CSHOA Community News

Dear Neighbors,

Please allow us to interrupt your summer for a serious message about two important issues that are related to each other: money and the need for CSHOA volunteers.

The June newsletter contained information about the state of our Reserve Fund. In case you missed it, a copy is posted below on this site or click here. If you need another electronic copy of the Reserve Study, you can get it by sending an email to George Newman, CSHOA secretary, at newfair@verizon.net. The bottom line is that if we want a Reserve Fund adequate for our needs, we’re going to have to raise some money, probably by means of a special assessment. The Board is empowered to impose such an assessment without seeking member approval. However, we plan to encourage discussion of this issue at our annual general meeting on Sept. 6. We also plan a referendum to get a sense of the community. This will be an advisory vote, not binding. Eventually the 2008-09 Board, to be elected at the meeting, will have to decide on a course of action.

That brings us to volunteerism. Several Board members will be leaving their posts in September. We need people to run for their seats. Ideally, we’d like to have enough candidates so that the members can consider differing points of view in a competitive election. But we absolutely must have a Board of Directors. We also need committee volunteers. CSHOA has a proud tradition of community involvement, and we’re grateful to those who do volunteer. Notably, we had an excellent Independence Day celebration, thanks to those who gave their time on a warm evening to help with traffic control. But we need more volunteers. You can sign up at the general meeting, but please take the opportunity before then to contact a Board member — contact information is in every newsletter — about volunteering and especially about running for the Board. Please talk up these issues with your neighbors. We want lots of well-informed people at the meeting. If you have neighbors who aren’t yet on our email list, please encourage them to join it by sending an email to newfair@verizon.net

Many thanks for your time in reading this. Enjoy the rest of your summer.

Your CSHOA Board

Letter from Jim Mulder, President, Chesapeake Station Homeowners Association:

Aren’t we blessed to be living so close to this wonderful, relaxing, scenic Bay? With such a great community it’s too easy to take it all for granted, but it takes a lot of folks to keep it that way. Each of us has a responsibility to be a good neighbor as well as a good steward of the environment. Please do your part and volunteer for our community efforts for the Chesapeake Beach Fireworks Celebration on Thursday, July 3rd. Volunteer opportunities are explained later in this newsletter.

This is the first year that CSHOA has set up a quarterly payment method for annual assessment, and we are well into the second quarter. Most everybody is doing their part to keep CSHOA finances in good shape, but several CSHOA neighbors are late in paying their duties, including a few who, as of mid-May, have not paid anything for 2008, and have not responded to reminder notices. If an attorney gets involved, it gets really expensive because the delinquent homeowner pays all the extra collection, recording and attorney’s fees. Please call Brenda Conway, of Summit Management at 703-360-0904 to settle your account if you are not current on your assessments.

I have several other examples of what being good neighbors is all about. First, Please put your household trash and yard waste out only the day before trash day, and put it by the curb at your home. Some folks have been putting it where the town doesn’t expect trash to be, and they will more than likely not pick it up. Make sure your trash is secure. On windy days it will blow right into the Bay. Note that the town only picks up yard waste in clear bags (not black), and tree limbs, branches and twigs must be tied in bundles. In addition, if you have something that won’t fit into your trash can (larger or odd size) you must call Town Hall (410-257-2230) for special pick up. Be a good neighbor and make the proper arrangements so it doesn’t sit there for days or even weeks.

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