President's Corner
WIA: The Year in Review and a Look Ahead
Several significant events
occurred in our community in 2009; some were very good and others were
not. As your Waterwood Improvement Association President, I want to
review some of them with you, as well as reemphasize the functions of
WIA and how we see 2010.
Providing Essential Services
WIA maintains security, EMS, and
volunteer fire department protection for Waterwood. This past year saw a
major expenditure of funds to replace a 24 year old fire truck with a
new one built for WIA. That is the largest sum spent by WIA on a single
item in many years, but fire protection is considered a top priority –
as is the health and safety of our valued firefighters.
WIA implemented our Disaster Preparedness
Planning and Emergency Response
Plan, including an automated telephonic notification system and a
gasoline storage facility.
Coordination with county officials went smoothly – and fortunately we
did not have to use
the plan for a real disaster.
WIA is also responsible for the appearance of
the community. A written agreement
between WIA and San Jacinto County was adopted by unanimous votes of the
WIA Board
and the San Jacinto County Commissioners Court to grant WIA the right to
maintain the
right of way along Waterwood Parkway, a road dedicated to the county
over 30 years ago.
As a result, WIA now mows both sides of the
Parkway right of way and most of the
median. We are careful to permit young trees to grow in the center of
the median, and you
can see where that is now occurring. We have also been authorized by the
County to turn
on the streetlights again on the Parkway right of ways.
Our Architectural Control Board continued to enforce our deed
restrictions to help
maintain property values and the beauty of Waterwood, and we instituted
a garden/yard
debris pickup service. Please call the WIA office for curbside pickup.
We also switched
from burning wood debris to shredding/mulching.
Tightening our Belt in these Tough Economic
Times
Using a new computerized database and
accounting system, a thorough analysis of
WIA’s finances, including detailed budgeting and cash flow projections,
indicated that we
could not continue indefinitely to spend more than we take in. This is
not Washington, DC.
WIA has maintained our annual charge at a very
low rate, based on the history of using
our investment portfolio to generate interest and dividend revenue to
provide
approximately half of the income needed to meet essential services
costs. We have been
spending more than we have been taking in, and that cannot continue.
Continuing such
a practice will draw down our investment portfolio in short order. As a
result, in 2009 I
asked all committees to reduce expenditures by 10% where possible. For
the most part,
that has been accomplished, but it was not enough to balance the budget.
The annual
charge is limited by the deed restrictions, and the maximum it could be
for 2009 is $554.00
per year per single home lot. The existing
charge was only $211.00 per year. To attempt
to reach a balanced budget, the annual charge was increased to $295.00
for 2009, we
reduced the percentage of the cost of medical insurance provided by WIA
to full-time
employees, and we eliminated one part-time position. All full-time
employees retained
their jobs, and none had his or her hourly rate reduced. They did begin
paying a portion
of medical insurance premiums previously paid 100% by WIA. We are
grateful for the
dedicated service of our office staff and security officers, and will do
everything we can to
protect their jobs during these times where many others are having to
resort to lay-offs.
Filling the Void of the Closing of Waterwood
National Golf Club and Resort
WIA is a non-profit corporation, and cannot
engage in or provide monetary support
to private businesses or individuals. This restriction created a dilemma
when the Club
closed, eliminating restaurant and meeting facilities for our residents
and community
organizations. There were hopes that a new developer would buy the
property and
renovate and reopen the Club as well as the golf course. When that did
not happen , after
careful consideration, the Board voted to fill the void left by the
closing of the Club’s
meeting facilities. A proposal passed to provide a place for
organizations and clubs to
meet in the WIA office location. Because a resident who is a contractor
took on the job on
a no-profit basis, an addition was completed to the WIA office, and it
was built and
furnished for $20,000.00. The room was used for the 2009 Annual Meeting,
and has been
the site of several meetings by different Waterwood organizations since
it opened in
October of 2009. If you want to reserve it for a group function, please
call the WIA office
for details.
Despite the economic gloom, we continued to
bring the community together for
successful social events, such as the Spring BBQ and the Fourth of July
fireworks
celebration.
WIA promptly responds to inquiries from
potential buyers of the Club and golf
course. There are no firm prospects known to us.
In 2010
In 2009, we saw Earl McVay and John Shideler
leave the Board after serving the
maximum two terms. Earl’s financial management skills were invaluable to
our efforts to
be good stewards of your money. John was not bashful in holding all
policy decisions up
to a bright light, and is continuing to edit the Waterwood Neighborhood
News, which has
developed into an interesting, entertaining, and useful voice in
Waterwood. The new
Board for 2010 is a great mix, including experienced veterans of
previous Boards, those in
their second year of service, and those serving for the first time. All
bring intelligence,
diversity of ideas, and a common desire to improve our community. We had
seven
candidates for four positions, and all seven now serve on at least one
WIA committee.
Closing Thoughts
We all want Waterwood to be the most beautiful
place it can be, and for it to be
peaceful, safe, and friendly. Your WIA Directors are your
representatives. Pass on your
ideas and suggestions. All members will be treated with respect and
courtesy if you come
to a meeting to voice your opinion on a matter of interest to Waterwood.
All of us want
to do a good job. When you are driving, walking, or biking in Waterwood
don’t forget to
wave to those you see or pass on the road.
1. Waterwood Parkway
Agreement
2. Letter from Sam Houston Electric - Dated April
24, 2006
3. Letter from Sam Houston Electric - Dated
February 4, 2008
5. Letters from Waterwood National
a. Letters to Members
b. Keystone Properties
c. Waterwood National
6. New Dog Law
House
Bill 1355 is a tough new dog bite law that took effect in the state of Texas in Sept of 2007.
Under the new Law, the owner of a dog that causes injury or death can be
prosecuted for a third-degree felony. This
charge can bring a sentence of 2 to 10 years in prison and a $10,000
fine. If the victim dies, a dog owner can be charged with a
second-degree felony, which could bring up to 20 years in prison.
You can read the entire law at:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HB01355E.htm