Whisper Hollow Homeowner's Association

Newsletter Text Spring 1999

Mar 05, 1999

WHISPER HOLLOW HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER SPRING 1999

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A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT:
Dear Residents of Whisper Hollow,
It's a pleasure to be able to reach all of you through this newsletter. Thanks to Anne Watters and Jim Baker for making this possible. We will use this forum will keep you posted on the happenings in our neighborhood and hope it will become a valuable resource for you all. Anyone who has something to share is welcome to contact one of the Whisper Hollow Board Members to get their article published. A separate thanks go to Anne who oversaw the tree planting in the park--they look great, Also, many thanks to Barbara Tinkler, Sharla Jones, and Karen and Peter Veloz who passed on the Christmas spirit to all their neighbors with a Whisper Hollow Christmas Party using each of their homes to make it all happen. It was a super success and very much appreciated by all.
And now, on to business. The 1999 assessments were due January 31. Those overdue for their 1999 Assessment are asked to make their payment as soon as possible. We count on your prompt payment to earn interest that helps pay the Association's bills during the year; plus, we want to save you the cost of late fees. Phone ProComm (545-1888) if you have any questions.
Since Whisper Hollow came to be in 1992, the annual assessment has been $185. Over the years, various boards of your Homeowner's Association have been able to maintain this assessment as costs were rather constant. This past year, expenses have increased dramatically in some areas: liability insurance $1,300, common area water $510, fence maintenance $400, and administrative expenses $430 to name just a few. As the subdivision gets older, additional repairs will have to be made; and, as we learned this past year, many repairs are unexpected and are difficult to anticipate in the budget. We are continuously looking for ways to allocate funds the best way possible and yet to have a subdivision that promotes the recreation, health, safety, and welfare of its members. The bottom line of all this is that this fall, your board will discuss raising of the amount of next year's annual assessment by an amount of 10% or less. Between now and then, we will continue to look at the budget carefully.
We welcome your input to this process.
Best Wishes,
Tom O'Brian, President

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PLEASE, WATCH YOUR TRASH
The Board wants to encourage all homeowners to be more diligent in setting their trash and recycling on the curb for pick-up. On windy days the newspapers and milk cartons not properly anchored swirl throughout the neighborhood streets. Many thanks to our caring neighbors who have taken the time to chase down the trash cans and debris to keep our streets safer. Please bring your cans in as soon as possible after collection and if you're going to be away on a trash pickup day, make arrangements with a neighbor to handle your trash. If you recycle through the curbside pickup, please take the time to place a heavy item, such as a quart jar or brick on top of the papers. When you rinse your milk cartons, squash them. They will not be carried by the wind as easily and you can fit more into the recycle bin.
We would also like to remind folks not to throw their grass clippings and brush in the drainage channels -- it could create a backup. Thanks!

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MAY DAY COOKOUT
Mark your calendars! Saturday, May 1st, 4 - 8PM, there will be a May Day Cookout in the park. The Association will provide burgers, hot dogs, soft drinks, and the paper goods and you are invited to bring either chips, salad, beans, or dessert. If you drink beer or wine, please bring your own. We are planning activities for kids, youths, adults -- in other words, everyone! Come and meet your neighbors; bring your lawn chairs. A flyer with all the details will be published in April to remind you; but, be sure to mark your calendars now with a tentative "we're coming, and this is what we'd like to bring."

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FENCE REPAIR PARTY
Those willing to help with fence repairs are asked to meet the work party at the park at 9:00 AM on Saturday, March 6 with any fence repair tools you might have. We will have surveyed problems with the fence before you arrive, so fixing the problems should not take very long.
This saves us lots of bucks--so, thanks for helping!

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ELECTRICAL POWER SURGES
We share all your concerns about the electrical power surges and outages we've been experiencing lately. This has been reported by a few owners to CPS. We are trying to determine if it is a problem experienced by just a few or does it affect the whole subdivision. So, we are asking each of you to keep a log recording any electrical power problems e.g. your clocks or TV cable need resetting. Record the day/date/times (start and finish) and the exact nature of the outage. Please also record the weather conditions existing at the time. Let's keep the logs from now through May when you can drop them off at Tom O'Brian's house (14426 Butlers Bridge). We will compile the results and let you know the findings.

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COMMITTEES
We invite each of you to consider joining a committee and lending your support to our neighborhood - it's also a good way to meet people who share common interests. Here is a list:
Fence, Social, Landscape, Safety/Cellular on Patrol, Architectural Control, and Budget.
We also need block captains for each street who will be our points of contact for information and action. Please call a board member and volunteer!

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ON-STREET PARKING
There have been a few complaints about street parking in our neighborhood. If you must park your car on the street, please park WITH the flow of traffic. The passenger side of your car should always be curbside. To do otherwise is a violation of city traffic code. Thank you.

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A LETTER FROM THE TREASURER
Greetings Whisper Hollow community members,
As we budget for 1999 and the next millennium, your board members are committed to the upkeep of the common areas and our gem in the community, the park. The board takes a proactive approach through cost control in managing the budget line items in light of price pressures i.e., 3% increase in water and electricity. The weather is a major factor that impacts the budget since we were in a drought and then the great flood in October. To maintain the aesthetic look of the park, current improvements are underway to plant trees. Community social activities to welcome new members and rekindle old friendships are planned for 1999. Information for upcoming events will be in this newsletter. The board welcomes your comments, questions, concerns, or suggestions and seeks your active participation to improve the quality of life of the Whisper Hollow community.
Respectfully submitted,
William J. Cuellar,
Board Treasurer

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NCTONA
When you see signs around our part of town that say NCTONA, that means the North Central Thousand Oaks Neighborhood Association, which has for its boundaries Jones-Maltsberger Rd, Thousand Oaks, Henderson Pass and Brookhollow/Carlton Oaks. One of the many activities sponsored by NCTONA is the COP Program (Cellular on Patrol). The San Antonio Police Department offers training in Cellular on Patrol which prepares citizens to patrol their own neighborhood. The patrol time involved is only two hours per month. If you are interested in helping, stop by the San Antonio Police North Substation on Jones Maltsberger and fill out an application. This would be a great contribution to the safety and security of our neighborhood.


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MCALLLISTER PARK FLOOD CONTROL DAM
The Whisper Hollow neighborhood lies upstream (behind) this proposed dam. When the city announced that construction of this dam would begin in March 1999, a few of us became concerned. Thanks to Phil Hunter's contacts at city hall, we were able to get some engineering facts about this project that made us feel a lot more comfortable. The spillway elevation, which is the highest level the flood waters could reach behind the dam, is well below the elevation of our homes in Whisper Hollow, which means the dam will protect the downstream areas, as it was designed to do, and not threaten any homes behind it. The park was actually planned with this dam in mind. If you want more information, you can contact Phil or Jim Baker, who has a map you can examine.

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COMMON GROUNDS IMPROVEMENTS
We invite you to take a look at the new trees in the park. As part of an ongoing plan to maintain and improve the common areas of our neighborhood, the board approved the planting of five Monterrey Oak trees inside the fence along Butlers Bridge. These fast-growing, hardy trees, which are extremely resistant to oak wilt, will add a stately grace to the park within 10 years.
The board has investigated the feasibility of pressure cleaning the nameplates on the front monuments. Care must be taken to avoid damage to the limestone. The cost was considered too high at this time.
Last fall, there were several repairs made to improve and repair the sprinkler system in the park. The system is now seven years old and must be monitored for broken heads, valve leaks, etc. If anyone ever notices a problem with the sprinklers at the entrance or in the park, please contact ProComm immediately at 545-1888.
Don't forget to meet in the park on March 6 at 9:00AM to assist your fellow homeowners with repairing the chain link fence around the park. Our association can save big dollars when we all pitch in a work together. (For example: Several thousand dollars were saved when homeowners cleaned and stained the common area fencing around our neighborhood.)

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NEWSLETTER ADVERTISEMENTS
Do you notice the advertising in this newsletter? If you are in a business that your neighbors might frequent, or you know of a local merchant who might want to reach more customers in our neighborhood, please contact a board member. Business card sized ads are available in this quarterly newsletter for $10 an issue. Larger ads can be included at reasonable rates. The money we get from these ads goes directly into printing and distributing this newsletter, reducing the need for using our homeowners association funds. In other words, these ads directly benefit you and your neighbors, and you are supporting local businesses.

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WHISPER HOLLOW DIRECTORY
ProComm maintains the list of each homeowner in Whisper Hollow, and periodically we use this information to publish a neighborhood directory. This directory can become a very useful tool with additional input from you, if you'd like to contribute.
In the directory, residents are listed alphabetically and by street. Optional information, such as phone numbers, family member services (babysitting, pet sitting, yard care, etc.), occupation, hobbies, and other special interests will also be listed, if you provide it.
The directory will also include a handy list of important phone numbers, such as emergency, utility companies, and convenience numbers such as schools, libraries, city offices and of course, your homeowners association (ProComm, board members, committees.)
Please take a moment and fill out the attached form, tape it closed and drop it in the box at Jim Baker's (14118 Butler Creek) by the 15th of March, and we'll get the directories printed and distributed. Neighborhood Web Site

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WHISPER HOLLOW NOW HAS A WEB SITE!!
Just point your web browser to www.neighborhoodlink.com/whisper, and come visit. The site is still generally "under construction", but is available to view. You will need a Java enabled browser to view the site. If you have questions, comments, or want to see something added, please contact ProComm, or e-mail me at marlulh@flash.net.
Linda Holling-Barraza
Whisper Hollow Board Secretary

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WHAT IS PROCOMM?
ProComm is the management company for the WH Homeowners Association. They are responsible for the day to day operations of the community, including, but not limited to: billing and collection of annual dues, supervision of maintenance and repair of the grounds, and enforcement of city codes and subdivision covenants. As well, they answer homeowner's questions, concerns, comments, and complaints regarding these matters.
Contact ProComm at 545-1888.
ProComm works under the direction of the Board of Directors, which consists of 5 elected homeowners who meet quarterly to discuss matters relating to the neighborhood.

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YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The 1999 board members, your neighbors, are listed below. Please feel free to contact them with your suggestions or community concerns. They are all dedicated to improving and maintaining Whisper Hollow, the "Hidden Jewel of the Northside. "
Tom O'Brian, President
William Cuellar, Treasurer
Linda Holling-Barraza
Anne Watters

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