Bentwood Farms - Mallard Pond Homeowners Association

May 2001

Jul 19, 2001

Notes from the President
By Jim McGrath

I truly hope that our residents take the time to read these newsletters. This is the best way for us to get information to everyone (until we get an email address for each home- see Nick Lacy?’s request). If you keep reading, Jeff Fix updates us on the pond repair, there?’s actually some good news.
Throughout the subdivision we are aware of a few dead trees and other items that need to be replaced. If you see ?“grounds?” items that need attention, please contact Sharon Lach, who has the enormous task of trying to keep the place looking first rate. She puts up with a lot of grief sometimes, and has done a great job, as have all of our trustees. Thanks to all volunteers for all of your efforts!
Don?’t forget to visit our webpage at: ?”www.neighborhoodlink.com /pickerington/bfmpassoc?”

Communications Committee
Trustee Sharon Lach formed the communications committee which has the responsibility to help improve the lines of communications between the board of trustees and the homeowners. Please thank the following people for volunteering to walk or ride the various newsletters, flyers, and phone directories to your door or mailbox; Carla Searfoss, Jim & Jennifer Hellmich, Billy Kelly, Lori Goddard and Kim Wright. Sharon?’s ongoing projects include updating the community map and phone directory. The new phone directory should be coming out shortly. If you have time to help, two more volunteers are needed for the committee.

Grounds
Sharon is also our grounds trustee and is responsible for insuring the common areas are maintained.

We have renewed our contract for lawn care with Warner?’s Lawn Service. They have been cleaning up the debris at the creek left over from the rainstorm awhile back. Yes, we are still aggressively pursuing the weed problems?…

Welcome Wagon
If you have new neighbors, contact Sharon at 861-0325 so they can receive a ?“Welcome Folder?”.

Community Garage Sale
Have you seen the back of your closet lately? Did you forget you HAD a full size basement? If you don?’t have a garage to sell, the BWF/MP community garage sale is May 4th through the 6th. Signs have been posted at all 3 entrances and ads placed in the 3 local newspapers. For higher visibility, try putting balloons on your mailbox.

Social Committee News
By Andrea Turner
The Bentwood Farms/Mallard Pond 2nd annual Easter egg hunt was another success. It may have been windy but at least it wasn?’t raining. Thank you to all of those who participated. The following committee members and other community volunteers dedicated a lot of time into planning this event and helped make it the success that it was: Sharon Lach, Denise Denunzio, Holly Amos, Donna Breitinger (all are committee members), Kara Breitinger, Kathy Ciccone, Judy Claar, Cheryl Lyman, Karen Mangan, and Craig Turner. I would also like to give a big thank you to this year?’s Easter bunny, Gary Forsyth. We also had face painting this year by ?“Clowns Around Town?”, which held a drawing for movie tickets, won by Brent Grubb. The following businesses donated the door prizes for the children: ABJ Toys, CVS, Drug Emporium, Hallmark, Minuteman Pizza, Rite Aid, and Holly Amos.

We are planning on having another neighborhood picnic this summer, but no date has been set at this time. I look forward to seeing many of you again at the other functions. If anyone is interested in helping on the committee or just on a function-to-function basis, please call me at 577-9311. Thanks again for another successful turnout.

Call to Action?…
Communicating with all of the 400-plus home-owners in our subdivision is a daunting task for only the seven Trustees. And it's a two-way problem -- homeowners often want to communicate with the Association, but don't know who to contact. To make communication in both directions faster and easier, it has been suggested that a BLOCK REPRESENTATIVE network be formed
to provide the much-needed link between the homeowners and their Association. Volunteers will be kept up-to-date with contact information for officers and committee members, dates and information for neighborhood events, and so on.

Will you help? Please volunteer now. Contact any association Trustee or Jim Miller; phone 575-2237 (home), 868-5554 (work), email ARTFRAMEit@aol.com.

Architectural Control Committee
By Craig Turner, ACC Chairman & Board Member

Spring has sprung, and so has the start of outside projects. This article is a reminder that any exterior projects such as fences, patio & porch additions, exterior painting, landscaping and other items outlined in the deed restrictions are required to be first submitted to the Architectural Control Committee for review and approval. You may contact any of the three ACC members for any questions or submissions.

The ACC requires a copy of your plot plan that shows where the work is to be located on your property, a cover letter that gives a brief description of the work, along with your name and address, copies of plans/prints if available, and any product data that is applicable for the type of material and/or color that will be used. Submissions (readable copies are acceptable) will be kept for our records.

The deed restrictions give us 30 days for review, but we understand that this may be too long in many cases. Therefore, the ACC?’s goal is to have a seven day turn around for most submitted projects, and a letter of approval or disapproval that will be delivered to the resident as soon as it is signed by the ACC members within that week. Please allow for this time in your planning process.

The ACC would like to thank you in advance for following these requirements.


Treasurer?’s Report
By Curt Anderson
Curt says we have enough cash to cover the cost of the pond repair and other ongoing expenses, but not enough to take a trip to Aruba?…
?…just kidding, at least about the Aruba part. For anyone who has not paid their 2001 dues, liens will be filed shortly. Last chance, please get paid-up. Thanks to everyone who paid promptly!


Homeowners?’ Golf Outing:
The first annual Bentwood Farms/Mallard Pond Homeowners Association golf outing will be held on Sunday July 15th at Pinehill Golf Course. At this time, tee times are available for 64 golfers on a first come, first served basis beginning at 10:30 on both the front and back tees. Additional
information about the outing to follow. If you are interested please contact Jim Reigle between 9am and 5pm at 445-4993 or at jlr@netwalk.com by June 1st. Don?’t wait, register now!

Would you like to advertise in our Newsletter? If so, contact Jim McGrath for rates, etc. at Jmcgrath@Wallickcos.comRates are reasonable?…

Community Update
By Jeff Fix, Secretary

DEED RESTRICTION REVISIONS?…

In a meeting last summer, many homeowners expressed a concern about the deed restrictions currently in place in our neighborhood. The Board was asked to review the restrictions and consider revising them. To revise the deed restrictions, 75% of all homeowners will need to agree on the new restrictions. The Board has at this point retained a lawyer who specializes in this type of work. Rick Ricketts, of Ricketts & Onda has worked with the Board of Trustees in re-writing the current deed restrictions to meet the recommendations of the Board. The Board is currently reviewing Mr. Ricketts recommendations and hopes to finalize the new document at the May or June meeting. After getting input from residents and agreement by the Board, the new document will be distributed for all lot owners to hopefully get the new deed restrictions promptly approved.

POND/CREEK PROJECT TO BEGIN SOON

Neighborhood Trustees have recently secured a contract with Luburgh Inc. of Zanesville to repair the pond wall and straighten the creek bed. The project will be completed within the next four months. Once it is completed, the creek bed will be permanently structured in a way that will reduce erosion, and allow the pond wall to remain in place for generations.

While this project has taken some time to come to fruition, the diligence of the Trustees has paid off in that the contract will be afforded within the current year budget. This means that there will be no need for loans, special assessments, or additional taxes of any sort. Unfortunately our efforts to secure some type of government funding to offset the cost of this work bore no fruit. That being said, the Board is pleased to be able to complete this project some time this summer, and within budget.

When the project begins, there will be a good deal of heavy equipment and trucks in the area. We ask that all neighbors and their children stay away from the pond area during the construction project. Signs will be posted and the Trustees will send out some type of communication during this phase to alert the neighborhood. We ask for your cooperation and patience. Safety around all of the equipment is critical; we don?’t want any injuries!

When the pond-wall reconstruction reaches its conclusion, we will also work on the path around the pond and work to clean up the bank areas of the pond. The objective is to make the pond a nice, clean recreation area for neighborhood residents and their families. We look forward to Mallard Pond being the centerpiece of our community for years to come.


JOIN US AT OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS

The Board of Trustees encourages all neighborhood residents to join us for monthly Trustee meetings. The meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 at the Violet Township Offices located at 12970 Rustic Drive. The meetings are informative and fun. (Makes you wonder, doesn?’t it!)

Architectural Control Committee Info (ACC)

Planning any exterior work or changes to your property? Please remember to get approval first by contacting one of the current members of the Architectural Control Committee:

Name: phone/ e-mail address:
Craig Turner (Chair) 577-9311
Holly Amos hamos@vcdsm.com
Jim Reigle jlr@netwalk.com

ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS-
Now?’s the time to get online and receive infor-mation and get connected with the Association. If interested, please send me your e-mail address.
Remember, in order to build a strong community, we must stay connected. Please note that we will not use these e-mail addresses for anything other than communications of information to you. Thanks for your help.
Nick C Lacy
LACY5@QN.NET


CHEVINGTON WOODS OFFERS SWIMMING POOL MEMBERSHIPS

The neighborhood owned and operated swimming pool at Chevington Woods (north and east of Bentwood Farms/Mallard Pond) has offered our homeowners membership at their pool.

The pool offers swimming lessons, a swim team, weekly events, and plenty of special events for children, teens, and adults. Family membership is $300, adult couple membership is $220, and adult single membership is $180. Memberships signed before April 30 will receive 10 free guest passes.

The pool is located in Chevington Woods, South, off Route 204, between Harmon and Milnor. From Rt. 204 turn south onto Chevington Drive, go to Chevington Court and turn west. The pool is at the end of the court.

Please call Susie Potter (Manager) at 740-927-1832 if you are interested in joining this pool.

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To all our residents- Have a save and enjoyable summertime. Please watch out for our children who may be out playing near the roads.