The Beacon The Official Newsletter of the Rivermist HOA Issue 2, Volume 5
Greetings,
In a few months we will be holding our annual meeting. We encourage everyone to stay tuned for info on the date/time. One of the items we will be discussing is potential capital improvements. Please keep in mind that while we want to make the neighborhood a great place to live and also to increase our property values, we have to remember that certain improvements such as a pool would cause an increase in our annual HOA dues. We are looking at smaller capital improvements such as additional park benches, a small dog park or new play equipment for the park we have. If you have ideas/suggestions/preferences for capital improvements please email them to us at
[email protected]. We will consider every suggestion and take your inputs into consideration before deciding on any new projects.
Sincerely, Your Board of Directors
Dear Neighbors,
A new steel backboard has been specially manufactured for our park and was recently installed. We have had trouble keeping our basketball goal in use. It has been vandalized multiple times and every time the HOA has to replace the backboard it cost you, the homeowners, money. Please help us fight this problem by reporting suspicious behavior to the HOA. You may email us at
[email protected] or you may call AMS at (210) 829-7202. As a reminder, the park is for the use of Bexar County Rivermist residents and their invited guests. If you believe there are people using the park who are not from our neighborhood, write down the days/times you see them there and the HOA can try to contact them. We have typically allowed the other Rivermist communities (The Hills and the Arbors) to use our park but if their residents do not abide by the rules, we may have to revise that policy. We want to give our residents a place to relax but do not wish to continue paying to replace equipment. We do not know who the vandals are or where they live. If you or your children know who the vandals are, please pass that information along to the HOA. If this does not stop, we may have to consider removing the basketball goal permanently. Your Rivermist Board of Directors
Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc.
May 2011
Fellow
Residents of Rivermist,
As we get further into the year and Spring comes rolling in, we should all take the time to spruce up our homes, our yards and our community as a whole. You can help out the neighborhood by mowing your lawns, possibly adding landscaping (with prior approval!!), pulling weeds and watering your yard. Doing these things improves the quality of life for all of us. You can consider staining your fence (please contact AMS or the board to verify acceptable stain colors). You can also help by keeping your garbage cans and recycle bins out of sight when not awaiting pickup. Do the little things… Pick up trash if you see it while out walking. Use the puppy stations when walking your pets to help keep the neighborhood beautiful. OUTDOOR SPACES Clean porch ceilings and walls • Sweep up cobwebs and debris with a corn broom, and wash walls with a solution of all-purpose cleaner and water using a polyester sponge. Scrub decks, patios, driveways, and walkways • Treat mildew spots with a solution of 1 part oxygen bleach to 3 parts water using a deck brush. Wash outdoor furniture • Most materials, including aluminum, plastic, wood, and wicker, can handle a solution of mild dishwashing liquid and water and a soft-bristle brush. Inspect light fixtures • Wash covers, and check for damaged wires and connections. -Sincerely, Your Board of Directors
The Beacon - May 2011
The Beacon community info Rivermist
8223 Rock Mist San Antonio, Texas 78249 www.rivermistsa.com
HOA Board members President ........................................... Rudy Cervera (2nd term) Vice-President............................................... Nancie Drullinger Secretary........................................................................... Open Treasurer............................................................... Debora Estes Advisory..........................................................Charles Hasberry
important numbers Sheriff’s Department (NON-EMERGENCY)..... 210.335.6000 EMERGENCIES:................................................................ 911
CPS...................................................................210.353.4357 ................................................... (report street light outage) Bexar Co. Public Works.....................................210.465.4528 ...................................................... (shredding, graffiti, etc.) Bexar Co. Sign Dept.........................................210.465.0536 ........................................... (report damaged/missing signs) SAWS................................................................210.704.7297
Newsletter Publisher
Editor....................................................charles@rivermistsa.com Peel, Inc...............................................................512-263-9181 Advertising...........................................advertising@peelinc.com
mission statement The Beacon, for Rivermist Residents The mission of The Beacon is to provide the Rivermist Community with one source of local news content that is written by Rivermist residents. Our goal is to help build the community by connecting local businesses with residents and residents with relevant neighborhood information.
"Be the community."
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The Beacon - May 2011
FINANCIAL FOCUS
“Munis” Can Still Work for You — Even in Tough Times No matter where you live, the chances are good that a state or local government near you may be having some difficulty in balancing its budget. As a citizen, you’re probably concerned about how this situation will affect your life and your community. But as an investor, you may also wonder how this might affect any municipal bonds you own. Fortunately, the outlook might be brighter than you think. Of course, taken to the extreme, the financial challenges of some state and local governments could conceivably affect their ability to fulfill the payment obligations on their municipal bonds. But investment-grade quality municipal bond default rates historically have been very low, especially when compared to those of corporate bonds. And municipalities are cutting spending, eliminating nonessential programs and, in some cases, raising taxes or fees. In short, they are taking steps that, while potentially painful to residents, are likely to help them continue making timely payments of interest and principal on their municipal bond obligations. Furthermore, municipalities must still fund various projects, and even one bond payment default could impact their future ability to borrow money in the form of new municipal bonds. So are munis right for you? The answer depends on your situation — your goals, need for investment income, current investment mix, risk tolerance and so on. But if you want to receive interest payments that are exempt from federal taxes, you may well be interested in exploring municipal bonds. Keep in mind, though, that municipal bonds may be subject to state and local taxes and the alternative minimum tax (AMT). In addition, you’ll want to be familiar with “taxable-equivalent yield.” Typically, municipal bonds pay an interest rate that’s lower than those paid by taxable bonds. Since this interest is free from federal taxes, however, the rate may not be as low as it appears. The taxable-equivalent yield measures the rate you’d have to earn on a taxable bond to match the income from a tax-exempt municipal bond. And the higher your tax bracket, the higher your taxable-equivalent yield. Suppose that you’re in the 35% marginal tax bracket, and you are considering a tax-exempt municipal bond with a 3.33% yield. You simply divide 3.33% (0.0333 in decimal form) by 1 minus 0.35 (your tax bracket), which would give you 0.0512, or 5.12%. In this tax bracket, a muni with a 3.33% yield is equivalent to a taxable bond with a 5.12% yield. (This example is for illustration purposes only.) Keep in mind that, before investing in bonds, you should understand the risks involved, including interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk. Bond investments are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds can decrease, and you can lose principal value if the investment is sold prior to maturity. So it's best to discuss municipal bonds with your financial and tax advisors. By adding quality municipal bonds to your portfolio, you can show faith in your municipality, your investment dollars can help support worthwhile projects in your area, and you receive a steady source of tax-exempt income. Copyright © 2011 Peel, Inc
The Beacon Check us out on the web at
www.rivermistsa.com Our community website is a treasure trove of information regarding community events. Regular updates are posted regarding useful information. You can also sign up to receive email updates/alerts that are sent out by our talented webmaster. Sincerely,Your Board of Directors
NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE
GARAGE SALE Permits You can buy garage sale permits/all permits in San Antonio on line http://www.sanantonio.gov/dsd You need to be registered on the website, once you are you apply for the permit. At the end of the application it tells you it has been done successfully, at the bottom it says to view your application click here: Your application is the permit!!! The process is very easy and it is only $16.00
concept
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The Beacon - May 2011
The Beacon
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Time to Sell? When you're ready to sell it's important to have an experienced real estate professional handle the details involved in the successful sale of your home for top dollar. I know how to handle every aspect of the sales process - from strategically marketing and showcasing your home to making sure everything's signed, sealed and delivered by the closing date. Providing you with comprehensive, high-quality listing service is my top priority. So when you decided to sell your home, call me…
Because you have a choice. Patti Bennett, Realtor®, ABR, GRI, SRES One number any time:
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[email protected] If your property is listed with a real estate broker please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.
The Beacon - May 2011
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