Inside Hot Springs Village: August 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Heifer Foundation moving headquarters

Heifer Foundation reorganizing, relocating
Action, move to Heifer world headquarters will improve efficiency, effectiveness
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Aug. 27, 2010) – Heifer Foundation today announced that it is reorganizing. The decision will better align the Foundation with Heifer International and provide efficiencies and cost savings. Additionally, staff and operations will move from the Foundation’s Louisiana Street offices to Heifer’s headquarters building at 1 World Avenue.
Heifer Foundation was established in 1990 to develop and manage an endowment to provide support for the work of Heifer International. Heifer Foundation and Heifer International are separate nonprofit charitable organizations that work together to provide a comprehensive sustainable strategy supporting a common mission of ending hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth.
The reorganization, announced by Domingo Barrios, Heifer Foundation’s new CEO, will provide significant opportunities to focus on donors and overall efficiency. As a result of the move, the foundation will reduce its staff size by seven.
“In these economic times we all must strive to deliver the greatest benefit from the philanthropy we receive,” said Barrios, who became Foundation CEO in June. The Foundation will work with displaced staff during the transition. Relocation of the Foundation to the World Avenue building is expected to be complete in early October.
“Bringing the two organizations together at the One World Avenue headquarters will be more efficient and provide for greater cooperation and collaboration,” said Charles O. Stewart, Heifer International interim CEO. Following the Foundation’s move, the Louisiana Street offices will likely be put up for sale.
“At the heart of this move is exceptional stewardship—for the philanthropy Heifer receives from its donors and the Foundation receives through annuities, trusts,
bequeathals and estates,” said Barrios. “With this, the Foundation and Heifer can better work hand in hand to build the endowment and to build capacity—financial and program—so that more people can be helped to escape the cycles of hunger and poverty.”
About Heifer Foundation:
Heifer Foundation envisions a sustainable world where hunger and poverty no longer exist. Its mission is to partner with people in the global movement to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth. To that end, Heifer Foundation offers donors a variety of planned charitable giving options, while developing and managing an endowment to provide long‐term support for Heifer International. Heifer Foundation offers a variety of planned giving instruments that provide individuals from all walks of life the ability to help themselves, their loved ones, and a world in great need.
For more information, visit www.heiferfoundation.org.
About Heifer International:
Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Heifer is currently working in 50 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become more self‐reliant.
For more information, visit www.heifer.org or call 1‐800‐696‐1918.

Give blood today

United Blood Services is at the Coronado Center today for blood donations. The collection unit will arrive at 8 a.m.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Director of planning and inspections, Steve White, has added more to his list of responsibilities, he is now head honcho at the Animal Shelter. He has experience with animal facilities from when he was the director of public works in Crossett, AR. He was in charge of the Crossland Zoo and its 50 different types of animals.

Crossland Zoo has exotic animals as well as domestic.

Llamas at Crossland Zoo.

In another cost cutting move, the POA board decided to stretch director of planning and inspections, Steve White's, job duties to include directing the Village animal shelter.

White came to the Village in 2005.

From 2000 to 2005 White was the director of public works for Crossett, Arkansas. While there he paved over $12 million worth of streets, improved the water capacity, built a senior citizens facility and re-built it after it was destroyed in a fire, oversaw a sports complex with eight ball fields, installed two EPA cameras around the town's city limits to discourage illegal dumping and was administrator of the Crossland Zoo.

The Crossland Zoo is one of two licensed zoos in the state. It is the only free zoo in the state. White wrote several grants while administering the zoo. Only two were turned back for a re-write, all were approved.

Crossett is only eight miles from the Louisiana border and a free zoo got lots of visitors from both states.

The zoo had a budget of $250,000, only $100,000 came from the city budget. The rest of the funds were from donations. The zoo has 51 acres of ponds, two walking and biking trails. There are more than 50 different types of animals, birds and reptiles. The zoo also offers educational programs.

The zoo is family friendly with a huge playground area and a fishing pier. It is a combination park and zoo.

White said he loved being affiliated with the Crossland Zoo. He said the zoo would get several animals on loan by trading offspring of the zoo's animals. He remembers a male and female cougar, bears, tigers, lynx, lemurs and cranes. He said it was a real hands on experience he cherishes. He remembers bottle feeding some of the baby animals.

As head of the animal shelter White will direct the two existing animal control employees. They are no longer answering to the public safety department.

While in Crossett, White also built an animal shelter. He has direct hands on experience with animals, grant writing and fund raising.

White is looking forward to the new challenge of heading up the Village's animal control/animal shelter facilities.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Katrina anniversary

This picture was taken two houses down from mine at the intersection of Cousins Boulevard and West Ridgelane Drive. The water to the left is the street the water to the right is a huge canal about 18 feet across and 15 feet deep. There were still feeder bands from Katrina coming through but the worst of the storm was over for us. Not for the people in St. Bernard and near the 17th Street Canal. While we were relieved it was over for us, the water was just starting to rise elsewhere.

Believe it or not this xylophone was savable. The bars were sent away to be cleaned and re-tunes, the baffles were cleaned and the body was refinished.

Cheri Pons, my husband Lee and a couple of other friends of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra climbed down into the bowels of the Orpheum Theatre, the basement, to see if any of the instruments were savable after flood waters covered them for a month.

When it was all over with. Our house is on the right. Our six foot privacy fence was down everywhere except for the gate.

It's hard to believe it has been five years. For those of us that lived through Katrina it is always ever-present in our hearts and minds. Throughout the day I will share some of our pictures with you.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Lots of newcomers at coffee

Overwhelming response to August Newcomers' Coffee.

POA board member Bob Brandt addresses the crowd.

Graduating class of August Newcomers' Coffee.

This month’s newcomers’ coffee was so well attended Company’s Comin’ ran out of muffins, 52 individuals representing 30 new households in the Village.
Welcome the following to the Village.
Vicki and Hal Carlson moved to the Village two months ago from Slidell, Louisiana. They found the Village while vacationing in the area. Hal is retired from Shell Offshore as a marine supervisor, Vicki taught art and will pursue her artistic endeavors here in the Village. They are interested in painting, fishing, bridge, hiking, dancing and bowling.
Don and Elsie Terry moved to the Village six months ago from Little Rock. Don was a sales manager in franchise development and Elsie was an office manager. Don enjoys fishing, boating and bird watching. Elsie enjoys reading, gardening, bird watching and counted cross stitch.
Leah Franklin moved to the Village from North Kingstown, Rhode Island two months ago. She is a massage therapist hanging out her shingle here in the Village. For more information on her business visit http://www.healingtherapymassage.com./ Leah is the mother of four and a practicing massage therapist for the last 20 years. She also loves oil painting.
JoAnn and Jim Breeding moved to the Village seven months ago from Shreveport, Louisiana. They knew people that had moved to the Village and noticed several well placed ads promoting the Village. Jim is retired from construction and JoAnn is retired from the medical technology field. Jim is interested in woodworking.
Roger and Linda Wagoner moved to the Village two months ago from Pensacola, Florida. Roger is a retired pastor and Linda is a retired secretary.
Rick and Pat Goss moved to the Village from Rockwall, Texas three months ago. They found the Village while vacationing in the area. Rick is retired from the telecommunications field and Pat is retired from city government. They enjoy golf, walking, tai chi and motorcycle riding.
Adolph and Sherril Juarez moved to the Village two months ago from San Diego, California. They found the Village on the internet. Both are retired from 25 years of service to the Department of Corrections in California. They are looking forward to settling down here and getting to know the Village and its people.
Robert and Cathleen Marsho moved to the Village from Richfield, Wisconsin eight months ago. They found the Village through Bob’s sister. Bob is a retired teacher and secretary of education for Briggs Stratton Corp. Cathy is a surgery scheduler and is not ready to retire yet. Bob is interested in herpetology, nature, science and history. Cathy is interested in collecting antiques and volunteering at a shelter.
Larry and Renee Patrick moved to the Village two months ago from Vienna, Virginia. They heard about the Village through family. The couple is originally from Dallas. Larry is a retired consultant in defense contracts. Renee is a retired nurse. They are keenly interested in genealogy.
Bob and Terry Heisler moved to the Village from Springfield, Illinois last month. A friend turned them on to the Village 23 years ago. Bob retired from state administration and Terry retired from the state police. They are interested in golf, reading, sewing and their grandchildren.
Art and Karen Laib moved to the Village from Rogers, Arkansas. They found the Village through friends. Both are retired from sales positions. They are interested in golf, tennis, pickleball, fishing, boating, hiking and cycling.
Mark and Ruth Smith moved to the Village from Shawnee, Kansas two months ago. Both are retired from Sprint. Mark is interested in radio control airplanes. Ruth is interested in traveling.
Keith and Jackie Cutler moved to the Village from Glen Carbon, Illinois last month. They found the Village in an old Cooper ad. Keith is semi-retired high-temperature furnace business owner. Jackie is a retired teacher. Keith enjoys golf, reading and sports. Jackie enjoys fitness.
Tom and Betsy Warren moved to the Village last month from Katy, Texas. Their son told them about the Village. Tom is a retired consultant and Betsy is a retired administrative assistant. They are interested in Mahjong and woodworking.
Kathy Klein moved to the Village four months ago from Las Vegas, Nevada. Kathy retired as an elementary school teacher in special ed. She heard about the Village from her grandparents. Kathy is interested in talking and needlepoint.
Dan and Jill Fitzgerald moved to the Village last month from Maumelle, Arkansas. These two are the life of any party. Dan is retired from postal service. Jill is still working in real estate for ReMax. Jill is originally from New Zealand.
Gary and Katie Glenn moved to the Village from Camarillo, California last month. They heard about the Village from realtors. Gary is retired from the federal government. Katie is a retired administrative assistant. They are interested in horses and photography.
Leonard and Karen Binstock moved to the Village from Owatonna, Minnesota two months ago. They heard about the Village from friends. Leonard is a retired consultant. Karen is retired from the insurance business. Leonard is interested in fishing, golfing and cards. Karen is a water color artist pursuing her craft.
Jim and Glenda Lewis moved to the Village from Augusta, Georgia three months ago. Jim retired from teaching at a technical college. Glenda wishes she were retired from homemaking.
Gerald and Agnes Skinner moved to the Village from Oxford, Alabama a year and a half ago. They found the Village in their travels. Jerry is retired military and federal government. Agnes is a retired tank mechanic. Jerry is interested in walking, fishing and football.
Oren and Carol Geplatt moved to the Village four months ago from Spring, Texas. Oren was an insurance underwriter.
Daryl and Barbara Henry moved to the Village from Iowa City, Iowa seven weeks ago. They heard about the Village from Daryl’s brother. Daryl is a retired investment advisor. Barbara is a retired elementary school teacher. Daryl retired three years ago. Barbara just retired in May.
Mike Crews moved to the Village eight months ago from Carlsbad, New Mexico via Phoenix. He is already very active in Rotary and gave the presentation on the Vial of Life to newcomers.
Jeff Jackson moved to the Village two months ago from Champaign, Illinois two months ago. Jeff is a golf instructor.
Lori Newman moved to the Village from St. Paul Park, Minnesota two months ago. She heard about the Village from her sister. Lori has managed chiropractic clinics and is looking for work in her field. Lori enjoys boating, water sports, hiking, music, art, shows and anything she can do with her dog.
John and Susan Meyers moved to the Village from Waterton, Wisconsin five months ago. The heard about the Village through advertising. John is retired from Pepsi. Susan is retired from a Wisconsin energy company.
Molly Young moved to the Village three months ago from Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. She is a retired teacher.
Francine and Tom McKay moved to the Village from Houston, Texas just three weeks ago. They heard about the Village through word of mouth. The McKays are both retired. Tom enjoys golf. Francine enjoys bridge and tennis.
Diane and Paul Thorne moved to the Village three months ago from Tiburon, California, north of the Golden Gate bridge. Diane’s sister and family own a home in the Village. Paul is still working as a computer programmer. Diane is a retired accountant for ABM, Inc. Paul has his Masters of Music from the Boston Conservatory in piano. He loves Chopin.
Don and Debbie Smith moved to the Village six months ago from Shreveport, Louisiana. They heard about the Village from golf buddies. Don is a retired veterinarian. Debbie is still working as an accountant. Don didn’t make it to the coffee, Debbie has him remodeling at home. Don enjoys golf, hunting, home improvements and reading. Debbie enjoys opportunities to share the love of Jesus, art, photography and going out with friends.
What is of note is there are very few golfers in this huge group of newcomers. The next newcomers’ coffee is scheduled for October 28 at 8:30 a.m. at the Ouachita room at the Ponce de Leon Center.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Lori Holzwarth spoke to Rotarians about elder law

Lori Holzwarth

Lori Holzwarth, a member of the Rotary Club of Scenic 7, spoke to fellow members about elder law in Arkansas.
She was born in Brinkley, Arkansas and now lives in Maumelle.
Holzwarth practices law at Hayden, Miron and Foster. She received her B.A. from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock in 1991, magna cum laude. She went on to get her J.D. in 1994 from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Holzwarth was admitted to practice law in Arkansas in 1994 and in Missouri in 1996. Her specialties are estate planning, probate and business planning.
Holzwarth shared with Rotarians the pitfalls of having too much and too little money for retirement. Elements in common to both circumstances include the need for a plan, a living will and a limited power of attorney.
None of us are going to live forever and as we age there will be health issues that must be addressed. Long term care insurance is a viable option. This is something you need to think about and obtain before you get sick. A long term care policy can be tailored to fit cost and coverage.
Holzwarth talked about the good care provided by the Veterans Administration. She said the aid and attendance program provides care for Veterans with just one day of combat service. Changes in the policy require recent Veterans to have served one year in combat duty. Surviving spouses are eligible for care by the Veterans Administration.

For those covered by Medicare, the coverage does not exceed 90 days. Then, Medicaid takes over. Medicaid goes after every dollar it can often leaving the healthy spouse with only half of their assets. A long term care insurance can help the healthy spouse hold on to all of the family assets.

Holzwarth suggested Rotarians look into long term care partnerships on the internet or to ask local insurance agents.

She believes being prepared is the best defense against loosing assets.

The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets on Thursdays at noon. Lunch is optional.

Rotarians learn about membership privileges program

POA board of directors member Jeff Atkins talked to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7 about the the POA's proposed membership privileges program. This program will bring revenue into the POA instead of foreclosure costs.
This was a program that was attempted last year but was met with resistance by Villagers. In an attempt to educate the public about the program and allay any fears the POA has recently taken every opportunity to speak to civic groups and residents.
Atkins introduced himself to the club. He was born in Texas but raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. He works in technology information services. In 1999 Atkins bought his first property in the Village. In 2002 he moved to the Village. Before moving to the Village he was living in Little Rock. He first came to the Village to play golf.
Atkins currently owns 170 lots in the Village and he takes advantage of assigning his property privileges to non-property owners.
Property membership privileges include the right to use the POA amenities at property owner rates. John Cooper Sr. included in the Declaration, Article VIII, Section 4, property owners who don't utilize their privileges, or who have more than one property can assign their privileges to someone else. Each lot of living unit is entitled to two property owner cards.
At this time there are 486 lot assignments by individual lot owners in the Village.
Beginning in 2008 over 3,000 lots owned by NRPI became delinquent. By the end of May of this year there were 5,721 lots in arrears.
Uncollected assets are over $2,000,000.
Currently, the POA has 677 lots that have been foreclosed. The foreclosure expenses exceed $380,000.
The highlights of the membership assignment program include the following. Introducing potential property owners to the Village. Generating assessment revenue, cash, on lots already in the POA inventory. Generating recreation fee revenue by assignees using the amenities of Hot Springs Village and ultimately purchasing property/home in Hot Springs Village. This program will not flood the real estate market with a large number of low cost lots.
A membership privilege will be sold at $535 per two membership cards.
The assignees do not get preference on tee times. They are bound by the same rules as property owners. If the assignees violate the POA rules, their privileges can be revoked with no due process. Assignees do not have the right to vote.
The membership will be for 12 consecutive months, renewable upon availability, non refundable and non transferable.
To purchase a privilege membership go to www.hsvpoa.org or stop by the POA administration building at 895 DeSoto Boulevard.
The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets on Thursdays at noon at Molly O'Brien's on Highway 7. Lunch is optional.

Art Howe topic of Rotary talk

Stephanie Sullivan

Recently Stephanie Sullivan spoke to the Rotary Cub of Scenic 7 regarding her dad, famed baseball player and manager Art Howe.

Sullivan entitled her speech, "my life growing up in baseball." She said her dad always took the road less traveled and his family went right along with him.
Arthur Henry How was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Dec. 15, 1946. He was the youngest of six children. The first to go to college. He had a natural talent for baseball and the urge to go west.
Howe went to the University of Wyoming on a football scholarship. He got on the train in 1965 leaving Pennsylvania for a college and adventure in Wyoming. Howe played quarterback but was injured in practice and had to have back surgery on a disc. His career in football ended before it ever began.
Howe just switched to baseball and without missing a beat obtained his degree in 1969. He did not get any offers from the baseball clubs.
He moved back to Pennsylvania, married his high school sweetheart and went to work for Westinghouse.
Howe continued to play baseball in a local sand lot game. A friend of his believed in his talent and wrote to all of the major baseball teams in an attempt to get Howe a tryout. This letter writing campaign resulted in a tryout and offer from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Sullivan’s mom was pregnant with her when the offer was made. It was a tough decision to leave the security of a company job with Westinghouse to pursue a baseball career in the minor league at 24 years old. After a lot of discussion the young family decided to follow the dream. Howe made his debut on July 10, 1974. His final game was April 19, 1985.
Sullivan grew up in Houston, Texas after Howe was traded to the Houston Astros when she was three years old. The bulk of Howe’s playing career was with the Astros. His job allowed for a lot of time with his family. Sullivan spent a lot of time at the ball park watching her dad play after her homework was done.
She said she did not appreciate her dad’s coolness factor. Sullivan recalled a time when she was a child sitting in the players’ family section of the ball park and a disgruntled fan was saying nasty things about her dad. She turned and told the man not to talk about her dad that way. The fan was embarrassed and kept his trash talk to himself for the rest of the game.
Sullivan reminisced about the year the Astros made it to the playoffs. In 1980 the Astros were neck and neck with the Dodgers. It was a heartbreaker, the Astros lost in the seventh game.
When asked by a reporter as a child how she helped her parents she told him, "I mind my own beeswax."
Howe did not idle during winters while Sullivan was growing up. When she was three her family spent the winters in Puerto Rico where her dad could play and manage a team in the Carribean league. Up through fifth grade Sullivan spent part of each school year attending school in Puerto Rico.
Because Howe was prone to injury he decided early on to pursue a career as a manager. Puerto Rico opened the door and gave him the experience to move on in management in the States. In 1984 Howe was playing for the Cardinals when he ended his career as a player.
Sullivan’s senior year in high school she was back in Houston where her dad became the manager for the Astros. He went from being one of several hundred baseball players to being one of 27 managers. Sullivan was finally starting to realize how famous her dad was.
Sullivan went on to attend Trinity College in San Antonio while her dad pursued his career as a baseball team manager.
Howe managed the Houston Astros for five years, the Oakland Athletics for seven years and the New York Mets for two years. During his career Howe had a reputation for rebuilding teams. He set the major league record for a winning streak.
Today, Howe is a commentator back in Houston. He is also teaching baseball in Italy.
In 1995, Sullivan was in a horrible car accident while she was in law school. Her dad was in the middle of a game in Atlanta. Baseball fans across America knew of Sullivan’s accident when her dad left the game to be with her. She said that was the kind of man he is, family first. Sullivan recovered from her injuries, went on to become a lawyer, get married and have two children. Today she is a stay at home mom.
The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets Thursdays at noon at Molly O’Brien’s on Highway 7. Lunch is optional.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Newcomers' coffee this morning

Don't forget the newcomers' coffee this morning at 8:30 a.m. Refreshments are supplied by Company's Comin'. It is a great opportunity to meet other newcomers and to obtain valuable information about the Village.

Rotary today

A POA board representative will speak at the Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village regarding membership assignments today. The club meets at 7 a.m. for breakfast at Good Sam's Cedar Lodge.
Robbie Davis will speak about his experience at the recent Basketball Hall of Fame induction at the Rotary Club of Scenic 7. The club meets at noon at Molly O'Brien's on Highway 7.
The club recently approved its 20th member and will obtain its charter status once all members are inducted.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Newcomers coffee coming up on August 26

New to the Village in June were from the left Curtis and Marian Brandt, Joann Draper, Ralph Chance, Don Draper, Norma Chance, Ed Klein, Kristi Chance, David and Jeanine Preboski, Drew and Lois Kahle, and Sarah and Ed Aucoin.

The POA recreation committee is sponsoring a newcomers coffee this Thursday, August 26 at 8:30 a.m. at the Ouachita room in the Ponce de Leon Center. All newcomers and anyone that has never attended a previous coffee are invited for conversation, good nibbles from Company's Comin' and lots of information about the Village.

Last month the following new Villagers attended the coffee.

Bob and Marilyn Zoblotsky moved to the Village from Arlington, Texas in early June. They found the Village on the internet and bought a year ago. Marilyn just retired a week before they moved to the Village. Bob retired two years before Marilyn. They have a cousin that also lives in the Village. They love bridge, boating, dogs and reading. Marilyn wants to learn bocce ball. They are looking for a Majong connection.

Sarah and Ed Aucoin moved to the Village from Baton Rouge in May. They bought a lot here three years ago. They moved here right after Ed retired as a process controller at Dow. Sarah retired three years before from human resources with the State of Louisiana. They are interested in dancing and boating together. Ed loves to golf and Sarah is a canasta player. The couple lives near the Woodlands on Lake Balboa and have a pontoon boat.

Ed Klein moved to the Village from Houston, Texas at the beginning of this year. Ed is retired from an engineering position with Nassau after 38 years. He lives in a townhouse on Lake DeSoto. He owned his home here for 15 years before retiring. Ed enjoys swimming, hiking, fishing and golf.

Drew and Lois Kahle moved to the Village from Orchard Park, New York in early June. They visited a friend in the Village and kept coming back. They visited the Village on March 1, bought a house here on March 14 and sold their home in New York on March 18. Both are now retired, Drew from concrete sales and Lois from human resources. They love to golf and fish. They are looking for a better bird feeder, theirs has been feeding a raccoon.

David and Jeanine Preboski moved to the Village from Wausau, Wisconsin in June. They live on Lake Pineda. They found the Village on the internet. David is retired from computers at Liberty Insurance and Jeanine is retired from education at Wausau School District. He loves golfing, fishing, carpentry, model boats and kayaking. She loves quilting, golfing, reading, fitness and kayaking.

Don and Joann Draper moved to the Village from Sidney, Ohio in June. They owned their home here for six years before retiring here. They have been coming here for the golf. They bought their home from an add on the internet. Don is a retired engineer. They are interested in golf, reading, church, camera and many other things.

Curtis and Marian Brandt moved to the Village from Villa Park, Illinois in May. They heard about the Village from friends and through an internet search. Curtis is retired from home improvement construction and Marian is a retired accountant. They are currently renting on Lake Pineda while building their dream home. He is a tennis player. They are interested in tennis, boating, sewing, performing in plays, general socializing, computer scanning of photos and knitting.

Property owners Ralph, Kristi and Norma Chance haven't moved to the Village yet but visited here in June. The trio is investigating contractors at this time. They want to be involved in Village churches. Kristi wants to learn how to golf.

If you miss the newcomers coffee this Thursday, the next one will be on October 28, 8:30 a.m.

Heifer meeting today

Members of the Village Heifer Club are meeting today to work on the upcoming Living Gift Market coming this November 13. The meeting is at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Kirk in the Pines. There is a steering committee meeting at 1 p.m. before the general meeting.
Anyone interested in supporting Heifer and the Living Gift Market is invited to attend the general meeting.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Special THA meetings regarding Guadalajara improvements

Heritage Engineering plan

The townhouse association board is attempting to rough out costs of replacing the Guadalajara bridge to 15 and 17 Reddina Lane. This has been a major dance for everyone involved. The project cannot be bid out at this time because financing has not been thoroughly investigated and approved.
On August 12 the THA board met to discuss its obligation in the replacement of the Guadalajara bridge and other needed improvements in Guadalajara Courts. At that time the board voted Guadalajara Courts is responsible for paying for the bridge replacement due to tiered assessments.
There is a cap on all expenditures, anything over $50,000 must go to the general THA membership for approval. The cost of the bridge replacement is expected to exceed the cap. The board voted to let the Guadalajara Courts members vote to pay or not pay, then depending on the results the THA membership then gets to vote to approve the expenditure or not.
The board has voted to investigate obtaining a loan for Guadalajara Courts to pay for the construction. The THA general membership would be ultimately responsible for the loan repayment. If Guadalajara Courts defaults on payments then the THA would have to make the payments.
Currently, there is a major liability issue with the bridge. It has been deemed a safety hazzard and yet it is still in use. It is the only means of ingress and egress to 15 and 17 Reddina Lane.
On August 21 the THA board met with interested members of Guadalajara Courts. Ten households were represented in a good sized audience. The general consensus of the ten households was that the bridge must be replaced and they must pay for it. No one was sure a vote would pass in Guadalajara Courts. THA president Brent Gray said the ramifications of the court voting no may be that the THA will go to court for a declaratory judgment against the court to make them pay because the liability issue is too great to let the situation go on as it has.
Many in the audience pointed out that the problems with the bridge pre-date tiered assessments and the THA board should take some responsibility. The cost per household would be greatly reduced if the cost was spread over the 900 plus townhouses instead of just the 63. The board stuck to its guns and diverted any talk of the general membership paying for the bridge by citing tiered assessments.
The bridge isn’t the only issue to be addressed in Guadalajara Courts, the retaining wall at 43 Reddina Lane and the retaining wall at 1 through 9 Galiosa Lane need replacement. In October of 2009 THA general manager Glenn Zarpaylic and members of the architectural review committee and Landmark Engineering roughed out costs of the replacements for the board and the members of Guadalajara Courts. His memo follows:
"The bridge that connects the parking pads with the townhouses at 15 and 17 Reddina Lane has deteriorated to the point of needing significant repairs or replacement. The same is true for the retaining wall at 43 Reddina Lane and the retaining wall at 1 through 9 Galiosa Lane.
The estimated cost for each of these projects is:
Bridge: 15 and 17 Reddina Lane / $85,000 to $100,000
Retaining Wall: 43 Reddina Lane / $18,000 to $22,000
Retaining Wall: 1 through 9 Galiosa Lane / $30,000 to $35,000
Total Cost: $133,000 to $157,000
There are 63 townhouses in Guadalajara Courts. The cost for correcting the above issues rests with the 63 townhouse owners. Therefore the estimated cost for each townhouse is:
Bridge: 15 and 17 Reddina Lane / $1,350 to $1,588
Retaining Wall: 43 Reddina Lane / $286 to $350
Retaining Wall: 1 through 9 Galiosa Lane / $477 to $556
Total Cost per household: $2,113 to $2,494."
Heritage Engineering provided Zarpaylic with a budgetary cost estimate on the bridge on July 8, 2010. "This is transmitted as a summary of our estimate of budgetary cost related to the construction of a new retaining wall; parking area; retaining wall and deck.
Retaining wall and new area paving: $32,500 to $42,500
Access bridge: $28,000 to $37,500
Deck: $16,500 to $25,000."
Plus, there are cost that have already been expended on behalf of Guadalajara Courts regarding the bridge replacement. They include the following:
Landmark Engineering consultation: $570
Heritage Engineering consultation: $453.15
Structural plans: $6,313.50
Cost estimate: $500
Nabholz Shoring plan: $2,345
James Anderson labor and material of rotten deck planks: $270.87
Totaling: $10,452.52.
One wise woman in the audience at the Guadalajara Courts meeting put things in perspective. "The past is the past, let’s get on with it." She had accepted that her court was going to have to pay for the bridge replacement and she is tired of the amount of time it is taking to get this project completed.
Within the next two weeks a ballot will go out to Guadalajara Courts to vote on supporting much needed improvements to the court.
Pending the results a ballot will go out to the general membership to approve spending over $50,000.
The THA board will meet again on August 31 at 8:30 a.m. Board member Larry Siler has requested every meeting until this issue is settled be a voting meeting.

Allergy seminar at Garvan Gardens this Thursday

"Allergies: how to combat seasonal colds" is the topic of a presentation by St. Joseph's Mercy Clinic at Garvan Gardens magnolia room this Thursday, Aug. 26, at 5:30 p.m.
Allergy specialists from St. Joe's will discuss pesky allergies and the best methods of relief.
The presentation is free and open to the public.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Heifer trip to Canada

Heifer International is sponsoring a study tour program to Canada on June 5 through 11. Katherine Lu, director of the study tours program, will head the work program in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Applications and an overview of the trip is available on the Heifer website at www.heifer.org/studytours/americas. Send your completed application and deposit to the Study Tours office, attention Sara Drew, Heifer International, 1 World Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72202.
Application deadline is April 5, 2011 and the deposit is $500. The total cost of the trip is $1,500. The cost of the study tour includes accommodations, meals, transportation during the trip, project visits, tour leaders and guides, workshops, cultural sites and a Heifer backpack kit, with journal and name tags.
The cost does not include airfare to or from Canada. Once in Ontario all transportation within Canada for the duration of the trip is included in the package.
The trip is limited to 12 to 14 participants.

Saline County auction tomorrow

Tomorrow morning at 11 a.m. is a Village lot auction at the Saline County courthouse in Benton.
The minimum bid offered by the POA will be $1,000 for each lot. There is a one year right of redemption on each sale. Subdivision plats are on the POA website, www.hsvpoa.org. Go to property owner services, then subdivision maps.
Contact Penny at 922-5564 or 922-5522 with questions.
Lot/block/subdivision / Street address
011-09-103 Estancia / 50 Fineza Way
004-08-120 El Pelo / 6 La Palabra Lane
021-09-121 Bolivar / 90 San Juan Way
001-02-122 Curandero / 13 Brazo Way
006-02-128 Priego / 120 Priego Way
008-09-131 Mesero / 66 Jarandilla Drive
013-03-134 Miguel / 90 Montanoso Way
028-05-134 Miguel / 69 Greco Way
026-05-137 Calderon / 55 Calderon Way
008-05-146 Gerante / 73 Gerante Way
002-11-149 Raso / 5 Sobrar Way
017-09-149 Raso / 8 Sobrar Way
001-07-155 Dosel / 13 Rabano Circle /1 Camaron Lane
006-05-164 Alentejo / 95 Pamplona Way
005-01-173 Cabida / 60 Decente Way

Hot Springs Concert Band plays tonight

The Hot Springs Concert Band is playing free in Whittington Park tonight at 6:30 p.m. Monday night. Don't forget to bring a blanket or a lawn chair to sit on and bug spray to keep you safe.

ACC reconsiders permit

Townhouse association board member Ida Ferree had a few questions for ACC members regarding in-home business permits.

ACC members met with contractor Paul Wagner to reconsider a permit application in their working meeting on Monday, August 16.

005-07 Andorra / 7 Ballobar Trace / Paul Wagner Custom Homes/variance for house to encroach into 25-foot building setback from street.

Drawings previously submitted to the committee concerning the home on Ballobar were incorrect. Once the representative drawings were submitted and it was ascertained the variance is slight the ACC reconsidered its previous negative vote and approved the variance in their regular meeting on August 19.

Townhouse association board member Ida Ferree visited with ACC members regarding the rights and responsibilities of the THA in regard to in-home business permits the ACC approved in townhouses.

Customers on site and storage of materials, specifically flammable materials, were discussed. The THA board and general manager have the right to report infractions to the ACC and to ask to investigate and intervene.

Ferree was told the THA needs to rule first on infractions to its rules and then turn the complaint over to Steve White, director of planning and inspections. White can enforce state codes and county ordinances applicable to in-home business policy infractions.

In addition to answering Ferree's questions and reconsidering Paul Wagner's variance the committee reviewed two assignments.

005-01 Ensenada / 8 Esplendor Way / Fence in a Hurry/fence

Buddy Dixon reviewed this permit application for a dog fence. The property is surrounded by common property. The fence eliminates a public safety issue created by an small but deep abandoned pond in the yard. The fence meets all Village criteria. The permit was approved by consensus.

017-05 Madrid Courts / 6 Daganza Place / Nick Daily/boat dock

Bob Kostelecky reviewed this permit application for a covered boat dock. The townhouse is at the end of four attached units. There is plenty of space for the deck. The deck will have a kayak ramp. The permit was approved by consensus.

014-04 Perfecto / 43 Perfecto Way / David Lumber/storage building

Bill Roe reconsidered this permit application for a storage building on skids. After looking at the site again it was decided this would be the best alternative for the location of the storage shed. The skids will allow the shed to be moved if access to the easement is required.

Balboa Club / 111 Balboa Way / POA/banner

The ACC also considered an application for a banner at the Balboa Club. The banner will advertise live music on Saturday nights at the new Mexican restaurant at the Balboa Club. The restaurant is due to open September 1 and the banner permit is for six months.

Committee members were concerned about the wear and tear on the banner and didn't want it to look bad for the neighbors. The permit was denied. The committee would consider an alternate suggestion. Although the application was for 200 consecutive days the ACC was only willing to permit six months of Fridays and Saturdays only. The banner can be put out on Fridays and taken down on Sunday mornings.

Village Church of Christ / 210 Balboa Road / sign

ACC members approved of the look of the sign but did not have the specification that the sign's total height would not exceed five feet. Once Steve White has the information the permit will have automatic approval.

Landscape permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor
018-04 Caribe / 19 Caribe Way / Rick Foster Landscaping
001-02 Sorpresa / 1 Sorpresa Way / M & M Irrigation
017-01 Promesa / 33 Promesa Lane / Harpers Landscaping
030-05 Maria / 1 Ferrol Place / Castle Services

HVAC permits

Lot Bk Addition / Address / Contractor
007-03 Madrid / 5 Madrid Way / Tempco, Inc.
008-01 Guadalajara / 17 South Pego Way / Carpenter Heating & Air
025-01 Costa / 33 Costa del Lago Lane / Standridge, Inc.
067-01 Costa / 2 Rubi Place / Carpenter Heating & Air
009-01 Ontur / 13 Ontur Lane / Grisham Air
028-01 Ponce de Leon / 50 Ferdinand Way / Tempco, Inc.
001-04 Tiempo / 4 Pinocha Way / Johnston Heating & Air
019-02 Sacedon / 36 Sacedon Way / Johnston Heating & Air
002-02 Coronado / 5 Coronado Circle / Tempco, Inc.
003-02 Coronado / 1 Coronado Trace / Reliable Air
019-02 Binefar / 59 Binefar Way / Quality Air Care
005-04 Diamante / 35 Loyola Drive / Carpenter Heating & Air
007-15 Vereda / 14 Asombroso Lane / Reliable Air
016-10 Cielo / 32 Innovacion Lane / Daniell Air & Electric

Addition permits

Lot Bk Addition / Address / Contractor/Project
039-03 San Cristobal / 4 Monovar Lane / Mister Jim Construction/porch and deck addition
029-06 Tarragona / 32 Aspe Lane / Steamatic/repair fire damage
006-04 Castellon / 2 Alcora Lane / B & W Village Home Repair/wheel chair ramp
007-01 Ronda / 2 Loria Lane / M & R Sarver/covered deck
001-03 Santa Cruz / 5 Malaga Way / M & R Sarver/remodel kitchen
009-06 Guadalajara / 44 South Pego Way / John Barnhardt/basement bathroom
028-04 Teruel / 4 Magda Lane / Webb Construction/roof over existing roof
012-03 Salas / 33 Mesero Way / Terry Johnson/rebuild deck
019-02 / 4 Adaja Lane / Al Lewis/exterior door and electric
013-01 Armada / 24 Levantino Lane / Gary Egleston Construction/kitchen remodel and addition
004-02 Pandilla / 35 Pandilla Way / Gary Peeks/electrical
006-02 Coronado / 7 Coronado Trace / Sanders Plumbing/plumbing
006-19 Diamante / 15 Juego Way / Curtis Corporation/add living space in basement

Commercial additions

Lot Bk Addition / Address / Contractor/project
998-01 Commercial / 301 Balearic Road / Coulson Oil Company/install auto tank gauge

Sprinkler system permits

Lot Bk Addition / Address / Contractor/water source
016-12 Vereda / 26 Arturo Lane / Malt Construction/Village

New home permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor/Sq. Ft.
003-01 San Augustin / 16 San Augustin Way / Harrison Construction/3,796
013-08 Vereda / 21 Purista Lane / Ed Falls Custom Homes/2,415

Saturday, August 21, 2010

All things Annie Get Your Gun

The cast and production staff for Annie Get Your Gun has been chosen.
On stage cast members include the following in speaking roles.
Megan Baker as Nellie Oakley
Roger Cannell as Charlie Davenport
Ben Carey as Little Jake Oakley
Lydia deSambourg as Annie Oakley
Jennifer Goff as Winnie Tate
Sandy Johansen as Dolly Tate
Dan Johnson as Pawnee Bill
Jack Larsen as Frank Butler
Mark Lynch as Tommy Keeler
Frank Nilson as Foster Wilson
Glen Robertson as Buffalo Bill
Jeff Smith as Chief Sitting Bull
Madison Wilson as Jessie Oakley
Small speaking roles and non-speaking roles in the cast ensemble include: Pat Barkley, Tina Cooper, Gene Cross, Marlene Davis, Jo-Ann Dobscha, Chuck Fish, Sharon Gardner, Raybon Gilbert, AnnMarie Goff, Randy Harkins, Vic Harrington, Bill Jervis, Robyn Johnson, Kathy Joseph, Pat Langewis, Mary Langston, Crys Larsen, Maureen Morgan, Sheila Rhoades, Cheryl Robertson, Patsy Slezak and Marlene Zenker.
Production staff includes the following.
Producer, Phil Ellis
Director, Carolyn Bodensteiner
Music Director, Larry Bradley
Accompaniment Admin., Diane Upchurch
Asst. Director, Bev Bullard
Asst. Producer, Craig Annen
Stage Manager, Kathy Jervis
Asst. Stage Manager, Dan Moran
Special Effects, Jim Rowley
Set Design & Paint, Bev Carpenter
Set Construction, Dennis Vandussen
Props, Sherry Phillips
Grips, Craig Annen and Ken Birjhoff
Costumes, Cloe Bayer
Script Coach, Fran Walker
Make-up, Marion Sowka
Program and lobby decor, Judy Corwin
Tickets, Winston Wolfe
Ushers, Carol Jameston
Cast party, DorothyWeber

Guadalajara Courts meeting this morning

There will be steam coming from ears at the Guadalajara Courts meeting this morning at the townhouse association building. The meeting is to discuss the options for financing the replacement of the Guadalajara Courts bridge. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m.
This topic is so important to the court that the meeting was proposed for Saturday morning so everyone could attend, including out-of-town owners.
The bridge has been deemed a safety hazard. Replacement will be costly. Since tiered assessments capital improvement costs have fallen to the individual courts.
Like many deteriorating items in the THA, this bridge has been in ill-repair for years. Predating the tiered assessments. It is almost certain this matter will have to be settled in court.
There are only two townhouses impacted by the bridge replacement. Until the issue is addressed the two families take their lives in their hands every time they enter or leave their homes.
The bridge is clearly on limited common property. The THA is ultimately responsible for liability. I hope it does not take a death or critical injury of a resident or visitor to move all this talk into action.

Just two Saturdays left to eat at La Petite Bistro and benefit AWL

Don't forget to dine at La Petite Bistro today and next Saturday. Bistro owner Malcolm Bickford is donating ten-percent of his profits for lunch to the Animal Welfare League.

Sorry! Wrong Chimney tickets on sale now

The Pocket Theater presents Sorry! Wrong Chimney, starting Sept. 30. Tickets are on sale now. The show runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 3 and Oct. 7 through Oct. 10. Nightly shows are at 7:30 p.m., Sundays are matinee only at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children through grade 12.
For more information go to the Pocket website at http://www.pockettheatre.com/.

Deleen Davidson sings tomorrow

Days after returning from a 2-week tour in Austria, classical vocalist Deleen Davidson of The Muses Creative Artistry Project and her mother, pianist Marilyn Davidson, along with concert pianist Louis Menendez, will perform a concert at 3 p.m. tomorrow, August 22 at First Presbyterian Church, 213 Whittington Avenue. The suggested donation for adults is $10, with students attending free of charge.
The concert will showcase music the Davidsons recently performed in Bregenz, Austria during the annual Bregenz Music Festival. Their repertoire of classical, sacred and modern music, with a strong emphasis on Broadway musical theater, delighted Austrian audiences in a variety of salon concert settings. Menendez will also enliven the program by playing Viennese waltzes and other selections collected during the Davidsons’ tour.
Bregenz is a beautiful Alpine town located on the Bodensee, Lake Constance, at the point where the three Germanic countries, Germany, Austria and Switzerland meet. This "three-corner" region has a very rich cultural and artistic heritage, drawing tourists from around the globe to drink in its natural beauty along with outstanding artistic performances.
For more information on The Muses’ concerts and workshops, call (501)463-4514 or visit www.themusesproject.org.

Heifer meeting this Wednesday

The Heifer club will hold a short meeting on Wednesday, August 25 at 2 p.m. in the conference room on the main floor at the Kirk of the Pines Presbyterian. The meeting will be brief from 2 to 3 p.m.
The goal is to start the engines for the Living Gift Market, it's coming soon, only 11 weeks, that's 77 days from the meeting.
It will take all club members participation to make the Living Gift Market a success again this year. Last year $50,000 was raised and donated to Heifer International for projects around the world.
The steering committee will meet at 1p.m. to get ducks, goats and sheep in a row. If you are a member of Heifer or would like to become a member of Heifer and stop hunger around the globe, see you at the meeting on August 25.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Beating the heat inside

I could explain away my seven day absence from the blog as due to the unbearable heat we have had here in the Village but that would be untrue. It has been very hot but I have been plugging along doing my thing.
Every time my husband leaves town I pick a do it yourself, DIY, project and run with it. When he went to his high school 50 year reunion in May I removed the popcorn from the ceiling of his bedroom, repainted and hung new curtains. When he went to his family reunion in July I removed the popcorn from the ceiling in the guest room, guest bath and laundry room. I managed to paint the guest bedroom and bath but the laundry room is half naked and awaiting a coat of paint.
This past week, Lee went to New York City to meet both his boys and all the grandchildren for one big birthday celebration. Four out of seven of the grandchildren had birthdays this month.
I bit off more than I could chew, I removed the popcorn ceiling from the living room, foyer, two hallways, the dining room, the kitchen and the breakfast room. I painted the foyer, living room and one of the bedrooms. He returned home to chaos.
This week I did crawl out of my work cave to cover some local events. I attended the POA assignment program talk given by POA board member Jeff Atkins to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7. I also attended the special townhouse association board meeting concerning the Guadalajara Courts' bridge. I attended all of the audition for the Players production of Annie Get Your Gun, including the call backs. I gave a talk to the Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village on being an opera singer, I covered the most recent ACC meeting and I heard Lori Holzworth give a talk on elder law to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7.
I will disseminate all of that information as quickly as possible.
I still need to complete my DIY project but I now have a motivated helper. My husband hates chaos and will be walking the dogs, taking care of the yard, offering moral support and helping me get the project done.
The play auditions were the highlight of my week. The Village has so many talented people. Show director Carolyn Bodensteiner has her work cut out for her. She is currently making personal phone calls to those that made the cast and will announce the cast this weekend. I did get a phone call last night a few minutes before nine from a very excited Ben Carey. He got the part of Annie's brother/cousin. He is looking forward to gracing the Woodlands' stage again. Ben played my son Winthrop in the Players production of Music Man.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Rotary today

POA General Manager Dave Johnston will present a talk to both Rotary clubs today on the new privilege assignments program available in the Village.
The Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village meets at the Cedar Lodge at 7 a.m. for breakfast. The Rotary Club of Scenic 7 meets at noon at Molly O'Brien's on Highway 7 for lunch.

Bill Smimmons at Scenic 7

Rotary District Governor Bill Simmons talked to the Rotary Club of Scenic 7

about "building communities bridging continents."

Members of the Rotary Club of Scenic 7 were honored to have 6170 District Governor Bill Simmons visit the club two weeks ago.

Assistant District Governor Pam Gibson accompanied Simmons to the meeting. Both participated in a lively conversation with club members about activities the club could engage in as part of its service to the community.

Simmons is originally from North Carolina. He is a graduate of the Naval Academy and served in The Navy for 23 years before starting his second career as a civil engineer in city management.

Simmons is visiting each club in the district. He discussed the success Rotary has had with polio eradication. There are only four countries left in the world that still have polio. Simmons said that even with polio nearly gone, the disease is "still just two plane rides away."

Partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary is well on its way to making polio a disease of the past not the present. The Gates have pledged $200,000,000 if the Rotary can match the pledge to help rid the world of polio. Rotary was given three years to raise the matching funds. This is the beginning of the third year and Rotary has raised $140,000,000 so far. If each club around the world pledges an average of $1,000 this year the goal will be made.
Simmons also talked about the GSE exchange with Taiwan this spring. Teams from Taiwan come here to learn about our culture and teams from the U.S. go to Taiwan in return.

Simmons mentioned simplified grants available to Rotary Clubs in the district as seed money for worthy projects.

Selection for ambassadorial scholarships will take place next month. Scholarship recipients are given $25,000 to pursue educational study anywhere in the world. The only restriction is there must be a Rotary Club in the chosen city of study.

He also mentioned the Ferris Leadership Academy opportunity for Rotarians.

Simmons talked about Rotary joining with the DEA in a statewide effort to have citizens turn in outdated medications for disposal. Citizens are urged to turn in the drugs for incineration instead of flushing them into the community water system.

District conference is coming up on April 15 and 16 of next year in Hot Springs. The Rotary international conference will be in New Orleans on May 21 through 25 of next year.

Simmons inducted the newest member of the Scenic 7 Rotary Club, Diane Upchurch.

Fairplex tax vote failed

Yesterday 13,764 registered voters in Saline County voted on the tax allocation to build a proposed equestrian fairplex.
The matter was defeated by a large margin. The vote was 10,314 against the measure and 3,450 for it. The fairplex was slated to bring many jobs and lots of money to the county.

THA considering a communications director

The townhouse association board is considering establishing a communications director position to make statements to the press and to spread the message of the value of the association.
John Chapman of KVRE radio first brought up the issue of a point person to contact for THA information. He is interested in producing public awareness spots for the THA and needed to know whom to talk to.
The person might also be responsible for website oversight.
Board member Larry Siler suggested defining what is needed.
Most of the board members see this as a way to generate positive publicity for the THA.
At this point there is no indication as to whether this is a volunteer or staff position.

Guadalajara bridge meeting tomorrow at 2 p.m.

The townhouse association board of directors has called a special meeting to hash out all aspects of the Guadalajara bridge replacement tomorrow, August 12, at 2 p.m.
All possible actions will be discussed in the meeting including bank financing and who is to pay for the costly bridge replacement.
The Guadalajara bridge is THA common property belonging to all members of the association. The cost would be minimal if spread over all 900+ townhouses. If the members of Guadalajara Courts are to pay the cost alone it will be high.
The bridge leads to only two townhouses but it is the residents only way in and out of their homes.
The homeowners will pay for part of the construction, the area considered part of their property.
Each day nothing is done is a day of increased liability to the THA. The bridge has been shored up but is elementally structurally unsound and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.

THA by-laws committee struggling with purpose

The townhouse association ad hoc by-laws committee has spent a lot of time defining its purpose. The committee members were directed to make the by-laws current, user friendly and easy to understand.
Part of the frustration of the committee members is currently the by-laws are not consistent with the articles and declaration.
The committee seeks to define limited common property but that would be going back and changing other documents which it has not been charged to do.
The first meeting of the committee resulted in a lot of emotional back and forth but no recommendations for the board.

THA needs new part-time employee

The townhouse association's part-time employee is no longer with the association. The general manager, Glenn Zarpaylic, is looking to replace this employee. The employee assisted Zarpaylic in outdoor projects.
In the meantime, Lawn Doctor is working on leaf removal and keeping the ditches clear to make up for the lost employees.

Townhouse elections

Calling all interested candidates for the townhouse association board of directors. Deadline for filing application to run is the end of this month.
As of the last townhouse board meeting there had been no candidates applications turned into the townhouse office.
Board member Robert Jordan announced he will not be running for the board again. He said he was now a lame duck.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Garland County looking for jail planning consultant

Garland County is requesting interested consulting firms submit presentations for the open jail planning consultant position.
The deadline for submitting qualifications is this Friday at 5 p.m. The information will be submitted to an evaluation and selection committee.
The scope of work for the Garland County detention assessment study will include but not be limited to the following items:
1. Analysis of previous jail studies for Garland County, e.g., Rosser Study.
2. Inventory and assessment of current building.
3. Data gathering and analysis.
4. Forecasting capacity requirements.
5. Space and operational requirements for a future facility.
6. Site recommendation for a future facility.
7. Projected cost to construct and operate a future facility.
8. Public relations.
9. Preparation of a final report with recommendations.
In accordance with Arkansas law, Garland County will evaluate the qualifications of each firm based on the following:
1. The specialized experience and technical competence of the firm with respect to the type of professional services required.
2. The capacity and capability of the firm to perform the work in question, including specialized services, within the time limitations fixed for the completion of the project.
3. The past record of performance of the firm with respect to such factors as control of costs, quality of work and ability to meet schedules and deadlines.
4. The firms proximity to and familiarity with the area in which the project is located.
The request for qualifications should include the following information:
1. Title page.
2. Letter of introduction.
3. Table of contents.
4. Firms approach to corrections projects.
5. Staff assignment to the project.
6. Experience in similar criminal justice and detention facility projects.
7. References.
8. Estimated outline of sequential project activities.

Traffic report at Garland County courthouse

I have to admit this has become my favorite part of the Garland County quorum court meeting, the courthouse foot traffic report. To me this is almost as funny as the Village police reports were when I wrote them. What were these people thinking?
In July, 2,099 people passed through the east door and 3,940 passed through the west door to enter the Garland County courthouse.
Of those entering the building 116 came in the east door with knives and an equal number entered the west door with knives.
Two tried to enter the east door with scissors and five tried to enter the west door with scissors. Four tried to enter the east door with pepper spray and 14 tried to enter the west door with pepper spray.
11 tried to enter the east door with multi tools and 15 tried to enter the west door with multi tools.
My most favorite are the ones that show the true diversity of Garland County's citizenry. 11 tried to enter the east door and 42 tried to enter the west door with uncategorized objects including two pairs of brass knuckles, 12 assorted bullets and shotgun shells, one boat air horn, pruning shears, three corks, three handcuff keys and four hand held personal stun weapons. What were they thinking?

Garland County quorum court decisions

Five ordinances were considered by the Garland County quorum court last night. All five were passed by consensus. Four were read by title only.
Appropriation ordinance O-10-41
This ordinance addresses money transfers by the county treasurer recommended by the legislative audit. The breakdown is as follows. A transfer of $32,865.82 from the environmental services maintenance and operations fund to environmental services park. A transfer of $54,885.59 from the environmental services maintenance and operations fund to environmental services storm water. A transfer from the court cost fund of $3,682.00 to court cost, division one. A transfer of $3,696.34 from the court cost fund to court cost, division three. A transfer of $4,730.43 from court cost fund to court cost, division four. A transfer of $4,170.42 from court cost fund to court cost, division two. A transfer of $200,000 from the County general fund to the assessor reappraisal fund.
Appropriation ordinance O-10-42
This ordinance allocates funds, $17,632.22, for the juvenile detention center budget fund from the County general fund. Funds are divided as follows, $4,614.22 for the school lunch program reimbursement, $5,000 for the Arkansas department of education grant and $8,018.00 for the department of finance and administration grant.
Appropriation ordinance O-10-43
A new position in the Garland County detention center was filled by deputy with a salary difference of $107.00. The change in position required a transfer of $136.00 from the Garland County detention center maintenance and operations budget to the Garland County detention center maintenance and operations fund.
Appropriation ordinance O-10-44
This was the only ordinance read in its entirety. This ordinance appropriates $450,000 from the general fund to the OMH sale fund to pay the Estate of Steven McFarland the entire amount for settlement of the Eighth Circuit Appellate Case No. 10-1551, U.S.D.C. Case No. 07-6019.
County attorney Ralph C. Ohm advised the finance committee that a Federal Court Jury awarded a judgment in the amount of $5,000,000 in compensatory damages and $1,000,000 in punitive damages against nurse Tommy Harmon and Sgt. Donald Ansley. This case involves the allegation that nurse Harmon failed to properly and adequately evaluate McFarland at the time he was admitted to the jail followed by an allegation that Sgt. Ansley failed to properly administer CPR once McFarland was discovered in jail in distress.
A motion for summary judgment was granted for Sheriff Sanders, jail administrator Mel Steed and Garland County, Arkansas. The plaintiff is seeking to have the County, Sheriff Sanders and Captain Steed returned to the case. None of the defendants admit any type of liability but the $450,000 is in settlement on their behalf. This settlement will satisfy the $5.2 million dollar judgment entered against nurse Harmon and Sgt. Ansley and will insure the claims against the County, the Sheriff and the jail administrator, along with the other defendants are dismissed with prejudice.
Appropriation ordinance O-10-45
A supplemental appropriation is necessary to complete the 2010 road projects. The sum of $498,197 was moved from the road fund to the road budget for asphalt.
Rain and storms over the last two years have taken their toll on road conditions. This appropriation will put the county back on track with the 2010 road projects.
The Garland County quorum court will meet next on September 13 at 7 p.m. at the Garland County courthouse.

ACC met last Thursday

Roger Heland pleaded his case before the ACC. He wants to help

his sister build a house in the Village.

There was just one new home permit considered by the architectural control committee last week. It was denied a permit.
The home, 001-06 Argomaniz at 12 Viajero Way is being built by Carmela Canale with the help of her contractor brother. Canale has no building experience but her brother Roger Heland does. He is a contractor in California but not in Arkansas.
According to the State of Arkansas Contractor Board, a homeowner can build their own home as contractor but an unlicensed party can not build the house for the homeowner. For Canale to contract her own home she would have to be on site during construction when any decision is made regarding electrical and plumbing. The brother plans to build the house with the exception of installing the HVAC system.
There was a problem with the plot plan submitted with the permit application. The plot plan was cited as one of two reasons why the permit was denied. The other problem was with the funds available to build the home. A performance bond will be required if the permit is to be granted. Canale has only put aside $76,000 for construction materials and labor to build her 1,852 square foot home. Her brother insists that is sufficient funding.
Members of the ACC are concerned the project could be halted for lack of funds with the house standing incomplete. Heland said that won’t happen but committee members want more than assurances.
If Heland and Canale re-submit the permit with a proper plot plan and a performance bond the committee will reconsider its decision.
In other business before the committee, three assignments were considered.
014-04 Perfecto / 43 Perfecto Way / David Lumber/storage building
Leland Kew considered this permit application for a storage building. There is no hardship but the homeowner is requesting the building be set in the easement. The committee denied the permit as written. If the homeowner reconsiders the location of the storage building and re-submits his permit the committee will reconsider. There will be additional screening required in the suggested relocation area.
023-02 Teurel / 4 Alina Lane / Robert Perez/fence
Mike Christy reviewed this permit application for a fence. His only concern was the spacing on the pickets on the pre-fab Lowe’s fence. If the spacing paces muster the permit was approved.
015-11 Santa Maria / 2 Silla Lane / Benton Fence/fence
Bob Kostelecky considered this permit application for a fence. There were no problems, the fence met all Village criteria. The permit was approved.
The entire committee considered a request for a variance at 005-07 / 7 Ballobar Trail / Paul Wagner/variance for home to encroach into the 25 foot building setback. There is a problem with one corner of the garage extending into the easement. There is no hardship. It was suggested the house is too big for the lot. The permit was denied as requested.
There was one request for a sign by Lefler Dental / 130 Cordoba Center Drive. The sign has a cream background with black letter. It meets all Village criteria. The permit was approved by consensus.
The ACC will meet next on August 19 at 8:30 a.m. at the POA administration building on DeSoto Boulevard.

Vote today

Saline County residents vote today on the fairplex tax issue.

Monday, August 9, 2010

No more lemonade

Sad news for me and other lemonade fans out there. Debra's will no longer make fresh squeezed lemonade. She expects lemonade lovers to settle for pink lemonade from the fountain. Boo.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Sprinkler system permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor/water source
002-02 Alta Vista / 3 Terreno Lane / Harpers Landscape/Village
012-05 Maria / 14 Utrera Lane / Grass N Stuff/lake

Landscape permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor
002-07 Valencia / 55 Valencia Way / Tom Elmore
028-04 Alava / 24 Alava / Edward Burns
054-05 Gerona / 71 Arias Way / S & B Landscape
023-03 Cifuentes / 2 Illescas Way / Landscaping
019-09 Sacedon / 36 Sacedon Way / Bennett Bros.
003-02 Coronado / 1 Coronado Trace / Reliable Air
009-02 Sergio / 16 Lindo Lane / 4 Seasons Landscape
007-02 Brilliante / 4 Brilliante Trace / M & M Construction
002-02 Alta Vista / 3 Terreno Lane / Harpers Landscape
011-11 Alta Vista / 2 Paz Way / Detailed Homes
016-12 Vereda / 26 Arturo Lane / Malt Construction
016-18 Ladera / 79 Lago Drive / Graves Landscaping
031-11 Ladera / 6 Ruedo Lane / Graves Landscaping
973-01 Commercial / 210 Balboa Road / Bennett Bros.

Propane tank permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor
009-08 Ladera / 18 Alteza Drive / Heritage
999-99 Commercial / 111 Balboa Way / Ferrellgas

HVAC permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor
015-01 Palencia / 24 Palencia Lane / Reliable Air
030-04 Burgos / 21 Burgos Way / contractor name not available
043-04 Burgos / 18 Burgos Lane / Reliable Air
012-01 Durango / 23 Fineza Way / Standridge, Inc.
016-02 Valencia Courts / 8 Perralena Way / Reliable Air
011-02 Alegria / 43 Bargus Way / Standridge, Inc.
041-02 Escocia / 9 Escocia Way / Tempco, Inc.
004-04 Ponce de Leon / 8 Isabella Way / Eagle Heating & Air
014-05 Peral / 15 Fabero Lane / Johnston Heating & Air
006-01 Segovia Courts / 5 La Canada Lane / Reliable Air
014-07 Dedalera / 27 Gandesa Way / Tempco, Inc.
010-01 Salvatierra / 4 Salvatierra Lane / Northside Heating & Air
024-07 Resplandor /13 Resplandor Way / Quality Air
038-02 Diamante / 5 Loyola Lane / Johnston Heating & Air
903-01 Commercial / 390 Barcelona Road / Tempco, Inc.

Addition permits

Lot-Block-Addition / Address / Contractor/project
014-01 Segovia / 5 Cantelejo Lane / Rebath of Central Arkansas/remodel bath
011-03 Meseta / 84 Almazon Way / Village Home Repair and Maintenance/addition
024-03 Zamora / 3 Duero Lane / Castle Services/kitchen remodel
009-08 Santa Maria / 56 Cullerendo Way / Bob Christians/remodel bathroom
005-05 Barcelona / 17 Santona Way / Allan Clevenger/replace deck
001-09 Galicia / 1 Carmona Drive / Theodore Smith/rebuild deck
030-04 Alava / 20 Alava Lane / Ouachita Contracting/enclose deck
0012-02 Santistaban / 19 Celanova Lane / Smith Custom Homes, Inc./remodel deck, add hot tub
006-02 Valencia Courts / Fresca Way / Signature Building/replace deck
007-02 Caribe / 10 Hanares Lane / M & R Sarver/remodel bathroom
005-02 Madrid Courts / 10 Abaron Place / M & R Sarver/repair fire damage
033-01 Escocia / 32 Escocia Way / Ouachita Contracting/pour concrete under house
052-02 Escocia / 1 Tunica Lane / Ken Rambutt/enclose carport
007-09 Peral / 93 Castano Drive / Vince Odom/concrete work
016-07 Perfecto / 64 Campeon Way / Smith Home Improvement/remodel bath
012-15 Diamante / 32 Darro Way / Castleberry Homes/interior remodel
999-99 Commercial / 111 Balboa Way / Darrell Rigsby/plumb gas line

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Keith Brown, an honor to be nominated

Former Village POA president Keith Brown was one of twelve finalists for an individual Community Service Award recently given by KARK television, UCA and Duncan Law Firm.
Only six of the 12 were awarded $500 to be given to their special charity.
Brown did not get the $500 but it was an honor to be nominated and to become one of the 12 finalists. Each of the finalists gave many hours in their communities for the greater good, including Brown.

Bowhunters at Ouachita room today

The all day Bowhunters seminar is today at the Ouachita room in the Ponce de Leon Center.

Marcus Suggs back at Balboa

The Marcus Suggs Band will play at the Balboa Sprots Lounge next Saturday night, August 14.

Sam Shepard's True West at Pocket

Sam Shepard's dark comedy True West runs at the Pocket Theatre in Hot Springs August 12 through 14 at 7:30 p.m. and August 15 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students.
True West is directed by Chris Powers.
The show involves the clash of two sons of a desert dwelling alcoholic and a suburban wanderer. Austin, the achiever, is working on a film script he has sold to producer Sal Kimmer. Lee, a demented petty thief, drops in and pitches his own idea for a movie to Kimmer. Kimmer likes it and wants Austin to junk his current love story to write Lee's trashy Western tale. Ouch. Sibling resentments abound.

Annie now showing at Murry's Dinner Playhouse

See July post for ticket cost and schedule for Murry's Dinner Playhouse production of Annie. Call 501-562-3131 for more information

Landscape design workshop coming to Garvan Gardens

Garvan Gardens is offering a landscape design workshop on August 16, 23 and 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the magnolia room.
Learn from gardening masters how to design your own landscape and which plants to select for optimum impact.
Janet Carson, horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and Bob Byers, Garvan Gardens' resident landscape architect, will lead the class through the necessary steps for designing and planting an amazing garden.
Cost is $75 for Garvan Gardens members and $85 for non-members and includes all three seminars. The price includes lunch at each session. Advance reservations and pre-payment required. To reserve space, call 501-262-9300.

It's Saturday, Lunch at La Petite Bistro to benefit AWL

Every Saturday this month La Petite Bistro proprietor Malcolm Bickford has generously pledged 10 percent of his proceeds to benefit the Village Animal Welfare League. Have a delicious lunch today and help the puppies and kittens at the Animal Shelter. La Petite Bistro is open from 11 to 2 on Saturdays. The soups, salads and sandwiches are delectably delicious.

Saline County election Tuesday

If you live in Saline County and are a registered voter don't forget to go to Benton to cast your vote on Tuesday, August 10 for the proposed fairplex sunshine tax. Read more in the July posts regarding Benton Chamber A & P director Jill Jones fairplex presentation to the POA and to the Democrat Club.
The equestrian fairplex is slated to bring jobs, tourists and lots of money to Saline County including the Village.

Schedule of Lake draw downs

The schedule for lake draw downs is as follows:
Lake DeSoto 2010
Lake Balboa 2011
Lake Pineda 2012
Lake Coronado 2013
Lake Cortez 2014

Renting a pavilion from the POA

Rates are reasonable for pavilion rentals in the Village. Cortez and Balboa pavilions are available in half day and full day increments, with or without a sound system.
Cortez pavilion
1/2 day $60
full day $88
with sound system $32
Balboa pavilion
1/2 day $77.50
full day $112
with sound system $32
Deposit for Cortez pavilion is $25 and for Balboa pavilion is $40.

Bocce Ball court adjacent to Coronado Center

Although sharing the same concept as lawn bowling, get near the little ball with bigger balls, bocce ball is of Italian origin. The target ball in not a Jack, it is a palino.
The Village bocce ball court is west of the Coronado Center parking lot. League play is available from March through October on Thursdays at 4 p.m. Polar Bear play is Thursdays at 2 p.m. form November through February.
The Village Bocce Club provides equipment for play. For more information visit the club website at www.hsvbocceclub.com.

Lawn bowling in Village over 20 years

Lawn bowling was brought to the States from the British Isles. It is an ancient game using a green, rinks, bowls and target.
The green in the Village was built in 1995 in DeSoto Park at the end of DeSoto Park Lane. The standard green is 120 feet by 120 feet and has an artificial surface.
The rinks/lanes are 16 feet wide by 120 feet long and serve as the game boundaries. Unlike bowling the play is in two directions not just one.
The target is a small white ball known as the Jack. The purpose of the game is to get your bowls closer to the Jack than your opponents. Each player has four bowls.
To find out more about the Village Green Bowls Club and playing lawn bowling visit the club's website at http://pages.suddenlink.net/vgbc.

Coronado Center stays busy

The Coronado Community Center stays busy every day this month. This week the following activities will be offered at the center.
Sunday, Aug. 8
8 a.m. Coronado Baptist Church
6 p.m. Coronado Baptist Church
Monday, Aug. 9
1:30 p.m. POA Recreation Committee
7 p.m. Stargazers
Tuesday, Aug. 10
9 a.m. Lady Duffers Board
3 p.m. HSV Republicans
7:30 p.m. Phantom C Dancers
Wednesday, Aug. 11
9 a.m. Water & Lake Management Committee
6 p.m. Coronado Baptist Church
7:30 p.m. A Team
Thursday, Aug. 12
8 a.m. Kiwanis
3:30 p.m. Razorback Club
4 p.m. POA Golf Department
7:30 p.m. DeSoto Dancers
Friday, Aug. 13
9 a.m. Brushstrokes
11 a.m. Joint Replacement Seminar
6 p.m. Singles Pinochle
6:30 p.m. Lions Bingo
Saturday, Aug 14
6 p.m. Pathfinders Singles
There are meetings of every type at the center and don't' forget the Coronado Center Library. The Library is open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Tennis in the Village

The Coronado Tennis Center is at 151 Ponderosa Lane. The center is 1,450 square feet and features a check-in area, lounge, restroom, a small kitchen, a fully stocked pro shop and the pro's office.
The clubhouse also includes a 400 square foot pavilion with an ice machine room, picnic table and restrooms with showers. A ball machine and practice hoppers are also available.
Coach Bob Wagstaff is the pro. He has been teaching for over 25 years. Lessons will Wagstaff can be arranged for at the Coronado Tennis Center check-in desk.
The Coronado Tennis Center has 13 courts, ten clay and three hard surface. To reserve a court call 922-5043. Play is scheduled in two hour increments.
The Tennis Centers hours are:
Monday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Hot Springs Village Tennis Association offers an opportunity for tournament play including the Senior Olympics. For more information on league play visit the website at www.hsvta.com, call 922-5054 or stop by the Tennis Center.

Bridge a mind-booster

According to the Village Card Club, bridge offers a challenge for a health mind, "a study by the University of California at Berkeley, bridge also measurably strengthens the immune system." You may want to add bridge to your list of ways to stay healthy in the Village.
Bridge at the Casa de Carta is available for all levels and there is at least one game going seven days a week.
Mondays
9 a.m. 0-299 Stratified Pairs
1 p.m. 0-49 Stratified Pairs
1 p.m. Open Stratified Pairs
6:30 p.m. Master Mixer
Tuesdays
9 a.m. Rubber Bridge
9 a.m. New Comer Bridge
1 p.m. Open Stratified Pairs
6:30 p.m. 0-299 Stratified Pairs
Wednesdays
8:30 a.m. Men's Duplicate
9 a.m. 0-299 Stratified Pairs
1 p.m. 0-999 Stratified Pairs
Thursdays
9 a.m. 0-49 Stratified Pairs
9:30 a.m. Better Bridgers
1 p.m. 0-299 Stratified Pairs
1 p.m. Open Pairs
Fridays
9 a.m. 0-99 Stratified Pairs
10:30 a.m. Open Stratified Pairs
6:30 p.m. Open Pairs
Saturdays
9 a.m. Easy Bridge III
1 p.m. Open Stratified Pairs
First Sunday of Month
1 p.m. 0-299 Swiss Teams
Stop by the Casa de Carta for a tour and to find out more about play.

Two pinochle groups in Village

If you are a pinochle player games will resume next month and run through May.
One pinochle group meets the first Monday of each month and the other meets the fourth Monday of each month.
For more information, all Annette at 922-6455.

Recreation committee will meet on Monday, Aug. 9

The POA recreation committee will meet this Monday, Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m. at the Coronado Center.
The recreation committee has several areas of interest to Villagers, family recreation, the Coronado Fitness Center, natatorium, DeSoto pools, tennis, the Coronado Community Center, the Ponce de Leon Center including Casa de Carta and the Woodlands Auditorium, beaches, pavilions, bocce ball, lawn bowling, pickleball and the newcomers' coffee.
The committee reports to the POA concerning the maintenance, well-being, schedule changes and proposed capital improvements for these facilities.

Auditions for Annie Get Your Gun

Auditions for Annie Get Your Gun are coming up very soon.
Children will audition on Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. on the Woodlands stage. Enter through the stage door on the left side toward the rear of the building. Children should be ready to sing and excerpt from There's No Business Like Show Business. Scenes for the audition are available on the Players website at hsvplayers.org.
Adults will audition on Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. and Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. on the Woodlands stage. Adults are asked to prepare two song excerpts from the play, one fast and one slow. The song choices are There's No Business Like Show Business, The Girl That I Marry, You Can't Get a Man with a Gun, I'll Share it all with You, Moonshine Lullaby, They Say It's Wonderful, My Defenses are Down, I Got Lost in His Arms and I've Got the Sun in the Morning. Scenes for the adult auditions are also available on the Players website.
Director Carolyn Bodensteiner wants to emphasize all parts are still available, no parts have been pre-cast. For more information visit the Players website.
The show is scheduled to run form Nov. 3 through 6 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 7 at 2 p.m.

Good morning

I plan to put the pedal to the medal today and catch up on some Village news.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Been under the weather

The heat definitely got to me this week. We have been getting up early to water the plants and walk the dogs.
I have been removing the popcorn from my ceiling and trying to stay cool.
Early in the week I suffered from a stomach virus so I was lying around feeling puny instead of writing on the blog.
I still gathered the news it is just going to take me a couple of days to get it all posted for you.
I know the heat is making all of us impatient but I promise to give you the latest on the townhouse, POA and much more.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A message from Congressman Mike Ross regarding town hall meetings

A message from Congressman Mike Ross.
"As Congress embarks on its annual August District Work Period, I wanted to share some news with you. Over the next few weeks, I will be hosting 35 town hall meetings throughout the 29 counties that make up Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District. Each and every town hall is open to the public and you are invited to stop by, share your concerns and ask your questions about the significant issues facing you, your family and our nation today.So far this year, I have already hosted 34 town hall meetings and 12 telephone town halls for those who could not attend town halls in person. By year’s end, I will have hosted more than 80 town hall events - each with the ultimate goal of listening to you.
Town hall meetings represent American democracy at its best and I am proud to be one of the few members of Congress who still carry on this important tradition. All too often, members of Congress get to Washington and forget who sent them there. That is why I never moved to Washington and why after the last vote each week I am on the very next flight back home to Arkansas to listen to you.
To receive news of these upcoming town hall events, you can sign up to receive e-mail alerts at http://ross.house.gov and by clicking on the E-News Signup icons. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my Washington office at 1-800-223-2220."There will be at least one town hall meeting in every county of our congressional district. On Wednesday, August 24, at 1 p.m., Ross will hold a Hot Springs town hall meeting at the Martin Eisele Auditorium, 101 College Drive on the campus of National Park Community College.

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