VILLAGE ONE VOICE Vanderhaven Farm Condominium Association September 2012 BOARD OF TRUSTEES President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Trustee Elaine Ungerleider Marci Steinberg JoAnn Malloy Chris Paparteys Christine Wynkoop COMMITTEES All committees are seeking additional members. Recreation: Edie Robbins, Chairperson Architectural Control ADR Active WEBSITE www.vanderhavenfarm.com Management Midlantic Property Management Phone: 908-707-0760 Fax: 908-722-6966 Office Hours: M-F 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Should you have an emergency after hours call (732) 828-7200. Please use this number for true common area emergencies only. MEETINGS Board Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, unless otherwise posted at the mailbox stations. Anyone wishing to have an issue placed on the agenda must request it in writing and supply management with the necessary paperwork by the Thursday before the meeting. The next board of trustees meeting is September 20th (Annual/Election) at 7:00pm in the clubhouse. Come over, join in and learn about what s going on in your community. Dryer Vents & Chimneys The deadline is fast approaching!! Dryer vents must be cleaned and/or inspected and proof must be provided to the association NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 1, 2012. Units that have fireplaces must provide proof of inspection/ cleaning to the association NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31, 2012. THERE IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS REQUIREMENT AND DEADLINE. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN A FINE OF $500.00!! Annual/Election Meeting The annual/election meeting is coming up this month. Everyone is welcome to attend. It is held in the clubhouse on September 20 th and will begin promptly at 7 pm. If you cannot attend, please be sure to return your proxy/ballot that was mailed to your unit recently. If you did not receive a ballot please print one off the website at Vanderhavenfarm. com. Without your votes, we cannot hold the election. PLEASE VOTE WE NEED TO MAKE QUORUM!! Hello this is an important message from Vanderhaven Farm Village I. Our 2012 Official Ballot/Proxy to Elect Members of the Board of Trustees has been mailed out and your vote is needed by September 20th. If you haven t voted yet, or need the ballot please visit our web site at www.vanderhavenfarm.com to download a copy of the ballot to sign and return via mail or dropping it off at the clubhouse. If we don t receive enough votes another mailing will have to go out at an additional expense of $140 to the community. So please vote... Thank you!
Statcom Are You Registered? Statcom is a new service being offered in the community in order to facilitate fast and easy communication between the management company and you, the homeowner. This service allows us to contact you with an automated phone call or e-mail in the event of an emergency, or to inform you of important community news and events. To date, we only have half the community registered. If you have not filled out the form, please take a minute to fill out the form which can be found on the homepage of the web site (www. vanderhavenfarm.com) and fax it to 732-828-7238 or drop it off to the clubhouse. Pool Season The pool season is over! Thank you all for another successful season. It s always nice to see so many people using the pool. It gives me an opportunity to get to meet many of the people that I speak to on the phone during the off season. We had an outstanding season for the pool considering it was over 100 degrees most days and I really would like to thank the homeowners for taking care of our facilities. 2
Can You Please Remember? Cigarettes Although this has greatly improved, I still see many cigarettes being thrown in the common grass and mulched areas. This is important! DO NOT throw cigarettes, lit or unlit, into the shrub (mulch) beds or lawn areas. This presents a fire hazard and endangers everyone around you. Barbecues EVERYONE MUST COMPLY WITH THIS!!! Condo residents can only use an electric grill and it must be kept away from the siding when in use. Town home residents may have a propane or charcoal grill, as long as it is kept 5 from any point on the building (this includes the privacy fence) for storage or when in use. But, if you have a wooden deck in the back of your unit, you may only have an electric grill on the deck. I received some calls from concerned residents in the condos about some residents using charcoal grills. THIS IS NOT PERMITTED as per the NJ Uniform Fire Code. Should I hear of this hazardous behavior, the association will have no choice but to fine your unit and report the matter to Bridgewater Township for additional action. Continued on page 4 Don Wright a Proud Resident of Beacon Hill! Air Duct & Dryer Vent Cleaning Breathe cleaner air Eliminate indoor air pollution Furnace, air handlers, A/C coil cleaning Dryer vent cleaning & repair Bird nest removal & mold inspection Sanitizing programs Fully insured, free estimates AIR DUCT CLEANING 10 Vents 1 Main 1 Return $89.95 Don Reid Wright Realtor Bedminster/Bridgewater Office Cell: 908-809-2930 * Office: 908-781-1000 Email: donreidwright@weichert.com To see how today s rates can save you money Visit my website: www.wright-realtor.com REDUCED PRICE! DRYER VENT CLEANING $69.95 Don Reid Wright Cell: 908-809-2930 If you want the Right results, use the Wright realtor! Toll Free: 866-912-3828 UNITED AIR DUCT Senior citizen & group discounts, local 3
Continued from page 3 Let s do the safe thing and comply with this rule!! Breezeways Nothing is to be left or kept in the breezeways of the condo buildings. As I walk through them I am finding strollers, bicycles, shoes, construction materials, trash bags, recycle cans, etc. None of this is to be there! Having things in the breezeways is a hazard. Should there be an emergency where many people are trying to get out at the same time (I know the idea is remote, but it must be considered at all times), it could cause someone to trip and fall, creating an unnecessary hazard. PLEASE STORE ALL ITEMS INSIDE THE UNIT WHEN NOT IN USE. Recreation Committee Edie Robbins, chair of the recreation committee is looking for volunteers to assist in the planning, organizing and set up of holiday parties and other events throughout the year. For more information or to join the committee, please visit www. vanderhavenfarm.com and click on the clubhouse/recreation page. For additional sponsors, please visit our website www. vanderhavenfarm.com 24 HR Emergency Service PLUMBING & HEATING SUPER SERVICE NJ Lic # 6956 HOT WATER HEATERS PLUMBING FIXTURES FAUCETS & VANITIES TOILET REPAIRS GARBAGE DISPOSALS HUMIDIFIERS HEATING REPAIRS FROZEN PIPES THAWED PROFESSIONAL WORK RELIABLE SERVICE SEWER AND DRAIN CLEANING 722-5525 ANTHONY'S PLUMBING HEATING DRAIN CLEANING, INC. Trash and Recycling **BY ORDER OF BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ALL GARBAGE STORED OUTDOORS MUST BE SEALED IN BAGS TO CONTROL ODOR AND PLACED IN A CONTAINER TO KEEP ANIMALS FROM TEARING THROUGH THE GARBAGE. ANYONE STORING GARBAGE IMPROPERLY OR PLACING GARBAGE OUT IN BAGS CAN RECEIVE A SUMMONS TO APPEAR IN COURT. Recycling pick up dates for September 2012 are: Wednesdays, 9/12 & 9/26 Recycling pick up dates for October 2012 are: Wednesdays, 10/10 & 10/24 4
Unapproved Modifications I ve seen during the course of my property inspections many modifications (i.e. deck installations, brick-type patio installations in the back of the units, non-conforming light fixtures, permanent shrubs/plants installed in the common areas, etc...). When I see them, I return to my office and check the unit s file to confirm that the association granted permission to the unit to make the modification. Many times I find no record of the association s approval. Therefore, I m obligated to notify you of the violation. If you ve received a notice of modification violation for your unit and the modification was performed by a previous homeowner, you must understand that this doesn t make the modification ok. It just means that the previous homeowner got away with a violation and now you, as the unit owner are now responsible for bringing the unit into compliance. What you purchase becomes yours, is the general rule. The way to handle a situation like that is to simply contact management and explain this. You would then be asked to request that the modification stand as is. The board would then determine if the modification was done in such a way that it should not stay (i.e. drastically differs from the established guidelines for said modification). They may require you to modify it to bring it closer or completely into compliance. They may ask you to simply fill out the paperwork showing that the modification was done and you are aware of its non-conformance. Or, they may grandfather the modification, for the time being and only require that the area be restored to its original state upon transfer of title to the unit, in the future. Management can t make that determination only the board can make that decision. I ve had homeowners contact my office after receiving such a notice telling me that they weren t the ones that did the modification. It was there when I purchased the unit. Or, We did that awhile ago and why am I just now receiving this notice. Or, my neighbor has it modified like that, why can t I? P l e a s e u n d e r s t a n d, t h i s development consist of 345 units. There is no possible way I can inspect all of the areas all of the time. And, there have been times when I inspected a group of units and hadn t been able to get back to that area for awhile, only to find, upon my return that a modification was performed at a unit right after my 1 st inspection that has now been there for a period of time without receiving any notice about it. 5
Continued from page 5 Your board of trustees and management are not here to bust your chops about things like this. We are all just looking to be sure that the development maintains as consistent a look as possible and that things don t get out of hand with regard to varying modifications. The guidelines for modifications are in place for a reason. This reason is to protect your property values. The following modifications MUST be approved BEFORE it can be modified or installed: 1) Deck installation 2) Paver patio installation *New guidelines have been approved. For a copy of the guidelines, contact management. 3) Any change to the patio area 4) Window replacement(s) 5) Storm door installation/replacement 6) Satellite dish installation 7) Front door replacement 8) Sliding glass door replacement 9) Installation of plants other than seasonal flowers Any replacement of an existing exterior light fixture (front or back) or replacement of the front door numbers do not require approval as long as you follow the guidelines in the rules and regulations. If you re not sure of the guidelines, please contact management and I ll be happy to provide you with the guidelines to avoid any issue with an improper installation. If you are unsure if you need approval to do something, please call management in the clubhouse office or send me a quick email at vhfmanager@mpm-nj.com. This will save everyone from a headache! Emergency Service John Tucciarone Enterprises LLC PLUMBING, HEATING & Air Conditioning (732)764-0224 (908)755-7650 NJ State Plumbing License # 9129 U.S. EPA Refrigerant Certification # 03NJ48108 Has your hot water heater ever been replaced? Avoid the inevitable flood! Call with questions. Licensed & Bonded Problem Water Heaters Replaced Quickly All Types of Faucets & Fixtures Repaired or Replaced All Types & Manufacturers of Air Conditioning Serviced Call us for bath and kitchen renovation ideas!
Parking Please remember to register your vehicle with the association. It s as simple as bringing your vehicle registration or a copy of the registration to the management office in person, dropping it into the clubhouse mailbox at the front door, faxing a copy or emailing a copy to vhfmanager@mpm-nj. com. I will then provide you with a yellow and black parking sticker that must be displayed on the back of the rearview mirror while parked in the community. If you change vehicles please be sure to let management know about this so that a new sticker can be issued or the records in the office can be revised to reflect that you will be using the same sticker on a different vehicle. The tracking of vehicles is important so that VHF doesn t end up with abandoned vehicles, vehicles in disrepair or vehicles that need to be moved for the purpose of working on projects or work orders in the community that might affect the parking spaces. Also, US Lawns has asked that you be sure not to park your vehicle over the curb. Many vehicles are parked in such a way that the front or rear bumpers are way over the curb. This prohibits the landscaping crew from cutting the grass in those areas neatly. They do not want to take the chance of bringing machinery or trimmers to this area due to the chance clippings from the trimmer blow onto the close vehicles and, worse case scenario, causing damage to the vehicles. And also, in the end when the vehicle pulls out of that space after the community has been landscaped, the grass in these areas is not manicured and the curb area is not edged. Please be sure to pull your vehicle as far as you can into the parking space WITHOUT going over the curb with the front or rear bumper. What s Happening Around You and For You? Fox Chase has been installing new utility doors on the condo buildings. Please advise management if you see any open doors or contractors forcing their way in. Our old doors were badly damaged due to contractors forcing entry and mutilating the doors and hinges. These are not cheap to replace. Please help the association save money by reporting these contractors if you see this happen. School s Open With the start of the new school year, many students will be waiting at their bus stops in the morning (kindergarten students, usually between 11 am 12 pm). Please be mindful of this and of the children who are walking to and from their bus stops in the morning and after school. Always watch your speed while driving through the community. A child could dart out from between the parked cars or steps off a curb while waiting at the bus stop. Excessive speed or failure to observe a stop sign could result in a tragedy!! 7
D. Moore Photography Photo and Video for Every Occasion Based in Bridgewater, NJ, we re available to travel anywhere to provide professional photo and video service for weddings, portraits, parties and other events and occasions. Your total satisfaction is our top priority! Let D. Moore Photography Capture the Memories of your next event. Phone: (908) 581-0350 email: dwight@dmoorephotography.com www.dmoorephotography.com Stop By! Please stop by each month to read the association Minutes of each monthly Open Session meeting. These Minutes are posted each month on the bulletin board, by the front doors of the clubhouse. For a certificate of insurance, please contact the Association's insurance agent, Brown & Brown, by visiting their website at: www.bbinslv.com (click on the icon labeled Certificate Request) or by calling 610-694-1804 or 800-634-8237. Insurance certificates are not available from the Association office. Vanderhaven Farm 380 Doolittle Drive Bridgewater, NJ 08807 To Place An Ad Please Call The Newsletter Shoppe (908) 903-0336