HOA News --- Important Contacts & Phone Numbers

Welcome to the Highland Meadows Homeowners Association News & Notices page. Here you will find HOA news, useful phone numbers and contact information relevant to Highland Meadows owners and residents. If you find we are missing any important information, let us know by e-mail and we'll add it to the list. You can also post a classifed notice of nearly any nature. Are you planning a party or other event? Do you have property or other items for sale or trade? Are you planning a Garage Sale? Do you have a property for rent? Or do you simply have some information you want to share with your neighbors? To have your message posted on this page, simply send it via e-mail to Barrie Schwortz. Make sure you include a category (i.e. For Sale, General Information, etc.), a full description, digital photographs (if needed), all necessary contact information and an expiration date (if appropriate). Each Notice will expire in 90 days and be removed from the page unless you notify us otherwise. Remember, the more people who use this page, the more useful it will become.



HOA News


August 26, 2023 - Outgoing President's Message

Here is the text of my Outgoing President's Message that I will read as my final President's Report at the Annual Meeting:

Dear Neighbors,

After serving as your HOA President for eight years, this will be my last letter to you in that capacity, since my term will expire at the end of this year’s Annual Meeting when the new officers take their recently elected positions. I would first like to take this opportunity to thank all the Board Members, past and present, for volunteering their valuable time and talents to serve the interests of our community over the years. As elected officers, our primary responsibilities have always been your interests and I know that the new officers take that very seriously. You talk. They will listen.

To start with, if anyone sent me an e-mail from a G-mail account in the last 3 months, the G-mail server has been blocking and bouncing all of my replies. It is a technical issue with our hosting company so I am moving my domain and e-mail account to a new server in the next few weeks and that will alleviate the problem. My apologies for anyone who tried to contact me and didn't receive a reply. You were not being ignored.

My next concern is the issue of short term rentals, which will be discussed in detail at our Annual Meeting. However, a few things need to be clarified. The new covenants that were voted on last year did not take effect until they were filed with Teller County. That did not occur until 11/09/2022. They were posted on the website the same day. That is the first day they became official and enforceable. In the interim, no one was "grandfathered" since there is no mechanism for that in the covenants. The Board just chose to give everyone time to adapt to the new rules but made it clear in our mailings that we would ultimately begin to enforce the covenants. However, that was not just a Board decision. That was based on the 67% of all Highland Meadows property owners that voted to have no short term rentals in our sub-division. The Board's responsibility is to accept and enforce the wishes of the owners and they made their wishes very clear in last year's voting.

In considering this issue, perhaps those operating as short term rentals could adapt to the covenants which allow longer term one year rentals. This would eliminate the need for short term rental insurance, management company fees and having to share profits with a third party and still allow a steady revenue stream from the property. It would also resolve traffic and trespassing issues and would make that resident more a part of our community. That is very important to those of us who live here.

Of course, I cannot speak for the incoming Board Members, so how they proceed will be up to them. I have discussed this with the current Board and we all agree that the Board is obligated to respect and, if necessary, enforce our owners' wishes.

Let me end by thanking all of you for your support and participation over the years. It has been my pleasure to represent your interests and contribute something positive to our little community.

Most sincerely and with warmest regards,

Barrie Schwortz, (Past) President


August 20, 2023 - Special Meeting - Vote Tabulation & Verification

On Sunday, August 20, 2023, the Board of Directors held a Special Meeting to tabulate and verify the votes for officers that had been submitted by mail. In attendance were Barrie Schwortz, President, Rick Hughes, Treasurer and Debbie Webb, Secretary. Since our By-Laws allow those who didn't vote by mail to do so in-person at the Annual Meeting, a final tabulation will be published here after the meeting. You can find the details and complete Minutes of this meeting on the Meetings Page of the website.

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 30, 2023 - Annual Meeting Announcement, Official Ballot Form and Candidate Resumes

We are very happy to announce that our Annual Meeting will take place this year from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at the Florissant Public Library. We have just mailed each owner a packet that includes a letter dated June 30, 2023, with the Annual Meeting Notice and much more. Also included are resumes for the candidates who have offered to run for the soon-to-be-vacant President and Board Member at Large positions, as well as the long vacant Vice-President's position, and an Official Ballot Form so you can vote for each of the candidates.

The two-page letter we mailed to you includes all the details, but you can also download or print a pdf version of it at this link: 2023 Annual Meeting Announcement Letter or directly from our Meetings Page. Also included with the letter we mailed to you is the Official Ballot Form, so we are not including it online, but the Candidate Resumes are included here (and on the Meetings Page) for your convenience. We are also asking that you send in your Annual Dues ($40.00 for an improved lot, $20.00 for an unimproved lot) with your RSVP Form and Ballots. Please note that our By-Laws state that only members whose dues are paid and up-to-date can vote, so please include your check made payable to Highland Meadows HOA and return it by mail with your Ballots. We are truly grateful for your ongoing support and look forward to seeing many of you at the Annual Meeting.

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 10, 2023 - Board of Directors Planning Meeting

On Saturday, June 10, 2023 the Board of Directors held their first meeting of the year. The first order of business was to set the date for the next Annual Meeting and secure the Florissant Library for that date. The meeting will take place on Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 12:00 noon and end at 2:00 pm. Next was a discussion of the candidates who have offered to run for the soon-to-be-vacant President and Board Member at Large positions, as well as the long vacant Vice-President's position. Each candidate will provide a resume that will be included with the Annual Meeting Notice (so the members can learn about their prospective new officers), along with an Official Ballot Form. Next was a discussion about short term rentals and the need to inform the members that we intend to begin enforcing the updated Covenants that forbid such uses in Highland Meadows. Also discussed was the need to repair the Highland Meadows sign at the entrance and update the language on the adjacent Covenant sign and reposition it so it is clearly visible to anyone entering our sub-division. We also discussed several possible donations the HOA might make this year and these will be included in the Annual Meeting Agenda and discussed and voted on by the members at that time. You can find the details and complete Minutes of this meeting on the Meetings Page of the website.

Barrie Schwortz, President


November 9, 2022 - Revised Covenants Filed With Teller County Today - Efffective Immediately

I am happy to report that Debbie Webb, Association Secretary, filed the revised Covenants with Teller County today and they became efffective immediately. You can find the updated Covenants, along with the Association By-Laws, in a single PDF file at the included link or by clicking on the Covenants button at the top of every page. According to the county, many local homeowner's associations have been updating their covenants to deal with the issue of short term rentals, which has been a growing problem across the state in the past few years. Currently, "Denver only allows owner-occupied rentals period. Boulder does not allow them in subdivisions."* Recently, the Woodland Park City Council "discussed a new ordinance designed to regulate short term rentals."* (*Source: Pike's Peak Courier, October 12, 2022). Sadly, short term rentals by investors (not residents), have driven up rental rates and property taxes, which affects all of us in one way or another. It is hopeful that Teller County will take steps to promptly remedy the situation, at least in subdivisions like ours. Our owners have spoken (in the recent election we held) and we hope everyone is listening.

Barrie Schwortz, President


September 11, 2022 - Annual Meeting, Voting Results, Special Meeting and Letter from the President

Our Annual Meeting this year was held on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at the Florissant Public Library and was a great success, with the largest turnout in many years. The wonderful lunch provided by members Debbie and Rusty Webb was appreciated by everyone! You can find the Meeting Minutes here and also linked on the Meetings Page of this site. One of the most important issues at the meeting was the final tally of the Board Members and Covenant voting. Rick Hughes was elected Treasurer and Tim DeMoss was elected Board Member At Large. In brief, all the Covenant changes were voted on and approved by the members. The minimum size of a home was increased to 850 sq. ft. and camping will be permitted but with certain restrictions and limitations. You can find the complete Voting Results here and also linked on the Meetings Page of this site. Consult the eight page worksheet we mailed to you with the Ballots for the full text of the Covenant changes. The new Covenants will take effect as soon as we update the existing version with the new changes and file them with Teller County. We hope to accomplish that within the next two weeks and will include them on this website shortly thereafter.

Just after the meeting, a number of owners contacted several Board members and expressed concerns about the Board's rather hasty appointment of the single write-in candidate as Interim Vice-President. Since the candidate was a new owner and not well known to the residents, they felt we should follow our normal procedures and include his name and resume in the next election cycle. Since we listen to our members and take your concerns seriously, the Board called a Special Meeting on September 2, 2022 to discuss the matter in detail. After an in-depth discussion and consultation with our By-Laws, the Board voted to rescind and withdraw their earlier vote and include the candidate on the ballot in our next election cycle. Consequently, the Vice-President position (which has been vacant for around 18 months) will remain vacant until the next regular election. You can find the Minutes of the Special Meeting here and also linked on the Meetings Page of our site. To explain all this in detail, I have drafted an important Letter from the President which was reviewed by the Board and is being mailed to every owner this week. Our goal has always been to insure that your interests and concerns come first.

Barrie Schwortz, President


July 9, 2022 - Annual Meeting Announcement, Covenant Review, Website Update and More

We are very happy to announce that our Annual Meeting will take place this year from 11:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at the Florissant Public Library. We have just mailed each owner a large packet that includes a letter dated July 3, 2022, with the Annual Meeting Notice and much more. The Board of Directors and Architectural Review Committee have finally been able to review the proposed changes to our Covenants and have created an Official Ballot Form that will allow any owner in good standing to vote for each individual change. The Ballot is included with the letter we mailed you, along with an eight page worksheet with all the text of the existing covenants and the proposed changes. The Ballot will also ask you to vote for two Board positions (Treasurer and Board Member at Large) by either selecting the candidate running for that office or writing in any other resident home owner. The packet we sent you also includes a Resume/Bio from Rick Hughes, who has graciously agreed to run for the open Treasurer position that has been vacant for nearly two years. Tim DeMoss was appointed Board Member at Large by the Board at our October 19, 2019 Public Meeting but the appointment must ultimately be confirmed by the members.

The two-page letter we mailed to you includes all the details, but you can also download or print a pdf version of it at this link: 2022 Annual Meeting Announcement Letter or directly from our Meetings page. The Official Ballot Form and Covenant materials have been mailed to you directly so we are not including them online. We are also asking that you send in your Annual Dues ($40.00 for an improved lot, $20.00 for an unimproved lot) with your Ballots. Please note that our By-Laws state that only members whose dues are paid and up-to-date can vote, so please include your check made payable to Highland Meadows HOA and return it by mail with your Ballots. We are truly grateful for your support and are doing our best to look out for your interests.

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 25, 2022 - Joint Board of Directors/Architectural Review Committee Planning Meeting

On Saturday, June 25, 2022, our Board of Directors and Architectural Review Committee were able to hold their first in-person Planning Meeting since our Public Board Meeting held on October 19, 2019. Needless to say, there were a number of important issues that required our immediate attention and we were able to review and accomplish them all without problem. In fact, the Agenda and Minutes of that meeting are now available on the Meetings page of this website. More details will be included in a letter being sent to all owners in early July.

Barrie Schwortz, President


August 1, 2021 - HOA Website Update

It has been more than a year since we last updated you on HOA activities and updated this website, so in addition to this online notice, we are mailing you a letter dated August 1, 2021, that will bring you up to date and provide you with the details on recent and current HOA matters. We are reprinting the entire contents of the letter we mailed to you below (which also includes the up-to-date 2019-21 Treasurer's Report) and you can also download or print a pdf version of the letter and report at this link: 2021 HOA Update Letter. We are also asking that you send in your annual dues at your earliest convenience. Rest assured that in spite of all the difficulties and our long silence, we are here and on the job looking out for your interests.

Barrie Schwortz, President


August 1, 2021 - HOA Member Update Letter

Dear Homeowners,

It has been more than a year since we last contacted you (or updated the website), so today's letter is being sent to inform you of the Association activities and update you on the progress that was made over the past year, in spite of the pandemic. A copy of this letter will also be posted on the website.

As we reported last year, our Treasurer resigned, as did his wife, who was a member of our Architectural Review Committee (ARC). They have since sold their property and moved. In the interim, since Barrie was already a signatory on the HOA bank account, he assumed the duties of Interim Treasurer (as he has done on several occasions in the past) and has been fulfilling those obligations as well. That office must be held by an elected Board member so we cannot simply appoint someone else to fill that position. In this case it will be up to our membership to vote on someone for that office. Of course, we first need a candidate willing to assume those duties. If any resident homeowner is interested in filling that position, please notify any of the current Board Members. We can use all the help we can get.

In August, 2020, the Board was able to approve and appoint homeowner Ben Pollock, who graciously volunteered to fill the vacancy on the ARC, and who has experience in the building industry and with evaluating building plans. He joins Rick Hughes and Chris Christenson on the committee.

To complicate matters even further, our Vice-President, Eric Bartlett, sold his property earlier this year and moved and consequently, had to resign his position. That leaves only Debbie Webb, Tim DeMoss and Barrie as voting Board Members.

The impact of COVID-19 on so many businesses made it nearly impossible for any of us on the Board to devote much time to the HOA, since we were all struggling to maintain our livelihoods. Several of us are self-employed and our businesses were severely impacted by the virus issues and required our full attention to survive. For that reason, we could not adequately prepare for the Annual Meeting in a timely manner and now, with a new resurgence of the virus, we have elected to cancel this year's event and expect it will take place next year at the usual time. Fortunately, there has been very little activity here requiring our attention other than a number of properties being sold and changing ownership.

As we reported last year, Tim DeMoss kindly developed a superb new database for maintaining HOA records and all the data entry has now been completed so the database is completely up-to-date. That will make it much easier for the Board and future Treasurers to keep track of everything and allows us to discard the old Excel spreadsheets that were handed down through many previous administrations and were nearly impossible to work with. The new database goes back to 2015.

We also wish to thank those of you who owed back dues and kindly brought your accounts up-to-date over the past year. As you will see in the attached Treasurer's Report, our account balance was down to about $1600.00 when the last Treasurer resigned. Since our spending has been minimal over the past year, we have been able to rebuild our balance and replenish some of the funds expended on legal fees last year, which diminished the treasury substantially. That brings us to this year's dues.

We hope all of you will continue to support our efforts by paying this year's dues in a timely manner. It is very important that we replenish the treasury so we can be prepared in case we face any future legal expenses. It also allows us to provide lunch at the Annual Meeting, sponsor the Annual Yard Sale and support our community with contributions to Four Mile Volunteer Fire Department and other relevant local organizations. The dues are only $40.00 per year for an improved property and $20.00 per year for each unimproved lot. Please make your check payable to Highland Meadows HOA and mail them at your earliest convenience to: Highland Meadows HOA, P.O. Box 915, Florissant, CO 80816-8818.

That brings us to the Covenant Review. As we reported previously, we were evaluating our Covenants just as the pandemic arrived and made in-person meetings impossible. The last remaining step in the process was an in-person final review meeting by the Board and ARC to understand the changes made by the attorneys before we mailed them to you for your evaluation and votes. Unfortunately, since many of the Board Members and committee members are older and in a more vulnerable category, that in person meeting has yet to be scheduled. The final review is the top item on our agenda and once it can be completed, we will mail you the detailed ballot information so you can vote on each proposed change or amendment to the Covenants. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding. We are doing the best that we can under these difficult circumstances.

As a final thought, we would like to appeal to any of you who live here permanently to step up and participate directly in our HOA. We currently need members willing to run for office as either Treasurer or Vice-President. Without your participation, it will be difficult for us to provide the kind of support our members deserve.

Warmest regards and stay safe,

Barrie Schwortz
HOA President
For the Board of Directors and the
Architectural Review Committee


July 26, 2020 - Long Overdue Website Update

It has been almost a year since we last communicated with our members, so we mailed you a letter on July 22, 2020 that will bring you up to date and provide you with the details on recent and current HOA matters. As a reminder, we are also asking that you send in your annual dues by September 1, 2020. (See the Dues section below for important details). We are reprinting here the entire contents of the letter we mailed to you and you can also download or print a pdf version of it at this link: 2020 Meeting Cancelled.

Barrie Schwortz, President

Annual Meeting Cancelled Due to COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 virus, the Board of Directors, by unanimous vote, have cancelled the Annual Homeowners Meeting that we typically hold in August. In these unprecedented times, nearly everything has been impacted and we made our decision out of caution and respect for our neighbors' safety and wellbeing. Many of us are in the most vulnerable age group and there are no issues so critical that we need to put anyone's health at risk. We expect that we will be able to go back to our regular schedule for next year's meeting. We hope you are staying healthy and safe and look forward to seeing you in person next year!

Update on Legal Issues

As reported in last year's President's Message that was included with the Annual Meeting Notice, our association was faced with a serious legal issue in 2019 when a property owner proposed building an oversized industrial style structure on his lot, one that was prohibited by both our Covenants and Teller County's regulations. Consequently, our Architectural Committee denied the owner's request. The owner then decided to engage an attorney, which forced the Board to do the same. In the end however, it was not the attorney we hired that resolved the issue. The Board and Architectural Committee members came together and, working as a team, drafted a response that was sent directly to the owner's attorney. It clearly cited the Highland Meadows Covenants and Teller County regulations that prohibited such structures. That resulted in the owner not only withdrawing his request, but selling his property as well.

In dealing with the attorney while resolving the above issue, it became evident to our team that some of our Covenants were unclear in certain areas and needed updating. We worked together in evaluating the current Covenants, which hadn't been updated in decades, and wrote some proposed changes that would be put before the membership to be voted on. To be certain we were on solid legal ground, we decided at the October 19, 2019 Board Meeting to have an attorney review them for us first. We were dissatisfied with the first attorney we hired and John and Teri Genduso volunteered to find a new firm with HOA experience and work with them to review the Covenants. It was also decided that a final review meeting would be held to go over any of the changes made by the attorney before mailing the final copy to our members to vote on.

In early February 2020 we started to plan a date for the final review meeting, but Board Members' personal obligations and other issues resulted in the meeting not being scheduled until March 14, 2020. Unfortunately, that day the Florissant Library closed due to COVID-19 and the meeting had to be cancelled and postponed until the virus issues were behind us. Since some of our members do not have viable internet service or even reliable telephone service, we have been unable to schedule the review meeting using those means and will wait and hold the meeting in person as soon as conditions allow.

During the legal review process, it was also determined that our By-laws are out-of-date and need to be updated to make us fully legal under current Colorado law. This is a function of the Board and we will address those issues promptly after the Covenant revisions are sent out to our members for their vote.

DUES

As you can see from the above information, the Board and Committee have been working hard to fulfill our obligations to you and we were doing great until the virus arrived. We also incurred some legal fees during the review process so we need you to show your support for our efforts and help replenish our treasury by sending in your annual dues by September 1, 2020. The dues are modest, only $20.00 for an unimproved lot and $40.00 for an improved lot. We rely on your support to protect our neighborhood, preserve our property values and keep Highland Meadows the wonderful place that it is. Please mail your dues payments to the following address: Highland Meadows HOA, P.O. Box 915, Florissant, CO 80816

Other News

I must also report that Treasurer John Genduso and Architectural Committee member Teri Genduso have resigned their HOA positions. We respected their decision and accepted their resignations, but let them know we appreciated their important work with the lawyers during the evaluation process. As Barrie is also a signatory on the HOA bank account, he will take on the responsibility of Interim Treasurer (as he has done in the past) until a new candidate for the position is found. (If anyone is interested in filling this position, please contact any of the current Board members).

One of the more difficult tasks that the Treasurer was responsible for was managing the old spreadsheets that had been handed down through a number of previous HOA administrations. These contained membership and dues information and had gotten very complex. Fortunately, Tim DeMoss, our current Board Member at Large, has offered to produce a new database driven solution for us with a graphic user interface that will make it easy for any future treasurer to maintain the information easily and accurately. Tim will be working with Barrie to complete that task over the next few weeks. Fortunately, it can all be accomplished online.

HOA Board of Directors


September 24, 2019 - PUBLIC NOTICE - Highland Meadows HOA Board Meeting

Colorado State regulations require HOA's to post a Public Notice in advance when HOA Board Meetings are planned. The Board will meet on Saturday, October 19, 2019 between 12:00pm - 2:00pm at the Florissant Library Conference Room. The meeting is open to any current registered property owners of the Highland Meadows Subdivision. On the Agenda: Discuss updating Covenants and Restrictions, creating an architectural control policy and appointing an interim replacement for Board Member at Large, Chet Jewell who resigned. If you plan to attend, you must RSVP by October 11th. RSVP to: John Genduso, Treasurer at genduso4195@gmail.com or 719-627-1471 or to Barrie Schwortz, President at barrie@schwortz.com or 719-689-2217. [NOTE: Meeting date updated on September 25, 2019]

Barrie Schwortz, President
September 24, 2019


July 6, 2019 - 4th Annual Yard Sale & Community Gathering a Great Success!

(Click on image to see a pdf with 7 pages of photographs)

As most of you know, last year we had to cancel our 3rd Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering because of the High Chateau Fire. In spite of the cancellation, we called this year's event our 4th Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering, which was held on Saturday, July 6th. Thanks to our excellent location at the entrance to Highland Meadows, the event was visible from Teller 1 and many folks stopped in during the day to do some shopping and enjoy free hot dogs and hamburgers courtesy of your HOA and Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. Since Rusty and Debbie were unable to attend due to other obligations, Sheila Hughes took up the task of "master chef" and made sure the dogs and burgers were readily available to all. As before, the best part of the event was the opportunity to meet some of our neighbors and get to know each other a little better. We owe a special note of thanks to John O'Leary for allowing us to use his front yard again and of course, to Rusty and Debbie Webb for doing the shopping and providing the great food and the grill to cook it on! We hope to see even more residents join us next year and help turn this into a major community event. For those of you who couldn't attend (and those of you who did), I have put together a pdf file with 13 photos from this year's gathering. Just click on the above photo to view. (Note: Captions are on the last page).

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 26, 2019 - Long Overdue Website Update

It has been over six months since I was last able to update this website, so we have some catching up to do. I am including below some items that I had hoped to post much sooner so they carry the original dates of the events as they took place. Also updated is the Important Contacts section of this page (below) with the addition of two homeowner recommended vendors, a furnace repair company in Divide and a Colorado Springs plumber that doesn't charge extra to come up to Highland Meadows.

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 25, 2019 - Annual Meeting Announcement

Our 2019 Annual Meeting will take place on Saturday, August 24, 2019 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Florissant Library. The formal announcement letters will be mailed by Tuesday, July 2nd, so you should be receiving them soon. You can also find a link to a pdf version of the Announcement letter on our Meetings page. The notice includes a Dues Request and an RSVP form for those planning to attend, as well as two very important letters from the Treasurer and President. Please make sure to return Page 2 (the RSVP form) with your dues. We hope to see many of you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


February 10, 2019 - 4th Annual Yard Sale & Community Gathering Scheduled for Saturday, July 6, 2019

At today's Board meeting, we selected the date for our annual, informal get together. On Saturday, July 6, 2019, starting at 8:00am, the HOA is sponsoring our 4th Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering at the entrance to Highland Meadows on John O'Leary's property opposite the mailboxes. As you know, last year's event was cancelled due to the High Chateau Fire so we are hoping for a big turnout this year. This is the perfect opportunity to sell those items that have been sitting in your garage or closet for too long! So bring your unwanted "stuff" and join us for a day of fun. And it is a wonderful opportunity to meet some of your neighbors as well. Once again, the HOA will provide free hot dogs, hamburgers and cold drinks courtesy of Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. So stop by, say hello and enjoy a burger or hot dog on us. We hope to see you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


October 28, 2018 - Letter from Four Mile Fire Department

Letter from Four Mile Fire Department
(Click on image for a larger view)

As mentioned below, in September we made a donation to the Four Mile Fire Department in appreciation of their efforts during the High Chateau Fire and received the following letter in response. Click the above image for a larger view or here for a pdf version of the letter: Letter from Four Mile Fire Department.

Barrie Schwortz, President


September 21, 2018 - HOA Donation to Four Mile Fire Department

John Genduso, HOA Treasurer, presents check to Fire chief Jack Lowe
© 2018 Teri Genduso (Click on image for a larger view)

As I mentioned in my earlier post below, the membership voted unanimously at our recent Annual Meeting to make a donation to our friend and neighbor who lost her home and all her belongings in the recent High Chateau fire. Also voted on and unanimously approved at the meeting was a $1000.00 donation to the Four Mile Fire Department, who worked tirelessly to save the homes in Highland Meadows. In appreciation of their dedication and their professional sense of duty, our newly elected HOA Treasurer John Genduso presented the check to Fire Chief Jack Lowe at the Four Mile fire station on September 21, 2018. Thank you gentlemen. We truly appreciate your service!

In case you were unable to attend the meeting this year, you can find the Minutes on the Meetings page of this site along with a link to the Audited Treasurer's Report.

Barrie Schwortz, President


September 13, 2018 - Important Association News

Sindy Andersen receives check from HOA
(Click on image for a larger view)

At our Annual Homeowners Meeting held on Saturday, August 25, 2018, the membership voted unanimously to donate $1,500.00 to our friend and neighbor Sindy Andersen, who lost her home and all her belongings in the recent High Chateau fire. Although others suffered property damage and the loss of a garage, sadly, Sindy's was the only home lost in the Highland Meadows sub-division. The purpose of our donation was to help Sindy through the rough period as she negotiates with her insurance company on the value of her loss. Sindy was thrilled to hear of the support she received from her neighbors and expressed her deepest thanks and gratitude for our assistance. On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, I presented Sindy with the check and her smile says it all. Our best wishes to Sindy as she recovers from her tragic loss.

In case you were unable to attend the meeting this year, you can find the Minutes on the Meetings page of this site along with a link to the Audited Treasurer's Report.

Also addressed at the meeting was the need to improve the communications between homeowners, especially during emergencies like the recent High Chateau fire, and Teri and John Genduso (our new Treasurer) volunteered to create a Facebook page for that puprpose. I am happy to report that they have already done so by creating the Highland Meadows Florissant, Colorado group page on Facebook. This is a private page just for our members and should provide another method of staying in touch with each other in the event of another emergency situation like the recent fire. Our thanks to Teri and John for their valuable contribution. I strongly urge any of you that use Facebook to click on the above link and join the group.

Barrie Schwortz, President


August 23, 2018 - Reminder: Annual Meeting Scheduled on Saturday, August 25, 2018

Just a last minute reminder that our Annual Homeowners Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018, at the Florissant Library from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Lunch will be provided by Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. By now you should all have received a notice by postal mail with the details, a voting ballot, an RSVP form and a dues reminder. You can now find the Meeting Agenda on the Meetings Page of this site, along with a link to the Audited Treasurer's Report. We hope to see many of you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


YARD SALE POSTPONED - EVACUATION ORDER LIFTED

Taken from my front door on Friday, June 29th at 6:31pm
(Click on image for a larger view)

As some of you know, several of us decided to stay at my house during the evacuation since I live far from the wooded areas of Highland Meadows and my property is very defendable. Of course, we were all packed and ready to go if we were at all threatened. With me were Chris and Patsy Christensen and Sheila and Rick Hughes. They arrived expecting to spend no more than one or two nights here but wound up staying for eight days! We started as neighbors and ended up as family!

I would have liked to have updated this website during the evacuation (many people checked the site on Friday), but we were obviously preoccupied with our own safety and didn't even think about it at the time. Unfortunately, we lost power at 10:27am Sunday morning and it was off for the next five days so no update was possible. What little backup battery power we had was reserved for powering the wi-fi so we could watch the evening news each day on a smart phone. The saving grace was that we had a front row seat to everything, so at least we knew where we stood. We also did our best to notify as many of our neighbors as possible that their homes were intact to give them some peace of mind. Fortunately, the evacuation order was lifted today and everyone went back to their own homes at 11:00am.

The sad news is we know for sure that one home in Highland Meadows was completely lost, that of Sindy Andersen, at the very top of the road where the fire was most threatening. Fortunately, she was able to evacuate her fourteen rescue dogs (and one cat) and is doing well, all things considered. Although a number of houses were seriously threatened, two helicopter pilots made scores of bucket drops on those homes (using water from the Sandefur's pond) and the homes were spared. We certainly owe the hundreds of firefighters that came to our rescue a huge debt of gratitude because they absolutely saved us from even greater tragedy. I intend to write a more in-depth report and put it on the site in the near future, but I'll need a little time to get that together. If any of you have any photographs that you want to submit, send them to me at barrie@schwortz.com and I'll include them in the report I write, which will include more details and many photographs. I think we can all feel very grateful for having dodged a serious bullet. Our hearts and prayers go out to the folks in southern Colorado who have fared much worse than we did this past week, with at least 104 homes lost.

Obviously, we have postponed the Yard Sale and Community Gathering originally scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) and will reschedule it as soon as it is feasible. Watch for another update next week.

Barrie Schwortz, President
July 6, 2018

UPDATE: HIGH CHATEAU FIRE ARSONISTS ARRESTED

On July 9, 2018, the three arsonists who set the High Chateau Fire were arrested. Here is a link to an article with the details: Three people charged with arson in relation to High Chateau Fire.

Updated July 10, 2018


June 20, 2018 - Annual Meeting Announcements Mailed Today

As we previously announced, the 2018 Annual Meeting this year takes place on Saturday, August 25, 2018 from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Florissant Library. The formal announcement letters were mailed today so you should be receiving them soon. You can also find a link to the Announcement letter on our Meetings page. The letter includes an official Ballot, a Dues Request and an RSVP form for those planning to attend. Please make sure to vote and return Page 2 (the Ballot and RSVP form) with your dues. We hope to see many of you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 15, 2018 - 3rd Annual Yard Sale & Community Gathering Scheduled for Saturday, July 7, 2018

On Saturday, July 7, 2018, starting at 8:00am, the HOA is sponsoring our 3nd Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering at the entrance to Highland Meadows on John O'Leary's property opposite the mailboxes. This is the perfect opportunity to sell those items that have been sitting in your garage or closet for too long! So bring your unwanted "stuff" and join us for a day of fun. And it is a wonderful opportunity to meet some of your neighbors as well. Once again, the HOA will provide free hot dogs, hamburgers and cold drinks courtesy of Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. So stop by, say hello and enjoy a burger or hot dog on us. We hope to see you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


May 3, 2018 - Nomination Letter Sent

As mentioned in our March 25, 2018 update, we have just sent out our 2018 Nomination Letter by postal mail and e-mail. You can click on this link for a printable copy of the letter and the Nomination Form with a current list of nominees and space to nominate others. Here is a copy of the letter itself:

May 3, 2018

Subject: Nominations for Three Board Positions

Dear Owners and Residents,

We need to hold an election before our upcoming Annual Meeting in August to fill three positions on our Board of Directors, those of President, Vice President and Treasurer. I have decided to run for the office of President again, but would welcome anyone else who would like to fill that position adding their name as a candidate. Rather than waiting for the annual meeting to accept nominations and then having to wait until next year's meeting to vote, the board has approved a modification to the process that includes sending this Nomination Letter in May and asking members to return their choices for candidates by June 10, 2018. That will allow us to include the complete list of nominees on a ballot with our Annual Meeting Notice in June so everyone can vote and the results of the election can be tabulated and announced at our Annual Meeting in August.

Any owner is eligible to run for these offices and we encourage anyone who wishes to participate to submit your name (or that of any other eligible owner) as candidates for the election. You can do so easily by filling in the names of the proposed candidates on the Nomination Form below and mailing it back to me at P.O. Box 915, Florissant, CO 80816 or e-mailing it back to me at barrie@schwortz.com. Feel free to call me at 719-689-2217 if you have any questions, although I will be out of town from May 5th through May 21st. Thank you for your participation!

Warmest regards,

Barrie M. Schwortz
President


March 25, 2018 - HOA Board of Directors Meeting

On Sunday, March 25, 2018, the Highland Meadows HOA Board of Directors held their first meeting of the year. Present were Barrie Schwortz, President, Kathleen Nelson, Interim Vice-President, Eric Bartlett, Interim Treasurer and Debbie Webb, Secretary. Unable to attend was Board Member Chet Jewell. The meeting Minutes are now available on the Meetings page of the site. Several important issues were decided, including the date for our next Annual Homeowners Meeting and the date for our Annual Yard Sale and Community Get-together. It was also decided that Rusty's Smokin' BBQ would again provide the refreshments for both events this year. This is the perfect opportunity to meet many of your neighbors (and enjoy a tasty meal together). We hope to see you there! Here are the details:

  • Annual Homeowners Meeting - The date set for this year's meeting is Saturday, August 25, 2018, at the Florissant Library from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

  • Annual Yard Sale & Community Get-together - Saturday, July 7, 2018 - Last year's event was a great success and John O'Leary has again kindly agreed to allow us to hold the event in his front yard (at the entrance to Highland Meadows opposite the mail boxes), which will attract many buyers since it will be clearly visible from Teller One. Once again, the HOA will sponsor free refreshments including hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks courtesy of Rusty's Smokin' BBQ.

The need to hold an election this year was also discussed. We have two vacant positions that need to be filled, Vice-President and Treasurer. Kathleen Nelson and Eric Bartlett kindly volunteered on an interim basis to fill those postions last year when the previous officers resigned, but would need to be duly elected by the general membership this year for those positions to be considered properly filled. The Vice-President position acts primarily as a backup should the President be away or otherwise incapacitated. The Treasurer position is responsible for maintaining the Association bank account and the primary spreadsheet that details dues paid, etc. Consequently, the person that fills the Treasurer's position must have a computer, internet access and be functional with Microsoft Word and Excel. Since I have served as President for three years, I felt I should stand for re-election this year, but would welcome anyone else who would like to fill the position to add their name to the nomination letter we will be sending out around May 1st. That letter will need to be returned by June 1st so we can include the ballot in our Notice of Annual Homeowners Meeting you will receive by mid-June. Kathleen has informed us that she and Lance are planning to move back to Texas this year so she will not be running for Vice-President. I am hopeful that some of our newer homeowners will want to participate and run for these open positons. One does not need to be a permanent resident to run for any of the offices although having the officers on site gives homeowners the best access to their elected officials.

Barrie Schwortz, President


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

(Click on image for a larger view)

It has been some months since I have been able to update the website or attend to HOA business, but I am back and trying to get caught up. I wanted to start by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous and healthy New Year! I was looking for a photo that expressed the holiday spirit of our community and found one that I took some years ago on a day when rime ice covered Highland Meadows. Feel free to downloand and print out a copy if you'd like. Warmest wishes for a great holiday!

Barrie Schwortz, President
December 19, 2017


August 26, 2017 - Annual Meeting Held on Saturday, August 19, 2017

Our Annual Homeowners Meeting was held on Saturday, August 19, 2017, at the Florissant Library. Unfortunately, that weekend also corresponded with the Annual Biker Rally in Cripple Creek, so traffic was an issue and several board members had to work on Saturday and could not attend the meeting. We'll make sure that conflict doesn't happen again next year. In spite of all that, we had an excellent turnout of 24 existing and new members and a number of important issues were raised and discussed. You can find the details in the 2017 Meeting Minutes accessible from the HOA Meetings page of the site. Note that I am submitting the minutes this time since Debbie Webb, our Secretary was unable to attend. I have done my best and hope I didn't leave anything out! Also updated is the Board of Directors page, where you will now find the contact information for the newly-elected Interim Treasurer, Eric Bartlett and Interim Vice-President, Kathleen Nelson. And our Gallery page has been updated with a photo from our newest neighbors, John and Teri Genduso, the new owners of the so-called "Pizza Hut" house. In fact, they attended the meeting and sent us this kind note the next day:

Teri & I were very pleased to meet all of the neighbors that came to the meeting yesterday. Everyone seemed very genuine and neighborly. We believe Highland Meadows is going to be a great place for us to call home. We are very excited to move into our new home on Elkhorn Rd, which apparently has been lovingly known as "The Pizza Hut House". We have plans to rename it as soon as we move in. It was a pleasure to be involved with the inner workings of our subdivision and to see how much everyone cares about the community. Teri & I look forward to seeing everyone around the neighborhood.
Sincerely,
John & Teri Genduso
490 Elkhorn Rd

Barrie Schwortz, President


August 5, 2017 - Reminder: Annual Meeting Scheduled on Saturday, August 19, 2017

Just a reminder that our Annual Homeowners Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2017, at the Florissant Library from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Lunch will be provided by Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. By now you should all have received a notice by postal mail with the details, a voting ballot, an RSVP form and a dues reminder. We inadvertantly forgot to send it by e-mail as we have done in the past and will resume doing so in the future. We hope to see many of you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


July 28, 2017 - Massive Rainstorm Slams Highland Meadows!

On Friday, July 28, 2017, while I was out of the country and lecturing in England, a severe rainstorm pounded Highland Meadows, which apparently was at the epicenter of the storm. Upon my return around midnight Monday night, I was shocked to find a miniature Grand Canyon running through the middle of my driveway in an area that had never seen any water damage before. I knew immediately that I had obviously missed a big one, but I was still able to pull my car in and park in my regular spot. After speaking with some of our neighbors the next day, I learned that I was actually one of the fortunate ones. The road at the bottom of the hill adjacent to the Sandefur property was virtually washed away, making it nearly impossible for those living further back in Highland Meadows to get to or from their homes. Rebecca Sandefur told me that it was the worst storm she has experienced in the 37 years she has lived here. Fortunately, Teller County sent their crews in on Monday morning and they spent three days repairing the road bed, adding truckloads of gravel and sand and relocating and replacing a small culvert with a larger, more efficient one in a more appropriate location. This section of Highland Meadows Drive has been an ongoing problem in recent years and it looks like these latest repairs may have finally addressed and properly resolved the issues. A hat tip to Teller County for apparently getting it right this time.

According to association Secretary Debbie Webb, there was extensive water damage on Elkhorn Road and on their property where their new home is under construction. She also reported that Cindy Jewell, whose property is on Floresta Drive, had her vehicle sink into the mud so deep that it wound up on its side and she had to exit through the passenger door. A tow truck was eventually needed to pull her out. Fortunately, she was unharmed and no serious damage was done to the vehicle. "Woody" Whitaker, our neighbor who lives on Conifer Circle (not officially a part of Highland Meadows), had more than 8 feet of his driveway washed away and had to spend several days repairing it. Woody is the owner of Woodstone Custom Homes, Inc., and recently remodeled the deck and stairs of my house. This morning, he and his son David Whitaker brought their skills, talent and equipment back and promptly repaired and regraded my driveway. I am thoroughly pleased with the quality of their work and their professional attitude and expect that some of our residents could also use their services, so I have added their contact information to the Important Contacts section of this page. I have not had a chance to speak to anyone else but expect more reports to be coming in over the next week. I'll try and have an update ready for our Annual Meeting on August 19th.

Barrie Schwortz, President


July 8, 2017 - 2nd Annual Yard Sale & Community Gathering Another Great Success!

(Click on image to see a pdf with 12 pages of photographs)

The HOA sponsored our 2nd Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering today and it was another tremendous success! Thanks to our new location at the entrance to Highland Meadows, the event was visible from Teller 1 and many non-residents stopped in during the day to do some shopping and enjoy free hot dogs and hamburgers courtesy of "master chef" Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. Perhaps the best part of the event was the opportunity to meet some of our neighbors and get to know each other a little better. (It turns out we have some really great neighbors)! We owe a special note of thanks to John O'Leary for allowing us to use his front yard, to Lance and Kathleen Nelson for the organizing and signage and of course, to Rusty and Debbi Webb for doing the shopping and providing the great food! We hope to see even more residents join us next year and help turn this into a major community event. For those of you who couldn't attend (and those of you who did), I have put together a pdf file with 24 photos from today's gathering. Just click on the above photo to view. [Note: This is a rather large file and may take a minute or so to download].

Barrie Schwortz, President


July 1, 2017 - 2nd Annual Yard Sale & Community Gathering Scheduled for Saturday, July 8, 2017

On Saturday, July 8, 2017 (one week from today), starting at 8:00am, the HOA is sponsoring our 2nd Annual Yard Sale and Community Gathering at the entrance to Highland Meadows on John O'Leary's property opposite the mailboxes. Holding the event where it is clearly visible from Teller 1 should see an even larger turnout than the excellent one we had last year. This is the perfect opportunity to sell those items that have been sitting in your garage or closet for too long! So bring your unwanted "stuff" and join us for a day of fun. And it is a wonderful opportunity to meet some of your neighbors as well. Once again, the HOA will provide free hot dogs, hamburgers and cold drinks courtesy of Rusty Webb and Rusty's Smokin' BBQ. So stop by, say hello and enjoy a burger or hot dog on us. We hope to see you there!

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 16, 2017 - Annual Meeting Date Changed to Saturday, August 19, 2017

On May 18, 2017 I reported that the Board of Directors had selected August 26, 2017 as the date for our upcoming Annual Meeting. However, after checking with the Florissant Library, our Secretary, Debbie Webb, discovered the room was already booked on that date. Since August 19th was still available, Debbie immediately reserved it for our meeting. So the date of our Annual Meeting is officially changed to Saturday, August 19, 2017 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. We are about to send out our Annual Meeting Notice by postal mail and e-mail and it will reflect the correct dates.

Barrie Schwortz, President


June 10, 2017 - HOA Vice-President Tenders Resignation

On June 10, 2017 I received a formal letter of resignation from our Vice-President, Chris Christensen, who has decided to resign in August of this year. Chris stated that personal issues have arisen that must take a higher priority at this point in his life. Chris has served this association faithfully for more than 15 years in various positions and has agreed to remain a member of our Architectural Committee. I am pleased to announce that Kathleen Nelson has graciously agreed to fill the vacant Vice-President position on the Board of Directors until our next formal election in 2018. Of course, she will also need to be approved by the membership and we will include an appropriate ballot with our Annual Homeowners Meeting Notice letter, which you will be receiving this month. That will allow us to announce the voting results at the Annual Meeting. Kathleen kindly provided a personal message which I am including here and which will also be included with the ballot:

My name is Kathleen Nelson. My husband Lance and I moved here from Victoria Texas. I am a mother and a grandmother. I have worked in the floral business for 26 years before moving to Colorado. I now work in Cripple Creek for Creations Everlasting, the Emporium and Smokin Rusty's Pit BBQ. I would like to be Vice-President of the Highland Meadows HOA. We are very fortunate to live in this beautiful part of the country, "God's country" as my mother-in-law calls it. I would like to see our community stay beautiful and help those in our community who are in need. I feel that privacy is important, however knowing your neighbors is also important in case of an emergency. Thank you!

Kathleen Nelson


May 20, 2017 - HOA Treasurer Position Filled

I am pleased to announce that Eric Bartlett has graciously agreed to fill the vacant Treasurer position on the Board of Directors. Of course, he will still need to be approved by the membership and we will include an appropriate ballot with our Annual Homeowners Meeting Notice letter, which you will be receiving in June. That will allow us to announce the voting results at the meeting. Eric kindly provided some personal information about himself which I am including here and which will also be included with the ballot:

Eric is a graduate of Widefield High School in Widefield, Colorado. He has lived in Teller County for 21 years and in Highland Meadows, with his wife Sandra, since 2004. He has worked in manufacturing for 29 years. He looks forward to working with the Board to help make Highland Meadows an even better place to live.

Barrie Schwortz, President


Entrance Sign Refurbished

Entrance Sign Refurbished
(Click for larger view)

You may have noticed in my December 13, 2016 "Merry Christmas" posting (below) that the lettering on our entrance sign was cracked and looking very weathered, as was the background wood itself. Our sincere thanks to Lance Nelson for noticing and taking action. He removed the sign (no, it wasn't stolen) and completely refurbished and refinished it using the toughest weatherproof paint and stain available and I expect it will last a bit longer now. (Welcome to the Rocky Mountains)! Thank you Lance for taking the initiative!


May 18, 2017 - HOA Board of Directors Meeting

On Thursday, May 18, 2017, the Highland Meadows HOA Board of Directors held their first meeting of the year. Present were Barrie Schwortz, President and Acting Treasurer, Chris Christensen, Vice-President and Debbie Webb, Secretary. Unable to attend was Board Member Chet Jewell. The meeting Minutes are now available on the Meetings page of the site. Several important issues were decided, including the date for our next Annual Homeowners Meeting and the date for our (now) Annual Yard Sale and Community Get-together. It was also decided that Rusty's Smokin' BBQ would provide the refreshments for both events this year. This is the perfect opportunity to meet many of your neighbors (and enjoy a tasty meal together). We hope to see you there! Here are the details:

  • Annual Homeowners Meeting - The date set for this year's meeting is Saturday, August 26, 2017, at the Florissant Library from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

  • Annual Yard Sale & Community Get-together - Saturday, July 8, 2017 - Last year's event was a great success but a bit difficult for some folks to find. This year, John O'Leary has kindly agreed to allow us to have the event in his front yard (at the entrance to Highland Meadows opposite the mail boxes), which should attract many more buyers since it will be clearly visible from Teller One. Once again, the HOA will sponsor free refreshments including hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks courtesy of Rusty's Smokin' BBQ.


March 15, 2017 - HOA Treasurer Resigns

Elaina Leo, our recently elected HOA Treasurer notified me by e-mail on March 14, 2017 that she had sold her property here in Highland Meadows and consequently, was obligated by our By-laws to resign her position as Treasurer immediately. She will return the Treasurer materials to me this week. That means we need another owner willing to step up and become a candidate in a special election to fill the vacancy so we can announce the new Treasurer at our next Annual Meeting in August. Temporarily, I will once again have to assume the duties of Interim Treasurer since I am also a signatory on our bank account. I filled that position last year when our previous treasurer also sold her property and had to resign. If anyone is interested in running for this office, please contact me by phone or e-mail at your earliest convenience. The Board of Directors has plans to sponsor more activities this year like our Garage Sale/Barbecue that was such a great success last year. Having the HOA sponsor up to three social events per year was discussed and approved by the membership at our August 2015 Annual Meeting (see 2015 Minutes) and the Board wants to make that happen, but we need a full compliment of Board Members to do so.

Barrie Schwortz, President


January 31, 2017 - Website Traffic Is Up and Our Site Is Now Mobile Friendly!

Website Traffic Is Up and Our Site Is Now Mobile Friendly!
(Click on above image to see 2016 web statistics)

As you can see from the above chart (as of January 1, 2017), our website traffic increased steadily throughout 2016 and our total visitors for the year reached more than 3000 visits. However, with the dramatic growth of the internet and the rapid advance of mobile technologies, more than 60% of all internet traffic is now viewed on smart phones or tablets rather than computer screens. Unfortunately, my code writing skills are rather limited so our site was not mobile compliant, which means that many website viewers might have had difficulty viewing us properly on their mobile devices without lots of frustrating scrolling around the pages. (A quick method to drive visitors away)! Consequently, the board approved hiring a qualified support person to do a one-time update of our code and make the site mobile friendly. I am happy to report that work is completed, the new pages are now online and our site is now fully compliant with all current internet computer and mobile standards. Try it! You'll like it!


Mountain Lion Sighting!

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Website

On January 19, 2017, I received the following e-mail from our neighbor, Sandra Holte, regarding a mountain lion sighting on her property:

Mountain Lion visit: Wednesday, January 18, 2017 we found mountain lion tracks all the way around our house on Sprucewood Dr., with scent markings in various places. Please be aware that mountain lions hunt all the time, not just early morning or late evening. Use caution when you are outside, especially when first coming out. Always look all the way around you before closing your door. For more information, go to the Mountain Lion Page of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Website.

Sandra was also kind enough to post the sighting on our Bulletin Board (near the mailboxes) where I am confident that most residents saw it. She also downloaded the pdf format brochure available from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife site so we are including a copy here, which you can print and save as a reference: What We Know About Mountain Lions. As Sandra said, use caution and pay attention to your surroundings. (You can see some local mountain lion photos on our Gallery page).


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
(Click on image to see a high resolution version)

It's that time of year again and I first wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyous and healthy New Year! In addition, I wanted to let you know that the Board of Directors met on Sunday, December 4, 2016 and you can find the minutes of the meeting on our Meetings page. I also wanted to send a special word of thanks to Kathleen and Lance Nelson for taking the time to decorate our entrance sign with a beautiful seasonal touch. In fact, if you get down to the wire and need to give a last minute Christmas card, you can simply click on the above photo to open a high resolution version (including the greeting), which you can then save and print onto photo paper. Fast and easy and a genuine "Highland Meadows" Christmas card! I hope your holidays are great ones!

Barrie Schwortz, President
December 13, 2016

July 2, 2016 - Yard Sale & Community Gathering a Great Success!

Yard Sale & Community Gathering a Great Success!
(Click on image to see a pdf with more photographs)

At our 2015 Annual Meeting, the membership voted to authorize the HOA to sponsor up to three social events during the course of the year. On July 2, 2016, the first such event, a yard sale and community gathering, took place in the cul-de-sac of Crocus Circle. In spite of the threat of rain, many neigbors and visitors showed up to sell, purchase or just enjoy the free hot dogs and hamburgers and the company of their neighbors. I personally enjoyed the opportunity to talk with some of the folks I had never met before and see some of my neighborhood friends again in an informal and social setting. Our deep appreciation to Kathleen and Lance Nelson for organizing the event, buying the food and refreshments and making the pink signs pointing to the event. A special thanks is due to Debbie and Rusty Webb for bringing their monstrous barbecue trailer and to Rusty for serving as chief cook for the day. We hope this is the first of many such events that will bring our neighborhood a little closer together and look forward to seeing more of you at our 2016 Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Florissant Library. You should receive the Annual Meeting notice by mail or e-mail in the next week.


May 16, 2016 - Bulletin Board Installed

Highland Meadows Bulletin Board Installed
(Click on image for larger view)

As you can see in the above photograph, the new Highland Meadows Bulletin Board has been installed just to the right of the mailboxes. It is not locked, so please feel free to use it to post notices of garage sales, lost pets, bear or cougar sightings, etc. This week, Lance and Kathleen Nelson, Rick Loveall and Rusty Webb worked together to complete the installation. The board was designed to be organic and unobtrusive so its size was kept to a minimum. We recommend posting your notices on 3" x 5" or 4" x 6" notecards and will put some blank cards inside the box for your use as soon as the weather clears up. Please include a posting date in your notices. Older notices will be removed after 30 days.


July 2, 2016 - Community Garage Sale

The Highland Meadows Homeowners Association will be hosting a Community Wide Garage Sale on SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2016, starting at 8:00AM. Please f eoel free to bring some of your "stuff" to sell! The H.O.A. will provide refreshments and food such as hamburgers and hot dogs but you are welcome to bring a side dish. The sale will be held in the cul-de-sac on Crocus Circle (between Floresta Place and Elkhorn Drive). WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! [If you aren't sure where Crocus Circle is, consult the Highland Meadows Lot Map].


April 22, 2016 - Rock Garden Completed

Highland Meadows Sign and New Rock Garden
(Click on image for larger view)

Ever since the earliest planning stages of our new Highland Meadows sign, the intent was always there to create a rock garden at its base. However, the winter months and frozen ground made that impossible, until the recent break in the weather. Last week, Lance and Kathleen Nelson, Terry Goodarzi and Kelly Loveall went on an expedition to collect the plants, rocks and mineral specimens to include in the garden and spent several days putting it all together in the form you see in the above photograph.

Lance Nelson, Kelly Loveall and Terry Goodarzi
collecting some specimens for the new rock garden
at the base of the entry sign
Photograph ©2016 Kathleen Nelson
(Click on image for larger view)

They completed their work last week, just before a large winter storm dumped around two feet of snow on Highland Meadows, covering their handiwork and making it impossible for me to make any photographs of the finished result. Fortunately, the weather has warmed up, most of the snow has melted and the sunshine has returned! I was finally able to make some photographs yesterday so I could include them here on the website and share them with you today.

Kelly, Lance and Terry starting to prepare the new rock garden
Photograph ©2016 Kathleen Nelson
(Click on image for larger view)

When I spoke with Lance yesterday to let him know that I had finally gotten a good photograph of the rock garden and would be updating the website today, he suggested I mention that any resident who might have an interesting rock or mineral and would like to contribute to the project could simply add it to the garden themselves, so feel free to do so and make this a truly community project. Our sincerest thanks to our neighbors who undertook this project and saw it through to the end! Well done!


IMPORTANT NOTICE - April 22, 2016: Two positions on the Board of Directors (Secretary and Treasurer) must be voted on at our next Annual Meeting in August, so we are about to send out (by postal mail and e-mail) a Call for Nominations Letter that gives everyone the opportunity to nominate candidates of their choice for these offices. We already have one candidate for each position and would welcome any others that wish to pariticipate. For those of you who are reading this, you can download the letter immediately at the link below and send your response back by postal mail or e-mail, as explained in the letter. Click here to open the Nomination Letter.


January 2, 2016 - New Highland Meadows Sign Illuminated

Evening view of the illuminated Highland Meadows sign
(Click on image for larger view)

On Saturday, January 2, 2016, Lance Nelson installed the two solar powered lighting fixtures chosen to illuminate both sides of the new Highland Meadows entry sign. We tested it on Teller 1 from both directions and it will be much easier to find our road now on those dark and snowy winter nights. Thank you Lance! We also send our best wishes to all of you for a joyous and healthy New Year!


IMPORTANT NOTICE - December 1, 2015: Michelle Stuart recently resigned her position as Treasurer of the HOA due to the sale of her property in Highland Meadows. Since we cannot elect a new Treasurer until our August 2016 Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors decided at their November 18, 2015 Meeting to allow our current President, Barrie Schwortz, to serve as Interim Treasurer until a new person is elected to fill that position. We currently have one candidate for the Treasurer position and one for the Secretary position and will be sending out a nomination letter in April 2016 specifically for nominating additional candidates.


November 27, 2015 - Highland Meadows Lot Map Now Available

Highland Meadows Lot Map Now Available
(Click on image to open pdf version)

At our last annual home owner's meeting, Nanette Gray, an owner and member of the association, kindly handed me a lot plan of Highland Meadows which included lot numbers, acreage and other useful information about each lot. I have now scanned it and created a high resolution pdf version of the map which you can download at this link (or simply click on the photo above): Highland Meadows Lot Map. You can zoom in to 100% and should be able to read just about everything. I hope you find this useful Thanks Nanette!


November 8, 2015 - New Highland Meadows Sign Installed

The new Highland Meadows sign
(Click on image for larger view)

On Sunday, November 8, 2015, the new Highland Meadows sign was installed to replace the old one, which was in very poor condition and about to fall down. Our sincere thanks to David Israelson and Lance Nelson for the original design and to Lance, John O'Leary and Terry Goodarzi for completing the installation in record time. A few more requirements must be met before we call for our final inspection from the Building Department, including painting of the concrete footers, but I wanted to get this photograph online so everyone can see the beautiful new sign right away. Plans include installing a cactus garden at the base of the sign surrounded by a rock border and the new installation of a bulletin board near the mailboxes. You will also notice that the covenant sign has been updated to include our new website address and the newspaper boxes have been neatly remounted onto a wooden "hitching post." I believe this clearly demonstrates what can be accomplished when neighbors work together to improve their community. Watch for more photos in the near future. Thank you all!


November 4, 2015 - New Highland Meadows Sign On The Way

Lance Nelson and John O'Leary watch as "Woody" Whitaker (owner of Woodstone Custom Homes, Inc.), who graciously volunteered his time and equipment, takes down the old sign
(Click on image for larger view)

On Saturday, October 31, 2015, a number of Highland Meadows neighbors joined together to start the final process of replacing our old sign with a new one. The replacement of the sign was voted on and authorized at our last homeowner's meeting and David Israelson and Lance Nelson got together to design a new sign with a more rustic Colorado theme. Before Dave returned to Texas for the winter, he contacted and obtained permission from the property owner (necessary for a building permit) and he and Lance drew up the necessary plans and submitted them to the Building Deparment. The permit was approved and the project was officially underway.

Lance Nelson, Terry Goodarzi, Mark Lingofelt, John O'Leary and Shiloh dig the holes for the new sign
(Click on image for larger view)

It turns out that the idea to replace the old sign was actually very timely. When we inspected it, we found that dry rot had almost completely destroyed the support beams and a strong wind might have taken it down this winter. Timing is everything! Once the old sign was down, two new holes were dug by a volunteer group of residents including Lance Nelson, Terry Goodarzi, Mark Lingofelt and John O'Leary and inspected and approved by the Building Department on Monday, November 2, 2015. That afternoon Lance poured the new concrete forms, which are curing as I write this. He hopes to install the new sign this weekend, weather permitting. We will include photographs of the new sign as soon as it is installed.


A Message from your new President - Posted April 9, 2015


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Photograph ©2007 Barrie M. Schwortz