Willow Creek Neighborhood Watch

February 2009 Newsletter

Mar 10, 2009

WINTER STORM OF 2009

Hope everyone is warm and safe and didn?’t suffer too much damage. It looks like everyone is digging out from under the snow and ice ok.

IMPORTANT NOTES

With the cold weather we have been having this winter. I am sure everyone is trying to keep their homes warm. Everyone should be very careful when using electric heaters to help heat their homes. Make sure they are turned off when you leave or sleep at night.

No one should use kerosene heaters in their house without proper ventilation or supervision.

If you lose your electric, please make sure your generators are at least 10 to 20 feet from the house. The carbon monoxide they produce can kill/harm you and your loved ones. If not properly ventilated.

Be sure to bring your pets inside when the weather gets below freezing. Watch out for their water bowls so that they don?’t freeze.


Oldham County residents living in Willow Creek Subdivision need to contact their Home Owners Insurance Companies and make sure that their policies are coded for "Oldham County". To keep your tax dollars from going astray. If your policy is coded for Jefferson County because of our Zip Code 40241, your tax dollars paid are being thrown away.

There will be a special seminar about Rain Gardens at the Oldham County Community Center at 1551 N. Hwy 393 in LaGrange on February 18th at 6:30. They add value to your property and utilize rain water that would otherwise be lost through runoff into storm drains. Call 222-9453 to register for this free program.

REMINDERS/SUGGESTIONS

Attention Ladies!! Anyone interested in playing BUNCO please email me at cwooodsmiller@yahoo.com or call me at 641-1080. We will love to start playing soon. If we can get enough people to participate. We can all meet at Beverly?’s house and put together all the info needed. Like pick a day of the week, how much and everything. So please just let me know. Thanks Cathy.

RECIPES

You can still summit recipes at anytime. Advertise any charities., work, anniversaries, birthdays, items for sale and yard sales. Anything you want the neighborhood to know about. Just contact me by above info. Thanks

AND THE WINNERS ARE?…

We had a great Christmas contest. Santa drove thru Willow Creek and saw a lot of beautifully decorated homes. It was hard, but Santa finally chose the homes with the most Christmas spirit. All have received their Certificates by Santa's helper. Thank all of you for your participation this year. We hope you will have fun again next year.
1st PLACE: The Geary Home on Fisherman Court.
2nd PLACE: Bill Gunther on Drifton Dr.
3rd PLACE: The Thurman Home on Windy Willow Dr.
4th Place: The Voirol Home on Windy Willow Dr.
Congratulations to all of our WINNERS!!!
Honorable Mentions:
The Bray?’s on Drifton Dr.
The Strange?’s on Baywood Dr.
The Crabb?’s on Kendrick Dr.
The Tyler ?‘s on Fisherman Way
The Degnan?’s on Deham Dr.


WC Neighborhood Watch
Meeting for all to attend on Thursday Feb. 19th at Larry Voirol?‘s, the new Captain?‘s, house 5112 Windy Willow Drive at 7pm His phone number is 502-241-4134 and email is wcnwcaptain@aol.com




HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
By Beverly Lewis

The residents living in Willow Creek are very hard working people. We have families to take care of, problems to solve, homes to take care of, besides our jobs and careers.
A lot of residents are not aware of what is going on in our neighborhood. That is why the Willow Creek Neighborhood Watch and the Newsletter was started. To keep residents informed and hopefully bring us together as neighbors.
After attending meetings of the Neighborhood Watch and helping deliver the Newsletter. I have become aware of our many concerns that Willow Creek residents have about the Home Owners Association.
I now know that many residents are frustrated with the Home Owners Assoc. What their duties and responsibilities are.
One of the biggest problems is several homeowners not paying their $50.00 per year dues. This really puts a limitation on what the Assoc. can accomplish. Without the finances, the Board has to pick priorities which we may or may not agree with. Unlike a City, all Home Owner Associations have limitations.
Since the WCHA is not providing open meetings or financial reports during the year. Many residents feel uncertain of what their dues are paying for and what the role of the WCHA is.
With a little research and obtaining an attorney to read the By-Laws & Declaration and Incorporated papers. I have tried to put together a very short summary of the duties of our Home Owners Association.

*There are about 340 homes in Willow Creek and each home owner is a member. The common area is owned by the WCHA and can be used by the surrounding home owners.
*Any member should be able to obtain a copy of the By-Laws, Incorporate papers and the Declaration from the WCHA by written request. WCHA can ask for a fee for supplies.
*WCHA is required to have an annual meeting each year, normally in December. Notifying all members by mail before the meeting, as to the time and place, for the purpose of elections of the Board Officers, by secret ballots and submitting financial reports to the members. And listen to the concerns of the members.
*WCHA can have monthly regular meetings (without notification to the members ) for the purpose of performing their duties: Fixing the amount of assessment - Procure and maintain liability and hazard insurance on any property owned by WCHA - Procure maintenance of the common areas. Procure public lighting - Foreclose a lien on any property in default of their yearly dues.
*Special meetings can be called for by the President or any two Board members. Members ( home owners ) can call for a special meeting, by written request, but must be signed by the majority of home owners.
*Any Board member can be removed at anytime, by the majority of members ( home owners ). The successor is selected by the remaining directors to serve until the next election.
The Books, records and papers of the Assoc. should be available to members during regular business hours at anytime.
One way to make sure that our Home Owners Association does a good job is to become more involved, run for positions on the Board, inform the Board of our concerns, and pay the small fee of $50.00 per year. This way, we can make sure that they have the knowledge and finances to perform their duties. The Home Owners Association is here to serve the members. But the elected Officers can not perform their duties alone, they need participation from the members.