The annual meeting of Bluff Creek Estates Owners Association was held at Missouri Cattleman’s and called to order at 7:05 PM by President, Dan Schoenleber. The minutes of the last annual meeting were voted upon and approved.

Dan welcomed everyone and gave the financial report in the absence of the Treasurer.

• CAM obtained crime information for the area and that report was given to the homeowners. The police department said that the crime in this grid had taken place at the gas station and not in the neighborhood of homes.
• One homeowner brought attention to a truck going through the neighborhood at 3:30 AM which is a driver for the Missourian. CAM will call the Missourian to see if anything can be done.
• Question was posed to the group as to whether or not they wanted to continue having two garage sales per year or one. It was agreed that they would keep it at two. The spring sale will be the weekend of May 30 -31, 2008.
• Dan spoke to the group about the recent purchase of property by Bruce Odle and his desire to change zoning from residential to commercial. Bruce met with some of the owners adjacent to this property and did not get their support for this change. Developer, Elvin Sapp, did not transfer any of this property to the Homeowners Association. The new owner indicated that he was considering a retirement center (like Boone landing) and a couple of additional commercial buildings. His plan is to build an all brick building, retaining ownership, leasing and managing the property. Mr. Odle declined to speak to the homeowners association as he did not have firm plans at this time, however; he did send a schematic drawing of a building similar to plan. Dan encouraged homeowners to monitor future plans by logging onto the City of Columbia web site. Homeowners are concerned about increased traffic.
• Some homeowners expressed an interest in being notified of any changes in the neighborhood by mass e-mail. There was a motion made, seconded and passed to try to get this set up. CAM to look into this.
• Homeowners would also like to receive notices of meetings via e-mail.
• Dan expressed thanks to Hardeep and Joan for their service on the Board.
• It was voted on to increase the number of Board members up to 9
• The following people were nominated to the Board: Dave Davis, Dee Corn, Jim Duncan and Paul Tuckley. There was a motion to accept these new members, seconded and passed. Those remaining on the Board are Dan Schoenleber, Larry Stratton, Charley Blackmore, Wynn Volkert
• Dan requested volunteers to monitor new development and notify the Board.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM

Meeting held at the office of Community Association Management, 3700 Monterey Dr., Suite A at 7:00 PM
Attendance: Dan Schoenleber, Joan Beezley, Larry Stratton, Charley Blackmore, Pat Bess and Kim Broswell
Meeting was called to order by President, Dan Schoenleber at 7:10 pm. Minutes were approved from the prior meeting with a motion by Charley and a second by Larry Stratton. All in favor.

Caroline Wenneker, a homeowner, was present to address the Board regarding an owner (Lot 13) who built a basketball court over his lot line onto a lot that she owns (Lot 10) she requested a letter sent from the Board to advise the homeowner that he is not in compliance with the 10 ft. setback required by the covenants. She had prior conversations with the developer, Elvin Sapp, who confirmed that he had not spoken to or given permission to the owner to construct a basketball court. Ms. Wenneker also requested that the Board treat the common area for grub worms due to the number of moles.

Joan made a motion and Charley seconded to have CAM draft and send a letter to the homeowner, Dr. Matthew Durkovich, regarding the 10 foot setback.

CAM was requested to send a copy of an Architectural Control Form to Valerie Barnes and request that the Board be notified when changes are requested and approved.

CAM is to send 3rd billing dues notices with a demand letter within 5 days of this meeting.

Dan updated the Board regarding the Patio Home Development. He also advised that Bruce Odle purchased 5-6 acres from Elvin Sapp and has plans to build a home. The area north of The Cattlemen’s is being developed in 2 to 3 commercial buildings (i.e. doctor’s buildings) and to start construction this spring. These lots are not included in the legal description of the HOA.

Pat Bess (CAM) brought it to the attention of the Board members that Bluff Creek Estates Owners Association is not a City Recognized Neighborhood Association. The Board is interested in this and CAM is to contact the City and will forward all e-mails to the Board. The motion was made by Charley and seconded by Joan. All in favor, motion passed.

Pat presented a bid from Rost Landscaping to redo the stairs down the hill to the trail. The bid was for approximately $16,000 and the Board decided to table due to lack of funds.

CAM is to send a reminder to the Board members of the quarterly meetings, one week prior.

CAM is to send out Annual meeting notice, with proxy and to include a newsletter recruiting new Board
members, covenant reminders, point to webpage and Architectural Control reminder.

There is a motor home parked in the lot at Macher’s, CAM to send violation letter.

Board Members Present: Dan Schoenleber, Dave Davis, Jim Duncan, Larry Stratton & Charley Blackmore
Management Company Present: Pat Bess & Kim Broswell of Community Association Management

Open Session Meeting called to order @ 7:03 PM Presenters came regarding the Senior Housing Development planned at the North end of Bluff Creek Dr. Len Scherder, the Director of Acquisitions for Spectrum Retirement Communities based out of Denver, CO. They own and operate 17 communities throughout the country. They provide upscale senior living in the form of assisted living, not skilled nursing. They are the second lowest traffic generator with a parking ratio of .5.

They are proposing the following: Self contained 3 story building (approx 45 feet tall w/ 140 rental units 35% common space No income requirement Projecting approx 150 residents w/ 32 full time staff & 18 part time employees

Average age of occupants: Assisted living: approx 81 years Memory Care: minimum of 65 years Do not accept medicaid
There are not any additional phases planned, and it will not include any independent cottages.

Development on this tract of land is planned to include the senior development as well as 2 office buildings at 19,000 sqft/building.
It was requested of Mr. Scherder that they look into the possibility of flipping the parking lot to the back of the facility so that it looks more appealing to the neighborhood. Len stated they would look into this, however the engineer informed the group that the building is planned to be 10 feet above street level, making the parking lot 6-8 feet above the road, making it so that it won’t be very visible from the road, and landscaping will be installed to screen the parking. The office buildings are planned to be 12 feet above the road.

The anticipated time frame for the assisted living facility is to break ground in fall 2008 and will need roughly 12 months to complete construction.

Their position on the bridge connecting the end of Bluff Creek Dr to the East Pointe Subdivision is that they like the visibility, but doesn’t need it in a market like Columbia. They are more concerned with the Hwy 63 frontage. The engineer informed the Board that they have approval from the City to build a “temporary” cud-de-sac at the end of Bluff Creek Dr that will include landscaping.

Upon the Engineer and Developer leaving at 8:05 PM, the homeowners present remained to express concerns regarding the traffic that will be generated by the Assisted Living facility, as well as the proposed office buildings. The concern is the amount of time that it currently takes to exit the subdivision at the stop light on Bluff Creek Dr., and adding additional traffic will only increase that amount of time. The homeowners are overall not in favor of the bridge, as it will be a through street, and could end up being used as a “short cut” from the East Pointe development through to Grindstone. Homeowners are concerned with property values with increased industrial buildings within the subdivision. Homeowners present would like the Board to spend an allocated amount of reserve funds on hiring an attorney to represent the Association against the development and increased traffic concerns. Dave Davis encouraged homeowners to contact Barbara Hoppe, the City Council Representative regarding their traffic concerns. Homeowners adjourned.

A discussion ensued regarding seeking legal council and the rights of the homeowners association. The discussion was tabled until old business was completed.

Motion was made to approve the minutes of the last Board meeting. The motion was seconded. All in favor. Motion carries.

Larry Stratton updated the board on the landscaping at Wild Plum. The landscaping is in process. Larry is getting a quote to top some of the trees that are dead. The quote will be sent out and voted on over email.

An election of officers was needed.
A motion was made by Jim Duncan and seconded by Larry Stratton to accept the following officers:
Dan Schoenleber – President
Dave Davis – Vice President
Charley Blackmore – Sec/Tres
All in favor. Motion carries.

A motion was made by Charley Blackmore to assign check signing to CAM for all checks within normal/budgeted operations and
to send monthly financials to the Board members. The motion was seconded by Larry Stratton. All in favor. Motion carries.

Dan reported that the fountain is randomly shutting off, and Mrs. Benton obtained information on different fountain costs for
replacement. Past fountains had been purchased in the $5000 range, and have historically needed to be replaced within 2
years.

Quotes range from:
$7000 – 2 horsepower
$5085 – 3 horsepower
$8000 – 3.5 horsepower
$5556-9000 – 5 horsepower

The Board would like to obtain further information before moving forward with a vote to approve.
It was requested that CAM contact the Columbia Country Club regarding the horsepower of their fountain, as well has
who/how they maintain. CAM to also obtain information regarding installation costs, lighting kits, warranties and possibly
insurance coverage.

It was requested that a special meeting be scheduled with Barbara Hoppe regarding the development plan for the North end of
Bluff Creek Drive within 45 days of this meeting. Other issues to be discussed with her include stop signs and lights on Old 63.
Hiring an attorney was tabled until after the meeting with Ms. Hoppe.

Dave expressed concern regarding the number of geese in the neighborhood. CAM to obtain information regarding the control
of geese and possible costs.

Management Company Present: Pat Bess & Kim Broswell of Community Association Management

Open Session Meeting called to order @ 7:00 PM by President, Dan Schoenleber with some homeowners, Councilperson, Barbara Hoppe and Developers, Bruce and John Odle to discuss proposed development on Bluff Creek Drive

Dave Davis brought up a question regarding the O-1 zoning which is currently in place and wanted to know if O-P zoning would prevail or if O-1 zoning was grandfathered in. Barbara Hoppe stated that O-1 zoning is still in place.

Dan expressed concern over the development density in light of the traffic back-ups at Grindstone and Bluff Creek Drive. Mr. Odle suggested that the Association contract a traffic engineer, and stated that he did not see this as an issue because traffic flow would be in the opposite direction as homeowners. Dave Davis stated that Bluff Creek Drive is a collector street and wondered what impact this development would have in taking it as a collector street to an arterial street. Ms. Hoppe stated that the bridge from East Pointe to Bluff Creek Drive, if built, would attract other traffic trying to bypass Grindstone. She stated the East Pointe Homeowners Association met and voted that they would be in favor of the Bluff Creek Bridge.

Mr. Odle said that he will support the neighborhood majority in its position on the bridge.

Mr. Odle was asked if there was an option to lower the density of the development and he responded that he did not have tenants at this time for the proposed office buildings. He also stated that he had already revised the plan for considerably smaller buildings and less parking. The parking shown on the plan is more than what they are currently proposing. He also stated that they could possibly just build one building at this time because of the soft real estate market. The original plan on file with the City was for four office buildings rather than the assisted living facility.

There was concern voiced over the height of the assisted living facility by some of those with houses close by.
The concerns voiced over the bridge were Hollywood Theatres (constant traffic, weekends, days and nights), MFA, and employees of other new developments.
Ms. Hoppe suggested that she would take the traffic concerns to City Council and look for other options to address existing traffic issues. She also stated that O-1 zoning does not allow for retail.

Ms. Hoppe met with the Board members and there was further discussion regarding the traffic on Grindstone.

Dave Davis suggested that the City might look at the possibility of Mr. Odle donating land for a City park. He also expressed concern over the increased traffic with the new softball park on the South side of Grindstone.

Ms. Hoppe suggested that she might investigate the possibility of putting a stop to development until the traffic problems are studied and a solution determined.

Dave Davis also brought to the attention of Ms. Hoppe his concerns regarding the lack of street lighting along Old Hwy 63 from Stadium Boulevard to the apartments. He stated his concern especially due to the number of people walking and riding bikes. It was also mentioned that there is a lack of stop signs on side streets throughout the subdivision.

CAM was instructed to request stop signs at Wild Plum and Bluff Creek Drive from Public Works and Ms. Hoppe stated to call her if we did not get results.

Ms. Hoppe stated that she would push for a City traffic engineer and that possibly they could schedule a meeting with the Board of Directors. She said that she would send a summary of her actions to be taken to Dan.

After Ms. Hoppe’s departure the Board had further discussions about retaining an attorney and CAM reported that Dan Simon would have a conflict so they would contact Bruce Beckett and Van Matre and Harrison.

Wynn Volkert made a motion that based on past homeowner inquiries the Board is taking an opposing position to the Bluff Creek bridge, motion seconded and approved.

Dave Davis made a motion to approve the bid from Top Care for addition of flowers, Wynn seconded, all in favor, Motion carried.

Minutes from last meeting were approved and it was decided that once meeting minutes are approved they will be posted on the website.

The consensus is that Bruce Odle, Barbara Hoppe and the City of Columbia are going to work toward getting the future construction of a vehicle bridge crossing Grindstone Creek to East Pointe Subdivision removed from the City of Columbia master plan and replaced with a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Grindstone Creek.

Also for the time being Bruce Odle is back to square one to rethink what he will build on the 8.6 acres. As of now the 140 bed Senior Living facility and the two 19,000 square foot office buildings are temporarily off the table. Bruce Odle stated that he would like to have a plan in place for the 8.6 acres within the next year.

There are still neighbors of Bluff Creek Estates who are not happy with the current traffic situation. I think we have to look to other issues, besides the developer of Bluff Creek, if we need to blame someone, to account for our existing traffic problems. Given the zoning and the development as it has occurred within the parameters of Bluff Creek Estates, it's easy to see that all of traffic problems are caused by the types of development that have occurred outside the subdivision. Neither Elvin Sapp nor Bruce Odle are responsible for the development in LeMone Industrial Park, the developement of all the apartments, duplexes and businesses on Grindstone Expressway and the massive amount of student apartments on Bus Hwy 63 South.

Thursday night’s meeting at the Missouri Cattlemen's Building had a surprise conclusion with immediately effective resignations of the President and Vice-President of the Bluff Creek Estates Owners/Neighborhood Association.

This is my opinion of the outcome of the meeting. If you have comments you would like to share about the meeting on this webpage or other items you want to share with the neighborhood please email your comments to me. When I visit friends in other neighborhoods in Columbia and in other towns and cities, I am always glad to drive back into Bluff Creek Estates.

2009-07-13
Columbia Police investigated the theft of a power washer taken from the back of a pickup truck parked in a driveway on Pebble Creek Ct. Again let me remind YOU to take every precaution to protect yourself and your property at all times! And let me know anytime something occurs and you feel all of your neighbors would appreciate being warned!

2009-01-29
Columbia Police Department investigated suspicious footprints in the snow going from the front door around the house and up to two entries on the back of the house in the midst of Bluff Creek Estates..... No signs of attempted entry were found, but it was suspicious.

Please take every precaution to protect yourself and your property at all times! And let me know anytime something occurs and you feel all of your neighbors would appreciate being warned!

A car was stolen from a driveway on Wild Plum Court July 14, 2008 between midnight and 7am. That car has still not been recovered. In addition there have been three automobile break-ins where items were stolen from parked cars in the last year. It is extremely important that we all take every precaution to prevent this from happening to us.

Please take the following precautions to deter crime at your house:
1. Keep cars parked in the garage overnight, when possible.
2. Keep cars locked at all times.
3. Leave outside lights on throughout the night to deter break-ins.
4. Don't leave things outside, visible and unsecured.
5. Keep garage doors closed day and night!

Remember foremost, the best defense against any type of crime in our neighborhood is to get acquainted with your neighbors and lookout for each other.

Protect yourself against home burglary

Whether you live in a house, a condo or an apartment, a break-in can permanently shatter your feeling of security at home.

According to FBI statistics, a house, apartment or condominium is burglarized once every 15 seconds.

Fortunately, burglary is probably the most preventable of crimes. By taking a few simple precautions, you can dramatically reduce the risks.

Of course, every home and every situation is different, and there are no guarantees.

The first step is to determine what kind of threat you are trying to protect against. For example, defending against personal threats, such as assault, requires different measures than defending against burglary.

Most home burglars do not give great amounts of thought to planning the job and assessing the benefits vs. dangers, but understanding how they choose a target can go a long way in reducing your chances of being a victim.

Most burglars look for:

Something worth stealing
Easy access combined with low visibility
A home that is unoccupied

Did you know? More residential burglaries occur during the day because homes tend to be vacant more often.

How to prevent break-ins:

Fool them by making your home look occupied all the time.

Use automatic timers on lights when away from home.

Always park your cars in the garage with the garage door shut. A burglar may otherwise notice a pattern that a closed garage door or no cars in the driveway means no one is home. Closing the garage door and having curtains or blinds on the garage windows also hides some of your belongings.

Place radios on automatic timers and raise the volume so they can be heard outside.

Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so that they can't be heard outside.

Never leave notes on your door that can tip off burglars.

When away for more than a day:

If possible, have your telephone calls forwarded when you are away from home. Burglars sometimes check to see if someone is home by making a telephone call.

Have a trusted neighbor pick up the mail and newspaper. If possible, do not have either stopped. That gives information about you being away from home to others whom you do not know.

If away for an extended period, have a plan in place to have the grass mowed or snow shoveled.

If you are away from home on garbage pickup day, ask a trusted neighbor to put your garbage cans out to the street and take them back in. You may wish to have your neighbor use your garbage cans while you are out. Burglars sometimes check for empty cans as a sign the family is away.

There are systems available that will open and close window draperies by timer. Constantly open or closed curtains can tip the burglar off that no one is home.

Even if you don't need specific help, always tell a trusted neighbor if you are going to be gone for a few days.

If you are going to be gone for an extended period, ask your local police to check your home periodically.

In short, make your house look the same whether you are away or at home.

Eliminate hiding places

Make sure there is good lighting around the place where you park.

Install motion detector lights around your house instead of just leaving lights on at night. The lights coming on and turning off attract the attention of neighbors. Install these lights at least 8 feet above the ground so they are more difficult to disable.

Install the motion detector lights so they light all doors and windows. Doors, since they are the preferred entry point, should be the first priority to illuminate, followed by windows.

Remove bushes and shrubs from around the house, especially under windows and next to doors. Keep your yard free of overgrowth.

If you DO have shrubs and bushes, select ones with thorns to deter potential intruders from hiding in them.

Install a security alarm system with a loud alarm and/or flashing lights. This will attract the attention of neighbors. If you install an alarm, display the decals, and remember to test the system periodically.

Use common sense caution

Always lock all doors and windows when you leave the house.

Use a peephole to identify visitors before opening your door.

Do not hide spare keys outside your home, instead give one to a trusted neighbor.

Do not provide your house keys to service people.

Do not invite strangers into your home.

Do not have money or jewelry lying out in view from a window. If possible, keep jewelry and other small valuables and important documents in a safe deposit box.

Do not tell strangers your daily routines.

If you are at home working outside, leave all other doors that are out of sight locked.

Avoid telling others about the valuables in your home.

If you have children, discuss home security with them, such as not talking with strangers about their home, its contents or family schedules.

Make your home a harder target

Did you know? The average burglar will spend no more than four to five minutes trying to break into a residence.

When moving into a new residence, have the locks changed.

Consult a good locksmith to make sure you have the correct types of locks on your doors and windows.

Secure your exterior doors and any doors from attached garages by installing:

Good quality deadbolt door locks
Security-type door strikes
Strong, properly installed doors and doorframes that cannot be spread apart
Security-type hinges

Secure your windows by installing additional locks and installing impact-resistant glass on any windows within 42" of a door lock. This will make it more difficult to break the glass, reach in, and unlock the lock.

Prune lower branches of trees near your house if they could help a burglar gain access to a second story window.

Secure your patio doorwith a pin-type lock, a key lock, or a steel rod inserted into the door channel.

Secure your garage by installing automatic openers or bolt-type locks on each end of the garage doors.

Take time to become knowledgeable about your situation and your options so that you can best decide what to do. And remember, you can also ask your local police department for advice.

Inventory and mark your belongings.

Use our free resources to complete a home inventory.

Mark your belongings with an engraving pen so that they can be traced and return them to you if stolen. These pens are usually available at your local police station. Ask your police department what numbers to use when marking your belongings. Never mark them with your social security number.

Be a good neighbor

Organize a cookout or other apartment or neighborhood get together so neighbors can get to know one another.
Organize or participate in an Apartment Watch or Neighborhood Watch program.
Arrange for a local police officer to complete an apartment security survey, or educate your neighborhood about specific safety concerns.
If you are an apartment dweller, notify management if you notice burned out light bulbs, dark corridors, broken locks on mailboxes and doors and/or other safety concerns.
Call the police immediately if you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

Tips for your Home Inventory

Record purchase dates and serial numbers of small appliances and the following theft-prone items:

Collectibles
Antiques
Art objects
Figurines
Guns
Paintings
Clocks
Silver
Jewelry
Furs

Electrical Appliances
Lawn mowers
Power tools
Sewing machines
Vacuum cleaners

Electronic equipment
Computers
Digital cameras
Printers
Scanners
Fax machine
Stereos and MP3 players
Televisions
Video cameras
DVD players
CDs and DVDs

Musical instruments
Photography equipment
Sports equipment

Along with the description of each item, attach its receipt, if possible.
If you're making an audio or video inventory, start in one corner of the room and work your way around until the whole room has been covered.
Don't forget closets, attic and basement.
On antiques, art, jewelry, collectibles, and certain other items, appraisals are important. Always include the name and address of the appraiser.

Remember to update your inventory when you make new purchases.

When it comes to a home inventory, a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Tips for Home Inventory Photos

Use any color camera with a flash, your home video camera, or a digital camera.

Label photos and videotapes with the dates they were taken. If appropriate, record the date of purchase, brand name and purchase price of each item on the record card next to the picture.

If you have a film camera, have your developer save the images to a disk. You can store the print copies with a copy of your inventory.

If you have a digital camera, save the images to a disk or burn a CD.

To get an overall picture, take wide-angle shots of the whole room, then take several close-ups to capture detail. Start in one corner of the room and work your way around.

Focus your flash away from mirrors and other reflective surfaces by standing at a 45-degree angle to the shiny surface.

When using a flash, try not to get closer than the recommended focus range. If you must get closer, dim the flash by placing a white handkerchief over the flash while taking the picture.

Open glass doors to prevent reflection.

A family member in the picture helps substantiate ownership.

Open closet doors to show quantity of clothing.

Take pictures of the insides of drawers with the contents fanned out.

Use a non-glare dark cloth as a background for silver, china or jewelry.

When photographing china, take a picture of the pattern name or manufacturer's signature, along with a picture of the pattern.

When photographing jewelry, angle the flash to avoid glare.

When photographing or recording collections in albums, make sure the picture includes the entire page, along with close-up shots of the most valuable items. Make sure the pictures tie in with your home in some way.

Photograph your power tools, including detailed photos of the inside of your toolbox.

If you want to take only a few pictures, either take pictures of groups of your most valuable unappraised items, or record whole rooms with your most valuable and theft-prone items prominently displayed.

Why should I have a security alarm system?

Having a security alarm system may decreases the chances of a burglary. Even if the alarm system does not keep a burglar from breaking in, it may cause the burglar to stay a shorter amount of time.

What Should a Security Alarm System Include?

Most systems rely on a combination of contacts placed at doors and windows and motion sensors.

It is best that all exterior potential points of entry have contacts that sense when they are open. Glass break sensors are also available and recommended.

Motion sensors should not be used as the primary means of detection because they do not detect someone until they are already in the house.

The basic elements of a standard home security system include:

Control panel: This is where the system wiring terminates, the backup battery is located and where it is connected to the phone lines if it is a monitored system.

Keypad: This is where the system is armed and disarmed.

Siren

Inside motion detector: These sense changes in a room caused by human presence. Special motion detectors are available for people who have pets.

Door and window contacts:; This sounds the alarm when the door or window is opened (and the system is on).

A central monitoring station (Company): If the system is monitored, and the alarm is set off, the control panel sends a message to a central monitoring station, which is manned 24 hours a day.

After attempting to contact the homeowner, the central monitoring station will contact the police, fire department, or medics.

There is usually a monthly fee for this service.

Additional items that can be added to the basic system are:

Smoke detectors

Glass break detectors

Panic buttons

Pressure mats for under rugs

Closed circuit TV to allow monitoring and/or recording inside or outside a home.

Alarm screens for windows.

Costs

Costs of systems vary. Many security companies offer the systems for free - in exchange for long-term monitoring contracts.

Monitored System or Unmonitored System?

Monitored systems typically work as follows:

The security system senses something.
The security system waits 30 to 45 seconds to give the homeowner a chance to deactivate the system to prevent false alarms.
If the alarm is not deactivated the security system sends a message to the monitoring company over telephone lines.
The monitoring company receives the message and verifies the alarm, generally by placing a phone call to the home. If they do not receive the proper password or do not receive an answer, they call the police.
The police respond.

Unmonitored systems typically have on-site alarms and/or flashing lights. It relies on neighbors to call police.

Neighbors or passersby should never investigate an alarm themselves.

With an unmonitored system, it is best to have a combination of strobe lights and alarms. They should be located on the street side of the house and in an inaccessible spot as possible. It is best to discuss the installation with your neighbors and to place the siren and flashing light on the house where it can be easily seen.

How to choose an alarm company

Choosing an alarm company can be confusing and the technology complicated. Here are some suggestions:

Check with friends or neighbors for recommendations on reliable companies.

Find out how quickly the alarm company will install your system after purchase. See if the company sells systems faster than they can install them.

Determine how quickly they respond to requests for service after installation. Ask for references from some of their customers who have required service and call and talk to these people.

Ask about warranties.

Obtain quotes from at least three different companies.

Ask the alarm company what screening they do when hiring their alarm installers and salespeople. You want a company that screens for criminal backgrounds/records, etc.

Call your local police department and ask how long it takes them to respond to a home security system alarm. Don't be surprised if the estimated response time is as long as an hour. Also ask if there are any fines for false alarms.

Lastly, when comparing prices remember to compare detection coverage and features. Not all alarms are created equal.

Things to Remember About Security Alarm Systems

Burglars realize most security systems sound inside the house and then the alarm is transferred to remote locations through the telephone lines.

Most phone lines are typically exposed on the outside of the house in an easily accessible location where the phone line can be cut. If the telephone line is cut, the security alarm system cannot notify the central monitoring station of the break-in.

If the phone line is run underground until it is inside the home (with the main telephone junction box inside the home), the thief cannot tamper with the telephone line until after he or she has broken in.

Having a protected phone line to your house is a good idea whether you have a security alarm system or not.

Remember: Security systems do not prevent thieves from breaking into homes.

A good security plan should include strong window, door and lock products and good security habits.

9. Buildings or Uses Other Than for Residential Purposes; Noxious Activities; Miscellaneous
(c) No truck (except standard three-fourths (3/4) ton or smaller noncommercial pickup trucks) or commercial vehicle shall be parked, left stored on any Lot or street for more than an eight-hour period. No vehicle in inoperable condition or any trailer, mobile home, bus, van, camper, recreational vehicle, boat, boat trailer or other mobile apparatus of any nature or kind whatsoever (other than personal automobiles and standard ¾ ton or smaller noncommercial pickup trucks) shall be parked, left or stored on any lot or street for more than a 24-hour period except in an enclosed garage. Motorized vehicles shall not be operated on any Common Area, other than in the street.

(g)No sign of any kind shall be displayed to the public view on the real estate, except for one sign not more than 5 feet square, advertising the property for sale by the homeowner, realtor or builder during the construction or sale period.

11. Landscaping and Lawns.
Prior to the occupancy, and in all events within nine (9) months following commencement of construction of the residence, the Owner thereof shall sod all front lawn areas and otherwise landscape the Lot to the same standards as those generally prevailing throughout the District in accordance with plans approved by the Architectural Committee. No vegetable gardens shall be permitted. The Owner of each Lot shall keep the lawn neat, clean and uniformly mowed and clipped to a reasonable and attractive height and shall properly maintain and replace all trees and landscaping.

The City will no longer deliver bags to resident’s yards. Look for your voucher in the mail to obtain your black trash and blue recycling bags. This new program is an effort to save cost on thousands of bags that go unused each year. You can help us reduce costs by redeeming the voucher only when you need additional bags...help us reduce our carbon footprint!

Guidelines for redeeming your vouchers:
• You will receive one voucher to redeem for black trash bags and one to redeem for blue recycling bags.
• Take your voucher to one of the local retail stores listed on the reverse side.
• You will not be charged for the bags, but you must have a voucher to receive your bags at no charge.
• Vouchers are redeemable one time only, as they are tracked by barcode and therefore can not be duplicated.
• If you need additional blue recycling bags, contact Phoenix Recycling and another voucher will be mailed to you at no cost (does not apply to black trash bags).
• You will receive vouchers each April, August and December, around the 10th of the month.

Questions about the voucher system may be directed to Phoenix Recycling at 1-800-866-3954, or Click here for link to Request Form at Phoenix Recycling if you did not receive your voucher.

Bag vouchers are redeemable at these local merchants:
• Gerbes Supermarket
1729 W. Broadway
205 E. Nifong
2900 Paris Road
• Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway
• Moser’s Discount Foods, 705 Business Loop 70
• Patricia’s Foods, 900 N. Keene
• Schnuck’s Supermarket, 1400 Forum Blvd.
• Wal-Mart Supercenters
3001 W. Broadway
1201 Grindstone Parkway
415 Conley Avenue
• Westlake Ace Hardware, 1910 W. Worley
(Eastgate IGA was originally on this list, but no longer participates)

Why not ask them to verify, in writing, that the service is available and can be installed at your house? And tell them, then you'll look over their prices and make the choice. LETTING THEM VERIFY THE SERVICE IS AVALABLE AT THEIR EXPENSE ON THEIR TIME BEFORE THEY PROMISE THE PRODUCT SEEMS TO BE A MORE BUSINESS LIKE WAY TO DO BUSINESS. But that is just my opinion and you are welcome to share yours.

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