Pool Access tied to Association Dues

Reminder: Victor Gardens' pool will open Memorial Day weekend. Ensure your association dues are current. Owners with delinquent accounts may find their pool access key fob restricted.

Two Board Meetings on July 13

On July 13, two seperate Board of Directors meetings are planned for the same evening.  This is intentional.  Starting at 6pm at Victor Gardens Neighborhood Community Center, the Victor Gardens Community Association ("Master") Board will meet.  Starting at 7pm, the Victor Gardens Single Family Village Homeowner's Association will pick up discussion of an issue that the Master Board will discuss at the end of it's meeting.  

Since Gene's Disposal started using longer trucks for recycling and trash pickup, they've been driving onto grass covered yards along the Garden Way carriageway, unable to make a tighter turn.  This results in yard damage.

VG's Master Board and VG's Single Family Village Board will discuss potential remedies. Residents are encouraged to attend and contribute to the discussion.

Thoughts on the vacant space near the pool & activity center

Discussion of the vacant site next to Victor Gardens' Neighborhood Activity Center and pool continues tonight.  Unfortunately, I'm unable to attend.  

I'm sharing an email (below) that I wrote to our Victor Gardens Community Association's Board and Long Term Planning Committee.  If you'd like to listen in on the conversation or provide your opinions, the meeting starts at 6pm tonight, Victor Gardens Activity Center, 14575 Victor Hugo Blvd.

Hello Board Members,

My busy evening schedule prevents me from attending tonight’s vacant property special meeting.  I’m sharing with you some emailed resident comments that our Community Manager, Colleen Brown shared with me.  They’re interesting, and provide a variety of valid opinions.  I know you’ll hear more tonight too.  I hope tonight’s meeting will produce a consensus that the Board can act on without delay.

Ever since Victor Gardens’ original sales office was removed many years ago from the site, this property has been the source of discussion and big ideas.  Over the years, some have been rejected as unworkable or too expensive. I’ve heard proposals for community vegetable gardens, ornamental gardens, playgrounds, enlarged pools, exercise buildings, residential buildings, kiddie pools and more.  

Based upon previous board discussions and emailed comments from residents, I support either of these two ideas:

• Donating the property to the City of Hugo with the understanding that they’d create a mini-park. (Including playground equipment, bench, picnic table, etc.). Victor Gardens Community Association (our "Master HOA") and the City of Hugo cooperate with maintenance at Victor Square, Arbre Park and Val Jean Park.  Shared public/private maintenance of this mini-park would be in keeping with what we’re already doing successfully elsewhere.
• Keeping the property as an VG Community Association Common Area and modify existing landscaping so that it fits better with the landscaping around the Neighborhood Activity Center and Victor Square.  To get this right, I’d suggest requesting professional design proposals from professional landscape designers. This design could include a picnic table, benches or similar.

As of now, here’s what I’m against:  

• It’s not financially justifiable to invest a lot of money into a new community building, enlarged pool, or exercise facility.
• A splash pad or kiddie pool, would become a magnet for non-residents, just as our pool did until we invested heavily in security services, electronic key fobs, cameras and recording devices. 
• Enlarged parking areas.  There’s enough street and lot parking for the pool’s capacity.
• Community gardens are a noble idea, but there isn’t water service to the property.  Volunteer maintenance hasn’t proved reliable in this neighborhood.
• The property is too small to be developed into another townhouse building.  I’ve heard this from two different developers who specialize in this.
• Leaving it as-is.  Although it’s no longer an eyesore, there are opportunities for better use.

Thank you,

Mark Vlker

Recent thefts & damage

UPDATE: A homeowner emailed me this morning.  "I had someone enter my garage through the service door yesterday morning at 1:30 am, the door chime for my alarm system woke me up and must have scared them off (it chimed three times, so it was opened, closed, then opened again).  I called 911 and they police came out, but couldn't find anything.  Nothing was taken, but it was rather unnerving.  I am almost certain the door was locked, but they got on anyway."

Over the last few days, a few residents in different parts of Victor Gardens have reported thefts of propane tanks, and damage to gas grills. 

As the weather warms up residents are urged to be careful. Lock your vehicles, don't leave garage door openers in vehicles parked outdoors, and close your garage doors when you're not around and at night.

Call 911 to report any suspicious activity.

Vacant property discussion

The Victor Gardens Community Association, or “Master Board”, along with the Long Term Planning Committee, will be holding a special meeting to discuss the vacant space near the Neighborhood Activity Center. As owners and residents of Victor Gardens, the Master Board is very interested in hearing what YOU would like done with the space. If you would like to voice your opinion about the amenities at Victor Gardens, the meeting is:

Wednesday, May 11 6pm
Victor Gardens Activity Center
14575 Victor Hugo Blvd
Hugo, MN 55038

This will be an informal, discussion-based meeting. If you cannot attend the meeting, please provide something to me in writing so I can pass it along to the appropriate parties.

Thank you for your time and attention. Have a lovely weekend!

Sincerely,

Colleen Brown
Community Manager

Associa Minnesota
7100 Northland Circle N. Suite 300, Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
Main:  763-225-6400

Customer Service: 763-746-1188

Open gym. FlyAways gymnastics.

There are still spots available at the Victor Gardens gymnastics event on April 10th at FlyAways in Forest Lake at 4:15-5:30pm. Free for the first 30 kids to RSVP text to Kasey 763.300.5683

Victor Gardens News Website Administrator

After many years of volunteer service, Mark Vlker is ready to retire from administering the Victor Gardens News website. After reviewing the alternative options/costs (including having the community management company manage) the Master HOA board has approved the creation of a paid website administrator ($100 per month of service). Here are the details of the position:

Technology we use:

• Google sites
• Google calendar
• Facebook
• Campaign Monitor (bulk email distribution to subscribers - MailChimp would also work)

Tasks:

• Write weekly blog posts based on info provided by board or committee members and Community Managers. (Example: board meeting announcements, pool updates, maintenance projects, new construction info, lawn care offers, window washing services, etc.)
• Share content from other online sources. (Examples: local parks events, city/county news, etc.)
• Maintain/ update Google calendar.
• Update website periodically with refreshed content (Examples: Community Manager contact info updates, board membership changes, new policies, etc.)

Please send an email to mark@victorgardensnews.org with a brief response as to your interest and qualifications.

Empty lot next to VG's Neighborhood Activity Center

We will be setting a date for a special meeting of the Master Board during our annual master association meeting on April 13.

During the Great Recession a property the Board believed belonged to a bank reverted to ownership by the Master Association. This is land immediately adjacent to Victor Gardens Neighborhood Activity Center building. Some of you will recall a survey conducted by the Long Range Planning Committee that was conducted in 2015. During this survey many ideas emerged for using the land….a tot splash pad, more parking, a playground for the western end of our community. Do you have ideas? Come to the annual meeting at 6:00 on April 13 and help us select a meeting date for detailed discussion of this issue. We will also briefly talk about this at the April 13 meeting as time allows in our busy annual meeting agenda.

Karen

Thanks Kasey!

Thanks to Kasey Birch and all the volunteers who helped with our annual Egg Hunt & Petting Zoo.

New faces are needed to plan events in the neighborhood. Kasey needs a co-chair as well as other committee members to help with budgeting, planning, advertising and coordinating volunteers for events. New ideas are always welcome! For more information contact Kasey at (763) 300-5683

Egg Hunt and other upcoming events

Annual Victor Gardens Egg Hunt and Petting Zoo

Egg hunt and petting zoo will be held on Sat, March 19th at 4:00pm Arbre Park.  Please arrive a bit early so your kids don't miss out.  Bring a bag to collect goodies from the eggs.  Petting zoo will immediately follow.

Help needed for Egg Hunt

- Tuesday, March 15th at 6:30pm - egg filling at the activity center (pool house).  Children are welcome.
- Saturday, March 19th at 3:00pm - set-up.  Please meet at the pool house to collect supplies before traveling to Arbre Park.
- RSVP to Kasey at 763-300-5683 to help.

Mark your calendar for additional events

- April 10th - Flips Gymnastics open gym.

- May 29th - Movie night at Valjean Park

- June 24th - Root beer floats at activity center

- July 18th - Magic in the park family event

- Aug 2nd - National Night Out

- Aug 24th - Root beer floats at activity center

- Sep 23rd - Movie night at Valjean Park

More information to follow.  If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above events or are willing to plan another event please contact Kasey at 763-300-5683

Help needed on events committee

New faces are needed to plan events in the neighborhood.  Kasey needs a co-chair as well as other committee members to help with budgeting, planning, advertising and coordinating volunteers for events.  New ideas are always welcome!  For more information contact Kasey at 763-300-5683

Snow removal update 2-3-16

Below is an excerpt sent to board members whose sub associations have contracted Birch for their snow removal services. Keep in mind that not every sub association contracts with Birch. For a complete list of providers please check Victor Gardens News' Snow Removal page.

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Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2016 8:44 AM
Subject: FW: 2.3.2016 Snow Event Update

Good Morning,

The plowing crews have been working throughout the night getting ‘open-ups’ completed. We anticipated transitioning into ‘full-plow’ overnight but due to the continued snowfall and sustained wind speed at 20 mph with gusts over 25mph our efforts have been futile. After every property is ‘opened’ and functioning we will cease snow plowing and will return this evening to touch up the properties and finish the ‘full-plow’; as winds and snowfall are forecasted to subside this evening.

As for snow shoveling, crews were dispatched in the early morning hours, but have had the same challanges of continued snowfall with high winds causing the once cleared sidewalk and/or walkway to be quickly drifted back in with snow. We have choosen to transition our snow shovling crews to focus on garage door fronts this morning. The crews will return this evening to clear walkways and sidewalks.

Thank you for your patience as work through this winter storm.

Sincerely, 

Kris Birch
President

Snow removal update 2-2-16

Below is an excerpt sent to board members whose sub associations have contracted Birch for their snow removal services.  Keep in mind that not every sub association contracts with Birch.  For a complete list of providers please check Victor Gardens News' Snow Removal page.

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Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2016 3:08 PM
Subject:2/2/2016 Snow Event Update

Good Afternoon,

The much anticipated snow event is upon us. The afternoon rush hour timing, 1-2” per hour snowfall rates, combined with strong winds will make this snow event challenging. The good part is the forecasts have been discussing this event for almost a week, so we are ready.

Crews are being dispatched for ‘open-up’ plowing this afternoon ranging from 3 pm to 5pm, earlier times in the south, later times in the north; based on forecast snow accumulation of 4” around 6pm.

Heaviest snow fall rates from 4pm-8pm, tapering around midnight, with little accumulation snow in the early morning hours.

Full snow plowing and shoveling will commence once accumulation snow tapers.

Regards,

Kris Birch
President