Car break-ins reported

On October 25, sometime after 8 p.m., five vehicles in the Wellesley Woods apartment complex had their windows smashed and items stolen from inside the car. Stratford Manor residents are reminded to always lock your car and never leave any items visible inside the car. 

• Always make sure all windows are rolled up all the way, your car is locked and take your keys. Never leave spare keys in the car. 
• Don't leave any items visible inside your car, or valuables in the trunk. If your car is unlocked, a thief can still get into your trunk if there is a trunk release button.
• Don't leave your car title or any other important papers inside your car.

If you experience a break-in, call 911 or police non-emergency at 247-2500.

October-November News

Owners turn out for annual meeting

The Stratford Manor homeowners Association’s annual meeting on Oct. 18 was a lively and sometimes-raucous gathering-- a healthy, democratic exercise reminiscent of an old-fashioned town hall meeting.

John Gullett, president of the SMA, presided over a meeting that included a review of accomplishments and failures in 2018, the  election of five new board members, the defeat of a proposed bylaws amendment, and a report on the board’s opinion survey of Stratford Manor homeowners.

Nearly  40 homeowners turned out for the meeting, which was held at Christ United Methodist Church on Deep Creek Road.  “Our residents are known for being outspoken,” said Gullett, “and we had lots of opinions expressed on a wide variety of topics. It was pretty amazing to be a part of such an exciting event. I am glad I brought a gavel!”

Gullett said the audience peppered each presentation with questions, “so much so that when we reached the open forum segment, there weren’t any questions left unasked.”  The meeting adjourned shortly after 8:30 p.m.

He praised the two outgoing board members, Betty Snyder and Bev Forrester, “for all the hours you invested in helping our community, and for all the great ideas you brought to our board meetings.” The third outgoing board member, Tonita Hoe, successfully ran for reelection to the board.

In addition to Ms. Hoe, four others were elected to the board in a race that attracted seven candidates (see separate story on new board members). The board needed a total of five board members because the then-current board was two directors short of the required nine. “The board was delighted that Nominating chair Betty Snyder was able to line up such a strong list of board candidates,” said Gullett.

A proposed amendment to the bylaws that would eliminate the requirement that the board have nine directors was defeated due to a lack of three-quarters of homeowners participating  in the voting. “We didn’t do a good job of selling this amendment, “ said Gullett. “Now we have to decide whether to further pursue the issue.”

He also recognized homeowner Nancy Allen, “who again worked tirelessly in overseeing our landscaping activities this year.”

Robbi Henry, Advanced Association Management Group’s property manager for Stratford Manor, reviewed the association’s financial picture, commenting that “Stratford Manor has a very healthy balance sheet.” Ms. Henry also supervised the counting of ballots and other votes in the meeting.

Gullett provided an overview of the board’s accomplishments and shortfalls for the year, including the thorough cleanup from last January’s snowfall, repair of a sidewalk behind several units on Sloan Place, extensive tree and shrub trimming, installation of  lighting for one of three Stratford Manor signs,  routine maintenance throughout the community, and resumption of the printed version of this newsletter.

The owners and board members also engaged in a lengthy discussion of  the results of the recent owner opinion survey (see President’s Corner), followed by a committee report on a still-ongoing review of the community’s rules and regulations, presented by Tonita Hoe.

“It’s been quite a mixed-bag of successes and shortfalls this year,” said Gullett. “In some ways we are still a work in progress. But I can assure you that the board remains sharply focused on making a positive and lasting contribution to the well-being of an ever-changing Stratford Manor.”

President’s Corner

When I joined the SMA board one year ago, residents began approaching me with their thoughts about various rules and regulations that they either detested or took pride in. While I thought little of it at the time, that turned out to be an early indication of a split between those who want to preserve our existing rules and regulations as is, and those who think some of them need updating . That division was evident in the results of our recent owners’ survey.

The survey, which was completed in September, was a topic of lively discussion at the Oct. 18 annual meeting of the SMA. Fellow board member Satori Gregorakis and I compiled the results of the survey and announced our findings at the annual meeting.

A total of 44 owners who live in Stratford Manor took part in our survey, representing 43 percent of all owner-occupied homes. In addition to what they thought of the board and the property management firm, owners were asked how they felt about the association’s governing standards. All but three owners agreed with the statement, “They help protect and enhance property values.”

But when we asked if there were any standards they would like to see changed, 51 percent said “Yes” and 49 percent said “No”. This suggests that we have two camps in our community. There are those who want us to maintain the standards and ambiance that our forefathers created back in the 1980s. Then there are those who argue that our community is more diverse that it was in the beginning,  and so our standards should reflect that. This split seems consistent with the fact that well over half of those surveyed moved into Stratford Manor after 1999.

Many of the people arguing for change said we should relax the rules restricting Christmas decorations, biking, and other recreational activities for families. A subcommittee of the board is now studying these issues, and our newly expanded board will tackle this project in the coming weeks and possibly months.  We are not taking sides, but rather trying to find the right balance between the various viewpoints in our  community.

There was more agreement on most of the other elements on the survey. For example, 79 percent of those surveyed felt some degree of satisfaction with our landscaping work; 82 percent expressed some satisfaction with AAMG, our property management firm; 85 percent expressed some degree of satisfaction with the board; and 82 percent rated this newsletter good. This is welcomed news, considering we often hear more complaints than compliments.

Thank you for giving us your valuable feedback.

John Gullett 

Five new directors elected

Stratford Manor Association owners elected five new directors to its board at the association’s annual meeting on Oct. 18, in one of the more competitive events in recent SMA history.

A total of seven owners threw their names in the hat, with the five-highest vote getters winning a seat on the nine-person board.

Here are the five newly elected directors:

Tonita B. Hoe, 124 Kenilworth Dr. Tonita’s three-year term expired at the annual meeting but she decided to run for reelection,  “because I feel that I can provide a different perspective and would like to see the board continue to grow and improve.”

Nancy R. Allen, 172 Wellesley Dr.  Nancy, who supervised our lawn service in 2018,  said she has lived in Stratford Manor for 26 years and previously served on the board. She said she wanted to join the board again, “to continue to help make Stratford Manor a fabulous place to live.”

Katie Johnston, 135 Wellesley Dr. Katie, who works at Christopher Newport University, said “I believe it is our responsibility to contribute to our community, and after living here for three years I feel it is my time to give back.” She said she hopes to help focus the board on opportunities for community building.

Caroline Langdon, 145 Sloan Pl. Caroline has lived in Stratford Manor since 2013. She is retired but works part time at the nearby Ace Hardware. She ran for the board seat because “I am interested in keeping our community safe and secure, and want to help preserve the integrity of Stratford Manor.”

Linda White, 142 Kenilworth Dr. Linda, who has lived in Stratford Manor for 15 years, also previously served on the board.  “I know the bylaws and rules,” she said, “and I want to make Stratford Manor a place where we all can be proud to live.”

Next Board Meeting

The SMA board will hold a special organizational meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 at 5:30 p.m., at Nancy Allen’s home at 172 Wellesley Dr.

The meeting’s  abbreviated agenda includes election of officers and  appointment of committee members so that work can begin on year-end activities, as well as other items.

As always, Stratford Manor homeowners are welcome.

Drainage project activity picks up

The long-delayed drainage project in Stratford Manor showed new signs of life in mid-October with the pouring of concrete for an artificial swale behind 141-147  Wellesley Dr.

The 20-inch-wide, 100-foot-long swale, the first of three planned in various locations in the community,  is designed to improve water runoff in areas where drainage is poor.

 E.W. Muller, the contractor for the project, said he hopes to move to the other two locations—another one on Wellesley and one on Sloane Place-- before the end of October. The contract was signed in December of last year, but a harsh winter and heavy rain in the spring and summer months, along with other factors, plagued the project throughout the year.

Christmas Tea planned for Sunday, Dec. 9

Bob and Barbara Lucas, who moved into 156 Wellesley Dr. in 2017, are hosting what is billed as “a Christmas Tea” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9—and all Stratford Manor owners are invited.

“We wanted to do some sort of a ‘meet and greet’ event so we could meet more of our neighbors,” said Barbara. “With the holiday season approaching, we decided it would be a great time to throw a neighborhood party!”

The Dec. 9 event will be held at the Lucas home. No RSVPS are required.

“We will provide the coffee, tea and juice, and some finger food,” said Barbara. “Neighbors don’t need to bring anything, unless they want something different to drink.”

Preventing crime takes a community effort

Homeowners voiced concern at the Annual Meeting about safety and security. According to the National Crime Prevention Council (ncpc.org), there are a number of things we can do to keep Stratford Manor a safe place to live. The most important thing we can do to reduce crime is to work together.

Get to know your neighbors and keep an eye on the neighborhood. Report suspicious activity to police and to the SMA board. Keep spare keys with a trusted neighbor or nearby family member, not under a doormat or planter. Set timers on lights when you’re away from home. Turn your porch light on at night. Eliminate places an intruder might hide by cutting back trees or shrubs, especially near windows and doors.

Theft from parked cars is an all too common problem. Throughout Newport News, police are reporting an alarming spike in the rise of theft from automobiles – and, surprisingly enough, most of the automobiles were left unlocked. Newport News Police offers following tips to help keep your belongings and car safe:

·Always make sure all windows are rolled up all the way, lock your car, and take your keys. Do not leave spare keys in your car.

· Don’t leave valuables in your car or in the trunk. If your car is unlocked, a thief can still gain access to your trunk if your car has a trunk release button on the inside.

· Do not leave important papers, especially a car title, in your automobile. Be sure to record the serial numbers of aftermarket stereos, or other items and leave them in a safe place at home.

If you have experienced a theft call 911 or the police non-emergency number at 247-2500.

Trash Pickup Schedule

Oct. 30—Trash, recycling & bulk

Nov. 6—Trash only

Nov. 14—Weds pick-up due to Veterans Day Holiday. Trash, recycling & bulk

Nov. 20—Trash only

Nov. 27—Trash, recycling & bulk

Dec. 4—Trash only

Dec. 11—Trash, recycling & bulk

Dec. 18—Trash only

Dec. 26—Weds pick-up due to Christmas Holiday. Trash, recycling & bulk

If your container was missed during collection, call 757-933-2311.

Remember: Trash receptacles should be curbside for collection no earlier than 3pm on Monday for collection on Tuesday and removed from the street

by 6pm on Wednesday.