November Monthly Message

It is that time of year, when the first signs of winter are upon our doorstep. As you gaze upon the grandiose of our three majestic mountains, you can see the re-emergence of snow-covered trails. Mountain Operations are in full force, as the snow guns prepare Sterling Mountain for that ever-anticipated opening day. That’s right! We are a mere few weeks away from what should be another memorable winter season at Smugglers.’ This year, the Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a brisk winter with a higher level of precipitation. You know what that means?

Remember winter arrives early here in Vermont so if you are traveling and concerned about road conditions, please visit the VTrans Facebook page and winter web pages for upcoming road closures.

https://www.facebook.com/VTransontheroad/ and https://vtrans.vermont.gov/operations/winter

Last year, several homeowners reported issues receiving their tax bills. For that reason, SNHA is sending out this message. If you have not received your bill, or do not receive it shortly, please contact the Village of Cambridge at (802) 644-2251.

Please note that Monday, November 15^th is the due date for your tax bill. Payment must be received in the Village offices by that date, not just postmarked.

For Canadian members that intend to pay their tax bills via credit card, be sure to include the Jeffersonville postal zip code, 05464, in the appropriate field prior to submitting payment online.

Many homeowners have been asking what to expect for the COVID protocol as we embark on the winter season. While the cleaner, more streamlined appearance has appealed to many, the return of some of the personal touches will be allowed. Bedspreads and artificial plants will continue to be taboo but other items that can easily be cleaned between guest stays can be added back. Interestingly, there have been fewer guest comments about homes being dated. Maybe it hasn’t been the home the guests were commenting about, but rather our personal items! If you do intend to add back some of the items that you removed to comply with the former COVID restrictions, please look at them objectively. Items in your home need to be new or in like new condition. The “taped up” box holding the Monopoly game does not meet this standard. If you have questions about a particular item you would like to have in your home, please contact Laurie Thorpe at 802-644-1130 or lsamal@smuggs.com

This is the time of year when Regime directors are reviewing and planning budgets for fiscal year 2022. As regime homeowner meetings are scheduled, we encourage you to participate in the discussion. Common agenda items include budget ratification, long range maintenance plans and reserve funded projects.

The fiber optic cable and guest wi-fi project will be completed by the beginning of 2021-2022 ski-season. We will see significant increases in our bandwidth from 7 MBPS per account to 20 MBPS for each device. The last phase of the fiber optic cable infrastructure has been implemented to each townhouse and/or condominium building. The remaining hardware for the guest Wi-Fi and testing of all components will conclude by late November/early December.

Presently, the RFID locks that are installed are stand-alone units. They are fully functional for unit access and security presently and will have network capability in early December. Homeowners that chose options 1b or 2 may experience a delay in installation of their chosen energy management system. This is in part due to supply chain deficiencies and certain components needed for homes with electric baseboards as a heating source. Please stay tuned for an updated communication from Smugglers’ regarding this delay.

The final phase of the RFID lock installation is scheduled to commence next week though early December. This phase includes townhouses that required a modified handle and storm door removal, MV 21-44 and homeowners that requested a new door to be included in their door lock scope.

All homeowner keys have been mailed out to homeowners that have upgraded to the SALTO locks. If you visit prior to receiving this mailing, please see the Guest Service Desk for temporary keys.

Additionally, you may pick up your homeowner keys at the security office during your stay. Homeowners can purchase additional keys at a cost of $5.00 each.