April 2016, Issue 7
From the President
Rick Sturm
As we turn toward thoughts from an unusually mild winter to an early spring, it is time to begin thinking of
rejuvenating our landscapes. We remind you of the need for approval on major projects and the need for minor
repair and maintenance. Thank you for your cooperation. Thank you for helping us to keep our community a place
we can all be proud of!
As in the past, I pay homage and say “Thank you!” to our many residents who volunteer and who have volunteered
their time, energy and skills to make Southwick Meadows a wonderful place to live. Our volunteers are not paid for
their efforts, except perhaps intrinsically by a sense of pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment. As a result of
their efforts, our lives are improved and our community is strengthened.
With this in mind, there will be three (3) current Board members retiring from the Board on December 31 of this
year. These folks have positively contributed to the HOA by overseeing Board operations, HOA financial activities
and memorializing all Board activities.
We hope to encourage more of you to get involved in volunteer opportunities and to reap the benefits of volunteerism.
Elections for these positions will occur at our fall meeting, which normally happens in October. Please consider standing for election to help us maintain the all-volunteer HOA Board.
TIFFANY VANCLEEF – COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Last year’s HOA survey showed a majority interest in re-starting the neighborhood picnic. This is not a HOA
board function but we definitely support & will participate in the community efforts! A group of us started the picnic effort in 2009 and were successful in bringing many in the neighborhood together for four years. New volunteers are now being sought to take on the efforts & even change it up a bit (i.e. a block party, a bocce tournament, a dance party, etc.), if so desired.
I would be more than happy to brief the new group on the “what & how we did it” in the past. If you are
interested in meeting your neighbors and making an enjoyable difference in our community, please email
me at taza27@yahoo.com.
Community involvement
Tiffany Vancleef
Southwick Meadows Homeowners Association 2016 Board Roster
Rick Sturm, President
Term expires 12/31/2016
rsturm@nycap.rr.com
Alison Stoll, Vice President Compliance
Term expires 12/31/2017
Alistoll77@gmail.com
Matthew Posniewski, Vice President Architectural Review
Term expires 12/31/2017
pos92@nycap.rr.com
Tiffany Van Cleef, Treasurer
Term expires 12/31/2016
taza27@yahoo.com
Ed Aluck, Board Secretary
Term expires 12/31/2016
edaluck2002@yahoo.com
Lyme Disease and Ticks
The following information was taken from the Centers for Disease Control’s pages on Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection
can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated
successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics.
Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, landscaping, and integrated pest management. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as
well. Regarding landscaping, you can create tick-safe zones in your yard. To do that, you may need to modify some of your landscaping. Actually, it’s pretty simple. Keep patios, play areas, and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation. Regularly remove leaves, clear tall grasses and brush around your home, and place wood chips or gravel
between lawns and wooded areas to keep ticks away from recreational areas (and away from you).
You may also wish to use a chemical control agent. Effective tick control chemicals are available for homeowners to use, or a professional pest control expert can apply them. Most important, discourage deer. Deer are the main food source of adult
ticks. To keep deer away from your home, removing plants that attract deer and by constructing barriers (like a fence) to discourage deer from entering your yard and bringing ticks with them. It’s also important to conduct daily tick after being outdoors. Use a handheld or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body and remove any tick you find. Take special
care to check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks: under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, the back of the knees, in and around all head and body hair, between the legs, and round the waist.
Check your clothing and pets for ticks because they may carry ticks into the house. A quick way to deal with your clothing after a hike or garden is to place clothes into a dryer on high heat. It will kill any live tic.Tics continued from page 2
your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is extremely small; however, other diseases may
be transmitted more quickly. If you do remove a tic, over the next few weeks, watch for signs or symptoms of Lyme
disease such as rash or fever. See a healthcare provider if you have signs or symptoms. For more information, visit the
Centers for Disease Control website.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/lymedisease/http://www.cdc.gov/features/lymedisease/
Finally, be sure to remove an attached tick with fine-tipped tweezers as soon as you notice it. If a tick is attached to
Even if you don’t remember being bitten by a tick, an unexpected summer fever or odd rash may be the first sign of
Lyme disease, particularly if you’ve been in tick habitat. See your healthcare provider if you have symptoms.
Southwick MeadowsHOA Newsletter
• Southwick Meadows HOA
Newsletter is published quarterly in January, April, July, and October. Your newsletter editor is Jo Anne
Robbins.
• All articles and photographs should be submitted by the 15th of the month prior to the month of
publication. Submissions should be emailed to Jo Anne at: cliftonparkjosie@gmail.com
• We prefer Microsoft Word format. The deadline for submissions for the next issue is July 15th.
Matthew Posniewski – Vice President
After a chilly start spring has finally sprung and with it comes the list of projects and “Honey Do’s” you have been
dreaming of all winter long. As you contemplate which of these to tackle first, don’t forget to submit your
Architectural Change Request Form to the review committee for approval prior to work commencement.
The Review Form is used to solicit Board approval for those projects requiring it. Projects such as playsets, fences, major
landscaping changes, sheds, pools, patios and hot tubs require review and approval prior to execution to ensure
that the project complies with HOA standards as outlined in the Declaration. The form is reviewed by a committee of
homeowners, chaired by a Board member, and typical review time is less than a week if sufficient supporting
documentation is provided, although the Board does have up to 30 days, so please submit the request well in advance.
The Review Form is located on the Southwick Meadows website http://southwickmeadows.org or if you email me I
can provide you an electronic copy. Once completed it can be mailed to the address on the form or submitted directly
to me for faster turnaround at pos92@nycap.rr.com.
Finally, I thank the Architectural Review Committee for their work and quick turnarounds on homeowner requests.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR ARCHITECTURAL CHANGE REQUEST FORMS
The Friends of the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library fifth community read season focusing on The Martian by
Andy Weir has been interesting and motivating; and already we are planning for our sixth season. Please help
us choose the perfect book for 2017. We encourage everyone to nominate books for consideration. If you
know more than one book that would be perfect for our community read, you may nominate more than one book.
We are looking for books that will inspire rich discussion and community activities and encourage younger readers
to participate through companion books and related activities.
NOMINATE NOW FOR OUR 2017 COMMUNITY READ
The Selection Committee narrows the nominations to five great reads which are presented to the community for a
vote in September. The winner is announced in November. Nominations for 2017 are open until May 31,
2016. Nominate now by visiting http://www.twotownsonebook.org or in person at the Clifton Park Town Hall, the Halfmoon Town Hall, or the CPH Public Library.
Do you know that our great library provides fifteen different Museum Passes funded by the Friends of the
Library. The passes provide children and adults opportunities to experience history, culture and the arts
through a visit to a museum. The savings to residents borrowing a Museum Pass are substantial! For example,
a visit to Mass MoCA for a family of four (two adults and two children) costs over $50.00.
The newest Museum Pass is for the U.S.S. Slater. During World War II, 563 Destroyer Escorts battled Nazi U-boats on the North Atlantic protecting convoys of men and material. In the Pacific they stood in line todefend naval task forces from Japanese submarines and Kamikaze air attacks. Today, only one of these ships remains afloat in the United States, the USS SLATER.
Moored on the Hudson River in Albany, New York, the USS SLATER has undergone an extensive restoration that has returned the ship to her former glory. The museum offers hour-long guided tours, youth group overnight camping, and a historic location to hold naval reunions.
Open for Tours: April through November, Wednesday through Sunday, 10AM – 4PM Passes are loaned out for 3 days, on a first-come, first served basis to Library Tax District Residents 18 years or older with library cards in good standing. Passes may not be reserved or renewed.
To find out more about the Museum Pass Program, visit: http://www.friendsofcphlibrary.org/museumpasses.
CLIFTON PARK BULK WASTE PICK-UP 1ST WEEK IN MAY
The Town of Clifton Park has solidified plans for the 2016 Bulk Waste Pick-up service provided free to residents. County Waste will conduct the curbside bulk waste collection beginning April 18th and concluding May 6th, 2016. As in past years, the town will be divided into thirds, one for each week of collection. Southwick Meadows community is in the 3rd zone designated by the town and will have their pick-up the first week of May.
Residents will receive a notice in the mail several days prior to their collection week indicating their pick-up week and describing the items acceptable as bulk waste. Residents are asked to place bulk items on the curb by 7:00 p.m. on
the Sunday evening of their assigned week. It will take up to seven days to pick up all items. There is no daily schedule by street, so residents are asked to be patient if all or any items are not collected early in the week. Although town officials send more than a dozen requests for proposals to local waste companies for each bulk waste pickup, County Waste has consistently been the sole bidder for the project.
The 2016 bulk waste collection will cost $105,000. This service has already been budgeted in the 2016 Town Budget and is a nominal increase from 2014. No household trash or hazardous materials will be collected. (e.g.fuels, paints, chemicals, tires, computer monitors or TVs, air conditioners). At a later date, hazardous materials will be collected during the town’s free Hazardous Waste Day in the fall.
Yard waste will not be collected as part of this service, but County Waste is committed to providing free yard pick-up during the year (starting April 4, 2016, as they have in the past. Since electronic items such as televisions and computer monitors are prohibited from this pickup, you should be aware that the Town offers electronics recycling for Clifton Park residents, all year at the Transfer Station located at 217 Vischer Ferry Road, at no charge. A transfer station permit is not required to recycle electronics.
BARNEY ROAD GOLF COURSE OPENED APRIL 18, 2016
Spring has sprung! With warmer weather around the corner, get a start on practicing your swing at the Barney Road Golf Course. Located on Barney Road in the Clifton Knolls neighborhood, the par 3 course is great for everyone from beginner to
expert. Are you a frequent golfer? Buy a season pass at the Parks and Rec Department at Town Hall!
The Barney Road Golf Course’s short layout will reward good shots and provide a fun golf outing for everyone. The golf course is open seven days a week, weather permitting. The course opens at 8 a.m. daily and closes at varying times throughout
the season.
For additional information about the course, including greens fees, visit the course web site. WWw.barneyroadgolf.org/index.php/greens-fees/
ALISON STOLL, VP FOR COMPLIANCE
I would like to start out by expressing my thanks to the following homeowners who have volunteered to serve on the Compliance
Committee this year: Rob Meyer, Janet Amedio, and Tierney Provost.
LAWN MULCH AND BED COMPLIANCE
The winter is just about over and it is time to plan for spring and summer maintenance of our properties. Please make preparations to maintain your lawn with fertilizer and weed control. In addition, the mulch beds around your property should be kept free of weeds. Please make sure lawn clippings and other yard waste does not litter the roadways or make their way to common areas.
Thank you in advance for adhering to the HOA Declaration and By-laws!
MAILBOX REPLACEMENT
Although we did not have much snowfall this year, there may be some damaged mailboxes and mailbox posts in need of repair.
Please be aware the Southwick Meadows HOA manual specifies that replacement mailboxes must be the same as the original
mailbox installed with your home.
A replacement mailbox and post can be purchased at the Home Depot or Curtis Lumber. Please make repairs to your mailbox by May 1st, 2016.
You may view and/or order the mailbox and the post in the box below.
Gibraltar Industries Post-Mount Mailbox Model PL10B0201
Gibraltar Industries Wellington Deluxe 59-3/8 in.
Mailbox Mounting Post with Cross Arm Model PP600W00
Are you a gardener? Clifton Park and Halfmoon are big gardening communities. I know that, because every year the
Plant Swap and Sale at the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Library under the porch has gotten bigger and better. On June 4th, beginning at 9 AM, members of the Clifton Park- Halfmoon community whose gardens runneth over are invited to bring their orphan plants, properly potted up and with tags describing the plant, to the Library. You can take home an equivalent group of plants brought in by others.
At 10 AM until noon, any plants not taken in swap will be available for purchase by those in the community who don’t
have such mature gardens. We keep the prices very low (50 cents to three dollars depending on size and rarity of the plant,
with a few really special plants slightly higher).
Spring Plant Swap and Sale at the Library, Saturday, June 4th For Plant Labels, Visit: http://www.friendsofcphlibrar
y.org/plant-swap-and-sale.html
Message from Alison Stoll, VP for Compliance