DEC. 2015 Vol. 35 No.12 PUBLISHED BY THE MONTEBELLO CONDOMINIUM UNIT OWNERS ASSOCIATION

New Shuttle Bus Service Begins -- ID Required by Carole Hall, President, Bus Club, and Marco Mendoza, Assistant General Manager

Montebello has a new shuttle bus contractor effective Nov 30. At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Board of Directors voted and unanimously approved General Resolution 15-37, instructing management to engage in a contract with ARM Transportation, Inc., for our new shuttle bus service. This decision was based on a number of factors ranging from driver performance, company responsiveness to issues, and annual cost. Management and the Bus Club have coordinated following the decision to ensure the best quality service for residents.

The new bus will display the Montebello logo, and the schedule will remain the same. However, there will be one important change for bus riders. A requirement to show your Montebello ID to the driver whenever boarding the bus will be strictly enforced beginning Nov. 30 in order to give residents a better sense of safety and security. Residents will need to make previous arrangements for visitors, as they do now when guests arrive at the front gate. Other details that are important to bus riders have been addressed in the preparation of the contract, including:

• Perimeter Seating - The new bus will have perimeter seating, but the back-up bus may not.

• Vehicle Cleanliness - The bus will be cleaned regularly, kept neat and free of driver’s personal property, and detailed monthly.

• Vehicle Maintenance - The bus will be maintained regularly and kept in good operational condition.

• Vehicle Operation - The driver will operate the ADA lift efficiently and safely, and a luggage rack may be installed to ensure sufficient space for luggage, groceries and grocery carts.

Continued on p. 5

Photo by Kim Santos

Just imagine. . . how the view from the new Fitness Center will change when it is seen through the completed structure with a full complement of new equipment in late December..

Board Approves 2016 Budget with 1.29% Condo Fees Increase by Barbara Boykin, Times Staff

At its Nov. 10 meeting, the Board of Directors approved the condominium’s 2016 budget totaling $8,030,371, to be funded, in part, by a 1.29% increase in condo fees.

The largest expenditure category in the 2016 budget is staffing and payroll, which account for 37.3% of expenditures. Increases in this category include the addition of 2-1/2 staff positions, a 2.75% average salary increase, and increases in related areas, such as health care.

The second largest expenditure category, the reserve contribution, accounts for 30.6% of the budget. The 2016 reserve contribution is $2,495,500. Major reserve expenditures still remaining for 2015 total $2,402,600 and include the Fitness Center ($1,140,000) and equipment ($147,400), the indoor pool refurbishment ($275,000), the perimeter security fence ($500,000), and the dry sprinkler system ($176,000). 2016 reserve expenditures for 2016 projects are estimated at $1,508,656, but none of the 2016 projects has been reviewed or approved as yet.

Continued on p. 5

See Holiday Schedule for Association Office

and Shuttle Bus Page 7

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Letters to the Editor A letter to the Editor is your opportunity to share a comment, compliment or concern with other residents. Letters must not exceed 225 words and must be received by the seventh of the month. Writers are responsible for the content and accuracy of their letters. Management or the Board of Directors may respond. Unsigned letters, letters promoting non-Montebello financial endeavors and personal criticisms of individuals or groups will not be published. Submit letters, marked Attention: Times, to the front desk or to times@montebello.org. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enjoy Canasta Hello to everyone! I am Karlene Conrad. I have lived here for over 20 years and thoroughly enjoy Montebello. For many of those years I have enjoyed playing canasta with fellow residents. The game is easy to learn and allows time to socialize as well as play. It is a game that is enjoyable for all ages. Please join us in playing on Thursdays at 2 PM in the card room. Please come and join us. We look forward to meeting all of you. If you have questions, please contact me at 703-328-1733 or kc1943@yahoo.com. Even better just stop by and meet us. We look forward to it! –Karlene Conrad, Building 2

Board response: Montebello has a wide array of clubs and activities, which can be found on the website along with club information periodically distributed with The Times of Montebello. Participating in these activities is an excellent way to meet new people. As Ms. Conrad indicates, canasta is a great card game and easy to learn. Please consider her invitation to stop by and meet the group. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Seek Wholesale Electric Bill Reduction October 5, 2015 print edition of WSJ mentions that Las Vegas casinos, and other large electricity users in other states seeking to buy electricity wholesale from alternate providers; not all states allow practice. Believe Virginia does. Has MCUA sought to negotiate lower electricity prices from alternative electricity generators (solar, wind, etc.) and if not? Suggest doing so; even if unsuccessful, may get DOM to provide break. –Paul Foldes, Building 1

Treasurer's response: Thank you for your question regarding efficient purchasing of electrical or other sources of renewable energy. In the state of Virginia, our local utility, Dominion Virginia Power, does not provide options for alternative energy sources nor are choices available for residential consumers.

Regarding our gas usage, Montebello’s Financial Management Company (ZALCO) does shop for bulk buying of natural gas in which Montebello participates and benefits.

Montebello is constantly looking for savings on all utilities (gas, electric, water etc.). Should Dominion Virginia Power offer alternative energy sources, you can be certain we will take advantage of any and all savings. Save on Home and Other Services Savings of between 20% and 70% on services can be achieved by using contractors recommended by a consumer rating service in the Washington area. The 70% saving is a

real number that came from comparing a quote from a contractor we see often in our buildings vs. that from another contractor in the area that I now use extensively.

These reviews are continually updated using a large number of user ratings for physicians, auto repair, HVAC, computer repair, et al. The reviews rate both quality and price. The differences between contractors are amazingly large.

You can use a search engine such as google to find a “consumers service ratings” provider. If you need more specifics, email me at jrpowers@us.net. There is a trivial annual cost for subscriptions. –John R. Powers, Building 4

Board response: Comparison shopping for services makes sense for all of us. Another good place to find references from satisfied customers for services rendered is the Neighbor to Neighbor column on our website.

Where’s “Transitions”? I look forward to reading the Times of Montebello when it arrives, but for the last few months, I have not seen the "Transitions" column which welcomes new residents and informs us of other changes in our community. I think this is a critical part of a community newsletter, since it lets new owners know that they are welcome, and lets existing residents know who their new neighbors are or who has passed away. This newsletter feature has helped me connect with a high school friend and with a work colleague who moved here. I hope the Times reinstate this column. –Betsy Sprouse, Building 1

Times response: Thanks for letting us know you missed Transitions, You are not alone; several readers inquired about its absence. The Times staff missed it, too, and we are happy to report that Transitions is back on page 6 of this issue. We hope to have it as a regular feature again and appreciate your interest in it.

The Times of Montebello is published monthly by the MCUOA. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not represent those of the Editor or the MCUOA.

Editorial Board: Jacqueline Woodle, Managing Editor; Donald Barnes Editor, Barbara Boykin, Cerie Kimball, Nancy Keller, Noel Sipple, Don Trilling Staff Writers: Mikhailina Karina, Janice Stucki Editorial Assistants: Mary Ellen Bergeron, Ann Cascarano Photo Editor: Don Trilling Photographers: Diane Bastin, Nancy Keller, Kim Santos, Joel Miller Production Manager: Thirasit Insisiengmay Board of Directors Liaison: Guido Zanni Board of Directors: Doug Kennett, President; Greg Bender, Vice President; Joe Riccobono, Treasurer; Doug Kleine, Secretary; Carole Harman, Erwin Jacobs, Bruce Shaw, Lynn Tjeerdsma, Guido Zanni Management: Liz Foltin, General Manager; Marco Mendoza, Assistant General Manager; Peter Ng, Facilities Program Manager; John Edmond, Safety and Access Control Manager; Phonekham Somchanmavong, Chief Engineer; Sisavath Thongdynarath, Assistant Chief Engineer; Thirasit Insisiengmay, Community Activities Program Manager; Lenard Goldbaum (ZALCO), Community Manager.

Association Office: 703-960-0410 www.montebello.org

MCUOA@vacoxmail.com Residents may contact the Board of Directors at the email address above.

Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.

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New-Resident Project Eases Montebello’s Move-In Process by Bonnie Jacob, Chair, Communications Committee

Owners and renters planning to move into Montebello will find the process much easier, thanks to a new program of information and support developed by the Communications Committee in partnership with management and staff. The program began a test period in early November and will be fully implemented in early 2016.

Appropriately titled Welcome to Montebello, the program guides incoming residents through the move-in process with helpful information about each step, presented in a user-friendly way. Designed to provide what new residents need to know when they need to know it, the program focuses on three key points of contact:

Before the Move − When buyers or renters call the office to schedule their new resident registration, they will be advised what the session will cover and what they should bring. They also will be offered a new brochure, Tips for a Smooth Move, which explains the basics of condo living; summarizes our rules for moving day, pets, parking, remodeling, and other issues; describes what will happen at registration; and features a pre-move checklist.

At Registration − A new PowerPoint presentation guides new residents through the necessary paperwork and gives them basic information about the Association, our buildings, amenities, and grounds; our rules and procedures; available services and utilities; our community life; and much more. The presentation is self-paced, and a staff member is available to talk the resident through the paperwork and answer any questions. The PowerPoint and the Tips brochure also will be available on Montebello.org.

After the Move − New residents who give their permission will receive a visit from their building representative at a mutually convenient time, who will offer personal greetings and insights, along with a welcome package that contains a rundown of Montebello’s committees and clubs, hours of operation for recreational amenities, and other useful material. In the package, newcomers also will find brochures on nearby attractions and resources, including guides to Metro, local libraries and parks, Express Lane changes, and more, along with Montebello-themed gifts.

Future Committee Actions − Members of the Communications Committee are now updating the Resident Manual. When the new edition is completed, it will be available to current residents as well as to new residents at registration.

Committee members will inform real estate agents of the new Welcome to Montebello program, so they can advise their clients to take advantage of the information. Montebello residents planning to sell or rent their units are urged to let prospective residents know about the new resources available to them.

Photo by Kim Santos

While one worker rolls up the old fence for disposal, another prepares the poles for the much higher new fence. Members of the Communications Committee include Susan Allen, Cindy Baggett, Maureen Dowdle, Kristina Gutierrez, Don Hinman, Bonnie Jacob, Fran Lunney, Lauren Pierce, and Leslie Rodriguez. Lynn Tjeerdsma is the board liaison. Nanette Frank, Mary Tjeerdsma, Carole Harman, and former resident and board member Joyce Amenta Schmidt also contributed valuable services to the project, as did Jeanne Tifft, who donated her photos of Montebello. Building representatives Harriet Duval, Yolande Frommer, Linda Nunnely and Barbara Yost will be ongoing ambassadors to new residents, along with backups Carole Appel and Carol Hora. Staff resident coordinator Luis Vasquez will administer the New-Resident Project.

AiM Releases Event Calendar for 2016 by Jeanne Tifft, Committee Member

The Art in Montebello (AiM) Committee has established the 2016 calendar of exhibitions planned for the Montebello café, as shown in the table below. Café patrons and Montebello visitors can expect to enjoy a variety of visual art media and techniques throughout the year.

Opening receptions will continue to be held on Saturdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Each exhibit will be up for five weeks. Mark your calendars.

Jan. 2 – Feb. 5 Joan Burg Feb. 6 – Mar. 11 Group Show, solo exhibitors Mar. 12 – Apr. 15 Terry Kritcher Apr. 16 – May 20 Rita Adrosko May 21 – June 24 Anthony Cascarano June 25 – July 29 Group Show, theme and curator

to be determined July 30 − Sept. 9 Dian McDonald Sept. 10 – Oct. 14 Jeanne Tifft Oct. 15 – Nov. 18 Rebecca McNeely Nov. 19 – Jan. 6, 2017 Anna Schalk

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Ring in the Holidays with the Music Club by Carla Jones-Batka, President, Montebello Music Club

     The Montebello Activities Committee and Montebello Music Club have great plans for December. They are all listed in the Calendar and Special Events, but we encourage you to come join in the singing with the Holiday Show put on by the Music Club and various musical artists of Montebello on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m. in the Community Center. The Activities Committee will provide refreshments and candy canes  and a Special Guest will be arriving! The caroling in the lobbies of each building will be on Dec. 8 and 10 (see Calendar of Events). To add to the festivities of the season, we are delighted that Scott Solak will be back to play the piano and lead in holiday singing in the Community Center on Friday night, Dec. 18. All month long the Montebello Music Club will be selling the 2015 White House Ornaments for $19 to raise money for the Grand Piano Concert Fund. You may purchase ornaments by contacting your building Music Club Representative:

Building 1 – David Ransom 703-960-0650 Building 2 – Joyce Elam 703-780-8471 Building 3 – Mark Beerhuis 703-360-7191 Building 4 – Patty Pulju 703-341-6142

     The Music Club will be starting new initiatives and programs in January 2016. We invite all of you who love music, whether you sing, play, or enjoy listening, to join us for our first meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m., in Party Room 4. Bring your ideas as to what you would like for the Music Club to provide the community; e.g., recitals, sing-alongs, instrumental concerts, music appreciation, etc., and we will see if they can be done. The more we can involve the Montebello residents, the better. Plans are being made to repeat the youth recital on Sunday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. It was a very popular event last spring and we are hoping even more young people from our community will participate.

The Board Wishes Happy Holidays to the Staff and to All by Doug Kennett, President, Board of Directors

The Board of Directors, on behalf of all residents of Montebello, wishes our hardworking and talented staff a joyous holiday season and an abundant thank you. Throughout this challenging year you have been exemplary. You have kept Montebello in exceptional shape while coping with snow storms, wind storms, water leaks, elevator outages, power outages, fallen trees, and many other emergencies.

Moreover, you have done this with good humor, great patience and smiles galore. You are instrumental in ensuring Montebello continues to be a fabulous place for us to live and enjoy. Many thanks to you from all your friends and admirers here at Montebello.

The board also thanks all the residents who contributed over $11,000 to the Holiday Employee Recognition Program as of Nov. 17. In addition to the community-wide contribution, residents may also continue to give individuals gifts as appropriate.

To all, have a joyous holiday season.

Director’s Corner Board Brushes up on Fair Housing by Doug Kleine, Secretary, Board of Directors   The Montebello Condominium Board of Directors held an hour and a half session in October devoted entirely to understanding fair housing laws and the situations in which they apply. The board has had an explicit policy since 1999 of support for and adherence to fair housing laws. The condominium is not engaged in buying, selling, or leasing properties, but because we provide substantial housing-related services, we are covered under fair housing laws. It must be mentioned that we are not a “public accommodation,” and thus are not subject to the Americans With Disabilities Act, although those standards are often on our minds.

Most of us are familiar with the usual categories of protected classes, but fair housing also applies to non-discrimination on the basis of familial status (are there children in the family), disability, and in Fairfax County, elderliness (age 55 or over). Our policies, rules, and services must not discriminate against any protected class. Recent enforcement actions by regulatory bodies have centered around rules that seem to be anti-kid, failure to make reasonable accommodations to requests for exceptions to rules by persons with disabilities, and failure to approve modifications to the common elements at the request and expense of a person with a disability.

Montebello tries to be ahead of the curve as to compliance. The no-pets rule for the Community Center has long had an exception for service animals. Based on periodic inspections of usage, we assess the need to redesignate parking spaces as reserved for people with disabilities where needed. We recently made B-3 entrances more protected from vehicles and the weather, and installed glass doors to provide greater visibility in a very busy area. In the months ahead, we will continue to monitor our rules and services and their impact on all residents. Fair housing laws, as they apply to common areas, are there to provide equal enjoyment whenever practicable.

The Times of Montebello staff

extend their greetings for a happy holiday

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Bus, continued from p. 1 • Passenger Safety - Drivers will not use cell phones while

driving, will stop at all stop signs, will yield to pedestrians and will not speed. A preference for two separate drivers, one in the morning and one in the afternoon/evening, has been expressed in order to reduce driver fatigue, but this cannot be guaranteed since the company may assign drivers to work shifts elsewhere.

• Emergency Preparedness - The bus will be equipped with a fully-stocked first aid kit, and the driver will speak English well in order to communicate effectively with emergency personnel.

• Driver Orientation - The driver has been given a briefing with our expectations, including being polite, professional, and friendly.

• Alternate Navigation inside of Montebello - There is a preference for Building 1 residents to be picked up or dropped off under the porte-cochere. The contractor will offer ideas or alternatives on how to manage this once the service is fully implemented. In order for the bus to fit under all other buildings’ porte-cocheres, a custom-made bus is being ordered and will be in operation by the first week of January. Until then, we will be using a temporary bus that will not fit under all porte-cocheres.

• Communication of Delays – The new contractor has a messaging service in place that we may be able to implement in the future, whereby bus riders would be able to subscribe by sending a text message to a specified number. Then, the contractor could send a mass text message to subscribers notifying them of any delays. We expect the bus to keep to a 15-minute schedule and even arrive at the Metro bus bay three minutes earlier (the maximum idling time allowed) before departure time. On-time performance will improve once our Metro road is repaved and reconstructed, which is already included as a near-term project in our reserve study for 2016.

We hope that bus riders will notice a better quality of service, but suggestions for improved service are always welcome. Please contact Carole Hall, hallcj@verizon.net, if you wish to become a member of the Bus Club.

Budget, continued from p. 1 Other areas in which costs have increased are insurance and utilities. Operating expenses are decreased in the categories of administrative, ground and maintenance, repairs and maintenance, maintenance supplies and contracts. Income is projected to be flat, with a decrease of $37,800 in roof top rental to a communications company offset by a $40,000 increase in purchaser reserve contributions.

The final budget was distributed to residents in November. Additional details are available on the Montebello website at http://www.montebello.org/document_view.asp?id=2447.

Management Notes Building Representatives In each building, volunteers are available to answer questions and/or assist new and current residents:

Building 1: Harriet Duval 703-329-1342 Building 2: Yolande Frommer 703-960-4037 Building 3: Linda Nunnely 240-286-6147 Building 4: Barbara Yost 703-329-5333

Permanent Admits All Montebello permanent admits expire each year on Dec. 31. Residents must fill out a new permanent admit form and submit it to the front desk by Jan. 15 of the new year. The form is available on the Montebello website for electronic submission under Service Requests.

Be Safety-minded with Doors and Decorations by Carole Harman, Board of Directors, and Marco Mendoza, Assistant General Manager

Our unit doors can be used as a backdrop for seasonal decorations and also as a message board for certain legal and safety notices, according to our community rules and practices. The criteria for decorations focus on materials compatible with carpet and door paint and on moderate size and appropriate aspect in the common space. For notices, the focus is on providing required information attached with care for the door finish. For safety’s sake, candles need special attention indoors, and grills, charcoal burners, and similar items are prohibited on balconies.

Door Decorations • Avoid using fruit, live plant material, or other substances

that could shed or drip onto the carpet. • Attach decorations with over-door hangers, magnets,

double-stick tape, or other non-permanent attachments. • Attach decorations only to the door, without extending

beyond the door sides, top or bottom, and without protruding into the corridor more than seven inches.

• Avoid sounds and lights. • Avoid doormats or any other item placed in the hallway.

Door Notices • Safety notices, such as oxygen information and notices to

emergency personnel, should be posted. • Required medical, legal, security and safety notices are

permitted. • Safety notices can be attached with double-stick tape or

magnetic sleeves (available at the office).

Seasonal Decorations Seasonal decorations, including lights on balconies, impact neighbors and visitors. For that reason, please take care that any decoration is appropriate and that all decorations and lights are removed at season’s end. Also, please be aware that lights may be placed on the interior of balconies but not on patios, terraces, and unenclosed balconies.

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November 10 Board Actions Attendance: Doug Kennett, Presiding; Directors Bender,

Harman, Jacobs, Kleine, Riccobono, Shaw, Tjeerdsma, and

Zanni; General Manager Foltin; Assistant General Manager

Mendoza, Facilities Program Manager Ng, ZALCO recording

secretary Yoffe

Board Actions: (All actions were unanimously approved

unless otherwise noted)

Activities November 2015 Calendar ― GR# 15-36

Activities December 2015 Calendar ― GR# 15-42

2016 Operating Budget and Reserve ― GR# 15-43

Newsletter Printing Contract ― GR# 15-44

Website Hosting Contract ― GR# 15-45

Directors in favor 8, Opposed 0, Abstained 1 (Zanni)

Policy Resolution #6 ― Re-amended

In-Unit Service Program ― AR# 164

Reimbursement of Property Damage ― GR# 15-47

Directors in favor 2, Opposed 7, Abstained 0

These minutes have not been read or approved by the Board

of Directors and will not be official until they are approved

at the Dec. 8 board meeting. Board documents provide

details and are available to residents at www.montebello.org.

The next board work sessions are on Dec. 1 and Jan. 5.

What I Learned at the Medicare

Awareness Seminar by Nancy Keller, Times staff

On Nov. 3, Lloyd Knight, Financial Representative for

Griffin Owens Insurance Group, the firm that insures

Montebello, presented an information seminar on Medicare.

This program was timely for me since I am approaching the

age when enrolling in this health insurance program is

required.

The scope of Medicare is staggering. Started in 1966, it

provides health insurance coverage to more than 48 million

Americans and pays roughly half of all inpatient hospital costs

in America. Its spending is approximately 15% of the total

federal budget. This program will continue to grow by leaps

and bounds as the baby boomer generation ages.

Original Medicare Original Medicare includes Parts A and B. Part A which

covers hospital stays, some skilled nursing, home health and

hospice care is automatic at 65 years of age. There is no

additional charge but one must be aware of its coverage

restrictions and deductibles. Part B is the medical portion of

the plan. You may qualify to delay enrollment in Part B.

Monthly premiums for Part B vary based on income.

If you want drug coverage (Part D) through Medicare, you

must join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, which are run by

private companies approved by Medicare. Premiums vary

among the 30 plans offered. The best plan for you is

dependent on the drugs you take. Knight pointed out that drug

plans routinely change each year; therefore, the best plan for

you this year may not be the best next year. Make it a point to

review your plan’s coverage each year.

You may also decide to get coverage with Medicare

Supplement Insurance (Medigap). It comprises 11

standardized plans. This additional coverage is bought from a

private company and costs vary by policy and company.

Employers or unions may offer similar coverage. Knight

suggested talking to a professional to identify the best plan for

you.

Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage, sometimes referred to as Part C,

includes Parts A and B and may include Part D. It serves as a

substitute for Original Medicare. Private companies approved

by Medicare provide this coverage. It resembles a high-

deductible, low-cost plan; many plans require using doctors

and hospitals in their network or paying more or all of the

costs. In most cases, you can get drug coverage through the

Medicare Advantage Plan.

One learns very quickly there are many options and

exceptions; finding the best one for you is key. Open

enrollment is now through Dec. 7. This is the time to review

your current coverage. Visit the website at www.medicare.gov

for more information. There you can download the booklet,

Medicare & You, 2016.

TRANSITIONS

Welcome to Our New Neighbors

Dave and Sharron Hudson, Building 4.

Tyler Parrott, Building 2.

Judith K. Weikart, Building 4, from Shallotte, North

Carolina. She is a former nurse.

Condolences

To the family and friends of Bruce Edwin Clubb,

Building 1, who passed away on Oct, 19. A celebration of

his life was held at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C.,

on Oct. 24.

Ed. Note: If you have an item to include in Transitions,

send it to times@montebello.org. Please remember that

we mention only Montebello residents and that we must

obtain permission.

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Contracts Update by Greg Bender, Board of Directors

Shuttle Bus Contract At its October meeting, the board approved terminating the present shuttle bus contract and awarding a new contract to another vendor. ARM Transportation. The new shuttle bus service began operating on Nov. 30.

Washing Machine Hoses Management has negotiated and concluded a contract with Magnolia Plumbing to replace the washing machine hoses in each unit. Management met with Magnolia to plan and schedule the washing machine hoses installations. We expect to start in Building 2 on Nov. 30. Notices were sent to residents with the schedule of installation.

Perimeter Fencing Installation of the new perimeter fencing work began on Nov. 2 and is expected to take two to three months depending on weather. New plantings along the fence line will be done in the spring.

Fitness Center Work on the Fitness Center continues to be on schedule. The framing, rough-in electrical work, and rough-in plumbing work for the men’s and women’s locker rooms have been completed and inspected. The new Fitness Center’s HVAC system is in place with ductwork installed. The exterior walls are in place and the exterior finish system is being installed. New locker room ceiling insulation has been applied to replace the old deteriorated insulation. All windows and doors have been installed except for the fire door as the fire exit is being used for construction access.

Indoor Pool Refurbishment Demolition in the indoor pool area is complete. Scott Long Construction is working on the ceiling and other areas. Once Scott Long’s work is complete, the pool contractor will begin replacing coping stones and applying the white-coating. With the exception of punch list items, all work is expected to be completed by mid/late December.

Newsletter Printing Contract In late November, after receiving board approval at the November board meeting, management concluded a new contract with Bob’s Printing for printing The Times of Montebello.

Website Hosting Contract In early November, after receiving board approval at the November board meeting, management concluded a new contract for hosting the Montebello website.

Lobby Monitors Contract In mid-November, installation of lobby touch-screen information monitors began with Building 2. The work is expected to be completed prior to the end of the year.

Photo by Kim Santos

Count Dracula (aka Page Schreiner) caught on film as he walked the halls of Building 1 on the night of Oct. 31, was persuaded to leave by Ann Cascarano, who is seen offering a bowl of “deadly” sugar.

The Times Are A-changin’ by Donald Barnes, Times staff

Some readers have expressed concerns about the quality of photos in the Times print copy. They are impressed by nature shots from around the Montebello campus and want to enjoy these pictures in a more colorful, sharper display than is currently possible. The good news is that changes are being made that should improve the clarity of our under-the-door version.

In the meantime, a more vivid, full-color version of The Times is available on the Montebello website. Simply go to www.montebello.org, click on the Montebello Living dropdown menu, and select The Times of Montebello. At the bottom of the page, select the year of interest. Issues of The Times are available from 2012-2015. Finally, select the month of interest from the list provided.

An additional advantage of the online version is that it allows the reader to magnify the font size for easier reading and the pictures for closer examination.

Yes, an increasing number of readers find the online Times to be bigger, bolder, and better.

Holiday Schedules Dec. 24 Front desk service only, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Dec. 25 Closed Dec. 31 Front desk hours, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Front desk service only, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Jan. 1 Front desk service only, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Shuttle Bus Dec. 25 No Service Jan. 1 No Service

Our Neighbors

A Life-Long Passion for Wildlife Is a Way of Life for Stacia Novy  by Mikhailina Karina, Times staff  

Training raptors – hawks, falcons, or other birds of prey – is similar to training cats, says Stacia Novy. Because these birds are anti-social, independent hunters, chunks of raw meat are the best reward. When Stacia trained hawks, she weighed them each day to make sure they were keen to hunt, but physically fit, before flying them free outside. When the hawks caught a mammal or bird, she substituted another small piece of raw meat for the game. Because the bird was not satiated, it flew out again and again over the course of the day.

Stacia has the distinction of being one of about 500 women nationwide (10 percent of the total number) to hold state and federal falconry licenses from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which permit her to train and keep raptors in captivity. She says the highly rigorous test and inspection were followed by two years of apprenticeship. Before moving to the area a year ago, Stacia had an aviary at her house in Illinois. “I hunted with them,” she says. “If you hunt with a firearm, you have to go far out into the countryside. But a trained falcon or hawk can safely hunt in a residential area because there is no danger to people.” As a result, she often feasted on freshly caught rabbits, pheasants, ducks, squirrels and quail. Stacia cooked rabbit stew and shared dinners with her colleagues. She let the hawks eat the less delectable bits.

“I believe I was born with a love for nature,” Stacia says. In fact, most of the women in her family, going back at least three generations, have been passionate about the natural world. She’d always been attracted to things that “normally scared little girls,” such as feeding a pet spider in the garden. Her dad took her beachcombing for crustaceans near their home in New Jersey. By the time she was four, she could identify all the wild birds in their yard. Her early domestic pets included parrots and parakeets, baby rabbits, fish, and insects. She also rehabilitated small wild animals. Stacia’s parents encouraged her interest with books about nature and animals. One particular book, How Birds Fly, by John Terres, clinched her life-long fascination with falconry when she was just seven years old.

Stacia majored in psychology and English at the University of Wyoming. At 26, she joined the U.S. Air Force and continued her education in biology at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, near Scott Air Force Base. Today she is a quality assurance manager at a bioterrorism lab for the Pentagon, where she tests mail and environmental samples for possible harmful viruses and bacteria. She is also working on her graduate degree in biology at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

As the result of recent genetic testing, scientists determined that some tropical birds of prey are related and come from the

Photo courtesy of Stacia Novy Building 1 resident Stacia Novy holds her hawk, Orion, in Illinois.

same genus, yet evolved into different sizes and appearances. For her thesis, Stacia is conducting research on the beaks and talons of birds of prey in Central America and Mexico. She takes morphometric measurements of the beaks and talons and compares the data to diet. Some hawks are specialists, subsisiting only on snakes or crabs, while others are generalists, eating eggs, lizards, birds and mammals. In addition to comparing the diets of specialists versus generalists, Stacia wonders whether changes in specialized food resources could lead to extinction of certain species.

In the past, Stacia says armies also employed falconers and trained falcons to intercept carrier pigeons that carried secret messages during wartime. Her expertise was useful while stationed in Italy to use falcons to control a burgeoning pigeon population in the airplane hangars. She explains that some birds of prey, like eagles, are very smart. “They can outsmart people,” she says. “They can cheat and know where you hide the food.”

Living on the 15th floor facing northeast, one of Stacia’s favorite pastimes is watching birds with her powerful binoculars. So far, she’s spotted a peregrine falcon nest on the Wilson Bridge, three pairs of osprey nests on the Potomac, and bald eagle nests near the beltway and on a large tree overlooking the river.

She says that Montebello is home to an array of birds, such as cardinals, blue jays, American and fish crows, mocking birds, house and gold finches, red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, as well as red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks. “Bird watching and identifying species is a pleasurable intellectual pursuit,” she says. Stacia knows all the North American birds and can identify about 100 species by ear. When a bird is seen for the first time, it is a “lifer,” a term used by bird watchers to denote adding a new species to one’s life list. Her own life list includes several hundred birds, and she’s eager to see more.

An avid hiker, Stacia’s outdoor activities include collecting fossils and petrified wood, which are displayed in her condo alongside photos and watercolors of wild birds she has known.