASE, this pile is for burnable
items ONLY. NO METAL, CAR BATTERIES, TIRES, TVs and the like. If those type items appear,
we will do away with the Burnpile. Thanks for your help in this matter. By the way, the
old location will soon become a Pumping Station for the water company. They are in process
of installing a chain link fence around the property, and do one more burn as they clean
up the area before they start drilling at that location.
Tecon (Monarch) Water Company:
We have a Mediated Settlement Agreement with the water utility that states the following:
Our rate will drop to $30.45/base rate, $3.55/1000 gallons of water. This is effective
October 1, 2004. A fourth quarter credit of $50.00 will be given to the subdivisions listed in the suit. Effective October 1, 2005 our rate
will be $31.45 base and $3.80/1000 gallons. No rate increase will be effective before
October 1, 2006. While this is not what the group wanted, we were sold out by TECQ that
the rates Tecon could charge was $34.95 base and $3.80/1000 gallons. This was NOT the
information that was given to us as a group. I am sure this is not the last of
Tecon/Monarch. Maybe we should all save the fifty and put it in a savings account for the
future battle?
Tax Protest Hearing:
Your Board protested the tax increase with both Henderson and Van Zandt Appraisal
Districts on the property at the back Bathhouse and playground area. We were successful in
not only dropping the increase which would have tripled our tax, and dropping the
appraised value below what it was in the past. This in itself is a savings for us all.
The Lake:
Your Board has attended a number of meetings with Callender Lake HOIA and both Lake
Committees to discuss what to do with our Lake. We all know if the lake goes away, our
property values goes with it. What has been agreed upon as presented is this: 1) secure
drawings from Freese & Nichols Engineering to correct the flume which is part of
Phase III plan developed a couple years ago. If we do this by the book, it will cost us
(together) some $15,000-$22,000. We are presently looking at some alternatives to the
engineer's proposal. What we don't know is, will TECQ work with us with the alternatives
or not. Time will tell pretty quickly the outcome. So you know what we are talking about,
the Dam and its flume need to be brought up to present code. What that means is that there
is an erosion problem where the water dumps out by FM 2339. This erosion goes back under
the Dam some six feet (or more). This needs to be filled with concrete by a contractor
that knows what they are doing working with water and dams and TECQ. 2) With all the
vegetation growth on our Lake, we are seeking a Request for Bid (RFB) to Aquatic
Management Services for a long term Management Plan for a three (3) and a five (5) year
plan so that we can determine the financial savings/advantages, if any. We are asking what
steps to be taken, the date(s) for each treatment, the annual projected costs, the billing
schedule required, the specific areas of the lake to be chemically treated, and any areas
to be excluded from treatment, if applicable. It is believed that we are looking at
approximately $40,000 to $45,000 per year. And 3) we are looking at fixing the problem at
the end of the boat ramp at the concrete pad, where there is a drop off that was
caused by an erosion. We believe that a couple loads of large bedrock, like what the State
uses along their roads and ditches, would do it. Any member of either the Board or the
Lake Committee will be most happy to discuss or answer your questions. By the way, TECQ
has sent us a questionnaire on what we are doing about the Lake. We have answered their
request and are waiting on them for their response to our reply. Lets look forward
together.
Maintenance Fees:
What I am about to say is not going to be liked by a number of Property Owners, but here
goes. After a number of meetings talking about funds needed next year on the above two
major items with the Lake and increases we are seeing from many vendors, your Board has no
choice but to raise the Maintenance Fees by 10% on January 1, 2005 to try to at least keep
even with the Dam and the Lake work that we have to do. We have taken funds from savings
to pay bills and keep things afloat now. Yes, we are going after the past due property
owners as ANY and ALL over $200.00 past due have been turned over to our attorney for
collection. We have negotiated a savings on our insurance polices along with increased
coverage. Any questions, please talk with us.
Trees and TVEC:
Your Board has asked TVEC to come to our community to trim the trees, around their
electric lines to hopefully prevent an ice storm from bringing down the trees on the
wires. There is no charge to our community for this service. Your Board will handle any
and all complaints, not TVEC. Please call either the office or any Board member. We intend
to post the date(s) when the TVEC contractor will come into Hickory Hills to work in the
Guard Shack. This will be a benefit for all of us in the long run. Lets cooperate with
them. By the way, if you want special work done on your lot, you would have to contract
with them and not TVEC.
Maintenance Fees:
I want to again take this opportunity for the MANY Property Owners that pay their
Maintenance Fees timely. We, the Board, greatly appreciate it. Our Community is like a
small city or village, with many challenges every week to attend to.
That's the happenings of the Board, till next time, Godspeed.
NOTE: If you are a property owner that has renters, please provide them with the Deed
Restrictions and the rules of our Community. It appears that some of the non-burnables
came from some of these homes.
Your Association has a Lot For Sale:
If you know of someone who might be interested in a Lot at Hickory Hills, please let the
office know. Your Association has Lot. 22, Block 7 on East Sycamore Lane for sale at
$4,900. It is a fairly level lot with no improvements. It has an appraised valued of
$5,890 by the Van Zandt Appraisal District. If no buyers act by the first of the year, we
will give it to a Realtor to list and the value will go up accordingly.
Maintenance:
Maintenance personnel are trying to keep up with patching the roads of Hickory Hills as
best they can with the limited materials that we presently have. From what has been done,
they are in basic good repair. However, every time it rains we have new 'pot holes' that
need attention.
An earnest effort is underway to keep the grass and weeds cut as best we can with the
equipment we have. They worked a number of days trying to cut the weeds etc. along Hickory
Hills Drive. The tractor was out of service for over three (3) weeks for repairs.
The crew has worked to clean up the old burn pile location as the material there was
because of our use and or misuse.
Architectural Control Committee (ACC):
First of all ACC would like to thank everyone that co-operated in cleaning up their yards.
Just a reminder that there will be a Roll Off Dumpster here either Thursday September 30th
or Friday October 1st for our continued use to clean up our yards. Also, according to our
Deed Restrictions, one needs to have a permit (which is free) for room additions, storage
buildings, fences, carports, driveways and/or headers, septic systems, decks, porches and
homes coming either in or out. Just contact the Office and they will let ACC know and we
will see that you get a permit. Thank you.
Pets.. .Again:
The office has received many complaints on dogs and cats running loose in our Community.
Remember the Restrictions state 'Your pet must be contained in your yard or on a leash at
all times'. In talking with the Sheriff's Department, unless the animal bites someone
there is nothing they can do. If the animal comes in your yard and appears to want to
attack you, you have the right to shoot it.
Also it appears that we are having a number of problems with Raccoons in our Community.
While they are not to be considered a pet, we do have people feeding them. We have had at
least two (2) different occasions where the critters have come into the house in the early
morning hours, or coming into screened in porches. Be aware of them and don't feed
them.
Association Office:
We have hired Gerri Heck as our Office Manager. If you don't know her, come on in and
introduce yourself, as she would like to meet you.
Coming Events:
The Annual Fish Fry sponsored by Callender Lake & Hickory Hills Lake Committee is set
for Saturday October 2, 2004. Please plan on attending as we greatly appreciate your
support.
Ladies Club:
The Hickory Hills Ladies Club will be having their annual Garage Sale at the pavilion on
Saturday September 25th. Please plan on coming over to see what may be for sale. Food will
be served.
Help:
Your Association has been asked a number of times in the last quarter about renter's names
etc. regarding whether they are OK to use the pool (remember your Maintenance Fees must be
current for a Pool Pass). If you have Renters, we would appreciate receiving their Name,
Address, and Phone Number. We are developing a list to help us in the office and would
appreciate your help in this matter.
Idea:
Your Association office has received a number of requests for various types of jobs that
Property Owners want us to give them names of Vendors for. We have been asked for tree
service, lot cleaning, mowing, driveways, AC work and the like. While we try to give
names, phone numbers etc. of our property owners that do varies types of business, we
don't have a list of the people that offer many different types of services. We will
develop a list of potential Vendors within our Community if you would be so kind and give
the office either a note or phone call on what type of service you do. We will have a list
made up that we can give out when asked or when we have a new property owner. Thanks again
for your help, we appreciate it.
Fall Is Here:
It soon will be time to rake the leaves.
"Leaf after Leaf Drops Off"
Leaf after leaf drops off, flower after flower,
some in the chill, some in the warmer hour:
alive they flourish, and alive they fall,
and Earth who nourished them receives them all.
Should we, her wiser sons, be less content
to sink into her lap when life is spent?
By Walter Savage Landor, 1775-1864
Hickory Hills Shirts:
Your Association is selling Hickory Hills T-Shirts for $10.00 each. They are available in
all sizes and can be ordered at the office.
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