Wine & Hors D' Oeuvres Evening

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 AT 6:30 PM.

Our annual adult-only event will be at Tapteil Winery in Benton City again this year. Bring your favorite appetizer dish to share and a jacket (just in case it cools down:>) to watch the spectacular sunset views from the patio. You may bring your own bottles of wine from home, but you'll want to drink Red Mountain's finest reds from Tapteil: Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This year there is a new addition- a chilled dry Chardonnay. As always, free wine tasting and sampling of the imported olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Any purchase gets a Willowbrook 20% discount! Invite your neighbors and carpool! W.C.C. is providing the non-alcoholic beverages as well as jazz guitarist, Jack Hughes.

Tapteil is located at the end of Sunset Road in Benton City. Go to http://www.tapteil.com/. Be sure to check out the events page for all the awards & recognitions.

You will find a list of babysitters on page 4 of your Willowbrook 2009 Directory.

Call Gayle to R.S.V.P. by August 10th @ 627-5579 or email gayleepie@charter.net

Sod Update

The dead sod along Leslie south of Willowbrook Place will be replaced the first week in September. We originally requested that the sod be replaced now, but the contractor pointed out that sod laid during the middle of the Summer in the Tri-Cities rarely survives, even with frequent watering. So the contractor will wait until the weather cools off a bit before replacing the sod. In the meantime you may see some corrective work on the sprinklers along Leslie. When they were moved with the widening of Leslie some were not reinstalled at the correct height.

Neither the sod replacement nor the sprinkler corrections will cost Willowbrook any money. The contractor will perform the work under their existing contract with the City.
~ Jay R.

Coyotes

COYOTES SPOTTED--WATCH YOUR PETS! Some folks who walk their dogs in Amon Preserve report recurring incidents in which they and their dogs have been followed by coyotes. Coyotes have also been spotted a couple of times in Willowbrook this summer, usually in the early morning and late evening.

So here are a few commonsense tips: If you walk in Amon, stay on the trails. Keep your dog on a leash. Stay alert.

At home, keep your animals—especially cats and small dogs—INSIDE. Homes on the Willowbrook perimeter are probably more vulnerable. Do not leave pet food (or people food, for that matter) or water outside where it will attract opportunistic wildlife.

Below is info from the Humane Society:
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/urban_wildlife_our_wild_neighbors/solving_problems/species/civil_war_or_civility_how_to_live_with_urban_coyotes/solving_problems_with_coyotes.html

· The promise of food is what lures coyotes into suburban yards. Feeding coyotes (or other wild animals) is a prescription for conflict. Don't attract these opportunistic animals by leaving pet food or water outside; and if you compost, be sure to use enclosed bins and never include meat or fish scraps. Good housekeeping, such as regularly raking areas around bird feeders and keeping trash in high-quality containers with tight-fitting lids, will also discourage coyote activity near residences. For good measure, don't place the cans at the curb until the morning of collection.

· Coyotes can be serious predators of cats and small dogs, and occasionally do some damage to home gardens. Owners can protect their pets by not letting them outdoors unattended, especially at night. (Coyotes are primarily nocturnal.) Cats in particular should never be permitted to roam freely and ideally should be left indoors.

Report unusual coyote behavior to Kathy Dechter at 627-0950 or kdechter@charter.net

Neighborhood Update

REPAIR OF ENTRY WALL
by Jay Reinhardt, Willowbrook Grounds

The Willowbrook Homeowners Association is currently taking bids for the repair of the damaged brick entry wall at Leslie and Willowbrook Place. If the damaged section cannot be replaced with brick that exactly matches the undamaged sections, then it may be necessary to replace the entire wall. At this point it appears that insurance will cover the damage, and that the community will not have to pay for the repairs.

The wall lighting was also damaged slightly, and that will be repaired as well. The missing letters of the community sign will replaced with matching letters. It appears insurance will cover these costs as well.

The wall was damaged when a Willowbrook resident lost control of their vehicle while making a turn. Fortunately the resident was not seriously injured, though their vehicle was totaled. The resident and their family promptly cleaned up the damage and notified the Homeowners Board of the accident. They very much regret the damage. Their insurance company has already contacted the Willowbrook Homeowners Board and has been cooperative.

DAMAGED LANDSCAPING ALONG LESLIE

The widening of Leslie and the installation of a new sidewalk, while welcome, did damage to the common area landscaping. Here is a status on the repair.

Replacing the dead sod south of Willowbrook Place:
The sod that was installed along the new sidewalk on Leslie has died and will be replaced. There was a waiting period before the contractor had to replace the sod (in case it recovered), and that waiting period has ended. The cost to the contractor to replace the sod is not insignificant. The sod died because the contractor did not realize that electrical work by the city (see next paragraph) had disabled Willowbrook's irrigation system. Once the contractor saw the new sod turning brown, they began watering it with a water truck. Unfortunately this appears to have been too late for the sod. We do not yet have a target date for replacing the sod -- this website will be updated once the city informs us.

Replacing the missing sod north of Willowbrook Place:
A strip of common area sod along the sidewalk on Leslie north of Willowbrook Place was removed in late May by a contractor working for the city Electrical department. The city expects the sod to be replaced by end of July. The Homeowners Board will be monitoring progress. The electrical work delayed restoration of irrigation in the common area by two weeks, causing newly-laid sod south of Willowbrook Place to die.

Trenching related to the widening of Leslie damaged the roots of some of the trees in the common area. It is possible that some of these trees may die in the next year or two. If so, they will be replaced. At that time we will explore who pays for the replacements. It appears unlikely that Willowbrook would be able to compel the city to pay, especially if the time lag between the trenching and the death of the trees leaves the cause of death debatable.

I expect that in a few months the appearance of the neighborhood from Leslie will be more attractive than before the widening.

Jay Reinhardt, Willowbrook Grounds