• Approved the minutes from the October 10, 2007 Board of Directors meeting.
• Acted on one hearing regarding a mailbox violation; sanctions imposed.
• Approved the 2008 Annual Meeting Administrative Schedule presented by the MPOA Election Committee.
• Approved six PIRs for the installation of rip rap along the shoreline and authorized the MPOA General Manager to pre-approve rip rap PIRs submitted within 60 days.
• Denied a variance request for the installation of recreation equipment in the front yard.
• Denied a variance request for two sheds.
• Denied a request to waive non-compliance fees.
• Approved the RFP to solicit bids for lifeguard services for Dolphin, West and Beaver Landing beaches.
• Authorized MPOA General Manager to approve the application of the LUCAS organization to use Dolphin Beach on April 19, 2008 with a rain date of April 26, 2008 for a fundraising activity.
• Tabled the motion to approve the installation of a 85'x12" bulkhead along the shoreline.
• Tabled the motion to approve the inclusion/substitution of four additional events into the Annual Montclair Events Calendar-Summer Movies at the Beach, Halloween Fright Night, Boo Cruze, and Adult Beach Party.

For additional information on any of the above items, the Public Board Packet is available to members on ArmstrongConnect by clicking on Reports & Documents, and then Forms & Association Documents. You can also narrow your search by selecting ‘Board Packet' on the top-right drop down menu and clicking ‘Go.'

Summer is over and the cooler fall weather has finally come.  My prayers for a warm dry weekend for Liz and Guy's wedding were answered.  Now we are all ready for the much needed relief to our lawns and air-conditioning systems.  The staff is busy prepping for the winter, and the snowplowing plan for the sub-associations has been revised to reflect a rotating order of priority and sent out to their Boards for signature. 

I hope many of you have taken the opportunity to go down to the lake and see the progress Lake Services has been making on the dredging project.  You should also take note of the work now in progress along the 18^th hole.  I'm very pleased to report to the Membership that the new owners of the Montclair Golf, Tennis and Swim Club appear very interested in working with the MPOA to our mutual benefit.  The retaining wall at the 18^th tee is our first of hopefully many joint efforts to address common area concerns that affect all of us.

What Happened, What is Going to Happen,
What Can Members do to Help?

What happened in October?

• The ‘Boo Cruze' at Kids Dominion was a big hit with Montclairions and got everyone in the Halloween spirit.
• The Budget and Finance Committee continued to draft the FY2009 budget. The BFC public meeting is scheduled for November 8, 7:00 p.m. at the MPOA building, and all are encouraged to attend and ask questions.
• Lake Services, Inc. continued dredging Lake Montclair.
• Roughly twenty homeowners attended the New Members Reception.
• The Fall Boat Auction produced 13 sales.
• The Board authorized contracting with Community Services for the 18^th hole retaining wall.
• The Board approved the renewal of Directors and Officers, Bond and Crime, Equipment Floater, and Umbrella insurance policies, and the premiums were $5,500 less than last years.
• The Board approved March 15, 2008 as the date for the Annual Meeting; the manner of voting will be by referendum and votes can be cast by paper, fax, internet ballot, or at the meeting.

What will happen in November?

• Approved the minutes from the September 12, 2007 Board of Directors meeting and the September 29, 2007 Quarterly Performance Assessment meeting.
• Acted on one hearing regarding Sheds for Single Family Homes; sanctions imposed.
• Acted on two legal matters.
• Authorized the MPOA to negotiate a contract with Community Landscape Services, Inc. for the 18^th hole retaining wall.
• Approved a PIR for a new 8'x16' floating dock with a 4'x4 walkway, contingent upon removal of all exiting docks.
• Approved a PIR for the installation of rip rap along the shore line.
• Approved additional areas of Lake Montclair to be dredged staying within original approved budget.
  

Fall is upon us and winter is right around the corner which means another year of Annual Precinct Inspections has concluded.  For those of you unfamiliar with Annual Precinct Inspections, Montclair is broken down into four precincts.  Our inspectors visit each precinct and inspect EVERY property located in that precinct for aesthetics.  As a result of these inspections, below is a list of some of the more common violations:

• Dog Feces - Please clean up after your pets. Pet feces attract rodents, not to mention the smell is rather unpleasant.
• Unapproved Tree Removal - The removal of any tree with a diameter greater than 4" at the base of the tree requires permission from the Covenants Committee PRIOR to being removed.
• Removal of Tree Stumps - Any tree stump (to include surface roots) located in the front yard must be removed.
• Driveway Reseal/Repair - Sealing the cracks in your driveway is an easy way to help prolong the life of a driveway.
• Backfill Under the Front Stoop - Backfilling consists of rocks/dirt to help support your front stoop to help prevent its cracking/collapse and keeps rodents and snakes from making your home their home.
• Property Improvement Request Not Submitted - A Property Improvement Request (PIR) must be submitted and approved PRIOR to any exterior modification being made.

Please keep these items in mind for next year and when you see the inspectors, feel free to say ‘Hello.'  The inspectors have identification on them, and they along with members of the Covenants Committee (who are volunteers) have the right to be on private property for the purposes of inspections.

I would like to thank those that helped make our new Halloween events successful! A special thanks to the Iwanicki family for allowing us to use all of their awesome Halloween props for the ‘Boo Cruze' at Kids Dominion! Click here to view pictures from the event. Next year we look forward to adding more special effects! I hope everyone is getting excited about Thanksgiving at the end of this month. Be safe in your travels, and if you have family coming to see you, I hope you have a great Turkey Day!

Looking ahead to December, I encourage everyone to participate in the Holiday House Decorating Contest. Applications will be available on the MPOA website or at the MPOA office starting November 26. Judging will take place December 14 and the winner will be announced December 15. The Montclair Senior's will be having their Holiday Luncheon on December 13 at the MPOA building. If you would like to attend, please contact MPOA and make your reservations by December 7. Also, make sure to add Santa's Ride to your calendar, when Saint Nick will ride through Montclair on the Dumfries/Triangle fire truck, followed by Holiday Caroling and hot chocolate at Dolphin Beach. All the fun happens on December 15.