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Autumn 2004 Newsletter
J.D. Bond Steps Down After 3 Years as President
At our annual meeting Sept. 28, J.D. Bond stepped down after three years of dedicated service as NHERA president. J.D. oversaw terrific improvements to our playground equipment, a major overhaul and update of our bylaws and rules, creation of an association Web site, and more consistent maintenance of our common areas. He also helped establish consistent dates for our neighborhood garage sale and Goodwill pickup and successfully collected several hundred dollars in delinquent dues, some of which predated his election. That's quite a record. So, thanks, J.D.!
Message from Your New President
The competition to avoid succeeding J.D. as president was intense. Several people successfully evaded nomination, but I was too slow. (In my defense, my footwork was compromised because I was holding my new baby daughter at the time.) So it seems I'm your new president.
Fortunately, Vice President Joe McNarland, Treasurer Stacy Sewick and Secretary Barbara Miller (my wife) all agreed to serve another term. My thanks to all of them, and to several neighbors who offered to help; I'll be calling on you!
My first priorities will be getting the association back in good standing with the state (we discovered while updating our bylaws that we're behind on some paperwork), and continuing to improve the maintenance and appearance of our common areas.
Barbara and I are still pretty new to the neighborhood; we moved here from Chicago in 2002. We've already been active in the association, but I'll have a lot to learn as president, and I look forward to meeting more of you and learning what you want from your neighborhood association. Please send your thoughts and suggestions to me at president@nhera.org, call 780-9219 (no calls between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., please!), or mail them to me at 2343 Bloomfield.
You can also spot me many mornings and evenings in good weather walking with my wife, daughter and/or dog; stop me and say hello!
New Block Chair for Pleasant Hill;
Need One for Bellaire
Ken Taylor of 2360 is the new block chair for Pleasant Hill. You can reach him at 780-9482 or ChairPleasantHill@nhera.org. And here’s a big thanks to Ken for stepping up!
We still need a volunteer to serve as block chair for Bellaire Court.
The duties of this job are light. Each block chair is expected to attend meetings of the board of directors (that's generally four meetings a year, plus the annual meeting) to represent the block. And when new neighbors move in, the block chair delivers a packet of association info to welcome them to the neighborhood, and gives the secretary the information we need to update the directory and stock ledger.
If you live on Bellaire and are willing to serve as block chair, please tell any board member.
Trim Your Trees and Bushes
While you’re out raking leaves this fall, please take a minute to look at trees, bushes and ground cover along your sidewalk.
Do you have to duck and weave to walk past your trees and bushes? Has ground cover overgrown the sidewalk?
Please trim where necessary.
And while we’re on the topic, remember to keep your sidewalk clear of snow and ice this winter so neighborhood kids don’t have to walk in the street on their way to the school bus.
Treasurer's Report
As of Sept. 28, 2004, the NHERA had current assets totaling $8,418. That's up about $3,000 from Dec. 31, 2003, as we replenish our coffers after the significant expense of rejuvenating the playground last year. Here is Treasurer Stacy Sewick's summary of actual income and expenses from Jan. 1-Sept. 28, 2004:
Income
Association Dues $6,800.00
Directory Advertising Sales 120.00
Interest Income 97.68
Total Income $7,017.68
Expenses
Advertising $ 6.70
Depreciation Expense 760.00
Dumpster Rental 840.95
Insurance 717.00
Maintenance 1,460.10
Office Supplies 67.46
Postage and Delivery 41.20
Printing and Reproduction 424.21
Taxes 465.18
Total Expenses $4,782.80
Net Income $2,234.88
(The difference between the net income and the increase in our current cash assets is the depreciation expense.)
For 2005, we've budgeted $7,425 in income and $6,623 in expenses — including significant increases in spending for association activities and for maintenance — for a projected surplus of $802.
2004 Annual Meeting
Turnout at the annual meeting was disappointing. We already provide a free meal to all residents in good standing, but if you have ideas for increasing attendance, please contact your block chair.
Residents in attendance voted to hold annual dues steady at $50.
Questions arose again about the ownership of three empty lots at the corner of Dunes and Norcrest (one lot on the southeast corner and two on the northwest side of the curve). Resident Paul DeHorn volunteered to investigate ownership, maintenance and other issues surrounding those lots; watch your newsletters for more.
Paul is also trying to learn more about why surveyors have been spotted in the vacant land east of Dunecrest. He has learned that a developer owns that land and the outlot at the end of Blissfield, but does not yet know whether the developer has any specific plans for the area.
Lawrence and Judy Gray asked if they could purchase some of the small boulders on one of the vacant lots at the top of Dunes. We voted to let them have the rocks free if they could move them.
We also decided to post a “Private Access” sign near our beach access stairs next spring.
Briefly
Weed control: Thanks to Joe and Amy McNarland and Stacy Sewick for quick action responding to a weeds complaint from the city. The south end of the walkway between North Hilltop and Blissfield looks a lot better, as does the front of the vacant lot next to it. And our maintenance company now knows they need to tend to the walkway regularly.
Safety: Please respect speed limits and stop signs in the neighborhood. Someone who probably didn’t do that managed to take out a speed limit sign and a light pole at the south end of Dunes a few weeks back. The city has already replaced the street sign, and Consumers Energy’s local engineer has the light on his list.
Boats and RVs: The most common complaint the board receives is about boats and RVs parked on terraces. The rules and regulations approved this spring require those vehicles to be parked in driveways, so please respect your neighbors and abide by the rules.
Garage sale: Next year’s neighborhood garage sale will be May 21. Check the enclosed sheet for the dates of other association events next year, and for an updated list of officers and block chairs.
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