Harbour View Article 7-15 -2002
By John Reinboldt AHPOA Director
I would like to thank all those who have responded to my previous articles regarding Compliance Violations and Security Issues. Please keep them coming. Your input is very important. You voted to put 7 fellow members of the community on a board to act on your behalf. We can do a better job when we understand your concerns.
New Police Chief…Welcome Aboard!
On July 15th our new Police Chief started. His name is Gerald Neville. Please make it a point to meet him and say hello. If you have any concerns, feel free to call or send a note to Mr. Halt (our General Manager) at AHPOA@aol.com or to me, john@reinboldt.com. Mr. Neville will be at our board meetings as well. July 23rd and August 27th. Please attend.
With all the concerns for security recently the Board has asked for input from the Gate Staff, Security Committee, Police Department and of course you, the residents. The general belief is that we need to enforce our current policies more consistently. The policy (in brief) is that a resident should call the gate staff to announce a visitor; the visitor should have the name and number of the person they are visiting. This is the policy for friends, extended family, contractors and etc. Various groups, on occasion have circumvented this policy. For instance, Realtors have often sent in their clients unattended. This will no longer be allowed. As of July 1st a prospective buyer will have to be escorted by a recognized realtor or preannounced by a homeowner. The Garage Sale customer has also challenged the visitor policy. I believe we need to tighten this loophole up. Certainly you can invite whomever you want to your home. The issue is, should anyone who shows up at the gate with an ad that announces a garage sale be let in? I believe the answer is within our existing policies. If the visitor is preannounced and has your name and number, then great. If not, No. What is your opinion???? john@reinboldt.com
For earning the coveted Virginia Clean Marina award. The Virginia Clean Marina award is only made to those marinas that exhibit outstanding efforts to control pollution as a way of doing business. The next time you drop by the marina congratulate Chuck Lane and his staff on a job well done.
It troubles me greatly to talk about this topic. We have had some real challenges at the pools this summer. A small minority of Harbour resident children has been very poorly behaved at the pools. In fact some have been banned from coming back. The pool manager and the lifeguards have been entrusted with great responsibilities. Our Children. Their job is sometimes a difficult one. For instance, there have already been two “Saves” at the pool this year. They do not need, nor should they have to bear children out of control. Please be forewarned, if your child misbehaves he or she can and will be relieved of their pool privileges. Legal action will also be taken if warranted.
At our last board meeting an issue arose that has prompted a couple of emails to me. The issue is whether money owed to the Harbour by individuals should be public knowledge. For example lets assume that John Doe is late in his dues payments because he has lost his job. Should the business office release this information? Some argue that because the debt is owed the Harbour and collectively we are the Harbour, then that information can and should be released. I believe this would be truly BAD FORM. When a situation like this arises the business office often arranges a payment plan to collect the dues in full over a period of time. I believe this negotiation should be held in the strictest confidence. On the other hand, if the Harbour has to go to court to collect on bad debt then this becomes a public matter, and anyone has the right to this information from the courts. Legally the Harbor could disseminate this information as well but I would rather we didn’t. I believe that this would put the Harbour in a bad situation. If somehow incorrect information were released then the Harbour would be liable.
Our resident Socrates, Herald, and Old Salt Ben R. Blankenship, Jr. has penned a wonderful history of the Harbour entitled “From Way Back When Till Now” Please enjoy it on the Aquia Harbour web page, http://www.aquiaharbour.org/aquia_history.html. Mr. Blankenship also writes for the Harbour View and the Stafford County Sun. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the last real newspaper the metro area has to offer, “The Washington Times”
Thanks Ben!
Harbour Beautification
This topic continues to generate emails. With all the outdoor activities like biking and walking the condition of certain yards becomes pronounced. Lately the parking of cars in the front yard has been a topic. I am not sure why people believe this is an acceptable practice. I assure you, it is not! Please use your garage and driveway. We are planning on storage areas opening in the fall. I would like to start a list of those of you who would like to reserve a slot. Please email me at john@reinboldt.com or email the business office at ahpoa@aol.com. Additionally the area along the road next to culverts is also the residents responsibility. Although there are groups like the Beautification Committee who often walk the roads to pick up trash, they can’t do it all. For those of you that think the world is your trashcan, there is a $2,000.00 fine for littering, and cigarette butts count!
Thank you!!!!!
To all those who marched and all those who lined the streets for the July 4th parade. It was a great time. Thank you to the: Lions for the Antique Fire Truck, Hot Dogs, Sodas, Beer, Cotton Candy. The Corvette Club for attending and carrying the Beautification Committee who were our Grand Marshals, The Antique Car club for donating a free car, Stafford County Sheriffs Department for the Honor guard, the Stafford County K-9 Corp for their demonstration, the Aquia Harbour Rescue Squad and marching group, The Face Painters, The Balloon Factory, The Aquia Harbour Police (Major Wheeler and Officer Snyder) for a Bicycle Roundup, the Recreation Committee (Tina Klauser, Michelle Cregan, Pam Varmette, Claudia Edgar ) The Scouts for putting up all the flags and finally (If I missed someone, please accept my apologies). The Children and their decorated bikes!!!!!!!!!!
If you have any comments, concerns or questions please email me at john@reinboldt.com