Town Crier Articles

New Town Talks

Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7pm

Topic – March Madness

Speaker: Sean Kearney, Associate Commissioner, Men’s Basketball, Atlantic 10 Conference

Bio: Sean has worked in Division 1 College Athletics since 1986 (35 years). He has coached at Providence College, Philadelphia University (formerly Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science), Northwestern University, University of Delaware, University of Notre Dame, Holy Cross, and University of Colorado in Boulder. He has worked at all levels from volunteer through Head Coach. He has worked in broadcasting as well, doing color for ESPN Sports and local radio in South Bend, IN. He played at the University of Scranton.

Sean will speak about the upcoming Atlantic 10 Conference tournament and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic. He will also take questions during this informal discussion.

 

         

Of the 27 BMPs in New Town, only three are true BMPs, retention ponds that contain water at all times, and are clearly visible to passersby. The remaining structures are “bio-filters” or Bio Retention Basins (BRBs) that help with the maintenance of the BMPs. BRBs are water filters which syphon off stormwater impurities before reaching the BMPs. They do this through a layered system of gravel and mulch in an effort to maintain the integrity of the BMPs and to avoid expensive dredging costs more often than should be necessary for maintaining the BMPs according to County standards. James City County’s criteria for maintaining BMPs contains specific strategies. Semi-annual mowing, generally in the spring and the fall, no more than 6-8 inches from the ground, repair of holes and bare areas in all concrete structures, and maintenance of flow pipes to make sure they are not broken or overgrown with vegetation.  

New Town employs two contractors to meet the County BMP criteria for structural maintenance. Mowings are covered in our current landscaping contract and the structural and water treatment needs are contracted to Aquatic Resources Management (ARM) for which $3,200 is currently budgeted. ARM repairs broken concrete, treats for mosquitoes by adding an algaecide colorant dye to the water to inhibit larvae from hatching, and applies a herbicide preventative to the water to inhibit cattail growth.

Of the three BMPs, the large wet pond at the end of Olive Drive in Charlotte Park will be turned over to NTRA ownership in the near future. The two remaining BMPs (located behind the Goddard School and adjacent to the SunTrust parking lot) are owned by the New Town Commercial Association.  New Town’s BRBs are more numerous.  Four are owned outright by the NTRA and are located at the corner of Casey and Town Creek Drive, the corner of Town Creek Drive and Lydias Drive, and in Magnolia Park (Rollison Drive and Luanne Way). Four BRBs are currently owned by Atlantic Homes but will similarly transfer to the NTRA in the very near future.  All are located in Charlotte Park: at the termination of Rollison Drive, behind the homes on Olive Drive, (most notably behind 4408 Olive) and at the termination of Christine Court. Two BRBs in Shirley Park are also owned by Atlantic Homes but will be turned over to the NTRA later.  As with the BMPs, the BRBs are also governed by JCC maintenance guidelines.  In 2018 for example, several BRBs, including the one at Christine Court, were cited for contaminating silt and in need of repair or replacement of special soil, mulch, and vegetation.

Village Walk has two BMPs, and their management and maintenance have not had smooth sailing.  Among other problems, they have had serious conservation issues such as damaged fencing and invasive vegetation that have threatened the integrity of their retainment walls, one 15 feet high and upon which the homes on Greenview are located, and another 30 feet high next to the homes on Trailview & Trailside. (See photos) Addressing the maintenance needs of these BMPs has been problematic, because their conservation has been compromised by the insolvency of AIG Baker the original developer of Settlers Market who once owned them.  Without clear ownership, meeting the County criteria for structural repairs and maintenance has not been possible. There has, however, been a recent breakthrough in the conundrum.   

An October walk-about with County representatives and interested Village Walk homeowners reviewed all the issues needing correction to meet County BMP maintenance criteria, such as the removal of vegetation growth, silt fencing repair, the cleaning out of basin trash and debris, and structural repairs and modifications of pipes and channels. With assistance from County staff, the Board of Directors was able to contact the current responsible party--Rosenthal, a property management company based in Northern Virginia. Rosenthal will be addressing the County concerns and has hired Triad Construction Company to begin maintenance of both BMPs soon. All County conservation issues will be addressed on these BMPs, including the removal of invasive vegetation that can be very destructive to the retaining structures and repair of damaged fencing. Phase I, to include the clearing of the access roads to both ponds, the removal of old silt fencing, and the eradication of all brush between fence and retaining walls, begins this week. Crews working 10-hour days should be able to complete Phase I in 3 to 4 weeks. Larger repairs will be addressed in the new year.

 

 

 

Twelve months ago, I was celebrating Christmas and New Year in the U.K. and as Brits this is our biggest celebration (unless you are Scottish and then it is all about ‘Hogmanay’).  On Christmas Eve, the kids will leave out a traditional British mince pie, a glass of sherry for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.  This year, my boys are also leaving him a bottle of hand sanitizer to stop Santa turning into a one-man super spreader.  Christmas Day includes serving turkey with ‘pigs in blankets’ (sausages wrapped in bacon), pulling crackers (the tiny explosive devices that contain a paper hat, a joke, and an awful plastic toy) and watching the Queens speech at 3pm.  Traditionally celebrated with family and close friends, Christmas day rolls into Boxing Day, which is a national holiday in the U.K. and we continue our celebrations by visiting those we did not see on Christmas Day.   No sooner is that complete, and our thoughts turn to New Year, including what we should eat (it’s all about the food) and who we should celebrate with.  This year looks different for us with our family many miles away, so we thought we would take a look at how others are celebrating around the world.

 

One of the biggest Spanish (and Mexican) New Year’s traditions is to eat one grape on every chime of the last 12 seconds of the year so that by the time it strikes midnight, you will have stuffed a total of 12 grapes into your mouth. If you manage to chew and swallow them in time, it is said to bring you good luck for the entire year. 

 

In Scotland, New Year’s Eve is known as ‘Hogmany’, is celebrated traditionally through ‘first-footing’, which starts immediately after midnight. This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts such as salt, coal, shortbread, whisky, and black bun (a rich fruit cake), intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder. Food and drink (as the gifts) are then given to the guests.

 

New Year’s Eve is known as ‘Silvester’ in Germany and also marks the feast of St Sylvester.  Friends will wish each other ‘Prost Neujahr!’ or Guten Rausch, which literally means ‘good slide,’ and is said to wish someone good luck as the new year comes round. 

A little-known tradition in some parts of Germany is to melt small pieces of lead in a spoon over a candle, then pour the liquid into cold water. The bizarre shapes from the Bleigießen (lead pouring) are supposed to reveal what the year ahead will bring. If the lead forms a ball, luck will roll one’s way, while the shape of a crown means wealth; a cross signifies death and a star will bring happiness.

 

In some parts of the south of Ireland there is a custom called the "New Year's Swim".  In the morning of the New Year many people dive into the cold sea, but only for a few minutes.

 

In some areas of Mexico, it is traditional to leave lentils at your door on New Year’s eve or eat lentil soup before midnight, wear red (or yellow) underwear. 

If lentils are not appealing, then it is also traditional to wear brightly colored underwear.  Different colors symbolize different things, for example, red signifies love; white underwear brings peace and calm and attracts dignity; wear green for good health; and orange for wisdom.

You can also burn your negative thoughts – make a list and burn it (safely), and legend states that bad vibes won’t come back to haunt you.

 

A Danish New Year’s Eve tradition is to throw plates and dishes against friend’s and neighbor’s front doors. The bigger the pile of broken china is the next morning, the more friends and good luck you’ll have in the coming year. Another custom in Denmark is the jumping off chairs at midnight, symbolizing the leap into the New Year.

 

In Ecuador, people build scarecrow-like to set them alight. Burning the año viejo (old year) is meant to destroy all the bad things from the last year and cleanse for the new.

 

In Naples, people toss everything from toasters to fridges off their balconies. Getting rid of old possessions symbolizes a fresh start in the new year. It is worth knowing before you try this that most locals stick to small and soft objects to avoid injuries!

 

At midnight, Buddhist temples all over Japan ring their bells 108 times to dispell the 108 evil passions all human beings have, according to Buddhism. Japanese believe that joyanokane, the ringing of the bells, will cleanse them from their sins of the previous year. Traditionally, 107 bells are rung on the last day of the year and the 108th in the new year. In addition, many people eat buckwheat noodles called toshikoshi soba on New Year’s Eve to symbolize the wish for a long life.

 

 

Seven years ago, Michelle Daikos, was an interior designer, until her then pet care provider, who was in need of some extra sitters, asked Michelle if she’d like to help out by walking a few dogs for her on the weekends.  Michelle did so--and loved the experience so much, she decided to start her own pet sitting company.  Wagging Tails has operated in the Greater Williamsburg Area since then, but Michelle, a brand-new resident in New Town, now manages Wagging Tails out of her new home in Chelsea Green.  Michelle “loves living in New Town,” where she can walk everywhere to services and entertainments and where “everyone is so friendly.”

And New Town is fortunate to have Wagging Tails in its midst.  Five-time winner of The Virginia Gazette’s Best Pet Sitting Business in Williamsburg and recently, the 2020 Neighborhood Favorite as the Best Pet Service in Williamsburg by Nextdoor, Wagging Tails is not the common variety pet sitting business that utilizes neighborhood amateurs.  “We are an elite service and have as many as 14 pet sitting professionals, throughout the year,” Michelle proudly declares.  “We strive, in every way, to excel in every category as the finest dog walking and pet sitting business in the Greater Williamsburg Area.  Many of New Town’s professionals who use our services tell us how much they value the care options we offer and the walking paths we make available.  We utilize New Town’s diversity of wooded trails and business routes to walk their dogs to not only address daily exercise needs but to enable their pets to socialize with their favorite four-legged neighbors.”  

Wagging Tails offers a variety of pet services to its clientele.  Besides pet walking, it offers a Pet Taxi service, transporting client pets to and from doggie day care or the vet and an overnight service which provides an overnight pet sitter in the client’s own home.  In addition, there is a “Bed and Biscuit” option that offers pet care in the sitter’s own home.

“We are expanding our services, currently,” says Michelle, “to include a new program called Nails and Trails which offers walking, nail trimming, and ear cleaning, as well.   We hope to offer a full line of pet grooming services in the very near future.”

In response to a question about the challenges of COVID for the business, Michelle replied, “Wagging Tails closely monitors the CDC and WHO recommendations in regards to containing the spread of COVID-19.  Our team members are committed to taking every health precaution possible and strictly abide by all the safety and health guidelines available.  In addition, we offer a no-contact service.  The safety of our clients and their pets and our own team members are, at all times, of utmost concern.  All our sitters wear facial masks and bring their own leashes.

Wagging Tails website can be found at https://waggingtailsdogwalker.com/ or just pick up the phone and call Michelle at 757-230-7960.  You can email Michelle, as well, at waggingtailsofwmbg@gmail.com.

When you are out and about in New Town, keep an eye out for the Wagging Tails’ Pet Mobile!

 

           

After notification, an LAC member, or in some instances, a Town Management employee, will visit the site, evaluate the situation, then recommend whether to consult the landscape company or solicit bids from vendors. Budgeting for the removal and replacement of trees is the next step, which can delay fixes especially if a tree falls unexpectedly. Trees are a budget priority for 2021.

 

As important as it is to respond quickly to reported “issues,” HOA communities are urged to keep up a regular program of maintenance for tree and landscape features. Specific New Town trees have been identified as being in need of professional attention, but in general the LAC found in April 2020 that most of the residential area trees are in good health.

 

Trees need to be pruned correctly in order to withstand heavy winds and storms. To grow and flower they will require nourishment. Insecticide treatments, protection from freezing temperatures, and mulching are all important. Removing, repurchasing and replanting a tree is more costly by far than maintaining existing ones.

 

There is a downside to calling a tree “dead” and removing it too quickly. Often the soil must be treated. The group of trees planted at the same time will no longer be the same size or age. It takes 5 to 7 years for a tree to mature and that wait may be hard for some residents.  There may be times when the ticket suggests, “tree is dead, needs to be removed” but involving a specialist can actually save the tree and money. That was evident in 2017. An arborist from Bartlett Trees with a great deal of expertise in saving trees recommended pruning and fertilizing 36 failing trees at a total cost of $500 rather than replacing all 36 trees at $500 per tree.

 

Patience, accumulated knowledge and experience, good will and an appreciation for those “roots” that bind our community to a grand vision, will go a long way to dealing with most issues.

 

*Look for next month’s article about choosing, planting and maintaining trees on your property.

 

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• Adding documents to the website that the previous BOD had not made available, e.g. 
  • NTRA Financial Reports
  • Replacement Reserves Study

• Sharing BOD meeting agendas well in advance of monthly meetings

• Website Calendar: posting Zoom links to all public NTRA meetings (If you find a broken link, please use the meeting number and password to log in.)

• Hosting a new dedicated Board of Directors page – all homeowner-controlled BOD bios, meeting agendas, minutes, etc. are in one location. No need to hunt for relevant decisions.

• Providing opportunities for residents to comment: through the website ticketing system or beneath Town Crier articles.

• Building and reorganizing our FAQs to cover common questions.

• "Notices" page of website – putting the latest NTRA news immediately on the first page after you log into the site

• Monthly Crier articles on Board actions – to provide some context/background and explanation for important topics (e.g. this month’s Budget Challenges piece, Opt-out landscaping, bench refurbishment)

• Eblasts

• Facebook posts, e.g. security situation in Charlotte Park

• Monitoring all “Report an Issue” website entries and reporting to the BOD (e.g. we added a new “streetlight problem” category to correct confusion on which Committee/group to select)

• Pursuing Committees’ obligations under the NTRA’s governing documents to share meeting records in a timely manner.

To stay informed of the information most important to homeowners, be sure you are registered on the NTRA website:  www.ntrawilliamsburg.org. Not only is the website the source for documents, but registered users also receive eblasts from the Association. All New Town residents, including tenants and New Town Commercial Association members, may register on the site. Be sure your contact information is current or you may miss important news!

Public information is available through the NTRA’s Town Crier articles and Facebook pages (https://www.facebook.com/NewTownResidentialAssociation). Have you “liked” our Facebook page? These public pages also mean that anything you comment on there is seen by the general public. 

How can you help? The information we publish is only as good as the information that we are aware of. We are not mind readers.

Per Randy Casey-Rutland of Town Management, “Good communications via the website relies on NTRA Committees, the NTRA Board, and Town Management working well and working together.”

Roper Park was examined on two occasions, first in 1990, and again in 2004, when New Town Associates, LLC, commissioned studies in anticipation of a US Army Corps of Engineers permit application for construction as part of their development of New Town. Mr. Lewes’ maps showed the location of archeological ‘hotspots’ and explained how the digs were conducted. Slides showed the location of building and farmstead remains, including a well-preserved brick foundation with brick hearth outline and a ‘robber hole,’ described as an area dug out to retrieve previously used and buried material. Types of household items found in the different dirt strata included nails and other building materials and ceramic fragments, largely pearlware and whiteware, which were in popular use in the first half of the 19th century. The sites have been covered up to preserve what remains underground and markers have been placed around Roper Park to provide some of its history. The items removed from the site are in storage at the William & Mary archeological lab.

 

While most of the findings in New Town are from the mid-19th century Roper farm, Mr. Lewes said that sites of prehistoric occupation on local stream valleys, some as old as 8000 years ago, have been documented, including in an area near the commercial parking lot east of New Town Avenue. Another site of interest is behind Legacy Hall. 

The period following the American Revolution was a time of decline in the Tidewater as the capital was moved to Richmond, the soil was depleted by overproduction of tobacco, plantations were divided and many people went west in search of better opportunity. Much information has been lost because James City County sent many records to a central warehouse near Richmond for safekeeping. These were destroyed during the southern retreat from Petersburg to Appomattox when the warehouse storing land records caught fire by mistake as the Confederates set fire to stores of tobacco and other valuable goods to keep them out of Union hands. 

Military mapping from the Civil War era shows a wooded site where the Roper farmstead had been. Other items of interest on the maps are the names of local property owners. On one Confederate map is an area marked as ‘Negro’ with no name attribution.  Mr. Lewes said there were many free blacks in the region, especially in the Centerville area. Confederate maps did not include names for these landholders, but many are believed to have come from Greensprings Plantation when its owner manumitted all his slaves for religious reasons and gave them property in the Jolly Pond area, where many descendants still reside.

Other information that was preserved through tax, census and court records show the changing ownership, make up and value of the Roper homestead, beginning with Randolph Roper in the early 1800’s. Only the owner’s name is provided in these records, the names of other residents, both free and enslaved, is not recorded. Records continue through a man named Tolliver (Taliaferro) who developed a plan for a residential subdivision in 1912 that never came to fruition. He then sold to the Caseys, owners of property near where Blair Middle School stands today.  The Casey family held the tract until the late 20th century, and the rest is New Town history.

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If you missed it, here is David Lewes’ presentation: https://www.ntrawilliamsburg.org/admin2/adminfiles/filemanager.php

Also in response to questions about the prehistoric sites found in the New Town area, Mr. Lewes provided the following link to a report about nearby prehistoric sites that Center archeologists investigated as part of the planning process for the Route 199 project.

Additional information on Roper Homestead property ownership, occupation and the excavations can be found in a previous Town Crier article “History in Our Midst—Roper Park” from July 2019.

The Finance Committee (FC) has been meeting since early August to address the 2021 New Town Residential Association (NTRA) Budget. Committees have provided input which has been evaluated and incorporated in budget reviews with the Board of Directors (BOD) during October. Forecasted 2020 year-end actuals have guided the recommendations by expense line item for 2021. 

The purpose of this article is to share with Owners the focus areas and the discussion that has occurred as background and preparation for the 2021 Budget Town Hall Meeting (via Zoom this year) scheduled for November 19th at 6:00PM. In light of the exterior maintenance challenges in Village Walk (see discussion below), a special Zoom presentation for Village Walk owners is scheduled for November 18th at 6PM. The BOD wishes to be completely transparent with the community.

Covid-19: While we don’t know when a vaccine will be widely available, we have assumed that Covid-19 will have an impact on Pool Operations in 2021, and that the NTRA will need to institute similar processes to 2020 for much, if not all, of the pool season. This comes with an incremental cost. In 2020, this cost was approximately $10K which funded a full time Pool Attendant and paid for signage and cleaning. In 2020, landscape projects and Activities Committee events, although funded, were not undertaken largely because of incremental, unanticipated Covid-19 expenses and, in the case of activities, the need for social distancing. We are investigating whether the pool contractor can provide Covid-19 services as part of their 2021 contract. Activities will, undoubtedly, continue to be impacted in 2021. However, the NTRA should be able to proceed with landscaping projects. We are assuming Covid-19 related expenses will be around $9K and will be funded from Operating Reserves.  

Managing Agent Audit: Industry practice is to conduct a financial audit when a Homeowner’s Association (HOA) is turned over from the Developer to the Owners.  The FC believes that an audit is prudent. This would be a one-time cost to the NTRA on the order of $7-9K. We have identified two CPA firms in Virginia Beach that are associated with the Communities Association Institute (CAI).  In order to get a firm quote, financial statements and tax returns must be provided.  Our numbers are an estimate.

Landscaping: The Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC) has submitted $40K of priority one projects.  The projects include: tree removal, planting new trees, tree pruning (the current landscape contract covers pruning up to 12 feet), and plantings around the pool and in the clock tower garden at Village Walk (VW). In addition, as we all know, the turf in New Town is not conducive to warm weather. The LAC has proposed that we develop a Five Year Turf Plan using a phased approach, to evaluate whether it makes sense to install warm weather grass (Bermuda) in New Town’s common areas.  A breakout of these costs is as follows:

The BOD is evaluating these costs in light of their impact on assessments. However, we have fallen behind in this area. Landscaping funds were budgeted for 2020 but no activity took place because of Covid-19 as explained above.

Capital Contributions and Administrative Fees: At closing, when buying a new home, the buyer or seller (if negotiated with the buyer) pays a capital contribution fee and an administrative fee. The capital contribution goes directly into the NTRA’s replacement reserves. The administrative fee goes into the operating checking account. VW has an additional capital contribution for exterior maintenance. These fee amounts have to be set in a prudent way in that they impact buyers, sellers and owners. We have surveyed other local HOAs (Ford’s Colony, Governor’s Land, Kingsmill) and believe that our fees are in line with other Associations in the area. The fees incorporated in the 2021 Budget are:

In 2021, fees will total $1,400 for new VW buyers and $950 for NTRA buyers.

Village Walk Irrigation: The irrigation system installed by the Developer, Eagle Homes, has been a source of dissatisfaction to owners for several years. VW irrigation and maintenance is an expense that VW owners pay for in their neighborhood assessment. The VW neighborhood assessment is paid by VW owners in addition to the NTRA assessment for townhomes and cottages. The dollar amount budgeted for 2020 maintenance and repair of the irrigation system was woefully inadequate at $1,500. Actuals for 2020 are projected at $12,000. The 2021 Budget will reflect $12,000. Focus on understanding and mapping this irrigation system will be a priority for the first quarter of 2021.  Although there are over 130 zones, no map of heads and pipes currently exists. Town Management, at the direction of the BOD, will hire an outside contractor to do this work.

Village Walk Painting: A quote has been received for roughly $240K to repaint all of the VW residences over a five (5) year period beginning in 2023. The painter, after inspecting the buildings, is recommending that this project begin in 2023. This is a Replacement Reserve expense which was not included in the latest 2019 Reserve Study (it should have been) and now must be included as an “add-on.” This expenditure from VW Replacement Reserves needs immediate focus.

Village Walk Miscellaneous Maintenance and Repair: Nothing was budgeted in 2020 for this. We have incurred actual expenses of $4.5K year to date and are forecasting that $6K will be spent in 2020.  The 2021 Budget reflects $12K for this expense. A recent needed roof repair was quoted at $3.6K. The cost of miscellaneous maintenance and repair is covered by the VW neighborhood assessment.

Replacement Reserve:  In 2021 we will begin to closely manage the Replacement Reserve Fund per a documented Replacement Reserve Policy and Procedure. The BOD will be involved in semi-annual reviews as we define a Five-Year Project List and gradually build up our Replacement Reserves. 

 

We believe that our projected 2020 ending balance, only 15 percent below the 2019 Study recommendation, does not represent a problem at this time for the Association. From this point forward we will build the Replacement Reserve Fund over time rather than approaching it as if we need to contribute $94,576 every year for 40 years. Our focus will be to fund to the 40-year goal of $4,245,382 with small annual but increasing replacement reserve contributions that will compound over time. This is a more reasonable approach.  Our major focus will be on needs for the next five to ten years. A Replacement Reserve Study is done every five (5) years with our next one planned for 2024. Things will change again and the 2024 Study will provide us with another recalibration point.

Charlotte Park resident, Len Scharf, has always enjoyed re-purposing things for uses other than what they were made for.  Since moving to New Town, and with the permission from building supervisors, a favorite pastime of Len's has been reclaiming pieces of house columns, here in our community, for the creation of a variety of household items from tables to decorative pedestals for ornamental items. Inspired by the book, From Bauhause to Birdhouse:  Imaginative Housing for the Feathered Community, by Leslie Garisto, Len deemed a column would make the perfect birdhouse stand for local birds.  

   

This article will focus on the last factor, the one that generates the most questions: maintenance.  What’s involved and how can homeowners help keep the lights on?

Here are some enlightening facts about our streetlight assets.

There are approximately 225 residential streetlights in New Town.

The NTRA is responsible for maintaining and repairing the streetlights in New Town. In the main, this includes those on streets and alleys, in parks and within many, but not all, parking lots. Since some lines of responsibility are difficult to delineate (as in “many, but not all”), the most efficient way for oversight to function at present, is for all problem reports to be submitted through the STREETLIGHT PROBLEM reporting system on the website. (See below). Town Management will receive and review all reports, and redirect any that should be handled by the Commercial Association or another entity. 

Neither V-DOT nor Dominion Power is involved with maintaining or repairing streetlights in New Town. 

Around 2013 NTRA initiated a program to retrofit the existing decorative streetlamps for the use of energy-efficient LED bulbs. The intent was to lower costs associated with frequent bulb replacement and to conserve energy. The changeovers occurred gradually, usually when bulb replacement or other maintenance was needed. To date about 50% of the residential streetlamps have been retrofit for LED usage (lighting for the new construction in Shirley Park is LED.) The remainder continue to use older-style bulbs, such as Mercury-Halide or CFL. Other types of exterior street lighting can be found in the commercial areas and parking lots.  

There are regular inspections of assets requiring maintenance (dog waste bins, street lights, walking paths, etc. Town Management personnel, maintenance staff, and NTRA committees, such as the Asset Maintenance Committee, assist. Because lighting problems are more easily detected at night, residents can be extremely helpful by reporting any issues seen in a timely fashion. 

All homeowners should become familiar with the NTRA website which provides a simple means of reporting problems.  From the MENU, under the RESIDENTS tab, select “REPORT AN ISSUE.”  From 11 options (e.g., Pool & Playgrounds, Finance, etc.) choose the newest tab, “STREETLIGHT PROBLEM.” 

Fill in requested information to help speed the repair:

Note that this article concerns Streetlight Issues, not major power outages that might occur due to a storm or hurricane. In those circumstances, residents would report outages to Dominion Virginia Power. Report the outage using a cell phone: 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).

We can all help keep the lights on. 

Tag at bottom of pole shows coded information needed when submitting a "STREETLIGHT PROBLEM" report

 

Streetlights were carefully selected to enhance the design elements of New Town residential neighborhoods.