Trick-Or-Treating, Safety Tips

The following information is from safekids.org and the American Pediatric Association (APA) and provides some valuable information to ensure that we all have a happy, and safe, Halloween.

Walk Safely

• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up, and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With an Adult

• Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit, and trick-or-treat in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
• When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Cinco Ranch II - Role of the Management Company

 

Have you ever wondered exactly what it is that C.I.A. Services, Inc., the management company, handles for Cinco Ranch?  The management company has a much bigger role than sending residents a letter when the deed restrictions have been violated. 

 

C.I.A. Services was hired by the Homeowners Association (HOA) and is charged with making sure the day-to-day business of the community is handled.  One of the management company’s most well-known contractual obligations is the enforcement of the deed restrictions.  The enforcement procedure followed is approved by the Board and meets any requirements of both the governing documents and local, state, and county laws.  The procedure for Cinco Ranch II requires advance approval by the Board of Directors before any issues are sent to the attorney.  The process often takes time and each owners’ due process must be afforded to them. 

 

Another area handled by C.I.A. Services is financial management.  The commonly known aspect of financial management is the collection of assessments.  However, it also includes issuing checks for payable items, preparing monthly financial reports, and presenting an annual budget for Board approval.  The yearly budget is set by the Board, and funds are expended at the Board’s authorization.

 

Another item handled by C.I.A. Services is the coordination of common area maintenance.  Two Maintenance Coordinators are assigned to the community to regularly inspect the common areas, solicit bids, issue work orders for maintenance needs, and negotiate contracts for landscaping, pool management, and pest control. 

 

C.I.A. Services processes architectural control applications and communicates decisions to homeowners.  They also schedule and prepare information packages for Board meetings and answer homeowner questions received either via email or phone.

 

Things C.I.A. Services does not do include changing or modifying deed restrictions, attending to street light outages, or reporting street and curb issues.  They are not the decision makers; rather, they are the facilitator of the Board’s decisions. 

 

Anytime you have questions regarding Cinco Ranch II, do not hesitate to contact C.I. A. Services.  The management team assigned to Cinco Ranch II includes Laura Tate, General Manager; Kim Cowart, Community Manager, Norris Daniels and Anderson Campbell, Maintenance Coordinators; Kassye Deggs, Administrative Assistant; Lindsay Scholfield, Community Coordinator; and Ryne Williams, Community Assistant.  The team is supported by a full Customer Service department that is available to assist with any community need.  The On-Site staff at the Lake House can be contacted via phone at 281-394-7195; messages left off hours will be returned during Lake House business hours.  C.I.A. Services can be emailed at through their website at www.ciaservices.com or at CustomerCare@ciaservices.com.  You can also call at 713-981-9000; Customer Care offers extended customer service hours from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Friday. 

The Board of Directors for Cinco Southwest MUD No. 3 are pleased to announce the installation of smart meters in the District.  The smart meters replaced your old positive displacement water meter.  Please note, installation should be completed by end of October 2018.  Once your meter has been replaced it takes 5 – 10 business days to provision before you can start utilizing the data.  On the back of your water bill is the notification regarding how to set up your “Eye on Water” account.   The enrollment process is less than five minutes, this will allow you to monitor your usage and set up a leak alert.  The leak alert will notify you via test or email if the meter detects continuous usage for a 24 hour period.  If you have any questions regarding setting up the “eye on water” account or the changeover, please email elizabeth.reeves@inframark.com.

If you are unsure as to which MUD you reside in, please see the MUD Map at the Community Maps page. 

Cinco SW MUD 3 encompasses the following area:

CINCO RANCH RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION II COMMITTEES

Committees play a vital role in any community as they are able to provide additional input to the board so that the most informed decision possible can be made on issues relevant our community and community amenities. The Association established several Committees in 2015 and are in the process of establishing more Committees. Newer Committees are in need of volunteers, while other committees have an established core of volunteers.

 

Parks and Recreation Committee – The Parks and Recreation Committee was established with the primary purpose of advising the board on issues relating to the usage of community parks and recreation facilities. The Committee also reviews information from residents and special interest groups, such as the swim team and tennis leagues. This committee consists of 5 to 9 residents in good standing with the Association. We are seeking volunteers to for the Parks and Recreation Committee. The time commitment is expected to be an average of 1 – 4 hours per month.

 

More information about Committees in Cinco Ranch II can be found at mycincoranch.com, under the HOA tab, in the page entitled, “Delegates & Committees Info.” If you are interested in becoming a member of these Committees, please contact any member of the Management team at 713-981-9000, or CustomerCare@ciaservices.com, or you can use the Contact Us feature located on this website.

The curb appeal of our community depends on each resident maintaining his or her property as completely as possible. For those who keep their homes and yards well maintained, the Association thanks you for your efforts and good examples. We encourage all residents to pay particular attention to the following maintenance items.

 

You’ve probably heard it before, but have no clue what it means.  So, what is the “Community Council,” you ask?  The Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council is not affiliated, endorsed, nor sponsored by Cinco Ranch Residential Association II, however, they are the Association that hosts all events, activities, classes, and camps within Cinco Ranch II.  In other words, your HOA does not present the community events you regularly see, as they are handled by a separate entity. 

The Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council is administered by a Board of Trustees and is part of the team planning and bringing you the wonderful events and various fitness and education classes held in or around the Lake House.  The Council is a separate entity from the Residential Association, which means the HOA does not have a hand in planning community events and classes whatsoever.  However, the Council does communicate and interact with the Residential Association Board because a very small portion of your assessment money goes to help fund community events and activities (approximately $8 per year).  In addition, the Council solicits support from our contractors and Katy area businesses in the form of in-kind or financial donations/sponsorships.  The individuals who serve on the Council Board are not elected per the legal documents, but instead are appointed by both the Residential Association Board and the Board Trustees of the Community Council.  We recently added two new resident members to the Council Board.  This means we now have four Cinco Ranch II residents appointed to the Council and three non-resident Trustees.  If you’ve been to any of the events recently, you’ve seen our enthusiastic Community Coordinator, Lindsay Scholfield.  Lindsay has suggested to the Trustees some new events that have already occurred or will be offered in the near future.  The first was the highly successful Alligator Education Seminar.  It was standing room only for that event.  Other new events are adults only casino and bingo nights, and more to come soon! 

Another role of the Council is to provide health and wellness programs to encourage fitness for all ages, and educational programs to develop skills that will help foster learning in children of all ages.  Over the last few months we’ve added new classes to the Lake House, including Zumba, Taekwondo, Drama, and we have amped up the schedules of a few of our existing classes, to better meet your needs.  We’ve also added several new camps to the Lake House lineup this year

Giving back to the community has really been stepped up under Lindsay’s leadership.  Every month we select a local charity to support.  For instance, this past winter, we partnered with The Ballard House, located in Cinco Ranch.  The Ballard House is a home away from home for patients and their families receiving medical treatment in the Katy/Houston area.  Our generous residents brought in household items, such as paper products and cleaning supplies to donate.  This was crucial for The Ballard House, as they recently re-opened after substantial flooding damaged the house during Hurricane Harvey. 

 

If you have any questions about the Community Council, please contact Lindsay at lifestyle@mycincoranch.com.  We look forward to seeing you at all of our community events, classes, and camps.

Introducing the 2018-2019 Lake House Classes Lineup

The Cinco Ranch Southwest Community Council is proud to present our lineup of Lake House classes for 2018 – 2019.  We will be holding an informational night at the Lake House on August 24^th from 6 – 8 PM, where you will have the opportunity to meet all of our returning and new classes!  More information about classes offered at the Lake House can be found at the Classes page. 

 

NEW CLASSES:

 

Drama Kids provides imaginative learning experiences that also include occasional fun class performances to enhance the experience.  Highly qualified and specially trained teachers engage participants in new creative lessons in each class, proven to be both fun and highly developmental. Drama Kids normally meets Tuesdays at 5:00 PM and Thursdays at 7 PM, with several sessions. 

 

Kindermusik is an established community of educators passionately committed to bringing the power of music to children and their families around the world. Since 1978, their research-based music-and-movement curricula have enhanced the lives of millions through the universal language of music, supporting whole-child development and providing the early foundations of future school success.  Kindermusik normally meets Tuesdays at 9:30 AM, with several sessions. 

 

STEM Drones mission is to inspire students to learn STEM by making it fun and cool.  The STEM Drones class was founded by the inspiration of students and the joy of teaching.  One day, a teacher flew a drone in class for fun and the students went wild with excitement.  STEM Drones normally meets Wednesdays at 5:30 PM.

 

RETURNING CLASSES:

 

Baby Boot Camp is an innovative stroller fitness program designed to balance the fitness needs of moms while spending time with their children. Created in 2001 by Kristen Horler, Baby Boot Camp strives to help moms regain or enhance their pre-pregnancy fitness levels and meet the physical challenges of parenting by emphasizing strength training in a supportive environment.  Baby Boot Camp normally meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 9:30 AM.

 

Carson’s Art School is a family owned and operated Art Instruction School focused on developing the individual talents imparted into each of our students, young and old. A desire was planted within them and it's our mission to nurture and grow that desire into a realized dream. Whether you're looking for a place to develop your creativity or you're seeking a career in art, we have the ability to further your art education. Carson’s Art School normally meets Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays all day, with multiple sessions during the day and evening.

 

Coder Kids Make Games in Scratch (Grades 3-8).  Learn to create simple computer programs using Scratch, a programming language developed for kids by MIT. We will start with simple animations and work our way into creating games. No programming experience is required. Returning students can pick up where they left off and continue with more challenging projects.  Coder Kids normally meets Wednesdays at 4:30 PM.

 

Rhythm India is ranked as one of the Top 20 Dance Schools in Houston, and provides the finest Bollywood dance training and performances. They cater to all ethnic backgrounds and age groups and pride themselves on making classes’ fun and challenging while committing to the long term development of our students.  Rhythm India normally meets Mondays and Wednesdays, at 5 PM, with several sessions.

 

Taekwondo Get fit, get focused, get enrolled and learn martial arts at an affordable price of only $79 per month!  They offer fun and exciting classes for all.  Taekwondo normally meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 PM, with several sessions.

 

Tippi Toes Dance Company offers exciting, fun energetic dance classes for boys and girls 18 months to 12 years old.  Tippi Toes normally meets Mondays at 5 PM, and Thursdays at 4:00 PM, with several sessions.

 

True Fit is a program designed for all fitness levels. Increase your strength, flexibility, balance & cardiovascular fitness.  True Fit normally meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, at 8:30 AM.

 

Zumba is brought to you by Hearty N Fit.  This exciting class is an aerobic fitness program featuring movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance.  Zumba will resume classes this Spring.

ROLLINGWOOD POOL – UPDATE

 

We have identified that the zero-depth entry near the splash feature has begun to chip off, creating a harsh surface.  When the pool was investigated at the opening of this pool seasons, the area did not appear to be significantly rough.  Unfortunately, once the pools opened, it did become an issue for soft, wet feet of younger children. 

 

At this time, mats and chairs were put in place at the zero-depth entry to provide a safe pathway entry and to avoid the need to close the pool during the swim season.  The mats are a temporary measure.  We are already in the process of soliciting proposals for a new surface and are looking at alternatives to the existing tile product.  The installation of the new surface will be completed during the off season. 

 

Thank you for your understanding and patience

The Cinco Ranch 2 Board of Directors consists of 7 members.  Each Board member is elected for a term of 2 years.  The way the By-Laws are written, and within a calendar year, 4 members are elected every “odd” year, and 3 members are elected every “even” year.  Therefore, roughly half the Board is elected each year. 

The Board of Directors is charged with implementing the Association’s purpose to maintain and improve the value of the community.  Some of their duties include:

• Ensuring adequate resources are available
• Recruiting and developing volunteers for the Association
• Setting policies, procedures, rules, guidelines and budgets
• Serving as a “court of appeal” to the members of the community
• Determining and monitoring the programs and services

After each election, the Board is required to select officer positions.  The Officer positions are:

President – the role of the President is that of a leader. The President typically presides over the meetings, keeps the agenda going and ensures sound decisions are made. The President leads discussions and ensures productivity.

Vice President – the Vice-President shall act in place of the President in the event of his/her absence, inability or refusal to act, and shall exercise and discharge such other duties as may be required of this position by the Board.

Secretary – the Secretary is typically responsible for the minutes of the meeting; however, the Community Manager is often assigned this task and the Secretary signs the acceptance of the minutes upon board approval.

Treasurer – the Treasurer reviews the payables and financials. Management handles the daily operation of the financials; however, the Treasurer serves as a checks and balance.

All board members are part of the discussions and the decision making process.  All board members spend time outside of meetings communicating with the neighbors and preparing for handling community business.

All Board meetings are open to all residents of Cinco Ranch 2.  The exception is during their Executive session (or, “closed session.”).  The purpose of the Executive Session is so that Board may discuss information that is confidential.  By keeping this portion of the meeting closed, it protects ALL homeowners’ privacy.  We are required, by law, to maintain your privacy; by holding this short portion of the meeting as a closed session, we can guarantee everyone’s property related business remains anonymous, and safeguarded.  After the conclusion of each Executive Session, an announcement of any decisions made during the closed session is made, in general terms, so as to continue to protect homeowners’ privacy.

As a note from your Board, elected by YOU, we encourage you to attend meetings and make your voice heard.  Presently, Board meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month, at 5 PM.  If you cannot attend, you can still contact the Board directly using the Contact Us form. 

Cinco Ranch Residential Association II will be home to 6,358 homes upon build out.  At this moment, we currently have 6,083 homes that are already occupied, with more coming very soon.

With the growth of the Community, there is an increase of traffic, whether it be on the main thoroughfares or on the inner parts of each section.  This may cause obstructions in the flow of traffic in certain areas for residents, school buses, Sheriff Deputies, and other emergency vehicles.  We are requesting that you take into consideration the traffic flow in the area and utilize your garage and driveway.

Please be conscience of parking in your driveway and not “sticking out” onto the street, or blocking the sidewalk. If you have multiple vehicles at your residence, you may need to allow additional time to “shuffle” them to allow another household member to leave, or work out a parking plan so that everyone knows when and where to park.

Summer is here, and many of us will have friends and family who will be coming to town to visit.  Extra vehicles can cause inconvenient parking situations.  We ask that you please refrain from parking your cars on the streets overnight.  Not only is this an eye-sore, it can become an extreme safety issue.  Emergency vehicles may not be able to pass between two cars parked on a street, or this may cause your neighbors the inability to back out of their driveways safely.  Most importantly, this could put children playing in danger with the risk of getting hit by passing cars as there will be a blind spot.

Though the Deed Restrictions in Cinco Ranch II do not prohibit street parking, there are many parking situations that can be deemed illegal under Fort Bend County and state laws.  When parking near the corner of a street, you must leave at least 20 feet away from the bumper of your car to the corner; if that corner has a stop sign, the law requires a minimum of 30 feet instead of 20.  When parking near a fire hydrant, you must leave at least 15 feet from the bumper of your car to the hydrant, on either side of the hydrant.  It is also illegal to park in a manner that blocks a driveway or intersection.  Additionally, when parking in a cul-de-sac, cars should be parked parallel to the curb as they normally would on a straight curb; parking with your front or rear bumper to the curb at a cul-de-sac, as if it were a “parking spot,” is also illegal. 

When parking, you should ask yourself, have I created a hazard?  Would an emergency vehicle be able to get to someone’s home?   Have I created an attraction for children to play hide and seek?  Have I created a blind spot for motorist?  Do you want to be the reason something serious happened to your neighbor or yourself?  We are asking everyone in the neighborhood to think of these different things and protect each other before parking.

 

Thank you for your cooperation.