COVID-19 is first and foremost on everyone’s mind. We hope you are staying safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. We’re all in this together but want to encourage everyone to continue taking social and physical distancing seriously. Those less vulnerable should stay a safe physical distance from older residents, but that does not mean you shouldn’t find a means to check on your neighbors and offer help. Younger South Lakes Court residents have stepped up and offered assistance to older residents and we hope the same is happening on Colts Neck Court. Thanks to all who volunteer, and thank you Olivia for organizing this for the South Lakes Court residents!
We also want to make you aware that the Fairfax County Park Authority has closed all playgrounds, skateparks, and public restrooms, and that their recommendation to avoid public areas like this extends to local community playgrounds and playground equipment. Unfortunately, this applies to the tot-lot. Please refrain from using the tot-lot at this time, as COID-19 can live for quite some time on hard surfaces.
Please join us in offering our condolences to Kathleen Allen (2143) on the recent loss of her grandmother.
Important Trash Information: Due to the growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, American Disposal Services has suspended the pickup of bulk trash items. Items include (but are not limited to) appliances, couches, mattresses, etc. More
information can be found on their website - https://americandisposal.com/
Please also remember that while we are all enjoying these glorious longer days, this means your trash needs to be placed out later, after dark. If you have not yet signed up to receive Fairgreen Cluster’s trash update emails, please contact either Debbie Carrol or Jenni Jacyna to be added to this list. Not that this is an unmonitored e-mail which goes out to residents when major disruptions in trash service occur.
As the days get warmer, the critters come out and they love trash. To keep the mice, rats, and raccoons at bay, please make sure your trash is secure, preferably in a bin with a lid. We also recommend that bird feeding be stopped during the summer months to deter these types of critters. You may want to consider treating your lawns with some type of repellant or else the deer will be visiting many lawns for a tasty treat.
Parking Lot Repaving: In a recent Board meeting, the Board decided against adding any additional parking spaces to Colts Neck Court. This decision was made due to a plethora of county and Reston requirements which would greatly delay it. We hope to move forward with repaving the parking lots this summer, of course this will depend on health guidelines and what is deemed safe. Please note that if we can move forward with this project, ALL residents will be displaced from the parking lots for several days. We will make our best effort to secure parking in the South Lakes park, but it will not hold everyone, so other parking accommodations will need to be made.
You have all received information regarding the proposed fall cluster inspection. This information can also be found on our website: https://fairgreencluster.wixsite.com/website, under the blog section. Please review these items and consider beginning the process of fixing up your properties. As of right now, we plan to proceed with the inspection so don’t delay!
Treasurer's report: Way to go! Everyone is current through the first quarter. Keep up the good work so we can keep paying the bills! Somehow, we managed not to have any snow plowing expenses this year. However, our federal and state income taxes increased more than we anticipated. We did well last year on interest (although we won't do as well this year if we are able to do the parking lots and given the current economic conditions.) Additionally, the tax law imposed for 2018 has put us in a higher tax bracket of 21% and we are now required to make quarterly estimated tax payments.
This year our federal taxes were $823.00 and state $250 for a total amount of $1073.00. Based on our tax return structure, we pay mostly on just the interest income which in 2019 was $4,669.13, the majority on the parking lot account. In 2018 our interest was $2,656.63, $426.00 in federal taxes and $129.00 in state for a total of $555.00. For further recent comparisons, in 2017 our total state and federal taxes were $284 and in 2016 $137.00. Our tree work was performed this winter as usual. We removed some pines due to death (ivy did not help them survive), one leaning far enough to be a safety risk, and lost several big oaks due to oak boring insect infestation. The amount spent there was $5200.00. The spring spraying and injections required of certain other trees was $975.00 for a total of $6175.00 spent thus far this year.
Cluster Clean Up will take place on April 18, 2020: We can still all do things separately and at a safe physical distance to spruce up the cluster. Some particular items of note – trash and downed branch pick up, picking up trash, leaf clean up from parking lot gutters and drainage areas, and debris clean up in the woods, particularly behind 2139 to 2151 (step carefully as there are small logs and holes covered by leaves). Also feel free to cut the ivy away from the trees. Please note also: we will not be mulching.
Future Board Meetings: For safety and wellness reasons, the Board is looking into this quarter’s Board meetings in an alternative fashion. Anyone wishing to attend a board meeting this quarter should contact a board member, and we will let you know how that meeting is being handled. We will continue to work for the cluster, but in accordance local, state, and federal guidelines.
Original locations are posted below, but alternative arrangements are being considered this quarter until we are all much safer.
April 14th – Cancelled
May 12th – originally planned for 11856 South Lakes Court
June 9th – originally planned for 11852 South Lakes Court
July – no meetings normally scheduled – parking lot plans could change this, and you will be notified.
We hope that the Annual Meeting is scheduled for the first Wednesday in October, although the Community Center closed about the time reservations were due. The Board has changed the by-laws to move the day of the meeting because for years we have conflicted with the Reston Chorale Group's practices at the community center.
We sincerely wish you all peace and safety during these trying times!
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