Mountain Folk News
October 2002
Meet Your New Resident Manager
Your board is very pleased to introduce you to Matthew Williston, our new Resident Manager effective September 1st. And on behalf of the board and all the residents, we give a huge thank you to Loyal Willis who took over the resident manager duties in the interim.
My name is Matthew J. Williston and I reside at 40 Bullpine Rd. Ginger Baumhoff, my wife of 11 years, was raised in Centerville and Boise.
I was in the United States Navy for 7 years as a Heavy Equipment Operator for the Seabees. We moved back to Idaho in 1997 and have resided here in Duquette Pines for 5 years. You may already have met our little socialite, Alexander, who just started kindergarten. I worked for the Boise County Solid Waste Department operating the landfill for 2 years until they converted it to a transfer station. Then I decided to make a career change to law enforcement and went to work for Ada County Sheriff's Office. I recently made the change to Boise County Sheriff's Office where I work as a Jail Deputy. This allows me to be closer to home and spend more time with my family. My wife worked for the Boise County Clerks Office for 3 years before tackling the commute to Boise where she is currently employed by Albertson's Corporate Office.
I am excited to be working with the board and residents as Duquette Pines grows and changes. I am also looking forward to the opportunity of getting to know my neighbors and to being more involved in our community.
From Brent's Desk
Western Land Update
I'm sure many people have
been curious as to what is going on with Division 4 and other things relating
to the work Western Land is doing in the subdivision. Here is what they have
told the board:
--A few lots in Division 4 have been sold; there could be two homes constructed
as early as this fall.
--Sometime in October the roads should be near completion and the stumps removed
from Meadow Drive. Western Land will also put a cap on all roads in Division
3 and 4.
--Hopefully the road signs will be up in Division 3 by the time you read this
newsletter.
--The new entry to the subdivision should be started anytime. Western Land must
get approval from the Forest Service to widen the road in the area. A local
contractor will then begin work on the log entry.
-- As of the beginning of September, they have a tank on order for added storage
in the water system.
Wells
As you all are aware we
have had some water shortage problems this summer. As a result of your conservation
efforts when we put out the word, we continue to have an adequate supply of
water. Thank you very much for your efforts. In an attempt to keep our water
system in great shape, we will be doing some well work in the near future. We
discussed the idea of drilling a new well to provide for increased usage as
Division 3 is developed. However after some research by Loyal and a well driller
with knowledge of our system, it looks like the best approach for now will be
to rework some of our existing wells. There are some that are not drilled as
deep as our best producer. So we will be over-drilling, or drilling some of
the wells deeper and putting in new casing. This will allow us to tap into more
water. The plan is to do one well at a time and begin as soon as the well driller
has the time in his schedule (which may be Spring). This work should not disrupt
our water service and should result in a more reliable flow of water during
the summer months.
Submitted by Brent Adamson
Protecting Homes From Wildfire
The recent Illinois Gulch fire was a "too close" reminder that our neighborhood is at risk for wildfire. The Board has a number of publications available from Student Conservation Association, Fire Education Corps. The titles are: "Protecting Homes and Property from Wildfire," "Firewise Communities," "A Homeowner's Guide to Wildfire Retrofit," "Landscaping for Wildfire Prevention," and "Living With Fire." If you would like copies of any of these publications call or visit Elizabeth Martin, 94 Meadow Drive, 392-9575.
Keep Your Standpipe Ready For Fire Use. You and Your Neighbor May Depend on it
Each owner, upon starting
construction, must install a standpipe on their property that is designed for
coupling to a fire hose, or fire truck (Duquette Pines CCRs). The only purpose
and use permitted of this standpipe is for fire protection. Our standpipes serve
the same purpose as city fire hydrants. Connecting garden hoses, or other fixtures
other than an "approved fitting," may put you or your neighbor's house
at risk in the event of a fire.
The approved standard fitting is a 2-inch to 1-inch reducer with iron pipe male
thread. The Idaho City Fire Department, which provides us with structural fire
protection, has custom hose adapters with each fire truck that allows them to
use our hydrant system to draft water without having to go elsewhere for it.
They have the tools to couple hoses or their engines to the standpipes. The
Forest Service engines and our pumper truck also use this same adapter. Changing
this fitting or placing unauthorized attachments on the standpipes may render
them unusable in an emergency situation. You may be dependent on a neighbor's
standpipe, if the fire at your house renders your standpipe or water system
inoperable, or it is too close to the burning building. So please make sure
your standpipe is fire ready, has the approved fittings in place, and has not
been modified with other unauthorized attachments. Please contact a Board Member
if you need more information.
Submitted by Ray Eklund
Road Safety
We are so fortunate to
live in such a wonderful place as Duquette Pines! One of the many things that
makes life here such a joy is the beautiful country that surrounds us. As our
subdivision grows, however, we have more and more people using our neighborhood
road system. So that we can avoid accidents and maintain a safe place for our
children, here are a few reminders about our roads:
Our speed limit is
20 miles per hour. This is not only for cars and trucks, but for motorcycles,
4-wheelers, snowmobiles, and all other summer and winter forms of transportation.
There are some straight
stretches of road on Meadow Drive and in other spots where it is tempting to
speed up after "creeping along" at 20 mph or less. Please don't speed
up! Not only is the speed dangerous to kids, pets and wildlife, but the noise
and dust it creates is unpleasant to residents in those areas.
Snow and icy conditions
will be here soon! The safest way to get around on the area roads in those conditions
is Very Slowly.
We have had construction
equipment on the roads this summer it will be replaced by snow removal equipment
soon. Please watch out; we have some corners that make it very difficult to
see what's up ahead.
The switchback on
Bear Run was substantially widened this summer and should be safer for everyone.
But not if we go faster because it's wider!
If
all of us commit to be careful, aware drivers, our subdivision will continue
to be a safe place as new residents arrive to enjoy it.
Submitted by Elizabeth Martin
New Board Member Profile
Elizabeth Martin joins the Homeowners Association Board as one of two new members. Elizabeth and her husband Don Willis, have been residents here for 6 years. Don is retired from 30 years with the U.S. Forest Service and BLM, and after a challenging career in labor relations with Boise Cascade, Elizabeth currently has a home-based business as a medical transcriber. Their children are grown and live mostly in the Treasure Valley, so their local family includes Abby the dog, and two fat and spoiled house cats. Don was born and raised in Idaho, while Elizabeth was born and raised in Southeast Missouri and arrived in Idaho in 1972, via several years in Hawaii. You will hear both of them frequently tell friends and family that they have never been happier than here in the Idaho City area.
Bruce Reichert joins the Homeowners Association Board as the other new member. He has called Duquette Pines his home since the late 1970's, and, needless to say, has seen many changes in Duquette in the ensuing years. Bruce is the executive producer of local programming at Idaho Public Television and the host and writer of "Outdoor Idaho."
Water Conservation Tips
for Residents
Provided by the Dept of Environmental Quality
Kitchen and Laundry:
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until
the water is cool.
Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin. Use a vegetable brush.
Do not use water to defrost frozen foods, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
If washing dishes by hand, use a dishpan for rinsing dishes.
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher.
Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
Use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
Bathrooms:
Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
Take short showers instead of tub baths. Turn off the water flow while soaping
or shampooing.
If you use a tub, fill it only half full.
Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as
watering plants!
Outside:
Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and steps rather than hosing off.
When using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Equipment:
Repair all leaks. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. To detect leaks
in the toilet, add food coloring to the tank water. If the colored water appears
in the bowl, the toilet is leaking.
Install ultra-low flow toilets, or place a plastic container filled with water
or gravel in the tank of your conventional toilet. Be sure it does not interfere
with operation of the toilet's flush mechanisms.
Install low-flow aerators and shower heads.
Consider purchasing a high-efficiency washing machine that can save over 50%
in water and energy use.
Are You Ready for Snow?
It's not far away and there are a few things we can do to make snow plowing a little easier for our contractor.
1. Remove tree limbs that
hang over the roadway.
2. Mark any obstructions that may be close enough to the roadway that they could
interfere with the plow. Flagging on plastic piping that is visible to the driver
will help protect your property and the snowplow.
The Gardner Company has once again been awarded the contract for plowing and grading for the coming two years. Typical snow removal will begin after 6 inches of snow has fallen in the subdivision. In most situations the Gardners will begin plowing around 5:30 a.m. This time will be flexible and subject to change given storms or other special conditions, and in some cases night time plowing may be necessary.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding snow removal, please call one of your board members.