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Trustee Meetings Second Tuesday of each Month Holy Cross Lutheran Church located at 13014 Olive Blvd Corner of Fernview and Olive Blvd. Please enter at the rear of the church. 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 pm.
ISSUE 57 © April First Issue 2010 OLD FARM GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With one fourth of 2010 already in the history books, I want to ask you to look ahead to the future. We, as Trustees, have a responsibility to the homeowners of our subdivision to act as good stewards of the subdivision’s assets and to plan for our future needs. With this in mind, I want to review a couple topics that will affect each of us as homeowners.
You should have recently received a letter requesting nominations for candidates to stand at election for At-Large Trustee positions. By the time you receive this, City & Village will have mailed ballots to all homeowners. I urge you to take time to participate in this election. I know that in the scheme of what is going on around our nation and the world, Old Farm Estates can seem insignificant. But I would suggest to you that nothing could be further from the truth. This is our home. This is where we live. Think back to some of the reasons you moved here in the first place. You expected a certain quality of life from the look of the subdivision and the level of amenities we had to offer. These are the same things some other prospective home buyer will be looking for. These are the things that enhance the value of your property. These things do not happen by accident. They come from a dedicated group of Trustees who spend countless hours working with homeowners to make Old Farm Estates the wonderful place that it is. So, in our own way, this election is very important. Do some investigating about the candidates. Talk to your neighbors. Talk to their neighbors. Ask current Trustees what they know of the person. But in the end, please vote.
Once elected, these new Trustees will face many challenges and opportunities in the future. Some ideas that have been discussed to improve the subdivision include:
These are just ideas right now. But the hard reality is that none of them can even be seriously considered until the subdivision revises the amount of our assessment.
Our assessment is $100 per home per year. We have been at that level since 2002. Inflation has doubled the cost of living in that time. The Trustees enacted a budget for 2010 that shows that our cost to just operate on a day-to-day basis will be almost $50,000, and this number is not really a true reflection of the total cost because of the work done by Trustees and other volunteers for no charge. We have 558 homes yielding a maximum assessment of $55,800 per year. This leaves us with less than $6,000 a year for larger repair projects, to set aside as reserves for large capital projects like replacing a common ground driveway, or for taking on new responsibilities like any of those listed above.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I do not take lightly any suggestion of increasing our assessment. I know that this is a very challenging economy that has affected everyone. It has surely affected our household. I am keenly aware that too much of our money is wasted by politicians. But this money stays right here to make our neighborhood a better place to live. I would ask you to consider what you want Old Farm to look like in five years. If we are to remain a first class subdivision, we will need to address the issue of our assessment in the near future.
At our last general meeting, our speaker was Jim Graeler of Chesterfield Valley Nursery, 636-532-9307. Thank you Jim for your presentation on improving a home yard appearance. His web site is chesterfieldvalleyinc.com. Best Regards, Sam Craig
SWEET GUM BALLS PICK THEM UP!
Did you know that Sweet Gum balls drop between the months of December and April. Don’t let them lay around all spring and summer. Pick them up now or pick them up soon. These large prickly balls make the street and yard look terrible, they make it difficult to walk on the side walk and make it nearly impossible to ride a bike. We have many of these trees in our neighborhood and they are beautiful trees with big broad leaves and gorgeous fall color but they certainly make us pay the price.
You can spray these trees but the time window to do it is very short. The time to spray is in the spring and depends on weather conditions. There is a very short window of opportunity to beat these things. If you are interested in spraying use a professional and don’t hesitate to call now because April is when they spray. I did a quick Google search of “Tree Sprayers 63146” and found several local tree sprayers. Two that were nearby were Metro Forestry in Ballwin, 636-394-6597, http://www.metro-forestry.com/ and Reliable Landscaping in Sappington, 843-4900. Information about this article came from University of Illinois Extension .
St Louis County will sweep our streets upon request from residents twice per year. You can call and request a street sweep at 615-8538. For the yard there is only one answer to this pesky problem. The balls will stop falling this month and will not fall again until the winter so get out the rake and shovel or hire someone and PICK THEM UP!
Ted Campbell
YARD LIGHTS
Please clean the lenses of the yard lights to achieve the maximum brightness.
Larry Jackson
NEIGHBORHOOD HERITAGE PRESERVATION
During the past few months this committee and the Trustees have received numerous complaints regarding cars parked on subdivision roads.
Let me quote from county ordinance 1207.050
Time Limitation on Parking.-- 1. No person shall park any vehicle on any roadway for an uninterrupted period of time longer than twenty-four (24) hours except in an emergency, except for the time period between 5:00 p.m. Friday and 9:00 a.m. Monday.
According to the neighborhood Policing Unit, this is a difficult ordinance to enforce. It’s difficult to prove when a vehicle has been moved, and there is no legal definition of moved. It’s not a matter of ‘we have higher priority issues’, but a matter of determining if a vehicle has been moved. On the flip side, if auto parts are observed that have fallen to the street or the car is a derelict, then the violation is clear and the police will take appropriate action.
Our indentures are unclear if unmoved vehicles parked on a public street are a violation and if so, then any resulting legal action the Trustees can take are equally unclear.
What can we do? I would be considerate of your neighbors, and park on the driveway instead of the street. My appreciation to those that do. The infrequent street parking is one matter, but consistent street parking and not moving a car for days is an accident waiting to occur. Vehicles from opposite directions must pull to the side, with an increased traffic danger for wide vehicles such as school buses, trash haulers, etc. To report a violation, call the St. Louis County Neighborhood Policing Unit, Officer Ellis or Officer Milam at 567-9926.
Also, in regards to traffic, speeding is a problem. Property damage has occurred. If a designated car(s) is consistently observed speeding, notify the above police unit with the time, type of car or any additional identifying information. Under no circumstances, approach the driver.
Violation of another ordinance has occurred. 1207.060 Parking Prohibited in Residential Front Yards.-- No person shall park or permit a vehicle to remain in the front yard of residential property, unless such vehicle is parked on a paved driveway or designated parking area.
A designated parking area shall be adjacent to and contiguous to the driveway within a residential property and shall be paved.
Police have and will take action against this ordinance. Typically, vehicles have been parked between homes on an unpaved area.
Another frequent complaint, to the committee is sidewalk conditions. Adjacent concrete slabs differing in elevation poses a dangerous condition. For corrective action, please call Mark Schonhoff 434- 2053 mschonhoff@live.com. He is the chairperson for Streets and Sidewalks. Note -see next page.
In closing, please continue to contact me when you believe an OFE indenture violation has occurred, 434-2566 or email, my preference, at jerryfrang@sbcglobal.net. I’ll coordinate and track the calls while reporting to the county. Alternately, you may call the county Neighborhood Preservation 615-7333 for county violations.
Jerry Goldberg
CONSTRUCTION
Missouri American Water Company is performing construction at the Olive Creve Coeur subdivision entrance. They are relocating a 42” water main because of the Olive Page connector, north of Olive. The water main originates from the Hog Hollow plant. All OFE property will be restored by the contractor to its original condition.
Jerry Goldberg
OLD FARM SIDEWALKS & STREETS
Saint Louis County has fewer funds this year (due to the recession, lower tax revenue and funding being allocated to the 141 extension) than in the past. The Old Farm Trustees will be grouping our requested sidewalk repairs/priorities and communicating them to St. Louis County together in the April timeframe. If you have a sunken sidewalk that collects water and mud, please email Mark Schonhoff (mschonhoff@live.com) with the location of the problem. Code requires the sidewalk to be 4" over the street level, so we will have a stronger request for areas that fall under this condition (vs. inability for water to drain due to foliage/landscape build-up).
Recently, the Trustees have been successful in getting some larger sections of asphalt-replaced sidewalks back to full concrete replacement. Our intent with grouping our requests in April is to provide more leverage while providing the County efficiency and cost savings in its planning and repair schedule.
Unfortunately, the ugly black asphalt patches to minimize trip hazards may remain in many cases. St. Louis County's policy is to grind concrete for any height differences between sidewalk section of 1" or less. For height differences of over 1", their policy is to use the black asphalt patching method. If you want the Trustees to communicate uneven sidewalks (trip hazards) that need attention, please email Mark Schonhoff (mschonhoff@live.com).
Thanks to everyone that keeps their sidewalks maintained. Following the spring thaw is a good time to examine your sidewalk and use a flat-bladed spade to scrape off any mud/leaves that have accumulated on them and blown about over the fall and cold winter.
Bookbinder Sidewalk Clean-up/Beatification ---- OFE Master Gardeners Wanted Hopefully many of you have noticed an improvement in the ability to use the sidewalk on the east side of Bookbinder on the large hill from Hobnail Drive down to the fields/pool area. This is a homeowner owned area. Three Trustees: Dave Voeller, Les Shenberg, Mark Schonhoff and two homeowner volunteers: Bill Irwin and Jack Holscher have provided sweat equity cleaning up brush and moving dirt off and back from this 500 foot section. Initially, the thinking was to plant hostas and daylilies near the sidewalk on this hill-side until we received some well-timed advice from Wayne and Cheryl Hause. Turns out that Hostas and Daylilies are favorite snacks to deer ......and we certainly do not want to attract deer on this steep hillside nor waste time. Helleborus Orientalis (Lenten Rose) has been recommended for this hillside (thank you Cheryl Hause!) because it thrives in shade and deer do not like it. The Internet says the best time to thin/transplant is in the fall.
We will continue to clean up this section of sidewalk and will have a volunteer planting event next fall. In the meantime, if you have any Lenten Rose at your home and are willing to thin some of it in the fall .... and/or if there are other decorative plants that do well in the shade and are deer-prove, please let Mark know (mschonhoff@live.com). Thank you.
Mark Schonhoff
OUR WEBSITE
Our website contains a wealth of information. From the formal such as Trustee meeting minutes to the informal such as community service assistance. For example, need a babysitter, lawn assistance or someone to walk you dog? Look no further than oldfarmestates.org, click on Resources and scroll down to OFE Services. Send an email to Dave Voeller, dvoeller@hunter.com. to place an ad. Please, no commercial or non-resident placements. We do not guarantee or take responsibility for the services rendered and all agreements are between you and the provider.
Dave Voeller
YOUR TRUSTEES PRESIDENTSam Craig 576-1514 samcraig677@gmail.com DISTRICT TRUSTEES Officers, Committees Chairs andCommittee Members
1 Luke Bader 514-9652 lukewbader@aol.com 2 Mike Davis 434-4572 mdavis.plastics@sbcglobal.net Pool 3 Mark Schonhoff 434-2053 mschonhoff@live.com Streets and Sidewalks 4 Sam Craig 576-1514 samcraig677@gmail.com Long Range Planning 5 Dan Bellows 469-8087 dan.bellows@bunge.com Long Range Planning 6 Larry Jackson 878-4068 lgjackson@sbcglobal.net Vice President, Common Grounds 7 Ed Shimamoto 878-1990 eshima@yahoo.com AT-LARGE TRUSTEES
Ted Campbell 542-0727 campbellted12@yahoo.com Treasurer, Welcome Wagon, Pool Joy Fisher 579-9370 joyfisher@live.com Recreation Shane Niefert 434-2990 ksneifert@juno.com Architectural Review Les Shenberg 514-0280 lshenberg@hotmail.com Neighborhood Watch, David Voeller 878-3178 dvoeller@gmail.com Secretary, Internet Jerry Goldberg 434-2566 jerryfrang@sbcglobal.net Editor, Neighborhood Heritage Preservation Kathy Schweitzer 576-5891 kathyschweitzer@excite.com Long Range Planning
DISTRICT 1 BLOCK PARTY – JUNE 26
Neighbors in District 1, come join us for our first annual block party on Saturday June 26 at 3:00. The street closure has already been approved for Camphill Ct. between Musket Ct. and Old Farm Dr.. District 1 includes the 74 homes on Camphill Ct., Musket Ct., Old Bridge Dr. and Old Farm Dr. from 13005 to 13166. This will be an evening filled with fun for all ages - BBQ, activities, and a great opportunity to meet all your friendly neighbors. Please bring a side dish, drinks, cooler, and chairs. No glass bottles, please. Brats and hot dogs will be provided. Anyone interested in volunteering your time or talent, please contact Luke Bader at 514-9652 or lukewbader@aol.com. Watch for a flyer with more details in May. Join our Facebook group “OFE District 1 Block Party” and post any questions or comments. We look forward to seeing you June 26th. Early RSVPs are welcomed.
Luke Bader
2009 AUDIT
Pursuant to the Old Farm Estate Indenture, an audit committee of three non-officer trustees was formed to review the 2009 financial reports. This committee included Mark Schonhoff, Joy Fisher and Dan Bellows. The committee reviewed the City & Village monthly income & disbursement statements and the subdivision's monthly bank statements. These were compared to the check registers and the OFE Revenue, Expense and Cash Balance statements for January to December, 2009. There were no judgments made as to the appropriateness of the expenses recorded. These decisions were made when the Board approved the annual budget or with approval of supplemental appropriations. In the opinion of the Audit Committee, the financial statements present fairly, the financial position and results of Old Farm Estates for the calendar year ending December 31, 2009. In addition, the financial records appear to be well documented and maintained.
Dan Bellows
Old Farm Estates Subdivision Treasurers Report – 2009
We began the year with a surplus of $38,973 and ended 2009 with a surplus of $25,982. Major highlights for the year include the following: We spent $22,388 on repairs and improvements at the pool. This amount exceeded the planned spending by $4,500. The overrun in pool capital expenditures is primarily related to higher than expected cost to install a new roof and repair the floor in the bathroom building. The bathrooms are now no longer open to the sky and weather. This should improve the longevity of our bathroom fixtures (currently in need of replacement) and certainly make the bathrooms much nicer for all residents who use the pool. Legal expenses were $6,409 and exceeded our budget by $3,409. The majority of these 2009 expenses, $5,276 were incurred as to protect the Subdivision’s ownership interest in the 16 acres of property running throughout our common area from Bookbinder to Creve Coeur Mill Road. Printing and mailing exceeded budget due to the printing of the directory as well as publishing one additional Gazette than planned. Long range planning expenses of $2,500 were related to the Trustees obtaining an appraisal of the common ground area. This appraisal was necessary to determine the value of any potential land provided to the Great Rivers Greenway for the bike trail. Special events exceeded budget due to the 2008 Halloween event being paid for in January 2009 as well as the purchase of some new signage for these events.
Ted Campbell
Old Farm Estates Swim Club
The year 2009 was another great one for the Swim Club. We ended the year with a positive net income of $4,336 primarily due to increased membership. We accomplished a lot in 2009 and look forward to another productive year in 2010. The Swim Club purchased several new tables and umbrellas in 2009 and continued to work with the subdivision Trustees to improve the facility.
The revenue and expenses for our Swim Club is presented below and includes all the operational expenses for our Swim Club.
OLD FARM ESTATES POOL
Summer is quickly approaching and it won’t be long before the flowers are blooming, (the grass is already starting to grow). That means it won’t be long before the OFE Pool will be opening for the summer! The pool will officially open on Saturday, May 29, 2010, (Memorial Day weekend) and it will close after Monday, September 6, 2010 (Labor Day). We will hold four Pool Workdays this May to get the pool spruced up and ready for the summer. The dates will be: May 1, May 8, May 15 and May 22, from 8 am-12 Noon. All volunteers are welcome!
We had a great year in 2009, and many improvements were made to the pool. We added a roof over the Men’s and Women’s bathrooms, along with lights and ceiling fans. The floors in the bathrooms were also resurfaced and look great. New tables, chairs and loungers were purchased with money raised completely by the various fundraisers. The Garage Sale and Trivia Night were very successful and a lot of fun. Pool membership was up over 2008 and we are looking for more new members this season. The membership information will be mailed soon, look for it in the mail in mid April. You can also go to the OFE website, www.oldfarmestates.org to see the rates and join.
The OFE Swim Team had a fun year in 2009 and had some of the top swimmers in the Conference Meet held at the end of the season. Michelle Tischer will be back again this year as the Head Coach. There will be Swim Team sign-ups on Saturday, May 8 from 10 am-12 noon at the Pool. Additional information is available on the website.
Finally, look for more information coming soon on the following big events at the pool: For these events the pool is open to the entire subdivision.
Mike Davis
SAVE THE DATE FOR 2010 FUNDRAISERS
Please save these dates for this year's events. We need everyone's support to make these a success and greatly appreciate the overwhelming support we have received in past years. These events are primarily driven by our Old Farm Swim Team families and take a great deal of time and effort to plan, but we always have many other neighbors who also volunteer year after year and we can't tell you how much this helps. The proceeds from these events are used 1) to the benefit of the Old Farm Swim Team as needed and 2) to purchase pool deck furniture and/or other improvements to the pool facilities.
Swim Team Sponsorships - This year we will again sell sponsorships to the first ten local businesses who want to promote their services or families who want to convey their well wishes to our teams during home meets. For details, please see www.oldfarmestates.org, click on Swim Team and then Sponsor Information.
Or contact Chris Hester at 249-0335.
Old Farm Swim Team - Gently Used Treasure Sale Saturday June 5th 8-1 pm At 1916 Bookbinder, the home of Nancy and Donald Martin. For details on donating, volunteering or just shopping please see www.oldfarmestates.org, click on Swim Team and then Fundraisers. Or call the Martin's at 434-6045. NOTE: We are often asked how we can make our sales more successful, and experience tells us the key to success is NOT in the volume of items we have to sell, but the QUALITY of items which are donated to us for sale. We gladly accept clothing and household items in great condition. However, keep in mind that worn things don't always sell and what is exciting are those items which are donated that can be sold for $10 or $100. These can really boost our success for both the team and the shoppers and they are often the first things sold when we open.
Trivia Night /Adult Party - Saturday evening August 28th at the Pool - Trivia, Games, Prizes, Swimming, we have it all on this fun filled evening with neighbors and friends. You can buy a table or just seats. As we get closer, more details on this event will be posted on the website and signs will go up. We will again sell round sponsorships to local businesses and families who are interested. For more info contact Chris Hester at 249-005.
Chris Hester
HALLOWEEN 2009 AT OLD FARM ESTATES
It was a cold dark night….Well actually it was cold but spirits were bright and the grill kept some of us warm. Despite the weather, we had a terrific turnout and for an added attraction, included some Halloween themed games. There were plenty of new faces this year as well as the regulars. I bought extra packages because of the weekend date and we cooked and served it all! Thank you to the grill crew, our servers and game supervisors without whom this event would not happen. I was able to take a few pictures during the event, see if you recognize your neighbors. Please check the website for details on the next community event. Look forward to seeing all of you in 2010!!!
Joy Fisher
p.s. We are always looking for volunteers for the Recreation Committee. I would love to include as many residents as possible in the planning and executing of these events.
Joy Fisher
NEW RESIDENTS and 2009 Directory
Do you have a new neighbor? Please inform Ted Campbell, Welcome Wagon chair-person at 542-0727.
You should have received a 2009 directory. If not, call Sam Craig, 576-1514. Directory Corrections? Also, call Sam. Updates will be placed in the next Gazette. Your permission is requested prior to publication.
Jerry Goldberg
BIKE TRAIL UPDATE
You may or may not have heard of Great Rivers Greenway District (GRG) or the bike trail proposed to pass through our common ground. In case you haven’t, here is a brief overview.
GRG was established in November, 2000 by St. Louis City and County and St. Charles County to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors by spearheading the development of an interconnected system of greenways, parks and trails that will encircle the St. Louis region. Visit www.greatrivers.info to learn more.
Why should you care? Our common ground sits squarely in the path of a major project for GRG, the Centennial Greenway linking Forest Park to Creve Coeur Park. When complete, our residents will be able to have direct access to bike trails and green spaces that can take them to Forest Park, all around St. Louis or all the way to Kansas City on the Katy Trail if they choose – right from their home. When we surveyed the subdivision, 80% said that this would be good for Old Farm Estates and asked that we push forward. I am one of those who believe this will be a wonderful and unique amenity to add to our subdivision.
Those who have lived here awhile are saying, “Are you still talking about that?” Unfortunately, the answer is yes, we are still just talking. We had hoped to have our section under construction this year, but some information came to light during negotiations with GRG that has caused the Trustees to have to file a lawsuit to get clear title to a piece of Old Farm Estates common ground. We must have clear title in order to grant the easements GRG needs to build the trail.
This was not a course of action we wished to take, but it was the only option because the land is titled in the name of the original developer’s corporation which hasn’t existed in about 30 years.
You should know that the suit has not gone as quickly as we had envisioned. This type of action is called a Quiet Title Suit and if it is not contested, is normally settled in three to six months. We began this process in June, 2009 only to learn that one of the original developers chose to contest our claim to the title of the property. As a result, the litigation is still pending and has cost significantly more than we anticipated. We have been and continue to be in negotiation to try and settle this matter. However should those fail, the Trustees plan to proceed to trial where we have high confidence that we will prevail because we have improved and maintained the property for about 30 years. We will keep you updated as the situation develops.
Sam Craig
OLD FARM ESTATES ADVERTISING BROCHURE APPROXIMATELY 1965 · · Your investment is protected by homes that provide for present and future needs for dining facilities, food preparation areas, bathing conveniences, sleeping comforts, minimum maintenance, interior and outdoor recreation, storage areas and garage facilities.
Architectural control, planning, and the availability of individualized customizing eliminates the feeling of all homes looking alike
For all present and future needs and to protect your investment, all homes are wired with 200 Amp Electric service.
Engineered kiln dried lumber to prevent shrinkage. Poured concrete basement walls reinforced with steel rods.
Drain gravel under basement floors and outside basement walls.
Gutters and downspouts assure proper drainage of water.
Copper water piping throughout house for minimum maintenance and elimination of rust.
Exterior faucets that automatically eliminate the danger of pipes freezing.
Water pressure reducing valves for noise control to increase life of appliances.
Concrete driveways reinforced with wire mesh for greater strength.
Sodded and seeded lots expedite future outdoor living.
Safety height light switches prevent accidents to children.
Sanitary sewers are approved by State and County Health Departments and maintained by FeeFeeTrunk Sewer District.
Professionally engineered storm sewers are approved and maintained by St. Louis County.
St. Louis County approved street and public sidewalk grades.
Natural gas for cooking cleanliness by Laclede Gas Company.
For your convenience, a weatherproof electric receptacle is provided with each house. For bathing comfort there are seats in stall showers and shelves by all bath tubs.
That all important kitchen storage space is enhanced with a pantry in every kitchen.
Basement is brightened by painting all basement walls white.
A separate space is provided for the storing of mops, brooms and other utensils.
All exterior doors are weather-stripped to help make heating and cooling facilities economical.
Convenient dryer vent in every laundry area.
Laundry facilities are strategically located to take advantage of natural light.
For greater strength, architecturally designed roof trusses increase the durability of your roof.
All Master Bedroom closets are well lighted.
For versatility and convenience all bedrooms have ceiling light fixtures.
Marbleized vanity tops and bowls in every house for luxury styling.
For safety, a handrail is provided on both sides of all basement stairs.
For decorating consistency, all dishwasher fronts are the same as the built-in wooden kitchen cabinets.
Bath and Tennis Club is being planned for your use in the near future.
Fireplaces, walk-out basements, landscaping, furniture, decorating accessories and interior use of wrought iron are not included in the sales price.
WHY WE MOVED WITHIN OFE
A little over five years ago, we moved to Old Farm Estates. We knew we wanted to be in a good school district and loved the Creve Coeur area. We knew that the Parkway North elementary schools with the best reputation were Ross and Bellerive. We looked at homes in both OFE and Fern Ridge. OFE seemed to have a better "feel." The homes were better maintained, there were children outside playing and people walking their dogs or walking for exercise. OFE felt like a "real neighborhood."
So here we are, over five years later. We knew we wanted to eventually move back into a two-story home, but didn't want to leave the neighborhood or have our son change schools. Over the past two years, we have seen very few homes in the Ross district that we liked and even fewer in OFE that were available. We knew we wanted to stay in OFE because we have met life long friends (neighbors) and feel a true sense of community.
When we saw the two story, we are now moving into come on the market, we knew it was meant for us! We are excited about our move and excited to meet more of our OFE neighbors.
Things we love about OFE: Wooded areas Wonderful Neighbors Ross Elementary Mixture of ages, races, social classes Central location Homeowner's pride in their homes Close to Creve Coeur Park
Anonymous
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