The Village of Bailey Station Homeowners Association, Inc.

The Village Voice - February-March 2006

Jul 28, 2006

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2006


The Board of Directors of the Homeowner?’s Association has asked that the following article be published.


THE MULCH MAN COMETH . . .
(Unless You Don?’t Want Him To)

In the very near future, our landscape maintenance service will be delivering and spreading mulch in flowerbeds in the common areas and in the front flowerbeds of each residence. If any resident does not want the mulch placed in their flowerbeds, please contact Landscape Committee members Jane Van Dyck at 850-9766 or Van Smith at 853-5937. They will provide the landscape service with a list of those residents who want the mulch man to pass them by.

?“NO MAN IS AN ISLAND?”
(. . . Nor Is Any Neighborhood!)

The Village enjoys a certain ?“insulated?” geographic setting due to the woods to the north, the large pond and open space to the east and the fences and set back to the west and south. It?’s easy to forget that our little corner of the world isn?’t an ?“island?” unto itself but is connected to a larger network of area neighborhoods which share common interests and problems.

The Board of Directors has recently been contacted by the Mansfield Homeowners Association. There is interest in having the relationship between the various area Associations reinvigorated and strengthened. When possible, a ?“united front?” can be a plus on significant issues of common concern, and coordination can occur in dealing with day-to-day issues as well.

A Recently Raised Issue Common To All

One such day-to-day issue has already been raised by area Associations and each has agreed to bring it to the attention of residents. This rather unpleasant issue concerns dogs, and, in particular, a certain thing dogs do . . . in other words ?“dog do-do.?”

Many people from the Village and surrounding neighborhoods can be observed walking their dogs along Pinkston Parkway, Peyton Parkway, and other streets. Most are courteous enough to take along a plastic bag for use in cleaning up after their pet. However, after doing so, some folks apparently toss the bag (and its contents) into the next storm sewer curb inlet they come to as they continue on their hike with Fido.

But there is a problem. It involves yet another example of that ?“connectivity thing.?” The storm sewers empty into the various retention/detention ponds that are found in area neighborhoods, for example, the two we have here at the Village, or the one just across Peyton Parkway in Mansfield. The bags (along with their contents) find their way into the ponds and either end up littering the banks, or being drawn into the pump propellers which drive the fountains in the ponds. And that ?– to put it another way ?– is when the ?“you-know-what hits the fan.?” What sometimes occurs is that the bags (and their contents) clog up and disable the fountains causing them to partially or completely shut down, in some instances resulting in serious damage. The Village has itself experienced the problem numerous times as those Villagers who have helped pull inoperable fountains to the bank and clean up the mess can attest (Jane Van Dyck and Macon Wherry to name just two).

So, Villagers, we join all the other area Associations ?– which also have experienced the problem - in reminding everyone to whom it is applicable to please take the ?“dog do-do?” bag (and its contents) home for disposal. It is probably the case that most people who put the bags (and their contents) in the sewers do not even realize that what goes into the drains eventually ends up in the ponds. So, if you see someone putting a bag (and its contents) into a storm water curb drain, a friendly explanation of the consequences of doing so would be in order. In all likelihood, such an explanation would not be received with any hostility once the individual ?– who after all was courteous enough to bring a bag in the first place ?– is made aware of that ?“connectivity thing.?”

Thanks to all concerned for your assistance and courtesy.

(P.S. To clear up any confusion, the phrase, ?“No man is an island?” used for the title of the preceding article is found in the writings of the poet, John Dunne. This clarification is needed due to Villager David Stewart?’s continued insistence that the phrase is properly attributed to ?“Gilligan?” of ?“Gilligan?’s Island?” fame who, David insists, coined the phrase in Episode 17, entitled ?“The Professor Goes Coconuts For Maryann.?”)

READY FOR SOME SUNSHINE? . . .
(Don?’t Forget, We Have A Committee.)

So far, it can be said ?– with fingers crossed ?– that this winter has not been too bad. But one of the things that makes the Village such a great place is that we have year-round ?“sunshine.?” The Welcoming Committee performs two different functions. Of course, one is to welcome new residents. But the other is to express our collective thoughts and sympathies at a time of illness or the passing of a resident or an immediate family member. Betty McCallum heads up the ?“Sunshine?” Section of the Committee and does a great job. All Villagers can help Betty and the Committee spread the warmth and neighborliness of the Village by letting them know when new residents move in, or if there is a significant illness or passing of a Village resident or their immediate family member. Please contact Angie Yeiser, Committee Chair, at 853-7233; or, Linda Stewart, Committee Member, at 854-1639; or, Betty McCallum, ?“Sunshine?” Section, at 861-2376.

SOME REAL ?“CURB APPEAL?”

A second round of curb repair has been completed. Many residents have commented on the quality of the work that has been done to date and the professionalism of the contractor and his employees. They have been consistently courteous and go the extra mile in putting out traffic cones, keeping their worksite clean, and properly storing equipment at the end of each workday. For those of you who have been impressed with this work and may want to make a recommendation or have extra work done on your own, the contractor we have been using is BCS Concrete (Rich Bishop) at 833-3443.

There are certain areas of the streets where asphalt repair is obviously needed. This appears to be the next area of infrastructure repair which will be addressed.


WE PAINTED THE TOWN! . . .
(Well, Okay, Maybe It Was Just The Clubhouse)

The interior of the clubhouse was recently painted. This much needed work was overseen by Ruthie McCallum who heads up the Clubhouse Committee. Many thanks to Ruthie for doing another great job and arranging for and monitoring the performance of this work.

Also a word of thanks to Ruthie?’s husband, Tom McCallum. Tom placed a number of coat hooks in the back hallway of the clubhouse. Tom also recently improved the bridge that goes over the spillway at the north end of the east retention pond. Tom constructed wooden ramps on either side of the bridge to make it easier for those who want to take a casual stroll to get on and off the bridge.

Thanks again to Ruthie and Tom for their willingness to contribute to the betterment of the Village.

?“HELLO?” TO NEW VILLAGE RESIDENTS . . .

On behalf of all Village residents, the Village Voice would like to say ?“Welcome?” to the following new residents:

Mary Currie
1717 Windebank

Deborah Hopkins
1624 Gosnold Bluff Cove

Jongbum Vincent Kim
1635 Gosnold Bluff Cove

GET WELL SOON . . . .

We wish a complete speedy and recovery from health problems to the following Villagers:

Billie Revis
1712 Village Ridge Place

Mary Chism
1731 Village Ridge Road

IN MEMORIAM

We regret to report the passing last fall of a valued neighbor, Clyde Smith, 1707 Wainwright Court. Our sympathies were expressed to Clyde?’s wife, Bryce, who wrote a note addressed to all Villagers conveying her ?“many thanks for your gracious expressions of sympathy.?”