2021 Summer Newsletter

Greetings fellow residents!! Well, summer is about at its mid-point so the Board thought it would be a good time to touch base with all of you about what’s been going on in our community.

Driveway Sealing

As you all know, we just had our roads sealed and want to thank everyone for their cooperation in moving their cars. It was very challenging and unwieldy due to the unpredictable weather. A number of residents also chose to have their driveways sealed, the cost of which will be added to their monthly maintenance bill. Several other residents, who wanted more extensive work done on their driveways, are still waiting for that work to be completed.

We contracted to “seal” the roadway. Sealing is simply spraying a coat of clear sealant on the road to prevent water from seeping through the pavement which helps prevent the formation of potholes. The work included filling in/caulking major (deep) cracks. It did not include filling in minor cracks which do not run deep and will be stopped from worsening by the sealant. The total cost of the road repair was $8,000. This process is a stop-gap measure and will be effective for several years. A full “repaving” of the road would have cost $30,000 and wasn’t necessary at this juncture.

Pool

The pool has been operating smoothly since we opened in late May. The lounges, umbrellas and chairs are back on the deck and we are inching our way back to “normal.” Please continue to sign in (for potential contact tracing) and limit the number of your guests at any one time to 6, including yourselves. Those entering the pool area should be vaccinated, except for children under 12. Since we now know that children are very vulnerable to contracting the virus and can also spread it very easily, we are encouraging all residents not to bring children, other than their own family members, to the pool.

Garden

We’ve had a good harvest of zucchinis and tomatoes and have also produced a trickle of beans and carrots, but the lettuce was a huge disappointment this year, whereas in other years, it flourished. We suspect it may have been the fault of the seeds themselves, since we got those seeds from a new company. We still have to prepare the garden for the fall harvest of lettuce, spinach etc. and will use a different source for those seeds.

Landscaping

Our new landscaper, Nancy Nichols, has integrated herself into the community. Many thanks to Monica for facilitating this. The gazebo and the boxes at the entrance look lovely. Nancy is also doing private landscaping for some residents. If you wish to hire her, please do so by calling her rather than interrupting her work in progress for others. (845) 706-5567

Concerts

Peter Clark continues to entertain us with his weekly concerts, even though his mother, Louise, is recovering from a stroke. We all wish Louise well and look forward to seeing her back home soon. Peter has developed a devoted following of residents, their families and friends. The lower circle has been filled almost to capacity lately! Thank you, Peter, for providing us with so much joy and community spirit. Once again, our hats are off to Monica for making this happen.

Tennis/Pickle Ball Court

Pickle Ball has really taken off! Standing games are on the schedule every weekend as well as during the week. About a dozen of our Brookridge residents participate on a regular basis and there are a cadre of players from outside the community who join in as well. It’s great fun and good exercise! We invite new players to show up.

Financials

As of July 31, we have a projected budget surplus of approximately $20,000 and our total cash balance on hand is approximately $825,000.

Property Tax Assessment

New Rochelle is delaying response to our tax grievance pending a legal appeal of a similar case in Dobbs Ferry.

We hope you all enjoy the rest of the summer!

The Brookridge Board of Managers

Paul Spindel, President

Monica Teuscher, Vice President

Leslie Molinoff, Secretary

Paul Roberts, Treasurer

Ann Gittelman, Member at Large