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Outdoors Archives - Country Place 75703

Parks & Lakes Report from David Mohr

Happy Fall, Neighbors,

This is David Mohr, your Lakes and Parks Chairman, Country Place Board. I’m sending this message to give you all an update on the progress of the Lakes and Parks, as well as some other reminders and concerns for your information.

2024 has been an outstanding year for the lakes of our neighborhood. If you’re an angler, the water is in beautiful shape with the quality and quantity of fish being exceptional. While the lakes are in good shape, this year has been hard on the parks and trails. That is primarily due to the number of downed trees from our many storms. I am happy to report that the trail to Hidden Lake was recently cleared, and work begins soon on the excessive brush around our big Lake #3. As the weather gets cooler, I encourage all of you to get out and walk, fish, or paddle our lovely green areas!

As a friendly reminder, we should be looking at getting our homes and lots spruced up as well. One of the reasons our neighborhood is so attractive and such a nice place to live is because we have excellent standards. I know with the violent storms earlier, it has been difficult to get all the limbs and deadfall gathered. But now, with the nicer weather, the time has come to get outside and clean up. Firewood should be stacked neatly and brush piles regularly burned.

Our neighborhood restrictions require all lots to be mowed at least twice a year. Also, trailers, boats, and campers must be stored in a garage or placed behind the home out of view from the street. Propane tanks should be behind a wood screen or otherwise be out of sight. Fences should be maintained and animals secured.

In the spirit of the autumn season, we on the board encourage you to be good neighbors. Offer to lend a helping hand to your fellow residents and our community areas when you see a problem, and as you are able. Even if all you do is pick up a little roadside trash while taking a walk, that is something. If a neighbor has had trouble getting a lawn mowed or a tree cleared, why not render some assistance. We all could use some help once in a while.

Keep a sharp eye out for things unusual or out of place. A handful of teenagers recently were able to break into a Country Place home and reek havoc for a couple of days. Vehicles have been subject to theft nearby, and vandals have damaged items at the lakes. If you see something…say something!

Lastly, while every resident desires to live in a neighborhood that is safe and tranquil, that doesn’t happen without some effort and cost. Country Place has been an attractive and vibrant community for over 40 years because of the good will and good citizenship of the residents who have lived here. We all have a responsibility to keep it that way, and our singular trust is to pay our annual dues, whether required to or not. If for some reason you haven’t paid your dues for 2024, it is still not too late. If for some reason the nominal investment of $325 is too heavy a burden, you can contribute on a monthly basis of $27 per month. Some may not realize that unpaid dues deem you a resident “not in good standing.” As such, you would not have the liberty to use the lakes, parks, or trails — and attendance at neighborhood seasonal celebrations, picnics, and festivals is forfeited. You also lose your right to vote on important community matters. Some residents claim they don’t need to pay dues because they do not partake in those particular amenities, however, our dues provide much more than just that. As a resident of Country Place you enjoy intangible benefits that are inherent in living here.

Here are just a few hidden advantages of paying your dues. Our beautiful entrances are financed and maintained, our security cameras and lights provide a strong deterrent to illegal activity, the Country Place board has funds to efficiently administer the upkeep of dams, spillways and infrastructure. In addition, fallen trees are cleared, lakes and parks are kept clean and mowed, roads are serviced. It is clearly evident that all of these attributes are vital to Country Place and we all benefit from the security and well-being they provide. Whether it is actual participation in our regular activities or merely enjoying the increasing value to your home that our unique neighborhood offers, dues are everyone’s responsibility.

I should also mention the gratitude we should extend to the contributions made by many of our neighbors who volunteer tirelessly to keep this neighborhood at its best, at the cost of their valued time, talent and personal resources. Considering all of this, everyone should do their part, everyone should pull their weight to make Country Place the best place to live in Smith County! Thanks for your interest, and I’ll see you at the lakes!
David Mohr
Chairman, Lakes and Parks Committee

CPCA Dues

For .89¢ a day, I get to fish the lakes with our sons and grandson, walk the trails on association property, and attend all the functions, both the traditional and additional ones Valencia has added to the mix. I have applauded developer Larry Branch for creating this oasis of tranquility we call Country Place, but I have also scratched my head over his hare-brained idea of making only half the residents responsible for paying dues. This in a community with four lakes, two entries, over a mile of walking trails, and a private road. A lot of Phase I residents choose to join the association and pay dues, but a lot don’t. Consider this: there are a number of residents who live on Lakeshore, drive it every day, but never pay a penny to help maintain it. Go drive around Great Oak Circle, then drive Lakeshore. CPCA is spending more to keep up our mile of private road than Smith County spends to maintain all the public roads in Country Place. At this late date, there may not be a way to correct this inequity and that’s a shame.

Wet Summer = Full Lakes

Tyler just finished its wettest July in years. The average rainfall for July is 2.10″. As of yesterday we had recorded 5.95″. Our lakes are all overflowing…a rarity for August 1st. The fish are happy…and so are the fishermen.

2.10 12.73 5.95

Remembering Jerry Jones

Friend and neighbor Jerry Jones passed away on April 1st of 2023. I had spoken with Jerry in March when I called to brag about a big bass our grandson, Jack, had caught and to inquire about his health (he’d had heart surgery a few weeks earlier). He sounded weak but he complimented Jack on his catch and I thanked him for all his work on our lakes.

For twenty years Jerry worked to keep our four lakes stocked, our fish feeders working, fish fed, hydrilla invasion under control, beaver and otters at bay, and to regularly report on the health of our lakes. It was Jerry’s idea to turn Lake #2 into Bream Lake, a place for our kids to enjoy, by removing the bass and catfish and stocking it with copper-nosed bluegill and fathead minnows. (We subsequently learned that the overflow from Lake #1, Old Lake, brought with it fingerling bass that thwarted Jerry’s plan for a bream-only lake.)

Jerry was very knowledgeable about knives, and he enjoyed talking with our oldest son, Leo, who was fascinated by them as a boy.

Men like Jerry have made a big difference in our neighborhood by giving their time to make Country Place it is today. Below is is obit, reprinted here:

 

Jerry D. Jones was born July 6, 1936 in Weston, Texas to Oscar Jones and May Johnson Jones. He died April 1, 2023 in Whitehouse, TX.

Jerry graduated from Boyd High School in McKinney, Texas and from North Texas State University with a BBA degree.

Always industrious, in high school and college he had many part time jobs. After graduating from college he was employed at Texas Instruments in Dallas, beginning in Inventory Control and then as a Sales Engineer in the Chemical Materials Department. After ten years he moved into the field of financial planning, sales of stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Jerry was employed by Dempsey-Tegeler & Co., Underwood Neuhaus & Co., and Drexel Burnham Lambert Inc. In his retirement he began selling sports equipment and eventually specializing in knifes. Throughout his career, Jerry valued his customers and became lifelong friends with many.

Jerry and Jo Ann Moore married in 1957. They had two children, Jack Douglas Jones and Julia Ann Jones. Jo Ann passed away after 56 years of marriage. Jerry spent his final years married to Gloria Hendricks Peterson.
Jerry was an avid fisherman. He was proud that his son caught his first fish at age two and delighted in helping others fish. With that passion he volunteered for over twenty years to stock and manage the Lakes and Parks in the Country Place Community Association.

Jerry was faithful in serving the church. He worked on the Building Committee for the Family Life Center, was the treasurer for the United Methodist Men, organized garage sales for youth scholarships and readily cooked for any event.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Dorris Wynell Smith, son, J. Douglas Jones. He is survived by his daughter, Julia Ann Jones, daughter in law, Chris Jones, grandchildren, Russell Mullins, Courtney Maletic (Paul), Katharine Ruschhaupt, (Cameron) and William Rosebrock, (Sarah) great granddaughter Collins Ruschhaupt, step son Erik Peterson, niece Jan Nowowiejski (Dean) and numerous cousins. Jerry called Craig Firestone his second son and embraced Craig and his family, Laura, Alex, Chrissy, Liam, Nellie, as his own.