There will be no August newsletter. The “Calendar of Events” at the end of the printed newsletter has been modified to include most of August. Dates listed throughout other neighborhood and community events will also include August. A separate August calendar will be posted on the website. Monthly newsletter delivery will resume on Tuesday, September 1.
As announced in the last newsletter, outstanding backyards would be judged in July. Homeowners were asked to call the Landscape & Grounds Committee if they wanted their yards judged. Although there are many potential winners in the neighborhood, only those that called were considered for the July recognition.
The following five backyards were selected by the committee and will be noted by a red plaid bow placed in the front yard throughout July.
Since black & white pictures seldom capture the true beauty and work that goes into these yards, photographs have been eliminated this month. Each owner has agreed to allow visitation between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday throughout July. Please observe these times and respect the privacy of our winners. Other visitation restrictions, if any, will be posted on the rod below the plaid ribbon. Congratulations are due all of these winners for their hard work and care. Please thank these owners for being willing to allow the tour of their yards during the entire month of July.
Thanks are due the Landscape & Grounds Committee for “mixing-it-up” this month and for highlighting yet another positive feature about our neighborhood. The judges will return to the normal format in August. Please call Judy McLean at 704.895.0940 if you have questions or suggestions regarding this plan.
With recent changes to accounting software at Abbott Enterprises, our
Association management company, there have been some “glitches” in
the payment of monthly (or bi-annual) assessments with a credit card on-line.
Abbott has been working on these problems and hopefully they are now resolved.
If you wish to make payment through a credit card on-line, please follow the
steps below:
Mgmt Co. ID: 4501
Assoc. ID: 00196P (townhome owners) or 00196C
(single-family homeowners)
Assoc. Name: St. Alban’s Square Neighborhood
Association
Mgmt Company: Abbott Enterprises, Inc.
Assoc. Account #:
This number is unique to each individual owner and can be found on your
coupon book or statement. As this numbers may have changed since the beginning
of 2009, please verify your account number with Abbott at 704.527.2314
(Maureen Floyd, Ext. 114).
The remainder of the numbers refer to your specific credit card information.
Note: There is a Convenience Fee charged for payment with a credit card. This fee will be added to your payment amount and shown as a “Total Credit Card Charge” at the end of the screen.
Problems with the on-line payment method should be directed to Rachel Morway at Abbott at 704.527.2314.
It is important to note that there are other methods to make payment of assessments. Many owners choose to pay by check with a coupon. If this is your method of payment, the coupon books are sent in mid-December each year for townhome owners. Single-family home-owners receive a bill in December or June in advance of the payment due dates on January 1 and July 1. Another payment method is bank draft. If you choose this option, please contact Abbott at 704.527.2314 to receive the form that must be completed to transmit the appropriate bank account numbers for this type of transaction.
The summer heat is here and it seems unlikely that any resident of New Neighborhood would not already be using that mainstay of the Old South – Air Conditioning. However, as some residents have discovered, a little annual maintenance will save big dollars in repair bills. For those homes with gas heat and electric air, the season often starts before a complete check of the system is completed. It is always wise to have a trained HVAC company check the system completely at the start of each season. The best time for this is in April or early-May when you may not be using heat or A/C.
There is one item that should be checked several times during the hot weather months. A/C units in the townhomes have an outdoor unit with compressor and fan, but the central air flow unit (fan and coils) is located in the attic space. To create low-humidity, cool air, these interior units create a lot of condensate. All units are equipped with both a primary and back-up drain. It is extremely important to insure that this line is open and passing condensate when the A/C unit is in operation. Usually a quick check of the line outside will provide evidence of good flow. Although there is a back-up line for most systems, these drains can also fail due to build-up of mold and algae. Wasps and other insects also will sometimes build nests just inside these open lines. A good maintenance tip is to flush the line at the start of each season with a Clorox® and water mix. There is usually a removable cap on the drain line at the condenser unit in the attic. This quick operation at the start of each season and periodic visual checks of good flow outside will prevent costly repairs from water damage and possible damage to the unit itself.
It is a good idea to also check these drain lines during the winter. The trap arrangement will often retain water into cold winter months. This water can freeze and result in cracked or broken condensate lines. A good annual maintenance check before starting the unit will catch this problem before water leaks into attic spaces.
Time is running out. We are looking for one or two neighbors to chair the event. If someone does not come forward within the next month, a six year tradition in New Neighborhood will likely come to an end. If you are interested, please contact Dave Smith (704.987.1472) or any other member of the Council of Stewards.
Thanks go to all of our delivery volunteers! Our June team included Harold & Paula Bell, Barbara & Tom Doster, Barbara Dillman, Tom Fischer, Anne Jerands, Sherman & Nancy Kahn, Norman Richards, and Dave Smith. New Volunteers are always welcome!
If you wish to volunteer, please call Dave Smith at 704.987.1472 (e-mail davidbsmith@bellsouth.net).
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 June 24, 2009.
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.