Estimated Road Repair & Maintenance Costs per Road Committee

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY ON ESTIMATED ROAD REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE COSTS

The Roads Committee has recommended to the board an annual assessment of $400.00 to maintain the roads into the future to the level that, based on the survey, meets the desires of the community. This amount equates to annual road repairs and two layer tar and chips every three years plus road maintenance during the interim. This figure would allow a sufficient amount of money to be collected for the first two layer tar and chip to occur in 2010. To ensure that the roads will not deteriorate between now and then we recommend that a special assessment for the year 2007 be collected for $400.00. This will allow the community to repair the roads and contract for a single layer tar and chip this year, when coupled with moneys from the current treasury. ($20,000 for repairs and $40,000 for tar and chip) These figures do not account for repair or replacement of the guardrails on Bethel Road.

Detailed Cost Estimates for 3 year cycle starting CY07 to CY10

CY07
Repair & Maintenance prior to Tar & Chip $20,000 Historical Est
(This money would come from existing funds)
Single layer Tar & Chip $36,500 Jun 06 Est
(This money would come from CY07 Special assessment of $400)
(We anticipate an increase in cost from the June 2006 Estimate)
CY08
Maintenance First Year $5,000 Historical Est

CY09
Maintenance Second Year $10,000 Historical Est

CY10
Repair prior to Tar and Chip $25,000 Historical Est
Double layer Tar and Chip $81,000 Jun 06 Est +10%
(We anticipate an increase in cost from the June 2006 Estimate of $73,600)

Total………………………………………………………………….. $177,500

Minus CY07 costs(-$56,500) $121,000

Divided by 3 years $40,333

Divided by 100 properties …………………………………… $403.33 Rounded to $400


In addition, we recommend that the board determine how much of the current HOA fees are needed to sustain the needs of the community and add that number to the $400.00 for a final figure. An example: if the board determines that it can operate on $100.00 per property minus road maintenance and repair (pay for electrical expense, snow removal, postage and other expenses) then add that number to the $400.00 for a HOA fee of $500.00. We do not recommend that the board add the current $225.00 fee to the $400.00.

This in no way should stop the great work that has been accomplished to date to find ways to reduce the burden of maintaining the roads on the community. We specifically believe that the possibility of the county or the state taking responsibility for Bethel Road shows great merit and should be pursued.

Respectfully,

Mark Bonner Jim Armstrong Dave Watjen

Equestrian Easements

Equestrian Easements - After our meeting last night I was wondering if it would be a good idea to remove the equestrian easements from our neighborhood. I know they are not currently used by horses, but maybe we can use them for walking/biking trails. Other neighborhoods attract home buyers with these amenities - so maybe we should promote them instead of destroying them. Would it be possible to add a question to the Roads survey - ask property owners if this would be something they would use?? and yes, I'd be willing to put together a "trails" committee to help maintain them. Thanks. Tina Casper

posted by Tina Casper

copy of another anonymous comment

Copy of anonymous comment. Posted Sunday eve

When I am going to buy a car, I look for a car that is reasonably priced and will be reliable.

I do not buy a wildly expensive sports car. I don't need it and it costs too much money.

The roads proposal from the board is like an expensive sports car -- it sure would be nice and would look real pretty, but it isn't necessary or remotely affordable.

Let's be sensible and fiscally responsible -- do a good job with some tar and chip, fix the guard rails and get a snow removal contract. Far cheaper and does the job just as well.

**Remember** the roads are ours -- and we can choose to do what we want to do. We moved here because we like to be independent and not cookie-cutter people and houses like Montclair. We don't have to "Bring the roads up to state standards" and we are not obligated by anything or anyone to do so. We fix them to our satisfaction. The fellow on Napa did a nice job on fixing the potholes, and he can finish the job if you ask me.

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Posted by Anonymous to Gaila Woods News at 9/03/2006

Copy of Anonymous comment

As with the last post, I have copied this from "comments." Posted by Anonymous

I have several problems with this board and it's president.

1. If anyone disagrees that about HOW something is being done (for example, that we spend $300,000 on a contract for an engineer to evaluate our roads WITHOUT EVEN CALLING FOR BIDS ON THIS WORK) they are branded "NOT SUPPORTATIVE" or "QUICK TO CRITISIZE". Other opinions than that of the board are NOT tolerated at board meetings.

2) The board is NOT taking into consideration that some people CANNOT pay huge amounts of money and still keep their homes. Good roads are one thing, but driving people who can't pay out of the neighborhood is quite another. We can achieve the goal of good roads without going broke and driving people from their homes!!

3) It's interesting that the president of the board says figures but says it could NOT have been done for the special assessment and 225 in dues. Anybody who has been here for the last 15 or so years KNOWS that it has been, because that's what we've PAID. Also, it is not appropropriate to lump in EVERYTHING ever paid for the entire community into the calculation either...

But...even if we did -- 1/2 million over 17 years sounds a HECK of a lot better than 3.4 MILLION NOT INCLUDING LOSING OUR FRONT YARDS, MOVING UTILITIES, and VARIOUS OTHER COSTS NOT COUNTED IN THE ESTIMATE.

Trying to reason with Pam is impossible -- I've seen the "making fun" of people trying to talk at meetings, eye rolling at people,and various other expressions of DISRESPECT from the president directed to community members and home owners who's only transgression is to voice an opinion that doesn't agree with hers. MORE OPINIONS CAN LEAD TO BETTER SOLUTIONS!! DON'T MAKE FUN OF HOMEOWNERS TRYING TO FIND A CHEAPER WAY TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL -- GOOD ROADS.

PS -- the recent repair work fixed the worst of the problems. I just drove on a COUNTY road down near Bull Run and guess what -- that COUNTY MAINTAINED road was HORRIBLY rutted, potholed and just about jarred my teeth out driving over it. THIS IS HOW THE COUNTY MAINTAINS ITS SECOND CLASS ROADS. OUR ROADS ARE MUCH BETTER!!

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Posted by Anonymous to Gaila Woods News at 9/03/2006

copy of Pam Dennis' post

I have copied this post so it comes right up with the blog. It was originally posted as a comment to another post. It is still there, but you have to click on "comment" in order to read it. In posting comments, everyone who is interested will have the chance to read all of the remarks that people take the time to write. Suzanne

IT is very sad that people are not willing to work together and are so easy and fast to critisize. I as well do not want to spend 250 dollars a month for roads. As was said in the meting the CDA must be figured on the 3.4 million from VDOT because we do not have a cheaper estimate. I am trying to get that but cannot without engineering work etc. All the profesionals agree that it will be at least 1-1.5 million LESS than the 3.4 million. That would make the payments a lot less and more affordable. We should as a community go to the Board of Supervisors/ State officals and plead for money, we deserve it. To answer one of the statements in the letter that was sent out to everyone but me, we have spent over 1/2 million dollars in 17 years on road repairs, upkeep, insurance, snow removal etc. That figure comes directly from the GWCC checkbook. SO that cannot and could not be done for 700 dollars assessment and 225 dues. Impossible. 70% or more of dues goes to road repiars and maintence and they are still in very bad condition. I am open to conversation and phone calls if people would call or come by. We as a board need help input and people willing to work for the ROADS. BE a part of the solution not the PROBLEM.
Pam Dennis

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Posted by Pamela Dennis to Gaila Woods News at 8/31/2006 10:00:07 AM

Reply

I could manage to pay this road bill, if passed. But what about your neighbor that cannot. I know of a neighbor that would be hard pressed to make the payments. So the board would FORCE people to sell their homes.

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Posted by Anonymous to Gaila Woods News at 8/31/2006 01:24:32 AM

Reply

Fast at what cost? And the cost of collecting money from people? Maybe the board will be fast with bill collectors to get the money out of you. Are we Fairfax wantabes? What about safety? Like Street signs(speed,Stop,Private Roads, and NO THRU TRAFFIC)
When will the State crews cleared the snow in the winter? If I remember correctly our community would be the last to be cleared!

Posted by Anonymous Aug 31st

Reply

I am a homeowner in the community and very concerned about the roads and the proposal with the state. I received the same note as posted as a flyer in my newspaper box. I attended the meetings and the numbers cited are exactly what was said. $32,000 per lot was the figure cited. I just went to one of the mortgage things on the internet and guess what popped out -- when you put in 20 years at 6.75% you get $243.32 per month. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have that much extra every month to spend. Now that the big potholes have been fixed, I don't have any problems with the roads.

I don't blame anyone for not attaching their name -- when at meetings anyone asking questions or saying the don't agree is treated with complete disrespect by the board, who would feel ok letting them know who you are? At one meeting the board even interrupted and talked over an invited county official trying to talk when he said costs could go higher. We need to know everything about this proposal before we vote, not just the best case which the board keeps telling us will happen (and telling us 'not to worry' about problems county and state officials are warning us about). And right now, the best case ($32,000!) isn't something I can or will vote for.
Posted by "Anonymous"

Gaila Woods News

Gaila Woods News
It is very important for all of us to work together in an effort to improve our
streets in Gaila Woods. The posted message has no author thus causing much
confusion among homeowners as to what is fact and what is fiction. The "roads
committee'"was established by the GWCC Board on August 17th to further research
the efforts that have already been made concerning our streets. The community is
looking for material from the GWCC Board, gleaned by this 'roads committee', for
accurate information upon which we can begin to draw opinions for the best
course of action to take in this important matter.
Posted by Hannah Nixon

Gaila Woods News

Gaila Woods News Anonymous said...
To The Community:

At the May 9th meeting on the roads, some interesting proposals were shared – but many questions remain.

1. What will our actual costs be for the proposals stated at the meeting? The County representatives noted that the costs in the booklet did not include moving of utilities, designing of the roads and the services of a supervisor of the road work. These are high ticket items not included in the figures.
2. How will we be affected by state owned roads – what changes should we expect?

The costs to us cited during the meeting were very low -- $40 every 6 months or approximately $500 per year for 30 years. This sounds very good -- however, a quick calculation shows these costs CANNOT be correct:

The estimate given by the County at the meeting held on August 17th was $32,000 per lot before adding in the other costs associated with this project. Using any real estate calculator (found on mortgage websites) you can determine the monthly (not every 6 months) cost to each of us. For example if the cost is $32,000 per lot at 6.75%, spread over 20 years the monthly cost to each of us is $243.31 PER MONTH FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS. Keep in mind this is before all of the fees have been tallied. It could ACTUALLY BE MORE!! And this financing has NOT been approved yet by the county – there is NO guarentee it will pass.

If you don’t pay the $32,000 up front and decide to finance at $243.32 per month for 20 years, and you decide to sell your home, your transaction may well be affected. The association president started at the meeting that you just shouldn’t tell the purchaser about the special assessment, but that would be fraud. The seller is required to disclose the monthly fee, which should show as a special assessment on your tax bill anyway. The lender for the purchaser will have to qualify them based on the sales price, taxes, insurance, homeowner’s association fee and the special assessment. This will cause some potential buyers of your home to not qualify and others to go to another neighborhood where they may get a similar home for $243 less per month. Another major consideration for many of us is the loss of a portion of our front yards. Consider your landscaping, along with your budget.

Comparison Shop for your roads! There are Tar & Chip companies available. A company was found to do Tar & Chip and this option was presented at the August 17th meeting. Tar & Chip is used by the county on some county owned roads as an alternative to paving. This LOW COST alternative has maintained our roads for 30 years. Over the last 15 years, we have paid only ONE special assessment in the amount of $783.00. Even if we need a special assessment at some point in the future, it is a BARGIN in comparison to the current roads proposal. And remember -- The board CANNOT unilaterally impose a special assessment. According to our bylaws and covenants there must be a vote of 2/3rds of the community in order to pass this. Don’t be misled by statements made that if we don’t agree we will have a huge special assessment. This can’t happen UNLESS 2/3rs of us agree.

You can post your comments and read what other neighbors are saying on a blog that was created some time ago for our use. The address is GailaWoods.blogspot.com

Marty Nohe, our Coles District representative on the PWC Board of Supervisors, is involved in this process. If you are concerned , you can reach Mr. Nohe at 703-792-4620.

Posted by administrator at request of "Anonymous" If you want to post (as Anonymous) send an email to my personal account (Suz8258@comcast.net) and I'll post it for you, leaving your name off.

Be careful on the roads

There is some question as to whether or not we have a contract with someone to clear our roads of snow/ice. It's especially bad a the intersection of Bethel and Coronado, so please be careful.

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Gaila Woods News: Neighbors on the move..
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Neighbors on the move..

For the past 3 years we have had the pleasure of being neighbors to Kate and Jared Westerlund. Katie and Jared, along with their dogs, Maggie and Emmit, will be moving soon to Colorado and we will miss them greatly. I'm sure you join me in wishing them all the best. Thank you, Kate and Jared, for being the wonderful people you are.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Gaila Woods Blog! I've created this blog so we would have a place to share news and information regarding our community. Have a bit of good news that you want to tell the world? Post your happy events, news and questions. Being a Realtor, I'll keep you updated on the real estate sales in our neighborhood. Check back for news from our Board of Directors. Have fun with this blog... it's for all of us. - Suzanne