MOORINGS CLUSTER
SPRING 2000 GENERAL MEETING
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
MARCH 16. 2000
President Karen Compton called the Moorings Cluster Spring General Meeting (Budget)
to order at 7:10 PM. In attendance were: Karen Compton, Mary Buff, Amy Thompson
and Frank Best, Edie Lederman, Erin Frawley, Carolyn Badila, Allen and Pat Lenz,
Art and Joel Anne Lambert, Ron Taylor, Eveline Marquardt, Joan Kelly, Sigrid Jackman,
Bob Lauck, Laurie and Jack Corkey, and Joel Compton. Copies of the fall minutes
were passed out to those who had not brought their minutes with them. Carolyn
Badila moved that the minutes be approved as presented. Edie Lederman seconded
the motion. Motion was passed.
BUDGET
Ron Taylor, the Cluster Treasurer, passed out copies of the proposed budget as
well as a reserve list of major projects for the future, and announced that there
was a need to increase the assessments due to increased grounds maintenance and
trash removal costs. Ron said he didn't understand why our cluster was getting
an increase in trash costs when he had been able to negotiate his business trash
costs downward. Mary mentioned that the Fairfax County landfill was actually looking
for trash and offering deals to other localities since the incinerator was so
efficient. Allen Lenz inquired what the trash removal cost per unit was. Ron answered
approximately $200 per year. Discussion followed about changing trash companies
once our contract was over in 2001, as Karen Compton felt we were paying much
more than other clusters. Attendees felt that AAA was reasonable, considering
that they picked up old furniture, etc. without additional charge and were generally
neat.
Karen Compton has repeatedly called Virginia Power to fix the streetlights and
inquire about receiving a refund for all those days that the streetlights were
out on Moorings Drive. They told her that they had fixed the lights on March 15,
but people living on Moorings said that the lights still were not on. Karen will
call them back tomorrow.
Mary Buff brought up including a line item in the budget for cluster beautification.
The dog Number 1 and Number 1 problem on Moorings Drive was brought up. A suggestion
was to put in additional bushes. Karen reminded us that any time we put in any
plantings, we have additional costs from the landscaping company and we also have
maintenance problems. She also mentioned that the BOD had decided not to do anything
new to the barberry strips because the budget Ron put together did not have sufficient
funds for that.
Karen said that it would cost about $1500 to mulch, dig the barberry beds to accommodate
mulch, and to build up the soil behind the Wellington house so that in the future
the soil would be rich enough to accommodate any planting. To do this, dues would
have to be raised even further than Ron has proposed. Ron does not feel that this
would be money well spent. Pat Lenz suggested that we consider a perennial ground
cover such as ajuga in the barberry strip rather than the heavy mulching and digging.
Karen suggested that we could put in the ajuga during Cluster Cleanup. Carolyn
asked if any extra costs could be built into the budget. It was decided that the
ajuga and any necessary mulch would cost about $15 per household per year.
Joel Compton moved to approve the budget and increase the "Other" line
to $3000 for landscaping, with a corresponding additional increase in dues of
approximately $15 per townhouse per year. Art Lambert seconded the motion. The
motion was passed.
RESERVE PLAN
Jack Corkey said that any landscaping should be done in two parts: immediate small
improvements, then a major landscape project to be included as an item on the
Reserve Plan
Joel Anne wants to put a line item in the reserve for landscaping and to decide
which year it will be done, rather than the piecemeal fixes we have been doing.
We need to have a Grounds Committee to accomplish this properly. Carolyn Badila
suggested that the cluster form a Grounds Committee again
Karen said that examiners said that we don't need to replace the retaining wall
at the Plaza end of Waters Edge Lane, which gives us additional savings this year
in the Reserve Fund. Joel moved that we approve the 20-year Reserve Plan. Art
seconded the motion. Motion was passed.
OLD BUSINESS
Art reminded the group that we must again tell Lakeside Condominiums that they
must remove the dead tree on their property backing to Waters Edge Lane, as it
is quite dangerous. Joel Anne suggested that Sarah Gerould call the Condo Association
about that tree, as it is especially dangerous for her kids.
Allen asked if we were going to have a green lake again this year. Karen mentioned
that Sarah Gerould is looking into this matter. Allen suggested that we band together
with other clusters on Lake Anne and go to RA regarding the green lake. Ron suggested
that Dave Rickert check the water quality, as that was what he did at the Geological
Survey. Karen asked if Allen and Dave would be on the Lake Algae Committee to
try to resolve the water quality problem and reach out to the other lake clusters.
NEW BUSINESS
We will have two police officers assigned to our area on a permanent basis, so
that we can have particular people to call if needed. One of these officers will
meet with the cluster at our picnic after Cluster Cleanup.
Edie wanted to know if there was a reason for the increased police surveillance
in our area. A neighbor complained that a plainclothes officer came up to a townhouse
and tried to open the back door. Karen said that the Police Station told her that
was illegal.
Carolyn asked about certifying individual cluster yards and cluster property as
backyard wildlife habitats. She asked to see a landscape plan for the cluster
common area. Wildlife habitats encourage natural plantings, no pesticides, more
mulch than grass, and bringing back the natural habitats of native creatures,
including birds and butterflies. Carolyn feels that nothings more would be needed
for the cluster to qualify as we don't have many exotic plants and already have
the other three items needed for certification. Eveline suggested that the creation
of a backyard wildlife habitat on cluster common areas be discussed at the next
general meeting, after cluster residents have an opportunity to study what would
be involved.
Michael Kelly and Ron Taylor have looked at the sidewalks on Moorings Drive and
are getting estimates to re-do those sidewalks needing repair. The sidewalks on
Waters Edge Lane were repaired by RA, as they are part of the pathway system and
someone had fallen and been badly hurt in front of the Taylor house.
CLUSTER CLEANUP:
It was suggested that we would have Cluster Cleanup on April 15 with a rain date
of April 29, as April 22 is the day before Easter. Karen will check with the entire
BOD to see if this is a good day for cluster residents. We will plan a cluster
picnic after the cleanup, with residents bringing potluck and the cluster buying
soft drinks, beer, paper products and plastic cutlery. Karen will talk with Windemere
Cluster to see if they would like to share their cleanup and picnic with us, so
that we can get a chance to know them.
Ron will send the new budget with the assessment notice.
Janet Rickert and Pat Taylor will share the responsibility of attending the monthly
Neighborhood Watch meetings previously covered by Ann DiGiannantonio.
Joan Kelly then moved to adjourn. Joel seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned
at 8:45 PM.
Mary Buff
Secretary