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Glenn - Zurich Ct - Q & A

3/19/2021

Questions & Answers. Glenn - Zurich Ct

1.   Who bears the cost difference between the total price of installation $54,417 (committee recommendation) vs. Keystone Properties funding $34,500?
Answer: fvHOSTnews read Becky’s memo to imply that the FVHOA would have to bear the additional cost. However, it is best that she answer that specifically in a reply to your email. Please pass it on to fvHOSTnews@gmail.com so it can be posted on line for all to see

2.    What would be the annual estimated cost to operate and maintain the gate?
Answer: fvHOSTnews.com has covered this in the blog. Please review all postings for this and more answers as well.

3.   Will installing the gate impact HOA fees and if so how much (est.)?
Answer: fvHOSTnews.com blog answers this. Less than $1.00 per month per residence, but covered by GATE FUND, so not additional fees will be necessary.

4.   Why was the gate never installed when Keystone Properties initially came up with their quote $34,500? If the gate was installed at that time, owners would not, now, be responsible for cost increases occurring over several years?
Answer: The full cost of the “gated community” including the gates, equipment, fencing and all are the responsibility of Keystone Homes by contract law of North Carolina.

6.   What happens to the $34,500 Keystone properties agreed to fund, should the gate not be installed?
Answer: If legal provision were made for this amount to be paid to the Home Owners’ Association, the funds would have to be earmarked for the “gates and fences” and could be spent on nothing else. Otherwise both Keystone and the HOA members become legally liable for the “gated community” provisions of purchase contracts which were made under those provisions.

7.   Will cameras be installed if the gate is not installed? If so, what would be the cost for installation and annual operation/maintenance? Would this impact HOA fees and if so how much (est.)?
Answer: Camera have never been promised by Keystone. These would be at the HOA’s expense unless Keystone decided to include them at their cost. However, the total cost of the video surveillance has been officially bid at $4,650 by a local vendor, plus the cost of electrical circuits to support them. Again, the video shows how this could be financed by the “gate fund” WITHOUT ANY INCREASE in HOA fees.

OTHER Q & A:

1.   We’re fvHOSTnews’ bids provided by wheelchair BoB as old as Becky claimed?
Answer: Absolutely NOT. These bids were dated August 3, 2020 and submitted by one of the three vendors presented by the “gate study committee.”

2.   Would a wider driveway be needed at fvHOSTnews’ suggested gate location at the brick pavers?
Answer: NO. A simple 3 point turn by residential vehicles could be easily made. Residents would not be required to turn around in the first place. With gates open during normal business hours, vendors would not need to turn around. AND if video surveillance were installed, any vehicle could be granted access to pass through the gate and use the circle by the Clubhouse for turn around. Even without video surveillance, all who needed access when the gates are closed would be properly identified as could use the circle.

3.   We’re fvHOSTnews’ bids provided by wheelchair BoB as old as Becky claimed?
Answer: Absolutely NOT. These bids were dated August 3, 2020!

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Common Sense might dictate moving the gate

3/10/2021

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fvHOSTnews first response to PMC's Gate Ballot

2/24/2021

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FVHOSTNEWS - (unofficial - voluntary participation only)       February 22, 2021

Fellow residents of Friedberg Village:

I have just reviewed the letter from Priestley Management regarding the findings of the Gate Committee. I have been silent except to disseminate information which gives a greater measure of information for all to review. Many of you viewed the video posted several months ago. I have become quite aware of the negative effects of misinformation. Misinformation is not necessarily purposeful deception by any means. As an entrepreneur in the Computer Science industry, I fell victim at times to poor consulting recommendations which were given in the absence of complete information. The omissions were usually the result of insufficient research. When such omissions were my own fault, my firm absorbed the project overruns. However, I became quite savvy in these regards and made fewer and fewer less than optimal consulting recommendations.

This letter is simply to fill in the gap of a firm bid on a gate system which I had received from one of the three front-running contenders mentioned in Priestley’s letter. The proposal which was presented in the video you watched, was ignored by the Gate Committee and Keystone Builders, despite written attempts to present the optimal solution which cost was less than $34,000 including the $3,000 for electrical circuitry and $500 for poles for video surveillance cameras. The proposal included 4 cameras as opposed to the 2 mentioned in Priestley’s letter.

Having high credentials in information technology, including cybersecurity expertise, I contacted several firms regarding not only the technologies available, but also the most efficient ones. The proposal I personally developed and presented to the Gate Committee in their first meeting was the one I posted on the internet for all to review. The proposal was the result of several hours of research, the personal investment of over $1,000, and procurement of a video surveillance system and gate electronics systems and testing thereof. The only significant differences between my proposal and those of the Gate Committee were: a slide gate instead of swing gates and placement of the gate at a point on the entranceway that insured vehicular traffic control versus theirs installing gates up at the brick pillars. Granted, the gate up by Friedberg Church Road would be more aesthetically pleasing, but with a thousand feet of unrestricted access through the yards of homes on Rock House Road side. (And to be sure, villains do not have any compunctions about driving through yards or other breech-able obstacles to enable a clean get away.

Further, as per Priestley’s own statements in the past and at the Gate Committee’s first meeting, Keystone was committed to installing the gate pursuant to the advertising of the Village as a gated community. This offering helped sell the properties within and is a legal commitment on Keystone’s part to create a vehicular controlled access to the community. Further, from a legal perspective, the HOA has no authority to release Keystone from its legal obligation to the original homeowners who selected this community over others based on the promise of gated security. So, regardless of cost, Keystone is obligated legally to install a gate or other controlled access system. The proposal I have in hand from one of the leading vendors would cost less than the $33,000.

The $50 per month for cellular access to the gate access system would be less than 17 cents per home monthly and the $1,000 a year for maintenance would be less than 28 cents per home monthly! Windshield stickers priced $10 higher would cover all this. Further, I had personally committed to help create a Home Owners Security Team (HOST) and had volunteers already committed to be on it. This HOST group would have collectively been available round the clock for any gate failures and manual override to accommodate quick access in such an event. The 4 video cameras were personally tested to be affective to capture easily identifiable license plate numbers (at more than 50 feet in daylight or darkness) and placement that would prevent anyone from spray painting the cameras to render them useless! The surveillance system would have retained constant video for a rotating period of over two weeks! (Enough to give the authorities plenty of evidence to handily apprehend villains.

Here is the breakdown of the proposal I presented to the Gate Committee. (I did not give this breakdown to the committee as they seemed disinterested from the beginning and despite a couple of attempts to meet with one of the members (and the owners of Keystone) simply to pass along my details was met with absolute no response.):

$8,900.00   Roller Gate at the brick pavers’ split rail fencing

$15,247.50   Electronics to support RFID windshield sticker

$4,650.00   Video Surveillance (4 each - 8MP cameras)

$3,000.00   Priestley’s add-on for Electrical circuit (new gate location would be much less)

     $500.00   Priestley’s add-on for Camera poles

$32,297.50   Total cost

       $40.00     purchase of windshield stickers (not optional; one time; per vehicle).
        x 400   Approximately 400 vehicles to be taggeD
$16,000.00   (Total revenue)

- 5,150.00   (Keystone not legally required)

$10,850.00 (Excess to be deposited in a gate maintenance account)

This escrow account would be replenished by new autos tagged as new residents move in.
This escrow account would fund the cellular services required.
This escrow account would pay for the video surveillance system (4 - 8MP cameras tested).

This escrow account would in essence provide self-funding for the gate. The system would minimize inconvenience to all residents relative to opening the gate. The cost of the windshield stickers would be no greater than the pool access fobs we were all required to purchase in order to access the club house and pool.

   Credentials and commitment:

My education includes a major in computer science, a major in finance, a major in economics.
My experience includes my computer firm servicing over 600 companies a few of which are fortune 500 companies.
My commitment is to serve on the ‘HOST’ team and be available 24 hours a day, 366 days a year on-call for emergency calls for the operation of the gate and all related equipment as I have been on-call 24 x 7 x 366 for over 30 years for my computer firms’ clientele.

Respectfully submitted,

“Wheelchair BoB"

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RFP (Request for Proposal) for Gate Sep 23, 2020

2/24/2021

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Submitted to PMC's Gate Study Committee immediately following their first meeting
      prepared by: fvHOSTnews

Security Access Gate RFP (Request For Proposal) specifications

Slide Gate
   26’ x 4’ metal
   mounted 12 inches above grade
   1 foot per second minimum travel speed
   2 - Key pads for emergency gate access
       mounted 75+ feet from gate on each side (in and out bound)
   Access controls for both inbound and outbound traffic
   IR Gate Obstacle detection (no pavement wiring loops)
   Weather Resistant Outdoor Lockable Enclosure for all access control equipment

RFID Recognition of Windshield Stickers
   RFID readers with 30 plus foot sensing range
   RFID readers mounted 50+ feet away from gate on each side of gate
   RFID stickers in 26bit Weigand format
   RFID stickers in quantities of 500 and 1000 respectively (show up charge)

Internet/Cellular Gate Controller access
   limited to authorized residents by email address a & smart phone App

Video Surveillance:
   Minimum 2TB continuous recording
   Continuous recording
   Motion or Audio triggered recording
   UHD resolution recording 3172 x 1964 pixels
   UHD 8MP Video cameras (minimum of 4)
   License Plate recognition greater than 50 feet
   Night Vision with License Plate recognition greater than 50 feet

Gate Access Management
   Database of authorized vehicles / residents
   Database of authorized access by email address or cellular number
   Ability to enable or disable authorization
       by date range set by administrator
       until changed by administrator
   Ability to open gate from smart phone App

Gate Surveillance Management
   Manage Video configuration over IP
   Manage Cameras over IP
   Manage Video recording parameters (motion sensing, nigh vision, etc) over IP

Limitations:
   no monthly monitoring or usage fees for access controls
   maximum annual usage fees less than $150

Additional Quotations Required with bid:
   Cost of additional windshield RFID stickers
       per 100 count
       per 500 count
       per 1000 count

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more Q & A

10/24/2020

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FVhostNEWS update 10-24

The video made it sound like upkeep and repairs will be free, but

The gate can be self supporting, including maintenance, “Free” from increases in HOA Dues. It can be financed by a “gate account” through which the windshield RFID stickers will be purchased. Each sticker (like the key fobs for the clubhouse) will cost a one-time fee of $20-25 TBD. The fee would be higher than the cost so as to leave monies in the account to take care of maintenance.

Damage caused by vehicular traffic will be paid by the offending party (or their insurance company). SLIDE gates require relatively infrequent repairs.

Where will gates go and what will prevent anyone from just walking around them - are we putting in a wall or a fence as well?

The gates are for controlled access for vehicular traffic. There is no need to prevent walk-in traffic. Vandals can’t carry out any large items without a vehicle and the gate is simply to stop them from entering or trapping them inside if they do “tailgate” in.

A fence will only be required if Keystone decides to install gates up at the brick pillars at Friedberg Church Road. A gate installed just north of the brick pavers would NOT require any fencing.

Exceptionally few gated communities restrict “all” foot traffic. Even Bermuda Run can be easily entered by walking traffic.

What about the second entrance to neighborhood, will that have a gate?

As I understand it, the back gate will be for emergency access only. I will research this with the Davidson County Fire Chief to get more detail on this. That gate is already in place.

Will the gate company do the video surveillance monitoring? If so, do they call police to report suspicious behavior and who pays their monthly fee?

The surveillance system, should we decide to purchase one, does not require monitoring. It is there to capture license plates for detectives to apprehend criminals who are not caught in the act. However, the system is capable of monitoring should the HOA ever decide that such was necessary and work out the fees at that time.

What if this company goes out of business?

The good news is that if Arcadia Fence installs the gate which has been shown in the video it does not matter if they go out of business or the surveillance company either for the matter. This is because industry standard equipment is being utilized and any other fence or surveillance company can be engaged to continue support.

How about mail and package deliveries - how do they get in?

The video indicates that the gates could be open between the hours of 6am and 10pm so that all deliveries and contractors would be able to come and go without gate interference. The vast majority of thefts occur between 10pm and 6am. (Yes, some could still happen in broad daylight, but we have a lot of walkers out there who should be able to discern and report suspicious activity.

Obviously, we cannot insure that gates or any other measures will eliminate all crime in our community. But like loving our houses at night for our own personal safety, a “gated community” provides another layer of safety and security. The creatures in the video are state of the art and I will possess certification for installation and maintenance of the equipment in the proposal shown.

Still a resounding no on this.

Yes and no are not appropriate in this situation. Keystone has a legal obligation to make this community a “gated community” per their contracts with scores of homeowners. However, once the gate is installed and the HOA is turned over to the residents, the HOA has the authority to determine its use and financing.

A “gated community” is defined as a “community with controlled access to vehicular traffic.” That is why, Keystone’s legal obligation will be to put a fence along the 1,000 feet of driveway north of the brick paving to “control access” through the residential properties on the west side of Rock House Rd, if the gate(s) is (are) installed up at Friedberg Church Rd

The video has been presented to let residents know what is possible. It is not intended to maniple the decisions, only to make informed decisions by who ever makes the decision. Hopefully this matter can be resolved without legal redress. If Keystone had simply put in the gate without stirring up the neighborhood, nothing would have been said. However, on the bright side, my personal investment of many hours of research and several hundred dollars from my personal accounts to insure proper testing of the options in the video, might help us get the best possible gate at the least possible cost!

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gate concerns

10/23/2020

1 Comment

emailed issues:

People and delivery drivers run into those lovely gates all the time, especially the arm/types.
Video shows proposal for a SLIDE gate which incur far less damage than arm gates

Do you really think this is going to be free?
Nothing is "free" BUT the proposal shows how the gates can be provided without increasing HOA dues -- so in that sense, it is "FREE"

And to believe that volunteers are going to manage it 24/7?
One of our residents who is in tech support vocationally and is already on call for his business 24 x 7 has offered this coverage to our community. Another resident close to the entrance has also offered to help expeditiously to assist with any gate opening failures.

Who in their right mind would respond to a caller in the middle of the night?
EMTs perhaps, 1st responders perhaps, ... right minds?

1 Comment

Gate questions:

10/18/2020

1 Comment

I have several questions regarding the gate:
- If the power goes out and the volunteers need to come to override opening the gate, what happens if there is an emergency and someone needs to exit or enter quickly ?
   ANSWER: the odds are several hundred thousand to one that this would happen. The volunteers can be at the gate within minutes,. Should not be a problem
- How reliable are the gates? How many times are they typically needing fixed...
   very low maintenance for slide gates, easy to push aside until fixed fail less frequently than garage door openers!,.
- What if I am not home and a friend or family member needs to enter or exit?
   Since you can open it with your cell phone, that call you and you open it for them
- What if a person does not have a phone that allows apps?
   There will be keypads with codes for that situation or the homeowner can call a security team member to use their cell phone to open the gate for your guest.
- What is the average cost of an RFID?
No yet determined but expected to be $20-$25

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Unofficially

10/17/2020

1 Comment

CLARIFICATION: I need to make it clear that I am a neighbor here in Friedberg Villages. www.FVhostNEWS.com has been established in order to be an information sharing tool only. There is no agenda, just information which we wish to share freely. You can ask questions, which will be researched and answered here. If you want a private answer to a particular question or comments not to be made public, send an email to FVhostNEWS@gmail.com. You can submit questions, answers, comments, news items you wish to share and so forth. These items will be posted as soon as possible but may take up to 48 hours. If you need help faster, contact the FVhostNEWS tech support: (336) 768-7911,,,,1 Option 1 and leave a voice mail if the call is not answered, or email: FVhostNEWS@gmail.com or visit the website: www.FVhostNEWS.com.

I am retired, but still active in the larger community all the way to D. C. So please be patient with respect to the timing of a response.

This site is not intended to replace any HOA functions, but rather to pass along information that may affect us all and of which we all deserve to be fully informed.

If you DO NOT WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FORUM simply send an email to FVhostNEWS@gmail.com and indicate that you want to OPT OUT. Since there will be a newsletter from time to time, please indicate in your OPTING OUT what you wish to opt out of.
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If you inadvertently submit something that you wish to have removed from the site, email such request with the particulars. Very little information will appear here that is unique to already existing standing committees unless someone on a particular committee submits a posting. For example, the official HOA Social Committee will be responsible to make its own notifications. However, if they choose to submit information to this site, they are certainly entitled to do so.

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Thank you, Wheelchair BoB, QUEENBURY DRIVE.

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Gate proposal by a local vendor:

10/17/2020

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FVhostNEWS

Glenn - Zurich Ct - Q & A

Common Sense might dictate moving the gate

fvHOSTnews first response to PMC's Gate Ballot

RFP (Request for Proposal) for Gate Sep 23, 2020

more Q & A

gate concerns

Gate questions:

Unofficially

Gate proposal by a local vendor:

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