The Wood Box (President’s Article)

3D"Montpelier

&= nbsp; Newsletter=

= September 2007

Board of Directors

   President            =              Leroy Pipersburgh

   Vice President        &= nbsp;       Carol Hayes

   Treasurer &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Anita= Klein

   Secretary        &= nbsp;                Kevin Kene= aly       =

   Member at Large      = ;       Mahesh Yagnik

&nbs= p;

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

   Address:             =            Post Office= Box 2645

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;      Laurel, MD. 20709

   Voice Mail:            =         (301)362-2353       =

   E-mail:                  &= nbsp;       mwhoa@hotmail.com

   Web Site            =              www.mwhoa.com

   Newsletter Editor            Carol Hayes

MWHOA does not necessarily endorse advertisers’ products and services.=

In My Own Words= … The President’s Article

The Montpelier Woods Homeowners Association conti= nues to undergo changes. The Board= would like to welcome Mahesh Yagnik,= who has come forward to fill the vacant member-at-large position. We thank him for his willingness to serve and look forward to the many skills and talents he brings.

Board Election – The MWHOAR= 17;s annual election of a Board of Directors takes place at the Board meeting on October 15th. By now you shou= ld have received a ballot in the mail. Please complete and submit your ballot at the meeting or, if you are unable to attend, please vote by proxy and mail it back so that it is recei= ved prior to the meeting. It is v= ery important that you vote in this election as the Board cannot operate without your support. (See Treasurer’s article on page 2 for important information<= /i> on this issue).<= /p>

As summer gives way to= fall and winter, I trust that everyone enjoyed those long summer days and looks forward to the snow; yeah, right! Let me see if I can bring you up to speed on what we’ve done s= ince the last publication.

Fall Cleanup= – The Board has= again agreed to participate in the Prince George= ’s County Cleanup program. This one is sched= uled for September 29^th. I would like to thank those families who have come forward to support this event. A special thanks to Carol Hayes for coordinating this event and to= the Board members for their support in putting this event together. More information = on the outcome of the cleanup, along with the names of volunteers, will be published in the next newsletter.

Ice Cream Social= - The Board sponsored= its second “meet & greet” of the year with a successful summer = neighborhood Ice Cream Social on August 25th. The Board especially thanks Terri = Shipp of Long & Foster for sponsoring the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> I also send a special thanks to the Board members for their tireless work to bring it all together. It is our hope that next year these events, which are free to all owners, will prove even more successful, both in owner participation and outside sponsorship. We plan to vary the locations and perhaps even plan them as block parties to make it more convenient for homeowners in various parts of the neighborhood.

Recognizing Volunteers – I would like = to thank homeowners Joyce Pitts and Mary Ellen Killeen for volunteering to work with me on the Nominating Committee responsible for ensuring the Board elec= tion goes off with no hitches. The= Board also thanks homeowners Phyllis Martin, Gloria Schultz and Alex Cruz for volunteering to work on the Beautification Committee responsible for enhanc= ing and maintaining the two entrances to our neighborhood.

Door-to-Door Solicitati= on - The Board has notic= ed that our neighborhood has recently had more than the usual amount of door-to-door solicitors. Board members have asked groups to leave the community when they become aware of them. You= too are encouraged to remind solicitors that this community is a non-solicitation development. The o= nly group the Board has given permission to sell items in the neighborhood is t= he Girl Scouts. All other groups are = breaking the law; you can, in fact, call the police and report them.=

Satellite Dishes= - Many of you have contacted the Board regarding the number of satellite dishes in the neighborhood and, more importantly, the manner in which they have been installed. Particularly due t= o the federal legal protections granted to people wishing to use satellites, the Board is facing a unique challenge in this case and until something is developed for community approval, we ask owners with satellite service to be mindful of t= he installation locations. Some homeowners have them mounted on the ground in front of their homes. Frankly, plainly visible dishes in the front yard can be an eye-sore= and could potentially affect the value of homes in the community. The average value of the homes in = this development is in excess of $433,000. In order to maintain that upward growth, won’t you help us by being as considerate as possible regarding where you install your satellite dish? This issue promises to = be one item that the next Board has to tackle.&nb= sp; With that being said, we look forward to any ideas or recommendations that will ensure the continued harmony of the community. =

Again, I ask each home= owner to please visit and bookmark your community’s website at www.mwhoa.c= om. We are always looking for volunteers. If you wish to se= rve our community in any way, please contact us via e-mail at mwhoa@ho= tmail.com or leave a voice mess= age at 301-362-2353.

Thank you all for your support to the Board of Directors as we work to maintain the harmony of the community!=

        =           &nbs= p;

ANNUAL BOARD MEETING ELECTION DATE

Monday, October 15, 2007

7:30 p.m.

Deerfield Run Community Center=

13000 Laurel Bowie Road

(Please Plan to Attend This Important Meeting)

All Board meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. Whenever possible, they are held on the third Monday of each month.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Please check www.mwhoa.com for fut= ure meeting dates.

Why to Vote in the Board Election: A Treasurer’s Perspective_

<= o:p>

It may seem strange for the treasurer<= /i> of a homeowners association to urge you to complete and mail back the ballot f= or the October 15^th election of the next Board. After all, we all know about our c= ivic duties, having a voice in the community, and the other important reasons to vote. There is, however, an additional, practical, subtle reason to vote that is worth mentioning: MONEY!

What does money have to do with it? Well, the Homeowners Association must continue to exist whether we accomplish the Board of Directors election or not. If the owners in the neighborhood = fail to establish the Board through this election as required by the bylaws, a receiver can be appointed to conduct the affairs of the homeowners association. The receiver lik= ely would hire professional management to govern the association. Who pays for all of that? The homeowners do! Think we could pay for all of that without a huge increase in our dues? Not a chance!

The current Board and the Nominating Committee have taken all the steps they ca= n to make sure the election succeeds. Now it’s up to all of us.&nbs= p; Under the bylaws, we need votes from the owners of only 35 properties (out of 348). Yet, last year,= just before election day, three Board members had to knock on doors around the neighborhood asking owners to vote because the Board had received far fewer than the required 35 votes. Luckily, we were able to find enough people at home who were willing= to help by filling out their ballots then and there. This year, please donR= 17;t assume that someone else will take care of the voting. And save all of us from the potent= ial jump in dues - please mail back your completed ballots now.

If you’ve misplaced your ballot, you may print a copy from our website a= t www.mwhoa.com. Thanks.<= /span>

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;         =            -Anita Klein

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

Kindness in words creates confidence.<= o:p>

Kindness in thinking creates profundit= y.

Kindness in giving creates love.<= /o:p>

        =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;          -Lao Tse

MWHOA Financial Update=

        =             &nb= sp; Balance Sheet

        =             &nb= sp; As of 8/31/07

            =             &nb= sp;

Assets

Bank, Savings & Investment Accounts

      Checking A= cct. – Bnk of Amer.         $ 10,734.17

      Reserves A= ccount        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           0.00<= /p>
      Money Mark= et - Chevy Chase           =      4,624.43

      Money Mark= et * E-Trade             =           9,011.96=

      CDs account – E*Trade        =             &nb= sp;   16,353.13

Other Assets

   Assessments Receivable        &= nbsp;               $     997.35

   Late Fees Receivable        =             &nb= sp;               285.00

   Legal Fee Receivable        =             &nb= sp;            1,145.00

   Liened Amt. Receivable pre-2= 005        =     1,461.24        =             &nb= sp;            =

   Certified Mailing/NSF Receiv= able 121.50

   Lien costs receivable –= ; 2005 Dues        =        805.45

   Lien costs receivable –= ; 2006 Dues        =        284.40

        =

Tota= l Assets         =         &= nbsp;               $45,823.63

        =

Liabilities & Owners Equity

      Funds=

        =     Reserve Fund    =             &nb= sp;                  $         0.00

      Other Liabilities

        =      Prepaid Owner Assessments                   99.42

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

        Owners Equity    = ;            &n= bsp;            = ;         = 45,724.21

      Total Liab= ilities & Owners Equity   $45= ,823.63

     Anita Klein, Treasurer<= /span>

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;

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

&nb= sp;

FROM THE BOARD…

=

Your Lawn & the Chesap= eake Bay - The Board was fortunate to have D= ebra Roy, a homeowner in Montpelier Woods, present information for the BoardR= 17;s edification at a recent meeting. Debra was reaching out to us due to her work with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to help expand awareness of the critical state of the Chesapeake Bay.&nb= sp; Due to the location of our land, our neighborhood’s actions af= fect the Bay – we are some of the 16 million people now living in the Bay’s watershed. The federal government has placed the Chesapeake Bay on the “dirty waters” list and Maryland will be subject to significant fines if the health of the Bay doesn’t meet the federal standards by 2010. The Bay is currently gr= aded a 29 (up only 2 points from 2003) and needs to reach a grade of 40 by 2010.

Fortunately, there are steps we can take to help the Bay. The Board felt that everyone in the neighborhood could benefit from some of the simple recommendations Debra provided about lawn care to help protect the Bay:

1. Don’t apply fertilizer when heavy rains are forecasted. I= f you use a lawn care service, ask them not to do it either. Naturally, nutrients applied just = before such rains are more likely to be washed off and reach the storm drains.

2. Choose the fertilizer with slow release nitrogen (aka controlled release N or water insoluble N) because it= is less likely to leach and affect water quality. Ask your lawn care service to do t= he same.

3. Make sure you or your lawn ser= vice periodically test the pH of your soil before applying fertilizers. If the pH is too low or too high, = the grass will not properly absorb the fertilizer and the unabsorbed nutrients = are more likely to end up in the groundwater.&= nbsp; In Maryland, periodic applications of lime may be necessary to raise the pH. Find out when by testing.

4.   Consider pl= anting a tree. If you have trees in = your back yard, seriously consider keeping them. They soak up fertilizers, give us = oxygen and lower our use of air conditioning when they shade our homes.=

5. If you have questions about how best to care for your lawn in a Bay-responsible way, look to www.hgic= .umd.edu or call 1-800-342-2507 the Maryland Cooperative Extension Home and Garden= Information Center for assistance.

6. Use pesticides sparingly, and before using them at all, check with t= he people listed above for the best alternatives.

Trees – As the fall descends, we all know that = rain and snow are not far behind. = The Board has been busy over the summer removing trees that appear to pose a th= reat to residences. The Board asks that if you notice a leaning, dying or dead t= ree that is in a common area and may pose a threat to your property, please con= tact us immediately. Further, the = Board has established a work order (no. 76487) with Prince George’s County Department= of Public Works to trim the trees that line that line our streets and fix our = sidewalks. They have begun by trimming trees = on at least one of our streets. You should call the County and reference that num= ber if the trees in front of your residence have not been trimmed. While you are at it, please ask th= em when they plan to work on our sidewalks.&n= bsp; The Board has the impression that if more people call and ask when t= hey plan to come out and trim and fix, the work in our community may become a h= igher priority.

Theft from Vehicle Prevention Tips – Like others throughout Prince George’s County, some Mont= pelier Woods homeowners have also been victims of thefts from vehicles parked in o= ur driveways or on the street. T= he PG County Police Department offers the following prevention tips to address th= is unwanted occurrence.

= v      Always lock your car, even if you plan to leave = it unattended for only a few minutes. Unlocked cars are the #1 contributor to thefts from vehicles.<= /p>
= v      Close all windows when leaving the car, even in = hot weather.

= v      Do not leave valuables in plain view in your car= .

= v      Either take valuables with you or store them in = the trunk or other areas where they can not be seen.

= v      Consider using a vehicle alarm system.

= v      When possible, park your vehicles in well-lit ar= eas.

= v      Look out for your neighborhood; report suspicious activity to the police. Watchful eyes are the thief’s enemy.

= v      Keep a record of the serial numbers of the perso= nal electronics inside your car.

The police also report that the best way = to prevent these thefts is to remove items of value from your automobile. Be especially careful about leavin= g one or more of the following items plainly visible inside your vehicle.

v      GPS/Navigat= ion system

v      Notebook co= mputer

v      Digital cam= era

v      Mobile tele= phone

v      CD/DVD play= er

v      Purse/Walle= t/Briefcase

The Board Sincerely Appreciates Your Continued Support and Cooperation!

A Note f= rom the Secretary.....

&nb= sp;

In my last article, I discussed being considerate of your neighbors, specifica= lly with regard to noise. Another important component of good neighbor relations is tolerance, the subject of this article. I am struck by = the number of calls and e-mails the Board gets in which one neighbor has a complaint about another. In t= hese cases, please try to work things out with your neighbor before calling the Board. Working issues out wit= h your neighbor is always the best way to maintain your relationship with your neighbor. Getting the Board (= or any other organization) involved makes damaging the relationship much more likely. I realize sometimes t= his cannot be avoided. The Board = will offer recommendations and assistance when it is appropriate. Some issues are the jurisdiction o= f the County or the police and the Board must defer to them on those occasions. Please seriously try to negotiate problems with your neighbors. Negotiate does not mean your neighbor does whatever you request.

Perhaps we should look at what we a= re complaining about with regard to our neighbors. Some things are totally legitimate= . In some cases, neighbors are not cooperative and then those issues should be brought to the Board’s attention, no question. Howev= er, we are blessed to live in a diverse community, which I hope you embrace, as I do. Diversity makes the whole neighborhood stronger. With diversity comes different ways of doing things. Some may be different ways = that are within neighborhood and County guidelines. Are we sufficiently tolerant and accepting of our neighbors? T= rue contentment with living in our neighborhood cannot occur without residents accepting our differences and being tolerant of those differences.

                =                 =             &nb= sp;        - Kevin Kenealy

=

From the Editor’s Desk:<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt'>

This Newsletter is pub= lished on a quarterly basis. Our goal is to provide articles/information that are = of interest and use to you. If y= ou would like to contribute/share an article and/or information that would be = of interest to the Montpelier Woods community, please submit it for review via e-mail or to the Board’s mailing address found on the first page. We reserve the right not to publis= h any article that is inappropriate.              - Carol Hayes        =             &nb= sp;

            =             &nb= sp;            =

A SPECIAL OFFER FOR

MONTPELIER WOODS HOMEOWNERS

joi= n tower federal credit union=

&nbs= p;

The Benefits of Tower Membersh= ip

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

For Mortgages, Tower Still Offers

Low Rates

Compare Tower’s low mortgage rates for convenient fixed rate and jumbo loans with local bank rates at towerfcu.org. Then come to Tower for some of the lowest rates around! Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, seeking a larger home or you’re looking to refinance, check with Tower first.

With a Tower Mortgage, <= o:p>

You’ll Save on Fees!

When you apply for a Tower mortgage through November 30, you’ll receive = $100 off closing costs and $200 off settlement fees when you choose Tower Title Services. If you have questio= ns about mortgage loans, Tower’s Loan Advisors can help you decide which type = of mortgage is best for your situation.

Become a Member Today

To join Tower, visit towerfcu.org and apply for membership quickly and easily online. You’ll then be eligible to sign up for Home Banking. Membership questions? Call the Member Service Center at 301-497-7000 or 800-787-8328. Vis= it towerfcu.org for branch and ATM locations near your home or work.

MONTPELIER WOO= DS HOMEOWNER AD

YOU CAN WORK FROM HOME THE WAY YOU WANT

No sel= ling, stocking or delivering products.

&= nbsp;

Be par= t of a company that has been honored by the Better Business Bureau.

&= nbsp;

You wi= ll receive FREE tools and personal mentoring from our award-winning Stayin Home & Lovin it! Team’s Support.<= /o:p>

&= nbsp;

If you= are SERIOUS about working around the important things in YOUR life, =

contac= t me

&= nbsp;

Chandr= icka Mose

202-222-8773

work4thehome@yahoo.com

Christmas in April

A Reminder – An article in the July 2007 edition of the MWHOA Newsletter reporte= d on Christmas in April, a non-denom= inational organization that provides home repair services free of charge to low to moderate income senior citizens and citizens who are physically challenged. The services are provided on the last Saturday in April 2008. The services are focused on homeow= ner safety and necessity and are provided only if the eligible person lives in = and owns the residence. Services = are varied and include everything from plumbing and electrical work to interior= and exterior painting to installation of new appliances or smoke detectors.

<= !--[if gte vml 1]>

= MONTPELIER WOODS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION

B= OARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> OCTOBER 15^TH<= /i>

P= lease Come Out.

L= et Your Voice Be Heard and

V= OTE!!

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

A representative from the Beltsville Police Department will also be available at this meeting to address our neighborhood concerns.

Montpelier Woods<= /span>

Homeowners Association

Post Office Box 2645

Laurel, MD. 20709<= /span>

The deadline for applying= for service is November 1, 2007. If you think you are eligible, please see the July 2007 newsletter o= r visit the MWHOA website (click on Links – Christmas in April) for the application and/or additional information and details.                     =          = – Carol Hayes<= span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT"'>