an official publication of the bellavita homeowners association · 2014-05-14 · september 2013 an...

SEPTEMBER 2013

An Official Publication of the BellaVita Homeowners Association

BellaVita Clubhouse1548 Riviera Circle

Pearland, TX 77581281-464-3150

www.club-bellavita.org

Board of Directors

Management: FSR(FirstService Residential)

12234 Shadow Creek Pkwy.Building 3, Suite 100Pearland, TX 77584

713-332-4675 (Main)www.fsresidential.com

Message from the HOA Board President - Ruth Southard

It is summer in Pearland. Not as hot as in recent years and, so far, hurricane-free. That has not stopped your Board of Directors and committee members from working on your behalf.

On June 15 the Board, committee chairs, club presidents, and the clubhouse manager spent all day Saturday at the Strategic Planning Workshop. We reviewed the status of the community and worked on long term plans. This document serves as a TO DO list for committees on an annual basis and a guide for financial planning. The committees are

finalizing the revisions for the 2014-2019 plan. The Board expects to complete the details at a workshop and approve the final document by November.

The Finance committee is working on the 2014 budget with the directive that there will be no increase in homeowner assessment. They are also reviewing and revising the Reserve budget. The Board will be conducting a workshop with the committee to work out the details. We expect the committee to present the 2014 budget for approval in September, if possible, for distribution to homeowners one month prior to the end of the year.

We are continuing to monitor the gates. See an update on this activity.

A new project has been the consideration of authorizing the City of Pearland to enforce traffic rules within the community. Community Relations Committee recommended this action to the Board in June. Be sure to read the article on Traffic Management.

In this the fifth year of homeowner operation, there seems to be a higher comfort level on what work is to be done and confidence in the ability of the people to do the right thing. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to express our gratitude to the many people who contribute of their time and talents in such a positive way.

We are building an exceptional place to live!!

President – Ruth Southard281-481-5855

[email protected] V. Pres – Ron Gerlach

[email protected]

Sec. – Wayne Johnson 281-464-2751

[email protected]. - Marc Wormser

[email protected]

Bill Burdick281-464-0555

[email protected] Dommert

[email protected]

Benny Frank281-481-1808

[email protected].

2BellaVita Homeowners Association September 2013

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Requesting Workthrough

FirstService ResidentialBy Becky Spedden

When requesting work covered by HOA, homeowners should call FirstService Residential (FSR), formerly AMI, NOT Rusticscapes. Ask that a “service request” be generated. Give the service representative a detailed description of the problem. Example: trim off 2 feet of the front hedges under the front windows or three irrigation heads on the east side of the house in the back yard will not come up. It is best that you ask for the service order number, so if there is need for follow-up, FSR and the HOA have a way to track the request. FirstService Residential: 713-332-4675.


COMMITTEE REPORTS

TRAFFIC LAWS ENFORCED IN BELLAVITA

Drivers within the community may be required to follow the traffic rules of the City of Pearland if the current consideration is approved. Effective October 1, 2013, the City of Pearland police could be authorized to enforce traffic rules including fines up to $200.

One of the responsibilities of the Community Relations Committee is safety awareness. The committee recently expressed concern over safety on the streets and recommended that the Board of Directors consider enabling the City of Pearland to enforce traffic laws on the private streets of BellaVita in accordance with Texas Transportation Code §542.008. The code provides that traffic rules may be extended by a municipality to privately owned roads within certain private sub-divisions upon request of that community. On July 1, by unanimous electronic vote, the Board made a request for an ordinance by the City of Pearland.

Ordinance #1487 was read and approved by City Council for the first time on July 22. A second reading is expected on August 12. The City of Pearland is evaluating the current signage in the community. Once the evaluation is complete, the Board will review the impact of any required changes. At this writing, the single expected change is an increase in the speed limit from 20 to 30 mph.

Homeowners are advised to watch for updates on this item.

The Elections CommitteeBy Carol Barber

It’s “just the right time” for each resident to consider serving their community by running for a position on the BellaVita Home Owners’ Association Board (HOA). Four positions will be open for the 2014 election year. The entire election process will be posted on the Elections Committee portion of the BellaVita website. The “first notification letter” will be mailed on January 6, 2014. Those who wish to consider running may participate in a “candidate orientation” that will be held on Thursday, January 23rd. Watch for details.

Community Relations Committee (CRC)

By Carol Barber

The Homeowners’ Advocacy Committee has recently merged with the Community Relations Committee, presently chaired by Carol Barber. Any resident having a question or concern regarding wording or interpreting a covenant issue is urged to call Carol and ask for clarification. She certainly doesn’t have “all the answers”, but her committee can help direct you to the right person. The “CRC” is expected to work closely with the ARC (architectural review committee) and FirstService Residential (formerly “AMI”). Residents are urged to contact the ARC prior to making any changes to the exterior of your home or your yard as most changes require prior approval. The Committee is always looking for suggestions, too, so let us know if you have an idea.


COMMITTEE REPORTS

BELLAVITA SALUTES ONE OF ITS OWN!

Henry Reist is a hardworking man who sees himself as a servant of God and uses his expertise to assist veterans and dependents obtain full benefits from the government.

Henry graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in government, spent 2 years in the Army, (one in Viet Nam) and 28 years in the Army Reserve as a personnel specialist and a medical ratings specialist. He also worked with the Texas Employment Commission as an employment interviewer. During those years he learned a lot about short circuiting bureaucracy. His forte is helping veterans and dependents with medical claims.

Currently he works 3 days a week for the State of Texas in a special program called Strike Force. Their focus is helping the VA get caught-up with claims. Recently, he was responsible for a veteran being awarded $150,000 in back pay. As Henry says “Persistence and experience pays off.”

Henry and his wife Janice have 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. His hobbies are walking 6 miles a day while listening to audio books and web-surfing veterans issues. Henry has assisted many veterans, their wives and widows at BellaVita. On August 21 at 7:30 P.M., he will be making a presentation at the Club House about Veterans Benefits. Veterans, wives and widows are invited as well as impacted individuals from the community.

BellaVita thanks Henry for his many years of continued service.

(281) 485-4317

2405 S. Grand Blvd., Suite A Pearland, TX 77581 Fax: (281) 412-9979

Injuries ■ Wills ■ Probate ■ Real Estate ■ Family ■ [email protected]

(281) 485-4317



(281) 485-4317



(281) 485-4317



Volunteering is RewardingBy Mary Ellen Henry

There are many volunteers that make BellaVita a special place to live. Some of them are visible and some not so much but all are diligently working to serve others. If you look on our website, you will find committees and their members listed. These people give of themselves and their time to serve others. They will be honored for their service at the annual board meeting in March. In the past we have distributed lanyards and Rose pins to each volunteer at a special reception to honor them. We are adding a special, permanent recognition for those who have volunteered for 5 years. These years do not have to be consecutive. At a workshop in June for committee chairmen, several ideas were discussed and we are in the process of finalizing this special recognition which is to be unveiled in March. There are approximately 60 people who will be recognized with this award. Some of you may not know how many hours volunteers spend on their respective committees. Ask one of them and volunteer to help. Many activities would not happen without dedicated workers. We are fortunate to have those who are willing to give of their time and energy to use their skills to make our community an awesome place to live. Our committee is also looking for someone to present the Rose Award to. This is a new honor which will be awarded in March also. There is an envelope on the desk in the clubhouse for you to submit your nomination. This award will be give to someone who has used their creative idea or activity which rises above and beyond normal volunteering. They have at some time in 2013 benefitted our community in a way no one else has. The criteria is listed on the website and nominations can be submitted at any time. So look around for someone who is “Serving Extraordinarily.” Submit their name while it is still fresh on your mind. We appreciate your efforts in helping the Awards Committee find a recipient for this special award! “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31


The BellaVita BellesBy Linda Stanton, President

Eva Gates and Robyn Williams did a fantastic job as co-chairs of Our Ladies’ Tea.

The ballroom was gorgeous as the guests entered and admired the tables that had been so graciously set by the hostesses. The creativity displayed was truly remarkable. The food was delicious, and so elegantly served by The Men of BellaVita. The afternoon was capped off with a female comedian, with laughter filling the ballroom.

The Pool Party, which was sponsored by all Clubs was a great success and is bound to become an annual event. We have been enjoying our Light Movie Night

The Belles are proud to announce the 10th Annual BellaVita Mistletoe Market. The market has become recognized as a premium craft show in our area. Vendors with an array of crafts and products gather, filling our clubhouse with handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, food, holiday décor, and much more. Last year more than 1,000 visited the market and enjoyed shopping for those unique items on their holiday list.

This year’s market is well underway, with all of our Vendor booths taken. Hope Village will be selling lunches which will include a chicken croissant, chips, pickle and a drink for $7.00. All proceeds will go directly to the Hope Village, and we encourage you to support this charity. Late that afternoon, the Men’s Club will offer Barbecue carry-out dinners for $10.00 which will consist of a large chopped beef sandwich, beans and potato salad – we know how well our men do barbecue! Lunch will be available from 11:00 – 2:00 and the barbecue dinners will be available starting at 4:00.

It takes a Village to put on an event this size, and we invite everyone to participate. There is no better way to get to know your neighbors and show the rest of the area what a wonderful place BellaVita is. If you would like to volunteer you may sign up at the front desk, give me a call at 281-464-9259 or e-mail [email protected].

by Carolyn Beeson, Bingo by Sue Steik, and monthly dinners by our wonderful hostesses. The Ladies Night-in committee treated us to a street festival! Mary Westfahl outdid herself decorating the ballroom, complete with a photo booth. We ate and drank the evening away as we visited, played games and sang along with Kathy Wright on the piano.

We took the month of July off for a little R&R and are ramping up to full throttle for fall and the Mistletoe Market. We meet the first Wednesday of the month and would love to have all of the ladies in BellaVita join us. There is a light meal at 6:30, followed by a short meeting at 7:00.

2013 Mistletoe MarketOctober 5, 2013 • 10:00AM – 4:00PM


BellaVita Veterans Organization

By John Kaltenbach, Commander

Independence Day, Celebration and Picnic: approximately 740 American and Texas flags were flown in residents’ yards and along Riviera Circle from July 3rd to July 6th. A parade, honoring World War II Veterans and featuring cars, golf carts, bicycles, tricycles, and the best costume was held. Prizes were awarded the winners in each category. Well over 300 people were served at the annual picnic, with entertainment by the San Jacinto Community Band. Seven World War II Veterans, residents of or former residents of BellaVita, and their families, were acknowledged and honored at the picnic. The American and Texas flags will be flown next on Patriot Day, September 11th.

List of the Parade winners were: 1) Car – Roy Haun drove by Dean Kauffway 2) Golf Cart – Sharron Sealy Burnside 3) Bike – A. Ortiz 4) Trike - Landyn 5) Wagon – Keria Hysler 6) Costume – Ruben Castillo.

THE BELLAVITA LIBRARYJust in case you haven’t heard, the BellaVita Library has moved into the Annex which is the new name for the old sales office. We have a nice large room with book shelves on all four walls. The room is furnished with a sofa, tables and chairs. It is a comfortable and welcoming space. When you visit you will note that the shelves are nearly all full. We have a very large collection of fiction in both paperback and hardback. You might also like to check out the LARGE PRINT BOOKS. The non-fiction section is blessed with a growing collection of biographies, cookbooks, history books, spiritual books for the soul, and even some jigsaw puzzles.

In the future, paintings and creations of BellaVita artists and crafters will be displayed on the top shelves of the bookcases. The first ‘show’ will be presented in September.

The very attractive bookcases were built and installed by BellaVita residents Thomas and Bob Paterno, and they did an excellent job! The furniture and other décor were put in place by the Clubhouse Committee, and we thank them for their efforts on behalf of the Library.

A sign has been installed next to the entrance door for the Library at the Annex. When you enter you will see a chest with two drawers. Please return books by putting them in a drawer. If

you have a large donation to make to the library please call Barbara Gorman or Carol Grisanti and if you have a small donation put it in the return books drawer.

The BellaVita Library is an ongoing and non-static endeavor. Books that do not circulate are given a new home, and newer books put in place. The mission is “to please most of the readers most of the time”.


By Mike Sanders (Big Mike)

To All Concerned:

The Club House Committee is devoted to keeping the Club House and Annex up to date and in good repair. This includes: replacement of the ball room carpet, hallway tile, ice maker, window dressings, new library in annex, machines in the exercise room, renovations and additions in the pool area.

We stay busy trying to keep YOU our neighbors and fellow homeowners happy. Working together we can make this happen.

Improvements continue to be made at the BellaVita front gates. This month new permanent signs were added in the gate area to assist residents, visitors and service vehicles as they enter and exit BellaVita. These new signs were manufactured to match the existing permanent signs already located in this area. The new signs are made of digital print over painted aluminum and include a BellaVita rose imprinted on a white background. A sign was added at the visitor’s entrance lane right hand curb to advise visitors and service personnel of the location of the Call/Box Directory to be used to gain entry into BellaVita. Other permanent signs were located on the concrete gate pillars to notify drivers which gates are entrance and which are exit gates. Temporary, No Tail Gating signs were also replaced with a permanent sign. At the BellaVita drive exit onto Scarsdale, signs were added to notify all traffic attempting to enter BellaVita on the exit lanes of BellaVita drive that this street is an exit street only. White painted markings were placed on the concrete surface in the gate areas in an attempt to give all drivers additional visual instructions as to how to safely and efficiently use the traffic lanes. It is expected that these markings should allow a more orderly and efficient flow of vehicle traffic in the gate area.

A Preventative Maintenance program was also recently approved by the HOA Board of Directors. This program will have our gate service contractor; H&R Operators visit the gate area once every three months to complete a detailed list of maintenance inspections and safety checks on all of the gate equipment. This detailed list of maintenance and safety inspections are as advised by the gate equipment manufacturer’s operator and maintenance manual. It is expected that keeping up with the maintenance requirements should help to reduce future maintenance costs and improve gate system reliability.

The gate/guard house air conditioner has been placed back in service for the summer months after being shut down for a period of time. It was determined that the hot summer temperatures caused the inside gate/guard house temperatures to exceed the high temperature limits the manufacturer recommended for the gate control electronics located in the gate/guard house. It is expected that this action should help to reduce electronic component failures and extend the life of the gate electronics. The Gate Task Force members continue to work with our gate service contractor on improving the reliability and operation of the gate system. Improvements or ideas that will improve the efficiency and operation of the gate system are being looked at and discussed for possible future implementation.

CLUBHOUSE COMMITTEEBELLAVITA FRONT GATE SYSTEM


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TEC HAS TONS OF FUN PLANNED!For all BellaVita “Power Shoppers” TEC has scheduled a trip to the Premier Outlets located near 290. Lunch will be served at Goode Company Restaurant. Circle September 17 on your calendars; sign-up will be August 28.

They are also planning a leisure cemetery walk through Glenwood Cemetery in Houston. This is supposed to be the oldest cemetery in the city with many notable graves, including that of Howard Hughes. Bus service will be unavailable, so we will need cars! October 15 is the hallowed day.

And for those shoppers who did not get enough shopping in September, a trip to the Nutcracker Market on November 7th is planned. (Just in time for Christmas fun.)

All residents are encouraged to review the weekly news for more information. The July trip was to the George H.W. Bush Library in College Station. Some of the bus seats were not filled and even the DEMOCRATS were sorry that there was not enough time to see everything.

As always, the TEC welcomes your suggestions for future outings.

10BellaVita Homeowners Association September 2013BellaVita Homeowners Association

HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONNEWSLETTER MAGAZINESOfficial Community Magazines that Local Residents READ.

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BellaVita Mens ClubBy Cris Barrera, President

From spring toward the end of the summer of 2013, The Mens Club had a number of events which were well attended. Some of those events were as follows: the April and June Coushatta Casino Trips, Spaghetti Dinner in April, Fiesta Night Dinner in June. As always the Action Movie Night on Fridays.

In August, the Mens Club had a very good turnout for our Annual Full Breakfast. We are looking forward to August 24th when we have our “American Bandstand” Dance Party with Ronnie Coleman singing live some of the tunes that were popular during the T.V. show American Bandstand. In September we will be having our “Pasta Night” with Live Music by the popular “By Two” Duo. In October we’ll be serving Smoked Bar-B-Q during the Mistletoe Market and in November our Annual Fish Fry. It is a fun and rewarding to be part of the Mens Club. It’s a great Club to be active in, meet other people, and keep meetings informative and interesting. By inviting creative people to speak on different subjects including having the President of the HOA to keep us aware of what the Homeowners Association is up to. The members can ask questions and offer any comments. Our meetings normally last 30 to 45 minutes. To be a member, any BellaVita male resident simply needs to show up on the first Wednesday of the month. We have tasty food and drink at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. You’ll be most welcomed and you’ll be happy you came.

POKER HERE, POKER THERE, POKER EVERYWHERE

Poker anyone? The game is certainly alive and doing very well at BellaVita. You can drop in on either of two games on Tuesday evening. The first one starts at 5:00 PM and there are usually 10-12 players. Unless someone doesn’t show up the table is full. They play Texas Holdem. Until recently, men were the only players and they usually “served” pizza and beer. Now a couple of women play and, thanks to them, the menu is more varied. Members of the group declined to identify what the buy-in was but they did say that Jim, last name unidentified, won most of the time.

Another group plays at 6:30 PM on Tuesday evening. They started to play together when BellaVita just opened and were originally the only players from Marsalla Drive. Leon, Marion and Jean are the only remaining members of the original group. Currently, four women and three men usually play.

or a dime. Each member of the group has his or her own chair. They play at a smaller table and there is sometimes room for one more. There is no “big winner.” Everyone seems to take turns. Dessert is the usual fare.

Although these tables are usually full, there are plenty of other tables available on Tuesday evening and poker is also played on Monday and Thursday at 1:00 PM.

September 2013

BellaVita Homeowners AssociationFirstService Residential12234 Shadow Creek Pkwy.

Building 3, Suite 100Pearland, TX 77584

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an official publication of the bellavita homeowners association · 2014-05-14 · september 2013 an...

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