HOA & COA News

Volunteers needed for homes corporation boards of directors

Each year, the Village homes corporations seek candidates for election to their boards of directors. Interested residents are invited to submit applications for candidacy to the Nominating Committee of their local homes corporation.

Directors of homes corporations are responsible for setting assessments and managing the maintenance of all open spaces, streets, paths and lights that belong to the individual homes corporation.

Basic qualifications for board membership are time and interest, but whatever other knowledge, training, skills or experience one has will almost certainly be used in some capacity.

1. According to the documents, a candidate is not required to be a resident of Montgomery Village, except in Whetstone Homes Corporation and North Village Homes Corporation, where the candidate is required to be a resident homeowner. However, resident candidates must be in good standing with the Montgomery Village Foundation and their respective homes corporation with regard to covenants and policies and must be current in all assessment payments. In several cases, the Nominating Committee is given the authority to determine which of the nominees will be on the final slate of candidates.

2. To apply for candidacy, a prepared statement of the applicant’s qualifications and interests must be delivered to any member of the Nominating Committee or to the Montgomery Village Foundation Office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road, no later than 5 p.m. on the closing dates stated in the box.

3. A candidate may be solicited or may volunteer. A resident nominating another resident must secure his/her written consent.

4. The number of candidates is unlimited.

5. All nominees will be requested to submit a single page (typewritten, double spaced) statement, which will be reproduced in the December, January or February issue of the Village News and will be sent to all voters along with the ballots (standard form will be supplied to board nominees).

6. Also, per a new Montgomery County Law, effective January 1, 2016, if elected, candidates must participate in a Montgomery County Commission on Common Ownership Communities (CCOC)-approved board member training class, to be scheduled and completed within 90 days of the start of their term of service.

Ballots will be mailed to the electorate either in December, January or February, depending on the specific corporation’s election calendar.

In addition to electing directors, each homes corporation also elects a representative and an alternate representative to the MVF for one-year terms. Suggested names for the position will appear on the ballots.

Each board of directors consists of nine directors who serve three-year terms. The terms are staggered, creating three vacancies every year.

Note: While the word count for candidates’ statements varies among homes corporations (check with your community manager), the word count for candidates’ statements for the Montgomery Village News must not exceed 200 words per candidate. To view Village News guidelines, visit www.montgomeryvillage.com, select Press Room, select Village News, then Village News Editorial and Submissions Policy (see #4 under Homes Corporations/Condominium Associations).

Eastgate
Nominating Deadline: Friday, Dec. 17
Nominating Committee: Whole Board

East Village
Nominations Close: Friday, Jan. 7, 2022
Nominating Committee: J. Helenek, J. Shukla, T. O’Grady

Maryland Place
Nominations Close: Friday, Jan. 7, 2022
Nominating Committee: S. Lake, A. Summers, K. Thomas

North Village
Nominations Close: Monday, Nov. 2
Nominating Committee: D. Rabil, L. Rishell, T. Wills

Patton Ridge
Nominating Deadline: Tuesday, Nov. 16
Nominating Committee: M. Black, A. Ewing

South Village
Nominations Close: Wednesday, Nov. 24
Nominating Committee: Whole Board

Stedwick
Nominations Close: Friday, Jan. 7, 2022
Nominating Committee: Whole Board

Whetstone
Nominations Close: Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Nominating Committee: J. Taylor, K. Webb

View the proposed 2022 budgets for MVF-managed home corporations.

Parking, speeding and airplanes

by the East Village Board of Directors

Parking
There has been an important change to the reserved parking and towing policy for East Village residents. A resident now may have the authority to tow an unauthorized vehicle from his or her assigned parking space. The association will no longer authorize or call for the towing of vehicles from assigned reserve spaces.

Residents will be allowed to call the towing contractor to have a vehicle towed from their reserved assigned space. Residents should contact the towing contractor directly and sign any necessary documentation required to have the vehicle towed.

For restricted vehicles (i.e. trucks) or abandoned vehicles parking in common Village parking spaces, the vehicle must first be stickered and can only be towed after 72 hours have elapsed without the vehicle being moved by the owner.

Speeding
Oftentimes when one is driving on East Village Avenue, there is a motorist that is driving in excess of the 30 mph posted speed. This creates a hazard for pedestrians crossing at crosswalks, other motorists and the motorist themselves. Speeding has far ranging consequences, the driver has a reduced reaction time to potential hazards, increased stopping distance and increased risk of crash severity due to the vehicle traveling at a higher rate of speed. Maryland State Law allows speed cameras to be placed on roadways with a speed or 35 miles per hour or less and in school zones. If you would like to suggest a speed camera location, e-mail Richard Hetherington at Richard.Hetherington@montgomerycountymd.gov.

It is also important when operating a vehicle to stop at posted stop signs. It's the law and is treated as a moving violation; the driver may be charged a moving violation and one point on his or her driving record.

Airport noise
For those of you on Facebook there is a group called the "Citizens for Airpark Safety" which has been founded to address noise and safety concerns due to planes coming and going from Montgomery County Airpark. The East Village Homes Corporation strongly recommends residents joining this group to voice concerns to local officials. When the noise is too loud, inform the airpark online at https://montgomerycountyairpark.com/noise-complaint.

One particular area of concern is the "touch and go" approach. It involves a plane landing on a runway and taking off again without coming to a full stop. Usually, the pilot then circles the airport in a defined pattern (known as a circuit) and repeats the maneuver. This allows many landings to be practiced in a short time, and may be a contributing factor to the noise that comes from the airpark and disturbs residents.

East Village Echo: for residents of The Downs, The Reach, The Estates, Essex Place II, Candle Ridge, Gablefield, Glenbrooke, Meadowgate, Ashford, Holly Pointe and Wethersfield.

Dos and Don’ts of Kitchen and Bathroom Drains

Did you know your kitchen drain line is connected to your neighbors?  If you throw the wrong things down that drain, your garbage can wind up on their kitchen floor, as well as yours! The Horizon Run Board of Directors would like you to remember that you are ultimately responsible for what’s put down your drain. Below is a helpful guide as to what SHOULD NOT, be placed down your drain.

• KITCHEN DRAINS ARE NOT MEANT FOR DISPOSAL OF GREASE AND SOLID WASTE.
• BATHROOM DRAINS ARE NOT MEANT FOR DISPOSAL OF EXCESSIVE PAPER PRODUCTS, ETC.

WHAT GOES DOWN MAY COME BACK UP!!!

PLEASE HELP US KEEP THE DRAINS RUNNING CLEAR.

When in doubt, throw it out!

• Don’t grind glass, plastic, metal or even paper.
• Don’t grind anything combustible or grind cigarette butts.
• Don’t pour grease, oil or fat into your garbage disposal or drain. Grease will slowly accumulate and impede your garbage disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog drains.
• Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.
• Don’t grind extremely fibrous material like corn husks, celery stalks, and onion skins. Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains.
• Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off water.
• Don’t put potato peels down the garbage disposal. The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause blades to stick.
• Don’t put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water in a pot; they do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.
• Don’t grind large animal bones (beef, pork etc.).
• Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners. They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer that effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulates inside the garbage disposals.

As it states in your Homeowner Guild.

Inside Drains

(No grease or oil, disposable wipes, personal items, toys, etc. should be placed in drains. Failure to comply may result in a backup in your home or a liability for a backup in someone else's home, for which you will be financially responsible.) 

Trash and recycling is still the number one problem here in Maryland Place

by the Maryland Place Board of Directors

Unfortunately, trash continues to be a problem. The Maryland Place board receives complaints regularly about trash, recycling, furniture, appliances and building materials placed on community property. Placing anything on community property is illegal, and if caught you will be fined for the cleanup costs. We have come to point where we will be strictly monitoring and enforcing fines for these actions.

At no time should you place anything on community property. If you mow your grass on Saturday and put your grass clippings in a brown paper recycling bag, the bag is to remain in your backyard until Thursday morning. Do not place it on community property as soon as you are finished mowing. Instead, place it in your front yard on Wednesday night for collection.

All trash and recycling should be stored on your property at all times! Trash is to be placed in a vermin-proof container, and set out on Sunday and Wednesday nights after dark at the rear of your property for collection on Monday and Thursday morning. Recycling (plastic, glass, cardboard, paper lawn/leaf bags) is to be placed in the front of your property on Wednesday night after dark for collection on Thursday morning. Again, at no time should trash, recycling, furniture, appliances and building materials placed on community property.

The expense for cleanup of the mess on community property is out of control, and unfortunately, will be passed on to the homeowners.

Please, if you see someone placing items on community property, remind them that it is illegal do so. We all need to work together to make Maryland Place the best place to live.

Remember, it really does take a village to keep Maryland Place clean. Thank you and enjoy your summer!

Maryland Place Messages: for residents of Maryland Place.

Middle Village resident reminders

by the Middle Village Board of Directors

2021 meeting dates

The 2021 Middle Village board meetings are scheduled for 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every other month, as listed below:
Tuesday, Feb. 23
Tuesday, April 27 (Annual Meeting)
Tuesday, June 22
Tuesday, Aug. 24
Tuesday, Oct. 26 (Budget Hearing Meeting)

While the pandemic restrictions with in-person gatherings remain uncertain for 2021, notices will be sent out with information on either in-person meetings or virtual meetings with log-on information provided.

Illegal trash dumping on the property is prohibited
Middle Village no longer provides dumpster services. Every homeowner is responsible to properly dispose of their bulk trash items, free of charge, at the Montgomery County Trash and Recycle Center at the Shady Grove Transfer Station, 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood. For hours and other Transfer Station information, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/sws. Persons observed putting out bulk trash in the common areas of the property will be subject to immediate fine and further action. 

Trash/Recycling collection
Residents are reminded to properly dispose of their household trash in a marked receptacle with a closed lid to prevent spillage and trash blowing around the community. Residents putting out receptacles before or after the regular trash collection days of Tuesdays and Fridays, will be subject to fines and possible further penalties.

Please remember cardboard for recycling must be broken down and placed in your recycling bin. Recycling collection takes place on Wednesdays.

Towing
Towing enforcement is in effect 24/7 for vehicles parked in reserved spaces without a valid, properly displayed and corresponding numbered permit.

Towing enforcement is in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for vehicles parked in open (un-numbered) spaces without a valid parking permit displayed.

Middle Village Voice: for residents of Thomas Choice West and Clubside.

North Village 2022 draft budget

by the North Village Board of Directors

The North Village board has approved its draft 2022 budget for publication, in preparation for a final vote at the Thursday, Oct. 21 meeting. The accompanying table provides a brief summary, and the corresponding assessment the board proposes for 2022.

Guided by the bylaws of the North Village Homes Corporation, certain expenditure increases are capped by the Consumer Price Index change (CPI) from last year to this year. Those expenditures include everything but the special contracts for security and trash. The CPI change for the evaluation period was 4.4.% but the expense increase for those categories under the CPI ceiling have been limited to 2.7%. The overall increase, when all outlays are considered, projects to be an overall 6.49% increase over last year.

Budget Analysis
If you’re reading this article you have an interest in understanding the budget for next year. We hope you’ll find this information helpful.

Maintenance costs are the largest part of the budget, consistent with prior years. Of the $232,846 we are budgeting for 2022, the fixed price landscaping contract accounts for $113,246 of that. These funds will help ensure that the common area lawns are mowed and that the leaf collection will continue as well. This contract came in at 3.0% higher than last year. Another large component of the maintenance category is the tree removal line item, budgeted at $50,000. We continue to see the need for tree removal, despite addressing it each year; the $50,000 might even come in lower than actual when all is said and done. We ended up spending $58,038 in 2020 and expect to spend at or above budget this year, having just spent $30,000 on the last tree removal round, with more to come.

Trash and Security Expenses
We have special contracts for trash and security, authorized by homeowner-approved bylaws, that account for approximately $158,760 in our budget. Many have complained about not seeing security without realizing we had a shared contract with another community that allowed for lower costs. This year we will be trying a new security service with hours dedicated solely to our community. We hope that this increased visibility will help with a variety of needs brought to our attention.

We are budgeting $93,760 for trash removal for 2022. This number has increased to reflect additional funding for bulk trash removal as a result the continued failure of many residents to use the bulk trash pickups included in the Potomac Disposal contract. We will be staying with Potomac Disposal this year as our request for proposals elicited only one other proposal, with a price 32% higher than Potomac’s. We continue to stress that 4 bulk trash pickups per home are included in the Potomac Disposal contract. Please encourage your neighbors to contact them via their simple website form or by phone so we don’t need to utilize an extra resource for bulk trash pickups—let’s work together to minimize these extra costs.

The third category of our budget is the non-maintenance portion and includes the Montgomery Village Foundation management fee, legal, bad debt and required expenses such as audit and insurance. This category is slightly higher than 2021 with the increase primarily due to MVF’s agreement with us, but that increase is lower than the CPI increase for the year.

The planned contribution to Capital Reserves for 2022 of $150,906 is an increase over 2021, but consistent with recommendations of our 2020 reserve study. We expect to incur costs related to recommendations in that study that cover some road repairs and some concrete repairs. We are looking to replace some entry signs over time as well. Recently, the capital reserves were used to redo the asphalt and grading in Highland Hall near Hurley Park, as an example of its purpose.

We look forward to input from North Village residents on the 2022 budget. Please provide questions or comments to Community Manager April Steward at 240-243-2327, or e-mail asteward@mvf.org before our October board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21. The method and/or location are still TBD at this time.

North Village View: for residents of Essex Place, Highland Hall, McRory, Perry Place, Picton, Pleasant Ridge and Salem’s Grant.

It is budget season

by the Northgate Board of Directors

The Northgate board will begin work on the FY2022 budget this month. Several contractors have notified us that fees will be increasing. A major focus for the board is community infrastructure, such as roads and sidewalks. Once a draft budget is adopted by the board, residents will be advised of any potential assessment increase.

We would like to welcome Jen Schiller to the board. Jen is filling the vacancy left when longtime board member Bob Graham relocated. Jen is the chief programs officer for the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless and holds a Master’s Degree in cultural anthropology from George Washington University. We are very grateful that she has volunteered to help the community.

Lack of proper trash disposal continues to be an issue in some sections of Northgate. Please help keep our community clean by observing the appropriate pickup days for regular and bulk trash.

Regular trash pickups for Overlea and The Points are on Mondays and Thursdays. All other sections have pickups on Tuesdays and Fridays (McKendree I & II, Apple Ridge, Shadow Oak, Dorsey's Regard and Williams Range).

If you need a bulk trash pickup, please place your items out on the following schedule:
Thursdays: Overlea and The Points
Fridays: Apple Ridge, Dorsey’s Regard, McKendree I & II, Shadow Oak and Williams Range

All bulk pickups must be placed curbside. Residents of Overlea and McKendree I & II must bring their bulk items to the curb. No recyclable items will be taken as bulk, nor will construction material generated by a contractor. If a resident places a rug or carpet out for bulk pickup it is acceptable. If a homeowner has a carpet or rug contractor replacing rugs or carpet in the home, the contractor is responsible for the removal of the carpet or rugs.

Northgate News: for residents of Apple Ridge, Dorsey's Regard, McKendree I & II, Overlea, The Points, Shadow Oak and Williams Range.

Repair projects in Patton Ridge

by the Patton Ridge Board of Directors

Summer is now in full swing and we hope that all Patton Ridge residents have had the opportunity to enjoy the greenspaces, pools, trails and other amenities that our community has to offer. The Patton Ridge Board of Directors continues to focus on the ongoing maintenance of our community assets. The board has continued to review the condition of walking paths, parking areas and other infrastructure that are within its purview and approve repairs as needed.

With respect to ongoing projects, the retaining wall project near Doolittle Street in Fairidge has received a permit. Work will begin on the wall following a county inspection. In April, the board voted to renovate the equipment at the playground near Spur Hill Drive in Partridge Place I. The equipment has been ordered and will be installed in the coming weeks.

Please remember that residents should never place trash or recycling on community property. All trash and recycling should be stored on residents’ property. Trash should be put out no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before collection and must be in an appropriate container. Thanks for your continued help in keeping Patton Ridge a clean and vibrant community!

Patton Ridge Report: for residents of Arrowhead, Fairway Islands, Fairidge, Greentee I & II, Highfield and Partridge Place I & II.

Keeping South Village looking good

by the South Village Board of Directors

Spring cleanup and mulch application for the community have been completed in our neighborhoods and the board continues to work on improving greenspace, removing dangerous overgrown trees and improving line of site of overgrown shrubs, as well as other areas of beautification, including the completion of the first round of Covenant Compliance inspections.

How can you help? Please remember not to throw bulk trash on community property, and please don’t litter. If you have items of bulk trash, you can schedule a pickup for free by calling J&J Trash Service at 1-800-465-2350.

Recently, it has been brought to management’s attention that residents are sitting on the railings of community fences. Please refrain from doing this to avoid damage to the fences and unnecessary maintenance expenses.

Do you ever wonder how you can help in your community? The answer is easy…consider joining the South Village Board of Directors. There is currently a vacancy on the board waiting to be filled. If interested, e-mail Karen Kodjanian at kkodjanian@mvf.org for the next steps and what being on the board entails. Join us as we work to enhance our community and life in South Village!

South Village Scenes: for residents of Center Stage, Dockside, Grover's Forge, Hamptons, Millrace, Nathan's Hill and Walker's Choice.

Fall into Autumn

by the Stedwick Board of Directors

Summer is starting to wane as the days start to get shorter. Are the hottest days of summer behind us? The Cicadas have come and gone with little damage to our trees. There are signs of twig damage on some of the Oak trees where the Cicadas laid their eggs. Otherwise, our community looks attractive with summer flowers still blooming and the grass mostly green. Schools will be opening soon with an increase in pedestrian, car and bus traffic.

Visit the MV Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings and patronize our local merchants. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Christ the Servant Lutheran Church Parking Lot, 9801 Centerway Road. With the Labor Day Holiday on Monday, Sept. 6, Montgomery County’s recycling pickup will move from its usual Tuesday pickup to Wednesday, Sept. 8.

Parking update
At the July meeting, the Stedwick Board of Directors discussed the feedback from many of our residents regarding the draft parking policy that was posted online. Most of the feedback was not in favor of the proposed changes. As a result, the board is working on revising the policy so that hang tags will not be involved, but would be optional for additional reserved parking. The next step will be to review the revised draft at the upcoming Wednesday, Aug. 18 board meeting.

Recent maintenance update
Most of the streets and parking areas of Clusters I were repaved, and significant sidewalk and curb work was done on Stedwick Drive. The work has significantly improved the appearance of the Clusters I community. Thank you to our residents on those streets for their patience with that process and for dealing with the inconvenience associated with that work.

2022 budget outlook
Very preliminary estimates of the Stedwick Homes Corporation’s 2022 budget suggest a moderate increase in overall assessments. Anticipated increased trash collection fees and Maryland State Legislature-mandated reserve contributions are the primary contributors to that estimated increase. A draft of the budget is scheduled for review at the August meeting.

Next board meeting
The next meeting of the Stedwick Homes Corporation Board of Directors is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 18. The first portion of the meeting is residents time, when residents can talk to the board members, express concerns or otherwise make the board members aware of needs and items of interest. It will be a virtual meeting via Zoom. If you would like to attend that meeting, contact Karen Kodjanian at 240-243-2336 or e-mail kkodjanian@mvf.org for the meeting contact information.

If you have an issue, concern or item to report, please visit the Stedwick Homes Corporation website at www.stedwickhc.com, contact the community manager at 240-243-2326, e-mail stedwickhc@mvf.org or communicate via regular mail to the Stedwick Homes Corporation, at 10120 Apple Ridge Road.

Stedwick Signals: for residents of Club Hill, Clusters of Stedwick I, II, III, Forest Brooke, Frenchton Place, Ridges of Stedwick and The Heights

Lake Whetstone Dam Toe Drain repair continues

by the Whetstone Board of Directors

Lake Whetstone Dam Toe Drain repairs continue to be managed by the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. The corrugated metal toe drain pipes have corroded and are being repaired. Total duration of the project is 6 months. The level of water is being increased by the summer rainfall—the repair and restoration of the shoreline on the Whetstone Homes Corporation (WHC) side of the lake will be evaluated by WHC.

On July 8, a WHC meeting was conducted via Zoom in which residents could attend. The Whetstone landscape maintenance contract was discussed, including the increase in mowing schedule and coordination with the county to provide access to the lakeshore on the Whetstone side of the lake for any necessary maintenance/work.

Asphalt repaving on Whetstone Drive was recently completed, commencing at the entrance to Whetstone Drive at Montgomery Village Avenue. The path behind Breckenridge Place and the Courts was repaved. In addition, Roman Way and Brook Grove Court areas also were repaved.

Violations of the truck parking regulation were noted, and the weekly inspection indicated that a number of residents are in violation of this covenant. Violation letters are sent to those residents not in compliance.

There is a vacant position on the Whetstone Board of Directors. If interested, e-mail MVF Director of Community Management Karen Kodjanian at kkodjanian@mvf.org.

The Montgomery County Council continues to study the role of county police officers in public schools and the participation of health specialists in the public school community.

A retirement ceremony for Upcounty Regional Service Center Director Cathy Matthews was held at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown, recognizing her many years of service to upcounty residents. Senior county officers and staff participated in this excellent event including, Montgomery Village officers.

The board is always looking to communicate effectively with our residents/neighbors. If you have made a change to your email or have not yet provided an email and would like to receive notices, agenda, emergency information and other pertinent communication from the board, please e-mail your contact info to vermillion.whc@gmail.com.

Whetstone Watch: for residents of The Courts, Goshenside, Lakeside and the Ridges of Whetstone.