Nottingham Forest VIII Newsletter

NF8
H.O.A.
Nottingham Forest VIII Newsletter
Securitas Security
Guard’s Cell................832-642-1422
Office..........................832-912-3200
June 2010
President’s Message
The Nottingham Forest VIII Annual Meeting was held on Thursday,
May 20, 2010.
Two (2) new Board members were elected and two (2) other
present Board members were re-elected to the NF8 Board of
Trustees. Terms are for two (2) years. Write-ups of the new Board
members are found within this newsletter. We are very pleased to
have Brooke Vescovo and Maria Schick join the NF8 Board.
Nottingham Forest VIII
2010 Board
President
Rick Turrentine.......281-597-9453
Vice-President
Joe DeVay..............281-703-8161
Secretary
Maria Schick..........281-497-4075
Treasurer
Brooke Vescovo.....832-598-2029
Assistant Treasurer
Barbara Robins......281-496-7513
Architectural Control
James Healy..........281-558-5115
Deed Restrictions
Joe DeVay..............281-703-8161
Security
Jenny Murdock.......281-597-9339
Newsletter/Directory
Karla Gjertsen .......281-752-4565
Hospitality/Community Relations
Lisa Arthur..............281-584-0424
Royal Disposal Service is our new trash/solid waste pick-up
contractor. You may have seen their red trucks in the neighborhood
on recent Tuesdays and Fridays. The change of contractors should
be seamless, as the pick-up days and procedure are the same as
we have had with Republic. However, as with anything new, the
crew from Royal may need your direction or guidance as to where
to find collection point at your house. Royal has been asked to
check all unlocked gates that are between a garage and a side
boundary fence.
Nottingham VIII on Line
NF8 Website
www.nottinghamforestviii.org
Registration required,
for registration code email:
Karla Gjertsen, Webmaster
[email protected]
Recycling is a whole new service for NF8. Starting on Friday, June
4th, and each Friday thereafter, Residential Recycling of Texas will
pick up recyclable materials set out by each house. Like the trash
pick-up, this is “back door service”, but a recycle bin does need to
be visible from the street. Each house should have received one
recycle bin on Sunday, May 30th. It is hoped recycling will be a big
success for our neighborhood.
Yahoo Groups
Information and Alerts
Registration required,
email: Jenny Murdock,
[email protected]
Send newsletter contributions
and directory updates to:
[email protected]
The items of most importance mentioned at the Annual Meeting
were the implementation of a new trash/solid waste contractor for
the subdivision, and implementation of Recycling to NF8. I have placed below the points from the presentation made at the
meeting.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAST YEAR
• New Solid Waste Agreement at ~25% savings
• Neighborhood Night Out (October)
• Block Captain program
• City of Houston Memorial Super Neighborhood
• Recycling Initiative
• Continued relationship with Securitas
(President’s Message continued on page 2)
(President’s Message continued from page 1)
OTHER ITEMS
• Abandoned cars removed
• Best Fit Solutions as Business Agent working well
• Newsletter published periodically
• Pest Control contract renewed
• City of Houston solid waste rebate renewal
• Registered Deed Restrictions with City of Houston Planning &
Development Department
• Christmas Decoration contest
• Liability insurance policy renewed
• Street Lights always lit
CHALLENGES
• People and Succession planning
• Finding people interested in doing Association work
• Lining up candidates for out year Board positions
• 45 people needed to serve on Board for next 10 years
• Aging structures and infrastructure
• We are on the “list” for street re-building (2017?)
• Beginning of urban blight in immediate area just outside the
subdivision
OUTLOOK FOR COMING YEAR
• Another Directory to be issued
• Implement recycling
• Continuing ACC and Deed
Restrictions Issues
• Rewriting of By-Laws
• Participation in Memorial Super
Neighborhood program
• Traffic Safety (find tools to reduce
speeding)
Please try to participate in a committee or project this coming
year. It is a worthwhile effort and every contribution of your time
helps to make our neighborhood a better place.
Regards,
Rick Turrentine
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
Yard
of the
Month
May 2010
Tyler & Pam Schlief
14803 Broadgreen Drive
$25 gift certificate from
Calloway’s Nursery. 0ur
Garden Club, as usual, will
select the Yard of the Month
winner.
Slow Down!
Our streets are shared
by pedestrians,
bikers, skaters and
children playing.
Page 2
SECURITAS
Directory Updates
Nottingham Forest VIII will
be printing a new updated
directory in September.
Vern Phillips shares
some security tips this
month.
• Park off the street to discourage people from
getting into your cars.
• Keep your cars locked at all times.
• Notify security when you are going out of
town.
• Arrange for a neighbor to pick up your
newspaper and mail or cancel deliveries.
• Secure boat and trailer hitches so no one else
can hook up and pull your property away.
• Drive slowly, there are children playing
outside.
• Keep bushes and trees close to street
trimmed back to maintain visibility while
driving, especially at intersections.
• Trees should be trimmed away from street
lights so people can see at night.
• House numbers should be clearly and easily
visible from street.
Please check your personal
information in the directory.
This may include: phone
numbers, cell phone and email address, names
and ages of living in your home, etc. Children
over 21 should be removed from the directory
unless they live with you part of the year.
This year we would like to start adding e-mail
addresses to the directory on a volunteer basis.
At this time there is room for 1 email address
per listing. You may submit both adult e-mail
addresses with the first one being the preferred
listing in case we have space for both.
The new directory will also include in updated
information on our garbage and recycling
services. In the mean time, tear off the last page
of this newsletter which replaces the information
on pages 45-46 of the current directory.
If there are any changes or corrections, email:
Karla Gjertsen at [email protected]
with updated and corrected information.
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Landscaping Maintenance
Each owner shall maintain, in a reasonable time period, all landscaping on the lot in healthy and neat
condition, including but not limited to:
1.Mowing and watering of all lawns, front, side and rear. Lawns should
be kept mown to a length of no longer than 6 inches tall, and edged
to maintain a neat border along the curb.
2.Weeding of all flowerbeds.
3.Pruning and trimming of all trees, hedges and shrubbery to
present a neat appearance and to avoid obstructing the view
of motorists and pedestrians on the street. If trees overhang
a street, they must be trimmed to allow for free passage of
vehicles.
4.Removing any tree or shrubbery that is dead. Tree stumps are not
allowed and must be removed below ground level where possible.
From ACC Guidlines 2.22 Landscape Maintenance (directory, pg. 69)
Neighborhood Etiquette: Keep your pruning shears on your side of the fence. If it’s not on your
property, don’t prune it without your neighbor’s permission.
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
Page 3
Neighborhood Clubs
FYI - About NF8
Our neighborhood clubs usually take a break from
monthly programs during the summer. They are
not inactive, but are gearing up for another year of
exciting programs that will start in the fall. Membership
renewals, however, go on all summer. Contacts:
Many of our residents enjoyed
the January article about
original homeowners. I would
like to print more articles
like this with input from the
neighborhood residents.
If you have any ideas for
topics, please e-mail Karla
Gjertsen at:
Nottingham Forest Women’s Club
Debby Cate, membership 281-497-6829
Nottingham Trail Gardeners
Betty Cox, membership 281-493-6906
Westchester/Nottingham Forest VIII Women’s Club
Allison Easton
281-597-1252 [email protected]
Mom’s club
Ruth Parks 281-497-7239 [email protected]
 
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Congratulations to our
2010 High School Graduates
Lauren Arthur
James Birdsong
Leslie Brajenovich
Jack Chirichigno
Natalie Dolan
Taylor Enis
Brett Gallion
Robert Hogan
Jacob Salinas Emily Wang
[email protected].
Question for next article:
Have you served on the NF8
Homeowners Association
Board? If so, when, and
what position did you hold?
What were the neighborhood
concerns during your tenure?

Texas A&M University
LSU
undecided
undecided
University of Arkansas
University of Oklahoma
UTSA
Texas A&M University
undecided
Texas A&M University
 
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These articles will need input
to be interesting, so if you
have a story about living
in NF8, please respond as
soon as possible so you don’t
forget.
Our next newsletter will be:
September 2010
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NF8 Block Captains
Street
Bayou Knoll Bramblewood
14802 – 14911
14914 - 14979
Briar Knoll Broadgreen Carolcrest Chadbourne Cindywood Nottingham Oaks Oakbend River Forest Block Captain(s)
Diane Vickers
Phone
E-mail
281-596-9955 [email protected]
Susan Steinbis
281-496-2482
Gayle Watler
281-497-7190
Rachel Schipul
281-531-5186
Paula Lauritzen
Julie Turrentine
281-597-9453
Nancy Radecki
281-556-1510
Danette Chirachingo
281-759-7309
Candice Podvorek
713-278-7526
Colleen Root (backup)
Jennifer Halper
281-556-1933
Ann Evans
281-531-6082
Margery Ambrose
Jarret & Melissa Venghaus281-416-4381
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Page 4
Introducing Our NF8 2010 New Board Members
Barbara Robins
Barbara Robins has lived on Broadgreen since moving to Houston in 1979. Her daughter’s
family, including her two grandchildren, bought the house next to her about ten years ago, so
they have a “little family compound” on Broadgreen. In her day job, Barbara is a CPA and has
worked for a local public accounting firm for the last nineteen years.” Barbara has served two
terms on the NF8 board, and this will be her third term.
Barbara will be serving as Assistant Treasurer.
Karla Gjertsen
Karla Gjertsen and her husband Jon have lived in NF8 since the fall of 1997. Karla got
involved in the neighborhood as soon as she moved here taking digital communication
classes at HCC, attending Westchester/Nottingham Forest VIII Women’s Club activities
and volunteering at the schools. Her volunteering includes: publishing directories for band,
various women’s clubs and the neighborhood, creating advertisements for their advertisers,
and being editor of several school, neighborhood and her quilt guild’s monthly newsletters.
Karla likes to be creative (sew and quilt) and visit with friends. Her two children, Jeffrey and Carolyn, went to
the neighborhood schools and on to study engineering at UT, Austin.
Karla will be serving as Newsletter Editor, Directory Editor and Webmistress.
Maria Schick
Maria is a Director of Commercial Development and Planning in the Gas & Power Marketing
business at ConocoPhillips in Houston, TX. Maria is actively involved in the community serving on the Corporate Guild with Dress for
Success Houston, a non-profit organization that helps low-income women make transitions into
the workforce. For the past nine years, she has also volunteered her time teaching elementary
students about business and the economy through the Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas.
Maria received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Economics in 1998 from
New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Maria’s passions include spending time her husband of 11 years, Doug and her two sons, Dylan (6 yrs old) and
Colten (4 yrs old), as well as competing in marathons and triathlons, playing golf, biking and snow skiing. She
lived in Ashford West for 9 years and moved into NF8 in 2008.
Maria will be serving as Secretary.
Brooke Vescovo
Brooke Vescovo and her family moved to NF8 in June 2007. She is married to Peter, and
they have 2 sons, Peter (almost 4) and Bennett (1). Peter and Brooke both grew up in
Austin, however they did not meet until after college. Brooke attended Kilgore College and
was a member of the Kilgore College Rangerette Dance Team. She then moved on to Texas
A&M where she majored in Accounting and Finance. Before deciding to stay home with her
children in 2009, Brooke worked as a CPA for Ernst & Young and Ashcroft Group Consulting
Services (she still retains her CPA license). Brooke is an active member in the Westchester/ NF8 Mom’s
Group as well as the Junior League of Houston. Her hobbies include watching/ playing sports with her boys,
having fun with her neighbors, and working out at the MAC. The Vescovo family attends Houston’s First Baptist
Church. They love living in NF8, and Brooke looks forward to the opportunity to serve her neighborhood.
Brooke will be serving as Treasurer.
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
Page 5
Hurricane Season - Are You Prepared?
Hurricane season for the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico began June 1 and lasts through
Nov. 30. NOAA’s forecast predicts as many as 23 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane
season, with as many as 14 could turning into hurricanes.
Basic Tips
• Have your car ready. Fill it up and check oil, water and maintenance.
• Make sure you have some cash on hand. Power could be out for days
and ATM machines won’t work.
• Check your emergency survival/evacuation supplies.
Preparing the outside or your house:
• Clear your yard of loose objects, bicycles, lawn furniture, trash cans,
bird feeders, pool equipment, etc.
• Leave swimming pools filled. Super-chlorinate the water and cover
pump and filtration systems and intakes.
• Board up or put storm shutters on windows if you have them.
If you evacuate:
• Turn off water and electricity at the main valve, breakerrs or fuses.
• Have valid identification to show proof of residency in case needed to re-enter area.
• Leave emergency contact information with neighbor or security.
If you are on vacation when a storm blows in: Contact a friend/neighbor/relative to prepare the
outside of your house. Let secrurity know who will be working around your house.
These websites will give you information on preparing your
family and property for a hurricane.
Texas Emergency Portal (Evacuation Routes and Information) http://www.texas.gov/en/Pages/default.aspx
Texas Department of Transportation Hurricane Information Page http://www.dot.state.tx.us/travel/hurricane.htm
Ready Houston - Regional Disaster Preparedness
http://www.readyhoustontx.gov/
Houston Red Cross http://www.houstonredcross.org/en/art/627/
Be Red Cross Ready - Hurricane Safety Checklist
http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/
checklists/Hurricane.pdf
The Emergency Email & Wireless Network http://www.emergencyemail.org/weatherradarWANG1.asp?
National Weather Service Forecast FEMA
Neighborhood news
and Information
will be Posted
at Nottingham
Elementary School
In the event of a hurricane
or other disaster having
a major impact on our
community, important
announcements and
news regarding trash,
waste and other matters
pertaining to the
neighborhood will be
posted on the front doors
at Nottingham Elementary
School.
http://www.weather.gov/
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/hu_season10.shtm
Local News Websites:
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
www.KHOU.com
www.click2houston.com
www.myfoxhouston.com
Page 6
Royal Disposal & Recycle
P.O. Box 160
Fulshear, TX 77441
Office: 713-526-1536
Fax: 281-646-1507
E-mail: [email protected]
Nottingham Forest VIII
Trash Pickup Specifications
1. Your Association Board has selected Royal Disposal to provide your trash collection services, effective
June 1, 2010. Trash pickup days are Tuesdays and Fridays between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
2. Holidays are: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and
Christmas Day. If your trash pickup falls on a holiday, your trash will not be picked up. It will be
picked up on your next regularly scheduled pickup day following the observed holiday. In other
words, you will receive only one pickup in the holiday week. If the holiday does not fall on your
regular trash pickup day, you will be picked up on both of your scheduled days for the holiday
week. Collection on other holidays is subject to landfills being open. Royal Disposal will
provide notice of any changes in holiday collection.
3. Residents provide their own standard-sized 45 gallon plastic trash cans or they may use plastic bags.
4. Back door - “Valet Service” will be provided and our crews will walk the trash to the truck at the
curb and return trash cans to their point of origin. Trash must be placed near the garbage and/or
house, and EASILY ACCESSIBLE. A maximum of 6 garbage cans weighing 40 pounds or less will
be picked up per day. Please do not place your cans under roof eves where rainwater fills cans.
5. Yard Waste - Must be placed at the backdoor near trash and must be accessible. A
maximum of 8 bags of grass, leaves, and/or bundles of yard trimmings will be picked up each
collection day. Tree trimmings must be less that 3 inches thick and tied and bundled in lengths of 4
feet or less. All yard waste bags and bundles must weigh less than 40 pounds.
6. Heavy Items - Must be placed at the curb. Stoves, washers, dryers, refrigerators (Freon must
be removed from refrigerator and tagged or homeowner may call Royal Disposal to arrange for
pickup and will be billed $45.00), hot water heaters, and small pieces of furniture will be picked
up on the last collection day of the week at not charge. Limit one item per home per week. Heavy
items must be placed at the curb.
7. Excluded Items: Acid, car batteries, car parts, carpet (large quantities), concrete, construction
trash, dirt, large sofas and sleeper-sofas, large pieces of furniture, metal bed frames, metal
items, garage door openers, large quantities of fencing materials and large rolls or quantities
of carpet. Acid, swimming pool chemicals, paint, and other
household hazardous chemicals must be taken to the City of
Houston or county Household Hazardous Waste Recycling
Facility by homeowner. Homeowner may call Royal Disposal at
713-526-1536 for special pickup of excluded items to be billed
directly to customer at a negotiated price.
Save this page. This page replaces pages 45 and 46 in your
green 2009 - 2010 Nottingham Forest Section 8 directory.
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
Page 7
Residential Recycling of Texas, Inc.
Specialized to meet the needs of all communities
Toll Free: 1-866-516-9805
Fax: 281-357-0775
[email protected]
Nottingham Forest VIII Recycling Program
Thank you for the opportunity to service the recycling needs of your community. Thank you for caring for the Texas
environment enough to be a part of a recycling program. We realize how busy life can get and greatly appreciate the time
and effort you take to recycle. We feel certain our service will be above and beyond your expectations. RRT strives for
excellent customer service and management encourages you to call with questions, comments or concerns. We can be
reached at 1-866-516-9805 or [email protected] .
A few things you can expect from RRT
• Guarantee that every load will go to a certified recycling center – RRT has no affiliation with any landfill.
• Consistent weekly pickups
• Accept many items other haulers do not allow
Good Neighbor
• Help for residents with special needs
• Monthly data to show how much tonnage is picked up from neighborhood
Tip:
On windy days please
General information about recycling program
place items in a white
• Recycling bins will be delivered Sunday, May 30, 2010
or clear trash bag and
• First pickup day will be Friday, June 4, 2010
set it in the recycling
• Regular weekly pickup day will be Friday
bin to prevent
• Service is backdoor (garage area – visible from street not on street)
items from blowing
• Please have bins out by 7:00 a.m.
out and across yards.
• Please leave lids off all plastic and glass – lids can go into recycling container
• Please rinse all containers free of residue
• Please breakdown any medium to large cardboard boxes
• Please remember we do not take any type of Styrofoam products (packing peanuts, cups, plates, egg cartons, etc.)
• No need to separate items – everything can go into the same bin
• Excess items can be put in a regular trash can that has been marked as “recycling”
• Recycling emblem stickers are available upon request for use on any “idle” trash can to “recycle” the trash can into
a “recycling container”.
• On windy days please place items in a white or clear trash bag and set it in the recycling bin (this prevents items
from blowing out and across yards)
• Please note holidays and mark your calendar – New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
and Christmas. If holiday falls on a Friday, service will resume the following week on Friday.
Items accepted for pickup
• Paper – magazines, newspapers, copy paper, computer paper, phone books, junk mail, etc.
• Plastic #1 - #7 with exception of #6 Styrofoam – juice, water, milk, soda, detergent, cleaners, Rx bottles (if in doubt
please check bottom of container for recycling emblem and number in center – if no emblem it is not recyclable)
• Aluminum – any type soda, beer, drink can, etc.
• Tin Cans – any food can, pet food can, etc. (no aerosol containers please)
• Cardboard – boxes, cereal, food, detergent, pet food, etc
• Glass – any color glass (amber, green, brown, clear, etc) must be pure glass cannot be ceramic, mirror, pottery,
stoneware or china type items
• Thin Plastics – bags from grocery, sleeve on newspaper, wrapping on dry
cleaning
Items Not accepted for pickup
• Styrofoam
• Computer parts
• Batteries
• Medical Waste
• Biohazard
• Appliances
• TVs
• Wire hangers
• Paint cans
• Used paper towels, paper plates or napkins
• Used baby diapers
Working together we can save Texas resources one home at a time!!
NF8 Newsletter - June 2010
Page 8