Inside this Issue: NNationalational NNightight OOutut – OOctoberctober 77,, 6 ppmm BoardBoard ElectionElection InformationInformation ClubClub / RecreationRecreation EEventsvents HalloweenHalloween SafetySafety TipsTips ASSOCIATION UPDATES New Territory Residential STREET LIGHT OUT? Community Association If you see a street light out make a note of the location and the 6 digit number located on the pole. Then report the outage to Centerpoint Energy at http://cnp.centerpointenergy.com/ outage. 6101 Homeward Way NEW TO NEW TERRITORY? Sugar Land, Texas 77479 If you are new to New Territory; welcome! Come by the Association offi ce for a New Homeowner’s Guide and fi ll out forms to get started on registering for use of the Club. Association Phone Numbers Association Offi ce..........281-565-0616 Then swing on by the Club and check out the pool and amenities available to you. For a preview, visit Parks and Association Fax..............281-565-0188 Recreation on the website. The Club.........................281-565-1070 The Club Fax...................281-565-1130 Tennis Pro Shop..............281-565-5355 NEWSLETTER POLICY FOR Association Office Hours ADVERTISING AND ARTICLES Mon., Tues. & Thurs. 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Article Guidelines: Please submit articles by the 5th of the Wednesday 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. month prior to the month of publication. Due to the excessive Friday 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. number of articles submitted no exceptions will be made. Saturday & Sunday Closed If you would like to place an advertisement online only, the cost is $25.00 up to 150 words along with a picture. Please contact Club Hours Tiffany Ybarra at [email protected] Monday - Friday 5:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Your ad will be run for 30 days, you can stop by the Association Saturday 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Offi ce in order to make your payment. Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Want to Advertise in the New Territory newsletter? Please contact Pamela Printing at 281-240-1313 NTRCA Editorial Policy The newsletter’s editorial content, All NTRCA articles will take priority over all other articles. including advertising, is determined at the discretion of the Executive Advertising Disclaimer: New Territory Residential Community Director, under advisement by the Board of Directors. The purpose of Association (NTRCA) assumes no responsibility for the content, the newsletter is to promote New warranties and representations made in advertisements within Territory and inform its members of this publication. All warranties and representations made are activities, issues and events. The solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its NTRCA also utilizes the newsletter content should be addressed directly to the advertiser. to inform members on issues which, in its opinion, may directly affect our members’ property values and quality New Territory Residential Community Association (NTRCA) of life. 6101 Homeward Way, Sugar Land, Texas 77479 2 OUR COMMUNITY RUNNING FOR THE BOARD DO I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES? BOARD REPORT onsidering running for FOR AUGUST, 2014 Cthe board? Ask yourself ollowing is a summary of Board the following three questions: Factions at the July Board meeting: • Approved the renewal of the Do I have the time? As Agreement for Law Enforcement a board member, you will Services between Fort Bend County need to devote about six and NTRCA to ten hours per month generally, depending on your • Appointed Keith Bauman, Fosters’ participation in committees, Green; Carrie Lamke, Lakewind; to the HOA. Regular Board Paula Connell, Spencer’s Glen; and Meetings are once a month Paul Vorki, Thompson’s Landing as on the second Monday of the month. You will also want to prepare for each meeting by members of the Nominating Committee reading through the agenda packet sent out by staff. On the fourth Monday of the month, the Board Elections for 2015 there is a board workshop. Occasional special meetings and projects may require a few • Approved a Capital Reserve Project more hours of your time. for refurbishing the bridge railing on Can I make tough decisions when required? The primary role of the board, with three bridges in New Territory in the assistance from our very talented and experienced staff, is to oversee the business of amount of $87,500. the association and plan for the future. This can include approving the budget, developing • Approved a Capital Reserve policies and guiding our staff. Board members are required to step outside the box and Project in the amount of $7,600 for make decisions based on the greater good of the community. replacement of the Lake Fountain and Can I do all this and have fun, too? Our community is only as good as we make it. Planning Lights at SF-C Watermill. and attending functions such as The Harvest Fest and the Fourth of July celebration are a • Approved the First Reading of the fun part of what we do. Being a presence in the community is as important as any policy Second Amendment to Resolution decision. 2010-17r2, Updating the Schedule of Fines and Fees. Important Dates: • Approved the 2013 Audit Report. • Applications will be available October 1st (Online by October 15th) • Approved a variance for the location • Applications will be due by December 1st of his shed for a resident on Birch Hill There are four positions up for election. Drive. • Denied an appeal from a homeowner Now is the time to think about running, ask questions and gather information. Attending a few board meetings ahead of time will provide lots of information about the board’s regarding gravel blocks placed in the responsibilities. Upcoming ones this year include the following: sidewalk for a home on Drake Elm Drive. • Regular Board Meetings - October 20, November 17 and December 15 • Board Workshops - October 6, November 3 and December 1 * * Workshops are not held every month, please check with the Association for up to date information. Applications for a position on the board are due December 1, and will be posted on the Association website (see 2015 Board Elections on the right side of the home page). If you are interested in more details, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee (Cindy Picazo, Board Member & Chair of the Nominating Committee; Keith Bauman, Foster’s Green; Paula Connell, Spencer’s Glen; Carrie Lamke, Lakewind; and Paul Yorki, Thompson’s Landing – e-mail the Nominating Committee at [email protected]). In addition, current Board members may provide a wealth of information about what is required. If you decide you are interested, please complete the Candidate Application, which will be available online by October 15th at www.newterritory.org, then e-mail it to nc@newterritory. org. All candidates will be listed in the January newsletter, so all will have a chance to review the Candidate Applications and provide feedback to their respective Neighborhood Rep, who will be representing their neighborhood by voting at the Annual Meeting and Board Election on January 19, 2015. (Don’t have a Neighborhood Rep? You can volunteer by contacting the Association offi ce!) Questions? Please email the Nominating Committee at [email protected]. Or contact the Association offi ce at (281) 565-0616. We will be happy to answer any questions we can! 3 OUR COMMUNITY MARK YOUR CALENDARS: ASSESSMENTS ARE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, OCTOBER 7, 2014 AS IMPORTANT AS ew Territory will celebrate Texas National Night Out Tuesday night, MORTGAGES NOctober 7, 2014 starting at 6:00 p.m. We have almost 30 neighborhoods AND TAXES participating with a National Night Out Party. Please plan to attend your neighborhood’s party. There will be signs in your neighborhood in front of the hen you sit down to pay host’s home, and the host will have door hangers to put on everyone’s door so Wyour bills, do you consider your association assessment a low everyone will know where the party is in your neighborhood. priority? If so, think again. The Fort Bend County Sherriff’s Offi ce and the Fort Bend County Precinct 4 According to the National Consumer Constable’s Offi ce will attend as many neighborhood parties as they can. Law Center’s (NCLC) Guide to The New Territory Public Safety Advisory Committee has lined up eleven Surviving Debt, “Condo or association sponsors this year: fees…should be considered a high priority.” In fact, NCLC considers 1. Native Land Design 7. HEB Store #627 community association assessments 2. Ruthie’s TexMex 8. Mike Tate’s 99 Tire & Auto in the same category as mortgage payments and real estate taxes - 3. Costello, Inc. 9. Tritico Rainey Law Firm a category ranked second only to 4. St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital 10. Constable Trever Nehls feeding your family - according to the Guide’s “Sixteen Rules about Which 5. Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen 11. Nothing Bundt Cakes Debts to Pay First.” 6. Carpenter & Carpenter, P.C. Assessments pay for services like our community maintenance and landscaping around the Please be sure to thank them for their support of our National Night Out community (see the separate list in activities. this newsletter about projects that We hope you will attend a Texas National Night Out Party in your we have completed, are working on, neighborhood. If you don’t receive an invitation door hanger, call our offi ce or will complete this year). Since the (281) 565-0616 to fi nd out if your neighborhood has registered a party. association has collective buying power, so when community projects Hope to see you at a party on Tuesday, October 7!! like these are done, which are for the benefi t of everyone in the community, are passed along to you as an annual assessment, you’re actually getting a bargain.