The Lakes & Grounds Committee does great work to keep our community in great shape, attractive and property values high!
ALL community members can help!
Projects and dates will be listed and explained here. Sign up for one or more, and "pitch in to help yourself and your NEIGHBORS!!
Check back at least weekly!!
Street Signs
The intent of this report was to briefly communicate to the BOD & home owners, the status of the existing HOA signs and the future actions that may be required to address increasing deterioration of these signs as well as reverse the increasing maintenance labor requirements.
Number of Heather Lakes Community signs
o Total ---36
o STREET signs --14, doubles STOP signs – 14, SPEED signs -- 2. Total of 30 road signs
o OTHER signs – 6, mostly around lakes and Front entrance All Road signs (STOP, STREET & STOP) are made of wood and as consequence require annual repairs due to damage and deterioration, power washing, and painting.
Maintenance History
o Last 6 years –Approx. 150 to 160 hours each year are expended by L&G committee members and approximately $100 to $150 for materials to maintain all HOA signs.
o Up to now, the re-occurring common issues dealt with each year:
Repairs -- damage and minor deterioration to signs and sign bases
Power washing
Painting –white (only) on all signs and red on stop signs
5
Two (2) new maintenance issues have surfaced that will require much higher annual labor and material costs:
1st new issue
1. In the last year, we are seeing possible "end of life" of the sign center post of at least the STREET signs.
2. 20% of street sign posts have rotted center cores to point that they will not hold the top finials. A cap was installed as a temporary fix to hold the finials on the most deteriorated posts.
3. To replace each street sign post, it estimated that it would involve approx 30 to 35 man hours and is well beyond the amount of available volunteer hours of the L&G members. As a result, the replacement of each of these center posts is estimated to cost $800 - $1000 for materials and outside labor.
2nd new issue
1. The majority of the red backgrounds of the STOP signs are faded to point that they are well below DOT visibility standards. To repaint the RED takes about 2 hours since it requires a lot of masking. Repainting last only 1 to 1 ½ years.
o As a result of these latest issues, to continue to maintain these existing wood road signs not only annually needs the 150 hours of volunteers and $150 of materials for the general maintenance but also will need a much higher maintenance expenditures of labor and materials to address the latest two issues. With the limited L&G volunteer hours available, the work involved in post replacements, additional painting as well as some of the general sign maintenance would have to be completed by outside labor.
o The L&G committee feels there is a current need to look for a better long term approach to maintaining these signs. This may mean replacement of the complete signs assemblies.
Our future goals are to:
Install lower maintenance materials --Avoid continuing to expend increased amounts of funding and labor on deteriorating sign components i.e. wood
Take the opportunity with the lower maintenance sign components to significantly reduce the annual 150 hours of maintenance thereby avoiding most outside labor costs
Continue to uphold the community standard of appearance that provides added value to the community and homeowners
FUTURE ACTIONS
BOD present position—Replacement of existing sign units with different low-maintenance sign assemblies is deemed to be a Capital expenditure and (if over $5000) requires us to seek approval from the Community.
Our future planned actions are:
o Over the next few months, publish in the community letter more specifics of our current problems and options to meet the goals relative to adequate maintenance of the HOA signs.
o Select a final long term sign improvement option and seek community approval.
o Start implementation in 2012
All Feedback from the Community is welcomed.
Contact Chuck Kelly with feedback.
L&G PROJECTS and OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP
The NEIGHBORHOOD needs your help and in the process you'll save the HOA (that's YOU!) thousands of dollars!!
April 7&8
Annual Lake Clean Up
L&G workers for 2011 spring lakes clean up
Giro Mazzone-leader
Rich Sloboda
Chuck Kelly
Gerry Welch
John Samuels
Art (Chad) Chadwick
Hugh Barrie
Dean Britt
Clint Acton
Fred Pitre
Al Ackerson