Stonecreek Homeowners Association

December 2000 Issue

Nov 21, 2000

STONECREEK NEWS
A MONTHLY NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER
December 2000
WE WISH OUR COMMUNITY A
SAFE AND HAPPY
HOLIDAY SEASON!

DIRECTOR'S CORNER:
All official communications from the Board of Directors, its committees or Borg Property Services will always come from either Borg Property Services or this newsletter. If someone contacts you who says they represent the HOA in any other way, please contact Nancy at Borg Property Services.

The ACC committee or a Board member may contact you if they are acting on an OPEN ACC request. The only other exception to this would be an ACC committee person or Board member responding to a request from you.

The solicitation for your proxy vote before the annual election is not an official communication. Any homeowner may therefore approach you requesting that you sign a proxy or absentee ballot.

We thoroughly discussed the 2001 Annual Budget at the November Board of Directors meeting. We will make applicable changes for formal approval at the December Board meeting.

We have received no more sightings of rats since the last Board of Directors meeting.

Borg Property Services has contacted SRP concerning the proposed San Tan power plant tour. They are not giving tours at this time. The tours are to resume the first of the new year. If you are interested in taking a tour, please contact Ms. Roz Richardson at SRP. Her telephone number is 602-236-2872. Borg Property Services does not have any further information about the tours, so it is best to contact SRP directly.

Borg Property Services is in the process of completing the extensive application for a WIN Grant. This application takes a lot of time to answer completely and properly. We expect this process to be completed by the end of November.

We would like to extend our thanks to the "mystery people" who are often seen picking up trash from the curbs and common areas. The "mystery man" most frequently seen is along Juniper near Val Vista Drive. Thank you all for trying to keep our community clean.

LAST CHANCE TO DONATE YOUR USED BICYCLES FOR CHRISTMAS
Call Tony Bernot at 480-892-7505 if you have any bicycles that you want to get rid of. They do not have to be in working order. Tony will come to your house, pick them up free of charge and give you a Gilbert Community Action Program (CAP) receipt that you can use as a tax deduction. Tony restores the bikes and gives them to CAP to give to needy children at Christmas time.

ASSOCIATION ACTIVITY:
VANDALISM COST US $58.22
The vandalism was to the fire extinguisher at the swimming pool. We replaced the extinguisher at a cost of $50.66. The lights at the storage area were stolen and replaced at a cost of $7.56.

NO CONTRACTS WERE AWARDED THIS MONTH

WE HAVE 4 UPCOMING CONTRACTS:
Tennis courts surface maintenance,
Tennis court crack sealing,
Install additional lighting at the pool
Cool deck repairs (1st quarter 2001).

Note: the Board of Directors has a policy of reviewing all contracts yearly to insure that the contract price is in line with the price of the contract. We solicit bids when the price is too high, the quality of work is not what we expect, or we just want to insure that we have a competitive contract. We enforce this policy with all contracts.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Call Sharon Howes if you want information on a committee or want to join a committee (480-497-8124). Sharon will then handle the volunteer communications between the Board of Directors, the homeowners and Borg Property Services.

ACC COMMITTEE
The committee processed the following requests:
RECEIVED: - 5 APPROVED - 1
DENIED: - 1 PENDING: - 3

Need an ACC Form? We have enclosed one in this newsletter for your convenience. On the back side of page 3 is the "instruction" page for the ACC form. The two pages after page 3 are the form that you would send to Borg Property Services after it is completed. Be sure to complete and submit both pages of the form (page 2 of 3 and page 3 of 3 must be submitted.)

Please remember that the fine for not getting approval before making an improvement that will change the appearance of your home or yard is $50.00 and that the fine escalates if it is not corrected. Correction requires ACC approval. Any ACC request made after the improvement has started (or completed) can be disapproved and the homeowner made to remove the improvement. You can get ACC forms from:
(1) Borg Property Services at 480-456-6927 or
BorgProp@AOL.COM or
(2) Frank at 480-926-4412 (Stonecreek Resident),

Frank deals with ACC issues only; he is not responsible for handling other issues - like complaints about the HOA etc.

LANDSCAPE VIOLATIONS
Borg Property Services reported a total of 56 violations this month.

We would like to remind the homeowners that bare areas in the rock or grass areas are a violation of the landscape guidelines. If there are bare rock areas, please add more rock, if there are bare areas in the grass areas, grass needs to be added.

HOA WEB PAGE IS STILL ACTIVE
Visit our web site at: (all lowercase letters) WWW.NEIGHBORHOODLINK.COM/STONECREEK
New links are added monthly. Do you like our logo?

"The minute you start talking about what you are going to do if you lose you have lost."
George Schultz

CALENDAR:
Dec 2 - Southeast Valley Neighborhood Leadership College Round Table (480-503-6761) *
Dec 6 - Top Notch Pest Control on site today.
Dec 7 - Pearl Harbor Day
Dec 20 - Board of Directors meeting - Mesa Public Library 6:45 PM-8:45 PM
Dec 21 - Winter begins
Dec 22 - Hanukkah
Dec 25 - Christmas
Dec 26 - Mayo Clinic Kidney Dialysis/Transplant Support Group meeting 6:00 pm (480-342-1233)
Dec 28 - Scleroderma Support Group-Mesa Lutheran Hospital 6:30-8:30 PM (480-821-9330)
Jan 3 - Top Notch Pest Control on site today
Jan 24 - Board of Directors meeting -
Mesa Public Library 6:45 PM-8:45 PM

NOTE: An item in the calendar that has an "*" has a related article elsewhere in the newsletter.

SIGNIFICANT DECEMBER DAYS:
Southeast Valley Neighborhood Leadership College Round Table
Plan to attend an interactive discussion on topics that affect you and your HOA! You will have the opportunity to be an integral part of several topics. The topics to be discussed came from previous SVNLC class evaluations.
Where: Chandler-Gilbert Community College
When: 8:30am - 1:00 pm $10 (December 2)
Info & registration: 480-503-6761 barbars@ci.gilbert.az.us
www.neighborhoodleader.com

Christmas Tree Lighting Park
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Freestone Park Amphitheater. Admission is free. Sponsored by Gilbert Parks and Recreation Department. For information call 480-503-6200. (Dec 14, 2000)

HAVE A POSTAL QUESTION?
Do you need a zip code(s), want to know the cost of mailing a parcel, a post office location or hours of operation, or mailing costs, or general United States Postal Service information? You can call them at
1-800-275-8777 instead of going to the post office. This number is good 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also get many of these answers at www.usps.com.

The USPS has requested an increase in postage, but it has not been approved at this time. If it is approved, it will not be approved until after 1/1/2001.

TRY THESE GIFT IDEAS FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING
"We all have the problem, from time to time, of choosing a gift for a Very Important Occasion being celebrated by a person who is old enough to have three of everything he or she could possibly need or want. Older people are in a downsizing mode, and yet another expensive gewgaw is not going to give them much pleasure. But you really can't celebrate a Golden Anniversary or an 80th birthday with nothing more than a card. What to do?

Something-of-the-Month Club.
Choose something appropriate, such as a meal if your recipient can't cook, a tea or cocktail party if he or she is not up to entertaining, a movie if going out is a problem. If you are providing dinner or lunch-of-the-month, make a certificate that says. "This certificate is good for dinner on the first Tuesday of every month at....."

If you are a great chef, you can go to your loved one's home and make the meal, if not, you can either take or send that person to a local restaurant or arrange for a local caterer or take-out shop to deliver dinner. If you would prefer a tea or cocktail party, the certificate can say that and specify the number of guests you are willing to deal with. For stay-at-homes, taking them out to a movie or some other entertainment once a month will give much more pleasure than another crystal vase.

Sentimental Journeys. Unless your recipient is very old or in poor health, there's probably some place he or she is hankering to go. A plane ticket might make it possible to visit old friends, attend a reunion, spend April in Paris one more time. That can be a dandy gift. Depending on the destination, your relationship with the person and the state of your checking account, you could either take or send him or her.

Consider Charity. Making a gift on someone's behalf can be fun. You can adopt a whale or a wolf or a bat or an orangutan, or plant a tree, or sponsor a child anywhere on the globe. Some churches will light the steeple for an entire night in someone's honor for a donation. As a grand and very expensive gift, you can have a gargoyle carved on the facade of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York that looks like someone. If you do that, though, be sure the someone has a sense of humor!"
By Joan Cleveland
Third Age News Service

WATER SAVING TIPS
Here are some easy ways to save water. Use this checklist to help you and your family use water wisely.

* Always water during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler, to minimize evaporation.

* Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.

* Choose water-efficient drip irrigation for your trees, shrubs, and flowers.

* Do not water on windy days or within two days of rain.

* Water deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.

* Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth, and reduce weeds.

* Install covers on pools and spas to avoid water evaporation.

* Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.

* Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.

* When washing dishes by hand, do not let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.

* Use the garbage disposal less often.

* Soak pots, pans, and grills before you wash them.

* Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks.

* Check faucets and pipes regularly for leaks.

* Install low-volume toilets and make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets. (Most homes built after 1980 already have these features.)

* Plug the bath before you turn on the water, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills.

* Take shallow baths.

Sponsored by the cities of Chandler, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and the Town of Gilbert, working together as the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association.

REMINDERS:
If you have any questions for the Board of Directors or comments on the newsletter, call Borg Property Services or attend the monthly Board meeting.

All residents are encouraged to attend the monthly Board of Directors meetings. Call Borg Property Services to confirm the time and location and to insure that we have available seating. You may also check our web page for meeting information.

WHO'S WHO?
Note: NEW Gilbert Numbers
FIRE/POLICE DEPT.
(EMERGENCY) 911
Fire Dept. (Information) 480-503-6300
Police (Information) 480-503-6500
Gilbert www.ci.gilbert.az.us
HOA www.neighborhoodlink.com/Stonecreek
Voter Registration/elections 506-1511
Borg Property Services 480-456-6927
Borg Property Services - BorgProp@AOL.COM
Sean Callahan - HOA Board of Director
Jeff D'Aurora - HOA Board of Director
- HOA Board of Director
Jack Maas - HOA Board of Director
Judy Morgan - HOA Board of Director
Sharon Howes -Volunteer Committee 497-8124
Gilbert Police Crime Prevention 503-6527
Can I burn in my fire place? 506-6400
Town of Gilbert (barking/vicious dogs) 503-6500
Town of Gilbert (dead animal removal) 503-6400
Town of Gilbert (graffiti removal) 503-6500

SELLING YOUR HOME?
Please help yourself by telling your title company that a sale is pending and that they must notify Borg Property Services of the pending sale. Borg Property Services has seven (7) days to inspect your house before the sale can be completed. (House bill 2299) If the inspection must be done in less than seven (7) days because they did not notify Borg Property Services, then we will charge the homeowner an extra fee. We have known title companies to ask for a rush inspection because they did not notify Borg Property Services, and the homeowner is charged the extra fee.

There is always a fee associated with this inspection. The homeowner pays this fee at closing. Contact Borg Property Services for its rates.

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE:
Jan 13, 2001 is the deadline for all information to be in the next issue. (1268 E. Laurel Ave., Gilbert, AZ 85234.)

NEED TO CONTACT YOUR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY?
If you have a question or complaint concerning Stonecreek HOA, contact our property management company, which is Borg Property Services. Their office hours are 9-4 M-TH and 9-12 Friday.
Phone: (480) 456-6927 FAX: (480) 456-9439
E-mail: BorgProp@AOL.COM.
Send ALL correspondence and payments to:
Borg Property Services
1245 W. Guadalupe, #B6-306
Mesa, AZ 85202

APPROVED PAINT COLORS:
BASE COLORS: (Dunn Edwards or equivalent)
Pheasant, Baja White, Desert Dawn,
Navajo White, Bone China

If the house will be all one color, then no ACC approval is needed provided you use an approved Base color. If you are painting the "pop-outs" (raised stucco surrounding the windows and/or garage) an approved trim color, then you do not need to submit an ACC form.

TRIM COLORS: Original Cinnamon, Briar,
Dry Earth, Adobe South
ROOF TILE = Monier #1604 or equivalent Lifetile #108

To review these colors call Frank at 926-4412 (Stonecreek Resident). You may review the chips in his home or checked out to review at your home. Please respect Frank as a fellow homeowner and contact him only between the hours of 10 am-8 PM, Monday-Friday.

If you choose a different color than those approved by the ACC, then you must submit an ACC form with a large sample of the color you wish to use. You must allow 45 days for approval of a new color.

Homeowners have painted the following locations if you would like to drive by and check them out.
543 N. Quartz street (Baja White, trim cinnamon)
1414 E. Mineral - Bone China with Dry Earth
1501 E. Commerce - Desert Dawn with Dry Earth

NEWSLETTER INFORMATION:
The Stonecreek HOA newsletter is published monthly. If you fail to receive a newsletter or know of someone who is not getting a newsletter, please contact Borg Property Services so the situation can be corrected. We usually publish the newsletter shortly before the first of the month.


ALLSTATE Insurance Co
Lino De La Cruz - Exclusive Agent
Auto, Property, Life, Business
Premier Service Agent
2820 W. Baseline Rd Bus 480-775-0269
Mesa, AZ 85202 Fax 480-775-3882
A028270@allstate.com Se Habla Espanol
Stonecreek Resident

ATTN: All Homeowners
On the first Wednesday of each month, Top Notch Pest Control will service the inside and outside of your home for only $20.00 (Reg price $30)
** BEE CONTROL AVAILABLE **
(602) 463-3995

HAPPY
HOLIDAYS


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(updated 11/21/2000)