HAWKES HAPPENINGS
The Newsletter of the Hawkes Bluff Homeowners' Association
Volume 9 Number 3 February, 2000
Community-wide yard sale- 18th and 19th March 2000
QUARTERLY MEETING UPDATE
The latest quarterly meeting was held January 25th with several residents attending. Association President Howard Neu reported on several items. A sign for the Griffin Road entrance has been selected and will be erected as soon as all the necessary permits are obtained. Additional lighting will be added in the median at the Stirling entrance (now complete). Additional landscape mounds will be added on Hawkes Bluff Avenue between the lakes south of the town homes (now complete) and on Huntridge between the canals (in progress).
An award for holiday decorations was presented to Robert Bums of Lancelot Lane for Best Children's Display. For the other five categories awards for winners unable to attend the meeting were delivered to their homes. Once judging was completed in December announcement signs were erected on the winners' lawns.
It was also announced that Barbara and Daniel Pilger of King Arthur who won Best Daytime Display for Holiday Decorations had received another award. For the past 10 years they have created a Halloween haunted house which has delighted many of our children. This year was their last display and the board decided to acknowledge their community efforts. Thanks again from everyone who enjoyed the haunted house over the past few years.
The budget for the new association year was reviewed and accepted. Many thanks go to former treasurer Don Elbert for his help in preparing the budget. Annual dues set at $135 should be paid by February 29th - over 100 residents had already paid by the date of the quarterly meeting. Residents who may have overlooked paying are reminded to do so now.
On the topic of landscaping Mike Murphy reported that the lights at the Dykes Road entrance had been repaired. Additional repairs and improvements are in progress.
Community events: Mo Christie advised that the next community-wide YARD-SALE would be held the weekend of March 18th and 19th (prior to bulk pick-up on 20th). Mo also advised that the next PICNIC will be April 30th.
Davie police officer Steve Rachlin was present at the meeting and spoke briefly to residents regarding the COP program and increased police presence and involvement in the community. Recent radar activity has slowed traffic thru our development and residents are again reminded to slow down - the speed limit is 30mph. More radar units are coming so be warned! Residents are also reminded to avoid parking across the sidewalk. Please lock your car when you leave it outside and remove tempting objects (cell-phones, wallets, etc) from view. In the event you do have a break-in to car or home or any other incident (vandalism, etc) please, please file a police report - officers have no idea how crime is unless every incident is reported to the Davie police. The board is grateful that officer Rachlin made time to attend the meeting.
Jay Stahl reminded everyone about visiting the web-site at www.hawkesbluff.com This is constantly under construction and always growing. More features are added every few days including links to most of our utilities and other useful places of interest to homeowners. Residents are urged to check out the site especially those useful links. Also available one will find association documents like the articles of incorporation, bylaws, covenants, meeting minutes and newsletter. State, county and town officials' names and contact details can also be found there.
Jay also provided an update on the two 3-story office buildings and 102 room hotel that will be built behind Publix at Regency Square with a couple of hundred additional parking spaces. There is also a restaurant planned for another parcel there (no details yet). This will increase traffic considerably in the area and a new light will be added. Most traffic will be exiting on the road that leads to the homes at Chelsea.
Additionally, Jay advised that a ruling on the Sunrise water issue was made in favor of the Town of Davie some time ago and a full trial would be starting soon.
Jay also reminded everyone present of the upcoming elections. In the Town of Davie the positions of Mayor and Councilmember for District 1 are to be determined.
The additional light poles promised by FPL and the Town of Davie throughout the community are on their way and one is already up on Surrey Circle West.
Violation notices have been sent to the owners of those unsightly vacant lots on the north side of Huntridge Road under the power lines. Improvement is expected and the association will not hesitate to maintain this area and bill the owner if there is no voluntary compliance.
The meeting finished with an open forum and various topics were discussed. Some eyesore homes were mentioned and residents are urged to contact our compliance Director John Pickett with the address of such homes so he can follow up as needed - thanks.
Another significant item was HOUSE NUMBERS. It is important for all houses to display their numbers clearly so that emergency vehicles can find them. This also makes it easier for your visitors to find your home. Ideally there should be a reflective number on both sides of your mailbox and a brightly lit or reflective number on your house. If your number is not clearly displayed please give some thought to making it easier for police or fire or ambulance services to find you.
Your association board meets on a regular monthly basis to handle the routine running of the association. Please don't feel the need to wait for a meeting to bring items to the board's attention - ways to contact us are on page 4. Quarterly meetings are always advertised in advance on the meeting notice boards at all three entrances. Refreshments are served at quarterly meetings and your board looks forward to seeing residents at the next quarterly meeting on April 25th.
CITIZENS ASSEMBLY
by John Pickett
I was in attendance at the 1st Citizens Assembly Meeting made up from two elected members of each HOA (Mike Murphy and I for Hawkes Bluff) and two appointees from the Town of Davie Board members. The first meeting we discussed in four groups those items of most interest to the citizens. In no particular order, Flooding, Development (homes/businesses/over crowding of schools), Roads, Water/surcharges, Parks and Communications/services/Code enforcement (lack of) to the residents (as in there is a lack of newsletters/notifications). If any of our homeowners has suggestions or concerns/feelings on these or other subjects, let us know and we will bring them up. We hope to publish letters on the overall opinions and suggestions for improvement to the Town every quarter. Let us know your opinions.., they WILL be heardT
INTERNET ACCESS - PHONE LINES
These days with more and more people using the Internet many families find their phone line constantly tied up. Some residents may not realize that getting a second phone line is easy. No digging holes and laying of cable is involved since all our homes were provided with two phone lines. Just call and pay the one-time fee to activate the second line. Keep it for local Internet access only and the monthly bill will be minimal. This easily relieves the frustration of not making (or receiving) phone calls while someone in the home is on-line. One of these days we will have access via cable TV but not any time soon for us.
NEXT PICNIC
The association picnic has typically been held late in the year to avoid the heat of the summer months. However this gets a little too close to holiday season for some residents who cannot make it. This year we are experimenting with a picnic before the heat of the summer and the date is set for Sunday April 30a. Look out for a picnic flyer with more details next month. Anyone who would like to volunteer their assistance is asked to contact Mo Christie - thanks.
COMMUNITY-WIDE YARD SALE
The next community-wide yard sale will be held on:
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th March
The following Monday (20a) is a bulk pick-up day making it easy to get rid of the stuff that didn't sell. The yard sale will be advertised by the association in the Flyer and other local papers. Signs will be posted at the entrances a few days before to remind everyone. Please contact Mo Christie if you have questions regarding the yard sale. Otherwise just put out all your treasures and other "stuff" and start selling!!
HEART RUN
The Hawkes Bluff elementary school held its annual Heart Run last week. This event has taken place for the past several years and helps to let children know that exercise is important. The children enjoy it and many parents take part in the run too. Since the route is closed to traffic and includes Stifling Road, Hawkes Bluff Avenue, Huntridge Road and Surrey Circle the school always tries to notify residents in advance. This year the school borrowed the Homeowners Association notice boards, pasted signs over them and placed them at the affected entrances so everyone was informed and there were no complaints from residents who couldn't leave during the race.
COMMUNITY SERVICES / ELDERLY ACTIVITIES
Many residents have elderly relatives either living with them or visiting for several weeks at a time especially at this time of year. Residents have contacted board members about community buses and activities for the elderly and retirees. There is a bingo social held every Monday at 1pm at the Ivanhoe Fire station Community Room. Grocery shopping services for residents 55 and older with no transport of their own are provided by the Town of Davie - call 797-1162 for details. Please let us know if you know about any other such items and details will appear in the next newsletter. Anyone wanting to organize activities or shopping trips please supply details for the next newsletter - thanks.
PEOPLE NEWS
I must start with an apology to the couple who sent me news of their recent wedding - I'm sorry but I seem to have lost that article - could you please send it again so we can all share the news of your happy event? Thanks so much... Mo Christie
Congratulations to Hazel and Lance Carty of Briarwood Way who celebrated their 56'a wedding anniversary on February 19a. Also happy birthday to Lance who just turned 86 on February 17~
CONGRATULATIONS: Carmen Tronolone of King Arthur Avenue and her partner Bea Cook of Pembroke Pines won the Silver Medals in women's doubles tennis at the tenth Annual South Florida Senior Games. This qualifies them to compete in the 2000 Florida State championships at Kissimmee/St Cloud in November.
Newsletter deliverers Marita and Kerry Donohue from Briarwood Way both had a celebration this month. Marita's sweet sixteen was Valentine's Day with Kerry's quince on February 27th. Their neighbor Joey Engelbrecht provided DJ services at their recent party. (See also Joey's ad on page 4)
Proud father John Vernay of Briarwood Way walked daughter Sarah down the aisle on February19th. Sarah and her new husband Brian Berger reside in Ft Lauderdale.
Please let us know of recent births, marriages, birthdays, etc and share your special occasion or achievement with the neighborhood - thank you.
CELEBRATIONS
No other millenium celebration stories arrived but we hear the street party on the Briarwoods was a success. We look forward to featuring news and pictures of other events in the neighborhood here. We heard of at least one St Patrick's Day party so perhaps the next newsletter will have pictures of the fun there...
REMEMBER TO VOTE
All residents are reminded of election day March 14th. Please make your vote count for:
Mayor, District 1 Councilmember, Elected County Mayor, Single Member Broward County Commission Districts, Term limits for County Commissioners and Presidential Primaries.
ADVERTISING CORNER
This space reserved for residents' advertisements, business cards, etc.., at no charge
For corporate and personal insurance services •
USI FLORIDA
A USI INSURANCE SERVICE CORP. PARTNER
JOHN J. PICKETT
Vice President
Professional Employment Services
7000 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Suite 600 • Boca Raton, FL 33433-3425
(561) 750-0020 • FAX: (561) 347-0668 • (800) 276-8909 x440
Pager: (561) 230-7642 Portable: (561) 289-0303
e-mail JJPICKETT@aol.com
Look for advertisements and items for sale by our residents on the web too
DJ for hire for teenage parties Please call Joey Engelbrecht
at 680 3294 - thank you
NEWSLETTER DELIVERY Volunteers always welcome -
please contact Mo Christie 434-8287
If you need a copy of the bylaws please read them on the web-site or contact your board for a copy, which will be provided at a nominal charge of 25¢ per page.
Advertisements and organizations mentioned in this newsletter are not endorsed in any way by the Homeowners Association which merely provides space for advertising and suggestions for organizations as requested by homeowners.
REMINDERS
Bulk pick-ups scheduled for...
...Monday March 20th
... Monday May 15th
... Monday July 17th
NEWSLETTER
The aim of the newsletter is to keep the community informed and it is produced once or twice a quarter. The next newsletter is planned for publication in early April. Please submit any articles, advertisements, people news and pictures, and any other items by April 6th. As always all items will be handled on a first-come, space-permitting basis. Thank you.
CONTACTING YOUR BOARD
The board encourages homeowners to put any queries or concerns in writing, to the address below please indicating Construction Approval, Newsletter, etc. as appropriate OR by sending e-mail. Since your board members are volunteers if you do phone please pick a considerate time, identify yourself as a Hawkes Bluff resident, be brief and keep to the point. Thanks.
President Howard Neu 434-4006
Vice President Mo Christie 434-8287
Secretary Jay Stahl 680-8686
Treasurer Jeff Stoller 680-1965
Assistant Secretary Gretchen Farmer 434-8337
Director at Large John Pickett 680-3835
Director at Large Mike Murphy 434-9715
Please send any correspondence (comments, requests for construction approval, etc) via e-mail or to the mail box (located in the Regency Square Pak 'n' Ship)
HAWKES BLUFF HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
4839 SW 148th Ave PMB 400
Davie, FL 33330
Fax phone number: 680 8650
E-mail: hawkesbluff@ juno.com
PLEASE - LOOK FOR US ON THE INTERNET
http://www.hawkesbluff. com