Letter from the President Summer 2013

Dear Scofield Farms Homeowner,

Here we are in the midst of another Texas summer! Your Scofield Residential Owners Association (ROA) board of directors and volunteers have been working hard to maintain and enhance our neighborhood community!
Part of the board’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for our residents and more specifically by “Fostering a sense of community between our residents”. To that end, the board will be promoting a very active social events calendar through the remainder of the year. Here are the scheduled events at the time of this writing:

  • Super Saturday at the Pool: Ms Lisa Baker Puppet Show: August 31, 10-11 AM
  • Super Saturday at the Pool: Ethereal Spectrum (Live Band featuring Sarah Jane Hargis on Flute): 7 September, 6:30-9:30 PM
  • National Night Out: Live Band, Food, Local Law Enforcement, Prizes: 1 October, 6 – 9 PM

Stay tuned to our website for additional details and other news.
Below are specific items we are working on to sustain your property values through our joint community property within the neighborhood. We ask for your assistance on some of these items. Please do your part by maintaining your own property so we can all live in a safe and appealing environment.

  1. Pool Restroom Remodel: A contractor has begun to remodel the restrooms at the pool. An outside shower and resurfacing the pool entry surface is also included in the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by October 1st.
  2. Homeless/Transients: The ROA is working on removing the homeless people that are frequenting the corner of Parmer and Metric  (behind the short tower ) and also from adjacent vacant property.
  3. Updated Pool Rules: Please see the attached abbreviated version of the updated pool rules. Don’t let anyone into the pool area if they don’t have a pool card. The pool rules in their entirety are posted at the pool and also on this website.
  4. Tree Trimming: Be sure to keep the trees trimmed on your property. Many properties have trouble growing grass because their trees need to be thinned out.
  5. Fence Policy/Fence repair/replacement: The ROA has asked our attorney to create a new fence policy relating to the responsibility of each neighbor to assist in the repair/replacement of joint fencing. Per the new policy, “when a fence acts as a boundary fence that separates two owners’ yards, the owners share a joint duty to maintain, replace, and repair the fence such that it remains in good, neat, and attractive condition, and such owners are equally responsible for all costs of maintenance. Any fence separating two owners’ yards is presumed to be a boundary fence unless acceptable proof (in the form of a survey) is submitted and confirmed by the board that the fence is wholly situated on only one lot.” This new policy has been put in place to help homeowners understand their legal responsibilities relating to joint fencing. The ROA management company will enforce fence issues by working individually with the homeowners affected.
  6. Neighborhood Watch: The ROA is still looking for a volunteer to lead our neighborhood watch program. If interested, please contact me at the email address at the bottom of this letter. Please take the time to meet your neighbors and be on the lookout for suspicious activities. When you see something suspicious call the police. The Scofield Farms Instant Communicator group is ready for your participation and input! The Instant Communicator, created in 2012, is a means of quickly disseminating important news regarding situations currently occurring (such as crimes in progress, suspicious activity, or severe weather warnings) to our community via a smart phone app or text message. Please visit “General Info/FAQ” on the scofieldfarms.org forum for additional information about joining the Instant Communicator group.
  7. Community website, Forum and SF Instant Communicator –The scofieldfarms.org website, the official online communication channel of the Scofield Farms ROA, continues to be improved and expanded to better serve residents. Check out the website to find out the latest news about current events in the neighborhood, as well as access important documents and information.
  8. Architectural Control Committee (ACC) approvals – Your property covenants require you to have written approval from the ROA’s ACC prior to modifications to your property. Examples of items you need ACC approval for include, but are not limited to, building a shed, deck, redesigning landscape or installing nonstandard fencing, and changing the color of your home’s exterior paint. The process is fast and easy to submit for review. There is no valid reason not to comply. This is another way to make sure the neighborhood is kept nice. In several recent cases, our ACC volunteers have used their expertise to alert applicants to problems in their contractor’s proposal. When in doubt – please ask for guidance from our property manager, Sarah DeMattos at CMA, 512-339-6962, or sarahdm@cmaaustin.com to avoid enforcement and fines.
  9. Board Update – As a reminder to the neighborhood residents, the officers for 2013-14 are as follows: President – Paul Maine, Vice President – Deborah Southerland, Secretary – Barton Layne, Treasurer – Mimi Rhea, Director-at-Large – Emmett Bills.

The Scofield Farms ROA email newsletter is used several times a year to distribute information about Board of Directors meetings and agendas. To be added to the list, either join the scofieldfarms.org forum or sign up for the newsletter using the “Sign up for our Email Newsletter” form on the scofieldfarms.org website. Please feel free to email webmaster@scofieldfarms.org with any questions.

In closing, I wish to commend our many volunteers for helping make our community a nice place to live. We look forward to working with you to improve our community.   Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

 

Paul Maine, President

webmaster@scofieldfarms.org