504 Clubhouse Way W. Mattawa, WA 99349 Phone (509) 932-4839 Fax (509) 932-5844 [email protected] www.desertaire.org FROM THE PRESIDENT – Larry Couch We are starting work on the 2013/2014 Desert Aire Owner’s Association budget and annual ballot. The annual meeting packet will be mailed to members in late May. For the past three years we have held a question and answer session several weeks before the annual meeting to discuss the ballot. We think this informal discussion helps clarify many of the issues included on the ballot. This year, we plan on having a similar meeting on Saturday June 1, 2013 at 4:00PM downstairs in the Multi-Purpose Building. Bring any questions or comments you may have, and we hope to see you there. One of the things we try to address at the meeting concerns the Board’s position on the various ballot items. Please remember that just because something is included on the ballot does not necessarily mean that the Board is in favor of it. Some items are placed on the ballot by the Board. Other items, which the Board may disagree with, are placed on the ballot through motions made by members at last year’s annual meeting. Please consider each item on its own merit. Some issues that are still in discussion and may be placed on this year’s ballot are: Resolution of the Marina Fund Additional Security Swimming Pool Replacement Various Revisions to DAOA By-Laws, CC&R’s and Architectural Regulations There will be three openings on the DAOA Board of Directors again this year. A term on the Board lasts three years. We are in need of members who will be willing to help their community and take an active role on our various committees. If you are interested in joining us please submit a resume of not more than 150 words to the office by the end of business on May 1, 2013, and your name will be placed on this year’s ballot. March 2013 Some upcoming events include: DAOA Board of Directors Meeting on April 12, 2013 at 4:00PM downstairs in the MultiPurpose Building DAOA Town Hall Meeting on April 27, 2013 at 4:00PM downstairs in the Multi-Purpose Building DAOA Annual Meeting on June 22, 2013 at 9:00AM at the Sagebrush Senior Center From the Superintendent - James R. Curdy It’s good to see our snowbirds coming back and enjoying the beautiful weather lately. The Annual Spring Cleanup will be 2-DAYS this year! th th Both Friday & Saturday April 26 & 27 from 9am12pm. Free gloves will be provided for the first 50 participants each day! th The free dump weekend in 2013 will be April 26 th April 29 from 8-4pm or until the dumpsters are full. *Be sure to have both your MEMBERSHIP CARD AND PHOTO ID to use the site. Garbage Service is available through Wastemanagement of Wenatchee at (800) 5724559. For non full time residents they even offer a roll out service for a nominal fee. With this you don’t even have to roll it out to the curb. BUSINESS OFFICE Fiscal year 2012-2013 is financially on track at this point. Delinquent accounts for annual dues are just over $16,000 (less than 4%). We only have 4 properties in foreclosure and 15 liens outstanding which is very good. Reminder; Filing for the 3 upcoming open board th st positions is February 15 -May 1 to be on the Ballot with a 150 word or less personal resume. PARK We aren’t doing boat launch stickers anymore because the facility is now free for everyone and managed by the PUD. Desert Aire is no longer involved with the river facility operation at all. The new facility is coming along great and will be a wonderful addition to the area. Currently the contractor is ahead of schedule so it may be open in early May. Use the link below to watch. http://www.daoa.org/webcam.htm We have been working in some of our worst greenbelts to clean them up with the hope that adjacent owners will take more pride in their neighborhoods. I think we are making progress but there is much left to do. For our Mariners fans: be sure to listen for our Radio Ads running during these events! Let us know if you hear one. I Hope everyone is ready for a great summer and best wishes for the year ahead. If you have any questions, thoughts, ideas or just want to talk, stop by or as always feel free to contact me at: 504 Clubhouse Way W or 509-932-4839 or [email protected] POOL & EXERCISE ROOM I hope we are able to garner an active group of participants to create a vision and plan for our recreation facility. This is the last major renovation that I am aware of for our community so it is my hope that we work diligently to do this once and do right. With Spring right around the corner we should have another meeting later this month. Interested parties should contact the business office to become involved. We are particularly looking for current users. GOLF COURSE The new F9 restrooms are almost complete and looking great. Thanks to staff and some plumbing consultation with Richard Rowe they are a great addition….in fact someone already asked when we were doing the B9 restrooms. Spring greens aerifying will be much later than in th years past, tentatively scheduled for May 6th-8 . This is to accommodate the busy spring tournament schedule, reducing downtime by healing faster. ARCHITECTURE COMMITTEE - Cheryl Wolff Since the last newsletter, the Committee has approved 2 stick-built homes, 1 garage, and 3 miscellaneous structures including fences, sheds and decks/patios. Please submit your plans to the Committee before undertaking a project on your property. You are also welcome to attend the meetings with your questions. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 3:00 PM in the Business Office Conference Room. To get on the agenda, please phone the D.A. Office, 509-932-4839 or Cheryl at 509-932-0822. Quick Fact Golf courses delay play on frost-covered turf (especially greens) because stepping on frostcovered grass causes the frozen leaf cells to rupture. The turf will turn brown and eventually die. If you are undertaking construction on your lot, please remember that it states in our governing documents, that you must maintain dust control by watering exposed dirt. Spring is almost here and many homeowners have been busy sprucing up their yards. You are allowed to burn brush and other landscape debris on your property but not in greenbelts. Grant County has some strict rules about burning, which all of us must follow. You will find those rules elsewhere in this newsletter. Another way to get rid of vegetation and litter is to take them to the Maintenance Yard during Spring Cleanup and Free Dump Days. See that article in this newsletter. OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS Your Architecture Committee has been hard at work since last fall re-writing the Desert Aire Architecture Regulations. Much of the re-writing has been for the sake of clarification; some has been for consistency and some for up-dating the standards. The Board of Directors is reviewing the re-write, and the changes will be available for discussion at the June 1st Town Hall Meeting. There may also be changes to the By Laws and the CC&Rs to bring them up to date. The changes will be up for vote by the membership at the nd June 22 Annual Meeting. To Burn or Not to Burn, That is the Question Dave Hargroves, Fire Chief As nicer weather greets us each day, we look around Our homes and see that pile of brush and leaves we just didn’t get to burn last fall. Should we burn it? How do we know if it is ok? The Department of Ecology releases a daily burn decision for Ecology regulated Eastern Washington counties each morning. Grant County Fire District 8 (GCFD8) posts a “Burn OK” or “No Burn” notice in the front window of the Mattawa Station during the week. If you have a question about the daily burn decision, you may call the DOE at 800-406-5322 (option 2, then option 5) for their decision or you may call GCFD8 at 509-932-4777 to get the latest information, which is usually available by 9AM. On weekends, please call Ecology. Outdoor burning is banned in all urban growth areas in Washington. If you live outside the boundaries of an urban growth area, it is legal to burn natural vegetation, but Ecology encourages us to consider alternatives to burning. Garbage burning and burn barrels are illegal everywhere in Washington, and have been for many years. Consider exchanging your burn barrel for a compost bin. Things to know before you burn: 1. Burn barrels are illegal 2. Burning is not the only way to dispose of natural vegetation. Consider composting and chipping 3. Where residential burning is allowed, the burn pile must be smaller than 4’x4’x3’ 4. You may burn only one pile at a time 5. When and where burning is allowed, you may only burn unprocessed natural vegetation 6. Your smoke must not impact your neighbors, and you must put out your fire if it does 7. Do not leave your fire unattended 8. The fire should not include materials hauled from another property 9. It is illegal to burn construction or demolition debris 10. Check with the Fire District for permit and safety requirements before you light any outdoor fire If it is a burn day, you must notify GCFD8 when, where and what you plan to burn. On weekends, please leave a message with your name, address, phone number, and material being burned. If an Ecology recording is listed as “CALL IN”, growers need to contact Ecology in Spokane at 509-329-3400 Mon-Fri 8-5 to schedule for a burn decision. Calling in the afternoon is preferred. Please note that it is very unlikely a grower will get permission the same day they first call Ecology. Call the GCFD8 Administrative Office (509) 9324777, each day you plan to burn to check if it is a burn day and to report where and what you are burning. DESERT AIRE DARK SKIES UPDATE Many more residents have been expressing their interest in Dark Skies Compliant Exterior Lighting. Some of the folks have found that their outdoor fixtures don’t need to be replaced to be compliant and have only needed to change their bulbs. Others have changed out their fixtures for motion detection fixtures. Without streetlights everywhere so many of us have begun to once again appreciate seeing stars, planets and even the Milky Way. Let’s continue the conversation. DESERT AIRE SPRING CLEANUP The date for our community’s Annual Spring Cleanup is Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, from 9 AM – 12 PM. You may join other volunteers in a concentrated effort to pick up litter and other debris from the Common Areas, Green Belts and the Free Board. The first 50 people that arrive will receive a free pair of work gloves with the Desert Aire logo. We will meet at the D.A. Office at 9:00 A.M. on both Friday and Saturday to get maps, garbage bags and a list of areas that need cleanup. Coffee & donuts will be served and bottled water will be available for you to take with you on your rounds on Friday. On Saturday, hamburgers and pop will be served to the volunteers beginning at 11:00 AM. If you know of an area in your neighborhood that needs attention, please inform the office staff so we can get it on our list. Likewise, if you aren’t available th th on the 26 & 27 to join the group effort, you may want to clean up in your neighborhood and take the th bags to the dumpsters by the 28 . Dumpsters will be located in the maintenance yard, across from the Office Complex, for use by D.A. residents for those three days. Sometimes folks have items that they no longer use but are too good to throw out. You may inspect those items at the dumpsters. Those of us who have joined the group in the last few years have enjoyed ourselves, met new neighbors and felt good about improving our community. Hope to see you there! GRANT COUNTY LANDFILL HOURS -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Saturday: 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Fees: ½ cubic yard is $6.00; 1 cubic yard is $18.00. The Mattawa Refuse Site accepts some recyclables such as newspaper, glass, aluminum cans, auto batteries and latex paint. You may take your used motor oil to the Maintenance Building across from the D.A. Office. It will be used to heat the maintenance building during the winter months. Dear Desert Aire Homeowners Dick and I want to thank you and all the residents of Desert Aire who supported us and helped us succeed in Desert Aire during a long and painful year. Dick, as you know, had five life threatening major by-pass operations. Through it all he came to the office or worked from our home to facilitate our business. During that time we closed 10 sales in Desert Aire. Most of those were never listed and we negotiated and closed 4 more sales in Seattle. So, real estate as we know it, even though it was below our average, continued, uninterrupted for that whole year. Dick has fully recovered and is at the top of his game again and happy to report that the market, in our area is moving again! Although our prices have hit an all-time low and we still have some “under water” properties to assist, things are looking better. West of the mountains sales are up by 14%, inventory is at a record low and 25% of all that inventory is distressed. Most important is that things are starting to move again and being flexible and creative is key. Financing is a challenge for second home and investment buyers so being open to options is important. The sales we had here were primarily owner financing giving the sellers added benefit to the sales price. Understanding, short sales, foreclosures and REO’s is key. Melinda,is a speaker for the Master Builder Association and teaches classes for anyone wanting to know more about these critical elements. Here’s the big surprise! I heard from a resident in Desert Aire, a rumor is circulating that Dick and Melinda are no longer doing business in Desert Aire! Wow, that would be a surprise to all our clients so thought it important to clear that one up. Pacific Real Estate Network, our rental management company, is, as always, going strong and our residential sales and listing company; Adamas Realty, LLC is also working great for everyone. Again, thank you for your support and your confidence in our ability to perform at the highest level for all of you. Sincerely, Dick and Melinda Skogerson; Adamas Realty, LLC 425-444-4141 or 425-822-9600 Parks, Marina and Greenbelt CommitteeGary Varney, Chairman Marina and Shoreline Trail: {Priest Rapids Recreational Area} The marina and shoreline trail projects are proceeding as planned and on time to be completed by Memorial Day. The boat basin is completed and the new jetty that will protect the boat basin from the river’s current and from the prevailing winds is almost complete, with landscaping on the jetty currently in progress. Final grading of the trails in preparation for the asphalting on the north end and the compacted gravel on the south end are underway. In addition, the boat basin parking lot is being prepared for paving and construction will be starting soon on the restrooms. As noted in the last newsletter, the PUD has decided to take on management and security for the shoreline park and Boat Launch areas. The PUD has determined there will be no fees charged for the launching of boats or use of the picnic area. There will be fees charged for the campground use. Those fees have not been determined as yet. Reservations for the campground will need to be made through the PUD website. We also will have a link to their website on the Desert Aire website as well. The PUD also has plans to upgrade the campground to a “full hook-up” campground in 2015. The PUD will be manning the park and campground with a “campground host” seven days a week through the summer and fall. In addition they will be providing security through Phoenix Security, the same contractor used by PUD for the Wanapum and Priest Rapids dams. PUD maintenance personnel will also be deployed on a regular basis to clean restrooms, collect trash, etc. The shoreline trails will include several rest stops outfitted with picnic tables and garbage receptacles. There will also be dog waste stations along the trails to assist dog owners in picking up after their dogs. The PUD is finalizing their final plans on the “social trails” connecting the main upper trail to the lower shoreline trail. Once this plan is determined, it will be communicated out and the main trail will be signed to mark the approved trails. When the project is complete, these improvements and upgrades will be a great benefit to the Desert Aire community as well as the surrounding areas. The PUD, in coordination with Desert Aire Owners Association, is planning a Grand Opening event of the new Priest Rapids Recreational Area. The proposed date is Saturday, June 15 at one o’clock PM. This event would also tie in with the Desert Aire Airport sponsored “Fly-In Breakfast” as well as the first golf cart inspection date to get permits for 2013.. This date was selected in the hope of having as many residents in attendance as possible. There will also be other planned events that day as well. Details are still in the early stages but stay tuned for updates. Desert Aire Annual Spring Cleanup Dates: This year we are asking for volunteers to join us for Desert Aire Annual Spring Cleanup days on Friday th th and Saturday, April 25 - 26 from 9am to 12pm. Your participation in one or both will be greatly appreciated. On these two days, the community gets together to cleanup many of our Greenbelt areas and any other part of the community that may need special attention. Not only does this improve the way things look but it also helps remove tumbleweeds and other debris that can potentially be an extreme fire hazard for all of us. Refreshments, donuts and garbage collection bags will be provided. Plan on meeting at the Multi Purpose Building at 9 am. We appreciate all who volunteer. It is also a great opportunity to meet people in the community. Shoreline – No Hunting Zone: The shoreline area between Desert Aire and the river will be posted as a “No Hunting” zone upon completion and opening of the shoreline project. Golf Cart Inspections: Sagebrush Senior Center The 2012 Grant County golf cart permits expire June 30, 2013. Grant County Sheriff Department has determined two dates for Desert Aire residents to have carts inspected and obtain permits for 2013. Dates and times are as follows: th Saturday June 15 from 8 am to 12 pm th Friday June 28 from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm The same requirements are in place and the inspection fee and permit cost is $50. Exact cash or check payable to Grant County are the only methods of payment. Requirements: -Seat Belts- anchored to the frame for driver and passenger -Two rear view mirrors- one on the left hand side of the cart and one on either the right hand side or in the middle -Reflectors- right and left side, front and rear of the cart, eight 3” reflectors, four amber and four red. -Two amber facing forward on the front left and right sides -Two amber on the front sides facing right and left -Two red facing to the rear on the rear right and left -Two red on the rear sides facing right and left. Inspection: -Carts must be inspected for the above and registered prior to driving on the road -Owner must be present for inspection and registration -Owner must have cart ID number or VIN number -Owner must provide proof of ownership if available or Driver License -Owner must present driver license as ID A copy of the inspection form will be available in the pro shop and Desert Aire office. Having these completed prior to the inspection will expedite the process. Koala bears (they aren’t actually bears) are excellent swimmers. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar. More than 2,500 left-handed people a year are killed from using products made for right-handed people. Your body is creating and killing 15 million red blood cells per second. Organized crime is estimated to account for 10% of the United States' national income. The word 'set' has more definitions than any other word in the English language. More than 400,000 U.S. houses still lack indoor plumbing. Desert Aire Airport News – David Strand th The 12 annual Desert Aire fly-in is scheduled for th Father’s Day weekend, June 15 , and everyone is invited. Breakfast will be served from 7:00 til 11:00 AM, so bring the family and enjoy a hearty meal of pancakes, sausage and eggs. Gordie and Eileen Harang have graciously agreed to again host this year’s fly-in breakfast at their hangar, just 2 hangars west of the senior center. We appreciate your donations and support. Each year your airport team tries to surprise you with new airplanes and activities and this year should be the best yet. See you there. It’s that time of year we ask the airport residents to voluntary meet their assessment obligation. The funds are used to leverage Washington State Transportation Airport Aid funds through the Airport Aid Grant program. Last year we were awarded a grant to repair the parking apron on the west end of the airport, and the voluntary assessment funds were used to meet the matching 5% requirement. This year we start to tackle the reconstruction of our failing runway, so if you have not responded to your assessment obligation, please contact Cliff Naser (509-331-7043). The Washington State Aviation division has experienced many changes over the last year and a half, including a new Director and staff. New ideas and procedure are being developed to hopefully provide better support to local airports in our state. There are many opportunities and challenges in our future, and it is vitally important for our community airport to adopt the standards set forth by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). Even though our airport does not qualify for federal funds, our state aviation policies are migrating more and more to the federal standards. It is becoming clear that to qualify for any future airport improvement funds we will have to meet the federal standard. This is a major challenge for any small (non-obligated) airport and many airports may not be able to meet this challenge. We are ready and able, so bring it on. The new runway reconstruction engineering and design is complete, on time and on budget. Our partners have committed their support, and we are pursuing other funding opportunities. If the health of our economy and general aviation continues to improve, we are ready to accept the challenge. Thank you all for your support, and to all the volunteers and friends of the airport. May you always enjoy tailwinds. Attention Desert Aire Residents Aircraft Owners & Pilots Admin (AOPA) in conjunction with the Transportation Security Admin. (TSA) wish to remind residents that unauthorized personnel are not allowed on Runways, Taxiways, or Aircraft Movement areas. If you as a resident observe any unauthorized or suspicious activities please notify airport management, @ 509-932-5642 or call 866/GA-SECURE. Top five tips for using a fire extinguisher 1. Plan ahead when purchasing and placing extinguishers. You should buy an extinguisher rated for the type and size of fire most likely to occur in the area where it is located 2. If a fire breaks out, your first step is to get everyone out of the house and then call 911. If the fire is not spreading and is contained to a small area, use the appropriate type of extinguisher for the fire. 3. Periodically inspect your extinguisher to determine if they need to be recharged or replaced. Extinguishers need to be recharged or replaced after each use- even if you haven't used the entire extinguishing agent. Check the gauge on the fire extinguisher for this information 4. When using a portable extinguisher, keep your back to an obstructed exit that is free from fire. 5. Check the manufacturer's instructions for operating guidelines, including proper distance between the extinguisher and the fire . Always aim at the base of the fire Remember the word PASS: PULL THE PIN AIM SQUEEZE SWEEP PRO SHOP NEWS – Don Tracy, PGA Professional Spring is here and soon the mountain passes will be getting better which means more of our members with summer homes will be coming back to Desert Aire. Also, our snow birds will be heading back soon. February Green Fees were down from last year. Ironically the weather was too good which allowed the Ellensburg, Wenatchee and Moses Lake courses to open. Our Green Fees for February were $5,505.00 compared to $11,199.00 for February of 2012. Year to date our Green Fees are $8,765.00 compared to $14,142.00 in 2012. The course came through the winter in great shape and the water will be on this week. It seems everyone who visits our course is amassed by its condition and the improvements that have been made over the years. st GHIN posting started on March 1 and we are back to one cup and regular tees. Remember golf dues, cart permits, cart storage, Men’s and Ladies Club dues along with handicap fees are now due. If you are only here on weekends you can take care of these dues and fees in the pro shop. Our winter Best Ball is this Saturday and Sunday th th March 9 & 10 . This event is full with 66 teams and 132 players. It should be a great way to start our tournament season. Other upcoming events include th the Fireman’s Scramble Saturday April 20 and the Jack Rabbit Couples tournament Saturday and th th Sunday May 4 & 5 . The Pro Shop is fully stocked for your golfing needs. We will be having sales throughout the Spring and new merchandise will be arriving weekly so be sure and stop by and check on the new items. Spring is a great time to take lessons and brush up on your fundamentals. My lessons are $40.00 per lesson or $140.00 for a series of four. Also, remember we match prices of Pro Golf Discount, Puetz Golf and Golf Smith on their non close out equipment. Golf Fact! The chances of making two holes-inone in a round of golf are one in 67 million D.A. CITIZENS PATROL NEWS – Mike Wolff Watermaster Report – Chris Guillen The new water main on Lake Place has completed all the testing and now all the residences have been tied to the new main line. The major problem happened when we were trying to find the services, on the south end of Lake Place we could not find where the line hooked to the old main line. We had to dig and install a new 1” line to that meter service. I still have some cleanup to do and then asphalt next month when the weather warms up a little. I have installed new batteries at the water tower to run all the equipment. The water tower has no power; it is run off solar cell and batteries. These batteries are for operating the sensors on the tower to tell us the amount of water we have and radio that information back to the shop. The old batteries were the original equipment installed in 1996. Water bills must be paid on or before their due dates. A water bill is considered late after 30 days. After 45 days the meter will be shut off for Non-Payment Just as a reminder the water policy, effective August st 1 2009 states members are not to access the meter boxes in any way or they will be subject to the enforcement mechanisms of the policy. All samples taken have been good. We are currently at 1115 connections to the water system. The total year to date gallons produced for the overall domestic water system is 1,479,387. Conservation Tip To reduce evaporation, water the lawn in the early morning or evening. Avoid watering during the heat of the day or when it is windy. Fun Facts About Water The first municipal water filtration works opened in Paisley, Scotland in 1832. There are more than 56,000 community water systems providing water to the public in the United States. The Spring Spaghetti Feed is the fund-raiser for the Volunteer Citizens Patrol. It will be held at the Sagebrush Senior Center on Friday, May 3rd from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Donations are used for patrol expenses including gasoline. Please come for a good meal, good company, help support our Citizens Patrol and to thank them for their efforts. Patrol member’s will be cooking and serving spaghetti, garlic bread and a green salad. B.Y.O.B. SEE YOU THERE!!! REFLECTIVE ADDRESS SIGNS AVAILABLE FROM THE COUNTY To an emergency responder (Law enforcement, EMS, Fire, Citizens Patrol) they can and are real time savers, especially at night. The DA Office has the order forms and the signs cost only $10.00, a reasonable price in an emergency. Our Fire Chief and his team even install the signs. This is a small price to pay for the secure feeling that emergency personnel will be able to find your home quickly. WALKING SAFELY AT DUSK When walking at dusk, be aware that drivers may have trouble seeing you if you are wearing dark colored clothing. Please wear light colored clothing, Walk on the left side of the road facing the oncoming traffic and take a flashlight with you. SAFETY NOTES Do you know that it is against the law for anyone to ride on a towed vehicle? Boats, ski-doos etc. The Grant county Sheriff’s deputies will ticket the driver for EVERY person in said towed trailer. Please join the DESERT AIRE CITIZENS PATROL. We need help and we need it now. Drivers receive 3 gallons of fuel per shift. Call Mike Wolff at 932-0822, Walt Hawkins at 932-2463 or Larry Bonander at 9325183. We meet on the last Thursday of the month at the Senior Center at 5 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend our meeting. Thank you, and be safe! IMPORTANT DATES: Board Meeting Schedule: Effective August 2012 through June 2013 will be held the 2nd Friday of each month at 4:00 P.M., with no meeting scheduled in January. Meetings are held in the lower level of the Multi-Purpose building. BUSINESS OFFICE Sue Anderson Judy Fogerson James Curdy, Jr. 509-932-4839 HOURS OF OPERATION Summer*: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Winter: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm *Summer Hours are March thru October MAINTENANCE / GROUNDS James Curdy – Superintendent 509-932-4466 WATER DISTRIBUTION OPERATOR Chris Guillen, Watermaster 509-932-5202 Water Emergency (After hours) 509-830-4332 Swimming Pool 509-932-4896 GOLF-PRO SHOP Don Tracy – PGA Professional Tom Johnson, Tom Truax, Carolyn Holmes, Brian Mullen, Linda Vincent, Krissy Ross 509-932-4439
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