The Villages at Maxwell Creek HOA Newsletter (3rd Quarter 2005)

Management Company Decision

As many long-term residents should recall, our HOA is self-managed; that is, all of the duties performed by the HOA come from volunteers living in the neighborhood. Originally, the HOA was managed by a management company, Excel, which was fired in August 2003 for various reasons.

We believe that only people living in the neighborhood truly care about what happens here, and conversely, most management companies are only interested in doing the bare minimum required to collect their monthly paycheck. Many people have stepped forward and volunteered to help out over the last several years, and we appreciate all of the help we've received, but unfortunately more often than not we don't hear back from them after the initial discussion. Additionally, the time is rapidly approaching where our handful of active volunteers will burn out.

This leaves us in an untenable situation — without enough volunteers we can't feasibly run the HOA, much less hold the various events throughout the year. If we hire a management company, not only will service go down, but everyone's dues will increase. We have discussed the option of dissolving the HOA, however that option has not been well received the few times it has been discussed with homeowners during open forum meetings, and it is doubtful that the required ⅔ majority would approve. Additionally, precedent shows that cities are very reluctant to absorb community assets, and quite often it leads to lowered property values in the affected area.

The board will make the decision whether to hire a management company by November 1st, and is currently inclined to do so. If the decision is made to go in that direction, the board will begin interviewing companies shortly thereafter. It is expected that the change to a management company will result in an increase in everyone's dues by $40 - 60 per year. We encourage you to voice your opinion on this matter, either in person at the October open forum meeting, or via email to officers@maxwellcreek.org.

Bimonthly Open Forum Meetings

The next open forum meeting will be held on Monday, October 3rd at the Allen Public Library, starting at 7pm. Please note the new location at 300 N. Allen Drive. As with previous meetings, there is no specific agenda, the plan is to hold an informal question and answer session, and to help everyone meet their neighbors.

We originally held open forum meetings on Monday nights, but received many complaints that it was difficult to attend due to scheduling conflicts. In the 2004 Homeowner Survey, we asked for other days and times to hold the meetings, and by far Tuesday and Saturday were the preferred days. Unfortunately, attendance at those times has been virtually non-existant, and only two people have shown up for the last three meetings. Depending on how the October meeting goes, it may be the last held.

Halloween Trick-or-Treat Kickoff Party

We will be holding the annual trick-or-treat Halloween kickoff on Saturday, October 29th from 4 - 6pm in the cul-de-sac on Woodstream Ln. Both children and adults are invited to dress up. We will be holding best costume contests, providing fresh popcorn, apples, and trick-or-treat candy for everybody!

The kickoff is being held on Saturday because 1) children will have fun dressing up twice rather than just one time and 2) Monday is a school night. Also, after moving the time for the event to earlier in the evening, we heard several comments that it was more enjoyable and safer than in the dark.

Please note that unless additional volunteers come forward to plan, organize and run future activities, this will be the last event for some time. The Halloween party is only going to be held at this point because we have already purchased supplies.

Yard of the Month

Congratulations to Michael & Cherlyn White, their home at 1736 Oak Brook Ln. was the winner of Yard of the Month for July!

Congratulations to John and Nikki Butcher, their home at 1716 Mapleleaf Falls Dr. was the winner of Yard of the Month for June!

Based on your input to last year's homeowner survey, the HOA recently kicked off a Yard of the Month (YOTM) program. The Yard of the Month program is the HOA's way of recognizing neighbors whose yards stand out from the rest. The extra time, energy and money these residents expend on their lawns, and the imaginative touches they bring to their landscaping not only enhance the value of the homes around them, but also foster a positive image of the entire neighborhood.

Each month, the HOA will post pictures of candidate yards on the web site for voting. The residence with the highest number of votes will be announced at the next Open Forum meeting, on the HOA website, and in the next HOA newsletter. Additionally, the winner each month will receive a $25 Home Depot gift card.

All candidates for YOTM should have:

• Well manicured, weed-free yards,
• Trimmed bushes and shrubs,
• Aesthetically appealing flowers or other elements.

For more information on the exact details, please check out the Community Beautification Standards on the web site. If you would like to nominate one of your neighbors for the Yard of the Month please contact landscape@maxwellcreek.org.

Fundraising Underway in Earnest for the Allen Eagle Escadrille

The Allen Eagle Escadrille is well on its way to Pasadena, California to march in the 2006 Tournament of Roses Parade having raised funding through Corporate Sponsorship, Escadrille / Sonic Drive-in take-over and Escadrille Garage Sale. More fundraisers are on the horizon to help this band of over 640 march its way to California.

Each student of the Escadrille band is asked to raise almost $1200. to cover his / her own air transportation, housing, most meals and activities. The Tournament of Roses Committee has been charged with raising funds for transportation of instruments, uniforms and equipment as well as for emergencies and a discretionary fund while also giving Escadrille students opportunity to raise his/her own funding.

Tournament of Roses Committee member, Sheila Hoekstra said, At first the task at hand appeared daunting. Look, moving all these kids to California is no small feat, but when we (meaning committee members Pam Toups, Virginia Smith and Sheena Helvey) put our heads together, we knew it really could be done! Hoekstra added, We've got some of the greatest parents in the Escadrille and we knew we could count on them to make this dream come true for the kids of the students.

This month the Escadrille is off to a great start with the current Coca-Cola sale which will provide each kid with $5.00 per case sold, which be deposited into that student's trip account. August 13, 10:00 am-5:00 pm will bring the Escadrille Car Wash at Advantage Self Storage on Bethany Drive in Allen. Two Rows Spirit Night began this week and will continue every Thursday night through December 22nd - Just mention the Escadrille and 10% of the receipt total will be donated.

Hoekstra commented, The March-a-thon is the largest opportunity of all. Our Escadrille students will gather sponsors and then march 10 miles through the East side of Allen, lunch in Bethany Lakes Park, into Tom Thumb and Lowe's, and end up on the West side of Allen. It's a hard, hot day, but it's so great to see the citizens turn out to cheer our kids on.

September 8th, 6:00 pm to 9:00 will bring the A-Town Ho-Down at Celebration Park. It will celebrate the Escadrille as well as welcome Libby Wright, 117th Tournament of Roses Parade President to Allen. This admission free, community wide event will have food, fun for adults as well as kids with a Country / Western flare. Ads are being sold now on a first-come, first-served basis in the commemorative Allen Eagle Escadrille March to the Roses program which will first be sold at the A-Town Ho-Down.

For additional information go to www.allenband.com.

Committee Updates

Architecture Committee

The HOA has sent out a number of violation notices over the past few months, and unfortunately many were to the same repeat problems. Several of these have resulted in fines being assessed, and we're in the collection process. Where possible, we've been trying to get the City of Allen code inspection department involved as well.

Of the dozen or so habitual problem homes in our neighborhood, a handful have been homes in foreclosure, and we're working with the title and realty companies to resolve any issues. Most of the rest are lease / rent properties, and the owners often live out of state.

Overall the neighborhood is in good shape; most of the time, we're cleaner and more attractive than several of the other neighborhoods in the area. The biggist complaint we continue to hear from homeowners — and realtors — is the large number of vehicles parked in the street.

The chairperson of the Architecture committee is Robert Butler.

Landscape Committee

The HOA has a few projects lined up for the next year or two:

• The most immediate visible change will be the addition of landscaping to the center median on Maxwell Creek drive. We're currently deliberating between several different designs based on their relative inital and long-term costs. Two example designs are the median in Parker Lake Estates at Bur Oak and FM2551, and the in Bethany Ridge neighborhood at Bethany and Big Bend Dr.
• Perfecto, the HOA landscape maintenance company, recently completed filling in low areas around sidewalks and planting St. Augustine sod where necessary under trees in the Common Areas.
• Adding fences and landscaping to the cul-de-sacs. We're looking at several different designs, one of which is a combined landscape / split rail fence similar to that recently installed at Bethany Ridge Park (in front of Kroger).
• We're looking into satisfying the request for landscaping additions at the pseduo-entrances at Malone & Oak Brook, Malone & Bur Oak, and Shelley & Forest Stream. Even though these are not neighborhood entrances per-se, there is a good example of what we're considering at Hedgecoxe and Georgian.

The chairperson of the Landscape committee is Stephanie Butler.

Social Committee

After the Halloween party in October, the committee has no other activities planned. Please note that due to a lack of volunteers to assist with planning, organizing, and running events, this may be the last event held for the foreseable future.

The chairperson of the Social committee is Stephanie Butler.

Kid's Corner

Who Is On The $10 Bill?

The guy on the US ten-dollar bill is Alexander Hamilton and he was killed in a duel by Vice President Aaron Burr.

Hamilton was a revolutionary war hero and leading architect of the new American government. He co-authored the Federalist Papers, considered one of the most important contributions to American political thought. As George Washington's right-hand man and the first US Secretary of the Treasury, he formulated an economic policy that got the then-new nation on its feet. As Secretary of the Treasury, he established the country's first national bank. His most important contribution may have been establishing the supremacy of the executive branch of American government over the legislative and judicial branches.

Aaron Burr was a colonel in the Continental Army and briefly served — as Hamilton did — with Washington at Valley Forge. In the presidential election of 1800, he was in a deadlock with Thomas Jefferson, with 73 votes each. The election went to the House of Representatives to be decided. There Federalist votes kept the election deadlocked until the 36th ballot, when Hamilton's influence gave the presidency to Jefferson. Burr, a Republican, became vice president. At the time, the person with the majority of votes was elected President, while the Vice Presidency went to the person with the second greatest number of votes.

Many at the time thought that the political mudslinging of Burr by Hamilton may have cost him the election. The animosity between the two men would continue until July 1804 when Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel, and as was customary, was accepted.

The fateful day came on July 11, 1804 at Weehawken, New Jersey. Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton faced off, and Hamilton was mortally wounded. He was dragged from the duelling area and died the next day. While the nation mourned, Burr returned to complete his term as vice president but his success in the duel proved to be to his detriment. There was some talk of murder charges being brought against him, but as the rules of the duel were followed, no indictment was carried forward. He would later go on to be charged for treason for his ill-fated attempt to establish his own empire in the South.

HOA Contact Information

The Home Owners Association and its agents may be contacted in several ways:

• Through the HOA web site, at http://www.maxwellcreek.org/,
• By emailing the officers of the HOA, at officers@maxwellcreek.org,
• By calling or faxing the HOA at (972) 739-5221.
• Through U.S. postal mail at:
  Villages at Maxwell Creek HOA
  P.O. Box 2265
  Allen, TX 75013

We welcome any questions, comments, or concerns you may have. Please include your name and street address on all correspondence in order to expedite a response. Please allow two business days for your call or message to be returned.

Is there anything that you've wished to know more about or is there something you would like to share with other association members? If you want to suggest a topic, write an article, make a suggestion or even correct a mistake, please contact us at newsletter@maxwellcreek.org! The deadline for all submissions is the end of the first month for each quarter-year.