A meeting was held on July 23rd, 2008 from 6 PM to 7:30 PM. The following business was discussed:
OLD BUSINESS
TN Wastewater System: Melody has previously worked many hours with the Montgomery County Mayor and TN Wastewater (the Utility that provides the South Ridge sewer system) to help lower our sewer rates. Montgomery County approved a request for a new treatment facility that is scheduled to be built later this year near Lock B Road. After completion, South Ridge can unhook from the City of Clarksville sewer system. This will lower sewer rates for a majority of the South Ridge homeowners to $55.00 per month. There were 3 homes that are currently paying less than $55.00. Once the facility is paid for, sewer rates should go down even further. It is unknown when this will be completed due to easement problems and legal issues with laying the drains required to the new treatment facility. Mr. Sims brought up the idea that he felt the rates should be based on water usage and he thought the TN regulatory commission should be consulted instead of everybody having the same rate. Those who use more should pay more. Melody said that the billing had not been decided on since the new facility had not been able to be completed yet and agreed the billing needed to be researched to make it as fair as possible.
Street lights: There is a need for more lighting in the subdivision. Last year the lights were painted CEMC will provide new street lights for $300.00 each. There are areas that have insufficient lighting and would be safer for walkers and drivers with more street lights. A vote was taken to add 10 new street lights in designated areas last year to help increase the lighting. Jennifer Wellington volunteered to help identify dark areas that would be safer with more street lights. Once these areas are agreed on, the new lights would be installed.
Mosquito Control: McGee Pest Control continues to provide mosquito spraying this year to help control the mosquito population.
Speeding: The Speed Limit in South Ridge is 25 MPH. This is fast and in some areas is dangerous. People are exceeding this speed at times and this is very dangerous. If you see someone speeding and feel comfortable talking to him or her, please ask them to slow down. If it is a teenager, talk to their parents. If you don’t know them and don’t feel comfortable talking to them, the Montgomery County Sheriff Patrol has jurisdiction and can be called if required. A study was done that indicated less than 20% of the cars were speeding in South Ridge. Please do not speed in South Ridge.
Parking: It is against the South Ridge restrictions to park on the road overnight or in the grass or yard at your residence not designated as a driveway. There are times in inclement weather the homeowner can park on the road and visitors can park for limited times on the road while visiting the homeowner. There are several reasons for these restrictions. One is for safety to prevent accidents. The other is to keep cars and trucks from parking on the road or in the yard to help maintain the value of your property.
NEW BUSINESS:
Vandalism and Teenagers: This summer there have been a lot of teenagers hanging around the streets at all hours of the night. This has caused a lot of anxiety for the homeowners in the subdivision. This problem has also resulted in some vandalism to homes, at least 1 car, and street signs and streets. After a long discussion, several good ideas were introduced, some were legal, a neighborhood watch program was one solution and having groups of adults available to confront problem teens and houses on a continual basis was another. A combination of several programs to reduce this problem is probably the best answer, but it will take a committee of homeowners to get together and come up with the best solution. The one thing that everyone decided on is that something has to be done to stop this problem. In the meantime, if anyone sees anyone vandalizing the neighborhood or feels threatened by groups of teenagers, the safest ways to fix the problem is to call 911 and report the problem. Further discussion is needed on this subject.
Elections: The following new officers were elected by a majority of the votes at this meeting:
President – Jennifer Wellington
Vice President – Chris Pittman
Secretary – Alison Cox
Treasurer – Ray Andreno
GENERAL DISCUSSION:
Some great ideas were brought up during the general discussion of attendees at the meeting. Some ideas have been brought up before and some are new.
Mowing grass clippings in the street is not specifically noted in homeowner’s restrictions, but causes unsightly litter in the street. Please blow your clippings in your yard and not in the street or drainage ditches that could clog and cause flooding. Leaves will also clog drainage ditches in the fall if disposed of in the drainage areas.
Pet owners need to pick up after their pets. If you walk your pet and they poop in your neighbor’s yard or the street, pick it up and dispose of it properly. Plastic shopping bags and a wide range of bags designed for this specific purpose are available at local pet stores. Pets should not be allowed to roam in neighbor’s yards. The county has a leash law. If you know whose dog is roaming around, please let the homeowner know.
The Welcoming Committee has not been active and it has been hard to welcome new families as they arrive. There will be more discussion by the new officers as how to help improve the welcoming committee’s ability to welcome new families and start communicating with new homeowners as they move into the neighborhood.
The Street Signs were brought up as not being very attractive. They are the normal county signs. Some have been vandalized and run over and bent so they need some maintenance. To upgrade the signs to a higher level is expensive and the homeowners would need to look at the initial cost and the cost of maintenance over the years before making a final decision.
Everyone thanked Melody for her faithful service and hard work. Melody and Katherine Cherry have done a great job of planning and organizing many activities and have been great to work with.
Jennifer Wellington closed the meeting by asking everyone to be patient and let the new officers identify the issues. Everyone is encouraged to come up with some ideas and support the improvement of our neighborhood. Finally, please pay your dues if you know they are due. Some people were obviously left off of the mailing list by mistake.
If you feel passionate about one of the areas discussed above and would like to volunteer your time to resolve or research a challenge, please volunteer. Every great idea takes time and money to research and implement. The most valuable thing you have to give is your time and we appreciate every minute of it!
Submitted by:
Alison Cox
Secretary
