June / July 2022 Edition
PRESIDENT'S CORNER:
I don't have to tell you about the terrible inflation, manpower and supply chain problems our country is now experiencing. It should be no surprise to any of you that these same issues have had a negative impact on our community's HOA as well.
The price of everything is going up, and that is making it difficult for your Board to maintain a balanced budget. With at least one large contract due to expire at the end of this year, the challenge of managing our expenses is likely to get tougher before it gets better.
Supply chain problems are sometimes global in scope, as in the case of our paving contractor who was scheduled to do some remedial paving on our Kenilworth lot earlier this year. He is not able to get a key ingredient from his regular supplier - a bombed-out factory in Ukraine - but offered to look for another source at twice the price. The Board chose to wait until the contractor's supplier is somehow able to resume shipments.
A similar problem is affecting our community's street lamps. When a lamp went out in the rear section of Wellesley, our electrician determined that the ballast had gone bad. Unfortunately, ballasts for our old-style lights are currently hard to find. So that corner of Wellesley has remained dark for several weeks while we wait for repair parts.
At the same time, our landscaping service is falling behind schedule because they are unable to find enough qualified workers - the same problem that has been affecting restaurants and other retailers for months. So if a common area near you hasn't yet been mulched for the spring, or debris hasn't yet been picked up, be patient. Year-Round Landscaping will get to it as soon as they can.
As you know, the Association's business never stops. You will see elsewhere in this newsletter that we did manage to complete repairs to our perimeter fencing, resolve a serious drainage issue, repair some curbs and gutters, and remove a large tree that endangered nearby townhomes.
As always, thank you for your understanding and continued support.
(John Gullett, President)
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SPRING INSPECTIONS GO WELL: OWNERS BUSY MAKING REPAIRS
Abbitt Management's annual inspections were completed in one day this spring, and since then numerous homeowners have been busy addressing the items noted on their individual inspection reports.
"We identified 249 'reminder' items that require some sort of repair, cleaning or repainting, " said John Gullett, SMA president, "but we uncovered only a handful of architectural violations (mostly mismatched colors on doors and shutters).
Only 90 owners were cited for one or more infractions, with the most frequent issues being clogged gutters, dirty siding, and damaged trim boards. This is down from last year's 95 cited owners and 2020's 126.
"This suggests to me that our owners are being very cooperative when it comes to ensuring that the community retains its unique beauty and well-maintained look," said Mr. Gullett.
Mr. Gullett and committee members Madoline Wallace and Linda White accompanied the Abbitt inspector. "This marks the third year that Abbitt has conducted these inspections," he said, "which I think contributed to the inspections' improved efficiency."
He also noted that the inspector - and committee members - focused on identifying practical and important issues, rather than ones that are more obscure and have little or no impact on the community.
Among the more unusual issues noted were missing house numbers on one house and an old bird's nest under the roof overhang on another. Surprisingly, several chimneys were showing a white substance on their brick - a sign of "efflorescence", or moisture moving through the masonry. "This is the sort of thing that we urge the owners to have checked by a professional," said Mr. Gullett. "It could do serious damage over time."
The committee heard from a few owners who said there were errors on their inspection reports. "We try to be as careful as possible to make these reports 100 percent accurate," Mr. Gullett said, "but the comprehensive inspections are by necessity very fast. Occasionally, mistakes are made - especially when it involves something near the back of the unit, where the house numbers can't be seen." He suggested owners report any errors to Abbitt so the record can be corrected.
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My First Inspection Tour! (By Madoline Wallace, Member, Architectural Control Committee)
I recently had the opportunity to join our president and the representative from Abbitt Management for the annual property inspection tour. It was interesting and informative. For the first time, I looked at each property as an individual dwelling as opposed to looking at it as part of a building. It was fascinating to see how uniquely individual each unit is depending on landscaping, fence types etc.
In addition, I learned a lot about property maintenance. I learned what to look for and where to look. I learned which things are purely cosmetic and which things would require a minor repair if handled now, but if ignored could turn into a much more expensive repair down the road. I learned that because we looked very carefully at each property, our aim was to pinpoint those items that might typically be missed during daily comings and goings. We wanted to inform homeowners to small problems before that turned into BIG problems. I will certainly look at my own unit with a much more informed eye from now on.
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KNOW YOUR HOA RULES: UNDERSTANDING PAINT GUIDELINES
Editor's Note: The prospective new Stratford Manor owner is given mountains of information about living under the Association's rules, but seldom takes the time to read it all. This can lead to a shocking revelation at a later date, when the owner is challenged about a change in the home's exterior that doesn't meet the HOA's specifications. To help avoid such unpleasant surprises, our Newsletter is publishing examples of the more common rules. Additional information is available on the SMA's website @stratfordmanor.blogspot.com.
Three Stratford Manor homeowners recently received notices of an architectural violation regarding "mismatched doors and shutters" as part of their spring inspection report - a problem that could have been avoided if they (or the previous owners) had familiarized themselves with the rules regarding exterior paint colors. "Mismatched" means that the color of the door isn't the same as that of the shutters, or vice-versa. The common defense is that "it was that way when we moved in". Not a solid argument, but one that the Board takes into consideration when confronting the offender.
But there are other rules that an owner needs to keep in mind when deciding it's time to give their exterior a fresh coat of paint. For example, did you know that you need to choose your exterior colors from 22 Colonial Williamsburg colors selected by the Architectural Control Committee in its comprehensive review of our HOA's paint policies in 2021? The list - - found on our website - - includes a variety of grays, blues, browns, greens, whites, blacks and reds. In short, something for everyone.
Why these 22? Because they are classic colonial paints, reflecting those found in early American design. The founders of our community wanted to preserve the beauty of our colonial architecture, which meant establishing rules limiting paint colors to those used in colonial times. Originally, each home was assigned specific colors, but the rule was relaxed as owners asked for more flexibility in creating a new but acceptable look for their homes.
If you are planning to repaint any part of your exterior using the same SMA color you currently have, feel free to do so. But if you want a change, the Association asks that you fill out an Architectural Review Application (downloadable from our website) and submit it to Abbitt Management. The committee and the Board will review the request and respond with an approval or request for additional information in short order.
There are many other rules that you need to take into consideration when considering a color change, all of which are spelled out in the "Exterior Painting Guide" on our website, under "Architectural Compliance". Also remember that you may purchase your paint at a store of your choosing. Sherwin- Williams on Oyster Point Road offers Stratford Manor owners deep discounts.
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TRASH PICK UP SCHEDULE: *
June 21 - Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; June 28 - Trash only
July 6 - Recycling, bulk pickup & trash (Wednesday pickup due to holiday); July 12 - Trash only; July 19 - Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; July 26 - Trash only
August 2 - Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; August - 9 - Trash only
* Trash and recycling receptacles should be curbside no earlier than 3 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup. Bulk trash may be out the weekend before the scheduled collection.
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EXTENSIVE FENCE REPAIRS ADD TO INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS:
A stark reminder of the rising costs of maintaining Stratford Manor's infrastructure came about in May, as "routine" repairs to our perimeter fence on Kenilworth Drive turned out to be a much larger problem.
Nancy Allen, a member of the Infrastructure Committee, responded to a report from a homeowner of a collapsing fence on the west side of Kenilworth. "It looked fine one day and then all of a sudden it tipped over," said Ms. Allen. Rosenbaum Fencing, the SMA's long-standing fence repair contractor, came out and diagnosed the problem as the rotting of underground portions of the wooden posts.
"The committee asked the contractor to inspect the rest of our perimeter fencing," said Ms. Alen, "since we have had so many issues with it in recent years." In mid-2019, Rosenbaum made major repairs to a large section of fencing behind Sloane Place that was in danger of collapsing. Additional repairs were made to the same stretch of fencing in 2020.
The major source of much-needed repairs are the original wooden fence posts that have rotted over time. The solution, short of replacing entire sections of the fence, is to install new posts next to the old ones and anchor them in concrete. This time, Rosenbaum had to install 22 fence posts and repair or replace several fence pickets. The total cost: just under $5,000. "This should hold us for a while," said Ms. Allen. "But eventually we will need to replace our perimeter fence with something more lasting."
In other infrastructure news, the committee managed to eliminate a drainage issue near 197 Wellesley by having a contractor run piping and outlet valves under the perimeter fence to into a public drainage ditch. "This was a perplexing problem," said Bob Lucas, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee. "But we finally found a contractor who was creative enough to solve the problem at a reasonable cost (about $1,800)."
Basic Construction's sub-contractor completed its concrete repair work on Kenilworth and Sloane Place, and the SMA's arborist removed a large, dead tree near 147 Kenilworth. "The tree, which was the victim of carpenter ants, was large enough to cause a lot of damage if it fell," said Mr. Lucas, "so we are grateful that a homeowner reported it to us".
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STRATFORD MANOR NEWS BRIEFS:
Assessment payment notices mailed - Abbitt Management has mailed mid-year assessment statements to all Stratford Manor owners, with a due date of July 1. At the SMA Board's request there is a 30-day grace period, which means you have until July 31 to pay the amount due. A late fee will be applied on August 1.
Summer is in the air - and so is the smell of dog waste! Most dog walkers in our community are considerate enough to pick up after their pet relieves itself in the common area. But a bigger problem exists when owners let their pets defecate on their patio and leaves it for later clean up. "It's that time of year when a lot of us want to sit out back and enjoy the smells of summer," said SMA President John Gullett. "When the dog poop aroma from someone's patio reaches a neighbor's, it definitely ruins the moment. Please be considerate and promptly dispose of your dog's waste, no matter where it occurs." He added that "poop bags" are available free from stations maintained by a volunteer owner.
Reminder - Curb Parking is Not Allowed: Some Board members remarked recently that there are times when cars are regularly parked along the curb on our roads and medians. Owners need to remind their guests that these cars will be towed if a neighbor reports it. Ask t hem to park on nearby public streets.
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2022 BOARED MEETING DATES:
August 10, 2022 October 12, 2022 December 14, 2022
(Annual Meeting is scheduled for November 16, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.)
Meetings are on Wednesdays, and start at 5:30 p.m. Currently meetings are held virtually via Zoom. The link for the meeting is emailed to owners prior to the meeting date, if Abbitt has your email address. To add your email address, email it to associations@abbitt.com.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Board meetings. We need your support to ensure that Stratford Manor continues to be a beautiful community.
