We❤️Our Community Life Team
Here at Easton Park, our Community Life team (aka the HOA, or Home Owners’ Association) not only keeps the good times going with hundreds of events and activities each year, they also take care of much of the business of running the neighborhood. From planning community-wide social events like the annual Wicked Walk and Music in the Park to handling day-to-day tasks like landscaping and maintenance services, our Community Life team makes sure that Easton Park stays a great place to live.
We sat down with Executive Director Colleen Thomas to get the scoop on what’s coming up, what she’s excited about, and things neighbors should know.
EP: Hi Colleen! Thanks for doing this. Tell us about the Community Life Team here at Easton Park.
CT: We have 11 staff members! Our team has experience, knowledge, and passion — they really care and are so professional, it’s truly inspiring. Angie Castro is our Director of Operations. She handles all accounts, addresses billing questions, and helps keep our financials in order. Chris Sandoval manages architectural review and violations. John Larroque is our Director of Community Asset Management, and he oversees our landscape and facilities. He’s got a great team under him. Paul Cardenas and his team handle communication and all our events. Emily Pollard is our Community Life Coordinator, and she works with landscape programming and the Architectural Control Committee. For bigger events like the Wicked Walk, everyone works together — we all try to help one another.
EP: What does a typical day look like for the team?
CT: On Mondays, we get together for a team lead meeting to discuss what’s coming up. We have really good communication between the teams. Then during the week, we’re fielding questions and working with the developer, Brookfield Residential, who is awesome. We just had a meeting with Brookfield this morning to go over landscape ideas. We also work closely with the MUD (Municipal Utility District) in this area.
EP: What do you wish people knew about Easton Park?
CT: Easton Park is so unique! You see people walking around, pushing strollers, riding bikes, or out walking. It’s so amazing —- it is an urban place in the middle of farmland. There’s a connection between people walking, talking and gathering, with beautiful parks and green areas where they can get to know each other. Skyline Park is a jewel, with a splash pad and big event lawn. It’s always busy there. At The Union, where our offices are, is the fitness center, which is humming all the time. We’re in the process of getting more equipment and refreshing it. The Costello and Vaughn rooms here at The Union are great meeting spaces, and they are consistently occupied by people working on their computers. Easton Park is truly unique, so we’re not your typical HOA.
EP: Are there any specific projects or initiatives that you’ve been working on lately?
CT: We’re always looking for ways to make things better. Last year, we added pool shade coverings and repaired the pool tiles. This year, we are renovating the bocce court. Lately, with the landscaping, we’ve been trying to reduce how much we’re watering. We’re always looking at sustainability for the future and making sure our budget meets our needs.
EP: Are there things you all work on that neighbors might not be aware of?
CT: We spend a lot of time reviewing financials, including following up on collections to ensure people are contributing appropriately to the association. We try to find different ways to increase revenue and ensure we’re not spending unwisely. We always want to get the most we can for our residents.
EP: What’s coming up? Is there anything you’re excited about for Easton Park?
CT: We’re growing all the time, with more people moving into the community. The developer, Brookfield Residential, is starting work on the second half of the community (to the south), and we’ll be getting a second amenity center in the next couple of years. We’re working with them on water restrictions and making our yards and parks more drought tolerant. You can spend a lot on sod and irrigation if you’re not careful, which ends up costing our homeowners more. There’s also so much growth happening in the area — our commercial area within the community has grown, and we have H-E-B coming in across the street! The open field behind McDonald’s will be commercial, and the developer wants to ensure it includes businesses that our residents will feel good about having. There’s also the new Slaughter Lane extension, and we’ll have a grand entrance with some commercial businesses as well. There are many improvements that the residents will benefit from!
Thank you Colleen for all the insights and excitement — we’re so grateful for all the work you and the Community Life Team do. If you want to live in a community with a great team, come find your home at Easton Park.
