SMC Sheriff’s Dept. to Hold Community Meeting in May

Sheriff Timothy Cameron and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Advisory Board, in their continuing efforts to strengthen community and law enforcement partnerships, will host a Country Lakes Homeowner’s Association Community Meeting.  The Community Meeting will be held on Thursday, 18 May, 2017  at the Pavilion from 6 – 8 p.m.  The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department will provide an overview of calls for service in the Country Lakes area and respond to citizen’s questions.  Residents are encouraged to attend.

Landscape Services Needed

We are accepting bids for landscaping services needed at the Country Lakes entrance and common area.  The services are needed on an ongoing basis and are detailed in our bid package, which can be downloaded upon completion of this form. To be considered, you must complete and mail the bid package (postmarked by March 21, 2017) to Country Lakes HOA, PO Box 632, Mechanicsville, MD 20659.  A selection will be made by the HOA Board of Directors on or after Friday, March 24. Complete the form to access the bid package.

Consequences of a Delinquent Account

Several months ago we announced an initiative to bring all delinquent accounts into good standing. We acquired the services of the Law Firm of Andres, Bongar, Gormley & Clagett, and as of September 30, 2016, transferred delinquent accounts for collection. Once the account has been transferred, the Law Firm has full control of the collection process and the HOA can no longer discuss or accept payment towards any delinquent dues. Failing to pay your yearly HOA fees does result in serious consequences.

An Example – From our Attorneys

If a homeowner has unpaid HOA fees in the amount of $400, here’s how that cost can increase quickly as the result of being sent to collections:

• $200 Attorney’s fee to prepare and send a warning (demand) letter
• $36.40 Fee to verify whether or not the owner is on active duty
• $34 Fee paid to the Court to file the lawsuit
• $40 Fee paid to process serving of the lawsuit
  (can increase if owner is difficult to locate)
• $750 Attorney’s fee for all work done in connection with the lawsuit

Check the Status of Your Dues

Are you new to the neighborhood or can’t remember if your dues are current? Please complete this form or email dues@clha.org. Include your name and street address and we will check on the status of your dues right away.

2017 Dues Notice

Your 2017 dues statements will be mailed on June 1 and the annual dues will be increased  5% to $49.08 for the 2017 year. Thanks for understanding. We appreciate everyone that contributes every year to the upkeep of our community.

New Schedule for Monthly HOA Meetings

To accommodate the schedules of our volunteer board, the monthly HOA meetings for 2017 will be held on the second Tuesday of each month.  Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 11th at 6pm at the park pavilion. Please consider attending a future HOA meeting. It truly is the best way to make a difference in your community.

Volunteers Needed for Spring Community Clean Up

If your children need community service hours for school, this is a great event to accomplish the requirement. Please have them meet at the pavilion at 9am on Saturday, April 8th. A board member will be on hand to manage all volunteers and direct the event. Bring gloves and wear sturdy walking sneakers/shoes. Thanks.

Upcoming Events

The events schedule for 2017 has been released.  Browse events here. We hope to see you at many events this year.  If you are interested in volunteering, please complete this form.

Facebook: An Easy Way to Communicate with Neighbors

Join us on Facebook for easy access to your board members and other neighbors. It’s a great place to spread community news quickly. We currently have 466 friends and that number is steadily increasing.  Our most popular post from Q1 2017 reached more than 1200 people!! Join here.