SPRING 2009
Bunny Bonanza: April 4
The Easter
Bunny will be at
Buckhorn Park
on Saturday,
April 4 at 11
a.m. for a huge
egg hunt at the
Buckhorn
Bunny Bonanza!
Children 12
and under are
welcome to
attend! We’ve
ordered 1,000
plastic eggs with
small toys inside
(parents of
young children
should check
these toys
before allowing
your kids to have them). We will allow children to equally divide
the eggs via multiple trips into the field to collect the eggs.
The Easter Bunny will be present for you to take pictures
with your children. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Refreshments will be served, and we’ll have children’s
games. It will be a great time at our Buckhorn County Park!
Buckhorn County Park is at the north end of Green Valley
Street in the Buckhorn subdivision.
APRIL 14: GENERAL
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
We will hold our Annual
Buckhorn Residents/Membership
Meeting on Tuesday, April 14, at
6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Buckhorn
Springs Golf & Country Club
(entrance on Miller Road).
Our special speakers are
members of the Hillsborough
County Metropolitan Planning
Organization. They will present their
Long-Term Transportation Plan for
the county.
They will specifically present
their plans for the Lithia Pinecrest
Road/Bloomingdale Avenue area,
which will be of most interest to our
residents. They are very interested
in your feedback.
We will also elect our 2009-2010
Buckhorn Homeowners Association
Board of Directors Members. If you
are interested in being on the Board
of Directors, please notify us at
[email protected].
We will also discuss other topics
of interest and give away $100 in
door prizes.
All Buckhorn residents are
welcome and encouraged to attend.
WIN $100
Official publication of the Buckhorn Homeowners Association Board of Directors
www.Buckhorn.Us • PO Box 1586 • Valrico FL • 33595 • [email protected]
PAGE 1
SPRING 2009
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Buckhorn Community
Garage Sale: April 18
Empty your attic and garage!
The Buckhorn Homeowners Association will put an ad in the
newspaper and put up garage sale signs at the entrances of
Buckhorn. All you have to do is display your items and try to get
shoppers to buy. We hope you have great garage-selling!
2008 Membership Dues Drive
By now you should have received your 2009
Membership Dues Notice in the mail. This year,
your homeowners association is again offering an
incentive to pay your dues. Bloomingdale Growers,
Inc., a local nursery on Bloomingdale Avenue, just
east of the entrance to our neighborhood, is offering
a 15% discount coupon, good through June 30,
2009, to all paid Buckhorn Homeowners
Association members.
For those of you who paid your 2009 dues last
year, along with your 2008 dues, and those of you
who paid early, your 15% discount coupons were
mailed to you the first week of March.
If you did not receive your Dues Notice, or if
you already paid your 2009 dues, but did not receive
your 15% discount coupon, please contact BHA by
e-mailing us at [email protected].
Your financial support of your homeowners
association is needed to enable your volunteer
neighbors working for BHA to:
• Effectively fight area rezoning requests, which
could adversely effect our lifestyle and the value of
our homes
• Continue to promote neighborhood.
beautification and answering resident concerns
• Strengthen our local representation with the
county parks department and sheriff ’s office.
• Continue neighborhood-building activities,
such as the upcoming Buckhorn Bunny Bonanza,
the recently completed annual Holiday Lights
Contest and 4th of July flags.
• Continue the new neighbor welcome
program.
• And much much more….
VOLUNTEER BUCKHORN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION 2008 - 2009
President – Kevin Dorsey
Second Vice President – Ken Nailling
Secretary – Judy Becker
Members-at-Large – Teresa Dorsey & Carrie St. John
Special Assignees – Jay Braden & Bill Welbon
Vice President – Maria Singfield
Treasurer – Rob Brinkman
Newsletter - Sandy Townsend
Your board members receive no compensation. Your dues benefit the community directly.
Volunteer Opportunities: The board is always seeking volunteers. If you have a little time each month, please e-mail
[email protected]
PAGE 2
SPRING 2009
Disc Golf Coming To Buckhorn Park
Your Buckhorn HOA applied for a
matching grant with the Hillsborough County
Neighborhood Relations Department to make
an addition to Buckhorn Park that can be
enjoyed by each of our neighborhood’s
families. We were successful in
qualifying for a recreational grant for
the park.
Disc golf, also called frisbee golf,
is coming soon to our park. It will
consist of 9 metal baskets
mounted on poles
about 5 feet tall.
The baskets have a
trapper device
consisting of
flexible chains
which trap the
disc/frisbee and
drop it into the
trapper basket
midway down the
pole. The players
begin at basket
number one and
work their way around the park playing each of
the 9 baskets in the proper order.
People of all ages can play, and the
investment in discs or frisbees is minimal.
Major sporting goods stores sell individual
discs or sets of discs.
Like the various clubs in a golf bag, discs
are designed for certain types of golf shots, i.e.,
long glide, mid-range and short- range/
putter discs.
Starting from the tee area,
players use their discs to
complete each hole in
succession. The player
with the lowest cumulative score is
the winner.
Disc golf is one of the best lifetime
fitness sports. It is easy to learn, a
healthy activity and accessible to
people of all ages and fitness levels.
Disc golf is a game that requires
courtesy, skill, patience, and the
ability to toss the disc with power or
finesse when required.
It is a great family sport! Small children can
use various types of balls instead of discs when
they begin the sport and graduate to discs as
they grow older.
Look for the completed installation in April
and get out and ENJOY the park!
The payment of expenses for the disc golf
course was made possible by your Buckhorn
Home Association dues, Hillsborough County
Board of County Commissioners, Hillsborough
County Children’s Board, and the Frank E.
Duckwall Foundation with the Community
Foundation of Tampa Bay.
PAGE 3
SPRING 2009
Improvements Make Park A Better Place
The park continues to be a great place for our
neighborhood’s families and their friends to enjoy.
At our request, the Hillsborough County Parks
and Recreation Department brought two bucket
trucks, three dump trucks and their crews to trim
the dead palm fronds from the 14 palm trees at the
park. They also trimmed the myrtle bushes, which
will grow and flower beautifully this spring and
summer. The park really looks sharp now.
We also requested that the Parks Department
deliver 75-100 bags of pine bark mulch to the park
for selected flower beds. Volunteers stepped forward
to place the mulch. We appreciate your volunteer
spirit and hard work.
The Parks Department also responded to a
request by the HOA to inspect and power wash
each of the shelters, benches, tables and play
equipment. Our request was prompted by a
neighbor who visited the park and subsequently
noticed a spider bite that caused her pain and
became infected. She was hospitalized and is now
recovering. The parks crew did not discover any
spiders or webs.
However, the park has been cleaned and is
ready for your enjoyment.
We receive many compliments regarding the
use and upkeep of the park, and seldom hear
complaints like the spider issue.
Two other areas of common complaints are
adults and youth who do not pick up and
properly discard their wrappers, bottles and
cans in any of the five trash cans after they
are through with them.
The other common complaint is adults and
youth who walk the family dog(s) in the park
and do not “scoop the poop” and leave
the animal’s feces on the ground.
Please bring your plastic bag to
properly dispose of your dog’s feces
and dispose of it in the provided
trash cans.
Parents, please discuss these two issues with
your youth who go to the park to insure they are
behaving in the appropriate manner when
representing your family.
We hope you and your family will enjoy our
neighborhood treasure, Buckhorn Park, this spring
and summer.
Remember: Clean Up After Your Dogs!
PAGE 4
SPRING 2009
Be A Curious, Suspicious Neighbor
Criminal activity is an equal opportunity
offender. Each of our families can be a victim of
someone else’s greed and guile.
He stated he was collecting donations for a
football team in Plant City. She told him we have No
Trespassing and No Soliciting signs at our entrances.
The best way to combat criminal activity is to be He told her it was OK because he had the HOA’s
a curious, suspicious and watchful neighbor every day permission, which he did not.
and night.
She observed him get on the tailgate of a pick-up
truck
and the driver pull away. The neighbor notified
Our neighborhood has a very good record of
the
HOA,
and the Sheriff was called.
defense against large scale criminal activity.
Unfortunately, we have seen a few small scale
criminal activities lately.
There were some alarming details conveyed to us
in this case:
Residents have experienced stolen children’s toys •
from the yard, a missing BBQ grill, missing ladder,
chair missing off the front porch, a trash can set on
•
fire on the golf course, etc.
Our best defense is for each of us, including older
children, to be aware of our surroundings and
recognize anything unusual, such as a different car or •
truck in a neighbor’s driveway, a person hanging
around or approaching an open garage or going up to
•
the door of an unoccupied home.
Get a good description of the person(s), and their
vehicle and call the Sheriff immediately at 247-8200
for non-emergency or 911 if you observe criminal
•
activity in progress. If possible, keep the suspects
under observation and advise the Sheriff of their
movements.
Recently, a neighbor was confronted by a
suspicious male who rang her doorbell. He was
standing to the side of the door so she could not see
him until she opened the door.
The person stood in a position outside to door to
make it hard to see him.
The man had on a loose fitting plain sweatshirt
on an 80-degree day, which made it easy to hide a
pry tool to use to open the door or break a
window.
The man had no materials identifying the
organization he was allegedly collecting for.
He stated he was collecting for a youth team in
Plant City. We are not a subdivision in Plant
City, nor do our youth generally travel that far to
join a team.
The man stated he had HOA approval to solicit
donations. The homeowner knew we do not
operate that way.
(Continued on page 6)
PAGE 5
SPRING 2009
(Continued #om page 5)
Be A Curious, Suspicious Neighbor
•
The driver stayed in the truck with the engine
running and the tailgate down which made it
hard to get a tag number.
•
They did not go to the next home on the block
as they pulled away.
she knew he did not have HOA permission to solicit
donations in our neighborhood.
We believe the reactions by these residents
convinced these two individuals to leave our
neighborhood quickly.
Immediate searches of the neighborhood by a
member of the HOA and the Sheriff ’s Deputy could
not locate the vehicle.
Always notify your Buckhorn HOA at
[email protected] of any criminal activity you see
and any reports you make to the Sheriff of criminal
We discovered the man tried the same thing with activity.
another neighbor and she also confronted him about
We will follow up with the Deputies in an effort
not respecting our posted No Soliciting sign and that to make our neighborhood a safer place to live.
Learn About County News & Services
Hillsborough County offers several ways to keep
up with the latest on county
government events and news.
Now you can sign up to receive
RSS feeds from the county to
stay informed of the latest event
and meeting announcements and
news releases as they are sent out.
Just go to the county’s website at:
www.hillsboroughcounty.org and click on the “Sign
up for RSS Feeds” links under the News section and
under the Meetings and Events section.
Here’s a list of just a few services you can find:
On the Code Enforcement page, view a Code
Enforcement “Tip of the Month” to help you learn
the ins and outs of county’s codes and how the
department enforces them.
On the Procurement Services page, sign up to
become an official vendor and be notified of projects
as they come up for bid.
On the Planning & Growth Management page,
research contractor licenses for every discipline that
the department issues licenses for.
On the Animal Services page, see photos of
Another option is to follow Hillsborough County
animals up for adoption and those that the
on Twitter and be notified about the county’s latest
news. Go to Twitter.com, a free service, and click to department has picked up who are looking for their
owners.
follow Hillsborough County @HCNews.
• On the Real Estate page, research the status
You will be able to view notices via your
of ongoing or planned construction and capital
computer, cell phone or other wireless device
projects the county is working on in your area.
instantaneously.
And that’s only the beginning. Several other
With hurricane season approaching, be sure to
online
services are easily accessible by clicking on the
also sign up for E-News alerts. That way emergency
“Online Services” pull-down menu on the website
information will be delivered directly to you via
email. Go to www.hillsboroughcounty.org/emergency, home page.
Hillsborough County government offers many
then click “Hurricane Information.”
ways
to keep its residents informed. So sign up or get
The County’s website provides several other
online today, and get in the know.
features to keep you informed on county services.
PAGE 6
SPRING 2009
Speed Trailer Reminds Of 25 mph Speed
Your Buckhorn HOA, in
cooperation with the Hillsborough
County Sheriff ’s Department, has
arranged for a speed trailer to be
placed in selected locations
throughout our neighborhood.
This unit uses radar to display
the speed of approaching vehicles
in lights on the screen. Above the
trailer is a standard traffic speed
control sign, which reminds
motorists of the correct posted
speed, 25 mph. The computer
inside the trailer can record
vehicle speed as well as the time it
occurs, which can assist in followup with enforcement efforts.
We have received many
positive remarks about having the
speed trailer inside our
neighborhood.
Speed
Limit
25
The trailer demonstrates the
awareness/education phase of the
project. It will be followed by the
periodic random enforcement
phase by marked and unmarked
Sheriff ’s units who will enforce the
speed limit.
In addition, they will look for
drivers who fail to stop at STOP
signs and drivers who are traveling
with their radios/CD players
playing excessively loud.
Current ordinances state the
radio/CD player should not be
heard at a distance of over 25 feet
from the vehicle, regardless of
whether it is moving or stationary.
Your HOA would like to thank
the many residents, parents of
small children, joggers, bike riders,
etc., who have requested we find a
way to positively address their
complaints on these issues in an
effort to make and keep our
neighborhood as safe as possible
for everyone.
Cell Phone Towers At Local Schools
Hillsborough County Schools has installed cell
phone transmission towers at many schools in the
county because of rental income they receive from
cell phone companies.
Several Buckhorn neighbors and other area
residents have been very vocal in resisting these
proposed towers. They site developing research on
the negative health affects of cell towers in
England, Sweden, and other countries and
increasing concerns in the U.S.
A recent approval was given for a cell tower on
private property at the rear of Buckhorn
Elementary School. Residents plan to request a rehearing on this tower in April, but it may be
difficult to get that passed.
Commission that states of any danger from these
towers.
However, there is much growing evidence of
negative health affects of
excessive use of cell
phones by people,
especially children and
teens.
Parents are advised
to limit their children’s’
use of cell phones and
get their children handsfree headsets to reduce their
exposure to radiation.
Hillsborough County Schools state that there is
no data from the Federal Communications
PAGE 7
SPRING 2009
Check Your Emergency Supplies
The United States is in the midst of one of the
largest food recalls in American history. As
Americans dig through their cabinets and
refrigerators to remove potentially contaminated
food associated with the recent peanut recall, we
would like to also remind citizens to open and check
their Emergency Preparedness Kits to remove any
potentially harmful items from these also.
A full list of recalled peanut products and what
individuals should do with recalled items can be
found on the Food and Drug Administration’s Web
site, www.accessdata.fda.gov.
In addition to checking for peanut-related items,
please be sure to check for other items in your kit
that may have expired, including medications, food
and pet food, water, and other recalled items.
Because peanut products are often recommended
The U.S. government provides information on
as staples in Emergency Preparedness Kits due to
unsafe, hazardous, or defective products ranging
their long shell life and because they are a good
from consumer products, food, medicine and
source of protein, we encourage all kit owners to
cosmetics at www.recalls.gov.
look at their kits to ensure their food products are
Ensuring family and neighbors are prepared is an
not on the peanut recall list.
essential step in helping communities during and
Please keep in mind that the peanut product
after an emergency. Families should have an
recall extends beyond peanut-flavored products. The Emergency Preparedness Kit in all locations that are
following are some examples
frequented often, including homes, offices, schools,
of foods also included in the
cars and day care facilities.
recall that may contain
These kits should hold a variety of essential
peanuts:
items that are needed during a disaster, such as a
✓ Granola
flashlight, radio, cash, clothing, protective
equipment, medicines, and of course food and
✓ Snack bars
water. For a complete list of Emergency
✓ Crackers
Preparedness Kit recommended
✓ Cereal
items, please visit http://
✓ Trail Mix
www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/
supplykit.shtm
✓ Cookies
✓ Noodles
✓ Dog treats
Important Phone Numbers
Emergency 911
Sheriff ’s Office Non-emergency 247-8200
Animal Control 744-5660
County Information 272-5900
Garbage/Trash Collection 276-2958
Street Light Repair (TECO) 223-0800
Street Sign Repair 744-5670
Buckhorn Homeowners Association:
[email protected]
Veteran’s Affairs 975-2181
Water Violations Hotline 224-8993
Your District 4 County Commissioner Al Higginbotham 272-5740
PAGE 8
SPRING 2009
HOW MUCH IS A MILLION…,
BILLION…, TRILLION
Numbers can be boggling at times, especially today with
the large numbers we hear and read about in the media
dealing with the economy. Enjoy the following facts as an
interesting journey into the “Valley of Large Numbers.”
1,000,000 = million, 1,000,000,000 = a billion,
1,000,000,000,000 = a trillion.
If you received a $1,000 a day, seven days a week, how
long would it take you to have a million $ - 2 year, 8 months,
26 days; a billion $ - 2,737 years, 10 months, 7 days.
If were to count to million, how long would it take you?
About 11 days.
If you were to count to a billion, how long would it take
you? About 30 years.
If you received $1 for every second of your entire life, and
you just reached a billion $, what year were you born? 1978, 31
years ago.
If were to spend a million $ a day since the day Jesus was
born you would have only spent about ¾ of a trillion $ to date.
If you were to fly a military jet at the speed of sound,
rolling out a huge roll of $1 bills behind you, it would take
nearly 14 years of continuous flying to roll out a trillion $
If you were to stack $100 dollar bills, your stack would be
nearly 40 inches tall to equal a million $, 3,333 feet tall to
equal a Billion $ and 630 miles tall to equal a trillion $
A million $ in $1 bills weighs about 2,204.6 lbs.; a true
“ton of money.”
A million $ in $20 bills weighs about 110 lbs.
A million $ in $100 bills weighs about 22 lbs.
A cubic foot of $1 bills has about $10,000.
A 110 cubic feet of $1 bills has about a million $
A billion $ in $100 bills weighs about 22,000 lbs.
A billion $ in $100 bills takes about 1,100 cubic feet.
A trillion $ is 10 Billion $100 bills
A trillion $ weighs about 22,000,000 lbs.
PAGE 9
SPRING 2009
New Traffic Violation Penalties Increased Feb. 1
Excessive Speeding & Motorcycle Stunt Driving
If you are cited for driving your motorcycle or vehicle in excess of 50 mph over the posted speed limit,
or if you are a motorcyclist who fails to keep both wheels on the ground at all times unless an obstruction
causes you to do otherwise, you will be rewarded with the following new fines:
First Offense - $1,000 Fine
Second Offense - $2,500 Fine and 1 Year Revoked License
Third Offense - $5,000 Fine and UP to 10 Years Revoked License and a Third Degree Felony Conviction
General Speeding & Other common Traffic Offenses
Fines are graduated based on the miles per hour over the posted limit. Enhanced fines are issued for
speeding in school and construction zones.
MPH Over Limit
Regular Citation
School / Construction
Citation
Points Affected
1-5
Warning
$141
3 in school/construction
6-9
$116
$141
3
10-14
$191
$291
3
15-19
$241
$366
3
20-29
$266
$416
3
30+
Requires appearance before a judge
Judge determines
Offense
Ticket Amount
Running Red Light
$216
$151
3
$151
3
$191
$151
$151
$151
$101
$151
Failure to Stop for School Bus
$191
Improper Passing
Running Stop Sign
Toll Violation
Improper Turn
No Child Restraint
Improper Passing
Seatbelt Violation
Failure to Yield
Points Affected
4
0
3
3
3
0
3
Requires apperance before a judge
Please remember that our neighborhood has a posted speed limit of 25 mph on all streets.
Moreover, the STOP signs mean to STOP completely and not to SLOW and ROLL. Neighborhood
safety on our roads and sidewalks affects all drivers, bikers, walkers, joggers and children at play.
PLEASE DO YOUR PART EVERY DAY!
PAGE 10
SPRING 2009
Does Your Company Want To Offer
Buckhorn Residents Special Pricing?
Due to the economy, we are all watching our
spending. This reduction in spending has hurt
businesses, many of which are Buckhorn residents.
If your company is interested in giving special
discount pricing for your services or products to
Buckhorn-only residents, please let us know. If
your company’s offer is as competitive as
discounted offers from outside of Buckhorn, we
are willing to help you advertise your service to all
652 homes in Buckhorn. We want to use offers
from Buckhorn residents, but we want the best
deal for all Buckhorn neighbors.
Buckhorn’s Homeowners Association has
offered similar special pricing in past years for
termite treatment, landscaping, etc. Please e-mail
your offer and information about your company to
the Homeowners Association at
[email protected].
Residents’ Business Cards For The Next Newsletter
If you are a dues-paying Buckhorn resident and
want to include your business card in an upcoming
Buckhorn Newsletter, please let us know. You can
mail your business card to Buckhorn Homeowners
Association (NEWSLETTER), P.O. Box 1586,
Valrico, FL 33595.
We also post residents’ business cards on our
website. If you want your card posted there, too,
note that when you send in your business card.
10%
Discount
for
Buckhorn
residents
at
The
Computer
Hut
‐
Ask
for
Al
or
Ozzie.
Sam Manci
Owner
®
3110 Cherry Palm Drive
Tampa, FL 33619
813.664.1129
Fax: 813.664.0578
Email: [email protected]
www.allegratampa.com
PAGE 11
SPRING 2009
Kids - Color this Easter Bunny!
See you at the Buckhorn Bunny Bonanza Saturday, April 4, at the Buckhorn Park!
PAGE 12