Bloomfield Club Recreation Assoc

Luxury Homes @ Bloomfield Club

Recreation Association

Luxury Homes
Email

Mary Bahr: Luxury Homes Representative
Telephone

630 307-3634

Website

www.luxuryhomes.bloomfieldclub.org

Bloomfield Club Recreation Association

201 Bloomfield Parkway

Bloomingdale, Illinois 60108

www.bloomfieldclub.org

tel: 630 529-9660

Clubhouse hours: 10 am - 9 pm

Click for Satellite View

Dial-A-Ride Reservations 1-800-713-7445

Link to Current Neighborhood Watch Newsletter
Link to Neighborhood Watch Tips

Anonymous Crime Tip Line 630 529-7274

Board meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at the Club House, starting at 7 pm.

Homeowners welcome!

Come again and...

at BCRA!

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Luxury Homes Information

17 September 2010

To: Homeowners, Bloomfield Unit IV (Luxury Homes)

From: Mary Bahr

RE: BCRA Annual Meeting (Held 15 Sept) and BC IV – Luxury Homes Meeting (Scheduled for Tuesday 21 Sept)

The Annual Meeting of the Bloomfield Club Recreation Association was held on Sept. 15. It was announced that the Board had approved the 2011 Budget for the Association, as submitted to the membership in the August newsletter. Assessments for 2011 will be $82 per month, starting with the January 2011 dues payment.

The major expenditures for the 2010 year included exterior painting and repairs of the clubhouse, replacement of several portions of the HVAC system, and clean-up of damage to trees and shrubs following this summer’s rain and windstorms. Our usual spring planting at the entrance to the Club was delayed because of construction on Schick Road. Fall mums and mulch have now been installed. We had expected to start retrofitting the swimming pools to meet Virginia Graeme Baker Act requirements this fall. We have submitted proposals for that retrofit to the State of Illinois, but have not yet received a response. We expect that we will need to do that work prior to opening the outdoor pool for the 2011 season.

David Heidner left his long time position as member of the BCRA Board after Wednesday’s meeting. He has served on the Board for some 13 years as Treasurer, President, and at-large board member. Mr. Heidner has devoted hundreds of hours to the community and has been, more than any other single person, the association’s strong guiding arm. We would like to thank him for his service.

Mike Novinski, a resident of BC-I (Leisure Homes) was elected to fill the 3 year at-large position on the board which had been held by David Heidner.

A meeting of Luxury Homes residents is scheduled for Tuesday the 21st at 7:00 in the clubhouse. Please come to help choose your representative to the board and discuss any issues that you might have. I am available and will be seeking to serve for another 1 year term. Your attendance and vote would be appreciated.

8/26/2010 News for Luxury Homeowners of Bloomfield Club

Luxury Homeowners’ Annual Meeting: Tuesday, September 21, 7 p.m. Election of BCRA Director and representative of the Bloomfield Club Luxury Homes.

Note: Because of the abnormally warm and wet summer this year, lawn care has been a challenge. Here are some things to keep in mind. Lawn clippings should be quickly removed from sidewalks and streets to prevent unsightly grass growth and deterioration around pavement cracks. Please also remember that all lawn trash bags and garbage cans need to be stored out of sight.

9/23/09 News for Luxury Homeowners of Bloomfield Club

Thanks for your support on 21 October in reelecting Mary Bahr to another term as BCRA Director and representative of the Bloomfield Club Luxury Homes.

9/19/09 News for Luxury Homeowners of Bloomfield Club

19 Sept 2009

Dear Neighbors:

The Bloomfield Club Annual meeting was held on Wednesday, Sept. 16. At that meeting, Shawn Rodgers was elected to the one open 3 year term director at-large position on the Board which was vacated by long-time Treasurer Joe Sykora. Shawn has served on the board for the past couple of years as a representative of BCIII. Dave Heidner, who has served as President of the Board for many years, announced his intention to serve the remainder of his 3-year term as a director at-large rather than president. The Board will elect officers for the next year at the October 21 regular meeting.

The Bloomfield Recreation Association Board consists of 7 directors. Three are elected at-large on staggered terms. 3 of the remaining members are appointed by the board of their individual associations (Leisure Homes, Townhomes II, and Townhomes III). The 7th member is appointed by the residents in the Luxury Homes at their annual meeting. This year the Annual meeting for the Luxury Homes will be on Tuesday, Sept 22 at 7:00 pm in the Clubhouse. Please come to help choose your representative to the board and discuss any issues that you might have. I am available and will be seeking to serve for another 1 year term. Your attendance and vote would be appreciated.

The budget for 2010 has been approved. It calls for a $1 per month increase in monthly assessments to $80. We are fortunate to be able to hold the line on expenses. Our major project for 2009 was the replacement of the south side windows in the indoor pool area and the South Rotunda. There was a great deal of wood rot in the rotunda area which required extensive repair and put us slightly over budget for the project. We will be looking at replacing windows in the Party Room during the coming year.

We continue work on landscaping. This year, we had volunteers install plants at the front entrance and in front of the clubhouse. I think you will agree that the parkway looked better this summer than it has in several years. We will need volunteers again next spring. Please consider coming joining us for spring planting on one of those nice spring Saturdays.

The gazebo was completely refurbished early this spring. Unfortunately, within a matter of a week, someone knocked out the back posts and defaced it with graffiti. Therefore, the Board had decided that we will no longer pay to make repairs on the gazebo. If the vandalism continues, we will have a gazebo with only a roof and no seats, since those seem to be the main targets.

The Village’s Fall Branch pick up will be during the week of Oct 19. That is an excellent time to trim back the trees which have grown too low over some of the sidewalks. Your front yard trees branches should be no lower than 7 feet above the sidewalk. “If you can touch it, cut it!”

Our websites are now up to date. We have posted the Bloomfield Club Terms and Conditions, the Bylaws, the Newsletters and Board Meeting Minutes. The calendar is up to date; phone numbers are posted; email links to the Clubhouse, EPI management and many of the directors are available. We have also included links to community organizations. Bill Bahr has done a great job in serving as web master and chief guru for both the Club and Luxury Homes websites. MarLene McGuire is learning how to keep the information current with timely posting. Let me know if there is any other information which you would like to see on the site.

Please feel free to contact me either by phone for email if you have any

comments or questions:

Mary Bahr msbahr@gmail.com or 630 307-3634

BCRA website: www.bloomfieldclub.org

Luxury Homes website: www.geocities.com/bloomfieldclub [no longer active]

Or follow the link from www.bloomfieldclub.org

See you at the meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7:00 in the Clubhouse.

Best regards,

Mary Bahr

PS: This letter is being mailed to 3 email groups. Those neighbors who gave me an email address are receiving the email from me. I also asked 2 of the neighborhood watch captains, who have mailing lists to forward the letter to their group lists. I am sorry if you are receiving duplicates. Let me know and I will remove you from my list. Conversely, if you would like to have someone else added to the list, please let me know. Thanks!

6/13/08 News for Luxury Homeowners of Bloomfield Club

13 June 2008

Dear Neighbors:

It has been a busy spring for the BCRA board. I have spent most of the last few months learning more about the internal workings of the board and the association. The Board will be compiling the 2009 budget in the next couple of months, so your comments and suggestions would be both welcome and timely.

A new elliptical trainer has been purchased and installed in the exercise room. It is a big hit with all the regular club attendees.

We have been working hard to tidy up ongoing landscaping issues. I'm sure you have seen the annual plantings at the front entrance. Cypress Landscaping has replaced the plants which did not survive the winter. The landscaping committee planted impatiens in the area at the front of the Clubhouse. We still have a number of problem areas, and I believe that it will take at least another year of working within the annual landscaping budget to bring the plantings up to par. We could use more volunteers for

ideas and implementation. There are a number of areas that could benefit from individual attention. We have a small group of volunteers who have devoted many hours of thought and labor to keep the grounds looking good. More helpers are always welcome.

This summer will mark the 20th anniversary of our subdivision. The party is being planned for Saturday, July 26. A full afternoon of family activities include a bounce house and pony rides for the kids, various games, and a barbecue supper. Tickets are $ 10 for adults and $ 5 for children under 12. Volunteers are needed to supervise the games. Stop by the Clubhouse to buy tickets and sign up for a helper role. We need to see ticket sales hit the 100 mark by Monday, July 14 for the party to proceed as planned. Only a very limited number of tickets will be available on the day of the 26th, and the event may be canceled if enough advance tickets are not sold. Guests are welcome. Come for the afternoon and get a chance to meet your neighbors. On Saturday, the 26th, the clubhouse and pools will be close at 1:00 pm for all but Party attendees. Activities are scheduled to run from 2 to 7 pm. The fire department and paramedics will be present. Food will be served from 4 to 6 pm. Is anyone interested in form a Luxury Homes team for a bean bag toss challenge?

The light fixtures at the Schick entrance and those around the outdoor pool are being replaced and refurbished with the help of Shawn Rodgers, one of our Board members. Shawn has also been very active in refurbishing the holiday decorations and helping with landscaping issues. Two major projects are also being evaluated:

-- A committee has been formed to look at what it would take to replace the carpeting in the clubhouse. We have been lucky to get 20 years out of the initial installation, and it looks like we will need to put together a plan to replace it soon. We may want to use tile on the lower level to minimize problems with tracking water in from the outdoor pool. We are also thinking about using a rubber composite floor for the exercise room.

-- We may also need to replace some of the windows on the south side of the clubhouse. The south end indoor pool area windows are in need of attention. We will be getting cost estimates and will decide how to proceed.

The next Board meeting will be on June 18. Our BCRA controls a $400,000 annual budget; oversees 5 direct employees and many contractors, and a multi-million dollar Clubhouse. Input from residents is absolutely required to keep us on course!

Board meeting minutes, as well as newsletters, are available at the BCRA website.

Please feel free to contact me either by phone for email if you have any comments or questions:

Mary Bahr msbahr@gmail.com or 630 307-3634

BCRA website: www.bloomfieldclub.org

Luxury Homes website: www.geocities.com/bloomfieldclub [no longer active]

Or follow the link from www.bloomfieldclub.org

Have a great Flag Day and Father's Day weekend!

Best regards,

Mary Bahr

3/12/08 News for Luxury Homeowners of Bloomfield Club:

It looks like spring has finally found us and activities are kicking into higher gear. I thought I would take this opportunity to summarize my first quarter as your representative to the Board.

Expenses for last year’s landscaping project have now been absorbed and our monthly assessments have fallen back to $76.00, as was approved at the annual meeting. We have every expectation of keeping spending within that budget this year. We face challenges with higher utility rates as well as increased in payroll and contractor costs. No major new projects are planned.

We have completed setting up the websites for both the Club and Luxury Homes. There you can find telephone numbers, email addresses, copies of the newsletters and minutes of the board meetings. We have started posting the board minutes as soon as they are typed, usually within one week of the meeting, so you can get a quick summary of discussion topics. I am hoping to be able to post an agenda for the next meeting as soon as I receive it, usually the weekend before the regular third Wednesday Board meeting. Take a look at the websites and let us know if there is any other information that you would like to see posted. Check out the sites. Our volunteer webmaster, Bill Bahr, has done a super job.

In the first quarter of this year, the Club’s Christmas decorations were revamped and new lights and garlands were added. The initiative for this project came from board member Shawn Rodgers. Several other club members helped with the project. More information about this project was given in the newsletter and in the minutes, which you can find on the website!

Landscaping is still a major concern. The landscape contractor who installed the original plantings has been unwilling to replace plants which did not survive the first winter. In addition, some of the landscaping ideas simply did not work. We will be making some changes this spring in the hopes of bringing the Parkway and Clubhouse areas up to the standards that we all have for our association. The top priorities for this year will be the Schick entrance and the area in front of the Clubhouse lawn. We have a proposal to return to the use of annual plantings in the Schick entrance area. The ground cover vinca and sedum has not grown in as planned and provides little in the way of color. The landscaping committee met this week and requested a bid to remove the ground cover and plant a mix of white, yellow and orange marigolds into the three beds at the front entrance. We will also be replacing some of the roses and other bushes which did not survive the winter. It will be several weeks before we know exactly what the full winter toll has been. We will also be reconfiguring the plantings at the front of the Clubhouse lawn. The hydrangeas and shrubs did not perform well last year. Several ideas for that area are being explored, including replacing the center shrub with another spruce. Come to the Board meeting on March 19, if you have any ideas.

The Board is considering the purchase of an Elliptical Trainer for the exercise room. To make room for that machine, something, probably the rowing machine, will have to be removed. Your thoughts on this subject are very welcome.

Maintenance of the gazebo area continues to be a problem. The iron fence has worked well but the gazebo, itself is looking pretty sad and seems to attract unwelcome attention. It may be possible to replace the wood slats with iron fencing or even to remove the seats and sides completely. We continue to support increased police patrols of the area and encourage all residents to call 911 if they notice suspicious activity.

I am looking forward to being able to get outside after the long winter. The Community Garage Sale, our own unique welcome to Spring is just around the corner. Please feel free to contact me either by phone for email if you have any comments or questions.

Mary Bahr msbahr@gmail.com

BCRA website: www.bloomfieldclub.org

Luxury Homes: www.geocities.com/bloomfieldclub Or follow the link from www.bloomfieldclub.org

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Neighborhood Watch: 28 July 07:

Dear Neighbor:

Hope your summer is going well.

The last Bloomingdale Neighborhood Watch meeting was very informative. With regards to reported break-ins in our area, I was told that Bloomingdale is not being specially targeted. Other areas are suffering a similar increase in crime. At this meeting, the owner of Action Lock (near the intersection of Lake and Garden) gave an outstanding presentation on how to make your home safer. While you're away, he advised using timers (also connected to radios) and lights, especially outside lights and motion-activated lights. He advised cleaning (with WD40) and lubricating (with TriFlow found at Ace Hardware) your locks, as it makes them hard to "bump," a trick allowing someone to easily hit your lock with a hammer and gain almost immediate access to your home. He also advised that sliding doors be modified, if need be, to prevent thieves from lifting up and out the doors and from easily dislodging the familiar "broomstick" brace. Action Lock also sells a number of locks; the owner demonstrated an ingenious new lock coming out based upon finger-print reading. Of course, he also mentioned, to everyone's active agreement, cutting back any overgrown shrubbery that gives visual cover to anyone intent on breaking and entering. My own rule of thumb: if it's a tree branch in your yard and you can reach up and touch it, it's probably blocking a neighbor's view of your home. Also consider getting an alarm system for your home. However, realize that a common criminal tactic these days is "smash and grab." They knock on the front door; not hearing anyone, they go to the back of the house and enter. Knowing they'll likely trip an alarm, they figure they'll have 60 seconds to grab high-value items such as jewelry and leave. Don't hide your valuables and keys in the typical places. If that's where the average person would look, that's where a criminal would look. Also, lock your car if you keep it your driveway and, above all, don't leave any valuables in open view.

Two websites you might want to check out are:

www.kwikset.com/HomeSafety/TenThings/default.aspx

www.vil.bloomingdale.il.us/Police/pdnbhwat.htm

This last one needs a bit of updating but still will give you all sorts of good advice as well as familiarize you a little more regarding Neighborhood Watch.

If you get chance you may want to look at and bookmark:

www.geocities.com/bloomfieldclub [no longer active]

This is a Luxury Homes website I'm working on and where I'll try to post Neighborhood Watch information. Please note the link there to www.bloomfieldclub.org.

Also, please remember that 7 August is the National Night Out Against Crime. Free information, food, beverages, and more, to include swimming opportunities will be provided. This event has traditionally been held at the Park District Johnston Rec Center from 6-9 pm. Bring the whole family.

Finally, please look after your neighbors' property; hopefully they'll look after yours. And remember, if you see anything suspicious, please report it immediately to 911.

Thanks. Have a great summer.

Bill Bahr

Neighborhood Watch Block Captain

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TIPS AND IDEAS TO BETTER SECURE YOUR HOME

We need to get serious about security for this month. In recent weeks we have had a rash of burglaries and car break-ins in our community. While police presence has been increased there are several things you can do to better secure your home.

Light It - Sounds simple right? You be amazed about how easy it is to light up the outside of our houses at night however many owners are in the dark. Keep your front and rear outside lights on 8pm to 4am at least. I would love to drive down the road and see everyone's lights on. You can easily add timer switches to these lights ($20/each) to automate this. If you have followed my previous article about fluorescent lights, you know that this won't run up your electric bill either and will provide even more light than normal. You can use a 100W fluorescent bulb in place of the standard 60w light without any issue in our fixtures.

Lock It - Don't leave your house with your windows open. You are making it easy to break into you home. Make sure your locks and strike plates are well-secured and working properly and for the sliding glass doors add a pin lock or a short stick or bar between the jam and door so it can't be easily slid open. For homes with the garage separate from the home (Tyler Units) consider adding a Garage Door Monitor ($35) so you can tell if your door is open or closed from within your home. They are very easy to install.

Lower The Temptation—If you leave you home make sure to not leave your drapes or blinds open. Someone could look into your windows and see what you have. If you leave them open you are just making it easy for the burglar to decide if he wants to rob your home or not. If you leave them closed he doesn't know what you have and will look elsewhere. Also if you have large shrubs or bushes in front of windows consider removing them or trimming them back. You do not want to "make" a hiding place for someone to work on breaking in or to hide a broken window.

Record and Document - If you do get burglarized how can you insure yourself? First take pictures of all of your belongings BEFORE something happens and document the cost of each item. I know it sounds hard and tedious to do but it will save you time and headaches when filing an insurance claim.

Going on Vacation? Let a neighbor know you will be gone and to look out for your place. Bloomingdale Police Dept. also has a vacation Watch program. Call 630-529-9868 for more information. Add timers to interior lamps that will randomly turn on lights or a radio at various intervals; in doing so it may look or feel like someone is home.

Don’t’ Advertise - No I don’t mean stop putting up signs. I mean the things that can tip off someone that you are gone for an extended period of time. Stop your paper and mail delivery or have your neighbor pick up these items from the driveway. Also have your neighbor look out for any flyers or packages that may be on the garage or at the front door. Seeing a stack of papers on the driveway advertises no one is home or the house is vacant.

Watch your Children — If you children are outside teach them about safety. There are many classes that your children can attend on general safety issues. Also instruct your children about bike safety it has been brought to my attention there are several children that don't follow the usual look before you turn rules and unfortunately there are a few speeders in our neighborhood also.

Alarm It - Adding an alarm system to your home is an expensive choice in many cases. It not a fool-proof system either. Anyone that says they can "protect" your home doesn't know what they are talking about. You can only detect an intrusion and alert with sound or an automated phone call to the police or a central alarm monitoring station. Putting an alarm sign outside may act as a deterrent however it also could also tip off someone that you have something of high value to steal in your home. I'm from the camp to not post signs, low-key the better. In my opinion only put up a sign if you have an actual working alarm system.

Look Out—If you see something odd or suspicious, like a stranger walking around oddly or a parked car with someone in it for a long period of time or a non-descript van taking out furniture or belongings. Call the Police if you feel something is wrong. Remember utility companies almost NEVER visit a house to do any kind of inspection. Don't let anyone in your house unless you have called or are expecting them.

Shawn Rodgers – BCIII and BCRA Board Member

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Neighborhood Watch: Greetings!

Just wanted to alert you to the fact that there was an attempted break-in recently on Greenfield Drive. Police are still investigating. Possibly related to this is a report that individuals had come through the neighborhood several months ago aggressively asking to come into homes to make telephone calls. If such should happen to you, have them stay outside while you make the call for them or call the police so that they can help them.

Please do all you can during these summer months to look out for your neighbors and watch out for your neighborhood. Call 911 should you see something suspicious. If you haven't already arranged with a neighbor to look after their house during the summer vacation period (or anytime that matter), and you see newspapers, packages, or notices left for days piling up around their house, please be a good neighbor and pick them up. Piling more than a few of them by their door may also be suspicious, so you may want to keep them for your neighbor and give them back upon return.

Also, please use this week to take advantage of the Village's free tree limb pick-up. It starts today and goes through this week until the truck comes through. You'll know when it does, as all the current piles of tree limbs will be gone. Please look out from your house and grounds. If at any point or location on your property, you can't clearly see a neighbor's door or windows, they can't see you (and watch out for you in an emergency). Please do yourself a favor and remove any obstructing tree limbs or shrubbery. Also, double-check and walk in front of your neighbors' houses and see if there are any view obstructions of your property. Finally remove any low-hanging tree limbs that threaten to take someone's head off, especially at night, should they be walking on the sidewalk in front of your home! :)

FYI, National Night Out Against Crime is 7 August, 6-9 PM. Need details, let me know or call the Police Department. More info should be forthcoming in the Village Almanac. Have a great summer!

P.S. For Home Safety Tips, check out: www.kwikset.com/HomeSafety/TenThings/default.aspx

Best regards,

Bill Bahr,

Block Captain