Category: Villages

Franklin Village Meeting 3/26/19

Bill and Sherry Kane attended to explain the Verizon cell phone plan that was going to be offered to HM as a result of switching to FIO.  Sherry explained that the actual discount offered was not as much as expected and she looked into 3 alternate plans.  The T-Mobile plan was the most competitive:

They have a Senior discount plan

You can keep your current phone number

Reception is good all through the area

A $25 one-time fee provides a signal boost if you require 4 bars all the time

Sherry will be sending an email to advise of future presentations for those requiring additional information before switching to T-Mobil

Franklin Business:

Roofs will be checked to determine how much longer they will be viable.  FV alarms are at 95% functional.

Committee Reports:

Landscaping:  A spring walk-around will be done shortly to determine landscaping needs.

Social:  Ladies Luncheon at the Desmond was successful.  The Social Committee will provide pizza at the annual election meeting in May (26,)  Information will follow regarding the summer pool events

Pool:  Dom Aleardi will be sending out an email asking for volunteers to take a week each keeping the pool and surrounding area neat.

Architectural: Tony Bizzaro advised that a large number of  requests have been submitted by residents for work they wish to have done.  The committee is working on approving them.

Decorations:  Michelle Cohen advised that the lights under the Franklin sign at the North Gate will be upgraded since they don’t provide enough illumination.  New plantings will be installed there as well.  Anyone wishing to volunteer their time may contact her at her email address: michelle.cohen@foxroach.com  Some weeding will be needed at both entrance areas and around the Franklin signs.

Hershey’s Mill Update:

Chandler Drive will be repaved in segments starting later this year.  Section one will cost $200K.

Don Evons, head of the Sports Group is retiring and a paid sports manager may be hired.  There will be a Sports Expo on May 22^nd from 3 to 5 PM

The Hershey’s Mill Bus has been replaced for $149K  The new bus holds 35 passengers.

$100K has been budged for the walking trail, if approved, behind Franklin Village on Chandler Drive.  HML is working on a plan to replace trees and shrubs that will have to be removed to install the trail.

The final decision regarding children at the Main Pool:  Children under 18 will be allowed everyday from Noon to 5PM

Three additional bids will be obtained for the Community Center elevator installation.

20 new benches have been installed around the Mill on the walking path.

Franklin Village Annual Meeting & Election:

May 22 6 to 9PM at the Community Center.  Jack Keeley and Mike Rackover are up for re-election.  The Social Committee will provide pizzas.

Master’s Association notes:

1. Walking trails– currently being paved through Brighton and Chatham($90,000). No update on Franklin. Mike from HMLD was to put together a drawing on their proposed plan for Franklin and meet those interested to discuss tree removal, privacy plantings etc. but it hasn’t been mentioned since March.
2. Verizon– the changeover is mostly complete. Only 60 of 1720 still need to be converted. Most of those are homes vacant or for sale. BOD has extended the Kane’s contract 2 mos. to finish and mop up any items incomplete. A Verizon “cheat sheet” was sent out by Judy Jurgan with important phone numbers and Fios tips.
3. Wood shop expansion– ongoing and moving along quickly. Will add approx. 1000sf to the building. Contract is for $190,000 of which the wood shop will pay back approx. $60,000. Wood shop is planning a fund raiser, to be announced, and is asking for donations.
4. Perimeter stucco walls– will have the balance of the shingles(on route 352) replaced this year. Getting final quotes on power-washing and applying rubber mulch at base of all the stucco walls to enhance their appearance (est. $114,000) and keep them clean. Plan is to complete this year. Next project will be the wood walls between the stucco ones being replaced by vinyl fencing for improved aesthetics.
5. Sullivan House has had its Spring cleaning including windows and carpets and some furniture reupholstered.
6. Main pool- over $80,000 in improvements, some to meet new E. Goshen regulations. Also instituted “no children Fridays”.
7. Peg Trauger has retired from handling the scheduling of meetings at our three meeting locations. A replacement will be announced soon.
8. The MA presidents recently voted to keep Boyd Mackleer on the board of Directors and Karl Grentz of Glenwood was elected to replace Dennis O’Leery on the board.
9. Bill O’Brien of the Insurance Committee announced that insurance from CAU for most of their covered villages would average a modest 2.66% increase. Franklin’s increase will be approx. +2% for 2019.
10. The BOD will be posting “no soliciting” signs at all four entrances.

• The HM Marketing committee recently finished a drone tour of the Mill which will have a link on our web page to promote the amenities of the Mill- Judy Jurgan will e-mail the link so you can watch it.

          The May Community Open House had 85 cars through security, a great attendance. Many visitors were repeaters and serious about buying. There are only 30 homes (less than 2%) remaining for sale in the Mill as of July 24th.

Franklin Village notes:

1. Dominic Aleardi, Joan Welliver and Jay Harter were reappointed to the board, as no others applied.
2. Council approved a year round addition on the rear deck for 566
3. Landscape- committee approved approximately 56 Franklin items for Hershey’s Mill to accomplish, which are not done. Also village trimming is behind. According to Mike at HMLD they are behind because of the damp spring weather. They also have less employees this year.
4. Architectural Committee- With Jack Fulmer moving, Tony Bizzaro has taken over the Architectural Committee chairman position.
5. Reminder and notices have been sent regarding dogs not on a leashes. as well as picking up after dogs.
6. Gutters were cleaned in June and will be cleaned again in the late Fall. In most cases gutter guards will be removed for easier cleaning.
7. Mildew remediation will also be done later this summer.
8. With financials in good shape Jay Harter deposited $100,000 in a 3 year CD at 2.6%. Your money is in good hands.
9. With the water temperature hovering in the low 80s the pool is getting good usage, especially on Mon, Wed and Fridays from 4-4:45 at the exercise classes run by Ann Lane.
10. We recently had exterior water line leak at two locations (543 and 595) which required Horn plumbing to dig up the exterior and replace the fixture. This is not a new experience since we’ve had 2-3 other problems like this happen in the last few years. Supposedly it’s caused by settling of the soil which causes the pipe to drop/leak. Nothing preventively we can do till it happens. Keep an eye on the area immediately above where water enters your house and if it seems unusually wet and spongy call CSK to have it checked out before water migrates in to your basement.
11. Franklin houses for sale—  558 Kelly; Donegal  $365,000    564 Fosnocht; Marlborough $485,000

Franklin council

Next scheduled Village meeting Sept 25^th 7PM community Center

During the past 15 months or so, the following new people moved into Franklin Village:

522 – Tony & Ann Bizzaro                                                                                                                    

581 – Bill  Diane Carlin

567 – Michele & Bob Cohen

584 – John & Marilyn Cullen

578 – William & Emma Hodges

592 – Bob & Lynn Kocher

589 – Martha Marshalak

580 – Allan & Elizabeth Soldwisch

548 – Paul & Jackie Welle

Master Association Notes:

1. Verizon Update-Conduit install is complete at all villages. Network creation is 52%.  ONT’s installed at 30%.  So far 80 owners have transitioned to Fios.  The Board of Directors voted not to pay for battery back-up. The $39 charge will be the owner’s responsibility.
2. Walking Trail – Completed from Inverness to the Club and Zephyr.
3. Wall/Fence on RT 532 – New fiberglass fencing is replacing the chain-link fence. The additional 88 feet from the East Gate to Inverness is now complete and looks much better.
4. Main Swimming Pool – Upgrades to be made include a new circulation pump, Krystal Krete quartz aggregate wall and bottom and a new pool cover for a total of $88,000.
5. Exterior Wall Renovation – The shabby exterior walls around the Mill will be renovated over the next few years. A sample of the cleaned up wall can be seen on both sides of the North Gate.  They have been sandblasted clean and the mulch below them is now a rubber product that should keep the bottom of the wall clean.  J & R Roofing will also begin replacing the wooden shingles on the top of the masonry sections.
6. Board Spending Limit – the BOD proposed changing their spending limit without the Village Presidents’ approval from $25K to $60K. The Presidents’ voted to keep the limit at $25K.
7. Wood Shop – Expansion will be made with a 1000SF addition to square off the building. The space will be used for classes and a paint booth.  The total is $160,000 of which the Wood Shop will pay $60,000.
8. Greenhill Sewer Board is the name of our Mill-owned sewer system. Newly elected members are Ted Sikorski, Zephyr, John Babiec, Yardley and Eileen Hotte, Glenwood.  The Mill’s sewer charges are half of what we would pay if we didn’t have our own system.
9. Future Expansion Planning – The BOD is weighing the requests for additional space for some of the amenities. The Pool and Ping Pong groups need more space and the Sports Group committee would like to see an exercise center in the Mill, as we are the only 55+ facility within a 25 mile radius without one.

 FRANKLIN VILLAGE NOTES

1. Financials (Jay Harter) – End of year financials have not been received yet but Jay is not expecting any surprises.
2. Architectural Requests have been approved for an additional exterior electric outlet and a Bluebird house. Also approved is an awning for 567.
3. Snow removal – Even though December was cold and snowy the snow expenses were within the 2017 budget. Council has asked HMLD to be judicious with the spreading of snow melt pellets.  They will try to only spread them on the first foot or so of our porches to allow people to step over them and not carry them into the house. Hopefully this will work.
4. Leaf Removal – Due to the late December cold and snow the final leaf removal process will be delayed until somewhat warmer, dryer weather.
5. Pool Walkway Railings – DiStefano will be quoting an added railing for the pool walkway for safer entry and exit.
6. Window Caulking – We are accepting bids to re-caulk all windows in Franklin in 2018.
7. Termite Inspection – The termite inspectioin/remediation policy is being rewritten per Council’s decision to pay for inspection every other year.
8. Damaged Siding Repair – The corner board at 587 and the bottom panel of the garage door at 521 will be replaced.
9. Franklin Fees – 85 of our 86 owners are current with the fees.
10. Verizon – As one of the first villages converted, we now have Fios available to every home in Franklin. A number of owners have converted early to capture some additional savings. The final conversion to the Verizon Program will begin in March.  Verizon can convert 125 households per week so it will take approximately 14 weeks to convert all the homes in Hersheys’ Mill.
11. Walking Trail – Ed McFalls asked Council if the MA could offer FV a “sweet deal” if they were to add a trail on Chandler behind Franklin, knowing that we rejected that idea a few years ago. Council voted only to look a proposal which would have included info on which trees on Chandler would eventually have to be removed at our expense. Unfortunately, they marked trees so Arader Tree Service could quote them and there was a feeling that this was a done deal.  Council is still against the trail and reaffirmed that with a unanimous vote at the last council meeting.

REMINDER – Next Village Meeting – Tuesday 2/27/18 7PM at the Community Center.