You can choose to sit still and feel frustrated, because you are stuck, Or, you can get out and push!

James V. Cech (Oct 2007)

As I begin this letter, my thoughts are filled of my upcoming walk down the aisle with Elizabeth. On that day, Tina and I will witness our little girl joining with Guy on their new adventure together.  I find myself reflecting upon the Montclair influences that have helped shape the caring and community minded young teacher that Liz has become.  I know people often snicker at my unabated enthusiasm for our Montclair community but I do not mind.  I look at Liz and think back over twenty years of Montclair events that filled her full of wonder. We are deeply grateful for all of the volunteers and caring neighbors who through their example touched her heart, imparted to her a sense of community, and taught her to think outside her own selfish interests.  So go ahead and snicker if you must, for I will remain steadfast and thankful we were led to settle here.

What happened in September?

• The Lake Dredging Project is officially underway. There was an unusual incident, the barge hauling the silt turned over and the tug pushing the barge sunk. Fortunately no one was injured and there was no damage to the lake. The tug was raised and the very small amount of fuel spilled was quickly cleaned up. The tug boat was back in operation two days later.
• The new owners of the Montclair Country Club sent the MPOA a contribution for the enhancement of the landscaping at the corner of Ashgrove Drive and Waterway Drive adjacent to the 18^th tee and gave permission to install the retaining wall on the Club's property.
• The MPOA maintenance staff replaced approximately 260 feet of the clogged storm drainage pipe which runs in the common area between Edgehill Drive and Timber Ridge Drive.
• Oktoberfest was an enjoyable event thanks to the residents who attended, the volunteers who helped plan and worked the event, and the Armstrong Management staff. Some said it was the best ever.
• Board Briefs from the September 12, 2007 Board of Directors meeting are located on page 7. Here are a few of special note:

• The Board authorized the expenditure of funds to repair the bare spots in the strip between the curb and the sidewalk on the North side of Waterway from Ashgrove to the entrance into the Country Club.
• The Board required a resident to remove a fence that was installed before receiving an approved Property Improvement Request.

What will happen in October?

• Approved the minutes as amended from the August 8, 2007 Board of Directors meeting.
• Acted on one hearing regarding Commercial Vehicles.
• Amended the Community Guidelines 2.7.6, 2.7.7 and 2.7.8 regarding Official Publications of the Montclair Property Owners Association pending legal review (full changes will be in the November Montclairion).
• Authorized the MPOA to send a letter to the PWC School Board indicating MPOA's support of the request to expand the Henderson Elementary school crossing zone to include the area between Holleyside Drive and Cliffview Drive.
• Approved two variance requests.
• Denied a variance request for a fence installed without an approved PIR and required the fence be removed.
• Approved two requests for the waiver of non-compliance fees, denied one request for the waiver of non-compliance fees, and denied one request for the waiver of late fees.
• Approved the re-painting of the community monument signs at the entrance of Route 234 and Country Club Drive and the entrance of Cardinal and Waterway Drive with a new color layout.
  

The month of October is here, and chances are you might be admiring the beautiful colors of the leaves in the many trees of Montclair OR you could be standing in a pile of dead, brown leaves that you wish were not there.  In any case, leaves must be raked up and disposed of properly.  Try to rake the leaves as soon as possible, so that the wind does not carry them into the street, storm drains, or onto your neighbor's property.  You are responsible for your leaves; please do not rake them from your property into the storm drains.  Make sure to remove the leaves from your gutter and downspouts.  This should prevent your gutters from over flowing, which could cause your roof to leak.  In spite of it all, be sure to enjoy the fall!

This month we are focusing on the spooky celebration of HALLOWEEN!  Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, is officially on October 31, which falls on a Thursday this year.  Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).   The Celts-who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France-celebrated their new year on November 1.  This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and beginning of the dark, cold winter-a time of year that was often associated with human death.  The Celts believed that on the night before the New Year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.  On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.  In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, The Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.  For people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.