Periodico de Esperanza
Homeowners Newsletter
September 22, 2005

President’s Report – By Max Perry

The last days of summer are in sight and it won't be long before we welcome our winter neighbors back. Summer has been a busy time here with two great parties hosted by our Hospitality committee, completion of the bathroom remodeling and storage building projects and the palm tree trimming campaign. Now it is time to turn our attention to many important plans for fall and the new year.

At this month's Board meeting two very important committees were appointed. The 2006 budget will be developed under the very capable leadership of Sheila Bennen and Ben Sheffield. This is always a crucial process as priorities are set for the upcoming year. In addition, we are going to tackle the very thorny and long standing problem of parking. The membership survey of last spring has been compiled and Tom Cooke and his committee will try to find a solution that can be presented to the membership in the form of revised CC&R language. We would like to add a few homeowners to Tom's committee. If you are interested in serving, please give Tom a call at 399-0455 and leave a message. Both of these committees will begin work in October. All their meetings will be announced and open to the membership.

For a good long while we have been hearing from members how nice it would be to have a cover over our patio at the pool. This was brought home again at the Fourth of July party where it was 105 degrees at 6:00! So this summer we contacted the architectural firm of Merry Carnell Schlecht in Tucson to develop some concept drawings for a patio cover. These drawings, which will be posted at the pool, were just approved by the Board. There has been NO commitment made nor contract signed. In the next month we hope to have some construction cost estimates available. Drop by the pool and take a look. Don't hesitate to contact any of us with your opinion on this exciting project. (See drawings on pages 6 & 7)

Finally, I want to remind everyone of the Monday Morning Memo that goes out weekly. Eleven weeks ago we started with 24 names. That has grown to 65. It is becoming a major communications tool for the Association. If you have email and would like to receive the Memo, please drop me a note at max@esperanzaestates.com The Periodico comes out monthly, the Memo weekly. There's a lot going on. It makes sense to be on the list.

Common Areas Maintenance – By Tom Cooke, Chair

Matters have been pretty quiet in the common areas over the summer months. Routine maintenance has been ongoing and not much remarkable has occurred. A few items come to mind, as follows.

The monsoon season was about average this year. We had several nice, steady rains, and a couple of "gully washers." We have noted since rehabilitation work has been done in the Bridge Park wash and a couple of our alleyways, we are getting much less sand washing out on the roadways than has been the case in years past. This is a most positive development, and saves the considerable amount of work it took to remove the large quantities of sand which were routine previously. This is not to say the problem has been entirely eliminated, but it has been much easier to deal with. And as always, we want to thank the volunteers who work so diligently to remove the sand we do receive.

Future plans call for additional work in Bridge Park, to try and further eliminate this problem.

One of the regular problems created by the monsoon season are the weeds, and we are addressing these by spraying. Please bear with us on this, as all areas will be sprayed during the next few weeks. If you have a particular problem, or think you might have been missed, please give us a call.

We have had 2 lightening caused fires in untrimmed palm trees. In one case, the palm was in the yard of a winter resident who was not home. Had it not been for the quick action of the neighbors, the result could have been catastrophic. Because of this, the Board took action to require all owners of tall palms to have their trees trimmed as a safety precaution. This requirement will be enforced annually.

Steve Brown and another volunteer completed the last segment of the EE Walking Trail, where it passes through Whigham Wash, by raking back the gravel and outlining the Trail walkway with stones. The result looks very nice, and showcases the Trail through this area. Previously it was difficult to tell exactly where the Trail was through this Wash.

A major trim is being accomplished in the arroyo between Del Norte and Excelso, behind the homes on the south side. This area had become very much overgrown, to the point where it was difficult to even walk behind some of the houses. The plan is to try and maintain this area as a walkway in the future, to enable the residents a rear access to their homes.

If you have not yet checked out the new improvements to the pool area, be sure and do so. The newly refurbished rest rooms and the new storage areas are terrific additions to this facility.

I was away traveling during a part of the summer months, and left the supervision of the common area maintenance in the capable hands of fellow Board members Ken Miller and Steve Brown. Both did an excellent job, for which I want to thank them.

As always, if you have or observe problems in the common areas, please call me at 399-0455, and we will address them as soon as we can.

Recreational Facilities – By Bruce Liljegren, Chair

A big thanks to all the volunteers who keep the pool area clean and tidy, check the chemicals, and wipe down the tiles at the water line. It really makes it easy when we all pitch in. A lot of effort by a lot of folks every day shows with our fine facility.

At the last meeting your Board approved the installation of new railings going into the pool, and the repair of the railing into the hot tub, which has been wiggling of late.

We will begin using the automated pool cover on a regular basis in the near future. It is being serviced and made ready to use for the cool nights just ahead. If you need instructions to operate they will be posted on the bulletin board. Once we begin using the cover again it can only be opened between the hours of 6:00am and 9:00pm as it is on a time clock for our pool hours. The winter hours will remain 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

I have also been reminded that we need to turn the lights off in the shower rooms when we leave, and make sure the water is off in the sink and showers.

New & Former Owners – By Sheila Bennen

New: Dale W. & Bernice S. Brown
202 Circulo Napa
Former: Joan Zebroski

New: Carolyn Facer
735 Placita Nueva
Former: Thomas & Christiane Gee

New: Wayne T. & Roberta M. Bower
769 Regalo
Former: Julie R. Slemmons

New: Sigmund & Carmen Friedman
1143 Circulo del Sur
Former: Suzanne King
 
New: Donald A. &Joan Cawthorn
752 Circulo Napa
Former: George Alcott

New: Carl E. McDaniels
742 Calle Ensalmo
Former: Kenneth Kester

New: Henry & Denise Roessle
801 Circulo Napa
Former: Robert Love

New: Ralph Hershberger & Janice Nicol
1098 W. Circulo del Norte
Former: Henry Wasung
 
In Memoriam
Harold Kidd
654 Placita Nueva
 
Financial Information – By Sheila Bennen, Treasurer

I am not enclosing the full financial statements this issue. I will enclose them next issue when we have the full figures for 9 months. These are the figures we will use to determine next year’s budget.

We will also have the figures for the amount that was used to pay for all of the improvements at the pool.

All of the improvements have been paid for as well as all of the Capital Projects. At the present time we have $33,048.92 in our savings account and $2,495.89 in our checking account, for a total of $35,544.81, which should allow us to finish the current fiscal year in the black.

Garage Sale – By Sheila Bennen

If you have any items you wish to donate to the Esperanza Estates Volunteers for their Annual Garage Sale, please call Sheila at 399-0501 for a pick-up.

Light Posts – By Sheila Bennen

I once again urge you to replace your light bulbs with one of the long life bulbs, especially when you leave for the summer. I change the bulbs at the entrance monument, flag poles and the street lights at the pool, if you notice one is out please inform me. Sheila at 399-0501.

Bill Milne has found a source for the orange panels in the lights. If you have a broken or clear one you want to replace please call Bill Milne 648-0014 or Sheila Bennen 399-0501, the cost will be $5 per panel. These panels are no longer available in glass stores.

Periodico Deliverers Needed – By Charl Petry

We need a few additional deliverers to help us do our fun job. It's an opportunity to take a leisurely stroll and say "Hi" to neighbors. If you can help us once a month as a "regular" or just once-in-a-while as a substitute we'd love to have you aboard. Please call me after October 8 at 848-2541.

GVCCC Directory...Early Deadline – By Charl Petry

This year the deadline for new entries and changes to listings in the GVCCC Directory is October 20. If you are not already listed in the directory, and would like to be included, or if you would like to change or correct your listing, please give me a call at 648-2541 between October 9 and 20.

Hospitality – By LaVonne Corral, Co-Chair

Welcome back to those of you who leave us during summer months and a warm hello to all of our new residents.

Catching up on our past two socials:

* A really "HOT" time was enjoyed by 116 Esperanzites on July 4th – excluding yours truly who was back in Iowa making the acquaintance of a new granddaughter. Kudos to the rest of the Hospitality Committee who hosted such a well-attended and fun evening. Special thanks to Fred Blum and Joe McMahon, volunteers who did all the grilling and Charlene Walker who entertained you with patriotic music. Just to let you know we had a pistachio seed spitting contest. Whatever happened to watermelons with seeds? $143 was added to our funds from a raffle of donated restaurant gift certificates and gift items. Funds after the Fourth were close to $600.

* Finger food and beverages were the choice of fare for our Labor Day Retirement Party. Ninety of us feasted on the wide assortment of snacks. Isn’t it amazing that we get such a variety when we do pot luck and all so delicious!

The number of residents attending socials is growing by leaps and bounds and we all are getting to know neighbors, both old and new.

Buckaroos, get your cowboy boots out of "moth balls," saddle up your horse, or you can mosey on over to the corral (pool ramada) for a really "BIG WESTERN" night on October 29th. Roast suckling pig will be served by Whole Hog Catering and advance payment and reservations are required. Your invitation is in this Periodico with all the details.
 
Hospitality Mission

To extend the hand of friendship in our Esperanza Estates Community that offers an opportunity for all to gather in a congenial atmosphere with the intention of providing Fun, Food, and Fellowship