Seven Bar North HOA Seeks to Grow Homeowner Engagement

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Many of our Seven Bar North residents frequently express joy and satisfaction in having chosen to live in our great neighborhoods. Our reputation as “a desirable location” speaks for itself. We should celebrate our ongoing efforts to maintain and improve our homes and yards in an attractive and cohesive manner.  Our advantageous status is a testament to the covenants serving us well for 26 years. Perhaps now is the time to imagine how we can build on our success and strengthen resident engagement with the HOA and our community.

First and foremost, we would like to spark an interest in attendance at the annual meetings. It is important to have a quorum at these meetings. A voting quorum for our HOA is two thirds of our membership (648 homes). We need 435 votes to conduct official business. That’s why we would like to increase attendance at the meetings. We would also like to encourage more volunteerism by adding volunteer committees and by engaging with residents to support our existing committees.

One committee we would like to get off the ground is a Neighborhood Coordination Committee, comprised of one representative from each of our eight neighborhoods. Although Seven Bar North as a whole experiences common concerns, i.e., traffic, speeding, suspicious activity, etc., we recognize that each of our subdivisions may be grappling with their own unique circumstances. Establishing communication from each neighborhood via a representative familiar with their respective community would be invaluable in guiding HOA decisions. The chair of the committee would also serve on the Executive Council. Each area coordinator would also be asked to serve, or seek a volunteer to serve, on the Neighborhood Watch Committee for their area.

Resident turnover occurs in all communities. So far this year, we have gained seventeen new neighbors.  It is important that our new residents feel welcome.  We are proposing establishing a Welcome Committee to orient our new neighbors regarding the HOA, the neighborhood, and the community at large.

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HOA Summer 2021 Activity

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Hello everyone! We hope you are having a great summer, enjoying New Mexico sunshine and the ability to move life back towards normal from COVID protocols. One of the nice things we noted during the pandemic was the number of residents walking the neighborhood and trails. While walking Currier Way, we hope you enjoyed the landscaping and noted that all four sections of our trails have been refurbished over the last few years. You might have also noted the increased color in the foliage along Sierrita as part of our ‘Spring Beautification’ initiative.

Recently we established a Communications Team, a group of volunteers who besides publishing the newsletter, have made the Seven Bar North website a go-to place for current information about Albuquerque happenings, community information, construction updates regarding Westside and the Golf Course Apartments, and more. The website is updated regularly. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, it is worth a visit. The Team has also established a presence for us on Facebook and Next Door.

Speaking of volunteers, our HOA community needs your help! Did you know the HOA is managed completely by volunteers from our neighborhoods? Currently we have fewer than 10 volunteers including the three Board Members. These volunteers interact with Corder and Co., our property management company which does most of the heavy lifting regarding our covenants and Yellowstone, our landscape company. The HOA is actively recruiting volunteers and seeking input on the direction for the HOA in the future.

The Seven Bar North HOA was created by the builder of the subdivision to protect their interest. The developer wrote the bylaws, covenants and set the rules that govern our subdivision today – over 25 years later. Our Covenants and Bylaws are available on our Governing Documents webpage. Any additions, changes or deletions to those governing documents require a two-thirds vote among our homeowners. We have 648 homeowners which means 435 votes are needed. Not an easy task when we have fewer than 100 residents at our annual meeting and some of those from the same household. (Each household is allowed one vote.)

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Seven Bar North Spring Activity

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Bulbs and trees are blooming, weeds are popping up, and neighbors are out in their yards working on projects, all bringing a renewed spirit of life and hope. I love my daily (ok, most days) dog walks enabling me to see the hustle and bustle of our community, allowing me to gawk at beautiful changes made. It is apparent we take great pride in our homes. The neighborly waves from driveways remind me why I choose to live in 7 Bar North.

April 1st – no, not April Fools – but the beginning of verifying weed compliance throughout the community. Yes, it is that time of the year!

Not only do we see weeds popping up at our homes, but they are appearing throughout the common area landscaping, too. John Currier is working with Yellowstone to have our common areas weed free as we begin rolling out compliance procedures in our neighborhoods.

You may notice this is not HOA President, Scott Templeton, writing the Board Corner article this round. Do not worry, Scott is in excellent health. We’ve decided to share the responsibility of writing the newsletter article. I’m pleased that Scott and Stephen have entrusted me with this.

Nena Perkin, Joan Gillis, Candyce Jacobs, and Scott Templeton have made excellent progress in increasing our level of communication with HOA members. I hope everyone reads and views not only the newsletter, but also our community website, our Facebook group page, and our Next Door group. These are excellent resources for finding what is going on in our community. We are also using email to notify homeowners of issues of immediate importance, such as public meetings that directly affect our community. Please ensure Corder Management has your updated email address so you will receive these notices. We continue to send out postcards as needed but wouldn’t it be lovely to focus this spending on a new tree for the common area!

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Winter 2021 HOA News and Activity

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Not sure about you, but I am glad we are leaving 2020 in the rear-view mirror. The pandemic will still be with us for a while in 2021, but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Moving forward into the New Year we are pleased to say that the final section of our walking trails (from Sierrita east to the arroyo) has been refurbished. This will complete our 2‑year effort to renovate all four sections of our walking trails. This has been a significant cost and effort for the HOA with the results being enjoyed by many in our community. The pandemic has prompted many residents to enjoy the trails and brisk fresh air for relaxation and exercise. Each afternoon, Wiley and I take a walk in the sunshine and smile at the many neighbors we see out and about. A huge thank you is due to John Currier who has led this effort for the HOA. Thanks John!

Our neighborhood annual meeting was a virtual event this year with our website hosting the 2020 Annual Update. If you haven’t had a chance to check this out, please take a peek. We voted on-line for the 2021 Budget and retention of Scott Templeton to the HOA Board. Unfortunately, we did not receive enough votes for the tally to be valid. The Board has approved both measures.

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