Monday, September 30, 2013

HOA Update Sep 30 | Well Shut-off Date | Sprinkler Blow-outs $25

Hi everyone -

Well, now that the daily fires of summer irrigation issues have subsided, the Board is focusing efforts on building a strategic operations planning document that will encompass yearly operations, as well as 5-yr and 10-yr replacement plans for pumps, filters, control panels, sprinkler heads, timers, trees, shrubs, etc.. 

As well, as a matter of course, the Board is developing RFPs for lawn care services and property management services - current service providers will be allowed to bid.  Distribution target date will be no later than the end of the 3rd week in October.  Bids are targeted to be awarded late in November.
As always, please keep your communications coming - we appreciate and need your feedback to ensure the Board is doing a good job for our community and that we are focusing on areas of improvement that align with the overall goal of quality living here in Summerfield.
Cheers!

Sheryl Bishop, President

P.S.  Please share the HOA email address with new neighbors or neighbors who haven't signed up to be on the contact list yet - although legal notifications will still come via snail mail - the vast majority of timely communications will come via email.

Well Water Shut-off Date The Board has determined the well water can stay on until Thursday, October 10th.  Caron Pump Co. will shut down pump operations starting Friday, October 11th.

Sprinkler Blow-outs ProVision is offering a $25 Sprinkler Blow-out special if at least twenty (20) homeowners schedule blow-outs with their company.  Sprinkler blow-outs can be scheduled starting as early as Monday, October 14th.  Call now!  James Fife | ProVision | 208.602.8770.

Halloween's Coming! Now would be an excellent time to ensure lamp post lights are working in our front yards - none of us would want any of our neighborhood kids to trip and fall on such an exciting night, and ruin her/his fun, right?  Seriously, safety first - shine on - it keeps injuries and crime down, and smiles way up!  Having trouble replacing your bulb?  Surgery keeping you off your feet?  Arthritis making it tough to do the little jobs? Other? Reply to the email for Board assistance.

Unsafe Sidewalk Meridian City has been contacted (twice) regarding the sidewalk issue located on Summerdawn, close to the park.  Apparently the concrete between two (2) manholes has started to crumble.  As soon as the weather allows, the Board will spray orange safety paint around the area - and if it's still not fixed by the time Trick-or-Treaters are out on Halloween night, we'll place cones around the broken concrete as a safety measure.

HOA Committees The Board is interested in sponsoring three committees: Social Activity Development (ideas to use the park more, organized events e.g. Egg Hunt, Nat'l Night Out in August, etc.), Irrigation Contingency Planning, and Landscape Design (for future enhancements).  None of these committee will be expected to run events, handle maintenance issues, etc.  These are planning and development committees only.  Reply to this email with your interests and or your questions.  Thank you!

Ustick Road Project  The ACHD project to widen Ustick Road from Leslie Way to Locust Grove is scheduled to start this January.  Expect traffic delays accordingly. As well, for homeowners who have had to deal with the "swamp" off Ustick, after the road is widened, there will no longer be sprinklers south of the sidewalk, so no more swamp...hooray!

HOA Valves vs. Homeowner Valves Jan Sullivan asked, "When is it a homeowner's financial responsibility to fix a cracked or broken irrigation valve?"  Great question Jan!  When the valve is located on homeowner property, the homeowner is responsible for the repair costs.  If the valve is located in a common area of the subdivision, like the park for example, the repair costs are covered by the HOA.  Contact Trish with Complete Property Management at 387.0004 if you have additional questions.

Blog "HOA Website" Update Stay tuned for additional improvements on the blogspot - if you have suggestions for information you would like available on the blogspot, then respond to this email with your ideas - thanks in advance for helping to improve communications and information flow!

Summerfield HOA Communication
Sheryl Bishop, President  |  Allen Mair, Vice President  |  Don Miller, Treasurer  |  Open, Secretary
http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/

Temp Irrigation System Shutdown Required | Sep 22 9A

Hi all -
There is a leak in one of the valves that feeds water to the park, so the system will need to be shutdown temporarily today for repairs accordingly.
We will endeavor to get the system back up as soon as possible, knowing this is the time of year we are all fertilizing grass and plants will need to water in the fertilizer.  Apologies for the interruption of service - stay tuned for an update later today.
Thank you!
Sheryl Bishop, President
Summerfield HOA CommunicationSheryl Bishop, President  |  Allen Mair, Vice President  |  Don Miller, Treasurer  |  Open, Secretary
http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/

Pressurized Irrigation - Quick Update | Sep 8

Hi all -

Just a quick FYI to let you know we still have water in the pressurized irrigation system.  This is because Caron Pump Co. is testing the capacity of the back-up well system as the canal/irrigation water is being drawn down since Settlers Irrigation District implemented their shut-off, effective Sep 5 (moved from Sep 2). 

So, at this time, you can continue to water at your designated time.
Thanks!
Sheryl Bishop, President
 
Summerfield HOA CommunicationSheryl Bishop, President  |  Allen Mair, Vice President  |  Don Miller, Treasurer  |  Open, Secretary
http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/
 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

KTVB Aug 7 | Irrigation Water Will Turn off Early this Year - Even for Farmers

http://www.ktvb.com/home/Irrigation-water-will-turn-off-early-this-year-218662071.html

Irrigation water will turn off early this year

by Karen Zatkulak
Bio | Email
KTVB.COM
Posted on August 7, 2013 at 6:21 AM
Updated today at 9:31 AM
BOISE -- Farmers across the valley are preparing for a major hit to their crops.
Irrigation districts have announced that they are turning off the water supply earlier than normal this year.
The dry conditions this spring and summer have left water storage levels much lower.
DISTRICTS' DISCUSSIONS
The irrigation season usually starts in the beginning of April and end in the beginning to the middle of October.
But, several irrigation districts say homeowners and farmers could be without water as early as September 1st, about a month and a half early.
Tim Page is the project manager for the Boise Board of Control, which oversees five districts.
"We're thinking we will probably make it somewhere around the first of September, we're just playing it by ear right now," said Page.
He says right now water storage levels are about a third of normal.
"This year we just really haven't really had a whole lot to improve things so we have been running on what water we have," said Page.
Page says they are monitoring the situation closely, and want everyone to be as conservative with their water as possible.
"Everybody knows to be as conservative as they can but they do know the farmers and landowners out there trying to grow crops they got to have enough water to finish that crop off," said Page.
FARMER'S REACT
Farmers in the area say they are dependent on the water supply and concerned about an early turn off.
Janie Burns owns Meadowlark Farms in Nampa. She raises sheep and chickens, who need well watered grass.
She has been preparing all summer for the day when the water will be shut off.
"We've been thinning out the flock so there are not as many sheep on the land, in September and October, and we are also monitoring irrigation so we can use the very last drop of water," said Burns.
And says if the water is shut off early, it will cost her more money.
"I'll have to buy extra hay, and if everyone is in high demand then that price of hay might go up," said Burns.
Burns says it's a big concern affecting all farmers, especially those growing long season crops.
And she worries about the water supply next year as well.
"It's the basis for what we do, without irrigation, we can't have agriculture in the valley," said Burns.
WHAT'S NEXT
Most districts have not yet set an exact date for the end of the season.
But, we talked with Settlers Irrigation District which also expects to shut off irrigation around September first.
The largest district in our area, Nampa-Meridian says they are planning to end the season around the first week of September.
The Boise Board of Control has a meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning to discuss the situation.
The city of Meridian held a meeting on Tuesday on the topic and is working to get in touch with their districts to figure out exactly when their turn off date will be.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

HOA Update Aug 6 | Well Pump Status | Settler's Irrigation Shut-off Date

Hi all -

Just a quick note to say "thanks" once again for your patience and helpful feedback, as the Board worked through the steps to get water back into our neighborhood.  We worked with Complete Property Mgmt., Settler's Irrigation District Office staff, our designated ditch rider, ProVision Landscape and Caron Pump Co. to identify all of the mitigating factors in our low water flow situation - it was definitely a team effort - so a hearty "thank you" to all involved...especially to our dedicated Board members who manned the pump house daily until we could install an automated solution.  Great job everyone!

Sheryl Bishop, President

P.S.  Remember to check your filters regularly - although the filtration system is working, sediment can still build up on the individual sprinkler filters, which can lead to low pressure at the sprinkler heads. 

Bringing Well Pump Online - Status Update The Board approved Caron Pump Co. to install a VFD (variable frequency drive) Pump Control Panel to run the well system. The VFD is programmed to compensate the main system whenever the flow of water coming into the cistern, from the irrigation ditch is lower than needed, allowing the main system to continue running at 100% or 65 PSI. Note: The well pump system is not designed to service the entire subdivision on its own - the well can only augment the main system, it cannot replace the main system. 

Irrigation Shut-off Date  Settlers Irrigation District tentative shut-off date will be September, 2, 2013. This projected shut-off date is based on current data and is subject to change due to reservoir levels, river flows, and evaporation loss. Pub. Aug. 3,10, 2013. Please be advised the subdivision pump systems (both irrigation and well systems) will be taken offline when the irrigation water is turned off. Source Link: LEGAL NOTICE WATER SHUT OFF SETTLERS IRRIGATION (Link provided by Jan Sylvester - thanks Jan!)  

Community Volunteer Assistance  After September 2nd, there may be a need to help some of our neighbors who are not able to move hoses and sprinklers on their own to keep their landscaping green and healthy.  If you need help, or you know of someone who may need help, or if you would like to volunteer to help, please contact the HOA Board directly via email: summerfieldsubhoa@gmail.com or contact Trish Callies at Complete Property Management via email: callies@mindspring.com or phone 208.387.0004 to make arrangements regarding community volunteer assistance.  

Make a Hole!  Let's clear the decks for our neighbors and friends who walk with their dogs and children, so they don't have to walk in the street to get around tree branches and shrubs.  If you have tree branches, shrubs or other landscape materials that block the sidewalk, take a few minutes to assess, and trim back the growth - this is first and foremost a safety issue but secondarily it is can be an issue of lower property value perceived by potential home buyers as well. Thanks for helping to keep Summerfield an awesome community we can all appreciate!

Board Meeting Topics  The Board will be meeting later in August (TBD) - here is an "work in process" list of topics: Landscaping Services Status, New Committees (City Water Hook-up and other Watering Contingency Options, Social Activities, Landscaping Service RFP Development), Incentives for Compliance with Water Schedule, ... Don't see your topic?  Let us know by Aug 11th - contact the HOA Board via email summerfieldsubhoa@gmail.com or contact Trish Callies (Complete Property Mgmt) via phone at 208.387.0004 and share your topic. Please include the a description of the issue and potential solutions/options to mitigate the issue.

Get on the HOA Contact List  To receive timely updates regarding irrigation issues, activities, and other applicable "news", please provide your email and home address information to the HOA Board via summerfieldsubhoa@gmail.com or contact Trish Callies (Complete Property Mgmt) via phone at 208.387.0004

Home Improvement - Have some improvement projects coming up?  Please submit your improvement plans, pictures, paint colors, etc. for Board approval, to Tricia (Trish) Callies at Complete Property Management via email: callies@mindspring.com or call Trish with questions: 208.387.0004.  

Watering Schedule - Please be sure to follow the schedule (per our covenants) to ensure everyone has adequate pressure during their allotted time. If you need help changing the start/end times/days on your sprinkler system, please reply to this email for HOA assistance.  The 2013 schedule is as follows:

Times:                   House Number Prefixes:
6P - 9P                  19, 35
9P - 12A                 33
12A - 3A                 16, 20, 32
3A - 6A                   17, 21
6A - 9A                   18, 34
Summerfield HOA Communication
Sheryl Bishop, President  |  Allen Mair, Vice President  |  Don Miller, Treasurer  |  Open, Secretary


Thursday, July 18, 2013

HOA Update July 18 | Temp System Shut-off | CableOne Internet Info

Temporary System Shut-off  - Pro-Vision will be implementing repairs on a main valve and will need to shut down the system tomorrow (Friday, July 19th).  The system will be offline from 6A until around 12P (noontime) at the latest. We apologize in advance to those homeowners who are scheduled to water between 6A and 9A and who will be affected by this downtime. Please plan to hand water or use hoses and sprinklers as needed. Thank you!

CableOne Internet Information - If you are a CableOne Internet customer and have been experiencing Netflix "stalls" due to buffering lags, poor data download speeds, very poor data upload speeds, high "lag" in online games, and for those with Voice-Over-IP Phones (IP Phones), poor auditory experience, then, a fix is on the way! On August 1, our [CableOne] node is scheduled to be upgraded, which will eliminate the bandwidth problem and restore folks to their expected high-speed service. The service is expected to be done on August 1st or 2nd, at which time we should see our service return to normal. For questions or add'l information, please contact Summerfield Homeowner, Jerry Shelton via email at: shelton.engineer@gmail.com.  Thank you Jerry!

Trash Cans, Bushes and Trees...Oh My! - Just a friendly reminder to store your garbage cans after collection so the containers don't obstruct the sidewalk. And, remember to keep shrubs and tree branches trimmed back as well. Our awesome community has lots of families who walk with dogs and kids, and we don't anyone having to walk in the street because the sidewalk is blocked - especially in the early evening when visibility is reduced. 

Watering Schedule - Please be sure to follow the schedule (per our covenants) to ensure everyone has adequate pressure during their allotted time. If you need help changing the start/end times/days on your sprinkler system, please reply to this email for HOA assistance. The 2013 schedule is as follows:

Times:                 House Number Prefixes:
6P - 9P                 19, 35
9P - 12A               33
12A - 3A               
16, 20, 32
3A - 6A                17, 21
6A - 9A                
18, 34

Home Improvement - Have some improvement projects coming up? Please submit your improvement plans, for Board approval, to Tricia (Trish) Callies at Complete Property Management via email: callies@mindspring.com or call Trish with questions: 208.387.0004

Do you have a new neighbor?  Encourage them to email the HOA at summerfieldsubhoa@gmail.com or contact Trish Callies (see above) to have their email address added to the contact list. They can also keep current with Summerfield news at http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/.

Summerfield HOA Communication
Sheryl Bishop, President | Allen Mair, Vice President | Don Miller, Treasurer | Open, Secretary


http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/

Saturday, June 29, 2013

HOA Update June 28 | Hot Weather Is Here! | July 4th Info

Hot Weather Is Here!!! - According to the weather forecast, we're scheduled for several days of triple-digit weather, and it won't take long for your lawn and plant material to feel the effects of the heat. So, make sure your filters (green box and individual sprinkler filters) are free of debris to the ensure you have the best water pressure and the best coverage possible. If you're experiencing low pressure - check your filters - the irrigation system did recently have some debris in the line that may have clogged your filters.

July 4th Information - Happy Independence Day everyone!! In the spirit of celebrating our independence, let's also express respect for our neighbors' safety and well-being by using fireworks responsibly (see Meridian Fire Dept. Fireworks Safety Information) and sensibly (e.g. no loud fireworks after midnight on the 4th...). 

Trash Cans, Bushes and Trees...Oh My! - Just a friendly reminder to store your garbage cans after collection so the containers don't obstruct the sidewalk. And, remember to keep shrubs and tree branches trimmed back as well. Our awesome community has lots of families who walk with dogs and kids, and we don't want anyone having to walk in the street because the sidewalk is blocked - especially in the early evening when visibility is reduced.

Watering Schedule - Please be sure to follow the schedule (per our covenants) to ensure everyone has adequate pressure during their allotted time. If you need help changing the start/end times/days on your sprinkler system, please reply to this email for HOA assistance. The 2013 schedule is as follows:

Times:         House Number Prefixes:
6P - 9P         19, 35
9P - 12A        33
12A - 3A        16, 20, 32
3A - 6A          17, 21
6A - 9A          18, 34

Home Improvement - Have some improvement projects coming up? Please submit your improvement plans, for Board approval, to Tricia (Trish) Callies at Complete Property Management via email: callies@mindspring.com or call Trish with questions: 208.387.0004.

Do you have a new neighbor? Encourage them to email the HOA at summerfieldsubhoa@gmail.com or contact Trish Callies (see above) to have their email address added to the contact list. They can also keep current with Summerfield news at http://summerfield-hoa.blogspot.com/.

Thank you!

Sheryl Bishop, President

Summerfield HOA Communication

Sheryl Bishop, President | Allen Mair, Vice President | Don Miller, Treasurer | Open, Secretary