Living in the Neighborhood

17th Annual Rural Hill Scottish Festival & Loch Norman Highland Games

Beginning Friday, April 16, and extending through Sunday, April 18, answer the call of the Scottish clans as the Catawba Valley Scottish Society celebrates the Loch Norman Highland Games at Rural Hill. Events are scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Highland Games, filled with the tradition, color and pageantry of an international family reunion, are a feast for the senses and a hands-on experience you will not soon forget. Events include Amateur Heavy athletics, long bow competition, battle axe competition, Highland wrestling, and a climbing wall. Experience the moving performance of the massed pipe bands; admire the precision of the Highland Dancers; and feel the passion in the haunting melodies of the Scottish harp and fiddle. Enjoy the fun, food, and Celtic music. Albannach playing “outlawed tunes on outlawed pipes” will perform for the second year straight from Scotland. This is a family oriented event that offers something for everyone.

Rural Hill is a 265 acre historical site in Huntersville that was the original homestead of Major John Davidson and his family. It is a restoration in progress and includes plantation ruins and a one-room 1890’s schoolhouse.

The Catawba Valley Scottish Society (CVSS) is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to educate people about the culture, heritage and contributions of the Scots and Scots-Irish and to provide venues for recognizing and celebrating their rich heritage.

For further information about Rural Hill and these events, call 704.875.3113 or visit www.ruralhill.net. You can also contact our neighbor Ed McLean, Executive Director for CVSS, at 704.895.0940 for information about the upcoming events or the Society.

Town Commissioner Neighborhood Chats

The Town Board of Commissioners is inviting neighborhoods throughout Davidson to meet with them for a series of conversations. These intimate chats will allow neighbors to meet with commissioners in an informal setting to discuss specific issues and topics related to their neighborhoods.
There will be a total of ten neighborhood chats scheduled between late-March and early-May. New Neighborhood is scheduled to meet on Thursday, April 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in St. Alban’s Church. If you are unable to attend this session, please visit www.ci.davidson.nc.us for a complete schedule of other meetings.

Open communications is a core value in the town’s mission statement and these chats will foster that communication in a better give and take venue. It will also allow residents to speak to elected officials and commissioners to listen to concerns from residents.

Neighbors Graduate from Civics 101

Did you know that Davidson was incorporated in 1879 as the “Town of Davidson College”?

Did you know that there are 18 police officers in the Town of Davidson and the department practices “Generalist Policing”?

Did you know that the Davidson Fire Department has 24 volunteer firefighters and a total of 18 paid part-time firefighters?

Did you know the FY 2010 annual budget is $8,274,794?

Did you know that the Town of Davidson has a total of 37.69 miles of streets as of September, 2009?

Did you know that the Town of Davidson produced 2,559.4 tons of solid waste and 710.6 tons of recycle waste according to the FY 2009 NCDENR report?

Did you know that the Parks and Recreation Department controls park and other space area totaling 867 acres?

These facts and many others are all part of the information and discussion presented to students who participate each year in Civics 101. Civics 101 is a seven week citizen’s academy designed to educate, inform and entertain residents interested in learning more about municipal government. The class is open to Davidson residents who are 18 and older. The program is free and includes information about public safety, planning, parks and recreation, town history, budget preparation and other relevant topics.

Civics 101 was developed from an idea presented at a Town Commissioners Retreat five years ago. This year’s class is the fourth year of graduating citizens. It has grown in popularity and now supports both an evening session and a day session. The classes are conducted in late-January to early-March, with graduation night at the March Town Board meeting.

To date, over 140 citizens have graduated from Civics 101. This year, the first Davidson College student participated and added a new dimension to the discussions. As with other community activities, New Neighborhood has always been well represented in the classes. There were a total of eight graduates from our neighborhood in 2010.

If other neighborhood residents are interested, please visit the Town of Davidson website and click on “COMMUNITY.” Registration forms can be found under “E-SERVICES.” You may also call Sara-Lynne Levine, Communications Director, at Town Hall at 704.940.9602. Space is limited each year and an early application is recommended if you are interested.

Civics 101 will likely change your entire outlook of town government and will tend to create more informed and active community citizens. Highly Recommended!

Civics class

The 2010 graduation class of New Neighborhood!

From left to right: Dave Smith (Harper Lee Street), Harold Bell (South Faulkner Way), Debbie Groux (Harper Lee Street), Anne Jerands (Harper Lee Street), Phyllis Twitty (Harper Lee Street), Tom Cornelius (South Faulkner Way), and Peggy & John Kimbirl (Clemens Place).

New Neighborhood Traffic Problems? There Is Only One Way!

After careful review of our neighborhood streets and safety issues regarding children at play and emergency access, the county and state Neighborhood Urban Safety Coalition (NUSC) has decided to make all streets and byways in New Neighborhood one-way. The new traffic pattern will go into effect on July 1 of this summer. The move is expected to make access easier along already narrow streets and to improve safety along those roads that have exhibited problems with congestion.

There will be much more information distributed to residents between now and the July effective date. However, just to give residents a sneak preview, the following directions are being considered in the layout plan:

St. Alban’s Lane – one-way INTO the neighborhood. (Traffic may still split at the fountain for parking and flow purposes, but Caldwell Avenue will be one-way WEST from Fairview Lane to Conroy Avenue.)
Conroy Avenue – one-way NORTH all the way to the intersection of Wolfe Street and O. Henry Avenue.
Wolfe Street – one-way OUT of the neighborhood.
O. Henry Avenue – one-way EAST and SOUTH from the intersection of Wolfe Street and Conroy Avenue.
North Faulkner Way – one-way WEST. (The three homes at the end of North Faulkner Way will obviously always be in violation of traffic flow under the new plan, but will need to work this out with county officials.)
South Faulkner Way – one-way EAST (no change).
Twain Avenue – one-way NORTH (downhill).
Harper Lee Street – one-way EAST from Conroy Avenue to O. Henry Avenue.
Fairview Lane – one-way OUT of the neighborhood or one-way SOUTH in an uphill direction. (This is expected to slow down traffic, particularly smaller four-cylinder vehicles.)
Clemens Place – one-way circle from EAST side NORTH to WEST side SOUTH (no change).

As already stated, the byways are no exception. The change in traffic flow will be reviewed carefully with waste collection vehicles. Unfortunately, the one-way pattern will still present the same narrow dilemma. A summary of the byways follows:

Claude McConnell Byway – one-way EAST and NORTH.
Mary Jane McConnell Byway – one-way EAST.
Miriam G. Tuttle Byway – one-way EAST (in keeping with the Mary Jane McConnell Byway EAST direction).
Marler S. Tuttle Sr. Byway – one way EAST and NORTH.
Cloyd S. Goodrum Byway – one-way NORTH.
Susan T. Goodrum Byway – one-way EAST and SOUTH.
John W. McConnell Byway – one-way EAST and SOUTH.

Obviously, the new one-way patterns will provide only one inlet to New Neighborhood – St. Alban’s Lane, but does provide two outlets – Fairview Lane and Wolfe Street. There is an obvious inlet and outlet to Ashby Drive in McConnell Neighborhood, but it is probably a good guess that McConnell residents will now avoid our neighborhood completely!

County Roadway and Byway Director, Mark I. Wayes, was quoted as saying, “It’s so complex that it’s really simple. Neighborhoods spend way too much on humps and bumps when all that is sometimes needed is a total change in pattern. This is the new wave in community development.”

Town officials view this change as yet another innovation from New Neighborhood in Old Davidson. A Council of Stewards member commented, “This may now allow for angle parking on streets otherwise too narrow for parking at all. This could improve parking concerns by all residents.” (Reminder: You may only park in the direction of traffic flow!)

Although there will be no formal period for citizen review, you may direct your calls and questions to NUSC at 1-800-APR-FOOL.

E-Mail Delivery of Your Newsletter

It is the long-term goal of the Newsletter Committee eventually to provide residents with an electronic copy of the newsletter and to drastically reduce the number of hand-delivered copies. Please send me an e-mail at davidbsmith@bellsouth.net if you are interested in an electronic copy only. Please include your name, street address, phone number, and e-mail address. This action is being taken to streamline delivery and reduce Association costs.

If you are a resident owner, but have previously requested your newsletter by mail, please contact Abbott and change your delivery to e-mail and request that Abbott remove your name from their list.

Termite Inspection Update

The response to the March newsletter article and to a mailing from Abbott Enterprises regarding townhome owner responsibility and liability for termite damage has been good. TermiTech South offered one more month of inspections during March. As of the fourth week in March, there are only fifteen townhome resident/owners (15 of 139) who have not completed the inspections started in 2009.

The Association has contracted TermiTech South of Charlotte as a bonded agent to inspect townhomes annually and to cover treatment and/or damage caused by any termites that are found during the inspections. The goal to maintain appropriate coverage for all units is 100% compliance.

As a reminder: If termites are found in a unit that has not been inspected, the owner becomes responsible for treatment and all damages incurred as a result of the infestation. Neither TermiTech nor the Association has the responsibility in this situation to cover costs. In addition, if termites are found in adjoining units to a townhome that was not inspected and are determined to have spread from the slab or structure that was uninspected, the owner of that uninspected unit can be held liable for damages to the units that were inspected. Failure to complete an inspection may also become a property disclosure issue if the unit is subsequently put on the market. The COS is considering a fine for owners that fail to complete an inspection.

Be Counted! Complete Your 2010 Census Form

As Census forms arrive in mail boxes around the country, Davidson residents also began receiving forms in mid-March. However, due to a mix-up between the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Post Office, census forms were not delivered to P.O. Box holders in Davidson. Obviously, this includes all residents in New Neighborhood.

Those who have not received census forms have two options to participate in the census: (1) Census forms are available to pick-up at Town Hall, the Davidson Public Library, the Ada Jenkins Center, and the Housing Coalition; or (2) Beginning in mid-May, anyone who has not completed a census form will be visited at your place of residence by a census worker who will work to complete your form during the home visit.

According to the Census Partnership and Data Service, completing forms picked-up throughout town will count the same as bar-coded forms delivered to home mail boxes.

The Davidson Housing Coalition, located at 220 Sloan Street, will have a census worker available to assist anyone needing help. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Assistance is also available at the Davidson Public Library branch at 119 South Main Street (on the Village Green).

For more information, you may contact the Census Bureau Call Center at 1-800-923-8282 (Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

On a humorous (but sad) note: The Census Bureau was originally going to put door hangers on all residences without a mail box. These hangers notified the occupant that the census forms could be picked-up at the post office. The door hangers were mailed to the Davidson Post Office and were promptly returned as undeliverable! What a great example of government incompetence, not to mention your tax dollars at work! Can we all say “Duh”?

Maintenance Issues in Townhomes

Reporting and completion of maintenance issues and repairs for townhome owners have been a misunderstood and poorly communicated process for many residents. The Council of Stewards has responded to many complaints and taken action to sort out the problems and to present these issues to Abbott Enterprises. A special Executive Session was held in late-March and representatives from the COS presented the findings to Abbott that same week. Abbott has been cooperative in making several changes and hopes to streamline the procedure for all owners/residents. One change, for example, will be to now hang a work status door hanger when work is completed on a unit, but not necessarily seen by the resident.

These changes and the process for reporting needed repairs are being finalized by the COS and will be included in the May newsletter. [Reminder: “The Maintenance Component Responsibilities Spreadsheet for Townhome Owners” is now on the neighborhood website under “Documents/Forms.”]

2010 Yard-of-the-Month Season to Begin

Finally – Spring is here! Yard-of-the-Month judging begins at the end of April for the month of May and will continue through October. Winners are selected among single-family homes. The home will be selected one or two weeks prior to the month of the award and will be featured in the newsletter and posted on the website. Be a winner of the “Star of Excellence” in 2010!

The criteria established by the Selection Committee (representatives from the neighborhood) are listed below. The total exterior appearance of the yard, including the planting strip between the sidewalk and the street, should be one of neatness and visually appealing as evidenced by:

Mowed and edged lawns.
Well defined planting beds that are mulched and weed-free.
Pruned shrubs and trees.
Effective use of seasonal color through plantings of annuals and/or perennials.
Plantings in scale to size of yard.
No trash, junk, or dead plant/grass material.

If you have questions or suggestions regarding this plan, please call Judy McLean, at 704.895.0940.

Vacancy Filled on Council of Stewards

As announced in the March newsletter, Steve Kessler resigned from his position on the Council of Stewards for personal reasons. At the same time, it was also announced that Kathy Cockrill (154 Clemens Place) would complete the term of Lemie Richards since Lemie and Norm were moving out of the neighborhood. In late 2009, Gary Simmons was also appointed to complete the term of John Williamson, who also moved out of the neighborhood. Obviously, these moves and vacancies have left the COS with excellent representatives, but with little past experience.

In light of this need, Sam Coleman (219 North Faulkner Way) has agreed to accept an appointment on the COS to fill Steve Kessler’s vacancy and to complete his term. Sam previously served on the Council from June, 2006 until August 2008. The Association expresses many thanks to Sam Coleman for agreeing to return to this position and for bringing his experience back to the table.

Nancy Lingle will continue as Acting President of the Council of Stewards. As per the By-Laws of the Association, the COS may fill vacancies. However, all appointed members must be voted on by a quorum of the membership at the next annual meeting.

Newsletter Delivery Volunteers

The March team included Harold & Paula Bell, Barbara Dillman, Joyce Feir, Tom Fischer, Jo & Bob Herman, Anne Jerands, Sherman & Nancy Kahn, Norman Richards, and Dave Smith. Our list is growing. New volunteers are always welcome!

If you wish to volunteer, please call Dave Smith at 704.987.1472 (e-mail davidbsmith@bellsouth.net).

NOTE: The Council of Stewards meets regularly on the fourth Wednesday of every other month in St. Alban’s Church classroom (lower level) at 7:00 p.m. Special meetings are called as needed. Meetings are open to residents. The next regular COS meeting is scheduled on April 28.

If an owner or resident wishes to address the COS at a regular meeting, please call a COS member about 5 days in advance of the meeting and the issue will be added to the “Homeowner Concerns” part of the agenda near the beginning of the meeting.