The Wood Box (President’s Article)

3D"Montpelier

&= nbsp; Newsletter=

= &nb= sp; Jul= y 2007

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Board of Directors:

President = Leroy Pipersburgh

Vice President &nbs= p; Carol Hayes

Treasurer &= nbsp; Anita= Klein

Secretary = Kevin Kene= aly

Member at Large = ; Vacant

&nb= sp;

How to Reach the MWHOA Board:<= /o:p>

&nb= sp; Address: &= nbsp; Post Office= Box 2645

&nb= sp; = &nb= sp; Laurel, MD. 20709

&nb= sp; Voice Mail: &n= bsp; (301)362-2353 =

&nb= sp; E-mail: &= nbsp; &= nbsp; mwhoa@h= otmail.com

Website &= nbsp; &nbs= p; www.mwhoa.com

&nb= sp; Newsletter Editor Carol Hayes

MWHOA does not necessa= rily endorse advertisers’ products and services.

Look Inside For:=

*= President’s Article

*= Financial Update

*= MWHOA Spring Clean-up

* Messages from the Board

*= MWHOA Meet & Greet

* PG County Noise Ordinance

*= Welcome New Neighbors

Montpeli= er Woods

Homeowners Association

Post Office Box 2645

Laurel, MD.= 20709

In My Own Words… (President’s Article)

The Montpelier Woods Homeowners Association’s Board of Directors continue= s to undergo changes. The Board wo= uld like to thank Charlie Kortlang, who recently resigned as MWHOA Secretary. On behalf of the Board and all of = the homeowners, we express our heartfelt thanks for the selfless service to our community provided by Charlie and his family. As Secretary, he played a key role= in virtually everything the HOA has undertaken over the past few years. Once again, Charlie, thank you. We= hope we can call on your many talents and skills in the future.

It seems from the moment Kevin Kenealy joined the Board, he has embodied the t= erm “member-at-large.” He has taken on everything the Board has asked of him and in that spirit, the = Board has again asked him to fill yet another void as Secretary. Given his performance, we have no = doubt that he will do an equally great job in this new position.

What Have We Done? In the previous newsletter, I laid= out the Board’s 2007 goals and promised to provide periodic updates:=

vOn May 21^st, the Board hosted its fir= st Meet and Greet in quite some time.= I thank those of you who gave up a couple hours of family time to join us as we got to know each other. The Board is planning to host anot= her community event later in the summer and hopes to have even more of you attend. Homeowners who would like to volunt= eer to help us plan and coordinate the summer function, please leave a message on = our voice mail or send an e-mail letting us know of your interest. Knowing your neighbors is vital to= maintaining this jewel of a neighborhood that we have.=

vCommunity Beautification – The Board arran= ged to have some additional plants/shrubbery installed at the Basswood and 197 entrance to our community. Fu= rther, a couple of homeowners have expressed an interest in assisting the Board in establishing and maintainin= g both entrances to the community. W= e greatly appreciate their offer of assistance and will call upon them. Again, if other homeowners wish to= help, please let us know.

vCommon Area Tree Cutting – We have negotia= ted another round of tree cutting with Laurel Tree Service in the common areas. The exact date of the cutting will be posted on our web site as soon as it has been scheduled. Our goal is to reduce the threat to homes from aged, leaning trees and those with poor root structures. The Board, in conjunction with tree service personnel, has completed a site survey and identified those trees t= hat posed the most immediate threat. Note: Trees on homeowners’ private property are the responsibility of that homeowner.

vTrees & Sidewalk Repairs – Some homeow= ners have brought to our attention the issue of sidewalks that are in a state of disrepair and low-hanging tree limbs in our community. The Board has walked the neighborh= ood and is forwarding a combined list to the P.G. County Public Works Departmen= t to address the situation. We wil= l keep you informed of the progress of this endeavor.

Recognizing Volunteers –I would like to thank the volunteer group of homeowners and their children that made the community clean-up a great success (see article, page 2). A special thanks to Carol, Anita, Kevin and their families for their hard work in coordinating the event. The community received= high praises from the County for our participation.

I ask each homeowner to visit and bookmark your community’s website at www.mwhoa.co= m. We are always looking for voluntee= rs. If you wish to serve our community in any way, please contact us via e-mail at= mwhoa@ho= tmail.com or leave a voice message at 301-362-2353.

Thanks for your continued support!

Leroy Pipersburgh

MWHOA FINANCIAL UPDDATE

Ba= lance Sheet

As of 5/31/07

            =             &nb= sp;

Assets

Bank, Savings & Investment Accounts

      Checking A= cct. – Bnk of Amer.         $ 15,561.52

      Reserves A= ccount        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;            0.00

      Money Mark= et - Chevy Chase           =      4,616.86

      Money Mark= et * E-Trade             =          =   8,955.78

      CDs account – E*Trade        =               $ 16,353.13

Other Assets

   Assessments Receivable        &= nbsp;               $      682.72

   Late Fees Receivable        =             &nb= sp;               180.00

   Legal Fee Receivable        =             &nb= sp;               760.00

    Liened Amt. Receivable pre-2005        =     1,461.24

    Certified Mailing/NSF Receivable        =        134.51

    Lien costs receivable = - 2005 Dues        =         805.45

    Lien costs receivable – 2006 Dues        =        284.40



             Total Assets                    &= nbsp;               =      $49,795.61

        =

Liabilities & Owners Equity

      Funds=

        =     Reserve Fund    =             &nb= sp;                  $        =     0.00=

      Other Liabilities

        =      Prepaid Owner Assessments        =             47.33

       Loan= s               =             &nb= sp;            =               =                 0.00

        Owners Equity    = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;               $49,748.28

&= nbsp;

Total Liabilities & Owners Equ= ity        =     $49,795.61

-   Anita Klein,Treasurer

NEXT=

MWHOA MEETING DATE

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Board Meetings are held at:

Dee= rfield Run= Community Center

130= 00 Laurel Bowie Road

Next meeting: Monday July 16^th

Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. Whenever possible, they are held on= the third Monday

of each month. Please check www.mwhoa.com

for future meeting dates.

Homeowners are encouraged to attend!

MONTPELIER WOODS CLEANS UP

ON APRIL 18^TH

In celebration of Earth Day, the MWHOA joined the Prince George’s County Area-Wide = Spring 2007 Neighborhood Clean-Up event. The MWHOA Board distributed flyers to all= of our homeowners requesting volunteers to assist in cleaning up our neighborh= ood. We were extremely excited about the tremendous response. You may have noticed nearly forty orange= -vested adults and children with rakes, brooms, pick up sticks and grabbers picking= up trash throughout our neighborhood. <= /span>(We hit every street in the Montpelier Woods development). Volunteers also tackled the playgro= und, plus the two entrances at 197 and Basswood Drive and 197 and Snowden Road, which are not a part = of our development.

Tee shirts and caps, provided by PG County, were given to all volunteers. The County also hosted a “fun day” for volunteers after the clean-up at Watkins Regional Park. Credit for service hours required = by schools was also given to students who participated.

The Board recognizes and thanks the following volunteers for helping to clean o= ur neighborhood and doing a fantastic job!

Ø      = Char= les Baker

Ø      = Anth= ony & Dottie Benjamin

Ø      = Iyan= u Brown

Ø      = Patr= ice Davis

Ø      = Jill= ian Dent

Ø      = Rex = & Denise Elliott

Ø      = Carol Hayes=   &nb= sp;

Ø      = Robe= rt, Mary Ellen & Kelsey Kanyuck

Ø      = Kevi= n, Alina, Brennan & Connor Kenealy

Ø      = Anit= a Klein, Warren Cooley, Megan & Michelle Cooley-Klein

Ø      = Phyl= lis & Angela Martin

Ø      = Viva= s Patel

Ø      = Jona= thon & Nicole Shao

Ø      = Sue, Sarah & Don Straney<= /o:p>

Ø      = Chri= s, Paul, & Maggie Yuan; Emma Madera

The County informs us that another area-wide neighborhood clean-up day is planned for the fall of this year. Since many of the volunteers expre= ssed interest, the Board agreed to participate.= Look for flyers from the Board requesting volunteers in the fall.

        = - Carol Hayes

*****************

One of the secrets of life is to m= ake stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.        =     –Jack Penn

<= /span>FROM THE BOARD…

      = ;            &n= bsp;             =

CHRISTMAS IN APRIL

The Association recently received materials abou= t the Christmas in April program with a request that we inform our neighborh= ood about this opportunity for qualified seniors. Christmas in April= is a non-denominational organization that provides home repair services f= ree of charge to senior citizens who either have a low to moderate income = or are physically challenged. The services are performed by volunte= ers in a 6 to 8-hour period on the last Saturday in April. The services= are focused on homeowner safety and necessity and are
provided only if the eligible person lives in and owns the residence.   Services are varied and include everything from plum= bing and electrical work to interior and exterior painting to installation of new appliances or smoke detectors. April 26, 2008 is the 20th year of the Christmas in April program.

In= order to benefit from the April 2008 services, a senior citizen must apply by = November 1, 2007.   You can find the application and other information by clicking Christmas in April on MWHOA’s website (www.mwhoa.com) under “Links.”= If you do not have access to our website and are interested in learning more, contact the Board at our phone number or mailing add= ress and we will send a copy of the materials to you.

IS THIS YOUR HOUSE?

In the course of walking through the neighborhoo= d to list where sidewalk repairs are needed, the Board members noted that there = are houses whose house number is unidentifiable. Other houses have numbers that are= so old it is hard to decipher all or part of the number.

Our concern is that in the event of emergency, f= ire fighters, ambulance personnel or police will not be able to identify your h= ouse when help is needed quickly. = You can’t always rely on someone else being available to flag these professionals down as they arrive on your street, and time can be critical.=

For your own safety, please take a minute to che= ck if you have this problem at your house.

J’S CAFÉ – UPDATE<= /span>

As you probably know by now, at its hearing on M= ay 2^nd , the P.G. County Board of Licen= se Commission voted to revoke J’s Café liquor license. Representing Montpelier Woods, our= Board President, Leroy Pipersburgh, = was among the 50 residents and elected officials who voiced opposition to the c= lub at that hearing. (A special thanks to Leroy, who did not= get a chance to speak until 12 midnight).&nb= sp; We are pleased to report, according to a recent Laurel Leader news article, that the club’s owners will not appeal the ruling. One of the owners has stated they = plan to open a Lighthouse Steak and Seafood restaurant at the site later this su= mmer without a liquor license.

The Board is committed to supporting businesses = only when they have a positive impact on our community.

BULK TRASH REMINDER

The Board has received a number of complaints ab= out homeowners in our neighborhood who deposit and leave bulk trash (furniture, refrigerators, tires, water heaters, etc.) in front of their homes for days= and sometime weeks at a time. Not= only is this an eyesore which affects property values, but in some cases are potentially hazardous, especially to children and animals.

The Board included an article in the last newsle= tter, Spring edition, (see copy on our website) which outlined the requirement for handling and disposing of bulk trash. Please be reminded that:

(1) bulk trash pick up is by appointme= nt only,

(2) trash may be placed at curbside for pickup only on the evening before or the morning of = the scheduled pickup, and

(3) homeowners must not leave bulk trash items at the curb or outside their homes past the scheduled pick-up date.

The Board implores all homeowners to please adhe= re to the guidelines for handling your bulk trash. <= o:p>

****= *********************************

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY NOISE ORDIDANCE

After a very long wint= er, we are all welcoming the warm weather and summer! Summer is the season   when we are out of our homes = more, our windows are open more, the kids are out of school; it’s barbeque and party season as well as outdoor fun and yard maintenance season. Naturally, we notice more often the noise our neighbors make. Now= is a good time to remind everyone of the P.G.County Noise Ordinance, Section 19-= 126, Noise in Residential Areas. <= o:p>

This particular ordina= nce states that audible noises (loud) are not allowed in residential areas betw= een the hours of 9:00 pm and 7:00 am of the next day. The following is a list of noises = exempt from this ordinance:

Sounds from emergency vehicles

Sounds from instruments or operations of the Federal, State or County governm= ent

Sounds from the operation of aircraft

Sounds on private property for which a use and occupancy permit has been issu= ed for the purposes of sporting, recreational, entertainment events, or o= ther events open to the public

Sounds from grounds owned by the Federal, State or County governments, includ= ing the Board of Education (i.e. school yards and school sponsored events)=

Please keep these rules in mind as you go about = your summer activities. The follow= ing are some common sounds and their level of loudness. All sounds listed are in units of decibels (dB):

Painful:

150 dB =3D rock music = peak

140 dB =3D firearms, a= ir raid siren, jet engine

130 dB =3D jackhammer<= o:p>

120 dB =3D jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 ft., car stereo, band practice

Extremely loud:

110 dB =3D rock music,= model airplane

106 dB =3D timpani and= bass drum rolls

100 dB =3D snowmobile,= chain saw, pneumatic drill

90 dB =3D lawnmower, s= hop tools, truck traffic, subway

Very loud:

80 dB =3D alarm clock,= busy street

70 dB =3D busy traffic, vacuum cleaner

60 dB =3D conversation, dishwasher

Moderate:

50 dB =3D moderate rai= nfall

40 dB =3D quiet room

Faint:

30 dB =3D whisper, qui= et library

=

Haz= ardous Noise

Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially dangerous. Both the amount of noise and= the length of time of exposure determine the amount of damage. Hair cells of the inner ear and the hearing nerve can be damaged by an intense brief impulse, like an explosion, or by continuous and/or repeated exposure to noise.=

Examples of noise leve= ls considered dangerous by experts are: lawnmowers, rock concerts, firearms, firecrackers, headset listening systems, motorcycles, tractors, household appliances (garbage disposals, blenders, food processors/choppers, etc.) and noisy toys. All can deliver sound over 90 decibels and some up to 140 decib= els.

=

Warning Signs of Hazardous Noise

You must raise your voice to be heard

You can't hear someone two feet away from you <= /li>
Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after leaving a noise area

You have pain or ringing on your ears (tinnitus) after exposure to noise.

        =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;       - Kevin Kenealy<= /p>

********        =             &nb= sp;            =

We= lcome To Our New Neighbors!

We are happy to recognize and welcome some of our new neighbors to the Montpelier Woods Community.

=

v      Randy and Ann Thornton

12204 Amblewood Drive

v      Kevin & Cheryl Niccum

10406 Balsamwood Court<= /st1:Street>

v      Kim Huong & Luc Nguyen
10302 Balsamwood Drive<= /st1:Street>

v      Dennis and Jennifer Snelson<= /p>
       &nbs= p;     10208 Balsamwood = Drive       &nbs= p;

v      Alexis and Amelia Ordonez

       &nbs= p;     10304 Balsamwood = Drive

v      Verno= n & Grace Bacud

10400 Balsamwood Court<= /st1:Street>

v      Marjorie Young

10105 Madronawood Drive=



The= names contained in this section were obtained from local newspapers. If this mailing was addressed to= a name that is not yours, please contact the Board to update the information for your household.

****

= MONTPELIER WOODS HOMEOWNER AD

Are you looking to gain r= eal work   experience and mak= e some cash at the same time this summer?         =                 <= /ins>

I’m looking for a non-smoker in the Montpelier Woods neighborhood who can help me become the Superwoman I thought I was. I need someone to help me take care of my daughter while I work around the house. Hours are very flexibl= e: 1-2 nights a week for 2-3 hours and 1 weekend day for about 4 hours.

<= /b>

Please call Catherine

301-317-3336

=

=

Must = love dogs and kids, of course= .

=

=

JOI= N TOWER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION=

The = Benefits of Tower Membership

As a Montpelier Woods Homeowner, you are eligible to become a membe= r of Tower Federal Credit Union. Tower exists to provide its members with a safe= and convenient place to save at higher rates and to borrow at lower rates. How is this possible? Tower is a non-profit, member-owned cooperative. There are no stockholders to pay. Earnings= are returned to members in lower rates for auto, mortgage and consumer loans and higher dividends for Share Certificates (CDs), Money Market and savings accounts.

Towe= r’s EZLine Low Rate

Pers= onal Line of Credit

It’s summertime. Put some extra cash in your pocket for summer expenses. EZLine’s variable rate is as= low as 10.15% APR with personal credit lines from $1,000 to $20,000. With EZLine, you’ll have imm= ediate funds for home fix-it projects, a stress-free way to pay for school expense= s, or cash for an enjoyable summer vacation.&= nbsp; Relax with extra cash this summer.&= nbsp; Become a Tower member and apply for an EZLine account at towerfu.org.

Beco= me a Member Today

To join Tower, visit towerfcu.org and apply for membership quickly = and easily online. You’ll t= hen be eligible to sign up for Home Banking. Membership questions? = Call the Member Service Center at 301-497-7000 or 800-787-8328.<= /p>

Visit towerfcu.org for branch and ATM locations near your home or w= ork.

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