Impending Weather by Steve Wolf CMCA, AMS, PCAM, Tidewater Community Association Manager

I want to take a moment to address everyone regarding the impending snow storm this weekend. As it stands right now, it looks like the Maryland area is in for a direct hit. 

Below is a link to the latest weather.com report. It indicates the potential for snow that will be measurable in feet.  If this is the case, there are a few safety tips that I would like to point out, as well as some websites to view for additional information.  Please remember that these types of storms are dangerous, and have the potential to be tragic….so please stay vigilant.  Aside from my job as a Community Association Manager for Tidewater Property Management, I am a Firefighter/Medic with the fire department in Baltimore County. Although most likely I will be deployed, I will keep the Tidewater vendors and Boards updated with information as it becomes available.  Please note, I will be in constant communication with our vendors responsible for snow removal. If this turns out to be a big storm, we respectively ask our clients to be patient because it is going to take some time to clear. Rest assured that our Tidewater crews will be working around the clock to make sure sidewalks and roadways are clear. Also note that once the government declares a state of emergency, only emergency vehicles, State Highway, and essential personnel will be allowed on Maryland Roadways.

How to Prepare for a Winter Storm

• Winterize your vehicle and keep the gas tank full. A full tank will keep the fuel line from freezing.
• Insulate your home by installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic from the inside to keep cold air out.
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
•  If the power goes out, close off unused rooms to consolidate and retain heat.  Wear layered clothing and use blankets or sleeping bags to stay warm. Bring pets inside.
  

Put Together a Supply Kit

• Water—at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day
• Food—at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered Radio
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, etc.)
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
• Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
• Tools/supplies for securing your home
• Sand, rock salt or non-clumping kitty litter to make walkways and steps less slippery
• Warm coats, gloves or mittens, hats, boots and extra blankets and warm clothing for all household members
• Ample alternate heating methods such as fireplaces or wood- or coal-burning stoves

NEVER use generators, outdoor heating or cooking equipment, such as a grill, camp stove, or a gasoline or propane heater, indoors.

NEVER heat a home with a stove.

If driving is absolutely necessary, keep disaster supplies in your vehicle, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped, and use extra precaution on the roads.

If you do not have adequate supplies to stay warm in your home and you can get there safely, you may want to go to a shelter.

For additional information, please visit the following websites:

http://www.weather.com/storms/winter/news/snow-ohio-valley-middle-atlantic-northeast

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1408633655071-32caae446efef4ab2f4fcccdb55f725c/PrepareAthon_WINTER%20STORMS_HTG_FINAL_508.pdf

www.ready.gov/prepare

Are You Ready for Cold Weather?

Fall is the time to prepare for winter—cold and wet conditions not only make you miserable, but they can damage your home.  Luckily, winter conditions have only recently been resurfacing. Some winterizing can wait, some can’t. Make a list of what needs to be done, and tackle the time-sensitive tasks first. Here’s a simple checklist from Tidewater to help you get a jump on winter.

Indoor Winterizing

• Examine doors and replace weather-stripping as needed.
• Examine window caulking and reseal where needed.
• Examine and repair vents where needed.
• Clean chimneys and flues.
• Remove items near heat vents.
• Place nonskid runners or door mats outside to help keep water, sand and salt out of the house.

Outdoor Winterizing

• Cut back tree branches and shrubs that hide signs or block light.
• Examine outdoor handrails and tighten if needed.
• Turn off electrical breakers for outdoor equipment.
• Close hose bibs.
• Clean out gutters and downspouts.
• Clear yard drains.
• Spray outdoor locks and hinges with lubricant.
• Stake driveway and walkway edges that may be difficult to find under deep snow.

Assemble, stockpile or refresh winter supplies:

• Batteries
• Candles and matches
• Ice melt and deicer
• Sand
• Snow shovels
• Generator fuel
• Antifreeze

What is a Special Meeting?

Special meetings are unscheduled meetings called from time to time by the board for a specific purpose. Special meetings usually address issues that need immediate attention or that need more time and discussion than can be handled in routine board or annual meetings.

There are a couple of things that make special meetings … well, special.

First, members must be notified of the exact purpose of the meeting, and the meeting must be limited specifically to achieving this purpose. This is important because people typically decide whether to attend a special meeting based on the issue and how it’s being addressed. Therefore, actions taken on issues not listed in the notice will be invalid. In fact, no action can be taken at all, if it was not included in the notice. For example, if the stated purpose of a meeting is “to discuss” a problem, the board cannot actually vote on a solution—at least not in this meeting.

Second, association members—not just the board—can call for a special meeting, if they get a minimum number of signatures on a petition that states exactly what issue or problem they want to address. Homeowners give the petition, with its stated purpose, to a board member who schedules the special meeting.

Like annual and board meetings, special meetings are open to all association members who wish to attend, and they require a quorum before any business can be conducted. Also, notifying all association members properly is essential; when and how the notice is delivered, what it says, and other requirements must be met.

Love Your Dog, Leash Your Dog

We love dogs - we really do.  That's why associations are committed to enforcing county leash laws on association properties.  According to the U.S. Humane Society, an unleashed dog has an average life span of less than four years.  Allowing your dog to run free threatens your dog's health and welfare and the happiness it brings to you.

We also love your community.  That's another reason the association is committed to enforcing the county leash law - so ALL residents may enjoy the community.

We trust we can count on you for voluntary compliance with any applicable leash laws and rules.  We don't like to call animal control, but we won't have any choice if your dog is running free.  Be sure to check the lease law in your county.

Are HOA Residents Happy?

Do you know that more than 60 million Americans live in homeowners associations and condominium communities? How do these 60 million residents feel about their own associations? Are they happy with their elected boards? How do they feel about the rules?

The Foundation for Community Association Research, an affiliate of Community Associations Institute (CAI), sponsored a recent national public opinion survey to answer these and other questions.  Here are some of the key findings:

• 71 percent of residents say they are satisfied with their community association experience. Only 12 percent express dissatisfaction and 17 percent are neutral on the question.
• 89 percent believe their association board members strive to serve the best interests of the community, while 11 percent say the opposite or they aren’t sure. 
• 76 percent say their professional managers provide value to their communities, while 24 percent say the opposite or they aren’t sure. 
• 70 percent believe their community association rules “protect and enhance” property values. Only 2 percent say rules harm property values, while about 29 percent see no difference or didn’t know. 

Bike and Scooter Safety Tips

Our association wants your kids to be safe while riding their bikes and scooters in our community, and we recognize that you can’t be there to watch them all the time. Here are four steps that could increase their safety when you’re not around.

• Teach kids how to fall. Learning how to ride correctly is only part of what keeps a kid safe. Falls are inevitable, and teaching your children to fall correctly will prevent many serious injuries. Teach them to roll on impact, relax their body, and try to land on their padded and fleshiest parts.
• Check equipment. Check bikes and scooters for cracks or dents, sharp metal parts, jutting edges and slippery surfaces. Replace defective equipment, consult a professional for repairs and apply self-adhesive, non-slip material to slippery surfaces.
• Make a rule for your kids—one person to each piece of equipment. They might be less likely to hop on a friend’s scooter if they know it’s unsafe and that they’ll have to pay for replacing it when it breaks.
• Require protective equipment. Scooters, roller blades, bikes and similar equipment cause thousands of injuries—and even some deaths—every year. Make sure your children are wearing helmets, knee pads and elbow pads, especially if they are just learning. Buy a helmet your kid thinks is cool and you know is safe—it’s worth the extra money if your child is more likely to wear it.

Thieves in the Waste Basket

Most—but not all—identity theft now occurs electronically. But your identity can still be easily scored by thieves who make use of what you toss in your waste basket, too.

Trash facilities and recycling centers can be gold mines of personal information for enterprising dumpster divers. That is, unless you shred documents that contain identifying information—charge receipts, credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, canceled checks and bank statements and even expired charge cards.

Beware also of those bothersome credit offers you get in the mail and toss unopened into the trash—particularly the pre-approved variety. Clever scammers complete these blank applications, obtain a credit card in your name, charge it to the limit and close the account before you receive the first billing statement. To protect yourself, all you have to do is tear the unopened envelop in half once or twice before tossing it in the waste basket.

Better yet, you can eliminate these prescreened credit offers from your mailbox by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to opt out. You’ll be asked to provide your Social Security number so the consumer reporting companies can match you with your file.

Also, deposit your outgoing mail containing personally identifying information in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, contact the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 or online at www.usps.gov to request a vacation hold. The Postal Service will hold your mail at your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.

The Federal Trade Commission has more information on identity theft and prevention tips at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.