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CLHA publishes newsletters each year reviewing community events and other information about the neighborhood and its residents. What would you like to see in our newsletters? Submit a suggestion.

Newsletter: 3rd Quarter 2016

10/30/16 – Download the PDF

Letter from the President

We are reaching the end of the fiscal year and there are still several events taking place before the year is over. There are two very important events for which the Board historically gets very little or no support. The first is the preparation and submission of the fiscal year 2017 Budget, which will be presented during the November 14 board meeting. Second, the CLHOA Annual Elections (Meet & Greet) which takes place on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at Christ Episcopal Church from 4-6pm.  These are both very important events that decide the upcoming and future plans for our community. We encourage you to make every effort to attend these events, so please mark your calendars and support your HOA. You will get a taste of the challenges facing your association. We are working for you, but to see the changes you hope for, we must hear your voice!

In the last newsletter we announced the board’s initiative to bring all delinquent accounts into good standing. To achieve the initiative, we acquired the services of the Law Firm of Andres, Bongar, Gormley & Clagett. As of September 30, 2016, CLHA has transferred the first batch of delinquent accounts for collection to the Law Firm. Be aware that once the delinquent account has been transferred, the Law Firm has full control of the collection process. This is a reminder to make every effort to bring your dues current as soon as possible.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Kim Beachy, dues Manager at propertymanagement@clha.org or 301-904-8114.

Kindest Regards,

Cesar Afanador
President
Country Lakes Homeowners Association

Trunk or Treat Details

We will celebrate on Halloween, October 31 from 6-8pm at the park. There will be a bonfire and plenty of candy for the kids. Someone will be on-hand at 5:30 to direct traffic to the parking area for residents that participate in handing out candy.  Otherwise, please use the main parking lot.  Please watch out for cars!

National Night Out Report

This popular event was on Tuesday, August 2nd at the park. It is an annual event held in conjunction with other National Night Out events across the country. Approximately 100 Country Lakes residents and guests were in attendance.

Special guests were the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad, SMECO, the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department, the Maryland State Police – Leonardtown Barracks, and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department. SMECO brought one of their line trucks and the fire department performed a “spray-down” in a nearby ball field. Thank you to all of these groups for talking to guests, handing out literature, and doing demonstrations featuring their vehicles and/or equipment.

Thank you to the CLHA board members & others who volunteered their time & efforts to bring food, drinks, desserts, snacks, condiments, supplies and games. A special thank you to our grill-masters who cooked hamburgers & hotdogs for all to enjoy.

The CLHA board also wants to thank the following local businesses that donated door prizes for this event: Clay Creations of Mechanicsville, the Pax River Naval Air Museum in Lexington Park, and Pizza Hotline in Charlotte Hall.  We hope to see everyone again at the Country Lakes’ National Night Out event in 2017!

Community Clean up Report

This year we had five community service workers and four residents helping to clean up the community roads and common areas. There were approximately eighteen (18) bags of trash picked up along Tin Top, Yowaski Mill, and at the bottom of the hill on Asher (at the guardrails).Thanks to those that managed this event and all that participated. Our next community clean up event will be in the Spring of 2017. Stay tuned for the date.

Walking Trail at the Park

Our walking path at the park is about 3/5 of a mile and now that the weather is cooler, it is a great time to get out and exercise.  The walking path is level and made with recycled asphalt.  Take advantage of it.  Your pets are welcome too, but please bring a garbage bag to clean up after your pets.

See our events page for the remaining activities for 2016!

Newsletter: 2nd Quarter 2016

Letter From the President

Dear Country Lakes resident,

As many of you have already noticed, the Country Lakes HOA board of directors has acquired the services of the Law Firm of Andrews, Bongar, Gormley & Clagett as a mitigation initiative to bring all delinquent accounts into good standing. The initiative was necessary due to the excessive deliquencies.

The collected funds will be invested into the recreation area at Cox Drive and other services the HOA provides to its members and our community in general. If you have questions or concerns, contact our property manager, Kim Beachy, at your earliest at propertymanagement@clha.org or 301-904-8114. Kim is working all requests diligently and as expeditiously as possible.

We want you to be informed and we welcome your comments and participation as well by using our Website (CLHA.org) or joining our monthly meetings. HOA meetings are on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7pm. Come to the paviion during warm months and Christ Church Parish Hall in Chaptico during cold months.

In addition, the HOA board of directors has started working on a master plan that covers the maintenance and improvement of the recreation area. We have received feedback from residents with very good ideas on park improvements. Again, your comments are welcomed and needed in order for us to plan and execute the real needs of the community. We appreciate your valuable input!

Kindest Regards,

Cesar Afanador | EMAIL ME
President
Country Lakes Homeowners Association

What’s Happening Online?

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. As of this newsletter, we have 404 followers and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well.

We saw our biggest growth in number of friends during the first quarter of 2016!  That is great news; It means the word is spreading and our page is getting even more popular. Don’t you think that’s an even better reason to join us? Find us at Facebook.com/CLHOA

Dues Statements Have Been Mailed

Year HOA fees were due July 1, 2016.  Your dues statements were mailed in early June.  If you have not received yours or if you feel there is a problem with your dues statement please email Kim at propertymanagement@clha.org or call our voicemail line at (301) 884-7297.  If you leave a voice mail message, please speak clearly and slowly, spell your name, and provide your mailing address. The voice mail system is checked for messages once per week.  We are an all volunteer board, so please be patient; we will return your call. Thanks for understanding and your cooperation.

Park Amenities and Safety

Our park offers a pavilion with picnic tables, playground,   two softball fields, a baseball field, a basketball court, two tennis courts and a walking path (almost 4/5th of a mile). All residents of the community are welcomed to use these amenities. Things to remember:

  • The park closes at dusk. 
  • There is safety in numbers.
  • Clean up after your pets.
  • Respect the equipment (basketball rims, tennis nets, ball field backstops, swings, etc.)
  • Playground equipment could get hot in the summer sun.
  • Your safety and the safety of your children are your responsibility.
  • And most of all, ENJOY YOURSELVES!

School is Out for Summer

School is out, which means a greater presence of kids around the community during the day and evening hours. Be mindful when driving through our streets. 

ATTENTION PARENTS! Please share these pedestrian and biking rules with your children for their safety: 
When walking on the shoulder of a street, you should be facing oncoming traffic.  When bicycling, ride with the flow of traffic (on the same side).  Stop signs are intended for motorized vehicles AND bicycles.

Upcoming Repairs Near the Park

County Maintenance will soon begin working to repair a sinkhole near the access road to the pavilion from Cox Drive.  We estimate the work to take approximately 3 days. Please watch out for workers and possible road closures. We will try to alert everyone in advance of any closures that may affect your travels in the community. Please check our Facebook page often.

Submit a Bid

You have likely noticed the recurring sinkhole between the pavilion and playground. Please continue to stay away from the fenced off area. We currently have 1 bid for the repair work and would like to receive 2 more.  If you or someone you know are interested in the repair work, please contact us with a bid here.

Your Feedback is Valuable to Us

Our volunteers try their best to respond timely to Facebook messages, voicemail messages, e-mails, and form submissions.
We urge you to participate in our monthly meetings, where a local police officer listens to our needs and concerns. The bigger presence we have at these meetings, the better change you will see in your community. Interested in volunteering? Click here. Thank you.

Upcoming Events – 3rd Quarter 2016

JULY

11th – HOA Board Meeting

Park pavilion at 7pm.

AUGUST

2nd – National Night Out

Join your neighbors at the park for a fun night of food, games and door prizes. This annual community-building event promotes police-community partnerships
and neighborhood comaraderie to make our
neighborhood a safer, better place to live.

8th – HOA Board Meeting

Park pavilion at 7pm.

SEPTEMBER

10th – Community Yard Sale

Set up in your yard or at the pavilion. We will advertise on SOMD.com, CLHA.org, and Facebook. Please post your own signs, but remember to remove them following the event.

12th – HOA Board Meeting

Park pavilion at 7pm.

24th – Community Clean Up

Meet us at the pavilion at 9am to volunteer for this event. Board members will be on hand to manage the clean up route and provide supplies. Students can apply these hours to community service requirements.

SEE ALL 2016 EVENTS

Download the PDF

Newsletter: 1st Quarter 2016

View PDF

Spring Community Clean Up

A few years ago, the Country Lakes Homeowners Association (CLHA) discussed joining the county’s adopt-a-road program.  It only seemed fitting that we, as a community, volunteer to adopt the main thoroughfares in our neighborhood, Asher Road and Yowaiski Mill Road. The only requirement was that we hold a few yearly community clean up events to help maintain the cleanliness of our adopted roads.

Please join us on Saturday, April 9, at 9am at the park pavilion for our annual Spring clean up event.  Board members will be on hand to organize the event and provide supplies.  If you have yard gloves (and/or latex), we suggest bringing them along too.

Are you already busy on Saturday?

We understand.  If you can only stay for an hour or so, that is ok. If not, you can still contribute by picking up any trash you see on your own street.   If you have kids, they can apply these hours to the community service requirement for school, so send them down to the park at 9am. We will keep them busy!

Your 2016 HOA Board of Directors

On December 8, 2015 we held our annual Meet and Greet and Board Elections. Your new board of directors for 2016 are as follows.  Meet them yourselves by attending an event this year or better yet, a monthly meeting!  Contact the board at CLHA.org.

Cesar Afanador, President
Elaine Green, Vice President
James Loveless, Treasurer
Mark Pullium, Secretary

Yearly Dues Reminder

Are your dues behind? We send out quarterly statements as a reminder to pay your balances. Our community relies on this income to maintain and improve the park, landscaping, utilities, organize events, and more. Check your dues status here. Thanks for your cooperation.

Easier to Reserve the Pavilion

The required Pavilion User’s Agreement form can now be found here on the CLHA website. Under “My HOA” or “Quick Access Links”, click on “Reserve the Pavilion” and then select “Download required contract (PDF)”.

This is a NEW, convenient way of letting you look over the pavilion contract BEFORE making a pavilion reservation request.

If the terms & conditions are acceptable to you, please complete the form or contact Monty Wright at eventcooordinator@clha.org to request a pavilion reservation for a particular date. Requests can also be made by phone by calling 301-884-7297.

CLHA members in good standing (ALL membership dues and any late fees paid up to date) are eligible to reserve the pavilion. Requests are accepted on a qualified first-come, first served basis. Check your dues status.

The CLHA pavilion can be reserved for private, personal get-togethers such as birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, and picnics. The pavilion can NOT be reserved for organizational meetings or for any fund raising efforts. Alcoholic beverages of any kind are NOT allowed. There’s NO charge for reserving the pavilion. Only 1 pavilion reservation per day is accepted.

Once your membership status has been confirmed, you’ll be asked to print out 2 copies of the Pavilion User’s Agreement form and then meet with the event coordinator for you each to sign the copies. One copy the resident keeps and the other copy the event coordinator keep for their records. Once both copies of this form have been signed by the resident & the event coordinator, the resident is “locked in” and all set. The form provides the resident with a record of what they are and are not responsible for. In addition, it serves as the resident’s proof to the authorized, exclusive use the pavilion as approved by the CLHA board on the date & time period specified.

PLEASE provide at least a 2 week notice for pavilion reservation requests. The more advance notice the better! Go to the reservation form.

Board Meetings Now 2nd Monday

Our Board Meetings are now held on the second Monday of each month at either the park pavilion (during warm months) or the Christ Church Parish Hall on Zack Fowler Rd. in Chaptico (during cold months). Please bring your ideas/suggestions/complaints and we’ll try our best to address them appropriately. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to attend these meetings!  Want to Volunteer? Call 301-884-7297 or submit this form.

Facebook Update

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 394 followers and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well.

We saw our biggest growth in number of friends during this first quarter of 2016!  That is great news; It means the word is spreading and our page is getting even more popular. Don’t you think that’s an even better reason to join us? Go to Facebook.com/CLHOA and check us out!

Upcoming Events for 2nd Quarter 2016 (see more here)

APRIL

9th – Spring Community Clean Up – 9am

Meet us at the park pavilion. Board members will manage and provide supplies.  Kids can apply these hours to school community service requirements.

23rd – Community Yard Sale – 7am
Set up in your yard or at the park. We will advertise on somd.com, Facebook, and our website. We also encourage you to advertise on your own.

MAY

9th HOA Board Meeting

Park pavilion at 7pm.

JUNE

13th HOA Board Meeting

Park pavilion at 7pm.

In Case you Missed It: Holiday Decorating Contest Winners

The CLHA board voted on Thursday night, December 17th on the best decorated houses in the community.  This year’s winners received gift cards to local businesses. If you didn’t see it on Facebook or our web site, here are the winners from the 2015 contest. Congrats, neighbors:
26869 Kelli Ct.
26981 Bosse Dr.
36974 David Dr.

Newsletter – 4th Quarter 2015

Trunk or Treat – Better than Ever

On Halloween night, we all gathered at the park in Country Lakes for our annual Trunk or Treat event.  It turned out to be a great evening and a very successful event.  This year, our board members added to the atmosphere with extra lights and a bigger bonfire than ever before. We received plenty of positive comments about the event.

We had 14 participating “trunks” and approximately 300 kids come through to get candy, to enjoy the bonfire, and most of to all have FUN.

Special thanks to our board members and neighbors for participating and making it the best yet.  See photos from the event.

Community Clean Up Report

Saturday, October 24th, was our Fall Community Clean up day with participants and volunteers meeting at the pavilion to start. We had five individuals participating under the St. Mary’s Community Service program and two neighborhood volunteers.  The clean up concentrated on Yowaiski Mill Rd and Tin Top School Rd, from end to end and yielded 18 bags of trash. Our residents are making a huge contribution toward these Community clean ups and we appreciate it greatly.  We hope you will consider volunteering for the next clean up.

Meet & Greet – Board Elections

The most important event of the year for Country Lakes is when our board members and directors gather at the Christ Church Parish Hall (Zach Fowler Rd in Chaptico) in December. On that night (Tuesday, December 8) we elect our new officials for 2016. If you are interested in joining the board, this is the event you do not want to miss. We hope you see you on Tuesday, 7-9pm.

Santa’s Visit at Christ Church Parish Hall

We hope you can join us on Sunday, December 13, from 2-4pm to see Santa. This will be the 2nd annual event at the hall. We opted for an indoor location to avoid inclement weather.  This location is a short drive from Country Lakes on Zach Fowler Rd, in Chaptico. See you there!

Holiday Decorating Contest

The CLHA board will drive around on Thursday night, December 17th to vote on the best decorated houses in the community.  This year’s winners will receive gift cards to local businesses. Don’t forget to turn your lights on from 6-9pm so we don’t miss your display! We hope you all enjoy decorating your homes as much as we enjoy seeing them!

Pavilion Reservation Contract – Now Online

To reserve the pavilion, you must first submit the online request form at least 2 weeks prior to your event date. There is a contract that is also required and we have recently added it for download from the pavilion request web page. This will help expedite your reservation request. Keep in mind the following requirements with regard to the contract:

1. Reservations can ONLY be made by CLHA members.

2. Reservations are accepted on a qualified first come, first served basis.

3.  You must agree to the terms/conditions specified on the form.

4.  You must print out 2 copies of the form. Both the member and the CLHA event coordinator must sign each copy.  You keep one copy and the event coordinator keeps one copy. This is your “receipt.”

5. ATTENTION RENTERS: The owner of the property MUST sign the form and will be held responsible if ANY of the provisions in this agreement are violated.

Facebook Update

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 353 followers and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well. Our most popular post in the 4th quarter of 2015 reached more than 400 people on Facebook! It was an alert posted by a neighbor about suspicious activity in the neighborhood. We shared the alert on our page and it went viral. What a great way to stay informed as these events occur around you!  Join us today

Remaining 2015 Events

DECEMBER

Tuesday, 8th – Meet & Great: Board Elections – Christ Church Parish Hall, 7pm

Sunday, 13th – Santa’s Visit – Christ Church Parish Hall, 2-4pm

Thursday, 17th – Holiday Decorating Contest, 6-9pm

2016 events will be posted in early January. Stay tuned.

Newsletter: 3rd Quarter 2015

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National Night Out 2015: A Huge Success

On Tuesday evening, August 4th, the Country Lakes Homeowner’s Association (CLHA) was proud to host its annual National Night Out event at the common area pavilion located at the corner of Asher Road & Cox Drive. This event was in conjunction with other National Night Out events across the country.

Approximately 120 Country Lakes residents and their guests were in attendance. While the weather was a little on the warm side, the drinks were cold, the grilled hot dogs & hamburgers were delicious, and fun was had by all.

Special guests for this event were invited emergency responders and representatives from the community. Specifically the following were in attendance: The Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department, Stanley Williams, the former St. Mary’s County Emergency Services Recruitment & Retention Coordinator, Pat Myers and others from St. Mary’s County Crime Solvers, Lt. Eva Jones of  the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Trooper 1st Class Ed Mersman of the Maryland State Police- Leonardtown Barrack, and SMECO personnel with one of their service trucks.  Thank you to all of groups for talking to guests, handing out literature, and doing demonstrations featuring their vehicles and/or equipment.

CLHA board member Jim Loveless acted as DJ and organized games for attendees such as musical chairs & water-balloon tosses. Thank you to the CLHA board members & others who volunteered their time & efforts to bring food, drinks, deserts, snacks, condiments, supplies, games, and prizes. A special  thank you to our grill-masters who cooked hamburgers & hotdogs for all to enjoy.

This is the CLHA’s biggest and most popular event of the year – all made possible by Association dues paid by CLHA members. We look forward to seeing you at the nextCountry Lakes National Night Out event in 2016!

View pictures from the event here

Upcoming Events for 4th Quarter 2015

Our Board Meetings are held every four weeks on Tuesdays at either the park pavilion (during warm months) or the Christ Church Parish Hall on Zack Fowler Rd. in Chaptico (during cold months). Please bring your ideas/suggestions/complaints and we’ll try our best to address them appropriately. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend these meetings!  Want to Volunteer? Call 301-884-7297 or go online at CLHA.org

SEPTEMBER 12th – Fall Community Yard Sale – 7am

Set up at your house or the CLHA common area on a first-come, first-served bases. Once again we’ll be advertising a community-wide yard sale for the benefit of all residents. This is your chance to sell those unused, excess, or outgrown items you have around the house.

15th – HOA Board Meeting – Park pavilion, 7pm

View our Complete Event Calendar & Details here

What’s Happening Online: Facebook Update

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 339 followers (up 56% from last quarter) and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well. Our most popular post in the 3rd quarter of 2015 reached more than 400 people on Facebook! It was a Sheriff’s department post that we shared with our neighbors!  Join us today.

New HOA President Assigned!

Due to personal reasons, our friend and long time HOA President Elaine Green resigned in late August. We would like to thank her for the many years of volunteer time she contributed to Country Lakes. She will be missed at board meetings, but we hope to continue to see her at community events.  With that said, the acting CLHA President for the remainder of 2015 will be our VP, Cesar Afanador. Welcome Cesar!

REMINDER : Yearly Dues Statements

If you have yet to pay your 2015 HOA dues statements you are now past due and may incur a late fee.  Remember the total is now $44.51, which is 5% higher than last years dues. This amount equates to just $2.12 more over the course of the year. We appreciate all of our homeowners and must occasionally raise the dues to ensure we can continue to maintain the common grounds to your standards.  Many of these funds go to the yearly events and new projects to improve the park.  Thanks to everyone who has already paid their dues. Questions? Submit a request form or Email: propertymanagement@clha.org

Neighborhood Safety

We just wanted to remind you all to be mindful of your surroundings. Get to know your neighbors. Look out for one another. There is safety in numbers! If you are interested in joining our Neighborhood Watch Program, please contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Reserve the Pavilion or Lighted SIgn

The CLHA pavilion is a great place to hold a gathering of family or friends and it’s FREE. The common area playground and ball fields are located nearby. An electrical output is available and two fixed charcoal grills near the pavilion can be used for outdoor cooking. The CLHA pavilion can only be reserved for private, personal get-togethers such as birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, and picnics. It’s not available for organizational meetings or fundraisers. Personal, non-commercial messages (for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc.,) can be posted on the CLHA lighted sign. The charge is $5 per day for a maximum of 5 days, payable in advance.  You can call our voicemail line for reservations or reserve them here, Lighted Sign; Pavilion. We require a 2 week advanced notice. Only members in good standing (dues are current) can reserve either option.

Want to Volunteer? Call 301-884-7297 or submit this form

When calling our voice mail, your phone number must accept blocked numbers to receive a call back

Newsletter – 2nd Quarter 2015

Yearly Dues Statements Have Been Mailed

Your 2015 HOA dues statements have been mailed.  You may have noticed the total is now $44.51, which is 5% higher than last years dues. This amount equates to just $2.12 more over the course of the year. We appreciate all of our homeowners and must occasionally raise the dues to ensure we can continue to maintain the common grounds to your standards.  Most of these funds go to the maintenance of the common ground area at the park, including utilities, and new projects to improve the park, but some are also used to organize the yearly events that we all enjoy.
Please drop your check in the mail today to ensure to meet the July 1 deadline and avoid late fees.  Questions? Submit this form.

School’s Out for Summer!

It’s official, the kids are out of school for the Summer! This means you will see more action on the streets at all times of the day, so please be mindful of our speed limits. Throughout most of the neighborhood the limit is 25mph.  The local police have increased their patrols to ensure the safety of our community and the families within it. Enjoy the Summer with your family and friends. Stay cool.

Facebook Update: 298 Friends! (18 new friends since March)

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 298 followers and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well. Our most popular post in the 2nd quarter of 2015 reached more than 4000 people on Facebook; You read that correctly, four thousand people! It was about a found dog in the community. Bear went viral and found his owners thanks to our Facebook page! Join the conversation today!

Recent Work at the Park

Our board members have been busy maintaining the common area at the park.  If you haven’t noticed, we have made the following updates and fixes:

  • All the pavilion posts were painted
  • a light was replaced at the pavilion
  • missing boards on the bridge over the creek were replaced
  • the roof to the lighted sign was repaired
  • and the delapitated practice board on the tennis courts and the broken basketball backboard were removed for your safety.

We hope you are enjoying the park with your families and friends.

Neighborhood Safety

We just wanted to remind you all to be mindful of your surroundings. Get to know your neighbors. Look out for one another. There is safety in numbers! If you are interested in joining our Neighborhood Watch Program, please contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Reserve the Pavilion or Lighted Sign

The CLHA pavilion is a great place to hold a gathering of family or friends and it’s FREE. The common area playground and ball fields are located nearby. An electrical output is available and two fixed charcoal grills near the pavilion can be used for outdoor cooking.

The CLHA pavilion can only be reserved for private, personal get-togethers such as birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, and picnics. It’s not available for organizational meetings or fundraisers.

Personal, non-commercial messages (for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc.,) can be posted on the CLHA lighted sign. The charge is $5 per day for a maximum of 5 days, payable in advance.

Follow these linkes to request a reservation of the CLHA pavilion or make lighted sign reservation. You can also call our voicemail line for reservations. We require a 2 week advanced notice. Only members in good standing (dues are current) can reserve either option.

 

Newsletter: Jan-Mar 2015

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New board members in 2015

We voted in two new board members, elected as officials at December’s Board Elections/Meet & Greet event:

Cesar Afanador, Vice President
Michele Suite, Secretary

We appreciate all of our board members, present and past, for volunteering your time to make our community a better place!

View our 2015 Event Calendar

Signs on Common Area Property

CLHA’s common area property, located at the corner of Asher Road and Cox Drive, includes the basketball court, tennis court, pavilion, playground, ball fields, and the area around the lighted message board. This property is for the use of association members, which includes you.

Each year, random promotional signs have been placed on this property without prior consent from the HOA.   We do remove and dispose of such signs without notice. We understand this may result in the unfortunate disposal of your sign, possibly costing you money. However, these are our rules.

This policy was implemented previously by the HOA board to protect residents from fraudulent or misleading advertisements. We appreciate your cooperation with regard to posting.

Do you Have Spring Fever?

Believe it or not, the warmer weather will be here soon! What is on your to-do list? Is it gardening, yard work and/or other outdoor home improvement projects?

When you are outside working in the yard, please be mindful of snakes, mold, mud and other unpleasant things that could be lurking under the leaves and wear proper protective gear.

Have to dig? Please check with Miss Utility before digging to be sure you can safely plant that beautiful tree in your yard or build that new deck without interfering with the underground utilities.

Virtual Neighborhood: Facebook Update

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 280 followers (16 more since December) and our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well. Our most popular post in the 1st quarter of 2015 reached more than 350 people on Facebook; It was about a lost cat in the community. Fiesty Leo went viral and found his owners thanks to our Facebook page! Join The Conversation at Facebook.com/CLHOA

Special Announcements

Neighborhood Safety

We just wanted to remind you all to be mindful of your surroundings. Get to know your neighbors. Look out for one another. There is safety in numbers! If you are interested in joining our Neighborhood Watch Program, please contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Lock Your Vehicles

The Sheriff’s deparment has recently reported a number of vehicles being broken into within the neighborhood. We can’t stress enough the imporantance of locking your vehicles, even if you have never had any issues in the past. If you see anything suspicious happening in Country Lakes, or witness any crime, please call the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Dept. at 301-475-8008.

Looking for Board Members

We always welcome you to join our board meetings and consider joining the board of directors. We are a group of residents that volunteer to help manage the maintenance and events throughout the community.  It is because of all of our (and your) dues that we are able to maintain the park and have these fun events.  We are always looking for help and volunteers, so please consider participating.  New ideas and suggestions for events and community interaction are always welcome and encouraged.

Yearly Dues Reminder

The past due dues notices have been mailed out to the delinquent residents.  We need your dues paid promptly as there are a few very expensive projects that the HOA will be undertaking in 2015.  All of your paid dues ensures we will be able to operate at our fullest capacity and offer events to you for your enjoyment such as Trunk or Treat, National Night Out, Santa’s Visit, Meet and Greet, and keeping the park, ball fields, basketball court, and tennis courts maintained.  Please drop your check in the mail to us today to avoid possible further action as outlined in the Declaration of Covenants and Conditions and Restrictions. Questions? Submit a request form on CLHA.org or Email: propertymanagement@clha.org

Reserve the Pavilion or Lighted SIgn

The CLHA pavilion is a great place to hold a gathering of family or friends and it’s FREE. The common area playground and ball fields are located nearby. An electrical output is available and two fixed charcoal grills near the pavilion can be used for outdoor cooking.
The CLHA pavilion can only be reserved for private, personal get-togethers such as birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, and picnics. The pavilion cannot be reserved for organizational meetings or for any fund raising efforts.

Personal, non-commercial messages (for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc.,) can be posted on the CLHA lighted sign.
The charge is $5 per day for a maximum of 5 days, payable in advance.

To request a CLHA pavilion or lighted sign reservation, go here. Remember to give a 2 week lead time on all requests. You can also call our voicemail line for reservations. A response should follow within a few days.

Newsletter: July – December 2014

Santa to Visit Us at a New Location this Year

‘Tis the Season for Santa to visit Country Lakes.  Due to inclement weather and freezing temperatures resulting in low turnouts in past years, Santa will visit us at Christ Church Parish Hall on Zach Fowler Road in Chaptico this year!

Come see us from 2-4pm in the warmth of the indoors for some holiday cheer.  Your CLHA board members will be on hand with snacks and drinks. Avoid the lines and cost at the mall and bring the kids for a visit with Santa, where you are welcome to snap pictures and chat with your neighbors! We hope to see you on Sunday afternoon!

Trunk or Treat was a Howling Good Time

Thanks to everyone who came out for Trunk or Treat at the CLHA park on October 31. It was a nice evening with plenty of kids, costumes, candy, heat (from the bonfire!), and fun! Thanks to all our neighbors who dressed up, decorated trunks, and passed out candy. View our pictures from the event here.

Join our Virtual Online Neighborhood at Facebook

Have you seen the CLHA Facebook page? It’s an easy and quick way to communicate with your neighbors and board members directly. We currently have 264 followers, but our posts often go viral, extending to “friends” of those followers as well. Our most popular post in the 2nd half of 2014 reached more than 8,000 people on Facebook; It was about a lost dog in the community. Friendly Puggle Winston went viral and found his owners thanks to our Facebook page! Join now.

Reserving the Pavilion and Lighted Message Sign

DID YOU KNOW: As a resident member of CLHA, you can reserve the pavilion and post personal messages on the lighted message sign, both located in the CLHA common area at the corner of Asher Road & Cox Drive?

These are benefits provided to you as a member of the Association. The main requirement for reserving both is that your dues must be paid in full.

To request a CLHA pavilion or lighted sign reservation, select “My HOA” and then click on either “Reserve the Pavilion” or “Reserve the Sign” and follow the stated instructions. A response should follow within a few days.

Please make any pavilion or lighted sign reservation request as early as possible – no later than 2 weeks in advance! Reservations for the pavilion and lighted sign are accepted on a qualified first-come, first served basis.

Requests can also be made by leaving a voice mail message at 301-884-7297.  Please give your name, address, requested dates, and a call back number.

CLHA dues records are listed by address. If you have any questions concerning your membership dues status, please complete this form.

More About the Pavilion 

The CLHA pavilion is a great place to hold a gathering of family or friends and it’s FREE. The common area playground and ball fields are located nearby. An electrical output is available and two fixed charcoal grills near the pavilion can be used for outdoor cooking.

The CLHA pavilion can only be reserved for private, personal get-togethers such as birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, and picnics. The pavilion cannot be reserved for organizational meetings or for any fund raising efforts.

 More About the Lighted Sign

Personal, non-commercial messages (for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc.,) can be posted on the CLHA lighted sign.

 The charge is $5 per day for a maximum of 5 days, payable in advance.

Neighborhood Safety

We just wanted to remind you all to be mindful of your surroundings. Get to know your neighbors. Look out for one another. If you see anything suspicious happening in Country Lakes, or witness any crime, please call the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Dept. at 301-475-8008.  If you are interested in joining our Neighborhood Watch Program, please contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Looking for Board Members

We always welcome you to join our board meetings and consider joining the board of directors. We are a group of residents that volunteer to help manage the maintenance and events throughout the community.  It is because of all of our (and your) dues that we are able to maintain the park and have these fun events.  We are always looking for help and volunteers, so please consider participating.  New ideas and suggestions for events and community interaction are always welcome and encouraged. Volunteer here.

Donate Old Vehicles to Charity

If you have a vehicle that you are not using, please consider donating it to a charitable cause.  Many charities may even remove the car for you and and give you a receipt for tax write-off.   Disabled vehicles are considered an eyesore to many in the neighborhood, and possibly deter people from purchasing a home here in Country Lakes.   Additionally, they could cause injury to someone playing in or around them.  Please consider donating them.

Yearly Dues Reminder

The past due dues notices have been mailed out to the delinquent residents.  We need your dues paid promptly as there are a few very expensive projects that the Country Lakes Homeowner’s Association, Inc. will be undertaking this coming year.  All of your paid dues ensures we will be operate at our fullest capacity and offer events to you for your enjoyment such as Trunk or Treat, National Night Out, Santa’s Visit, Meet and Greet,  keeping the park, ball fields, basketball court, and tennis court maintained.  Please drop your check in the mail to us today to avoid possible further action as outlined in the Declaration of Covenants and Conditions and Restrictions. To check your dues status, complete this form.

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

CLHA Board Meetings

Our Board Meetings are held every four weeks on
Tuesdays at either the park pavilion (during warm months) or the Christ Church Parish Hall on Zack Fowler Rd. in Chaptico (during cold months). Upcoming meeting dates for the first quarter of 2015 are as follows (and will be at the Parish Hall): 

  • Jan 6
  • Feb 3
  • Mar 3
  • Mar 31

All meetings are at 7pm and last a maximum of 2 hours. Please bring your ideas/suggestions/complaints and we’ll try our best to address them appropriately.

Santa Visit – Sun, Dec 14

This year we’ve moved the event to Christ Church Parish Hall on Zach Fowler Rd in Chaptico. Come see Santa from 2-4pm in the warmth of the indoors!

Holiday Decorating Contest – Wed, Dec 17

The CLHA Board will be voting on the best houses in the neighborhood, so be sure to turn on your lights from 7-9pm. Three lucky winners will receive free 2015 HOA dues!

Newsletter: April – June 2014

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Next Community Event: National Night Out

Bring your family down to the park on Tuesday, August 5 from 6-8pm for National Night Out. Various local organizations will be in attendance, such as the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department, SMECO, Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, MEDSTAR St. Mary’s Hospital, and more. See demonstrations and meet the folks behind the organizations!

CLHA Board members will be on hand to grill hamburgers and hotdogs. There will be various door prizes and lots of fun games for the kids. Special thanks to Laser Lube of California, Md. and Patuxent River Naval Air Museum for donating door prizes. More to come! Let’s all hope and pray for good weather and a great neighborhood turn-out! See you on the 5th.

Protect Your Pets in the Summer Months

While it may be tempting to take your pets along for a car ride, remember that it is too hot during the summer months to leave them in the car unattended (even with the windows down or the A/C on). DID YOU KNOW: On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85-degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. Learn more about helping your pets cope with the heat by clicking here.

Recent Local Crimes

There have been several local armed robberies in our part of the county lately. Local crime solvers have identified and charged suspects in these cases; however, please be reminded to be aware of your surroundings at all times. It is the awareness and alertness of our neighbors that aide in helping the local Sheriff’s department solve these crimes and keep our area safe. If you have any information or witness any crime, please call the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Dept. at 301-475-8008.

Neighborhood Watch Program

There are currently 5 neighbors participating in our Neighborhood Watch Program, but we are always accepting newcomers. Please complete our online form or contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Looking for Board Members

We always welcome you to join our board meetings and consider joining the board of directors. We are a group of residents that volunteer to help manage the maintenance and events throughout the community.  It is because of all of our (and your) dues that we are able to maintain the park and have these fun events.  We are always looking for help and volunteers, so please consider participating.  New ideas and suggestions for events and community interaction are always welcome and encouraged. Sign up here.

Help Keep Our Pavilion Clean

We have recently repaired and repainted some of the tables and rafters at the pavilion. Please urge your children to respect all equipment at the common area in Country Lakes. Thank you for your cooperation!

Yearly Dues Reminder

You should have received your yearly dues statement in June. The due date was July 1 to avoid a $5 late fee. Please contact us immediately (and include your name and address) if you have any questions about your dues. Check your dues here or Email: propertymanagement@clha.org

Upcoming Community Events | View Calendar

CLHA Board Meetings

Our Board Meetings are held every four weeks on Tuesdays at either the park pavilion (during warm months) or the Christ Church Parish Hall on Zack Fowler Rd. in Chaptico (during cold months). Upcoming meeting dates for the third quarter of 2014 are as follows:

  • Sept 16

All meetings are at 7pm and last a maximum of 2 hours. Please bring your ideas/suggestions/complaints and we’ll try our best to address them appropriately.

National Night Out – Tues, Aug 5

Come to the park to meet your CLHA board and local community organizations. Food, fun, and prizes! Thanks to Laser Lube of California, Md. and Patuxent River Naval Air Museum for donating door prizes for this event. More to come!

Newsletter: Jan – Mar 2014

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Community Yard Sale: Saturday, April 26

Gather up your junk! Clean our your closets! Your trash could be another person’s treasure! We have organized our Spring Community Yard Sale event for this coming Saturday, April 26 at 7am.  You are welcome to set up at the common area parking lot or in your own yard (or combine areas with your neighbors and friends)!

We have advertised online at Baynet.com and SOMD.com and included addresses and details from those of you that submitted them to us. We also posted signs at the entrances on Cox Dr and Yowaiski Mill. Feel free to post your own ads and signs as well.
We hope for great weather and plenty of shoppers this weekend.  Good luck to each of you!

Adopt-a-Road Clean-Up Day

Saturday, April 5, was our Spring community clean up day. We had 11 people participate including community service workers and some volunteers from Country Lakes (Thanks neighbors!).  The county Public Works Dept. supplied street signs, bags and trash pick-up sticks for our use.  For this event we cleaned the park area, Asher Rd, Yowaiski Mill, and  Tin Top School Rd from Asher across Yowaiski to the end.  We started at 9:00 am and finished by 12:30 pm.

Thank you to everyone that helped out with the organization, pickup, and hauling of the bags and debris from this event. Contact us at 301-884-7297 or CLHA.org if you are interested in volunteering for the next event in the Fall.

 

Always Looking for Board Members

We always welcome you to join our board meetings and consider joining the board of directors. We are a group of residents that volunteer to help manage the maintenance and events throughout the community.  It is because of all of our (and your) dues that we are able to maintain the park and have these fun events.

We are always looking for help and volunteers, so please consider participating.  New ideas and suggestions for events and community interaction are always welcome and encouraged.

Special Announcements & Neighborhood News

Theft at Vacant Homes

There are several homes in our community that are unoccupied for various reasons and many of them have been burglarized and vandalized. Please be aware of activity at vacant homes that may be near you. Several homes were burglarized in April (West Lakeland, Asher, Yowaiski). If you have any information related to these incidents, or may have noticed something out of the ordinary on these properties, please leave an anonymous message at 301-884-7297 or call the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Dept. at 301-475-8008.

Help Keep Our Playground Safe

We have recently replaced some of the older, more worn and broken swings at the playground. There have been reports of people throwing the swings over the top bar of the swing set causing the chains to tangle and the swings to be unusable. Please urge your children to respect the playground equipment in an effort to keep the area safe for kids of all ages. Thank you for your cooperation!

Call Miss Utility Before You Dig

With nice weather comes outdoor projects and honey-do lists! Please be sure to cover all your bases before starting those decks, additions, and anything else that may require you to dig. You can go online at www.missutility.net/maryland/ or call 1-800-257-7777. Miss Utility is also on Twitter and Facebook.

Springtime Safety

Welcome, Spring! We are glad to finally see warmer temperatures and flipflop weather. When working in your yard, please be mindful of critters and animals that are also emerging, such as snakes, rabbits, spiders, and ants! Wear boots or sturdy shoes when weeding, and don’t forget the gloves to prevent blisters and contact with various poisons (Ivy, Oak, etc.)

Neighborhood Watch Program

There are currently 5 neighbors participating in our Neighborhood Watch Program, but we are always accepting newcomers. Please complete our online form at CLHA.org or contact Donald “Pud” Graham at 301-884-5236 or 301-717-6474.

Upcoming Events

CLHA Board Meetings

Our Board Meetings are held every four weeks on
Tuesdays at either the park pavilion (during warm months) or the Christ Church Parish Hall on Zack Fowler Rd. in Chaptico (during cold months). Upcoming meeting dates for the first quarter of 2014 are as follows:

  • April 29,
  • May 27, and
  • June 24.

All meetings are at 7pm and last a maximum of 2 hours. Please bring your ideas/suggestions/complaints and we’ll try our best to address them appropriately.

Community Yard Sale – Sat, Apr 26

We have advertised on Baynet and SOMD.com and posted signs at our entrances. Set up in your yard or at the parking lot at the park (on a first come, first served basis).

Want to Volunteer? Call 301-884-7297

When calling our voice mail, your phone number must accept blocked numbers to receive a call back.