Tis the Season to Party

By Debra Jones

Come one, come all adults to the Andover Glen Holiday Party. The invitations have been delivered, the signs are out and the count down has started.  We have planned a fun filled evening with Fabulous Food, Drink Contest, Prizes and more.  The only thing you need to bring is you, your spouse, your special alcohol or non-alcohol drink, (if you want to be in

the contest), your favorite dessert (if you have one). 

This will be a great time to catch up with some of your neighbors on all the happenings of this past year and maybe meet some new friends in the neighborhood! 

Please RSVP by December 4, 2006 to Deb Jones at (303) 690-9459 or debsew79@msn.com.

Unfortunately, we were unable to offer a kids party this year. If you need a babysitter for

the evening, there is a list on the back page of this newsletter. ~

Xeriscape Master Plan for Andover Glen continues moving forward

By Randy Simpson

At the annual AG in September, a straw poll was taken at the well attended meeting and overwhelmingly the members indicated that they were interested in seeing a Xeriscape Master Plan developed for our area. Some of the goals of this plan include:

Neighborhood Watch Update

By Bob Meyer

We have had a thankfully quiet couple of months in Andover Glen.  One car parked on the street (perhaps unlocked) was entered and a garage opener was the only item reported missing.  Big sigh of relief—yes, but the feeling of invasion was still there, and there were anxious moments before the garage codes were changed and the door opener was replaced.

Please be vigilant; watch out for your good neighbors, and report crimes and suspicious activity. 

My reach-out program with Woodgate is going well, and we share items that may be of mutual interest.  Woodgate has had a rash of minor vandalism, graffiti, and speeding.   This is being addressed with increased police patrols and citizen awareness. Police have been asked to include Andover Glen in their patrol activity. 

While we’ve been fortunate to have had pretty mild weather  so far this fall and haven’t needed to get our cars warmed up in the mornings as frequently, remember to not be a “puffer”, by letting your car warm up and stay running while you’re not in it. Not only is this behavior just asking for your car to get stolen, but it is also against the law in Aurora (and most other communities), and will get you’re a hefty fine if you are caught by the Aurora police.

Please review the enclosed first edition of Community Watch, by APD.  There is lots of good info there.  Merry Christmas!  And, as always, stay alert and stay safe. ~

Carpooling for Light Rail Anyone?

By Randy Simpson

Our area has been blessed by the fact that just a few miles up Parker Road is the fantastic new resource for Aurora commuters at the new 9-Mile light rail station. This station now connects Aurora with the full light rail system in the Metro Area. At 9-Mile you can hop on the light rail and get a nice 20 to 25 minute ride into Downtown Denver. There is just one small problem with the 9 Mile station – it was designed with too few parking spaces. This oversight in design will take a few years to work out as they will inevitably need to expand the parking in the area. In the meantime, it is still a great idea to use light rail whenever you can, and I would suggest that our Association and this Gazette can be a great connecting point for those who want to share a ride up to the light rail station and need to look for only one of the increasingly rare parking spaces. If you are interested in carpooling to the light rail station on workday mornings, contact me at 303-693-0546 or rgatess@yahoo.com  and I’ll compile a list of those who are interested in carpooling so they may contact each other. ~

The Homeowner Association Balancing Act: Kinder and Gentler versus Fiduciary Responsibility

By Randy Simpson

I have been on the AG Homeowner’s Association Board about 4 years now, and during that time, the number one issue that has been a perennially favorite topic is how we balance being a “kinder and gentler” Association with the fact that as an elected board, representing 99 homeowners, we have a fiduciary responsibility to uphold the legally recognized covenants. Our covenants represent a contract that each of us has with the Association. In purchasing our properties, regardless of whether we were made aware of the covenants or not, we become bound by that contract. Elected members of the board are likewise, legally bound to uphold those covenants. When homeowner fails to abide by the covenants, the Board has no choice but to pursue whatever actions are necessary to bring that homeowner into compliance, up to and including legal action. Upholding the covenants is a separate issue from whether or not there ought to be changes to them; a topic which the board will be exploring in 2007.

Balancing the fiduciary responsibility of the board is the great desire to create a community that is friendly and where everyone feels like they are truly part of that community. The various social activities including parties, garage sales, spiff awards, and even the dumpster days are part of that effort. I can tell you that this is not an easy balancing act to accomplish. I feel the board is doing a great job. We have a wonderful array of social activities to help build a sense of community. On the other side, I have seen the board tackle difficult decisions with a true dedication to their legal responsibility as board members. Even while contemplating actions toward a homeowner who is not in compliance with our covenants, I have seen the board display the utmost in concern and regard for fairness toward all parties concerned, and being “kinder and gentler” whenever possible.

As a resident of Andover Glen, I hope you feel as proud and fortunate as I do that you have dedicated neighbors willing to tackle the sometimes difficult task of running your Association. The alternative would be to hire a professional management company. It’s very unlikely that they would care about being “kinder and gentler” as they operated our Association, likely forcing our annual dues higher to pay for their “professional” management. ~

Reminder:

The next regular AG Board Meeting is Wednesday, January 17^th, 2007 at 7 p.m. at Shalom Park. All AG residents are welcome.