Winter 2013

An Official Publication of the Brunswick Meadows Homeowners Association

We would like to thank everyone who participated and attended this year’s Fall Festival. Everyone who came out had a terrific time and some great prizes were given away. We look forward to our next community day!

Fall FestivalBRUNSWICK MEADOWS COMMUNITY DAY SUCCESS!

2 WINTER 2013

AMI Pearland Management(Association Management Inc.)12234 Shadow Creek Parkway

Suite 3112Pearland, Texas 77584713-332-4675 (Main)

AMI Office Hours:Monday – Thursday (8 AM-6 PM)

Friday- (8 AM- 5 PM)Main: 713-332-4675Fax: 713-332-4695

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:Emergency ................................................................911

Precinct 7 Dispatch ............................713-643-6602

Houston Police Dept .........................713-884-3131

Houston Fire Dept ..............................713-884-3140

Sheriff’s Dept ........................................713-221-6000

Poison Control .................................1-800-222-1222

City Services Information ....................................311

General Information ..............................................411

Michael JohnsonPresident

Felicia LoveDirector

Carrie WilliamsDirector

Kristi ColeCommunity Manager

Brittany FarquharService Specialist

Bobbie LopezOnsite Manager

DisclaimerThis newsletter and any information contained herein are intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial or medical advice. The publisher takes great effort to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this newsletter. However, we will not be responsible at any time for any errors or omissions or any damages, howsoever caused, that result from its use. Seek competent professional advice and/or legal counsel with respect to any matter discussed or published in this newsletter.

BOARD OFDIRECTORS

MANAGEMENTSTAFF

www.amitx.com

(NOT SHOWN) Shamar O’Bryant andChris Gilbert, Vice President

3 WINTER 2013

By now your lawn has taken on its “winter look”, as the leaves have dropped from deciduous trees and shrubs, and most southern lawns have turned brown. Even though plants are dormant or not actively growing at this time, there are things you can do now to help prepare your landscape for a healthy start in the spring.

★ Aeration of the lawn Over time our clay soils get compacted which reduces the amount of oxygen in the soil that is necessary for nutrient uptake and healthy plant growth. Foot traffic, the repeated process of weekly mowing, and natural elements such as wind, rain and sun all contribute to soil compaction.

Aeration improves air circulation, moisture distribution throughout the soil, and helps break down thatch and other organic material in the turf. It is best to aerate just before you fertilize in late February or early March. There are several methods to aerate your lawn. For best results, contact your local landscape professional.

★ Mulch BedsIf you did not get around to mulching your beds in the fall, it’s not too late. Adding mulch to your beds will help protect plant roots from freezing temperatures, conserve moisture, prevent weeds, and spruce up your lawns appearance. In addition to shredded hardwood mulch, pine straw makes great mulch. Apply mulch to exposed soil areas only, keeping it away from trunks flares and out of plant crowns.

★ Plant Cool Season Color Make your house stand out with a bright splash of color by adding cool season annuals pictured below:

Alyssum Calendula Cyclamen Dianthus

Kale Pansy Snap Dragon

SEASONAL LANDSCAPE TIPS By: Cindy Matthes * Staff Horticulturist * Terra Management Services

★ Cut back Perennials and Ornamental grassesTo encourage a healthy flush of new growth in the spring, cut back perennials such as Day lilies, Lantana, Salvia, Hamelia (Firebush), Plumbago, and Verbena, as well as ornamental grasses. Cut back in late February or early March.

Prune Crape Myrtles to remove dead branches, rubbing or crossing branches, and suckers.

★ Prune Woody Trees, Fruit Trees and shrubs

★ Keep “freeze cloth” on hand to cover your tender tropicals should temperatures drop below freezing

★ Inspect irrigation systems and make repairs before the weather warms up

★ Plan and design new landscape projects now to be ready for installation in the spring

★ Sharpen tools and maintain lawn equipment

By following these simple steps you can insure your lawn looks good, (even during the winter months) and prepare your landscape for a healthy start come spring. A beautiful yard says something positive about the homeowner, ads curb appeal and increases property values for the entire community.

Cindy Matthes has a B.S. in Horticulture and over 25 years experience in the commercial landscape industry in south Texas. Terra Management Services is a full service commercial landscape company providing professional landscape and water management services to numerous communities and businesses throughout the Houston area.

A few friendly reminders:

• Please maintain courtesy for your neighbors.

• If you walk your dog, please remember to pick up and dispose of their waste!

• Keep your dogs leashed and contained in your yard for the safety of all.

• Park your cars in your driveway without blocking sidewalk access.

• Keep your lawn edged and mowed.

• Treat those weeds. (They are contagious!)

If we can all adhere to these simple good life rules, we can make Brunswick Meadows Community an even better place to live.

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I hope you all enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season and that your New Year will be joyous and prosperous.

Brunswick Meadows is a beautiful community filled with fantastic homeowners. We have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few of you or

speaking to you on the phone. We are always available to you and can be reached at 713-332-4675.

Your on-site manager, Bobbie Lopez, is in the community twice a week inspecting both the common areas and individual properties. We encourage you to call and let us know if you see anything that needs our attention.

You will see a new landscaping service in the community this year. We are proud to have Terra Management Services as a part of our team. We are very excited about their superior service and highly qualified staff.

We will be focusing on mildew and outside maintenance over the next quarter. With the lawns becoming dormant for the winter and less maintenance required, it is a good time to check around the outside of your home and remove any mildew and repair any areas that are in need of some attention.

Trash cans left out or in view continue to be the largest source of our calls and letters. Please do not store them on the side of your home, in front of your garage or anywhere in view from the street.

It is never our intention to cause any undue stress on the community. If you are working towards a resolution of a violation, have a financial hardship or will be out of town for an extended period of time, please contact our office and let us know. We are ready and willing to work with you in any way that we can.

We are looking forward to another great year of serving this wonderful community!

Kristi ColeCommunity

Manager

Exciting News! Our Annual Meeting will be held on

Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30pm atJones Memorial United Methodist Church

2504 Almeda Genoa Road

As always, we appreciate yourdedication to the community

2013 Holiday Schedule

Residential Garbage ServiceTrash pick-up is homeowner responsibility.

Waste Management - 800-553-1902houstonservice@wm.com.

Pick-up days are Tuesday & FridayHeavy trash pick-up on Friday.

Heavy trash can be 2 bulk items, butNOT construction, remodeling debris,

carpet or auto debris.

Account with Waste Management is under:WCID #89.

Customer #79117616

Remember to comply withTrash Pick-up Day!

5 WINTER 2013

HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATIONNEWSLETTER MAGAZINESOfficial Community Magazines that Local Residents READ.

Re-Commit to your Business -- Increase your Profits!

ADVERTISE NOWWhere have you been? This newsletter is provided free to the residents of Lakes at CountryPlace because of Advertisers like you who care and understand your success comes from the local community. Residents support businesses that support them. To advertise in this Official Publication of the community, call 713.331.0344 or email HOA NewsMag today at advertise@hoanewsmag.com for rates

and requirements. Your local Advertising Executive will assist you in meeting your goals while staying within your budget.

All advertisements are due by the 15th of the month for the next edition. Multiple month subscriptions and discounts are available.

-

6 WINTER 2013

WCID#89 NEWSBy Jeraine R. Root, President

The election on November 6 resulted with the defeat of District Directors Byron Watson and Arthur Washington, and the re-election of Sharyn Smalls. The two new members of the Board are Brunswick Meadows resident Charles “CG” Johnson and Brunswick Lakes resident, Mike Smith. Both are proudly holding their official certificates of office in the photos below.

There are 2726 registered voters in WCID#89 and 1754 (64%) of them voted absentee or in the early polling places. On election day another 460 voters showed up at Crista Adair Park and cast their ballots for one, two or three candidates in the WCID#89 race. Total turnout for our District was a whopping 81%!!!

Because each voter was allowed to vote for multiple candidates, there was no majority winner. The results were very close, with Sharyn Smalls taking the most votes (496) and CG Johnson right behind her with 459 votes. Mike Smith beat out Byron Watson by just 3 votes (425 to 422, respectively) – see why it’s so important to vote?

The other candidates were able to show respectable results as well. Karri Garza received 381 votes, Arthur Washington got 354 votes, and Victoria Lastee obtained 319 votes.

Chris Richardson, attorney for WCID#89, led the newly elected Directors in taking their oaths of office at the November 20 regular business meeting.

The first order of business following their swearing-in ceremony was to elect officers for the Board. I was elected President, AK Babers as Vice President, and Sharyn Smalls as Secretary. Two words sum up my hopes and desires as the newly elected President of WCID#89: transparency and accountability. You deserve to know what the Board decides in using your tax money and that due diligence will be pursued in all matters coming before us.

We moved the time of the 2nd meeting of each month to the evening hours so that more of you could attend to watch your public servants in action. The new start time for the meetings on every third Tuesday each month is 6PM, held at the office of our attorneys Strawn and Richardson, PC. at the corner of 610 Loop and Bellaire Blvd.

Frost Bank Building6750 West Loop South, Suite 250

Bellaire TX 77401

We also will hold quarterly “Town Hall” type meetings somewhere closer to our neighborhoods where the only agenda item will be “Discuss with residents any/all concerns of WCID#89”. This is the time for new ideas to be explored. I am a believer in participatory democracy and we want to get your input. Please visit my blog www.wcid89.blogspot.com to find out exactly when/where these meetings will be held.

We are preparing to launch a new web presence for the District so that you can get more information from the comfort of your own home when you can’t make it to the meetings. In addition, we are considering initiating a waste recycling program in the near future. We want you to be a part of the new, exciting direction the District is headed.

Fall Shrub CareFall is the time to prepare shrubs for the upcoming winter. You can also plant now, using the cool temperatures and rainfall to your advantage.

PlantingThe cooler temperatures and rainfall make this a great time for planting most of your shrubs. Add a layer of leaf or bark mulch (though not right against the bark!) to help insulate against winter temperature changes.

WateringRainfall will often take care of your shrubs’ watering needs. Watch for signs of wilting. The ground water supply will be locked up when the ground freezes, so check to make sure they are doing well now.

FertilizingAlways test your soil if you think you have a nutrient deficiency. Be careful fertilizing with nitrogen now - this will produce new growth that may be damaged by winter frosts. Spring fertilizing may be a better idea.

PruningFall is a good time to remove branches that may be growing directions that you do not like. However, proceed with caution in spring flowering shrubs - their flower buds for next spring are already formed, and too much pruning may destroy next year’s floral display. Thin instead of shearing.

Winterizing Your ShrubsThere are several ways that you can protect your shrubs against the upcoming cold.

Mulch around the base, though not right up to the bark (this will collect moisture, inviting fungus and diseases).

Use an anti-desiccant on evergreen shrubs.Put up a barrier around shrubs near the road to avoid salt spray.

7 WINTER 2013

Crime Watch TipsCrime prevention is the practice of identifying and removing the opportunity for crime to occur.

Make sure all your doors and windows are locked.

Keep garage doors closed even while doing yard work.

Do not keep items in unattended vehicles.

If you have a security (alarm) system, use it.

If you must leave a key outside for someone, venture beyond the obvious and find an uncommon location, reducing the opportunity for the wrong person to find a key.

The best rule is to not leave a spare key anywhere as most criminals will be able to find it.

Be aware of your surroundings and report unusual activity. Chances are that if it looks unusual, it is.

Turn porch lights on at night. Use cost effective bulbs. Use a timer if you work late.

Use timers inside your house to turn televisions, radios, and lights on when you are not home...giving the crook reason to believe folks are home.

Keep your yard neat, bushes, shrubs, etc. trimmed, make it easy for a neighbor to spot the unusual and call 911.

Make sure flood (sensor) lights are working.

Build your fences with the posts in your property, not on the outside...outside makes for a nice ladder for the criminal.

Make sure your garage door opener light comes on when you open and close your garage door so as to see inside and outside the area.

And most important: Get to know your neighbors. Swap phone numbers (home, work, cell) so you can reach each other if you see a problem or need them to watch your home for you.

The 2013 Assessments are DueThe 2013 Assessment for your community association is due in full on January 1, 2013 and becomes delinquent January 31, 2013. If your payment is not received by January 31, 2013 you will be charged a late fee of $20.00 and a finance charge 18% per year (1.5% per month) until paid in full. If your Mortgage Company pays your Assessment fee, please forward the payment coupon to them.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO PAY YOUR YEARLY ASSESSMENT IN FULL BY JANUARY 31, 2013:

The Board of Directors has adopted a payment plan to help the residents who do not have the means to pay the assessment in full. If you cannot pay your assessment by January 31, 2013, please contact AMI and get a payment plan set up. It will avoid any late fees and extra charges that may occur if you wait.

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ANNOUNCING GREAT NEWSfor BRUNSWICK MEADOWS

HOMEOWNERS!

2206 E. Broadway, Suite E2Pearland, Texas 77581

AMI Pearland Management(Association Management Inc.)12234 Shadow Creek Parkway

Suite 3112Pearland, Texas 77584

Winter Newsletter