Many thanks to Bruce Liljegren, HOA Vice-President, for filling in for the usual editor these past few weeks, writing the Monday Morning Memo and the President’s Message for the June Periodico.  Bruce also presided at the last two monthly Board meetings.  His help has been much appreciated.  Thanks as well to our webmaster, Craig Surprise, for sending out the Memo for Bruce, using our back-up distribution list.

Please remember that if you have a palm tree on your own property, the HOA requires that it be trimmed annually.  This is primarily an issue of safety, but also one of aesthetics.  The deadline for trimming is July 1, which is used because of the beginning of the annual monsoon, which is nearly here. Untrimmed palms are a lightening magnet, and we have had lightning caused fires in untrimmed palms in EE in the past. A fire in a palm represents a serious hazard to life and property, and can't be allowed to happen.  A few years ago, a lightning-caused fire in the top of an untrimmed palm nearly fell on a roof top of an unoccupied home in EE. Had it landed on the roof, that house and several attached to it would have been lost, and there would have been a strong possibility of a loss of life as well. For this reason the HOA takes a firm stand on this, and if you have not trimmed your palm by the deadline, or made arrangements, the HOA will cause it to be trimmed and will then bill the owner the cost, and a surcharge. The HOA has this authority under the governing documents of the Association. The 60 plus palms in the EE common areas have all now been trimmed, and the HOA expects compliance by all private palm owners. The HOA uses Monstrosity Tree Service to trim the common area palms and this firm is available to trim private trees as well. They can be reached at 230-7131. Palm owners can use anyone they desire, however, but this job has to be done without fail.
If you own a private palm that has not been trimmed, then please heed this warning.

July 4th is right around the corner, so don't forget the Independence Day Party at the Ramada. Menu: Italian Sausage w/onions and peppers, potato salad, baked beans, watermelon and a beverage. Cost $6.00. Come at 5:00 pm for the cocktail hour, and dinner will be served at 6:oo pm. Should be a grand time, so come on down and help America celebrate its 234th birthday. The sponsor of the party is our ever-faithful and hard working Hospitality Committee. Please bring a donation for the Food Bank. A bin will be available at the Ramada.

As has been reported, the new streetlamp heads are here. The main installation campaign is planned for this fall, but a few volunteers will be working over the summer, doing random installations. So far, upper Napa, upper del Norte, Portillo, and Verida Calma have all been finished, and a few heads have been replaced here and there as well. If you are somewhat handy and would like to replace your own, please call 399-0455. The task takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes to do. If your lamp head is in particularly bad shape and you would like it replaced early, please call 399-0455. Board members Joe McCalpin, Bruce Liljegren, and Tom Cooke are working on the program, and a special thanks to Richard Magnuson, who volunteered to replace the heads on upper del Norte. As of the date of this Memo, approximately 55 of the lamp heads have been replaced, about 15% of the subdivision.

The old, removed lamp heads are being placed inside the patio walls when the new ones are put on. You may do with them what you will. Most of the ones removed so far are trash, and valueless, but you may want to salvage the light bulb. The old heads, for the most part, are really in terrible shape.

As the lamp heads are replaced, each is fitted with a new CFL light bulb, which puts out 60 watts of lighting, while using only 13 watts of electricity. This change will provide not only a uniform appearance of the lamp heads, but a uniform light as well. As each head is changed, it is tested to ensure it is functioning. The new head is then firmly attached to the post with a set screw.

Our multi-talented webmaster Craig Surprise has designed a special control sheet that enables us to keep track of the inventory of new lamp heads and bulbs and to assure that each is installed correctly.

If you wish to see what a street looks like when all the heads have been replaced, take a drive on upper Napa, from Portillo west. It makes a substantial difference to the general appearance of the neighborhood.

Pickleball players: As it appears we have lost most of the pickleball players here in EE for the summer, there will be summer pickleball played at the La Joya Verde pickleball courts for the few remaining. Call Dan Solto at 275-4288 for details as to play times.

A new trash removal company seeking business in EE has blanketed our subdivision with literature by sticking it in front gates. If you see this in the gates of neighbors whom you know to be gone, please remove it and discard the same.

Our EE book, "Love Stories of Esperanza Estates" was formally reviewed in the Green Valley News and Sun, edition of Sunday, June 27.  The reviewer, Ned Lord, gives the book high marks for interest and subject matter. Copies of the book are still available at a nominal charge by calling 399-0455, or 393-1427.  This one-of-a-kind book is destined to be a classic, so you will want to obtain a copy.