President's Message

Dear Neighbor,

The Association, through the hard work of many volunteers, has been busy these past months completing a number of projects to enhance our community. Just prior to the start of summer, our Special Committee on Schools announced that FCPS determined our school pyramid (Oakview / Frost / Woodson) would remain intact. For nearly a year, members of our community monitored this important issue. In July, we enjoyed Movie Night, a joint venture with the Fairfax Station Swim & Tennis Club. This event was a great success and will become a part of our annual program. In September, we gathered to meet the new families that joined our neighborhood at the Newcomers Welcome hosted by Nancy and Bob Hoyler. The Special Committee on Utilities continues to represent our concerns to NOVEC and DVP, with noticeable improvement in performance during the past few months. Yet, we remain committed to even greater reliability by our service providers.

We also decided to try some new things. In August, our web site was enhanced with an electronic Message Board allowing residents the opportunity to connect, share ideas and improve communication. Thank you to Bill Fleury for the many hours he spends each month managing this resource. The Association also decided to publish a Phone Directory, which was completed and distributed in August. The entire cost of this project was funded through advertisements – just like the newsletter. In addition, we tackled a number of operational issues, including revising to the nomination and election process to promote greater transparency and fairness. This year, you will have the opportunity to elect two Directors at the Annual Meeting on November 3 at Fairview Elementary School at 7 pm.

Given our accomplishments this past year, we continue to look for ways to improve. The Association is beginning to address our evolving financial situation. There are two main issues. First, our annual expenses exceed our annual revenue (assessments) and have so for the past few years. The cost to manage our Association is greater than our ability to generate income to support operations at the current level. Efforts to offset expenses through advertisements and sponsorships have been successful, saving the Association several thousand dollars, but this will not rectify the fundamental disparity. Further, there is a limit to the number of projects volunteers can tackle (tree cutting, property cleanup, etc) given individual time constraints. As a result, the Association has been drawing down on our operating reserves, potentially exhausting this resource in the coming years at the current pace.

The second issue is the reserve fund – previously known as the pond fund. A recent study of the pond, completed by our engineering firm, identified the real possibility that the pond may require dredging, to remove excess sediment that impedes the health of the system, in as soon as 5 years. The potential cost of this project could be as much as $250,000. The reserve fund, established about 12 years ago to cover this expense, has approximately $70,000 available. Our annual contribution to this fund is insufficient to meet the projected shortfall. The proper maintenance of the pond, and the entire storm-water management system, is important and deserves proper investment. The next major engineering study of the pond is scheduled for 2016. We must decide if it is prudent to begin setting aside additional funds now to address this future expense. There will be a presentation on the study at the annual meeting. The purpose of this letter is to make you aware of the situation and to ask for input from those with an interest in assisting us. We will continue to look for ways to operate efficiently without sacrificing quality.

The original assessment, in 1978, was set at $180 per lot. Today, the assessment is $167 per lot. During our 33-year history, the contribution from each homeowner has actually decreased. On the surface, there is nothing wrong with this efficiency. Many have taken some pride in having assessments far below the average for other neighborhoods our size in the area. However, we will need to determine if a larger investment in our community is prudent if we want to maintain the services and standards we come to expect and enjoy. The challenge is to balance our finances so that we remain frugal but properly capitalized to meet our obligations. The financial strength of our Association is an important component to maintaining our reputation and value of our homes.

We are already developing some plans for next year as the Association continues to invest in our community. Among the initiatives will be a review of the architectural guidelines, as well as the process for monitoring and enforcing the restrictive covenants. We will hopefully simplify the process and ensure the rules are clear. As always, we will provide an opportunity for the community to contribute to the effort.

There is a strong need for community involvement – we need volunteers to help in managing the affairs of the Association. I would ask that you consider contributing a few hours to this worthy endeavor. If you have an interest and can make the time, please let me know.

Vinnie Burruano

President FSHOA