Buckingham Greene Maintenance Corporation

Spring, 2003 Newsletter

Feb 24, 2003

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
While the weather outside has certainly been frightful, as difficult as it may be to believe, spring is only a few weeks away. The winter has been cold and long, and the recent blizzard (and the two feet of snow that came with it) has all of us looking forward to the warmer weather on the way. It has been another productive quarter for our community, and we wanted to get everyone up to speed on the latest news within the neighborhood.

Community Meeting Held
Community members met at the Brandywine Community Town Center on February 5th to discuss several topics of interest within our development. Wayne Smith opened the meeting by talking to a variety of issues impacting New Castle County and the state in general. Kim Williams of the Delaware SPCA then spoke to address the issue/problem regarding pets within the community. She emphasized the importance of being respectful of each other?’s property, but also indicated that non-compliant pet owners can be fined for not properly disposing of animal waste. Contact the Delaware SPCA Monday-Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 998-2281 if you have any questions.

Next, the members in attendance unanimously approved the 2003 budget at $130 per household. Your prompt attention to the annual assessment is greatly appreciated. If you have not had a chance to send in your payment, please make every effort to do so as soon as possible. As we have previously communicated, the Maintenance Corporation is in need of raising funds for grass cutting, playground maintenance, insurance, snow removal, etc. Please make checks payable to ?“Buckingham Greene Maintenance Corp.?” and send to our Treasurer, Alan Herring, at 113 Scotts Way. Thanks to all for your cooperation!

The latest version of the proposed deed restriction amendments/modifications was then reviewed with the members in attendance. Additional changes/suggestions were made and have been incorporated into the proposals (which were circulated throughout the community the second week of February). Please respond directly to Paul Zoppi with any comments and/or suggestions. He can be reached via phone (529-7760) or email (pzoppi109@cs.com). Once all the feedback has been received, we most likely will have an attorney review the changes and then circulate within the community for signatures.

While we understand that this process has taken quite some time, it?’s important to keep in mind that we are making significant progress. In the not too distant future, we hope to have revised deed restrictions that we all can live with. Thank you once again for your patience and understanding.

The meeting ended with a quick recap of the Arden litigation. The Harleysville Group, who will be representing the Maintenance Corporation going forward, will continue to work towards getting the complaint dismissed. As we receive updates we will be sure to pass on the information to the members of the community.

As always, if you have questions regarding issues involving our community, please feel free to contact any member of the Board of Directors. Thank you.

Brandywine Community Newspaper
Some of our neighbors have expressed frustration with the delivery of the Brandywine Community Newspaper every weekend. Wayne Smith has said that he will talk with the publisher regarding not delivering the paper to those who do not want it. However, in the interim, please don?’t leave the paper in the street, even if you don?’t read it. And feel free to contact the publisher directly if you would like to be left off the distribution list. While we appreciate your frustration, not picking up the paper will just exacerbate the problem. Help keep our neighborhood clean! Thank you.

Snow Plow Blues
There have been a number of complaints/concerns expressed by several neighbors regarding snow plowing within the development. The Board of Directors would like to ask everyone to be patient and mindful of the fact that the contractor who plows our streets has a very difficult job. While we certainly understand and appreciate everyone?’s frustration with having their driveway blocked with mounds of snow, there simply are not many alternatives (especially when there is 2 feet of snow on the street to be plowed). As it stands, the Maintenance Corporation has a contract to plow the development with prices that range from $150 to $600 per snowfall, depending on accumulation. If we paid to have each individual driveway entrance cleared of snow, our rates would increase dramatically (not to mention the impracticality of such a request). And with regards to timing and frequency, please keep in mind that the contractor has a number of commercial/business obligations as well as other developments that must be plowed in addition to ours.

Again, we understand your frustration and are sensitive to the concerns. The Board is more than willing to entertain any offers from additional contractors if anyone in the development has a recommendation. Please contact a member of the Board of Directors if you know of anyone who might be interested in plowing our development next winter. Thank you.

Upcoming Local Events
Delaware Symphony (March 6th-8th) ?– A.I. duPont Award will be presented to composer Steve Reich. He will speak about his composition, "Different Trains." Also, Julliard pianist Elizabeth Roe will play Barber's Piano Concerto. Program also includes Elgar's Enigma Variations. Grand Opera House, 818 Market Street Mall, Wilmington.
?• Admission: $22-$52, students-rush tickets available a half hour before curtain $10
?• For information: 652-5577, (800) 374-7263 or www.desymphony.org.

Hagley's Civil War Family Day (April 26th)
Features Civil War activities in a soldiers' camp and on the home front. Tour the Fourth Delaware Volunteer Encampment, talk with soldiers, view military drill practice and learn to march with wooden muskets. Hands-on activities include writing with quill. Hagley, Del. 141, along Brandywine River near Greenville.
?• Admission: Included in general admission: $11, seniors and students $9, ages 6-14 $4, 5 and younger free.

Wilmington Flower Market (May 8th-10th)
Carnival rides, entertainment, crafts, plants, food, 5K run, art. Rockford Park, Wilmington.
?• Admission: Free. Parking, $
?• For information: 995-5699

Annual Kid Shelleen's 5K & 10K Run for MS (May 18th) - Kid Shelleen's restaurant, 14th and Scott streets, Wilmington.
?• Admission: Advance $17, day of event $22
?• For information: 655-5610

Community Services
Jimmy Jarrell of 26 Weilers Bend is offering banking services to members of the community. If you are interested in refinancing your mortgage or opening up a home equity loan, please give Jimmy a call at 463-0346. In addition, he can be reached via email at jimmy.jarrell@citizensbank.com.

Daniel Tryon at 110 Scotts Way is once again offering grass-cutting services to members of the community. As we get into the spring and summer months, please feel free to contact Daniel at 475-5034 if you are interested in hearing more about his lawn mowing service.

Community Yard Sale
There has been some interest expressed by several neighbors in holding a community yard sale. The general consensus thus far is to have the yard sale in the spring. This will give everyone ample opportunity to prepare, and hopefully the warmer weather will help to increase the turnout. If you are interested in participating, please contact Paul Zoppi at 529-7760.

Community Corner
Miriam Sigler wanted to relay an uplifting story to the entire community. Here is her ?“Letter to the Editor?”:

?“Dear Community,
This year, Hanukah came right after Thanksgiving. I hung a flag in my front yard of a Hanukah menorah. I am very fond of this flag, and it would be hard to replace were it lost. Unfortunately, in an effort to help me, my daughter did not pin it tightly enough to the flag post, and it blew away one windy day. I assumed that it was lost forever.

A few weeks later (3rd week in December) it miraculously reappeared on the flag post. I would like to thank the person or persons who found it. Although it may have seemed like a small gesture to that individual, to me it was nothing short of a miracle that something so meaningful came back to me. We really do have a caring community. Thanks again to the
anonymous angel.

Miriam Sigler, 42 Weilers Bend?”

Board of Directors looking for Vice President
Our community by-laws state that the Board of Directors should be comprised of five (5) members. A President, Treasurer, Secretary and two (2) Vice Presidents. We currently only have one Vice President (Tom Tryon). If you are interested in participating on the Board, please contact one of the Directors as soon as possible.

Tip of the Month
Don?’t forget, Buckingham Greene now has its own community website. The Buckingham Greene website can be accessed at: www.neighborhoodlink.com/wilmington-de/bgca.
The website can also be accessed by going to
www.neighborhoodlink.com, and entering 19810 in the zip code field. Buckingham Greene will be one of the community websites to choose from. New Castle County has entered into an agreement with Neighborhood Link to offer this free service to civic/homeowner organizations within the area.

There is a great deal of information for members of the community to review. There is a calendar of events, contact information, previous newsletters and much more, all in an effort to help the residents of Buckingham Greene stay abreast of what?’s going on in our neighborhood and the surrounding community in general. Please take a tour and let us know if you have any feedback. Comments/suggestions can be sent to Paul Zoppi at pzoppi109@cs.com. In addition, there is an interactive area (?“Talk About It?”), which lists all the discussion postings within the community. Feel free to take advantage of this forum to post any messages/questions you may have.

Contact us with Ideas
If you have anything you would like to see published in our next quarterly newsletter, please drop off a note at 109 Scotts Way, or send an email to pzoppi109@cs.com. Your input and feedback is greatly appreciated. As always, we are looking for volunteers to help with putting the newsletter together on a quarterly basis. It doesn?’t have to take up a lot of your time, and it should be a lot of fun. Please feel free to contact any of the Board Members if you are interested in participating.