March 2011 | The Ledger
2010-2011 Board of Trustees and their job responsibilities are as follows:
Bob Folino | President 440-238-4251
Bill Specht | Vice-President Clubhouse 216-372-0585
Mary Ellen Hill | Architectural Review 440-864-1699
Nancy Lowrie | Architectural Review 440-238-6224
Paul Chupek | Common Ground 440-212-0114
John Herold | Pool 216-513-7684
At the Annual Meeting the new Trustees were elected and the two proposed amendment changes in the Code of Regulations regarding giving the Trustees the authority to adopt regulations pertaining to the placement and use of signage did not pass. We would like to thank Tricia Lance (outgoing President) and Mary Hastings (Common Ground) for their fine service.
A few changes have occurred to the Trustees in the last few weeks. Bradford Psenicka resigned and John Herold kindly accepted our request to replace Bradford. Taylor Strang, our new President, resigned as he took a job in Columbus and will soon be moving downstate. Bob Folino, a former President of the Board, has accepted our request that he rejoin the Board as our President. Bob comes to this position with volumes of knowledge as he was instrumental in our ongoing relationship with KeyBank as well as his involvement in the infrastructure (i.e. pool/clubhouse). We would like to thank Bradford and Taylor for their service and John and Bob for "stepping up" and accepting these key positions. The new 2011 Board of Trustees and their job responsibilities and contact information are listed above.
Financial | Bob Folino
treasurer@theledgewoodassociation.com
As those of you who lived here during my last regime, one of my priorities is the financial health of Ledgewood. Although not on the board, I have continued to work with Carleen each year end to update the 20 year financial forecast we maintain. This forecast assures everyone in Ledgewood that all of our facilities and services are maintained in first class condition. It also prevents one time assessments from sneaking up on us like the Meadowood pool renovation assessment snuck up on them last year. Through the help of Keybank, we were able to finance all of our renovations over several years. My first task on the board this year was to review where we stand on the Keybank loan. I am happy to tell everyone that we were in a position to pay off the loan early and save $1600 in interest charges. We closed it out on February 2. We are still the only homeowners association to have a $50,000 line of credit with Keybank for emergencies. Because of the maintenance of our reserve fund over the last 5 years, we should never need this line.
The next topic I addressed was the issue of parking and the overflow across the street from the pool. As just about everyone knows after the last annual meeting, this is a real hot topic and emotions ran pretty high over it. Last year’s board asked for the signs to be put up as a safety issue and to protect the lawn from damage which the members pay to repair. After discussions with Chief Goss, bottom line is that the signs are up, the police department has wanted them for years and they are standing firm on them. There is no parking on the pavement on Falling Water. For private parties and clubhouse rentals, the renter will have to live with the 50 car parking lot or park down by the tennis courts. Plan your events accordingly.
I met with the swim team board and we arrived at a workable solution for the 2 swim meets a year. Depending on the condition of the grass (wet or dry) they will park on the grass or along Moss Point. An off duty police officer will manage the parking and crossing. We will also put up temporary signs to slow traffic and mark the crosswalk. We are asking for the understanding of the residents on Moss Point for two evenings a year. This is the solution used by the other communities in the swim league; side street parking.
The swim team has agreed to manage a series of children’s and adult events for all residents, such as Rubber Ducky Day, 4th of July, Easter , Halloween, Gingerbread parties and the clambake. The Association will support the parties financially and any other ways we can.
Architectural Review | Mary Ellen Hill & Nancy Lowrei
architectural@theledgewoodassociation.com
I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas and will have a Happy and Healthy 2011. It was a pleasure to drive through Ledgewood this holiday season and see all the decorations. Unfortunately, the weather after the holidays was not conducive to removing your decorations. Please do not wait until spring to remove them. There are many new residents joining us this year so I would like to put some issues in writing for all new Ledgewood residents and as a reminder to long time residents.
REVIEW PROCESS: It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to uphold the Bylaws and Covenants of the Association. Ledgewood has a lovely, natural look that sets us apart from other developments in our area. The Board is in place to preserve that look. If you are interested in installing and/or replacing a fence, wall, deck, shed or addition you must submit plans and specifications showing the nature, kind, shape, height, materials and location of your project to the Board for approval PRIOR to construction. Chain-link and synthetic materials are discouraged. The Board will review proposals within 30 days and respond in writing with consent or rejection of plans. The City requires homeowners to present a letter of approval in order to obtain permits. Remember, the Board retains the right to have any exterior structure removed that has been installed without approval. Exact replacement of fixtures or painting the same color does not need approval. SIGNS: We would also like to mention our restriction on signs. Many contractors like to post signs advertising the improvements they made to your property. However, Ledgewood does not permit signs of any kind other than a standard realty sign. Please do not post any signs on your property unless you are selling your home. You will be asked to remove it.
LAMPPOSTS: Some residents have received letters from the City of Strongsville in regard to lampposts that are not in working order. Thank you to those residents that responded by putting in a new light bulb or repairing the lamppost. In the future if you receive a letter from the City and your lamppost is in working order within 30 days you don’t need to do anything further. Along with working lampposts being a City ordinance, we also have many walkers in our development and the lampposts are our only source of lighting. If you need minor repairs or a light bulb change you can contact our Maintenance Operations Manager, Jim Chmura, and for a fee Mr. Chmura will attempt your repair/replacement. He can be reached at (216) 410-3069). More to follow in the Spring Ledger about house, yard and sidewalk concrete maintenance. We look forward to working with you in the next year. Please feel free to contact either Mary Ellen Hill or Nancy Lowrie if you have any questions.
Clubhouse | Bill Specht
clubhouse@theledgewoodassociation.com
The Clubhouse continues to be used by our residents for a variety of purposes. However, we blocked a week of time in February to complete a spruce up of the main clubhouse room. We will be updating the wallpaper to an enamel satin finish paint for ease of cleaning and maintenance. Please stop by the Clubhouse to see the completed project
Please consider joining the others for Yoga Class, held every Saturday at 8:30am for about an hour. The cost is minimal (about $5/class) and it’s great for the mind, heart and soul. And you have the opportunity to meet your neighbors!
Refer to the Ledgewood online calendar (www.ledgewoodassociation.com) for your clubhouse needs. Both tentative and confirmed rentals are posted; tentative reservations are noted as “reserved party” but lack a reservation number. To clarify, a reservation is not considered finalized until both the deposits and signed rental application and signed agreement are complete. The calendar is kept current daily.
And lastly, we’ve had a suggestion to invite the Easter Bunny for a visit with the kids (or grand kids….).
Please contact me directly if you think this would be something fun for everyone. Thank you to Jain Baruth for her efforts on scheduling events for the clubhouse. Please contact her directly at 440-238-3099 to discuss the reservation process and clubhouse availability. Should you have any questions or suggestions on the clubhouse, please contact me at: clubhouse@theledgewoodassociation.comEnjoy the winter and look forward to the spring thaw!.
