THE MOUNTAINEER WALNUT MOUNTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION VOL. 110 APRIL 1, 2007

Schedule of Events

Spring/Summer 2007

Apr. 12 Garden Club Meeting & Potluck,6:00 p.m., Clubhouse

Apr. 21 WMPOA Board of DirectorsMeeting, 9:00 a.m., Clubhouse

Apr. 21 WMPOA Quarterly Meeting,11:00 a.m., Clubhouse

Apr. 21 Pizza & Bingo at Clubhouse,$6.00 p.p.

May 3 Garden Club Meeting & Potluck,6:30 p.m., Clubhouse

May 16 WMPOA Board of DirectorsMeeting, 6:30 p.m., Clubhouse

May 26 Meet the Candidates Picnic &Pool Opening Party

June 14 Garden Club Meeting & Potluck,6:00 p.m., Clubhouse

June 16 Walnut Mtn. Craft Show & PetContest, 10:00-3:00 inCampground

June 20 WMPOA Board of DirectorsMeeting, 6:30 p.m., Clubhouse

July 12 Garden Club Meeting & Potluck,6:00 p.m., Clubhouse

July 21 WMPOA Board of DirectorsMeeting, 9:00 a.m., Clubhouse

July 21 WMPOA Annual Meeting &Elections, 11:00 a.m., Clubhouse

Don’t forget!

WMPOA

Quarterly Meeting

11:00 a.m., April 21

President’s MessageBy Ed Sands

Irecently shared with a friend that almost all the articles I submit to The

Mountaineer under the heading of “President’s Message” have been negative in

content. When my friend asked why I didn’t report only good things in my

article, I countered that the folks in our community know better. There are many,

if not more, negative issues as there are positive. Let me offer a parable –

Community vs. Anonymity.

COMMUNITY: The dictionary suggests community is a specific area

where people live under a common government and with a common goal.

ANONYMITY: The state of being anonymous.

On Walnut Mountain, we have this situation, and one seems to fly into the face of

the other. The majority of our residents advocates and encourages an atmosphere

of community! It is legal; it is healthy; it is encouraged that property owners attend

monthly and/or quarterly board meetings to vent; to come to praise Caesar or to

bury Caesar! Stand-up, be recognized, and state your position. THEN comes that

small, but yet real percentage of our residents who prefer the state of anonymity.

These are the people who call board members with legitimate complaints or issues

and refuse to identify themselves. Please note that I will not discuss Walnut

Mountain business with anyone who refuses to identify themselves. There are also

people who, in the dead of night, violate our rules by placing unauthorized items in

Ted Key captivated the audience with his stories of early Georgia history

and Indian folklore at the January 20 Spaghetti dinner.

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the dumpsters. There are people who throw trash along our

roadways and who vandalize our gates. Finally, there are

those who vandalize our tennis courts by throwing garbage

on the courts and writing vile and disgusting comments on

the surface of the courts.

We have addressed some of these issues with the

installation of electronic surveillance equipment, and, when

identified, the violators will be subjected to the strongest

public sanction possible. The incident(s) at the tennis

courts has resulted in the placing of locks on the gates. We

cannot regulate the negative attitudes, but we can and will

address negative acts.

I hasten to remind all property owners that taking corrective

actions against violators usually results in expenditure of

funds that could be spent on other issues. Therefore, I

encourage all WMPOA members to become fully involved

in “Neighborhood Watch!” ,

Tennis Courts

Beginning March 15, the gate to the Tennis Courts will be locked.

To gain access, please go to the Welcome Station and sign the key

out or contact Bunny DeMeo at 706-698-4040.

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Treasurer’s ReportBy Ron Hollifield

As we move into the spring season,

there is a lot of good news to report.

During our last WMPOA meeting, I

mentioned that we had finalized all the

Employee Drug Testing. I am happy to

report that we are now a “Drug Free

Work Place.” This is a great reflection

on all of the our employees, plus a 7.5% savings on our

Workman’s Compensation Insurance.

The decision has been made to do quarterly water meter

readings. We have installed zone meters to ensure we are

monitoring any water loss. This new system has allowed us

the flexibility for the quarterly readings. This will also have

a cost savings for the Mountain. Also, for the weekend

residents, this should work in your favor as well. You will

have three months to use your water. If you spend a lot of

time here one month (and don’t come back for the next two

months) this will help offset your high usage for the one

month. This is a win-win situation for our part time

residents. This will not have an impact on our full time

residents.

The board has also made the decision to pay off half of the

$90,000 line of credit. We will be paying $45,000 before

the end of March. This will reduce our interest payment

and generate additional revenue for the Mountain.

The decision was made to consolidate all of our insurance

with one company. We have also increased our deductible

on all of our buildings (from $500 to $1,000) and increased

all of their values. This will have a cost savings of around

$5,500 per year. Our coverage is actually better. The only

change has been the increase on our deductible and

consolidation of all our policies.

Feel free to email me at Rhollifield@ellijay.com with any

comments or suggestions with cost savings. Thanks to

those who have sent me suggestions. ,

Typing 101By Lois Hoffman

“Now is the time for all good men

to come to the aid of their

country.” For those of us, shall I

say, mature enough to remember

typing before it became word

processing, this was one of the

most popularly practiced typing

exercises. Whatever small motor skill memory it

stimulated, it resonated in generations of high school

business classes. While the Underwoods and Smith

Coronas of the world are now going, going, gone, the

WMPOA Board hopes the same fate may have not yet

befallen the words of that practiced phrase. Why ....

The WMPOA Board of Directors again is seeking

candidates to run for the four positions that open annually.

Currently, Walnut Mountain encompasses about 400 full

time, seasonal, and rental homes. With a fully constituted

Board of 12 members, simple math indicates that it requires

about 3% of the homes during any given year to volunteer

the service of one of its residents to fully comply with the

mandates of our CCR’s. Of course, that doesn’t even take

into account the perceived interest lot owners should have

in the future of this community.

Service on the Board is not service to the Board; it is

volunteering to help preserve and protect the infrastructure

and esthetic of this very special place. Whether

individually we look at Walnut Mountain through the lens

of financial investment or haven or both, the landscape

viewed is every changing, as are our expectations. To

achieve that balance between land and dream, we need

helping hands.

If you are willing to consider volunteering, please contact

any Board member or Twila Knowles at the office. We

have a Meet the Candidates Party and pool opening event

scheduled for Saturday, May 26, 2007, with elections

taking place at the Quarterly WMPOA meeting the

following July. As springtime is a time of renewal,

hopefully it will be the perfect time to renew that spirit of

coming to the aid of our country – our community – our

Walnut Mountain. ,

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We want to extend a hearty welcome to some of our newest

property owners on Walnut Mountain. They are:

Charles Boynton/Brad Marsh 26 Circle Drive

F. Scott Brumfield Lots L112 & L113

Charles & Deborah Burke 1384 Walnut Ridge

Jamila A. Chevez 184 Laurel Ridge Drive

Natalie Citarelli Lot H122

Donald E. Day Lot M188

Tim Hedden Lot C126

David & Judy Horner 370 Valley View Road

Julia Lewallyn Tract 2

Bart & Eileen McDonough Lot M115

Rajeshree Patel &

Suparna Ricklin Lot M213

Frank Raciti & Erin Galbreath 66 Mountain Oak Court

Melvin & Janice Walker 747 Mountain Oak Rd.

The Mountaineer is published quarterly by the Website & PublicationsCommittee of the Walnut Mountain Property Owner’s Association. Wewelcome articles, photos, letters or comments from property owners.Classified ads are free for property owners. Please forward yoursubmissions to the WMPOA, Attention: Website & PublicationsChairman, 3808 Turniptown Road, #4030, Ellijay, GA 30536.

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Goodwill HuntingBy Lois Hoffman, Assistant Vice President

It may be difficult to prove, but it would seem that the

Walnut Mountain community is entering the juggernaut

of its teen years. We have been going through a

tremendous growth spurt accompanied by some not-so-

pleasant consequences such as last year’s aggravating bouts

of “aquas interruptus.” Patience has been strained by such

things as the unsightly dumpster area and pot-holed roads.

As the staff has grown, questions have followed as to that

necessity, maintenance costs have spiraled as well as

property owners’ tempers from rising assessments, and

when the mandates of the C.C.R.’s have been invoked,

replies of “leave me alone” or “you don’t understand” have

been heard. Yikes!

Like parents, this community doesn’t get a “do-over” when

the going gets tough. However, by having a common

understanding of some of the actual facts involved, we may

be able to find the goodwill among us so necessary for

progress. After all, goodwill is the glue that bonds a

community, especially when its facts of life are a little

turbulent. So here are some of the facts to consider:

Walnut Mountain currently has over 400 homes, nearly ½

being full time residences served by 22 miles of roads and

having private water production under a Class 1

certification (pumping up to 100,000 gallons of water a

day). While the amenities enhance our lives here, it is the

production and delivery of safe water that is primary. This

process has come under critical stress within the past two

years in part due to its aging schematic, increased

population impact, and greater scrutiny by the E.P.D. and

D.N.R. It is not enough to simply produce an adequate

supply of safe water, it must be done according to an ever

changing set of regulations which have been and will

continue to be closely monitored. Reports, test results,

schedules all have to be analyzed, written, filed, and made

readily available. This takes knowledge, man hours, and

time away from more community visible work.

Therein lies the necessity for an increase in water plant staff

who must be certified and continue their education for

recertification. While the core of their responsibility is

water production and delivery, they also serve as the

maintenance staff, performing such tasks as reading the

water meters monthly; responding to work orders for

patching, grading and graveling the roads; tree trimming

and removal in common areas; constant dumpster clean-up;

mowing; dam and pond maintenance; ditch clearing;

providing the water connection service to 35 new homes in

the last two years (15 more now under construction); and

the occasional major repair such as replacing the bridge to

Gate #1.

Specifically in response to water delivery problems within

the past two years, roughly 250 leaks have been detected,

some very visible and some searched out by working

through the system with our new detection apparatus, and

then they are repaired. Their locations can be found on

maps in the Office. In addition, 270 water meters have

been replaced, and the county wants continued replacement

every five years. Further, eight master water zone meters

have been installed with four more yet to come.

It should also be noted that leak detection and repair is not

a simple “find-it” and “fix-it” situation. Leaks are not

scheduled, so staff may be called in at any hour for repair

and for monitoring the water pressure to other service lines.

Last December 22, the Friday before Christmas, the staff

worked for over 15 hours fixing a sudden massive leak on

L-Section. Had they not been able to do so, many residents

would have been without water right before the holidays.

Even during regular work hours, when a leak occurs it takes

priority, and other tasks may have to be abandoned until the

necessary repair is made. This circumstance understand-

ably often irritates residents. Ironically, the consequence of

a solid leak repair may result in other leaks along the line as

additional pressure is put on aging, weakened areas.

However, plans are in the process for sequential replace-

ment of the water lines and repaving of the roads that will

consequently be damaged in the process. Thus, where

currently the roads are indeed pot-holed, it is felt that

definitive repair then tearing up for the laying of new line,

then repaving again, would not be cost effective.

Gasoline, electricity, and insurance costs have indeed risen,

but have come under careful scrutiny. While it should be

noted that several of our staff have Walnut Mountain cell

phones, their value lies in being able to make timely,

appropriate contact without having too spend significantly

more gas money driving around the mountain in search.

This, I hope in part answers some of the questions and

concerns over the necessity of increased assessments, more

staff, and the length of time it takes to complete some

projects. While I shamelessly used a play on words with a

famous movie title in writing this piece, the “Good Will

Hunting” film itself was a “coming of age” story. So, too,

this community is coming of age, and if we seek goodwill

along the way, we should not only survive, but also thrive.,

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Recreation & Entertainment Committee ReportBy Bunny DeMeo, Chairman

The Spaghetti dinner on Saturday, January 20, was

a huge success, with good food and wonderful

entertainment by Ted Key, a history teacher and

professional storyteller, and great music by Walnut

Mountain resident, Lisa Hoyle, and her brother, Al

Hoyle.

Many thanks to Nancy Smith, who taught a CPR class

for Walnut Mountain residents on March 3.

April 21 – Pizza and Bingo at the clubhouse. Price -

$6.00 (includes pizza, beverage and two Bingo cards).

Extra cards are two for $5.00. You may bring a white

elephant item to use as a gift. Please call Bunny (706-

698-4040) to reserve your place and pizza!

May 26 – Meet the Candidates Picnic and the pool

opening. Bring your bathing suits and appetites and

get to know your future Board members. This is a

good time for questions and to consider how you could

help your community by running for the Board.

June 16 (Saturday, 10:00-3:00) – Walnut Mountain

Craft Show and Pet Contest. Call Bunny DeMeo

(706-698-4040) or Karen LaFleur (706-636-5751) to

be a vendor and to participate in the pet contest. It will

be in the Walnut Mountain campground and has been

very successful and fun in the past. Spruce up those

cats and doges (or whatever) and win a prize.

July – Luau at the clubhouse. Price - $20.00 per

person. Date to be announced later, depending on the

availability of special entertainment.

Tennis Courts are now locked. Keys may be picked up

at the Welcome Station or by calling Bunny at 706-

698-4040 on the weekend. There will be a sign-out

sheet.

Be sure to check the Bulletin boards and the Walnut

Mountain web site for other scheduled activities.

Suggestions are welcome for events. This is your

mountain, and we want to make it fun and friendly.

Did you know the newsletter is posted monthly on our website?You can also view back issues of the newsletter there, as well asphotos of recent mountain events. The web address iswww.walnutmountain.org. If you prefer to view the newsletter thereinstead of receiving a hard copy in the mail, please send an email towww.mcbrides@ellijay.com.

A good crowd turned out to enjoy the Spaghetti Dinner and Storytelling Evening at the clubhouse on January 20.

Walnut Mountain resident, Lisa Hoyle, and her brother,Al Hoyle, provided the evening’s music.

Evelyn Schoonejongen practices the latest CPR techniquesas taught at the March 3 class at the clubhouse.

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In Memory

MR. ALTON LANE BASSETT, 81, of Roswell and Walnut

Mountain, died Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at Erlanger

Hospital in Chattanooga. He was an honorably discharged

veteran who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and

was awarded two bronze stars. After graduating from the Atlanta

Automotive Trade Institution, he made his career as an auto body

technician with Ford dealers for forty years. He was preceded in

death by son, Jeff Bassett. He is survived by his wife of 53 years,

Bobbe Ruth Hunt Bassett; and son, David Hunt Bassett. The

Bassetts made their home in Roswell for fifty-two years. Since

1990, they have lived part-time at their home in Walnut Mountain

where Mr. Bassett loved to work in his garden and grow flowers.

He was an active member of the Walnut Mountain Garden Club

and planted and maintained many lovely garden spots on the

Mountain.

CMDR. JAMES HAMILTON BLOMQUIST, SR., 62, of

Walnut Mountain died Tuesday, February 20, 2007, at the

Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. He was a graduate of Carroll

College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and a retired United States

Navy veteran of 23 years with the rank of commander, serving

three tours of duty in Vietnam. He was a presidential advisor to

two presidents, Reagan and Bush, and retired from Lockheed

Martin. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Joan Twining

Blomquist; a daughter, three sons, five grandchildren and a sister.

He served Walnut Mountain in the past as a member of the Safety

Committee and Rules and Regulations Committee and was an

active member of the Walnut Mountain Garden Club.

MRS. SHERRYL DEE “SHERRY’ WEAVER, 56, of Ellijay,

died Tuesday, February 20, 2007. She worked as a legal secretary

and, with her husband, Dan Weaver, operated the Discount Depot

in Ellijay. She is survived by her husband, daughter, father,

brother, sister, and three grandchildren. A celebration of her life

was held Friday, February 23 at the Walnut Mountain Picnic Area.

Property Owners: Please take note of the companies that

advertise in THE MOUNTAINEER and utilize their services.

Their ads substantially reduce our printing costs.