Rivermist - February 2012

Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc. The Beacon - February 2012 1

The Beacon

Volume 3, Issue 2 February 2012

IN THIS ISSUE:

Dear Homeowner ......................... 2

Safety Note................................... 2

Watering Restrictions ................... 3

Check Us Out On the Web .......... 3

Settling Your Credit Card Debts ... 4

City of San AntonioCustomer Service ......................... 5

Your Pet's Dental Health .............. 6

February Yard of the Month ......... 7

MEET YOURBoard of Directors

Over the next few months, The Beacon will feature brief biographies introducing your Board. If you see us in the community let us know your concerns.

CHARLES HASBERRY JR.Charles Hasberry Jr. is the President of the Bexar County Rivermist Board of Directors. Charles is an Air Force officer with almost eighteen years of active duty service. He currently serves as a disability attorney assigned to the Formal Physical Evaluation Boards at Lackland Air Force Base. He is married to Abby and has three children, Evan (16), Maya (9) and Leah (5). (His furry children are Orion, India and Persia, a Great Dane, a Terrier and a Tabby cat). His family moved into Rivermist in 2006 and he has served on the Board for approximately five years.

RUDY CERVERA JR.Rudy Cervera Jr. is one of two Vice Presidents on the Board of Directors. Rudy has lived in the Rivermist Subdivision for 6 years and has served on the Board for about 4 years. He is employed with HEB as a Payroll Specialist. He is married to Marissa and has three children, Rodolfo (7), Liliana (4) and Araceli (1).

HappyValentine's Day!

2 The Beacon - February 2012 Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc

The BeaconSAFETY NOTE

We have a new “Stop” sign at the intersection of Kyle Seale and Rock Mist. We wish to thank fellow Board Member, Rudy Cervera, for working with the city to get the study done and the sign installed. This should make that intersection much safer for our children crossing the street to get to the playground. The need for this stop sign is further supported by the recent vehicle accident at the park. The Board will be looking into installing barriers of some sort near the park in 2012.

Dear Homeowner, Here at Spectrum we strive to make the transition to our company as seamless and problem free as possible. This article is just a reminder on the different ways you can pay your homeowner association dues. The most traditional method of coming to our office to pay is available. Our address is 17319 San Pedro, Suite 318, San Antonio, TX 78232. You can also register at www.spectrumam.com and login to pay your dues by e-check or credit card. We accept payment from Mastercard, Discover and American Express. On this site you can also setup recurring payments, view current reports of any ACC requests, Violations, governing documents, upcoming events and other information. For your security, we do not take credit card payments over the phone. If you ever have questions on how to register or how to review something on the website, please feel free to contact us. Our policy is to return all calls and emails the same day. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and once again, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.Regards,

Jason M. GreenCommunity Manager Office: 210.494.0659 www.spectrumam.com

Ross Hosea, OwnerISA Certified Arborist #TX-3811A

Texas Oak Wilt CertifiedSan Antonio native with more than

20 years experienceTrimming � Removal � Planting

Free Estimates(210) 912-4869 or [email protected]

ArborPro Tree Care

Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc. The Beacon - February 2012 3

The Beacon

Check us out on the web atwww.rivermistsa.com

Our community website is a treasure trove of information regarding community events, community safety and other helpful items. You can sign up to receive email updates/alerts that are sent out by our talented webmaster.

Sincerely,Your Board of Directors

San Antonio Moves Out Of Stage Two Watering Restrictions (1/3/12)

Community goes to Stage One rules, still following once per week watering

San Antonio Water System, in consultation with City Manager Sheryl Sculley, has announced the end to Stage Two drought restrictions effective Wednesday, January 4. Stage One restrictions are now in place.

“It’s been a long, dry year with little rain, but recent weather has helped the Edwards Aquifer begin to recover,” said Chuck Ahrens, SAWS Vice President of Water Resources and Conservation. “Thanks to the community’s cooperation we were able to hold off more stringent watering restrictions, even during one of the worst one-year drought periods on record.”

Drought restrictions are designed to help water managers in the region, like SAWS, manage water resources for the long term. San Antonio entered Stage Two drought restrictions on May 31, and first entered Stage One restrictions earlier this year on April 12.

To come out of Stage Two restrictions, water levels at the J-17 Edwards monitoring well had to stay above 650 feet for 30 days. Water levels rose to 650.7 feet on December 3, and have stayed above 650 feet since then. While Stage Two restrictions have been lifted, Stage One drought restrictions will remain in place until water levels stay above 660 ft. for 30 days, as outlined in the city’s aquifer management plan.

“While we are still under Stage One restrictions, the weather is cooler and wetter, so there’s not much need for outdoor watering right now anyway,” added Ahrens. “However, weather predictions show that dry weather is expected to continue, so we suggest that San Antonians continue their water-saving habits in the event the Edwards Aquifer falls back to Stage Two.”

As a reminder, in Stage One you can still water your landscape once per week on your designated day. Watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system is allowed only before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. on your assigned day, as determined by the last number of your street address:

Last Digit of Street Address Watering Day 0 or 1 Monday 2 or 3 Tuesday

4 or 5 Wednesday 6 or 7 Thursday

8 or 9 Friday

*No watering on weekends **Areas without a street

address, such as medians and neighborhood entryways, water

on Wednesday.

4 The Beacon - February 2012 Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc

The BeaconSettling Your Credit Card Debts

If you’ve maxed out your credit cards and are getting deeper in debt, chances are you’re feeling overwhelmed. How are you ever going to pay down the debt? Now imagine hearing about a company that promises to reduce – or even erase – your debt for pennies on the dollar. Sounds like the answer to your problems, right?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says slow down, and consider how you can get out of the red without spending a whole lot of green.

DEBT SETTLEMENT COMPANIESMany different kinds of services claim to

help people with debt problems. Among them are “debt settlement” companies that say they’ll negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. Some debt

settlement companies claim that they can arrange for your debt to be paid off for less than the amount you owe – for anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of the balance. For example, if you owe $10,000 on a credit card, a debt settlement company may claim it can arrange for you to pay off the debt for less, say $4,000.

But there is no guarantee that debt settlement companies can persuade a credit card company to accept partial payment of a legitimate debt. Even if they can, you must put aside money for your creditors each month. Meanwhile, it may be months – or even years – before the debt settlement company negotiates with your credit card company to settle your debts. And, if you stop making your payments in the meantime, the credit card company usually adds late fees and interest to the debt each

month. That can cause your original debt to double or triple.

RESEARCHING COMPANIESIf you decide to pay a company to

negotiate your debt, do some research before you choose one. Consider other people’s experiences with debt settlement companies. One way to do that is to enter the company name with the word “complaints” into an Internet search engine. Read what others have said. You are making a big decision to spend money that could go toward paying down your debt.

DEBT SETTLEMENT FEESCompanies that sell debt settlement and

other debt relief services by phone cannot charge or collect a fee before they settle or reduce your debt.

If you do business with a debt settlement company, you may be required to deposit money for the company’s fees and potential settlements in a dedicated bank account, which will be administered by an independent third party called an account administrator. The account administrator may charge you a reasonable fee, and is responsible for transferring funds from your account to pay your creditors and the debt settlement company when settlements occur – as long as:• the account is at an insured financial

institution; • you own and control the funds (and any

interest accrued), and can withdraw them at any time;

• the debt settlement company doesn’t own, control or have any affiliation with the account administrator;

• the debt settlement company doesn’t split fees with the account administrator; and

• you can stop working with the debt settlement company at any time without paying a penalty. If you decide to end the relationship with the company, it must return the money in the account to you within seven business days – minus any fees the company legitimately earned.

(Continued on Page 5)

Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc. The Beacon - February 2012 5

The Beacon

City of San Antonio Customer Service 3-1-1 is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects citizens with specially-trained customer service representatives ready to help you with your City service requests -- potholes, stray animals, downed street signs, trash collection or other City requests. Just dial 3-1-1 or call 207-6000.

For TTY users, please contact Texas Relay by dialing 711 or dial the Texas Relay number: 1-800-RELAY TX (735-2989) to contact our 311 call center.

Customer satisfaction is important. 311 provides access to customer service assistance 7:00am to 11:00pm Monday through Sunday, including all holidays. 311 is the City’s “customer first” answer to handling your non-emergency calls and requests for services quickly, effectively and professionally. 911 receives millions of calls. Most are emergencies, many are not. 311 can reduce the number of non-emergency calls to 911 and allows emergency personnel to focus on more critical, urgent calls.

When you dial 311, a customer service representative will answer your call. You’ll be asked for detailed information regarding your request. This information is immediately sent to the appropriate City department for action. 311 customer service representatives understand the importance of providing quality customer service the first time you call.

DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTSThe debt settlement company must give you information about

the program before you enroll:Fees and terms. Before you sign up for the service, the company

must explain its fees. If the company charges a specific dollar amount for services, it must tell you what it is. The company can charge you only a portion of its full fee for each debt it settles. For example, say you owe money to five creditors. The company successfully negotiates a settlement with one of your creditors. The company can charge you only a portion of its full fee at this time because it still needs to successfully negotiate with four other creditors. Each time the debt settlement company successfully settles a debt with one of your creditors, the company can charge you another portion of its full fee. If the company’s fees are based on a percentage of the amount you save through the settlement, it must tell you both the percentage it charges and the estimated dollar amount that it represents. This may be called a “contingency” fee. The company also must tell you about any conditions on its services. For example, if it has a refund policy, it must tell you the terms and conditions for getting a refund. If the company has a no-refund policy, it must tell you so before you enroll.

Results. The company must tell you how many months or years it will be before the company will make an offer to each creditor.

Offers. The company must tell you how much money or what percentage of each outstanding debt you must save before it will make an offer to each creditor.

Non-payment. If the company asks you to stop making payments to your creditors – or if the program relies on you not to make payments – the company must tell you about the possible negative consequences of doing so, including: • damage to your credit report and credit score; • your creditors may sue you or continue with the collections

process; and • your credit card companies may charge you additional fees and

interest, which will increase the amount you owe.

TAX CONSEQUENCESDepending on your financial condition, the money you save by

using debt settlement companies can be considered taxable income. Credit card companies and others may report debt settlements to the IRS, and the agency may consider it income, unless it finds you are “insolvent.” You are insolvent when your total debts are more than the fair market value of your total assets. It can be complicated to determine whether someone is insolvent. If you’re not sure whether you qualify for this exception, talk to a tax professional.

RED FLAGSAvoid doing business with any company that promises to settle

your debt if the company: • charges any fees before it settles your debts • touts a “new government program” to bail out personal credit

card debt • guarantees it can make your unsecured debt go away • tells you to stop communicating with your creditors • tells you it can stop all debt collection calls and lawsuits • guarantees that your unsecured debts can be paid off for just

pennies on the dollar

FOR MORE INFORMATIONThe FTC has free materials about dealing with credit card debt

at www.ftc.gov/credit www.ftc.gov/moneymatters For more information about dealing with mortgage debt, visit

www.ftc.gov/yourhome The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices

in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

Settling Your Credit Card Debts- (Continued from Page 4)

6 The Beacon - February 2012 Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc

The Beacon Your Pet’s Dental Health

It’s Important All Year - Not Just in February

Pet care professionals across the country promote February as “National Dental Health Month” for your pets. Although we value this focus every year, we advocate for your pet’s dental health all year round. The importance of good oral health cannot be stressed enough as it relates to your pet’s good health over a lifetime. Without proper dental care, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age three.

Flip the Lip! Does your pet have red, swollen gums, a yellow-brown crust of tarter around the gumline, and bad breath? These are the warning signs of dental disease that lead to systemic conditions such as heart, kidney, and liver disease. Dental disease is started by bacterial growth on your pet’s teeth and gums (even below the gumline!). These bacteria produce toxins that if left untreated move

deeper into the soft tissues of the mouth. As the infection progresses, it can spread from the injured tissue in the mouth throughout the body, through the blood supply. This systemic contamination leads to a higher incidence of disease in the heart, kidney, liver, pancreas and joints as your pet ages.

Your veterinarian and pet care professionals understand these risks, which is why we emphasize the importance of professional dental cleanings for your dogs and cats. During your pet’s dental cleaning, a thorough oral exam is performed; which includes full mouth x-rays, periodontal probing, and a close examination of the teeth by a veterinarian. Additionally, ultrasonic scaling, polishing and a fluoride treatment are important elements of the procedure. Sadly, extractions of teeth that are too infected and painful for your pet are often required for their comfort and well-being. Because pets simply won’t sit still for a proper dental cleaning to be performed, patients must be anesthetized for the procedure.

Preventive home care along with regular dental cleanings will help preserve your pet’s teeth, and lessen the need for advanced dental procedures. There are many options available to pet owners. Talk with your veterinarian about which one is best for you and your pet.

If you can have your pet’s dental cleaning this February, that’s great! But if not, see your vet any time of year to ensure their good dental AND overall health.

Town & Country Veterinary Hospital(210) 684-144810350 Bandera Rd., San Antonio, TX 78250www.MySanAntonioVet.com

1 FREE Nail Trim* 1 FREE Nail Trim*

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The Beacon

Congratulations February

Yard of the Month Winners

The Benavides Family 10806 Rivera Cove

The Gallagos Family 8419 Stream Run

The Hoffman Family 10830 Hillsdale Loop

Nominate Your Neighborsfor the Yard of the Month!!!

If you see a great yard on your street and think it deserves recognition in the Rivermist Beacon, email the Board of Directors and let us know. You can reach us by sending a short note to: [email protected].