Archived Newsletters
Summer 2007 - February 2005

PRESIDENT'S REPORT Spring 2007 submitted by Steve Cleaves

Dear community members,

I would like to take this time to thank all of those who voted on the road issue and sent to us their letters and notes concerning their desires for the community.  We had 200 votes, which is about two thirds of the voting power of the community.  And I was very gratified that so many people took time to respond to this.  I realize that this is an emotional issue for many people for many reasons, and the board has worked diligently to find solutions to accommodate the desires of all sides.  The votes are in and counted and the results are that not a single option received a majority of votes to pass.  The chip seal option received 106 votes for 53%.  The lignon option received 19 votes for 8% of the vote, and the do-nothing option received 78 votes for 39%.

From the discussion at the annual meeting, it was apparent that most of the concerns about the chip seal option were speed and long term maintenance.  In addition, we received many comments on the ballots and in letters that were mailed indicating that some people voted for the do nothing option because there was not an option that they felt was viable.  Also, many people voted to do-nothing, yet they felt that the upgrade of the road base was very important.  It was just the surface option that many were dissatisfied with.  We had 10 responses indicating that they either did not like the surface option, or would have voted otherwise if the chip seal had been wider, or covered all 3 arterials.

Because we had 106 votes for the chip seal, 19 votes for the lignon, and many of the do nothing votes that wished we had the option to upgrade the road base, we clearly have a majority vote for improving the road base in this community.  In addition, if we wait to upgrade the road base, there would be an increase in the costs of the project to the community.  With an assessment of $160.00 per lot ($80.00 per campground lot), and the $100,000 loan from the Electric Co-op, we will be able to fund the sub base upgrade and take advantage of the fact that the Co-op will be paying for part of the excavation costs as they upgrade the electrical wires. The board has chosen to move forward with the project and to begin the upgrade of the road base only on Homestead Road .  This action does not involve any form of a final road surface as it was very clear from the membership that the road surface was in doubt.  The board felt that during the process of upgrading the base of the road we would have sufficient time to develop a proposal for controlling speed as well as a new proposal for a surface and that we would have time to present this for a vote of the community before the end of the year.  This action will save the community money in the long run,  and provide the necessary upgrades to Homestead which was supported by a majority of the votes  The board has asked the engineer to begin contract negotiations for the upgrade of the road base.  We will keep you informed as to the progress of this project.

Logging

Beginning about the 20th of June, the logging activity of the Forest Service will shift from West Fawn Road to East Fawn road. This process is expected to take about three weeks.  I ask for the patience and cooperation of the community during this time period.  The Forest Service apologizes for any inconvenience that this may cause, and they would like you to know that they will do the best they can to minimize these inconveniences.  In the spirit of cooperation, if you have any concerns, please call the Edelweiss office and register those concerns.  We will coordinate with the Forest Service to address any issues brought to our attention.  

Because of the grade and narrowness of East Fawn, the Forest Service feels compelled to close the road during logging operations for safety reasons.  I concur with this decision.  At the beginning of the logging process a road closed sign will go up.  What that means to our community is that between the hours of   4 a.m. to 3 p.m. the road is closed and no one may travel it.  After 3 p.m. community members may use the road.  Anyone using the road during the closed hours may be subject to a ticket.  The Forest Service does not have any inclination to issue tickets; however, if they feel that there is a safety issue being violated a ticket may be issued.  Anyone using the road who encounters a logging truck will be forced to back up to get out of the way.  The trucks have no option to back their way to clearance.

Thank you again for your cooperation in this matter.

Water system upgrade

Phase 1 of the water system upgrade will begin June 25th.  Over the next four weeks excavation from the Castle pumps up the draw to the pump house will be taking place.  We are upgrading the existing supply line from 4 inches to 6 inches.  The purpose of this upgrade is to stabilize this most critical portion of the water supply as well as complete the water system supply for maximum build out.  In addition, the electric Co-op will be participating with us by installing conduit in the same ditch in preparation for upgrading the electrical service to three phase. This cooperative effort results in savings for both organizations as well as starting the process for the co-op to stabilize electrical service to our community. 

For safety reasons during the excavation power may be turned off to protect the excavators.  If we have time for advanced notice it will be given by posting a sign at the entrance and by the mailboxes.  Otherwise, the power outages will be spur of the moment and should only last a few hours.  There are no extended outages planned.  Furthermore, the Co-op has agreed to rebalance power supply to the community to minimize the number of homes affected by an outage.

Water safety report

Is included for your review. We are pleased to report that our drinking water is safe and meets federal and state requirements.

LINDA'S MESSAGE  submitted by Linda McWhirter

Hi, everyone, first, I'd like to thank all of the wonderful volunteers who helped at our work party prior to the Annual Meeting this year. Larry Miller and Dell Schweitzer repaired the fire hose container at the pool and hung a sign at our public campground. Lots of other lot/homeowners sweated in the meadows and other areas pulling weeds and picking up trash. Let's continue to maintain this community spirit of activism all year by cleaning up our own lots, roads, and nearby common areas. (Then there won't be so much to do on the Memorial Day Weekend!) Feel free to call me if you have questions about whether you have noxious weeds on your lot, or check our website for more information.

Thanks, also, to Steve Cleaves who has taken on the often stressful role of “manager” during our drawn out search for a permanent replacement, and to Rich Molz, who has stayed on to do the daily hands on maintenance tasks that make Edelweiss such a great place to come home to.

I'd also like to thank those who have served and are serving (or may yet serve) on our Board of Trustees. It is a volunteer job that may cut into work and recreation schedules. And even though there are only 4 OFFICIAL meetings per year, there is a lot of work, communication, extra meetings, etc. that go on behind the scenes to deal with issues of concern and importance to our community. Thank you, Steve Cleaves, Dick Lindblad, Carol Volckmann, Karen Reneau, Anna Carver, Larry Goldie, Derek Phipps, Stan Wentzel, and Leonard Yerkes for all your diligent efforts!

(I'll thank the Long Range Planning Committee in the NEXT newsletter, by then I'm sure they will have solved the speed and road surface concerns of the community!!)

Last, I'd like to thank John Caesar, who managed to have faith in my abilities to actually learn bookkeeping, despite the fact that my years of education and teaching focused on anthropology and the humanities, and seldom involved anything mathematical. I truly enjoyed and will miss working with him. Thank you, John, for providing guidance for me, and for pointing Edelweiss in some new and positive directions.

Architectural Review

There has been some confusion recently about whether constructing moveable sheds or structures require review of the Architectural Committee. According to our covenants, any structure (additions, sheds, etc.) to be built need to go before the Architectural Review Committee, even if a building permit is not required. The $100.00 fee for additions/remodels pertains only to those structures requiring a building permit. So, even if you don't need a building permit, and your structure can be moved, it must still go before the review committee.  Please review the Architectural Guidelines and Covenants posted on our website if you have questions about construction requirements.

Fall Chipping

Sign up for fall chipping if you missed the chance to get on the spring list. You can email or call me, lmcwhirter000@centurytel.net, or 509-996-9232.

Edelweiss Directory

I have put together an Edelweiss Directory that contains about 42 names of our community members. To save postage and printing fees, all you need to do if you want a copy is to give me your email address (if you didn’t already do so in the directory info.) and I will email you a copy. I have a few email addresses on the directory that came back undeliverable, so if your email has changed, please let me know. In addition, if you would like to be included in the directory, please send me the information you would like me to include (see directory categories).

That's all for now. Have a wonderful summer, and remember, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DRIVE 15 MPH! And during the really dry, hot weather, please slow to 10 MPH when driving by homes.

Fall 2006 Manager’s Report:  Tuesday, October 31, 2006

It was 16 degrees in Edelweiss this Halloween morning with snow in the distant peaks.  Edelweiss is winterized and ready for another big snow year as forecasted by Bill Biddle.  I am happy to report that the initial budget for 2007 is complete and ready for Board review.  The good news is we have decent funds to tackle some significant improvements for 2007 thanks to the hard work of the Long Range Planning Committee and Board.  We have a lot on the table for 2007.

The Long Range Planning Committee is finalizing a proposal to the Board to address permanent dust abatement, storm/thaw drainage, upgrading to 3 phase electric, traffic calming, trail system and a full scale water main improvement.  Stay tuned.

Fire Awareness:  Be sure to read the Edelweiss Fire Alert “White Paper” put out by Dick Volckmann and the Fire Awareness Committee that was organized this summer in response to a small fire started in Edelweiss, as well as  the Evacuation Stage we experienced.  Additionally, the committee has coordinated with the Coop to upgrade our electric from single phase to three phase starting next summer.  Not only will the upgrade bring greater reliability, cleaner power and less brown/blackouts, it will eliminate the high risk associated with the overhead electric coming into the community which has been responsible for two fires in the past 3 years.

Water Fee Change:  New water fee bills will have hit your mailbox prior to this newsletter.  The change takes effect for the Fall 06’ billing as announced at the annual meeting and in past communications.  We still have very inexpensive water rates in comparison to other communities but the increase greatly improves our ability to address much needed infrastructure improvement.  For more information, please go to our website on “Water Fee Change.”

Septic Smells:  The County has been out several times in response to complaints of sewer smell.  Our system for the most part is in “good” shape.  The County is concerned that several homeowners on the system may need maintenance and that the smells are from individual systems.  Leland Moore (Utility System Operator) for the County will be preparing a “Community Sewer Do’s & Don’t’s” list for publication on our website so keep you eyes open.  In the mean time, he suggested at a minimum, pumping every 1 to 3 years to minimize damage to our community system and private pumps that are not designed to handle sludge buildup.  Pumpco (422-3846) will conduct an assessment of your private system for approximately $50.  Lee will be talking to JA Wright to see if they would put together an assessment program for our homeowners as well.  Bottom line is, even though we have a community septic system, we still need to maintain our private pumps and affluent tanks.

Audit:  The 2005 audit is completed and Edelweiss is in good standing.  Thanks go out to Karen Reneau for her leadership and assistance in bringing our bookkeeping, record keeping, and systems up to pace with our growing community.  Though it is behind the scenes and not a noticeable improvement, the need to upgrade our administrative operations, policies and procedures was highly recommended by the CPA.  Thanks Karen!  Look for the Audit Report on our Website after the Fall Board Meeting Review.

Cattle:  Yes, we had cattle again this year.  We aren’t bullet proof, but the problem was greatly reduced as compared to last year, especially up West Fawn.  We have identified new fencing needs and problem areas needing more attention.  I have budgeted money to address those improvements for next year.  The Forest Service as well, will address several weak points in 2007.  We may still have cows next year but with persistence, we can continue to minimize the problem.  A big contributor this year was the fact we had cattle above us for the entire season because of the Cub Creek closure due to the fires.  Food ran out and the cattle were very aggressive in seeking out a path to greener pastures.

November 3 (late addition).  Tractor blew its head gasket while loading sand for our first winter storm.                        

That’s all for now!  John                                            

Fall 2006 President’s Message  ........ submitted by Steve Cleaves

Edelweiss has had a very busy year working on solutions to the myriad of issues that needs attention by the board.  Most of these have been dealt with through the Long Range Planning Committee (LRP). The LRP also has worked diligently to identify the budget shortfalls that have been creating issues of maintenance for our community.  It looked at the water system, the road system, the sewer system, the campground, and snow removal.

The primary issue on our list has been how to deal with the road dust.  To that end the LRP undertook an extensive study to identify possible solutions to this problem.  The result was a recommendation to the board to upgrade the existing road surface and re-grade it with a center coat of chip seal 10 feet wide and gravel as the primary drive surface.  Chip seal is a hardened gravel surface which would maintain the rural feel of the community.  The board considered this proposal carefully and was concerned about two issues.  One was financial and the second was the emotional issue of ‘paving’ our roads which many fulltime residents prefer not to do.  To help solve this dilemma the board asked the committee to prepare three alternatives detailing the actions and costs necessary to implement each.  These are 1.  The chip seal approach, 2. A chemical treatment approach that would be fairly certain to work, and 3. A short term chemical treatment program that would fit our annual budget.  The board did make a commitment to implement one of these three approaches in 2007.  The board asked the committee to prepare a report to the membership of the three alternatives to be presented at the annual meeting of 2007.

We have already reported on the water system and implemented our new fee structure to make the water system more self supporting.  Additionally, we have a plan to upgrade our water distribution system prepared by an engineer many years ago.  This year we completed the second phase of upgrade by installing the 110,000 gallon water tank which is now operational.  The next phase is the upgrade of the distribution pipes to size them correctly for the demand of the full community.  The board approved the LRP proposal to implement the first 4 sections of the distribution upgrade.  This will be funded by the fees collected by the past assessments which are already in the bank.  Consequently we will be having much construction next year.  I ask for your patience.  There is an added bonus to this upgrade as the Electric Coop wants to upgrade the electrical distribution in our community.  To that end they have offered to pay for some of the excavation costs if they can bury their conduit in our water trench.  This is a win-win for both organizations.

The campground facilities have been a source of frustration for many members and the board has budgeted for repair and upgrade of the campground building.  It is also considering how to get representation by the camp owners on the LRP or Board directly. More on that will follow.

For all this effort I would like to ask you to join me in thanking the members of the LRP committee for all their time and energy that help make our community what it is today.  Jim McDonald (chairman) Leonard Yerkes, Alan Fahnestock,  Don Fitzpatrick and John Caesar have done an outstanding job. 

I especially would like to thank Jim McDonald for chairing this committee.  He has recently resigned from the committee for personal reasons and his presence will be missed.  He has provided insight, diligence, and a clearheaded approach to a difficult process. His energy, leadership and enthusiasm have accomplished great things.

Enjoy the snow that is now falling!                        Steve Cleaves

Fall 2006 LINDA’S MESSAGE…………….submitted by Linda McWhirter

Hi, everyone,

What a lovely Autumn beginning, and what a soggy ending! (And by the time this gets mailed, we will have a foot of snow!)

(My apologies for getting this out later than expected. We were waiting to get the budget to include in this newsletter for your perusal. The budget meeting will be held Saturday, December 30^th, at 9:00 AM at the home of Jim and Judy McDonald, 54 Homestead .)

More budget information (Budget Assumptions & Notes) will be posted on the website.

I am going to keep my message short in order to make room for the enclosed White Paper, created by the illustrious Volkmanns. Please take the time to read it, and save the links provided for your benefit.

The only information I want to add to this and John’s report consists of some tips to help make your winter here more enjoyable, (a winter with no broken pipes, or broken bones!)

Some things to remember:

If you are a part timer, or will be leaving for an extended period of time, blow out your irrigation lines, insulate hose bibs, drain water from your house (if possible), or turn off the water and turn the thermostat to 50 or 55. Leave the cabinet doors open in kitchen and bath(s) to allow warm air around the pipes. It might also be beneficial to have a neighbor or property management company do periodic “security checks” for your home.

And EVERYONE should remember that 4WD and chains/studs are an Edelweiss necessity in the winter. We live in an area where treacherous conditions frequently occur, even on days when it does not snow (due to the freeze/thaw conditions on our snow packed roads.) The predicted conditions for this winter will be similar to those of last winter (slushy, snowy, difficult to plow, and difficult to drive in.)  Keep emergency clothing/boots, etc. in your car in case you get stuck and have to hike home, like I had to when my all wheel drive, studded tire Subaru slid sideways down Highland Road one evening.

And, if you don’t already have the numbers of the two contractors who have been snowplowing people’s driveways, here they are again:  Gary Maxwell, 997-4644  and  Rick Le Duc,  996-3525

Have a safe and enjoyable winter!              Linda

PS…..Due to the extra postage required for this newsletter (necessitated by including the “White Paper” and Budget), the Winter Newsletter (January is the goal!) will appear on our website (www.edelweissmethowvalley.org) , and will not be mailed. If you desperately need a hard copy, please contact the office, 509-996-9232, or email me (lmcwhirter000@centurytel.net)

Edelweiss - Fire Alert White Paper 2006-2007

 Edelweiss Emergency Preparedness Committee: Richard Volckmann,John Caesar,& Larry McWhirter

Challenges

We all learned many good lessons this last August. Our biggest concern in this area is Forest Fires - especially during the dry summer season.  And our number one challenge is - COMMUNICATION.

 What EMC Can Do (with your help)

• EMC, with your help, intends to develop a “Phone Tree” -- where each full time resident will have at least three part time residents to call in the case of an emergency.

      EMC needs a complete up-to-date phone list for each member (making sure that the phone number given has “message” capability). Please send in your information no later than March 1, 2007 including your phone number, lot number and address of property. It also would be helpful if EMC had your email address. And … PLEASE… make sure you update our files as to any changes. (Many of you have already sent this information in to our office as a result of the request in our summer newsletter….thank you if you have already done so!)

• EMC’s Manager will coordinate with the Fire Officials and the local law enforcement to keep up to date on all emergencies.
• EMC will post emergency alerts on the web site and up date the alerts with any and all changes. Please see some helpful “links” below to keep in touch.

 Preparing your property

(Lessons we learned from the Firefighters 2005 Season)

The number one fire danger is fuel! Fuel is defined as - dead trees, fallen trees, and heavy undergrowth. All dead wood and dense vegetation should be kept at a distance of at least 30’ from any structure. Move all firewood away from your home at least 30’. If this is not cleared up it will only intensify the fire. If your lot is cleared of the debris, there is a very good chance the fire will rush on through without major devastation to your lot or your neighbor’s. In addition, limb up all trees to a height of at least 10 feet. Pine needles and mulch should be raked 5 feet away from your house.

Level ONE-GET SET - There is a fire that could become a danger to you and your property. Do you have a plan? This is the time to make one. Make up a list of all the things you want to get done.

Level TWO-GET READY - get ready to evacuate. Prepare your home, make sure you have a plan to evacuate at a moment’s notice. Make sure you know where you are going and let others know where you are going to be. Make sure you have your medications.

• Have a plan for your pets and livestock

• Box up important papers, photos, computer discs
•  Set up hoses around the house. The proper precaution currently is to set sprinklers strategically and DO NOT water as most of the water will evaporate and/or dissipate into the soil with little benefit. If you start your sprinklers at this stage, the community WILL run out of water.
• Strategically establish water hoses/sprinklers with full radius heads. 
• Make sure all fuels are totally away from any structure - clear out any fuels from under decks.
• Access propane tanks and have the ability to readily shut off the service to home.

Level THREE -GO - Evacuate immediately – NOW, not in three or four hours.

• Turn off your propane to your home
• Close all windows
• Leave Blinds UP unless they are metal
• Turn off all fans
• Close or tape over all vents to the outside
• Now you can turn on your sprinklers

Absentee Home Owners - What You Can Do

As fire season approaches you can prepare you property to be ready for an emergency. Think ahead, especially during fire season - every time you leave your property take out your “Level Two”  and “Level Three” check lists and made sure everything is ready - except, please do not turn on your water.

            *Keep posted on the EMC website for updates.

            *Check in on the other Links listed below

            *Check in with a full time resident and make sure they have your phone numbers

Links

www.edelweissmethowvalley.org          Edelweiss’ web site for on going information about                                                                    our community

www.dnr.wa.gov/fire                            Information on WA fires

www.inciweb.org/incident                     The latest information on any and all the fires

www.firewise.org                                 Access information about fire wise construction and                                                       landscaping: creating a fire wise property

www.nfpa.org                                      National Fire Protection Association    

 It is all about “Communication” - Communication is our best defense - keeping all of us informed and taking responsibility for our own properties.

A special thanks to John Caesar for gathering most of this information from the local and county officials – and to fire and law enforcement officials for their input.

 Spring 2006 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE…….submitted by Steve Cleaves

It has been a long and snow filled winter with the attending problems of road clearing. I would like to thank John Caesar and Rich Molz (yes, he still works for us) and their tireless efforts to keep our roads passable. I heard that other communities got behind in the heavy snowfall and had to hire outside plowing to keep their roads open. John and Rich did it all themselves and deserve our admiration. I also heard they had some sleepless nights.

Now the snow is gone and our thoughts are turning to the outside and our yards. As part of your post winter cleanup I would like to ask you to consider two things. One, we have miles of drainage ditches along our roads that reduce the erosion caused by water runoff. These ditches need to remain clear of debris and growing vegetation in order to be effective. It would be a tremendous assistance to our staff if each lot owner would take some time to clean out the ditch along their own property of any blow down, leaves, or growing trees/shrubbery. This shrubbery grows rapidly and then overhangs the road possibly scratching our cars. This is especially true of larger trees/shrubs that may be growing up to 10 feet away from the road, but lean over with the snow weight and stick out into the roadway. These are definitely the landowner’s responsibility to maintain and remove. Please, be a good neighbor and help keep our roads clear.

Firewise: We, as a community, have put considerable resources into cleaning up our land to reduce fire risk. I would like our community to maintain our new level of safety by periodic maintenance of undergrowth. Trees and undergrowth continue to grow, so as part of your spring cleanup routine, take a walk through your property with your attention to fire risk. Is your undergrowth getting too thick or tall, creating potential fire ladder fuel into your trees? Is the shrubbery getting thick and crowded, increasing the risk of a ground fire moving quickly towards your house? Is the defensible space between your trees/large shrubs and your house getting smaller because of new growth? Look down on the ground and remove new tree/shrub starts while they are easy to pull in order to prevent future crowding. A few hours spent each year by each property owner can save money and prevent land damage by big equipment later. You will get fresh air and good exercise also, to prepare you for summer fun.

Speaking of Firewise, we have submitted a new grant proposal so that we could continue the program to the untreated areas of the community. Our priorities are on the lots which have requested treatment, but have not yet been treated, then on the lots which pose the greatest risk to the community as a whole, and ultimately on new lots that will have a chance to sign up for service. The proposal is currently being processed and we should know later this year if we were awarded any funds.

As part of the original grant we funded the creation of the Edelweiss Development Community Wildfire Protection Plan. I have a copy of the completed document in my hand, and we will post a copy of it to our web page some time next month. My thanks go to Arnie Arneson and John Caesar for completing this document. It will become one link in the fire plan for the Methow Valley , Okanogan County , and the Forest Service.

 The Long Range Planning (LRP) Committee has been busy looking at our water system, community septic system, and our road system with an eye to making these systems more cost effective and functional for the community. The Board of Directors is currently considering a recommendation from the committee regarding the water system. We will be bringing this issue to the community at our annual meeting. I encourage all our members to attend our annual meeting to get a complete report of what is happening in our community. We are introducing more social and potluck opportunities than we have had in the past.

The roads are always a source of much discussion because of dust and maintenance. This is currently a high priority for the LRP Committee. In the meantime, each member of the community can take personal action to mitigate the problems we have with the roads.

Wash-boarding is one issue that causes much wear and tear on our cars. This is caused by the spinning of tires as we drive along the road. Each time we hit a bump (like a rock or twig) the tire spins a minute amount, shifting the gravel and creating ridges. This is a self perpetuating situation, and washboards form. The primary cause of this is the loose gravel and the uneven surface (these are always present with our current roads). The second biggest cause is SPEED. With greater speed there is more bounce and greater spinning of the tires and consequently more wash-boarding.

Dust is the most vigorously discussed problem in connection with the roads. Did you know that by reducing your speed from 25 mph to 15 mph that the dust cloud diminishes by more than half? If each person driving, especially the full-time residents, were to drive at 10-15 mph, we could reduce our dust by more than half. So here is my request. By each person driving in our community at a 10-15 mph speed, and shifting into low gear when climbing hills, we can significantly reduce our dust and washboards, and also increase the safety for pedestrians and children.

As previously mentioned, I would like to increase the social component of our community. In the past we had Christmas dinners, work parties with potlucks, and other types of gatherings which helped us to know each other. What a great way to increase the warmth, vitality, and camaraderie  of our beautiful community. To this end, I would like to create a Social Committee of some of our members to consider, plan, and organize these kinds of events, one or two per year. Any person interested in serving on this committee, please contact Linda McWhirter via email or phone.

That is all for now. Have a great spring!

Steve Cleaves

Spring 2006 MANAGER’S REPORT……..submitted by John Caesar

Happy Spring!  Well, if it looks like not much is happening with the roads and heavy cleanup……it’s not. Our Belarus tractor has blown its third head gasket since this Fall. Fortunately, we were able to get to the worst parts of Homestead and Highland prior, but we have much needed road grading throughout Edelweiss as a result of the excessive runoff this year. So, I am Spring Cleaning. The maintenance shed is operational and for probably the first time in Edelweiss history, every tool and supply has a nice neat home. With the help of Larry McWhirter (county dump express), we are on a mission to reclaim our facilities and rid Edelweiss of its collection of unwanted and “heavy” junk.

Pool drainage has begun and I am mid stride with regard to getting the pool ready for the warm weather. I’ve emptied the pool room of all its old furnaces, pumps and junk, and recently got our new furnace hooked up. Plans for the pool facility include removing the old failing border tile and replacing it with a clean new “pool” tile, installing some timed irrigation to better feed our lawns, and if time allows, condition the distressed fencing around the pool facility. If the pool is not enough for you, I am planning on rebuilding the sand volley ball court and horse-shoe pits, as well as a small sandbox for the little ones.

The Long Range Planning Committee is off and running. I couldn’t be happier with the effectiveness of this committee. The leadership of Jim McDonald coupled with a very select, concerned, and competent membership, is proving to be an invaluable tool for the Board to chart its direction. A hearty welcome to our newest member, Leonard Yerkes, who will certainly prove to be invaluable to our efforts. (Another talented neighbor for Edelweiss to exploit! J) Currently, the committee is tackling professional fact finding research and data collection with regards to our roads, water, and sewer systems. Our objective is to analyze Edelweiss parts as they exist within the whole to better guide our resources and decision making. A very detailed and complex study of our water system has made it very clear that we need to make some much needed modifications to the way we fund and manage our water here in Edelweiss, not just for this year, but looking forward ten and twenty years. We are looking for professional advice with regard to our road system, and more importantly the issue of “dust”. The Committee has created a road vision statement that will guide the efforts of a civil engineer who has been charged with the study and ultimate report generation. What we hope to gain from these efforts is a professional, cost effective document that will guide the Edelweiss vision for many years to come. To see more on this vision, please check out our website.

Lastly, one comment about  “dust abatement”. First, I must admit, “I am guilty too, but I do try hard”. I have noticed a few things since I’ve been here. The most glaring is the fact that an auto driving 35 produces at least twice as the dust plume as an auto that is driving 15-20. Try it sometime. Do the “Edelweiss Dust Test” and see the results I your own rear view mirror for yourself. We have the power to cut our dust problem in half right now and it doesn’t cost our community a single dollar.

See you at the pool!                                                                                John Caesar

Spring 2006 THE FINAL PAGE!........submitted by Linda McWhirter

SPRING CHIPPING:

Well, it looks as if our spring chipping will be summer chipping. John can’t start it until June when our equipment is all back on track. Please email me or John if you want to get on the list. It is $45.00 an hour.

BOARD MEMBERS:

            We have a number of board vacancies which need to be filled this year. We have             wonderful new leadership in our manager and fellow community member, John Caesar, and this would be a great opportunity to be part of creating an even better Edelweiss. Please contact  me or Steve Cleaves if you are interested in joining this great team!

 MAINTENANCE CORNER:

            John and I would like to begin compiling a list of minor maintenance/improvement issues that we and the community could address. If you notice some things that need fixing or improving, please call or email the office. We would like to renew the tradition of organizing work parties to deal with some of these things, with a subsequent potluck and social gathering to help foster a greater sense of community.

TRASH AND WEED WALKS:

            Continuing with the theme of improving the community and encouraging more social interaction (plus adding the exercise component!), we are going to have “trash and weed walks” on Saturdays, 9:00AM , beginning in May. Meet at the pool and bring plastic bags. We will organize walks through Edelweiss to pick up trash, and pull any of the noxious weeds along the roads. The weeds may not be tall enough to pull until June. If we run out of trash to pick up in Edelweiss, we can walk up and down Goat Creek Rd. There is plenty of trash there! If the Saturday, 9:00 AM time does not work for you, organize your own “trash/weed walk”. If everyone does a little bit each week or month, it will make a large and positive difference.

WEBSITE:

            Please remember to check out our website periodically. Karen Reneau has done a great job with it, and there is a lot of great information there. In particular, check out our Long Range Planning Committee summaries to see how our community is trying to develop plans to face future challenges.

ANNUAL MEETING/POTLUCK!   John & others are hosting a barbeque! Bring a pot luck dish and beverage.  Saturday, May 27^th, lunch at 12:00, followed by the annual meeting at 1:00 . See you there!

 Linda     

Edelweiss Maintenance Commission  HCR 74  Box 88-C  Winthrop , WA 98862

Letter from the President / Winter 2005 - 2006

Dear Edelweiss Member:

This has been a busy year for the Edelweiss Maintenance Commission. Since the annual meeting, our manager, Rich Molz, has retired and the board filled his position with John Caesar who is doing a fantastic job. Additionally, Sean McCabe our board president has resigned his presidency and I have been appointed to the presidency.

For those of you who do not know me, I am Steve Cleaves and I live at 41 Trillium Road at the top of Edelweiss. My wife, Randa and I moved here permanently in 2002 when I started building our house. We moved in July 2003. I enjoy working with John Caesar and hope to continue to make Edelweiss the Thriving Community that so many people have worked for.

A couple of business items:

1. The board has approved the 2006 budget and there will be a member meeting on January 1^st, 2006 at 10:00 AM at the Campground building to approve the budget. Hope to see you there.

2. The board has created a Long Range Planning Committee to identify the long-term needs for the community infrastructure. The committee chairman is Jim McDonald, and John Caesar is a committee member.

The EMC Board of Directors is requesting your input for this committee. We have many challenges facing the community in terms of growth; maintaining the water systems, roads, pool facility, and other structures in the community. How should we fund future maintenance of the water system as we approach build-out? How should we fund road maintenance? Should paving be considered for some of the roads….and if so…..how should that be funded?

Please share with us your thoughts on these topics.

If you are interested in participating on the committee or would just like to share your thoughts, please email Jim at mazama90@msn.com.

Sometime during the Christmas to New Years week, we will be meeting to discuss these topics.

3. We have begun construction of the new maintenance shed discussed at the annual meeting. Our goal is to complete construction by January 15^th, 2006 . Its location is adjacent to the garbage facility.

4. Speaking of garbage, it has come to my attention that some persons have been abusing the garbage service. First, garbage is thrown into the common garbage area without making any attempt to place it in the dumpsters. We have four dumpsters now and except for long summer holidays they are all rarely filled. If the front dumpsters are full, please use the rear dumpsters. Also, please do not overfill the dumpster if there is space in other dumpsters. This will make John’s job easier as he is the person who has to pick up the garbage and tidy the area. Just for a moment consider if you had that job to do every week.

Second, some individuals are leaving large items like barbeques, tires, car batteries, etc. at the garbage facility, which takes up space and require special handling as hazardous materials. Edelweiss is not a full service garbage dump and any fees for hazardous materials are born by you the membership. I know it is easy to just drop it off here instead of taking it home with you, but consider what you would have to do at home. Remember the Twisp Transfer Station is open   Tuesdays and Thursdays noon to 4:00 PM and Saturday all day. Please be a considerate community member and dispose of these types of garbage in an appropriate manner.

Finally, the garbage facility is divided. One side is for the full-time residents who pay for their own garbage service (by can). The other side is for the part time residences that pay the full cost for those dumpsters and the cost of the facility expansion. Please make sure you use the side you pay for.

Please click on the survey so you can provide input to the board. We can always use special abilities like accounting, business planning, etc. and if you have any desire or interest in helping the community and board please take a moment to complete the survey. Or email your thoughts to larrylinda@methow.com.

Thanks so much for your time and consideration. Hope you have a wonderful holiday. See you on the ski trails.

Steve Cleaves, President

LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE / John A. Caesar

At the November 2005 EMC Board Meeting, a very important committee was created to study the Commission’s immediate and long term financial needs in an effort to pro-actively address our current and anticipated capital improvements. The purpose of the committee is three fold:

1. Create and maintain a facilities project list of necessary and anticipated improvements.

2. Research the improvement immediacy, cost, and effectiveness of the improvements.

3. Prioritize and take an active role in the planning, timeliness, and budgeting of all improvement needs.

Additionally, the committee will be conducting a 10 year vision study to anticipate major capital outlays as our infrastructure depreciates to the point of necessary upgrades and improvements. This study will include:

1. Infrastructure Sustainability: Do our current profit centers adequately provide for the long term sustainability of their corresponding expense centers? (i.e. water system)

2. Infrastructure Depreciation: As pumps, water mains, and buildings age and depreciate, what anticipated major expenses should we expect in the next 10 years?

We need you! EMC Treasurer, Jim McDonald, will be chairing this committee assisted by manager John Caesar. We are looking for 2-3 volunteers who have a long term interest in Edelweiss, coupled with a background that would bring value to this team of individuals. This is a “Big Picture” committee that will review, research, prioritize, and implement the Edelweiss long term planning. Already on the initial LRP docket are the following:

• Community Building :                    Roof leaks
• Pool:                                          Mandated drain upgrade
• Water System:                            Cost/Expense Study (metering)
• Water System:                            Anticipated major failures
• Campground Facilities:                 Mechanicals
• Roads:                                       Dust Abatement/Pavement
• Garbage:                                    Growth needs
• Fencing:                                     Improvement and maintenance
• Equipment:                                 Roads, Snowplowing, Chipping, Maintenance

If you are interested in being on this committee, or simply have questions, please call the EMC office and I will be in contact with you.

 Thank you, John A. Caesar

Edelweiss Maintenance Commission

Operating Budget Assumptions and Notes

FYE-December 31, 2006

 Fee Income

Branch Chipping – As per past 12 months actual plus projected fall chipping billings.

Building Fees – Assumes 12 new home construction applications @ $600 each ($750 gross fee, less $150 refundable deposit)

Garbage Fees – Assumes a fee increase of $10 to recoup the cost of expanding garbage building per prior board discussions; 104 P/T @ $40, 25 Campground @ $10.

-          Per 2/19/05 Board Minutes, this re-coup fee will be amortized over a 5 yr. period.

-          Re-coup fee increase will terminate for FY 2011

Interest: A/R – As per past 12 months actual

Maintenance Fees – Assumes consumer price index (CPI) increase of 4%. Maintenance fee rates are increased by the CPI as allowed by EMC’s governing documents. Assumes (3) lot consolidations.

            324       residential lots                @         $337

            25         campground lots             @         $182

Snowplowing & Sanding Fees – 50% of snow/sanding expense

Water Fees – {assumes no rate increase}

            40         full time homes              @         $180

            104       part time homes             @         $90

            8          hose bib connects           @         $20

 Other Income

Facility Keys – As per past 12 months.

Interest Income – Interest income on all but the water system account. As per past 12 months plus 10% projected increase in interest rate.

Laundromat – assumes $40 per year.

Water Meters – Assumes 12 meters @ $182

Expenses

 Fire Control: Branch Chipping – Assumes 48 hours @$48.40 (2 workers @ $22/hr. plus 10% p/r tax), diesel fuel $400, chipper maintenance $400.

General R&M: Repairs – As per 2005 Budget + $8,000 budget to restore Edelweiss property fencing to keep out “Free Range Cattle.”

General R&M: Supplies – As per 2005 Budget.

General R&M: Tools & Equipment – As per 2005 Budget.

Insurance – As per 12 months actual plus 5% contingency allowance.

Legal Services – 5 hours @ $120

CPA Audit – As per 2005 Budget

Management Service – Manager salary as of January 1, 2006

Office Supplies – As per 2005 Budget.

Part-time Help – 20 hrs/week @ $13.30/hr (Larry and Linda), Rich 50 hrs/year @ $25. {Rich – 20 hrs. accounting, 20 hrs. water system, 10 hrs. general consult}

Postage – As per past 12 months actual.

Website/Internet – Assumes $365 for “Medicine Wheel” for website plus $240 for dial-up internet access. Additional $200 per year for website updates.

Miscellaneous – As per 2005 Budget.

Pool Facility: Permits and Licenses – As per 2005 actual.

Pool Facility: Propane – As per 2005 actual.

Pool Facility: Repair & Maintenance

Pool Chemicals =                      $425

Annual Flowers =                     $100

Volleyball court rehab =          $300

Pool Tiles =                              $2,500

Contingency =                             $300

Road System: Grading

Labor =           130 hrs @ $22/hr. (including p/r tax)

Tractor R&M =                  $2,000

Fuel =                          $1,050

Tractor Insurance =            $600

 Road System: Improvements – Assumes gravel spreading at the following road sections; costs include delivered gravel, grading of gravel by the manager and fuel costs.

Highland Road :  Beginning at 200’ downhill from old pump house and ending at Crabapple Road intersection. $3700

Highland Road:  400’ section within lower half of Highland Roads where rocks are protruding from the surface. $900

Fawn Road:  Northern 300’ $500

Trillium Road:  Eastern most 300’ $500

Crabapple Road:  Northern 300’ $500

Dust Abatement:  $5,000

Snow Removal & Sanding – Assumes a moderate volume/frequency of snowfall and no capitalized equipment purchases. The expense breakdown is as follows: $7,700 Loan repayment to EMC savings account (99’ F-350) $2,500 *amortized over 5 years (last repay year 2010)

Vehicle Insurance (Assumes dropping to liability only) $1,500

Fuel $4,000

Vehicle/plow repair & maintenance $2,000

Sand $1,800

Supplies & expendable hardware $300

Vehicle license tabs $180

*labor rate is $28/hr ($30.80/hr including P/R tax)

Federal Income Tax – 30% of interest earnings

Fees – As per 2005 actual

Medicare – 1.45% of manager’s base salary and part-time wages.

Payroll Taxes – Assumes rates (unemployment & L&I) remain at 2005 levels. L&I = 3010 hrs @.58275 $1,754

State unemployment = $378  Federal unemployment $122  

Property Taxes – As per 2005 budget (.008 Fed)

Social Security – 6.2% of manager’s base salary and part-time wages.

Electricity – Per 2005 actual plus $1,500 allowance for heating maintenance building plus 10% allowance for increased pump activity due to home constructions.

Refuse – Past 12 months actual pus 10% for increased volume due to new home construction.

Telephone – As per past 12 months actual plus an additional $100 for Board conference calling.

Water System: Emergency Repairs – As per 2005 budget

Water System: General Repairs & Maintenance – Allow $1,200

Water System: Water Tests – As per 2005 budget

Water System: Water Meters – 12 @ $182

Weed Control – As per 2005 actual  

·         Note:  The EMC Board has approved a deficit budget this year of -$2,718. Original budget submission showed a surplus but the Board felt it necessary to address the “Free Range Cattle” problem immediately without going to the membership for a special assessment to cover the estimated $8,000 cost to secure the Edelweiss boundaries.

Edelweiss Maintenance Commission

FALL NEWSLETTER, 2005

President’s Message *…..........submitted by Sean McCabe

Let me start by wishing everyone a happy fall season. Hopefully you have all been able to enjoy a bit of the good weather we have been having. The cool nights and warm days sure are a treat.

The big news is that Edelweiss has a new manager. John Caesar was recently hired to take over Rich Molz’s position at the start of September. Rich left some big shoes to fill, but it seems as though John is up for the challenge and is certainly well qualified for the job. On behalf of the entire community I would like to thank the board, Rich Molz, and Steve Cleaves for all the hours they put into the search, hiring, and interview process. It was a bit of a busy, stressful period, but I am confident we are through the tough part.

Many of you have called and expressed concern over the recent cow problem. If you are not aware of the situation, let me explain. Edelweiss property borders National Forest Service land, some State land, and some Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. These lands are leased out to a local rancher and first generation Methow Valley man, Troy Acord. Unfortunately during the fall season the cows tend to move down from the Forest Service high lands into the lower Edelweiss meadows. This has caused a bit of a problem for some of our neighbors, especially those of you along the meadows or those bordering the Forest Service land. I have been in personal contact with Troy many times and we are working with him to safely and fairly solve this problem. We have discovered what seems to be the problem, an unfenced area directly above the hairpin turn on Highland Road near the pump house. It is my understanding that Edelweiss is the party responsible for keeping the fence up and in good repair, but we are at the time of this writing still looking into the matter. I would ask that you all be patient and please be respectful to Mr. Acord. He is an outstanding, hard working, honest man and wants nothing better than to see the situation resolved in a fair and cooperative manner. We will keep you all up to speed on new developments.

As we head towards winter let me remind every one to prepare for wet, snowy driving conditions and cold temperatures. Strive to be responsible, safe drivers and keep an eye out for kids playing in the snow. Oh yeah, ski fast!!

With a handshake,

Sean

 *(note: shortly after writing this, Sean resigned as president due to not having enough time to devote to the job. Steve Cleaves, as vice president, is now serving as president until new elections can be held.)

MANAGER’S REPORT…………..submitted by John Caesar

Thanks to all the home and property owners who have stopped to say Hi. What a nice community of property owners! It has been fun putting resident names with faces and I look forward to meeting the rest of you soon.

Perhaps more than anything, most of you would like to hear about the “cow” situation. To keep it short and to the point, the cows have been extra devious this year, causing private property damage as well as a danger at night for drivers on Goat Creek Road . I have committed a fair amount of time to understand the problem in an effort to find a more permanent fix for years to come. The Forest Service and the permit tee (Troy Acord) have been extremely helpful and have committed as well to finding a solution to this problem. As most of you realize, Okanogan County is a “ Free Range ” county. This means that if we don’t want cows trespassing on our private property, it is our responsibility to fence them out. By law, any fence that is “border” fence is the private property holders’ responsibility to maintain. Any fence that has forest service on both sides is the permit tee’s responsibility to maintain. I have reviewed Troy ’s permit, and he has been maintaining his assigned fence line. The problem falls on Edelweiss, which has not been maintaining its border fencing. As a result, Edelweiss has roughly 1 ¾ miles of fence that is simply missing, or so dilapidated, that it has become useless over the years. With the assistance of Berent Culp at the Forest Service, we have hiked and downloaded the entire fence line GPS data points onto an aerial photograph of Edelweiss which provides us a very clear picture of our “good” fence line as well as “missing” fence line. Additionally, we have identified several weak areas that need additional fencing to make Edelweiss as secure from cows as possible. I will be presenting the visual to the Board in November in hopes of formulating a plan to tighten up our borders. I have also received permission to put Edelweiss locks on all the cattle guard gates, which will eliminate the problem of careless visitors who leave the gates open when passing through. Once we have a secure fence, I will be creating a maintenance plan to keep the Edelweiss fence in good repair for the years to come.

That was long, so I’ll just touch on a few other items. First, our new above ground Cassal Reservoir has been delivered and should be completed by snow fall. This will give us all the capacity needed for 100% build out. Second, the architectural review board has approved plans for our new maintenance shed at the campground. I am excited to gather all the tools and equipment spread throughout Edelweiss into one central work area. The facility will allow for sheltered and heated sand storage as well as a means to get all the big equipment stored out of sight. I am hopeful that construction on the building will be completed by snow fall or as close to it as possible. In the spring, I look forward to cleaning up the accumulated junk around the various outbuildings throughout Edelweiss as well. Lastly, I just wanted to pass on a reminder that now is the time to winterize. Crawlspace homes should be sure to insulate crawl vents. Now starts the season for cracked pipes. Until next time!

 John Caesar

RAMBLINGS OF THE OFFICE ASSISTANT    

Submitted by Linda McWhirter

Hi, Everyone,

Boy! It has been a crazy few months since Rich resigned. The search for a new manager was time consuming, and a bit stressful, but all has turned out for the best. We are all very excited to have John Caesar take the reins, even though he has been given a somewhat large (and fast growing) bronco to ride! It is a pleasure to work with him and he has some great ideas for making Edelweiss even better.  Please visit our website www.edelweissmethowvalley.org for more information on John.

(The website also has the promised info. on weeds, plus some lovely pictures taken by Karen Reneau, our “website queen.”)

We are grateful to Rich Molz, who has done an amazing job of taking care of Edelweiss for the past 8 years. He has been very helpful in the transition process, staying on as needed to work with John as he begins to take on the numerous responsibilities of this job. I hope to post the manager’s job description on the website so you can all see just what it entails. It’s pretty incredible, and we are very lucky to get the quality person we now have to take this on.

I need to make you all aware that we have had some major equipment breakdowns, and John, at the time of this writing, has not been able to begin road grading. Hopefully the repairs will be finished soon, and he can start maintaining the roads and culverts. Our trucks are evidently not big enough to do the type of work (grading, sanding, etc.) that is required of them, and we are lucky when one of the three is actually working. John hopes to eventually have one BIG truck that can handle the jobs that need to be done here.

We need to deal with the dust issue, and I have formed a committee that will gather information. There are products that work well, but two main problems exist. The first is how to pay for treating all the roads (assessments like we do for plowing??). The second problem is a result of the tremendous amount of construction equipment tearing up the roads, which also scrapes off a lot of the dust abatement material. Do we charge a fee to all contractors building here to offset the cost of road repair? Of course we all know that much of our dust problem can be avoided if everyone drives 15 mph, but I guess there will always be those who forget, or choose not to. Can we get portable speed bumps (I am looking into that) that Edelweiss or individuals can buy to put out in the summer and remove in the winter? I will let you know what things we find out. If any of you are interested in serving on this committee, or contributing information/ideas, please let me know.

The board and manager have had a lot on their plate these past few months, and it doesn’t look as if that will change in the near future. There are numerous repair and maintenance issues to deal with, plus all the other tasks that seem to be multiplying as the community grows by leaps and bounds. We have not been able to make progress on pursuing a future Firewise grant. We got as far as meeting with Chris Charters, who we feel would be a good manager for any future program, but the board has not had time to determine whether we can pay to have Chris write a new grant in time for the February deadline. The other option is that Chris writes the grant and doesn’t get paid unless we get it, which puts him at a distinct disadvantage, having to work months on something and risk not getting paid for his time. This is only one of the issues that need to be resolved before applying for another grant. If any of you have the desire and/or expertise to participate in this process we could really use the help. It may be that we need to delay this for another year. In the meantime, please do what you can on your own property to reduce the danger of fire by maintaining what has already been done (things grow back quickly), and by thinning and trimming your trees on a regular basis.

Another potential future problem is that our funds for maintaining/improving the water system will eventually dry up when we are done with all the home construction and no more water hookup fees can be collected. Those are the funds that have paid for our new water storage tank, for example. So as we have more and more strain on the system, we will collect less and less money. John and the board will be seriously looking at metering our water. So enjoy the low cost of water here while you can. This is one more reason (besides the cow issue) to plant native shrubs and grasses rather than water hungry plants in your landscapes.

Lucinda McAllister had volunteered, at our annual meeting, to find one main person to do driveway snowplowing/sanding so as to make our development a priority (we are more likely to get timely service if the contractor has more than a few homes to plow). Please be aware that Edelweiss is not, and cannot make recommendations, and you need to do your own research. However, she felt that Gary Maxwell had the equipment (plow, snowblower, and sander), and desire to be one of the main snowplow contractors for the community. If you choose to have Gary do your snowplowing, he needs to know your 911 address, whether you are full or part time, whether you want your driveway sanded or not, and whether your driveway is short, medium, or long. His phone number is 997-4644. Rick Le Duc has also been doing driveway plowing here in the community. His number is 996-3525. There may be others that have done some of our homes here, or are interested in doing them, so do your research before choosing someone. You might want to talk to your neighbors and/or Lucinda for more information. Northwest Snowplow may also have names of interested parties. Their number is 997-2727.

I was asked recently by someone who had lost something here, if we had a place for lost and found items. It might be a good idea to have a place to turn in found items. So, if you find something in Edelweiss, drop it off at my house ( 45 Cassal Rd. ) and I will take it to

the storage room in the campground. Then I will post the information on the website and people can call me to reclaim their items. Call the office to let me know you will be dropping something off if possible. You will need to leave it on our porch if we are not home.

Thanks to all of you who have sent me your email addresses. I have not been able to put that many on my group list, so instead of emailing everyone in between newsletters if things of interest come up, I will post them on the website. Please check it out periodically. And remember, most newsletters will be on the website, and not mailed, so let me know if you want a hard copy sent. I am mailing this one as I felt there was a lot of important information that I didn’t want you to miss, (like a potluck!), but you will need to check out the website in the future for all but the summer newsletter (which is mailed since it contains our annual water report).

Last item! We are having an Edelweiss Community pot luck dinner at 5:30 PM Saturday,

November 5^th at the Mazama Community Center , to welcome and meet our new manager. Bring a favorite pot luck dish, and whatever you want to drink. Hope you can make it!

Thanks for “listening”,

Linda McWhirter

Summer Newsletter, 2005

President’s Message…………submitted by Sean McCabe

Let me start by wishing everyone a happy summer. For many of us spring has been just right, periodic showers with cooler than normal temperatures. I am curious to see what summer has in store for us. I am willing to bet we will have our fair share of hot days, just right for those of us wanting to spend time at the pool with the kids.

As for the state of our community, things seem to be in good order. Growth continues to be one of the main topics of discussion. It is both rapid and constant, and with it come changes to the neighborhood environment. Some of the more noticeable consequences include increased traffic. I encourage everyone to drive safely and to keep a watchful eye out for each other, especially the kids. I am optimistic that as our community grows we can maintain a high level of respect for each other’s interests, as well as protect the natural beauty of our surroundings. I have been very encouraged by the caring nature and quality of the folks moving into the area.

Firewise continues to move ahead at a steady pace, and I am sure many of you have noticed the visual difference. The hard work should pay off in the future in terms of safer, more defendable homesites. Also, if you have not noticed the grasslands/meadows, check them out. I do not think they have looked better. Good work everyone, especially Rich.

Probably one of the biggest changes our community faces is the prospect of hiring a new Edelweiss Manager. Rich Molz, our current manager, will be retiring from his post as of August 17^th. Rich has served as manager for the past eight years, and in my humble opinion has done an outstanding job! Through his hard work and tireless dedication Rich has redefined the role of manager. It is because of Mr. Molz’s work ethic that I chose to serve on the board. I, like many of you, have many other things in my life which take up my time, but Rich Molz was worth supporting, and he will be sincerely missed by many. Thanks, Rich, you are the best!

As we look ahead it is my hope that we will find someone to fill Rich’s incredibly large shoes and that Edelweiss will continue to be a wonderful place to live. Let’s continue to do our part in making Edelweiss the best community in the Methow. Remember, a community is only as strong a the people that make it up.

Best summer wishes to all!

Sean

Ogre’s Ode……….submitted by Linda McWhirter, EMC Office Assistant

Why the name “Ogre”?, if tell you I must

‘Twas what I became when incensed about dust

Even Phil was the brunt of scowls and wrath

‘Cause when he sped by, I needed a bath!

But things have improved in my dusty abode

For Rich has just treated Cassal Road !

Hi, everybody,

I would just like to touch on a few things.

First, I am trying to collect email addresses for Edelweiss property owners for the purpose of disseminating important or newsworthy information between newsletters. It’s optional, of course, and your email addresses will not be given out to non-Edelweiss people. You can email me with that information at larrylinda@methow.com

Second, I have received calls regarding pine beetle concerns in our area. I hope to have more information  collected in the near future to post on our website. What I have learned so far is that there are 2 species of bark beetles. One is the Western Pine Beetle, the other is the Mountain Pine Beetle. The Western Beetle has 2 hatch cycles, one in early spring, and the other in late August. The Mountain Beetle cycle is July-September. The best method to control the beetles is to thin your tree stands. They like to spread in denser forested areas. It seems that reducing fuels for fire protection also has a positive side effect in terms of minimizing beetle damage. I hope to gather more information to share with you soon.

Third, (and this is my new “ogre obsession”), I (and others) have noticed that Edelweiss is experiencing another problem (besides traffic and dust) brought on by the increased influx of new homes, construction vehicles, etc. And that is the problem of noxious weeds. Most people are familiar with the knapweed that follows in the tracks of trucks, traffic, and site disturbances. Knapweed can be pulled if you are diligent and keep at it every year. It takes a few years sometimes to really get it under control if you have a severe infestation. Another less recognizable (and probably more difficult to control) weed is whitetop. It has just finished blooming for the most part. If you looked at the meadows from a distance when it was blooming you would probably think it looked like a pretty white meadow flower, sort of like a shorter yarrow (from a distance). It spreads by seed, and through its root system, making it very difficult to control. Edelweiss has been spraying the meadows to control this noxious weed, but the weed is also prolific on some private properties as well. A request was made at the general meeting to post pictures of some of these weeds so that the property owners could identify them, and thus be able to try and control them on their property. I hope to work with Karen Reneau, our illustrious “keeper of the website” to obtain and post pictures and information about our most common noxious weeds. It is important for people to know that property owners are required by law to “control and prevent the spread of all class B and class C noxious weeds” on their property. (RCW 17.10.140) Barnaby, toadflax, and whitetop are Class B weeds. The need for more information in identification and control of these weeds is important if we are to maintain the aesthetics and health of our native ecosystem. Until we get information posted on the website, you can go to the Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control website for pictures and information about some of these invasive species of weeds.

Fourth, and this is along the same theme as #3, I would like to organize periodic work parties to take walks through Edelweiss and pull weeds, pick up garbage, etc. Many hands make big tasks more manageable. As I gather more email addresses I can let everyone know when some of the work parties will be held. Even if we had only 2-4 people that could periodically make it, over time we would make a positive difference in our community.

Lastly, I would like to thank Rich for all his dedicated work to help make our community the popular place it certainly seems to be! I wish him the best in his new endeavors, and I hope he might consider staying on in some less stressful capacity here.

Happy summer!

Linda

Manager’s Report……submitted by Rich Molz, EMC Manager

As the community continues to develop (136 homes at last count) traffic volume on the road system correspondingly increases and the issue of road dust becomes increasingly important. There are only two viable methods to control road dust, paving and chemical treatments. Paving with asphalt has been considered by your Board of Trustees in the past, most recently a few years ago. Due to the high cost of paving, your Board opted instead to try dust abatement chemical treatments on sections of Highland and Homestead Roads. These treatments, while affordable, are not cheap and, unlike pavement, they have to be repeated every one or two years. But the cost if far less than paving, which along with aesthetic considerations, was the reason for trying this method to control dust.

In the past few years we have tried two different chemical treatments, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. Our experience with these two chemicals was about the same in terms of cost, longevity, and effectiveness. We found that both chemicals require some degree of moisture to be effective. On days that were humid the treatments were effective because the chemicals absorbed ambient moisture from the air. But on days that were hot and dry, the treatments were virtually worthless. Unfortunately, it’s on the hot and dry days of summer when traffic volume is the greatest that the control of dust is most needed.

This year we are trying a new product which supposedly does not require moisture to be effective. It’s a bio-degradable product that is formulated from wood resin, which I am told is a by-product of milling lumber. At the time of this writing, we have treated Highland Road up to the pump house and Homestead Road up to the Quaking Aspen intersection. A section of Cassal Road will be treated by the time you read this. It’s too early to evaluate the treatment, but so far it seems to effectively control dust.

I kept myself busy and out of mischief this spring working on the pool facility. Prior to the opening of the pool I replaced the water supply line for the kitchen sink, replaced the kitchen countertop, recoated the pool deck and recoated the surface of the pool with an epoxy coating. Overall, the facility is looking good, but the pool tiles, which I had no time or money for this year, need to be replaced.

While I was busy at the pool, one of our full-time residents, Steve Cleaves, was hired by me to expand the garbage facility to accommodate additional dumpsters. He did a terrific job and we now have two more dumpsters at the facility. Unfortunately, some members within the community have come to view the garbage facility as a no-cost and convenient alternative to transporting junk and debris to the Twisp transfer station. The dumpsters are provided and intended for disposing of household garbage only, which means: no tires, no vehicle batteries, no household appliances, no lawn chairs, no construction debris, and no bulging plastic bags of pine needles or knapweed. Just household garbage please!

This is my last article for the newsletter as I will be leaving Edelweiss later this summer to pursue other ambitions. I have enjoyed (for the most part) my time working at the community and I hope I’m leaving it in a better state of affairs than it was when I first arrived over 8 years ago. I am particularly appreciative and grateful to the unflagging support and cooperation that I received from your Board of Trustees throughout my employment. I believe Edelweiss has a bright future and I extend my best wishes to you all.

UPCOMING NEWSLETTER

 The next newsletter will be mailed to all lot owners (as well as posted on the web) as it will contain the water report which will be done at the end of June. So look for the next newsletter to arrive sometime early July.

February Newsletter 2005

President’s Message……………................submitted by Sean McCabe

First of all, for those of you who do not know me, let me start by introducing myself. My name is Sean McCabe and I am your newly elected/appointed/”talked into” president of the Edelweiss home owner’s association. My wife, Laura, and I have lived in the Edelweiss area for ten years, the last three of which we have shared with the newest member of our family, Novie. Laura is a physical therapy assistant, part time cross country ski coach for the Methow Valley Nordic Ski Team, and full time mom. As for me, I work for the Methow Valley School District and serve as the junior and senior high school art teacher.

 Things in Edelweiss look good. However, the rapid growth of our community has forced the board to adjust and reprioritize many of the services and issues we consider important to the area. I realize that for many home owners these changes, such as driveway plowing, have been a bit of an inconvenience. I am convinced that in time people will adjust and be adequately prepared to handle this type of challenge. The board felt this change was a necessary step towards developing a sustainable, more manageable community.

 One of the first goals of this new year will be the expansion of our trash pick up facility which will accommodate a desperately needed second dumpster. Next on the list of improvements will be the construction of a maintenance building. This facility will not only be large enough to house our heavy equipment but will also include a small office space and a room for storage.  The idea of a maintenance facility has been in the works for a long time; it is our hope to see it become a reality within the coming year. Other important issues on the agenda for the year include the completion of the first phase of the Firewise project, scheduled to be completed by next winter but no later than fall, 2006. The remaining funds will focus on the clearing and cleaning of lots with established homes. After that the board hopes to acquire additional Firewise grant money for total project completion of the Edelweiss area.

Lastly, I would like to wish all of you a wonderful spring and summer season. Let’s all do our part by being good citizens and making Edelweiss a wonderful and safe place to live, raise families, or enjoy the recreation of this beautiful area.

Please be sure to join us at our annual potluck/meeting on Saturday, the 28^th of May. After the 12:00 potluck, the 1:00 meeting will include presentation of the 2005 budget which was approved by the Board in November, as well as a report by Steve Cleaves regarding the future plans for the maintenance building.  

Sincerely,

Sean McCabe

MANAGER’S REPORT submitted by Rich Molz

 Enclosed within this newsletter is a copy of EMC’s 2005 operating budget as approved by the Board last November.  Click Here to View.

 The annual dues for both residential and campground lots were increased by about 2.5% to allow for inflation. Water fees, and garbage fees for part-time homeowners remain the same as last year.

 The budget provides funds for the continuation of our in-house branch chipping services, which will be provided on the same basis as in the past. The first thirty minutes is free-of-charge. After that the cost is $45.00 per hour, but chipping in excess of thirty minutes is only done if you have authorized it at the time you sign up for the service. The service is provided twice per year, in early June and again in early October. To sign up, please call Linda (509-996-9232), or email me (richard297@centurytel.net).

 We have a number of projects planned for the pool this year. I will be re-coating the pool surface which was last done seven years ago. The pool deck which I last worked on four years ago will also be re-coated. A bunch of lesser repairs and upgrades at the pool facility are also planned.

 Several road improvement projects are planned for completion this spring. Fresh gravel will be spread on much of Highland Road , as well as sections of Trillium Road , Crabapple Road , and the campground area. Dust abatement treatments will be applied to the bottom half of Highland Road and the west half of Homestead Road .

 A sorely needed expansion of our garbage facility has been authorized by the Board. The west end of the building will be extended to enable the placement of two more dumpsters which will double our capacity for the part-time homeowners. The community has also outgrown its water storage capacity. Presently we only have at most a one-day supply of stored water during the summer months when water consumption is at its greatest. That doesn’t allow sufficient time to repair potential major problems such as control system or electrical failures. This year a new 110,000 above-ground steel tank will be installed at the location of the three existing 25,000 gallon underground tanks (the northeast corner of the community). This will more than double our storage capacity and better ensure uninterrupted water service for the community. Funding for the new tank, which will cost about $126,000, will be from the community’s water system upgrade reserve funds.

 As you may have gathered, much is planned within Edelweiss this coming year. Aside from what I’ve described above, the Firewise project is expected to resume within the next few weeks and home construction activity is expected to be lively based on early indications. Last year, a record-setting eighteen home construction projects were started, and I am told that available lots for sale are scarce. Hopefully all the activity will not too severely impact the enjoyment of your property.

 Have a great summer,

 Rich

 ETCETERA…………………………………submitted by the OGRE

 Well, Sean and Rich have pretty much summarized the Edelweiss news. So I will just add a few things.

 First, I’d like to mention that we have a nice new home for our mailboxes. Steve Cleaves did a great job renovating our mailbox structure, and even added a space between the sections where some new mailboxes could be added. I believe there are a few mailboxes no longer in use that are also available. They are marked with a black X. So if anyone needs a mailbox, or room for a mailbox, we can accommodate some more people.

 Second, just a reminder to let everyone know that we need to get rid of the mountain of wood chips on  Cassal Rd. If you want them for mulch for your garden or pathways, come and get them. And tell anyone else you know who might be interested.

 For all of you who like to walk/run through Edelweiss but want to avoid the roads, Alex Hall and other interested parties are trying to put together a trail system here. If you would like to help or participate, call me and I will give your contact information to Alex.

 And here’s another reminder. Please remember to drive SLOW on our dusty roads. It is incredible, but here we are in February, (early March by the time I get this posted!) and there are already places on the roads that are dusty! Mud or dust, nothing in between, it seems. I have to say I noticed some definite driving improvement last summer. Maybe it was Phil’s reminder on the last newsletter. But we all forget at times, and get in a hurry. We know that if the weather is already this dry, the roads will be in their dusty state even longer than normal. Please remind friends, contractors, etc. to remember to keep the speed around 15 mph, especially when driving by homes close to the road. (It’s all about ME). Thank you in advance for driving considerately.  

With all the construction and Firewise activity going on, there has been more encroachment by equipment, etc. on some of our common areas. Please remind visitors, construction crews, etc. to not drive or park in these areas, as it is difficult to restore the meadows to their natural state when the soil is compressed and invasive weed seeds are brought in. With the added number of people building, living in, and visiting our community, it is more important than ever to keep the common areas as pristine as possible, preserving as much of the natural environment as we can. After all, I think that is why we are all here.

 Some other thoughts…..(I lied when I said I just had a “few” things)

 What about a voluntary Edelweiss directory? We could make up our own little booklet with addresses, phone numbers, email, whatever one chose to include, plus some general information about our residents. (What brought you to the valley?, How long have you been here/how often do you visit?, jobs, interests, skills, hobbies, etc.) This might be a nice resource for everyone.

 What if we occasionally, when we went walking, took with us a plastic (or paper) bag and just picked up whatever trash we encountered. I am amazed at times by the amount of trash on Goat Creek Road , and even in Edelweiss. If many people each do a little bit, we end up with a lot of improvement.

 And since we are dealing with making little improvements, for us “full timers”, something that would really help our Methow Valley Sanitation folks would be to really brightly and clearly label our trash cans. Alex Hall gave Wayne and Doris Heigel kudos for their labeling. (Isn’t it nice to be known for having the nicest looking trash cans??). Anyway, evidently our stop is MV Sanitation’s least favorite, as we are the only ones who still use the trash can method (as opposed to a dumpster), and keeping track of whose and how many cans, etc. there are is very difficult. At least having easy to read labels would help.

 Please remind your neighbors that our newsletter is on the web. As other items of interest come up, those too will be periodically posted. In keeping with this improved communication, I will be posting our Board minutes on the website as well.

 Rich said I could be in charge of “gossip” on the newsletter, but I don’t have any good juicy information. If any of you have any important or interesting news you would like to share, let me know.  You can contact me at 509-996-9232.

Thanks to all of you for helping make Edelweiss a great community.

 Linda McWhirter

EMC Office Assistant

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