The following are excerpts from the Manager’s Report presented at the January 20th Board of Trustees Meeting: The Owner Occupancy rate is at 89%; 320 owners and 40 tenants.

Buildings

Propane Meter project:  With spring around the corner, it would be a good time to put together a committee to look at the propane meters on all buildings and establish exactly which require camouflaging. Once that is determined, then the committee could investigate alternative methods of accomplishing that, the costs involved and then present it to the Board.

Pre-paint Repairs:  Prime Touch will begin pre-paint repairs in the 900’s on Monday, March 15th, weather permitting. Residents have been notified. When they have finished the five buildings in the 900’s, they will move to the buildings in the 100’s that are scheduled for painting this year.


Grounds

Tree Pruning

Ornamentals:  The facilities department has completed pruning the ornamental trees in the 700’s, 900’s and 1100’s, with the exception of the areas that are too high for our equipment to reach. Wachusett Tree is in the process of checking the high areas and will give me a price to complete.

Pines:  Wachusett Tree has completed the pruning of twenty-five large pine trees throughout the community. Trees were chosen with attention to blind spots as well as the overgrowth.
 

Snow Removal:  As of today we have spent $48,570 of the $66,000 snow removal contract budget. With spring around the corner, we are hoping to have some savings in this line item.

Street lighting:  There have been a few issues over the last several weeks with the street lighting in various areas throughout the community. All have been fixed but one that is at the entrance to the rec hall. We are still investigating and hoping that the problem is not under the parking lot.

Fire hydrant:  There was a problem with the fire hydrant in the 700’s. Jon ordered the parts and it has been repaired.

Ant Spraying:  All foundations will be sprayed for ants on May 21st.

Flower Pots:  The facilities department has noticed several flower pots discarded over the back banks of several neighborhoods. It is ok to put old soil back there from pots but the pots themselves need to be disposed of properly in the trash.

Spring is in the air!  Please take down all holiday decorations and think SPRING! It will soon be time to think about planting some flowers.


Administrative

Ferrellgas Pricing:  In accordance with our agreement with Ferrellgas, pricing for deliveries commencing March 1st will be priced at $2.0616/gallon. The calculation to convert cubic feet to gallons is as follows: Multiply the cubic feet by .0276 and that will equal the number of gallons. Wholesale propane prices are up 44%, hence the significant price increase over last year.