FEBRUARY 2020

We’re sorry for the long time between Newsletters. Last month was NOT a good one for our family, we had a death in the immediate family, and we went to Canada for the funeral . Now we’re getting back to normal.

A reminder to owners: condo fees increased February 1st to $190 (without carports) and $194 (with carports.) If you didn’t pay the new amount this month, please do so in March

Here’s a breakdown of the per-month fee for 2020 for each unit at Farmstead. Please note these figures are the average of all 82 units – not separated by carport or non-carport fee.

Bldg Maint $14.02;

Condo $0.25;

Grounds $3.97;

Insurance $25.41;

Landscaping $29.78;

Legal $0.25;

Management $18.00;

Trash $9.96;

Utilities $1.50;

Winter $34.00;

Roof Reserve $20.30;

Operating reserve $7.00

Capital reserve $24.90.

Winter’s not over yet so please keep moving your vehicle(s) for the plows when they’re on-site for clean up. This ensures ALL parking spaces will be plowed and treated for ice, so you can walk and drive safely, no matter where you park. During a recent storm we had 6 cars that were asked to move.  CBPM and White’s Groundskeeping (who does our plowing) can’t continue provide this kind of extra time-consuming service Please move your car or you will be charged for the return clean up trip and it’ll be towed at your expense.

For those who are new -there is Safe Parking along the Entrance Road closest to Base Hill Road for you to park while plowing is done.   It’s NOT for permanent parking. Please move your vehicle(s) back when the plows have cleared your parking space. Don’t forget your carport is always a safe place to park.

The asphalt-paving meeting will be in the spring.  You’ll be notified when and where in plenty of time.

If you have a dog,  follow the rules and pick up after him/her to keep the lawns looking good all year. If your dog “goes” on snow-covered grass it’ll eventually melt through and damage the lawn, which will show up in the spring.

Attached to this newsletter are the most recent Rules and Regulations of Farmstead – please look  over and be familiar with them. Please Note: the guidelines for Air Conditioning units are now part of the rules.   

We hope you enjoyed the February holidays. Keep your eyes peeled for spring.  It’ll be here before you know it and won’t we all be happy then?

DECEMBER 2019

The Farmstead Annual Meeting is scheduled for January 18th, at 10 am in the Keene Public Library.  Notices will be sent to all owners along with the Budget for the coming year and a Proxy.

This is a reminder that the bulletin board at the Mailbox Shelter is a place where all Farmstead residents can post notices, but no one other than manage-ment or Directors should be removing anything from the board.  We’ve had several incidents of flyers and/or notices being removed and this cannot continue.   If for some reason a resident has a concern with an item that has been posted, you should contact CB Property Management and we’ll address the problem.

We’ve had our first “real” snowstorm and we’ll have many more before Spring. Please move your vehicles for White’s Groundskeeping

snow plows when they’re working on site so our parking lots stay clear and safe. When you move your vehicle you can park it in your carport (if it’s not already occupied.) You can also park temporarily in the “safe parking” area on the Entrance Road but return your vehicle to your usual parking space when White’s plows are done.

And, while we’re on the subject of snow: if snow falls off the carport roofs, please call CBPM. White’s checks the property regularly, but snow can slide off at any time (even just after they leave) and we’d rather have four calls about fallen snow and get it removed than have the piles remain and freeze in place.

We’re still having issues with residents and improper recycling. We sent all-new information in the November newsletter. Please follow

The Recycling Guide-lines (also posted in the Recycling Area). If you can’t recycle properly – it’s better not to recycle at all.

We should all be “dog careful”, even during the Winter. Snow only covers the dog excrement temporarily and it will continue to do damage throughout the cold season. Please clean up after your dog and we’ll be rewarded with a more healthy and attractive lawn in the spring. Please, PLEASE don’t let your dog(s) walk up to other owner’s front steps to relieve themselves on the shrubs nearby.

This is a busy month, so take time to relax. Whatever you’re cele-brating we hope you enjoy it and have a Happy 2020.

NOVEMBER 2019

Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4 pm except holidays. We may not be in the office all that time because of site visits and meetings, etc., but we do have a full-time answering service. It’s a good idea to call first to be sure we’re here. We love to have people some to see us in our offices, but we don’t want you to make a trip here (and up our stairs!), just to find we’re not in. So it’s better to call or e-mail first.

If we’re not here and you want to drop off a check, you can slide it under the office door or you can “regular” mail it. Please don’t leave it with one of the other businesses in our building They’re all great people and businesses, but they can’t be held responsible for collecting and delivering condo fees to me.

I’m sure you have mixed feelings about it, but it must be said: “winter is on the way.” Please keep a bag or container of ice-melting compound .near the front door to use in emergencies on sidewalks. Move your vehicles for the plows and please don’t let your dog do his/her business on the snow and always clean up after your dog.

The following information should be kept with your Recycling Guidelines:

Recycling at Farmstead is a choice. If you choose to recycle, please do so properly

Only #1 and #2 plastics are accepted for recycling by Keene so check the code on containers and dispose of other plastics in the dumpsters.

Lightweight, bendable cardboard (such as cereal boxes, etc.) can go in the bins with the paper recyclables.

There’s a separate dumpster for corrugated cardboard so break boxes down and lay flat in the dumpster.

Remove items from plastic bags before putting in the bins.

Do not mix paper recyclables with plastic, tin or glass recyclables.

Because so many Farmstead residents recycle, we’ve added another bin for plastics, tin and glass, so the area where you used to leave “items to share” is no longer available. Please leave

only recyclable items in the bins and nothing on the floor of the recycling area.

If you have household items or gently-used clothing that’s no longer needed, there are Thrift Stores in the area that would be happy to accept donations, as

well as a number of “Yellow Bins” around town for clothing donations.

If you don’t want to donate the items, put them in the dumpsters or put a note on the bulletin board with an item description and your contact information and maybe a neighbor will take them from you and put them to good use.

Please remember if you have big items you no longer need (mattresses, large pieces of furniture etc.) you can call our office and for a reasonable fee we’ll pick them up, bring them to the dump and dispose of them for you. Do not leave items on the ground beside the dumpsters.

We’re doing e-mail updates, so please send us yours. Sending notices and newsletters via e-mail

saves paper, time and mailing expenses and we thank you very much for helping us with this.

Now comes my favorite time of year, a time to express gratitude and appreciation to everyone who is dear to you. We hope this Thanksgiving will be a busy, happy time for you, filled with family, friends, food and football!

OCTOBER 2019

Folks, please please pay your monthly condo fees in a timely manner by the first day of the month in which they’re due. If your payment is received after the 10th a late fee will be added. We don’t have a huge problem with non-payers, but we plan a pretty tight budget for the Association so we can pay our bills each month. When even one owner doesn’t pay, it can create a problem that eventually reflects on the credit of the Association. If fees remain unpaid, the state of New Hampshire allows the delinquent owner to be denied services normally provided by the Association including (but not limited to) on-site parking.

We’ve mentioned this before, but unfortunately the units at Farmstead aren’t as soundproof as we’d like. Please try to be a good neighbor and keep the noise level from your unit as non-intrusive as possible. Avoid running on stairs (your children, too.) Use potentially noisy appliances such as washers, dryers, vacuum cleaners etc. after 8 in the morning and before 9 at night. Keep the volume on TVs, radios and “music machines” as low as possible. And please be aware of how annoying a dog that barks constantly can be.

Please remember we have a special dumpster for card board and the boxes need to be broken down before they are thrown in the bin(s). Right now there are three large boxes in the regular dumpster that haven’t been broken down and they’re taking up a lot of room.

Dennis is winding down his outside work for the Association, but if you’re planning an inside project for this winter and you need help (such as painting, general handy-man assistance, etc.) Dennis is available. He’s talented, innovative and prides himself on doing your work as efficiently, quietly and cost-effectively as possible. Call us at 358-0040 to make an appointment.

I’m sure you know this, but if you have an “Association issue” please contact CBPM to address it. I will get in touch with the Board if it’s a request.

L & G Propane’s locked-in rate for the 2019/2020 season is $1.399 per gallon.

We don’t mean to rush through fall, but winter is coming and you’re reminded to move vehicles for the snow plows when they’re working on site so our parking lots stay clear and safe. When you move your vehicle you can park it temporarily in the “safe parking” area on the Entrance Road, then return it to the usual spot when the plows leave. You do not have to move when the plows are working in the middle of the night, but you do have to move when they return for the cleanup. It would be great if we could give you a specific time for the return, but each storm is different and comes at different times. However, cleanup is usually done during the day, after a storm ends. When there is a storm residents just have to be alert and keep an eye out for the plows.

“Trick or Treating” in Keene will be 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Halloween. If you want youngsters in costume to visit you, leave your outside light on (which will keep them safer, too!)

Happy Halloween!!

SEPTEMBER 2019

I’ll be on vacation September 20th ‘til the 30th with limited access to e-mail or contact availability. Courtney and Dennis will be here to handle day-to-day work and any emergencies. If you have something “odd” it’d be great if you can wait until I return, but Court has been here nine years and should be able to help with any situation.

Director Allison Green had a conversation with Matt Durling at Durling Cleaning recently. He mentioned our dryer vents and told her he charges $150 to clean one vent, but if he has 5 vents to clean at Farmstead on the same day, the charge is $100 each and 10 vents or more, the charge is $89 each. He doesn’t need interior access but will also include the lint collector unit in your dryer if you wish. He’s scheduled to do Allison’s dryer vent on September 18th. You can contact Durling directly 762-3433 should you want to schedule a cleaning.

Some of you may have noticed the bears are still out and about the Common area, so please please make sure nothing is left on your patio that will make them feel welcome. This includes no food, no bird feeders, and no treats for dogs or cats. Just be sure there’s nothing tempting on your patio and that should discourage them. It may take awhile, but you should have no bear problem within a few months.

When you pay your monthly condo fee to Farmstead, please be sure the check is made payable to Farmstead Commons and not to CB Property Management. Condo fees are Association income and when you pay them to the property management company it really creates a problem for us.

Everybody: please squish your trash to dispose of it and recycle correctly. If you need a copy of the Recycling Guidelines, call us and we’ll be sure you get one ASAP. Have a large item you want removed? Call CBPM, we’ll arrange proper disposal and invoice you for the cost. You pay what we’re charged, with no mark-up.

L&G should be providing the rate soon for Propane for the 2019 - 2020 season. When it’s determined and we’re notified, we’ll send the information to all Farmstead owners ASAP.

This is your community newsletter and you’re encouraged to use it in whatever manner works for you: wish someone happy birthday or anniversary, congratulate them on a marriage, engagement, graduation or addition of a new family member. You can also use this newsletter to sell items or provide services, look for something you want to buy or whatever else you can think of. If you want to include something we haven’t thought of, call my office and we can add it to the next newsletter.

Now we’re coming to my favorite time of year (isn’t it everyone’s?) I love the beautiful fall colors that appear on trees and hillsides and perfect sunny days that slip in unexpectedly as the weather gets cooler. Back to school is always exciting. Changing wardrobes just as summer clothes and flip-flops become inappropriate. Looking forward to autumn holidays and receiving Christmas-themed catalogs that inspire dreams of purchases to come.

JUNE / JULY 2019

This summer has been VERY busy, and we hope it will soon be back to normal. When we have to do a newsletter combining two months, that’s when things really need to slow down.

At the recent Directors’ Meeting Lynda Sillner told us she spoke with Monadnock Disposal and learned: #1 and #2 plastics can be recycled if they’re clean at disposal and other plastic goes in the trash. Glass that’s clean can be recycled (food jars, drinking glasses, vases and unshattered broken glass.) Clean Aluminum cans are okay, but tin foil is not. Broken-down corrugated cardboard goes in the smaller dumpster and other card-board boxes (cereal, tissue etc.) go in the black bins with co-mingled paper. Lynda’s going to make new wall signs for the Recycling Area and post them where they can easily be seen.

The outside spigots are not for common use. They belong to the unit they’re near and those residents pay for the water used.

Many of the common gardens were started by and maintained by former residents of Farmstead, but since those people no longer live here, the gardens they loved just aren’t kept looking good. If you like to garden, we’d love to have you “adopt” a common garden and bring it back to its original beauty. Or, you could plant your own choice of flowers and it would be truly YOURS. Give us a call if you’re interested in doing this and we’ll talk about the space you want and what you want to do with it.

Now that the cooling season is upon us a number of residents have been asking about air conditioning units for their homes. The Farmstead Board of Directors researched four types of approved air conditioners: in-wall, portable, Mitsubishi and central a/c. The Mitsubishis start at $6,600 and the central air starts at $15,000. More realistically, in-wall and portable are the less expensive options.

One unit owner has just had a 10,000 BTU in-wall installed by Korvin. The new a/c was the same size and brand as the one being replaced (Frigidaire 24 w X 16 h) which made installation very simple. Her cost was $559 plus $30 for installation.

The portable air conditioners are available locally, with 10,000 BTUs costing about $350. The directors require those units to be vented using ¼ inch Plexiglas or Lexan to fill the open window gap with the hole cut for the hose near the bottom. Cheshire Glass charges approximately $100.00 for Plexiglas and Granite State Glass charges about $150.00for Lexan. Carbone’s also offers a Plexiglas unit. Anyone already using something other than Plexiglas may leave it for this summer but will be required to use Plexiglas or a clear material next year (2020).

Note: The portable a/c unit with clear Plexiglas or similar material for venting of the unit is the only type that can be used in the front of the buildings.

Owners wanting to install central air, a Mitsubishi or similar type unit, or a new wall unit will need to submit a request in writing to Management and obtain advance approval from the board.

I will be on vacation from Friday, July 19th to Monday, July 29th. The office will be up and running with both Courtney and Dennis available. Court has been here for more than nine years so she can usually handle anything. However, if you have an unusual problem that doesn’t need immediate attention, it might be easier to wait until I return.

It doesn’t happen often - but we do get emergency calls from owners locked out of their homes. CBPM doesn’t have a master key, so unless you have specifically given us a key to your home, we don’t have access. Good ideas for addressing this problem include giving a spare key to a trusted neighbor or keeping a hide-a-key in a safe spot such as your car, etc. 

Summer’s in full swing and there’s a lot for families to do in and/or near Keene

ENJOY!!!!!!