Some of you may have noticed that the city had a crew out pruning trees and clearing underbrush on the Lone Wolf cul-de-sac. The Hidden Springs Ranch board wishes to thank Jon Thompson, Development Coordinator for the city, for following up on Association comments coordinating the work.

Have you seen other issues in the neighborhood that need to be addressed? Contact the HOA administrator or any board member.

Hidden Springs Ranch will be hosting a 5K and Fun Run on Founders’ Day Weekend. As many as 100 or more runners will be participating in the event, with proceeds benefiting the 2012 Project Graduation activities for Dripping Springs students. For the serious runners in the neighborhood, the 5K is a timed event while the Fun Run is designed for kids of all ages. Both events will start and end at the neighborhood pavilion on Saturday morning, April 21.

The Project Graduation organizing committee has arranged for parking at nearby facilities and Hays County emergency personnel will be on hand to help manage traffic. Please use extra caution entering and exiting the neighborhood during the event (you may wish to exit via Meadow Oaks rather than Broken Lance).

Questions about the runs can be forwarded to Karen Rapp with Project Graduation or to any HOA board member.

Effective immediately, Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation (DSWSC) is easing watering restrictions for all customers. According to DSWSC General Manager Greg Perrin, residential customers with odd-number street addresses will be permitted to water on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Residential customers with even-number addresses can water on Thursdays and Sundays. Commercial customers (including Homeowners Associations) can water on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Watering times remain unchanged: 12:00AM to 10:00AM and 7:00PM to 12:00AM on permitted days.

Questions about watering restrictions can be forwarded directly to the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation at 512.858-7897 or by emailing their front office (Angie@drippingspringswater.com).

The winter wet season is coming to an end and the Hidden Springs Ranch Board of Directors wants to remind all of neighbors that the burn piles must be contained within fire rings.  Everyone remembers the damage caused by the 2011 wildfires in Bastrop and right here in Dripping Springs. In order to minimize the danger of fires in Hidden Springs Ranch, the board adopted a Fuels Abatement Policy in August 2011.

Under this policy, Lot Owners without fire rings must remove lawn cuttings, trimmings and other combustible debris as it is generated. Lot Owners with fire rings can retain such material as long as it fits within the perimeter of the fire ring. Excess material must be removed as it is generated. The full text of the policy can be found in the Governance section of the Hidden Springs Ranch website, or by clicking here.

Please help us keep the neighborhood safe by keeping your burn piles under control. Questions about the Fuels Abatement Policy can be forwarded to the HOA Board or Administrator.

The Hidden Springs Ranch Homeowners Association approved the 2012 annual assessment and elected the 2012 board of directors during the Annual Meeting on March 24. Following the budget committee's recommendation, the 2012 assessment was approved at the 2011 levels ($750 per lot). The budget committee also noted that anticipated expenses will exceed ordinary income in 2012 and assessments will almost certainly need to be raised in 2013.

Members also elected a new board of directors. Leslie Bradshaw, Ted Eaves, Gene Fojtik, Roger Grace, Carla Petersen and Simon Petty have been elected to the board. Officers and committee chairs will be elected at the April 2012 board meeting on Monday, April 8, at the 6:30PM general session of the HOA board (see the HOA calendar for more details).

The board also thanks departing board members Susan Ferno and Donna Williamson for their service to the neighborhood in 2012. Donna was the HOA Secretary and Susan not only chaired the Communications and Social committee, she has maintained the community bulletin board for several years.

Questions about the annual meeting, committees and neighborhood plans can be forwarded to the Board of Directors or the HOA Administrator.

The Dripping Springs Independent School District will hold registration for Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten students entering school in Fall of 2012 on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3-4. Registration will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the DSISD Administration Building, 510 W. Mercer St. Kindergartners must be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2012.

For both Kindergarten and Pre-K students, parents should bring proof of residency (electric bill and copy of lease/warranty deed/property tax statement with homestead exemption listed), child's birth certificate and immunization record, as well as child's social security card and parent's photo ID.

DSISD offers three types of Pre-K for children who will be 4 years old by Sept. 1, 2012:

1. Tuition-based for district residents
2. Free for children who qualify as Economically Disadvantaged (national free/ reduced lunch program), Limited English Proficiency, child of active or injured military, or is either Homeless or has been in foster care. Parent should bring proof of income (for all working members of household) and child (for language testing).
3. Tuition-based for out-of-district residents, limited capacity (new in 2012)

The immunization "Care Van" will be present from 2-5 p.m. on April 3, serving Medicaid, CHIPS, and "underinsured" patients.

The board is pleased to announce that the new bicycle rack has been installed in the corner of the pavilion parking lot and is ready to use. Special thanks go out to Simon Petty, chair of the Pool, Pavilion and Common Areas committee, for leading this effort.

All bicyclists are welcome to use the rack, but please remember to chain your bike securely to the rack as the HOA cannot be responsible for damage or loss. Please also remember that any bikes chained to the pavilion fence, posts, tables or other structures may be removed without notice and at the owner’s expense.

The Hidden Springs Ranch Homeowners Association Annual Meeting is almost here! The meeting will be held at the neighborhood pavilion from 4:00PM to 6:00PM on Saturday, March 24. We will be reviewing HOA business, electing a new board and adopting the 2012 annual assessments.

Kids are welcome and the HOA Board is providing pizza and drinks for everyone who registers, so let us know if you plan to attend. You can RSVP by contacting the HOA social coordinator (social@dshiddenspringsranch.com) or by responding to the neighborhood poll.

Hope to see you there!