Barrington Ridge HOA

The Kansas City Police Department has recently updated the department’s website (www.kcpd.org). Take a look and check out the Chief’s Blog, the Shoal Creek Patrol Division, the boundaries of Shoal Creek, report drug houses and the new PDF “Safety Brochures”, plus much more. Our Community Interaction Officer is Markus Smith and he can be reached at 816-413-3440 or via email at markus.smith@kcpd.org. His April newsletter included the following information about personal safety.

Crime can occur anywhere at anytime to anyone. While all situations are different, our goal is to reduce the likelihood and effect of that crime.

1. Be Aware (of your surroundings)
*Plan ahead for where you are going. *Carry a cell phone
*Constantly assess situations as they develop. *Look for points of escape.
*Acknowledge the presence of a suspicious person. *Avoid preoccupation. (phone calls or texting)

2. Alert
*Predators will hunt in places where victims and opportunity regularly collide.
*Use the buddy system
*Demonstrate an alert, strong persona
*Scan the environment (Head high, Confident, Stand balanced on both feet, Keep hands out pockets)
*Be aware of cars that pull up to you or that pass you repeatedly.

3. Avoid
*Potential problem areas, secluded places where you can be put in a vulnerable position.
*The “No, not me” syndrome, “Know you (anyone) could become a victim”
*Don’t drink yourself into a loss of alertness
*Don’t leave your drinks (alcohol, soft drinks) unattended by you.

4. Action
*Understand your capabilities
*Use common sense
*Do NOT panic
*Take responsibility for your own safety *Be your own bodyguard
*Have a response ready prior to assailant contact. A challenging command may be enough.

Use the above prevention tips; develop a flexible plan of action; practice, practice, practice that plan; and your GOAL is that “YOU WILL SURVIVE”.

It looks like spring is finally getting here. Our lawn crews were out this past Friday and have started our spring fertilization. Most of the backyards are really wet so we won't be mowing this week but we are hoping to start mowing the yards in the next week or so. Our mowing day will be Thursdays when weather permits. Please try to keep garden hoses and other items out of the yards on mowing days. Remember, if you have any problems or concerns come up about the yards or the mowing, please contact Terry at Hunter Residential as soon as possible so matters can be promptly addressed. Thanks for your help in keeping our neighborhood a great place to live!

At our Annual Homeowners' Meeting on February 24, 2010, Donna Eskew was elected to our Board of Directors for a three year term.

Our spring Yard Sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 8 AM to 4 PM. The HOA will advertise the event in local papers, TV and internet venues. All homeowners are welcome to participate!

The Swicegoods will host our Potluck Cook-out starting at 5 PM on Saturday, July 24th with a rain date of July 31st. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share and lawn chairs.

Our Community Officer Markus Smith spoke with us briefly and it was decided that we should start a Neighborhood Watch program. We will be setting up a meeting to put this in place in the next few weeks.

Don't forget! March 1st is the due date for our annual dues!

Please mark these dates on your calendar! We are looking forward to a great year in our neighborhood!

Our annual homeowners' meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 6:30 in the Community Room of the Shoal Creek Patrol Station at the intersection of Shoal Creek Parkway and Pleasant Valley Road. We will be electing a new officer to our Board for a three year term at this meeting. Official notices and proxy forms are being mailed out to all homeowners this week. If you will not be able to attend the meeting, please fill out the proxy form and return it to Hunter Residential before 6:30 pm on Monday, February 22, 2010. If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please let Hunter Residential know as well, so your name can be added to the ballot. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend!

Finally the temperature is above freezing! The snow is beautiful coming down but it is certainly an ugly mess right now. We understand that the temperatures have been extremely cold and added to that is all the snow but people if you have pets, you have to clean up after them!!! Even if they are messing in your own yard, the city of Kansas City requires that you clean up after them. What is even more concerning though, is not cleaning up after your dogs when you take them for a walk. Homeowners without pets are finding messes left in their yards, driveways and the sidewalks in front of their homes. This is inexcusable! If you have a pet, you take on the responsibility of cleaning up after it so please do so!

Merry Christmas to all!

Winter weather has arrived. Please remember that our Indentures state there will be no overnight parking on our streets (from midnight to 8 AM). This is especially important when it is snowing outside. All of our houses have 2 car garages and driveways that will accomodate 2 to 4 additional cars so there shouldn't be a need to park on the streets. During the winter this is important because the snow removal crews cannot do a good job clearing our streets if there are cars parked on them...especially around the cul-du-sacs and at the intersections. Our streets are narrow and when they are slick or ice covered, parked cars make them even harder to navigate. The Board of Directors has the power to establish fines for violations of the Indentures but we certainly hope that won't become necessary.

If any of our homeowners need assistance getting mail or newspapers or putting their trash out on bad weather days, please contact Terry at Hunter. We have a couple of homeowners who will be happy to come help out.

The HOA Board hopes everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

A letter regarding our HOA dues will be coming out to everyone this next week. The Board has reviewed our expenses and budgeted for our needs for 2010. Hunter Residential will continue to handle our properties next year. The Board is happy to announce that both our annual dues that everyone pays and the monthly dues that are paid by the villa homes will remain the same for 2010. The annual dues will not be due by January 1, 2010 but rather will be due by March 1, 2010. There are no bills for the common grounds that need to be paid before April, so there is no need for us to collect the money and let it sit for 2 months. Everyone has taxes to pay by January 1st and with the holidays in December, we felt it might give everyone a little relief to postpone the due date. The monthly dues for the villa homes will remain the same and will still be due the first of each month. The letter coming out to everyone also includes a schedule for the lawn work for next year. If you don't receive a letter, please contact Terry at Hunter Residential.

A note of warning for everyone...there have been some reported break-ins and vandalism in our neighboring developments so please be sure to keep your home locked...even when you are at home. Open garage doors and unlocked vehicles parked in driveways are invitations to thieves. Please report any problems or suspicious persons or vehicles to the police promptly!

The Board set a list of lawn care needs at our last meeting and Terry is getting bids for the 2010 season. He is also getting bids for our snow removal for this coming season. We will meet again in October to review the bids and make a decision. Once we have these numbers, we will review our budget and determine if any changes need to be made to our monthly or annual dues.

The Board also decided to change the due date for our annual dues. For 2010 they will be due by March 1st. With the holiday season and taxes already being due by January 1st, we felt this would give everyone a little bit of a break by moving our annual dues to the first of March. A letter will be going out to everyone in late October or early November with detailed information.