Beware of Solicitors

Our neighborhood prohibits solicitors and we have a sign at the entrance of the neighborhood to indicate the policy. However we do see some solicting for work, offering services such as roofing inspections, curb painting, driveway replacements etc. Feel free to nicely ask them to stop and remind them of the no solicitation policy for our neighborhood. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to the board.

Annual Homeowners meeting

May 15, 2022 at 2:00pm will be our Annual Homeowners meeting! Everyone is encouraged to attend. It will be held at 2 Preston Lane. outside on the lawn. (Meg Kletke’s house)

This is the perfect time to get involved in your local homeowners Community. Many terms are up and it is time to vote in new officers to help make our little piece of paradise run smoothly in the coming years. If you have any questions or concerns that you would like to address about our neighborhood this is the place to do it!

We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, or anything that you would like to be added to the agenda please email Nita Burkman (Current president) at Nita.burkman@gmail.com anytime before the meeting.

Neighbors in the Know

Welcome to our new segment “Neighbors in the Know” where we will be sharing information that you might not know about our neighborhood. Feel free to post questions about this topic or if there are other areas of the neighborhood you are curious about. Be sure to use the following feature of this blog to be notified of additional posts.

The pond or “the lake” as we lovingly refer to it is the most popular of our common areas. It is a flood control lake which means we get to enjoy it’s beauty and benefits as well as receive a little help maintaining it from time to time. Last year, thanks to Gerald Horn’s coordination efforts, The Payne County Conservation District cleaned up the dam and emergency overflow areas at no expense to the HOC, which was a huge savings to the HOC budget.

Water is great fun but can also be naturally destructive at times. Where there is water, erosion is natural and in a limited area like ours we need to be aware of it. Gerald and I were able to meet with The PCCD and USDA for advice on ways to help preserve the banks of our lake and it’s wildlife. They provided useful information that the HOC will be reviewing over the next few years.

Algae is another naturally occurring issue with water. Algae is healthy for lakes when in balance with the lake environment but keeping the balance sometimes takes extra effort. Many years ago the HOC hired a pond service company to help keep the lake healthy and clean. There are several ways they keep our lake looking so great but one of the most noticeable ways are the circulators. There are two circulators installed in the lake to keep the water flowing during the summer months to prevent algae overgrowth. You might notice water swirling and bubbling in the areas where the circulators are. They are turned off during the cooler winter months when algae growth is inhibited which saves the homeowners on expenses. Fishing by around the circulators whether running or not is discouraged as they are expense and time consuming to repair.

This leads us to our next topic, fishing. Catch and release fishing is available to residents and homeowners of the neighborhood. Please refrain from allowing friends who do not live here to fish without being accompanied by a homeowner. Fishing isn’t the only thing to enjoy at the lake. There are many species of birds and fowl. Although hunting is not allowed bird watching is encouraged. Beautiful sunsets can also be enjoyed from the top of the dam. Please be responsible when using the lake area so that everyone gets to enjoy it by keeping things out of the lake that doesn’t belong such as trash, grass clippings, or chemicals (gasoline, oil, fertilizer, etc.).

Did you know that small boats with paddles or small electric motors with life jackets are allowed on the lake but swimming is not. When taking a boat out please do not leave unattended boats on the shore.

Enjoy the lake as you walk through the area by yourself, with a pet, or family.

Remember to follow this blog and keep up to date with your community.

Door to Door Soliciting

Please help our community by referring to the no soliciting sign posted at the entrance and ask them to leave our neighborhood.

Typically we have groups of solicitors come through our community several times per year. Most of the solicitors going door to door will say they are doing work in the area but they are not. They can also be rather demanding and try many things to keep your attention. When asked to leave they might try to show that they have a permit from the city. The city can issue soliciting permits however it’s up to each neighborhood policy if it is accepted or not. The last group of pest control solicitors had at least 4 people going door to door. It is important that each one is informed of our policy and asked to leave. When we all do our part in asking them to leave then they will have no reason to be here.

If you are uncomfortable with asking them to leave and you suspect a solicitor please feel free to simply not answer your door.

Update on Dam

Between the weather, some equipment issues and general issues the cleaning and mowing of the dam has been delayed. We are still on the list and Gerald is keeping in touch with them. If you have any questions please contact the board via the Let’s Talk option on this web site.

The Lake, Dam and Spillway

Please be aware that The Payne County Conservation District (PCCD) will be doing maintenance work on our pond, dam, spillway and plunge basin area. They hope to complete their work this week (June 14-18). They plan to mow the dam and emergency spillway, as well as remove and grind some trees that area. This is at no cost to the HOC. The PCCD has a very limited budget and we are grateful to be on their list for maintenance this year.