Published monthly by the Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association
Communications Committee - May 1, 2021 Edition!
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"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother."
~Theodore Hesburgh
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MEMBERS ELECT THE NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS
We would like to extend our congratulations to Kevin Drummond and Elaine Mauer who were elected to the Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association Board of Directors:
Available voting options were online, absentee ballot, and in-person voting held at the office. We are happy to announce that 601 owners cast their votes online or by in-person voting. In other words, this was a participation rate of 17.6%. Of the votes cast, 536 were done online and 65 were dropped in the ballot box. There was 1 write-in candidate.
Immediately following the Annual Meeting, the newly elected Board held their Organizational meeting to decide what "officer" positions they would serve in for the upcoming year. The results are as follows:
- Richard Gentry - President
- Kevin Drummond - Vice President
- Heather Mallia - Treasurer
- Elaine Maurer - Secretary
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Richard Riggie - Assistant Secretary
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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The Villages of Westcreek Board of Directors chose the firm Armstrong, Vaughan, & Associates, P.C. to perform the required annual review of the HOA financial statements. Mr. Phil Vaughn, CPA, presented a brief summary of the results at the Annual Membership Meeting on April 15th, 2021, via Zoom.
Mr. Vaughn reported that the Association’s books are in order and no issues with the Association’s financial reporting. The report states that the firm is “not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the accompanying financial statements in order for them to be in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.”
The Board of Directors previously voted to conduct a more in-depth audit every 5 years. This audit is scheduled for the 2021 Fiscal Year and will be presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Membership.
The entire CPA report is available to you through your Spectrum Portal in the Budget Folder in the Document section.
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, VWOA Treasurer
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The Contractor has installed the monument for the Royal Oaks. Once the Board gives final approval of this installation, they will select the next monument for replacement.
Keep in mind that some of our monuments do not currently have electricity. In those situations, we will have to run electricity in those areas before the monuments can be replaced.
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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LOCAL STUDENT CREATES WINNING DESIGN
Congratulations to Highpoint resident Isabella Gonzales, age 12, for creating the winning T-shirt design in a school district-wide Gifted and Talented (GT) Program competition. She is in the 6th grade at Luna Middle School. Students were asked to design a T-shirt that reflects and encompasses what makes GT great. Isabella started by drawing the light bulb in the “GT” and expanded her idea from there adding words to the letters such as “abstract thinking,” “inventor,” and “inquisitive.”
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The Gonzales family learned that Isabella had won when it was announced live on Facebook. “When my Mom told me I won, I felt very surprised, shocked, and excited all at the same time!” Isabella exclaimed. She is looking forward to seeing her original design on the T-shirts.
To see the amazing details of her winning design, RIGHT-CLICK or PRESS the image on the left and EITHER Open Image/Open Image in New Tab OR Copy Image and Paste into your image view application.
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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IMPACT ON COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND AMENITY USE |
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The concern over the COVID-19 pandemic is a grave issue for our nation and community. The Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association wants to make sure we are all doing our part as individuals and as a community to help stay ahead of the curve and slow down this virus's spreading.
The Board of Directors will follow city, county, and state guidelines to determine the reopening of amenities and classes.
CLICK HERE for the latest status of community openings and closures.
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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The Sports Park pool is currently the only pool open.
The contractor has repaired the leak in the Community Center Pool. The contractor will repair the pool lights this coming week. Once these repairs are complete, we will open the Community Center pool full time.
When the Community Center pool is opened, the Sports Park pool will only be open on weekends until the first week of June; at that time, both will be open full time until school starts again in the fall. We will keep you updated on Pool operations as warranted.
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, VWOA Treasurer
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Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager |
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SPORTS PARK RULES
The Sports Park is open from 8 AM to 10 PM daily for the use and enjoyment of all residents of the VWOA that are in good standing and have a current VWOA RFID Card.
KEY REMINDERS
- 3 guests per ID card, 6 per household
- Still no gatherings over 10 people
- No guests in any gated common areas at the park
- If using the Park’s BBQ pits, do not leave the Park unless the fire is completely out. Personal BBQ grills must be accompanied by a fire extinguisher and are not allowed in the children’s playground, or on volleyball, tennis, or basketball courts. Those using propane are not allowed in the pavilion.
- Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the children’s playground or on the tennis and basketball courts
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CLICK HERE to review the Sports Park Rules
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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Amenity Reservations for the Community Center, Pools, and Sports Park Pavilion are currently on pause due to COVID-19 restrictions. If the situation changes, we will open up these venues for reservations.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause our residents.
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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COVID-19 AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS |
The Board understands the effect on the community that COVID-19 has had and the financial hardships it has created.
If you have been affected and unable to make your HOA assessment payments, please email the office staff or Community Manager with your request for relief of the late fees assessed. We will review each request on a case by case basis and communicate back to each homeowner individually.
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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The VWOA office will be closed on May 31, 2021, in observance of Memorial Day!
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS |
The Board of Directors will appoint one primary and one alternate member to the Architectural Review Committee at the Board of Directors Meeting scheduled for May 6, 2021, at 6 pm.
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONDUCTING BUSINESS AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER
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CLICK HERE for information on how we are addressing safety precautions while conducting business at the Community Center!
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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Our next scheduled Community Yard Sales will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021.
Community Yard Sales listings will be posted on the VWOA website, the day prior to the event.
If you wish to add your yard sale to the listing, please call the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 by 12 noon on the Friday before the scheduled yard sale.
References:
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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Your 2nd Quarter Assessment of $99.00 is due on April 1, 2021.
On April 30, 2021, all accounts with outstanding balances began incurring a late fee of $20.00, plus a delinquent interest charge.
NOTE: The Office is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, excluding holidays. In addition, the Office is open on the 2nd Saturday each month from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
- Payments can still be made here at the VWOA onsite office during business hours.
- Payments may also be mailed to our office, made payable to VWOA, at 12395 Military Dr. West, San Antonio, TX 78253. You can also mail your payment directly to Spectrum Association Management, P.O. Box 299008, Lewisville, TX 75029. Mailed payments are processed electronically; please do not send cash!
- You may drop off cash (in a sealed envelope), check, or money order at the dropbox, located to the right of our front entry doors at the business office. Make sure you include your address on your check/money order.
- Cash is accepted in the office.
- Card Payments will be accepted only after the homeowner is registered with Spectrumam.com.
- Pay by Phone- 1-877-342-6233 (your account number needed).
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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If you need extra time to pay your assessments, fill out the form on the website below to see if you qualify for a payment plan. Payment plan requests are reviewed within two business days, and if approved, a payment plan agreement will be emailed to sign and return to our office within five business days.
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS
If you know of a Food Truck that you think would be interested in joining the "StrEATS of Westcreek," have them contact the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 during our normal business hours. There is a small $25 fee for each truck that participates in the program. We only allow one truck per evening.
CLICK HERE to view the StrEATS of Westcreek Food Truck schedule and menus!
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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APPLYING FOR PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT AND CHANGES
Did you know that the Standards for Architectural Design and Maintenance outline the process on how to apply for Property Improvements and Changes?
Chapter 5 of the Standards specifically addresses the following:
- The PIA Review Process
- Application Procedure
- Variances
- Modifications and Waivers
- Easement Access
To improve the processing of "Property Improvement Applications" in a more timely manner, the Architectural Review Committee has developed a checklist to assist homeowners with their submissions. You can find this guide on the Architectural Review Committee page on the website.
CLICK HERE to review the Property Improvement Application Checklist!
If you are planning any improvement and changes to the exterior of your property, we encourage you to review this chapter and checklist!
Submitted by: Brandon Schuler, Architectural Review Committee Member
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Our Spring Soccer Registration has closed with over 500 kids! This is our biggest season yet.
Proposed Schedule:
- Practice begins the week of May 3, 2021
- Practice day and time determined by the coach
- The first game is on May 8, 2021
- The last Regular Season Game is June 19, 2021
- End of Season Tournament June 26, 2021
Submitted by: Jason Dunbar, VWOA Activities Director
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Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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CLICK HERE to visit the South Texas Camp Gladiator website for detailed information!
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, VWOA Office Manager
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JUST IN TIME FOR MOTHER'S DAY
May Arts & Crafts Ideas
Mother’s Day Cards to Print and Fill in
Mother’s Day Connect the Dots (count by 1’s, 2’s, or odds)
Mother’s Day Coloring Pages
Mother’s Day Word Scrambles (different levels of difficulty)
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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Early Leaf Blight: A Quick Spreading Tomato Disease
Early leaf blight is a fast-growing disease that loves tomato plants. High humidity and warm temperatures are elements that contribute to its development. The disease generally first presents itself on the lowest leaves of tomato plants and quickly travels up the plant. Early detection is key to controlling this pathogen.
Signs of Early Leaf Blight on Tomato Plants
Brownish/black splotches start to appear on the leaves closest to the soil. It starts off small and inconspicuous, but will quickly grow into a bigger problem. If you look closely at the center of the spots, you may see a concentric pattern, like a bull’s eye. The areas surrounding the blotches usually start to turn yellow. As the foliar disease progresses, the affected leaves then take on a leathery-shriveled appearance and begin to wither and die. Unfortunately the disease doesn’t die with it. It just moves up the plant to claim more foliage, and even attacks the stems and eventually fruit (if you let it get that far). Early leaf blight weakens the plant and reduces the size and the quality of fruit. This disease can affect your tomato plant at any stage of growth.
The good news is that early leaf blight can be controlled AND prevented. Early detection is crucial to controlling this disease, as it really is a quick spreader.
Control of Early Leaf Blight on Tomato Plants
The first step is to remove as many of the damaged leaves as possible. Pinch or prune them off and throw them in a bag to dispose of them immediately. Scour the soil and remove any fallen leaves. Spores from early leaf blight can survive in soil for years; removing all infected tissue from the area is critical.
After you have discarded infected plant material, choose your weapon. Organic gardeners might like a fungicide with copper for its main ingredient such as Liquid Copper Fungicide from Bonide. If organic is not a priority, you can use a product safe for edibles like Daconil Fungicide. The key here will be to remember any follow-up applications, according to the instructions on your fungicide. Usually you will need to repeat treatment every 7-10 days, especially during consistent rainfall periods. If you didn’t notice the disease early and it has already spread all the way up the plant, consider it a learning lesson and remove the plants.
Preventing Early Leaf Blight on Tomato Plants
Crop Rotation: If your tomato plants suffered from early leaf blight last year, and you planted new plants in the same area this year, you are more likely to experience the problem again. It is best to rotate your crops each year to limit the risk of contamination from previous soil-dwelling disease. Plant a crop that is not affected by early leaf blight for a few years before allowing a tomato plant to revisit the site.
Soil Health: Soils rich in compost and beneficial microbes greatly reduce the risk of soil dwelling disease like early leaf blight. Start with the best soil possible, rich in organic matter like compost, peat moss, and other organic ingredients that lend to soil health and you may not encounter this disease at all. For an extra defensive boost, mix in a product like Happy Frog Jump Start fertilizer (which contains active soil microbes), or Espoma’s Bio-tone Starter Plant Food Plus Mycorrhizae.
Adequate Spacing: You must take into account how big your veggies are supposed to get at their mature size. When you crowd your plants, you don’t give them enough room for adequate air circulation. Crowding = no air circulation = opportunity for early leaf blight.
Tomato Variety: Some varieties of tomatoes are prone to more disease issues. When choosing tomatoes for spring and fall plantings, research desired varieties and their disease resistance. Select tomatoes from the varieties recommended by the TAMU Agrilife Extension Office each year. The office recommends varieties based on their disease resistance, vigor, taste, appearance, and adaptability to our climate.
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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Artichoke Agave
Full sun. Evergreen. Considered one of the most attractive small agaves, with short blue leaves, jet-black spines, and a nearly flat-topped rosette allowing easy appreciation of its designer form. Common in the horticultural trade, artichoke agave is a popular subject for pots and rock gardens; many varieties are available. It’s winter-hardy to 0 degrees F; do not apply water in winter. Plants produce plentiful offsets.
CLICK HERE to learn more about this beautiful plant, maintenance requirements, and plant features from San Antonio Garden Style!
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