28

Or C

urrent Resident

1

YOU HEARD IT THROUGH THE……

GRAPEVINE October 2012 Flower Hill Central Corporation

OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM– 5:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM SATURDAY & SUNDAY: CLOSED

For More Information Call: (301) 208-1314 Office Fax (301) 301-208-1316

FHCC@flowerhill.org www.flowerhill.org

Courtesy patrol provided by: Proactive Security Inc.

Call to report an incident: 301-674-1309

Sign up for the FHCC news group online at www.flowerhill.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FHCC Monthly Board Meeting October 24, 2012 at 7:30 PM

(Due to the holiday)

FHCC Monthly Board Meeting for November will be held November 28, 2012 7:30 PM

FHCC Monthly Board Meeting for December has been canceled

due to the holidays

FHCC Monthly Board Meeting for January will be January 30 , 2013, at 7:30 PM

2

RON’S MARKET REP0RT FLOWER HILL, 2nd QUARTER, 2012

Sales price often includes seller subsidy to buyer. Call for details Note: 4/2/1 means 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 1 half bath

18547 Gardenia Way 4/2/1 Col, 2 car gr $389,000 8309 Mountain Laurel 3/3/0 Split Level $314,000 5 Mallory Ct 3/3/0 Split Foyer $299,000 18407 Cherry Laurel Ln 3/3/1 End Th, fin bsmt $288,000 8624 Sedley Ct 4/3/1 End Th, fin bsmt $262,000 8124 Crabapple Ln 3/3/1 Row Th, fin bsmt $255,900 18426 Hallmark Ct 3/2/1 End Th, 1 car gr $252,000 18426 Honeylocut Cir 3/2/2 Row Th, fin bsmt $248,000 8218 Mountain Ash 3/2/1 End Th, fin bsmt $177,000 7903 Badenlock W #104 2/2/0 Condo $115,000 18328 Streamside #202 3/2/0 Condo $105,000 18411 Guildberry #202 1/1/0 Condo $90,000

ANY QUESTIONS, ANY TIME

RELIABLE INFORMATION, CHEERFULLY GIVEN Information obtained from MRIS. Not all sales by Remax Realty Group

RON LETTENEY (GRI, PH.D) A Flower Hill resident for 23 years

Cell 301-980-2503, Home 240-477-5725 ronlett@aol.com

Remax Realty Group, 301-258-7757

27

Exceptional dentistry, exceptional care.

New patients always welcome.

Most insurance plans accepted. Financing options available.

Peter A. Winkelman, D.D.S., P.A.

18209-A Flower Hill Way Gaithersburg, Md. 20879

(240)-632-8396 Visit us at

www.flowerhilldental.com

26

Please call the Flower Hill office located at the Community Center for available dates and times.

301-208-1314. Monday to Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

The full deposit is required when making a reservation. Full payment is required two weeks prior

to the date of the activity.

COST

Hourly Rate & Security Deposit

$65.00 & $200.00 $25.00 & $50.00

DATE / TIME

Weekends, 4 Hour Minimum

Prior to 5PM Limit 35 people (3 Hour Party)

TYPE OF EVENT

RESIDENT’S PARTY

Children’s Birth-day Party (11 years old or

younger)

THE FLOWER HILL COMMUNITY CENTER

IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT TO ALL FLOWER HILL

RESIDENTS WHO ARE IN GOOD STANDING WITH FHCC. PLEASE CALL THE FLOWER HILL OFFICE FOR

MORE INFORMATION

3

The Proposed FHCC 2013 Budget

The Proposed 2013 budget follows on pages 4 and 6. The FHCC

Board of Directors will vote to finalize the budget at the November monthly meeting

to be held on November 28, 2012 at 7:30 P M at the Community Center. All are welcome to attend. The proposed budget, if accepted as is, would mean that the annual dues for Flower Hill

Central for the year of 2013 would be $359.91 per unit For information on your

sub-association’s dues please contact them directly. A copy of the draft budget

is located on pages 4 and 7 of this newsletter. Your comments are welcome

and encouraged. You may email your comments or concerns to:

fhcc@flowerhill.org

Attn: Budget

4

LET UNITY SERVICE YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY We can provide all of your

trash collection Needs

• Residential Refuse Collection • Residential Scrap Metal Collection • Residential Bulk Collection

“Quality Service at the right price.” CALL NOW and get

1 month FREE!!!

Cliff Thomas, Sales Associate 301-237-4541

Unity Disposal & Recycling,

LLC

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*Offers of merchandise at ridiculously low prices from the back of a vehicle *Anyone peering into parked vehicles *Anyone entering or leaving a business after hours *The sound of breaking glass or loud explosive noise *Persons loitering around that are not familiar to the area *Someone going door to door in the neighborhood *Someone in an enclosed backyard *Persons being forced into vehicles *Open or broken doors/windows at a business or resi-dence

The non-emergency number is 301-279-8000

Once you call the police, there are three ways to report a crime.

The first is to give your name and number and have the officer respond to see you. This way you can speak to the officer, voice your concern and receive follow-up information. The second is to be the reluctant complain-ant. The call taker will take your name and number, however, the information is not put out over the air, but available to the officer in case further information is needed. The officer will not come see you. The third way is to be anonymous. If you are anonymous, you will not see an officer or learn the outcome of your call. Understand that in most cases, depending on the nature of the crime, where the officer doesn’t have a known complainant, the call is not given as high of a priority. We ask that you call the police each and every time you observe a suspicious situation. Remember the EMERGENCY # is always 911.

24

Attention Pet Owners

Pet waste left to decay on sidewalks, lawns or com-mon areas is a stinky mess! It’s also unhealthy for

people and the environment. If you don’t scoop your pet’s poop, rain can wash that waste into storm drains and streams making them unsafe. Pet waste frequently

contains bacteria and parasites which can severely sicken people, pets and wildlife. Nutrients in animal waste can cause algae blooms, cloudy water and can kill fish. PICK UP WASTE AND PLACE IT IN A

SEPARATE TIED-UP PLASTIC BAG FOR DISPOSAL WITH YOUR HOUSEHOLD

TRASH.

When to Call the Police?

What is considered suspicious? The best answer is whenever you feel that something just isn’t right. There are two numbers to call for the police. 911 is the number designed for emergency. This means that you need an immediate police response for something that is in progress or something of a serious nature that just occurred. The second number is 301-279-8000 to report things that have occurred earlier or of a minor nature. Things that are considered suspicious: *Any stranger entering your neighbor’s unoccupied house could be a burglar.

5

Flower Hill Central 2013 Draft Budget 2012 2012 YTD 2013

Board Thru Board Draft

Finalized 30-Jun Account Operating Income

06310 Assessments $710,959.2

0 710,921.57 $715,856.21 Other Income 06903 Administrative Fees 14,500.00 14,789.74 14,500.00 06315 FHCC-Rental 19,000.00 13,305.00 19,500.00 06910 Int/Div Income 19,000.00 12,706.01 24,000.00 06920 Misc.Income 9,000.00 6,513.14 9,500.00

06980 Less Capital Reserve Int. & Div. (17,000.00) (12,282.83) (22,500.00)

06990 Less Capital Reserve Contri-bution (91,511.00) (91,511.00)

(119,000.00)

06921 Bad Debt Write Off Income 0.00 0.00 Total Income: 663,948.20 654,441.63 641,856.21 Service Contracts 07925 Alarm System 475.00 349.42 475.00 07920 Community Patrol 64,650.00 32,324.76 65,955.00

09610 Land-scape 107,000.00 53,477.52 107,000.00

07010 Bookkeeping 20,450.00 10,224.00 20,450.00 08200 Pool 82,100.00 41,034.00 82,075.00

09700 FHCC Trash Remov.(Dumpster) 3,540.00 1,930.38 3,500.00

09710 Outside Trash Cans 6,000.00 2,850.00 5,400.00 08350 Heat Pumps 2,000.00 150.00 1,500.00 07910 FHCC Cleaning 16,700.00 9,692.00 16,520.00 09800 Snow Removal 35,000.00 2,657.50 25,000.00 ?? Office Computer Contract 2,000.00 0.00 2,000.00 07450 Copier-Lease Expense 3,000.00 1,577.28 2,900.00 Total Service Contracts: 342,915.00 156,266.86 332,775.00 Administrative Expenses 07300 Payroll Service Expenses 2,000.00 724.85 1,500.00 07140 Audit/Tax Returns 6,300.00 6,350.00 6,550.00 07270 Bad Debt 15,000.00 4,637.63 15,000.00

6

Flower Hill Central 2013 Draft Budget 2012 2012 YTD 2013

Board Thru Board Draft Finalized 30-Jun

07880 Bank Charges 900.00 941.50 950.00 07015 Employee Insurance 0.00 0.00 6,000.00 07100 Employee FICA Expense 6,273.00 2,900.43 6,111.13 07280 FHCC Insurance 29,750.00 14,300.40 27,200.00

07120 FUTA/MUTA Taxes Pay-able 910.20 390.29 820.08

07160 Legal-Collections 12,000.00 (20,251.19) 12,000.00

07170 Legal-General Representa-tion 2,000.00 0.00 2,000.00

07890 Miscellaneous Expense 500.00 934.79 500.00 07310 Permit Expense 0.00 0.00 0.00 07320 Office Expense 6,300.00 3,824.67 6,500.00 07260 Postage 6,000.00 3,388.49 5,500.00 07444 Printing 4,500.00 1,656.12 4,500.00 07180 Professional Development 1,000.00 891.70 1,000.00 07190 Professional Fees 400.00 0.00 350.00 07000 Salaries 82,000.00 39,023.34 82,000.00 07350 Web Site-Domain Name 100.00 0.00 100.00 Administrative Expenses 175,933.20 59,713.02 178,581.21 Utilities 07500 Electric 36,000.00 17,026.27 37,000.00 07250 Telephone/Internet 3,900.00 1,294.56 2,800.00 07600 Water/Sewer 12,000.00 2,923.39 12,000.00 Total Utilities 51,900.00 21,244.22 51,800.00 Maintenance and Repairs 08150 FHCC Main&Repair 10,500.00 2,166.95 10,000.00 09190 Landscape Main.&Repair 40,000.00 3,865.00 30,000.00 09090 Lighting Main.&Repair 5,000.00 4,170.65 5,000.00 08250 Pool Main.&Repair 14,000.00 7,204.87 12,500.00 09100 Misc.Main.&Repair 7,000.00 2,070.00 7,000.00 Maintenance and Repairs 76,500.00 19,477.47 64,500.00

23

Jessica’s Pond

Flower Hill Central hopes that the residents of Flower Hill will enjoy spending time at the pond. Please

keep in mind that there is:

No swimming in the water No boating in the water

No attempting to walk or ice skate on the ice surface

Also, if you choose to fish in the pond, please just catch and release the fish back into the water. Please do not eat fish caught in the pond.

No ice is safe to walk or ice skate on. The

ice may look solid enough to hold your weight, but it is not. Parents, please speak to your children about the dangers of any pond /

ice covered water area.

22

Pumpkin Loaf

Batter: 1-1/2 c. pureed pumpkin 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce 1 whole egg 3 egg whites 1 c. all-purpose flour 2/3 c. whole wheat flour 1/2 c. Stevia Cup For Cup sweetener 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1 t. baking soda 1/2 t. ground cinnamon 1/2 t. ground nutmeg Cream filling 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese 1/4 c. granulated sugar 1 T. all-purpose flour 2 egg whites 1 t. vanilla extract For the Batter: With an electric mixer, beat the pumpkin, ap-plesauce, egg, and egg whites on medium speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, Stevia, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Slowly mix the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. For the cream cheese filling: Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, egg whites and flour until creamy and smooth. Grease 2 8x4x2″ loaf pans. Divide half of the batter between the two pans. Pour half of the filling in one pan and the other half in the second pan and smooth with the back of a spoon. Top with the remaining batter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Don’t over bake or your bread will be dry on the edges. Cool and remove from pans. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight

container. One serving (2 slices) = about 100 calories

7

The FHCC Board of Directors will vote to

finalize the budget at the November monthly meeting to be held on November 28, 2012 (due to

the holidays) at 7:30 P M at the Community Center. Your comments are welcome. You may

email your comments or concerns to fhcc@flowerhill.org

Attn: Budget

Flower Hill Central 2013 Draft Budget 2012 2012 YTD 2013

Board Thru Board Draft

Finalized 30-Jun

Furniture and Equipment 08100 Community Center 1,000.00 0.00 500.00

08125 Office 500.00 0.00 1,200.00 08300 Pool 5,000.00 2,889.16 4,000.00 Furniture and Equipment 6,500.00 2,889.16 5,700.00 Taxes 07440 Real Property Taxes 1,400.00 0.00 2,000.00

07431 Income Taxes (State) 5,000.00 0.00 3,250.00

07430 Income Taxes (Federal) 3,800.00 0.00 3,250.00

Total Taxes 10,200.00 0.00 8,500.00 Total Expenses 663,948.20 259,590.73 641,856.21 Net Income/(Loss) Annual Assessment $357.45 $359.91

8

Code Title/Description 06310 Assessments This line represents the money paid by members through their annual assessments. Board Note – This is automatically calculated by subtracting all the other income from the total expenses. This number generates the assessments at the bottom of the page by dividing it by 1989. 06903 Administrative Fees This number represents the late/administrative fees paid by homeowners who turn in their assessments late. 06315 Community Center Rental Income This is money generated by renting the community center to members for events. 06910 Interest/Dividend Income This is money generated by interest on overdue assessments and FHCC operating accounts as well as dividends paid on operating accounts. 06920 Miscellaneous Income This is any other source of income, e.g. – fees for copying resale packages 07925 Alarm System This fixed contract item is the money spent for the alarm sys-tem at the Community Center/Office. 07920 Community Patrol This fixed contract item is the money spent to the com-pany that provides the courtesy patrol that circulates throughout the neighborhood in the evenings. 09610 Landscape This fixed contract item is the money spent for the standard con-tract to maintain FHCC’s several hundred acres of grounds. This contract covers stan-dard maintenance (mowing, trimming, etc.). Any other work (tree removal, etc.) is not included in these fees. 07010 Bookkeeping This fixed contract item is the money spent with the company that keeps FHCC’s books. 08200 Pool This fixed contract item pays the company that operates the pool. This is for services only (lifeguards, cleaning, etc.) and does not cover any equipment or maintenance costs. Community Center Trash Removal This fixed contract item pays for getting the dumpster by the community center emptied. Trash Can Service This fixed contract item pays for having the trash cans through-out the community (tot lots, etc.) emptied. 09700 Trash Removal This budget item has been split into Community Center Trash Removal and Trash Can Service to allow easier tracking of expenses. 07910 Community Center Cleaning FHCC pays for the cleaning of the Community Center and office. Since the frequency of these cleanings varies with the number of events at the Community Center it is not a fixed price item but an estimate. Theoreti-cally, if this number goes over budget the impact will be offset by an increase in rental income. 07450 Copier Lease This fee paid to the copier company to lease the machine it is based on the number of copies. 07300 Payroll Service Expenses FHCC’s payroll for its two employees is contracted out to an outside firm. It varies with the taxes paid. Since taxes vary due to (recently frequent) changes in laws as well as the number of hours of the part-time employee, this is not a fixed price contract.

21

Leaf Raking & Christmas Trees

Yes, it is that time of year again! The air is crisp and the leaves turn

beautiful shades of red & golden brown. We just have a few reminders as the seasons

begin to change. In an effort to keep costs reasonable, FHCC limits leaf removal to the

common areas only. Each homeowner is responsible for the leaf removal from his/her

property. Leaf disposal is to be done according to the county recycling guidelines. Call 240-777-0311 for details. Leaves may

be placed in recycling bags or labeled recycling cans only.

Leaves are not to be raked onto any Flower Hill common areas or to be dumped in the fields, woods

or streambeds.

LEAVES, CHRISTMAS TREES AND ALL OTHER

DEBRIS ARE NOT TO BE DISPOSED OF ON THE COMMON GROUNDS!

20

When to call FHCC: questions about fees, payments or changing your address; request for a resale package when selling your home; rental of the community center; obtaining pool passes; reporting problems with recreational facilities; request for landscape mainte-nance on common areas; snow removal on common areas; and any-thing which would come under the jurisdiction and authority of the FHCC. Linda Horensavitz works in the office at Flower Hill. She is responsible for renting the community center, making a calendar of events at the community center, issuing resale packages and pool passes, and generally handling the affairs of the Flower Hill Commu-nity Center. She may be reached at 301-208-1314. Presently we are self-managed so the FHCC office oversees work done around the community by contractors. Association Bookkeepers Services col-lects the assessments from homeowners does the bookkeeping, and pays our bills.

SUB-ASSOCIATIONS Each homeowner in Flower Hill also belongs to a sepa-rate sub-association for the particular neighborhood in which they live. Portion of the fees paid each year goes

to the sub associations to administer the operation of the individual neighborhoods. Each sub-association has its own Board of Directors, and makes and enforces its own set of rules particular to the individ-ual community. When to call your sub-association: complaints on problems or behavior within the sub-association, such as with your neighborhood parking questions: trash accumulations; request for architectural change to the exterior of your home; pet complaints; and anything which would come under the jurisdiction and authority of the sub-association. A Board of Directors governs each sub-association and their names and numbers are available from the Flower Hill Office. Please call the Flower Hill office at 301-208-1314 to verify your sub association's meeting time and place as they can vary.

Come on out and get involved!

9

07140 Audit/Tax Returns FHCC contracts with an outside firm to audit its books every year (required by law). This same firm prepares our tax returns. This number represents the money paid to this firm. 07270 Bad Debt When all avenues of recovering monies owed to FHCC are ex-hausted, the debts are written off as an expense. When the board takes this action the loss is entered into this budget item. 07880 Bank Charges Fees paid to any of the several banks that handle FHCC’s funds. 07100 Employee FICA Expense Social Security contributions made by FHCC for its two employees. 07280 FHCC Insurance This money is for the insurance policy that covers FHCC. This includes, but is not limited to, insurance for the Community Center and Pool, Directors and Officers insurance for the board and the swim team. Depreciation Expense As the accountants depreciate the value of FHCC properties, the depreciation is entered as an expense on this line. 07120 FUTA/MUTA Taxes Payable Taxes for FHCC employees. 07160 Legal Fees (Collections) FHCC retains a law firm to aid in collection of delin-quent assessments. This budget item reflects the fees that FHCC pays for these ser-vices. At times, the legal fees collected for prior assessments exceeds the amount FHCC has spent for current assessments and this number is negative. 07170 Legal Fees (General Representation) At times FHCC needs legal advice on various matters. This budget item reserves funds for this purpose. 07890 Miscellaneous Expense Any unforeseen expense is assigned to this line item. 07320 Office Expense These reflect the costs to run the office – copy paper, office supplies 07260 Postage This is the money for mailing out both regular business mail as well as community mailings such as the newsletter and assessment notices. 07444 Printing Money to print community literature such as the newsletter. 07180 Professional Development Money set aside for education for our staff, for classes such as management classes and technology classes. 07190 Professional Fees Fees for professional organizations that FHCC belongs to as well as subscriptions. 07000 Salaries Funds to pay the salaries of our two employees. 07350 Web Site Money spent to host and administer the FHCC web site. 07500 Electric This line item pays our electric bill for the Community Center, Pool, pond lighting, etc. 07250 Telephone Money to pay the FHCC telephone bills. 07600 Water/Sewer Money to pay the water and sewer bill for FHCC. The year-to-date amount is a poor estimate of annual spending since filling the various pools ac-counts for a huge portion of this value. 08150 Community Center Maintenance and Repair A facility used as often as the community center requires various upkeep, from painting to various repairs. This line item is an estimate of what these expenses will amount to this year. 09190 Landscape Maintenance and Repair Any work required on FHCC’s exten-sive grounds that is not covered by the grounds contract, such as tree removal, extra plantings, etc.

10

Don't let fear or neglect keep you from good dental health. Dental benefits? The end of the year is

fast approaching, be sure to maximize your benefits.

With over 30 years of experience we can help you and your family maintain great dental health. Call our office today to schedule an

appointment. New patients always welcome.

Peter A. Winkelman, D.D.S., P.A.

18209-A Flower Hill Way Gaithersburg, Md. 20879

(240)-632-8396 www.flowerhilldental.com

19

Knowing who does what can make life easier!

We receive many telephone calls from homeowners with day-to-day questions and needs. These calls are often for situations which are not handled by the Flower Hill Central Corporation (FHCC) and we have to direct the caller elsewhere. In order to help you to know where to call for help with problems, ques-tions or requests, we have compiled a list of who’s who around the Flower Hill Community. Every homeowner in Flower Hill belongs to two (2) associations: The FHCC, and the individual sub-association for the neighbor-hood in which they live. Each sub association has its own Board of Directors, its own set of rules, its own budget and expenses and its own separate responsibilities. Each sun association has a set of governing documents, that create the authority and respon-sibility of the Boards of Directors. You should have received a copy of this set of documents when you purchased your home. You should take some time to review the documents, as there are legal requirements contained in the documents for homeowners . If you should need a copy, they are for sale at the Flower Hill Office. Hopefully, this explanation will help everyone to under-stand the role of each of entity. The Flower Hill Central Corporation is the “umbrella” asso-ciation over all the neighborhoods in the Flower Hill community. What does this mean? It means that the FHCC is the one asso-ciation to which all homeowners in the community belong. It is responsible for the maintenance of all recreational facilities, in-cluding the pool, playgrounds, ponds and community center and also maintains the landscaping in the common areas around the community. FHCC addresses issues / maintains grounds that all 1984 homes share. It also collects the fees for the Central Cor-poration and for the sub associations. Continued on page 20

18

Dumping Debris on Common Area The Cleaning up of dumped debris from the

Flower Hill Common area is becoming a very expensive issue for the neighborhood. The Flower Hill Cen-

tral Corporation has strict grounds rules about dumping grass and other debris. No dumping of any grass, yard clippings,

furniture, appliances, tires, paint cans, mattresses, con-struction materials, used toilets or other debris is allowed

anywhere in Flower Hill. We have noticed this happens in the streambeds and in the wooded ar-eas in Flower Hill. Again, please remember that the common areas of Flower Hill are to be enjoyed by our residents, not to

be used as dumping areas. How to dispose of bulk items:

In an effort to keep the Flower Hill neighborhood looking nice for everyone the staff hopes this information will be help-

ful in disposing of bulk trash items. Please remember that you may not store or dispose of any trash or debris on any property that you do not own. Please do not assume that

these items will be picked up by your sub-associations trash collections. The closest County solid waste facility

accepting Bulk trash is: Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station 301-840-2370. Residents may dispose of large/bulky trash items and trash not acceptable for residential collection

at the County's Solid Waste Transfer Station and "Beauty Spots". No disposal charge is made for trash weighing less

than 500 pounds, delivered in privately-owned and operated vehicles, station wagons, and trailers with a capacity of less than 500 pounds. Beauty Spot loads limited to less than 500

pounds. Facilities accept tree stumps up to 3 feet in diameter. Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Station Website:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/dpwt/solidwaste/collectionservices/facility_detail.asp?facilityID=6

11

09090 Lighting Maintenance and Repair FHCC is responsible for outdoor lighting around the community center and pool as well as around Jessica’s Pond. This line item pays for maintenance and bulbs for this lighting system. 08250 Pool Maintenance and Repair Each year there are various repairs that need to be made on the pool and locker facilities of FHCC. These repairs are not covered by the pool services contract and come out of this line item. Miscellaneous Maintenance and Repair Any maintenance not covered by other budget line items would fall under this budget item. 08100 Community Center (Furniture and Equipment) The community center in-cludes appliances, tables and chairs for parties. As these items break and wear out, this line item is used to replace them. 08125 Office (Furniture and Equipment) This line item replaces broken and worn out furniture in the FHCC Office. 08300 Pool (Furniture and Equipment) This line item plans for replacing the furni-ture associated with the pool as it fails and wears out. 07440 Real Property Consolidated Taxes FHCC owns many parcels of land in the Flower Hill community and must pay property taxes and water quality protection fees on these parcels. 07430 Income Taxes If Flower Hill avoids an operating loss for a given year, it must pay income taxes on the operating surplus and/or gains. This line item allows for the taxes involved with such a surplus. 06990 Capital Reserve FHCC is required by statute to maintain a reserve fund to repair or replace any or all of its community common elements (Community Center, Pool, Tot Lots, etc.) FHCC has a long term schedule of when all these repair or re-placement expenses should be incurred and uses that plan to determine how much money should be contributed to this fund each year to guarantee the long term viabil-ity of this fund. This line item reflects this contribution. 09800 Snow Removal Because of a county law passed in 2001, FHCC is required by Montgomery County law to clear specific sidewalks and paths that it owns (or that its property adjoins) when it snows. Since the amount of money required for snow re-moval is highly volatile because of weather variations, FHCC has established a fund to pay these expenses to protect against these variations. The goal is to go into each year with the fund somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 to avoid the need for a special assessment. The amount contributed will be based on the expenditures to clear an average winter snowfall, so that the fund amount may go up and down but will stay at approximately $100,000. 06970 Capital Improvements This line item reflects funds to create new or improve existing capital assets of the community as the board sees fit. For instance, a new asphalt path added in a sub-association would fall under this budget item.

The FHCC Board of Directors will vote to finalize the budget at the November monthly meeting to be held on November 28, 2012 at

7:30 PM at the Community Center. Your comments are welcome. You may email your comments or concerns to

fhcc@flowerhill.org Attn: Budget

12

Beginning October 1, 2012, Mopeds and Motor Scooters must be titled and insured, and a title decal must be displayed on

the rear of the vehicle. Also, riders must wear protective headgear. If there is no windscreen, eye protection must also be worn. WHAT’S A MOPED?

It is a bicycle designed to be operated by human power

with the assistance of a mo-tor;

The motor has a rating of 1.5 brake horsepower or less;

It has pedals that drive the rear wheel(s); It has 2 or 3 wheels, of which one is more than 14 inches in diameter.

WHAT’S A MOTOR SCOOTER? It is a non-pedal vehicle that has a seat for the

operator; Has two wheels, of which one is 10 inches or

more in diameter; Has a step-through chassis; It has a motor with a rating of 2.7 brake horsepower or less; It has an automatic transmission;

Moped and motor scooter operators are required to obey the same “Rules of the Road” as bicyclists.

17

Children's Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treating

Ghost, ghouls, and monsters aren't the only things to be afraid of on Halloween. Accidents and mishaps in-crease dramatically when children trick-or-treat. To avoid the many dangers children face while trick-or-treating, use common sense. Be aware of potential Halloween hazards and take precautions to eliminate them. Consider heading for an indoor Halloween party and bypass any chaos or danger. Trick-or-Treating Tips:

Carry a flashlight with fresh batteries after dark.

Wear identification that's easy to read. Always trick-or-treat in groups, accompanied by

an adult. Follow a curfew and take a watch with a back-

light. Plan your route ahead of time. Stay on the sidewalks and out of the streets.

Cross only at intersections and designated crosswalks.

Walk. No running. Don't trample through flower beds and gar-

dens. Watch out for open flames in Jack-O-Lanterns. Trick-or-treat in familiar neighborhoods.

16

Numbers to Remember County Police / Fire Emergency 911 County Police Non-Emergency 301-279-8000 PROACTIVE (FHCC Security Company) 301-674-1309 County Police (Gaithersburg sub-station) 240-773-5700 Park Police 301-929-5981 Flower Hill Office 301-208-1314 Flower Hill Fax 301-20/-1316 Flower Hill Pool 301-208-1553

Montgomery County MC311 County Information

240-777-0311 311 allows customers to call one easy-to-remember number to access Montgomery County information and services. Custom-ers can also access information and create or track service requests on the website at

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/311

13

NEW LAW ALERT ISSUED FOR

MOTOR SCOOTER AND MOPED

RIDERS (PIKESVILLE, MD) -- Maryland State Police and local law enforcement are reminding the owners and riders of motor scooters and mopeds that a new law taking effect in less than two months will make significant changes in the use of their chosen form of transportation. On October 1, 2012, new Maryland vehicle laws will take effect that require all motor scooters and mopeds to be titled and insured, while all operators and passengers must wear a helmet and eye pro-tection. These new requirements are in addition to the existing law that requires all motor scooter and moped operators to possess a valid driver’s license or a moped operator’s permit. All drivers and passengers of motor scooters and mopeds will be required to wear motorcycle helmets that meet safety standards set by the United States Department of Transportation. Drivers and passengers must also wear eye protection, unless the vehicle is equipped with a windscreen. Motor scooter and moped owners will be required to insure their vehicles. They must obtain at least the minimum vehicle liability insurance and must carry proof of the insurance with them when-ever they are operating the scooter or moped. Motor scooters and mopeds will be required to be titled by the Mo-tor Vehicle Administration. Owners will be able to obtain titling information through the MVA website at www.mva.maryland.gov beginning October 1st. When the title is obtained, the vehicle owner will be provided with a decal that must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. (continued on page 14)

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Maryland law defines a motor scooter as a non-pedal vehicle that has a seat for the operator; has two wheels, of which one is ten or more inches in diameter; has a step through chassis; has a motor with a rat-ing of 2.7 brake horsepower or less, or a 50 cc engine or less; and is equipped with an automatic transmission. A moped is defined as a bicycle that is designed to be operated by human power with the assistance of a motor; is equipped with pedals that can drive the rear wheel(s); has two or three wheels, one of which is more than 14 inches in diameter; has a motor with a rating of 1.5 brake horsepower or less and a 50 cc engine or less. The drivers of motor scooters and mopeds are required to follow the same rules of the road as bicycles. Those rules include: -Drivers must ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practical and safe as possible, except when: --Making a left turn; --Operating on a one-way street; --Passing a stopped or slower moving vehicle; --Avoiding pedestrians and road hazards; --The right lane is a right turn only lane; --Operating in a lane too narrow for a bicycle or motor scooter and another vehicle to travel safely side by side. -Drivers may ride side by side only if flow of traffic is unimpeded; -Drivers must exercise due care when passing; -Headsets covering both ears, or earplugs in both ears, are not permit-ted; -Scooters or mopeds may not be operated on roadways with speed limits greater than 50 mph; -Scooters or mopeds may not be operated at more than 30 mph; -Drivers may not operate on a roadway where there is a smooth paved bike lane or paved shoulder available, meaning they must use the bike lane or paved shoulder instead of the roadway; -Drivers must obey the rules of the road applicable to all vehicles. Troopers and local law enforcement across Maryland have received training regarding the new laws. Scooter and moped drivers who vio-late the new law can expect to be stopped and issued traffic citations or warnings, beginning October 1.

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Snow? Who is responsible for clearing it?

This is just a reminder about the clearing of snow and ice off of the sidewalks. The rules for snow clear-ing Single- family detached residences are fairly simple: Walks in front of or on the side of such properties must be cleared by the owner; owners who do not clear these walks are subject to citation by Montgomery County. Such prop-erties in Strawberry Knoll and Flower Hill North are re-sponsible to clear the sidewalks for the walks on their prop-erty that border Strawberry Knoll Road and Centerway Road. Some connector walks in the single family detached neighborhoods will be cleared by the FHCC. The rules for snow clearing in the Townhouse communities are somewhat more complicated. The FHCC plan calls for walkways (in front of townhouses that occur between the imaginary extensions of the side property lines to the parking bays) to be cleared by the individual property own-ers, under the adjacency rule in the law. Some of these walks are located on FHCC property for maintenance purposes. However, the law places primary responsibility on the individual owner rather than the HOA.The only community where the lines are quite clear is Southridge. At Southridge, the individual property owners own the walkways. The FHCC will clear connectors between townhouse groupings and entry area walkways that lead to public streets. The condominiums are responsible for all of their walkways. FHCC will clear the extensive walkway along Snouffer School Road and Emory Grove.Road, and portions of the walkway along Strawberry Knoll Road and Centerway Road. Asphalt paths that intersect the common grounds and lead to recreational areas will not be cleared with the exception of the walks that lead to schools. To register a complaint with Montgomery County, call 240-777-0311