High Desert News and Information
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Thefts From Autos Are Still A Concern in High Desert
| According to a recent update from the Albuquerque Police Department's Foothills Impact Team, Sgt. Liz Thomson reports, "High Desert experienced its first auto burglary in over one month. The burglar stole the victim's purse out of the vehicle." Sgt. Thomson goes on to add that this is "a good lesson to us all to remove everything from your vehicle when unoccupied." A second theft was reported on July 22nd. High Desert burglaries from cars increased sharply in May and June with 17 incidents reported. A targeted effort by the Albuquerque Police Department resulted in the capture of a man thought to be responsible for multiple thefts in the area. The High Desert Crime Prevention Committee worked with APD this summer on "Target Hardening" to educate residents about the importance of locking cars, removing valuables and closing garage doors. A goal was set for zero burglaries from autos for a one month period. That goal was briefly met. "The celebrating is over," said Nancy Winger, High Desert Crime Prevention Committee Chair. "We are sorry to report that after we patted ourselves on the back for an outstanding one month period of no residential auto burglaries in High Desert, our confidence has been tested." Since July 22nd there have been two residential auto break-ins in High Desert. Again, both burglaries could have been avoided. In the first situation, an expensive handbag, in clear view, was worth breaking the car window for. In the second case, the auto was left unlocked for an easy theft of an important ID badge. Nancy asked residents to remember and always assume their possessions can become someone else's possessions if they are left in the car. She reminded residents to remind any visitors to lock their cars as well. |
Residents Have New Options To Pay Assessments Online
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High Desert Residential Owners Association has a new bank and new options for homeowners to pay their assessment fees online.New Perpetual Calendar Set for Voting Member Elections
| Voting Members will no longer be elected on a revolving schedule in either May, August, December or February. The Board of Directors approved a new simplified Election Schedule with all future elections to be held in September only. Villages will hold their elections in either an odd or even year. The new schedule begins in 2011. “This new system will make it much easier to schedule elections and keep track of expiring terms,” said Dave Janik, Community Association Manager. The new schedule is now in effect with elections for all future Voting and Alternate Members set for September 2011 or 2012, depending on the village. Current even-year Voting Members and Alternate Voting Members will serve an additional 3-6 months in order to accommodate the new calendar. Current odd-year Voting Members and Alternate Voting Member will serve an additional one month or four fewer months. Voting Members can check their new term expiration dates by clicking on Village News. Villages to Hold Elections in Odd Years: Villages to Hold Elections in Even Years: |
Voting Members Hear APD Presentation at July 8th Meeting
A record number of Voting Members were on hand Thursday night, July 8th, at their regular quarterly meeting where they heard a presentation by Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officials about a recent spike in High Desert thefts from vehicles.  "We were reviewing the property crime reports for the Foothills Area Command," said APD Sergeant Liz Thomson (seen at left in photo with Community Association Manager Dave Janik). "Overall this year, crime was down. Suddenly we saw a 21 percent increase in the statistics for May and June. That spike was completely due to crimes committed in High Desert." A total of 17 thefts from High Desert vehicles accounted for the increase, she said. Only one of those thefts originated at the High Desert apartments. "The main items stolen were purses and wallets," Sgt. Thomson said. "And when were the thefts committed? During daylight hours." Sgt. Thomson is a consultant with APD's Foothills Impact Team which focuses on crime committed in the Foothills Area Command (FAC), one of six Area Commands in the city. The FAC includes all the streets east of Eubank to the city limits, both north and south. At any one time a total of 16 to 24 officers are on duty in the Foothills area, she noted. With her at the High Desert Voting Member meeting was Agripina Neubauer, Crime Prevention Specialist with APD. “We are here to talk to you because you are here,” Ms. Neubauer said. “We recently went to another neighborhood to make a similar presentation and nobody showed up. This attendance tonight is amazing.” About 38 Voting Members and Alternates attended the meeting; with the addition of Board members and management the total reached about 50 people. Sgt. Thomson also noted that only Four Hills has a higher number of Neighborhood Watch programs in the Foothills Area.  In response to the recent spate of burglaries, APD has initiated a program called “Target Hardening” to educate High Desert residents on how to be less of an easy target for thieves. “When we saw the spike in the statistics, we drove every street in High Desert with Dave Janik (Community Manager),” Sgt. Thomson said. “What we saw is that some of you leave yourselves wide open. Open cars, open garages. If I were a burglar where would I go? Where the money is…and you guys are an easy target.” One residence had a variety of valuable lawn power tools lined up neatly in the driveway, unattended for more than a half hour. “A thief could have made off with those tools in under two minutes,” Sgt. Thomson noted. Other High Desert residences had open garage doors with bicycles, cars, and sports equipment readily visible. “And unfortunately,” Sgt. Thomson added, “when we pointed this out to some residents, they were less than appreciative. They told us they could keep their garages open if they wanted to—and they certainly can. All we are saying is that there are consequences.” Click here to download a pdf graph showing items stolen, The graph was provided by APD and features incidents in High Desert during April and May 2010. Both women encouraged High Desert residents to report any and all thefts to APD. “We know that a small number of people commit most of the crime,” Sgt. Thomson said. Each reported crime can yield vital evidence that may lead to the capture of one of those thieves. Beginning in mid-June, APD put more patrols on High Desert streets. “June 18th was the date of the last burglary from an auto,” Sgt. Thomson said. “We’d had no home burglaries in High Desert for many months but there were two last week.” APD’s goal with “Target Hardening” is no thefts for a month, she said. “You are the best defense against auto theft,” she added. “Look out for each other, watch what is going on, lock your cars and doors, shut your garage doors, report all crime.” Sgt. Thomson has provided cell phone numbers of on-duty FAC officers for contact in a non-emergency situation. Click here to see the website page with those numbers. A more detailed presentation by Sgt. Thomson and Ms. Neubauer will be made at the High Desert Crime Prevention meeting July 15th at 5 p.m. at the James Dwyer Substation at 12700 Montgomery, NE (at the southeastern corner of Tramway and Montgomery). All High Desert residents are welcome to attend the meeting. In other business at the Voting Member meeting, members heard a Board of Directors update given by Reg Rider, Board President. He noted that the New Construction Committee has been established under High Desert resident and former Board president Ray Berg and will assume its duties soon. Until it becomes effective, High Desert Investment Corp. (HDIC) continues to monitor and approve or disapprove all new construction in High Desert. There are currently about 150 unimproved lots remaining throughout the development. Before High Desert can assume full responsibility for the NCC, some common area property must be transferred from HDIC to HDROA. Reg also invited Voting Members and Alternates to tour the new High Desert office located at the same address at Spain and Juan Tabo. The new office includes four rooms and shares space with HOAMCO, High Desert’s community association management company which is now also managing Tanoan Communities East. Rent for the new larger office is actually slightly less than previous rent due to the sub-contracting of space to HOAMCO. Voting Members also discussed installation of solar panels on homes in High Desert. A recent Albuquerque Journal story in the Sunday, July 3rd edition, mentioned High Desert’s policy on solar panel installation. Several residents had questions Thursday night about specific homes that have installed solar panels. Some residents referred to installations that have directed reflected light into other homes, or are installed at an angle with high visibility. While state law prohibits any outright ban of solar panel installation, High Desert can somewhat regulate how the panels are installed, board members told the audience. “We can’t stop people from installing environmentally friendly solar panels,” Dave Janik, Community Association Manager said later. “But we can use the covenants and restrictions to make sure it is done in a way that makes everyone happy.” (For more information on solar panels in High Desert, see the August Apache Plume newsletter.) |
New Board Elects Officers:
Reg Rider is President
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Photo above: 2010 High Desert Board of Directors. Left to Right: RaMona Bootes, Director; Reg Rider, President; John Caffrey, Secretary; Tom Murdock, Vice President; David Blacher, Director; and Jim Dixon, Treasurer. Not present: Nancy Winger.
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The Board of Directors also appointed resident Nancy Winger (see photo, left), of Highlands, to replace former Board Director Gary Hawkett following his resignation. Gary resigned from the Board shortly after the Annual Meeting in April, citing lack of sufficient time to devote to the board. Second High Desert Studio Tour Set For October 16th
The High Desert Welcome Committee has plans well underway for the second annual High Desert Studio Tour set for Saturday, October 16th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All High Desert residents are invited and attendance is free. Thirteen High Desert artists have signed up to open their studios and display their art on the day-long tour this fall. Last year’s tour included nine High Desert studios with nearly one hundred people visiting. A map of the tour will be available online in October. If you have any questions please contact Thea Berg at theaberg@comcast.net or Susan Wrona Gall at wronagall@comcast.net. |
New "Approved and Prohibited Plant List" Approved By Board
The "Approved and Prohibited Plant List" was approved by the Board of Directors this spring. It is now part of the "Guidelines for Sustainability," which is one of the Governing Documents for High Desert. The new version of the Plant List includes an introductory section that explains the reasoning behind the list. It also has been restructured to be easier to read and use as well as to correct several errors. Some references are listed where residents can obtain additional information about the plants on the list. Click here to view a pdf of the Approved and Prohibited Plant List. |
National Trails Day Draws High Desert Volunteers To Maintain Foothills Trail #365
By Ray Berg, High Desert Resident On Saturday, June 5, several of the High Desert Trails Project volunteers gathered to do work on maintaining our Foothills Trail #365. National Trails Day is a nationwide event to work on projects on U.S. Forest and Open Space property to help maintain the trails in safe, servicable condition. The goal of the project was to block a section of the trail that was very difficult to maintain because of the steep hills and redirect trail traffic to a newer section. The new trail section was constructed several months ago to standards that allow better removal of water from the trail during storm events. The old trail section will be restored over the next couple of years by replanting with native plants. The Foothills Trail Project holds events three or four times a year to clean up and maintain Foothills Trail #365 and Trail #305. Activities include trimming vegetation intruding on the trails, cleaning and constructing water removal bars to reduce erosion, and others to help maintain the trails in safe, serviceable and natural condition. The picture above shows the crew-- except for Larry Benson, who took the picture. Others from High Desert are Debbie Velasquez, Elaine Diers, Bill Velasquez, Carolyn Basgall, Bernie Basgall, and Ray Berg . |
Recycling Reminders for High Desert Residents
High Desert residents who recycle should note the following requirements for recyclables: The following materials CANNOT be recycled:
The following materials CAN be recycled:
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1. Waste Management collects curbside recyclables each week on the same day as the regular trash pickup.Volunteers Needed For High Desert Projects
| High Desert needs its homeowners to step forward and contribute their time and effort by serving on a committee. A number of vital groups meet throughout the year to plan, upgrade and promote this community. Some of them need new chairpersons. All of them need volunteers. "We need these committees in order to function as a true community," said Ray Berg, resident of High Desert and chairperson of several committees. "When homeowners step up and contribute their time and expertise, everyone benefits."  Residents can volunteer to serve on committees that range from Tramway litter cleanup to advising the Board and management on landscaping issues in High Desert. Residents can help maintain nearby Open Space trails (see photo at left), promote High Desert Park as part of the Adopt-A-Park Committee, or assemble welcome bags for new residents as members of the Welcome Committee. Volunteers are needed to plan summer trips to the Santa Fe Opera, and the annual Evening in the Park event held in June. Residents are needed on the Crime Prevention and Neighborhood Watch Committees that work to control crime in High Desert. Some committees are in need of a new chairperson and all open committees welcome new members."Volunteers are vital to achieving our community goals," added Ray. "Without volunteers, High Desert is simply a development. But our committees turn this collection of houses and streets into a functioning community where neighbors work together to make things happen." To see a listing of current committee openings and volunteer opportunities, see the High Desert Committees page.
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See an Emergency Maintenance Problem in High Desert?
Call 314-5862 After Office Hours to Report a Problem
An emergency maintenance telephone number is in effect specifically for High Desert residents calling HOAMCO after regular business hours. The new number is: (505) 508-9568.
Residents calling the regular High Desert office at 505-314-5862 after regular business hours will hear a voicemail message that says "If this is an after-hours High Desert maintenance emergency, please call 505-508-9568."
Once residents call the new number (508-9568) the voice mail states that the caller has reached an emergency cell number and directs the caller to a pager number if there is no return call after 30 minutes. Dave Janik, Community Association Manager, will answer the emergency number. However, he emphasized that the new number should be used only for maintenance emergencies that absolutely cannot wait until regular business hours. For other emergency calls not pertaining to maintenance issues, residents should call 911 followed by a call to the High Desert Courtesy Patrol at 362-2314. |
Take a Walk With Your Neighbors...
 Members of the High Desert Welcome Committee are inviting residents--new and old-- to meet at the Michial Emery Trailhead on High Desert Place, NE, Thursday mornings at 7:00 a.m. during the summer.The group regularly hikes/walks on the adjacent trails or around the different High Desert villages for about an hour. This regular event was devised as a way to help new residents of High Desert meet with established residents in an informal setting. All High Desert residents--new and established-- are welcome to participate. For more information (and to find out if the walk is canceled in case of bad weather) contact Welcome Committee Chairperson JoAnne Peinado: 828-0813 or joannepeinado@msn.com. |
Please Report Any Light Outages to PNM or HOAMCO
| Has a light on your street gone out? If the street light is located on a public street (not in a gated village) you can call PNM directly at 246-5700. In gated villages, please report any street or common area monument light outages or malfunctions to HOAMCO at 314-5862. Note: PNM can take up to six weeks after a report is received to repair or replace a light. |
Archived Articles
| Click on the articles below to view the archived story or photos: Short Archived News Articles Studio Tour in High Desert, 2009 Run For The Hills, 2009 Arroyo Inspection Report Received The Problem of Pigeons in High Desert Neighborhood Watch |