Good morning PMLE. With another weather event on the horizon, we're providing this information to all residents for clarity. We want to ensure that your issues, concerns and complaints are dealt with in a timely fashion, while at the same time not giving any credence to trouble makers, pot stirrers or antagonists.

First and foremost, please be advised, that Facebook, has been and will be ignored. It's not an official outlet for the Board. Anyone who posts on there, posts as a community resident, with his/her own opinions and ideas (the very nature of Facebook) and not in an official capacity, unless the heading states "Official PMLE Business" and is from a Board member or Committee chairperson.

Second, let's remember that respect is earned, not given. I'm sure we all understand this statement. So, when we make our posts, where you think your gaining the Board's attention, and they are filled with malcontent, negativity and the like, the responses you receive will most likely follow the same course of action. In fact, I can assure you that you'll start receiving more cynicism and sarcasm, or just be ignored altogether. Keep your snark to the Pike County Road page, or better yet, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. Let's be honest, immediately after winter, I can assure you, Facebook will be buzzing with complaints about potholes and road conditions. This is the ebb and flow of this community. If people can't complain about one thing, they certainly find another to gripe about.

Further, I believe it's time that the entire community understands that the methodology for maintaining our roads during a weather event hasn't changed. Years ago, it used to be that roads were cleared "enough" for emergency vehicles to traverse through the community. With final "clean up" being completed after the event is over. The standing rule was/is to plow, as needed, all main thoroughfares within the community and treat ALL hills, curves and trouble spots (such as ice buildup, etc), as well as the parking lot, then move to do the same for all secondary and tertiary roads. The only change to this directive, is that the roads must be opened, not only for emergency access, but for incoming/outgoing local traffic, such as deliveries, family members, etc. That's it, these are the only changes made.

With all of that said, let's talk about some areas of the community. Ledgeway Drive (the main drag) is considered a main thoroughfare, as well as Sugar Maple Drive, Port Drive, Mountain Top Drive, White Pine Drive, Loftus Lane, Oak Ridge Drive, Janets Way, Rockledge Road and the School Bus stop. All other roads, albeit, side streets, dead ends, mailbox area and cul-de-sacs are considered secondary and tertiary roads/areas.

Now, let's talk about weather in the Poconos. Some of you have lived here for, at least 5+ years, others are relatively new. So, let's level set expectations, and be real. If you are looking for roads maintained like NJDOT, you moved to the wrong area. Their budget is bigger than ours, end of story. Power outages, occur and can happen frequently or for extended periods of time in this area. Be prepared for this, as PMLE isn't FEMA. However, many of us, if made aware, are willing to get together and lend a hand if needed. Whether it's getting fuel to you, heaters, food, etc. Understand that snowfall amounts tend to be greater than surrounding areas due to our elevation. I'm sure there are others, but this is a good base.

Finally, please remember these simple reminders during all adverse weather events:

1. DO NOT park on our roads or our shoulders. Going forward, the vehicle will be towed at your expense. The only exception to this is in the Parking Lot. If you cannot make it back to your home, please use the parking lot, but park out of the way and off to the side for plowing to continue. Should you wake up one morning and your car is gone, we use Wrenches. Any and all fees have nothing to do with us.
2. REMOVE your garbage cans from the side of the road. Our contractor will not to protect your cans. If they are damaged, or lost, that will be the homeowners responsibility.
3. DO NOT plow, shovel or snow blow your snow from your property onto our roads, especially if the contractor has already plowed. We've received some complaints from neighbors about their neighbors doing exactly this.
4. DO NOT ask the contractor to plow your driveway. Our contract explicitly states that he works for the Board to maintain PMLE roads, not for your individual/personal plowing/snow removal needs.
5. DO NOT stop the contractor from performing his/her duties, PERIOD. The contractor isn't here for your advice, suggestions, complaints or nonsense.
6. PREPARE. As with any event, we could suffer power outages, large snowfall/ice amounts. Have enough food/water on hand for at least 3-7 days. Have a means for alternative heating and/or a generator, if you can.
7. DRIVE with caution, keep your speed to 20 MPH or lower, as posted. Have good quality tires for the winter on your vehicle.
8. CONTACT US correctly. If you have any complaints, in relation to Snow/Ice removal, contact the board through the proper mediums (outlined below):
   1. Through the website (contact form): Contact Us
   2. Via phone: Call Us
   3. Via email: Email Us
9. IF you require snow removal services, Robert (Rob) Miller, a local PMLE resident, offers these services. He can be found on Facebook or via phone 570-618-5225. Contact him directly for his fees and availability.
   

Please be reminded that the quarterly dues payment, for those that opted in, is due on March 1st, 2021. This payment goes directly to Berkheimer. If you have any issues, please reach out to the board directly via email or phone.

Berkheimer Phone: (610) 599-3143
Berkheimer Mail:
HAB-MISC
PO Box 21450
Lehigh Valley, PA 18002
Berkheimer Online Payment: Click Here (Found under Hab-Misc)

Good evening PMLE 5,6,7. We hope that you had an excellent Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. That said, we have a few things to announce for all.

We typically always have a January Meeting. Ours was scheduled for January 23rd, 2021, however, will not be taking place. The Board of Supervisors met and voted that they would not allow any outside entities, such as ourselves, to use the building through the end of February 2021. They will meet again in February to vote on the remainder of our dates (April 24, 2021; June 26, 2021; September 23, 2021) and let us know.

So, to ensure that our members receive accurate and up to date information, in lieu of not having a board meeting, we are still pushing our newsletter. Attached you will find our newsletter with all of the high level detail of the things we would have discussed at the board meeting. We are providing it in a format that you can easily read here on the website, as well as a downloadable file that you can print for convenience, should you feel the need to.

We, also, want to reiterate, that Facebook is a "community page", owned and operated by community members, where all manner of things are posted, such as things being sold, anger fueled posts, swiping at other community members (in a verbal sense), etc. While this behavior is childish and not very adult like, it's the nature of the beast. Facebook is a "social" community where community members can share, not an official outlet of the board. For convenience, we publish a link to this community news article, to get as much exposure as possible, and on occasion we have published a live board meeting for those that like to attend and can't get to the meetings in person. Please be reminded that Facebook is not an official outreach of the board, nor is it endorsed by us, therefore, we will not respond to posts in a board capacity, especially anger fueled, finger pointing posts. These are not constructive, especially considering the cliques that reside in this community, the pot stirrers/social media warriors, and differing opinions. It never leads to anything good and usually leads to further division. The fact of the matter is that we're neighbors. We certainly don't have to like each other, but we should be a little more considerate of our neighbors, because I'm sure if the shoe were on the other foot, you wouldn't appreciate the same level of non-sense being done to you.

Which is a great segue into the topic of problems, issues, complaints with neighbors. While there is no police force directly assigned to the Dingmans Ferry area, we implore you to handle problems correctly. If you see a safety issue, have a noise complaint or see a violation, contact your local authorities. However, we would suggest that you reach out to your neighbor directly to work it out with them, before resorting to the authorities. The PMLE board is not a baby-sitting service. Decent human beings should know how to deal with their neighbors, should already know how to behave or act, etc. Please try and work on the issues with your neighbors as a starting point.

Last, but certainly not least, if you want to be on our email mailing list for newsletters, please send us your email address. This information is not shared with other entities, nor will we use it for anything other than the newsletters that get posted quarterly.

First and foremost, PMLE 5,6,7 would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year with the hope that 2021 proves to be a much better year, in terms of health, finances and less stress overall.

This notice is going out to remind our members that as of right now, the Municipal building is not able to be used for any extracurricular activities due to COVID concerns, and rightly so. The dates that we requested for our meetings are below, however, the supervisors will need to vote again on January 13th, to decide what to do and whether we can use the building for those dates. That being said, because we are now in January, officially, and while we may not have a meeting, we will still provide a quarterly, via the website as well as those that are subscribed to our mailing list, so that you all know what is going on within PMLE 5,6,7, such as where we stand with the budget, topics of priority being discussed going into the 2021 year, etc.

Proposed Meeting Dates:
Saturday, January 23rd, 2021
Saturday, April 24th, 2021
Saturday, June 26th, 2021
Saturday, September 23rd, 2021

All,

This update is to remind everyone how and where the Board will respond to recommendations, issues, questions, etc.. Specifically there have been a number of Facebook posts, personal phone calls to board members, etc., regarding the road cleanup during this very large winter storm. Anything a member wishes to have conveyed to our new vendor, as we have stated in the past, should be sent to the email address for the board (pmle567.hoa@gmail.com), via messages left on the voicemail box for the HoA (570-630-0776), or by messages left through the contact form (https://www.pmle567.com/member-form.html).  These will be monitored during storms. A board member is in contact with the vendor while they are in the community staying up to date on progress. The above are the only methods we will respond to.

Regarding yesterday’s (into today’s) storm, the new vendor was here over 14 hours continuously, starting around 3:00 PM  until after dawn when they needed to get a few hours of sleep and gasoline, after which they returned. This was verified by a member of the board who was in contact with them until 4:00 AM. In addition, the vendor will be back tomorrow (Friday) for further cleanup, road widening, salting icy spots, etc…

We feel it important to convey several additional aspects. The vendor is very proactive and responsive and anxious to please. If you have suggestions, or if there are issues, he does want to be made aware. As was stated in a prior update, a feature we found beneficial is that their equipment is tied into GPS devices. This allows them to track every road they have been to, the times and frequency of being there, even down to the amount of salt being placed at any given location. However, if a road is missed, please let us know so it can be passed on. Additionally, we selected them because of the equipment they bring to the table. This includes a tri-axle equipped with one of the larger plow blades available. Given the fact that the storm ran continuously through the afternoon, night and into today, there are very few vendors we looked at that could have, in less than 24 hours, made all the roads passable, even down to bare blacktop in locations, hills salted, etc… It is important that we have realistic expectations, especially in light of the fact that PennDOT didn’t begin plowing many of our secondary roads until this morning. 

It also needs to be stated, on a follow on drive through by the board, many of the cleaned roads had become covered with driveway snow removal either from vendors who came in to clean driveways or residents with snow blowers and/or quads with blades. If you have a driveway vendor, we ask that they do not leave excess cleanup on the roads. Likewise, if it is something you do personally, please keep the roads clear.

We sought out the best vendor for the community after a very exhaustive search. Let’s work together to improve things where we need to, help where we can, and keep everyone safe. Thank you.

Please be reminded that the quarterly dues payment, for those that opted in, is due on December 1st, 2020. This payment goes directly to Berkheimer. If you have any issues, please reach out to the board directly via email or phone.

Berkheimer Phone: (610) 599-3143
Berkheimer Mail:
HAB-MISC
PO Box 21450
Lehigh Valley, PA 18002
Berkheimer Online Payment: Click Here (Found under Hab-Misc)

It seems that a successful Halloween event occurred with no injuries, community members ensuring children's safety and members getting to see all of the little trick or treaters, as they wanted. For the members of the community that organize this event and keep the kids safe, thank you. Especially this time of year, with COVID concerns, and Halloween events being shut down all across the country, it was nice to see some semblance of normalcy in our little community, where kids could remain kids.

With Halloween over, the Board would like to remind all residents of a few things in relation to our beautiful winters in the Poconos.

• If you have a generator, pull it out and test it before the first major snowfall. Also, stock up on some fuel for it, in case of extended power outages.
  
• Garbage cans, during the winter, must be off of the road. Otherwise, you accept, at your own risk, them being hit, damaged or lost when/if our plow contractor comes through. Our roads aren't all that wide in some places, and the contractor will need to keep them wide enough for vehicles to traverse.
  
• Plowing, shoveling or snow blowing snow onto our roads is prohibited. Please don't do this, as it costs the community more money to have areas redone, because some of our residents are being inconsiderate.
  
• Have a couple of days of food and water on hand. This should be a given, for any type of emergency, not just winter related.
  
• Be mindful that with winter weather comes icy/slippery road conditions. Keep your speed in accordance to conditions. As a reminder, the posted speed limit, and per our by-laws, is 20 MPH.
  
• Do NOT park on our roads, especially overnight parking. Vehicles will be towed at the owners expense. We have to ensure that the contractor can maintain all roads, no matter the time of day.
  

We hope that everyone stays safe, stays warm and continues to check on their neighbors, if able to do so, through this winter.

With the advent of the first snowfall of the season, many of you may have noticed our new vendor, going though our community. After a very thorough search (both direct and newspaper ad solicitations) and evaluation of numerous vendors, including direct meetings with finalists going through the community, we selected the new vendor based on multiple factors. These included experience, price, type and amount of equipment available and referrals both with other HoAs and Commercial Accounts. The vendor is a professional snow removal firm and is very proactive. The contracted price is all inclusive with as much material as may be needed for the season. Today, they are in the neighborhood spreading a 50/50 mix as much for ANY potential needs and to get first hand experience delivering it on our roads. They have reviewed our roads with the crew that will be supporting us and have mapped out the community with state of the art equipment. As a new vendor, they are anxious to insure we are satisfied with the work being done.  During snow season, if there is a problem area, please communicate it to the Board via the email address or phone # for the HoA.  We will monitor it and pass along any issues, should there be any, back to the vendor.

​Good day all, 

As was discussed at the quarterly meeting, we are approaching the time of year when we have to think about Snow and Ice removal. We are in the process of soliciting bids and have already had some potential contractors in the community. With that said, there are a couple of things we'd like to ask of all residents.

1. Culverts are the lifeblood (no pun intended) of moving water through the community. Over the course of the summer, many have become overgrown and even blocked. If possible, if you have a culvert pipe under your driveway, etc., please try to ensure that both sides are not overgrown or blocked. Even better, some residents have used our plentiful number of flat rocks to create a "rock bed" near the pipe openings so they don't get overgrown.

2. While we look at a solution for cutting back the brush, etc. on undeveloped properties throughout all the sections, we ask that homeowners tend to the tree limbs extending out into the road for your property. This is a homeowner responsibility. The plow drivers need not only access to the road surface, but also some 18" or more on the sides to keep the snow away from the roads.  Tree limbs can and have caused damage to contractor trucks, something we need to help avoid.

Thanks in advance.
PMLE 567 Board of Directors

Please be reminded that the Board of Directors is holding it's Fall meeting, which is the final meeting of 2020. The meeting will be on September 19th, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST, held at the Delaware Township Municipal Building at 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328.

Social Distancing/Indoor Gathering Rules: Per Governor Wolf, all indoor gatherings are limited to 25 occupants. With 5 board members, that means only 20 members will gain entrance. Masks are required at all times and every seat will be 6 feet apart per social distancing rules. Please ensure that you are planning for these contingencies.

Please be reminded that the Board of Directors is holding it's Fall meeting, which is the final meeting of 2020. The meeting will be on September 19th, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST, held at the Delaware Township Municipal Building at 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328.

Social Distancing/Indoor Gathering Rules: Per Governor Wolf, all indoor gatherings are limited to 25 occupants. With 5 board members, that means only 20 members will gain entrance. Masks are required at all times and every seat will be 6 feet apart per social distancing rules. Please ensure that you are planning for these contingencies.

To all residents who used the Quarterly Payment option for this year's maintenance dues. First, we're glad it may have been helpful to you. Due to an unforeseen processing scenario in the implementation of this with Berkheimer, you may have received a bill indicating there was a penalty associated with the amount due, and that the amount due was the full year total, less the first payment you made. If you are paying electronically, please check again after 9:00 A.M. tomorrow 9/3/2020. The corrected amounts should now be reflected and you can make the appropriate payment. Accept our apologies for any inconveniences caused and know we've been in constant contact with Berkheimer to make sure it is fixed now, as well as the future, and that there is no reflection or "permanent" notice of being late on your accounts.

PMLE Residents, we want to provide the community with a quick update to the Road Work notice in our 8/25 posting.  Work is scheduled to begin tomorrow 9/1/2020 (weather permitting).  Tomorrow should not have any impact for the residents on those roads.  As work progresses throughout the week, and we approach laying down tar and/or pavement, crews will assist residents in getting through the work zone.  We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this might cause, but the impact should be minimal. 

As September 1st draws near, we are sending a few brief reminders out for all of PMLE 5,6,7.

Members on Quarterly Payment Plan: For those of you who are on the quarterly payment plan with Berkheimer, your next installment is due by September 1st. If not received by then, you will be subject to interest/penalty fees and will be expected to pay the remaining balance, in full, immediately, due to not following the payment plans stipulations.

Members who haven't paid: For those of you who haven't paid your dues yet, there will no longer be any reminders. Your balance is due, and is already considered late. We urge you to get your dues paid as soon as humanly possible. Please reach out to Berkheimer at your earliest convenience via telephone at (610) 588-5765, or you can pay via their website: Click Here

Community News: For 2020/2021, the board has solicited a couple of bids for road work and has approved a vendor to come in and do some major road work on the listed roads below. This road work, depending on weather, will start around the first or second week of September. Therefore, it is our duty to remind you that the speed limit on our roads is 20 MPH. This is just as much for your safety as well as everyone else, whether it's a volunteer, someone out for a walk or a contractor/vendor.

The following roads will be receiving major work in September:
Duffy Drive
Nelson Road
Pitch Pine Drive
Oak Ridge Road (Section near Vista Ct.)

The Board, recently has received numerous complaints, via face to face, personal/private messages and the board inbox. So, to tackle all of these accurately, without discussion, based on the By-laws and Restrictive Covenants that you have received and which are readily available on our website, this message goes to all members of the community.

1. Fireworks/Noise Ordinance - By-law #35, states, "During the quiet hours of 10 PM and 7 AM Monday through Friday and 11 PM to 8 AM weekends and holidays all residents, guests and contractors shall minimize the noise level and shall refrain from the use of, but not limited to, power equipment, construction equipment and loud audio equipment." This includes fireworks.
   1. There has been some back and forth discussion in relation to fireworks, where most people are not truly aware of the laws and rules that govern them. We suggest that all members review and familiarize themselves with PA's rules on fireworks: PA Fireworks
   2. Highlights to note:
      1. It is against the law to discharge fireworks from or within a motor vehicle or building
      2. It is against the law to discharge fireworks toward a motor vehicle or building.
      3. It is against the law to discharge within 150 feet of an occupied structure, whether or not a person is actually present.
      4. It is against the law to discharge fireworks while under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or another drug.
      5. These rules may be in addition to your local municipality rules or local ordinances, including fire hazard conditions, etc.
   3. Considerations.
      1. Members of our community fall under the ADA and may be sensitive to noise.
      2. There are some members of this community who have pets that respond negatively to fireworks/loud noise as well.
      3. Please be as respectful to your neighbors as you'd expect, or want them to be to you. Common courtesy goes a long way.
2. Dogs/Pets - By-law #25, states, "Dogs shall be kept under control at all times." This means that your dog(s) shall be leashed with a proper, sturdy leash and collar, and restrained appropriately for the safety of others and their pets, as well as yourself and your pet.
3. Harassing Board members or Volunteers - By-law #34, states, "Interfering with or harassing PMLE Board members, volunteers or members while working or acting on behalf of the Association shall be a violation."
   1. Recently, Board members and volunteers have been harassed by other members of this community. This is not tolerable. People who devote their time to the community to lend a hand, shouldn't have to be harassed by any individual, whatsoever. This includes contractors, members, volunteers and/or board members.
4. Recreational Vehicles (ATV, UTV, Go-Carts, etc.) - By-law #3, states, "Powered mini-bikes, go-carts, snowmobiles or similar vehicles are prohibited." This includes ATV's, UTV's, etc. There is no discussion or debate on the topic.
   1. First and foremost, this rule was enacted in relation to safety concerns of PMLE's members as well as the general liability of the HoA. The safety of all of our members and their guests, our member's pets/family/property, as well as PMLE's property were the paramount reasons for this rule being enacted. It is non-negotiable.
   2. In addition, the HoA adheres to all State, County and Township rules relating to these vehicles. We suggest that you familiarize yourselves with PA's rules in relation to ATV's. For your convenience, the list can be found here: PA DCNR ATV Rules
   3. If you have any concerns, witness poor behavior or see people not following the rules in relation to ATV's/UTV's please contact the state police as well as the Board to file a complaint. Per PA's DCNR rules, the state police have every right to fine/handle these complaints.
   4. Please understand that the Board, has not provided ANYONE the right to be on our roads with ATV's, UTV's, Quads, Snow-Mobile's, Go-Cart's, Mini-Bike's, etc.
5. Speed Limit - By-law #4, states, "Unless weather conditions or posted speed limits dictate otherwise, the maximum limit in the community is 20 MPH."
   1. The safety and well-being of our members must be considered in relation to speed. From 5 AM through the evening hours, many people are going above the posted limit, which is uncalled for. This is not a racetrack, nor is going 30 MPH going to really make a drastic difference in your time to get home. As you are aware, there is an abundance of wildlife in this area, as well as community members who walk with their family/pets, children riding bicycles, etc.
6. Right of way - By-law #6, states, "Pedestrians and bicyclists have the right of way. During darkness, only those bicycles equipped with lights (front and rear) may be operated."
   

We, as a community, are supposed to behave like adults. While we can understand blowing off some steam, we cannot understand the general lack of consideration shown to other members. There is no need to create drama, carry on like petulant children, become malicious or, quite frankly, disrupt the lives of our neighbors.

For the neighbors who have been directly targeted or have had to deal with the nonsense of others, please accept our apology for this. However, we strongly advise that you stay vigilant, contact the police if you feel it necessary, keeping any video footage you have and handle these situations according to the law, rather than taking matters into your own hands.

Please understand that the by-laws were written in a way that this community doesn't have a fine structure, an enforcement agency and limited aspects to handle many of these situations. Therefore, it is suggested that you contact the state police.

In other board related news, it is with regret that our Vice President, Kim Walker, due to personal reasons, has tendered her resignation, effective immediately. We want to thank Kim for the time that she spent serving her community and wish her luck in her future endeavors. Please be reminded that the Board is always encouraging people to volunteer their time. Our annual vote is held in September and we are asking that anyone who may be slightly interested, please reach out to ask about expectations, how much time is warranted, etc.

On a final note, a huge thank you is in order for the volunteers who have gone to great lengths to keep this HoA moving forward, which also helps keep our dues low, such as keeping clean our bus stop area, weed whacking/mowing the bus stop area, cleaning our roadways of litter/debris, etc. We want you to know that we appreciate your efforts and your willingness to help. There are members who would rather remain anonymous, but we'd like to extend a personal thank you to Joe, Bill, Rich, Barbara, Greg, Mindy and many others. Without your efforts, we'd truly be unable to keep our dues costs low.

To all members of the PMLE 5,6,7 HoA Community,

Your Board is both concerned and saddened to have to bring the following to everyone’s attention, but we are also resolute with regard to it. An incident was brought to the board’s attention by concerned members of our community. Specifically, relating to two adults, riding a green quad/ATV, who drove up to a member’s home and threw an M80/firework toward the home, with specific intent. Prior to it exploding, the individuals drove off at a high speed. The incident occurred on Monday, July 20th, between 6 and 7 PM EST.

We want to be clear and direct about this. In a community of neighbors, it is not acceptable and is an immature form of “communication”. Additionally, we want to make it known that behavior like this will not be tolerated. We may not all agree about a particular topic, but physical actions cross the line of acceptable adult behavior and respect for each other.

We are sending this message out as a means to keep everyone in the loop as to our decision making, plans or general status of where we are with things.

1. Future Issues
   1. Quarterly Meetings. We are hoping to resume the quarterly meetings for the September meeting. That is currently tentative, as PA still has restrictions on indoor gatherings, whereas, no more than 25 may gather. Social distancing rules, of at least 6 feet of separation is to be maintained among all gatherers and masks are required at all times.
      1. We are working on bringing the board together via a live meeting, such as Zoom, Facebook meeting/live, etc. where we'll run through our current business, votes, etc. and save all questions for the end. Logistics are still being determined on this, but we'll treat it very much like the school board is/has been handling it.
   2. Road work & Pot holes. We receive a ton of questions in relation to pot holes.
      1. We did reach out to a company to get them in here to bid on our pot hole work to see what the costs would be. Both appointments we were stood up, but it's not the first time that company has done it.
      2. There is discussion on asking members to contribute some time and we cold patch them ourselves, at a highly reduced cost savings. In 2018 we had members of our community use cold patch, whereas, we saw a roughly 50% success rate on them holding. Still to this day, some of these holes are still holding their patches.
      3. In relation to road work, COVID-19 has drastically changed our business model. This year, alone, prior to the COVID-19 situations, we created a budget, based on "projected" income. The board had to make some very necessary adjustments in relation to our "expectations" and what is truly attainable. Job losses, lay offs, medical bills and social distancing have played a very big part of all of the changes.
         1. In response, we've created a payment plan for our members to use and adjusted our budgeting based on realized, or real dollars in the bank going forward. What this means is that from now and through the future, we will no longer budget work based on projected, or hoped for, income, it will be done based on actual dollars in the bank.
   3. Board needs.
      1. There are members of the board who have terms expiring, and for this community to run, we have to continue to keep members in the seats. There are a couple of caveats that go with running for the board. Such as the ability to be computer proficient, have knowledge of Microsoft based software, ability to respond to emails, the ability to learn new software/tasks, etc. If you can support donating some of your time to PMLE, please send an email which includes a short bio about yourself, such as name, address, how long you've lived in the community and how you'd like to help, or believe you can help.
      2. Your submission is due by August 14th, 2020 if you would like to run. This allows us the necessary time to get the materials out to members and receive the votes back.
      3. Estimated yearly time donated is roughly 20-40 hours over the course of the year.
   4. Community needs.
      1. We are always in need of community members to volunteer for our committees. Help is something we encourage and need regularly. Whether it be helping to keep the community clean or free from garbage, weed whacking/mowing, tree/brush removal, plowing vendor point of contact(s), etc. If you are interested in helping out your community with a little of your time, like others around you, please reach out to any board member or send an email to us.
         
   5. Time line of upcoming events.
      1. Tentatively. Annual Meeting to be held on September 19, 2020 at 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328. Status of meeting will be announced as we get closer to the date. This is, typically, our biggest meeting and our ballot counting, if necessary or any voting needs to occur.
      2. Road (Pot Holes). We are hoping to get a gathering of volunteers together within the next 4 weeks to cold patch many of our pot holes, prior to winter and colder weather.
      3. Those of you who have opted for the quarterly payment plan, your next payment due date is September 1st.
      4. Sometime in August we will be soliciting for our plowing contractor.
      5. Sometime toward the end of August or during the month of September we'll have community volunteers working on cleaning up brush/trees along the side of the road in Sections 5, 6 and 7. We are hoping that members from these sections will partake in helping as it shouldn't always be members of section 6/7 doing the work for the entirety of the community.
         

ATV Clarity for all:

1. PMLE's By-Laws state (Found under Traffic, sub-item #3): "Powered “mini-bikes”, “go-carts”, “snowmobiles” or similar vehicles are prohibited."
   
2. PA's Summary of Rules related to ATV's (informative site): PA ATV Rule Summary

As always, we hope that you and your families have been safe through these last couple of trying months.

Sincerely,

PMLE 5,6,7 Community Association Board of Directors

As we move through May, there's a couple of things that we'd like to share, provide information on, etc.

First, in relation to PMLE's billing for annual dues, most, if not all, of you should have received your bills by now. Those bills had some printing issues, on the bill, which were based around light colored lettering/text. We apologize for this, as has Berkheimer. However, those bills also had a statement from the PMLE Board, and a new payment plan option with a coupon book, for the new quarterly installments. We have received some questions in regards to the late penalty. For starters, the penalty from previous years was a compounded penalty percentage, which worked for our original payment system. So, when we were introducing/discussing the payment plan, it was getting too complicated and convoluted to continue with a compounded percentage and we certainly didn't want to raise the penalty amount. Therefore, the decision was to move to a flat rate penalty, which ultimately worked out slightly cheaper to members, and was easy to manage across both payment types (Annual/Quarterly). We hope that these are positive changes for all of our members.

If, however, you have not received your dues statement, we urge you, to please contact the Board, or even Berkheimer directly at 610-599-3142. If you have any further questions relating to your annual dues statement, please direct them to the board, via the form on this site.

As we're all aware, restrictions in relation to COVID-19 are being lifted in many states, including our own. Most states are moving slowly as to not see a resurgence of cases, others are moving rapidly. No matter the stance of any given state, please keep yourself and families safe. While we monitor the restrictions around us, gathering all of the information and feedback that we can, we will reassess having our quarterly meetings. The hope is that we are able to have our larger meeting slated for September, at the very least. We will keep you posted.

Please remember, with warmer weather, we typically have many volunteers out in the community doing various aspects of work, such as brush and tree trimming, cleaning the garbage accumulated on the roads, filling potholes, etc. Not to mention that we often times have people taking walks with their families, pets, etc. Please be mindful of the speed limit, the blind corners, etc.

Finally, the Board and Committees are in this community to keep your dues as low as possible, by volunteering their time. We encourage anyone with a little extra time, or interested in helping their community out, to volunteer to join the Board, or volunteer for Committee work. If you are interested please reach out to any Board member, or contact us through this very website. Also, please remember, as in previous years, Facebook can and sometimes will go unanswered, as it's not an official extension of the Board.

As many of you are aware, we are nearing the end of April for the 2020 year, which will close out our Fiscal Year, which runs from May 1st through April 30th. This post is a reminder of some changes coming, as well as somethings to be handled.

First and foremost, if you have not paid your dues to date, there are approximately 3 days left to bring yourself current. It truly does help the community to continue keeping the roads clear during snow/ice events, as well as continuing to update our roads. We are working hard to ensure that we don't have to raise dues, by cutting costs in other areas and promoting some more efficient procedures to alleviate high overhead. Please bring your 2019/2020 annual dues current.

Second, on, or around, May 1st, Berkheimer will be mailing out your new dues statement, which will include 2 different options to pay. As we've stated earlier in the month, you will have the option to pay your annual dues in a lump sum, or pay your annual dues in 4 quarterly payments. We ask that if you can afford to do so, please pay your dues in a lump sum, however, we understand that there is a financial burden that has hit some of our members, following this pandemic that we are in.

On another note, in the coming months, we will have volunteers out working along roadways, for various duties, such as cleaning the trash, cutting trees and brush that are a hindrance in the winter months to our contractor. Under no circumstances should these volunteers be harassed by anyone. This community seems to have a lot of people who think things should be done their way, yet lift no finger to help. These are volunteers, not paid employees. They are putting physical effort into trying to keep your community clean, safe and as trouble free as possible.

Speed, is a hot topic, no matter who you talk to in this community. With warmer weather, comes more outdoor activities, such as walking and children riding their bikes. Please keep this in mind while traveling our roads. These roads, overall, are not very wide and with some of our blind curves, hills, etc. it's very difficult to see beyond a certain point. Therefore, drive cautiously. If it takes you a whole 10 minutes to get out of, or into, this community to your home, because you went the speed limit, does that 10 minutes truly change your life much? Not really, but it could certainly mean a life or death situation for others.

As the media has had a ton to say, the long and short of it is that we're still under a pandemic with most states trying to mitigate the spread with social distancing rules, closures for non-essential business, etc. Governor Wolf has put out a guideline to re-opening Pennsylvania, which I encourage you all to read. To access Gov. Wolf's statement, please click Here.

In relation to PMLE 5,6,7 affairs, the board is still working toward the goals set forth at the beginning of the year, in relation to reducing overhead, cutting costs and moving toward a much more streamlined environment. As stated previously, we've adopted a payment system for dues going forward, we've streamlined quite a few of our process' to promote efficiency and reduce over-handling. We've reduced some overhead costs, to have more of our money put to more work we need done, which should pan out for the 2020/2021 year. We've adopted practices in which we no longer forecast or project our future projects based on hopeful/expected dues collection, which is highly inaccurate. We now make decisions based on real dollars, which is why we encourage all of our members to pay their dues.

As a last plea, please keep in mind that PMLE 5,6,7 Community Association runs, completes projects and keeps the roads passable if members pay their dues. It gets work done, if members volunteer. The Association keeps dues low, if we get help, such as committee volunteers and board members. Please think about volunteering your time to continue to improve our community.

If you are interested in running for the Board, please provide your "bio" to PMLE's email address located on this very site, or use the Member Contact form. We need Board volunteers, always. All interested members running for the board, must be members in good standing and your bio should be received by July 15th, 2020. If you are interested in joining a committee, please email us, talk to a person already on a committee or a board member, or even use the Member Contact form on this very site. We encourage more participation, in general. We all have the same, or at least, similar goals in this community.

Stay safe, stay healthy and try to stay positive.

Good evening to all of our PMLE 5, 6, 7 members/neighbors. We hope that this message receives you in good health, safe and maintaining your sanity during these troubling times. We have a lot of announcements to get to and provide to you.

With a lot of uncertainty around us, The PMLE 5, 6, 7 Board of Directors has been monitoring the state of affairs outside of our little sanctuary (the mountain), at the township, State and even National level, with little hope for improvement, in the short term. In fact, we believe that once some semblance of normalcy comes about, our “new normal” may be drastically changed going forward. It is for this reason that the Board of Directors has been working tirelessly to change how we do business and perform day to day functions, as well as evaluate our annual dues collection and policies. So, while we outline some things that don’t necessarily affect you, overall, there are others that may very well affect you.

1. The PMLE 5, 6, 7 Board of Directors have been discussing the hardships that our neighbors have been hit with, in relation to health issues/complications, loss of income, or even the rising cost of goods. We want to remind you that in addition to being your elected Board Members, many of us are close friends, direct neighbors and in some cases, like family. Which is why we worked hard to enact a plan of action to help alleviate that burden and relieve some further stress that you may be experiencing. To do that, the Board of Directors has opted to include an additional payment system for our dues collection. We, as friends and/or neighbors, do not want to see any of our members struggle. In May of 2020, your annual dues bill will contain 2 ways to pay your bill. You’ll have the option to pay your entire annual dues bill, as in previous years, or via 4 quarterly payments. As we near the date of our mailings, additional information will be posted on the PMLE 5,6,7 website.
   1. Pay In Full. As in previous years, you’ll be able to pay your dues bill in full. Nothing ultimately changes with this option, in fact, if you can afford it, we would appreciate you utilizing this option, as we still have to keep this HoA afloat.
   2. Quarterly Payments. New for the 2020/2021 year, we’re offering the means for all members, to pay their annual dues via 4 equal quarterly payments. Included with the first statement, you will now see a series of payment “coupons” for the quarterly payments. If a member opts to use this method, in order to be enrolled, you MUST make your first installment by the date on your bill from Berkheimer, June 1st. If you miss this payment, you will be subject to being billed the full annual dues amount, including the appropriate penalties/fees.
   3. How to Pay.
      1. Mail. As in previous years, you can pay your entire annual dues bill, or quarterly payment by mailing your check/money order directly to Berkheimer’s address on the bill.
      2. Phone. Your bill will also include a phone number that you can call to pay your bill over the phone, may include applicable fees.
      3. Electronic. You will also be able to pay your bill online, directly on Berkheimer’s website, HERE. You have 2 options to pay which is either an ACH Transaction (Checking/Savings Account) or via Credit/Debit Card. Please keep in mind to read the website’s information, as fees may apply.
2. Due to the turbulent times we are experiencing, road work, for the 2020/2021 year is being scaled back. We are doing this, for many reasons, which include variables such as finances and the unknown status of our business partners and/or contractors. However, we have a short list of roads that are in dire need of work, essentially are smaller projects that we can accommodate and plan to initiate. Therefore, the following road work will commence through the month of April/May:
   1. Hillside Ct. For those that live on Hillside Ct., please be advised that your road will be re-surfaced and proper drainage installed. The road will remain a gravel/stone road.
   2. View Ct./Crest Rd. (Cul-de-sac). For those that live on View Ct./Crest Rd., please be advised that your road will be resurfaced and proper drainage installed. The road will remain a gravel/stone road.
   3. Ledgeway Dr. (Dead End). For those that live at the end/top of Ledgeway Dr., please be advised that your road will be re-surfaced, removing/hammering large rocks and proper drainage installed. The road will remain a gravel/stone road.
   4. Potholes. We are fully aware that potholes have crept up through the winter. We are trying to get a company in to give us a quote, however, if we cannot do that, we are looking into getting some community volunteers together to put in cold patch, or stone, at the very least.
3. The Board of Directors has adopted a digital only process in handling resale certifications. This process was put into place to protect our Board Members from unnecessary exposure and from taking unnecessary risks, all while expediting and streamlining the process for our realtor partners. This isn’t the only process to be evaluated, or changed, however, it’s the first being implemented at this time.
4. The PMLE 5, 6, 7 Board of Directors, understands that information needs to be relayed to you, our members, typically via the quarterly Board of Directors meetings. However, with the current state of affairs, social distancing and stay at home orders, we are at a standstill. We are trying to work this out and do not have a solution to date, but we know that our biggest meeting is in September, especially with voting to be carried out. We are looking at a couple of options for member engagement, which may include online/digital voting, online meetings that include member interaction via live streaming, etc. As we have more information, we will certainly include you keeping you in the loop. However, please note that these suggestions/ideas are in their infancy stage to see what we can do, without spending any money. We are creating these plans, because, quite frankly, we don’t know how long this will last.

On a more personal note, we, as in the Board of Directors, hope that you can see we are here to work with you, make the right decisions to keep you, as well as ourselves, safe and healthy during this time, without adding undue, or unnecessary stress. We encourage you to use our website as much as possible for all informational needs. We will continually keep you updated right here, as the situation progresses, new information becomes available, etc.

At this time, we’d also like to thank some of our neighbors, personally, for their efforts to maintain our community. Special thank you goes out to Rob M. for brush and tree work that he’s done, as well as to Jennifer B and Tenley for picking up trash on a walk and to the neighbor we won’t name, who is filling potholes to help out the community. Its neighbors like this that keep our community costs low, while working to maintain our community’s natural beauty.

As always we welcome community involvement, by means of volunteering or running for a board seat. If any of these interest you, or now with the stay at home orders in place you can devote more time, please reach out to any board member asking your questions, or offering your assistance. If you want to join the PMLE 5, 6, 7 Board, please create a small bio about yourself and send it via email to any board member. This bio will go out with our voting materials, for all members to see. If you want to volunteer for a committee, please reach out to any committee member or board member to be signed up.

Finally, we end this long post, with the prospect that all of our PMLE 5, 6, 7 family/friends/neighbors stay healthy and well, stay safe and do our parts as best as we can to keep the community moving forward, while being neighborly and maintaining our sanity. Remember, if you need any assistance, please reach out to fellow neighbors and where appropriate, your board.
 
Sincerely,

PMLE 5, 6, 7 Board of Directors
Kim W., Renee W. John B., Jay S. and Bob S.