~ Neighborhood News ~ |
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Visit The Helotes - Grey Forest Farmers Market
The market is open to the public with fresh vegetables, peaches, local pecans, honey, eggs, brick oven baked bread, plants, canned fruits and vegetables, beef, chickens, eco-friendly market bags and other fresh seasonal products.
When: 2nd & 4th Friday of each month, 3:00 to 6:00 pm
Where: Helotes Hills United Methodist Church, 13222 Bandera Road
Member of the Hill Country Farmers Market Association - WIC approved
Signs Are Prohibited
Please be reminded that all advertisment related signs, with the exception of those specifically permitted in Article 15 of the Covenants are strictly prohibited. If prohibited signs are not promptly removed, the property owner is subject to the prescribed legal remedies. Residents will be billed for the forceful removal of violations, including yard maintenance and the removal of prohibited signage.
All property owners agreed to the restrictive covenants when their property was purchased and are obligated to comply with the deed restrictions. Our homes are our largest investments and we need to care the appearance of our property, our neighbors' property, and the general appearance of the neighborhood!
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Volunteers Needed for 2009 Event
National Night Out (NNO) is that unique fall event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and is held in October in Texas.
National Night Out is designed to:
Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs, such as
Neighborhood Watch
Streghthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships
Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and
fighting back.
Along with the traditional display of outdoor lights and front porch vigils, cities, towns, and neighborhoods celebrate NNO with a variety of events and activities such as:
- Block parties
- Cookouts,
- Visits from local police and sherriff departments
- Parades, exhibits
- Flashlight walks, contest, and youth programs
Last year Stanton Run's organizers conducted raffles involving donations provided by local merchants, hosted games for the kids, and provided food and drink to all residents. Most of the donations and booth sponsorship comes from these same local merchants, with a small portion donated by the association.
What do you have to do? At this stage we need a volunteer to oversee this year's event. This resident will take charge, penciling out a plan and then getting sponsors and volunteers to make it a reality. The event does not have to be held in a single location. A number of resident block parties may also be held around the subdivision.
Interested? Just click in the "contact us" button and let us know.
 Prepare Now for The Contest
Now is the time to get ready for this summer's Yard of The Month contests. With judging less than three months away, it makes sense to get started now. Hopefully we will see some spring showers to give everyone a nice start on the grass. Stay tuned for more details regarding judging dates, prizes, and winners.
Bexar County Sheriff
When you see teens wandering in the neighborhood, ask them where they reside. If they do not reside in Stanton Run then notify Bexar County Sheriff of suspicious persons on our streets. Everyone must make a concerted effort to report suspicious people to the sheriff to help prevent or mitigate crime.
The community has security partols active every week; however, they cannot be on all streets at once. As residents who have a vested interest in the preservation of our property values and our personal safety we must each do our part to help control crime and vandalism. Here are some helpful tips to help us fight crime:
- Park your vehicle in the garage. This removes attractive targets, unclutters the streets, and makes it easier for security patrols to identify suspects.
- Call Bexar County Sheriff when you notice suspicious people wandering in the streets or drainage ditches.
- Report all crime and vandalism as soon as you notice it. As more reports are filed with the Sheriff's Office our community will get more attention from law enforcement.
- Provide the Safety Committee with your observations and ideas. You may also ask about joining our Citizens On Patrol Program to help protect our community. Click on the "contact us" link.
Tell Us What You Would like to Hear About
You may contact us and provide a question or topic you think might be helpful to the community or one that you would like to know more about. Have a helpful hint or suggestion for fellow residents? Send it to us and we will put it on the home page to share with others.
Mystery Person Donates Time, Energy to Stanton Run
A "mystery" resident can be seen in the streets of our community, taking a walk and getting some exercise. But that's not all. This person picks up litter, trash, and debris in the streets, on our sidewalks, and even in our yards. Never once has the person asked for pay, recognition, or even thanks. Yet it is clear that the community owes the mystery person a debt of gratitude for all that has been done over the past several years - more than five years to be more accurate.
This person has demonstrated the true spirit of volunteering and being a part of the community - without ever being on a committee or on the board. This person "gets it", that is, the mystery resident understands the value of taking pride in the community and how the value is returned to all of us through increased property values.
There are a number of residents like this mystery person and we are fortunate to have them around. In fact, a few more helping hands like this one can make a big difference in the safety and appearance of our community.
So if you see a piece of trash blowing around, or a dead animal in the streets, you might consider picking up the litter or making the phone call to Bexar County Public Works to pick up the animal. A little caring by each of us will go a long way toward enhancing our community. To those other "mystery residents" out there who have been actively caring for the neighborhood, we all appreciate you and all that you do!
Annual Meeting Held October 29, 2008
There was a great turnout at the annual meeting and a lot of participation in the town hall conversation. You may view and download a copy of the presentation by clicking here.
A second meeting was held on December 3rd to elect a board member. Hector Aguilar was elected to the Stanton Run Board of Directors.
 updated May, 2009
Do you know what is going on around you and your home? Click here to get the lastest community alerts, a recap on recent incidents, and other relevant information impacting the safety of our community.
Help make us safer by letting us know of an incident you witnessed. You can remain anoymous. Just provide some details about what happened, the name of the street, and the approximate time and date. The information will be posted in the crime watch section. Just click here to contact us.
See What Residents Think About Their HOA
Click here to read the independent survey
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~ Survey ~ |
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~ Special Announcements ~ |
Fireworks Prohibited In Stanton Run
Patrols On Duty
If you have any questions concerning improvements on your property, don't hesitate to contact any ACC member or RealManage. Click here to print the ACC Improvement Form.
How You Can Help Preserve Your Property Values
While many factors influence the value of our homes and property, certain ones are at the top of the list. The most obvious factors include a well maintained fence without missing or broken boards, a well trimmed lawn, and the prompt removal of trash cans, basketball goals, and other objects not in use.
Additionally, any vehicle that does not have attached a current license plate and current inspection sticker or has one or more flat tires, or is otherwise disabled or partially disassembled also hurts the neighborhood and affects all of our property values. It is also a violation of the covenants that were agreed to when the property was purchased, specifically Article 16 of the Declarations.
Just by using common sense most of these violations and threats to our property values can be avoided. We must all work together to insure our neighbor well maintained and appealing at all times. As if depressed values were not enough to deal with due to abandoned vehicles and equipment, these violations will result in action by the property owners association. The violation is subject to removal at the owner's expense.
Residents harboring violations like these not only hurt their own property values, but they also affect their neighbors and the entire community. You can find a more complete description regarding the requirements for vehicles in our neighborhood. Just click on the DOCUMENTS link at the left navigation bar and then click on the COVENANTS.
SAFETY COMMITTEE UPDATE
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The idea of the committee is to keep a constant vigil on the safety and welfare of homeowners existing, or entering the Stanton Run Community. Get to know your neighbors, which vehicles are common on your street and watch for trends like extremely slow driving or seeing the same vehicle circling the block multiple times. Let people know that you are paying attention. If you see someone circling the block in a suspicious manner step in your view and let them see you watching, since criminals prefer not to be seen, this can be a deterrent like no other!
Keep your doors and windows locked even when you are at home. If you have a monitored alarm system make sure the sign is visible out front to warn away potential burglars. It is proven fact that homeowners, who advertise it are less likely to be burglarized, regardless of whether or not you have it monitored. If you walk alone at dusk, take a stick or umbrella or walk with someone or your dog (if you have one) as all can be deterrents, making you less of a target.
Lock your vehicle at night. If you do not have a car alarm, you can purchase a simple, easy-to-install car alarm at any auto parts store. If you are a victim of or witness to a crime REPORT IT!! The police watch for trends or even the most insignificant crimes, like defacement of property. If there is a spike in reported crimes, then they in turn increase patrols.
Gangs continue grafitti in Stanton Run
Our property was defaced with grafitti on the fence running along Moonlit Glade on December 27th. Several volunteer residents and association members attempted to remove the grafitti without retaining the services of a professional company; however, the markings are still visible. Even though a hand full of volunteers spend their time and resources to help maintain our community, we will always need to retain professional services to get the job done.
This incident is an example of the continuing destruction and damage gangs are inflicting on our community. Grafitti, the presence of gangs, and the senseless destruction of common area property can have very negative impacts on our property values and the safety of our families. The presence of crime breeds more crime. Click on the Crime Watch page to get an appreciation of how extensive the issue is and why the association must take measures to prevent and mitigate criminal activity in our neighborhood.
click to see the 2008 HOA expenditures
Where Does The HOA Money Go?
Texas law establishes that home owner associations collect dues from members (residents) for the purpose of maintaining the community. What does maintaining mean? It means fulfilling the HOA's obligation to help protect property values, keep the common areas in good order, and to keep the community a safe place to live.
Why is the HOA budget usually a mystery, unveiled only at annual meetings, and then made available in a difficult to intrepret spreadsheet of numbers? Because it was always done that way. Well, not anymore.
We have put the HOA check book online. Just click here to see the actual expenses for 2008 and where every dollar is spent. Residents who have participated in meetings already have a good understanding of this and some have provided feedback that has influenced some of the expenses.
The board has been making all of the HOA business tranparent to residents. As we fulfill our duty to protect residential property values and help maintain a safe place to live, we are also providing residents the information they need to be informed and to take a greater interest in the community.
Don't forget this is your association. Not only does the HOA have a duty to you as a resident, but some residents feel a duty to support the HOA and give back to the community. Consider volunteering for an existing committee or chartering a new one. Think about how your time and talent can make Stanton Run a better place to live. We get things done when everyone helps make things happen. To those of you who have been caring and generous with your time, talent, and resources the HOA expresses its gratitude.
Click here to find out who can help you
Click on the "Documents" link on the left menu and read the last section titled "Who Does What? Who Do I contact for help?" The information found here can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.
Deed Restriction Violations Harm Everyone
The agreements we all entered into when we bought our homes included a list of prohibited activities on our properties. These activities are also known as "deed restrictions." The most common violations include operating a business out of a single family residence, incessant barking dogs, and lack of maintenance of the front or back yard. These activities not only result in lower property values for you, for your neighbors, and for the community, but they also cost everyone time, money, and frustration.
Since the prime responsibility of the Board is to protect property values, board members have a fiduciary responsibility to all residents to insure the property management company acts on and mitigates all violations. A resident with an ongoing violation not only disturbs their neighbors; but also, opens themselves to costly litigation. The old practice of sending multiple courtesty letters for several months in succession has been replaced with a new process. This process is in compliance with Texas law and consists of one warning letter with a subsequent referral to an attorney for action.
The property owner is responsible for all legal fees, court costs, and the cost to remove the violation. Although you can click on the "documents" link on this website or pull out a copy of the Stanton Run Covenants and read the examples of deed restrictions and violations for yourself, there is a simpler way to be assured you are in compliance. The Golden Rule usually is the only thing we really need to remember. Just ask yourself would you be annoyed if your neighbor's dog constantly barked, if they had several parked cars in front of their home with a lot of constant traffic in and out, or if they failed to maintain their yard? If the answer is yes, then you would probably fix the issue promptly.
If you would like to be a part of this new initiative and help protect our neighborhood, just click the contact us link and a safety committee member will respond.
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