COVID-19 Amenities Update – April 29, 2020

Apr 29, 2020 | Amenities, Clubhouse Rentals, Community Safety, Community Updates, COVID-19, Pool, Rules & Regulations, Social Events, Tennis Court

COVID-19 Update on Amenities – April 27, 2020

The Georgia Governor has reduced restrictions in the state as of April 25 & 27. The Board wants to update all of you on what that means for our subdivision.

Fitness Room – The ability to use fitness facilities is directed towards large fitness facilities. There are 16 requirements that have to be met in order to open and stay open. Our partners, CMA, and their legal representatives have advised us to not open as we could not meet these requirements. If we are unable to meet all of those requirements allow the use of the facility our insurance carrier would not cover our liability. Therefore the fitness room will remain closed.

If the restrictions become manageable in the future and we can maintain our insurance coverage we will open ASAP. Currently, we have two broken treadmills and are working on getting those repaired before opening. Also, we plan to deep clean the facility, including the restrooms before opening those areas.

Pool – We have received better news regarding the pool use. Most health officials agree that the spread of the disease in the pool is greatly diminished. But we still have the social distancing issue to address when the pool is allowed to open. Currently, the dates being discussed are mid-May or Memorial Day weekend. The Board is much more optimistic about the pool opening versus the fitness room.

As we await the word to open we are authorizing Splash to fix and repair the pool as needed and to perform the maintenance required for the pool to be ready for Cobb county inspection. We anticipate this will be completed by the first week of May.

When we do open there is a high probability of additional restrictions that will be placed on those that want to use the facility. These restrictions will not be negotiable. Our ability to stay open will require all participants to abide by the rules. When we know anything further, we will provide the homeowners with that information.

Clubhouse – Clubhouse rentals are closed until further notice. Any rentals that are currently on the calendar will be assessed as they get closer to the date of the rental. Any checks that have been submitted will be destroyed unless the resident provides other instructions. If any resident wants to cancel, notify us by emailing centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.

Playground – We have not been advised when this will be open for use.

Tennis & Basketball Courts – We will continue to allow the use of these facilities for family members only that live in Centennial Commons as long as they call ahead (at least one hour) to Chuck Whitaker 404-934-5023. Chuck will unlock the gate for your play. Remember, only one family at a time at each facility.

Thank you,

CCHOA Board

Letter From the President (April 2020)

Apr 17, 2020 | Budget, Community Safety, Community Updates, COVID-19, Financial, Landscaping, Pool, President Letters, Rules & Regulations, Social Events

FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE KNOW!

Email: centennialcommoner@yahoo.com

As I write this letter, almost 2 months from the last one, I’m shocked how much has changed in a short period of time. We have a deadly complicated virus running among us and our governments are restricting everything we do. This is certainly a time for prayer and reflection on our lives and how we can make things better at a very difficult time in our day to day existence. I see numerous Facebook posts that are offering help to anyone that needs it. Many are walking around and being friendly to those that they don’t know. Also, residents have asked that we do something to lift up our spirits. That has spawned the Celebration Sunday which will run through the month of April. We are blessed to have a wonderful community. 

The Board held a social distancing meeting on April 7, 2020, at the poolside. We needed this meeting as many things had accumulated since our Feb. meeting, let alone the virus issues. We will note the issues discussed in this newsletter.

I hope by the next newsletter we will be discussing our same old stuff! Watch for email blasts and Facebook posts from the Board for any crucial information. I ask for your patience with the Board as this is all new for us as it is to everyone else. I can assure you we don’t want to close anything down, as we realize that our amenities could be the only way for some to get relief from the monotony of sheltering in place, but the Board does have to listen to our government and partners who recommend or mandate certain requirements to keep everyone safe. So when you see, read or hear of things being closed know we do this for the safety of our residents and to comply with edicts from experts.

I so hope you and your families are doing well and continue to keep everyone safe.

Thanks for reading,      

Don Roach, President

COVID-19 News

All amenities are closed at the current time including the playground. Exclusions are the basketball and tennis courts.

Basketball & Tennis Courts

Immediate family residents (those that live together under one roof) can use the courts by calling Chuck Whitaker 404-934-5023. Only one family per court at a time. Please give Chuck an hour’s notice before requesting to use the court. Chuck will meet you and unlock the door to the court you want to use. When finished make sure you close the door and ensure it latches.

Playground

Because of the inability to clean after use at the playground, we need to close this amenity. A sign will be posted at the sidewalk leading to the playground. We cannot lock the playground down so we need the residents to honor the request not to use. Thanks.

HOA Activities

All future HOA activities have been postponed until further notice. The Board will continue to meet in person when needed but these will be done with current restrictions in mind. Hopefully all this will be over sooner versus later.

 

Other Updates

Assessment Fees

The board understands that the longevity of the Corona Virus may be financially affecting some of our residents.  Over the past week, the Board met to discuss this issue and directed our secretary to communicate with both CMA and our Attorney for direction as to what options we had to help our residents. We were informed that legally, we cannot waive any monthly assessment fees for any reason.   Therefore, for those residents having difficulties maintaining their monthly assessment fees, the Board highly recommends you contact our CMA representative, Melody Daniel @404-835-9201 to pursue a financial arrangement. The Board will review all arrangements presented by CMA for approval. We hope this will lessen the amount of financial distress on those residents in need.

Financial Report

The Board has decided with these uncertain times we will be postponing any costly projects for the near future. We will address them at a later time. Even though we have a very decent reserve we don’t want to be dipping into it unless absolutely necessary. Our budget is based on 294 out of 300 homes paying dues for 12 months. If that goal is not hit for very long, we may have to go to the reserve budget to cover monthly expenses. So we need to be prepared for different scenarios if this continues for much longer than anticipated.

Pool Opening

Cobb County has an executive order in place barring the opening of community pools.

We received this notice from SPLASH:

COVID-19 Guidance for Swimming Pools

“While Governor Kemp’s current Executive Order is in place, CDPH will follow the state Environmental Health office’s recommendation that swimming pools not be allowed to open until the order is lifted.  There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread through properly disinfected swimming pool water; however, the virus can be spread in this environment through person-to-person contact and contact with contaminated surfaces.  The Center for Environmental Health will continue to schedule and perform conditional opening inspections which will allow compliant pools to open once the Executive Order is lifted. If state guidance changes during the duration of the Executive Order, those conditions will then apply to pre-approved pools.”

SPLASH and the HOA are preparing our pool area and pool as in the past so it is ready to open when the order is lifted.

Celebration of Life Contest

The subdivision was encouraged to light up the mood around our neighborhood with lights and decorations for the month of April. The social committee will award the best 3 decorated homes. Unfortunately, storms suspended the judging by a week. The judges will be out on Saturday, April 18, to determine the winners. Please leave your lights on until 9:30 that night. Thanks and good luck.

Landscaping News

Front Entrance

The front color (flowers) has been selected by the landscaping committee and will be planted soon after the irrigation system is activated and working properly. In addition, a couple (3) trees will be planted in the open space up on Centennial Hill Drive. These projects were already in progress and had to move forward.

Mowing has begun and the lawns will be scalped to allow more sun into the lawn. Please keep decorations out of the lawn area. With the heat returning the weed spray will have more of an effect on these pesky plants.

Please do not call Kathy Andregg for landscaping issues in 2020. All landscaping issues will be submitted to our email centennialcommoner@yahoo.com we will then forward to the 4 Seasons managers for attention and remediate action. Once the issue is resolved we or 4 Seasons will notify the resident of the correction or action taken. Remember, if you deal directly with 4 Seasons we cannot follow up as we have no knowledge of your issue.

Upcoming Turf Treatment

Tru-Green is scheduled to do another turf treatment on or about April 18, Saturday. This will be a liquid pre and post-emergent weed killer.

For those of you that have already signed up for backyard turf treatment applications through 4 Seasons, all you need to do is ensure that your side gate access to your backyard is left open on April 18 so Tru-Green can get back in there. If you haven’t already gotten on that backyard turf treatment list and would like to get your backyard treated at the same time as the front and side yard, you must call 4 Seasons and ask to get on the list. It’s too late to sign up for the April 18 treatment but you can get on the list for future treatments that cost $16/treatment.  There are typically 6 of them throughout the year. The contact person is Linda Lane at 770-452-4455. The homeowner is billed directly from 4 Seasons for this backyard treatment.

Help Keep Our Neighborhood Clean

Many of our residents like to walk in the nice weather.  We are looking for volunteers that would be willing to pick up debris and trash when you see it.  The HOA will provide trash Grippers for anyone who is willing to volunteer.

SPLASH is hiring!

Our board received this notice from SPLASH if anyone is interested:

If you know of anyone that is looking for a summer job and likes being outside around a pool, Splash may be the perfect fit for them!

Some quick facts about working for Splash as a Lifeguard or Pool Monitor:

  • No previous work experience is required
  • Employees must be at least 15 years old
  • We teach two American Red Cross Lifeguard certification classes per year for anyone that wants to become a Lifeguard
  • All employees’ starting pay rate is above the minimum wage
  • Lifeguards have a higher level of responsibility and training, therefore have a higher starting pay rate than Pool Monitors
  • Employees work on average 20 hours per week, but we are flexible. We have some employees that work closer to 40 hours and others that work less than 20.
  • More than 75% of our summer staff works for us for multiple swim seasons

404-643-3310

Thanks for reading!

Don Roach, President and the Board of Centennial Commons, Directors, Chuck Whitaker, Amenities, Bill Drake, ACC Coordinator and Shirley Cox, Secretary.

Letter From the President (Jan/Feb/Mar 2020)

Feb 27, 2020 | Amenities, Budget, Community Safety, Community Updates, Financial, Landscaping, New Board Members, President Letters, Rules & Regulations, Social Events, Tennis Court

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

JAN/FEB/MAR 2020

Another annual meeting is in the books. Although we had a decent turnout, we still had only 4 candidates for 5 positions. Fortunately, we were able to convince a new resident to join us in 2020. His name is William Earnest and will be our Financial Director. William (Bill) was President on a previous HOA and has served in financial positions with other entities.

Bill Drake joined our Board this year after living here for numerous years. Bill is well known for helping many of our residents with home and yard issues. He has volunteered his time and efforts to the social committee events and has repaired various broken items in and around the clubhouse – too many to list actually.  Bill will be leading the ACC team of homeowners through the homeowner improvement requests.

Welcome, Bill and Bill! We are blessed to get your talents. 

We did achieve a quorum of votes and that allows us to go forward with our 2020 proposed budget. The 2019 budget produced an end of the year surplus of over $37,000 of unspent monies. This is in addition to the $36,500 which was placed into the reserves either through the capital program or monthly unspent dollars that was accounted for by budget designation.  We spent almost $42,000 out of the reserves in 2019 for various improvements that were not part of our day to day budget. Overall we ended 2019 with a surplus of $31,500 so hopefully, we can duplicate that feat in 2020. 

Looking forward we see less delinquencies beginning with 2018 – $50,000, $30,000 in 2019 to $23,000 in 2020. A large amount of the 2020 debt has been placed in agreed-upon payments which will bring those accounts current in the near future. This can be attributed to our aggressive and compassionate resolve to ensure everyone is paying their fair share. Shirley Cox our Secretary has taken the lead on this and works very closely with legal and CMA to ensure a good resolution. 

I’ve spent most of my time talking about money which I believe is paramount to having a solid HOA, one that others would love to live in. Think about this, you move into Centennial Commons and you gain $1,600 of wealth immediately ($479,000 our bank account divided by 300 homes). I’ve said that the Board’s mission has to be the value of our homes. This thought should be in every decision we make, it (the decision) has to revolve around the thought of how will this improve the price of homes in our community. 

Lastly, a successful community is one that knows and interacts with its neighbors. We have a social group that has events that attempts to get you out of your homes to interact with others. If you can find the time please try to participate and or join the committee if you’d like. We are always looking for new ideas and people to help.

Thanks for reading,      

Don Roach, President

The 2020 Centennial Commons Board of Directors

NAME
TITLE
RESPONSIBILITIES
Don Roach President Social/Landscaping
Shirley Cox Secretary Minutes/Legal/Leasing/Website/Communications
Chuck Whitaker Security Amenities/Security
*Bill Drake ACC ACC (Architectural Control Committee)
*William (Bill) Earnest Financial Finance
* – New for 2020 ———- ———-  

UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS

Wine Tasting Event

Saturday, March 7, 2020
7:00 pm

A new event that the committee hopes will lure out the new and old-time residents to meet each other. Drinks and food will be provided by the HOA. There will be non-alcoholic drinks along with a few beers for those that don’t like wine. Oh my! The wines provided will be selected by the committee and will include some of their favorites I’m sure. Come join us for some easy conversation and meet your neighbors.

Bunco

Saturday, March 14, 2020 and
Saturday, April 18, 2020
6:30 pm

Bunco is a dice game that is fun and easy to play. Bring $5 per person, a snack dish to share and your drink of choice. We have a social half-hour between 6:30 and 7 to meet and greet. A game usually lasts from 7 to 9 or 9:30 dependent on the crowd. Come meet your neighbors!

Kid’s Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, April 5, 2020
2:00 pm

From 2:00 – 2:30 pm, the Bunny will visit the clubhouse for pictures with the kids and there will be crafts for the children. At 2:30 pm, we will divide the children into age groups and let them loose to find as many plastic eggs as they can. Inside these eggs will be edible goodies. Also, there will be a few special eggs that can be traded for gifts. Mark your calendar!

Ladies’ Game Day

TBD
Elaine Drake, Social Leader, sets up a day once a month (Thursday usually) for the ladies to get together to chat and play games. Elaine normally posts the dates, times and particulars on Facebook. Watch the calendar on our website and Facebook for the next date.

News in the Neighborhood

Best Holiday Decorated Home

The Social Committee, for the first year, had a contest for the best Holiday decorated home. There was a $50.00 Home Depot gift card to the winner and a $25 prize for second. The winners were 1st Jason & Chrissy Boone and Kim & Stephanie Davis. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to the residents for sprucing up their homes during the holidays. Good luck next year!

New ‘Report A Violation’ Page on Website

The “Report a Violation” page on our website is up and running. Please take the time to review it and make sure to report any violations through this site.

Landscaping News

Please do not call Kathy Andregg for landscaping issues in 2020. All landscaping issues will be submitted to our email centennialcommoner@yahoo.com. WWe will then forward to the 4 Seasons managers for attention and remediate action. Once the issue is resolved we will notify the resident of the correction or action recommended by 4 Seasons. We have burned out 3 volunteer Landscape Directors since I’ve been on the Board. We need to change the way we address issues so no one person is handling everything. While I’ll take on the challenge I will have many helping me through this endeavor. Have patience and I’m sure we will be able to handle most anything that arises.

Important: The 4 Seasons crew will be cutting back bushes that need the hard trim. If you do not want it done you need to let the HOA know ASAP. If you chose not to trim your bushes you may be cited later if they become unsightly and will have to trim them yourself at your cost.

Thanks, Don Roach, President

 Kathy Andregg, Volunteer Landscaping Committee Person News

Tru-Green applied its first lawn treatment of the year February 14. There will be 5 others that will be done periodically throughout the growing season. These are applied to the front and side yards at no extra cost to you as they are covered in your monthly dues. If you want your backyard treated at the same time you must get on a list maintained by 4 Seasons and you will have to pay separately for those. The charge is $16 per treatment and payments are made directly to 4 Seasons. Call Linda Lane at 4 Seasons to get on that list at 770-452-4455. Our next turf treatment will be around April 18 so call now to get on that list for the April treatment.

The crew will start to “scalp” the lawns in mid to late March with mowers to bring down the grass tops. They currently are working at pruning back Crape Myrtles and roses in front and side yards. Front and side yard bushes will be fertilized in April.

4 Seasons is reviewing our holly bushes to determine if they need to be “hard pruned”. This is done periodically to keep these fast growing bushes from becoming too large for their space but we want to warn you that the end result can look startling and some residents have opted out of this treatment because they are afraid their bushes will die. We assure you that this will not be the case and the hard prune will only apply to the corner hollys at your house, not all the bushes. If you want to opt out of this hard prune for your hollys please email the Board asking for no hard prune.

Traffic Road Community Issues

Colin Ferguson has volunteered to be our communications person who will help the Board with issues that require interactions with city, county, state and police personnel, just to name a few.

We welcome Colin who has plenty of background and expertise in many issues that seem to affect our small area of Cobb and Cherokee counties. Here is the latest from Colin who worked on a report on speeding in the neighborhood called traffic calming:

Traffic Calming:

After contacting the Cobb County Police and Cobb County Transportation, here are options for the community curb speeding in our neighborhood:

  1. The HOA could install signs on our property to remind residents to slow down. Cobb County is responsible for maintaining the roads and signs, but we could install signs along the road, on our property, at our cost, to remind people to slow the heck down.

    This option requires minimal involvement from residents, and a minimal commitment of community finances.
  2. Create something like a neighborhood watch by working with Cobb County police through the Community Affairs Unit. This community initiative would help us identify and report speeding vehicles and other problems at the community. This option would require significant resident and community involvement.
  3. Request speed enforcement from Cobb County Police.  Residents can go to the police precinct and complete a complaint about speeding, or do so online here: https://cobbcounty.seamlessdocs.com/f/traffic_complaints.  People submitting complaints are required to submit their contact information, and information about the speeder, such as car color, make, model and license plate #. This option could be combined with option 2. This option requires individual involvement and may result in residents getting traffic tickets if the police get enough complaints to patrol the area.
  4. Request a traffic study for the area, where police would monitor speeds along Centennial Commons Drive. Only if the study determines there is a need would we move to the next step: submitting a petition to the county for speed humps.  (Speed humps are not the speed bumps you see in parking lots but are the longer lower humps you see in many neighborhoods throughout Atlanta.) This is a lengthy process which would require patience and commitment of volunteers.
  5. As the board previously suggested, the community could hire an outside service to provide traffic calming and neighborhood patrols.  When this idea was brought up last year at a monthly meeting, it was clear that there is no consensus at the community, but that could easily change.  This option required a commitment of money rather than time and community involvement.
  6. Do nothing for the moment.  Wait and see if the problem gets worse.

To solve this issue, it will take a commitment of time and energy from people at the community. The Board is happy to assist and provide framework and direction. Speeding complaints should go to the police first, and then provide a copy or the details of the police report so we can track them. If you have an issue that you are not sure which way to go you can reach Colin by using our email centennialcommoner@yahoo.com. We will the forward the inquiry to Colin and he can address it, and you will receive a reply. Thank you Colin!

Other News

Bike Rack

If you haven’t noticed we had bike rack installed at the tennis court by the walkway to the playground. This will eliminate bikes or other wheeled items from being stored in the breezeway. Remember to lock your stuff at the rack to prevent theft.

Homeowners Must Be Present with any Visitors Using the Amenities

If you or your family bring or allows visitors to use the HOA amenities, some adults from your household must be with them continuously while they are using the amenities.  We have had numerous occasions of visitors who are unaware of our rules and become offended when we tell them to follow the rules and procedures. Please help us with this issue.

Holiday Decorations

Remember to put your decorations in the pine straw if we are still mowing. Decorations should be removed promptly after the holiday is over. Thank you.

Tennis Court Usage

The tennis courts are made for playing tennis and pickle ball. Any other activities can result in damage to the courts, nets and fencing. Skateboarding and roller blades will result in damage to the surface. Additionally, proper footwear is required to protect the surface and the user. The costs to maintain the courts are in the thousands and therefore we need to follow the procedures for playing at the courts. Please respect this amenity.

Facebook Page

Our Facebook page is the best and fastest way to get immediate information regarding the subdivision, i.e.; looking for recommendations on home issues, posting events in the community, lost dogs, found dogs, and yes, even our recent bear sighting! If you have not already done so, please go to CCHOA in Acworth on Facebook and ask to join the group. We need to remind homeowners that this page is not somewhere to post a personal grievance that you feel the board should handle.  The board does not handle the CCHOA business via FB. If you want the board to act on a complaint, make sure to send an email to centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.  Your email will be forwarded to the proper person to handle. (Make sure to take the time to read the conduct policy regarding all posts.)

Email

The other way to get information is to join our email list. You are getting this because we have your email information and can send you important information quickly. If your neighbor doesn’t know why they are not getting this, it’s because the Secretary, Shirley Cox, does not have their info. Tell them to drop her a line at shirleycchoa@gmail.com. And she will add you to our community email list.

Parking

The covenants prohibit parking on the street. Consistent violators will be fined. Also if you’re unavailable to move your car at any time you are in violation of the fire code and could be ticketed according to Cobb County Police. Our streets are too narrow to allow parking in the street. If you need to park your car short term, try to park on one (right) side of the street. Don’t create a blockage (where two vehicles are face to face) on the road and be mindful of your neighbor’s ability to get out of their driveway.

One other item I will mention, there we will be major changes to our front entrance landscaping in the next month to replace the 16 year old, over mature shrubs that we have out there right now and improve sight distance uphill on Woodstock Rd.

Pickleball

The pickleball group had started back up playing with the warmer weather arriving but things sort of stopped because of a lack of players.  If you are interested in playing let us know at centennialcommoner@yahoo.com. A paddle and balls are supplied so all you need to do is wear comfortable clothing and tennis shoes.

Instructions will be provided. If we have enough interest we play very Saturday at 10 AM until June and then move the time back to 9 AM due to the Atlanta heat.

Dog Feces

We have received many complaints regarding homeowners who walk their dogs and do not pick up after their dog. Neither the board nor CMA has any recourse to this action without specific information. In order to notify CMA to issue a violation, we must have either the dog owners name and/or address.  Also, if possible take a photo and include it, would be helpful.  Just a photo by itself, without any other information renders us helpless to pursue the homeowner.

Roofs

As I’m sure you’re aware of we’ve had problems with the roofing shingles that the original builder installed. Many residents have replaced theirs but there are many more homes that may need it to be done. The insurance companies and roofers are well aware of our issues so be careful with both. Review your insurance contract yearly as some insurance companies are writing in a different coverage for roofs that may raise your deductible for a replacement. Others are insisting on partial replacements (that most likely would be unacceptable to the HOA) or temporary repairs until what time the roof runs out of life and or they will only pay a small portion of the cost. Also be very careful of whom you hire as some these companies go out of business within one or two years and who would you go back against for poor workmanship if they no longer exist.

Thanks for reading!

Don Roach, President and the Board of Centennial Commons, Directors, William Earnest, Finance, Chuck Whitaker, Amenities, Bill Drake, ACC Coordinator and Shirley Cox, Secretary

 

Letter From the President (Dec 2019)

Jan 13, 2020 | Amenities, Budget, Clubhouse Rentals, Community Safety, Community Updates, Financial, Landscaping, President Letters, Rules & Regulations, Social Events, Tennis Court

Santa came to Centennial Commons on Dec. 8 and so did many children and adults with cameras!  Over 60 people attended and by appearances, everyone had a great time except for a few toddlers who weren’t real thrilled with Santa! A couple of tables were set up for the children to do crafts and a table of sweet snacks and drinks were close by. Thanks to Elaine Drake and her social team for planning and running the program. If you’re interested in joining the social team, contact Elaine through her HOA email @ cchoasoc@gmail.com

2019 is coming to a close and overall it has been a very good year for the community. Financially we are in good shape for many years to come barring any type of catastrophe. We had many volunteers step up and help us throughout the year which makes the Directors work much more manageable and enjoyable. Speaking of those interactions I personally have met some nice, hardworking residents who I might not have met if not for this HOA position. I feel blessed for those opportunities.

I would be remiss if I didn’t reach out to all of you once more to consider a position for the Board. We have a ballot of four volunteers currently. Our covenants say we need 5 and the work distribution quantifies a 5 director Board. Please contact us if you find you can provide that help to your community.  

As the year closes I do wish everyone good health, wealth, family and brotherly love for now and the future. Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a joyous New Year. Thanks to all of you that support us and provide us with constructive feedback.

 Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of the letter and the information in it. We try to provide our homeowners who cannot make it to the open meetings the information they need to keep abreast of the activities that they pay for.

Thanks for reading,

Don Roach, President

News in the Neighborhood

Time To Think About Being A Board Member

The Board will be losing two very special people this year, Kathy Andregg, Landscaping Director, and Cindi Endsley, ACC Director. We need to have 5 directors so I’m asking and begging some of you to step up and help the community. We have help from many residents as volunteers but we need one more full-time director help now. We will try to find a fit for your skills so you will be comfortable.

Upcoming Social Events

New Year’s Eve Casino Party – Dec. 31, 2019, 7:30 pm

The White Tie vendor will be hosting our New Year’s Eve party for the second year in a row. We plan on having 4 black Jack tables up and running between 7:30 to 10:30 PM. The clubhouse will open at 7 PM for residents to arrive. A $5 per person charge will be collected at the door. We ask you to bring your drink of choice and a snack dish to share. The HOA will provide ice and ham plus paper plates and plastic ware. The casino event will end at 10:30 PM, and then prizes for the top two money winners and a raffle drawing for gifts will be held. Then we will watch the ball drop and have a toast for the new year with some fellowship immediately afterward. The festivities will end promptly at 12:30 AM.

Bunco Night – Jan. 11, 2020, 6:30 pm

Bunco is a dice game that is fun and easy to play. Bring $5 per person, a snack dish to share and your drink of choice. We have a social half-hour between 6:30 and 7 to meet and greet. The game usually lasts from 7 to 9 or 9:30 dependent on the crowd. Come meet your neighbors.

Game Day for the Ladies – Jan. 23, 2020, 12 pm (noon)

Elaine Drake, Social Leader, sets up a day once a month (Thursday usually) for the ladies to get together to chat and play games. Elaine normally posts the dates, times and particulars on Facebook. Watch the calendar on our website and Facebook for the next date. As info Jan. 23, 2020 is the next date at noon.

Attention All Homeowners who Decorated Their Homes for the Holidays

The Social Committee for the first year will be having a contest for the best Holiday decorated home. There will be a $50.00 Home Depot gift card to the winner. The social committee will decide among all the participating sub-division homes.
We will post the winner on the community bulletin board, Facebook Post and this newsletter. Good Luck!

Reminder

Please do not call Kathy Andregg for landscaping issues after the first of the year. All landscaping issues will be submitted to our email centennialcommoner@yahoo.com We will then forward to the 4 Seasons managers for attention and remediate action.

Annual Board Meeting Date – Jan. 20, 2020

January 20 will be our annual vote and meeting date. The clubhouse will be open from 8 AM to 6:45 PM to accept proxies from residents that didn’t send them via mail or drop them off at the HOA mailbox. We will have copies of the proxy there if you lost yours.

Annual Meeting Format

Just a reminder the annual meeting is an election meeting and usual Board business will not be done. The ballots will be counted by CMA and volunteers to determine first if we have a quorum and if so then we can continue with the election of Board members. Last year we had a Q&A session during the count of the ballots. Once the new Board is presented to the attendees the meeting will adjourn and the new Board will hold a brief executive session and determine the officer holders (President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary). After which the responsibilities will be assigned (Landscaping, Amenities, Social and ACC).

New Webpage

A new webpage will be on our site before the year is out. Our Secretary Shirley Cox is working with Tracy Gibson to finalize this important resident page. Included on this page will be information on how to file a complaint with CMA or Cobb County and important phone numbers. Thank you, ladies, for your efforts in this project!

New Volunteer

Colin Ferguson has volunteered to be our communications person who will help the Board with issues that require interactions with city, county, state and police personnel, just to name a few.

We welcome Colin who has plenty of background and expertise in many issues that seem to affect our small area of Cobb and Cherokee counties. If you have an issue that you are not sure which way to go you can reach him by using our email centennialcommoner@yahoo.com We will forward the inquiry to Colin and he can address it with you. Thank you Colin!

Financial Information

Monthly fees will stay at the current amount of $87.50 for 2020. Remember you have to get your payment in by the 10th of every month or expect a $10 late fee. Our current income and costs for Nov. 30, 2019, are as follows:

Total Equity $473,582.73 of which includes Operating, Reserve, high-interest cash and a CD of $100 K.

Expenses $258,094.77

Admin – $34,742.61 – that is 13.5% of our budget costs, inclusive of legal fees and legal income

Landscaping – $145,836 – that is 56.5% of our budget costs, inclusive of aeration and pine-straw distribution

Recreation – $30,703 – that is 12% of our budget costs

Repairs & Mtce – $36,000 – that is 14% of our budget costs, inclusive of reserve spending

Utilities – $10779 – that is 4% of our budget costs

We plan on purchasing 2 to 3 CD’s of $100,000 in January of 2020 to increase our interest income.

Other News

Replacing the Spin Bike

The new spin bike is operational at the fitness room. Enjoy! The old bike was sold to a resident and the money was deposited in the general fund.

Rental Homes

We have 38 homes being rented in the community. 17 homes are owned by LLC and 21 are owned by non-LLC owners. Our maximum allowed rentals are 45 homes. Once we reach that maximum number, no more homes will be allowed to rent unless they can show hardship to the Board.

In Case You Missed It…

Bike Rack

If you haven’t noticed, we had a bike rack installed at the tennis court by the walkway to the playground. This will eliminate bikes or other wheeled items from being stored in the breezeway. Remember to lock your stuff at the rack to prevent theft.

Roofs

As I’m sure you’re aware of we’ve had problems with the roofing shingles that the original builder installed. Many residents have replaced theirs but there are many more homes that may need it to be done. The insurance companies and roofers are well aware of our issues so be careful with both. Review your insurance contract yearly as some insurance companies are writing in a different coverage for roofs that may raise your deductible for a replacement. Others are insisting on partial replacements (that most likely would be unacceptable to the HOA) or temporary repairs until what time the roof runs out of life and or they will only pay a small portion of the cost. Also, be very careful of whom you hire as some of these companies go out of business within one or two years and who would you go back against for poor workmanship if they no longer exist.

Tennis Court Usage

The tennis courts are made for playing tennis and pickleball. Any other activities can result in damage to the courts, nets, and fencing. Skateboarding and roller blades will result in damage to the surface. Additionally, proper footwear is required to protect the surface and the user. The costs to maintain the courts are in the thousands and therefore we need to follow the procedures for playing at the courts. Please respect this amenity.

Dog Feces

We have received many complaints regarding homeowners who walk their dogs and do not pick up after their dog. The residents have asked us to do something about this. As much as we agree that this is a very inconsiderate action, neither the board nor CMA has any recourse to this action without specific information.

In order to notify CMA to issue a violation, we must have either the dog owner’s name and/or address.  Also, if possible take a photo and include it, It would be helpful.  Just a photo by itself, without any other information, renders us helpless to pursue the homeowner. All names of those filing a complaint are kept completely confidential as we protect the privacy of our homeowners.

Parking

The covenants prohibit parking on the street. Consistent violators will be fined. Also if you’re unavailable to move your car at any time you are in violation of the fire code and could be ticketed according to Cobb County Police. Our streets are too narrow to allow parking in the street. If you need to park your car short term, try to park on one (right) side of the street. Don’t create a blockage (where two vehicles are face to face) on the road and be mindful of your neighbor’s ability to get out of their driveway.

Homeowners Must Be Present with any Visitors Using the Amenities

If you or your family bring or allows visitors to use the HOA amenities, some adults from your household must be with them continuously while they are using the amenities.  We have had numerous occasions of visitors who are unaware of our rules and become offended when we tell them to follow the rules and procedures. Please help us with this issue.

Facebook Page

Our Facebook page is the best and fastest way to get immediate information regarding the subdivision, i.e.; looking for recommendations on home issues, posting events in the community, lost dogs, found dogs, and yes, even our recent bear sighting! If you have not already done so, please go to CCHOA in Acworth on Facebook and ask to join the group. We need to remind homeowners that this page is not somewhere to post a personal grievance that you feel the board should handle.  The board does not handle the CCHOA business via FB. If you want the board to act on a complaint, make sure to send an email to centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.  Your email will be forwarded to the proper person to handle. (Make sure to take the time to read the conduct policy regarding all posts.)

Email

The other way to get information is to join our email list. You are getting this because we have your email information and can send you important information quickly. If your neighbor doesn’t know why they are not getting this, it’s because the Secretary, Shirley Cox, does not have their info. Tell them to drop her a line at shirleycchoa@gmail.com. And she will add you to our community email list.

Thanks for reading!

Don Roach, President and the Board of Centennial Commons, Directors, Kathy Andregg, Landscape, Chuck Whitaker, Amenities, Cindi Endsley, ACC Coordinator and Shirley Cox, Secretary

 

Letter From the President (Nov 2019)

Jan 13, 2020 | Amenities, Clubhouse Rentals, Community Safety, Community Updates, Financial, Homeowners' Meetings, Landscaping, New Board Members, President Letters, Rules & Regulations, Social Events, Tennis Court

Normally I wouldn’t be sending these out monthly but we had quite a controversial September. I quickly found out that many residents have varying ideas on our community and the Board’s work or involvement in being proactive or reactive. This is not a bad thing actually as the residents need to be concerned about how their Board functions. But if you are uninformed you may make statements that are not true or personal towards others.

But most of these things get started by some type of miscommunication and then just grow wildly. Unfortunately, the wording of the email blast that was sent to the homeowners led some to believe we had already hired the Sabens Group of (3) off-duty police officers to enforce our covenants and protect us from crime in 2020. It was corrected in an answer to a FB post but by then it was drowned out by all types of comments. This was not our intention, and we apologize for this error. However, on the bright side, it did prompt a record number of attendees at the September meeting as well as many emails with residents sharing their thoughts!

Many decided to come to the September open Board meeting (which by the way is the third Monday of every month @ 7 PM) and we had the largest crowd (30+) I’ve ever seen in the 7 or so years I’ve been attending the meetings.  I first explained how the Board and I came in contact with Mike Saben and the error on the email blast that stated we had already made up our mind on hiring the group. We had Mike Saben the founder of the group there to explain their role with HOAs and what services the group provides tp the communities they work for.

Afterward, we had a spirited debate about this subject and many more. Plenty of communication was shared which is a very good thing. A random vote was taken of the attendees for hiring the group and it was 17 for and 12 against (remember you can only cast one vote for each household). Certainly, that vote was a surprise based on Facebook posts. I’m hopeful that most of us that attended came away from the meeting much more informed than when we arrived. An email blast with the meeting minutes will be sent out by the time you receive this letter so read through it and if you have additional questions contact us via email or by attending the next homeowners meeting. There was an error on the blast that stated the percent of the vote was 70% vs 30% when actually it was closer to 60% vs 40%. My second error this year!

This Board will always keep you in the proverbial loop of all big things that are going on with our community. Thanks to all of you that support us and provide us with constructive feedback.

Please, when responding to the Board, be it email or Facebook posts, consider how you would feel if you received what you are sending. In many cases, I doubt that you would like what was written when it is worded in that way. Your words can make a difference in the wrong way. Many Board members have left and others that would be volunteers will not become Board Members because of the stress caused by some of the written vitriol that has been communicated to the Board. When this Board throws in the towel, you better have a plan in place or otherwise, it won’t take long for this community to degrade itself.

Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of the letter and the information within it. We try to provide our homeowners, who cannot make it to the open meetings, the information they need to keep abreast of the activities that they pay for.

 Thanks for reading,      

Don Roach, President

News in the Neighborhood

Time To Think About Being A Board Member

The Board will be losing two very special people this year, Kathy Andregg, Landscaping Director, and Cindi Endsley, ACC Director. We need to have 5 directors, so I’m asking and begging some of you to step up and help the community. We have had help from our volunteers, but we need full-time director help now. If you have some landscaping or supervising background, that would be helpful but not necessary. We will try to find a fit for your skills so you will be comfortable. If you’re interested, please find the form on the website and send it to CMA or to our email site listed at the top of the page. Also consider helping with our volunteer committees.

Upcoming Social Events

Bunco Nov. 16 and Dec. 14 @ 6:30 PM

Bunco is a dice game that is fun and easy to play. Bring $5 per person, a snack dish to share and your drink of choice. We have a social half hour between 6:30 and 7 to meet and greet. Game usually lasts from 7 to 9 or 9:30 dependent on crowd. Come meet your neighbors.

November and December Meeting Dates Combined

The November and December meeting dates have been canceled. One combined meeting will be held on December 9. The open meeting will begin at the normal time of 7 PM.

Attention All Homeowners Who Decorate Their Homes for the Holidays

The Social Committee for the first year will be having a contest for the best Holiday decorated home. There will be a $50.00 Home Depot gift card to the winner. The social committee will decide among all the participating sub-division homes.
We will post the winner on the community bulletin board, Facebook Post and this newsletter. Good Luck!

Game Day for the Ladies

Elaine Drake, Social Leader, sets up a day once a month (Thursday usually) for the ladies to get together to chat and play games. Elaine normally posts the dates, times and particulars on Facebook. Watch the calendar on our website and Facebook for the next date. As info, Dec. 5 is the next date at noon.

Other News

New Ideas

An idea at the September meeting from the crowd to the Board to lessen our workload was us to develop something that could be used by residents to fix issues. Our Secretary will be developing a page on our website which will identify concerns that have been directed to the Board that require either Cobb County Departments, CMA, police, etc. issues to handle. This will help to alleviate answering the same questions, provide phone numbers and educate our residents. This will help you to address your issues versus the Board being an intermediate between you and the problem solver.

Getting a Fire Department Inspection Approval

Recently we were notified by Cobb County Fire Dept. that we never received a final inspection on the added extension of our fitness room. The inspector inspected the entire facility and we found a few items that needed to be repaired or replaced. Most of the failures found were dated so we replaced with new. All the exits signs and floodlights were replaced. The entrance door was switched so it now opens out versus opening in towards the breezeway. This work has been completed and we will be notifying the dept. to give us a final inspection.

Rental Homes

We have 39 homes being rented in the community. Our max is 45 homes. Once we reach that maximum number no more homes will be allowed to rent unless they can show hardship to the Board.

Replacing the Spin Bike

At our Oct. meeting, the Board approved to replace the current spin bike at a cost between $1500 to $2000. The old bike will be sold to a resident before we offer it outside of the community.

Santa Coming

Santa will be at the clubhouse on December 8 from 2 to 3 PM. Santa’s helpers will be there by 1 PM for you to drop off a gift for your young one(s) if you want Santa to give them one while they are telling him what they want for Christmas. Bring your camera for some candid shots!

Landscaping News

We had our 5th front and side yard turf treatment for the growing season on September 18 and 19. The 6th and last one for the season is scheduled for November 6, and I believe it will be a liquid pre-emergent weed application. These turf treatments are at no extra cost to our residents as they are included in your monthly fee, but 4 Seasons does provide backyard treatments for $16.00/treatment as an additional cost to you. If you are new to the neighborhood and would like to get on the backyard treatment list for FUTURE applications you may call Linda Lane at 4 Seasons, 770-452-4455 to sign up.

The treatment of the fungus Spring Dead Spot took place on September 25. We have already planned a September 2020 application to the same areas as we did here in 2019 in anticipation that one application will not be enough. We will be on the lookout for any new spots that show up in later winter and early spring of 2020 to add to the list. 

The lawn maintenance crew will be doing the pruning of our shrubs over the next two months in between blowing and disposing of leaves. Shrubs throughout the subdivision have generally put on very little additional growth since our last pruning in late August/early September. Mowing is not going to be a high priority now so the crew should have more time to do the light pruning that needs to be accomplished at this time. I’d like to mention too that the crew is permitted to dispose of leaves and organic material in our wooded common property BUT not in the actual stream courses where the creek water is running. They are instructed to push the material over the break-in slope so that it is primarily out of view.

Our second and last application of pine straw to our front and side beds will likely be in mid-December after the last of the leaves have fallen and disposed of.

In Case You Missed It…

Bike Rack

If you haven’t noticed, we had a bike rack installed at the tennis court by the walkway to the playground. This will eliminate bikes or other wheeled items from being stored in the breezeway. Remember to lock your stuff at the rack to prevent theft.

Fining for Covenant Violations

The Board prefers to handle violations without fining. In fact, most cases are given many days to correct. But in some egregious violations, the Board can fine immediately and harshly dependent on the violation, safety factor and impact on homeowners. If we do fine immediately, you can request a meeting with the Board to explain your case and the Board may reduce, eliminate or leave the fine as is and will notify you of their decision in writing.

Garage Doors Open

I’m sorry we continue to preach about issues, but each one has its own importance. Leaving your garage door open while not using it or being in or around the garage or front yard leaves your home susceptible to crime.

Additionally, unless you have a beautiful garage it can be an eyesore. That’s why it’s in the covenants to keep your door closed. The Cobb Police department told us they have more home invasions by residents leaving their doors open than any other reason. Not to mention the vermin that can get in and cause havoc with your home. So please keep your door closed when the opening is not being used.

New Residents, Take Note! (from Kathy Andregg)

I have noticed that there are turf treatment signs out at a few resident’s homes during my walks around the neighborhood that do not coincide with our regularly scheduled treatments with Tru-Green through 4 Seasons. 4 Seasons subcontracts out 6 turf treatments during the growing season for your front and side yards so there is no need for a resident to hire a separate company to do your front and side yards. In fact, doing that can actually harm the health of your turf by doubling up on fertilizer and weed control that can weaken and kill your grass.

The 6 turf treatments that we get from Tru-Green are included as part of your monthly dues so they are already paid for. So save your money and let our neighborhood contract with Tru-Green do the work for you.

One other item I will mention, there we will be major changes to our front entrance landscaping in the next month to replace the 16-year-old, over-mature shrubs that we have out there right now and improve sight distance uphill on Woodstock Rd.

Complaints

I know we have addressed this before but bear with me as I try to educate those that may have not read down far enough to see my previous writings on this subject.

  1. The Board does not intend to be your intermediary in any of your disagreements with your neighbors. You need to resolve them if possible with the neighbor. If the offense is covered in the covenants, the violation will be processed through CMA. That’s why we pay for them. The Board has to live with those that live here. We do not take sides except the side of the covenants.
  2. If you are unsure of your available options you can submit your complaint via our website at https://centennialcommonshoa.org under “contact us” or write to us at centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.
  3. You may also contact Melody Daniels at CMA. Melodydaniel@cmacommunities.com. We do prefer you include the Board in your communications with CMA as we can help track the progress and ensure that timely actions are taking place.
  4. As soon as the additional page is up and running on our website, notification of violations and complaints will become easier for homeowners.

5. The Board does not do drive around to look for violations.  CMA does a drive-through twice a month.  But they will not see everything, nor do they know if a car has been parked for a long period of time. If you have an issue, you need to alert them as explained previously. Will it require some pictures, addresses, and information that only you are aware of? YES. So be prepared to provide that if you want resolution.

Roofs

As I’m sure you’re aware of we’ve had problems with the roofing shingles that the original builder installed. Many residents have replaced theirs but there are many more homes that may need it to be done. The insurance companies and roofers are well aware of our issues so be careful with both. Review your insurance contract yearly as some insurance companies are writing in a different coverage for roofs that may raise your deductible for a replacement. Others are insisting on partial replacements (that most likely would be unacceptable to the HOA) or temporary repairs until what time the roof runs out of life and or they will only pay a small portion of the cost. Also, be very careful of whom you hire as some of these companies go out of business within one or two years and who would you go back against for poor workmanship if they no longer exist.

Dog Feces

We have received many complaints regarding homeowners who walk their dogs and do not pick up after their dog. The residents have asked us to do something about this. As much as we agree that this is a very inconsiderate action, neither the board nor CMA has any recourse to this action without specific information.

In order to notify CMA to issue a violation, we must have either the dog owner’s name and/or address.  Also, if possible take a photo and include it, It would be helpful.  Just a photo by itself, without any other information, renders us helpless to pursue the homeowner. All names of those filing a complaint are kept completely confidential as we protect the privacy of our homeowners.

Parking

The covenants prohibit parking on the street. Consistent violators will be fined. Also if you’re unavailable to move your car at any time you are in violation of the fire code and could be ticketed according to Cobb County Police. Our streets are too narrow to allow parking in the street. If you need to park your car short term, try to park on one (right) side of the street. Don’t create a blockage (where two vehicles are face to face) on the road and be mindful of your neighbor’s ability to get out of their driveway.

New Violation Letter Verbiage Coming

CMA will be sending new violation letters with different wording in the letter. This wording has been approved by the Board so as to be more uniform and to be aligned with the covenants.

The gest of it is this, your letter will have the violation indicated, and it will give you 3 options and 10 days to notify CMA of your plan. The options are:

  1. Fix it and notify CMA when it’s completed before the 10 day period
  2. Plan to fix it and the date that it will be fixed outside of the 10 day period if needed, you need to notify CMA within the 10-day window.
  3. Contest it and ask for a Board Meeting, and notify CMA within the 10 days of your decision.

If CMA does not hear from you within the allotted 10 days another letter will be sent with the date the fine(s) have begun and they will continue until what time you notify CMA of one of the three items listed above.

We expect that this will bring about quicker resolutions, reduce additional letters, postage and other headaches caused by deferring violations with multiple notices. Once you’ve corrected the violation and you continue to violate the same offense at a later date that additional offense can be fined without a 10 day notice. This will be noted in the violation letter.

Homeowners Must Be Present with any Visitors Using the Amenities

If you or your family bring or allows visitors to use the HOA amenities, some adults from your household must be with them continuously while they are using the amenities.  We have had numerous occasions of visitors who are unaware of our rules and become offended when we tell them to follow the rules and procedures. Please help us with this issue.

Pickleball

The pickleball group had started back up playing with the warmer weather arriving but things sort of stopped because of a lack of players.  If you are interested in playing let us know at centennialcommoner@yahoo.com. A paddle and balls are supplied so all you need to do is wear comfortable clothing and tennis shoes.

Instructions will be provided. They usually play every Saturday at 10 AM until June and then move the time back to 9 AM due to the Atlanta heat.

Volunteers

We are looking for resident volunteers for committees for the 2020 Season.  If you have a little extra time and would like to help, please email us at centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.

Tennis Court Usage

The tennis courts are made for playing tennis and pickleball. Any other activities can result in damage to the courts, nets, and fencing. Skateboarding and roller blades will result in damage to the surface. Additionally, proper footwear is required to protect the surface and the user. The costs to maintain the courts are in the thousands and therefore we need to follow the procedures for playing at the courts. Please respect this amenity.

Facebook Page

Our Facebook page is the best and fastest way to get immediate information regarding the subdivision, i.e.; looking for recommendations on home issues, posting events in the community, lost dogs, found dogs, and yes, even our recent bear sighting! If you have not already done so, please go to CCHOA in Acworth on Facebook and ask to join the group. We need to remind homeowners that this page is not somewhere to post a personal grievance that you feel the board should handle.  The board does not handle the CCHOA business via FB. If you want the board to act on a complaint, make sure to send an email to centennialcommoner@yahoo.com.  Your email will be forwarded to the proper person to handle. (Make sure to take the time to read the conduct policy regarding all posts.)

In-Home Businesses

There are certain restrictions in our Covenants for running a business out of your home.   Refer to Article 8.1 Residential Use for a detailed explanation.

Email

The other way to get information is to join our email list. You are getting this because we have your email information and can send you important information quickly. If your neighbor doesn’t know why they are not getting this, it’s because the Secretary, Shirley Cox, does not have their info. Tell them to drop her a line at shirleycchoa@gmail.com. And she will add you to our community email list.

Thanks for reading!

Don Roach, President and the Board of Centennial Commons, Directors, Kathy Andregg, Landscape, Chuck Whitaker, Amenities, Cindi Endsley, ACC Coordinator and Shirley Cox, Secretary

 

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