Raintree Village Homeowners Association 2012 Newsletter Follow us on Facebook Board of Directors David Eisenbacher, president Craig Chamberlain, vice pres. Debbie Doyle, secretary Anne Milowe, treasurer Kim Beasley Bill Jenuwine Ann Lemke Monthly Meetings The regular monthly Raintree Board Meeting is held at 7PM on the second Monday of the month from September through June (no meetings held July or August). All are welcome to attend. We meet at Baker Middle School (located on Torpey Drive off Rochester Road) in room 108. Volunteers for commons maintenance are always needed. We also are in need of more directors for the RVHA board. Calendar of Events RVHA Garage Sale May 18-19 RVHA meeting June 11 Last Day of School June 15 Email: board2@rvha.org www.rvha.org 248-988-0180 Buckthorn Removal from Commons Areas Buckthorn is an invasive shrub or small scrubby tree. It was imported from Eurasia as an ornamental plant in the 1800 s and 1900 s. Without the natural competitors from its native Eurasia, it is growing unchecked in Michigan. Buckthorn changes soil chemistry, killing native wildflowers and other native plants. Buckthorn produces dense shade that turns native woodlands and wet areas into thorny thickets, crowding out native species. Buckthorn has been found in both Forest Commons and Village Commons, the latter having the more substantial infestation. This spring and summer, RVHA will be taking steps to eradicate Buckthorn from Forest Commons and Village Commons. The Buckthorn will be cut down or uprooted and destroyed. Stumps will be treated with herbicide to prevent regrowth. It is likely that some homeowners whose property abuts Forest and Village Commons have Buckthorn growing on their property. RVHA will work with these homeowners to eliminate these Buckthorn plants to prevent reintroduction of Buckthorn into the commons area. More information regarding Buckthorn can be found at: www.buckthornwatch.org Your Raintree Dues All Raintree homeowners are automatically members of the Raintree Village Homeowners Association and are legally obligated by deed restriction to pay their homeowners dues. Dues are $26 per year and are used to pay for the maintenance of the commons areas including benches and swings, pond fence, Canadian Geese control, weed control, fertilizing and mowing of commons lawns, dead tree removal and liability insurance. Failure to pay will result in court action and the addition of court costs to the total dues owed. If you have not yet paid your dues (or you owe for past years) send your check to: RVHA P.O. Box 99033 Troy, MI 48099 Commons Areas Forest Commons, Village Commons, Abbey Commons and Lakeside Commons are the four commons areas within Raintree Village subdivision. Lakeside and Abbey have swing sets and benches and Forest Commons has a walking trail from the Sandburg entrance to the Stonetree entrance. Enjoy using these commons areas but treat them with respect to preserve them. GARAGE SALE The Raintree Village Subdivision garage sale will be held on Friday May 18th and Saturday May 19th from 9AM until 4PM. RVHA will advertise the sale in various local newspapers and post entrance signs. Sell those items you no longer need or want.
RVHA Membership and Bylaws The Raintree Village Subdivision consists of 810 homesite properties and four common areas. ALL 810 property owners in the Raintree Village Subdivision are automatically members of the Raintree Village Homeowners Association by purchase of your house and the common areas are mutually owned by all members of the association. The Raintree Village Subdivision Open Space Agreement and the Covenant, Conditions and Restrictions are deeded to ALL lots in the Raintree Village Subdivision and are recorded with the Oakland County Register of Deeds, March 27, 1975, Liber 6445, pages 298-320. Copies of these agreements are also available on the RVHA website (www.rvha.org) under Raintree Documents on the left margin. The website copies are FOR REFERENCE ONLY. An official copy of these documents can be obtained at the Oakland County Register of Deeds. The four commons areas are Lakeside Commons, Village Commons, Forest Commons and Abbey Commons. These areas are for the enjoyment of all residents. Please do not damage the commons or remove or damage any plants, trees or animals. Do not dump any material in the commons areas. Do not build any structure or clear any area of land in the commons areas. Take nothing from the commons areas when you visit and leave nothing behind. Be a Good Raintree Neighbor Here are some simple things you can do to be a good neighbor while living in Raintree: Place lids on your trash cans to keep animals from spreading your garbage on the ground. Bring in your garbage cans after they are emptied on trash day. Bring in any flyers placed on or near your mailbox to prevent them from becoming litter. Keep the curb in front of your house clear of leaves. If you live on a corner, keep the storm drain clear of debris so the street doesn t flood when it rains. Don t blow/shovel the snow from your driveway into the street. It creates a hazard to cars when they encounter it. Don t blow grass clippings from your driveway into the street it s not your trashcan. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 25 MPH in the subdivision. Clean up after your dog this includes the commons areas! Fireworks of any kind are against the law in Troy. Be kind to your neighbors ears. Can you hear your dog barking? We sure can. Keep your dogs quiet when left outdoors.
Facts for Raintree Village Homeowners Raintree Village Homeowners Association (RVHA), Troy, Michigan Please note that having your dues listed in the Over 90 Days Past Due box on your statement is a software glitch that RVHA hasn t been able to change. Facts There are 810 homes in the Raintree Village subdivision. When you purchase a home in Raintree Village and accept the deed, by deed restriction you are automatically a member of the homeowners association. You share certain rights and responsibilities with the other homeowners. The legal documents stating this are on file with Oakland County, including the Subdivision Open Space Agreement, Liber 6445, pages 298 309 and the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, Liber 6445, pages 310 320. These documents can be inspected in person at the Register of Deeds, Tract Index department at the Oakland County government offices in Pontiac. Reference copies of these documents are available on the RVHA website, www.rvha.org. There is also a map showing where the common areas are located. Each homeowner is a co-owner of the four common areas in the subdivision (Forest Commons, Village Commons, Abbey Commons and Lakeside Commons), and shares responsibility for all expenses associated with this property ownership and maintenance. The City of Troy does not maintain the four common areas. The annual dues, currently $26.00, are mandatory, and are used mainly to pay for the maintenance of the four common areas. The RVHA board of directors is formed by elected homeowners in the subdivision (your neighbors) serving as unpaid volunteers. Each board member contributes time and receives no compensation in the form of money, services, or reduced dues. What do your dues pay for? As a co-owner of the four common areas, you and the 809 other homeowners are legally liable for any claims filed against the common areas. To protect the homeowners, the association annually pays for liability insurance. The cost for this in 2010 was $3579.00. The grass at Abbey Commons, Lakeside Commons, and several traffic islands is maintained by mowing and fertilizing. The cost for this in 2010 was more than $8900.00. Dead trees in the common areas are a safety hazard and have to be removed, especially when they are at risk of falling onto a resident s home. The cost for tree removal in 2010 was $1850.00. In 2010, RVHA replaced signs at Village Commons and Lakeside Commons, replaced chains on swings, and replaced park benches. There are also recurring expenses for the voicemail line, website, P.O. Box, postage, and more. A full financial report is included on the back of this page. How can you contact the homeowners association? Website: rvha.org Email: board2@rvha.org Voicemail: 248-988-0180 Postal mail: Raintree Village Homeowners Association, P.O. Box 99033, Troy, MI 48099 In person: Attend the monthly meeting on the second Monday of every month (except July and August) at 7:00pm at Baker Middle School, Room 108.
Raintree Village Homeowners Association Financial Report Budget Income / Expense Jan-Dec 2006 Jan-Dec 2007 Jan-Dec 2008 Jan-Dec 2009 Jan-Dec 2010 Jan-Dec 2011 Jan-Dec 2011 Jan-Dec 2012 Income Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Budget Actual Budget Membership Dues 18,520.00 17,978.71 18,785.00 20,185.10 21,060.00 19000.00 28708.20 21060.00 Advertising in Newsletter 450.00 400.00 150.00 50.00 0 200.00 50.00 200.00 Interest Income 50.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Total Income 19,020.00 18,378.71 18,935.00 20,235.10 21,060.00 19200.00 28758.20 21260.00 Expense Bank Service Charges 73.15 20.00 0.00 148.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 Bad Debt Expense 435.00 0.00 593.10 26.00 0.00 942.91 0.00 Contributions 2,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Dues and Subscriptions 80.00 80.00 80.00 64.99 69.99 80.00 71.99 80.00 Newsletter Expense 53.29 0.00 Liability Insurance 3,332.00 2,920.00 3,233.00 3,564.00 3,579.00 3564.00 3470.00 3500.00 Post Office Box Fee 40.00 42.00 Licenses and Permits 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 Garage Sale Supplies 300.00 Garage Sale Ads 88.25 63.81 61.99 63.81 63.81 80.00 0.00 Halloween Party 0.00 214.34 94.63 101.91 99.36 250.00 30.00 100.00 Pool Party 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Parks & Grounds Dead Tree Removal 9,150.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,850.00 0.00 2000.00 Entrance Landscape 0.00 25.36 141.55 34.19 49.21 100.00 100.00 Snow Removal 144.00 0.00 0.00 429.00 245.00 500.00 470.00 500.00 Lawn Maintenance 9,964.87 8,083.95 8,083.95 8,083.95 8,083.95 8100.00 8083.95 8100.00 Tree Replacement 343.32 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 300.00 Weed Control 0.00 976.00 878.40 878.40 878.40 900.00 878.40 900.00 Tree Service 0.00 9,450.00 2,450.00 0.00 250.00 1000.00 5000.00 Pond Clean-up Day 0.00 302.69 0.00 0.00 0.00 500.00 100.00 Parks & Grounds - Other 0.00 0.00 0.00 767.47 3,177.92 3000.00 471.55 500.00 Total Parks & Grounds 19,602.19 18,838.00 11,553.90 10,193.01 14,534.48 14100.00 9903.90 17500.00 Postage and Delivery 397.18 315.90 491.81 378.20 872.40 400.00 129.66 400.00 Printing and Reproduction 59.70 0.00 0.00 201.21 38.15 200.00 200.00 Legal Fees 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 270.00 0.00 698.00 500.00 Accounting 350.00 350.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Marketing 0.00 0.00 0.00 Equipment Rental 40.00 0.00 0.00 Office 92.18 421.02 41.19 23.29 0.00 50.00 44.44 50.00 Taxes 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Telephone (248-988-0180) 164.45 197.45 238.35 179.40 164.45 180.00 211.10 200.00 Utilities (Electricity) 57.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Total Expense: 23,966.24 25,875.52 16,164.87 15,531.12 19,777.64 18924.00 15522.00 22550.00 Net Income: -4,946.24-7,496.81 2,770.13 4,703.98 1,282.36 276.00 13236.20-1290.00 End of Year Cash Balance: 9,889.77 5,555.61 8,379.38 13,864.18 13,043.60 26,067.16
The four commons areas are for the exclusive enjoyment of Raintree Village residents. The annual dues are spent primarily on the maintenance of these common areas. Forest Commons is 4.04 acres of mature trees. It has a wood chip trail between the two entrances off Stonetree and Sandburg. You can walk through on the trail during the dry months. Village Commons is 2.106 acres and has access from Stonetree Drive. There is a short trail with wood chips through the park Abbey Commons is 1.057 acres and has a swing set and a large grassy field that is great for picnics, kickball or running around. Access is from Abbey Drive. Lakeside Commons is the largest park area at 8.125 acres. It has posts for hanging a volleyball net, a swing set, park benches, a 5-acre lake, and large grassy area that is big enough for family soccer, kickball, or football. Walking around the lake is also possible please step over the goose fences so we can minimize the number of geese coming up onto the grass. There are also 9 island areas at the entrances and cul-de-sacs that are owned by Troy. Raintree Park is a City of Troy owned park. TSD Property is Troy Scholl District Property next to Raintree Park.
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