Summer 2005

Magical Neighborhood Party July 30!

Games, food, fun and magic are on the menu as NHERA resurrects an old tradition with a neighborhood party and picnic on Saturday, July 30.

A bike parade will begin at 11 a.m. at the corner of Dunes and Bloomfield. All neighborhood children are invited to decorate their bikes, big wheels or strollers with crepe paper, balloons, ribbons or whatever their imaginations call up, and ride around the "circle" (Pleasant Hill, Dunecrest, upper Norcrest, and Dunes.)

Then we'll have games, food and activities from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Bloomfield Court, including a dinosaur "bounce house". A magician will put on a show and tie balloon animals, resident Heather Sturr will paint faces, and the city hopes to send a fire truck for show-and-tell.

NHERA will provide hot dogs with fixings, ice, popsicles and some drinks, plus the basics like plates, cups and flatware; the rest of the food is pitch-in; please see the chart at the end of this article.

We need volunteers! Please help run the games and races, cook the hot dogs, set up or clean up. And if you can lend a table, grill or garbage can, please do!

Please RSVP with the number of adults and children attending, and call if you can donate anything or volunteer to help:

Julie Knowlton: 780-1395

Sarah McCarthy: 780-0476

Kim Taylor: 780-9482

Stacy Sewick: 780-0256

If you live on:                   Please bring:

Norcrest or Dunecrest....... Side dish

North or South Hilltop........ Salad or pasta

Bellaire or Bloomfield ......... Appetizer or snack

Blissfield or Pleasant Hill ... Dessert

Dunes Parkway................ Main course

Also, please bring your own chair.

Annual Meeting Set for House of Chan

The 2005 NHERA annual meeting will be at House of Chan on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Buffet dinner is free to all members in good standing.

We'll start with a social "hour" at 6 p.m. From 6:30-7 p.m., Norton Shores Mayor Nancy Crandall and City Administrator Mark Meyers will take questions on city issues. Dinner starts at 7 p.m., and the annual meeting itself – including election of officers and block chairs – will begin at 7:45 p.m. With luck, we'll finish by 9 p.m.

Please RSVP by Sunday, Sept. 25 to Barb Miller at secretary@nhera.org or 780-9219.

City to Sell 3 Lots at Dunes & Norcrest

The Norton Shores City Council plans to sell all three city-owned lots at the corner of Dunes Parkway and Norcrest Drive .

The lots should be on the market by the end of July, said Dick Maher, community development director.

The NHERA Board supports the sale of these lots because maintenance and appearance will improve if the lots are bought and developed.

Mr. Maher said the city council accepted NHERA's stipulations that the association get $250 from the sale of each lot, and that development on all three lots must be governed by the protective covenants already in place for the entire neighborhood.

Among other provisions, those covenants require that any development be single-family residential homes, restrict the minimum and maximum sizes for homes, specify the time allowed from commencement of improvements to completion, and give NHERA the right to assess dues on the properties.

Mr. Maher also said that spraying for weeds on the terraces of those lots has been delayed because the city has no employees trained in handling weed killer, as required by federal regulations. The city expects to hire a contractor to spray for weeds on those terraces this month, Mr. Maher said.

Your Opinion Counts!
First Resident Survey Since 1999

Note: Because the survey is for residents only,
it is not available on the Web site.

Maybe you'd like to see sidewalks completed, or more improvements to the park. Maybe you're most concerned about speeding and other traffic problems in the neighborhood, or you'd like your association to rent trash bins again next year. Maybe you'd be willing to switch trash haulers to save $20 a year and have trucks in the neighborhood one day a week instead of three.

Here's your chance to let us know what matters most to you about your neighborhood!

You'll find the first resident survey since 1999 included with this newsletter.

Of course you can always contact your block chair or any officer with a concern or suggestion. But the survey will take only a few minutes to complete, and your NHERA Board will use your response to help determine where to spend your dues money.

Please take a moment now to fill out your survey and return it in the enclosed envelope.

Through 2nd Quarter 2005

*** Briefly *** Briefly *** Briefly ***

Park Maintenance. The NHERA board knows that the park and walkways have not been maintained as they should be so far this year. That's because the maintenance company we've used for the past several years, Workman Lawn Service & Landscaping, stopped returning our calls this spring and never showed up to do the work. We've hired a new company, Bradley's Lawn Care, starting this month, and you should see quick improvements. Thanks to Treasurer Stacy Sewick for taking care of this despite having a new baby at home!

Deck Maintenance. Thanks to Herm Zuidema for arranging for care of the deck and stairs again. They look great after being power washed and resealed, and the new bark on the walkway helps, too. Herm also arranged for the new sign on the deck at the board's request.

Basketball Goal. The association has purchased a new basketball goal to replace the backboard that was torn down this spring. Thanks to Michael Roys and his Chevy Tahoe for helping pull the old post out; to Tom and LaVeta Woods for donating water and electricity; and to Mark Aley for busting up the old concrete plug so the trash men would take it. The new goal will be up soon.

Traffic Safety. Some drivers – including some residents – are still driving too fast and dangerously through the neighborhood. The stop signs are stop signs, not "slow down a little" signs. The speed limit is 25 mph on all neighborhood streets. Towing skateboarders on your back bumper is dangerous and illegal. And we drive on the right side of the road, even when turning. Parents, please talk to your teenage drivers – and set a good example by driving cautiously and courteously. Let's learn this lesson before someone gets hurt again.

Directories. The 2005 NHERA directory will be arriving soon; please watch your Chronicle box or doorstep for yours.

Garage Sale. Twenty-one homes participated in the annual NHERA garage sale this year. Hope yours was a success!

New to the Neighborhood? You should have received a new resident packet shortly after moving in. The packet includes a welcome letter, neighborhood directory, directory information form, and copies of the bylaws and rules. If you don't have yours, please contact Barb Miller at 780-9219 or secretary@nhera.org; she'll get the packet to your block chair, who will deliver your packet in person soon.