Sunland North Newsletter January 2025
Kathy Gross, editor, information@sunlandnorth.org
Website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1655, Sequim, WA 98382
Business Hours: Monday – Friday; 9 AM – 3 PM
2024-2025 Sunland North Board of Directors
President: Gerry Hatler, president@sunlandnorth.org
Vice President: Mark Anderson, vicepresident@sunlandnorth.org
Treasurer: Betty Gwaltney, treasurer@sunlandnorth.org
Secretary: Susan Hamman, secretary@sunlandnorth.org
Board Member-at-Large: Beverly Stern, member-at-large@sunlandnorth.org
Announcements
Homeowners Association (HOA) Office Hours: Monday—Friday, 9 am – 3 pm
We want to remind all new and current residents that we should adhere to the Sunland North (Division 17) Homeowners Association (HOA) Office Hours, except in an emergency. Contact information for each Board and committee chair member is on the Sunland North Website (https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/about-us/); or use the generic “Contact Form” on the website (https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/contact-us/).
Remember that we don’t have paid administrative staff, and people may be away from home or otherwise occupied; anticipate at least a few days for a response.
Upcoming Sunland North Board Meetings
Homeowner Association (HOA) monthly Board business meetings are open for all owners to attend. The Board meetings always include a separate “Owner Comment Period” in which owners are encouraged to participate. The meetings are also a good way to find out what is happening in the neighborhood and how our volunteers handle different aspects of our shared HOA life. The meetings will be held at “The Gathering Place,” 135 Fairway Drive.
The Sunland North Board Meeting schedule for the first quarter of 2025 is as follows:
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- Wednesday, January 8 (2:30 to 4:30 pm)
- Wednesday, February 12 (2:30 to 4:30 pm)
- Wednesday, March 12 (2:30 to 4:30 pm)
Note: Sunland Owners Association (SLOA) is a separate, overarching HOA that includes several other divisions, the pool and tennis courts, and all the individual homes in Sunland; their Board meeting schedule is separate from Sunland North Division 17.
Of Special Interest
Annual Sunland North Holiday Party & Pictures:
The 2024 Sunland North Holiday Party, prepared this year by Stymie’s Restaurant (at the Dungeness Golf Course), was another great success! While not an official HOA event, the holiday party is a long-standing homeowner-organized event. Kudos to this year’s committee chairs, Kathy Mahnerd and Renee Jubien, and their handy husbands Eric and Gary!
Pictures from the dinner and party can be viewed at the Sunland North website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/gallery/2024-holiday-party/
New Year’s Resolution
“I Promise To Become More Involved In My HOA and Neighborhood (even if it just means attending occasional board meetings to show my support for the board and other volunteers).” Resolutions to diet and get more exercise are hard; but doing just a little something to be a part of your neighborhood is a good way to meet a few more people, make a contribution–and even have some fun along the way! The next Board meeting will be Wednesday, January 8th, at 2:30 pm at the Gathering Place. The meetings generally run one hour or less.
Ways to Volunteer
Here are some things your neighbors have done or are doing, with which you could potentially help. The tasks have been sorted by category to help focus on the specific interests of our residents. If there is a task below you are interested in, please contact a board member or committee chair, contact information is listed on the Sunland North website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/about-us/
Outdoor Activities
- Pick up trash along Sequim-Dungeness and/or Woodcock;
- Help control poison hemlock by regularly patrolling a section of the Open Space;
- Volunteer for one of the work parties that picks up fallen tree limbs after big windstorms;
- Help remove invasive ivy growing in the open space area.
Building and Infrastructure Maintenance
- Join periodic work parties organized to inspect unit exteriors for needed repairs or other maintenance;
- Ask one of our current volunteer coordinators if they could use some help (landscaping oversight, external maintenance coordination, insurance review, nomination committee, architectural review).
Administrative
- Help stuff envelopes for the annual meeting each fall;
- Help register attendees at the annual meeting each fall;
- Volunteer to count votes for the annual meeting each fall;
- Volunteer to review documents for readability and to help catch typos;
- Volunteer to attend each SLOA and/or Water Board meeting this year, and report back at the Sunland North board meeting on what’s going on;
- Draft a proposed article for the quarterly newsletter;
- Arrange to “shadow” a volunteer for a couple of their “assignments,” to see what’s involved;
- Come and observe a board meeting, just to see what’s involved in keeping this neighborhood humming along.
Social
- Help put together the annual Sunland North holiday party;
- Help organize summer “Happy Hour” socials at the Sunny Shores cabana;
- Initiate other “ya’ll come” potlucks, holiday parties, or other get-togethers;
- Take photos around the neighborhood or at our events, for the Sunland North website;
- Help meet and orient new owners, as part of the Welcome Committee.
NOTE: Current volunteers may or may not need help right now, but they’ll appreciate knowing you are available if needed!
Recipe for Deer Repellent
We are all aware of the deer roaming our yards and open spaces. This is an easy-to-make recipe, courtesy of Susan Hamman, to use on shrubs as a deer repellent:
Deer Repellent
1 cup soured milk (1 tablespoon vinegar added to milk to make 1cup)
4 whole eggs
1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
20 drops eucalyptus oil
Blend and then add to make 1 gallon of water. Spray about every six weeks or more if needed. When you finish spraying clean the sprayer with clear water before storing.
Messages and Reports from Our Volunteers
President – Gerry Hatler
I want to wish you all Happy Holidays and hopes for a fabulous New Year!
Again, this year there are many new homeowners who have moved into Sunland North. Sunland North was incorporated in 1999 and 2025 begins the thirteenth year of the HOA being managed by its homeowners. Sunland North would not operate as efficiently as it does without the many talented volunteers that we have. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your willingness to keep our association the vital organization that it is. And, we are always looking for new volunteers. There is a “Volunteer Form” on our website that you can complete and forward to me at president@sunlandnorth.org.
If you have any questions about living in our community, check out our website, https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/. There is much good information there as well as past newsletters that can provide perspective on happenings around our neighborhood. If you need additional information, you can contact one of your Board members, their contact information is also on the Sunland North website.
The changes to the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs Amendment 4) were approved by a vote of the homeowners at the annual meeting in September. They have been recorded with the Clallam County Clerk and Recorders office.
The Board is in the process of amending the HOA’s Bylaws to clean them up and to make sure they are consistent with the CC&Rs since they were amended. This process will be accomplished over the course of several meetings. If you have any questions about changes to the Bylaws you are welcome to attend one of the Board meetings held on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:30 in the Gathering Place.
Vice President – Mark Anderson
As the assigned board member to oversee our Exterior Maintenance, it seems good to report on recent issues that owners are currently experiencing and to make us all aware of issues that will most likely be affecting us at some point in time.
One issue this month that is an ongoing issue is “Pests,” the kind that do harm to buildings such as insects, rodents, and birds. Access points for pests are almost any point where there are gaps, cracks and most anywhere the pest can sense warmth, food or can expect shelter or protection from predators.
Of all these pests, the most common pests are rodents which means we must be vigilant about keeping this pest at bay (year around). Ignoring or even pretending they do not exist will cost you much more pain and suffering (financially) than just being vigilant. A quick search on YouTube, you will find many concoctions, traps, and inspirations for the best way for you to be vigilant.
If you do not have any signs of rodents, it does not mean they are not there or will not show up tomorrow. The most practical and least intrusive to your time and pocketbook is to learn about spices. Rodents do not have good eyesight and therefore rely on smells and sounds. As for smells, you can set out cotton balls with peppermint oil (essential) in the house where you suspect there could be activity and maybe a few lavender plants in the flowerbeds. For sound remedies, I have used for years a small soundbox that emits an annoying sound to pests and drives them away (note: may not be good if you own a cat or dog).
If you have had some experiences with pests that you would like to share, please email: vicepresident@sunlandnorth.org
Treasurer – Betty Gwaltney
As we start another year, I am so grateful for the owners of Sunland North and their commitment to faithfully support our community financially. Unlike many other HOAs, we start 2025 with all assessments fully paid for 2024! And our efforts in investing in CDs have definitely paid off; interest earned in 2024 will exceed $33,000! Yes – we will have to pay taxes on that, but that’s still money we wouldn’t have had. Just a reminder – the 2025 Assessment is $4,743 annually or $1,186 quarterly due on Jan 1, April 1, July 1, and Oct 1. If you use auto-bill pay through your bank, please be sure to update the check amount to reflect the 2025 assessment. Mail checks to Sunland Division 17 HOA, PO Box 1655, Sequim, WA 98382.
Owner and Renter Information
Remember to update your contact information (email, address, phone, etc.) as well as occupant info if you are renting your unit by filling out the form on our Website: Sunland-division-17-owner-contact-info-2024.pdf
Developed Landscaping Committee – Tom Steffen
January is the beginning of a new calendar year. And it also marks the continuance of shorter, wetter, and darker days known as “fallow time,” accumulated days, weeks, and months that appear to prompt little or no growth and production.
Even though our irrigation systems have been turned off, the rain and a few mild and sunny days have kept our lawns lush and green. Yes, weekly mowing has ceased, and only selective pruning and leaf collection continue. But our contracted crew of landscapers remain available to respond to our special requests during this fallow time. Please use the website portal to submit a request or raise a question or concern.
The annual repairs to irrigation lines, repairing or replacing backflow preventers, replacing broken sprinkler heads, and fertilizing will begin again in spring.
Here are a few reminders:
(1) Check that all hose bibs are securely covered with insulated caps.
(2) Report incidents of unusual water that is running or standing near your building or in common areas (report via website portal).
(3) Try to reduce traffic on your lawn when temperatures are low and the ground is soaked.
Continue to communicate your landscaping issues via our website (landscaping@sunlandnorth.org). We look forward to doing whatever we can to address your concerns.
Here’s to a great new year!
Natural Habitat – Sarah Miller
A small volunteer crew braved a cold and rainy day on November 25th to continue stacking downed branches in the Natural Habitat area for later transport to Cascade Soils. Thanks go to Tom Hamman and Barry Burns. Two more work days are scheduled for January 6th and January 20th, 2025. Volunteers are needed! Anyone interested in helping maintain the Natural Habitat is invited to contact me at 206-947-1347 or sarah0458@gmail.com. Not only does it help to keep the neighborhood neat, it helps decrease fire danger, and improves volunteer fitness! Get a jump on your New Year’s resolution by joining a work party!
We’ve had reports of two dead deer in the natural habitat in the last couple of months. If we can get to the carcass while still relatively fresh, we may be able to move it to a less conspicuous area to allow the normal decomposition process. Please contact me (as soon as you notice a dead deer.
Welcome Committee – Kay Hatler
One new resident moved into Sunland North this last quarter, on Cascadia Loop. We will make a Welcome visit to him after the first of the new year.
Meet Your Neighbors!
Note: This is a new feature to the Sunland North Newsletter highlighting a few of our many amazing residents. If you have suggestions for a neighbor to “spotlight” – contact Betty Gwaltney at treasurer@sunlandnorth.org
Melanie Dundy
Meet Melanie Dundy who lives on Mt Baker. While you may know her best as canine Murphy’s walkmate, here’s a bit more to the story. Melanie and her husband Michael moved to Sequim from Portland, Oregon in May of 2020 – somewhat on a whim. Hubby says “I think we should go buy a house in Sequim!” Melanie responded “What’s a “Sequim?” And voila! Here they are! While moving to a new area in the midst of “Covid Closures” had its challenges, Sunland North was a great fit for them (clean, fresh air, small town, etc.) – their “roof” neighbors moved in the same week and instant friendships started.
Melanie had a career in software support but her real passion was in writing and over the years she has pursued that by writing children’s books with a positive, uplifting message. She has published several – the latest asking the all-important question “Does Santa Have a Dog?” She has received recognition from the Oregon-California Trails Association for her children’s book on The Oregon Trail, as well as recognition by the International Marine Mammal Project for her book on orcas.
When she’s not writing or playing ball with Murphey, you might see her taking walks or hiking about – or there’s always 1st Friday dancing and music at Rain Shadow.
Dawn O’Neal
Another talented neighbor in Sunland North is Dawn O’Neal, who lives on Cascadia with her husband, Tom Binder. You might see Tom on one of his daily neighborhood walks handing out dog treats. Dawn originally grew up in Eastern Washington, and in January of 2017, they moved here from San Jose, CA, after researching the best places to retire and wanting to be closer to Tom’s daughter in Seattle. Dawn was a successful realtor/broker in San Jose, also serving as the President of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and various volunteer work with Toys for Tots, Food Banks, and Battered Women’s Shelters. Dawn also coordinated “Breakfast with Santa” for clients and their children for 25 years in San Jose – even while living in Sequim!
Dawn continues working as a realtor here in Sequim but recently shifted her focus. She has always enjoyed writing and recently took it to a new level, publishing her first book, “Where in the World is Sequim, WA,” followed up by her latest “AI Made Simple for Beginners.” (You might want to read this a couple of times!)
Dawn and Tom enjoy the slower pace of Sequim, “no traffic,” and they made instant friends by joining the Newcomers Club. Another activity when not writing is working jigsaw puzzles – there seems to be one in progress all the time! Stop by to say “Hi” and put a piece or two in place!
David Johnson
Welcome to the newest resident of Sunland North! David just moved into a home on Cascadia in November, having moved here from Boise, Idaho to be closer to his daughter who lives in Snohomish. After a long career in construction, he is now retired, getting warranty work done on his knees and back (you know – the usual), and looking forward to checking out the driving range and other fun things that Sequim has to offer. Glad to have you in the ‘hood David!
Thank You!
It takes a great deal of time and effort to keep our HOA operational and maintained so as always, we thank all our Board members, coordinators, and committee members for their ongoing support and the volunteer time they donate to our community – we couldn’t do it without you.
