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BOARD BUZZ - September 2026 by John Stratton, Director
Posted on Sep 1st, 2026

 
Celebrating New Town’s Volunteers and Committees
 
The residents serving on our New Town Residential Association (NTRA) committees continue to be one of our community’s greatest assets. In this edition of Board Buzz, the New Town Residential Association Board of Directors would like to send a heartfelt “THANK YOU” to those who continue to serve our community and improve the quality of life for our residents. Your efforts are noticed, appreciated, and integral to making this one of the most sought-after living communities in Williamsburg.
 
Last year, the Board adopted a Strategic Direction (which can be found here: Strategic Direction) focused on keeping New Town financially strong, well-maintained, connected, and a great place to live. Much of the work behind those goals happens through our eight volunteer committees.
 
Here are some of the many highlights and important things our committees and volunteers do to support the New Town community:
 
  • Activities Committee: The Activities Committee is one of our most visible and impactful committees, providing a wide variety of social events throughout the year. From the community Easter egg hunt and summer pool pizza party to the Holiday Party, William & Mary athletic socials, and the popular New Town Talks series, there is always something bringing neighbors together. Most recently, their evening poolside social was a tremendous success, with great food, music, and fun with neighbors. These events help keep our community connected, and we greatly appreciate the time and energy that goes into making them happen.
  • Architectural Review Committee (ARC): If you’ve added a patio, changed an exterior color, replaced a fence, or made another improvement to your home, you may have worked with our Architectural Review Committee. Our ARC volunteers review homeowner applications and uphold the architectural standards that keep New Town attractive while preserving the cohesiveness, architectural character, and overall value of our neighborhoods. We appreciate their attention to detail and high standards.
  • Asset Maintenance Committee: Much of the work of the Asset Maintenance Committee happens behind the scenes. These volunteers help oversee our annual exterior maintenance inspection program, identify common area maintenance needs, and help the Board prioritize future repair and replacement projects. Like the ARC, their work helps ensure both homes and shared community assets are well maintained for the long term.
  • Communications Committee: Since you are reading this, you are directly benefiting from the work of our Communications Committee. Though small, this team plays an important role in keeping residents informed and connected through this newsletter, our community website, social media, and other community updates. Their work helps ensure residents know what is happening throughout New Town and how it may affect them.
  • Emergency Preparedness Committee: The Emergency Preparedness Committee is always doing its best to provide residents with practical tips for handling whatever life throws at them. From storm preparation to basic and routine home maintenance lessons, their work and outreach provide a valuable resource for our residents. We appreciate their efforts to help make New Town a more prepared and resilient community.
  • Finance Committee: Behind the scenes, our Finance Committee puts in countless hours helping the Board develop the annual budget, manage Association funds responsibly, plan for future expenses, and protect our reserve funds. Their thoughtful work helps keep the NTRA on solid financial footing, and we greatly appreciate the time and expertise they provide.
  • Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC): The fingerprints of our Landscape Advisory Committee are all over New Town, helping give us a sense of pride in the beauty and appearance of our neighborhoods. These volunteers spend a lot of time walking our neighborhoods, talking with residents, working directly with our landscape contractors (Olde Capital and Phan’s), and identifying areas that need attention. From grass and trees to drainage, ground cover, and beautification projects, their work can be seen throughout New Town. We are especially grateful for the time they spend out in the community helping preserve the appearance that makes our neighborhoods special.
  • Pool Committee: One of New Town’s most popular—and certainly most fun—community assets doesn’t get ready for summer by itself. The Pool Committee does a great job every year working with both the community and pool management companies to ensure the pool is ready and looking good for pool season—and also appropriately winterized during the off season. Additionally, their planning and coordination with the community management staff is critical to ensuring our residents have current pool passes and pool access remains controlled and monitored. They even provide snacks and treats for the lifeguards who help keep us safe throughout the summer. We appreciate everything these volunteers do to make the pool such an enjoyable community amenity for our residents and guests.
Even this list doesn’t capture everything our volunteers do! We also want to thank the many residents serving on the Shirley Park Turnover Committee and those who organize and volunteer through the PORCH Food Drive. If we’ve overlooked a way that you are serving our community, please know that your contributions are noticed and appreciated as well.
 
If you are interested in joining one of our New Town committees or have other ideas on how you would like to serve the community, please reach out to the NTRA Board of Directors at ntrapresident@gmail.com.
 
Volunteer service is one of the things that makes New Town special. These residents give their time, energy, experience, and ideas simply because they care about our community. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors and the New Town community—THANK YOU. Your work makes New Town a better place to live.
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