Congratulations to Jim Petkus, newly elected board member to the HUA board, and to Patrick Perry and Jim Servis, who have retained their board seats.  These are hard-working individuals who spend many hours on your behalf without receiving one dime in pay from the HUA.  It’s nice to say thanks to them once in a while, as opposed to giving them only the grief and complaints of the community.

An Illinois House bill, presented by State Representative Sandra Pihos, was working its way through the process of trying to become law on the books, which would have altered the way Community Associations could establish their own rental and leasing policies.  With much lobbying from concerned groups, such as homeowners, the CAI and ACTHA, this bill was withdrawn for the year by Representative Pihos, to the relief of many.

As we close in on the start of the pool season, all StoneyBrook/Cambridge (SB/C) residents will need the proper proximity keycards for the new system in order to gain entry.  SB/C residents … if you haven’t obtained your new proximity cards as yet, you are urged to please stop by the Security office and do so.  Please do not wait until the first nice morning that you want to utilize the pool, and then get angry and frustrated that your old badge card will not work.  So far, only 50 or so SB/C residents have come to the Security office for their keycards.  Also, the decision has been made to continue operating the other pool and recreation center locations as before throughout this summer.  The new security keycard systems at Covered Bridge and Hidden Hills will not be installed until the fall, allowing time for Security personnel to adjust to this system and time for the fence work that needs to be done this summer around the Covered Bridge Recreation Center facility.

The Village has been out measuring and analyzing the Gages Lake Road walkway and it is expected that the new replacement walk will be installed very shortly.

We have received four bids for the upcoming 2007 audit, which the board will review at the April meeting.

As of Thursday, April 17, we have finally received all of the bids for the asphalt paving work to be done along Scott Court and Farwell Court this summer.  The bids will be opened and checked by myself and then given to the Maintenance Department for a sanity check.  Once checked, the bids then go to TLLCISI Committee and finally to the Board for decision.  Even with the volatility of asphalt prices, the bids are generally good through the end of May into the beginning of June. Ratification of the successful bidder will most likely be done at the May Board meeting.

As reported last month, the issue of pond ownership has finally been resolved and, aside from pond #11, all ponds belong to HeatherRidge.  Because of the close proximity of ponds #17 and #19 to Fairway Ridge, HUA is currently in the process of obtaining a waiver from Fairway Ridge for those ponds, enabling us to perform worry-free regarding liability in maintaining those pond areas.  The new costs for the sediment removal process have been received and are at or below the dollars provided for in the Six-Year Plan.  Some muck is also scheduled to be removed around the pump house and golf irrigation pump intakes.

The contents of last year’s sediment bags are going to be disbursed shortly throughout various locations in HeatherRidge, and will be seeded over to blend in with current landscaping.  Worst case, if placement problems are not resolved, the HUA Board may have to consider the costs to remove old sediment from the property.  I again remind residents that there may be some objections to bag placement and the aesthetics presented, but the pond cleaning program is extremely necessary and will not be performed again at those cleaned ponds for many years.

Tree pruning by Brickman is continuing, along with the normal spring clean up and restoration process of some plant, lawn and miscellaneous material at areas damaged by the snow plow removal process of this past horrible snow season.  I’m happy to report that the Landscape Department is almost fully staffed with needed seasonal employees for the coming season.

The Maintenance Department is busy with their normal seasonal tasks.  They are finishing up some pipe work in the vicinity of Wilbur Court, and lighting and buried cable issues in StoneyBrook and Hidden Hills.  The Hidden Hills Rec Center basement sealing work should be beginning the week of April 21, and that will stop the current flooding at that building.  Once completed, the Maintenance Department crew will repair the damage done to any of the flooring and walls which will be unavoidably torn apart by the sealing project.  It should be noted that, with the settling of buildings at HeatherRidge and the change of land contours, flooding issues may become more frequent at individual homes, necessitating inside repairs such as the Hidden Hills Rec Center building.  Neighborhood associations and homeowners must be aware of this liability, if needed.

The CRF had windows replaced, as scheduled, and has purchased and installed new blinds. There will be a wine tasting party, along with possible bottle sales, on April 25, with entertainment by the Alternate Past.  It appears that attendance will be great and you are urged to try to attend for a real treat and fun evening.  New games are being installed at the CRF for all to enjoy.

Bob Marcus, CMCA, AMS Community Manager