A Newly Energized AG Board

By Randy Simpson

At the October board meeting I was both amazed and encouraged by the new energy and enthusiasm I saw on the board. The new (and continuing) board members have eagerly jumped in and are working to make Andover Glen an even better place to live. Here are some things they are already working on:

I hope I do not need to tell you how very fortunate we all are to have dedicated neighbors willing to step up to the plate and serve their neighborhood. Without their service on the board, we would have no choice but to hire a management company for these functions and that would mean a substantial increase in our very modest annual dues. I very much look forward to the upcoming year and working with them. It should be a most productive and exciting year for AG.

Finally, please note that throughout the year in this Gazette we’ll be featuring a little bit about your board members so you can get to know them better. They are after all, your neighbors! Perhaps you’ll pass them on the street or in the park, and get a chance to thank them for their service to making Andover Glen the best neighborhood in southwest Aurora! ~

On the Social Scene…

By Debra Jones

Dumpster/Shredder Day

We had another “overflowingly” successful Dumpster Day in early October. It was so successful in fact that one of your neighbors had to once more climb up inside of it and smash it all down to make sure they would take it all. (Thanks Norm!) It looks like the Dumpster Days continue to be one of the most popular of the activities here at the Glen.  We also had a great turn out of people to take advantage of the curbside shredder. Besides getting rid of those old boxes cluttering from your basement or office, these people were also protecting their identity. Look for Dumpster Days to return again in June and October 2008.

Holiday Party

The Andover Glen Holiday Party will be on Saturday, December 8th, so please mark your calendars and plan to attend. We had an excellent turn out last year (the best in many) and I will have the details of the party with the exact location, time, activities etc. in the November issue of the Gazette.

If you think you’d like to help plan the Holiday Party this year, please e-mail me at debsew79@msn.com. ~

Meet your AG Board: A profile of Board Member Derrick Laughlin

This is the first in a series of articles that will appear in the Gazette each month introducing you to your Andover Glen Board Members.

My Name is Derrick A. Laughlin and I am your Neighborhood Watch Chairperson for Andover Glen. I have lived in this fine community since May 17, 1994. I was raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado but was born in Munich, Germany(can you say Army BRAT?). Upon graduation from high school, I attended Fort Lewis College in Durango for one year then transferred to my true Alma Mater, The University of Colorado at Boulder (Go Golden Buffaloes!). I graduated in 1986 with a split BA degree in International Finance and Geology (Geomorphology). After a short stint with a financial services custodian (Lincoln Financial) I joined Allstate Insurance Company in 1987 as a claims representative. Nine years later I was promoted to the special investigations unit, thwarting insurance claim fraud of all kinds (hence CUSleuth@comcast.net).

I left the firm to become an Insurance Agent and have been since 1997.

Lynn Walton (my wife) and Madison our son enjoy our nights together reading and watching movies of all sorts. We feel quite fortunate to be apart of Andover Glen and have nurtured life long friendships. I hope to see you around the Glen! ~

Derrick Laughlin and son Madison are ready for some spooky fun and Trick or Treating

Neighborhood Watch Changing of the Guards

By Derrick Laughlin

I want to take this opportunity to thank Bob Meyer for his outstanding service as Neighborhood Watch coordinator. His level of excellence in keeping Andover Glen a safe home for us all will be difficult to reach but I will endeavor to match his efforts.

I have been elected by the board as area coordinator for Neighborhood Watch in Andover Glen. I am in search of volunteers to assist my efforts to continue to keep our homes and properties safe and secure. I would ask that you contact me if you wish to be a "block" captain.  Please keep my cell and email address handy in case of suspicious activity (303-489-2982, cusleuth@comcast.net) or better yet our nearest Aurora Police station at 303-627-3200.

Officer John Masson (303-627-3177) is our police area representative (PAR) from Aurora PD and he has given me helpful information for to our neighborhood. If you’d like one these brochures or can help distribute them, please contact me. Neighborhood Watch is about neighbors being active and mindful of criminal activity and the PAR officer acts as our coach; let's make him proud.  Finally, remember with Halloween near, keep a look out for the little goblins in search of candy, and also for the bad ghouls who may be looking to conduct vandalism or other crimes. Keep alert and we’ll all stay safe together! ~

Covenant Review Plan Taking Shape

By Anne Stellmon

Did you know that our covenants have been in place for almost 30 years and were written by the developers who built Andover Glen? The AG Board would like to evaluate the covenants to ensure they have kept pace with our evolving community and have tasked Dave Kline, Anne Stellmon, Lynn Walton and Michael Zabinski to be the facilitators for the Covenant Review Plan.

COVENANT REVIEW PLAN MISSION STATEMENT

To involve the community in an effort to review and update the covenants of AG in order to protect property values and maintain a sense of community

To educate and inform the community how Andover Glen’s governing documents affect our community and the homeowner!

To create a positive environment where everyone in AG has the opportunity to voice concerns, suggestions and ideas for our current covenants.

In order to have covenants in place that truly reflect the desires of as many people as possible, we need your thoughts, ideas, suggestions and concerns. Beginning today, we want an earful from you, the neighbors who make up our diverse community. We will be building a transparent and open dialogue in the following ways:

·         Monthly updates in the Andover Gazette

·         Monthly updates in Board meeting minutes (www.andoverglen.org)

·         A simple survey designed to solicit feedback from homeowners on covenants

·         Focus groups to give homeowners the opportunity to give and receive feedback

·         Recommendations presented to the AGHA Board for further action.

We realize that examining our current covenants could be a process that stirs up emotions and intense feelings. We anticipate that this review can be accomplished in a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and respect for everyone’s opinions. Remember, you can always find a copy of the Andover Glen covenants at:

www.andoverglen.org

Or feel free to contact Lynn Walton or myself at:

Anne Stellmon (astellmon@yahoo.com) or pink envelope outside Anne’s front door

Lynn Walton (lwalton80015@comcast.net) or 720-379-4616

We look forward to hearing what you have to say about our AG’s covenants. ~

A Reminder and Thanks from the Architectural Review Committee

By Royal Shields

For those of you who, last year, went to our website at www.andoverglen.org and printed out and filled out the necessary form for changes to anything regarding the exterior of your home, I thank you! Each of you should be commended to those changes you made to your properties; overall, I am so proud of how the community looks to those who not only live here but to those who visit our community. Again, thank you!

As a footnote, I just want to remind everyone that if you want to remove and/or erect anything, or do any major landscaping, this process is mandatory. It needs to be done no less than fifteen (15) days prior to when work actually begins. It's not that the Association wants to say what you can or cannot do; it simply needs to follow what the Association allows for in its governing documents. It is so much easier for all of us to put in writing that which you want to do, submit it for approval, and, after written approval, do the work. There aren't very many things that one would want to

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Architectural review…continued from page 3

do with their property that would not meet with the Board's approval. This way, everyone in the community is on the same page. Should you have any questions, please stop by and visit with me at 4804 S. Crystal Street or call me at either 303-617-1307 or 720-299-7587 or email me at royalmim@comcast.net. After all of your paperwork is submitted, I then contact my committee (there are 5 of us) and we discuss what is wanted to be done and we vote. The entire process generally takes anywhere from one day to three days for approval. It also would be helpful, in some instances, to include a drawing or blueprints and if necessary, examples of materials, etc. This certainly would make our job easier. Again, thank you for doing it the "right way". Let's have a super year!

AG to participate in the 2008 HOA Xeriscape Grant Program

By Quink Arlt

The kick-off for the City of Aurora 2008 xeriscape grant program was held on Monday, October 8^th and AG is once more planning to participate. The grant program is sponsored by Aurora Water offers up to $30,000 in grants for HOAs who replace high water use landscaping in common areas, with more efficient xeriscape. To be eligible for a grant, HOAs must remove a minimum of 3,000 square feet of irrigated turf from a high visibility area, and provide a maintenance and irrigation plan. Andover Glen is intending to request a grant for some of the Parker Road right-of-way.

The next meeting is Monday, October 29th from 6-7:30 p.m. at 14707 East 2nd Avenue in Aurora. This will be the irrigation and design class. It's always interesting to learn how the city is looking at the future as the water costs will continue to go up each year. Any homeowner who is interested in participating on the committee should call Quink Arlt at 303-766-7344.

If you have an ad or notice you’d like to place in the Gazette under the Neighbor to Neighbor section, or even an informative article for the Gazette, please contact Randy Simpson at rgatess@yahoo.com