The Deerwood Homeowners Association

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Your new Board of the DIA was seated on April 9, 2007. There are eleven members (eight districts and three at- large). Our next meeting is May 7, 2007 at 5:30 PM at Deerwood Country Club. All residents are welcome to attend our meetings and I encourage you to volunteer for a committee or run for a seat from your district. Please contact the Committee Chair (s) or our property manager, Doug Scott at 273-3033 to volunteer. The names of your Board and the Committee Chairpersons are listed in this newsletter.

I am pleased to inform you that with the hard work of your neighbors, all units in Deerwood have approved the State requirement for renewing our covenants under the Marketable Record Title Act (MRTA).

The DIA has joined with Deerwood Country Club again to invite all residents to the Fourth of July - Family Fun Party! Check with the Club for details.
We look forward to seeing all of you there!

Treasurer's Report
The DIA collections of assessments as of February 28, 2007 were at 95% which is excellent.

Actual expenses were 1.5% below budgeted expenses even with the completion of both paving projects and the near completion of the playground pavilion. Our engineering advisor will now determine the next paving project which we expect to be managed in the same way.

Access Control
An accident at the Baymeadows Gate on February 7, 2007 resulted in extensive damage to the gate house and computer system and an injury to an Access Control Officer. Fortunately, Regina is out of the hospital and getting stronger every day. By print time, the gate house should be up and running at 100%. The main reason for the long delay was getting the insurance company's permission to go forward with the repairs. Thank you for your patience and we hope to make improvements around the gate house to prevent a similar incident.

We continue to have problems with people speeding and running through stop signs within the gates of Deerwood. As you talk with your neighbors, please spread the word that the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office will ticket the offenders. Safety is first and foremost for our residents..

Please remember to drive slowly by the code reader in order for the gate to open properly both entering and leaving the community (if you break it, you buy it).

Property Manager's Report
Doug Scott, DIA representative of our property management company, Marsh Landing Management, summarized the DIA accomplishments of the last year:

Paving streets from the Baymeadows gate to the Southside entrance;
Working to reinstate our covenants to comply with the Marketable Record Title Act (MRTA) for the State of Florida;
Developing a strategic plan with Reserve Advisors to economically position our Deerwood Community for future years;
Updating and improving our playground areas and developing a park pavilion for our community; and
Making major repairs and improvements to the Baymeadows guardhouse at minimal cost to homeowners.

Architectural Review Committee
We are staying busy as Deerwood residents continue to improve their properties. Please make sure all exterior changes to your home are submitted to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) via our property manager, Doug Scott. This includes fence installation/replacement, major landscaping changes/improvements, tree removal and play set installation.

We would like to encourage a more open and natural look to Deerwood as we replace or install new fences. While the motor court fences and walls are intended to screen the area from neighbors and the street, other fences whether for containment of small children or pets (especially if on a lake) contribute to the natural beauty of Deerwood if made of the open design. We encourage this use, which includes wrought iron, aluminum and split rail with green vinyl covered chain link instead of solid fencing.

More information about submitting changes is available on the website.

Playground
The new playground area is a fabulous asset to our community—for our children, our grandchildren and our home values.

We are 95+% done with our current phase and look forward to some new sod for the soccer and baseball fields.

I hope you’re all enjoying the new paving on the basketball court and lovely, “climbing castle”.

Don’t forget if you wish to use this facility for parties, you will be required to reserve it. The reservation will also include a fee for cleaning. Please contact Marsh Landing Management for more information.

Communications
We have a newly instituted committee—Communications. Your DIA Board wants to notify and include you in important issues.

We will provide updates from the various committees and other news as appropriate from the Board about DIA in a monthly Newsletter.

Please email suggestions to hollydk@bellsouth.net.

Landscape
Springtime in Deerwood is spectacular, especially with the plantings of our Knock Out Roses. These disease resistant, constant blooming roses will add color and beauty to our many islands and main entrance.

After serving two years as Landscape Committee Chair, Karen Merrell is turning over the reigns to the very capable Herb Monroe, or as we like to call him in the Landscape Committee “Herbs” Monroe. Herb has personally inspected every sprinkler head (there are a total of 124 irrigation zones). Our hats are off to Herb and the very hard working Committee.

Please compliment Herman Wallace, our hard working Landscape Man of the Year, whose white pickup is a constant presence in Deerwood.

Keep planting those trees and flowers.

Consider joining our Landscape Committee which meets the second Tuesday at 5:00PM at Deerwood Country Club. Meeting Dates: 5/08/07; 9/11/07; 10/09/07; 11/13/07; and 12/11/07.

DIALC Committee Members:
Barbara Callahan; George Dorion, Alice Henderson, Julian Jackson, Karen Merrell, Herb Monroe (Chair 642-5359); Darlene Register, Martha Smith, and Robert Still.

(Thanks to our wonderful committee for the beautiful picture on our front page!)

Lights and Roads
President Bill Kight and the DIA Board elected to separate two areas of concern from the standard “Grounds Committee”. This was done because both of these areas consume a lot of time and effort on the part of the committee members.

Deerwood has approximately 16.3 miles of roads. Some of these have heavy traffic and others less so. Repair of these roads and the attempt to keep them in good shape is the responsibility of the DIA since the roads are “private” and belong to Deerwood. Hence, we are allowed to have gates and to control traffic.

Our roads are constantly monitored for excessive wear, and there is an attempt to “stay ahead of the game”. We not only need to physically keep the roads in shape but also to responsibly accumulate money to support this expensive and necessary activity.

The DIA has been concerned about street lighting for several years. The streetlights seem to have been added without an overall plan for the entire community. Some of our lights are broken, some give very little light, and in some areas there is no light at all. To develop a scheme for new lighting, concern must be had for height and location of the lights especially in areas with over hanging trees. In addition to the brightness and color (yellow or white), back flow to the residencies needs to be protected.

In order to address this issue in a fiscally proper manner, the DIA hired a professional lighting engineering firm to work with the Board. The hope is not only to develop an over all plan but also to spread the cost over a number of years. It is expected that a new system of streetlights will be developed section by section and that it will be started in 2008.

DIA vs. Deerwood Country Club (what’s the difference?)
The Deerwood Improvement Association is the successor of the original developers of Deerwood and most recently, Gate. It is a non-profit corporation made up of the home owners within the Deerwood gates and run by a Board elected from districts within the community and at-large seats. Our community is privately owned, meaning the DIA is responsible for providing paving, lighting, drainage, access control, landscaping, and other community services. These services are paid for through your home owners assessments.

Deerwood Country Club is a private club, owned by its members. It has its own Board and management team and pays for its amenities through club membership.

Neither organization is doing the building behind Hunters Grove Road. The property was owned by the DCC and sold to a private developer.

The important thing to remember is that both organizations are important for maintaining the value of the homes in Deerwood and we need to work together to grow our wonderful community.

Deerwood Board Members and Committee Chairs

Officers
Bill Kight (District 3), President
Ed Rushton, M.D. (District 4), Vice President
John Heijmans (At Large), Treasurer

Board Members & Committee Chairs:
Cynthia Glazier (District 1), Standards
Linda Jones-Baucom (District 2)
Ed Rushton, M.D., Lighting and Paving
Bob Powell (District 5), Architectural Review
Holly Kartsonis (District 7), Communications
Karen Merrell (District 8), Landscape
John W. Raines (District 6)
George Harris (At Large), RV/Boat Storage
Jack Krings (At Large)

Glynn Thomas, Access Control
Rick Root, Playground
Herb Monroe, Landscape

Marsh Landing Property Management:
Doug Scott, Property Manager, 273-3033.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of these people with your questions or comments.

Please join your dedicated and hardworking neighbors on the DIA Committees!

We appreciate your patience in not having a newsletter in some time. Due to space constraints, not all committees are represented in this edition of the newsletter. Look for more information in coming publications.

Any one interested in assisting with this, please contact Holly Kartsonis or Cynthia Glazier.

Baywatch Report, May 2007

(Baywatch is a group of concerned citizens from local neighborhoods--Hampton Park, Reedy Branch, The Overlook, Royal Lakes, James Island, South Chase and Deerwood that meets the third Tuesday of every month at 7pm for 1-2 hours--call DIA if you’d like to attend meetings)

Regional Park: Construction continues on Phase One of our desperately needed Regional Park (9A & Baymeadows Extension) scheduled to be completed in early 2008. Currently there is no money allocated for Phase Two. However, Pam Wilson of the Parks Dept will be heading up fundraising efforts through naming rights and corporate sponsorship. Please email, call or write Mayor Peyton encouraging him to fund Phase Two.

jpeyton@coj.net
or
Mayor John Peyton
117 W. Duval Street
City Hall Suite 400
Jacksonville, FL 32202
904-630-1776

New High School: A Town Hall Meeting was held on May 9th at Twin Lakes with Councilman Graham and Dr. Bronner from the Duval County School Board to discuss plans for a new high school near 9A, south of the Celebration Church site. Residents asked questions and expressed concerns regarding lighting, security, traffic, and noise. The School Board will vote on the project this month. If the landowners, the city, and the School Board approve everything, construction should begin in early 2008 with a Fall of 2010 opening date. Currently, the boundaries for attendance are unknown.

Transportation: Some residents have expressed concern over the noise on Baymeadows Road from racing cars and motorcycles. Our JSO (Zone 3) Captain, Sergeant Dobscha’s, (726-5100) staff said to call the JSO non-emergency number at 630-0500 and report what you hear and they’ll send a policeman to investigate and, if appropriate, set up a police car in the area.

Local Development: A full service Holiday Inn is under construction on the east side of 9A south of the Dodge dealership. Toddler Town and Super Suppers will be vacating the West Point Meadows Shopping Center. Gateway Professional Campus, consisting of eight buildings, is planned for Gate Pkwy/ 9A/Burnt Mill area.

Rapid Transit System (RTS): JTA held a public meeting on April 30th at FCCJ Deerwood to discuss continued plans for an RTS to keep Jacksonville moving into the future. It includes modern hybrid energy efficient vehicles (high speed buses that look like rail vehicles), dedicated transitways, customized stations and advanced technologies for fast, convenient service throughout our community. Baymeadows Rd and Phillips Hwy would have buses on existing road with signal priority at select intersections. The JTA will now begin purchasing right-of-way for the system and phasing in implementation

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