Of course, with weather rolling in and a forecast of 1-5 inches and some ice, this is a great time to get out some reminders. At the end of these reminders, we also have some information from the Township, which will be provided at the end.
Winter Reminders:

1. Keep 7-10 days of food, water and fuel on hand, if applicable. It isn't a regular occurrence, but historically speaking, we've seen power outages up to 10 days due to weather related events. Ensure you have enough supplies to get through those events.
2. Garbage cans and any other items must be removed from the roadsides. PMLE has an easement on either side of the road and our contractor has been instructed to ensure that the roads are maintained road edge to road edge.
   1. Any damage done to your garbage cans or other items you store at the edge of the road, is at your expense.
3. Any vehicles left on our roads will be towed at the owners expense (this is a year round rule). There are no exceptions. Any owners of vehicles towed, must contact Wrenches to make arrangements to get their vehicle and pay any associated fees.
   1. If an event is occurring, we do allow parking at the mailbox/bus stop area. However, if you don't notify the board then there is a possibility your vehicle will be towed. To notify the board, please send an email HERE.
4. When plowing, snow blowing or shoveling your driveway, do NOT distribute your snow on our roads. The Contractor has been instructed to take note of the house and road if this occurs so that the member can be given a chance to rectify the situation. All subsequent offenses could/may see the member fined.
5. Complaints/Issues: This is a topic we stress every single year. If you have a complaint or are having an issue, the easiest way to reach the board is via email, not Facebook, unless you are just trying to stir the pot. We've learned that over the years, Facebook is a melting pot of drama and we will not read, react or respond to Facebook complaints. They will be ignored, as this is NOT the avenue to reach board members. Facebook is owned by the community members for the community members, where they allow us to post these links to our news items.
   1. Board Member(s): Each one of the board member's has either a job, family, personal commitments, etc. that they must tend to. Therefore, if you're looking for an immediate resolution, then, unfortunately, you are out of luck. However, if you truly have an issue, we can't address them, unless we're given that information.
   2. General Plowing Information: It has always been a long standing rule of thumb that the plowing commences on all main roads first, then secondary roads (connecting side roads) and finally the tertiary roads (cul-de-sac's, dead-ends, etc.).
      1. During major accumulation events, the roads are only plowed to be "passable". Final road clearing does not take place until the end of the event or the event is over. Please keep this in mind.
6. We are not NJDOT, PADOT or even NYDOT. We just don't have the same budget to keep the roads perfectly clear of all snow and ice. However, we do sign contracts to ensure that our vendor(s) will provide the best possible service that our budget allows.
7. Please drive conducive to the weather conditions.
8. Be mindful that people may be on the roads (walking home after leaving their vehicle at the mailbox, walking their pets, kids walking home from the bus stop, etc.).
9. Bus Stop: We have a bus stop and it's expected that all members picking up/dropping off children will use it. There is NOT enough room for the shoulders of the road to be utilized for picking up your child(ren). The bus stop is the safest area for picking up or dropping off kids for/from the bus.

Finally, the township has asked us to get word out of a survey they are doing. Please take a few moments to read over the attached flyer, follow the link and take the survey. They are also requesting that members of the Township attend the December 6th Public Workshop.

Our current bus stop for the DVSD is under review after some driver and bus company feedback. Following some safety concerns, the bus company has asked us to specifically relay their concerns to our community parents, informing them of what should and should not be happening (some of these items have been clearly stated before, but now requires some urgency).

1. NO cars should be parked along the roadways of Loftus Lane or  Log & Twig Road. This includes the hill leading to Section 5 or the part of Loftus that resides in Section 6 near the bus stop. The bus needs a clear line of sight to turnaround.
   
   1. ALL vehicles MUST be parked in the parking lot, there are no exceptions.
      
2. ALL children MUST use the tow/walking path down into the parking lot.
   
3. Children ARE NOT to approach or egress the bus alongside of the bus or from behind the bus. The bus driver must maintain line of sight for all children.
   
4. Do Not try and "beat" the bus. The bus turning around takes a minute or so.
   

The above practices are necessary for us to maintain a safe environment for the bus driver, the children onboard and the children from our community. Not following these will result in a warning via postal mail and subsequent warnings may/can include a fine. We ask that parents who are at the bus stop, please help us in ensuring these procedures are followed.

On September 10th, 2022 the Board of Directors held it's quarterly fall meeting. The fall meeting is typically where votes are held for any running board members, decisions are made on retention (if needed/required) and we give an overview of PMLE's operations (things we didn't get to, ongoing projects, etc.).

That being said, PMLE has elected 3 new board members, 2 are retiring and 1 is moving into Member at Large to help with transition. The newsletter is available for download below or review via Scribd.

Good evening PMLE. Our voting mailings have already been sent out, but to our knowledge, many haven't received them. Our printing and mailing vendor had already confirmed they were sent, but they were sent regular first class through USPS and therefore, no tracking ability.

That being said, we're including 2 different forms with this post. One is a PDF Form that can be filled out on your PC, saved and sent directly to the PMLE Board mailbox. This allows the fastest turn around time for voting purposes. The other form is a form that you can download and print to fill out manually and bring to the meeting or hand to a board member so that your vote is counted.

To expedite this information, we're putting it on our website, the community Facebook pages and sending an email bulletin to all members who have actually provided us their email address'.

The Rules for Voting:

1. Where indicated on the vote document, please provide your name and your section & lot number.
2. Be a member in good standing, including current and past dues.
3. Select 1 option for each nominee, either For or Against.
4. Return your vote by:
   1. If sending via email: Ensure that you have your vote to the Board mailbox by 8:00 AM Saturday morning.
   2. If bringing to the meeting: Just bring it with you and hand it to a Board member upon arrival.
5. Your vote WILL not be counted if you do not include your name and section and lot number.

We apologize for this inconvenience and have no idea what has happened to create such a serious delay, as typically, this vendor is pretty good about getting our documents in members hands within 3-4 days. We hope that the members understand that sometimes things are out of our control. Thank you for understanding.

Please Note - The attached documents are:
PMLE567-Vote-FillableForm is a Form Fill PDF version that you can download, open and type your information as well as make your selections.

PMLE567-Vote-PrintableForm is a printable PDF document that you can download and print to manually fill out your information and selections.

As we wind down Summer and get ready to head into fall, the Board of Directors would like to provide some reminders in relation to dues and the upcoming vote for the new Board of Directors nominees.

Upcoming Vote:
Sometime this week you should be receiving, via mail, a single page letter with details on voting eligibility, date/time and address of the meeting, as well as who the nominees are. We attaching a copy of this letter to this announcement in case anyone misplaces theirs, it gets ruined, etc.

Some things to consider in relation to your vote. The first to consider are the rules. If you are not a member in good standing, meaning paid up to date, and current on your dues, by the end of the day prior to the vote, then your vote will not be counted. This is whether you are paying via payment plan or in full and includes any back dues that you owe (unless your back dues are on a payment plan and being paid currently). The meeting for vote will be held on September 10th at 10:00 AM EST. We will open the meeting as usual and ask for volunteers to count the vote and provide us the results. While the vote is being counted, we will run through all necessary PMLE business, announcements and information.

Annual Dues:
For the 2022/2023 dues year, PMLE has put into place some automation in relation to our debt collection practices and a new policy in relation to dues payments, which we've announced at prior meetings and in newsletters. PMLE dues are now considered late after 90 days and immediately move to our collection vendor, Creditech. When they reach Creditech, they will do their due diligence to collect on that debt for a short time. After that time frame has been exhausted, they will send a list of members to the Board of Directors to review and approve. That list will be for legal pursuit of monies. Per our by-laws, any legal costs we incur, will be paid by the member(s) and added to their bill.

What does this mean? Well, for the 2022/2023 dues year, if dues aren't up to date, or an arrangement to make right on current annual dues hasn't been made with the board, on September 2nd, 2022 you will be put into collections with Creditech.

Now, this decision wasn't made lightly. This current board has spent countless hours trying to curb our debt, we've even solicited suggestions from members at meetings. We've sent individual letters to members extending an olive branch for them to create a payment plan with us, or make deals on the debt they owe to no avail. We've sought advice from a lawyer and after seeing our yearly income versus our mounting debt, he advised us we have no choice but to follow a legal course of action. So, here we are. We are now moving forward with 2 different legal teams to try and get our debt into a manageable space.

The unfortunate side effect to this is that we have members who think the correct course of action is to raise dues. That's great and, in theory, works, however, the problem with that mentality is that we shove the burden of the community's costs onto the members doing the right thing and for every paying member we have .25 members who do not pay (yes, this is a real number). This simply isn't fair. The board doesn't have the contractor lift the plow in front of the non-paying members lots/houses. The board doesn't neglect the roads in front of these lots/houses. Further, let's be honest. If we continue on a cycle of raising dues, eventually more and more people get frustrated with that and they themselves stop paying, increasing the debt that the community carries over every year. So, for the short term, we tighten our belts on costs, we eliminate any waste in our budget and we move forward trying to make the best decisions based on our current fdollars, current debt, percentage of paying vs non-paying, year over year return and a little intelligent forecasting/projections.

I'm sure that this is seen as an "unpopular" way to do business. However, it takes so much time to try and collect, through letters, eventually receiving no response. Phone numbers of members are either outdated or non-existent so phone calls aren't worth the effort. Emails would be great, but only a small fraction provide that data. We even have issues with members updating us when they change addresses. It's a non-stop vicious cycle that takes a lot of time and effort to try and keep our member list up to date, let alone chase the monies owed to us.

With all of this being said, please note that September 2nd is only a few short days away and we encourage those of you not in good standing to reach out to the board via email or phone to work out an arrangement. The prospect of having to take neighbors to court, seize assets, put liens on homes, etc. is not very thrilling to any of us and can be avoided by talking with us.

Finally, we know that many new members have moved in and look forward to seeing some new faces at the meeting. We hope that with the influx of new members we see some additional activity within the community, newer members stepping up to lend a hand within the community and fresh ideas to keep this community moving forward.

Meeting Type: In-Person Only
Date: Saturday, September 10th, 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: Delaware Township Municipal Building
Address: 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

Our September 2022 meeting is scheduled for September 10th, 2022 at 10:00 AM. None of the board members who have been extended through their previous terms, are willing to be extended for any additional terms. This is rightfully so, as they've put their time and effort into keeping this community running. Therefore, this board needs some fresh members, with a whole new outlook or perspective.
If you are currently interested in serving a term on the board, please send us an email with a short bio about yourself, time in the community and what you think you bring to the table. This short bio will be going out to members for voting purposes. Please consider volunteering for a board position and helping out your community.

Good morning PMLE members. Please be advised that we were on the schedule to have all of PMLE's roadways receive pot hole repairs on July 14th. However, our contractor has stated that he is behind in his work schedule and had some delays at the asphalt plant. He has assured us that he will be conducting the work on August 5th, 2022. Unfortunately, yes, this is later in the year than we hoped, but, no matter what, it needs to be done.

That being said, please be mindful of your speed when driving through the community, as the contractor will be working on the roads on August 5th. Adhere to the community speed limit to keep yourself safe as well as the contractor and his employees.

We're hoping that the summer weather is treating you fairly and that you're enjoying the nice break from snow and winter weather, in general. We do have a few announcements to make about upcoming business.

1. Legal Pursuit and Collection(s).
   
   1. As of the 05/01/2022 through 04/30/2023 statement that you received, our dues are now considered late if not paid within 90 days and will immediately be turned over to collections through our collection vendor, Creditech. This is upon the recommendation of our lawyer and makes pursuit of legal action a little easier on the community.
      
   2. We finally finished our paperwork and information gathering for our next round of legal pursuit. Through the month of June, PMLE will be working with Creditech and their legal team to take approximately 17 members will be going through Creditech's legal team, while another 24 will be going through our personal legal team.
      
   3. Please be advised, if you owe any money to the community, it is currently in your best interest to make that right with Creditech, as the next step is through legal action. We are not thrilled to have to do this, however, we aren't left with any choice. We tried, with many members to follow the nice route and send letters urging them to pay their balances and work with us, which received only a 10% positive response. Most just ignored them.
      
   4. For those that have had judgements placed on them through the court, please know that we are pursuing our monies further to ensure that the community gets paid what they are owed. If you are one of those members, you might want to consider making arrangements with the board to slow the progress of your legal pursuit.
      
2. Road Work.
   
   1. Pot Holes, through Sections 5, 6 & 7 have been quoted, approved and our down payment has been paid. We are currently waiting for a confirmed date through our vendor/contractor. Once we have that information, we will relay it on this site.
      
   2. Road work votes have not taken place yet. We are awaiting some vendors to quote the roads we've targeted with our "wish" list. Due to legal costs, we have a smaller budget than in previous years, so are looking to make the most out of our budget.
      
      1. Once we receive our list of quotes, the board will vote on the roads and that list will be made public for all PMLE members, as well as the time table for getting the work done.
         
3. Reschedule Meeting.
   
   1. At this time we do NOT have a reschedule date for the previously missed meeting. However, once we have confirmation we will ensure that we post that information on this site providing, at least, a 2 week notice.
      
4. Board Positions.
   
   1. As always, board positions will be free in September. PMLE is actively seeking volunteers to handle board business to replace outgoing board members. Please send your information to the board email address containing a short bio of yourself and why you'd like to join the board. That information will go out to all members in August to be tallied for our September meeting.
      
      1. Number of members required:
         
         1. At least 4
            
      2. Requirements are simple:
         
         1. Member in good standing.
            
         2. Ability to use a computer (emails, spreadsheets, etc.)
            
         3. The ability to be bonded (Treasurer only).
            
         4. Ability to attend meetings (4 per year).
            
         5. Finally, live within the community to be able to respond to events, problems, etc. However, please note that this isn't a requirement, but it is helpful.
            
   2. Please note: This community has seen an influx of newer members, who, most likely, have every intention of staying in the community for awhile. Why not put some time in on the board? You'll get to know the community, it's members and it's struggles a lot more intimately which provides excellent insight into this HoA's strengths/weaknesses. Further, new ideas are something that this community desperately needs. While this current board has made great strides toward positive changes, we also know that there's so much more potential and fresher ideas are welcome.
      

Please know that the PMLE board has tried every reasonable possibility to collect the debt owed to this community. We didn't make the decision to pursue legal action lightly, however, it's gotten too far out of hand for any board member to tackle without legal help.

Please be advised that there are too many board members who will not be around for the May 28th Board Meeting, therefore, we are postponing it. Once we confirm a date with the township and the board, will gladly provide that information here, as well as provide a 2 week reminder for the board meeting.

We hope that everyone enjoys their Memorial Day weekend.

This is a reminder that our quarterly meeting is coming up. All of the details are below. As always, our meeting summary will be emailed out to those members who are subscribed to our mailing list as well as being posted on this website within 14 days after the close of the meeting.

Topics for Discussion:

1. Upcoming By-Law changes requiring membership vote (must be discussed prior to September vote)
   1. Annual Dues Language (Legal - Ensuring that dues can only be changed by board majority)

As By-Law changes are an item to be voted on by the membership, we are obligated to allow discussion and provide notification for the September vote.

Meeting Type: In-Person Only
Date: Saturday, May 28th, 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: Delaware Township Municipal Building
Address: 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

It is that time of the year where we are going to be closing our fiscal year and start with the new fiscal year. This post is to provide you with information to help you in paying your upcoming Berkheimer bill, paying any arrears that you may owe through Creditech and to notify you of changes. We're outlining the information below to make it easier for you to navigate/understand.

1. Changes - Effective 05/01/2022
   1. Late Dues: For the 05/01/2022 fiscal year and upon the recommendation of our lawyer, PMLE will now consider any dues owed after 90 days as delinquent. After 90 days owed, all members will be turned over to Creditech for collection, and possibly legal, action.
      1. This helps us to manage litigation a lot easier, as we often find ourselves litigating dues for arrears but struggle with current year dues.
   2. The above change does not affect members who opt into the quarterly payment plan and remain current.
      
2. Dues - 05/01/2022 through 04/30/2023
   1. The dues are NOT increasing for the 05/01/22 fiscal year. There are a few reasons for this, but the most relevant one is that we are tackling the amount of arrears owed to the community. We feel that, in good conscience, we cannot discuss raising dues until we get that under control. Especially, because it's unfair that we charge members in good standing to cover the costs of members who don't even try.
3. Creditech - Dues prior to 05/01/22
   1. If you are a  member owing outstanding dues, please be advised that PMLE has opted to follow a legal recourse. While legally it costs the community upfront, those legal fees are added to the member's total bill.
   2. We implore you to reach out to Creditech, via 866-300-1721 to get your account current. We, as in the Board of Directors, reached out to the members owing smaller balances via letter during the 05/01/21-04/30/22 year to let them know they had amounts due to the community as well as our intention to collect via legal action. A small percentage opted to resolve the matter with PMLE. However, going forward, we will no longer be doing this.
   3. If you have a bad address listed with PMLE, and you are not receiving your Creditech or Berkheimer invoices, we want you to know that it's up to you to contact us with your new address/information. It is not our job to find you or your new address.
4. Berkheimer Bills.
   1. Berkheimer bills are expected to be mailed on, or around 05/02/2022. There may be a 1 week delay due to the 90 day late change, but we will certainly update everyone via the website once we have confirmation that the bills go out.
   2. PMLE 5,6,7 will still offer the following options:
      1. Annual Payment in Full
      2. Quarterly Payment plan (4 equal payments across the fiscal year)
         1. Please read the disclaimer that goes with accepting the Quarterly Payment Plan.
         2. Please keep your "Payment Coupons" so that you are aware of the dates the monies are owed as Berkheimer will NOT be sending you reminders.
   3. How to pay?
      1. Mobile App: Get it HERE (directly from Berkheimer website, or found on Google Play and Apple App Store).
      2. Online: Berkheimer's Site (There is a fee for paying online. The cheaper fee is attached to ACH payments)
         1. Please ensure that you are paying under the section labeled "Per Capita Tax, Occupation Tax, Real Estate Tax & Utility Bill Payments (HAB-MISC)"
      3. Phone: 866-225-8451 (There is a fee charged by Berkheimer)
      4. Mail to: HAB-MISC, PO Box 21450, Lehigh Valley, PA 18002-1450

Finally, please see the attached bills so that you are familiar with them and know what to expect. As always, we encourage you to reach out to the board if you don't receive your bill within the next 2-3 weeks.

To all PMLE 567 HoA residents,

The HoA has been contacted by Treesmith Utility Arborists (TSA, Met-Ed's representative) regarding their coming to PMLE 567, sometime in later May, to clear trees, tree limbs and brush that has any potential of interfering with the power lines in the community.

This is the statement (in BOLD) that we received from them:  
         
        "Treesmith Utility Arborists, will be conducting routine maintenance of vegetation on behalf of Met-Ed, approximately starting this May. Treesmith will be performing vegetation clearance along the power line right of way, to ensure safe and reliable electric for Met-Ed customers, to help prevent service interruptions. This work will be performed at no expense to you. 
          Routine maintenance involves trimming of live, healthy, mature trees to obtain proper clearance to power lines, as well as, addressing hazards along the utility. The trees deemed hazards will be tagged with blue ribbon and removed (unless day of crews finds additional hazard) debris will be chipped and large wood remains on site. Tall brush (Woody Saplings up to 10 inch) along or under the utility will be removed as well. Where removals take place, herbicide application will be disbursed for stump regrowth treatment. The herbicide is an oil based Garlon 4 direct spray, that lasts in ground approximately 45 days. Service drops (pole to house) are not included in routine maintenance, unless pressure or mechanical strain is obstructing service wire, pressure will then be removed."

Any wood that is left behind is available for any member of the community that can use it for burning. A member of the Board has been in direct contact with TSA to insure there is no unsightly work remaining. Please be aware that the HoA does not have any mechanism to interfere with this process, as it is deemed necessary and is permissible for the Utility Company to perform this maintenance. If you have any direct issues or concerns, please contact Treesmith Arborists.

Please see the attached newsletter for PMLE 5,6,7 after our quarterly BOD meeting on March 26th. Those of you on our email list will be receiving it shortly. For those that want to download and print a copy, please follow the below links. As always, these files can be found on the website under Userful Information, then PMLE Documents.

05/01/22 through 04/30/23 Budget
Spring 2022 Quarterly Newsletter

This is a reminder that our quarterly meeting is coming up. All of the details are below. As always, our meeting summary will be emailed out to those members who are subscribed to our mailing list as well as being posted on this website within 14 days after the close of the meeting.

Meeting Type: In-Person Only
Date: Saturday, March 26th, 2022
Time: 10:00 AM
Where: Delaware Township Municipal Building
Address: 116 Wilson Hill Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328

Dues information below:

Annual Dues Payment:
Please be reminded that your annual dues payment is considered severely late and is accruing penalty fees. Please remit your payment in full to Berkheimer at your earliest convenience to ensure no further penalty applies.

Quarterly Dues Payment:
Please remit your quarterly installment to Berkheimer by March 10th, 2022. If payment is not received by this date, your account will accrue penalty fees. This is your final payment for the 2021/2022 dues year.

New dues statements do not go out until mid-May.

Berkheimer Payment/Contact:
By Mail:
HAB-MISC
PO Box 21450
Lehigh Valley, PA 18002

By Phone:
(610) 588-5765

By Email

Pay Online (Under "Per Capita Tax, Real Estate Tax & Utility Bill Payments (HAB-MISC))

The arrival of the upcoming storm this weekend gives us an opportunity to remind everyone of some of the personal requirements set out in the By-Laws for our roads with regard to snow and ice removal.
​

• Do not leave your vehicle out on the roadside while the roads are in the process of being cleared. If your vehicle continues to force the vendor to plow around you, it will be towed at the owner's expense.  Remember, you are impacting all residents who may need to use the road.
• Similarly, do not leave trash barrels at the roadside.  The vendor has been instructed to do whatever is necessary to clear our roads. This may very well mean that your trash barrels will suffer.
• Once the roads are cleared, whether you clear your own driveway or have someone clear it, do not put the snow you are clearing back out onto the plowed roads.  Again, you are endangering anyone who has to use the road.
• Do let the board know if there is a circumstance that requires us to contact the vendor. By the same token, remember, we are not PennDOT ,NJDOT or NYDOT. Allow time for the vendor to do as much as they can. That may mean some patience on all our parts. By all means, if there is an emergency and you need to get out, of course do so.
• Lastly, please do not approach or interrupt the vendor while they are working.  They use the following priority with regards to roads. First, all the main roads are taken care of, next the connecting roads are addressed, and last, the Courts, Ways, etc. are taken care of.  This follows the same priority used by state and local road crews.

Please be safe. If you or your neighbor need something, let folks know.. These are the times when helping each other is the best way to approach things.

1. Complaints/Suggestions: The board, since as far back as 2010 or further, has always stated that if there are any suggestions, complaints or problems that arise, the board is to be notified via writing or the topic to be brought up at meetings. In the last 3-5 years, the board has done a lot of work in "modernizing" this process, whereas, members can alert the board via email, phone/voicemail, through the website and still via writing and/or the board meetings.
   1. To get information to the board, no matter what it is, whether it be a complaint, observation, grievance or suggestion, please follow the proper channels. Those are:
      1. Website contact form
      2. Email
      3. Phone
      4. In writing sent to PMLE's address
   2. Facebook explanation. Both Facebook pages, PMLE 5,6,7 & PMLE 5,6,7 - Yeah I Wanna Know, are NOT owned, nor operated by the PMLE Board. They are community pages, started by community members, for community members. They are NOT an official extension of board information, therefore, it's a place where members of the community can reach out to each other and ask for recommendations on services/vendors. They can sell or barter items, offer services or even ask for help. They can share social events that they think others may be interested in, etc.
      1. The Board DOES as a matter of convenience, post the links to the website for news, quarterly newsletters, meeting reminders and major updates when we remember to. We'd prefer not to have to post anything on Facebook, but we find that members seem to only be programmed to use Facebook as some sort of "news" agency, when in truth, it's not. It's social media with the focus on "social".
2. Mailbox Area: The board was alerted to the fact that our contractor’s machine used for clearing our mailbox area was down. He did shovel a small path for our members and our mail carrier. He’s working to get the machine up and running, or bring in another machine that can fit within the path between the 2 rows of mailboxes so that we don’t run into this issue again. His goal was to get that area cleaned up yesterday, if possible, with wider paths. He did state that he’d address it as soon as he had the machine available, but will work to keep a path shoveled in the interim.
3. Winter (General): As much as the board, or anyone would love to tell you that our roads will always be perfect, they won't. Six years ago, through winter, the same complaints and gripes existed then, that do today. There's always going to be disgruntled people for one reason or another. Human nature is that we’ll focus on the negative, never the positive. That being said, there are some things that need to be understood by all members of the community:
   1. The Contractor: He/She is not "called" in. The contract was written in a way that he's responsible to ensure our roads are passable, as best as he can during any event, so that emergency services and inbound/outbound traffic can navigate through the community. Once the event is over it's expected that he'll clean up, widen the roads, and treat the hills/curves/intersections accordingly. The contract is built in such a fashion to be autonomous, whereas, the contract is paid, if the contractor is performing his/her duties.
   2. Snow & Ice Committee: While we'd love to tell you that this has active participation, the bottom line is that it doesn't. Active participation is something going to the wayside in this community (this will be discussed in more detail below). That said, please know that there is no Snow & Ice Committee, at least with active participants.
   3. Expectations: If anyone is expecting to see no snow or ice on our backwoods roads, then expectations are being set too high. This is reality. Reality is that we don't have the PennDOT, NJDOT, NYDOT budget. We don't even have the Township budget, quite frankly. The goal is to have passable roads if caution and a speed prudent to the conditions are being used.
   4. Patience is a virtue: I know that most understand this statement, so quite frankly, have some patience. The contractor has been instructed that the snow route is a priority, as well as hills and curves. During any event, while ongoing, the contractor simply doesn’t have the manpower to ensure your road is completely devoid of snow or ice. The fact is that we have so many trees blocking out the sun, many roads don’t see sunlight to be able to warm up or melt. We have to learn to adapt. Therefore, please have some patience and drive a speed prudent to the road conditions.
   5. Complaints/Observations/Suggestion: Please DO alert the board to areas that may be trouble. The board members also have jobs and families and may not be aware of problem areas. However, please refrain from excessive complaints in the midst of a storm and when/if you do make a complaint, please do so through the proper channels, which also means that it will be addressed faster. If you post a complaint on Facebook, it may not be addressed, as board members do not go on Facebook or use Facebook to view/address complaints, therefore, it will most likely be missed.
4. Participation: This topic requires its own discussion. Participation in this small community is rather low. It's been on the decline for, at least, a decade. Participation at meetings is poor, where maybe 10 people show up, at most, at any given meeting. Reading the quarterly newsletters, being engaged, looking for opportunities to be a part of the solution, not the problem are things that seem to go by the wayside around here. In fact, some of the most vocal people are the least likely to be involved, but they sure are quick with criticism, sarcasm and finger pointing.
   1. Community Volunteers: The community always needs people to help out. Things like cleaning up garbage on the roadsides. Weeding/Raking out culvert/drainage ditches. Clearing trees/brush along the roads. Weeding/Mowing the mailbox area and the lake area. See, these things are always needed, and typically, the same small group of people actually handle them.
   2. Board Members: If you are unhappy with the way things are currently handled, we are happy to welcome additional, or new board members. As a board member you can be an agent of change. Something that the members don't realize is that the board, within the last 4 years, has cut a lot of costs to keep our dues from being raised. Prior to the last 3-4 years, the dues were being raised, on average, every 2 years. Whether it was a $5.00 or $10.00 increase is insignificant. What most people don't realize is that the dues were being raised to cover the costs of the one's not paying. While it was touted as inflation raises, the truth of the matter is that not every single neighbor pays his/her dues/share. In fact, I'd bet you'd be surprised to find out that some of the complainers are ultimately not paying members. It’s the nature of the beast. So, we’re on the subject of board participation, let's talk about what happens when we get none or board members get tired of having to deal with the constant drama.
      1. Board Members Resign: This should be a given, considering you know that new board members are not popping up. If board members resign, then who runs the HOA? Who ensures that your roads are being plowed? Who can you gripe to so that you can get your road fixed, plowed, sanded, salted, etc.? Where does that leave the members who are expecting someone else to handle it?
      2. HOA Management Company: The board has explored this as a possibility. The problem is that we're not "profitable". For an HoA Management company to take us on, we need to be able to pay the company what they feel managing us is worth. That means we either raise dues and then turn it over, or we manage ourselves, like it's been done for the last 20+ years.
      3. The above are just some of the problems that this HOA is facing with a lack of volunteers. There are people within this community who have served on this board (on and off) for the last 15-20+ years. Why did they do it? They loved their little slice of the Poconos. They took pride in the community to keep it running and keep it running without $1100.00 per year dues. That’s the same reason that we have 3 of out 6 board members held over for another year. In some cases, some of these board members have been in a Board seat for 5 years. They need their lives back, their privacy and their sanity. They need a break. Don’t they deserve that much?
         1. Board Positions needed and expectations:
            1. President: Handles or oversees the day to day within the community. As of today, the job of the President is to oversee PMLE's debt. This includes court presence for the judgment(s), negotiating the debt on behalf of the community, etc. His/her job also entails running of the Quarterly Meetings. Other duties may include, answering complaints/grievances, dealing with vendors, resale certificates, etc.
            2. Vice-President: The Vice-President handles all of the same duties as the President, in the President's absence. However, while the President is active his/her duties may include answering complaints/grievances, dealing with vendors, resale certificates, etc.
            3. Secretary: The Secretary's job is to attend all meetings and record notes/minutes from the meeting(s). This also entails letter writing to members, vendors, etc. May include other duties as prescribed by the President.
            4. Treasurer: This position is the most important position. The Treasurer is in charge of all community funds, including payout(s), deposits, balancing the books, taxes, creating our budget plan, checking PMLE's mail, etc. May also include other duties as prescribed by the President if needed.
            5. Member At Large: These positions typically handle any duties prescribed by the President. It mostly consists of resale certificates, answering communications (such as complaints, grievances, realtor inquiries) (written or phone), dealing with vendors, etc.
            6. Entire Board: In this day and age, the entire board has been trained/equipped to be able to handle anyone else's position in a time of need, sickness, emergency, etc. The only exception is the Treasurer duties, which remain with that board member to ensure accountability. However, the board can be structured to handle tasks as they all agree upon, ensuring that no one board member is expected to handle more than any other.
            7. For PMLE to function, per our by-laws, PMLE will require no less than 5 Board Members at any given time, up to a total of 15 Board Members. Board positions are for 3 year terms and requires a 1-year break in service before being re-elected to a board seat.
            8. Board Requirements:
               1. Computer/Software Usage. Most of the tasks we do are done on PC's and/or Mac's. This would require some familiarity with MS products such as Excel and Word, as well as PDF documents, Quickbooks, Email, etc.
               2. Must be a deeded member, meaning on the deed of the home/property.
               3. Must be at least 21 years of age and a member in good standing.
               4. Willing to donate time for Quarterly Meetings as well as time to handle PMLE tasks. Typically, it involves about 10 hours per month and meetings are held exclusively on Saturday's.

If any of us moved here with the hopes of getting NY/NJ quality roads, sidewalks and street lights, while paying cheap PA taxes, then I have to inform you that you did it wrong. Most members of this community moved into it because the taxes were cheap, the dues weren’t burdensome and it is quiet/peaceful.

Finally, the board asks that you all gain a perspective and learn some patience. The board exists because they are adamant about preserving PMLE's little slice of the Pocono's. They understand that this isn't a NY or NJ suburban neighborhood where we're installing sidewalks and streetlights. Each and every board member has their own social life, families, events and activities. They volunteer to be members because they want to do their part within this community. Therefore, respect them, their lives, their time, their privacy, etc. They don't do this because they are paid well, let alone even getting paid at all.

Our contractor asked us to put the word out about the road conditions. Many of the secondary and tertiary roads are very slick. Temperatures are below freezing and what the salt is melting is just refreezing on the roads. He is going to continue treating the roads, hoping that the weather does warm up throughout the day. Please bear in mind that tomorrow we're supposed to see a high of 18 degrees, which will bring about another round of possible ice on the roads. Please use the utmost caution while traversing PMLE's roads.