SOUTH COVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2001
(At Sunset Elementary School Library)
Meeting called to order at 7:00pm by Board President David Bangs
Board members in attendance:
David Bangs
Mark Buick
Susie Carney
Doug McDaniel
Kendra Mills
Mike Quaranta
Susi Tom
Board
members absent:
Ivonne Thurlkill
Homeowners
in attendance:
Marta and Doug
Arensberg
Pat Bowman
Secretary's Report – Fred Riler
October’s meeting minutes were read. It was noted that references to ‘October’ should have read ‘September. Fred will correct and republish the October minutes for the web site.
Mark Buick moved that the minutes be accepted, with the correct month changes. Kendra Mills seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously accepted.
Fred Riler reviewed the Board actions taken between the October and November meetings. All were related to the November Annual Homeowners meeting and were necessitated due to timing of advance notifications to homeowners.
Actions included a petition from the Board Nominating Committee to propose David Bangs, Mark
Southern, and Cynthia Murphy for nominees to the Board of Directors on the annual homeowners
meeting ballot. Nominees were unanimously approved, except Ivonne Thurlkill voted not to nominate David Bangs. Since all candidates received a majority approval by the Nominating Committee, all candidates will be on the ballot.
A second petition was circulated approving the recall of Ivonne Thurlkill as a Board member by
homeowner ballot vote at the Annual Homeowners meeting. The petition was approved by all eight
Board members and submitted on the ballot for homeowner consideration.
A third petition for a bylaws change was submitted as it was
felt wording in Article V, Section Three,
Removal and Vacancies, was not clear as to majority of
membership. The amendment was under
consideration by the Board to clarify the quorum
requirements. Eight board members
had signed the
petition, one had opposed.
After discussion, the Board decided that there were several problems
with our governing documents that needed to be reviewed and addressed in
addition to this one. It was suggested
that the best course of action was to empower a ‘rules committee’ next year to
review the Covenants, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations and recommend to the
full Board, and then to all homeowners, what changes needed to be made, and the
rationale behind those changes. Susie
Carney moved that Article X, Section Four is
clear enough and that the proposed Bylaws change not be adopted at this
time. Susi Tom seconded the motion and
it passed unanimously.
David Bangs, Board President, reviewed the November 11, 2001
meeting. The meeting was held
to discuss:
1) A document being circulated in South Cove written by Michael Thurlkill. The
Board
discussed a draft document, they provided input and feedback, and they approved
a
strategy of using the document to respond and inform homeowners via e-mail.
2) The proposed lawsuit against the Thurlkills for their installation of a
fence that had been
denied by the Architectural Review Committee and the full Board . The Board
approved the
filing of a lawsuit seeking removal of the fence and
recovery of damages.
3) Funding resources to proceed with the lawsuit. The Board accepted an offer
by a
homeowner to pay the Association's legal fees up front and seek reimbursement
only
if the court orders the defendants to repay legal fees.
Treasurer's
Report - Mark Buick
Mark Buick reported that 190 homeowners (out of a total of
289) have paid their homeowner dues for the year 2002. 99 homeowners are still owing. Mark had reports the Association has $49,500
in checking accounts.
Mark reviewed his proposed 2002 budget, line item by line item. There was discussion among Board members and homeowners on several items. Mark has made the budget much easier to understand by listing more detail line items in some categories. Along this line, Susie Carney moved that a separate line item also be created for planting island maintenance ($1,120 one-time for cleanup; $230/mth for ongoing maintenance). Doug McDaniel seconded the motion. All Board members approved the motion. Mark clarified funding amounts, and changed some line items as a result of Board recommendations. Mark will make the appropriate changes and provide Board members with a revised budget prior to the annual meeting. The Board commended Mark for an excellent job on financials and creating the 2002 Budget.
Susie Carney moved that the revised 2002 budget be accepted by
the Board and proposed for homeowner acceptance at the annual meeting; Kendra
Mills seconded the motion; all Board members voted in favor of the motion.
The Board asked homeowners in attendance for their reactions
to the special assessment proposal on the annual ballot. There was discussion about the special
assessment issues, homeowner attitudes towards community improvements, and dues
increases in past years. When homeowners
see and understand the need for funding changes in the community, and they see
the benefit to the community, their family, and their home values, they will
usually go along with dues increases or special assessments. A homeowner also commended the Board for the
response to the Thurlkill document in the manner in which it was done.
Tennis Courts – Susi Tom
Susi reported that the doors have again been broken. She has a bid from a locksmith to repair the doors at a cost of $745.28.
Fred Riler questioned why we lock the tennis court
doors. We continue to have vandalism on
the doors and locks several times a year.
In fact, except for the firecrackers set off this year on the tennis
courts, all vandalism has been to the doors and locks, not to the courts that
they’re intended to protect! Fred
commented that other tennis courts work without locks (Meerwood, Issaquah, King
County, etc.), why do our courts need to be locked? Doug McDaniel commented that the surface of
our courts is better than most and needs to be protected. Mark Buick, Treasurer, reported that we spent
$800 this last year repairing doors and locks.
The vandalism continues, and despite our best efforts to secure the
them, the doors are relatively easy to force open.
Doug McDaniel made a motion to have the doors and hinges
repaired ($745.28, less our deductible of $250.00), and to leave the locks off
for a trial period. The Tennis Court
committee and Board can evaluate later to see if locks are needed again, or
whether the courts can be lock-free.
Susie Carney seconded the motion; discussion; six Board members approved;
there was no opposition; Mike Quaranta abstained.
Annual Meeting Format – David Bangs
There was discussion as to the annual meeting agenda and
format. It was determined that issues
will be presented as follows:
1) Reading of the minutes from the November,
2000 annual homeowners’ meeting.
2) Treasurer’s report
3) Committee
reports
Ø
Landscape
Ø
Architectural Review
Ø
Tennis Courts
Ø
Beach
Ø
Traffic
Ø
Playground
Ø
Traffic and speeding
Ø
Events – Easter, Fourth of July, Garage
Sale
4) Special
Assessment – discussion / question and answer period with homeowners about
special assessment issues (park drainage, playground equipment, park pathways,
and planting island curbing [VOTE]
5) Election
of officers [VOTE]
6) Consider
measure to remove a Board member [VOTE]
7) Announce
results of special assessment vote
8) Discuss
and approve 2002 budget
9) Announce
results of election of officers and measure to remove a Board member.
The annual meeting will be held on Wednesday, 11-28-2001, at
Sunset Elementary School,
Mulit-purpose
Room. The facility is reserved for two
hours (7pm – 9pm). Since we have a full
agenda, the Board will ask homeowners to keep comments and discussions to a
three-minute limit to ensure all issues are covered, and all homeowners that
wish to speak have the opportunity to do so, in the allotted time.
David Bangs will send out the agenda for the annual
meeting.
Next Meeting:
Annual Meeting scheduled for:
Wednesday, 11-28-2001
Sunset Elementary
School Multi-purpose Room
7:00pm – 9:00pm
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned
at 9:20pm.
Respectfully submitted
Fred Riler, Secretary
South Cove Homeowners Association