Upcoming Board of Trustees Election and Annual
Transcription
Upcoming Board of Trustees Election and Annual
Jan-Feb 2016 Jan.– Feb. 2005 The official newsletter of the Crosspointe Homeowners’ Association Annual HOA meeting & Election Tuesday, March 15 7:00 p.m. Silverbrook Elementary in this issue Watch your mail for an announcement, ballot, and candidate information in late February. 2/ Crosspointe Contacts / ARB Application Process 3/ Home Sales and Disclosure Packets 4/ Board Candidates’ Statements / HOA Assessments 6/Board Notes: Dec 2015 & Jan 2016 11/ Watching Our Neighborhood 13/ Guidelines for Making Emergency Reports 14/ Snack with Santa 17/ What’s Goin ‘ On: South County Federation Dec & Jan meetings 20/ VDOT: Snow Removal of Community Streets 21/ Crosspointe Board Gamers / Register for Emails and FSRConnect 22/ Crosspointe Gardener: Crapemyrtles: Choice and Care 24/ Playfield Reservations / Republic Services Trash Collection 25/ Boy Scout Troop 994 Mulch Sale 27/Cruisers Hiring for Summer 2016/ Community Calendar 28/ Classifieds Vol. 29, Issue Issue 11 Vol.18, Upcoming Board of Trustees Election and Annual Homeowners’ Meeting John Cewe, Election Committee Chair rosspointe is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees, who serve two-year terms. There are four openings this year on the BOT, which will be filled by an election to be conducted at the Annual Homeowners’ Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 15th, at 7:00 p.m. at Silverbrook Elementary School. C This year, we have four candidates running for four open positions. Their personal statements may be found on pages (4–5) of this issue of the Crosspointe Chronicle. All homeowners in good standing as of February 1, 2016 are eligible to vote and the Association makes it as convenient as possible to do so. Ballots, along with candidate statements will be mailed to your home in February. It takes only a few minutes to complete your ballot and return it by any one of the following means: Dropping it off at the community center during business hours Dropping it in the lockbox outside the community center at any time Mailing it to the return address on the ballot, and finally (and best) Crosspointe needs your vote! Bringing it with you to the Annual Homeowners’ Meeting on March 15th at Silverbrook Elementary School Why Should I Vote? Our Bylaws require that a quorum of ten percent of eligible members cast their votes in order to have a valid election. There are a couple of compelling reasons to participate in the election for the Board of Trustees. First, the elected trustees are going to manage your community and its budget, which is well in excess of one million dollars, and be custodians of your community’s substantial capital reserves. Decisions they make will directly affect you, your community, and your property. A second reason to vote is that if we do not receive enough completed ballots to achieve our legally required quorum, we will have to undertake the process all over again—at your expense. The Board of Trustees looks forward to seeing everyone at the Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 15th. We will review current happenings and issues in the community, hear from several guest speakers, count the votes, and announce the results of elections. Put it on your “must do” list today! www.crosspointe.info crosspointe contacts Management Company FirstService Residential 11351 Random Hills Rd. Suite 500 Fairfax, VA 22030 TEL 703.385.1133 FAX 703.591.5785 Crosspointe Community Center 8275 Glen Eagles Lane Fairfax Station, VA 22039 Open Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. TEL 703.690.2321 FAX 703.690.8574 Community Manager Heather McDevitt cp.manager@verizon.net Assistant Manager Randy Santander cp.admin@verizon.net Trash Contractor Republic Services 703.818.8222 Architectural Review Board Joana Garcia, Chair arb.crosspointe@gmail.com Budget & Finance Phil Ciarlo, Chair 703.690.0269 Communications Committee Mary Van White, Chair 571.208.8399 MaryVan.realtor@gmail.com Bob Klocek, Vice President 703.690.2346 bobk357@verizon.net Alan Sullivan, Secretary 703.690.0650 apsulli@cox.net Brian Riley, Treasurer 703.690.6821 blriley@cox.net John Cewe, 703.690.3534 john.cewe5@verizon.net Pat Ciarlo, 703.690.0269 peciarlo@verizon.net Bruce Evjen, 703.690.0649 bpevjen@gmail.com Ed Mills, 703.690.2130 edmills43@yahoo.com Larry Rice, 703.690.6101 reagan84@verizon.net Crosspointe Cruisers www.cpcruisers.com Swim Team Co-Reps Dave Pyle and Michelle Martin djpyle29@yahoo.com Swim Team Assistant Rep Josh Helms josh.helms99@yahoo.com Civic Associations Social Committee Marcia Helms, Chair mhelms@cox.net Jan-Feb 2016 Homeowners are reminded that all ARB (Architectural Review Board) applications are due by the close of business on the Monday prior to the ARB meeting. Any application submitted after that date will be considered a post deadline application, which may or may not be looked at by the ARB at their meeting. If the ARB does not review a post deadline application at their meeting, the application will be placed on the agenda for the next scheduled ARB meeting. Additionally, all incomplete ARB applications will be returned to the homeowner for additional information. Once the application is complete, it will be placed on the agenda at the next scheduled ARB meeting. After an application has been approved, an inspection will be performed 120 days after approval, or sooner if the homeowner notifies the office the project has been completed. The inspection is conducted to verify the project was completed in accordance with the approved application. If the project was not completed, a new application must be submitted and ARB approval obtained. If the project was not completed in accordance with the ARB approval, the homeowner will be notified and the issue(s) will need to be resolved. As always, homeowners who have an application on the agenda for review are highly encouraged to attend the ARB meeting to answer any questions the ARB might have regarding the application. If you have any questions, please contact the community center office at 703.690.2321. Dive Team Rep Joy Wolfe joywolfe@verizon.net Open Space Bob Falkenstein, Chair osc.falkenstein@gmail.com Kevin Garrahan, Chair 703.495.0630 2 Howard Kaufer, President 703.690.7364 hkaufer-kfreeze@verizon.net Dive Team Assistant Rep Ann Powell anniep411@yahoo.com Tennis Committee The ARB application and approval process Board of Trustees Neighborhood Watch Gary Saturen, Chair 703.495.0674 gary.saturen@verizon.net Pool Committee Tom Wears, Chair twears@me.com Architechtural Review Board South County Federation Rep Cathy Bonnefil mabonnefil@msn.com SCF Alternate Robert Robertory robert@robertory.com Fairfax Federation Rep. Joana Garcia The Crosspointe Chronicle is the official newsletter of the Crosspointe Homeowners’ Association (HOA), 8275 Glen Eagles Lane, Fairfax Station, VA. 22039. Contents are for information only. Articles express the opinions of the authors, not the HOA. The HOA Board of Trustees, the Communications Committee, the Chronicle editor, and the contributors assume no responsibility for errors, omissions, or consequences resulting from information provided in this or any previous edition. The HOA does not officially endorse any of the products or services advertised herein. www.crosspointe.info Published 10 times a year by the Crosspointe Communications Committee. Distrubution to 1350 Crosspointe homes. Copies available online. Web site: www.crosspointe.info Communications Committee Chair: Mary Van White Circulation Managers: Donna & Jim Davis 703.690.7098 Production: Rudolph Desktop Design rd.design@verizon.net For inquiries: cp.chronicle@verizon.net Crosspointe Chronicle Home Sales and Disclosure Packets Joana Garcia, ARB Chair G months. reat news! There has been an uptick in homes in the neighborhood sold in recent The Architectural Review Board (ARB) would like to remind homeowners that a disclosure packet must be completed and in some cases any discrepancies identified must be addressed before a property can go to closing. We urge everyone who is planning to place a home on the market to take a hard look at your property to identify any alterations, modifications, or maintenance issues that need to be addressed. We have reviewed several disclosure packets that have come before the ARB with very little lead-time to correct any issues noted on the disclosure. In some cases, closing dates may be affected if the homeowner has not planned ahead. Fortunately, homes are being purchased quickly with short closing dates, however this can be troublesome for the seller who has not prepared for the sale. If you have any questions concerning documentation/ARB approval for your property, please contact the office or send us an email and we will do our best to help you get to closing. Selling? You’ll need to obtain a disclosure packet The Virginia Property Owner’s Association Act (POAA) requires property owners who live in a community association and are selling their home to obtain an association disclosure packet and to provide it to the new purchaser. If you are preparing to sell your home, you may obtain this disclosure packet by going online at: www.fsresidential.com. Crosspointe Chronicle www.crosspointe.info Important Community Numbers Community Community Center.................... 703.690.2321 FirstService Residential............. 703.385.1133 Republic Services...................... 703.818.8222 County Police & Fire (Emergency).......... 911 Police (Non-Emergency)............ 703.691.2131 Fairfax County Animal Control... 703.691.2131 Utilities Virginia Power.......................... 888.667.3000 Washington Gas........................ 703.750.1000 Verizon..................................... 703.876.7000 Cox Cable.................................. 703.378.8400 Water Authority........................ 703.698.5800 VDOT VDOT........................................ 800.367.7623 VDOT (Snow Plowing)................ 800.367.7623 VDOT (Potholes)........................ 800.367.7623 To Report: Missing Street Signs (Fairfax County)........................ 703.877.2800 Outages, including street lights (Virginia Power)........................ 888.667.3000 Abandoned Cars (Fairfax County Police)............... 703.691.2131 Jan-Feb 2016 3 Your 2016 HOA Assessments As a member of the Crosspointe Homeowners’ Association, you should receive a bill (statement) for the quarterly assessment about two weeks before the due date, unless you are enrolled in the Automated Payment Program. Quarterly assessments are $225 per quarter, exclusive of pipestem assessments, and are due on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 (these due dates never change). The Board of Trustees encourages owners to utilize the Automated Payment Program offered by FirstService Residential. Owners may also use the PayLease service (www.paylease.com) to make payments. If using the statement you MUST send your payment to: Crosspointe Swim & Racquet, Inc. c/o FirstService Residential P.O. Box 11983 Newark, NJ 07101-4983 Do not mail the payment to the community manager or leave it in the community center dropbox. A late fee of $25 is charged for payments more than 30 days past due. Should payment not be received within 45 days of the due date, additional collection fees will be assessed to the owner’s account. Also, privileges to use the pool or any other Crosspointe recreational facility may be suspended if your assessments are not paid. Remember—you are responsible for paying your quarterly assessment by its due date even if you do not receive the bill. Board of Trustees candidate statements Bruce Burton Bob Klocek I am a retired member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service and a resident of Crosspointe since 1993. I have contributed occasionally to the Open Space Committee, assisted the Architectural Review Board (ARB), and addressed the Board of Trustees on community issues. I know the neighborhoods from jogging or walking nearly every street or trail in Crosspointe. I have a BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from Georgetown. I am an incumbent Board of Trustee member (presently, the Vice President), and I am running for a fifth consecutive term on the BOT. I am a retired Naval Officer, currently employed by the Navy as a government civilian. My Naval experience was primarily in engineering, maintenance and contract administration, which are applicable and relevant in the oversight role required of the BOT. I am also a licensed professional engineer. Crosspointe is well-managed and I am running for the Board of Trustees to help keep it so. The 2016 budget is $1.5 million, slightly less than last year’s. As a resident, I applaud this good record. As a Board member, I would seek to continue it by giving priority to maintaining or improving current facilities before embarking on expensive expansions. I would support the ARB mission to help homeowners achieve their goals within Crosspointe’s guidelines. These things —and above all the efforts by residents to maintain their properties—are critical to keeping Crosspointe financially sound, attractive and resident-friendly in the years ahead. My family and I have owned a home in Crosspointe since 1998. From the beginning, we have been active in community affairs; we strongly believe that it’s important to give back to our community. My wife and I have served as Chronicle deliverers for seventeen years, and continue in that capacity. In a way, the large American embassies where I served resembled a community such as Crosspointe. There were facilities to keep up, costs to hold down, competing interests to reconcile, relations with other entities to manage, decisions to communicate and a constant need to take a long view of demands on resources. I would welcome the opportunity to add this experience to that of my fellow Trustees and to fairly serve the interests of all Crosspointe residents. I served previously on the BOT for two terms, from 1999–2003, and I subsequently served for 18 months as Chairman of the Open Space Committee. I was also one of the original members of the Neighborhood Watch. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve our community as a member of the BOT. I believe that the most important role of the BOT is to continue to maintain the community’s assets and to manage its resources with fiscal conservatism, especially in today’s challenging economic climate. Annual HOA Meeting TUESDAY March 15, 7 pm Silverbrook Elementary School 4 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Brian Riley Alan Sullivan We have lived in Crosspointe since 1994. I am retired Army and currently work in the Human Capital Technology office for a large transportation company. I have served on the Board of Trustees (BOT) for ten years, the last nine as Treasurer. Prior to the BOT I served on the Open Space Committee for nine years. My family has lived in Crosspointe for over 25 years and has watched the community evolve from a pioneer South County development into a premier anchor in a developmentally mature section of Fairfax County. Throughout, Crosspointe has always been known for a family-friendly atmosphere, extensive and well-maintained facilities and grounds and very reasonable association dues. I am a degreed accountant with over 20 years of public and private financial management experience which significantly assists me in my role as Treasurer for the BOT as it oversees and monitors the budgeting and expenditure of Association funds. If re-elected to the BOT, my governing philosophy continues to include: a. Fiscal Responsibility. As the BOT Treasurer I also serve as a voting member of the Budget and Finance Committee (BFC). I will continue, in association with the BFC Chair and other members, to ensure the community budget is as lean as possible, but still sufficient to maintain our community in a good state of repair to ensure it continues to be one of the most desirable places to live in Fairfax County. b. Open Meetings. I believe the I’ve served on the Board for nine years, currently as Secretary, and am currently a vice president at a major defense contractor and previously served in the Marine Corps and the White House. In the past year the Board has successfully recompeted our three biggest contracts for the next five years—trash collection, grounds maintenance and pool operations, all under very favorable terms. Each of these was a major effort involving RFPs and objective evaluations. The current Board has notched a number of major successes over the past couple of years, including complete rehabilitation of both pool bathhouses, trail redevelopment and social events like Movie Night. Homeowner assessments remain low relative to neighboring communities and Crosspointe continues to be in a strong financial condition. Planned future initiatives include a limited deployment of social media to improve timeliness of communications. If reelected to the Board, I intend to supports its current direction and philosophies, which include the conservative financial management that has stood us in good stead over the years. Crosspointe is a premier community with great name recognition and a terrific reputation. I’m familiar with the issues facing Crosspointe and I’d appreciate your vote so I may continue working to sustain our community’s success. BOT should be transparent in all its actions and will continue to limit executive sessions to only those matters required by law. The Board… must adhere to the standards set in the association’s governing documents and see that those standards are applied consistently and equitably to encourage the BOT and committees to increase use of the Association website to better inform the members of the community. have a say in the decision-making for your community c. Communication. I will continue Thank you for once again considering me as one of your Trustees. Crosspointe Chronicle Please VOTE! Your elected trustees manage your community and its budget, a budget well in excess of one million dollars. Decisions they make will directly affect you, your community and your property. www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 5 r 9, 2015 Decembe Board Notes T Bob Klocek, Trustee he December 2015 meeting of the Crosspointe Board of Trustees (BOT) was called to order at 7:03 p.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2015. All nine Board members and management were present, as well as the Chairperson of the Communications Committee, our insurance agent, and two homeowners. During Resident Time, a homeowner shared his experience regarding disclosure packets. 6 Jan-Feb 2016 The community’s insurance agent reviewed our coverage, and provided some recommendations regarding updates to the community’s insurance portfolio, due to changes in policy content. Later in the evening the BOT approved the recommended insurance coverage for 2016. The trustees edited and approved the amended BOT minutes from the November 2015 meeting. Review of the Financial Statements was deferred until the next meeting, since the October statements were incomplete. The BOT members reviewed the most recent minutes from the Architectural Review Board (ARB), Open Space Committee, Pool Committee, and Social Committee. www.crosspointe.info Old business The BOT discussed Communications Committee Guidelines. With the resurgence of the committee, its guidelines, which were ten years old, are in need of updating. Several drafts were provided and were discussed. Once a clear sense of the intent of the BOT was established, the Secretary agreed to draft a revised version and route for comment, with the intention of having the guidelines approved at the January meeting. New business In addition to approving the insurance coverage for 2016, the BOT approved the request of a homeowner to waive the community center rental fees for six specific dates to be used for EuroBoard Gaming community events. Crosspointe Chronicle The trustees decided to schedule an ad hoc meeting in early 2016 to review updates to the Web page and receive a demonstration of the FSRConnect program capabilities. The BOT also approved the membership of the Election Committee. The Election Committee guidelines were discussed, and some minor changes were recommended. The revised guidelines will be presented at the January meeting for approval. The BOT discussed the Annual Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at Silverbrook Elementary School. Invitations to speak will be offered to our State Representative, State Senator, the West Springfield Police representative, our County Supervisor and School Board representative. Crosspointe Chronicle Before beginning work on previously approved Trail 28 improvements, it was recommended that a legal opinion regarding permitting and Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) be reviewed. The opinion was distributed to the BOT after the meeting. The BOT also exercised two option years for the Newsletter Production Service Agreement; Rudolph Desktop Design will remain the publisher of the Crosspointe Chronicle through 2017. The BOT briefly went into Executive Session to discuss legal matters. After returning to Open Session, the BOT denied a request to waive disclosure packet fees. The meeting adjourned at 10:17 p.m., there being no other business. 3, 2016 January 1 Ed Mills, Trustee he January 13, 2016 Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting was held with the following trustees participating: Howard Kaufer, President; Bob Klocek, VP; Brian Riley, Treasurer; Alan Sullivan, Secretary; John Cewe, Trustee; Pat Ciarlo, Trustee; Bruce Evjen, Trustee; Ed Mills, Trustee; and Larry Rice, Trustee. Heather McDevitt, Crosspointe Community Manager was also present. The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. T Every BOT meeting starts with an opportunity for any resident to address the BOT. One resident whose property is adjacent to the open space near Heron Pond, addressed the BOT with continued on page 8 www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 7 Continued from page 7 questions about the restoration of the trail on the south shore of Heron Pond. Minutes and Committee Reports The BOT approved the revised BOT minutes from the December meeting and reviewed minutes and reports from the latest ARB and Open Space committee meetings. Social Committee ments on the document that will be incorporated by the community manager. Election Committee The BOT discussed the procedures for the 2016 Trustee election. The BOT approved the updated Election Committee Guidelines, and also approved the committee chairman’s recommendation of an additional member on the Election Committee. Annual Meeting The BOT approved the Social Committee’s recommendation for holding the Volunteer Appreciation Party scheduled on Friday, March 4, 2016 from 7-9 p.m. The Crosspointe Annual Meeting will be held on March 15, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. The BOT reviewed the plans for the meeting, and will approve for distribution the annual meeting notice and the ballot for the trustee election. Financial Report Pool Associate Membership Fee The BOT approved the Financial Statements after the Treasurer’s Report. The number of associate members is limited to 200.The BOT approved the recommendation from the Pool Committee to raise the annual associate membership fee by $5 to $550. T28 Trail The portion of the trail around Heron Pond that runs along the south shore is designated the T28 trail. An owner of non-Crosspointe property that abuts the Open Space on the south shore, where T28 is located, was invited to attend the BOT meeting. This property owner presented his concerns and his criteria for restoring the trail and installing a means to cross eroded areas. Communications Committee The BOT discussed the draft Communications Committee Guidelines. Members provided additional com- BSA Troop 994 Mulch Sale and Distribution Troop 994 was granted permission to use the Community Center for organizing its mulch sale and distribution of door hangers. The Oak Chase pool parking lot will be used for staging the bags of mulch for the distribution. Crosspointe Website and FSRConnect FSRConnect is a Web accessible application provided by our “FirstService Residential (FSR)” management company. There is a link to the FSRCon- nect application on the Crosspointe community website homepage available to registered owners. Registered Crosspointe owners are able to use the FSRConnect application to check the status of such information as dues payment and ARB violation information. The BOT approved holding a separate joint Board—Communications Committee meeting on February 17, 2016, to specifically discuss both the FSRConnect application and the Crosspointe Website. At this meeting the Crosspointe webmaster will provide potential enhancements for the BOT’s consideration. In addition, our management company will provide a refresher demonstration of the FSRConnect application. Management and Operations Report The community manager provided a summary of actions taken to keep the community running, and the status of all contracts to support the operation and maintenance of the community. After holding an executive session to discuss legal and financial issues, the trustees directed management to send a letter to residents who live on designated pipestems of the covenant against parking vehicles on the pipestem. The BOT also approved the ARB’s recommendations to limit the privileges of residents who have not repaired their ARB violations. The meeting was adjourned at about 9:30 p.m. Your submissions to this newsletter are always welcome. Send your articles to cp.chronicle@verizon.net by the 15th of the month before publication. 8 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Crosspointe Chronicle www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 9 10 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Neighborhood Watch CROSSPOINTE UPDATE Watching our Neighborhood T Gary Saturen, Neighborhood Watch Chairman he transition from 2015 to 2016 continues with relative ease. So far, we have experienced some erratic weather — jumping from unseasonably warm weeks to cold weeks. However, no major snow storms, traffic issues and no major property damage! The winter holiday period went by without criminal issue in or around Crosspointe. That’s not to say all was quiet. As always during this period each year, there were a couple of reports where holiday decorations were damaged or removed, and there was Crosspointe Chronicle a report regarding some overly aggressive solicitation. But overall, for a community as large as ours, it has been a relatively quiet period. Crime and safety From a crime and safety perspective, there are a couple of developments which I’ll mention just to let you know that those of us involved in these areas of concern stay active all year round. West Springfield District Police For example, as some of you may be aware, the Fairfax County Police is www.crosspointe.info operationally subdivided into eight districts. Ours is the West Springfield District. The key management staff at our district has all changed since I wrote my last Chronicle column. There’s a new District Commander, a new Assistant Commander and a new District Crime Prevention Officer (who is my primary liaison and source of local information and coordination). Staff turnover is a normal part of any organization; however, new relationcontinued on page 12 Jan-Feb 2016 11 Neighborhood Watch Emergency Reports Continued from page 11 ships demand a lot of investment in trust building and simply getting used to one another. Crosspointe is one of the largest communities within the West Springfield District’s coverage, and both this community and the police district have benefitted from a strong bond for the last fifteen years or so in which I’ve worked in this program. We obviously want this to continue. A resident recently asked that I cover reporting incidents — the difference between 911 and the “non-emergency” phone number for emergency reports. Although covered here previously; residents change over time and new alternatives have been added for making these reports. I first need to explain how Fairfax County dispatches emergency staff, and what the terms “emergency” or “non-emergency” mean. Dispatch Center CERT In another safety area, voluntary members of the CERT program (Fairfax County’s Community Emergency Response Team) who live in Crosspointe, are developing a similarly close relationship with the nearby Fire Station adjacent to our community across Ox Road (Rte. 123). These relationships all work to the benefit of our community over time. Within Fairfax County, there is a single Fairfax County Department of Public Safety Communications dispatch center, which handles responses to calls for assistance for police, fire, rescue, and medical emergencies. It is neither a part of the Police nor the Fire Department; although both of those organizations have staff located at the common facility. All of your calls (whether to 9-1-1, or the “nonemergency” number) go to this center from which units from the county are dispatched to respond. What is an “emergency?” Any situation where there is an active fire, or where there is life in jeopardy is considered to be an emergency. Add to this definition any threat of an immediate crime or fire in progress is also an emergency. Therefore, if you wake up one morning and discover graffiti on your property, a criminal act has occurred, but it is not an “emergency.” Yes, you may want the police to respond, view the damage, and evaluate whether this represents gang activity versus a prank, but it is still not an “emergency.” If you witness someone attempting to break into a vehicle or kidnap a person, that is a crime in progress and is therefore an “emergency.” Likewise, if you see a person lying unconscious on the ground, that person may be dying; this is a life in jeopardy and it is an “emergency” situation. A house that has been struck by a fallen tree is an “emergency” because it may catch fire as a result of the damage and it may be an immediate threat to persons inside. Given this definition, use 9-1-1 from any phone to report any “emergency.” If it is unsafe to call, you can also text to 9-1-1. Use the non-emergency number, 703.691.2131, for all other situations where you need police, fire, rescue, or emergency assistance. 12 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Guidelines for making emergency reports (from the fairfaxcounty.gov/911/ ) Stay calm Dispatchers can't help you if they can't understand you. Take a deep breath and think before you talk. Speak slowly and clearly. Know your location Tell the dispatcher the exact address (apartment/suite number, intersection, interstate mile markers) where the help is needed. Other Information from or to the Police Report crimes online: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ police/120413citizenreportingsystem.htm This is a form which you can file on-line for specific crimes. See this website for information. (This site is currently down for repair/maintenance; but even when active will not result in a police investigation. It is primarily used for insurance purposes.) Answer all questions The call taker will have questions for you and may even ask you to do something to help. It is important that you answer the questions as best as you can. DO NOT HANG UP unless you are in danger or the dispatcher tells you to do so. Financial crimes: Special procedures are established for reports on financial crimes. Please refer to the following website: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/ financialcrimes/ State the nature of the emergency Stay on the line to answer further questions the dispatcher may have. ing these kinds of issues. See the following website for more information: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ police/120413crsfaqs.pdf Send someone to meet the emergency equipment …if at all possible. It's hard to find an address on a dimly lit street in the middle of the night. Teach your children how to call 9-1-1 Be sure they know what 9-1-1 is, can dial from your home and cell phone, and trust the 9-1-1 call taker. Make sure they are physically able to reach at least one phone in your home. When calling 9-1-1, your children need to know their name, parent's name, telephone number and especially their address. Tell them to answer all the dispatcher's questions and stay on the phone until they're told to hang up. If you call 9-1-1 even by mistake, do not hang up the phone If you call by accident, stay on the line until you can tell the call taker that there is no emergency, so the call taker doesn't have to waste time calling you back or sending police with lights and sirens to check your address for an emergency. Prevent prank calls to 9-1-1 Prank calls not only waste time; they are illegal in most states and endanger public safety. If 9-1-1 lines or call takers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. Be sure all members of your household are aware that prank or harassing calls to 9-1-1 will be dealt with by local law enforcement agencies. Crosspointe Chronicle Hate/bias crimes: Special procedures exist for report- News & Information Updates: - FCPD Daily News Blog: https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairfaxcountypolice Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fairfaxpolice FCPD on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ fairfaxcountypolice What the Police respond to in your neighborhood: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/policeevents Learn about crime statistics in Fairfax County: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/crime/statistics Watch “On the Beat,” our quarterly news program: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/newsroom/onthebeat.htm Why was the police helicopter flying above? http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/helicopter Thanks to the resident who suggested this topic. Please feel free to contact me at gary.saturen@verizon.net with your questions or suggestions. www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 13 O n Decem his annua at its Sna More than ered in th on Glen Eagles Lane, fi timeslots that allowed th Claus. Several Girl Scout troop and Service Unit 8, whic Fairfax Station, hosted th families were treated to cookies, coffee, and jui given gingerbread man canes. Santa was summoned and each family had a him, get a stuffed anima photos. Each family als a Shutterfly link to acces photographer. This year’s event would sible without the suppor troop leader for Girl Sco Helena Charters and gi and Beth Engelhardt an 4033. Thanks for anothe aLL i WANT FOR cHRISTMAS IS MY TWO FRONt TEETH.... 14 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle mber 12, Santa made al visit to Crosspointe ack with Santa event. n 65 families gathhe community center illing three hour-long hem a visit with Mr. ps from Association 52 ch covers Lorton and he event. Upon arrival, holiday doughnuts, ice, and children were n crafts and candy with Christmas carols chance to visit with al Snowman, and take so was provided with ss photos taken by a d not have been posrt of Elizabeth Merck, out Junior Troop 1048, irls from Troop 646, nd girls from Troop er successful event! not ever yon is a true e Sa fan.....ye nta t! Crosspointe Chronicle www.crosspointe.info Dear Santa Give me ONE more chance! Jan-Feb 2016 15 16 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Civic Association Report What’s A summary of events which affect the Crosspointe area, including what transpires at the South County Federation (SCF) and the Fairfax Federation, both neighboring organizations comprised of homeowners and civic associations. December 2015 & January 2016 SCF Meetings Cathy Bonnefil, SCF Rep This Survey Is Worth Your Time! This is your best shot at personally influencing business decisions as the old Lorton Reformatory and Penitentiary is being transformed into Liberty Crest at Laurel Hill. After a groundbreaking ceremony on December 7, the Alexander Company began demolition of interior spaces in the buildings of the Reformatory Complex. That work will continue for several weeks in preparation for new construction in those buildings. Best of all, the developer (Elm Street Development), is trying to identify the kinds of businesses and services that we in the community want to see in Liberty Crest. In January, as part of this effort, a marketing consultant asked the SCF to distribute an electronic survey as widely as possible. Thanks to our Community Manager, Heather McDevitt, we were able to get it out via email to many of our Crosspointe neighbors; however the response time window ( Jan 18) was quite narrow. We decided to ask for a time extension, and the consultant has promised to leave the survey open at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/libertycrest. Don’t miss this opportunity! Crosspointe Chronicle Since Jack Perkins,Vice President of Elm Street Development, will be attending the February 9th SCF meeting at the South County High School Media Room, you can come and discuss your concerns face-to-face. Farewell to Supervisor Gerry Hyland A special farewell event celebrated outgoing Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerry Hyland for his unstinting and devoted public service over almost three decades. Regarding his imminent departure from elective office, the Supervisor opined, “I am thrilled to pass the baton to Dan Storck, who is already working with my staff.” As a parting suggestion to the SCF, the Supervisor encouraged the SCF to promote a better sense of cooperation with the Mount Vernon Council. Welcome to New Supervisor Dan Storck Newly-elected Mount Vernon District Supervisor, Dan Storck, was unable to attend the January SCF meeting due to a long Board of Supervisors meeting, but was ably represented by Christine Morin, the South County liaison. On behalf of Supervisor Storck, she made the following comments: The latest Mount Vernon District Supervisor’s handout is always online at mtvernon@fairfaxcounty.gov www.crosspointe.info Supervisor Storck and staff are working hard to schedule meetings with the many, many people who have requested face-time. Marcia Hanson is retired, and Christine Morin will continue as the South County liaison. Donna Slaymaker is the office administrator and Brett Kenney is the chief of staff. The Supervisor will hire a communications director to develop a strategy for constituent outreach, including multi-media. Some of the Supervisor’s early goals (quoted from his January 4 news article) include: ÂÂ “Improving communication from his office, based on “best practices” performance standards. These include responding to your communications within a day, advising you of the person working to address your issue or concern and resolving it as soon as possible. ÂÂ “My office is always available as your first phone call to access county services or to answer your questions about local government. ÂÂ “Beginning this week, our office will have evening hours every Thursday until 7:30 p.m. and Saturday hours on the second Saturday of each month. ÂÂ “We will be utilizing modern technology to connect and communicate with you including immediate keep-in-touch type messages, regular articles, a monthly newsletter, and a continued on page 18 Jan-Feb 2016 17 Civic Association Report continued from page 17 variety of social media to engage and inform you.” ÂÂ Implementing a Supervisor’s line of business review. Transportation Dale Johnson, Chair of the Transportation Committee, reported the following: Donna Slaymaker: The VDOT adopt-a-road program is still active. Lorton Road Project Update: I am in touch with Volkert Construction, and I have an invitation submitted for the March SCF meeting. As the project nears completion, I’d like to explore the impact of the Lorton Road project completion on the Lorton Road — Silverbrook intersection. 18 Jan-Feb 2016 “The Embark Richmond Hwy” Advisory Group Meeting was held Dec 9th (next meeting will be late February, TBD). The Giles Run Connector Road: We will be working on getting this removed from the Comprehensive Plan. Also will work on getting VDOT to accept the Laurel Crest turnover. Mowing in the growing season is always an issue (based on the class of the road). The standard is 3 times per season for roads like Silverbrook, etc. If mowing is not getting done, contact Dale (Transportation Chair). A request from the floor was made to please look into a problematic intersection in the vicinity of Route 1 and Furnace Road. More to follow. www.crosspointe.info Land Use After a final discussion about the Gunston Shell (at 9801 Richmond Highway) station’s application for a special exception amendment, the SCF approved a Motion to not oppose the application, since they have agreed to all recommendations, mostly site landscaping and improving the building’s façade Also discussed was the Chick-FilA special exception application to construct and operate a fast food restaurant, with drive thru, at 9400 Lorton Market Place. Martin Rizer stated that this application is still problematic, especially because of the potential impact on local traffic patterns at that corner with Lorton Road. Crosspointe Chronicle Civic Association Report Planning and Construction of New Police Station and Animal Shelter (Approved in the Election Referendum) The SCF approved a Motion ÂÂ That the SCF be given an opportunity to work with FairfaxCounty in determining the best location and name of the new Police Station ÂÂ That the SCF be given an opportunity to contribute to design and architectural concepts on the structures that will become icons of Lorton ÂÂ That the Police Station have office and meeting space available Nick Firth has been appointed to chair a group regarding the site choice and other issues regarding the new Police Station. He will come back to the SCF with recommendations. Education Karen Corbett Sanders, the new Mount Vernon District representative on the Fairfax County School Board in Virginia, had much to say: Budget “The Superintendent of Schools presented her budget proposal to the school board last Thursday, January 7. The budget provides for a maintenance of effort and does not make cuts. It rather reflects the values that Virginia has historically placed on education. It is this value system that has led to so many companies and people moving into Fairfax County. “The budget represents a 4.8% increase over last year’s budget and, if we do not receive more money from the state, would require an increase in the county transfer of 6.7%. Crosspointe Chronicle “The proposal recognizes the value that the community places on the breadth of programs offered and does not make any of the cuts recommended by the Budget Task Force. “The proposal recognizes the value that the community places on its staff and is comparable to similar increases the county executive talked about for county staff, funds to bring the lowest wage employees up to a living wage, and salary increases for teachers to allow FCPS to be competitive in attracting and retaining the best teaching talent. “The budget also recognizes the value of having smaller class sizes for elementary schools by bringing all of these classrooms below 30 students where space is available. “We need the community’s help in making sure that the general assembly votes to allocate more funding this year.” As a final thought on the budget process, Karen reminded that the School Superintendent presents a budget to the School Board, and it is then sent to the Board of Supervisors. There will be a presentation later in February. Karen said, “We are hoping that the taxation level will be high enough to enable us to cope with whatever ends up coming down from the State level.” School Boundaries “Some communities are asking about boundaries, especially split feeders where students at an elementary school may go to different middle and high schools. I am trying to better understand the boundary process myself. I am scheduled to speak with facilities planning and am speaking with the regional assistant superintendents. I have asked for some background and will certainly be talking to the com- www.crosspointe.info munity once I know more and can have an informed discussion. At this point, I am not aware of any boundary proceedings anticipated in South County this year. People should know that with the exception of very minor shifts in population, boundary changes are subject to a lengthy process with opportunities for residents to provide input.” ÂÂ Capital Improvement Plan: “The Plan was briefed in December. The current plan calls for Newington Forest to have a capacity of 600 students when its renovation is completed in SY 18-19. There is some discussion that part of this capacity could be used for an Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Center in the South County Pyramid. The Silverbrook renovation is expected to be completed in SY 2021 with a capacity of 825. This is another location being discussed as an alternative for an AAP Center in the pyramid. Lorton Station and Laurel Hill’s capacity are being monitored.” School Personnel “The Principal selection process (is underway) for Mt. Vernon HS. Chairman Williams, an experienced retiree, is the acting principal at Newington Forest, and Dale Rumberger will be filling in for Assistant Superintendent Angela Atwater when she goes out on medical leave.” Need A Planner For Lorton’s Annual 4th Of July Parade and Celebration. This has always been a great community event! The previous planner has retired after many, many years and will provide all his files and information. This really needs an individual champion to step up. Please contact Cathy Bonnefil 703.495.9574. Jan-Feb 2016 19 T VDOT responsible for snow removal of community streets he Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is responsible for removing snow and ice from the thousands of miles of public roads (interstate, primary, and secondary) in Fairfax County, including Crosspointe streets. Below are some common questions asked every year regarding the snow removal of Crosspointe streets to include some helpful links for residents, provided by VDOT. How soon will all roads be passable after a winter storm? VDOT’s goal is to make all roads passable within 48 hours after a winter storm ends. Our snow-removal crews work around the clock until conditions are safe for travel. At night, hills and trouble spots are covered with abrasives, such as sand, cinders or fine stone. Beginning around 4 a.m., crews prepare the roads for rush-hour traffic. How does VDOT decide what roads to clear first? Common sense dictates that roads carrying the most traffic get top priority. VDOT clears interstates and most primary roads first. It also plows major 20 Jan-Feb 2016 secondary roads with vital emergency and public facilities or those with high traffic volumes. Other secondary roads and subdivision streets will be treated if multiday storms hit Virginia, but crews will focus their efforts on those roads that carry the most traffic. Why do plows block my driveway with snow when they clear the road? to your street, it means another one has been assigned to your part of the neighborhood and will be along soon. VDOT created a “snowplow tracker” so you can find out where plows have been and where they’re going in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties. The innovative Web tool, found at http://novasnowplowing.virginia.gov/pages/MapStreet.aspx, activates after it has snowed two inches or more in these Northern Virginia counties. Information for drivers and residents See the status of plowing in northern Virginia neighborhoods: www.vdotplows.org To make as many roads passable as quickly as possible, there is no way to avoid this practice. We are sorry for this inconvenience.VDOT plow operators push snow off the roadway in smooth, continuous passes. It ends up in gutters and on road shoulders, sometimes blocking driveways. Follow @vadotnova on Twitter, and for real-time traffic updates, follow @511northernva, use the 511app or visit www.511virginia.org To avoid doing double work, shovel snow from your driveway after a plow has been by. Shovel it to the right of your driveway as you face the road. Get general snow removal information: http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/ snow.asp Every year the street next to mine gets plowed, and my street is passed by until much later. Why? Many subdivisions have more than one snowplow assigned to clear their streets. If the plow you see doesn’t get www.crosspointe.info Report unplowed roads and hazardous conditions to novainfo@vdot. virginia.gov or 800.367.7623 Follow VDOT at www.facebook. com/VirginiaDOT, on Twitter @VDOT, and visit www.VirginiaDOT.org The Crosspointe Chronicle is on the website www.crosspointe.info and copies are available at the community center. Crosspointe Chronicle Social Committee Crosspointe Board Gamers invite you to come play! Steve Schwartz rosspointe formed a Board Game group at the end of last year. They met a couple of times in the fall and once in January of 2016. The group will continue to meet this year on the 3rd Sunday of every month, at the Community Center, from 6–9 p.m. Residents and their guests are invited. C The Board Game group plays Euro type board games that are easy to learn and fun to play. They have played games such as: Ticket to Ride, Splendor, Love Letters, Codenames, Catan, and Northwind. Board Games provide a fun way to meet and socialize with other Crosspointe residents. Adults and supervised children are welcome. Dates for the 1st half of 2016 are as follows: February 21, March 20, April 17, May 15, & June 19. Crosspointe “Board Gamers” enjoying a game of CODENAMES. Pictured Clockwise from left: Keith Fisher, Nannette Henderson, Anna Gillespie, Catherine Gillespie, Brian Henderson, Leslee Eldard, & Rachel Schwartz. Register Today for Crosspointe Emails and FSRConnect Members and residents interested in receiving Crosspointe informational emails from the Board, Management, Committees, other, please email the Assistant Community Manager, Randy Santander, at cp.admin@verizon.net or call the Crosspointe Management Office at 703.690.2321 and provide your name and Crosspointe address. Request that your email address is added to the community email list. You will receive assessment reminders, event updates, trash information and updates, pool registration reminders, and other important information. Crosspointe Chronicle If you would like to view various Crosspointe documents, reports, and perhaps most important - all of your personal account information and account history, register for FSRConnect. The FSRConnect site is an additional online site that supplements the Crosspointe website. You can update/edit your information and submit address or e-mail changes when necessary. You can monitor your payment history and obtain your current assessment account balance. This is a secure site so you must register and be provided with a PIN. www.crosspointe.info If you have not already registered on this site, go to http://dcmetro.fsrconnect.com/crosspointe or use the link on the Crosspointe website: www. crosspointe.info under the “Resources” drop down menu. Don’t delay. Call or email the Crosspointe Management office and get connected! Jan-Feb 2016 21 The Crosspointe Gardener Crapemyrtles: Choice and Care Selecting a Crapemyrtle The U.S. Arboretum and various plant breeders and nurseries have developed Crapemyrtles to satisfy most landscape needs. Cultivars are available in dwarf sizes that are suitable for hanging baskets and ground covers. The shrub and tree forms are always popular with some varieties reaching 25-30 feet tall. Before a selection is made, it is important to determine the best location for planting. Crapemyrtles prefer at least 6–8 hours of bright sunshine for flowering as well as moderate moisture and fertility. Several may be planted together to create a large colorful mass or a single tree can become the centerpiece specimen in a garden. Ellen Peterson MLD, Master Gardener and Horticulturist O ne of our favorite, classic, small trees is the Crapemyrtle (Laegerstromia). Plants are filled with colorful blooms for 2–3 months during the summer. Depending on the cultivar, most Crapemyrtles have outstanding fall color with leaves turning red, yellow, or orange. During the winter and early spring, they show off their sculptural branching and exfoliating bark. Crapemyrtles are easy to grow, versatile, and a perfect choice for fourseason interest and appeal. With the availability of a wide range of sizes and colors, there is a Crapemyrtle to fit into every garden. I discuss them now because midwinter is the ideal time to prune a Crapemyrtle, if you determine that it’s necessary. Please remember that USPS has installed a mail collection box at the nearby CVS on Silverbrook Road. We encourage residents to make use of this box as it is a great way to prevent theft of your outgoing mail. 22 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Choose the appropriate size plant for the space you are filling. This is a common error that homeowners make (not just with Crapemyrtles). A plant grows so large it requires constant pruning to force it to ‘fit’ into the landscape. Crapemyrtles are commonly grown with multiple trunks (an odd number of 3, 5, or 7 always looks nice) but an older single trunk can be a beautiful specimen as well. Maintenance and Pruning Crapemyrtles seldom need to be fertilized unless a soil test indicates a special need. Excessive fertilization can encourage sucker growth and reduce flowering. Basal suckers that grow up from the roots should be pruned to the ground keeping the trunks clean. Small suckers along major stems may be easily rubbed off before they grow too large. Crapemyrtles are summer blooming trees that produce flowers on wood grown during the current season. This fact is important to remember when pruning any flowering tree or shrub. Spring blooming plants produce their Crosspointe Chronicle The Crosspointe Gardener flower buds on growth from the previous year so pruning should take place after flowering is complete before new buds are formed for the following year. On the other hand, Crapemyrtles should be pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth occurs. If they are pruned in the fall, new growth that forms may freeze before the plant becomes dormant. Crapemyrtles should be pruned with a ‘naturalistic’ technique. As with other trees and shrubs, begin by removing dead, diseased, crossing, and rubbing branches. This will always improve the overall plant health and appearance and should only be practiced as needed. Sometimes, branch tips are cut back on early flowering varieties to prevent seed pods from forming and to force a second bloom. Crosspointe Chronicle If all or part of a branch needs to be removed, make cuts outside the branch collar or above an outward facing bud. Always strive to encourage increased light penetration and air movement to reduce wind damage and pest problems. These pruning practices also prevent the occurrence of mildew or aphid infestation. Homeowners typically believe Crapemyrtles need to be severely cut back or topped annually. This is a misconception that is often described as ‘Crape Murder.’ Topping involves cutting each stem back to an arbitrarily selected height instead of to a bud, side or major branch. This type of pruning destroys the natural form of the plant and creates easily damaged new shoots that have the shape of a ‘witch’s broom’. It reduces the number of bloom days because flowers are formed www.crosspointe.info on ends of new shoots instead of on staggered branches. Crapemyrtles typically do not require pesticide use but topping increases a plant’s susceptibility to aphid and other insect infestations. If you have a Crapemyrtle that has been topped, it can be ‘fixed’ somewhat by carefully pruning to create a new branch pattern. If the size of a Crapemyrtle needs to be drastically reduced, this can still be done following the same practices described above. I have three crapemyrtles in my yard and rarely prune them at all. A chart of common Crapemyrtle cultivars along with further information can be found at http://pubs.ext. vt.edu/2901/2901-1040/2901-1040.html. As always, contact me at 703.495.9027 or LN856@aol.com if you have any questions or problems. Jan-Feb 2016 23 Accepting Oak Chase Playfield reservations beginning March 1st T he playfield located across from the Oak Chase pool is available for organized sports. During spring soccer seasons, the playfield is available from midMarch to early July. During other months, the field is available to other Crosspointe groups and for general play without reservations. Practice times will be on the hour and limited to two days per week, per team. The playfield will be divided so that three teams can practice at one time. Proper conduct must be displayed on the playfield or privileges will be revoked. Playfield reservations will be accepted beginning March 1. Non-reserved fields will be open on a first come-first serve basis. Reservations must be submitted to the community center office by a Crosspointe resident. Forms are available at www.crosspointe.info under Open Space. Reservation requests must specify: Single Stream Recycling Collection: Republic Services will collect mixed paper, food/ beverage glass and plastic bottles, food/beverage aluminum & tin, corrugated cardboard & fiber-board; all recyclables can be placed together. RECYCLING YES: ·· Food & beverage “SMALL NECKED” plastic bottles ·· “WIDE NECKED” tubs: yogurt, dairy containers ·· #1 Plastic bottles (water and soda) ·· #2 Plastic containers (milk and detergent) ·· #3 –7 Plastic containers (yogurt and margarine) ·· Food & beverage tin & aluminum Cans ·· Mixed paper: junk mail, newspaper, magazines, ·· Cereal boxes, flattened cardboard ·· Food & beverage glass bottles and jars ·· Cardstock, file folders, envelopes, office paper ·· Computer paper & printouts, Post-it Notes, etc. ·· Pizza boxes—with NO contamination of food waste RECYCLING NO: ·· Brush and limbs must be cut into 4-foot lengths ·· Glass recyclables not acceptable are windows, drinking glasses, cups, plates, cookware, mirrors, light bulbs, broken glass ·· Metal recyclables not acceptable are pots, pans, foil, pie tins, scrap metal ·· Styrofoam containers ·· “Not Acceptable” is any recyclable that is contaminated with food ·· Plastic film such as grocery bags and dry cleaning bags are not recyclable within this program and considered a contaminant The number of Crosspointe residents on the team Republic Services will collect furniture and other large, non-metal, non-commercial household items placed on the curb at no extra charge. Bulk Item Pickup should be prescheduled for the 2nd trash pickup day. 24 Jan-Feb 2016 Yard Waste is considered a by-product of regular yard maintenance and not the debris as a result of landscaping renovation. During yard waste season, ALL HOMES in Fairfax and Loudoun County will have a weekly scheduled pickup day for yard waste. Recycling of yard debris ismandatory from March 7 through December 19. In January and February, please place yard debris out with your household trash. Composting, chipping, and mulching are great ways to recycle your yard waste. All yard debris to be collected must be prepared accordingly and placed at the curb for collection: phone) Pre-scheduled Bulk Pickup There are a large number of teams in Crosspointe. If scheduling conflicts arise, practice times may be allocated based on the number of Crosspointe residents on the team and/or teams may be limited to only one practice a week. Schedules can be viewed online at the Crosspointe website and will also be posted at the Oak Chase pool. Yard Waste Collection: (March 7–December 19) ·· Books (hardbacks, paperbacks, textbooks, tele- Date & time Age group of the team the individual homeowner. Please call Customer Service at 703.818.8222 to schedule a pickup. Containers or bundles weighing more than 50 pounds, or longer than 4 feet in length, commercial construction trash/renovation debris (any items resulting from renovations in home) must be pre-scheduled for removal. Ferrous metal/white good items, such as appliances, will be picked up with additional billing to www.crosspointe.info and bundled (arm-full size) with rope or twine and should not exceed 50 pounds. ·· Grass clippings, leaves, and twigs can be placed in a container you provide, paper bags, or clear plastic bags. Yard waste placed in dark bags NOT marked with an “X” will not be collected. ·· Tree stumps and tree limbs that are larger than the 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet in length will not be collected. Excluded Waste Rocks, concrete, dirt, mulch, tires, soil, sod, tree stumps, paint, motor oil, combustibles, toxic or hazardous wastes, or any other material excluded from the disposal site, or any applicable state or federal law, as being hazardous or toxic. As well as flammable products, dead animals, fecal matter, manure, brick, landscaping timbers, friable asbestos, lead acid/wet cell batteries, bio-hazardous material, needles, and other medical waste. Republic Services * 4619 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 * 703.818.8222 Crosspointe Chronicle Community CommunityNews News Boy Scout Troop 994 Updates and its 21st Annual Mulch Sale Darren Yim, Scout s you may know, Troop 994 is a small boy-led troop chartered by Crosspointe. In this troop, all scouts get an opportunity to run for different positions in the troop so they can experience leadership. Examples of leadership positions include: senior patrol leader, patrol leaders, librarian, webmaster, and chaplains aid. A Troop 994 holds weekly meetings at Halley Elementary School where they learn life skills including planning and organizing, preparing for upcoming activities and campouts, and leading and teaching younger scouts. Also, senior scout members meet monthly to review activities, plan new events, set weekly meeting agendas and delegate tasks. In this past year, many Eagle projects were performed in the community. Scouts led by Cameron Lane planted and mulched American Chestnut Trees (an endangered species) at Burke Lake Park. This work included constructing deer fences around them for protection. Another Eagle project, led by Simon Anderson, collected food for ECHO Inc. Food Bank, a nonprofit organization located in Springfield, Virginia. In addition, we also scraped and repainted the curbs at the two Crosspointe pools and picked up trash at various play grounds across the area. To help raise money for its activities, Troop 994 is about to begin its annual mulch sale. On March 12, 2016, Scouts will deliver bags of quality hardwood mulch, and for an additional fee, they will also return to spread it on a later day. On mulch day the troop divides up all the orders into rental trucks and drives all over the neighborhood and delivers to customers who have pre-ordered (minimum of 10 bags). All of the profits from the mulch sales are kept for use on Scout campouts, equipment, high adventure trips, and other troop related activities. Please consider ordering your spring mulch supply from Troop 994. To order mulch, please use the flyer on this page or look for a flyer on your door this month. We greatly appreciate your business this year. Crosspointe Chronicle Free Delivery “BE PREPARED” FOR SPRING! Please Support Boy Scout Troop 994’s 21 Annual Spring Mulch Sale st We’re selling 3-cubic foot bags of top-quality double-shredded hardwood mulch for only $4.35 PER BAG (returning customers) $4.60 PER BAG (new customers) We’ll deliver & stack it on your driveway for free! Minimum 10 bags please!! A portion of your purchase is Tax-Deductible! BSA Troop 994 is sponsored by the Crosspointe Community Association and is comprised of boys from the surrounding neighborhoods. By supporting our mulch sale, you will help us replace outdated gear and equipment, and contribute to the development of some of the best and brightest young men in Fairfax County – our future leaders. For mulch spreading please check the box below to have someone contact you. Questions about our mulch sale? Contact Michele Newman at 703.447.4820 or e-mail the troop at Troop994VA@gmail.com. Orders and checks MUST be mailed by March 3, 2016. Scouts and Silverbrook Nursery personnel will deliver your mulch on Saturday, March 12, 2016 along with a receipt for the tax-deductible portion of your order. Thank you very “mulch” for supporting Troop 994! ---------------------------Order Form----------------------------- YES! I want to support BSA Troop 994. I will buy _____ bags of top-quality hardwood mulch Name:__________________________________________ Street address: _________________________________ City:_______________________Zip Code:____________ Phone:_________________________________________ No. of bags ordered (10 bag minimum): _________X $4.35 per bag = _______ _________X $4.60 per bag = _______ Check #__________ Contact me to have Scouts spread my mulch. Please make checks payable to: BSA Troop 994 Mail orders to: BSA Troop 994 Mulch Sale, c/o Michele Newman 7705 Stoney Creek Ct., Fairfax Station, VA 22039 www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 25 26 Jan-Feb 2016 www.crosspointe.info Crosspointe Chronicle Swim & Dive Team The Cruisers are Hiring for Summer 2016! T he Crosspointe Cruisers are seeking energetic applicants for assistant and junior coaching positions for both the Swim and Dive teams for the upcoming 2016 season. Our Swim Team is a competitive team in NVSL Division 4 or 5, with the goal of ensuring all swimmers have fun while improving their fundamentals in the water. Candidates should enjoy being around and teaching children, and have experience in stroke development and instruction. Candidates must possess an effective, respectful communication style towards parents, swimmers, Board members and coaching staff. In addition to daily swim practices and weekly swim meets, our coaches are also expected to participate in our pep rallies, Divisional and All Star meets and celebrations, awards banquet, and other team social events throughout the season. The Cruisers Dive Team competed last summer in Division 2 and is looking for a junior assistant coach for the 2016 summer season. The ideal coach will continue our tradition of sportsmanship and spirit of fun while helping divers reach their full potential. We are looking for someone able to assist the coaches in a fun, safe summer dive program that promotes love for the sport of diving, fosters relationships and teaches self-mastery. Interested applicants for the Swim and Dive team positions should submit a resume and cover letter to djpyle29@ yahoo.com by March 1, 2016. Our Swim and Dive Team hiring committees will contact applicants to arrange interviews. your Community calendar All meetings and events listed here are held at the Crosspointe Community Center, 8275 Glen Eagles Lane, unless otherwise noted. All Crosspointe meetings are open to all homeowners. FEBRUARY Mon. 1 Groundhog Day Mon. 1 ARB meets, 7:00 p.m. Wed. 3 OSC meets, 7:30 p.m. Wed. 10 BOT meets, 7:00 p.m. Sat. 14 Valentine’s Day Mon.15 Presidents’ Day Holiday observed, Community Center Office closed Mon.29 ARB application deadline for 3-7-2016 ARB meeting march Wed. 2Open Space Committee (OSC) meets, 7:30 p.m. Mon. 7 Architectural Review Board (ARB) meets, 7:00 p.m. Wed. 9 Board of Trustees (BOT) meets, 7:00 p.m Sun. 13 Daylight Savings Time Begins Tue.15 Crosspointe Annual Homeowners’ Association Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Silverbrook Elementary School Sign in begins at 6:30 p.m. Thu. 17 Saint Patrick’s Day Sun. 27 EASTER SUNDAY Mon.28 Tennis Committee meets, 7:00 p.m. Mon.28 ARB application deadline for 4-4-2016 ARB meeting For up-to-date meeting information visit your Crosspointe community website at www. crosspointe.info. Crosspointe Chronicle www.crosspointe.info Jan-Feb 2016 27 Classified Ads Next Issue The next issue of the Crosspointe Chronicle is the March 2016 issue. Submit ADS by February 10. Call the Crosspointe Community Center office at 703.690.2321. House Cleaning Available Reliable, good references; Flexible Schedule; Reasonable Rates; I’m providing services for resident cleaning, move in/ out, offices, occasionally, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. For free in home estimate call Dalila 703.627.0663 or 703.477.5085. Email dalilascleaning@gmail.com. We provide equipment and cleaning supplies. Tax Preparation Tax Returns prepared professionally by CPA. Tax laws are rapidly changing and complex. Leave it to the professional! Specializing in individuals, military, real estate, and small business taxation. Call Syd Hasan CPA, 703.690.2600; email sydcorp@aol.com. Turn to page 14 to see all the fun at the community event! 28 Jan-Feb 2016 Cleaning Services House cleaning: reliable, experienced, good references, flexible scheduling, reasonable rates. We bring our own equipment. Weekly– bi-weekly–monthly–occasionally. One-time, move-in/out; offices. For a free in-home estimate, call Maryen/Raul at 703.321.5335. Piano/Flute Lessons Experienced, licensed teacher. All levels and styles. Classical, pop, rock & jazz. Lessons include theory, eary training, sight reading, and note reading. Offered in my home or yours. Call 703.690.4550. Professional Tutoring 20 years of experience. Grades 1–12 and college. Math through Calculus, Science, Spanish, French, English, History, Study Skills, and Organizational Coaching. Comprehensive SAT Preparation and College Coaching programs. Please call 703.830.7037 or visit www.JuliaRossPT.com. Personal Training Training women of all ages. Improve your quality of life with increased strength, better balance and flexibility. Certified by the American Council on Exercise since 1999. Contact Julie 703.690.0607 or 3bacons@ verizon.net. Taylor Construction Specializing in home improvements; general handyman, deck power washing, home repairs; roof repairs; interior/exterior painting; no job is too small. Free estimates. Licensed, bonded and insured. Call Rick Taylor at 703.690.0088. Play Dates? We are relatively new to the Crosspointe community and are interested to find some play dates for our daughter, who is 5 years old and in kindergarten. Weekday times that would work best for us are between 5 and 6 p.m., with more flexibility on weekends. If interested and able, please contact the McCamishes at TLmccamish@gmail.com. Dog Walking Crosspointe mom will provide mid-day walks for your dog and vacation-sitting in your home. Cat and small animal care available. Ten years experience caring for Crosspointe’s animal friends. Reasonable rates. Call Maureen at 703.690.3811. Hawaii Vacation Maui Oceanfront condo available April 4-18, 2016. Gorgeous fully furnished 1 BR, 2 Full baths, kitchen and washer/dryer. Sleeps 5. Pool, SPA, Tcourts, Shuffleboard, putting green and activities desk. Contact Ron 703.690.3507. www.crosspointe.info Free Patio/Walkway Bricks 4x8 inch gray cement—extra from project. Will cover 60 sq feet. Free—just take away. Call Bob at 703.690.7949. Tax, Accounting and Payroll Services Tired of paying too much in taxes? Need someone you can trust? Call Denise Carson, CPA at 703.643.1861 for a quote and an appointment. Individual, Corporate, Partnership and Non-Profit Returns. Thirty years’ experience. Visit us at www. experttaxes.com. J. Richard’s Lawn Service Mowing, trimming, edging, clean-up, leaf removal. Call Richard, 703.307.5577. CLASSIFIED ADS Resident Personal Ads Wanted, Services, For Sale, etc. $5/35 words Lost/Found, Carpools, Giveaways Free Resident Business Ads $18/35 words Non-resident Ads $20/35 words DISPLAY ADS Business Cards:... $39.90 Quarter Page:...... $73.50 One Half Page:.... $120.75 Full Page:............. $231.00 To Advertise Power Washing!!! Go from green to clean, includes sidewalks, decks, fences, deck & fence repair, deck staining & sealing, exterior wood rot, roof & siding repair, basement finishing, bathroom remodeling and handy man services. CALL-free estimates Lic & INS. 703.987.5096. Email jnave@comcast.net. Family Cleaning Family Cleaning would like to offer all of our clients a special deal. FREE Carpet Cleaning for your entire house after 7 residential cleanings. We have more than 20 years of experience serving Northern Virginia. Call 703.819.6336 or email familycleaning316@gmail.com. 5% discount on ads run for three consecutive months with no change. All ads for the Crosspointe Chronicle MUST be submitted and paid for BY CHECK ONLY by the 10th of each month prior to publication. For information call the Crosspointe Community Center office at 703.690.2321, M–F, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Crosspointe Chronicle