Draft Versions of Slides for Annual Meeting

To Homeowners of the Wolf Trap Woods Homes Association

On this website are a draft Agenda for the Annual Meeting to be held this coming Tuesday, June 11, along with other pertinent information that the Board believes will address some of your questions, including those related to the budget and to compliance with the By-Laws.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Fred Cirillo, President

Coyotes

WARNING: Two Reported Incidences of Coyotes in the WTWHA Common Area Attacking Dogs Walking with Homeowners

 

There have been two reported incidents so far of this happening on the Common Area below Glenridge Court, roughly between the Carrington development and Laurel Hill Road.  Please be alert when walking in this area, as well as other parts of the Common Area.  Fairfax Animal Control Police have been alerted and have provided the guidance shown below.  In the meantime, please be on alert.

WTWHA Maintenance Committee and Board of Directors

Information From Fairfax Animal Control

Coyotes are an established part of the wildlife community in Fairfax County, and in most cases do not come into conflict with people and pets. However, dogs are vulnerable to coyote confrontations, especially when unattended or running loose, and incidents may increase when coyotes are protecting a mate or pups. Conflicts between dogs and coyotes can happen any time of the year, but are more likely during the mating season (January-March) and when coyotes are caring for pups (March-August).  Coyotes are highly territorial and may view other larger canines as competition and a threat. Coyotes may also consider small, unattended pets including cats and small dogs as prey due to their similar size to natural prey.

These recent incidents reinforce the need for pet owners to be aware of potential safety risks and take precautions with pets around homes, and when walking their dogs in areas where the coyotes have been active. The best way to minimize risk to pets is never to leave them outside unattended. Pets left outside, even with fencing, remain at risk for predation and unnecessary conflict. Pets should be supervised when outdoors and dogs should be walked on a leash in accordance with the county’s leash law.  Cats should be kept indoors and not allowed to roam free since they are an easy target for coyotes. I have included additional guidance below to reduce the chance of coyote conflicts and safety tips if they are encountered.

  1. Keep your dog on a short leash (6-feet long or less). This length allows you to maintain control of your dog and makes coyotes aware of a person’s presence.
    Longer or retractable leashes allow greater distance between the dog and owner, and little time to react if a coyote encounter occurs.
  2. Be cautious when walking at night and during early evening and morning hours (dusk and dawn)
  3. Avoid areas known to have coyote activity, especially during breeding and pupping season. Alter your walking route to avoid potential conflict when walking your dog.
  4. Stay on trails and be extra careful when walking in wooded areas or areas with thick brush.
  5. Keep pets up to date on all vaccinations.
  6. Carry a noisemaker or walking stick to use as a scare device such as a whistle, small air horn, or “coyote rattler” (soda can filled with rocks, marbles, etc). 

If you encounter a coyote:

  1. Do not turn your back on the coyote and do not run. Running away can trigger a coyote’s prey drive and may cause it to chase you.
  2. Keep your dog under close control with the leash, next to you or behind you (away from the coyotes). If you have a small dog and its possible, pick it up.
  3. Do not let your dog approach, chase, or attempt to “play” with a coyote.
  4. Stand tall and assertive, maintain eye contact. Use hazing techniques (see below) or slowly and calmly walk away without turning your back on the coyote. Coyotes will sometimes follow you for a distance to escort you out of their territory, and turning your back may invite them to come in closer to hurry you on your way.
  5. Hazing can be used to scare coyotes away but caution should be used if there may be a den or pups nearby. Hazing can include using a noisemaker, yelling, stomping your feet, shaking a jacket, popping an umbrella, flashing a flashlight, tossing rocks or branches at the ground near the coyote and anything else that will frighten the coyote off. If a coyote is avoiding humans and pets and not creating conflict, do not seek out opportunities to haze or otherwise aggravate the animal.

 

If aggressive behavior is displayed or if there is physical contact between a coyote and a person or pet, please report it directly to the Animal Protection Police through the police non-emergency number at (703) 691-2131.  

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss this issue further.

More information on coyotes can be found at:

Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources: https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/Living-with-Coyotes-Near-Your-Home-in-Virginia.pdf  

Fairfax County Coyote Webpage: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/wildlife/coyote     

Fairfax County Coyote Awareness video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iHZY_YGWWg       

District Coyote Project: https://www.districtcoyotes.org/humans-coyotes

Annual Meeting

WOLF TRAP WOODS HOMES ASSOCIATION

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING ON JUNE 11

AND

CALL FOR CANDIDATES AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

 

 The 2024 Annual Meeting of the Wolf Trap Woods Homes Association will be held Tuesday, June 11, at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8991 Brook Road, McLean, VA (at the corner of Brook Rd. and Lewinsville Rd.  The meeting must include more than half our membership of 225, so at least 113 homeowners must attend either in person or by proxy in order to have a quorum required to conduct Association business.  The meeting will be in-person only.

Before the Annual Meeting, the Association will conduct its call for new volunteer candidates to become members of the Board of Directors.  With two (2) Board positions ending, you will have the opportunity to elect two individuals to the Board of Directors, each to serve a three (3) year term.  Note that the Nominating Committee has nominated current Treasurer Ron Burr for a 2nd term.

Service to the community can be rewarding and, as always, the Board encourages candidates to run.  Our community is a wooded treasure, and we rely on volunteer homeowners like you to keep our neighborhood humming.  Members of the Board can expect one Board meeting and a reasonable number of additional volunteer hours each month to address issues. 

If you wish to seek election to the Board of Directors, it is important to complete and submit the Nominating Petition to John Dyer, Board Secretary and Chair of the Nominating Committee, at wtwboard@gmail.com, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2024.  Your petition should include a few words about yourself, any professional/personal qualifications you wish to add and a picture in jpg format.  Your name will then be placed on the ballot and your information included in the follow-up Annual Meeting mailing to all homeowners prior to their voting.  [Click on the blue hyperlinks to access the petition and e-mail.]  

After that, voting will take place via the online platform ElectionBuddy using your email address; forms or ballots will be delivered to those who have not agreed to receive Association notices via e-mail.  The voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting.

Prior to the Annual Meeting, the Board will vote on an administrative resolution that specifies Meeting procedures.  As in previous years, one of the provisions of the resolution will state that nominations for candidates will not be taken from the floor during the Annual Meeting if at least two nominating petitions are received by the deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17th.   

If you would like to discuss Board service and find out more about what is involved, please contact any of the current Board members at wtwboard@gmail.com.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s Annual Meeting. 

Upcoming Board Meetings

Wolf Trap Woods Homes Association

Notice of Annual Meeting on June 11

and

Call for Candidates and Board of Directors Election

 The 2024 Annual Meeting of the Wolf Trap Woods Homes Association will be held Tuesday, June 11, at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8991 Brook Road, McLean, VA (at the corner of Brook Rd. and Lewinsville Rd.  The meeting must include more than half our membership of 225, so at least 113 homeowners must attend either in person or by proxy in order to have a quorum required to conduct Association business.  The meeting will be in-person only.

Before the Annual Meeting, the Association will conduct its call for new volunteer candidates to become members of the Board of Directors.  With two (2) Board positions ending, you will have the opportunity to elect two individuals to the Board of Directors, each to serve a three (3) year term.  Note that the Nominating Committee has nominated current Treasurer Ron Burr for a 2nd term.

Service to the community can be rewarding and, as always, the Board encourages candidates to run.  Our community is a wooded treasure, and we rely on volunteer homeowners like you to keep our neighborhood humming.  Members of the Board can expect one Board meeting and a reasonable number of additional volunteer hours each month to address issues. 

If you wish to seek election to the Board of Directors, it is important to complete and submit the Nominating Petition to John Dyer, Board Secretary and Chair of the Nominating Committee, at wtwboard@gmail.com, by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2024.  Your petition should include a few words about yourself, any professional/personal qualifications you wish to add and a picture in jpg format.  Your name will then be placed on the ballot and your information included in the follow-up Annual Meeting mailing to all homeowners prior to their voting.  [Click on the blue hyperlinks to access the petition and e-mail.]  

After that, voting will take place via the online platform ElectionBuddy using your email address; forms or ballots will be delivered to those who have not agreed to receive Association notices via e-mail.  The voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting.

Prior to the Annual Meeting, the Board will vote on an administrative resolution that specifies Meeting procedures.  As in previous years, one of the provisions of the resolution will state that nominations for candidates will not be taken from the floor during the Annual Meeting if at least two nominating petitions are received by the deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 17th.   

If you would like to discuss Board service and find out more about what is involved, please contact any of the current Board members at wtwboard@gmail.com.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s Annual Meeting.