Published monthly by the Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association

Communications Committee - February 1, 2023 Edition!

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Q. What is your role here at Westcreek?

A. Standards Manager.

Q. What brought you here/what makes you stay?

A. I wanted to be a part of a company that makes a difference. I stay here for the homeowners that appreciate what I do.

Q. How long have you been with the Villages of Westcreek?

A. I completed my first year on June 14, 2022.

Q. What are your hobbies outside of work?

A. I'm an outdoor person, whether it is going to the river with my family or heading to the coast for some good old-fashioned fishing.

“We are so proud to have you as part of our team!”

Submitted by: Brian Bush, VWOA Assistant Secretary

The annual meeting to elect some of our Board members is in April. The Association is looking for civic minded volunteers to fill 2 positions on the Board of Directors this year. A good Board of Directors is essential for a great Association - one that its members can be proud of and want to live in. Each Board of Director's term is two years. After each annual election, the Board members conduct an organizational meeting to determine which officer position they will fulfill.

Please consider submitting your nomination. To ensure your name is included on the mailed ballot, the deadline to turn in a Candidate Bio is by end of business day Friday, February 10, 2023.



Please click the link below for further details:

https://conta.cc/3XHscJA

Submitted by: Francis Lomax - Chair, VWOA Communications Committee

Per the Villages of Westcreek Bylaws, "The Treasurer shall cause an annual audit or review of the Association's books to be made by a public accountant at the completion of each fiscal year." As discussed in the January Board of Directors Meeting, the Association will contract Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, P.C. to perform the annual review of the HOA financial statements for the fiscal year 2022. The CPA will have a representative at the Annual Meeting of Members on April 20, 2023, to present their report. Following the meeting, the financial review report will be accessible in the Spectrum Homeowner Portal documents section.

Submitted by: Heather Mallia, VWOA Treasurer

RESERVE STUDY 2023

It’s that time again! At the January 2023 Board Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to have Reserve Advisors conduct an update to our Reserve Study. Historically this occurs every three years. Once the Reserve Study has been finalized and accepted by the Board, it will be posted under the documents section on your Spectrum Homeowner Portal.

For those unfamiliar with the Reserve Study, it's a long-term capital budget planning tool. This study itemizes the life expectancy and suggested repair timeline for all facilities, amenities, and monuments in the Villages of Westcreek's common areas. This updated Reserve Study will give management and the Board a better idea of what funds will be needed in our Reserve accounts to plan future repairs and expenditures.

Submitted by: Heather Mallia, VWOA Treasurer

WESTCREEK VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Villages of Westcreek needs your help. Last July, we ran an article in the newsletter looking for volunteers for the Cellular on Patrol (COP) program. There are currently 3014 homes, and we had six people volunteer. Two of those are Board members, and of those six people, three are currently trained, but that isn’t nearly enough for the program to get up and running here in Westcreek. 

We can ALL agree that we want crime to be minimized, and the Board has done what we can to help make our community safer. We really need volunteers to help us get this program going again!

Many of you walk or run daily along different routes throughout our neighborhood. You could assist BCSO and report any suspicious activity if you were trained. COP is not a vigilante program; you do not take action to stop the crime other than reporting it to the proper authorities. 

We are looking for community members to volunteer and someone to lead this committee. By going through the Bexar County COP training program, you are taking the necessary action to make our community secure and safe. If we cannot get the volunteers necessary to make this program a success, we will not be moving forward with re-starting it up here in Westcreek. 

This program WILL NOT be in place of security patrols & off-duty deputies we currently employ to patrol Westcreek. This would be an addition that would offer another layer of patrols for observation & reporting. 

The next COP training session is Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 6-9 p.m., located at WEST Patrol Substation, 6825 Cagnon Road, San Antonio, TX 78259. 

What you need to do to get started:

Fill out the attached application, send it to the COP program, and sign up for the training. Once you have completed your training, email the Villages of Westcreek Community Manager at cm@villagesofwestcreek.com to let her know you are ready to begin. Let the Community Manager know if you are interested in chairing this committee. If we don't get a volunteer to serve as Chair of this Committee, it will delay the program's implementation.

Click on the following link for more information and details about the Bexar County COPS program: https://www.bexar.org/771/Crime-Prevention-Programs.

Click on the following link to download the Cellular on Patrol Program Application:

https://files.constantcontact.com/a865254c001/c395a5aa-8af4-4e89-bab1-88af6efd9248.pdf

For additional questions, please email the Bexar County SCORE office at score@bexar.org.

Submitted by: Elaine Maurer, VWOA President

SOLICITATION FOR VOLUNTEER ARC REGULAR MEMBER

The Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association is currently recruiting to fill a Regular Member vacancy on the Architectural Review Committee (ARC).  You must be a homeowner to be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve on this committee.

The primary objective of the ARC is to enhance and preserve property values throughout the community while being as consistent and fair as possible with their decisions and recommendations. The ARC has the authority to:

•  Adopt and administer the review process on behalf of the VWOA;  
• Review and approve or disapprove plans and specifications for each Property Improvement Application (PIA) regarding changes to the premises;  
• Make changes to the "Standards for Architectural Design and Property Maintenance" as deemed necessary in accordance with the CC&Rs and applicable Federal, State, and local laws; and, 
• Make reasonable efforts to assist the applicants with their requests and any other concerns regarding the "Standards."

ARC members will be trained and expected to conduct business using an automated system. This system allows ARC members to digitally view, comment, approve or deny PIAs.

Ideal candidates will need to

• have access to a computer and the internet.
• be available consistently to meet in person should homeowners request a meeting to discuss their PIA. 
• have knowledge of the CC&Rs and the VWOA's standards.

Additional duties and responsibilities are outlined in the "Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (Article IX - Architectural Review Committee)" and "Standards for Architectural Design and Property Maintenance."

HOW TO APPLY!

CLICK HERE to send an email to the VWOA Community Manager to submit your name for consideration. Be sure to include your home address, phone number, and email address.

Submitted by: Lynette Bradley - Chair, Architectural Review Committee

NEW NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES

Dear Association Members: 

Say goodbye to snail mail! 

Starting in January, courtesy property notices will be sent straight to your email currently on file, giving you a faster, more accessible way to stay on top of your account. To receive these notices via email, you will need to have registered with SpectrumAM through the homeowner portal and place an email on file. If a homeowner does not have an email on file, they will continue to receive the notices through USPS. 

It’s just one more way we make your life easier and create savings for your community!

Homeowners not already registered with the Spectrum portal may register at the following address:

https://spectrum.cincwebaxis.com/

These email notices will be from the following "No Reply" email address:

Spectrumadmin@cincsystems.net

You can add it to your Email Address Book to avoid it going to your spam folder.

More information about Courtesy Notices can be found in AR-53 (NOTIFICATION OF COVENANTS VIOLATIONS) at the following link:

https://villagesofwestcreek.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AR-53-Filed-with-the-County.pdf

Thank you for being a great neighbor.



Submitted by: Maria Robinson - VWOA Community Manager

COMMUNITY UPDATES



1. Monuments at Daisy Field and Potranco-OPEN- The Community Manager spoke with a representative from TXDOT, and they informed her that TXDOT does not typically allow any type of construction within their right of way.    
2. Garden Lily and Tally Rd.-TABLED- The Board has decided to table this project until the construction on Talley Road has been completed.     
3. Pointe Monument-OPEN- The solar vendor provided a proposal for adding lighting to the side of The Pointe Monument that does not have electrical hookups. The Community Manager asked a couple of clarifying questions and is waiting for a response.
4. Monument Solar Lighting-CLOSED- The vendor has completed the installation of the lights at the monuments approved. This item is now closed out.
5. Maintenance Shop Replacement-OPEN- The contract for this has been signed, and the deposit invoice has been paid; this project is currently scheduled to begin after the completion of the concrete pad and electrical installation. 
6. Maintenance Shop Concrete Pad-OPEN- The vendor has informed us that the application is currently with the BPA representative and there are 2 ahead of ours. He will continue to update us as he receives information.
7. Standards Revision-OPEN- The Board is currently reviewing the proposed changes to discuss and present to the ARC during the February 2023 meeting.

Submitted by: Maria Robinson - VWOA Community Manager

The Villages of Westcreek offers a variety of Health and Fitness Programs throughout the year. Please click on the following link to see the latest information about these programs:  https://villagesofwestcreek.com/recreation/healthandfitness/

NOTICE! NEW WEEKEND OFFICE HOURS

CASINO NIGHT ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2023

VWOA JOB FAIR - SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023

2023 SPRING SOCCER SEASON

Starts: Mar 6, 2023

Ends: May 13, 2023

Location: Westcreek Sports Park

Westcreek Sports Spring 2023 Soccer

Coed, ages 3 through 16

Registration Dates:

Late - January 23, 2023 through February 4, 2023

$90.00 per child & $75.00 for additional children

Coach- $65.00 per child

Proposed Schedule:

Practice begins the week of March 6, 2023

Practice day and time determined by the coach

First game is March 11, 2023

Last Regular Season Game is April 29, 2023

End of Season Tournament May 6 and 13, 2023

Click the "Read More" button below to see more details and to Register:

Contact:

Jason Dunbar

VWOA Parks & Recreation Manager

Phone - 210-748-2245

Email: activities@villagesofwestcreek.com

Submitted by: Jason Dunbar - VWOA Parks & Recreation Manager

The end of January, February, and early March are the perfect times to plant potatoes in San Antonio.

The potatoes we grow in the garden are called seed potatoes. If the seed potatoes are larger than 2” in diameter, you can cut them into smaller pieces. As long as each piece has an “eye” included in it, you have a viable piece of potato to plant. Note: don’t use grocery store potatoes, which have usually been treated to make them less apt to sprout. Seed potatoes at garden nurseries are from pieces of tubers containing one eye or more.

The piece of potato that you plant containing an eye, will remain underground while the rest of the plant begins to grow upward. Above the soil, you will see stems, leaves, small fruits and flowers, while below the soil sits the “mother tuber” that will produce new roots and underground stems called “stolons”. At the end of these stolons new potatoes will grow.

Provide 6-8 hours full sun minimum. The best soil pH is neutral to slightly acidic. Provide plenty of organic matter, and your potatoes should happily grow. 1” of water per week minimum.

At preparation, the depth of your soil should be at least 12” deep. Dig a 6” deep trench into your prepared soil and space tuber pieces 10”-12” apart with their eyes pointed upward. Cover with 2”-3” of soil.

As the plant grows, the tuber under the soil must stay covered by soil, or it can turn green. When the leafy part of your plant has grown about 4”-5” pull more soil from the sides of the trench and “hill” it up around the sides of the plant, covering the tuber as it grows.

Fertilize about 2 weeks after planting with muriate of potash (for synthetic option) or Su-Po-Mag (for organic option).



Continue to hill the soil around your plants as they grow to make sure the underground growing tuber is never exposed.

Depending on potato variety, weather, and growing conditions, harvest time is usually around 2-4 months after planting. Flowers will develop--a good sign that the tubers are maturing. When the tops of your plants turn yellow and begin to die, it’s time for you to dig in.

Containers: Fabric Grow Bags are also a great way to grow containers. The breathable fabric allows air to circulate, and water to drain efficiently and the fabric is sturdy. 

Information courtesy of Rainbow Gardens www.rainbowgardens.biz.

Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh - Communications Committee Secretary