Current Board Members: Front Row, Bill Frambes Marge Rauch, Alan Hahn . Rear: Paul Ford, Ned Barnes

The Chardonnay Board of Directors are embarking on a large project to get our association documents updated and changed where we think they need to be changed. We have divided the work to do this among the 5 board members. Each board member will work with 2 owners to get the input from them on the changes that need to be considered for our documents. These recommended changes will then come back to the board for final consideration.

This is the time for owners to come forward and help the board and community. Please call a board member to work with or the board members will be calling you.

So far our year is doing well financially. We plan to close our year of 2007 with a small surplus. The year of 2008 will have a big impact on our finances. All of our contracts for various services, which are done at Chardonnay, must be renegotiated for 2008 and beyond. We try to get 2 or 3 year contracts with our vendors which help keep the cost down thus keeping our monthly association fee low.

Our Condo fees are some of the lowest in Northern Kentucky. We plan to work hard to keep them low. However we do know that fees will increase for 2008. We plan to have all of the new contracts completed and a new budget proposal to the board by the November board meeting. We will then announce what our new fees will be for 2008.

Most owners are aware that the board has been working with the city for 2 ½ years on taking our private streets into the city road maintenance system. At this time the city has decided to not take our streets into city maintenance. I could write a book on what the board has gone through with the city. If you have attended board meetings you will know the reasons for the city’s decision. The board has decided to live with this decision at this time. Should you have questions you can go to our web site and read the minutes of our meetings. If you have further questions you can talk with a member of the board. We thank all of the owners for your support and have a wonderful summer.

Bill Frambes
Board President

BIRD FEEDERS

Currently Chardonnay has a rule that has been in place since Fisher, the builder, was in control of the community. The only types of bird feeders that are allowed are Hummingbird feeders. Hummingbird feeders can be hung from the owners decks. Any other type of bird feeder is not permitted. There are reasons why that rule was established. Bird feeders with bird seed can draw rodents and other small animals who want to feed as well. Bird feeders are messy and leave bird seed and bird droppings in the area of the feeder. Thus they can not be used on the decks.

Some of our owners have taken it upon themselves to hang bird feeders with seed in common areas of the community. The spring walk by the board found over 10 bird feeders in trees in the common areas.

The board needs the owners help. We want to know how you the owners feel about having bird feeders in our common areas. Please E-mail your opinions about this issue to the board members. We will let you know what the results are before we take any action. The board member’s E-mail addresses are on the last page of the newsletter. Thank you in advance for your insight to this problem.

MULCH FIRE!

Yes, we had a mulch fire with in the past several weeks. It was noticed by an owner who got another owner involved to put the fire out. This was caused by someone flipping their lighted cigarette into the mulch. This was a careless act which could have cost us another building fire. Just the very next day there was an apartment fire in Cincinnati which was started by a cigarette in the mulch. That fire destroyed the building.

We have had many articles in the newsletter about owners and their guests pitching cigarettes in the lawns, mulch, sidewalks and streets. I can not imagine why any owner wants to be that careless with lighted cigarettes when it can cost them their home and their neighbor’s homes as well. Besides what this can cause having cigarette butts pitched all over the community it also makes our community trashy looking.

I invite any owner who sees a person disposing of a cigarette on community property to call Towne Properties with the information so that the board can send a warning letter to the owner. A second warning letter brings with it a fine.

Please care about your community to help keep it looking nice.

Bill Frambes

BRUNCH

We only had 9 people participate in Bingo this past month. The big winner was Eileen Rebholz, as she won the monthly jackpot of $35.00. June’s Bingo night will be June 26, at 7:00 PM. Please plan to attend for a fun night. Thanks to Marge Rauch for calling the numbers.

DERBY DAY PARTY

Our Derby Day Party was held on Saturday, May 5TH at the clubhouse. We had approximately 25 people attend for a fun day. There were plenty of delicious snacks to enjoy and everyone was rooting for their pick in the jackpot. Rhoda Wheeler had her well decorated Derby Hat and won the prize for a night at Gold Star Chili. Thanks to Pat Rummel, Bill Frambes and the Social Committee for a fun time!!

POOL PATIO AREA

The new patio adjacent to the pool has been completed. The names of deceased residents have been inscribed on the newly laid bricks. Dedication of this “Remembrance Lane”, sponsored by the Chain Gang, took place in conjunction with the pool opening on Saturday May 26. Thanks to the Social Committee and the Chain Gang for the purchase of the new tables, chairs, flowers and umbrellas for the area, and to Bob Wheeler and Nancy Trowbridge for taking time to go and purchase the tables, etc.

The official opening of the pool took place on May 26th with our king – Ned Barnes and our queen – Helen Lehkamp, starting with a brunch and a formal dedication of “Remembrance Lane”. Later in the day there was a grill out with all the fixin’s.

It is important that all owners/residents know and understand the Chardonnay pool rules. If you have moved to Chardonnay since last pool season, please take time to acquaint yourself with the rules.

Violations of the pool rules will come with a letter from the board for the violation. Second violation will come with a fine. If you know and understand the rules we will all have a GREAT summer swimming season.

MONTHLY DINNER

The monthly dinner will be held on Tues., June 5 at the Green Derby at 6:00 PM. Please call Rhoda Frankel at 781-0555 or Mary Gerhardstein at 441-851 with your reservation. With the correct count, the restaurant can have enough places set up for us.

Thanks!!!

NEXT BOARD MEETING

The next Board Meeting will be held Thursday, July 19, at 7:00 PM at the clubhouse. Please plan to attend.

GRAPEVINE DUE DATE

The due date for input for July’s Grapevine will be June 24, 2007. Please e-mail the editor with any input you may have.

PHONE BOOKS

We are in process of updating the “Community Phone Book”. In the near future you will be receiving a form requesting your name, address, phone number, email address, birthdays and anniversary dates. When you receive the request, it would be appreciated that you fill in the information and return it to Judy Hahn as soon as possible.

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

The Social Committee is planning an “Ice Cream Social” to be held sometime in July. We look forward to this event. Keep your eyes open for this get-together.

MAY RIDDLE ANSWERS

1. We were four, one was cut and we were five.
What were we? Ans. Roman Numeral IV.

2. The man who invented it doesn’t want it.
The man who bought it doesn’t need it.
The man who needs it doesn’t know it.
What am I? Ans. A Coffin

3. The Lone Ranger rode into town on Friday.
He stayed five consecutive days and left on
Friday. How could this be? Ans. His horse’s
name was Friday.

JUNE TRIVIA

Q-1 Is it appropriate to fly the flag upside down?

Q-2 What is done with worn or outdated flags?

Q-3 The American flag first flew over a foreign fort
in what country?

Q-4 A vexillologist is an expert what?

Q-5 Francis Scott Key wrote the words to “The Star
Spangled Banner” on the back of an envelope. What was the source of the music for it?

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

WEB SITE – www.chardonnayhome.com

BOARD

Bill Frambes, President 781-8852 wframbes1@insightbb.com
Alan Hahn, VP 781-6329 ralanhahn@insightbb.com
Marge Rauch, Secretary 442-5883 mrauch41@netzero.com
Paul Ford, Treasurer 441-3545 sunsetfords@aol.com
Ned Barnes, Member at large 441-1002 nedbett@fuse.net

FOR PROBLEMS, COMPLAINTS & VIOLATIONS, CALL

Lydia Peeno, Towne Properties 291-5858 LydiaP@tp1.com
Pat Kerner, Towne Properties 291-5858 PatK@tp1.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS

Architect Maintenance – Open
Co-Architect Maintenance – Ron Culp 781-8852 rculp2@insightbb.com
Finance – Bill Frambes 781-8852 wframbes1@insightbb.com
Landscape – Beth Maggard 781-9138 childbeth3@fuse.net
Pool –Bob Wheeler 441-6185 whlwheeler@aol.com
Social – Pat Rummel 441-1088 rprummel@peoplepe.com
Welcome – Judi Hahn 781-6329 judihahn@insightbb.com
Clubhouse Coordinator – Rhoda Wheeler 441-6185
whlrwheeler@aol.com
Clubhouse Co-Coordinator – Rhonda Brandt 866-2182
Ronda.brandt@insightbb.com
Editor – Ron Culp 781-6910 rculp2@insightbb.com

TOP

RAGGED OLD FLAG

I walked through a county courthouse square,
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.
I said, “Your old courthouse is kinda run down.”
He said, “Naw, it’ll do for our little town.”
I said, “Your flagpole has leaned a little bit,
And that’s a ‘Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it.

He said, Have a seat”, and I sat down.
“ Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?”
I said, “I think it is.” He said, I don’t like to brag’
But we’re kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.”

“You see, we got a little hole in that flag there
When Washington took it across the Delaware.
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing, _ Oh Say Can You See_.
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seams.”

“And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waived on through.
She got cut by a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again a Shiloh Hill.
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.”

“On Flanders Field in World War I
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.
She turned blood red in World War II
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.
She was in Korea and Vietnam.
She went where she was sent by her Uncle Sam.”

“She waved from our ships on the briny foam,
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home.
In her own good land she’s been abused –
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied and refused.”

“And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land.
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin,
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in.
‘ Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.”

“So we raise her up every morning,
Take her down at night.
We don’t let her touch the ground
And we fold her up right.
On second thought, I DO like to brag,
‘ Cause I’m mighty proud of that Ragged Old Flag.”

Written by Johnny Cash