Winterchase HOA of Acworth April 2021 Newsletter
We’ve weathered some tumultuous times. One of our members passed away due to Covid. Covid and storms forced pricing for materials and services considerably higher. We needed to push back our planned projects until pricing returns to normal. Thankfully, our community came together to continue to improve our entrance below cost. Our largest group of volunteers worked the longest hours to finish the front entrance landscaping! Dogwood vender pricing gave us the best bang for our buck. All detailed-on FB. We are so proud to belong to such a wonderful community! This newsletter is important to explain what are our expectations for the future. Please read this as we explain why dues went up and more.
Facebook, email and other feedback to past publications have been informative and welcomed. In the end, we all learned a lot about each other and the limitation of an HOA this past year. To best serve the community, we needed to raise dues. Bottom line: It costs money to make things happen. Dues are the only source of income. This Board has been seeking your input since we first discussed raising dues in the March 2018 newsletter. We don’t come to these decisions lightly.
Annual dues have not been raised in 14 years. It is time. We needed to raise dues this year to keep up with inflation. Now that we have everyone’s attention (because raising dues has that effect :), do you agree with what has been determined? Currently, the community expressed their will to slowly raising dues to include the Georgia Power area in the landscaping budget, replace chain link fencing around the pool area, along with the already planned maintenance previously discussed. Currently, Georgia Power clears the land once every 6 years (Thank you Dawn for the info) but does nothing for the undergrowth annually. Members expressed their concerns for vermin and other nuisances which are free to roam the center of our patch of Georgia during the other 5 years. We would like to remove those concerns. Raising of dues will be minor and slow. $15 per year until we reach about $400 annual dues. This is the proposal and is not set in stone. As elected officials, the Board is responding to the community. If you disagree, then we need to hear from you.
The HOA can slowly raise dues because of volunteers helping with projects around the neighborhood. We really, really appreciate of your efforts! Because of you, we have the financial breathing room to make improvements while still moving forward on the big picture items. The landscaping areas look better than ever! Mulch bush area, stained fence, trimmed and beautiful landscaping, along with fresh paint on the signs bring up our standards making us proud to live here.
ACC continues to monitor and enforce our HOA contract within enforcement limitations due to Covid. The blue house on Stone Hollow changed ownership instead of dealing with changing the unapproved color. While we would like to have both, our ultimate goal of removing rentals is one house closer. Please welcome the new member. Currently rentals are at an all-time low of about 10%. Most or our members are improving our homes, while some are taking advantage of the situation by not maintaining a clean appearance. Trash cans, exercise equipment, indoor furniture all should be put out of sight unless in use or only on Tuesday trash removal.
Annual Membership Meeting – Sat. May 22 @ 10 a. m. Please come on out and enjoy the morning with us down at the usual spot, the pool-house. We will keep the tradition alive with refreshments and smiles.
Annual Election – William, our Treasurer, is up for reelection. Dawn is on the ballot to continue on the Board after being rotated in. If you would like to replace one of them, then we need to hear from you soon. Another rotation looks possible this year. Someone on Stone Hollow might join the team. We’d like to hear from anyone considering being a board member. This is the last reminder for 2021 elections.
Annual Dues – Dues increased to $365. BB&T handles our invoicing and conveniently accepts payments at the branch down the street. Remember to use your coupon to receive credit for payments. This is the last reminder for 2021 dues and payment details are listed below.
Speeding – Please slow down around the kids and walkers!!! Thank you
Pool opening – mid-May.
Trash Cans – Out of sight or on the side after Tuesday pick-up.
Dogs/pets– A good way to gain an enemy is for your pet to poop in their yard; please be kind.
Police – Report any unusual activity in your area to Acworth Police department (770) 974-1232.
Email the entire BOD at [email protected]
Welcome Winterchase! for members only https://www.facebook.com/groups/198176900923285/
President: Greg Thompson 770-855-9424 Board of Directors: Deborah Rogers (Chair)
Dawn Spurlin (Director-at-Large) William Godfrey (Treasurer) Mark Perdue (Secretary)
Connie Keller (Director-at-Large & ACC Chair)
Making your payment
- Any general correspondence should be directed to the association; do not include with your coupon payment.
- All checks must be accompanied by a coupon.
- Make your check payable to the legal name of the association.
- Tear off the coupon for your next payment and enclose with your check.
- Mail payments to BB&T, P.O. Box 628207, Orlando, FL 32862-8207
Making Payments at a BB&T Financial Center – Payments are accepted at BB&T financial centers with a BB&T Association Services payment coupon. Payments will post the following business day.
Online Bill Pay Providers – Ensure your online bill pay set-up reflects the following:
- Payee Account Number: Use the bill pay account number located on your coupon. The number is listed as: Bill Pay Account Number. Do not add any other letters, numbers or identifying words in the account number area. The bill pay account number is unique to each property address and payment obligation. If you own more than one property or if you have more than one payment obligation, you will have different bill pay numbers for each payment.
- Payee Name: Winterchase HOA
- Payee Address: O. Box 628207, Orlando, FL 32862-8207
- Payee Phone: 888-722-6669
Online Payment System Visit BB&T’s online payment system at BBT.com/Payments and click the Pay Now link to make a payment online or enroll in automatic payment. A convenience fee of 2.95% of the transaction amount is charged for payments made online by credit card. A flat $4.95 convenience fee is charged per transaction for payments made online by debit card. There is no fee for payments made by eCheck or enrollment in Association Pay online. The maximum payment amount is $10,000 for a single credit/debit card payment transaction and $20,000 for a single eCheck payment transaction. Multiple separate online payments can be submitted toward the same obligation; however, separate payment transaction will each incur a convenience fee if one applies.
Sign up for Automatic Payment through BB&T’s Association Pay (ACH)