HCA REGULAR MEETING ONLINE @ WED MAY 20

The HCA Board of Directors advised yesterday that they will hold a monthly Regular Meeting on May 20, 2020 as a public GoToMeeting due to continuing coronavirus pandemic emergency orders.  Virginia law requires homeowners' associations to hold physical public meetings and Director votes, but April 22, 2020 emergency legislation temporarily allows association meetings via electronic means without the requirement of at least two directors meeting in person.  However, Code of Virginia Chapter 18 Section 55.1-1815, Paragraph G still requires associations to provide members with at least 14 days annual or regular meeting advance notice.  HCA Members can attend the meeting from a computer, tablet, or smartphone via https://global.gotomeeting.com/join after downloading, installing, and running the GoToMeeting application.  Or attendees can dial into the meeting via telephone at (312) 757-3119 or toll free at (866) 899-4679.  Participation requires a 9-digit meeting security Access Code available to HCA Members via email request prior to the meeting from HCA Secretary Tom Drake at thomasdrake@hickorycluster.org.  HCA Regular Meetings normally begin at 7:30 p.m.  For more information contact HCA Secretary Drake.

UPDATE ... May 20:  TWC provided additional information posted at right via snailmail notice postmarked Monday, May 18 and received today, Wednesday, May 20.  Try printing the page if the screen image lacks readable resolution.  However, HCA Secretary Tom Drake confirmed this evening via email that the information he provided on May 16 for the website posting above, not the snailmail notice at right, is correct for the meeting tonight.  As before, email Tom for the secure access code.

HCA COMMON AREA POWER WASH @ MAY 13-18

As announced via the recent snailmail notice at right, and continuing an annual service since 2012:
BLOCK 1 Wednesday, May 13 
BLOCK 2 Wednesday-Thursday, May 13-14
BLOCK 3 Friday, May 15 and Monday, May 18
This schedule is subject to change depending on weather and other factors.  HCA residents should remove all personal property stored on hardscape Common Areas, including planting pots and furniture, to allow contractor access and cleaning of all areas.  Residents should also relocate their vehicles parked near sidewalks if concerned about possible damage.  This work will include Block 3 front main entry door Common Area elevated landings and carriage house driveway aprons from building edge private property lines.

COUNTY GLASS BIN COLLECTION RESUMES @ MON MAY 11

Since October 2019, Fairfax County has asked residents to discontinue placing used glass in curbside recycling collections, and instead either place glass in their trash, or take glass to a county purple bin location.  In March 2020, the county temporarily suspended purple bin collections due to coronavirus pandemic concerns.  However, as of Monday, May 11, the County resumed purple bin collection at the Reston Parkway Park and Ride lot, the Great Falls Library parking lot, and in Herndon, Vienna, McLean and elsewhere throughout Fairfax County.  For more information, see related HCA website posts and Fairfax County website posts.

RELAC A/C 2020 SVC STARTUP STATUS @ WED MAY 6+

From RELAC President Mark Waddell on May 6:  " ... Our team at RELAC is ready to begin the 2020 A/C season. Looks like the weather for early May will be cooler than it has been for the last few years.  As a reminder the official startup date is May 22 or the second consecutive 80 degree day in May.  In the last few years this has happened in the first week of May.  The forecast has the temperatures well below 70 for the next 9 days.  We will continue to monitor the weather and update you on the RELAC startup date. ... "

UPDATES ...
May 13:  "The forecast is for 80 degree temperatures this Friday and Saturday (May 15-16).  RELAC will start up this Friday by noon for at least two days.  Then the forecast is for 4 cooler days.  If this forecast holds RELAC may not be operating till the temperatures gets to 70 again Thursday May 21. ... "

HCA BLOCK 2 FOOTPATH ... CAT FOUND @ TUE APR 21

A Hickory Cluster resident found this fluffy, sandy-colored, blue-eyed, and ever-so-affectionate Ragdoll breed female on the footpath behind 11553-57 Maple Ridge Rd. in Block 2 yesterday evening at about dusk, uninjured but disoriented and distressed.  She had not been seen there before and had no ID tag.  To keep her safe from local foxes and other predators, freezing weather, and mowing crews, she is temporarily staying in a nearby cat-loving home with fresh food, water, and litterbox, and lots of attention.  To return this sweetheart to her real home, call or text 703 405 9946 and describe her collar.  UPDATE ... April 24:  A happy ending.  Her name is Luna, her relieved Coleson Cluster owner called and stopped by yesterday, and Luna is now back home with her family, hopefully never to be lost again.

RELAC A/C 2020 SVC STARTUP STATUS @ WED APR 1+

From RELAC LLC President Mark Waddell to customers via email this morning:  "I hope everyone is staying safe.  With the current stay at home directive it is very important to make sure our system is operational so our customers are able to use their A/C effectively.  RELAC began the seasonal startup process on April 1.  This year we are only using our regular staff for startup and not hiring any temporary workers.  We made this decision to limit contact between our staff and outside help in order to keep our staff as safe as possible.  Therefore the startup will take longer than usual.  We will do our best to get everything up and running by the second 80 Degree day in May.  If the RELAC team needs to do some work within your homes they will first ask if you are comfortable with them entering.  They will wear gloves and masks to keep everyone as safe as possible.  Our mask supply is getting low and we are finding it hard to find good replacements.  If anyone has any information where to find masks to help us out,  we be most appreciative."

VA CORONAVIRUS UW IMHE PROJECTIONS RESOURCE

The University of Washington Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, one of many international public institutes and programs substantially funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, provides useful projections updated almost daily on country-specific coronavirus pandemic metrics, and for individual states including Virginia.  Based on April 9 data and continuation of preventive public health practices including those required by Virginia Governor Executive Order 53 and Order 55, IMHE projects an April 26, 2020 peak of Virginia hospital resource needs well within total available capacity, and a related early-mid June 2020 leveling of Virginia cumulative fatalities through August 4, 2020.  For more information, visit the IMHE Virginia webpage.  Note that you may need to access IMHE website content using a more current Google Chrome browser if your PC is running older MS Windows OS and/or MS Internet Explorer browser versions.

HCA MEETING LOCATION CHANGE @ WED APR 15

Due to coronavirus pandemic social distancing requirements and lack of available public meeting space, HCA has rescheduled the quarterly HCA Regular Meeting normally held at TWC Association Management offices in Herndon, VA to be held as a virtual public GoToMeeting.  Virginia law requires public Property Owners Association meetings and Director votes.  Members can attend from a computer, tablet, or smartphone via https://global.gotomeeting.com/join after downloading, installing, and running the GoToMeeting application.  Or attendees can dial into the meeting via telephone at (646) 749-3129.  Attendance also requires a 9-digit meeting security Access Code available to HCA Members via email request prior to the meeting from HCA Secretary Tom Drake at thomasdrake@hickorycluster.org.  HCA Regular Meetings normally begin at 7:30 p.m.  For more information contact HCA Secretary Drake.

HCA TRASH SERVICE CHANGES @ MON APR 6+

Effective Monday, April 6, to protect the health and safety of employees and customers during the coronavirus pandemic, in response to a recent surge in residential waste, and to align with new Fairfax County Solid Waste Management Program collection requirements, HCA curbside trash and recycling contractor Republic Services will temporarily modify the services it provides to HCA and other residential customers, as follows:
(1)  For customers with carts, RS will accept cart contents only, and crews will not pick up waste outside of the cart
(2)  For customers who do not have carted service, RS will accept waste placed in bags only, and bags cannot exceed 50 pounds
(3)  Yard and bulk waste programs will be suspended
For additional information on related Fairfax County operational changes effective March 30, 2020, including those driving the RS temporary service modifications, visit the corresponding County webpage.

COUNTY RECYCLE SERVICE CHANGES @ MON MAR 30+

According to the NVRC Northern Virginia Waste Management Board, only about 10% of glass food and beverage containers are actually recycled in Virginia.  Broken glass contaminates other more valuable recycled items such as cardboard and metals, abrasive broken glass damages processing machinery, and heavy glass increases transportation costs.  To encourage and support more beneficial recycling, the Virginia Senate passed SB 218 during the 2018 General Assembly session to improve recycled materials reliability and supply during the next 10 years.

In response, and effective October 1, 2019, Fairfax County asked residents to discontinue including used glass containers in curbside recycling collections. Instead, the County asked residents to deposit used glass in 21 purple bins throughout the County, including at the Reston South Park and Ride parking lot, 2531 Reston Parkway at Fox Mill Rd, or to throw glass items into their trash.  The County took purple bin glass to a regional Lorton, VA glass processing plant where it was crushed for use in pipe bedding and filler material.  Glass items not accepted for County recycling include lamps, light bulbs, ceramics, porcelain, mirrors, windows, and sheet glass. 

However, effective Monday, March 30, 2020, and in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Fairfax County removed all purple collection bins and suspended corresponding glass collection countywide until further notice.  The County now asks residents to throw used glass containers into their trash, or bring glass to the I-66 transfer station or I-95 landfill complex.  Regardless, residents should discontinue placing used glass in curbside recycling collections.  In addition, the County closed the I-95 landfill complex for household hazardous waste and e-waste collection, but these services remain open at the I-66 transfer station.  Secure document shredding events are also postponed until further notice.

Similarly, and according to a November 10, 2019 Washington Post article, residents should also discontinue placing plastic shopping and produce bags in curbside recycling because they tangle recycling equipment.  Instead, plastic wrap washed to remove raw meat or other contamination, dry cleaning bags, shopping bags, zip-lock bags, and newspaper bags should be recycled in bins typically found outside most grocery stores.  For more information, see the American Chemistry Council recycling webpage.