Kingspoint Crier: March 2023
Letter from the KP Presidents
Dear Kingspoint Club Members,
We hope you’ve had a chance to walk down to the Club to see our new playground, as well as our newly installed hanging cafe lights at the Clubhouse. We are in our second phase of the playground project, and in it we are addressing the outside lighting around the playground, the walkways, and the Clubhouse. It is our goal to illuminate the public areas and the paths going to and from the parking areas for added beauty and safety during evening functions.
During our next phase of improvements, we will be identifying and addressing much needed updates to our Clubhouse flooring. We will be reaching out to members with a more thorough explanation and a request to help fund this capital campaign project. Be on the lookout for more information in the near future.
Dues: Thank you to members who have already paid their dues. Just a reminder that dues have been increased to $700. Please pay in a timely manner. If you pay dues quarterly, the first payment of $175 is due now. Jim Gravgaard, KP Treasurer, sent electronic invoices to members via email; these invoices contain a link to allow you to pay the invoice electronically. You can also send your dues via a check made out to the Kingspoint Club, Inc., P.O. Box 365, Williamsburg, VA 23187.
Membership Committee Members: Thank you to Meredith Robertson for taking on the role of the Membership Chair. We are actively looking for more committee members to assist her. Please reach out if you would like to help (KPpresidents @gmail.com).
Clubhouse News: Please see the rates for renting the Clubhouse in 2023. Make a plan to book your rental today!
KP Resident Club Member: $50 rental / 1x per calendar year
KP Resident Club Member: $150 half day ( 4 hrs.) /$200 full day (8 hrs.)
Non-KP Resident Club Member: $350 half 2 day (4 hrs.)/ $550 whole day ( 8 hrs.)
Non-Club Members: $400 half day ( 4 hrs)/ $600 whole day (8 hrs.)
Recurring rentals for KP Club members: $25 per hour / 6 mo. contract
Lifeguards: Are you interested in becoming a lifeguard? We want YOU! Please read the following information regarding lifeguarding at the Kings- point Pool in 2023. Continental has posted training classes in Richmond and VA Beach. Information can be found at Top Lifeguard Training in Southern Virginia | Continental Pools. Continental expects to have more classes posted in Newport News.
As in the past, Continental is giving discounted lifeguard training for their own employees and it is our understanding that if the training is completed by April it will be free. Interested applicants can apply at this Continental Season Lifeguard Form. The pay rate starts at $14 per hour and increases depending on the experience, availability, etc.
Pool Attendants: We plan to hire pool attendants to manage the pool during the swim-at-your-own-risk hours. They will work during these non-guarded times when the pool will be open without a life- guard and children will need to be supervised by a responsible adult/guardian.
Pool attendants will manage the daily pool responsibilities. We are looking for attendants aged 15 and older. We are open to adults helping out, either for pay or as a volunteer. Pay will be similar to entry level wages.
Pool attendants will have the following responsibilities. They will monitor the entry at the pool. They will monitor/Adjust the pool’s pH levels. They will skim the pool for debris. They will clean and arrange the tables. They will tidy the deck and restrooms.
Please reach out if you or someone you know would like to apply (KPpresidents @gmail.com).
Website: Under construction! We are finalizing our new website. Please share any photos that you have of activities, members, and the natural beauty at the pool, the clubhouse, the green, and the dock with KPpresidents@gmail.com. We would love to highlight the many fun activities that we have enjoyed through the years. We will send out an announcement as soon as our new site is live.
Thank you,
Sarah Huber and Kim Lavach,
Co-Presidents, Kingspoint Club
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association News
pring has certainly blossomed across our neighborhood these past few weeks. You also may be hearing the geese and owls calling in the night and songbirds at daybreak. Hummingbirds will turn up any day now, and you may have already spotted some around your home. The trees are awakening from their winter naps as patches of spring bulbs bloom in so many yards. Isn’t Kingspoint lovely in the spring?
We celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day at the end of April. We can each commit our own “Act of Green” to participate in Earth Day, celebrated on Saturday, April 22, and Arbor Day on Friday, April 28. Planting trees has been an Arbor Day tradition since April 10, 1872. Many Kingspoint neighbors are following this special tradition by planting trees and shrubs this spring. Woody plants cleanse our environment by removing carbon and air borne pollutants from the air. They also help manage stormwater run-off.
We appreciate the tremendous support neighbors have given our Kingspoint Neighborhood Association membership drive this month, and your support for the Redbud Initiative. Treasurer Karen Schneider continues to accept membership contributions at her home.
Neighbors have picked up nearly all of the first 28 seedling redbud trees. (Find directions on how to plant and care for your seedling trees here.) Perhaps you have noticed the mature redbuds blooming in so many neighborhood yards this month. Many of our original redbuds fell during storms. Planting a tiny seedling tree is an investment in future beauty and an act of faith, courage and hope. It is wonderful to experience the enthusiasm for this effort.
Many thanks to Kenita Hill for her diligent work to keep up with the many changes this year to our neighborhood directory. She is incredibly generous with her time and attention to keep it as accurate as possible. We also appreciate those neighbors who contacted us with changes after looking at their own listings. If you have been meaning to let us know about your changes, please do so by March 30 so we can send out a list of those updates to everyone on our email list.
We had a dedicated team of volunteers delivering the Directories this year, including several new neighbors. It appears that the distribution went flawlessly. Many, many thanks to everyone who helped, including children, spouses, and pets!
It has been a busy and an eventful month in the community. I need to touch on a few highlights of concerns that neighbors have shared with me this month. Please receive these updates in a spirit of collaboration, cooperation, and open communication. We all benefit when we work together and look out for one another.
1. We have had several ’arborists’ going door to door this month doing “curbside diagnostics” of various issues that they will take care of today, for a few thousand dollars. Please don’t fall prey to these fast talkers wanting to make fast money. If we are consistent in turning away these folks, we can help protect those who don’t
want strangers at their door. Remember to tell them we have a ’No Soliciting’ neighborhood, if you choose to interact, and challenge them to show you both picture ID and their Peddler’s License issued by the JCC Police. If they don’t have the license, then please call the police non-emergency number (757.566.0112) and ask an officer to come and inform them of the proper procedure to go door to door in our county. If you truly need tree work done, then please choose an experienced arborist with a good reputation in our community. You will find a huge variation in quotes for the job, and the quality of the work, if you get several estimates and speak with references before agreeing to a contract.
2. It seems our several ‘No Soliciting’ signs are too small and subtle. We expect to have them replaced with something more visible in the coming weeks.
3. A neighbor shared that while working with a wildlife rescue worker, she learned that small animals, and sometimes birds of prey, can get caught in various types of netting we have in our yards. These might include soccer nets, netting around shrubs, etc. Baby rabbits, small birds, snakes, etc. may be found dead or injured in or near the netting. Birds hunting at night may not see the netting and fly into it. This is the season for wildlife to grow more active, so we may all want to look for hazards to wildlife that we can minimize.
4. We are very happy to know that the children on the school bus involved in the accident at the light this past week are all doing OK. We haven’t heard the final official report on what happened, but it doesn’t appear that speed was the problem. What an upsetting thing for these kids, their parents, and all of us who care about our neighborhood children.
5. There has been conversation this week about our bus stop at the intersection of Northpoint Drive and Kingspoint Drive. The space where families wait is very narrow, with no boundary between them and the pavement, and there is a ditch running through it. Concerned parents have been creating a safety barrier between their children and traffic with their own vehicles. They may wait there for 20 minutes or so when the bus is late. The parked cars near the intersection cause a safety issue for those traveling on Northpoint who must drive into the oncoming traffic lane to get around them. The KPNA is working with the county in finding a solution. Please be aware of the circum- stances and use caution at this, and all other neighborhood bus stops, when children and their families are waiting for the morning bus.
6. Please help keep the streets clear of obstacles by retrieving garbage and recycling bins as soon as you can once they are empty, particularly if you live on one of our ’through’ streets that neighbors need to travel.
7. According to Dr. McGlennon, the county is still working on a plan to contract with a single carter to pick up garbage and recycling throughout the county. They have authorization to hire a manager to oversee this transition, but it may still be a couple of years away from implementation.
8. We’ve had some concerns in recent months with dogs off-leash running through Kingspoint. We appreciate everyone’s help in keeping their pets safe and leashed when their pets aren’t at home.
9. Former MPO Alan McDowell, who retired some months ago, has returned to the JCC Police as a civilian Training and Community Engagement Coordinator. The Community Services Division has been short staffed for months now, and he has returned part time to assist. He was kind enough to send us some specific information to help clarify several questions that neighbors have had recently about on-street parking: 46.2-1239. Parking in certain locations; penalty. “No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, on a highway in front of a private driveway, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or the entrance to a fire station, within 15 feet of the entrance to a plainly designated emergency medical services agency, or within 20 feet from the intersection of curb lines or, if none, then within 15 feet of the intersection of property lines at any highway intersection.” Code 1950, §46-263; 1958, c. 541, §46.1-258; 1972, c. 528; 1984, c. 126; 1989, c. 727; 2015, cc. 502, 503.
10. Many thanks to Ann Hobson and Phillip Schneider for their continued work at our neighborhood entrance. Tom Mahone and Chris Bonday are continuing their dedicated efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed. If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with main- tenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with Ann at annhobson1010@gmail.com.
If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include them in the 2023 listings. Many thanks to Mary Haines, who has joined our team of volunteers, and the KPNA Board, to help greet new families in the neighborhood.
As we prepare for spring indoors and out, we will have an opportunity to discard and recycle many household chemicals and electronics at VPPSA’s next House- hold Chemical collection day on April 8 at Warhill High School from 8:00 AM until noon. Please check their website for a list of what they will and won’t accept.
Find other JCC news and announcements, includ- ing information about a septic tank pumping grant program, in “JCC News to Know.
Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links, regular updates and a link to the digital Crier.
Kingspoint Calendar
April 15th — Progressive Cocktail/Mocktail Party, afternoon at KP Clubhouse (21+ only)
April 23rd — Woman’s Club Wine Reception
5pm-7pm at KP clubhouse
May 29th — Memorial Day Picnic and 3rd Annual 5K Fun Run, afternoon at KP clubhouse
July 4th — Pool Cookout at KP pool
Kingspoint Club Board
President — Sarah Huber and Kim Lavach
kppresidents@gmail.com
Treasurer — Jim Gravgaard
jimgravgaard@gmail.com
Secretary — Anna Thomas
annaweigel100@yahoo.com
Membership — Meredith Robertson
mmrobertson77@gmail.com
Facilities — Sergio Ghio
sergghio@gmail.com
Clubhouse Coordinator — Denise Koch
dwkoch3@gmail.com
Additional Club Contacts
Social Committee Chair — MaryKate Galke
mkgalke@gmail.com
KP Crier Editor — Saskia Mordijck and Pieter Peers
kpcrier@gmail.com
The Kingspoint Club, Inc. oversees our community’s recreational property on Northpoint Drive. This waterfront site includes a beautiful clubhouse, neighborhood pool, picnic area, dock, and a children’s play area. The KP Club operates the pool and clubhouse and organizes neighborhood social events for members. Membership in the Club is optional for residents, and includes use of the pool, boat ramp and dock. Members may also rent the clubhouse and pool for social events. Membership is required to attend some Club sponsored social events. Non- residents may also pay annual dues to use the pool and the clubhouse. For more information or to join, contact Gina Flango, ginaflango@gmail.com.
Kingspoint Women’s Club
This article reflects a change in date! The Kings- point Women’s Club final gathering will be a Wine Re- ception will all members invited to bring an appetizer for 12. It will be held on Sunday, April 23 at the KP Clubhouse from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.
Facebook Page
Kingspoint neighborhood has its own Facebook page to add info, photos, items for sale, invite neighbors to a last minute movie or bbq, post last minute updates for swim meets, cancellations, etc. This page is a "Closed Group", so you will have to "request" to be added (this prevents just anyone from joining the group and posting spam). But all residents are encouraged to request an invite!
Here is how you do this: Click to go to the KP Facebook group. It will say it’s a closed group, and then in the upper right corner, under the photo, you click on ‘JOIN GROUP’. The Admin for the group will approve all KP residents!
Little Dolphins
Looking to connect with other parents in the neighborhood? Consider joining the “Little Dolphins” Facebook page. It’s a network of parents in the neighborhood with kids ranging from babies to teenagers. (Just search for "Little Dolphins Kingspoint" on Facebook). It’s a nice way to meet parents in the neighborhood with similarly aged kids. If you aren’t on Facebook, or if you are having problems joining the group, email Tracy Sohoni, tracep@yahoo.com
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association
KPNA Board President — Elizabeth McCoy — e.mccoy105@gmail.com
Secretary — Kenita Hill — arubahill@gmail.com
Treasurer — Karen Schneider
Members at Large — Ann Hobson, Harvey Manning, Melody Nichols, David Miller
Publishing in the Crier
If you have an event to share with the Kingspoint community or some news to report that you would like to see posted in the Kingspoint Crier, please send your contributions to kpcrier@gmail.com before the 20th of the month. The editors reserve the right to refuse and edit any submissions; the editors will not run any articles that overly or covertly target specific demographics or neighbors.
Subscribing to the Crier
If you know someone who wants to subscribe to the Crier, please ask them to send an email to kpcrier@gmail.com.
We cannot add names to the distribution list unless the request is send from the email address itself. Similarly, if you are receiving the Crier and you would like to unsub- scribe, please let us know at kpcrier@gmail.com.
Your Photographs in the KP Crier?
It is always great to see beautiful pictures of our neigh- borhood. If you want your photos featured in the Kings- point Crier, then please send them to kpcrier@gmail.com. We cannot guarantee that every photograph will be featured, and we reserve the right to crop and rescale the photographs to limit the file size of the Crier.
Goodbye
The Kingspoint Club has decided that the Crier will only appear in an online web page format starting from the April 2023 edition. Editorship of the Crier will also transfer to KP webmasters Margaret Pizer and Dave Parrish. More information will follow.
It was our pleasure to serve as Crier editors for the past three years, and to give back to the neighborhood that we have called home for over a decade.
Neighborhood Ads
Pet Sitting: Available Daily and Holidays, 4 years experience. Yuko Sato phone: 757-634-5447
Pet Sitting: Haley Elton offers dog walking and pet sitting services. Available daily. Contact her managing agent, Norman Elton, at 757-293-8346.
Baby Sitting and Pet Sitting: Carolyn Clinton is available for baby sitting and pet sitting. 757-903-7777. Twins John and Catherine Clinton are also available for baby sitting and pet sitting. John also mows lawns. Call their mother Susan Clinton @ 757-903-7205.
Baby Sitting and Pet sitting/walking: Hello all! My name is Lexi. I am a pet sitter and babysitter who has attended a CPR class and a training course for babysitting. I have lots of experience with animals of all types and breeds. Some other services I offer are watering plants, collecting mail, or taking care of your house while you are out of town. For reasonable rates and more details call or text 757-298-8798
Daily pet visits, walks, overnight in your home: Experience with dogs, cats, birds, giving medica- tions. Retired teacher. In business since 2016. Lisa Garber. 757-848-8331 or beastiebestiesofwilliamsburg@gmail.com.
Advertising Policy
The advertising policy for the Kingspoint Crier is as follows: business related ads are $10/ edition for a business card ($100/yr); $25/ edition for quarter page ($260/yr); $50/ edition for half page ($525/yr). We can provide an invoice if necessary. The space will be limited to a rea- sonable size to be determined by the Crier editors and space constraints of each edition; small ads of one, or two sentences, from residents and non-resident club members are free as a community service; non-profit and children’s ads are also free.
