long mountain lifestyle ezine
DESCRIPTION
January 2012 IssueTRANSCRIPT
Hi Neighbours,Happy New Year! As we move throughout 2012, the entire board of the Long Mountain Country Club would like to thank all our residents for your continued support and dedication to making our community the best place to live and raise chil-dren.
We have some exciting things in store for you as we work to improve the quality of life you enjoy. As we seek to serve you better, we will continue to communicate with you through the Long Mountain eZine, which is a premier communication tool for ensuring that you are aware of everything that is happening within the community.
Over the next couple of weeks, your phase representatives will be meeting with their constituents to discuss some mat-ters a!ecting the community. Some of the items to be dis-cussed are:
1. Review of maintenance fees. Exploring the possibility of request-ing an increase, since the last increase was in April 2008 and the cost to run the property has increased every year since.
2. Review of unaudited financials 2011.
3. LMCC legal representation. To address matters of restrictive covenant, maintenance fee delinquents for court proceedings and contracts.
4. Restrictive Covenant review (water tank) and cost.
5. Infrastructure development. That is, car parks, play areas, etc.
6. Strata Management. We will look at the implications of strata regulations on LMCC.
7. Board’s position on Mona Section 1 development and Lot 526.
8. Candidates to be selected for Phase representation on the new board 2012/2013.
Please make every e!ort to attend when you receive the no-tices, as these issues a!ect the value of your property and the living conditions.
Have a blessed year and we look forward to meeting your needs in 2012 and beyond.
Chairman
L M C CC O M M I T T E E S
Residents are encouraged to get involved in the a!airs of LMCC by becoming
members of the various committees. Below is a list of committees and their
Chairpersons.
Landscape & Beautifcation Harold Morgan
995-6799
Safety & Security Derrick Tulloch, J.P.
431-7797
Building & Repairs Stephen Dawkins
FinanceEdward Harper
809-4335
PR & CommunicationsAndrea Adams
995-0671
Youth Development & Civic A!airs Maurice Henry
361-4839Andrea Parker
882-5299
Legal & Governance Evadney Ramdial, J.P.
322-6913
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Chairman’s Message
Dear LMCC Residents,As we begin the New Year, the Property O"ce wishes to reinforce some of our rules and also bring your attention to an important notice.
Maintenance Payments: During the activa-tion of the reinstalled gate in October 2011, we were able to collect a large sum in outstanding fees. Despite this, there are approximately 30 homeowners owing a total of $4 million. These persons have refused to pay or have failed to make arrangements to pay. These accounts will be handed over to our lawyers with immediate e!ect.
The annual LMCC membership fee of $500 is due in January each year. It is with gratitude that we thank all residents who continue to pay, thus ensuring that the o"ce is able to pro-vide the best services possible.
Communication: As of February 1, 2012, we will be using emails to send all our notices. As we look to go ‘green’, we will no longer be printing our messages. We ask that you fill out the form provided if you have not been receiving the Long Mountain Lifestyle eZine via email. Similarly, if you have not been getting text messages, we kindly ask that you complete all forms and drop them o! at the o"ce as soon as possible. Text messages will be sent only for urgent notices.
Environment: We recognise that many persons continue to cut down trees for various reasons. We ask that you discontinue this practice. Only the maintenance con-
tractorrs are allowed to cut and prune trees, so we ask that you make contact with the property o"ce regarding matters related to trees. We would also like to remind all residents to cut their lawns on a regular basis.
Garbage: The property o"ce is in dialogue with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) regarding the resumption of garbage collection twice per week. In the meantime, we ask that you store your garbage in proper containers and DO NOT hang garbage bags in trees!
Stray Dogs: With the implementation of new dog traps, we were able to control the influx of stray dogs on the property. Please advise the o"ce if you see any stray dogs within the community.
Commissary: The Commissary prices are below that of many supermarkets within the area. Please continue to support them and don’t hesitate to provide feedback so that they can improve the service they o!er to our com-munity.
Phase Meetings: Meetings will be held shortly to address specific issues that relate to each phase. You will be notified of the day and time. Please make every e!ort to attend.
Have a healthy 2012 and may God bless you.
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Long Mountain News
Opening Hours: In an e!ort to serve you better, the property o"ce has extended its opening hours. The new times are 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mon-days to Fridays.
Communication: In order to e!ectively communicate matters re-lated to LMCC, residents are asked to fill out the notice dispatched and return same to the property o"ce or scan and send via email to [email protected].
NWC: There was a disruption in the water supply to LMCC due to dam-age to the pump at Karachi. The pump was repaired and formal request sent to NWC seeking the repair or replacement of the second pump which has been out of service for months. Steps have been taken to have the pump and tank levels monitored on a daily basis
Bushing: The bushing exercise for the perimeter of LMCC is now com-plete. This has not only improved on the aesthetics of the community, but has served to provide security to residents living in close proximity.
Garbage: Residents are being reminded to deposit their garbage in suit-able receptacles to prevent the property from being littered with garbage from animals on property. Please note that Thursday is the scheduled day for garbage pick-up.
Maintenance: Residents are reminded that maintenance payments are due on the first working day of each month.
Dumping: It is important for residents to note that all construction debris are the responsibility of the individual homeowner, and as such they are respon-sible for removing same from the LMCC property. Construction debris should not be stored in any area on the property unless approved by the Property O"ce
Gate Procedure: Please be reminded that all visitors to the LMCC property MUST present an ID to the security. Acceptable forms of identifica-tion are Driver’s Licence, National ID, Passports and Long Mountain ID’s.
Residents are encouraged to ensure that all workers on property be equipped with proper identification to facilitate ease of access to the property.
Parking: Residents are encouraged to observe the no parking signs placed throughout the property. Failure to comply will result in vehicles parked in these areas being towed away.
Security: The tra"c spikes for the exit gate will be reinstalled shortly. Residents are asked to refrain from using the exit as an entrance to the property.
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Long Mountain News
Important! The following residents or anyone knowing their whereabouts, please contact the LMCC Property O"ce
at 946-8823, 946-8828.� ������������������������������������� ���������������������������������
NAMECAMPBELL, TANYASLATER, LYTTLETONSMITH, JAMESSCOTT, JULETTE AND GARYADAMS, KERIANDONALDSON, SHARONSCOTT-BROWN, HEATHERREYNOLDS, ROSAELIEANEDU, JOSEPHBLACK, SEAN AND BERNADETTEMULLINGS, PAUL/ ERICA BAILEYCAMPBELL, LESLIEWILLIAMS, CARLTONCRAWFORD, ELIZABETHTHOMPSON, BEVERLYNKELLY, HERFAMILLER, BLOSSOMLONGMORE, JUDITHGRANT-CHIN, JOAN & TREVORSHARPE, SONIABURKE, DELIAHARPER-SMITH, TRUDYCAMPBELL, ANTOINETTEMCKENZIE, VERONICALINTON, NORMAJONES, SYBILANROD LTD/ GIROD, ANDREWLEVY, DESMONDPOWELL, DAWNDONALD, ROSEMARIEJERRY, AUDLEYFRANKSON, BERNADETTEBUCHANAN, PAULSINCLAIR, AGGREYCHRISTIE, ASHLEYELVEY, DONALDSTEWART, THELMABAXTER, PERCIVALHAMMOND, BEVERLYBUCHANAN, ANGELLA & TRESCOTTIRVING, RACHAELLEE, JACQUELINEJAMISON-GRAY, UNAWALTERS, RICHARD & SIMONEPETGRAVE, JENNIFERBRAMWELL, WAYNEDEMPSTER, ANDREAASHLEY, WILLIAM WILFORDLEWIS, ANTHONYWALLACE, NEVILLEBROWN. BANCROFTPLUMMER, ENID
usinessman. Father. Volunteer. And now Member of Parliament. Andre Hylton certainly has a lot on his plate, but it’s a situation he is quite used to. Relaxing
in a teal wingback chair in the stylish lobby of the Spanish Court Hotel, Hylton explained why he chose to devote him-self to service and why, despite being perpetually busy, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m accustomed to doing a variety of things. I’ve always been accustomed to being involved in various boards, vari-ous organisations, doing business, serving. I’m on my way to mastering the business of prioritising and time manage-ment,” he said.
Hylton left his small community of Newport in northern St Catherine at 16 to attend evening classes in Kingston, but soon dropped out to work. He started his career at Mitch-ell’s Auto Supplies, dedicating himself to helping customers find hard-to-get Japanese parts. His reputation for pleasing
customers saw them seeking him out for assistance even af-ter he had left Mitchell’s. He saw the opportunity to start his own business and soon Andre’s Auto, the first local supplier of Japanese car parts, was born. Twenty-five years later, the company is still going strong. “I started my business when I was 19 with $40 and a bicycle, so I can speak to my con-stituents about using what you have to get what you want by working hard,” he said.
Hylton’s passion for helping people soon translated from customer service to community service as more people be-gan seeking his assistance in one way or the other. “A basic school at the time asked for some help and I didn’t believe in just writing a cheque, so I went to investigate what were the needs of the school and I started helping that school,” he said. He also helped to pay the school fees for several stu-dents. “It became such a joy, especially when people see that you’re genuinely interested in helping them – not a handout, but genuinely try to better their lives.”
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Andre Hylton, MP
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Cover Story
Getting to Know
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Cover Story
Out of his work with the basic school, Hylton soon started the Guiding Light charity by involving his “uptown friends”. The group focuses on basic schools, paying school fees, pro-viding lunches, funding renovations, o!ering scholarships and being mentors. “You have successful people today who came out of that programme. When they see me on the road they say ‘Uncle Andre’, because I’ve known them from they were babies,” he said.
In addition to Guiding Light, Hylton is also a proud 17-year member of the Rotary Club of Kingston. He has held a num-ber of positions in the organisation, including President from 2004 to 2005 and Youth Coordinator for the western Carib-bean, and he is now the Assistant Governor, overseeing the Rotary Clubs in Kingston and Ocho Rios.
Of course, he will now be required to better the lives of sig-nificantly more people as the newly minted Member of Par-liament of the St Andrew South Eastern constituency, which is 27 communities deep with a diverse socio-economic pro-file, from the eastern side of Mountain View Avenue to parts of Wareika Hills to Papine to Long Mountain. Each commu-nity has its own pressing needs, from creating jobs to proper infrastructure to water and amenities. “There is a whole lot that needs to be done, so this is certainly at a higher level. My plan, of course, is not to do it by myself but to do it with the collaboration of the communities and the various institutions, because they have a vision for their communities. I want to help them realise that.”
Since his victory at the December 29 polls, Hylton asserted that his constituents are ready and rearing to go in order to better their circumstances and their communities. Regard-
ing Long Mountain, Hylton said that having been close to the community over the past three and a half years, it is one of the least problematic. “Long Mountain is a fairly new area and it’s a gated community as well, so you don’t have a huge security problem, you don’t have a road problem. There’s maybe the occasional water problem that you have to get involved with,” he said.
With so many di!erent plates to keep spinning at once, does Hylton ever find time to relax and unwind? “I’m one of those persons who believes in life and there’s just so much to life… I love spending time with family and friends. I love making new friends. There is no one thing that I do. Sometimes I’m out of town, sometimes I’m in town. Sometimes I just sleep,” he laughed. Hylton admitted that he is not a sports enthusi-ast, but he “fools around” with golf, football and tennis for exercise and he watches the occasional good football game.
As he prepared to leave for lunch with Guy Theodore, the Rotary Club’s District Governor for the Caribbean, Hylton was moved to thank his supporters in Long Mountain as well as commend all residents who voted, regardless of their po-litical a"liation. “I’d also like to ask the people of Long Moun-tain to help, because we have a lot less fortunate brothers and sisters that need help. We have groups that need mentoring, we have children that need mentoring, we have after-school programmes and youth clubs that need guidance, we have teenagers at risk and we need help in that regard.”
Residents interested in partnering with Hylton can send emails to: [email protected]
Hylton (right), a 17-year member of the Rotary Club of Kingston, with Guy Theodore, the Rotary Club’s District Governor for the Caribbean region.
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11
Best Garden Competition
he search is on to find the LMCC’s finest garden and the winner will be selected by you, the Long Mountain Lifestyle eZine readers.
tale. The more of yourself that you put into your garden, the more personal it is. All good gardens are saturated with the personality and lives of their creators.
If you love your garden and believe it to be beautiful, then you should take part in the competition knowing that you have exactly the same chance of winning as anyone else. Do not be inhibited by a perceived lack of knowledge or limited range of plants. If you enjoy gardening, then that is reason enough to enter. And remember, the final judges will not be a terrify-ing panel of experts but you, the reader. You have absolutely nothing to lose by taking part - and potentially an awful lot to gain. Good luck!
HOW TO ENTER
garden to the property o"ce via email: [email protected]
number in the email.
of 12 gardens will be visited between March 28 - 31 to choose the finalists.
photographer Warren Buckle of eMedia Interactive, produc-ers of this eZine. The pictures will be displayed in a dedicated publication of the eZine and readers will be able to vote for their favourite.
-line voting will then run until April 14. The winner, who will re-ceive a special prize, will be announced on Saturday, April 28.
NOTE: The competition is for amateur gardeners only.
;OL�O\U[�PZ�VU�[V�ÄUK�34**�»Z�ILZ[�NHYKLU��� eZine readers will select the winner
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Home & Garden
t doesn’t matter what size your garden is, there are a few basic tips that seem to apply to all gardens, in all situations. And don’t forget, it is not just a case of making your garden look good for the photographs
you send in, it should also be about developing your per-sonal space.
If your application to our competition is shortlisted, you will receive a visit from our judges # that visit will be cru-cial. Obviously, you want to present your garden at its very best, but before you take your final photographs, make the initial picture truly representative of your gar-den.
HERE IS THE RECIPE FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR GARDEN:
1) Take lots of pictures and then, very objectively, go through them as though you had never seen your garden before. Play up your strengths rather than trying to hide your weaknesses. None of us is good at everything and every gardener has certain plants or styles of gardening they are more comfortable with.
2) There is no one garden style that is more likely to win than any other. Keep it simple. It is a mistake to try to cram a garden with too much. Most gardens go wrong when they try to do too much, either with quantity or style.
3) Simplicity usually looks good, whereas complexity very easily becomes a cluttered mess. Do not tidy up too much. Charm is a vital part of any successful garden and will always forgive a certain looseness or even the odd weed. This is not a competition to see how techni-cally good you are as a gardener, but rather how nice your garden is.
4) Be true to yourself, even if that means being slightly scru!y. However, you must really tidy up all the edges. Clip hedges and topiary, weed paths and have plenty of clear vertical lines. It is amazing how forgiving the eye is of infill as long as the edges are clean.
5) To really make things look good, have a big tidy and clear-out 48 hours before you photograph it or the judg-es visit, to allow the garden time to settle.
6) Finally, never attempt to guess what people might want or admire. It is your garden that we want to see. Be proud of it and share your pleasure and pride with us.
DID YOU KNOW?A bright but overcast day is the ideal time to photo-graph your garden. On sunny days, early morning is best, while the light is still soft and shadows not too long.
How To Make The Most Of Your Garden
I
arenting today has changed significantly since the time of your grandparents or maybe even your mother. If you’re a career mom or dad who is juggling the de-
mands of work and family, you might find that you don’t get to give your kids as much time as you would like.
This does not make you a bad parent, but it is important that your time spent with them involves learning about their likes and dislikes outside of the home. Do you know their friends? What their favourite band is or even what they spend so much time doing on the computer? If not, then it’s time you work on knowing about all aspects of their lives. Here are some tips:
Spend some time doing what they like. If you bought them a video game, then spend time playing the games with them. This will allow you to casually ask them questions and discuss di!erent topics with them, ranging from sports, ca-reer goals and even relationships. They will notice your at-tempt at reaching out to them and will feel more comfortable disclosing information. You’ll probably now even assume the title of ‘cool’ parent.
Get to know their friends. Invite their friends over for a party or sleepover, and spend some quality time gleaning whatever information you can. They say birds of a feather flock together, so his/her friends might be a good indica-tion of what your child is or isn’t doing. They’ll probably feel
weird initially, but as you interact with them on a casual level, they might start relaxing and their true personalities will shine through. Be observant and make note of how your child in-teracts with his/her friends.
Communication is key. Ask them questions without judgement. Your kids must feel like they can trust you and sometimes the direct route is the best option. If there is something that you need to know about your child, you should be able to ask and get a reasonable enough answer. Depending on the relationship, your child might or might not respond favourably, but you should at least attempt to engage them. Focus on talking to, instead of talking at your child. They know the di!erence and will immediately get de-fensive if you choose the latter.
Make a game of it. There are many ‘getting to know your family’ games that you can play at the dinner table. One ex-ample is for you to put di!erent questions in a box and have each family member pull one out. The person decides who they will ask each question. You can include questions such as: What are you most afraid of ? Who is your favourite ar-tiste? What career path do you want to pursue? While you should ensure that it’s fun for the kids, also take mental notes of their responses. Without even realising it, you will find that they sometimes reveal very personal information that gives insight into their actions.
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Family
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Past Issues
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