Information for Residents of The Mill at Tar Branch
Our new commercial owners, Taylor Physical Therapy and Wellness, have scheduled the Fire Marshal to perform his inspection on Wednesday 9/6 at 10:00am.
There is a chance the Fire Marshal will request the whole building Fire Alarm System be tested. This will only be a test with no need for Building 3 occupants to take action.
Starting about 9 am Wednesday, June 14, and continuing Thursday, June 15, Wolf & Sons Window Washing will be on site for our biennial, budgeted exterior window cleaning.
All windows will be sprayed, hand washed, and squeegeed. Windowsills will be wiped out. Any screens will be removed, sprayed, and replaced. Workers will use ladders to access Building 3 balconies and Unit 155’s below-grade terrace. Those of you with fenced patios, kindly unlock your gate for access.
The city has scheduled our neighborhood pick-up for June 26 – 30. The Board agreed that the central location for owners to place their items would be curbside in the area just north of the Marshall Street Parking Lot ramp.
As the Board welcomes and encourages resident participation in administrating our COA, invested residents are called upon to volunteer to serve on a soon-to-be-formed Landscaping Committee, which Nina Poe will chair. Those interested should email coa@themillattarbranch.com.
Past Board President Robert Bowman has sold his commercial unit [318], and Lisa Menefee’s unit [155] is under contract. Watch for details of our newest neighbors later this summer.
Thursday, May 25, 7 am – Saturday, May 27, 7 am – WEATHER PERMITTING
Beginning Thursday, May 25, 7 am and continuing until Saturday, May 27, 7 am there will be NO PARKING in the Lower Wachovia Lot’s northside spaces perpendicular to Wachovia Lot, as well as the northeast spaces adjacent to the recycling bins. Additionally, the two garage structures will not be accessible by vehicle for the same period. There will be limited access to the remaining parking spaces and the far south garage structure during the repair. An aerial photo is included for reference.
It is vital that all vehicles are removed from the area of work.
Any remaining vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense.
The Board apologizes for any inconvenience and asks for your full cooperation during this improvement to our community. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Board at coa@themillattarbranch.com.
The Board has approved an excavation and repair project for asphalt in the Lower Wachovia Parking Lot. The area of concern runs west-to-east from the street ramp to the dumpster enclosure, parallel to the striped parking spaces on the north and the two garage structures on the south.
In 2018, the Board contracted with Boles Paving Services to fill asphalt cracks, seal coat, and stripe spaces in all three parking lots. Five years later, the broadly recognized deficient outcome is now most noticeable in the Lower Wachovia Parking Lot. The repetitive heavy-duty service traffic — specifically waste management and recycling trucks — has exacerbated the damage. The Board has addressed these causes by requesting a smaller dumpster management truck, and by relocating the recycling bins to the northwest corner of the lower lot.
Previously filled cracks have widened, there is a pronounced lateral depression along the corridor and new “alligatoring” in the surrounding asphalt. When small cracks are left untreated, they permit moisture to reach the base and sub-base. The water can erode the foundation, and freezing temperatures worsen the problem. The surface can no longer withstand the weight of the traffic, so an extensive cracking pattern has occurred. In 2022, the Board solicited and received two responsible bids for asphalt excavation and repair for this area. The Board approved the bid from CACTX and agreed to budget the work to be accomplished in Q2 2023.
ANNUAL MEETING
The Mill at Tar Branch Condominium Association held its Annual Meeting via Zoom on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 10:30 am. After verifying the presence of a quorum in person and by proxy, the Association conducted business.
President’s Report 2022
Alison Turner wished all participating a happy new year and thanked all who joined the meeting.
She welcomed new residential neighbors Whitney Ray [Unit 212], Jamon Dark [Unit 214], Del and Kim Long [Unit 312], and new businesses Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods and Forsyth Futures [Unit 313], and Fontenot and Oyler, PLLC [Unit 314].
Alison highlighted three notable improvements last year:
2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Members serve three one-year terms and guide the well-being of our community. They meet in person regularly throughout the year and are available ad hoc to residents for clarity on governing, protocol, and assistance on all issues related to life at The Mill. Residents should not hesitate to contact any member with questions, concerns, and positive feedback.
Alison Turner
President
Unit 328
alison@alisonturner.com
336.972.3868
Rebecca Bender
Vice President
Unit 212
rebecca.j.bender@icloud.com
336.978.4134
Barbara Fehribach
Secretary
Unit 326
fehribach@aol.com
336.339.6575
Jessie Fontenot
At Large
Unit 314
jfontenot@fandofirm.com
404.218.5801
Nina Poe
At Large
Unit 213
ninapoe@gmail.com
650.704.6446
LET THERE BE LIGHT!
As was brought forward at the Annual Meeting and then discussed at the Board level earlier this month, there are resident concerns about the lack of lighting on our two brick stairways.
Bobby Fehribach has identified appropriate solar illumination. These very well-constructed lights will have a long life in this application. The COA purchased the fixtures and once they are delivered, Bobby will do the installation gratis. In the meantime, carry a torch for safety.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
Back in 1999, The Mill at Tar Branch joined other historically significant structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Patrick Turner [Unit 328] and Board Secretary Barbara Fehribach [Unit 326] collaborated on sourcing elegant brass plaques spotlighting this US Department of the Interior designation. Earlier this month, Bobby Fehribach mounted the six plaques of various dimensions on our masonry walls. Thanks to the neighbors who answered Barbara’s fundraising call and generously contributed towards our crowd-funded project. So very exciting to have these permanent reminders of what a special place it is where we together live and work!
PARTY!
Rick Miller [Unit 223], during the Open Forum portion of our Annual Meeting, pointed out that it’s high time we meet in person rather than virtually. The Board agrees! How about a late spring/early summer Sunday afternoon get-together in our Common Area? Looking for several neighbors to team up and plan this potluck social event. Those interested should reach out to Alison Turner at alison@alisonturner.com.
SEE A WEED, PLUCK IT UP! ALL DAY LONG, YOU’LL HAVE GOOD LUCK!
by Sherry Moss [Unit 114]
To paraphrase the “See Something, Say Something” campaign enacted by the Department of Homeland Security to bring potential terrorist activities to the attention of authorities, I’d like to wage a war on weeds by asking those who are able to “See It, Pluck It”. We are indeed in weed season, my friends! As I walk my dog up and down the sidewalk behind Building 1, I find myself constantly pulling up weeds from their roots and properly disposing of the offenders. But I know there are weeds everywhere on our beautiful campus. I ask all who are able to pull up a weed if you see one to do so. This will spread the responsibility of removing unsightly “volunteers” to willing residents and reduce the need to spray harmful chemicals on our grounds to control unwanted sprouts.
Next time you walk to your car, the mailbox, or to the recycle bins, look down and see if you can contribute to the “Pluck It Up” movement!
Good afternoon neighbors,
The COA has approved an upcoming project to replace a section of asphalt near the recycling bins due to wear and tear from heavy trash and recycling trucks driving weekly on it.
In an attempt to reduce, by half, this wear and tear, we have moved the recycling bins to the western part of the lower Wachovia lot near the creek. You may have to take a few more steps to get to the recycling bins, but this will prevent us from spending unnecessarily on continuous asphalt deterioration and restoration. We will assess over the next few weeks f this is a viable place for the bins moving forward.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
The Board of The Mill at Tar Branch
An HVAC unit will be installed on the roof of Building 3 tomorrow, Friday, January 6th.
Please do not park in the Upper Wachovia Lot, as cranes and large trucks will need access.
The B2 East Side / Front Door keypad and call box have been repaired. Thanks so much to Wes for his troubleshooting, which lead to the fix!
Thank you for your patience as we work on fixing the keypad on the East side of your building. Wes Waters has been working toward a solution and troubleshooting the issue with help from Patrick Turner.
They have engaged the company that installed Building 3’s keypad; however, the gentleman who will help has a family emergency, so he will not be able to come out until next week. (His father is in the hospital.)
If the issue were as easy as replacing the keypad, we would have taken care of it by now; unfortunately, something internal is going on that requires professional help.
We will keep you posted as the issue unfolds.
Thanks,
The COA Board
All hand sanitizer dispensers in B2 and B3 are now fully functional, with fresh batteries and full tanks. (Thanks, Bobby!)
The landscaping team will be trimming shrubs throughout the community tomorrow.
If you park your car in the large Wachovia lot along the hedge row that borders the creek, we ask that you park elsewhere tomorrow to allow workers to use ladders.
Thank you,
The Mill at Tar Branch COA