By Kim DeCoste, President

 

As a community governed by a homeowners association, we receive several amenities and services as part of our dues and membership. Landscaping is one of those services.

The HOA board has been pleased with the work provided by our contracted landscaping company, Boyco, and we hope to continue our contract with them in the coming year. The HOA, primarily through the Landscaping Committee, has a good working relationship with Boyco and finds its employees quite responsive. Boyco also has accommodated our previous practice of allowing homeowners to select certain landscaping services rather than requiring full participation in all services.

Our HOA management company, William Douglas, has advised us this type of arrangement can be challenging for the landscaping company to administer. Consequently, most communities choose a strict opt-in or opt-out model for landscaping services. While we understand the reason for this practice, the board hopes to continue offering flexibility to our residents, if possible.

To do so, it is important that Boyco and its employees be treated with respect and understanding if occasional mistakes occur. If you have concerns about your landscaping services, communicate them directly to William Douglas, not to Boyco. You also may copy the Landscaping Committee. This committee and William Douglas are our appointed contacts with Boyco, and they will communicate back to you about your concern. 

 

Managing a customized list of services for multiple homeowners is complex and can be difficult to execute perfectly every time. Please note the contract with our landscaping company does not provide concierge-level services for individual homeowners. If this level of customization becomes too overwhelming and unmanageable for the Landscaping Committee or for Boyco, the community may need to consider transitioning to a strictly opt-in or opt-out landscaping model.

We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work to balance flexibility and quality service while always having the best interests of our community in mind.