(Reprinted from the July 2016 issue of Our Beautiful Oak)

This month and next feel like the saying “the dog days of summer”. The temperatures are soaring and sometimes the only relief is running through the sprinklers or jumping into a pool, both are great options for play and cooling down. Another frequent means of cooling down is to take a drive in a golf cart. Driving golf carts on our roadways present many risks that the owners of golf carts need to be aware of.

As mandated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals-Office of Public Health (LDHH-OPH), Beau Chene Public Works Staff and Compliance Testing and Remediation personnel will begin residential Cross-Connection Control Surveys on Thursday, June 2, 2016.  These Surveys will require brief access to your outdoor property in order to identify possible sources of cross-connection of Beau Chene’s potable water system with water of unknown quality.  The Surveys will identify pools, lawn irrigation systems, hot tubs, garden fountains, and hose bib vacuum breakers at each residence.  Existing backflow prevention methods will be evaluated for proper installation of backflow assemblies as required by LDHH-OPH and the Louisiana State Plumbing Code.

The initial Surveys will include residences on the following streets:

Mako Nako Drive
Colewa Ct.
Cahoula Ct.
Chuka Ct.
Fontainbleau Dr.

Public Works staff will “door to door” contact each resident on the above listed streets Thursday prior to the actual survey.  “Door-Knockers” will be left if a resident is not at home.

You may find further information regarding this program on our website under the Homeowners tab and select Cross Connection Control Program.  Please click HERE for more information.

If you have any questions concerning this program please contact the office at 985-231-6285.

David W. Vinson
B.C.H.O.A. Public Works Director

The BCHOA Board of Directors is evaluating a proposal from Florida Marine Transporters regarding their request to tap into the Beau Chene water system ONLY for FMT’s fire sprinkler and suppression system. Beau Chene will incur no costs whatsoever under their proposal. To review all of the available details to date please see my attached memorandum.

Cristina Donovan
Chief Administrative Officer

Lower Water Pressure Possible Starting Saturday, April 30th

As part of Beau Chene’s 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan, developed for the BCHOA by the consulting engineering firm of Owen and White, Inc., upgrades of the hydropneumatic pressure tanks and the chlorine disinfection systems have been budgeted for 2016. Both of these water system improvement projects are currently underway.

The two hydropneumatic tanks, one at each of our two water wells, have been internally inspected and determined to be structurally in good condition. However, the interior of each tank will need to be reconditioned with AWWA and LDHH approved coatings.

This work will begin at Well 4, 817 Beau Chene Drive, on Saturday, April 30th. The process of sand blasting, coating, curing time for the coatings, disinfection, and bacterial sampling will probably take three weeks to complete. During this time the water system will be supplied by only one well, and periods of lower than normal water pressure may occur. This should not affect in any way the quantity or the quality of the water supplied by your BCHOA water system.

Weather Delays Demolition at East Gate

The start date for the reconstruction of the Fountainbleau (East) Entrance is now scheduled.  Demolition will start this Wednesday, April 13^th.   The Security Guards will move into the temporary guardhouse on Tuesday, April 12^th.  The demolition will take a few days and then the foundation work will follow.  The timeline to completion is still approximately 90 days from commencement with weather permitting.  Once the construction is done the re-landscaping of the entrance median and shoulders will follow with new signage and landscape lighting.

We do not anticipate any major interruption with traffic flow entering and exiting the subdivision until the roadway asphalt work commences approximately 60 days into the construction.  We will be providing updates and details regarding any traffic pattern changes in advance of those changes taking place.

This is the first step in our Master Plan to re-image Beau Chene. During the Community wide Re-imaging Workshops held in 2014, the entrances of Beau Chene, including the guard houses, were at the top of the list of needing improvements and updating.  As a result of the re-imagining meetings the BCHOA received a master plan that incorporates many items, including walking paths and lighting for street signs, in addition to the renovation of all three guardhouses and entrances.  The Board of Directors prioritized the projects based on urgency and financial costs.   The renovation of the guardhouses is the first scheduled project from the master plan.

Stay tuned to our website at bchoa.org, our Facebook page and e-mail communications for additional information, status changes, progress reports and photos.

Beau Chene Homeowners Association (BCHOA) awarded a contract to McMath Construction to reconstruct the Fontainbleau  (East) Gatehouse in mid-October of 2015.   The permitting process is almost complete.    We are anticipating a start date for construction within a 3 to 4 week window.   In anticipation of the construction, a temporary guard house will be set-up in front of the existing guard house (60 feet apart) at the back of the first median as you enter the subdivision.  Two pine trees at the rear of the front median have been removed.  One pine tree was damaged and both of them were identified as potential risks to the new guard house if either one fell.  Also, the pine tree on the entrance lane side of the median would block sight by Security at the temporary guardhouse of the entering vehicles.    The next step to prepare for the temporary guard house will be to remove a portion of the landscape in the rear of the front median.  This is scheduled to occur sometime next week.   Once the area is cleared, a portable building will be placed in the median.

The projected timeline, once construction commences, is approximately 90 days weather permitting.   The project plans include complete re-landscaping of the entire entrance upon completion of the new guard house.   Please be on the lookout for signage, e-mail, website and Facebook announcements with updates, progress reports and any traffic flow changes.

Beau Chene CAO Announcement

September 28, 2015

The Beau Chene Homeowners Association is proud to announce Cristina M. Donovan as the new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) replacing Scott Day whose last day was Monday August 31, 2015.  Cristina was unanimously approved by the Beau Chene Homeowners Association Board of Directors at their meeting on Friday September 25, 2015.

To fill the open position of CAO a search committee was formed on August 14, 2015 and was comprised of HOA directors Jay Capouch, Lance Rase, deShea Richardson, Rowland Stalter, and Jay Whealdon.

Ads were placed on BCHOA.org, NOLA.com, LinkedIn, Indeed.com, Monster.com, Better Northshore Jobs, The Advocate, and Craigslist.  An email blast was also sent to residents who provided their email addresses to the HOA.

Over 90 applicants applied for the open position, and the large group was narrowed to the top 5 candidates.  Interviews were conducted from September 8-18, and the 5 member search committee unanimously chose Cristina M. Donovan as their choice for the new CAO.  Their decision was ratified by the board this past Friday September 25, 2015.

Cristina M. Donovan has lived in Beau Chene for 18 years, and is the married mother of 1 son.  She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration as well as a MBA.  She also holds the following designations: Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Member of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and Member of the National Association of Professional Women.

Cristina M. Donovan had previously been a sitting member of the Beau Chene Homeowners Association Board of Directors, a member of the Beau Chene finance committee, and a member of the Beau Chene governance committee.  She will resign all positions in order to take the role of CAO.

Cristina enjoys the lifestyle that Beau Chene offers.  She enjoys playing golf, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.  Please join me in congratulating Cristina M. Donovan as the new Chief Administrative Officer of Beau Chene.

Doug Tate
Vice President
Beau Chene Homeowners Association