2019 Fall Newsletter
The pool season is coming to a close. It has been a great year at our pools. We will close out the season with over 21,000 owners and guest having used our facilities this summer. As we close the pools this year, we will be installing new pool covers on them to help with Winter maintenance as well as hopefully helping us to get them ready quicker in the Spring.
If you haven’t looked at our website, www.chaletvillageownersclub.com, lately take a look at the fresh look it has been given. Thru our website developer, Brainstorm Café, we were able to take some drone photographs of our clubhouses to give them a different perspective.
We also have an official Chalet Village Owners Club Facebook page. If you would like to join the group go to Facebook and search for Chalet Village Owners Club, Inc. If you are a property owner in Chalet Village, we would love to have you join us. We will try to post items of interest to our owners and should be more timely than updates on the website itself. For those of you who check the owner’s section of the website, the login is ownerscvoc (all lowercase). The password is BADEN1319 (all uppercase).
A BIG thank you to a number of our homeowners who took the challenge of our treasurer, Stan Johnson, and made a donation to our North Clubhouse Landscaping fund. We raised $2500 that will be used this coming year to replace plants that were destroyed by the fires in 2016. We really appreciate all of our homeowners who donated to this cause. We are in the preparation stages for what we will actually plant. This summer we have been attacking the invasive plants that are taking over the landscape since the fires.
IS THIS YOUR TRASH??
The Bears have been very active this year! We have had a mother and 2 cubs, a mother and 3 cubs, a mother and 4 cubs, a single yearling bear, and a huge male bear at the clubs this summer. The mothers with the cubs have been the most frequent visitors. Along with the beauty of seeing the bears, comes the unsightly mess they make from trash that is not properly secured. It is very important that everyone be diligent in the condition of their garbage can holders. Many people do not truly realize the strength of these bears! They can take the lid of a metal garbage can holder and peel it back like a sardine can. Please make sure your container is secure. If you rent your property, make sure to leave instructions to your guest to make sure garbage is in the container and secured properly.
CLUBHOUSE RENTALS
As a property owner in Chalet Village you and your guests have the right to rent one of our clubhouse banquet facilities. The North Clubhouse and the South Clubhouse both have banquet rooms that are perfect for family reunions, weddings, receptions, birthday parties, anniversary parties, business meetings, etc. Both clubhouses have full kitchen facilities where you can cook or have your event catered. The basic rental of the clubhouse gives you access to tables and chairs, pots, pans, dishes, and silverware. We have other items available for an additional charge such as table linens, chafing dishes, etc. Contact the club office at 865-436-4440 for pricing.
WORDS FROM Our president, Patrick Potter
Several years ago, I read the book “Who Moved My Cheese” which was published in 1998. It is a short amusing read that illustrates how people react to change and how we can manage change more constructively.
The Chalet Village Owners Club has just undergone a tremendous amount of change during the last year. We have a new President and Vice President (Rebecca Helton). We also have a new Facilities Manager (Ken Webster) and Maintenance Engineer (Darren Phillips) who are both doing a fantastic job.
Our beautiful Smoky Mountains has undergone the most change. We lost over 500 homes in the November 2016 fires and we have approximately 200 that have been rebuilt. Our beautiful mountains are now being invaded by kudzu. The Chalet Village Owners Board is working on a solution with help from state and local government, but it’s going to take time and a lot of support.
Success will elude us if we stay status quo. The board has been brainstorming during our monthly meetings and I talk to Ken daily, sometimes two or three times a day. We are working on a five-year plan outlining where we want CVOC to be in five years. We want to set realistic goals that can be obtained and will need help from our owners.
Our annual Octoberfest meeting will be held on Oct. 26, 2019. Since Halloween is a few days later, your board has decided to make this event a “Halloween Costume Party.” We want you to wear a costume and join us for a FUN EVENING! Now, I am going to guess that it’s been a long time since many of you attended a costume party. So, you have two months to either make, buy, or borrow a costume. Prizes will be given for the best costume! We are also going to have a pumpkin decorating contest so bring your carved pumpkin to display for everyone to enjoy.
We now have a Face Book Page for property owners only in Chalet Village. If you are on social media please send us a request to join @ Chalet Village Owners Club, Inc. Please note this FB page is for Property Owners Only!
If you have never attended an Octoberfest Party then I would ask you why not?
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future”.
John F. Kennedy
CVOC FIREWISE CORNER BY KIMBERLY CLARK
After the Wildfire: Building Anew in Chalet Village North
Since November 28, 2016, much has changed on our mountain. Our trees and understory are growing back, blessed by abundant rains, as the fire trees decay rebuilding our soils. Loss and rebirth are all around with many new rebuilt homes and the sound of songbirds and laughter from those who live and visit.
Building anew has its challenges, but with Firewise practices as our guide on how to rebuild our homes and landscape to mitigate fire damages, as well as encourage our natural habitats to be restored, we can be responsible for our future living on this mountain.
What you can do:
-Get a home assessment to guide your rebuild and maintenance of your property. Contact Kimberly at jawpeople@gmail.com.
-Use Firewise suggested plants that are more resistive to wildfire to replant and encourage native regrowth to reduce runoff and soil erosion. Mudslides occur on bare slopes. Since everything is downhill here, each property affects another. Felling fire trees across the slope slows rain runoff and holds soil to promote native regrowth.
https://articles.extension.org/pages/32729/selecting-firewise-plants
-Identify native verses unwanted alien species – Our most invasive species are kudzu and princess trees(Paulownia). Both are taking over and crowding out our native species, reducing understory plants and promoting erosion.
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/non-natives.htm
Jul 8, 2015
-Succession after wildfire is a natural process in forest ecosystems. Black locust is abundant, but not always preferred, due to their thorns. Since they can fix nitrogen, they are the first to grow back helping to shade and fertilize other native. Let them grow and select which to cut away, as native redbuds, dogwoods, oak and maple grow underneath.
-As we move into Fall, it is easier to prune and select without heavy foliage to deal with. For assistance with tree trimming and maintenance, we will have our chipper from the Tennessee State Department of Forestry November 1 to 17. To sign up to chip trees and brush, contact Pete, petejucher@gmail.com.
Simple solutions over time by implementing Firewise practices will mitigate impacts of wildfires on our mountain. Working together creates community and provides a network to aide the restoration of our mountain and the protection of all who live here.
For more information: burnsafetn.org/firewise.ht
Rebuild reminder
Anyone who is contemplating rebuilding or building for the first time in Chalet Village must turn in their plans, building materials, and contractor information to the Homeowner’s Association for approval (MB32/208 – pg1, paragraph 3). A permit once received has to be posted on the job site. If you have questions, contact the Homeowner’s Assn. office at 865-436-4440
OCTOBERFEST HALLOWEEN PARTY
Make plans to attend our annual Octoberfest pot luck on October 26th beginning at 6:00 PM. This year we will be celebrating Octoberfest and Halloween so come enjoy an evening of socializing with other Chalet Village owners. Beverages will include beer, soda, water, coffee and tea. You are welcome to BYOB, if you prefer something else to drink. Please bring a side dish to share including, but not limited to salads, appetizers, casseroles, and desserts to name a few. We look forward to having a great time of fellowship!
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