October 2017

Sierra los Pinos
Property Owners’ Association
950 Forest Road 10
Jemez Springs, NM 87025
www.slppoa.org

Need to contact us? Send us an e-mail at board1@slppoa.org or the individual e-mail below.

President
president1@slppoa.org
Judy Kilburg, (575) 829-3544

Vice President
vicepresident1@slppoa.org
Harold Corn, (575) 829-3636

Treasurer
treasurer@slppoa.org
Lorraine Otero, (575) 829-3474

Secretary
secretary@slppoa.org
Lorraine Otero, (575) 829-3474

Water System
water1@slppoa.org
Peter Veverka, (575) 829-3754

Roads
roads1@slppoa.org
Brian Nelson (575) 829-4403

Architectural Control / Parks
architectural1@slppoa.org
Max Otero, (575) 829-3474

FireWise
firewise1@slppoa.org
Tamara Weary, (575) 829-4315

Legal
legal1@slppoa.org
John Fredlund, (505) 709-0034

Address Change?
treasurer@slppoa.org
October 2017
Newsletter

The intent of this newsletter is to highlight major issues. New developments are posted regularly on the website at www.slppoa.org. If you would like to be on our immediate notification email list, send an email message to board1@slppoa.org.

2017 board elections Results

The annual meeting of the general membership was held in September. It was good to see and meet many of our new residents. The election of new Board members resulted in the re-election of Max Otero and John Fredlund for three-year terms. Tamara Weary was elected and will serve a three-year term. Brian Nelson is also a new Board member and will fill the remaining one-year term vacancy. We were short on volunteers to run for the Board, so we will be one Board member short this year. Newly elected officers and committee chair positions and their respective e-mail contact information are listed on the left-hand column of this page. Welcome new Board members! We appreciate your willingness to volunteer your time to manage the operations of our community.

We would like to give a huge thank you to Eleni Fredlund for her many years of service on the Board. She was a valuable asset to the Board and will be greatly missed. She continues to be a valuable asset to the community as a long-standing member of the La Cueva Volunteer Fire Department.

BUDGET

The Board of Directors voted at the October Board of Directors’ meeting to increase the dues by 8.5% for 2018, to $823.52 per lot. With 155 total lots in the community, this will bring our total budget for 2018 to $127,645.00, a $10,000 increase from last year. which is still a very good deal, considering this includes water, in comparison to other communities. The Board felt the increase was necessary to cover costs for the appeal of the lawsuit filed by a resident, and to increase the amount transferred to reserve account. It was recommended in the reserve study to increase reserve cost by $120/year per member. This does not account for that full amount because of anticipated, but unknown, legal costs. The 2018 budget is attached.

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT DUE JANUARY 1, 2018

Payment for the annual assessment is due by January 1, 2018. HOAMCO will be sending invoices out to the membership. They do provide more options for member payments. Payment plans are available and require Board approval. Forms are available on our website. Keep in mind that late interest will still be applied on any unpaid balance, as well as any monthly HOAMCO charge. As per the Bylaws, Section 8, any assessment not paid within thirty days after the due date shall bear interest from the due date at 1.5% per month. Assessments shall be considered “past due” three months from the original due date. The Board realizes that this is somewhat confusing, so if you have any questions, please contact the treasurer or another Board member for further explanation. The Payment Agreement and Policy for Payment Agreement is found on our website, slppoa.org, under http://slppoa.org/www/policies. All requests must be approved by the Board of Directors. Requests should be mailed to our physical mailing address or e-mailed to treasurer@slppoa.org.

WEBMASTER NEEDED!

Our webmaster, Mike Schacht, has unfortunately left the community. We would like to thank him for all his time in not only maintaining the website, but for also rebuilding the site after it was mostly destroyed and many of our historical documents removed. With Mike’s departure, this leaves us with a need for someone to maintain our website. This has, in the past, been maintained by volunteers. We’re hoping once again, that one of you will be willing to volunteer to maintain our website. If you have information or ideas you would like to see on the website, please let us know. We’re happy to take suggestions. Until we get a website administrator, the minutes and financial reports that are normally posted on the SLPPOA website will not be available for August 2017 going forward.  In the interim, if you wish to obtain a copy of these documents, please email the treasurer at treasurer@slppoa.org and a copy will be provided

WEBMASTER – JOB DESCRIPTION

SUMMARY
Responsible for maintaining and the possible re-design of the Sierra los Pinos Property Owners’ Association (SLPPOA) website. The webmaster is expected to perform technical and creative functions in the management of our Internet Website. Ensure website is functioning property and available to users. Coordinates with the SLPPOA Board of Directors to ensure current and appropriate on-line exposure to SLPPOA materials.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP - The webmaster of SLPPOA reports to the Officers of the Board of Directors.
RESPONSIBILITIES - The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.
Monitor website to assure it stays online and functions without flaw.
Debug issues that arise with the performance of the website.
Troubleshoot the site. This involves areas including content and links. If problems arise with these areas of the site, the webmaster will make corrections.
Update and maintain responsive design.
Plan for future changes to the website, such as the addition of community pictures, etc.
Post meeting minutes, financial reports, newsletters, news items, and other important information on the website.
Maintain Board member email addresses.
Coordination of the membership water usage database information and other databases as necessary, which includes managing access rights of users on website.
Check websites to see if there are any parts that are difficult to use.
Check hyperlinks regularly to insure validity.
Assure website back-up capability.
Ensure confidentiality of member information.
EXPERIENCE
Be familiar with web design and maintenance.
Are you leaving youR home for several days or months? Please Winterize!!

Every year there are water leaks found in homes that have not been winterized. Please don’t let that happen to your home. If no heat will be on during the winter, all supply water lines should be drained and/or blown out by the homeowner or a professional in order to avoid pipe damage. Leaving your furnace on a low setting while you’re away may not prevent freezing. Please DO NOT leave water running. Steps you should take include:

Turn off your main water shutoff valve.
Turn off and drain hot water heaters, water softeners, hot water baseboards, in floor heating systems.
Open all fixtures including those in the showers and any outside bibs (disconnect hoses).
Completely eliminate or dilute the water in drain traps by pouring an “RV” type antifreeze solution in them as directed by the instructions
Pour antifreeze into all toilet bowls and tanks.
For dishwashers, refrigerators (with a water dispenser or an ice maker) and clothes washers, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Remove and empty any “whole-house” or “in-line” type filter canister. Remove any water filter inside refrigerator. If you find the task daunting, get a plumber to do it for you.

SNOW SEASON IS NEAR

Just a reminder for our new residents that have joined SLP recently, snow plow services will be initiated after snow has accumulated more than six inches.  Four- or all-wheel drive is strongly recommended, and in some areas required, in the community. It is advisable to keep a set of chains available.  

PLEASE BE KIND TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

Please keep in mind that the Board is a volunteer organization and is working diligently to make our community a better place to live. The work of each Board member is being accomplished over and above their everyday personal responsibilities and obligations. Because of our rural location, effective and timely contractor services cannot always be performed as expediently as we would like. So please think twice before criticizing or placing blame. Remember you are always welcome to volunteer to help in any way you can or to become a Board member!   

WINTER PRESCIBED BURNS

The Santa Fe National Forest and Valles Caldera have issued press releases detailing their winter schedule for prescribed burns. A copy of the press releases can be found at http://www.nmfireinfo.com and notifications will be sent out on the SLP ListServer notification system.

Smoke will be visible from all directions coming into the Jemez Mountains. Smoke can linger for a few days after the burn and can be a nuisance to some people. It may be a health concern for children, pregnant women, senior citizens, and those suffering from allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivities, or other heart or lung diseases. To reduce exposure to smoke, stay indoors as much as possible with windows, doors and vents closed. Avoid or limit physical activities outdoors. Information on health impacts from smoke can be found by calling the New Mexico Department of Health at 1-888-878-8992, or visit: https://nmtracking.org/fire.