...KACS FACTS...Spring 1997
Winter of '97...
Another season of cold, snow & winter fun is behind us and I pause to reflect upon the last 6 months. The winter never really got so cold as to cause ice dam problems or many frozen pipes. Most of the tenants behaved themselves. But there were problems... One house had a chimney fire that burned the top floor & roof off. Another house's water well dried up (with 15 people in the house!) KACS kept busy with some small remodeling projects, installing replacement windows and other work. While it rained a few times this winter, it also stayed cold & snowed in February & March, making for great snow conditions. I tried snowboarding a couple of times in March. Probably next year, when I forget how much pain I inflicted on myself, I will try it again.
PROJECTS...
This spring started off with a bang with two fairly substantial projects. One involved remodeling the outside of a home in Pico's Chalet Village, altering the look & functionality of the exterior. That job is still ongoing. The second project, also ongoing, is building a carport/canopy in front of Cascades Lodge. This job utilizes tasks that are somewhat new to us including setting 2000 lb. steel beams. It will be an impressive structure when complete in early May. Stop by Cascades & view all the work we have done there in the last two years.Property Management...
On May 1st, the property management agreements will expire. To have uninterrupted service, please sign and send back the duplicated last page as soon as possible. If you feel you want to cut back or suspend inspections for the summer months, just call or write me. There is no penalty. Here are the monthly rates (same as last year): nonce a month $0. once a month $20. twice a month $30. once a week $50.Maintenance...
This topic is as much fun as root canal but needs to be discussed. Most people would like some of the costly and onerous home maintenance tasks to go away. But like dental work, if let go, they can cause bad things to happen later. Septic systems are generally out of sight, out of mind. Tanks should be pumped at least every 3-4 years (Some say 2-3 years). The penalty for not doing this may be a failed leach field which is very costly to replace. The cost for pumping is about $200. Chimney flues need to be cleaned and inspected at least once a year, more so if woodstoves are used. The consequence of not doing this can be found in the first paragraph of this newletter. The cost is usually about $60-70. per flue. Exterior maintenance of buildings (roof, siding, decks, etc.) is important to take care of before major problems set in. Asphalt and wood shingles on a roof last 15-20 years, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer depending on conditions, material used & installation. A failed roof will cause structural and interior finish damage. Wood siding needs stain/paint anywhere from 5-8 years depending again on conditions & installation. Inspection & caulking of windows, doors & other problem areas should be an ongoing process. Exterior decks need to be inspected and checked for rot particularly if not constructed of pressure treated lumber. If desired, an thorough exterior inspection can be scheduled to assess what problem areas need to addressed. Call to set this up. Oil & gas burners should be serviced once a year. It is no fun to have the heat quit in the middle of winter. Fire extinguishers & smoke detectors need to be provided and maintained. I will check them if they are there.Other Stuff...
There is some other news that may affect you as homeowners in Killington. Last Fall, the Vermont Supreme Court decided that the current form of paying for education with local property taxes was unfair. The Vermont House legislature has passed an education funding reform bill that socks it to business & non-resident property owners (that's you) which would effectively raise our property taxes by 300%. The bill is now in the Senate. Does this sound like taxation without representation? Killington is planning to build a large hotel complex near Snowshed about where the Lodging building is now. The aging Villager condos, tennis courts & golf course pro shop would be demolished. Roaring Brook East would be re-routed in front of Mountain Green. Water for this project is to come from Pico and septic pumped over 2 miles to the pipeline to Rutland. Killington is also near to closing the land swap deal that will enable Killington & Pico to interconnect. The walk bridge across Route 4 for the Skyeship is supposed to happen this summer, as well as another addition to Ramshead. Are you amazed yet?Be well and happy until the next newsletter.
