Ascot Homeowners Association
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting -- Monday, March 22, 2004
Prepared by Secretary, Scott Rackham

The Ascot Homeowners Association Board of Directors met at the home of Bob and Debra Naftal on the 22nd of March, 2004, beginning at 7:15 pm. All five Board members were present for the meeting -- Bob Naftal, Mike Lee, Lars Okeson, Alice Burns, and Scott Rackham. Ascot homeowner Anna Wood also attended, for part of the meeting.

Common Grounds

Lars Okeson reported that he contacted the Reston Association's park maintenance office to follow up on the suggestion of Andy Robinson, Chairman of the Board of the Piney Run Homeowners Association, that the Reston Park Authority might take responsibility for cleaning up the mass of branches and fallen tree from Isabel on the Piney Run common grounds on the west side of Bishopsgate. Someone from the Reston Association did come to see the location but told Lars that the property is not part of the Reston Association's land. Mr. Robinson seems honestly to believe that the property does not belong to the Piney Run Homeowners Association.

Lars spoke with an arborist from Save-A-Tree about our options for trimming, or selling and replacing, the leyland cypress trees around the tennis court. Save-A-Tree's representative did not think it likely that anyone would buy the trees for transplanting. Save-A-Tree promised to prepare a quotation for trimming the cypress.

Alice Burns reported that Sam Wood had expressed interest in building a picnic table or two for the common grounds as an Eagle Scout project. After discussion, Alice moved that the Board approve up to $200 to pay for materials for the construction of a single picnic table. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.

The Board will organize a spring clean-up effort on the common ground for Saturday, the 17th of April, to accomplish more trimming and weeding. Mike Lee will look into alternatives for clearing away the brush trimmings left from the late fall clean-up effort.

Alice Burns will consider ideas for possible landscaping improvements on the common grounds, concentrating on clean-up and management of plantings and grassy areas, rather than on structures or capital improvements.

Dues for 2004

Lars reported that as of March 22nd dues payments for the 2004 assessment of $110 per lot had been received for sixty-one of the sixty-nine homes. Lars will contact homeowners whose 2004 dues payments have not been received.

Minutes Approved

The minutes for the February meeting of the Board were unanimously approved as published.

Homeowner Disclosure Packets

Homeowner Disclosure Packets -- Bob Naftal is reviewing the documents in the Homeowner Disclosure Packets that we are required to have available for new or prospective homeowners in the community, and will edit them, as necessary, to ensure that they are up-to-date and meet legal requirements. Alice Burns remains the primary custodian of and preferred point of contact for the disclosure packets.

Emergency Preparedness -- and Neighborhood Watch

Anna Wood spoke to the Board about the rationale behind and her intentions for the Community Emergency Preparedness meeting she was organizing for the 28th of March. Considering the potential usefulness of the Neighborhood Watch call tree for communications in an emergency situation, Board members suggested, and Anna agreed, that she volunteer to take the lead in reinvigorating Ascot's Neighborhood Watch effort. At least three of the Board members intended to attend the 28 March meeting at Anna's home.

Trash Removal Services

Bob Naftal reported on a possible alternative, if enough homeowners are interested, for less expensive trash collection service than the AAA service currently used by most of Ascot. Details will be distributed to Ascot homeowners in a separate notice.

Next Meeting

Board members agreed to meet in April at the home of Jo and Scott Rackham. The April meeting was scheduled for 7:15 pm on Monday, April 19th.

Respectfully submitted,

Scott Rackham
Secretary