I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new HUA Board to include all current and all newly appointed Directors and Officers. The entire community has entrusted you with the fiduciary duty to care for the well being of the Community.  Additionally, I’d like to thank those who have served in various capacities during the past year.  Your dedicated service has truly been appreciated.

The new Board, led by President Todd Campbell, met last week at a Board Orientation session, where many issues and goals were discussed and established. This should be a good year for many additional accomplishments for the HeatherRidge Community.

I will be meeting again on property with Scott Drabecki, Village of Gurnee Engineer, to view and discuss suggested plans of attack for determining cause and procedures for correcting the flooding issues happening at various location on the property.  This includes garages along Vose in Covered Bridge, water accumulation along Stout in StoneyBrook, and flooding of garages and some crawlspace areas in the Hidden Hills areas.  Although the Village is not directly involved, they can offer us a wealth of suggestions as to directions to pursue.

The employee health insurance renewal prices came in several weeks ago, and were surprisingly 25.2% higher than last year.  This is justification alone to solicit quotes from other carriers, which I have done.  Humana came back with the least expensive package offering very similar coverage, and should even save us money or, worst case, remain about the same.  The insurance carrier of choice shall be voted on at the April Board Meeting.

The final audit was received from Mark Cantey Associates CPAs, and was reviewed by the Finance Committee.  Additionally, suggestions they had made, including those concerning the Golf Course, were discussed with the respective committees, persons and/or Golf Visions.  A report on those issues should be forthcoming from the Audit Committee at the April Meeting.  The upcoming 2008 Audit should be starting relatively soon, and should take much less time for them to complete now that there is a degree of familiarity with the property and operation.  Instead of a full audit, a review only will probably be requested for the 2009 calendar year records and operation.

A replacement squad car should be arriving sometime in early May.  Again, the squad has over 40,000 miles of stop/go use put on it a year, and the necessity of a replacement every other year is understandable.  Additionally, our Security Department is in full swing making new access key cards for all (Hidden Hills within coming weeks) entitled to such access.  Be sure to get over and have your cards made or you may be shut out when you want to utilize the rec center or pool.

Our Landscape Department is currently in the process of replacing trees and bushes where needed, planting flowers and doing general grounds cleanup, and dead and/or dying plant/tree removal.  Additionally, they have submitted a proposal from Organic Sediment Removal to work on the next few ponds as provided for in the Six-Year Plan.  Again, I must remind all residents that they must observe 18” rules for planting and individual use on common areas, and they should absolutely submit architecture requests for any such contemplated changes.  Maintenance personnel are busy painting some buildings, signs, rebuilding flower beds, installing the tennis windscreens, replacing broken lights and generally getting ready for the pool season.  The Covered Bridge pool will also be getting concrete work and a new awning installed.  A new retaining wall for the Chase Court pond shall also be voted upon.

Cathy Hawkins, our CRF Director is working with vendors on design and quotes for new signage at both the Gages Lake Road and Route 21 entrances.  These signs will serve both the CRF and Golf activities.

Also, watch in the HeatherRidge Happenings and on bulletin boards for the big upcoming Luau and international wine tasting events. And look for information concerning community-wide garage sales for the season.

Get your bathing suits out. The time is approaching !

Bob Marcus, CMCA, AMS Community Manager