Year in Review . . . “Membership Dues”

A note from your Association’s Board

As you recall that back in December we informed you about the need to increase our homeowners association dues from $20 to $40 per year, beginning at the first of each year. We received many views both pro and con. Although the results from the vote for the increase was an overwhelming “YES”, we realize that without complete budget analysis homeowners may not have had all they needed to cast an informed vote. Therefore, we request that every homeowner cast their vote again on or before our next meeting scheduled for Saturday January 31, 2004 at 4pm at our President’s (Larry Muzzy) home located at 1722 Breezy Ridge Trail. To make it easy for everyone we are offering three different ways to vote. 1) in person during this meeting. 2) In a letter with your name, address with your yes or no vote. 3) Via E-mail with your name, address with your yes or no vote to: muzzman@chartertn.net

Here is the State of the Association report:

1999---Income $3,578 2000---Income $3,160 2001---Income $4,280 2002---Income $3,240 2003---Income $3,605

Expenses $4,825 Expenses $3,265 Expenses $5,173 Expenses $3,064 Expenses $4,506

Overview for the last 5 years: Income-- $17,863 . . . Expenses--$20,833

“Difference between getting a Directory and Building a Neighborhood”

For many years all the $20 in dues got you was an Association Party and a Directory.  With just that, the Association has been running in a deficit for the last 5-years!  This is a clear sign that we must increase the dues, which are the lowest of any Homeowners Association in West Knox County.

    The Fall Festival was a HUGE success and hopefully it shows the day and night difference between just getting a directory and building a neighborhood.  This event invited the entire neighborhood, not just the association members, to a party celebrating a neighborhood. Over 300 people attended on that Saturday afternoon in November.

     Creating a website is a unique communications tool and a SALES tool. How would you like to be a realtor with the ability to show perspective homebuyers this website and let them know that this neighborhood does so much inside their own little community.  This will make us stand out from others and hopefully in the long run increase our appeal and home values.

     Putting a sign at the Maple Seed entrance is another long-range goal.  It appears that is the one most used by our homeowners. Although our main sign is at the other entrance, Maple Seed needs a similar sign as this again acts as sales tool for realtors and perspective buyers . . . first impressions are everything.

    Planned neighborhood events include: Landscaping the front entrance . . . Spring Neighborhood Garage Sale . . . Neighborhood Golf Tournament . . .Website development . . . Annual Neighborhood Event . . . Holiday Luminaries to name a few.

    All this takes $$$ and HUGE support from all of us. With nearly 300 homes, we need everyone to participate. Lakeridge is OUR neighborhood . . . Let’s Make It The Best It Can Be!

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Holiday Decorations Winners

Wow! Who knew that judging holiday decorations would be so difficult?! There were so many beautifully decorated homes! All of the judges thoroughly enjoyed the drive through the neighborhood, and we hope you found the time to drive with your family through Lakeridge, too.

This year the houses were judged on effort, creativity, and appeal. Our First Place winner was The Misse’s at 1625 Scenic Valley. Second Place went to Lynn Brakebill at 1704 Split Ridge and Third Place went to the Mackey’s at 1705 Dawn Redwood.

There were so many other beautifully decorated homes that the judges also would like to acknowledge. Their efforts added so much to the holiday mood. This isn’t a complete list, but rather a sampling from several different streets within Lakeridge.

The Poe’s at 1815 Maple Seed The Novello’s at 1900 Winding Ridge

The Partain’s at 1728 Winding Ridge The Morgan’s at 1725 Dawn Redwood

The Campbell’s at 1901 Breezy Ridge The Richardson’s at 1808 Watermill

The Eggert’s at 1716 Persimmon The Upchurch’s at 1813 Scenic Valley

Next year, we are going to use the suggestion provided by the Morgan’s and let the children of our neighborhood judge the winners. To select the young judges, we will likely draw names collected at next year’s fall festival. We’ll be sure to keep you posted on how we’ll handle this!

New Year Lakeridge Landscaping!

Lakeridge’s Waterview entrance is getting a face-lift and the initial renovation has started. The Landscape Committee has selected independent contractor Darby Parker to do the work. One of the reasons the committee chose Ms. Parker was her focus on organic soil supplements and the fact that she will use labor, not herbicides, to remove existing plants. Another reason is that her plan can be implemented in two distinct phases. Please take the time and drive by to view the shape of things to come.

As with any project of this size, the entrance will look worse before it can look better. Your patience is appreciated and we are confident that we will all be rewarded this spring! Some of the plans for the entrance include:

Removing the juniper and replacing it with a succulent for more manageable greenery year round

Clustering the dwarf Nandinas and moving them to the area behind the Lakeridge sign

Repairing the damaged terrace and repositioning some of the rocks for more definition

Once those elements of the “background” landscape have been completed, the committee will plant some perennials for color. Anyone interested in helping beautify our entrance should contact JoAnna Partain at 675-6556 or Laura Abbott at 671-2303.

Neighborhood Watch . . . Keep ALERT!

Last month our neighborhood experienced many acts of vandalism and theft. Cars were broken into and Holiday packages along with other valuables were taken. Several members of our association’s board went door to door to provide instant notification of these actions by advising each of you to keep your guard up. In the last few days, it has been reported that checks and even credit card applications are being stolen out of our mailboxes. Please keep a watch over yours and your neighbor’s mailboxes. Report any suspicious activities to the Sheriff’s Department through their “non-emergency” number: 865-215-2444.