November 5, 2021 Meadowlark Village Association Ogunquit ME 03907

RE: Water Issues, Trash, Outdoor Fire Pit/Heater Update

Greetings, I am writing to you today on behalf of your Board of Directors. There have been multiple water issues at Meadowlark Village over the past couple of seasons that the Board has been forced to deal with. The Board felt it would be helpful for all residents to be updated on the status of several of these issues in order for all of us to be equipped to make the most informed decisions going forward regarding our Village.

• With the current age of the Village development, we have experienced several breaks in the underground water feeds within the Village. This will most likely continue to be an ongoing issue over time, as we have a combination of plastic pipes and metal connectors now buried underground for half a century. We are currently making local repairs as required and are continuing to monitor the situation as it evolves, bearing in mind a more permanent phased solution may be required in the short and long term, with the significant costs potentially spread over a number of years.

• Similarly, we experienced a number of small water leaks at the connection of underground water feed pipes to the inlet valves in the basements or crawl spaces of individual condo units. This prompted the Board to undertake a physical survey of all inlet valve connections in the Village, one condo at a time, in order to assess our exposure to the possibility of multiple water leaks in the future. The survey is almost complete, and the initial assessment is that while the original builders used multiple different connection configurations, the vast majority of individual unit connections are satisfactory. For the small number of units that require a minor plumbing correction, those unit owners will be contacted to coordinate the repair. Please note that while we would like to get these plumbing corrections performed sooner than later, there is no immediate threat of a water leak issue.

• Again regarding underground plumbing, we have also experienced a number of breaks involving the underground drainage pipe system. The majority of these issues are caused by tree roots finding their way into the plumbing pipes, and then either crushing the pipe entirely or growing a root ball inside the pipe, restricting the flow through the pipe. There are some “trouble areas” in the Village that are inspected on a regular basis and jetted out to remove any root intrusions from the compromised drainage pipe. This is an on-going issue, with regular maintenance required to maintain adequate flow through the drainage system for all units. It should be noted that certain items that are frequently found in the filters of our pumping station are very detrimental to adequate flow in the drainage system. Diapers, hygienic pads, cotton balls, flushable wipes, Q-tips, and especially dental floss are items that should not be flushed down a toilet as they are easily caught by a growing root tip and cause a rapid blockage in the drainage pipe system. Please be extremely cautious as to what is ultimately flushed down a toilet.

• Over the past couple of years, several individual condo units have been completely destroyed by water leaking for an extended period of time from a second floor bathroom fixture. The destructive power of flowing water is absolutely amazing, and a water leak left unattended for even a few hours Boston Nashua Region Corporate Office North Shore Mt Washington Ten Post Office Sq. 8th Floor 76 Northeastern Blvd. #28 3 Holland Way, Suite201 100 Corporate Place, Ste. 302 603 Rt. 3 South Boston, MA 02109 Nashua, NH 03062 Exeter, NH 03833 Peabody, MA 01960 Twin Mtn., NH 03595 617.334.5745 603.891.1800 603.436.4100 978.278.4000 603.853.3420 can incur many tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. Insurance companies are becoming increasingly hesitant to provide coverage for water related damage, particularly for condo associations. For these reasons, the Board is requesting that all unit owners turn off their water inlet valve when leaving their unit unattended for more than 24 hours. If your inlet valve is difficult to access, a plumber can recommend an easy solution to make the shut-off process more convenient.

• After one full season with our new trash collection company, we felt it might be helpful to remind everyone of the current agreement we have regarding trash curbside pickup: 1. ALL TRASH must be in tied bags. 2. No yard waste, batteries, paint etc. are accepted. 3. 4, thirty-gallon bags or 8, thirteen-gallon kitchen bags are allowed per week, per unit, for the entire Village. 4. $2 fee for each extra 30-gallon bag over the allotted amount. 5. $1 fee for each extra 13-gallon kitchen bag. 6. $25 overcharge for any unit that extraordinarily produces a large volume of garbage in one pickup cycle, such as “cleaning up for end of season” or as a result of “selling your unit”. Please note that overage charges will be billed back to the individual unit. Also please note that if you have large pieces of cardboard from purchases or things that have been delivered, they can be recycled free of charge at the Ogunquit recycling center. 7. Place trash at the end of your driveway in a closed container where it meets the city street by 4 am on Thursday mornings, or preferably the night before. 8. The Thursday after Christmas & Tuesday after Thanksgiving you may have 1 extra 30-gallon bag with no extra fee. 9. If inclement weather is in the forecast, please check our website Jayco Disposal and changes will be posted on our home page by 5pm Monday evening as well as Facebook.

Finally, please take note that Fire Pits and Outdoor Heaters are not permitted on Meadowlark Village property.

We appreciate your attention to these matters, and thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 603-766-9435 or kara.kuffel@greatnorth.net Regards, Kara-Ann Kuffel Senior Property Manager