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Hunter's Chase Gazette

HUNTER'S CHASE The Official Newsletter of the Hunter's Chase HOA

December 2011 Volume 1, Issue 6

2011 Girl Scout

Dear Residents,

You will notice in the next couple of months a lot of construction happening in the Hunters Chase park. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am very excited about what the park will look like when we have completed the improvements. We will be injecting about $108,000 in improvements within the next 6 months that will make our park more useful and safer for our community. I know that this is coming out of the blue to most residents, so I will give the shorthand version of what has occurred here. If you would like to learn the details, please feel free to send me an e-mail and we can sit down and go over what the board has been able to achieve. As you are no doubt aware, the election to keep the Springwoods MUD/LD failed this year by one vote. The MUD/LD ceased to exist on October 1, 2011, and the City of Austin received all of the assets of the MUD/ LD as of that date. These assets included the monies the MUD had in reserve funds. The details of that transfer are available in the flier sent by the MUD/LD or from the Springwoods website and the transfer has been completed as required by state law. The Springwoods board had an unusual situation where they had the money of their citizens and they were concerned that the money would not ultimately necessarily benefit their citizens. The MUD/LD money came from the reserve that it was required to hold to operate and was gathered through our property taxes over the years. With the Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.

MUD/LD going away, it will be up to the city how those funds are spent. I approached the board of directors of the MUD/LD on behalf of our POA and suggested that some of the remaining money be spent in our community to benefit the residents of the district as a whole. My basic argument was that close to half of the district is also in the HOA thus helping the residents in our park would help their citizens. There were a lot of hoops that we had to jump through to get this deal to work. Springwoods is a government entity and bound by restriction in the Texas Constitution regarding spending money on private entities (our Property Owners Association is considered a private entity under state law). In the end, we determined that the MUD/ LD could spend money on improvements in the public areas of the park. That also meant that any improvements in the pool area and tennis courts could not be done with MUD/LD money. Additionally, the Texas Constitution requires that any improvements that were paid for by the MUD/LD would need to be maintained. To achieve those goals, the POA has agreed to restrictive covenants on the public park areas for the next 20 years. During that time, we may not erect a billboard on the park, must maintain the improvements on the park, not discriminate against people using the park and a few other restrictions. If you would like a copy of the deed restrictions, please let me (Continued on Page 3)

Holiday Bazaar

Saturday, December 5th 1:00-3:00 PM Pond Springs Elementary Cafeteria

The Springwoods Girl Scout Service Unit is holding its annual Holiday Bazaar benefitting “Kids Helping Kids” on Saturday, December 3rd, from 1:00-3:00 PM in the Pond Springs Elementary Cafeteria. “Kids Helping Kids” provides funds to help the RRISD school nurses buy shoes, prescription eye glasses, and other things for our neighborhood children who are in need when all other funding options are exhausted. The Girl Scout troops will be selling handmade crafts and gift shop quality items ranging in price from $.25 to $5.00. The girls will also be holding a bake sale at the event. So, come check out the Springwoods Girl Scout Holiday Bazaar and buy something lovely for a teacher, a friend, or a family member, and enjoy a delicious holiday treat! This event is a lot of fun and is a great way to get ahead on your holiday shopping. The best part is that the sale benefits the children in our local neighborhood schools! The girls will also be collecting canned goods for the local food bank, so bring some canned goods to donate! Please contact Jessie Haug ([email protected] or 335-3334) if you have any questions. Hunter's Chase Gazette - December 2011

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Hunter's Chase Gazette CONTACT NUMBERS & IMPORTANT INFO Hunter’s Chase Yahoo Newsgroup http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hunterschase/ Hunter’s chase POA website - http://hca.goodwintx.com/ UTILITIES Electricity City of Austin...................................................... 494-9400 Gas Atmos Energy............................................1-888-286-6700 Emergency.................................................... 866-322-8667 Water/Wastewater (City of Austin) Emergency........................................................... 912-6000 Trash/Recycling Texas Disposal Systems ....................................... 421-1340 PROPERTY MANAGEMENT HC HOA Goodwin Management Inc. [email protected]............ 512-502-7503 Estates of HC POA CA Managers: [email protected].................................. 512-288-2376 ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE Applications are found on the intranet site at http://hca.goodwintx.com/ DEED ENFORCEMENT To report violations contact Sage Management sage. [email protected] - Deed Documents, http://hca.goodwintx.com/ Download the file HCA.GOV.xx.19840530.CCRS.pdf SCHOOLS Pond Springs Elementary................................. 512-464-4200 ..................... http://schools.roundrockisd.org/pondsprings/ Deerpark Middle School.................................. 512-464-6600 ...........................http://schools.roundrockisd.org/deerpark/ McNeil High School........................................ 512-464-6300 ..............................http://schools.roundrockisd.org/mcneil/ OTHER Crime Stoppers........................................... 1-800-253-STOP County Commissioner Lisa Birkman, Pct. 1 .....................733-5384 fax; 733-5380 Animal Control....................................................... 943-1389 Spicewood Springs Branch Public Library ........................ 8637 Spicewood Springs Rd 512-974-3800

HOA BOARD Darin Siefkes ([email protected])......................... President Calandra Bradford ............................................Vice President Michael Kuykendall..................................................Treasurer Brian James ..............................................................Secretary Rebekah Sheppard................................................................... To reach any one of the board members please contact Carmen Glassinger at [email protected] HUNTERS CHASE POA COMMITTEES Residents interested in joining a committee should contact Darin Siefkes at [email protected] 1. Neighborhood Watch - will assist with implementing a neighborhood watch program 2. Amenities (Pool, Park & Tennis) - will be responsible for maintenance and improvement suggestions to the Board 3. Events - responsible for determining which neighborhood events to plan and carrying out the planning and execution of the events (Neighborhood garage sale, Christmas caroling, potlucks, etc)

NEWSLETTER INFO EDITOR Brian James ............... [email protected] PUBLISHER Peel, Inc........................................................ 888-687-6444 Advertising................................ [email protected]

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Interested in submitting an article? You can do so by emailing [email protected] or by going to http://www. peelinc.com/articleSubmit.php. All news must be received by the 9th of the month prior to the issue. So if you are involved with a school group, scouts, sports etc – please submit your articles for The Subdivision Name. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, special celebrations and military service are also welcome.

DON’T WANT TO WAIT FOR THE MAIL?

View the current issue of the Hunter's Chase Gazette on the 1st day of each month at www.PEELinc.com 2

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Hunter's Chase Gazette Dear Residents - (Continued from Cover)

* Replacement of all wooden structured playground equipment * Drainage improvements * A chain-link fence to run on the side where the park abuts to other properties * A climbing rock * Outdoor fitness equipment Additionally, and most excitedly to several of the board members, we will install a large pavilion near the playscape area with covered seating and tables. I think these improvements will be a benefit to our community and well worth the efforts expended by myself and the board. The money received will not need to be paid back. The negotiations were not broadcast to the community members because of the length of time that was involved and the concern that if it became publicly known that the MUD/LD was open to such an arrangement, they would be inundated with requests for funding from other organizations and the MUD/LD would refuse to complete the deal with the POA. To be honest, I witnessed numerous requests by organizations to the MUD/LD for funding and all were refused except ours. I regret not being able to come to the community for brainstorming about projects, advice or assistance; but the negotiations were delicate and I stand by my decision to not broadcast what we were attempting to do. I personally want to thank the former directors of the MUD/LD board. They have been a partner throughout these negotiations. These expenditures required city approval and the MUD/LD led the charge to resolve the concerns the city had and gave advice throughout the process. If you run into Jim Buchanan, Jim Sagnes, Mike Weems, Kelly Campbell and Rodney Hargrave, please thank

them. They had a lot of work to do to transition from a limited district to the city of Austin and would have been well within their rights to reject our request for funds out of hand. However, they along with the district’s attorney, Gregg Krumme, went the extra mile to get this deal put together and I will always be grateful for their assistance. I hope that you will see the construction as a minor inconvenience as we improve our park. I look forwarded to the spring when the work will be completed and our community can enjoy the added features. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail. I plan on having a version of this article in the next Hunters Chase Gazette (not the one you are receiving right now). However, that is two months away and I wanted this information to be distributed to our residents now. Yours Truly, Darin Siefkes President, Hunters Chase POA

And

know and I will e-mail you a copy. After 20 years, those restrictions will automatically terminate and the restrictions cannot be extended. During that time, the park is still considered a private park and we are able to impose non-discriminatory rules. The tennis courts and swimming pool are unaffected by this agreement and the POA can do anything it wants to in those areas. What we get in exchange for these restrictions is the ability to do $108,000 worth of improvements to the parkóimprovements that are sorely needed. The improvements that have been agreed to include:

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Timothy W. Hald, CPA Telephone: ..........................................................512-363-5738 e - mail: ................................................... [email protected] Webpage:............................................cpa-austintexas.com Remember: .................Maximize Profit, Minimize Taxes

Hunter's Chase Gazette - December 2011

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Hunter's Chase Gazette At no time will any source be allowed to use the Hunter's Chase Gazette'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 Hunter's Chase Gazette is exclusively for the private use of the Hunter's Chase 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.

Upcoming Events DEC. 5TH

The Springwoods Girl Scout Service Unit is holding its annual Holiday Bazaar benefitting “Kids Helping Kids” on Saturday, December 3rd, from 1:00-3:00 PM in the Pond Springs Elementary Cafeteria. For more info see article inside. DEC. 10TH

Coats for Kids Distribution Day Parmer Events Center 8-3 Coat drive runs through Dec 7th, drop off coats off at any Jack Brown Cleaners Volunteer: Sort coats Dec 6-9, help distribute Dec 10th For details see article inside DEC. 17TH

Winterfest in the Park Hunter’s Chase POA park 1-3pm Band of the Hills will perform, craft tables, Boy Scout Troop 164 will have hot chocolate and concessions Contact Rebekah Sheppard at [email protected] for more info or to volunteer DEC. 19TH – JAN. 2ND

WANTED

Round Rock ISD Winter Break Do you have an event or notice you want Hunter’s Chase residents to know about, submit an event via the link at http:// www.peelinc.com/articleSubmit.php

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Hunters Chase Gazette - December 2011

SEND US YOUR

Event Pictures!!

Do you have a picture of an event that you would like to run in the Hunter's Chase Gazette? Send it to us and we will publish it in the next issue. Email the picture to Brian.james@pineappleandbanana. net. Be sure to include the text that you would like to have as the caption. Pictures will appear in color online at www.PEELinc. com.

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Hunter's Chase Gazette The 7 Things You Must Know Before Solving Your IRS Problem Learn How to Solve Your Problem as Quickly and Painlessly as Possible (Part 2 of 2)

4) EVALUATE YOUR OPTIONS Payment in Full-Paying your Debt in Full now, will take care of your IRS problem and end any more intrusive collection activities. For many taxpayers, this is not a good alternative due to lack of funds. Offer in Compromise-Settling for less than you owe-for some a good option. You must meet strict guidelines. Many people do not qualify. Beware of the many “Pennies on the Dollar” National Tax Firms. Installment Agreements-The IRS may enter into an agreement to pay your tax debt back over time. For many taxpayers, this represents a good option to get back in compliance and solve your problem. Currently not Collectible-In some instances, the IRS will determine that based upon your financial situation, that pursuing collection activity will present a hardship on

taxpayers. An analysis must be done of your current monthly income and expenses, as well as your assets and liabilities. Statute of Limitations-The IRS has 10 years from the date of assessment to collect the tax. After 10 years is up, the tax debt generally goes away. Bankruptcy-Filing for Bankruptcy, can eliminate some but not all types of IRS debt. Filing for bankruptcy is a big step and should not be undertaken unless all available options are evaluated. 5) GATHER FINANCIAL INFORMATION... ...typically with a Form 433-A or 433B - These forms are used by the IRS for individuals and businesses to determine monthly income and assets and liabilities and your ability to pay. It is likely that this financial information will be required for all

your alternatives that we previously discussed. 6) MAINTAIN GOOD COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE IRS Keeping in touch with the IRS is the best way possible to minimize enforced collection activity such as liens and bank and wage levies. 7) GET PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. This may be the most important tip of all. You must always keep in mind that collection of revenue is the core business of the IRS. The collection process of the IRS is designed to extract from you, the maximum amount of money for the government, in the minimum amount of time. Generally, the IRS will be fair and reasonable with you in your dealings with them. There is a specified collection

(Continued on Page 6)

How was Hunters Chase Real Estate in November? Active (as of November 8) Pending (under contract) Sold 2011 (Jan-Nov) Sold 2010 (Jan-Dec) Sold 2009 (Jan-Dec) Sold 2008 (Jan-Dec)

# of Homes 5 3 31 31 28 28

Avg. Price $205,420 $209,900 $203,945 $213,174 $211,328 $202,878

As a Hunters Chase resident who has lived right here on Partridge Bend for many years I have a vested interest in this community and my neighbors!

How does the future look?

It looks like we are on pace to sell more homes this year than any since 2007 but the average sales price is slipping down. While Winter traditionally sees fewer buyers looking at homes, there are currently only 5 homes for sale. With an average of 3 homes selling per month there is less than 2 months inventory. Hopefully this minimal inventory will help stabilize prices and lead to higher sales prices in 2012.

Please call me today at 576-1504 to find out how much your home is now worth in this market Keller Williams - 12515-8 Research Blvd #100 Each office is independently owned and operated

Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.

Laurie Flood, Realtor®

[email protected] www.LaurieFlood.com 576-1504

Hunter's Chase Gazette - December 2011

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Hunter's Chase Gazette 7 Things You Must Know...- (Continued from Page 5) process that has been established by the IRS to deal with collection matters. These rules and regulations must be followed by the IRS in their collection activities. The problem most taxpayers face is that this is likely the first time they have had any problems and dealings with the IRS on any tax matters. This immediately puts the taxpayer into a bad position in dealing with the IRS. IRS collection employees work with the IRS collection system, day in and day out. It’s all they do. They clearly have the advantage here. What you say in your earliest dealings with the IRS can have a tremendous bearing in the future negotiations to solve your tax problem. If you call our office and mention that you responded to this email, you will receive $100 off of your total fee. I suggest you give me a call if you need help with any of these items or any of your IRS Issues, Tax Preparation or Accounting Issues. I am a Hunter Chase Resident and Office in the neighborhood as well. Call, click or come-by for a consultation. Tim Hald, CPA 13284 Pond Springs Rd Suite 310, Austin, Texas 78729 T: 512-363-5738; E: [email protected]; web: cpa-austintexas. com

Winterfest Are you a small home based business in the Hunters Chase/ Millwood area looking for some free holiday exposure/sales? We are looking for 6 such businesses for our annual Holiday event: Winterfest in Hunters Chase Park Sat December 17, 1:30-3:30 pm. We would prefer sales of actual goods vs promotion of area services. There is no fee to participate but you must provide your own table/ set up and arrive at least 30 minutes prior to event to set up per our direction. Questions or more information- please contact me Lynn Raridon at [email protected].

Do You Have Reason to Celebrate?

We want to hear from you! Email Brian.james@ pineappleandbanana.net to let the community know!

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Hunter's Chase Gazette Architectural Control Committee (ACC)

This month I am including the section on Maintenance of Lots. This year has been very tough on our yards; the forecast is for the drought to continue for at least a few more years. If you weren’t willing to spend a few hundred dollars in water bills this summer, your yard probably looks a lot like mine, half dead. I am not going to tell you have to spend money watering your yard but we still need to do a little cleanup here and there to keep it from looking overgrown (I wish) and neglected. I do have one request for everyone. As a parent of 2 small children, I can’t help but notice that we have a lot of vegetation that blocks sight lines from sidewalks to driveways and vice versa. I work hard at teaching my 2 year old to look out for cars, especially ones backing out of driveways. She just isn’t tall enough to see over some of the bushes and there are many bushes that are too tall for someone in a car to see small ones on the sidewalks, or other cars coming down the street. So I ask you to take the trimmers out of the garage, trim back any vegetation encroaching on a sidewalk or growing too tall at the end of a driveway. Thanks Brian James – ACC Chair

“Maintenance of Lots – The owner of each Lot shall keep grass, weeds and vegetation trimmed or cut so that the same shall remain in a neat and attractive condition. No fence, wall or shrub or other structure or planting which obstructs sight lines shall be permitted without the specific approval of the Architectural Control Committee. The digging or removal of dirt or other surface material from any Lot, except as necessary in connection with Landscaping or construction of improvements, is prohibited” Applications and the Covenants and Restrictions (CCRS) documents are found on the intranet site at http://hca.goodwintx. com/.    The ACC application must be approved before project work begins. The ACC has up to 30 days to respond to applications.  So plan ahead and get those applications in early. In some cases, you will also need a building permit from the City of Austin.   If you have questions, we suggest that you contact Goodwin Management via http://hca.goodwintx.com/. In addition to the covenants and restrictions there may also be City of Austin Regulations from City Ordinances that apply, a handy link listing the ordinances most likely to impact residents of newly annexed areas can be found here. http:// www.ci.austin.tx.us/annexation/city_regs.htm

Thank You TO ALL OUR

2011

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Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season! Hunter's Chase Gazette - December 2011

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