Monday, December 21, 2009

Rezoning update

12-21-2009
Rezoning update

Your RPMIA Inc. Board of Directors would like to encourage all Riverbend Plantation residents to “remain engaged” in the rezoning issue.

We believe that the HCBE board members and staff are listening to the concerns of the Thompson Mill Road corridor homeowners and are considering alternatives to the proposed rezoning maps.

As a property owner or parent, you can influence this process by doing any or all of the following:

1.) Stay informed. Updated information and meeting schedules are available on the HCBE website at hcbe.net

2.) Talk it up. Keep your friends, family and neighbors engaged by “talking up” the issue. Encourage them to stay informed by visiting hcbe.net for current information.

3.) Attend any HCBE board meetings that you can. Don’t be afraid to bring people with you. There is strength in numbers!

4.) Post your comments or concerns on the HCBE website at hcbe.net

You may also want to consider contacting any of the HCBE board members personally to discuss your concerns. They will listen. If you choose to post comments or contact a board member, please be respectful and courteous while voicing your concerns.

It is very important that we “remain engaged” until this rezoning process is complete. We believe that if any alternative maps are to be considered, they will be available for review at the January 11th HCBE work session or at the January 12th HCBE board meeting. The final vote on the rezoning maps is scheduled to occur on January 28, 2010. We must “remain engaged” until the final vote!

Santa Came To Town....He'll Be Back....If You Are Nice




Cookies with Santa was another Riverbend Plantation hit! Despite the rain, Santa and Riverbend neighbours made it to the clubhouse to socialize, enjoy some cookies and have one last opportunity to let Santa know what is on their wish list.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Santa's Coming To Town

ATTENTION
All
Riverbend Plantation Kids:
You are invited to enjoy cookies with Santa!

Friday, December 18th
Riverbend Plantation Clubhouse

Drop by the clubhouse between
5:00 and 7:00 PM
and visit with Santa.


Cameras are welcome. Please be reminded that there will be both older and younger children present at this event.

We ask that older children be especially considerate of younger ones during this special season.


Hosted by the RPD, Inc. and RPMIA, Inc.
For more information, contact 971-2600.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Riverbend Plantation Residents Noted on WMAZ News

About 250 Houston County parents attended a meeting Thursday night to discuss a rezoning plan drawn up because of the opening of Veterans High School. Some of these attendees were our very own Riverbend Plantation residents Amy Williams and Brandee Cleghorn. Thanks to all who attended but keep the rally going!


For more details check out:

Monday, November 16, 2009

Next HCBE Hearing - Thursday Nov 19th @ 7pm

Don't forget this weeks public forum to discuss VHS zoning. Are you happy that we are zones to WRHS? If not - let your voice be heard!


What Can YOU Do?
- Keep informed by checking hcbe.net and Riverbend plantation websites
- Post comments and questions to hcbe.net
- Encourage friends and family to visit hcbe site and post comments (Talk it up!)
- Please email any comments to rpmiainc@windstream.net or call Byrd and Company at 478-971-2600 to discuss
- Plan to attend the one remaining hcbe public hearing (19 Nov @ 7PM - WR High)

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Residents Unhappy with Current Zoning - Let's Take Action!

Thanks to all of you that have called and Emailed! A few Riverbend residents have called and emails have been received from several others - feedback to date is unanimous - residents seem to be in opposition of the proposed zoning maps. Residents from Southfield, Waterford, and River West share the same opinion. Opposition is for the same reasons: the maps split neighborhoods/schools and are too demographically driven. The RPMIA board believes that joining with other neighborhoods could be an effective way to argue against the maps as a whole, as opposed to one area arguing against them "just because they didn't get what they wanted."



Steps Taken To Date by The RPMIA Inc. Board of Directors:



- A meeting is scheduled tomorrow morning for our board member to meet with Superintendent David Carpenter to discuss maps: process used in creating them, legitimacy of the court order, resident opposition to them, possibility for change, etc.



- Board has already talked to a couple of the HCBE Board Members and will be scheduling meetings with some/or all of them in the next few days.




Potential Next Steps Based Upon Above Meetings:


- Call a meeting of all interested parties along the Thompson Mill Corridor. The purpose being to unite in opposition to the maps and designate members of each subdivision to be primary points of contact.



- Consider circulating a petition, formal plan to lobby HCBE Board members, and the possibility of raising money to hire an attorney to represent the Corridor in this issue.

- Involved residents in the Royal Oaks/Sanderfur Road area have engaged in discussions regarding the possibility of sharing ideas and resources. Joining with them could be an effective way to argue against the maps as a whole, as opposed to one area arguing against them "just because they didn't get what they wanted." Joining forces would help with the costs, if qualified legal representation is attained, it could be expensive.



What Can YOU Do in the Meantime?


- Keep informed by checking hcbe.net and Riverbend plantation websites

- Post comments and questions to hcbe.net

- Encourage friends and family to visit hcbe site and post comments (Talk it up!)

- Please email any comments to rpmiainc@windstream.net or call Byrd and Company at 478-971-2600 to discuss

- Plan to attend the one remaining hcbe public hearing (19 Nov @ 7PM - WR High)

Monday, November 2, 2009

We need your Help Today!

Fellow Riverbend Plantation Residents
We need your Help Today!

With the new addition of Veterans High School next year our neighborhood has been zoned for Warner Robins High School. We are the only section of Bonaire that will not be zoned for Veterans High School.

How will this affect you?
Whether you have kids or not – this decision will impact you!

All of our children’s friends that grow up together through Bonaire Elementary and Bonaire Middle will no longer go to school together once they enter High School.

We are part of Bonaire and should be included in Veteran’s zoning with the rest of Bonaire.

We pay high taxes and are in the county. Now that we have a new high school in the county which is close in proximity to us, why should we be sent to Warner Robins High School?

Many kids will be bused in from across town to Warner Robins High. We are being used for diversifying “socio-economic” status, as stated in the Telegraph on Wednesday.

Per Mr. Thublin (assistant superintendent for finance & business ops) at rezoning forum on 27 Oct, the primary reasons for the Thompson Mill communities being zoned to WR high were the following:
Each school zone needs to have a “growth zone” for their population – we are one of the few now zoned for WR
The goal (per a verbal recommendation from the Dept of Justice in 2004) was to have each school contain 36% African-American students (+/- 10%). He stated that our predominately Caucasian communities would drive down the average at Veterans (if we were added) to below the 26% threshold.

Don’t have school age kids?

What about future potential homebuyers – they may have kids, how will this zoning decision impact potential homebuyers perception and decision making?

Perception is reality – potential home buyers will more than likely want their children to attend the high school w/ the newest and best (perceived) resources.

If we are the only section of Bonaire zoned differently, houses may not sell as well in our subdivisions.

There is a group of us that would like to lobby for a zoning change from the current proposed status of Warner Robins High School to Veterans High School. We cannot do it alone, please let your voice be heard!

The RPMIA Inc. Board of Directors is interested in your opinion on this issue. Please email any comments to rpmiainc@windstream.net or call Byrd and Company at 478-971-2600 to discuss.
If a majority of our residents either support or oppose the HCBE zoning maps, the Association could take formal action in support of or in opposition to these maps. Please let us know what you think!