East Village Community News - 1/10/14

*This column is re-run from the East Village Echo column, which is printed bi-weekly in the Montgomery Village Newspaper; this edition ran on 1/10/14. 

Street Light Improvements – Update

East Village Homes Corporation (EVHC)’s contractor, Lighting Maintenance, is continuing their progress in replacing the original 30 year old street light fixtures throughout East Village, with new energy-efficient LED fixtures. In what has been a culmination of a three year planning process, that included: a State matching grant obtained with the assistance of District 39 State Senator, Nancy King; testing of six different light fixtures within the Wethersfield community; examination of police reports; work with PEPCO and several lighting vendors to identify cost savings and available fixtures; and work with the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), including Community Officer, Scott Zimmerman, to provide input and recommendation on the light fixtures.

Why LED light fixtures? LEDs have extremely long lives that average 100,000 hours. They do not contain toxic chemicals including mercury. They have a reduced maintenance cost. LEDs are highly energy-efficient and have double the energy-efficiency of a compact fluorescent. LEDs reduce carbon emissions. They are also less attractive to nocturnal insects. The color rendering index of LEDs is much improved over other light fixtures, and both helps drivers identify potential road hazards, as well as identified as ideal night time lighting by the MCPD in providing clearer descriptions of individuals when someone calls them to report an incident.

The new fixtures represent a significant cost savings to the East Village community as a whole, in reducing the monthly electric costs that are paid through assessments. EVHC kept the traditional look of the original light fixtures, when choosing the new housing and covers for the new light fixtures. Over time, the original light fixtures lost their light output ability, even with new bulbs installed and cleaning of the old housing; the frequency of bulb changes and maintenance required also added to the ongoing costs to maintain them. Street lights assist emergency personnel in reading street signs and house numbers during emergencies; they also assist in visibility and safety of pedestrians and cars on the streets of the community; and they assist community visitors, taxis, and delivery services in reading street signs and house numbers. Street light fixtures represent only part of the total lighting plans for the communities, and as a reminder, residents need to have their outside home light fixtures lit at night to complete the full necessary lighting of the community, to increase visibility and enhance safety for everyone.

EVHC’s contractor, Lighting Maintenance, has completed approximately half of the community’s light fixture retrofits, with full completion by late winter. Please stay tuned more updates in this bi-weekly article, the EVHC Facebook page, and at the EVHC Board of Directors’ meetings.

EVHC Board of Directors – Call for Candidates

Three seats on the EVHC Board of Directors are up for election in March 2014, and candidate applications are due by Monday, January 13, 2014 at 5pm. Directors are elected to 3-year terms, these positions are unpaid, and carry an average time commitment of 4 hours/month. If you are interested in getting involved in key decisions that affect your community, please e-mail us at: eastvillagehc@mvf.org , or call 301-948-0110 x2325, or visit the MVF office at 10120 Apple Ridge Road, to apply.

EVHC’s Reserve Study – In Progress

EVHC has contracted with a vendor to prepare a Reserve Study, to help update projections on when major maintenance expenditures will be needed to community property, as well as project the necessary contributions to the Reserve Fund, and assist with future budgeting to ensure funds are available. EVHC’s Reserve Committee members have met with the contractor to review the draft data and adjust projections where applicable. An updated report is expected at our January 21, 2014 Board meeting.

EVHC Board Meeting

The next East Village Homes Corporation (EVHC) Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for 7:30pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2014, at the Lake Marion Community Center. As always, these meetings are open to public, and each meeting begins with Residents’ Time for residents to ask questions or make comments. Please limit comments to three minutes to allow time for all residents to speak.

East Village Communications

East Village is on Facebook!  Please visit: http://www.facebook.com/eastvillagehc , or search “East Village Homes Corporation.” Be sure to “Like” our page to receive updates. Our Community Manager and the EVHC BOD always want to hear from residents; if you have questions, suggestions or just kudos, please e-mail us at: eastvillagehc@mvf.org , or call us at: 301-948-0110 x2325.