Greetings Cedar Springs Homeowners. See below for a detailed update. Click an item in the numbered list to see more details.

In This Update:

1. New limestone rocks at retention pond; benches repainted
2. Possible addition of fish to the retention pond
3. North retention pond fountain electrical issue
4. Lighting at main entrance mailbox cluster
5. North Liberty ambassador program & neighborhood meet and greet September 28
6. City “paint your storm drain” program
7. Lift station cleaning
8. Common area sidewalk repairs
9. Online dues payment options for 2022

New limestone rocks at retention pond; benches repainted

For the past three years, we have been setting aside some funds for landscaping at the retention pond to add to the enjoyment of this area.

This summer we installed a grouping of limestone outcropping rocks on the southwest corner of the retention pond. It offers you the opportunity to sit by the water and fish or enjoy the wildlife.

This fall we will be planting a new tree and adding more limestone outcropping behind this area to create another area to sit or for the children to play.

You may have also noticed the retention pond benches were missing for a few days. The seats had become rusted, so we had them repainted. They are now a beautiful blue color covered in flecks of gold. They have been clear coated and painted with automobile paint, so the paint will last longer.

Possible addition of fish to the retention pond

At the annual meeting several homeowners asked about having more fish in the retention pond. We have been researching what would be best to add to the existing fish. Those we spoke to are recommending adding several types of bass. They will be small in size but will grow larger.

North retention pond fountain electrical issue

You may have noticed the north retention pond fountain was off. We had an electrical failure in the electric panel and had to wait for the part to arrive and be installed, but they are both operational again.

You may also notice the fountains are no longer placed where they were. We discovered someone pulled the mooring rope out of the water on the south side and pulled the fountain towards the shore. On the north side, they removed the rocks covering the mooring rope and tossed the rocks into the water. They also pulled this fountain towards the shore, so we will need to hire someone to move the fountains back out into the pond unless we find a volunteer to assist us.

If you notice anyone playing in these areas or tossing rocks into the water, please remind them to leave them in place.

Lighting at main entrance mailbox cluster

The HOA has received permission from the city to allow Alliant to install a streetlight at the entrance to Cedar Springs immediately south of the large cluster of 256 mailboxes. We are currently on the wait list for Alliant to do the installation.

North Liberty ambassador program & meet-and-greet event

North Liberty has started a new program with neighborhood ambassadors in each neighborhood. Cathy Coleman (board secretary) and Jennifer Renk have volunteered to be our ambassadors. The first several months of the program have been spent teaching the ambassadors about the different city departments and meeting the staff at the city. You may read more about the program here.

The ambassadors will be doing their first neighborhood meet and greet on September 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the south side of the pond.

They will be having snacks and drinks, lawn games, and a scavenger hunt, as well as a story time by the North Liberty Library from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Please bring a lawn chair and stop by for a snack and visit with your neighbors.

City “paint your storm drain” program

The city has a program encouraging homeowners to paint a mural on their storm drains to help remind people not to put anything in them except water. They will pay for up to $150 in supplies.

The ambassador program would like to support the city by painting several in our neighborhood. If you’d like to join a group of painters, please email the HOA or if you wish to paint one yourself, you may read on the city’s website more about how to get started.

Once you’ve completed your drain mural, please email a picture to the city and the HOA, so we may post it on our website.

Lift station cleaning

Action Sewer & Septic Service did the annual cleaning of the HOA’s lift stations. Three of the stations’ pits were cleaned in order to remove non-flushable items.

Please review the HOA information on the lift stations as well as the reminder from the city of North Liberty that toilet paper is pretty much the only thing that is flushable.

Please remember that grease, napkins, paper towels, flushable wipes, and hygiene products will clog up the lift pumps, causing them to stop working. We then have to pay to have the garbage removed, and in some cases, replace the pump at a cost of $3,000 to $5,000.

Common area sidewalk repairs

There are many sidewalks in the common areas of the HOA. We have been working on repairing broken sections of these sidewalks and will be doing a few more again this year. If you notice any that are in immediate need of repair, please contact the board, so we may put it on our list for this fall.

Online payment of dues in 2022

We had several requests this year from homeowners who would prefer to pay their annual dues online instead of sending a check. The board is looking at several options where the homeowner may pay a small fee for the money to be transferred from their account electronically into the HOA bank account.