PPSHOA Security Camera Project Update

Block Party

PPSHOA is hosting it's Annual Block Party on Tuesday, September 14 from 6pm - 8pm at Fellowship Lutheran Church! Dinner is being served by our friend, Richard Harkey with Wing Run! We are inviting our friends of the neighborhood to bring drinks, ice, cups and dessert to share.

If your last name begins with the letter:

• A - I ~~~ desserts
• J - Q ~~~ drinks (pop, water, tea, lemonade)
• R - Z ~~~ paper cups or ice and ice chests
• (Please select what you are bringing along with your RSVP to the Right)

As always, members of the HOA are free to enjoy this great meal! For non-members or guests, the cost is $7.50 per person. If you have a neighbor who would like to join the HOA, membership is $50 ($45 for seniors), and there will be a sign-up table available at the event.

Great door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening! So come enjoy some great food with your neighbors! Hope to see you on September 14!!

Members should have received an email invitation. Please email us at ppshoa@gmail.com if you didn't receive your invitation. Remember to RSVP via the evite

Block Captains Needed

The following blocks do not have captains and volunteers are needed! Please contact Bob Herndon, Block Captain Chair to volunteer at 294-1256 or via email at ppshoa@gmail.com. (A current list of block captains is available here)

1. 6765 - 7021 E 66th Pl
2. 7305 - 7322 E 66th Pl
3. 6906 - 6957 S 67th E AVE
4. 6507 - 6627 E 67th ST
5. 6707 - 6781 S 71st E AVE
6. 6904 - 6931 S 76th E AVE
7. 7403 - 7466 E 68th ST

Neighborhood Garage Sale

Mark your Calendar for the PPS HOA Annual Spring Garage Sale!

Saturday, April 24

More details to follow!

Household Pollutant Disposal

You may not realize it, but your home is likely filled with all sorts of dangerous and hazardous pollutants. Many everyday products such as paint and lawn chemicals can be dangerous if used or stored improperly, and cause serious environmental damage if tossed in the trash or poured down the drain. Start off by learning safer alternatives to some products, and find out how to use, store and transport such products properly. Most importantly, when done with them, bring your pollutants to the The M.e.t.Õs semiannual Fairgrounds Pollutant Collection Event.

The next event is April 17-18, 2010, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.. Items accepted include: household cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, automotive fluids, cooking oil, batteries, all fluorescent light bulbs, small ammunition, smoke alarms, aerosol paint, hobby paint, pool chemicals, items containing mercury, and unused or out-of-date prescription medications.

Items NOT accepted at the event include: latex paint, tires, computers, radioactive waste and commercial waste. To dispose of latex paint, remove the lid and let paint completely dry. Place cans of dry paint next to regular residential trash for pick up.

Transport pollutants to the event in the trunk of a car or the bed of a pick up truck. Wear gloves while handling pollutants. To deliver items, enter the fairgrounds from 15th Street at Gate 7. Trained volunteers will remove pollutants from vehicles.

Batteries? Oil? Antifreeze? Don't wait! While you can take batteries, oil, and antifreeze to the Household Pollutant Collection Event, there's no need to wait in line if this is all you have. These products, along with recyclables such as paper, plastic, glass and aluminum, can be taken seven days a week to one of the are M.e.t. Recycling depots. For locations or hours, click here.

Storing your pollutants -

• Keep substances in original container and make sure label is attached.
• If the container starts to leak, enclose it in a larger container, clearly labeled.
• Maintain a list of stored hazardous products with name of product and date of purchase.
• Most items should be stored in a cool, dry place, but read label for instructions.
• Keep incompatible chemical products separated. For example, accidentally mixed HTH chlorine and motor oil can cause a fire.
• Periodically check containers for deterioration.
• If you are unsure of your storage situation, call the experts:
  • Fire Department Hazmat Unit: (918) 596-1255
  • Tulsa City-County Health Dept.: (918) 582-9355
  • Industrial Pretreatment: (918) 591-4378

Transporting your pollutants -

• Wear gloves and use caution when handling substances
• Place pollutants in the trunk or as far away from passengers as possible.
• Do not smoke while handling or transporting chemicals.
• Do not remove the materials from your car once you arrive at the collection facility.
• A worker will remove them for you.

For more information, call The Metropolitan Environmental Trust at 584-0584

Free Landfill Days Scheduled

April 17 and April 18 are the next scheduled Free Landfill Days. Free Landfill Days for Tulsans are scheduled twice a year at the Quarry Landfill on 46th Street North approximately 1-1/2 miles east of U.S. 169. The address is 13740 E. 46th St. North. Hours will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The landfill closes promptly at 3 p.m. Tulsa utility customers can dispose of unwanted items, with some exceptions noted below, on those days. Participants must show a City of Tulsa utility bill or a driver's license with an address within the Tulsa city limits in order to be admitted to the landfill. No items containing Freon refrigerant will be accepted (air conditioners and refrigerators). There will be a $2 fee for each discarded tire. It covers state fees for disposal and recycling of tires. Loads in trucks and trailers should be secured and covered to prevent contents from blowing out onto roadways and creating traffic hazards. (NOTE: There are two landfills on East 46th Street North. Look for the Quarry - Waste Management Inc. signs.)

Mayoral Forum

Thank you to those who have sent your RSVP for the Forum on October 15th at Thoreau. The event will start promptly at 6:30pm so plan to be there in time to be seated by then.

Please RSVP so we will know how many rows to hold for PPSHOA members!

There has been some confusion about the questions which we hope to clear up with this message. We will NOT be giving the questions to any of the candidates in advance of the Forum. We (the PPSHOA Board) are collecting them in advance so that we can organize and print them for the moderator. Our moderator is a local news reporter who has volunteered her time for this effort.

It is our express goal to have the questions come from you, our members. We are organizing this effort so that you can have your questions asked and hear for yourselves the various candidate's responses. Although it is open to the public, this event is being organized by PPSHOA for the benefit of you and your neighbors.

So far we have had several good questions on a range of topics which will be addressed to all of the candidates. If you have one, please submit it now so that we can have it on our list.

Storm Drain Reminder

With all the rain we've experienced and fall approaching, it is important to keep water flowing into the storm drains throughout the neighborhood. Please take a minute to clear the debris around the storm drains near your curb!

Street Update

Mr. Delucia would like to say THANK YOU, for your help with his problem on S. 70th E. Ave. He asked that you turn off / redirect your sprinklers away from his construction and roadbed work. You did and he appreciates it.

The base course of asphalt is in place. The topping course on will be placed shortly, so watch and keep the sprinklers redirected during that time as well. Prior to asphalt placement, the gravel roadbed was tested for compaction. It was better than specified, and in some places more than 100% compaction!

At the south end of 70th, the intersection with E 69th will be closed for a full day. A concrete valley drain is being constructed across the intersection in one placement. This provides a better pavement, and minimizes future problems associated with construction. The purpose is to improve the drainage to minimize hazards caused by pooling water.

As a reminder, Mr. Greg Delucia is with Paragon Contractors and they are the ones who are rehabilitating our streets under the City's contract. As before, talk to your neighbors who don't have e-mail. Tell them thanks for their help.

Greg Delucia and his crew from Paragon Contractors have removed the old pavement and some of the subgrade. 12 inches of gravel has been put down for a base. Originally, the plans only called for a 6 inch gravel base.

When the asphalt pavement is placed, there will be an interval when residents will not have access to their driveways. Mr. Delucia is working to minimize that interval. The pavement machine will lay the asphalt and a roller will follow behind to compact the pavement. Just before placement of the asphalt, the driveway ramps will be removed. After placement is complete, residents should have access.

The first layer of asphalt is a base course and is 5" thick. There will be a second layer, 2" thick. In the interval between placement of the two layers, residents will have a bump to cross over as they access their driveways. Mr. Delucia plans to provide a slight ramp to minimize the bump and before the second course.

Map of Street Repair

Volunteers Sought For Removal of Illegal Signs

The City of Tulsa is recruiting volunteers to help rid areas of illegal signs. A training session for the first 12 volunteers is scheduled August 21 at City Hall and the registration deadline is August 14.

Illegal signs litter the rights-of-way along city streets. The City of Tulsa is seeking volunteers to help with regular removal of such signs. Volunteers will receive classroom instruction and then go to the field with professional sign and site inspectors. The Tulsa Beautification Foundation and Quik Trip Corp. are providing refreshments and food for the training session. This is the latest step in the City's ongoing efforts to control illegal signage in rights-of-way along Tulsa streets. The City's Inspection Services section has added a Sign and Site Administration program through the aid of a grant from the Tulsa Beautification Foundation. Additional assistance is needed to control illegal signs in Tulsa's nearly 200 square miles of land.

Volunteers are expected to:

• Complete the volunteer training course
• Sign liability release forms
• Sign an oath to adhere to City ordinances, rules and procedures
• Have a valid driver's license
• Commit to a land area and number of daytime hours for working
• Submit to a background check.

Volunteers will be assigned to specific areas. Application forms and additional information can be found online. Information can also be obtained by calling the Sign and Site Inspections supervisor at 596-9654.

Water Pressure Meeting, 9 June

We met with Mr. Anthony Wilkins who is the lead design engineer for the City of Tulsa Water Department. Mr. Wilkins addressed our concerns about low water pressure. He began by explaining how the system works as a means to help us understand his process in determining the problem. Our water pressure is determined by several factors. The primary factor depends on the elevation of our homes. Homes on a hill, or even a high area will have less pressure than those at lower elevations. The next factors include valves and pipes, whether the City's or our own system. It is important to realize that our pipe and valve system begins at the water meter and runs into each of our homes. If valves are partially closed, or pipes are blocked, we will have a pressure loss. Likewise, where pipes are too small, there will also be a pressure loss. Mr. Wilkins addressed a few specific problems such as sprinkler systems. In areas where the water pressure is low, the sprinkler system must be designed accordingly. Such features require a design effort by the plumber or the contractor to compensate for the pressure and flows available at the home. Those features might include larger pipe diameters, smaller orifices, fewer heads running at a given time, closer spacings, etc. In addition to Mr. Wilkins, Michael Mills suggested that some homes may have restricted pipes. In Mills' home, galvanized (steel) pipe nipples formed the connection between the copper risers (pipes in the wall) and the fixtures. As the steel corroded to protect the copper, the hard water deposits built-up to restrict the flow through the nipples. Mills replaced the steel with copper (or brass) nipples which do not corrode to the copper pipes. Some years later, those copper nipples do not show any restriction or buildup. Numerous people spoke up about the problems in their homes. Some have to take turns using the various fixtures in the house, whether it is a shower, a dishwasher, etc. One person took three days to fill their pool, with the aid of the neighbor's hose, and stopping their own hose for showering or other needs. Mr. Wilkins proposed to do more investigation as a means to determine where the problems are. His proposal requires a few volunteers who agree to have their homes checked by a licensed and bonded plumber. With these representative homes, he can better understand the problems and arrive at a solution.

Street Repairs Progress

Many thanks to Michael Mills, PPS HOA's City Liason and Zoning Review and Committee Chair of the Street repairs Committee, for his dedication to PPS's Street Repair issues.

Progress Report - Our street repairs are progressing. Greg Delucia and his crew from Paragon Contractors are working street by street to do the preliminary work before they begin the actual pavement surfaces.

On Tuesday, 4 August, Mr. Delucia met with the City of Tulsa, including Jerry Kaiser, Inspector. Final decisions have been given as to the extent of pavement repairs.

1. 67th Place will receive a full depth replacement.
2. 68th Place will receive a full depth replacement and this is between 77th E. Ave to 73rd E. Ave.
3. 70th E. Ave will receive a full depth replacement from 69th Street to 67th Street plus 20 feet, and there is a condition that it could extend to 66th Street.
4. 77th E. Ave. will be assessed after water pipes are replaced.

Tearout, preparation, and replacement for pavement will begin about 10 to 14 days after 4 August. Sawing for the one lane tearout will begin sooner, perhaps this Saturday 8 August.

In order to maintain access for each residentÕs drive, the work will start with one lane (periodically Ð one way). There will also be a period when we will have a gravel roadway and gravel ramps preceding the new asphalt pavement.

Mr. Delucia has stated that he is bearing extra expense to maintain our access. He is also asking us to be patient as Paragon works to deliver new pavement to us.

Enhancements and Special Projects:

Special thanks to Board Member Gary Hammond for his continued work of beautifying PPS.Gary worked with homeowners and insurance companies to get the wall on Sheridan and 66th Street replaced after a car collided with the brick retaining wall. He also worked to repair the brick work and the signage at Sheridan and 67th Street when another car clipped our Entrance sign and brick flower beds.

Did you know PPS was the first neighborhood in the City of Tulsa to install "green" techniques when the solar lighting was installed within our entrance signage?

Gary is working to find ways to enhance security in PPS. He is investigating the placement of security cameras at our entrances. Neighbors who attended the General Meeting in May listened to a speaker Gary introduced to address this possibility. Please refer to the Meeting Minutes for more information, or Email us at ppshoa@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering your time to work with Gary on these special projects.