The Lake Shore Community Association Newsletter, May 2007
Pool Opening
The pool opening is scheduled for Saturday, 26 May at 11:00 AM. Front Range Recreation will again return as our contractor for pool management and lifeguarding. The Social Committee will be hosting our pool opening festivities. If you would like to help, please contact Lisa Kelly at 303-337-1989 or Brenda Hummel at 303-750-0219.
The Pool Committee, in conjunction with the Board of Directors, would like to remind everyone who uses the pool to abide by the pool rules and respect others who are using the pool. We are confident this will be another great season at the pool!
Pool Passes
We are planning to hold pool pass pick-up days on Saturday, 19 May, Sunday, 20 May, and Monday, 21 May in front of the pool house. Saturday and Sunday hours for pick-up will be 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Monday hours for pick-up will be 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
The Pool Committee strongly suggests homeowners take advantage of the two pool pass pick-up days. If you are unable to pick up your passes during these times, you will need to contact MSI to make arrangements to get your passes.
Your New Community Manager
Your new community manager for Lake Shore is Jim Whatton. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the office of MSI at 303-751-6564. Your community manager may be contacted directly at 720-974-4221 or by e-mail at jwhatton@msihoa.com. You can also send mail to MSI, 390 Interlocken Cres, St 500, Broomfield, CO 80021. For general information, please visit www.msihoa.com.
Board of Directors Opening
There is one opening on the Board of Directors. Anyone interested in this position should contact either the community manager or a member of the board for details on how to become more involved in the community.
From Your President: Where Do My Assessments Go?
In addition to the normal day-to-day operating expenses of the association (grounds maintenance, insurance on the common areas, pool maintenance, and transfers to reserves), below is a list of accomplishments from last year:
- Painting/maintenance at the clubhouse.
- Annual maintenance on the perimeter fence.
- Xeriscape shrubs/trees planted at the northeast area of the lake.
- Painting of the 3-rail fence at the lake.
- Upgraded goose repellent.
- New grounds contractor who has improved the look of the lake area.
- New pet waste bag dispensers around the lake.
- Repair/regrade of the standing water on the north side of the lake.
- Major pool repairs including pool resurfacing, filter replacement, and coping stone replacement.
Neighborhood Watch
Please remember to contact your block captain to report any suspicious activity, no matter how minor. You can also contact the non-emergency line at the Aurora Police Department at 303-739-6000. The amount of police presence the community has is directly related to homeowner calls. If you are unable to reach your block captain, please contact Lisa Kelly at 303-337-1989.
Neighborhood Watch Block Captains
| Street | Name | Phone |
| E Baker Pl | Dave Abels | 303-368-8440 |
| E Caspian Pl | Randy Bailey | 303-337-7651 |
| E Dickenson Pl | Lisa Kelly | 303-337-1989 |
| E Harvard Pl | Brenda Hummel | 303-750-0219 |
| E LaSalle Pl | Sherman Cohen | 303-671-5147 |
| S Truckee Wy (2351 to 2507) | Elaine Schiefelbein | 303-696-9629 |
| S Truckee Wy (2509 to 2599) | Lisa Kelly | 303-337-1989 |
| S Waco Ct | Jacqueline Trice | 303-755-8604 |
| E Wesley Pl | Jacqueline Trice | 303-755-8604 |
| S Zeno St (2352 to 2428) | Keith Morse | 303-750-5763 |
| S Zeno St (2437 to 2594) | Gary Prager | 303-743-0937 |
Fencing
The board is continuing to do annual maintenance on the perimeter fence surrounding the community. The fence has a 5-year warranty, and the board is awaiting the staining contractor to finish up work for this year. The board will continue to repair and stain only areas that are necessary in order to keep the fence in good condition as long as possible.
National Night Out
National Night Out is scheduled for 7 Aug. This is a celebration throughout the City of Aurora. Watch the website and future newsletters for more information on this exciting event!
Dumpster Days
There will be four large dumpsters in the parking lot by the basketball court from Wednesday, 13 Jun to Friday, 15 Jun. Since this is always an extremely popular event, the Board of Directors asks that you please not overfill the dumpsters or place items next to the dumpsters that will not fit inside. Any items not placed in the dumpsters will be hauled away at an additional expense to the HOA. If you have any questions, please contact your community manager.
ACC Request Reminder
Homeowners who wish to make permanent improvements to the exterior of their homes need to submit an ACC request form to the ACC. This includes colors for exterior house painting, plans for landscaping and fencing, and the installation of decks and dog runs, to name a few. Please submit a request form with a plat map of your home. You will need to indicate on the map, or make a drawing, showing each item of your improvement. Please be specific in the types of trees, bushes, sod, etc. you are planning to use. If you are adding a deck, give the dimensions, material, and placement on your plat map. Try to be as specific as possible about your improvement. If you need a request form, please visit www.msihoa.com and log on to your communitys site or contact Jim Whatton at 720-974-4221 or e-mail jwhatton@msihoa.com.
The intent of this requirement is not to hinder people from freedom of choice but to ensure their choices are in harmony with the overall appearance of the community. An attractive, harmonious community will be a desirable place in which to live and will also prove to be a better investment over time than one in which architectural control is not enforced.
From Your Treasurer: Lake Shore Has a Serious Delinquency Problem
On behalf of the Board of Directors I would like to report to you that our association is facing a serious problem caused by members not paying their monthly assessments. As of 31 Mar, total association delinquency stood at $60,874 and accounts 90 days or more past due stood at $31,460. To give you some perspective, our total delinquency outstanding of $60,874 represents over two months of total dues collections from every home in our community (total HOA dues collection runs approximately $25,000 per month) and the 90-plus-day delinquency represents approximately 1 1/3 months of normal dues collection.
You should also be aware that in the current economic climate, this is a widespread HOA problem throughout Metro Denver. Unfortunately, the standard technique followed by prior Lake Shore boards, our board, and many other HOA boards in the Metro Area was to have an attorney file a foreclosure action to force the homeowner to pay. This approach no longer works in most cases because distressed homeowners are not able to sell their house or get the house refinanced. Instead, while the HOA spends significant money for an attorney to file a foreclosure action, the homeowner frequently stops paying the 1st lien holders, who file their own foreclosure action. Since their lien position supersedes our lien position except for our Super Lien priority claim of $552, we end up writing off significant delinquent dues and legal costs. In other instances, the homeowner decides to save their home from foreclosure by filing bankruptcy to stop the foreclosure. At the time of bankruptcy discharge, the bankruptcy court legally wipes out our entire deficiency balance and leaves the HOA with nothing.
In the past few months, we have started looking at different approaches. The board is discussing turning these matters over for collection to a collection agency. The obvious advantage with a collection agency versus attorneys is that collection agencies are paid for performance, not paid hourly. If they collect, we are both paid, and if they do not collect, we receive nothing and owe them nothing.
As you probably know, we do not allow pool privileges to delinquent homeowners or homeowners who have caused the association a loss through actions like bankruptcy.
We are not sure how these ideas will work and are certainly open to your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. Our community has many great amenities, which cost money to operate and maintain. To the very large percentage of the neighborhood that pays their dues every month, the HOA thanks you. To other neighbors who find themselves having temporary money difficulties, we encourage you to contact MSI and work with the HOA during this difficult time.
AARP Driver Safety Program
The program will be held on 14 and 15 Jun from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM both days at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 17700 E Iliff Ave (at the corner of Iliff and Telluride). A $10.00 fee covers both days. For more information and to register, contact Jeff at 303-872-3000.
Dates to Remember
Put These On Your Calendars:
- 26 May: Pool Opening, open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily
- 8 and 9 Jun: Community Garage Sale, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- 13 and 15 Jun: Dumpster Days
- 4 Jul: Celebration
New Trash Company
As the community is already aware of the new trash company, I would like to reiterate some information, such as the pick-up day, what can be picked up, and who homeowners need to contact if they would like to set up recycling with trash pick-up. The new company, Waste Management, has moved the trash day to Wednesday. Please have your trash out on the curb by 7:00 AM, and please tie all bags and place tops on garbage receptacles. For those of you who need recycling, please contact Waste Management at 303-797-1600, and please request to be added to the recycling route. There is a one-time fee of $30.00 to get set up with recycling bins and, if you already have those bins, just call the number to be added to the route.
Lake Problems at Lake Shore
As you are all aware, there was a fish kill near the beginning of the year. The cause of the kill was a chemical pollutant that was introduced into the lake. So for a precaution from here on out, the board would like everyone to know that there are several storm drains that empty directly into the lake. Anytime someone dumps any kind of chemical, be it pesticides or fertilizers, this can become a potentially dangerous pollutant and can cause thousands of dollars of damage to the lake's ecology. The board, as well as Aqua Sierra (the lake management company) urges all residents to keep an eye out for any potential problems. If you see anyone dumping anything down any of these street drains, please immediately call the Access Aurora at 303-739-7000 and Jim Whatton at MSI at 720-974-4221 and please take note of the time and location of the dump.
ACC Review Reminder
With spring around the corner, the Board of Directors would like to remind all homeowners of the architectural review process for the association. Section 2, Article C of your Declaration of Covenants requires that no improvements be made on any lot unless approved in advance by the ACC. This process may take up to 45 days, and approval is required before you begin your project, so please plan ahead.
When submitting a request, please be sure you are as specific as possible in describing your improvements. Your request must show exterior design, height, materials, color and locations of the improvements.
Please take a few minutes to read Article 2 of your Covenants to familiarize yourself with the exact requirements and procedures. Failure to obtain permission prior to starting your project is a violation of the Covenants and could lead to you having to remove the improvements and incur costs in association with resolving the violation.
Garage Sale
Well, it's that time of year again. Lake Shore is planning to have the community garage sale on Friday, 8 Jun and Saturday, 9 Jun from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To advertise the garage sale, signs will be posted and an ad will be placed in the local paper.
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