Discovery Harbour
Community Association
PO Box 651 <> Na’alehu, Hawaii 96772-0651
(808)929-9576 <> Fax (808)939-9046
e-mail: [email protected]
www.discoveryharbour.net
DHCA 2nd Quarter News
Message From the
DHCA President
Irene Eklund
Well, I made it through the first
60 days of being your DHCA President. I want to thank my fellow
board members for working so
hard on your behalf to make sure
that Discovery Harbour remains
the best place on earth to live.
For the last several months the County of Hawaii has been
hosting meetings to update the Community
Development Plan, which will determine future development of Ka’u and Discovery Harbour. Community members have had the opportunity to attend meetings, ask
questions, look at proposals and give testimony on what
they want our community to look like in the
future. I personally want to thank those who attended
meetings and participated in the process. I for one am
looking forward to the final result once it is released by
the County of Hawaii.
The Annual Na’alehu 4th of July parade will actually be
on Saturday, July 4th this year. Therefore the Discovery
Harbour Social Committee has decided to cancel our
annual 4th BBQ. It would have been in conflict with the
activities in Na’alehu, where many of our residents
donate their time for the community event sponsored by O
Ka’u Kakou. The Na’alehu 4th of July event is a huge
event attended by many residents and has offerings for all
ages.
I will sign off by saying that sometimes being a Board
Member in Discovery Harbour or any Homeowners
Association is not an easy job, and many residents will
not volunteer to run for the board because of that. We
try our best to do the right thing for our community
members based on our CC&R’s and our Board By
Laws. We may not always agree, but we can always
show some respect for each other. After all, we are all
neighbors in a great community and live in a state that is
known for it’s Aloha.
What’s New in DHCA Website
Discovery Harbour Community Association has added
new features to the website and we are excited to announce them.
When you go to the website discoveryharbour.net
you will be on the Home page. Notice that there are two
new links added; the Classifieds and Pay DHCA Dues.
The Classified section
discoveryharbour.net/
classified is now active and
it’s FREE to advertise.
The “Pay DHCA Dues” is
now active as well. This
means that there is another
method of payment available. You may still pay by
mailing in your check or
pay your dues by going to
the link at discoveryharbour.net/dues-payment and click
on the “Pay Now” icon and follow the process.
You don’t need to have an account with PayPal to pay. PayPal
offers the option to Pay with a debit
or credit card.
Would you like to receive your Newsletter and Dues
reminder by E-Mail?
If you do, here is the link to the
page, discoveryharbour.net/
forms-reports
Submit the form and the office
will take care of the rest.
Secretary & 1st V.P.
Doug Castro
We have been busy this second
quarter bring you several new features on the DHCA’s website. As
you can read under “News Flashes”, we have implemented two features we hope our property members find useful. A Classified section and a Dues Payment section. You will also notice there are
new on-line forms in the Forms & Reports section. This
feature was added last quarter and Meliha Corcoran has
created several of these on-line forms for our property
owners. These on-line forms will provide a faster way of
receiving your forms and improve on tracking your requests.
The DHCA’s website has been very active over the past
three months. Compared to our last analytics recording
(12 months ending March 2015), there was a 769 session
increase for the 2nd quarter (April - June). That is a 23%
increase. More important is the 85% of our sessions were
new visitors. That’s an increase of 25.6% increase from
last quarter, which represented 12 months.
BE SAFE—BE FIREWISE
Check out the pamphlet on the DHCA website found in the Owner’s Corner or stop by
the office and pick one up.
discoveryharbour.net/owners-corner
2
Civic Affairs
Dick Taylor
Common Grounds
Brent Duvall
Neighborhood Watch
Discovery Harbour’s crime rate
remains low, thanks to its
residents and those of us in
Neighborhood Watch keeping
our eyes open to unusual
activities.
Recent news, we are working to
get a CERT team (Community Emergency Response Team) up and running in our community.
If you are interested, please email the office with
your contact information or go to the website and
fill the form at: discoveryharbour.net/cert-dhca
The initial training will be 27 hours, spread over 4
consecutive Saturdays, with no date scheduled at
this time for DHCA.
Also, with the recent improvements to our
Website, the NW House Check Form can now be
filled out online for those property owners that
would like NW to keep an eye on their house.
discoveryharbour.net/house-check-request-form
The committee met Tuesday June 9,
2015 for its regular monthly meeting.
The discussion was regarding repairs
made and maintenance required for
DHCA grounds. Our second quarter
report includes items that required repair or ordering items for replacements.
Filter for refrigerator, batteries
for Exit and Emergency sign/lights, expansion of handicap
parking, outside canopy between buildings, and carts for folding chairs.
APRIL:
Received filter for refrigerator, received batteries for
Exit and Emergency sign/lights, updated the First Aid kit in
the office and assembly hall, repaired a broken pipe that lead
to the location near the Plumeria tree in the parking/grass area
and inquiring cost of a new screen front door.
MAY:
Inquiring cost of 2 light bulbs for exterior Fire House
building, checking cost and location of smoking area, butt container and sign and also checking on cost of ceiling fan for
kitchen.
JUNE:
We welcome volunteers to join our group and our next monthly meeting is Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at 4:00 PM. Contact me if
your are interested in becoming a volunteer.
Brent Duvall
208-283-1344
Hurricane Season is June through November
Being prepared is the key to
surviving a natural disaster
DHCA has this checklist on the website.
Go to the Owners Corner
3
Social Committee
Candy Casper
Hello everyone, I’m Candy
Casper. I’m new to Discovery
Harbour, the Board and the
Social Committee. I grew up an
Army Brat and worked for the
Army for 33 years in the field of
Information Technology (IT).
My husband Jim is still on the
mainland working for the Army as a
civil servant for now. I’m a member of ‘O Ka’u
Kakoa (OKK) and volunteer with the Friends of the
Volcano group.
We have decided to cancel the previously scheduled 4th of July Discovery Harbour social event
because it conflicts with the Naalehu 4th of July
Parade. Our next scheduled event is a Labor Day
Cleanup event on Monday, September 7th. More to
follow when it gets closer.
The Social Committee is a very well organized and
self guided entity, but technically I'm the leader of
the group. If you are interested in meeting more
people in a low stress environment, please come
join us on the committee. You can contact the
office or contact me directly at:
[email protected]
Spring Fling April 18th Photos
DHCA Scheduled Activities
As you must know by now, there is always a lot going on in
Discovery Harbour! The following will give you some ideas
on how to get involved:
MEETINGS
Board Meetings
A & E Mtgs.
Neighborhood Watch
Common Grounds
Social Committee
Volunteer Fire Dept.
2nd Saturday each month, 9am.
Mon before the Board Mtg 2pm.
3rd Monday each month, 5pm.
Tue before the Board Mtg 4pm.
Determined by upcoming event.
1st Tues each month, 4:00pm and
3rd Tues each month, 4:30pm.
ACTIVITIES
Exercise For Energy: 4:00pm. Exercise by DVD using balance balls, stretch bands, and Pilates. Contact Judy Knapp at
929-8149.
Yoga: 8.30am. Bring mat, towel, block, strap & water to this 1
hour beginner and intermediate yoga session. Contact Suzanne
Brady at 930-4678.
Exercise For Energy: 4:00pm. Exercise by DVD using balance balls, stretch bands, and Pilates. Contact Judy Knapp at
929-8149.
Game Night: 6:30 pm. There’s a Pot-Luck Dinner at 5:30pm
on the 1st Wednesday of the month, so bring your favorite dish
to feed 6 people. Contact Harry or Lucy Walker at 929-7519.
Yoga: 8.30am. Bring mat, towel, block, strap & water to this 1
hour beginner and intermediate yoga session. Contact Suzanne
Brady at 930-4678.
Ka Lae Quilters: 10am-4pm, beginners and experienced quilters get together Contact Barbara Beatty at 929-9072 or Alice
De Graff at 929-8111.
Hawaiian Kahiko Hula: 4-6pm, sponsored by Ka'u School/
Arts. For more info call Brad Grohs at 854-1540.
Country Line Dancing: 6:30-7:30pm until May. Contact Suzanne Brady, 930-4678 (Fall and Winter season only)
Hula Classes: 6.30pm. Class by Kumu Hannah Uribes. Contact Mary Ramsdell at 929-8161.
No Events Scheduled at this time.
4
Architectural & Environmental
Committee
Tommy Akin
Aloha Neighbors,
The A&E Committee continues
to strive to keep DH the best
place to live in Ka’u. Again
this year it looks like we are in
for a repeat of last summer……
rain, rain and more rain. Fortunately rain makes everything
grow;
unfortunately this growth requires almost constant mowing and yard care. To all the
homeowners who keep their properties maintained,
thank you.
Over the past several months we have approved
several new-build plans and received final inspections on completed construction. It is very encouraging to see our community grow. Hopefully, the
future will continue to be bright for DH.
The biggest challenge we have is overgrown vegetation, mostly on unoccupied and undeveloped lots.
Even though trees, shrubs and decorative vegetation
are usually not an issue, grass is always a persistent
problem. Keeping as much of the grass mowed decreases the chances of a fire affecting any of our
homes. Again, thanks to all the residents who
strive to make this happen.
Tommy Akin
A/E Committee Chairman
DHCA has a new webpage for Neighborhood Watch
House Check Request. You may still drop by the office and fill a form or you may go to this link
discoveryharbour.net/forms-reports
Select FORMS option
#6 (Neighborhood
Watch)
Fill-out the form and
click on the submit
button. A call will be
made to you to verify
the request.
5
Discovery Harbour
Volunteer Fire Department
Ken Shisler
Hello Discovery Harbour,
Fire calls had been pretty slow
until Monday, May 4th at 12:08
pm. Volunteer companies were
called out to Punalu'u for a
brush fire.
The fire started at the north loop
road and was wind blown to the
south loop road and uphill. The
fire jumped Hwy 11 in a number of locations causing evacuation of home residents near Punalu'u and
Hwy 11 intersection. Brush fire for the most part
was under control by 8:00 pm. Last estimate was
275 acres. Four HFD's and seven Volunteer fire
companies fought the fire. There were flare-ups for
the next 4 days. Engine 11-C responded with 6 personnel, 48 man hours.
Following Monday, May 11th at 10:38 am a call to
Greensands Subdivision for a brush fire. A resident
was burning rubbish and got out of control. The fire
burned 16 acres, with one house burnt completely
down to the ground. Four HFD and six Volunteer
companies responded. Volunteer companies from
Kona and Waimea were called in to relieve companies overnight. Engine 11-C was called back on
Tuesday, the following day for help with flare-ups
at 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm. We responded Saturday evening on May 16th for a flare up but
we were asked to stand down at scene. Total number of 91 man hours. Thank you again to all the
volunteers who responded.
With the Greensands incident and the dry weather
we’ve been having, everyone should be checking
around their property. Make sure that vegetation and
combustible items are away from your house and
other structures.
Please check to see if your house number/address is
visible for any emergency, fire or ambulance calls.
When time permits I plan on driving around Discovery Harbour, Mark twain and Greensands to check
for addresses. All of these areas are in our fire district.
Thank You,
Ken Shisler
Capt. Vol. Co. 11-C
Real Estate Market Update
Aloha Discovery Harbour Owners:
Another “high” season has
ended (November thru April);
the snowbirds have left the
island. Real estate values are
up some and sales vs actives
are holding steady.
At this time we have ten Active Listings priced from
$210,000 to $476,000 with 3 Contingent/Under contract
and 15 Sold for the 2014 to 2015 year ranging from
$60,000 to $400,000. Last high season we had 16 sold
$160,000 to $329,000.
We are seeing lower priced homes representing some of
the bank owned inventory which has gone into foreclosure process. We still have some of these properties yet
to be processed. We can expect to see some of them up
on the market by next season.
DONATIONS NEEDED & APPRECIATED!
Maintenance of the golf course is currently being supported by a group of resident volunteers. Following is a request
for donations from the Friends of the Golf Course. Discovery Harbour Community Association has no official
policy or position regarding maintenance of the golf
course.
The Friends of Discovery Harbour Mow Crew needs your
continued help. We thank those who have provided donations to date and still need more. Our typical fuel costs
for a single mowing of the entire course averages $250—
plus any maintenance and/or replacement parts, which are
required from time to time. There are no labor costs
involved as we all have been donating our time.
Presently we have 9 members mowing .While we greatly
appreciate those who have donated monies for this effort,
we could really use your monthly support. Those of us who
are mowing are not only donating our time but also a significant amount of money for fuel.
A special ‘Thanks’ again
to Ron & Thelma Hughes
who have purchased and
are shipping over a new
fairway mower.
Land sales have increased this year in Discovery Harbour, which is a good indication of a healthier market.
Last year (2013 to 2014) there were 17 lot sales $18,000
to $35,000. This year we had 32 sales with price range
of $18,000 to $68,500. At present we have 36 active
land listings from $33,500 to $99,000.
You may drop off your
support at the DHCA office or contact Jim
Saathoff at 808-896-6074
Wishing you all the best summer ever,
Joanna Roskowick, PB
At the Office...
Suzanne Brady
Meliha Corcoran
Office hours: Monday,
Wednesday & Friday
8am-12noon
At discoveryharbour.net
You can find answers and
forms that you might need by
going to the website. We welcome comments or suggestions—this is YOUR website.
No Herbicide
Department of Public Works- Highway
Maintenance has a request form online
to not utilize any herbicide.
records.co.hawaii.hi.us/WebLink8/1/doc/66492/Electronic.aspx
6
If you have recently moved or changed your contact information, please let us know as soon as possible. We
often have important information to share or questions to
ask. This is especially important for those of you who are
new residents.
FYI, we have a Phone List of our community residents
who have given us permission to share their contact information. This list is available in the office. DHCA
will NOT share this information in any other way.
Coqui Frogs
Several coqui frogs have either
been discovered and dispatched or
just heard from a distance within
the Discovery Harbour subdivision.
Coqui frogs are considered an invasive species, eating insects
that are vital to Hawaii’s eco-system and emitting a non-stop
shrill sound from dusk ‘til dawn. With no natural predators,
they are spreading across the island, especially from Hilo, by
hitch-hiking on produce, plants and other items, so be vigilant! They are tiny, with bodies about the size of a quarter,
and tough to spot.
Check out the DHCA website for Control Guidelines. If you
have them on your property, you can “rent” a back pack
sprayer and citric acid for $25.00 ($20.00 is refundable upon
return and $5.00 is used to replenish the citric acid). Contact
the office for details.
To join the future DHCA CERT team, please fill out the
form online or drop buy at the office and sign-up. We will
contact you when the next training schedule is available in
Discovery Harbour. discoveryharbour.net/cert-dhca
Little Fire Ants
BE SAFE-BE FIREWISE
Check out the pamphlet on the DHCA website found in the
Owner’s Corner or stop by the office and pick one up.
discoveryharbour.net/owners-corner
These LFA have been found in the Na’alehu area. They are
very destructive to plants and
their bites are very painful.
LFA like warm, wet and shady
places such as trees, bananas,
palms, potted plants, and other
vegetation with lots of nooks and crannies for locating their
nests. They drive out beneficial insects, birds, and other
wildlife but, even worse, their sting is dangerous for pets
and farm animals.
The treatment to rid these pest have started and volunteers
have been working on eliminating them but they could use
more help. To learn more on how you can help, check out
this website: littlefireants.com
Useful Phone Numbers
Emergency—911
Police Administrative
Na’alehu—808-939-2520
Hilo—808-935-3311
Discovery Harbour Office
808-929-9576
7
discoveryharbour.net/classified
8
Discovery Harbour Community Association
SPONSORS
The following are paid insertions from providers we trust and would recommend to our members.
9
Discovery Harbour Community Association
SPONSORS
Continued...