Volume 13, Number 12
December 2018
Sendera
sendera SENDERA HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION
OFFICIAL COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
Happy Holidays from the Sendera Board of Directors! There are some changes coming for Sendera in 2019. Our newsletter publisher, Peel, Inc., has provided us with a free newsletter for many years. They have been able to do this by publishing advertisements that offset the cost of printing and mailing. However, they informed us that since ad revenue is no longer covering their costs, starting in the new year we would need to pay a monthly fee. The board had already been considering adding a digital newsletter, and this seemed like a good time to make the jump. So here's the most important part: THIS ISSUE IS YOUR LAST PAPER NEWSLETTER. If you want to keep receiving regular neighborhood updates, please contact First Service Residential (austin@ fsresidential.com) to make sure that you are signed up for our community emails. We will also be starting a blog, and since we won't have the publishing and mailing deadlines that the paper newsletter had, it will be a much more current and up-to-date source of information. We will provide a link on the Sendera home page (senderahoa.com) as soon as the blog goes live. Finally, Alison Carpenter, who has served as our volunteer newsletter editor for the past few years, is moving on to other projects. Her hard work on behalf of Sendera is very much appreciated, and we wish her the best of luck. Thanks, Alison! Neighbors, we hope that you have a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the new year. Sincerely, your board of directors (pictured hanging out at Backspin after hammering out the 2019 budget.) Steven, Tom, Sarah, Duane & Angie Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc.
Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
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Sendera COMMITTEE CHAIRS Contact First Service Residential Management for all
problems or issues regarding neighborhood amenities.
ARCHITECTURAL Tom Franke..................................................
[email protected] .........................................................................512-623-0267 Duane Galligher...............................
[email protected] Steven Cannella.................................
[email protected] .........................................................................512-568-5683 POOL Duane Galligher...............................
[email protected] RECREATION Sarah Morse.........................................sarahtmorse@yahoo.com LANDSCAPE Pamela Kurburski
[email protected] Steven Cannella.......................................................... (Co-chair) NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH James Craft.................................senderacrimewatch@gmail.com NEWSLETTER EDITOR Alison
[email protected]
IMPORTANT NUMBERS EMERGENCY/Fire/EMS.................................................... 911 Non-emergency Police/Government Services........................ 311 “Call Before You Dig”.......................................................... 811 City of Austin Utilities (Electricity/Water/Waste) Customer Service..............................................512-494-9400 To report electrical outage (need PowerLink # from your bill)....................512-322-9100 Texas State Gas Customer Service...........................................1-800-700-2443 Gas Leaks......................................................1-800-959-5325 Schools Cowan Elementary............................................512-841-2700 Bailey Middle School........................................512-414-4990 Covington Middle School.................................512-414-3276 Bowie High School...........................................512-414-5247 OTHER NUMBERS Oak Hill Post Office......................................1-800-275-8777 Austin Public Library – Hampton Branch........512-974-9900
ASSOC. MANAGEMENT Stuart Jones - Association Manager Office: 512-266-6771
[email protected] Cassie Burgess - Assistant Manager Office: 512-620-7056
[email protected]
First Service Residential
7 Lakeway Centre Court, Lakeway, TX 78734 www.fsresidential.com Login: http://senderahoa.com Dues & Payments | Architectural Form Governing Documents
NEWSLETTER INFO NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Peel, Inc.......................................................... 512-263-9181 Article Submissions.................................... www.peelinc.com Advertising...................................
[email protected]
HOA WEB SITE Sendera HOA Web Site:
www.senderahoa.com 2
Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
FINISH STRONG The holiday season is in full swing, and we know your calendar is packed. But with numerous exercise classes offered daily, state-of-the-art fitness equipment and facilities, the YMCA of Austin is here to help you finish the year strong. Keep the commitment to your health through the holidays and burn off your seasonal stress at a Y near you.
For more than a workout. For a better us. locations across
Travis, Hays & Bastrop counties
Learn more at AustinYMCA.org
FREE ChildWatch while you work out
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Sendera Letter From The Editor Hi Neighbors, For the past three years I’ve been the volunteer editor of the Sendera newsletter. I’ve really enjoyed making connections and sharing information with you all along the way. Starting January 2019, Sarah Morse will take on the job of keeping you all informed by creating a Sendera blog. This will allow much more flexibility and much less waste compared to our newsletter. The time is right, and I’m so appreciative of Sarah for taking over this project. It’s been a wonderful experience getting to know our HOA Board, which is comprised of the nicest, most dedicated people. The newsletter was a team effort, and I couldn’t have done it without their collaboration and input. I want to give a special thank you to Pamela Kurburski. Pam was the previous newsletter editor and helped me tremendously in the beginning with feedback when I had no clue what I was doing. She has been a regular contributor of the In The Garden column, the best part of this newsletter in my humble opinion. Going forward, I still recommend everyone sign up for Nextdoor for immediate announcements on what is happening in the neighborhood. Or, go the extra mile and volunteer for a Sendera committee or even for an HOA Board position. You’ll never know how rewarding it is until you try it. One last thing before I sign off: if you have ever read and appreciated this newsletter, thank you very much! I loved this job and putting it together for you each month. Hope to see you around the neighborhood. Sincerely, Alison Carpenter
Recreation Committee News DECEMBER 2018 by Sarah Morse Thanks to everyone who attended the Sendera Fall Fest on Friday November 2. We had a great turnout and beautiful weather! Residents enjoyed games like corn hole, ladder golf, and football toss, plus free microbrew samples, a Mediterranean food truck, and a DJ with bubble machine. Our event coordinator, HelloNabr put together a recap, including photos, which you can find at https://hellonabr.com/ nabrhoods/austin/sendera-nabrhood/2018-sendera-fall-festival/. As the acting Recreation Committee Chair, I didn't find judges soon enough to have a Halloween decorating contest this year, and I'm sorry about that. There were some excellent displays that my kids really enjoyed! Keep up the good work, and we will bring it back in 2019! We will have a Christmas decorating contest and could use a couple more people to drive around the neighborhood Friday December 21 or Saturday December 22 to award prizes. Contact me at
[email protected] if you are interested.
District 8 Run-Off Election It was a close race for the District 8 City Council seat. No candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, so the top two candidates, Paige Ellis and Frank Ward, will be on a run-off ballot. Early voting is Thursday, November 29 through Friday, December 7. Election day is December 11. Vote and make your voice heard in this important election!
Need Help? Find it on NEXTDoor Are you looking for a reliable babysitter, yard worker, or tutor? The best way to find neighbors for hire is to ask for recommendations on Nextdoor.
HOA Reminder: Preventing Holiday Mail Theft •
Check the box daily and remove all mail before nightfall.
•
Mail letters in the morning before pickup.
•
Report mailbox theft immediately to the Postmaster, APD, and Nextdoor so neighbors can be aware.
•
Sign up for Informed Delivery notifications at USPS.com.
•
Consider a door security service (such as Ring) to monitor front door delivery.
Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc.
If you haven’t done so already, create an account at Nextdoor.com. Then post your inquiry to find neighbors available for hire, or advertise your own services in a quick and easy way. Nextdoor is essentially a free job listing service that is always up-to-date and based on community participation. Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
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Sendera Drone Ownership 101 by Alison Carpenter note: I was working on this article with James Craft when commercial UAS flights. I got[Edtor’s the news that December would be the last issue. Even though the article was intended for a later issue, I’m publishing here so as not to waste all the great information. James was very kind to indulge my questions and I hope you enjoy his contribution.]
Recently APD proposed using drones to monitor fatal accident scenes in order to gather useful data. Needless to say, the announcement sparked backlash. That got me thinking: what’s the big deal? I went straight to James Craft, our resident expert on drones. When did you become interested in drone ownership and why? I started flying drones over four years ago when my son gave me one for my birthday. During my party, he feigned like [he was giving me] a miniature drone. While receiving a mini wasn’t my idea of a great time, like any parent who has received “that” gift from their kids, I played the excited parent. After eating cake, my son excused himself and returned with a DJI Phantom 3 drone, which at the time was the top of the line consumer drone. I felt like the sky had opened, and I could hear the music playing in my head as he handed me the huge box! I was excited to study my new gift, but frightened at the thought of flying anything outside the house. I reviewed all the material for at least a week before I had the guts to venture out over Austin. What should I look for if I’m going to buy a drone? There are a handful of recreational drone companies to choose from but I’ve only flown DJI products. They provide an “out of the box” flying experience. Meaning, if you can figure out where to attach the four propellers, great! While out of the box flight is possible, I highly recommend you put everything away except the directions and absorb yourself in how the controller operates and what are some of the emergency functions, such as Return to Home, or even which stick configuration will kill all four motors. Believe me, you’ll need both of these functions, so it’s good to practice both techniques to the point that it becomes muscle memory. When buying a drone, one should evaluate why you want a drone. If you plan to use it to make money, you’ll need an FAA license known as the part 107 pilot license. For me, it’s about finding new environments that can test my airmanship. Yes, I’ve been tested and I lost that battle to a 200 ft pine tree in Seattle. I’m flying the smaller Mavic Pro now and I love it. A lot of people are anti-drones because of privacy and safety concerns. What are the regulations everyone needs to know? This link https://www.faa.gov/uas/ is the first place you should stop before you unbox your drone. The rise in popularity of drones as a hobby and as a tool for business prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create the Part 107 regulations. Released in 2016, they were the first set of official rules made for the use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The website contains the updated government standards and restrictions for recreational and 4
Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
If you see or hear a drone overhead that appears to be flying a “sky track”— rarely slowing or loitering over a specific location—then it’s a pretty safe bet that nothing nefarious is afoot. My Mavic travels at up to 50+ mph and I fly it purely for fun. I don’t care nor do I have the time to be concerned with what’s going on in your backyard. My focus before and during flight is 100% on safety. If my aircraft is hovering, it’s because I’ve stopped at a safe altitude and location to work something out. I always fly above 100 feet in the neighborhood. My preference is 200-350 feet, but at those altitudes my 20-minute battery life can be reduced to less than 10 minutes. By FAA regulation, I am not allowed to fly the craft above 400 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). The FAA is responsible for all airspace above AGL but it’s generally understood that the homeowner can expect a level of privacy below 25 feet. For an operator to be spying, they would have to be at eye level to your windows and within 3-5 feet to be able to peek into your house. There’s a 90% chance you’re going to notice that, making spying unlikely. There are commercial drones that can be used for spying, but the cost of those is in the thousands. Trust me, if one of those vehicles are above you they have a warrant to be there and you’re never going to know they stopped by. In my opinion, if someone is flying below 25 feet in a neighborhood they are flying in an unsafe manner and the police should be called. A responsible drone operator will always follow the guidelines set forth by the FAA. To the novice, an unsafe operator may not be easily recognizable. If you think an operator is flying in an unsafe manner, determine who’s flying the drone, their location, and then phone the police. APD actually has a drone officer and is pretty smart on the do’s and dont’s of recreational drone flight rules. How hard is it to learn to fly one? It’s easier than putting your pants on, and that may be our downfall. An “out of the box” experience means you can be flying a drone in 30 minutes or less. Responsible flying is another matter. You can trace the first restriction of flight when someone flew their drone into Old Faithful. From that day forward, all drones were banned from all national parks. So, learning to fly is simple, but [a person] may not be following the community guidelines. What if it gets lost or damaged, what do you do? Attached to my drone is a Tile (a tracking device), five flashing lights that can be seen from 3 miles, and three flashing lights that can be seen from a few hundred yards. There is a piece of paper with my name, phone number, and reward information placed inside the battery compartment and the required FAA registration number on (Continued on Page 6) Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc.
Sendera Fire Safety for the Holidays During the colder months, much of the call volume for the Austin Fire Department comes from preventable situations. Be aware of four main areas and their potential dangers. Space Heaters Space heaters become more prevalent, especially with the elderly. A few things to remember: • Never place your space heater near curtains or fabric material that can easily catch on fire. Leave a space approximately 2-3 feet from these materials and in a location that will benefit the user to stay warm. • Turn off your space heater when not in use and never leave it unattended. • Never hang wet clothes or material on a space heater to dry. These materials will catch fire. It is best to hang them on a clothes drying rack or chair near the space heater at the recommended distance. Christmas Trees Christmas tree fires happen all too often, mainly due to overloaded outlets. Never overload wall outlets or mutli-plug appliances. If using a surge protector, be sure it is in good working condition. The chord going into the wall should not have any fraying or exposed wiring which could cause a fire. A new surge protector is your best option if you are unsure. If you prefer to purchase a live tree, keep it healthy and prevent it from drying out. Simply put water in the tree stand after setting it up. Check the water level twice a day and keep it filled. This will prevent the tree from becoming a fire wick in the event there is an electrical issue. Fireplaces Best practice is to have your chimney cleaned at least once a year and prior to use. Soot build-up in the chimney stack can ignite and lead to a house or attic fire. Keep the firebox area clean of ashes and old wood before the next use. Gas fireplaces should be kept cleaned out as well. The gas pipe used to light the logs should be cleaned and maintained regularly. Remember to turn off the gas after the logs are burning and when not in use. Smoke Detectors It is very important to change out the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months or during the Daylight Savings time changes. When the battery is low, the detector will emit an intermittent “chirping” sound every 10-15 seconds. This is NOT an alarm sound. An emergency alarm will be three consecutive long beeps approximately every ½ second accompanied by smoke. Call 911 immediately for the alarm; simply change out the batteries if it is chirping at you. Your smoke detectors can save your life with just a little bit of maintenance. Copyright © 2018 Peel, Inc.
Ingredients: • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened • 3/4 cup sugar • 1 egg • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1/2 tsp. salt • 2 slightly beaten egg whites • 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds (optional) • 1/4 cup pearl sugar (or substitute regular sugar) • 1/4 to 1/2 cup raspberry jam Preparation: Preheat oven to 375º. Cream together butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Sift flour and salt together; add to creamed butter mixture. Mix thoroughly. Divide dough in half. Roll first half into 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured surface. Use a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter (or the top of a round glass) to cut out circles. Roll second portion out into 1/8" thickness. Cut out 2 1/2" circles and then use a thimble to cut out smaller circles inside these rounds (Note: You can also use a linzer cookie cutter or a small 1/2" cutter for this). Brush these "wheels" with egg white and sprinkle with pearl sugar and chopped almonds (optional). Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet and bake on center rack of oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool on counter. Place a scant 1/2 tsp. of jelly in the middle of the round cookies and cover with the "wheels" to create sandwich cookies. Yield: 3 1/2 dozen jelly cookies. Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
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Sendera
(Continued from Page 4) the side of the aircraft. It’s illegal to fly a drone out of your line of site, so it should be pretty easy to locate a downed craft. [James shared a terrific story about losing his drone in a pine tree. Sadly, it’s too lengthy to include here. Ask him about it!] What’s the coolest thing about drones? The best thing about drone ownership is seeing what the average person on the ground isn’t seeing. Cruising at 350 feet, traveling 45 mph, and making split decisions on controller inputs gives me a natural high that’s hard to explain. Every flight is different because the environment is always changing, such as light conditions and wind speed or direction. I absolutely love catching sunsets at 350 feet. The beauty is hard to put in words other than breathtaking. I’m over on West Hove Loop and spend most of my time in the various greenbelts and over the trees of Davis Lane. If you see my drone in the sky just come by and speak with me. Everyone who shows interest in my activities will get a lesson in what the hobby is all about. I will likely give you the controls for a supervised flight around the neighborhood. My files are also open to anyone worried about privacy. It’s a great hobby, but remember that everything you do reflects back onto a whole community of pilots who are trying to do the right thing. Fly safe!
At no time will any source be allowed to use The Sendera Newsletter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the Sendera Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Sendera HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/ correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above. * The Sendera HOA does not endorse any products, services, or goods mentioned in the newsletter. 6
Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
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Sendera Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2018
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