Barboursville, Virginia

Hardwick Mountain Property Owners Association (HMPOA)

Newsletter: May 2015

This year's annual meeting is next month!

• When: Thursday, June 11, 2015, 6:30-8 pm
• Where: Barboursville shelter
• Purpose: business meeting, catch up on the news, talk with your neighbors
• Bring a dessert and join us. It'll be informative and fun.

Interested in serving on the board?
As we do every year, prior to the annual meeting we’ll send out a ballot so you can elect board members. If you’re interested in serving, let us know now so we can indicate that on the ballot. If you want to know what is involved, ask any current board member.

Barbara Dulaney is retiring from her role as treasurer, but willing to continue on the board. If you might be interested in serving as treasurer, please contact a board member and come talk with us.

Firewise
Fire is the greatest threat to our homes and our land. There have been two chimney fires this winter, and at least two brush fires in the past couple of years (which, if not caught in time, might have caught homes on fire).

There are things we can each do to minimize the danger of fire, and things the community can do. The board has been exploring this issue with representatives of the Barboursville Fire Dept. and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DoF) over the past two years. We have been talking with Jim Funk about how a DoF program – Firewise – might help us prevent fires. We have discussed this matter at the past two annual meetings, and Barbara has tried to reach each owner to discuss. The board is now convinced that there is a significant benefit to our community through this program. See: http://dof.virginia.gov/fire/firewiseva/

There are three tracks we might use for the Firewise project. The first one potentially involves each of us – but it is up to each person to decide whether to participate. This track is called a “Fuel Mitigation Plan”, and involves learning about fuel sources for fires, and reducing these around our homes. The primary work involves reducing potential fuel. Any interested lot owner can clear brush and dead trees and haul them to the roadside; we’ll have a work party to clear the roadsides not cleared by owners. Then when we schedule it, Jim Funk will have a commercial crew chip the brush and small trees.

Several examples of how this might be helpful to us.

1. Pines are one of the biggest fire fuel sources in our area. The roadside pines on Hardwick Mountain Drive also shelter the road in winter from sun (ice remains longer in shade) and have fallen across the road when loaded with snow, blocking the snowplow. We plan to cut back the pines in front of lots 22 and 23.
2. Several owners have brush piles, or brush lying on the ground they want to get rid of. Here’s your safe opportunity.
3. Dept. of Forestry will pay for the commercial chipper and crew that will chip brush we haul to the roadside – saving us as much as $5,000.

If you need help with some clearing or hauling brush to the roadside, let a member of the board know. And if you’re willing to help other lot owners who need help, let us know. We’ll try to coordinate so everyone who wants to benefit from this project can.

The other two tracks involve burying a water vault at a convenient location as backup for the fire department; and creating a turnaround on association land so fire trucks can get out when they have to respond to fires. These two tracks we will discuss at the annual meeting.

Safe Driving
Thank you for slowing down when there are people walking – or working - on the roadside!

Comments from an area realtor
When showing Whit Harrell’s house recently, the realtor was struck by the quality of our unique community – and specifically praised the roads, the association and the website.  It’s always nice to hear how outsiders are impressed with our community.

HMPOA Board of Directors
Barbara Dulaney
Carl Prober
Kai Dozier
Steve Harper
Steve Hovanic

Don’t forget the new HMPOA address
15551 Hardwick Mountain Drive, Gordonsville, VA 22942

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