August 2019
Vol. 7, Issue 8
August 2019
Vol. 7 Issue 8
STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS The official publication of the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, Inc.
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Community Calendar
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Concert on the Circle Photo Gallery
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Cartoon Ranch
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Amenities Survey
Volunteers thank residents for feedback
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Safe Swimming
Trained lifeguards provide peace of mind
Curb Appeal Corner
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Social Scene
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Save the Date September 2019 Events
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City or HOA?
Who is responsible for what in our community?
Copyright Š 2019. All rights reserved. Published by Community Matters, Inc., this magazine is produced at no cost to the Association and is mailed monthly to all Stonebridge Ranch residences free of charge.
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Cover Photo by Erica Lee
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Stonebridge Ranch Day
Event moved to Sept. 21 to beat the heat
The circle drive is the perfect summer spot for residents of all ages to sit and listen to live music. See the Concert on the Circle photo gallery on p. 23
F ROM T HE P RESIDENT In this month’s issue, there is an article about how important it is to have trained lifeguards at our pools and why we have them. There is also a follow up article about the recent Amenities Committee survey. Finally, I would like to let everyone know that this year’s annual Stonebridge Ranch Day celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Sept 21. We have been receiving many complaints about the maintenance of our common areas. The Board is very aware of it and is working with our landscape vendors to improve their performance. Frankly, they have not been getting the job done for us. To that end, the Board has decided to rebid the entire landscaping contracts again. However, any changes we make will not be effective until next year. I mentioned in last month’s Newsletter but I want to reiterate it again this month. Stonebridge Ranch does NOT have a Facebook or any other social media page! Please do not rely on them for answers to your association-related questions. When you have a question, contact the association directly. You can call or visit the association office, Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The main phone line is (214) 733.5800. We also provide two convenient online forms on the website where you can submit questions. The “Submit a Question” form is for general questions related to the HOA or your account. The “Report an Issue” form is for maintenance issues you see in common areas such as broken sprinklers or downed tree branches.
changed. This is not favorable to Stonebridge as it would enter 380 just above Kensington village. The Board and the city of McKinney are categorically opposed to this option as well as opposing the Green Alignment (widening of 380). There are many discussions currently taking place to find an alternative solution that works better for everyone. As those options are developed, we will be requesting your support for those that are favorable for Stonebridge Ranch. I continue to monitor and work actively on this project to make sure Stonebridge interests are represented. We reviewed and discussed “tweaking” the current roof design guidelines. As mentioned above, we are very disappointed in the performance of our landscaping vendors this year and the Board voted to approve beginning the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for all of our landscaping areas. We approved Painted Brick Guidelines. You will now be able to paint a brick home provided that: you follow the current version of the Modification Design Guidelines; submit a Modification Application to the SRCA with all required detail; and receive approval from the Modification Committee prior to your painting project start date. We also approved removing Oyster White brick and adding Silver Creek brick to the pre-approved brick list for new construction.
Board Meeting The Board meeting of June 20, 2019 was called to order at 1:00 PM. All Board members were present. The meeting began with a Homeowners Open Forum. Four homeowners appeared. One to discuss guest fees for our pools, one to discuss permitting tree swings in the front yard (not permitted), one to thank the Board for addressing trees in a common area in Tanglewood, and one to discuss a roof violation. The next item of business was to ratify the minutes of the previous Board meeting and all decisions made since the last Board meeting. We also approved adding Nathan deGuia to the Amenities Committee.
Executive Session The Board reviewed and approved the monthly foreclosure report and the report of the Appeals Committee. We also reviewed and accepted the Collections Committee report, the Violations report and the Project expenditures report. The Director of Operations updated us on pending legal matters.
Old Business In its continuing review of all Board guidelines, we reviewed Records Retention and Records Production and Copying policies. 380 Project Update. On Monday, June 24, several members of the Board and I met with TxDOT to review additional renderings of their plans for their preferred alignment, Red Option-A. We did not like what we saw and are continuing to work on options to get this alternative
New Business We approved adding some additional customization to our website to provide some additional capability. This will allow us to bring back the Homeowners Directory and make moving between the Stonebridge Ranch web site and the CMA web site easier.
Association Reports Vice President/Treasurer Counts presented an update on the Financial Health of the Association: Reserve Process Risk Assessment. The Association remains in excellent financial condition. Board Liaisons presented updates on committee activities reflected in Committee minutes available on our website. The Director of Operations updated the Board regarding a recent emergency save at the Beach Club, Wyndsor Grove landscaping, adding signs to natural areas, and the Winter Haven pond dredging project. The meeting adjourned at 4:45 PM. Jon Dell’Antonia President, Board of Directors STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS
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August 2019
Vol. 7 Issue 8
STONEBRIDGE RANCH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. 6201 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, TX 75071 Office Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ph: (214) 733-5800 Fax: (214) 778-0595 website: www.stonebridgeranch.com Courtesy Patrol: (214) 794-4945
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Jon Dell’Antonia, Erica Lee, Cheryl Unnone, Dave Wiest
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Jon Dell’Antonia
Vice President & Treasurer Norm Counts Secretary Jim Norton
Director Kristen Vartian Director Rick Chaffin Director Joe Closs
Buy SunFire Chips™; Get a FREE Gift* *Valid only at the participating store(s) listed below. One gift of Hot No Melt Super Suet per purchase. Offer not valid on previous purchases or sale items. Offer valid in-store only 8/1/19 thru 8/15/19.
Director Michael Kaltenbaugh
STAFF Professional management by RTI/Community Management Associates Inc. (CMA) Director of Operations Greg Herbst
Maintenance Supervisor Michael Cawley
Landscape & Grounds Manager Brock Whetstone Lifestyle Director David Wiest
Executive Assistant Rony Peterson
Maintenance Assistant Eric Ortega, Jeff Torres
BIRD FOOD • FEEDERS GARDEN ACCENTS UNIQUE GIFTS
Compliance Supervisor Kelli Koehler
Compliance Coordinators Gwen Burns, Randy Cain, Pat Liles, Jarred Mercer
Administrative Assistant Melba Siebel
Community Services Coordinator Tamra Collins Communications Specialist Erica Lee
Operations Support Representative Allison Bedgood Irrigation Specialist Christ Talbot
PUBLISHER To place an advertisement, please contact: Community Matters, Inc., PO Box 5900, Frisco, TX 75035 Ph: (972) 370-1778
3001 S. Hardin Blvd., Suite 106 McKinney, TX 75070 (in the Tom Thumb shopping center next to Hallmark) (972) 472-2022 www.wbu.com/McKinney 6
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website: www.communitymattersinc.com
Stonebridge Ranch News is the only authorized publication of the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, Inc. It is published on behalf of residents for informational purposes only. The Association does not guarantee any work or claims made by advertisers herein and claims no responsibility or liability for statements made in the publication. The Association does not support or take responsibility for services, whether paid or volunteer, mentioned herein, nor for statements published in articles or letters herein which are not endorsed by group decision of the Board of Directors.
Volunteers Thank Residents for Valuable Amenities Feedback According to their charter, the volunteers of the Amenities Committee serve to advise the SRCA Board of Directors in the “oversight of association pools, lakes, playgrounds, tennis courts, parks and play fields.” They do so by monitoring the amenities for safety hazards; requesting modifications and maintenance within a Board-approved annual budget; and reviewing rules and policies to protect shared areas for member usage. When and where possible, they also recommend updates to our portfolio of shared lifestyle assets. In June of 2019, the Amenities Committee crafted a survey to gather feedback regarding our parks, pools, and more. Michael Kaltenbaugh, Board Director and liaison to the committee, noted to survey respondents: “We have over 30 parks, lakes and ponds, and the Aquatic Center and Beach Club which are feature attractions to life in Stonebridge Ranch. The
Amenities Committee is charged with maintaining these facilities and—when possible—enhancing them for future needs. We want your help in shaping the Stonebridge Ranch amenities plan.” The Amenities Committee sincerely thanks everyone who responded to the 7-question survey and helped the volunteers reach their goal to learn. Your feedback will prove helpful as the committee begins to build their 2020 budget and look for ways to maintain and/or upgrade areas of interest. Read ahead for an overview of the survey and the committee’s findings. WHO RESPONDED The survey was shared via a bi-weekly Stonebridge Ranch email blast. If you didn’t receive the link to the survey email, you likely have not signed up to receive such blasts. The association follows a number of best
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practices in the maintenance of our email list.* One requirement is that residents must opt themselves in to receive this official SRCA publication—we do not automatically assign anyone to the list. To sign up, residents simply submit the “Stay Connected” form which is located at the bottom of every webpage at www.stonebridgeranch.com.† The home door count in Stonebridge Ranch is currently at 9,417, and we have 5,869 users signed up
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to receive SRCA blasts. The open rate for the amenities survey email was 41%, and of those readers, 40% clicked on the link to take the survey. We are thankful to the 628 folks who followed each step and answered the questions. They represent approximately 10% of our email blast readers and provided many thoughtful comments. (If you’d like to help us improve our email readership and survey completion rates, please sign up to receive SRCA email blasts today—and tell your neighbors about it, too! We’d love to have every household as part of our e-blast readership. Our goal is to keep homeowners well-informed about the benefits and responsibilities of membership in this association in a timely and economical fashion.) DEMOGRAPHICS Have you ever wondered how much of our population is made up of young families, or how many of our
residents are retired? One optional survey question was designed to help us understand the basic household demographics of our respondents, and it was answered by 80% of participants, giving us a snapshot of our community make-up. Approximately 21% of our respondents have children living at home whose median age is under 10, and 31% have children living at home whose median age is over 10. Nearly 20% are working couples who have no children living at home. Similarly, 17% are retired couples who have no children living at home. Approximately 5 percent live alone and are either working or retired, with the remaining 4 percent answering “Other” to define their household make-up. On average, the respondents have lived in Stonebridge Ranch 11 years. We were also glad to see that residents from almost all 74 villages in Stonebridge Ranch were represented in the responses. Only seven villages had no resident participants. We want to give a special shout-out to Wren Creek and the Cascades, whose residents tied for top engagement, with 23 participants each. MOST-USED AMENITIES One of the survey questions helped the committee understand which amenities may be most valued by residents. The two most popular among survey respondents are the SRCA pools and the walking trails/sidewalks which wind through Stonebridge Ranch. Respondents noted they are least likely to use the horseshoe pits, which are new as of last year. Perhaps you didn’t know we have some here? The horseshoe pits (bring your own horseshoes) were installed when the Amenities Committee upgraded the Park at Plainfield in 2018. It is located at the cross streets of Plainfield Dr., Red Rock Dr., and Rayburn Dr. For a complete list of all amenities, be sure to visit the “Premier Amenities” page at www.stonebridgeranch.com. From there you can click on subpages to learn more about specific areas.
Stonebridge Ranch amenities. You can’t go very far into one of our villages without seeing someone waving or saying, “Hi!” This anecdotal evidence of usage rates matches up with our survey responses. Thirty-four percent say they use our common spaces frequently (multiple times a week). Twenty-four percent use them often (more than once a month). 16 percent use them regularly (about once a month). While 22% say they use them rarely (just a few times a year), only 5 percent say they never use them. We are glad to know many residents are taking advantage of the amenities they support through their annual assessments. Several who rarely or never use these areas even noted the importance of having them for overall property values. As one respondent said: “Although our household doesn’t use the amenities that often, I think it’s VERY important to have them available for those who do want to use them. It’s important to our property values to have those amenities built into our community.” NEXT STEPS Now that we have collected our responses, association volunteers and staff are reviewing the data to understand trends and see how the feedback might apply to future decision-making. Several of the questions provided opportunities for open-ended answers, of which we received many. We are combing through them all to make sure we don’t miss any
AMENITY USAGE RATES We often see neighbors interacting with each other while enjoying STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS
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information. The Board of Directors and committee volunteers will then work with management staff to determine when and how the answers might influence strategic thinking or daily operations. Some of the comment answers were not related to amenities. Please keep the following in mind: • Other SRCA committees will be publishing surveys later this year. Please sign up to receive SRCA e-blasts—and give the emails a skim when they hit your Inbox—so you can be sure to respond regarding the topics that are important to you. One added benefit to doing this? You’ll be “in the know” regarding all things Stonebridge Ranch. We typically send two emails a month, and they cover everything from upcoming events to policy updates, storms declarations, and more. • The association accepts comments and feedback 24/7 through the website at www.stonebridgeranch.com, so there’s no need to wait for a survey if you need a question answered. Please visit the webpages titled “Submit a Question” and “Report an Issue” to fill out one of our online forms. You can find staff phone numbers and departments on the webpage titled “Who to Call.”
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CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER Finally, one lucky survey respondent was chosen at random to receive a $25 Visa gift card. Our winner is Jennifer K. (pictured below), who lives in the village of Fountainview with her family. Again, many thanks to Jennifer and to all our participants for taking the time to respond. By offering constructive feedback, you engaged in the betterment of our community!
*For a complete list of our email best practices, use the Search function at www.stonebridgeranch.com to f ind the page titled “Sign Up for E-News”. †Note: We highly recommend that all homeowners sign up for SRCA email blasts AS WELL AS a private online account with CMA Management, our professional management company. When you create an online account with CMA, you can choose to provide an email address. CMA uses this email address to connect with you in private regarding your individual Stonebridge Ranch account and village, regarding topics such as your annual assessment fee, Modif ication Applications, or construction work in your neighborhood. To sign up for or access your private online account, click the “Homeowner Account Login” button located at the top right of every webpage at www.stonebridgeranch.com and then follow the instructions at CMA’s site. Please note that you must voluntarily provide your email address in BOTH locations—the public “Stay Connected” form at www.stonebridgeranch.com and in your private online prof ile with CMA—to receive both PUBLIC and PRIVATE communications related to Stonebridge Ranch. You may provide your email of preference in either location–the addresses do not need to match. For questions related to the public SRCA E-News blasts, send your query via the “Submit a Question” webpage at www.stonebridgeranch.com. For questions related to your private online account with CMA (such as registering or resetting your password), call CMA’s corporate Customer Care line at 972.943.2828. ◀
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Why Have Lifeguards? The Value of Training to Keep Our Swimmers Safe If you’ve visited one of the association swimming pools this summer, you’ve seen them. But you may not have taken notice of them. They dress in red, their eyes continually scan the surface of the water, and they each carry a loud whistle. They do their jobs with such little fanfare that they don’t stand out. They are, of course, our lifeguards.
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At some point in our lives, most of us have gone swimming in a location with no lifeguards on duty, such as a natural body of water or a maintained pool at a hotel or apartment complex. Occasionally, a Stonebridge Ranch homeowner will ask our office staff: “Why do we have lifeguards? Couldn’t we save money in the annual budget if we didn’t keep them on duty?” This type of question may be asked of any line item on any HOA annual budget, and it’s a valid one. How do we spend collected assessments wisely— on features and services that add value to the community—without necessitating an unjustified raise in annual dues? Because our amenities are private facilities rather than public ones, legally the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association is not required to staff the pools with lifeguards. But resident safety is one area of many where the association has always gone above and beyond. To answer this specific question—“What is the value of having lifeguards?” —we sat down with Parker Wyatt, Area Supervisor for Bearfoot Lifeguard Training & Pool Management. Bearfoot is certified through the National Swimming Pool Foundation, is an authorized provider of American Red Cross Certifications, and has been our vendor partner since 2017, when the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) contracted the company to manage and staff the Aquatic Center and Beach Club. Parker started his career at Bearfoot five
years ago and is a Certified Lifeguard, Lifeguard Instructor, Lifeguard Instructor Trainer, and Pool Operator. Tell us about the training the lifeguards at our pools receive. At Bearfoot, we rely on in-house training delivered by certified Lifeguard Instructors. Some other lifeguard training companies do great as well, but we have a higher standard. Lifeguards who come with some experience still have to pass our own programs. I remember one lifeguard came to us and straddled a dummy CPR victim in training—which you should never, ever do. It’s moments like those that show the value of the extra time we spend with our students. To work at Bearfoot, our lifeguards must earn these credentials: American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification (and/or Recertification), First Aid Certification, CPR/ AED & Oxygen Certification, Equipment Training, and Records Training. The normal training course covers required topics in 25 hours, but we do so in 36 hours. This allows us to spend more time on skills and allows time for teachable moments. In teaching the required topics, our trainers draw from their own experiences and what they’ve learned on the job. And we each have our
own passion for doing this. One of our company founders watched his grandfather drown in a river when he was only seven years old. He wants to prevent anyone else from having to experience that helplessness. Our goal is that our guards will be ready for any situation on their first day of duty. We had one lifeguard who, on only his second day, had to handle a seizure in the water, which is a high-level situation. He was able to use his training to meet the challenge, and it’s situations like that which make us really proud of what we do. What skills must the lifeguards at our pools possess to work here? The Red Cross has a specific course structure that we must follow, but we go well beyond that. First, we talk about professionalism. Our company’s four core values are honesty, respect, humility, and compassion. We want to help our guards master all four, which is a process for anyone. Many of our trainees are only 15 or 16 years old, and this is their very first job. We’re teaching them communication and problem-solving skills that they can use later in life in any career. We’re teaching them how to stay calm and polite in stressful
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situations. We’re teaching them how to learn from mistakes. I truly love Bearfoot because we want our lifeguards to use their experience with us as a stepstone for their own goals. We help them get where they want to go in life. In this way, we are not just a lifeguard company, but a family. We also train water skills. This includes shallow water saves, from the simple ones—when a young swimmer is simply struggling or flailing—to more complicated passive saves. We learn specific techniques
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for when the swimmer is face up or face down, and for when they are facing you or facing away from you. The most technical are spinal saves, all the way up to what I call the “super save”, when a victim has a spinal injury and is submerged in a deep end. Our guards learn how to support the victim, protect their spine, and get them onto a backboard, all without touching their own feet to the bottom of the pool. Next, we cover first aid. We train them how to use an AED, an Automated External Defibrillator, and when to call EMS. Our guards learn how to identify and begin to treat the symptoms of everything from cardiac-related problems to breathing issues, shock, heat stroke, and scrapes and severe cuts. One of our lifeguards helped someone who flipped an ATV just outside the grounds of the pool where they were on duty—it was a severe puncture wound and they knew what to do. Our lifeguards have also helped people when they are off duty. They’ve helped people in car accidents. One of our guards saved her own grandfather’s life when he had a heart attack. Finally, we cover CPR—what to do when someone
is having trouble breathing, how to check their vitals, which types of heart rhythms will require a shock from an AED to bring someone back to life. It’s a lot of information, and I really love seeing my students grow. After I got my first “thank you” from a student who had completed their first save and knew what to do in a scary situation—I knew it was my passion to get people from knowing nothing about lifeguarding, to knowing everything I’ve learned. Is certification the end of a lifeguard’s training? All lifeguards, including those who serve Stonebridge Ranch, have on-going training after certification. We all get re-certified every two years, and we have annual trainings. We also complete in-service training. Here we do this when the pools are closed—at the Beach Club on Mondays and at the Aquatic Center on Tuesdays. The lifeguard training manual has almost 400 pages, and on those extra days, we are able to cover crazy, “what-if ” situations, like what to do when someone has a heart attack on top of a water slide. What do you do? How do you get the person down and start treating their symptoms? We also practice active water saves, proper whistle blowing technique, how to safely dismount the lifeguard stand, improving “eyes on water” technique during stand rotations, how to scan the water and count people so you can notice and monitor all of them, when to call 911, which part each lifeguard will play during a save situation— the list goes on and on. We do physical conditioning as well—swimming, core exercises, push-ups, etc. Texas state law requires a lifeguard to do one hour of in-service training per week. Our guards do 1 ½ to 2 hours each week.
was a quick drop-off which was taking many smaller children by surprise. When the pool was resurfaced the following winter, they fixed the drop-off to a gentle slope, and we haven’t seen the same problem this year. Who supervises our lifeguards and what are some best practices they follow? Bearfoot provides a Manager and Head Guard on site at all times. An Area Manager is on call if needed and checks in on-site at least once a day. As the Area Supervisor, I respond to all emergency calls at any of our pools. We follow many best practices to ensure our lifeguards stay focused throughout the day. For example, they regularly rotate stands—change-outs help them avoid eye fatigue and keep them sharp for counting and monitoring people in the pool. What would you tell someone who questions, “Why have lifeguards?” Most of the time, if we’re doing our job right, you won’t even think about us being there. You’ll be able to relax and have fun. But when an emergency arises—there’s no question. People want someone with them who has the training and knows what to do. ◀
Tell us about some situations at our own pools. In June, a patron at the Beach Club fainted at one of the pavilions. Between the time a lifeguard was alerted to the situation and the EMS had arrived and taken over the scene—only nine minutes passed. During that time a million things happened. Our team cleared the pool to focus on the emergency, learned the medical history from the patron’s family, took his vitals, administered first aid, and even started oxygen because he wasn’t breathing on his own. Administering oxygen is a higher-level task, and the EMS team who arrived was impressed with our lifeguards’ skills. Lifeguards have also helped improve the safety of the pool itself. Last year, we conducted a number of shallow-water saves at one particular spot in the Beach Club pool. We notified management staff that there STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS
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August 2019 05
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Monday Night Pool Party, 6 p.m. (BTC) Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
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Stroller Strides, 9:30
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Travel Club, 9 a.m. (CR); Modification Meeting, 6 p.m. (BR) Evening Bingo, 6:30 pm; (CR) Kids Splash Hop, 7 p.m. (AC)
3:30 p.m. (BR); Seminar, 6 p.m
Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30
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Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
Craft Time, 1 p.m. (CR)
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Coffee Talk, 9:30-1
Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Junior Tennis Camp
Coffee Talk, 9:30-1
Junior Tennis Camp
10 a.m. (BR)
Coffee Talk, 9:30-1
Stroller Strides, 9:30
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Modification Meeting, 6 p.m. (BR)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC) Junior Tennis, 4:30-7 p.m. (BTC)
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Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC) Junior Tennis, 3:45-7 p.m. (BTC)
Coffee Talk, 9:30-1
Stroller Strides, 9:30
Junior Tennis, 4:30-
11 am (CR)
0-10:30 am (BTC)
ps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
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Meeting, 8:30 a.m. (CR) Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC);
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
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Landscape & Grounds, 9:30 a.m. (BR)
AARP Smart Driver’s Course, 10 a.m. (CR)
Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC);
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
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Home Fire Safety m. (CR)
11 am (CR)
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ps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
11 am (CR)
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11 am (CR)
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Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Junior Tennis Camps, 8 am-2 pm (BTC)
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Morning Bingo, 10 a.m. (CR); Board of Directors Meeting, 1 p.m. (BR) Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
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Strides 360, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Stroller Strides, 9:30-10:30 am (BTC)
Junior Tennis, 3:45-7 p.m. (BTC)
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Who Handles What? City vs. HOA Oversight Have you ever had a question about our community and wondered: “Is the Stonebridge Ranch Community Association (SRCA) responsible for this issue, or should it be handled by the City of McKinney?” Stonebridge Ranch residents frequently direct questions related to areas of City oversight to the staff members at the SRCA office (6201 Virginia Parkway, 214.733.5800, M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). In such cases, staff follow the best practice of referring residents to City resources. Read ahead for details about which entity—the City of McKinney or the SRCA—handles which issues, as well as where you can find more info. CITY OR HOA? If you have a question related to the following topics, visit the City of McKinney website (https://www.mckinneytexas.org/) to find the appropriate City department contact information. Alternatively, you can call the City’s main phone line at 972.547.7500.
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• Public Street Maintenance: sidewalks, curbs and drainage; street signs; streetlight outages. • Animal Control: leash ordinances; pet waste and safety; disposal of roadkill; pet noise/disturbances of the peace. • Roadway Enforcement: speed laws; street parking hazards; golf cart misuse by underage drivers. • Public Parks and Utilities: trash collection days or issues; bulk trash pick-up; watering restrictions; electricity and water in City parks. • City Construction and Building Permits: note that home modifications must follow all applicable City AND SRCA guidelines. • Neighbor and Noise Disturbances: crime concerns; health hazards. For questions related to the topics listed below, visit the SRCA website (https://www.stonebridgeranch.com/). You can search for topics using the Search bar available at the top of every webpage, or you can peruse the hub with information curated just for you. (Scroll down the homepage to see the different hub types.) To submit specific questions, you can fill out the online “Submit a Question” form (also easily accessible via the Search bar) or call the SRCA office at 214.733.5800.
• SRCA Common Area Maintenance: fencing, landscaping, trees; monument lighting; hardscaping (retaining walls, monuments); irrigation leaks.* • SRCA Compliance Notices and Violations: notices re: exterior home modifications which are addressed in the SRCA Modif ication Design Guidelines†; residential yard maintenance and fencing; storage and screening of trash receptacles. • SRCA Amenities: Stonebridge Ranch IDs; sports courts and pool rules; Community Room rental and Beach Club pavilion rental. THE CITY’S NEW RESIDENT DASHBOARD Did you know? The City of McKinney’s Neighborhood Services Division has launched an online interactive dashboard. You can access the dashboard via the City webpage http://mckinneygis-mck.opendata.arcgis.com/ (scroll midway down the page and click the “Learn More” button under “Resident Resource Dashboard”). Through the dashboard you can find information about the following City-related topics: • Council district • Homeowners association • Neighborhood Police Officer • Code Enforcement Officer • School district • Trash day • Watering day To use the dashboard, first access it by following the instructions above. Next, click the search icon in the upper right and enter your Stonebridge Ranch address. You’ll select from the dropdown list of identified addresses. The map will zoom and display specific information about your property. For questions related to the resident dashboard, contact Dana Riley, the City of McKinney Neighborhood Services Coordinator, at 972.547.1063 or driley@mckinneytexas.org. SRCA STAFF CONTACT INFO Have you ever visited the page titled “Who to Call?” at www.stonebridgeranch.com? For questions related to your association, this page is a great resource. You can easily find it by typing “who to call” in the Search bar located at the top right of every webpage at www.stonebridgeranch.com. The page includes lots of info, including the following onsite SRCA staff directory.
• Executive: Greg Herbst, Director of Operations, gherbst@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5801; Rony Peterson, Executive Assistant, rpeterson@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5802. • Departmental: Mike Cawley, Maintenance Supervisor, mcawley@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5809; Erica Lee, Communications Specialist; elee@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5818; David Wiest, Lifestyle & Tennis Director, dwiest@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5810; Brock Whetstone, Landscape & Grounds Manager, bwhetstone@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5813; Chris Talbot, Irrigation Specialist, ctalbot@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5816. • Compliance: Kelli Koehler, Compliance Supervisor, kkoehler@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5805; Pat Liles, Compliance Coordinator, pliles@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5804; Randy Cain, Compliance Coordinator, rcain@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5807; Gwen Burns, Compliance Coordinator, gburns@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5806; Jarred Mercer, Compliance Coordinator, jmercer@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5808; Melba Siebel, Administrative Assistant, msiebel@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5819. • Office & Operations Support: Tamra Collins, Community Services Coordinator, tcollins@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5803; Allison Bedgood, Operations Support Representative, abedgood@cmamanagement.com or 214-733-5812. *If you contact the SRCA regarding a common area maintenance issue, be ready to provide the address or exact location of the issue. The f irst thing SRCA staff will do is determine if the issue is located on SRCA property. Our common area is not contiguous and, in many places, it directly abuts property owned by the Stonebridge Ranch Commercial Association or private businesses—your residential homeowners association is not responsible for such areas. †The current version of the Modif ication Design Guidelines is dated “Version April 2019” and is available at www.stonebridgeranch.com. ◀
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Cartoon Ranch
Curb Appeal Corner
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August 2019
Social Scene Family Beach Party Monday, Aug. 5 6 to 8:30 p.m., Beach Club 6201 Virginia Parkway
We’re hosting our final Family Beach Party of 2019 with Uptown Sound Disc Jockey. We hope you’ll join us! Space is limited to the first 500 residents and guests. We’ll supply hot dogs until they run out; feel free to pack your own coolers, snacks, and drinks. (Glass containers and smoking are prohibited.) Children 0-11 must be accompanied by an adult. Stonebridge Ranch residents with ID get in free. Guests pay $5.
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AARP Smart Driver’s Course
Saturday, August 10 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Community Room 6201 Virginia Parkway Are you interested in increasing your safety on the road and possibly reducing your car insurance and maintenance costs? If so, join us for the 4-hour AARP Smart Driver Course on Saturday, Aug. 10 in the Community Room. As part of the course, you’ll refresh your driving skills, learn new rules of the road, and study research-based driving strategies to help you stay safe behind the wheel. There is no test to pass. Upon course completion, you may be eligible to receive an auto insurance discount. (Be sure to consult your own insurance agent for details, as restrictions may apply.) You must be a Stonebridge Ranch resident to RSVP. All driving ages are welcome—you do not need to be a senior. The course costs $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Bring your cash or check to class to make your payment. Checks should be made out to “AARP Class”. Seats are limited. Hurry to register by contacting the instructor, Dr. Judy Converso, at 850.264.7727 or DrJRC@aol.com. You’ll need to provide your name(s) and phone number. You can request to receive receipt confirmation by phone or email.
Back to School Kid’s Splash Hop Tuesday, Aug. 13 7 to 9 p.m., Aquatic Center 7501 Coronado Drive
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What’s more fun on a hot summer night than a neighborhood pool party just for adolescents? Our August Splash Hop at the Aquatic Center is for ages 10-12 years only. There will be plenty of security with a pool manager, lifeguards and the McKinney Police Department in attendance. We’re serving hot dogs, and attendees will enjoy DJ tunes all evening. There is no charge for Stonebridge Ranch residents with photo ID. Guests pay $5. The front gate will be monitored by stonebridgeranch.com
the McKinney Police Department. Children will not be allowed outside the gates once they are checked in. Parents must pick up their children INSIDE the gate at 9:00 p.m.
August Evening Bingo Tuesday, Aug. 13 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Community Room 6201 Virginia Parkway
Playing bingo is a great way to make new friends! Please join us for an evening of bingo and prizes in the Community Room. We’ll serve light snacks and refreshments (no alcoholic beverages permitted). Seating is limited to the first 40 who sign up online at https://whoozin.com/YM7-KQ7-3XRC-T7AK. This is an adult-only event, and there is no charge for Stonebridge Ranch residents. Residents may bring up to one non-resident guest. Guests pay $5.
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Home Fire Safety Seminar Wednesday, Aug. 14 6 to 7 p.m., Community Room 6201 Virginia Parkway
The McKinney Fire Department will conduct a free seminar in the Community Room about the biggest home fire risks they see on the job. The firemen will take questions at the conclusion of the seminar. Seating is limited, so be sure to register online at https://whoozin.com/D3V-FVJ-CU7Y-MQ7R. Also, BEFORE you attend, take the Home Fire Safety Self-Evaluation located at https://www.mckinneytexas. org/1610/Annual-Home-Fire-Safety-Self-evaluation. Taking the pre-evaluation will help you get more out of the class.
Coffee, Cars & Cycles Saturday, Aug. 17 8:30 to 10 a.m., Circle Drive 6201 Virginia Parkway
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Join us in the circle drive at the Beach & Tennis Club for a great start to your Saturday morning. If you have a classic or fancy car or a motorcycle, please bring it to park it in the circle drive for all to view. All Stonebridge Ranch residents—regardless of what kind of car you drive—are welcome. We’d love to meet you! Coffee, donuts and burritos will be provided in the Community Room, where we also host a monthly bring-one, takeone Book, CD & DVD Exchange.
Craft Time
Tuesday, August 20 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Community Room 6201 Virginia Parkway Do you have some UFO (unfinished objects) to complete, such as quilt blocks, beadwork, knitting, crocheting, darning, mending, etc.)? Or do you just want a great excuse to come visit with neighbors? Bring your own projects and supplies to work on during our community craft time. The coffee pot will be on! This activity is free to residents. Non-resident guests are required to pay $5 guest fee. If you would like to bring a non-resident, please contact David Wiest at dwiest@cmamanagement.com. No advanced registration is required.
August Morning Bingo Thursday, Aug. 22 10 a.m. to Noon, Community Room 6201 Virginia Parkway
At our monthly Morning Bingo, we provide a fruit plate, drinks and coffee. Winners of each round earn a STONEBRIDGE RANCH NEWS
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$5 gift card! Seating is limited to the first 40 to register online at https://whoozin.com/3R4-MGC-F6AX-EYVH. Please note this is an adults-only event (no alcoholic beverages or smoking permitted). Residents get in free and may bring up to two non-resident guests. Guests pay $5 each.
EVENTS next month
August Book Club
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No Meeting this Month
Labor Day at the Beach Book Club Travel Club; Evening Bingo Evening on the Veranda Kids Day at the Plaza Craft Time Stonebridge Ranch Day
Weekly resident meet-up Coee Talk Wednesdays 9:30 to 11 a.m. TM
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The Book Club normally meets the second Monday of each month from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Community Room (6201 Virginia Parkway). However, the club is taking a summer break and will resume regular meetings on Monday, Sept. 10 with the book selection News of the World, by Paulette Jiles. You are welcome to sit in on Book Club meetings even if you haven’t read the book. The members enjoy lively and fun discussions every month, and they also welcome book selections. Please send your ideas to Dave Wiest, Lifestyle Director, at dwiest@cmamanagement.com.