Dues are due by Oct. 1

The quarterly dues for the Terrace at Highpointe Homneowners Association are due in the hands of Treasurer Kathy Murray Wade by Sunday, Oct. 1.

If you haven't mailed your check, made out to the Terrace H.O.A. in the amount of $320, please do so immediately.

Under our bylaws, the Board can assess a 15% late penalty for any dues 12 or more days in arrears.

There is a practical matter for that penalty. Because our association is self-funded, late dues payments adversely affect interest paid on the Association's bank account. In other words, paying late ends up costing everyone.

Thank you.

Practical safety tip

This posting was put on our Web site earlier this year. After taking apart the ductwork used to vent our clothes dryer and removing a shockingly large amount of accumulated lint, I felt compelled to re-post it. -- Bill Dowd

• Dryer Vent Safety -- Accumulated lint in clothes dryer vent pipes poses three problems: (1.) It reduces the efficiency of the dryer, which means the appliance has to work harder and wears out sooner; (2.) Drying longer takes more power, which costs you money, and (3.) it poses a fire hazard because the lint is flammable.

Rich Polsinello suggests looking into an extendable cleaning brush (he got his through Brookstone) that can be used both from the dryer end and from the exterior vent end to thoroughly clean the pipe.

For more information on dryer safety and efficiency, just click here. You'll be linked with the Web site for Underwriters Laboratories Inc., the organization that does the major testing of appliances and devices found in homes and offices. There is a wide range of safety test notes on other products included on the site.

Moneta runoff being addressed

The City of Troy finally is making some headway in helping fix the water runoff problem caused by the contractor ignoring proper setbacks and other requirements in building Moneta Overlook practically on top of some Terrace residents.

In an e-mail to Trent Cox which Trent shared with us, city engineer Russ Reeves wrote:

"Attached please find a letter addressed to Dewey Delsignore requesting a meeting to mitigate this issue.

"As you are aware, the City is unable to enter private property to perform mitigative work, but rather it is the responsibility of the developer/ site contractor to mitigate these issues. I view these mitigation measures to be readily solvable with the installation of a shallow swale directing surface water to the rear portion of the project site.

"I will ask that the developer explore the possibility of a curtain drain in as well. The curtain drain consists of #2 washed stone in a two-foot wide trench and is approximately 3 feet in depth. Four-inch diameter perforated pipe is placed at the bottom of the trench within the washed stone envelope. Filter fabric is placed around the stone to prevent fines from entering and clogging the stone and pipe. The swale addresses surface water issues while a curtain drain addresses ground water mitigation. The installation of a curtain drain will be dependent upon achieving adequate grades on the site which will need to be field determined by the site contractor.

"Because this issue has been occurring for quite some time, I will ask that you share a copy of my letter with the Homeowners' Association because these drainage issues could become problematic for the Terrace at Highpointe subdivision. If the contractor does not address this problem, the Homeowners' Association should intervene and install this shallow swale section.

"I placed a call into Dewey Delsignore who recently had a newborn son and is placing a week off. My engineering assistant Mr. Mark Pesce will keep you apprised when Mr. Delsignore can address this issue."

The letter from Reeves to Delsignore reads as follows:

September 5, 2006

Dewey Delsignore
c/o Delsignore Blacktop Paving Inc.
42 Brick Church Road
Troy, NY 12180

Re: Moneta Overlook Subdivision at Terrace at Highpointe

Dear Dewey:

I wanted to touch base with you regarding the Moneta Overlook subdivision.

A drainage problem was inadvertently created during the grading and filling of lot #1 at the Moneta Overlook subdivision. Fill had been brought in, placed, and graded in and around the foundation. This is specifically shown in Photograph 1, which is looking in a westerly direction at the filled and graded area and along the foundation of lot #1. Sheet flow from this graded area flows in a northeasterly direction towards the adjacent residence, which is owned by Mr. Trent Cox within the adjoining Terrace at Highpointe subdivision. This sheet flow has been adversely affecting his property and is introducing water into his basement.

During our field recon, we noted that it would be possible to install a shallow swale placed to the rear of the Moneta Overlook subdivision and paralleling the lot lines along the Terrace at Highpointe. This drainage issue could be readily mitigated with the installation of this swale so as to redirect runoff away from Mr. Cox’s property down towards a drainage area to the rear (west) of the development, as depicted in the direction of Photograph 2.

Apparently, this matter has been occurring since the grading of the Moneta Overlook site. I view this matter to be readily solvable and I would ask that you contact my office so that we can discuss a possible solution.

Thank you for your consideration.

Very truly yours,

Russ Reeves, C.Eng., P.E.
City Engineer