"NEWS YOU CAN USE"

Stratford Manor Association's Newsletter

(January 2024)

As 2023 comes to an end, the Association would like to thank retiring President John Gullett for all his hard work, long hours spent, and the dedication that he gave our community over the last six years. In his leisure time, John looks forward to writing and spending more time with his wife, Judith.

 A special thank you goes to John Gullett and Bob Lucas for all their hard work in getting the community's parking spaces numbered and striped.  In the latter part of December, B&R Lot Clearing completed the painting.  With the patching of the pothole and painting the spaces, it has certainly enhanced the look of our parking lot.

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"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything."  Author Unknown

Welcome your New Board for 2024!  The association's new board of directors was recently elected, and they are as follows:  Doug Marmon (President), Donna Groller (Vice President), Fran [Dobby] Hodges (Secretary), Bob Lucas (Treasurer), Lisa Hall, Rick Leib, Stephen DiPersio, Ryan Hatter, and Satori Gregorakis.  As you will note, there are some "familiar faces" as well as some "new faces".  The members are enthusiastic, eager to help improve communication, and to re-establish homeownership pride within our community.

Town Hall Meetings:  In months when a board meeting is not held, the association will be conducting a Town Hall Meeting where all homeowners and absentee owners are invited to attend.  The first meeting will be January 17, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. and it will be held at Hidenwood Presbyterian Church.  The community is welcome to discuss any and everything that they would like, to learn what the board is doing, and offer suggestions on ways to improve their community. This is a way to create community involvement and to give the board an avenue of hearing more from the owners and absent owners in an informal setting.  Please mark your calendars and we look forward to seeing you there!

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Stratford Manor’s Board of Directors’ Goals for 2024:

 1.    Improve communication within the association/community.

 2.  More involvement with the owners and absentee owners to strengthen the pride of ownership within our community.

 3.  Less issues with landscaping, increase expectations and accountability, and communicate landscape leaf pick-up plan within the community.    

 4.  In connection with the Reserve Study, establish a 1 to 5 short year plan as far as the infrastructure and municipal side of things and a long-term plan that needs to fit our budget.

(Remember one person cannot do it alone - - it takes a community) …

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Let’s Get Connected:  Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to another.  To be transparent and keep the community apprised of the events and concerns within the community, the board has established a Google Workspace Account.  By utilizing the many features of Google Workspace, board meetings can be virtual and recorded for later viewing, association documents can be accessed in one place as needed, a contact list of all homeowners (and absentee owners) created to allow for mass emails to be sent to keep our community informed, and mass emails will reduce the costs associated with paper handouts. To make sure you are receiving the most up-to-date information, please provide our secretary (Fran “Dobby” Hodges) with your current email address.  She may be contacted at Secretary.StratfordManor@gmail.com

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Have a minute or two to spare?

Would you like to give back to your community?

The following committees have been established and are looking for people who would like to volunteer their time. 

Governance Committee:  This committee is responsible for the governing documents, enforcement of the documents, and works with the Architectural Committee and Abbitt.  (Stephen DiPeriso, Chairperson) 

Finance Committee: This is committee oversees the budget, review of all contracts, insurance matters, banking and financial concerns, works with the reserve study as far as funding is concerned, and working to monitor our collection accounts. (Doug Marmon, Chairperson) 

Architectural Controls:  This committee is responsible for the oversight of the physical aspects of the townhomes and review any architectural change requests.  (Donna Groller, Chairperson) 

Municipal Service:  This committee will be responsible for infrastructure, maintenance of our drainage systems, street/sign lights, and anything that is needed within the community.  Also, will work with interfacing with the city as needed.  (Satori Gregorakis, Chairperson) 

Community and Safety Committee:  This committee will oversee the welcoming of new homeowners, social events, sending of e-cards to the community, and newsletter publication.  Also, to create new programs to benefit members of our community (i.e., restart a neighborhood watch program, safe walker program, and programs on safety awareness and other topics of interest. (Fran “Dobby” Hodges, Chairperson) 

Landscape Committee:  This committee will work hand in hand with the landscaping company to ensure that the current contract is affordable, and what is in our contract is attainable, and our expectations are measurable.  Will prepare bid proposals and solicit bids for new landscaping company and monitor work per contract.  Also, will evaluate the landscaping needs within the community and propose projects as financially feasible. (Rick Leib, Chairperson) 

Nominating Committee:  This committee will provide future nominations to vacant board positions as needed.  (Doug Marmon, Chairperson) 

If you are interested on serving on a committee, please contact Doug Marmon, President, at the following email address:   President.StratfordManor@gmail.com

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A friendly reminder, please be sure that both of your garbage cans have your house number on them. When taking them out for pickup, please ensure that the tops are tightly closed as the city will not pick them up if they are overflowing.  Garbage and recycling cans should be placed out for pick-up the AFTERNOON before the scheduled pickup date.  If your garbage cans are broken, please call 757-933-2311 and they will be replaced free of charge.  

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Mark your calendars:  2024 Board Meeting Dates:

Feb. 21, 2024; April 10, 2024; June 12, 2024;

Aug. 14, 2024; Oct. 9, 2024; & Dec. 11, 2024

All board meeting will be held at Abbitt Management

and will start at 5:30 p.m.

Annual Meeting: 

Nov. 20, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. - Hidenwood Presbyterian Church

2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND GENERAL INFORMATION:

Doug Marmon, President - Email:  President.StratfordManor@gmail.com

Donna Groller, Vice President - Email:  VicePresident.StratfordManor@gmail.com

Fran (Dobby) Hodges, Secretary - Email:  Secretary.StratforedManor@gmail.com

Bob Lucas, Treasurer

Lisa Hall 

Rick Leib

Stephen DiPersio

Ryan Hatter

Satori Gregorakis

Association's Website:  stratfordmanornn.blogspot.com

Contact the Board via their NEW email:  board@stratfordmanor.net or through Abbitt.

Property Management:

Abbitt Management

Ms. Tricia Wells, Manager

Email:  associations @abbitt.com

Telephone:  757-874-4900

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October-November 2023 Edition

WORK BEGINS ON RESTRIPING AND RENUMBERING PARKING LOT SPACES:

If you see painters adding fresh, new stripes and numbers to parking lots in another section of Stratford Manor, be patient. They will get to your parking lot soon. 

B&R Lot Clearing began work in mid-October on the complete relocating of numbers on parking spaces in the  large repaved lot on Kenilworth. “Instead of reworking the paint on the curbs,” said Bob Lucas, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, “the Board decided to paint space numbers on the asphalt near the rear of the spaces. This way, emergency vehicles and visitors will be able to quickly locate the right space, even if a vehicle is parked there.” 

B&R will be working on neighborhood sections that may encompass only two or three buildings at a time. Residents will be given two days’ notice to prepare for work in their lot. “This will allow residents to more easily find alternative parking when work is going on  in their lot,” said Mr. Lucas. “B&R is very service oriented, and has set up a schedule that should minimize inconveniences to our residents.” 

The contractor has already patched a dozen or more potholes in the roadways as part of the contract. “This will help extend the life of our paved areas,” Mr. Lucas explained. 

Barney Carr, owner of the contracting firm doing the work, said the process of doing neighborhoods one at a time will take longer, “but we are not racing the clock. Cold temperatures will not affect our work. Our only weather concern is moisture.” 

The patching and painting project will cost the Association a little over $11,000. “Not cheap,” said Mr. Lucas, “but we think it’s something that all of our residents will appreciate.”◾

MEET THE BOARD CANDIDATES:  

By Madoline Wallace, Chairperson, Nominating Committee

We have three (3) positions opening up on the SMA Board in November, and three (3) candidates have filed the necessary paperwork to run for election by owners at the Annual Owners' Meeting on November 15th. 

The candidates are: 

Betty Blackburn, resident owner of 178 Wellesley for 4 years.  Betty is up for reelection, having served on the Board for the past 3 years. She currently chairs the Hospitality/Welcome Committee. Betty wants to return to the Board to ensure we have a well-run community. She firmly believes in the Stratford Manor community and wants to help it survive. 

Stephen DiPersio, resident owner of 144 Kenilworth for 8 years.  Stephen wants to join the Board to help the community and keep things in order.  He works in IT and gets along quite well with people. He is a problem solver who knows the importance of looking at all sides of an issue and being respectful of the opinions of others.

Rick Leib, owner of 139 Wellesley for 6 months.  Although Rick has owned his unit for a short period of time, he is no stranger to Stratford Manor. His father was the previous owner of 139 Wellesley for 13 years. Rick and his wife, Lori, plan to spend their retirement years occupying the unit. He wants to join the Board to help keep up the standards that have been achieved. He comes to the Board with a background in residential construction. 

All three were recognized as candidates for Board seats by the current Board at its Oct. 11 meeting. However, additional nominations may be made from the floor at the upcoming Annual Meeting.◾

Board Schedules an Organizational Meeting After Owners' Meeting:

 The election of up to three new board members at the Annual Owners Meeting on Nov. 15 will be followed this year by an organizational meeting of the new board for 2024. 

The purpose of the additional meeting will be to elect new officers, so that there will be no gap  in the Association’s leadership between the Owners’ Meeting and the Board’s  regular Dec. 13 meeting. 

This change was prompted by the  President John Gullett’s retirement. Mr. Gullett, who has been serving as the HOA’s president since 2017, is not running for reelection. “Normally this hasn’t been an issue,” said Mr. Gullett.  “But my authority will end when the Owners’ Meeting is over,” he said. “ Then Abbitt will need to begin immediately working with my successor, and with the Association’s banks to update bank signature cards for the new officers. “  Since the meeting’s sole purpose is to elect officers for the new year, it is expected to be brief.◾

Trash pickup schedule: 

 Oct. 17— Trash only; Oct. 24-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash;

Oct. 31—Trash only ; Nov. 7--Recycling, bulk pickup & trash;

 Nov. 14—Trash only; Nov. 21—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; Nov. 28--Trash only. Dec. 5—recycling, bulk pickup & trash; Dec. 12—Trash only; Dec. 19—recycling, bulk pickup & trash.◾

More tips for repelling those pesky rodents: 

Some Stratford Manor owners are reporting progress in fighting off rodents that invaded their home or patio this past summer, but the HOA continues to receive reports of problems in some neighborhoods throughout the community.  As a public service, here are some tips—some mentioned in previous issues—that can be helpful in these efforts: 

  --Make sure your exterior does not have gaps where insects or wildlife can enter your home. Even the smallest crack or hole can serve as an access point. 

-Hire a reliable pest control company to provide regular service.  They can serve as your first line of defense through the use of bait boxes, traps, and pesticide chemicals. These technicians are experts at helping you effectively battle the unwanted rodents and insects.—including making sure that you have sealed off all gaps in the exterior. 

--Make sure all trash and recycling bins are tightly covered. A trash bin overflowing with garbage  is an open invitation to rodents and other wildlife that a buffet just opened—as is a dirty barbecue grill. 

--Avoid putting out anything that rodents or insects might find tasty. Unfortunately for bird and cat lovers, this means not leaving out bird seed or food for squirrels, cats or raccoons. Even cooking oil poured on the ground behind your unit will be seized on as a feast. And don’t overlook those piles of dog poop. Rodents and other critters love them. 

--Consider using pine tags, or needles, in your garden instead of mulch. Roaches and other outside pests love making nests in traditional mulch. Some experts believe that pine straw will give you  all the benefits without the bugs. Regardless of the type of mulch you use, be sure you don’t compact it or put it up against the exterior of your home. Create a barrier of pea gravel or some other material. 

Above all else, remember that homeowners are responsible for making their homes rodent-proof. And the most effective key to success is getting your neighbors to join in and take all the steps you are taking. Unless every home in your building  participates, you are likely to be in for a long battle.◾

 

Street lights in Wellesley section out for days; Was it lightning? 

Owners in the neighborhood just past the entrance sign at the end of Wellesley heard a loud clap of thunder during a recent storm, and noticed that both the signage spotlight and four street lamps went dark. They reported the outage to Abbitt Management, and electricians from Atlantic Wire came out to Stratford Manor expecting the worst. 

The search for the source of the problem took three days, but it was finally located: a short in the wire leading to one of the lamps. “We were all relieved to learn that the light fixtures were not damaged by lightning,” said SMA President John Gullett. “And I must applaud the patience of anxious homeowners. And while here, the electricians also converted two of the old sodium lights to LED.”◾ 

 

Board approves 2024 Budget 

The SMA Board has approved the Association’s operating budget for 2024, including a dues increase. 

“Raging inflation has had a major impact on our expenses,” said Bob Lucas, SMA Treasurer. This prompted the Board to order a special reserve study by an outside architectural firm, to update their three-year-old projections on the cost of replacing our roads and other infrastructure elements in future years. 

“Our consultants came back with a recommendation to increase our annual contribution to the replacement reserves by thousands of dollars,” said Mr. Lucas. “Our current level of income from dues is simply not enough to absorb this increase.” 

He noted that the Association’s replacement reserves are well-funded--$283,000 at the end of September. “But the newly projected costs for future infrastructure work means we have to set aside more funds-- for work that will help increase the property values of our owners’ homes.” 

The dues increase—only the second in five years—amounts to $82 more annually, or $41 more per each semi-annual payment. This is the equivalent of $6.83 more per month.◾

 

Can’t we all be a little more neighborly? 

Admit it—There’s something about your neighbor you don’t like. Maybe he leaves his trash bin out for days. Or she has a messy porch that’s an eyesore in an otherwise beautiful neighborhood. And those leaves he blows out from his patio onto the common area out back! 

Those who volunteer to serve on the SMA’s Board  are in a position to help shape reasonable policies, but every resident of Stratford Manor can have a positive influence on the quality of life we all enjoy.

Here are a few examples to think about: 

Know the schedules for trucks that pick up trash, bulk waste and recycling.  We’ve all seen those blue bins out on the curb on a trash-only week. That’s not too bad, but when someone puts out bags of vegetation or old furniture when the bulk waste truck isn’t coming for another week, we all have to stare at for days .  Also check the City’s website for what’s bulk waste—or your pile may just sit there! 

Put numbers on your bins. If your neighbor knows you’re sick, she may put your bin away for you—but only if she knows which one is yours. 

Do not blow your patio’s leaves out into the common area.  They are your responsibility, and must be bagged (clear bags only for pickup), or dumped into your trash bin. 

For security, now that days are shorter, turn on your porch lights (and any rear lights) nightly.◾

SMA Board:

John Gullett (2023) President

Donna Groller (2025) Vice President

Bob Lucas (2024) Treasurer

Frances Hodges (2025) Secretary

Nancy Allen (2024)

Betty Blackburn (2023)

Lisa Hall (2023)

Doug Marmon (2025)

Madoline Wallace (2024)

 Association Website:

stratfordmanornn.blogspot.com

Contact the Board via email:

stratfordnn@gmail.com or through Abbitt

 Property Management:

Abbitt Management

Ms. Tricia Wells, Manager

Email: associations@abbitt.com

Telephone:  757-874-4900

Board Meeting Dates:   Annual Meeting is November 15th * to be held at Christ United Methodist Church beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Regular Board Meeting is December 13th which will be held at the office of Abbitt Management Company starting at 5:30 p.m.

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August - September 2023 Edition

 

Contractor selected to restripe, renumber parking lot spaces

The SMA’s Board of Directors has selected B&R Lot Cleaning to restripe and renumber parking spaces in Stratford Manor. The decision came just two months after the Board asked the Infrastructure Committee to develop a plan to repaint spaces that are faded and hard to see. 

“We postponed this work for several months,” said Bob Lucas, Chairman of the Committee, “because we had hoped to complete our repaving work before redoing the spaces,” he said. “But with our repaving work on hold, we decided to do the repainting now for the benefit of all of our residents.” 

B&R will be restriping all parking spaces in the community that have not yet been repaved. The spaces on the western side of Kenilworth and on the Wellesley lot east of Kenilworth, where repaving has already been done, will be getting new numbers on the asphalt, to give the community’s parking lots a consistent look. 

“We plan to paint space numbers on the asphalt in all the community’s lots, near the rear of parked vehicles,” said Mr. Lucas. “This will make it easier for emergency vehicles and visitors to find their destination, and avoid the expense of repainting the curbs.” 

In addition, B&R will be repairing several potholes. 

The Committee will be meeting soon with B&R’s representative to develop details of the plan, including a timetable. 

“We expect to get this work done this fall,” said Mr. Lucas, “well before winter.”<

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Stratford Manor’s Storm Drainage System cleaned; repairs needed  

Longhill Excavating finally completed its cleaning of Stratford Manor’s storm drainage system in mid-July, but the contractor’s recommendations for repairs have not yet been received. 

The SMA Board okayed the project last October, after concluding that the drainage system had not been cleaned for many years—if ever. 

Bob Lucas, chairman of the Infrastructure Committee, said at the time that the Board wanted to find out what kind of shape the drainage system was in, “to avoid any surprises down the road.” 

As it turns out, the cleaning was very much needed. SMA President John Gullett, who worked with Longhill during the actual cleaning and inspection, was told that some sections of the drainage system were 80 percent clogged. 

 “The people doing the cleaning said they didn’t understand why we hadn’t experienced any flooding yet,” said Mr. Gullett. “It was only a matter of time before we would be in really bad shape.” 

The contractor found several places where tree roots had broken through pipe connections, and others where lengths of pipe had pulled apart. When tree roots were encountered, they were removed with a cutting tool. 

“We are anxious to find out what repairs are needed,” said Mr. Gullett. “But at least we know that storm water is now draining properly. It’s a relief to know we had this done before the peak of the hurricane season.”  He said Longhill is examining the video it shot during its inspections, and is now preparing a detailed recommendation for repairs.

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Trash pickup schedule 

 August 22— Trash only; 

August 29-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash); 

Sept. 6—Trash only (Wednesday pickup due to holiday) 

Sept. 12--Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; 

Sept. 19—Trash only; 

Sept. 26—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; 

Oct. 3--Trash only. 

Oct. 10—recycling, bulk pickup & trash; 

Oct. 17—Trash only.

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Looking for a Few Good People:

By Madoline Wallace, Nominating Committee Chairperson

You have been paying HOA dues every 6 months since you brought your unit.  Ever wonder where that money goes?  One way to find out is to get involved.  Join a committee.  Or take a position on the Board.

Your HOA needs your help.  There are lots of committee options:  Tree Maintenance, Social and Welcome, Infrastructure Maintenance, Governing Documents, Landscaping, Architectural Control, and Nominating.

In addition, a total of three seats on the Board will need to be filled at the Annual Owners' Meeting on November 15th.  The only requirement is that you are an owner of record of your Stratford Manor townhome.

Don't worry about being committed to long, boring monthly meetings.  The Board meets every other month.  That's only 6 meetings a year.  As for the committees, much of their business is conducted by email.  I have been on the Architectural Control Committee for more than 2 years and have never been to a single meeting.  All our business has been conducted by email.

If you see something that piques your interest or something you would like to learn about, we would love to hear from you.  Get in touch with Madoline Wallace, 143 Wellesley - 757-871-8702 – wmadoline@aol.com<

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It takes a village to stop rodents in their tracks

 As noted in an earlier edition of the Newsletter, some Stratford Manor homeowners are having problems with rodents in their attic and elsewhere. Traps and bait stations help, but if you want to prevent such an invasion, it’s going to take cooperation from your neighbors as well. 

The first thing to understand is that wildlife is looking for access to a safe living space, either by built-in gaps or easily made gaps in your home’s exterior . According to wildlife control experts, unless every home in your building takes precautions such as plugging gaps and reducing available food sources, it’s likely to be a losing battle. 

Some rodents, such as roof rats, have thin, agile bodies and can fit into holes that are a half-inch wide or even smaller. 

A common access point is where your HVAC wiring goes into the house. To prevent access there, stuff some steel wool between the hole and the wires. Rodents are able to chew through wood, plastic and even some types of sealants, but woven wire mesh is a barrier that they will not be able to penetrate, according to Elite Extermination. If possible, after stuffing the small holes with steel wool, add a small wire mesh screen and caulk with a silicone sealant. 

Rodents have access to more food sources that most people think.  Open garbage cans, barbecue grills, bird feeders, and even some native plants full of buds or berries all contribute to the rodents’ steady supply of food. Never leave food outside for your pets or feral animals. Rodents also will eat dog waste, so please do not allow it to sit on or near your patio. 

The SMA’s Landscape Committee, headed by Fran Hodges, is currently investigating what, if anything, the HOA can do to assist in this effort. “But it’s important to understand that homeowners are responsible for making their units rodent-proof,” she said. “We strongly recommend that everyone hire a reliable pest control company for help with this. It’s the least-expensive way to avoid this problem in your neighborhood.”<

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SMA Board:  (Year Term Ending)

John Gullett, President (2023)

Donna Groller, Vice President (2025)

Bob Lucas, Treasurer (2024)

Frances (Dobby) Hodges, Secretary (2025)

Nancy Allen (2024)

Betty Blackburn (2023)

Lisa Hall (2023)

Doug Marmon (2025)

Madoline Wallace (2024)

Association Website:  stratfordmanornn.blogspot.com

Contact the Board via email:  stratfordnn@gmail.com or through Abbitt

Property Management:

Abbitt Management

Ms. Tricia Wells, Manager

Ms. Jennifer Norman, Assistant Manager

Email: associations@abbitt.com or phone 757-874-4900

Board Meeting Dates:

October 11, 2023

December 13, 2023

Meetings are on Wednesdays, and start at 5:30 p.m. Unless notified otherwise, each meeting will be held at Abbitt, Suite 205, 11835 Fishing Point Drive., Newport News, VA 

Annual Meeting:

The annual meeting will be held November 15, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the Christ United Methodist Church.

Please do your part to maintain your townhome and yards to ensure that Stratford Manor remains a beautiful place in which to live.

JUNE - JULY 2023 EDITION 

Board asks for plans to repaint parking spaces, fix sidewalk issues   

The SMA’s Board of Directors at its June 14 board meeting asked the Infrastructure Committee to develop a plan to restripe and renumber parking spaces in Stratford Manor. At the same meeting, the committee also was asked to identify any new sidewalk trip hazards. 

Bob Lucas, Chairman of the committee, acknowledged that the difficulties in resolving issues with repaving over the past several months forced delays in repainting the faded lines and space numbers. “We were trying to avoid repainting everything twice,” he explained. “But with the repaving work now on hold, we asked the board to let us come up with cost estimates and a plan for getting the repainting done quickly.”

“Other than the two lots that have already been repaved, the spaces and numbers throughout the community are so faded that they are no longer useful,” he noted. He thanked the many owners who brought this problem to the forefront by asking the Association to put a priority on getting the repainting done. 

The committee is now in the process of getting input from contractors who do this type of work, and will present a proposal to the board as soon as possible. 

The board’s decision to seek proposals from sidewalk contractors on repairing any sidewalk trip hazards was prompted by some homeowner complaints that more uneven sidewalks have surfaced since the October 2021 repair project. That work involved replacing some sidewalks and lifting or shaving several others. 

Mr. Lucas said the committee will be seeking estimates from sidewalk repair firms over the coming weeks and hopes to make a recommendation to the board later this summer.<

What’s the ‘411’ on Landscaping?  

 By Fran Hodges, Landscaping Committee Chairman 

The Landscape Committee has been working hard to help improve Stratford Manor.  Here is the 411 (information): 

●Soil samples have been done on Sloane and were sent to VA Tech for evaluation.  Over the next few months, soil samples will be gathered on Kenilworth and Wellesley.  These samples will help our landscape company to determine if there are any additional applications needed throughout the community.

●Welcome signs --Based on the landscaping committee’s recommendations, 4 Hawthorne shrubs, 7 Encore azaleas, 3 limelight hydrangea and 1 variegated azalea have been planted.  A special “thank you” goes to Lorraine Winall and Sarah Krause for helping the Landscape Committee with watering and maintaining our new shrubs. BTW, please don’t let your dogs urinate on our new shrubs!  

●While this is not really under landscaping, a special “thank you” goes to Linda Wahlert for suggesting that the board post a “child playing” sign at the entrance of Sloane and Wellesley.  The HOA loves input from our homeowners!

●What has been going on with Gum Grove? Our new landscaping company, Gum Grove, is in the 4^th month of their one-year contract.  As with most new jobs, there is still a learning period, and they are still getting to know the “lay of the land”.   Monthly, they mow our lawns, edge, and blow off, spray pre-emergent and fertilizer, pick up debris, and have recently trimmed the shrubs and pulled weeds.  Weeds in the curbs, street cracks, and other areas are a long-standing problem at Stratford Manor.  It is a hard problem to tackle, and Gum Grove is actively pursuing this problem as they have applied numerous applications of weed killer throughout the community.  This problem will not be totally resolved until the streets are repaved, but due to the HOA’s financial budget that has been postponed.

●In case you are wondering why the crepe myrtles did not get “cut back” this year.  Based on the advice of SMA’s arborist, by not cutting back the crepe myrtles the trees will be healthier, produce more flowers, and less susceptible to tree rot.

●What can I do to help with landscaping at SMA? We can all do our part by picking up sticks and debris as we walk throughout the property and dispose of them in garbage cans.  Allow sufficient room between your car and the curb when parking so that the landscapers can clean the areas. 

Sweep off your porch and sidewalk frequently.  Spray non-toxic weed killers in areas that you feel need special attention.

 Lastly, but not least, the Landscape Committee is so thankful for those who are willing (and those who have) monetarily donated funds for the beautification of SMA!  If you wish to monetarily donate funds to support the landscape committee’s “special projects”, a check may be mailed to SMA (c/o Abbitt Management) and notate “landscape special projects”.  One person cannot do it alone.  It takes a village! <

 Noises from your attic? It may be time for action! 

Barbara Warrington, who lives at 121 Wellesley, has some advice for Stratford Manor residents who hear noises coming from their attic or see cute little mice running across their patio: 

Take action early to rid your home of the invaders, because it only gets worse. Ms. Warrington hesitated to do much at first, other than putting out some traps and poison bait . 

She was hoping the rodents would fall victim to those early measures.    “But it got worse as time went by and I was tired of fighting them. So I called a wildlife removal company. “ 

When the experts went into her attic, they discovered that squirrels  had found a home—even to the point of having  babies there. There was also evidence of mice living in the attic. 

“Because of the stench, I had to replace the insulation,” she said. “By then, it had become an expensive problem to fix.“ 

More recently,  Phyllis Bunn, of 115 Wellesley, said she and her neighbors had seen rats behind their units, and she called her exterminator. “The exterminator recommended I call a wildlife removal company,” said Ms. Bunn, “and when they came out they saw signs of rats in my attic. They put out traps in there and a bait box on my patio. Some of my neighbors did the same thing.” 

Ms. Bunn said the wildlife turned out to be what the company called “roof rats.” They said the rats were coming through a small hole on my back wall, where the HVAC cables come through. It doesn’t take much of a hole for them to get in.” 

She said she recommends all owners take precautions to discourage any similar invasion, adding that traps and bait boxes are safe steps to take as long as they aren’t placed where children or pets could get to them.<

Stratford Manor News Briefs: 

Spring inspections completed—The annual exterior inspections conducted in early May were completed without any problems, and homeowners’ feedback and activity suggest that the maintenance items  brought out in the inspection reports are being addressed. “The Abbitt inspector cited well over 100 owners for one or more issues,” said John Gullett, SMA president, “which is more than the past two years. The good news is that the vast majority of these findings involved relatively minor issues such as dirty siding, garden weeds and dirty gutters.” 

Only 14 owners were cited for the more-serious architectural violations, and he said that the Architectural Control Committee has been busy over the past few weeks evaluating and approving Architectural Review applications for exterior repair work. “Violations require compliance, but the vast majority of those this year involved fading shutters, broken trim boards, or sagging gutters. It appears that most owners view this as an opportunity to catch issues they either didn’t notice—like a bird nest over their drain spout--or had put off fixing.” 

Dimly lit entrance sign is now a beacon for Sloane residents—A commercial-grade, solar-powered light is now operational at the Sloane Place entrance on Wellesley Drive, marking the completion of a lengthy effort to provide adequate lighting for all three Stratford Manor entrance signs (The signage light at the end of the public portion of Wellesley is hard-wired to a nearby street lamp, and the Kenilworth Drive sign got its first solar light this past spring.). 

Residents of Sloane have been complaining to the SMA board for quite some time about the low-powered solar light at their entrance. “Some folks were having difficulty seeing the entrance when driving home at night,” said Mr. Gullett. “The low-powered solar light (125 lumens) that we originally installed wasn’t really adequate, so when Board Member Doug Marmon offered to replace it with a more-powerful solar light (675 lumens), we readily approved the expense.” 

Mr. Gullett noted that Mr. Marmon earlier installed the same type of commercial-grade solar light at the Kenilworth entrance, volunteering his and his son’s time in getting the work done at no charge to the Association. “Sloane residents are very happy with the better lighting, and it was done at a cost of less than $280. We deeply appreciate what Mr. Marmon did for the community,” Mr. Gullett said. 

SMA getting new collections attorney—Faced with the pending retirement of the Association’s collections attorney, the SMA board at its June 14 meeting selected Thaddeus Bechtle, a Virginia Beach lawyer, to serve in this highly specialized segment of the SMA’s legal needs, effective immediately for new accounts. Vonda Dunn, who has been serving as the SMA’s collections attorney, recommended Mr. Bechtle and has worked with him over the past two years in preparing for the transition of many of her clients to his firm. “We are going to miss working with Ms. Dunn,” said Mr. Gullett. “She has always been helpful to the SMA Board, and her work with Mr. Bechtle to ensure a smooth transition is greatly appreciated.”

Ms. Dunn will continue working with the SMA’s old accounts until she fully retires later this year. <

Trash pickup schedule: 

 June 27— Trash only; July 5-- Recycling, bulk pickup & trash (Wednesday pickup due to holiday); July 11—Trash only; July 18, Recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

July 25—Trash only; August 1—Recycling, bulk pickup & trash; August 8--Trash only.

 August 15—recycling, bulk pickup & trash.

SMA Board:

John Gullett, President (2023)

Donna Groller, Vice President (2025)

Bob Lucas, Treasurer, (2024)

Frances Hodges, Secretary (2025)

Nancy Allen (2024)

Betty Blackburn (2023)

Lisa Hall (2023)

Doug Marmon (2025)

Madoline Wallace (2024)

Association Website:  stratfordmanornn.blogspot.com or through Abbitt.

Property Management:  

Abbitt Management;  Ms. Tricia Wells, Masnager; Ms. Jennifer Norman, Assistant Manager

Email:  associations@abbitt.com and telephone:  757-874-4900

Board Meeting Dates:  August 9th; October 11th; and December 13th

Meetings are on Wednesdays and start at 5:30 p.m. Unless notified otherwise, each meeting will be held at Abbitt, Suite 205, 11835 Fishing Point Drive, Newport News, VA.

Annual Meeting Date:  Wednesday, November 15th at 7:00 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church

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