2077 Dorset Dr.
Information for house sitter.
ABOUT ME:
Dwight Newton
Cell: 859-229-5413
Email: dwight@oriscus.com OR oriscus@gmail.com
The phone will not be working while I'm away. I check email several times a day.
I am a UK alum (School of Music - College of Fine Arts). I work for a number of interests, including contract web management, technology planning consultant, and online 3D virtual art curator.
This last activity is what got me a professional development fellowship from the Australia Dept. of Education. I will be in residence at the University of Western Australia.
I will be out of the country for 4 months. My return date will depend on my departure date, which I am working hard to nail down. I am planning to leave sometime in January, the earlier the better, but there is paperwork that needs to be processed.
THE HOUSE
This is a small older home on a corner lot in the Cardinal Valley subdivision. It's a nice mixed neighborhood. The house could use a bit of paint here and there. I've lived here for about 10 years. It's 4 miles to UK Fine Arts Building. I commuted there every day and the traffic is generally not too bad, depending on what time you go. There are a couple of ways to go -- either through town on E. Maxwell, or cutting across Red Mile Rd/Virginia Ave., which takes you in to the south campus area.
There are two bedrooms, 1 bath. (I will be putting personal stuff in the main bedroom and locking the door.) A large addition on the back is used for an office where there is a piano that works, but could use tuning.
Your Responsibilities
I will draft a house sitting agreement that we will both sign.
The house sitter would have use of the guest bedroom and the rest of the house. Read my books, eat my food, make yourself comfortable. The guest room has a single twin bed and a desk with several drawers that can be used as a dresser. I'll see that the closet is clear for you as well.
You are responsible for any damage you cause. Try to leave the place in at least as good shape as you found it. No pets. No smoking.
You should not leave the house empty for more than a day or two at a time. It's important the the place appear to be lived in.
I will leave a form for the post office to hold mail. If for some reason you have to leave the house for an extended perious, please be sure to fill out the dates and get it to the post office. I have friends who live near Frankfort and who come to Lexington fairly regularly. They may come by at any time to check up on things. You do not have to let them in if you are home, but if you are not here, they are authorized to come in and see if everything is ok. I will give them your contact information and ask them to let you know if they plan to come by, but they do not need your permission to enter if you are not at home, even without notice.
There are plants in the window in front of the kitchen sink. It's very convenient to just spray some water on them once a week or so while you're standing at the sink.
Utilities: I need you to pay the cost of utilities while I'm gone. I have everything on auto-pay, so I'm asking you to just pay me a flat $200/month. This covers gas, water, trash pickup, sewer fees, and electric.
I do not subscribe to any cable or other TV service. There is an old TV in the living room that works with the attached antenna. It's not the best reception. You can call Time Warner and have them turn on cable service if you want. That's up to you to arrange. I use their high speed internet service, but I'll be discontinuing it while I'm away.
Trash Pickup
There are three trash bins outside the back door. They are clearly marked for what they are supposed to be used for. There is one each for trash, recycling, and yard debris. All trash is collected on Thursday mornings, so the bins should be rolled to the street Wednesday night. The bins need to be brought back from the street when empty.
Emergencies:
There is little I can do from Australia. I am counting on you to take care of things as best you can.
There is a handyman named Andy Miner who lives right across the street on Dorset. His business is called Handy Andy. If there are minor emergency issues with electric, plumbing, the roof, etc., you can call him. If necessary, pay him from your utility payment.
Andy Miner
2080 Dorset Dr.
Lexington KY 40504
Cell: 859-489-9454
Office: 859-271-3536
Other emergencies you can contact my friends who live outside of Frankfort. They're retired and are not nearby, so they can't respond quickly to situations, but if for some reason you have to leave the house before I return, or if something happens that's expensive (furnace or water heater breaks, etc.), they are the ones to contact.
Tom Creech or Russ McFarland
502-227-4027