Welcome to the archive of Mapleton Hollow's community newsletter!
The Mapleton Mobile-izer is issued quarterly, following the MHA membership meetings. Special editions are issued as needed, for example before a quarterly meeting where MHA members will be voting for executives or making an important decision...
Volume 8.0 Newsletter of the Mapleton Home Association [MHA] January 2003
Inside this Issue:
- Many Thank you's for Debbie
- Management committee calls for volunteers
- New format for quarterly mha meetings
Exec Speaks Out
by Mark Reeder
This article is to inform you that, as of December 17, 2002, Debbie Kranzler resigned her position as Community Coordinator for Mapleton Home Association due to serious health conditions. She also resigned her appointments to the Management, Business and Finance Committees along with her post as Construction Liaison.
At an emergency meeting of the Executive Board, Debbie Feustel was appointed interim Community Coordinator, while MHA conducts a search for permanent Community Coordinator. I will assume Debbie Kranzler's position as Construction Liaison while the MHA looks for a resident who will take over Debbie on the Infrastructure Working Group. People who wish to make comments or complaints about the Goose Creek Construction can still call the same number--303-444-4140. Please ask for Mark.
In the meantime, we are currently asking for individuals who are interested in volunteering for the recently vacated seat on the Management Committee to submit their request, for consideration, to Debbie Feustel #6 (303) 247-0658.
We are entering into the final and crucial stages with the City of Boulder, Thistle and MHA to conclude negotiations for transition of ownership. There is much to be done and you will be asked to participate further in designing the future here at Mapleton.
Many Thank You's for Debbie
by HHS, Thistle and the MHA
Debbie Kranzler has touched a lot of lives at Mapleton, Thistle and HHS the last six years. Here are just a few people at Housing and Human Services, Thistle, and the MHA who have written to say thank you.
Don Mckee said, "Debbie, your self-starting initiatives and absolutely professional and diligent pursuit of the thousands of day-to-day details in behalf of the MHA continue to inspire and motivate those of us who are temporarily providing assistance as you heal."
"Debbie has played an important role in moving discussions forward and enhancing communication between Thistle, the City of Boulder and the Mapleton Community," wrote John Pollak from HHS. " I will miss her participation and wish her a speedy recovery!"
Loretta Milcarek from Hast wrote, "I personally would like to thank Debbie for all of her hard work but most of all for her compassion and wonderful sense of humor in dealing with the many tangled issues that she has helped me with over the years. I look forward to her being involved with Mapleton Park again in the very near future."
Aaron Miripol from Thistle said, "Debbie's tenacity, dedication, and passion has been an ongoing inspiration for all of us at Thistle. We look forward to continuing our work to build a wonderful successful community together."
Pete Caterina said, "She has been a tireless worker, organizer, facilitator, web master and coordinator whose efforts have lead us from a humble beginning, through negotiations with the Water Board, City Council, City Staff, Hast & Company, Thistle, Public Works, ACC contractors and even ourselves; to our final goal of a self-managed Park. Without her generous, voluntary and unsung efforts I have no doubt that we would still have no say or part to play in our own lives. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!"
"I believe the success of the MHA is due in large part to the dedicated and professional efforts of Debbie," wrote Patrick Lynn. "Those of us that appreciate this community are in her debt."
Tammy Lynn stated, "I just have to say that I have been able to see her passion and dedication towards it since I moved into the park and it's really been quite inspiring. It's really exciting to see someone work so hard and put so much energy towards a goal, she's really a role model for us all."
Jeff Yegian wrote, "Debbie's commitment and many contributions to making the Park a better and permanently affordable place will be missed and we wish her a speedy recovery."
Alex Wilson said, "Debbie's resignation is a blow to our efforts to buy the park. She covered so many bases and all outstandingly. But we care about you so much Debbie and you must get well. Here's hoping others in the park will step up to fill the need. "
"I have enjoyed working with Debbie very much these past two years on the Goose Creek Phase IV Drainage Improvements project," wrote Douglas Sullivan. "Debbie has shown a tremendous commitment to Mapleton Park by serving as the community liaison. She has been a great asset by representing the needs and concerns of the Mapleton community with great effort and interest. In addition, Debbie has been enjoyable to work with. Debbie has a great work ethic, integrity and a wonderful disposition. She has brought a smile to every meeting I have attended. In addition, she has asked many questions concerning engineering matters, showing a desire to step outside her expertise on behalf of the Park. Her leadership and effort will be missed."
"Debbie's tireless work and commitment to excellence is helping to create the impossible, permanently affordable resident controlled housing in the heart of Boulder. Thanks for making it possible and for being an ongoing resource for us all," wrote Jim Harrington of Thistle.
Debbie Feustel stated, "Thank you Debbie for all of your hard work and training. You’ve been like a parent to MHA all these years and hopefully your children will carry on well in your stead. It is now important that you get on with your healing and returning to a good quality of life. With luck, Mapleton, will be the place you’ll enjoy coming home to."
Roger Lewis and Etta Habegger of Thistle summed up Debbie’s contributions to Mapleton this way, "Debbie has not only inspired us, but has also helped us stay focused on the qualities that are the essence of a successful partnership - trust, honesty, and understanding. Her leadership has been instrumental as we move toward the greater vision of long-term affordability and security through resident controlled management. The power of her efforts has guided us and will continue to guide us as we accomplish this vision together. Thank you for all your time and work, Debbie!"
Thank you Debbie from all of us at Mapleton Park for your generosity and spirit.
Management Committee Calls for
Volunteers
By Debbie Feustel
The Mapleton Park project is moving into critical stages of transition and much help is needed from the residents. The MHA is calling for volunteers. Even if only for one item, please call Debbie Feustel and let her know you’re interested in lending a hand and what interests you.
Because of Debbie Kranzler’s resignation, the Management Committee currently has a vacancy. According to the MHA Committee Guidelines, any Mapleton resident interested in joining this committee should write a letter to the current chair (Debbie Feustel #6) explaining why they would be a good addition to the committee, including any relevant property management, negotiation, or other experience. If there is time, potential members will be invited to attend one of the committee’s meetings. The committee then makes its recommendation to the Executive Board.
The Management Committee and Thistle staff meet twice a month for approximately two hours at each meeting. Once a month, Jeff Yegian from Housing and Human Services, who oversees management of the Park, and Loretta Milcarek, our Property Manager at Hast & Co., take part in a committee meeting for one hour. This allows for better communication between the groups, more input from the committee on management issues, and, very importantly for the future of the Park, helps the committee to increase our skills in management issues and solutions.
Notes from the Management Committee:
1. Summary minutes of our meetings have been posted and we strongly encourage you to read them.
2. In preparing for the future partnership with Thistle, the the Management Committee has been working diligently to revise the lease to protect residents individually and the community as a whole. When finished, a draft copy will be available for residents’ comments.
3. The recent home fire in the park brought to mind the importance of community. Months ago Don Lucas had inquired with many residents in the park about a "community watch" program and received a meager response. While we respect our privacy, when tragedy hits it is most helpful to have contacts. Hast will be sending you a letter requesting your phone number, etc. in our attempts to design a "Phone Tree". An organized system of notification eliminates duplicate calls and shares the burden of spreading the word. Ideally, it would be nice to have one out of every six or seven homes take on the responsibility of making a call to five other homes. This means we would have approximately twenty-two (22) Phone Captains to spread the word. I hope you can submit your name to participate.
4. The Committee will tackle rules and regulations for the residents next. The goal is to expand these for better definition, understanding and protection. One important issue is construction. If a resident has installed a permanent structure such as a shed or fence without prior written approval from Hast and the Management Committee, he or she could be in violation of the lease. Protect your investment and contact Hast first. Your project may impact future infrastructure
plans. Please be aware that Building Permits are required for certain structures. In addition, without proper inspection, residents may be in violation of code. Residents
will need to submit a rendering (drawing) with choice of materials prior to approval. There are certain guide-lines and limits so please be sure to check with us before installing.
5. We want to thank homeowners who have participated in and continue to maintain their yard clean- up program. Eliminating debris, etc. in our yards will mitigate potential fire threats that, once started, could jump from one home to another. Keep up the good work.
6. The MHA appeared before the City of Boulder City Council on January 7, 2003 to thank them for the $625,000 grant awarded to TCH on behalf of the Mapleton Home Association which was later approved. GO MAPLETON! GO THISTLE! GO HHS!
New Format for MHA Quarterly Meetings
Quarterly Meetings will be organized in four parts:
1. MHA business which covers agenda items. The business portion will be restricted to agenda items as listed by the President of the MHA.
2. Five (5) minute break to give residents time to sign up for comment period.
3. Public comment period when the business portion is concluded - Consists of a structured time of thirty (30) minutes to be divided equally among participants with no participant speaking for longer than five (5) minutes.
4. Ten (10) minute period at the conclusion of the meeting to allow residents to speak with members of the various MHA Committees and the Executive Board.
Rules: Governing the business portion of meetings and the comment period:
1. Meetings open to all residents.
2. The Chair will read the rules of the meetings to the residents before the meeting begins. It will be explained that if residents stay, they agree to follow the rules and abide by the decisions of the chair.
3. Questions about an agenda item asked after the agenda item has been presented.
4. Specific clarifications of information may be asked during an agenda item presentation.
5. Questions should be succinct.
6. People who use the question period to make comments or to ask questions that do not refer to the agenda item will be asked to wait until the general comment period at the end of the meeting.
7. People who persist in making comments or asking questions that do not refer to the agenda items will be asked to leave the meeting. If they do not leave the meeting voluntarily, they will be escorted from the meeting.
8. Comment period is open to all residents and consists of a structured time of thirty (30) minutes to be divided equally among participants with no participant speaking for longer than five (5) minutes.
9. Residents must come to the front to make a comment.
10. If a resident asks a question that can be answered by a member of the Executive Board, a Committee member, or another resident at the meeting, he or she will share the allotted speaking time with the answer.
11. If the comment or question is about an individual or personal issue, it will be referred to the appropriate committee.
More info
The Mapleton Mobile-izer is published quarterly by the Mapleton Home Association and is distributed free to all residents of Mapleton Mobile Home Park.