Land's End Homeowner Association
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Old News Archives
1/3/10: Davis' Daughter Earns Doctorate
Do these faces look happy? You bet they are! Chuck and Brenda Davis (L24) proudly attended the doctoral hooding ceremony for their daughter on December 18th, when Tara Michelle Davis graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a doctorate in audiology. Not wasting any time, Tara has accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Audiology at the University of South Alabama and moved there on December 26th. We wish you great success, Tara. 12/14/09: The Correct Aerobic System Chlorine Tablets Chlorine tablets are not all the same. Tablets for your aerobic system are made from calcium hypochlorite (such as Norweco's Blue Crystal) and are specially formulated to quickly kill bacteria on contact and dissipate rapidly so they don't damage beneficial soil bacteria or hurt the grass. Swimming pool chlorine tablets should never be used in your aerobic system. They are made of Tri-Chlors that are formulated to dissolve slowly in continually circulating water and have a long-lasting residue. Over time, this residue can accumulate on the soil and kill beneficial bacteria and grass. In addition, use of these tablets in your aerobic system produces a very dangerous gas known as nitrogen chloride, which can cause explosions. In Texas, it's also illegal and carries a $500 fine for the first offence. If you're tempted to use the cheaper swimming pool tablets - don't, and check out this link to read for yourself. 11/23/09: Annual Christmas Party Set For December 5th All Land's End property owners are invited to attend the Annual Christmas Party. It's a great way to meet your neighbors or future neighbors in a relaxing, casual atmosphere. There's no formal sit-down dinner here, just lots of finger foods, holiday cheer and great conversation. Please feel free to email us if you have any questions. See you there....... 11/11/09: A Veteran's Day Salute to Tucker's Grandson
Midshipman First Class John Huffstetler has been selected to serve as Company
Commander for 16th Company at the United State Naval Academy in Annapolis,
Maryland. He is one of thirty seniors chosen to lead each company for the fall
2009 semester. His duties began in May and will continue until the end of the
semester in December. He recently was one of twelve midshipman invited to
attend the Superintendent's Tailgate at the Navy/Air Force football game. He
had the opportunity to meet both the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of
the Air Force as well as other high ranking Navy officials. 10/22/09: New Web Page Added For Land's End Wildlife We're adding a whole new page to our website to keep you informed about what's happening in our wonderful wildlife habitat. You'll find complete information about the Deer Management Program, tips on feeding and planting, and recent sightings reported by residents. Be sure to check in occasionally and let us know when you sight something of interest - get photos if you can. 10/21/09: Eagle Golf Donates $211K To The Fight Against Cancer Joe Munsch, Owner of The Links at Land's End and President of Eagle Golf, recently presented a check for $211,306 to Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG Foundation for the fight against cancer. Eagle employees and patrons at all of Eagle's 75 golf courses participated in the "Take a Swing at Cancer" campaign during September to raise these funds. There's a lot more to this story in Julie Shelton's blog at http://www.kwtx.com/blogs/all/65104732.html and in LIVESTRONG's press release. Hat's off to Joe for getting behind this. 9/24/09: Special HOA Meeting About Deer Management Program At the Annual Meeting last February, several Owners asked if something could be done about the increasing deer population and 98% of those present agreed that it was time to address the issue. The overwhelming sentiment among Owners is that we all enjoy watching the deer and wish to continue doing so, however, there was also a substantial concern about deer eating expensive landscape plants. If left unchecked, overpopulation depletes the natural food supply and leads to even more feeding on landscape plants and may well put the entire herd at risk from malnutrition and disease. The HOA has ready taken action that allows owners to install protective fencing around sensitive trees and plants, and now we're ready to present and discuss the larger issue of proper herd management. Under the direction and assistance of a wildlife biologist from Texas Parks and Wildlife, we have taken inventory of our deer population and discussed numerous options to improve the health of our herd and the quality of individual deer, especially large bucks. The TPW biologist has formulated a Wildlife Management Plan for Land's End that includes specific recommendations to improve deer-friendly native vegetation; plant desirable ground cover; improve supplemental human feedings and selective harvesting for population control. A Special Meeting of Owners has been scheduled for Tuesday night, October 13th at 6:30 p.m. at the Fire Station where the Wildlife Management Plan for Land's End will be presented and openly discussed. The TPW wildlife biologist who wrote the plan will be present to answer your questions and help guide us towards implementing the plan. We recognize there are many issues to work through, especially regarding harvesting, and we ask that everyone please attend and participate so you will fully understand the entire program, and to share your suggestions and opinions that will help us "do it right". Special thanks to Dale Mason and Chester Martin for helping conduct the deer population surveys. 7/26/09: Deer Survey Starts This Week Don't be surprised if you see a golf cart or mule going through the neighborhood at night with a spotlight. Over the next four weeks we will be taking inventory of our deer population to help Texas Parks & Wildlife determine how to better manage our deer for a healthy heard. The MLD Program (Managed Lands Deer) we are starting includes habitat improvement, healthy feeding recommendations and proper buck-to-doe ratios, as well as the overall herd size that Land's End can support. After the survey has been completed and the program recommendations have been made, the TPW wildlife biologist will attend a special meeting of our homeowners to explain the details of the program and answer owner questions. At that meeting we will also discuss how we plan to implement the program's recommendations. 3/6/09: Brad & Gwen Shelton's
Daughter Interviews President
Julie Shelton Hays is the nightly news anchor on KWTX TV Channel 10 in Waco, and the daughter of proud parents Brad & Gwen Shelton (Lot G18) of Paris, TX. Julie tried repeatedly to get a one-on-one interview with the President during his many trips to Crawford, but with little success. Her persistence finally paid off on January 12th when she became the only journalist from Central Texas to be invited to the White House for, not only this privilege, but also a one-on-one with the First Lady. You can see Julie's complete interview at http://www.kwtx.com/centraltexasvotes/misc/37667684.html. Julie has written an interesting blog with links to more photos about her memorable trip to Washington and events surrounding her interviews, which you can read at http://www.kwtx.com/blogs/all/37667874.html. 2/27/09: Quick Response Saves Home
There's no such thing as a "good" home fire. When your home is involved in a fire it's a traumatic, and often devastating, experience that no one should have to endure, yet it happens every week in neighborhoods all around us. In rural areas miles away from the nearest town, its almost always a total loss because of the long response time. When it hits your community it becomes personal - the victims are your friends; you wonder how this could happen; and you question your own vulnerability. Tuesday night, fire hit the Land's End home of Gene & Diane Stowe. Gene was at home working on his computer, half irritated that the dogs wouldn't stop barking at the garage door, so he opened it to have a look. The garage was filled with heavy black smoke and huge flames were coming from under the hood of one car. Gene quickly closed the door, got the dogs outside and called 911. Approximately four minutes later Land's End VFD arrived with the new truck (see below 10/25) to find the garage fully engulfed in rolling flames that extended well above the roof. Both cars had full gas tanks and there were two 5 gallon cans on the garage floor, all contributing to an extremely hot fire that quickly breached the roof. The initial attack focused on keeping the fire out of the house. Automatic mutual-aid agreements had Yantis VFD, Alba VFD and Quitman VFD already in route, but other nearby departments were called assist. Altogether, there were 8 fire departments with 21 apparatus and 73 volunteers responding to the fire, including 5 trucks and 11 volunteers from Land's End VFD. Water to fight the fire was pumped from the dry hydrant located near the 4th green. The fire was contained to the garage and attic above, and most of the contents will be salvaged. Fire investigators and neighbors who witnessed the fire gave high marks to Land's End VFD for both their quick response and ability to contain the fire. From that standpoint it could have been a lot worse, so this was about as "good" a fire as you can get. 2/14/09: Annual Meeting Recap Fifty Five members participated in this year's Annual Meeting on February 7th. During the half-hour social period before the meeting began, everyone enjoyed plenty of good food and refreshments and got acquainted with several new members. Here are some brief highlights:
1/12/09: Thanks For The Help I'd like to recognize two of our neighbors who reached out, without being asked, to help me around the neighborhood. Chester Martin volunteered to help take down Christmas decorations at the entrance. After getting everything down and packed away for next year, Chester offered to help me take down my own decorations! You've seen all my red trees and can imagine how much time it takes to get them down. I really appreciate the help. Thanks Chester. Lee Knight saw me last Friday trimming trees in the road island off PR 5984 and offered to help out. This being pretty hard work for my old body, I gratefully accepted his offer. When I went down there after church on Sunday, the job had already been finished. Lee's crew had used pole trimmers to "canopy" the entire island and piled all the limbs up for burning. This area will be much easier to mow now and looks almost like a park, and the best part is - I didn't have to spend several days doing it. I know everyone in Land's End will enjoy the new look. Thank you, Lee. Land's End is a great place to live because of the wonderful people who make it that way. Please thank them both, TJ 1/07/09: Notice of Annual Meeting The 2009 Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Saturday, February 7th at 3:00 p.m. in the Community Center at Land’s End Fire Department. This will be an open forum type meeting providing all members the opportunity to participate. If there are particular topics you would like to Board to address, please reply so that we may come prepared with information relevant to your topics. The Board of Directors encourages all members to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting. Refreshments will be served.
11/11/08: The Perfect Land's End Wedding Imagine a beautifully decorated gazebo positioned on a long tree-filled point out into Lake Fork surrounded by bright green grass and flowers on a perfect sunny afternoon just before sunset. Now imagine the man you love standing in that gazebo waiting for YOU, preacher by his side, surrounded by family, and "Unchained Melody" playing in the background - can you see it? All heads turn as YOU and your parents arrive in a gleaming white horse-drawn carriage. No, this is not a dream, it's the dream-come-true picture-perfect storybook wedding for Kelly McKean last Saturday when she married Matthew Page. Matt is the son of Mike & Deanna Page (L-9) and the wedding took place at their home. According to Mike and Deanna, "Everything went exactly as planned and Land's End was the perfect place. The Lodges were so convenient and the twelve rooms were just right for our guests." The bride and groom took a romantic carriage ride around the fountain and through the neighborhood before arriving at the clubhouse for the reception. Mike said, "The Links did a great job for us. The food was good and the staff was friendly and helpful. We were quite satisfied." Deanna jokingly added, "We might want to rent this out for other weddings." 10/25/08: Our New Fire Truck Is Here! Land's End Fire Department now has our new
fire truck in service. This new pumper/tanker is a very important addition
to our fleet and will greatly improve our 1st attack fire
fighting capabilities. In addition, it will be a huge benefit to the
neighboring fire departments we assist. Under the
hood of this 2009 Kenworth is a 360 HP diesel with
automatic transmission, power steering, air brakes and air
conditioning. It carries 3,000 gallons of water, can
pump up to 1,250 gallons per minute, and has a remote-controlled water
cannon that can throw a stream of water over 300 feet. By comparison, our old
first-attack vehicle was a 1982 Chevrolet, standard shift, manual brakes and
flow-through ventilation (with both windows down); and it carried only 800
gallons of water and pumped 350 gallons per minute.
All our firefighters, including our four women volunteers, are training on this
truck and will be fully capable of
operating it at a scene, freeing up our more experienced
and stronger Our volunteer firemen would like to thank everyone who contributed, especially those from Land's End who "Stepped up to the plate in 2008". Without their generosity this would not be possible. By making a few changes and through tough negotiations, we were able purchase this truck for $180,000 - $72,000 of which is our share. So far, we have raised $63,000 and $48,000 of that has come from Land's End. There have been several very generous contributors from Land's End that we would especially like to recognize, including:
These special people go the extra mile to make our community a great place to live and why Land's End is head & shoulders above anywhere else in East Texas. Thank you all. 9/7/08: Homeowners Support Construction Assessment At a Special Meeting yesterday to discuss long-term financing of road repairs, almost 50 owners showed up to voice their opinions and ask questions of the board. TJ opened the meeting by drawing a clear distinction between routine road maintenance and annual resurfacing, which is the responsibility of all owners and paid for through annual dues; and road damage that results from very heavy construction trucks (dirt, concrete, sod, etc.), not normal wear and tear. The board felt those contributing to the damage should be assessed for repairs. At the heart of the discussion was the revised proposal to impose a Special Assessment on all existing structures and on all future structural building permits to partially offset the costs of repairing construction damage to our roads. The revised proposal resulted from feedback and ideas received from approximately 30 owners who responded with suggestions to improve the original draft of Policy Resolution # 10 (see article below on 7/7/08). After the new proposal was presented and all questions were answered, the owners present were unanimous in their support of the revised policy. Highlights of the new policy are as follows:
A discussion followed on budgeting for annual road maintenance and contributions to road reserves. Owners present were polled on their preference for 2009 annual dues, with a majority favoring only a $100 increase next year. After the meeting ended, the board formally adopted the revised Policy Resolution # 10 and set annual dues for 2009 at $500, a $100 increase over the current $400. On a side note, the Board wishes to personally thank all those owners who contributed feedback and suggestions on the original draft of PR 10 and those who participated in person at the meeting. With your help we believe this policy properly addresses the issue at hand and applies the same uniform, fair and consistent standard to everyone. 8/6/08: Notice Of Special Homeowner Meeting on 9/6/08
The
Board of Directors has called a Special Meeting of Owners to be held at the
Land's End Fire Department on Saturday, September 6 at 3:00 p.m. The
purpose of this meeting is to discuss and make decisions about financing road
repairs and adequate funding of road reserves.
We've
received considerable feedback on draft Policy Resolution #10 along with
numerous other suggestions and would like to discuss these with the full
membership. If you have not already responded with input/suggestions on draft
PR #10 and would like to have your ideas taken into consideration prior to the
meeting, please send in your feedback soon. You will still have the
opportunity to present them yourself at the meeting. Financing options
currently under consideration include: a new policy to impose a Special
Assessment on building permits, a Special Assessment on each existing
home, increasing annual dues, and/or a combination of these and other
financing options.
This is
an important meeting that will affect every property owner - those
with and without a home on your lot. We encourage everyone to attend and
participate to help us determine the most equitable manner to address our
largest expense item.
7/7/08: Board Addresses Road Repair The price of asphalt has risen 50% since February and 20% just in the last month with no end in sight. To stay within budget this has forced a 25% reduction in the amount of roads to be resurfaced. We have also experienced a very wet six months and substantial heavy construction traffic, which has led to even more areas that need resurfacing. Not surfacing areas that need it now will damage the base and lead to even higher repair costs later. The Board held a special meeting yesterday to address these issues and discuss future financing options for road repairs. Owners were invited to participate and those in attendance strongly supported a building permit fee, to partially compensate for the damage done by heavy construction trucks. (NOTE: Every road expert we have consulted tells us the same thing: "Heavy trucks cause the damage, not cars and pickups.) In addition to the current budget, the Board decided to use approximately $25,000 of the road reserve fund to resurface additional areas that need it most. When the Board meets this fall to prepare the budget for 2009 it will consider the amount of roads still needing repair, the cost of asphalt at that time, and reasonable additions to reserves. Regrettably, some increase in dues will become necessary, however, a Capital Assessment is not being considered at this time. In addition, the Board approved a draft policy resolution, previously rejected in 2003, that charges a building permit fee of 50¢ per square foot for new construction. The draft will be circulated to all members for comment prior to any further action. Policy Resolution #10 (draft) is now available for review and comment. 6/4/08: Judy Jones (Gwaltney) Ties The Knot Many of us have found that retirement is truly an open door to a whole new life, and not always what we imagined it would be. Judy Jones focused her new life on those things that were important to her - family, teaching and church - and made many friends of the wonderful people in Land's End and Lake Fork Baptist Church. With one of those special people she has found more than friendship, and on June 1st embarked on the next leg of life's great adventure when she married Konrad Gwaltney. Konrad has a home on the other side of Lake Fork that's in the process of being remodeled and they plan to move there when it's finished. Congratulations Judy & Konrad, your friends and neighbors in Land's End celebrate your new-found happiness. 5/24/08: Do You Have Weed Problems In The Lake? The Lake Fork Sportsman's Association is hosting a special Town Hall meeting on Friday, June 13 to discuss invasive weeds in Lake Fork. Representatives of Texas Parks and Wildlife and the SRA will be on hand to make a presentation and answer questions from those attending. The meeting will be held at Land's End fire station at 6:30 p.m. and all interested parties are invited. Please take a look at the attached flyer for more information. UPDATE: An unexpectedly large turnout of 170 people participated in this meeting. TPW explained the difference between the good vegetation that helps fish habitat and invasive species to look out for and try to control. A brief summary for homeowners with vegetation control problems: hand removal is preferred; don't cut plants in lake waters and help them spread; if chemical treatment is needed you must have a permit. You can learn more about the meeting and find links to related sites at http://www.kmoo.com/. You can learn more about plant identification at http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/photocat.html, and from the TPW Plant Control Handbook. 2/27/08: Residents Taking Future In Their Own Hands Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in the US and accounts for more deaths than all other causes combined. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that over 1,000,000 Americans have heart attacks each year, one every 26 seconds. As baby boomers age that number is expected to increase dramatically. Most of the people we encounter around the Lake Fork area are already older adults, dramatically increasing the likelihood that you will someday be faced with an emergency situation where immediate action on your part could save someone's life. It may happen at home, in the neighborhood, on the golf course, at church, at the store, or while you're eating out, but make no mistake, it will happen sooner or later. Quite a few Land's End residents are preparing to help someone survive a heart attack by learning CPR, the use of an automatic defibrillator (AED), and how to clear choking. This four hour course is taught locally and is only $25, and available to anyone who wants to learn CPR. Fifteen residents have either scheduled or already completed the course. If you'd like to sign up for this course, please contact TJ to get on the schedule - someday you'll be glad you did. 2/17/08: Annual Meeting Highlights A record 64 members participated in this year's Annual Meeting on February 9th. There was plenty of good food and good cheer as members got acquainted and enjoyed each other's company during the 45 minutes before the meeting was called to order. Here are some highlights of a very positive meeting:
The board thanked everyone for their participation and their vote of confidence in continuing Land's End on it's present course. For more complete details please refer to the minutes of the meeting.
1/30/08: Ladies Luncheon Calendar For 2008 The Ladies Luncheon socials are held the 2nd Friday of each month. There are several popular options available to the hostess, including: preparing the entire luncheon yourself, a pot-luck luncheon, the luncheon combined with a game/movie afternoon, or simply a game/movie afternoon with drinks and snacks. Whatever the choice, it's always a good time for those participating. Luncheons are usually held at the home of the hostess. If you plan to attend a luncheon, please R.S.V.P. the hostess a few days beforehand at the number in your directory. Schedule changes should be coordinated through Carolyn Musgrave. NOTE: an asterisk beside the date indicates a change because it conflicts with a special occasion or holiday. 1/22/08: Meet The Commissioner CandidatesWe have scheduled a forum for you to meet and talk to the candidates for County Commissioner of Precinct #1, and have invited our neighbors in all the surrounding communities to participate. All five candidates have confirmed to participate, and they are: Lee Elmore, Keith Gilbreath, Mike Humphries, Gary Ovard and Bubba Phillips. Each of them will have an opportunity to address the audience and answer questions from us. We're going to make this as unstructured as possible to give you the opportunity to get to know each of them better. We hope everyone will turn out to make your voice heard. We want them to know what you expect from them if elected, and certainly CR 1970 will be an important topic to all of us. The Forum will be held Thursday, January 31st at 7:00 p.m. in
the community center at Land's End Fire Department. Wood County APET has
requested an opportunity to speak to you regarding their efforts to build a pet
shelter in Wood County, however, we will keep their appearance brief so we can
focus on the candidates. FORUM UPDATE: There was a good turnout at the forum from Land's End and Wolf Creek Bay, with approximately 45 residents participating. All the candidates focused their opening remarks around the condition of the roads in Precinct #1, particularly CR 1970, and what they thought was needed to fix it, though none of them offered any real expectation of getting it right anytime soon. Residents posed plenty of challenging questions to the candidates, not only about CR 1970, but also relating to the Commissioner's job on the Court and the candidate's qualifications for that job. Overall, participants got a good view of each candidate and likely made up their minds on who to vote for. That was the goal. 1/10/08: New Entrance & Road Completed
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12/30/07: Notice of Annual Meeting
The 2008 Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. in the Community Center at Land's End Fire Station. On the agenda for this meeting is the election of five directors and consideration of an amendment to modify terms of office for certain directors. Beverages and hors d' oeuvres will be served at 3:15 p.m. and the meeting will commence promptly at 4:00 p.m. We certainly hope all Owners will attend and participate in the business of the Association.
PR 5980 from the service entrance to the intersection by the clubhouse will be closed next week Tuesday 11/20 thru Sunday 11/25. The "dip" that has been under repair is being surfaced with concrete and will need to firm up for a few days before traffic is allowed. The main entrance will remain open during normal hours. SPECIAL NOTICE: No large trucks will be allowed in Land's End during these dates because the bridge on PR 5990 will not support their weight. Please make sure you have no deliveries planned during these dates. Garbage collection for Friday 11/23 has been rescheduled for early Tuesday morning 11/27.
This week Land's End Fire Department burned an old house for the SRA. What was amazing is that the entire process took only 30 minutes from the time a stuffed chair was set afire to the time the building collapsed, and no gas, diesel or other accelerants were used. Click on each photo to see the fire's progression from start to collapse!
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Chair lit with match
8/31/07: Fire Department Truck Going to Uganda
When Land's End Volunteer Fire Department was just getting started in 2004, it received overwhelming support from local fire departments in Wood County who donated a total of five fire trucks and the medical response vehicle. In addition, the Department recently purchased a fire truck from Mineola to improve it's water supply capabilities (and got another one thrown in for $1,000). Having experienced such generosity, the Department acted upon an opportunity to help others and "pay it forward".
Members of Land's End VFD recently learned from a Tyler missionary that Fort Portal, Uganda, a town of 40,000 people, often experiences tragic fires because the nearest fire department is over 4 hours away, and one such fire in an orphanage resulted in over 20 deaths. Townspeople have no means to fight a fire or keep it from spreading, but this missionary plans to change that by starting a local fire department. Land's End VFD decided to share its good fortune and help them get started the same way it was helped, by donating a fire truck to get the effort off the ground.
Tyler television stations CH. 56 and CH. 7 have featured the story at http://www.ketknbc.com/news/local/9410751.html?skipthumb=Y and http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7008168.
At a Special Meeting of Owners yesterday Joe Munsch outlined his plans to build The Lodge at Land's End. According to Joe, overnight accommodations are essential for the financial health of The Links, and should provide added benefits to residents via longer restaurant hours and expanded menu, including breakfast, as well as offering lodging for visitors. The condensed version is as follows:
Four individual units will be constructed on the four Villa sites located between the two gates, each unit having 6 bedrooms and one large common room with fireplace. There will be a total of 22 bedrooms, allowing for 44 guests;
The units will be constructed with the same materials/colors as The Villas and are similar in size, making them blend in well;
The units will be landscaped and maintained like the Villas. Parking will be at each unit;
A total of seven Villa lots will be dedicated to the project with three remaining vacant (because of septic limitations);
The project is 100% funded by new investors and will not need financing. Construction will begin shortly;
As Developer, Joe will file a narrowly defined amendment to The Villa deed restrictions to create an exception for this business.
After Joe finished his presentation he opened up the meeting to address Owner's questions and concerns, most of which focused on access through the gates and parking. The meeting ended with the 55 Owners in attendance expressing widespread support and a round of applause.
If you haven's seen the new fountain, be sure to go by and take a look. It's located in the pond on hole #18 tee box, near the intersection of PR 5980 & PR 5983. Be sure to go that way after dark - it's spectacular at night.
Click image to enlarge.
Jim and Barbara Saegert (L61) are beautiful people, so naturally they would have beautiful kids and grandkids. You may remember from last year that granddaughter, Jordan Connell, was crowned as Texas' "Little Miss". Now, it's show-time big-time for Jordan's brother, Tyler. Tyler is making his network TV debut this week on Friday Night Lights. He plays a schoolyard bully pushing around a little boy named "Bo". The show airs Wednesday at 7:00pm on NBC. Be sure to check it out and let Jim & Barbara know you saw their "famous" grandson movie star, Tyler, on TV.
Over 50 owners showed up Saturday to enjoy the company of their fellow owners and participate in this year's Annual Meeting. Without dissent they enthusiastically supported the Board's agenda for 2007 and seemed genuinely pleased with each of the proposed improvements and with the direction taken on enforcement. Below are highlights of the meeting; complete minutes will be posted upon approval.
1/29/07: New For Sale By Owner Sign Under Consideration
The Board of Directors are considering a new policy that will require a uniform "For Sale By Owner" sign designed to improve the overall quality and appearance of those signs and make them more consistent with the signs used by realtors. The proposed policy has been submitted to members for comment and will be discussed in depth at the Annual Meeting. If adopted, the Association will purchase a quantity of signs equal to the number of lots "for sale by owner" and rent the signs to owners for a one-time fee of $50, equal to the negotiated purchase price, which includes a metal 2-sided printed sign and the sign holder. When a lot is sold and the sign is of no further use to the owner, it will be updated with new lot and phone information and reused by the Association.
1/10/07: Annual Meeting Notice
The 2007 Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Saturday, February 10th at 3:00pm in the Community Room of Land's End Fire Department. The board has planned several major common area improvements for 2007 and would like to discuss them with owners. We hope all owners can join us and participate in the business of the Association, while taking advantage of this opportunity to socialize with your fellow owners and neighbors. Refreshments and hors d' oeuvres will be served.
12/12/06: Harrisons Donate Land to Fire Department
Micky & Renee' Harrison have decided to build in Colorado and have already sold their home on L-42 and lot L-40. In the early days of Land's End, they purchased the island inside the circle of PR 5984 & PR 5985 so they could clear the underbrush and make it more presentable. This week the Harrisons generously donated that property to Land's End Fire Department. We truly appreciate Micky & Renee' for supporting Land's End VFD with this donation and all of us in the Land's End community and Land's End VFD wish them well wherever life takes them. Thank you VERY much!
11/10/06: Knights Disclose New Development In
Land's End
Have you heard about the new addition Lee & Missy Knight are bringing to Land's End? No, it's not more houses, thought they are building several new ones, this time it's a BABY! Missy is two months pregnant with their first child, our first native-born Land's End resident. Congratulations Lee & Missy! We know you are happy and very excited, and so are we.
9/27/06: Boat Raffle Nets $20,000 for Fire
Department
Merion & Shirley Reynolds (G29) were amazed and thrilled when they learned the boat they donated raised just over $20,000 for the Fire Department. They wanted to help with the cost of the station expansion and would have been happy with whatever amount of cash the boat contributed, but they never dreamed it would raise twenty thousand. Volunteer firefighters were determined to make the best of this very special gift. They worked tirelessly for over a month selling tickets to friends and neighbors, placing them in surrounding stores, marinas and restaurants, and setting up a booth at the Rains County Fair. The big push came at the McDonald's Big Bass Splash where they enlisted additional volunteers and worked the crowds for four days, selling over $12,000 in tickets. The winner, a very happy John Hathcock from Atlanta, Texas, was present when Bob Sealy drew the winning ticket and called his name. Land's End VFD wishes to thank Merion & Shirley for their wonderful gift and also thank all those supporters who purchased tickets. Without your generosity we would not exist.
9/27/06: Dry Hydrants Installed
Land's End VFD has completed installation of nine "dry hydrants" in various locations around Lake Fork. Dry hydrants are designed with a standard fire truck connection and extend about 100' into a reliable water source, providing firefighters with a ready source of water. When Engine 990 (Big Red) is connected to a dry hydrant it can deliver 1,000 gallons per minute, either directly to the trucks fighting the fire (up to 1500 feet) or to tankers shuttling water to those trucks. Hydrants are located in Land's End, Wolf Creek Bay, Fiddler's Green, Hideaway Harbor, Red Bird Cove, Key Addition, Brook Harbor, Clarkson Addition and Sun Eagle Bay. The Land's End hydrant is located next to the green on hole # 4; this one pictured is in Hideaway Harbor.
9/12/06: Land's End "Super Athletes" & TV Personalities (submitted by Dawn McCampbell)
Brad Shelton (G-18) and his son Scott, a former resident of LE, rode in and COMPLETED the “Hotter-N-Hell 100” bicycle ride on August 26, 2006. This was the 25th anniversary of the race held annually in Wichita Falls, TX. The course begins and ends in Wichita Falls but takes the riders through the small towns in the area for a total of 100 miles. This was Brad’s third time to participate and Scott’s first. A total of 12,000 bicyclist participated in the mass start at 7:00 am. This is not a race so there is not a winner; the goal is to complete the 100 miles ON your bike and breathing, to receive your “finishing” pin. It took them only 5 hrs and 12 minutes to complete the 100 mile course with strong winds and extremely hot temperatures. Brad’s second ride was completed in 4 hrs and 20 min. due to less wind, cooler temperatures and being several years younger. A thermometer at the finish line was showing a “cool” 112 degrees with the official high for the day being recorded at 107 degrees. Scott had a calorie burning instrument that showed he had burned 6700 calories during his ride. Their first rest stop was at the 50 mile mark and Brad was “required” to call home and report to Gwen Ann that he and Scott were both OK and still in the “ride” and doing fine. That is what any concerned wife and mother would do-----100 miles in August in Wichita Falls in one morning!!!! For those who do not know Brad and/or Scott, they are 52 and 27 respectively in age—they are in shape!
On July 15, 2006 Brad and Scott rode in the Tour De Paris in Paris, TX that was a 60 mile ride. It was then that they decided to ride in the Hotter-N-Hell 4 weeks later. Neither rider changed their weekly routine much to prepare for the 100 mile ride. Brad rides his bike an average of 5-6 days a week for 25-30 miles each day. On Saturdays, he will ride 40-60 miles depending on the weather. He says this is considerably less than what he used to ride in his “younger” years. Scott is a member of a bicycle club in Shreveport and rides with them at least 2 days a week for 30-35 miles each day. Wave at Brad and Scott the next time you see them “riding the roads” around our area.
Julie Shelton, Brad and Gwen Ann’s daughter recently took over the “Top Spot” as the evening anchor at KTWX-TV in Waco. At 25, she is the youngest evening news anchor in the history of the CBS Affiliate. She anchors the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. broadcasts. After graduating from Abilene Christian College in May 2002, she was hired as the overnight producer. Her first promotion was to weekend producer and three-days-a-week reporter. The second promotion came quickly as she moved into a full-time reporting slot. She has a lengthy list of people she has interviewed from Bill Nye "The Science Guy" to country singers Terry Clark and Mark Chestnut. Her most memorable interview was with the commander of the 4th Infantry Division who captured Saddam Hussein. Being only 15 minutes from Crawford, the Western White House, Julie has had opportunities that are uncommon for most broadcast journalists in a medium-sized TV market. Recently she had an in studio interview with White House Secretary Tony Snow that she was not expecting to get due to his busy schedule. Brad and Gwen have some great pictures of Julie and those she has gotten to interview. How many of us can say we watched as the President of the United States cast his vote in his own Presidential election? Who knows, in the future it could be “Julie” instead of “Katie” making the headlines of the CBS Nightly News. Check out Julie's bio at http://www.kwtx.com/station/bios/news/481597.html.
9/12/06: Update on Sale of Golf Course
The auction came and went without a sale. According to Joe Munsch, there were several interested buyers present, however, the minimum reserve bid was not met and no sale occurred. Joe went on to say that serious negotiations were ongoing with one of the parties and he hoped they could agree on an acceptable price, however, we have since learned they were unable to agree and the course is still on the open market. In the meantime, Joe is assessing what opportunities exist to add much-needed accommodations to The Links at Land's End. Virtually every interested party and the current management of The Links all agree that upscale accommodations are essential for the long-term success of the club and would contribute greatly to both the rounds of golf played and to restaurant sales. We'll keep you posted as this develops.
8/4/06:
Our area is under the most serious drought condition of any area in Texas. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index measures the amount of moisture in the soil. A rating of 600-700 means you have to go 6"-7" deep to find moisture and the higher the number, the dryer conditions are and the greater the danger of fire. Our current rating is 750, therefore, even tree roots will burn underground down to 7 1/2" deep. Please be careful.
7/21/06: Fire Department Touched By Another
"Angel"
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!! This week Merion and Shirley Reynolds (G29) joined the elite group of "Angels" who have donated $10,000 or more to Land's End Fire Department. Merion and Shirley generously donated their 20' NITRO Bass Boat, complete with 200 HP Mercury, tandem trailer and all the extras. The Firemen & women are planning to repeat the extremely successful raffle they had with Tony & Sue Brill's boat in 2004, and will use the proceeds for expanding the fire station. Tickets will be available in two weeks and the drawing will be held September 24th at the McDonald's Big Bass Splash. Merion & Shirley will have their names added to the recognition board in the Community Center alongside other "Angels" Sharron Hooper (L74), C.B. & Jan Hudson (L 64) and Tony & Sue Brill (L59).
7/21/06: Fire Station to Expand
During August Land's End VFD will begin work on expanding the fire station the width of one additional bay, which will provide space inside for all six vehicles. Because two trucks were parked outside, they had to be drained in the winter months to prevent freezing and were out-of-service and unavailable during the worst fire season we've ever experienced. With this expansion, more water and pumping power will be readily available year round. Thanks to a very successful golf tournament, and with the proceeds from the boat raffle, LEVFD will be able to pay for the expansion in cash.
7/18/06: Catfish to Cash from Land's End
Who says you must have a boat to be successful in a fishing tournament. During the recent 3rd Annual Big Catfish Splash here on Lake Fork, Ken Henshaw, son of TJ & Barb, won three hourly places for a total of $1,000 fishing from boat docks. The days were extremely hot and Ken preferred the shade available under a dock, and apparently so did the catfish. (For those who have followed Ken's condition, he is currently #3 on Baylor's liver transplant list for his blood type.)
5/4/06: Boat Ramp Gets Unusual Visitor
You've seen the sign "Beware of Alligator" on golf hole #10, but have you actually seen the alligator? Well, you might have a better opportunity to see one close up right beside our boat ramp. Thanks to the sharp eye of Jack Chapman, I was able to get some photos today of this 7' reptile, and found him to be relatively unafraid. If you see him, just move slowly and keep quiet and you can go right up close by the water's edge. Check these out:
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
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members to actually go inside a home to fight the fire. Feel
free to stop by
the station any Monday night at 6:00
to check it out.
