Dear Village Neighbor / Friend,
And now, the clock is truly ticking…
1. How About Team Leadership? My wife just returned from Colorado Springs to report we now have our retirement home, effective 19 September when we close on it. I hope to be here until the October meeting but no guarantee. I will spend the rest of whatever time I have left here in the village to help transition the next President into the role. Even from Colorado, I will still help as you may need. We do need to identify the next President now rather than waiting until mid-October.
Why not have you and your significant other serve as co-President? My brother and his wife are co-Presidents of their HOA in Washington state. Sounds like a recipe for a divorce but they make it work as did a wife & husband team here for a local PTA. I used to ask my wife to proofread whatever I wrote to get the “Country” and/or “Army-ese” out of it but had to fire her when I did not understand most of her complete re-writes. Ha! But a husband & wife team will work well for us or even better yet a wife & husband team (domestic partners). One would have to be declared President on the State Corporation Commission report, but we can even change the lead name as often if/as needed to keep your marriage blissful.
This position isn’t hard or time consuming, certainly not nearly as some may think. There are 10 in leadership positions within our association, each with a separate set of duties. I just sit in the middle of them to take credit for all they accomplished. Ha! Can you manage a home, a family bank account, raise little people and care for spouse and pets? Then you are more than qualified.
I will have an overwhelming sense of failure if I leave here without a replacement, but good people – I will leave here! And soon!
2. Membership Drive – Game On! The FY23 Membership form is on our website (West Springfield Village) and can be found at our FaceBook Group. The form isn’t needed if you were and are still happy with your current directory listing. Dues - yes, form – no. Up to you to report your listing instructions and correct spelling of names, email addresses, etc but you can also email me with your information. Here’s my family’s listing so you can cut & paste and then type over it to submit:
- John Cooley & Suzanne McCormick – yes list in directory (you can say “no)
- 8131 Edmonton Court - list in directory - yes (if yes to names, it’s yes here also and similarly if no to names -it’s no here and for phone and email)
- 703/451-7055 - yes list in directory (you can say no)
- John.t.cooley@verizon.net – yes list in directory (or no – your choice)
Click “Here” to use PayPal to pay your FY23 dues but there you will pay an extra $1.00 ($11.00 total) to cover their transaction costs. No – we do not use Venmo or bitcoin or S&H Green Stamps or any bartering offers to include your first male born child. But you can use your online banking service or even snail mail to dispatch $10.00, payable to “CAWSV”, P.O. Box 2204, Springfield, VA 22152. Or stop by my 8131 Edmonton Court home to discuss the meaning of life and leave your dues payment. I can update your listing as we chew the fat. You might want to also prepay for FY24 & FY25 at $10.00 per each Fiscal Year, your call.
We continue to invite residents in the Rolling Valley East subdivision to also join us at the same rate and with the same privileges. Please advise your Rolling Valley friends of our invitation.
3. Village Street Repaving – it will be over soon; hang in there. Those roads that are completely resurfaced look great; don’t they? And they should last for another 25 years.
- How soon can we park on the streets after they have been resurfaced? As soon as that vibrating compactor roller leaves – you can drive and park on the streets.
- Will they come back to sweep up the debris left by the resurfacing operation? Now what do you think? NO!
- Did our roads really need to be resurfaced causing us some inconvenience? Yes! See the discussion on our Facebook Group.
And, while we’re hanging in there – also use this experience to get ready for the Rolling Road project. Sure, it won’t start until 2024, but the plan is to move utilities next year (2023). Each of the utilities will develop their own plan and schedule which could prolong our misery. Many may have to move their curbside-parked cars off RR into the interior Village side streets. And during the actual project – it may be difficult or impossible to park even in your driveways (remember that 5% construction easement?).
And then we’ll have to be light on our feet to determine best routes out of and into the village. This alone is more than enough reason to be in the Village Facebook Group and on our website (West Springfield Village). Get ready good people, have a plan.
4. Community Cleanup – nary a single opposition has been received to spending at/about $1500 to rent rolloff dumpsters for a community cleanup during September after the Village West Pool closes for the season.
We did not include these costs in the current FY22 budget/spend plan, but adding it is just a pen & ink change. So, we’ll press ahead with planning and acquiring a better cost estimate.
5. National Night Out Pictures? – did anyone take photos that you are willing to share with our webmaster to post to our website? I and Bob Havey (havey@dtwod.com) will be grateful for photos of the police officers, the bounce house and the kids enjoying the pool. In fact, any other photos of village life will also be appreciated.
6. Calendar:
- 17 August – Free Concert featuring Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin & Lille (Rock) – see next article.
- 24 – Free Concert featuring The Colin Thompson Band (Blues Rock)
- 13 October – 7:30 PM, General Membership Meeting, Location TBD
- 1 November – FY23 Membership Drive Ends even though residents can still join anytime during the Fiscal Year.
- 13 October – General Membership Meeting (elect new Board of Directors, ratify FY22 Audit, Pass FY23 Budget with markups as needed.
7. Summer Concert Series – Free Concerts at Burke Lake Park. At 7:00 PM every Wednesday night until 24 August you are invited to the park to enjoy an incredible line-up of bands, food trucks, 2 Silos beer, and Peterson’s Ice Cream. The atmosphere is informal, so bring a picnic dinner, blankets, and lawn chairs, and relax with friends and family.
8. TAXES! – Had hoped to get an answer back from the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors to share with you, but I suppose I was expecting too much. I do believe that our homes and cars have appreciated in value, but we don’t realize that appreciation until we sell. Isn’t that the more appropriate time to tax that gain and not some notional, annual “assessment”? Good news is that Giant now has free paper bags for our use to help protect the environment and save us the cost of plastic bags.
9. Joyous Family News – Shelly Foster celebrated the anniversary of her 39th birthday just recently. She doesn’t look a day over 38!
Please forgive any errors – been a bit distracted since Suzanne purchased another home.
John Cooley
CAWSV