Communications Committee Minutes -- September 8, 2008
Meeting was called to order at 10:00AM by Norm Kolb, Chair. Present were: Dan Augustine, Denzil Willis, Bill Arnst, Len Godek, Joan Bitely, Margie Kramer, Marv Kuntz, Mary Grace Niemi (Welcome Committee), Mary Mork (Welcome Committee) Jack Mounts (BOD), AD Ann Jones and PM Sylva Southwell.
Welcome Committee Report:
Mary Grace Niemi (Villas) and Mary Mork (Single family homes) have visited numerous new residents. They have been greeting new residents for approximately one year, although Mary Grace had a few months off because of injury and handicap.
Both ladies have prepared packets to give residents and have found the Fredericksburg Welcome Center very helpful, even supplying the bag for all the information. Visits have been confined to new owners, although it has been difficult getting information on new arrivals. The Welcome Committee requested that they receive new resident information in a more timely fashion. Sylva agreed that information flow has been slow but that there have been improvements recently that should provide information faster on new owners. Information on tenants is not always available.
The Welcome Committee ladies have dropped off information to those who rent but have not visited with them. Thank you Mary Grace and Mary for your report and your efforts to welcome new residents of Falls Run.
There followed a discussion of tenants and various problems. Renters are becoming very numerous especially in the Villas. Many do not understand our rules and regulations and few have been given our CC&Rs by the owners.
Following this discussion it was agreed that all residents should be informed about proper procedures when renting to others and that the FR CC&Rs should be part of a renter’s information about our community. Ann and Sylva will prepare a positive reminder to all residents that we should welcome those who rent and asking that they contact Sylva for information about our community. Reminder should be in the Gazette, on Channel 20 and on the Website. This may give us a process to inform them about CC&Rs
2. Old Business – Connect comments
Jack Mounts asked ComCom to check on the accuracy of age data in Connect once the supplemental census has taken place. Numerous members of ComCom said that this committee should not be verifying completeness of age data in Connect. They urged that Armstrong and the Board should be doing this. ComCom promised to revisit this issue in a few months.
3. Directory
Jack Mounts asked the committee to discuss the Falls Run Directory. Last Directory was produced in May of 2007. Advertising for that Directory was sold on the basis of a two year directory. This would mean that we would be considering a directory for late spring 2009.
Publishing an addendum is not feasible because running a “change report” of Len’s db would produce many changes not related to the Directory such as emergency phone numbers, etc. Len has concluded that an addendum is just not practical. A complete new directory should be published.
Ann Jones suggested a Photo Directory produced by a company specializing in that item. After some discussion and sharing of church photo directory experience, it seems that it would be quite difficult to produce a photo directory here in Falls Run.
Denzil suggested an electronic directory located within Connect. Discussion suggested that Armstrong may want to charge for such a Directory and that 30% of our residents do not have a computer and would be unable to access an electronic directory.
The success of a new Directory depends upon updated information from residents. Over the next few months we should publicize the necessity for updated information on a regular basis on Channel 20. We should urge residents to fill out a Resident Information Update form at the Center and insert an RIU form into the Gazette in early 2009.
The Directory Committee, sub-Committee of ComCom, re-volunteered at the end of the meeting: Bill Arnst, Chair, Len Godek, Norm Kolb, Margie Kramer and Joan Bitely.
We did not have time to discuss other topics for future activity except the one concerning computer courses for residents. Ann Jones mentioned that Casey Naatjes has volunteered to develop a computer instruction course (Microsoft Excel) at the Center for residents with Chuck Heath and Dan Augustine lending a hand.
Norm Kolb, Chair, Communications Committee