HOME OWNER COALITION NEWSLETTER

Serving Home Owners’ Associations in Jefferson County

June 2000

PO Box 170, Bakerton, WV 25410; 876-2227 or 876-9473; listener-Owner@Egroups.com

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HOC JUNE MEETING

ROAD MAINTENANCE

Monday, June 26^th

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Charlestown Library

200 E. Washington Street.

Many Jefferson County Home Owner Associations consider their primary responsibility to be the maintenance of association common roads. Our June meeting will address issues of proper road maintenance: assessing the conditions of the roads, identifying appropriate repairs, and day to day maintenance issues.

Mike Blankenship, Program Manager from the West Virginia Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering will present information on what’s involved in a successful road management program. He has promised to bring several excellent brochures. Bill Hoak from Jefferson Asphalt Company will also be available to answer questions relating to local paving issues. We also hope to have an expert in grading/gravel roads.

The program will provide plenty of opportunity for questions and answers as well as a chance to share success (or maybe even horror) stories that might be helpful to other associations. The meeting is open to all - maybe your entire road committee would want to attend.

MAY CANDIDATES MEETING PROVIDES HELPFUL INSIGHTS

Our May 9^th meeting was well attended and provided an open forum for many of the candidates for State Delegate, County Commission and the Board of Education. Candidates responded to specific questions, then took questions from the floor. A miscommunication caused Delegate John Doyle to schedule another event the night of the HOC forum. He has asked that we assure members that he is most interested in supporting our county homeowners in his work in the House of Delegates.

COUNTY INFORMATION SHARING COMMITTEE

The new group established by the County Commission to provide a means of sharing information to the many entities involved with developmental issues has begun to meet. Paul Burke (Riverside Acres) was nominated to act as our HOC representative. Betty Moore (Cloverdale) is serving as alternate. Please let them know if your association has specific concerns or information to pass on.

STEPS IN A ROAD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

1. Inventory the Roads – The amount of time and the miles of road will determine how much detail to go into.

2. Assess the conditions of the roads – Develop simple and easy techniques to use each year. Maintain a continuing record of the assessed condition of each road so that changes in condition can be noted easily and quickly.

3. Select a road management plan – Select the most appropriate treatment to repair each road, bridge, or problem area.

4. Determine overall needs – Estimate the cost of each repair job using generalized average costs and tally up the total. Establish long range goals and objectives that in turn will help justify budget requests.

5. Establish priorities – Keep good roads in good shape (preventive maintenance) and establish a separate budget, or request a temporary increase, to reconstruct really bad roads.

Excerpt from: When to Pave A Gravel Road by the Kentucky Transportation Center

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR GOOD ROADS

People who build roads best and keep them in top condition abide by the following rules:

1. Get Water Away from the Road

2. Build on a Firm Foundation

3. Use the Best Soils Available

4. Compact Soils Well

5. Design for Winter Maintenance

6. Design for Traffic Loads and Volumes

7. Pave Only Those Roads That Are Ready

8. Build From the Bottom Up

9. Protect Your Investment

10. Keep Good Records

Details on the above are found in the Fact Sheet T-405, part of the Transportation Information Exchange sponsored by the Vermont Local Roads Program.

Copies of the two above pamphlets will be available at the June Meeting.