There are many downed trees throughout the Association from Tuesday night’s windstorm. SVCA Maintenance teams worked through the night to be sure that first responders could reach the properties where emergencies had been reported. Maintenance and Turfcare staff have been working since the early morning to clear the roads. All primary and secondary roads are now passable and the remaining residential roads should be open by mid-afternoon today (Wednesday). Once all the roads are open, crews will start to remove leaning or downed trees from alongside the roadways.

If you are aware of trees on SVCA property that pose a threat, please report them to Administration as soon as possible. Phones are not working, but should be restored this afternoon. You can also email us at office@suddenvalley.com.

Many homes have been damaged by falling trees and limbs. Homeowners are responsible for clearing downed trees/limbs from their property. SVCA will work with Whatcom County to organize a project to remove debris. At this time, residents are advised to pile chippable debris less than 8″ in diameter at the roadside, being careful not to block the road or the drainage ditches. Debris that is more than 8″ in diameter should be piled separately.

Street sweeping will begin today, Monday, November 18, and continue for 3-4 days. During this time, Sudden Valley Maintenance will drive street sweepers through each gate and clear the roads of leaves and debris. Maintenance will start with Gates 2 and 5, followed by Gate 1, and then Gates 3, 5 and 13.

Please drive carefully!

Join your neighbors on Saturday, October 19th, between 3 and 5 PM for an informal Meet & Greet with the candidates running for office. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know each candidate personally. The event will be held in the Dance Barn on the second floor of the Community Center at 8 Barn View Drive inside Gate 2. Light refreshments will be served. We hope you will join us!

SVCA’s Board of Directors approved the virtual participation of community members in meetings at the September 12th meeting. Members who would like to make a comment during the Homeowner Comment portion of the agenda can do so via Zoom. The attendee link can be found on the Board of Directors page on SuddenValley.com. The link is also given here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86704997445

Meetings will continue to be livestreamed on YouTube for those members who prefer to watch the meetings without participating. Members are also welcome to participate in person; beginning Thursday, September 26th, meetings of he Board will be held in Multipurpose Room A on the first floor of the Community Center (8 Barn View Court).

As we prepare for our upcoming Candidate Forums on October 2 and October 13, the Nominations and Elections Committee invites you to submit questions for the candidates. This is your opportunity to ask about the issues you care about.  “What concerns you in the Valley?  What do you want candidates to speak to?” 
 
Please note that not every question submitted may be asked, because of time constraints, or if several questions on the same topic need to be consolidated. We want to ensure a thoughtful and engaging forum that addresses a wide range of concerns.
 
Send your questions/topics/concerns to GailChiarello@comcast.net as soon as possible!  Thank you for your involvement in this important process!
 
Gail Chiarello
Forum Moderator

While working to restore a culvert on Monday morning, 9/9/24, Granite Construction hit an unmarked cable, cutting power to the SVCA Marina. No other customers have been affected. Association staff are working with PSE to restore power, but, until then, the bathrooms are closed and the card readers controlling access to the wet slip docks are not working. If you need access to your boat, please call SVCA Security at 360-319-8200. We apologize for the inconvenience and will do everything we can to ensure that power is restored as soon as possible.

The Nominations & Elections Committee met at 4:45 pm on Tuesday, September 3rd, to open the candidate applications for the 2024 election. There are five (5) candidates for the Board of Directors:

• Rick Asai
• Ray Meador
• Nancy Alyanak
• Taimi Van de Polder
• Tom Henning

There are two (2) candidates for the Architectural Control Committee:

• Allen Helvajian
• Daniel Vink

The dates for this year’s candidate forums will be announced later this week.

SVCA will hold a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, August 17th, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Community Members may participate in person at the Dance Barn or via Zoom. The proposed 2025 budget will be presented and the rest of the meeting time will be set aside for Homeowner questions and comments. Homeowners attending either in person or via Zoom will have the opportunity to speak. To join the meeting on Saturday, click the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84083639916?pwd=oCKjJMPlhSx11LubHb2nspzphX2C2A.1

Applications for open positions on the SVCA Board, the Architectural Control Committee, and the Nominations & Elections Committee are now available.

The application period is open from July 5, 2024, and closes at 4:30 PM September 3, 2024. Packets are available HERE, or can be picked up in person at the Welcome Center, 1850 Lake Whatcom Boulevard.

Candidates are required to be members in good standing from the time of application through their term of office, if elected. Each candidate must be listed on the deed to the property.

The Whatcom County Fire Marshal’s Office announced the enacting of a Stage 1 Burn Ban, effective from Monday, July 1st, 2024, through Saturday, September 14th, 2024. This proactive measure aims to mitigate the risk of fire hazards and protect the community and natural resources. Sudden Valley follows a more restrictive protocol and, per our Rules & Regulations, no outdoor fires of any kind will be permitted. Cooking fires such as enclosed BBQs are allowed.

For more information, see Whatcom County information HERE.