We invite you to join a new volunteer effort in our Colony Mountain Community. We’re looking for neighbors willing to help with maintenance, improvement, and — when needed — emergency projects. Our fellow lot owner, Doug Robinson, has volunteered to serve as Volunteer Coordinator (VC), organizing and scheduling projects as they arise.
Why we need you
Even though no projects are scheduled right now, we expect work to begin in Spring 2026. Life happens though — sometimes emergencies arise without warning (like water leaks or fallen trees blocking roads), and we may need extra hands quickly.
What kinds of help we need
Volunteers of all skill levels and abilities are welcome. Potential tasks include:
Traffic control or general support during projects
Other miscellaneous assistance as needed
If you plan to join a work party, please bring any tools or protective gear that you’ll need.
How to sign up
If you’d like to volunteer:
Text Doug Robinson at 360-708-7933 to be added to the volunteer list.
Save his number in your contacts so you’ll recognize his messages.
When a project comes up, Doug will send a group text to all volunteers — just reply if you’re available. If your availability changes, keep him posted.
Volunteering is completely flexible and remains on a “when you can” basis.
Projects we’re already considering (Spring 2026)
Repainting and replacing the roof of the water pump house
Clearing vegetation around the community water holding tanks at the top of Mountain Drive
If you’re interested in helping maintain and improve our community — whether you’re handy, strong, or just willing to lend a hand — we’d love to have you.
The Port of Skagit County received a grant to build a fiber to the home project and is currently under construction in two areas of Skagit County. The Port has partnered with Astound Broadband on these projects. One of the project areas is the Bow/Colony Mountain Fiber Optic Project.
The Port has received several questions about the requirements of participating in the project. These questions are addressed below in the Q & A format.
Q: Do I have to participate in the project?
A: No. The decision to connect your home to the fiber optic network is strictly voluntary.
Q. Will it cost me anything to connect to the fiber optic network?
A. Not if you sign up for installation before December 15th of this year. The cost of installing the fiber optic line to your home is fully covered by grant funds until December 15th.
Q. What happens if I sign up after December 15, 2025?
A. After December 15th, installation will be funded at 90% through August 31, 2026 or until grant funds run out. After August 31, 2026, the project will be complete and future installations will not be covered by grant funds.
Q. If I already have Astound Broadband service at my home (either internet or cable TV), do I need to sign up for this project?
A. Yes. The current Astound service in your community is delivered by older coaxial cable. This project will connect your home to new fiber optic cable and replace the older connection infrastructure. You need to actively sign up for this new fiber optic connection, even if you are already receiving service from Astound.
Q. If I already have TV/internet service through a different provider (including wireless providers), is there any benefit to signing up for this project?
A: Yes. You can sign up to connect your home to fiber optic cable regardless of whether you intend to sign up for internet service through Astound. The cable will simply be available to you in the future should you wish to sign up for service later and will be available to the next homeowner should you ever sell your home.
Q: Can fiber optic cable provide better internet service than my existing system?
A: Yes. Fiber optic cable provides fast, reliable connections with high bandwidth and symmetrical upload/download speeds. It is considered the most reliable, high-speed internet available.
Q: Will this installation last for a long time?
A: Yes. Fiber optic cable is estimated to last for 25-50 years.
Q: If I sign up is there a minimum amount of time I need to subscribe (sign up for service with Astound)?
A: No. Astound’s product offerings do not require a minimum amount of time of contract for service, and you can sign up for service at any time after fiber optic installation. Astound does offer price guarantees within timeframes of anywhere from 12 to 36 months.
Q: How do I sign up to receive a fiber optic connection to my home?
A: Please contact Astound Community Direct Sales Representatives:
Q: What is required from me to sign up for the installation?
A: Astound will provide you with a waiver to sign, authorizing installation on your property. The Port sent out letters to individuals who live on private roads requesting access to utilize the original plat easements. If authorization has not been granted by the HOA or individuals living downstream towards the public road, we may not have permission to install fiber up to your road to provide services. The Port currently does not have approval for the following roads: Alpha Lane, Cedar Drive, Colony Creek Lane, Deerhaven Road, Dragon Fly Lane, Hobson Lane, Moxie Lane, Peace Lane, Peppermint Lane, Regulus Lane, Tulip Lane, and Turtle Lanes. If you live on any of these roads, please reach out to the Port’s Project Manager Travis Binschus at travisb@portofskagit.com.
Q: Who should I call if I want fiber optic connections to my home, but don’t want to sign up for service with Astound at this time?
A: Please call the Astound contacts listed above and let them know you would like the installation but are not planning to sign up for service at this time. Astound is the manager of this fiber optic system and will also manage record keeping for the installation, including the waiver required to allow the installation on your property.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Travis Binchus at the email address listed of call (360) 757-0011.
CMCC’s water pump failed this week after a power outage on Sunday. The good news is the water system is working and filling the tanks.
For those that want more information, the system is currently only operating in a manual mode where two people turn on and off the well and booster pumps at the same time. This failure is not like one we have had before. Both the well pump (not what failed most recently, that was the well pump motor) and the booster pump control failed. It looks like the booster pump VFD (pump controller) went out with the Sunday power outages but failed to send a signal back to the well pump to turn it off so it ran for many hours without moving any water and overheated. Fortunately we had a spare because of the last outage. We hope to have everything work normally sometime this weekend.
Thank you to everyone who did their best to conserve water this week.
Also, a huge THANK YOU goes out to Board Volunteers Scott Jackson and Bob Connolly for spending a lot of time this week working through our community’s water pump issues!
The Colony Mountain Community Club’s water pump is not working. We are working to get it fixed. But in the meantime, we are currently limited to the water already available in the tanks (approximately a few days days worth depending on how much we as a community are able to conserve), so it is important that we all work together to conserve water during this time. Please conserve your water use until further notice.
We will send out updates as they become available. Contact us right away if you have any concern that you may have a leak: info@colonymtcc.org.
COLONY MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CLUB ANNUAL MEETING For All Lot Owners Will Be Held Sunday, October 12, 2025 The meeting will be held in the barn building located at 3801 Colony Mountain Drive. The meeting will start at 10 AM. Immediately following the meeting, we will have a potluck gathering. Please bring something to share with your neighbors. Plates and utensils will be provided.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE BUSINESS MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE SIGNED PROXY TO: CMCC Secretary Kay Birkett, P.O. Box 91, Bow, WA 98232-0091. You may also give your proxy to a shareholder who will be attending the meeting or drop the proxy into the drop box located at the well house on Colony Mountain Drive. Click here for a copy of the proxy statement.
CMCC volunteers will be flushing the water system TODAY beginning at noon and continue tomorrow if needed.
Water system flushing is done per Washington State Department of Health Guidelines, and involves running large volumes of water through our water system in an effort to remove sediments that may have collected with the distribution piping.
As the water is flushed through the lines, Ferric Iron (res water iron) that is loosely adhered to the inside of the pipes will be scrubbed loose and flow downstream. Most of the loose Ferric Iron will be flushed out, but you may find your water is cloudy and/or has reddish brown particles in it for a few days. This has no effect on the water quality (other than visually).
If you experience this condition you may run water through all of your taps (inside and out of the dwelling) for 5 to 10 minutes. This should remedy the condition. If the condition persists please contact the CMCC water system Manger for further guidance.
Additional Notes:
CMCC does not add chlorine to the water system for routine system flushing.
To avoid cloudy water within your house plumbing, you could opt to consider installing a whole house filter. An example of a water filter installation can be found on the CMCC site under the Water System section.
Learn more about your water quality in the latest Consumer Confidence Report which is sent to you annually, and filed under the Water System section on the site.
In July, 43 lots in our neighborhood participated in a large-scale fire fuels reduction project, clearing approximately 15 acres of brush to better prepare our community for wildfire season. Thanks to a $25,500 grant awarded through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the entire project came at no cost to homeowners. Rodriguez Reforestation, led by Jose Rodriguez, carried out the work efficiently and professionally.
The grant was made possible through our Firewise program, spearheaded by our neighbors Chris and Ann England, and strong partnerships with the DNR, the Whatcom and Skagit Conservation Districts, and the Alger Fire Department. This collaboration demonstrates how much can be achieved when communities and agencies work together toward a common goal.
Neighbors were overwhelmingly positive about the results. Feedback highlighted how friendly, efficient, and thorough the crew was—many noted the work exceeded expectations. One homeowner even plans to hire Rodriguez Reforestation for additional projects. Neighbor Tanya Griffey remarked, “Jose’s team really opened up my property and driveway. After clearing the space behind my house, a big tree fell into that space and they came back and cleaned that up too! Since they were here, I’ve been finding all kinds of things that had been ‘eaten by the forest’ like many tennis balls my dogs play with and even a pink golf ball; I have no idea where that came from!”
Beyond the immediate benefits, this project gives landowners a manageable starting point to keep brush under control in the future. What once felt overwhelming now feels possible.
As always, we encourage everyone to stay vigilant. Our Smokey sign keeps us posted on fire danger levels, and it’s important to respect fire bans and talk with children about fire safety. Remember: if you see or smell something, say something. Just this past summer, when an alder tree fell on a power line and sparked a fire, quick action by neighbors and the Alger Fire Department prevented what could have become a dangerous wildfire.
We are grateful to everyone who participated in this project. Together, we are creating a safer, stronger, and more resilient community.
Colony Mountain Community Club 