Announcements
Announcing 2009 Holiday Decorating Contest Winners
| First Place
The Nowverl Family 10002 Goose Pond Court |
Second Place
The Richardson Family 11101 Snowden Pond Road |
Third Place
The Tidwell Family 10101 Mallard Pond Court |
Honorable Mention
The Brinning Family, 11510 Snowden Pond Road
The Branch Family, 11303 Snowden Pond Road
The Williams Family, 11210 Snowden Pond Road
The Blocker Family, 10204 Waterwell Way
The Livas Family, 11301 Old Cistern Lane
The Nabuuma-Snowden Family, 11105 Snowden Pond Road
The Nicol Family, 10000 Lawrence Pond Court
Thanks to everyone who installed decorations. Blessings to our community for 2010.
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Latest News
Notes from the Special Security Meeting on Dec 30, 2009
Residents shared their experiences with burglaries, and lessons learned. Burglars often enter through a back door by breaking glass, and leave through the front door, often leaving it open. Police response time depends on many variables and may take 20 minutes. Professional burglars move quickly through key areas of a home, ransacking the contents while focusing on recreational rooms, offices, and bedrooms. Residents who had glassbreak sensors installed with their monitored security systems fared better during breakin attempts than those without glassbreak sensors. The noise of the alarm is loudest inside your house, and it may not be heard by your neighbors. Residents are advised to:
¡ Install glassbreak sensor with a monitored security system
¡ Install motion-sensored lights outside the home
¡ Install keyed deadbolt locks on all doors, and avoid leaving the keys inside the locks.
Mark Albright, Community Policing Officer for our area, explained that the recent spike in burglaries is seasonal, and not unusual at this time of year. He also reported that our neighborhood experiences less crime than other parts of the county. He explained that burglars generally attempt entry through a back door or window, usually by breaking glass. Burglars are typically seeking electronics (entertainment devices, cell phones, computers), and jewelry. He made these recommendations for prevention:
¡ Maintain a Neighborhood Notebook: For each vehicle or pedestrian observed in the neighborhood, record date and time seen, and length of time observed in what area. Try to indicate the closest address. For vehicles, note as much information as you can, especially color, tag, make and model. For each person, note height, build, haircolor, clothing, and any unusual characteristics. It is crucial to maintain this information, even if you think the person is a neighborhood teenager. One resident reported an attempted burglary by a teenager from a nearby neighborhood.
¡ Walk the Neighborhood
¡ Communicate with Your Neighbors
¡ Inform Police and Neighbors of Your Observations at police_district6@co.pg.md.us
¡ Request a Home Security Survey by Prince Georges County Police
¡ To Prevent Anyone From Stealing Your License Plates: Have tag bolts installed by Prince Georges County Police. Tag bolts can only be installed or removed by the police department. Contact District 6 at 301-937-0910 for more information.
Residents were also encouraged to create a videotaped inventory of their valuables, and to maintain a record of serial numbers of electronics in case a burglar is successful. The inventory will be accepted by your insurance company as proof of ownership.
Two residents volunteered to research the possibility of creating a Neighborhood Watch, and agreed to arrange another community meeting in the near future.
Notes from the Special Meeting on Noise Control on Dec 2, 2009
The Secret Service has assigned engineers from the Army Corp of Engineers to study the noise levels during various training activities, and their report is expected in early 2010. In addition a new study has been initiated to obtain feedback from surrounding neighbors. The second study is in a very early stage and will consider environmental impacts by the Secret Service. The results of that study will be made available when complete.
Outstanding Service Providers
The Board of Directors would like to thank these vendors for their outstanding service over the years:
| Premium Painting
301-604-7370 |
Custom Cuts
301-218-9377 |
Comanco Management
301-261-6400 |
2009 Annual Picnic
A cloudy day for our picnic kept many residents home. Here are two pictures from this year's picnic. Check the Snowden Pond Facebook page for more pics.
Mitchell Family Values |
Liz Estrill and Renie Fellers |
2009 Annual Meeting
Over 23 homes were represented at this year's Annual Meeting. Residents gathered at Our Savior Lutheran Church on Jun 17. Except for confusion around our start time and which room to meet in, we were able to conduct a very effective meeting.
Committee reports were presented. Carlton Edmonds reported the Association has aproximately $64,000 in assets and that operating expenses are adequately funded. Monica Kapps reported that the Board approved spending $4,500 to improve and maintain the two community gazebos, repaint the entrance sign, and repair the wood bridge leading to the community park. Hubert Braithwaite III described the Board's efforts to be frugal. Elizabeth Estrill reminded members to access architectural change request forms from the website. She also announced this year's community picnic is scheduled for Sep 12, and will be preceded by a community-wide yard sale.
Many members expressed appreciation for this year's reduction in the HOA fee. Residents raised a number of issues for discussion, and the Board will send out a letter to all residents with reminders to move trash cans out of view, to trim street trees, to clean up after pets, to turn down the radio when driving through the community with car windows open, and to reduce speed when driving through the community.
Residents continue to see cars driving up to the Snowden Pond Park after dark, and all residents were urged to keep handy the District VI Police Department telephone number. Call 301-937-0910 to report any suspicious activity in the community.
Another topic of discussion centered around the effects of heavy Spring rains. Many residents in our neighborhood report having to install french drainage systems to manage excess water in their landscapes. J.C. and Gail Bozeman offered to share the name of their contractor:
| Kevin D. Miller | Montgomery Irrigation | 443-755-8800 |
Carlton Edmonds, who had served as Treasurer for two previous terms, opted not to run for another term. Monica Kapps, who served as Vice President for the last three years did agree to run again. Jim Faust, Comanco Property Manager, sought nominations from the floor. Two members were nominated from the floor, Gail Bozeman and Sandy Mitchell. With three names on the ballot, the members present voted to fill the two available positions. Votes were collected, and the two open positions were filled by Monica Kapps and Sandy Mitchell. Immediately following the Annual Meeting, the new board met to elect officers.
| President | Hubert Braithwaite, III |
| Vice President | Dwight Jackson |
| Treasurer | Monica Kapps |
| Secretary | Elizabeth Estrill |
| Member-At-Large | Sandy Mitchell |
Copyright 1999-2009 M G Kapps for snowdenpond.org