26 Jul

Community Dumpster

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

The Association is arranging a community dumpster for 7/29 to 8/8.  This is a result of discussions from the last association meeting.  The base cost will be paid directly by the Association.  Hopefully, we will only need one, but if it fills up, we may arrange a replacement.  It’s not first come first served but it can’t be never ending either.  The dumpster will be located in the circle of Quiet Brook.  Getting the best value for our money will be dependent on all members packing the dumpster carefully and following all rules.  All items should be dumped/emptied into the dumpster.  Do not place half full boxes in the dumpster or other items of mostly air (drawers, boxes, suitcases, etc.)  Take the time to fill all containers fully, or empty the contents and break down the boxes to be flat.  

The following items will cost extra and we will be relying on the honor system for homeowners to arrange payment to the Association.

  • MATTRESSES/BOXSRPINGS $35
  • FREON APPLIANCES (AC UNITS/FRIDGE/FREEZER) $25
  • TIRES $25
  • CAR BATTERIES $10
  • TRACKS FROM MACHINES (EXCAVATOR, TRACTOR, ETC.) $300
  • PROPANE TANKS (MUST BE EMPTY) $25

If you have any large metal items, please place them next to the dumpster and we will arrange for a scrapper to recycle them (car parts, bed frames, etc.)

Hazardous materials (cleaning supplies, motor oil, etc.) or anything wet (liquids, paint cans, etc.) are NOT allowed in the dumpster. There may be an additional hazard charge.

Lastly, the dumpster is located near some of our neighbors’ homes and I implore you to show the utmost respect and keep the area extremely clean.  There are few areas in front of the Association land and we didn’t want it near the entrance to discourage outsiders from illegal dumping.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Regards,

Steve

17 Nov

November 2021 Board Meeting

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,


After a hiatus, the board will be restarting meetings, elections, and the budgeting process.  Please join us tomorrow for a board meeting at 7pm.  The meeting will be at the Zoom link provided via email and facebook.  We will be covering current financials, upcoming elections, and the budgeting process.


At the beginning of the meeting, there will be an opportunity for neighbors to speak.  Each person will have 5 minutes.  In the past, we had a fairly open discussion approach as we covered different topics.  I am unsure how this will translate to an online meeting but we will try maintain that open dialog as much as possible.


Regards,

Steve Tommell

President

4 Oct

Hidden Valley: Meeting Minutes/Collection Policy/ Tree Removal 10/5/18

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

Elections:
Elections were held at the last BOD meeting.  We would like to welcome Adrienne Martinez as the newest board member.  She joins Bob, Angelo, Sue and myself as the BOD.
Collection Policy:
The BOD adopted a new uniform collection policy.  It requires the lawyer to send a collection notice at six months overdue and initiate the foreclosure process at twelve months.  This policy will be initiated on October 15th.  I urge all residents with overdue balances to contact the board to come up to date with your billing or make arrangements with the BOD to do so.
Tree Removal:
The board approved a motion to remove the pine trees at the front entrance to the neighborhood.  Unfortunately, they have become overgrown, a nuisance to neighbors, and a maintenance issue to the drains.  The tree removal will be performed tomorrow 10/5.  They do not expect to start until after the morning bus run.  If they are there during the afternoon, please make other parking arrangements for pickup and be extra safe in the area.
Please review the emailed meeting minutes for any other information.
Regards,
Steve Tommell
President

14 Mar

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,
 
As we clean out from the storm, I’ve prepared some light reading material to pass the time. The updated budget sheet, budget presentation, and meeting agenda are available on the Association website.
 
The budget increases slightly for only a 2% increase in quarterly fees to $204. Within the budget, legal decreases, while landscaping increases, and snow removal increase 13% to account for renegotiating the contract this year. The presentation details many of the changes.
 
I’ve also included the latest financial report comparing ourselves against the budget. Anticipating the outstanding snow removal costs and electric bills for March (approx. $2750), we should be just under budget. We were under on legal and over on landscaping but within budget overall.
 
The meeting agenda is also available. Since I am sending out the budget late and we have not received any volunteers for election candidates, I will host the votes online for the week following the meeting.
The meeting will be held March 16th at 7pm at Platt High School in the teachers’ cafe.
 
Regards,
Steve Tommell
President
Hidden Valley Association, Inc.

14 Mar

Hidden Valley: Board Meeting/Elections/Budget

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

We will be hosting a board meeting this Thursday, March 16th at 7pm at Platt High School.  We will be hosting board elections, reviewing the budget, and covering any other open issues.

Call for Candidates: We need any candidates for election to volunteer now so we can add you to the ballot.  We will have 2 positions open.

Budget: I will send out a budget sheet this weekend.  We do not anticipate a dramatic increase and should be in the 2-3% to cover yearly inflation.

Open Issues: We will discuss speeding, dog waste, upcoming spending, road maintenance.  If you have any input for these, please send us a note or ask that we add it to the agenda.

Regards,

Steve

30 Mar

Hidden Valley: Budget Approved – New Assessments $200/qtr

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

At the board meeting on March 23rd, the new association budget was passed.  Therefore, the new quarterly assessment is $200 starting with  the upcoming April 1st invoices. Angelo, Sue, and Bob were re-elected to two year terms.

We discussed several capital improvements that need to be completed this year, such as road crack repair, sidewalk repair, and assessing the drainage basins on Quiet Brook.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the board.

Regards,

Steven Tommell

President

Hidden Valley Association, Inc.

14 Mar

BOD Meeting/Elections/Budget Vote

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

The Board of Directors will be hosting a meeting March 23rd at Platt High School with the agenda under the meeting minutes tab.  There will be two important votes occurring at this meeting.  The first is the election of officers.  Bob Magyar, Sue Waterbury, and Angelo Brigante are seeking re-election.  No other volunteers are running.  You may cast your votes at the  link under the voting tab:

The second vote is for the 2016 budget to be enacted April 1st.  The budget and presentation is available under the voting tab.  The new proposed assessment is $200 or a 3% increase over last year.  Increases have been reduced as compared to previous years because we have an larger number of paying lots.  Please review the presentation and contact the board with any questions you may have.  You may then vote at the link on the voting tab.  The budget will be considered approved unless a majority of the association members votes to reject it.

The remaining items to cover are the capital improvements / maintenance that must be performed this year.  This includes repairs to the sidewalks, drainage cleaning, and crack repair.  I will post financial reports before the meeting.  I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Regards,
Steven Tommell
President
Hidden Valley Association, Inc.

18 Sep

BOD Meeting: September 23rd 7pm Platt High School

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,
Please find the agenda for the BOD meeting to be held on September 23rd at 7pm at Platt High School under the meeting minutes tab.  Most discussion will concern the recent security issues and fall landscaping tasks.
Regards,
Steve Tommell
President
Hidden Valley Association, Inc.

13 Sep

Neighborhood Safety: Recent Events: BOD meeting September 23rd

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

As you may have heard, we recently had numerous reports of car related theft.  Sometime Saturday night, people went into unlocked cars around the neighborhood searching for valuables, checking in center consoles and glove compartments.  This occurred throughout the neighborhood, including my own cars.  However, the worst event affected a neighbor who had their car stolen right out of their driveway.
What to do now:  Please be safe and vigilant, keeping your homes and cars locked at all times.  Utilize exterior lights as a deterrent.  If your cars were affected, please call the police to file a report so they have a track record of the events that occurred.  Please also keep your eyes open and report any abnormal activity you may witness.
We will be having a board meeting on September 23rd at 7pm at Platt High School.  We will be discussing these events as well as the business of the Association.
Regards,
Steven Tommell
President
Hidden Valley Association, Inc.

16 May

Landscaping Contract Approved

Posted by hiddenvalleymeriden in General.

Dear Neighbors,

The Board met this past Wednesday to consider the landscaping contract where it passed unanimously.  Plummer is now under contract and will begin work early next week.  I want to apologize for the delay in starting the landscaping this season.  The new bidding cycle and required voting and meeting notice bylaws prevented us from beginning earlier.  We will attempt to avoid this situation in the future.
The Board also approved the purchase of the updated QuickBooks 2015 online version.  The Association uses this program to track its financials and perform invoicing.  We were required to update to maintain our online bill payment system.  By getting the online version, we will no longer need an Association owned computer, will be able to corroborate online, and have automatic data backup.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Board.
Thanks,
Steven Tommell
President
Hidden Valley Association, Inc.
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