The Vuecrest View October 2023 In This Issue: TWO New Every Year Vuecrest Committee Positions Worthy Community Project Artificial Turf/Solar Panel Policies Halloween Safety Reminder Whoops! I Missed It MyBellevue City Service App Keep Your Contact Information Current Calendar Items Vuecrest Book Club Meetings (Meeting in Person) Vuecrest Monthly Board Meeting (Remote Access Below) Thursday, October 5th, 6:00P Vuecrest LIFE-Neighbor to Neighbor TWO New Every Year-Vuecrest Directors We have six Vuecrest Directors that make the important decisions for our neighborhood. Each year, two new Directors are elected as two retire from their leadership roles. In addition, we have many committee members and chairs who assist our Directors. This three year rotating schedule with two Directors being elected each year is a great system. It allows a fair distribution of workload and the constant onboarding of fresh opinions and ideas. The effort involved in these positions is generally 2-3 hours for our monthly meeting (now held remotely) and 2-3 hours per month answering emails, viewing properties, etc. If you are dedicated to the welfare of your community (as a whole) and your neighbors (as individuals), this may be a good place for you. You will be surrounded by HOA veterans who will teach you the ropes. No experience necessary. Please contact directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:directors@vuecrest.net> with your questions about serving as a Director. Also, feel free to submit the name of a community member who you feel might be a good candidate who will be contacted to discuss the details of the opportunity. We look forward to working with you! Vuecrest Committee Positions Vuecrest committees have volunteer options with something to fit everyone’s schedule. There are openings for a single hour, single day, multiple days, a month, and a full year. There’s something for everyone who wants to be involved. What’s your hidden talent? Do you like social events, landscaping, safety, organization, photography, problem solving, maybe technical or computer skills? We could use your abilities. Please contact directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:directors@vuecrest.net> with your questions and knowledge to share. Worthy Community Project-Old Glory This opportunity allows you to serve your country and community at the same time. It takes very little effort, but is well worth your guardianship. The flag in the Vuecrest esplanade waves proudly 24/7 365 days a year. We just need someone to occasionally monitor the flag in case it needs adjustments or replacement, and lower it to half-mast when necessary. Please contact directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:directors@vuecrest.net> to get more information and/or volunteer for this opportunity. This responsibility is appropriate for YOUNG, OLD, or IN-BETWEEN and can be taken on as a family endeavor. Halloween Safety Reminder We are a popular Halloween neighborhood so be ready to entertain a sizeable group of “trick or treaters”. As always the safety of these little ones is an important consideration so please allow your guests to park in your driveway or off-site and not on the street which may otherwise expose walkers to traffic. We also encourage you to take extra precautions and drive safely. Please report any non-festive activities to directors@vuecrest.net <mailto:blockwatch@vuecrest.net>. Artificial Turf/Solar Policies Under Discussion Please attend the next Vuecrest monthly meeting to add your two cents regarding these subjects. Whoops! I Missed It Hope you missed it too. There was no newsletter last month. Mark and I were out of the country and we decided to bring a little Covid present back with us. Only one part of that scenario was fun. MyBellevue City Service App MyBellevue is a mobile app that makes it possible for people to request services and access city news, jobs and social media easily with their smart phones and other portable devices. Here’s a link to get you there… https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/finance/mybellevue <https://bellevuewa.gov/city-government/departments/finance/mybellevue> Keep your Vuecrest Contact Information UP-TO-DATE Please make sure that your homeowner contact information, tenant information, and/or property management information is always up to date. Your information is not shared or distributed to any third party and is only used for your informational and safety benefit. Here’s how to update your information…Go to http://www.vuecrest.net/communicate/update-us <http://www.vuecrest.net/communicate/update-us>, Input your information, and click Submit. CALENDAR ITEMS: Vuecrest Book Club (Meeting IN PERSON) Vuecrest has its own Book Club and all residents are welcome to attend. We meet once a month at 7PM, usually on the first Monday, at various members’ homes. The VC Book Club has an “open-read” format, that is, there is no “chosen” book. We all gather to discuss what we had read since our last meeting. And for those too busy to read, feel free to come and enjoy the friendship and share a little wine and conversation with your neighbors. And you just might hear about a book you’d like to read in the future! Email Mara Pitkethly dtpit@uw.edu <mailto:dtpit@uw.edu> for details. Monthly Board Meeting (Remote) Thursday, October 5th at 6:00P This month’s board meeting will be held remotely. To join the meeting use the link or dial-in information below. Everyone is welcome to join. Please let the Directors know at least three days in advance if you will be bringing any items for discussion so they may be included in the agenda. Topic: October Vuecrest HOA Meeting Time: Oct 5, 2023 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82671208781?pwd=aFFBYTc3NHBPem5HQ0k2U3ZXSUh2UT09 <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82671208781?pwd=aFFBYTc3NHBPem5HQ0k2U3ZXSUh2UT09> Meeting ID: 826 7120 8781 Passcode: 287115 One tap mobile +12532158782,,82671208781#,,,,*287115# US (Tacoma) +12532050468,,82671208781#,,,,*287115# US Dial by your location • +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) • +1 253 205 0468 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) • +1 360 209 5623 US • +1 386 347 5053 US • +1 507 473 4847 US • +1 564 217 2000 US • +1 646 931 3860 US • +1 689 278 1000 US • +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) • +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) • +1 305 224 1968 US • +1 309 205 3325 US • +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Meeting ID: 826 7120 8781 Passcode: 287115 Vuecrest LIFE (Neighbor to Neighbor Communication) This space is available for your contributions. Please send to newsletter@vuecrest.net <mailto:newsletter@vuecrest.net>. Pictures are encouraged. This information was contributed by your neighbor Rick on Belfair Lane Rubber Mulch-Not a Perfect Ground Cover Although typically used for play areas, several houses in Vuecrest have added rubber mulch to their landscape areas. This product is available in bags from the local home improvement stores. However, this product does have several downsides. Carefully consider the use of rubber mulch in landscape areas for the following reasons: Rubber mulch has, and will continue to wash into the local stormwater drains, where it breaks down and contaminates the local streams and lakes with small particles of rubber. As a biproduct of its manufacturing, rubber mulch will release heavy metals into the environment. In particular, it releases zinc, which will injure and eventually kill nearby plants. Once contaminated, the zinc is impossible to remove from the soil. This same zinc may also affect animals or humans that might be exposed to the metal in the soil. Rubber mulch will eventually need to be removed and placed. Typically, it lasts only ten to twelve years. Better and much more ecological alternatives include just plain soil or bark mulch. Got Rats?!! If you haven’t noticed, there are quite a few rats happily living among us in Vuecrest. If they become a problem on your property, here are some ideas: Rat poison is a very dangerous poison to all animals, not just rats. Rat poison should not be put out where other animals might have access to it. A rat, when killed by poison that can be purchased from a local home improvement store, dies a very painful and prolonged death. A poisoned rat typically will die outside its nest. As such, the poison contaminated carcass can be eaten by other animals and these animals will then die the same death as the rat. This includes squirrels, rabbits, racoons, dogs, cats and birds. Three better solutions for eliminating a rat problem might include: Removing any outside food sources for the rats. This would include cat or dog food. Simply removing their food source will encourage the rats to move elsewhere. Use large-scale rat traps. These look like giant mouse traps and are extremely effective. Bait with a very small dab of peanut butter. Put in it an out of the way place where other animals will not get to it. And then when the rat has met its fate, just throw the trap and the rat away in the garbage. Use a professional exterminator. This an expensive idea, but there is no mess to worry about. The rat traps and the poison used by the professionals keep the rat contained in the trap and kill it quickly and relatively humanly. The rats do not contaminate the environment.