Harbor View Association
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May 15, 2023
Hello HVA Neighbors:
After a long and dreary winter, it is so nice to see sunshine and warmer temperatures. It is also good to see more neighbors out walking and children on their bikes. This year, more than ever, it seems there are a lot of young children on scooters and bikes, so please drive slowly.
With the large number of home sales these past few years, the demographics seemed to have shifted to more homes being used as vacation homes. I would like to encourage the new owners to join us at the HVA meetings and some of the great social events we have planned. Let’s all make it a point to stop and introduce ourselves as we walk around the neighborhood. Let’s all help to keep that great family-friendly feel that HVA is known for. Also, please note that we have already had at least one drive-by theft from cars in our neighborhood, so let’s remember to lock our cars.
This spring we took our contractor’s advice and had the beach sand sifted. As a result, he took away 5 truckloads of stones and shells. An extra cost for sure, however we ended up saving money on sand replenishment. We found that a lot of sand had shifted to the north border and the contractor spread that sand over the entire beach. Hopefully, those who use the beaches will find the sand more comfortable to walk and sit on.
This year will be the first year in recent memory that we are not including a separate page in this Spring Mailing outlining the Jetty & Beach Restoration Project. That is because the project was officially closed last spring with the submittal of our “As Built” drawings to the DEEP.
The effort does not end with the project though, as we need to make sure we maintain our beaches & jetties. We have already submitted our maintenance application to the DEEP. This will allow us, for a period of five years, to maintain the jetties as rocks shift during storms and hard freezes. You will see a section on the 2023 Dues & Contributions Form included with this mailing where you can make additional contributions to the Jetty & Beach Maintenance Fund. Please consider contributing in order to help keep these beautiful beaches well maintained. Also, we will be having a “Rock Party” at low tide (11 am) on June 10th where we will ask for your help picking up small rocks and returning them to the jetties. Please plan to join us for a bit of work and an opportunity to socialize.
In addition to the Jetty Maintenance Fund line item on the included 2023 Dues & Contributions Form, you will also see a new option to contribute to the HVA Reserve Fund. This was a suggestion of a homeowner last year and the BOD thought it was a good addition. The Reserve Fund would be used for unexpected/unusual expenses not covered in the traditional annual budget line items. Please consider contributing to this fund in 2023.
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Over the winter I received a mailing from a neighbor in an adjoining neighborhood noting what seems to be annual dumping of grass and brush in the marsh at the north end of West Rd. Can we please not see that pile grow this year? The marshes are an important part of our ecosystem, and it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve them. The town of Clinton has a free disposal area for grasses at the Transfer Station on Nod Rd. They are open on Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 AM until about 3:15PM.
The BOD has 5 openings this year as three 3-year board member terms end and the 2- year terms for President and Vice President expire. Thankfully, most current members are willing to stay involved. If you are interested in taking on a role, please email us and join us at the Annual Meeting on June 24th. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all current BOD members and all who give of themselves in serving for the betterment of our community, helping to keep HVA so special.
A rather big change you will see this year is that we will be using mixed flowers in the pots at the beaches instead of petunias. The hope is that these will be more wind resistant and bloom longer into fall.
We are also looking for volunteers to help water the plants at the beaches and the lower Hammock green. Thanks to those that volunteered to help May 20th – June 3rd. We will also need volunteers for August 19th – 26th . The flowers must remain well watered to add to the beauty of the beaches we all love. If you can help for the August dates, please e-mail us at harbor.view.association@gmail.com.
Lastly, we are hoping to have live entertainment again at our Year-End Party on September 2nd. We are looking for suggestions from the community for music (which does not require significant electrical power). If you have suggestions, please e-mail us at harbor.view.association@gmail.com or through the Contact Us portion of our website at www.hvact.org.
Let’s all remember to respect the rules of the beaches and the neighbors who live nearby.
Thanks everyone and let’s all have a great summer at the beach!
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Bill Greim
HVA President