How You Can Help
To make a donation to the Cypress Pointe Estates Community Fund to support Vicki’s Corner Click The Button Below
- Click Here if you would like to make a donation
- Click Here for 2010 CPE Financial / Budget Information
Introduction
Vicki Davis is a long-time resident of Cypress Point Estates and a dedicated community leader. Since 2002, she volunteered to take over the responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of our public entryways once the builders and developer completed our neighborhood because their was never an established HOA. In order to pay for flowers, mulch, other bedding needs, sprinkler maintenance, electricity and mowing services, the community relies on everyone to participate / contribute by making a donation. The CPE VOA Volunteers are not reimbursed for their time or hard work for “working the beds” around our entrances, managing the organization and the upkeep maintenance of the website.
A Little History
The community of Cypress Point Estates was built with a single developer and multiple builders and without a homeowner’s association which was an attractive option for many new residents. The grounds were beautifully kept during this time by the developer and most residents assumed this would continue.
In 2002, Vicki was contacted by the developer who informed her that the community build-out was complete and when the developer pulled out, the residents would be responsible for maintaining the grounds. This was important to Vicki and many other residents as well. Without a formal HOA or other organization, it would be difficult to maintain the appearance of our communal grounds and therefore, the property values of our individual properties. (A map of the maintained areas is located below this article).
Over the next two years, several options were explored to find a way to maintain the beauty of our neighborhood. The city was under no obligation to maintain the grounds since technically, the front communal grounds are owned by the State, as opposed to the city. The dilemma was how to maintain the beauty of our neighborhood in a cost-effective way in which the financial burden was equally shared rather than carried by a few generous residents.
The first option was called a “beautification agreement” in which the city would charge a set fee on our residents’ water bills to help defer the costs of maintaining the grounds. This option was ultimately rejected due to the city’s concern regarding administrative costs, management for collecting funds and the liability to the city.
The second option explored was that of creating a Public Improvement District or PID. The PID would have the costs equally divided among all residents by placing an additional lien on each property owner’s tax bill. This option was not viable due to lack of participation and an inability to get a majority of residents in agreement to the petition. Additional options that were explored were the creation of a Garden Club or the creation of a non-profit corporation.
Ultimately, the non-profit organization C.P.E. Community Improvement Volunteer Association was created in 2004. Cypress Point Estates was already taken by a community in Houston, Texas (in case you are wondering). CPE is maintained as any non profit association with a business address to maintain accountability, a president, a chief financial officier, and a webmaster who all volunteer their time and prevent individual profit from the organization. The mayor of Corinth at that time, Vic Burgess, agreed to have his name put on the electric and water bill while the corporation was being formed, which relieved the residents of personal liability while allowing the grounds to be maintained. A maintenance agreement was established between the city of Corinth and CPE, in which the city agreed to a $2400 water credit per year for CPE in exchange for the residents being responsible for the maintenance of the community grounds in Cypress Point Estates.
This agreement is beneficial to both the city and the community as maintaining the beauty of our neighborhood is important to the city and individual property owners. Currently, donations are collected from about 12% of the residents within our neighborhood that is deposited into the CPE’s bank account. Each year a forecast is created and a budget is planned. The yearly budget consist of electric fees, mowing and landscaping needs and any necessary irrigation repairs. There are also small administrative costs involved which are included in the budget such as printing materials for fliers, p.o. box, envelopes, stamps, etc.. Again we would like to clarify that none of the volunteers that are managing the organization receieve any monetary compensation for their time, dedication or skills. Everyone benefits from their hardwork and dedication including the 88% that currently do not contribute to the neighborhood association.
If CPE is no longer able to fulfill the requirements stated in the maintenance agreement, the city will discontinue watering all areas and will only maintain the areas in the back of the neighborhood about once a month. The main entrance would become the responsibility of the State and would be at their discretion when or if it is maintained. If you’ve driven up post oak in june, past blue jay on swisher to Corinthian Palisades you can get an idea of what our neighborhood communal grounds would look like if the CPE Volunteers were to disband.
If maintaining the beauty of your neighborhood is important to you, a donation of any amount would be welcome. Due to the extremely low participation the suggested amount is $30. Note that $30.00 a year is about 10% of what your standard HOA fee would be in a typical neighborhood. We know the economy has hit everyone , if you cant do $30 but could even do $10.00 that will help. If you can do more than $30.00 that would be great as well. The more residents that get involved and start contributing the less amount of money per homeowner would be needed to cover these cost and we could use some of the money to improvements such as Lighting in the entrances, flowers, trees, etc.
This is the map of our community and the areas that need to be maintained. If you would like to volunteer with the flowerbeds please check out the adopt-a-bed page of our website.
Click To Enlarge
