Newsletter

Round Hill Association Fall Newsletter 2017

Happy Fall!

The Annual Meeting will be held on December 4, 2017, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene, Route 52, Fishkill, NY. All homeowners are welcome and urged to attend.

The current Board members and their positions are as follows:

President/Legal – Craig A. Kretzmer
Vice President, Buildings & Grounds – Josh Shoemaker
Vice President, Recreation – Robert Tompkins
Vice President, Treasurer/Finance – Jeremy Kline
Secretary – Craig Kimball

There are two (2) positions open for election to the Board of Directors. Members’ dues will be waived during their term. Please send your letter of interest to:

The Round Hill Association
P.O. Box 340
Fishkill, NY

All applicants must be a Round Hill homeowner of record, subject to verification, be current with their homeowner’s association dues, and cannot have any outstanding violations, deficiencies, or special assessments. The letter must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2017. Please remember to send a short paragraph about yourself and why you would like to serve on the board. It will be enclosed with the ballot information.

MONTHLY HOMEOWNERSHIP DUES

With all of the changes happening in Round Hill, there is one change that is particularly important and, while it is not going to cause widespread excitement, it is important to understand why it is changing and how it will support the continued growth and development of our community. This change is that the Board has approved a $20 increase in the monthly homeowner dues for fiscal year 2018.

The last time the dues in Round Hill were increased was in 2011, and they have not increased in the last seven years. Each of us, as homeowners, has been able to enjoy the same dues every year while the costs necessary to maintain our neighborhood have steadily increased. What we all know from managing our own household budgets is that, year after
year, the same items get more and more expensive. Those challenges are the same for Round Hill.

Round Hill has a variety of different expense types, some the Board can control, and some that the Board cannot. In the last seven years, the Board has been able to keep the dues the same because it has generally paid for the increasing costs it cannot control (i.e. insurance, taxes, etc.) by sacrificing funds that were allocated for the costs it can control (i.e. new capital projects, maintenance and repair needs, etc.). The current vision the Board has for Round Hill includes
investing in our existing amenities as well as working to develop new amenities for the benefit of both current and prospective homeowners.

One of the greatest benefits of living in Round Hill is that we privately manage ourselves. Our Board is made up of homeowners who live here, raise their families here, and have a genuine concern and vested interest in seeing our neighborhood succeed. Contrary to the many expensive management companies that operate and maintain other neighborhoods in our area, the Round Hill Board is not expected to generate and return a profit. The Board understands that an increase in dues will never be popular, but the Board intends to continue returning value to our homeowners that far exceeds the cost of what we pay in monthly homeowner dues.

Enclosed are the new monthly coupon booklets reflecting the increase to $120.00 per month. If the monthly dues are not paid within 30 days, a $25.00 late fee will be charged. Fees will accumulate and be totaled until they are paid in full. Any returned checks will be charged the bank fee and will also be subject to an additional $25.00 fee. Be sure to include the appropriate coupon(s) with each payment.

A MESSAGE FROM BOARD PRESIDENT CRAIG KRETZMER

I would like to remind our homeowners and renters of a few important issues.

Storing Cars: Storing cars in Round Hill Parking lots is not permitted, no exceptions, This includes moving your vehicle between spots and/or various lots does not make you exempt. You will be issued a parking violation and if you do not take corrective action, your vehicle will be towed at your expense. If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact the board directly in advance.

Garbage: When refuse is taken to the dumpster, please place it inside the dumpster. Do not assume that someone else will want it and leave it outside the receptacles. Donate it to a charity of your choice if you think it’s still in good condition.

Royal Carting charges us a substantial fee for the removal of items abandoned (usually under the cover of darkness) in the dumpster area. The failure to place items in the dumpsters is costing Round Hill a great deal of money. Items too large to be placed in the dumpsters should be taken directly to the Royal Carting facility.

When purchasing new appliances, bedding, or furniture, please arrange for the delivery people to remove old items and packaging. All items and construction debris must be carted away by your contractor. FINES WILL BE ASSESSED FOR NON-COMPLIANCE.

Website: We encourage all homeowners to use our website at www.roundhillfishkill.com. On this site we have available to you buildings and grounds applications, newsletters, our rules and regulations as well as many important updates for your convenience. You can also email us via the website which is the preferred means of communication with the board.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS

We have completed quite a few projects this year:

  • Remainder of mailboxes have been replaced with new concrete pads
  • New rubber mulch in Ridge Playground
  • Catch basins on Bayberry and Spruce
  • Various dead trees removed
  • New Fencing around Ridge and Pool Playgrounds
  • Ridge Dump Fence Repaired
REMINDERS
  1. If you are planning to sell your unit, NYS law requires that a copy of the prospectus be passed on to the new owner, either prior to or at the time of closing may obtain a replacement copy by mailing a check for $100.00 to the Round Hill address. For your closing, you will be required to have a letter from us stating that your dues are up to date and that you have no unpaid assessments or liens against your property.
  2. Please remember to submit a Building and Grounds application before the start of any exterior work. This includes the replacement or repair of roof and/or exterior walls. Failure to obtain an approved application will result in a special assessment of $500.00. Please call the Buildings and Grounds number to request an application at (845) 896-9116.
  3. Beginning November 1, 2017, through April 1, 2018, there will be no parking on Ridge, Valley, or Chestnut Road between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Round Hill roads are designated fire zones and no parking is allowed at any time. Be considerate of your neighbors and park in your driveways instead of the visitor parking lots.
  4. We are asking all homeowners to please put reflectors along your property line for the upcoming winter season to protect your driveways and lawns from any plowing damage. If you should encounter damage to your property due to snow plowing, please inform the Buildings & Grounds department by April 1, 2017.
  5. All homeowners who park around the circles on Larch Court, Aspen, etc., MUST utilize the parking lot areas. There will be no parking at these locations November 1, 2017 through April 1, 2018. Circles must be accessible for the snow plow company. Signs will be posted and noncompliance will result in a fine and/or your vehicle being towed.
  6. Halloween is coming up – please keep in mind that Fishkill has an 8:00 p.m. curfew.
  7. As a friendly reminder, please be considerate of your neighbors if using a fire pit or chiminea.

Again, the Board would like to extend our thanks for your support and encouragement. We have received a great deal of positive feedback, which means a lot. We hope you all see the changes that have been made to our community and the effort we have put into making it happen. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting.