SOUTH COVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
(At the home of MikeQuaranta)
Meeting called to order at 7:05pm 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
Other Homeowners present:
Julie McDaniel
Secretary's Report – Fred Riler
Fred
Riler read the minutes from the September 19th meeting. Mark Buick made a motion to adopt as
submitted. Motion was seconded by Susie
Carney. All members in attendance voted
to accept the minutes as read.
Treasurer's Report - Mark Buick
Mark Buick reported the Association has $29,000 in the
checking account at this time. Mark
handed out a financial report that showed, by line item, the Associations’ 2001
budget, funds actually spent to date, over/under variance, and proposed 2002
budget. Mark has cleaned up the revenue
and expense items and made the budget and expenses very easy to understand. He explained significant line items and
comments associated with them. The
Association is showing a 2001 budget of $50,180, actual expenses YTD of
$46,330, a proposed 2002 budget of $41,735, plus approximately $14,200 for
proposed capital expenditures for next year.
There was discussion amongst Board members to clarify some
line items, and suggestions to move some funds to other line items for
anticipated expenses in 2002. This was
only a reallocation of funds. There were
no additional funds proposed by Board members for the 2002 budget.
Given the heavy October Board meeting agenda, David
proposed another meeting to prepare for the Annual Homeowners meeting. Thursday,
Fred Riler reported that the Association has reserved the
multi-purpose room at Sunset Elementary for the annual Homeowners’ meeting on
Special Assessment Marketing – David Bangs
The Special Assessment committee had discussed holding a
separate meeting in January or February, 2002, for homeowners to review and
vote on the proposed special assessment projects and funding.
The committee now feels that the special assessment issues
and funding can be proposed, presented, and voted on for the annual meeting in
November.
The proposed special assessment projects are:
1) Fixing
Drainage in the Park ( Mark Buick)
-- $20,000
2)
Pacific Outdoor
Products – metal and wood design
There was
considerable discussion among the Board members as to the various types of
materials available for the playground equipment. Mark Buick moved, Doug McDaniel seconded, and
the Board approved, the use of the metal and wood design as the most
cost-effective, functional, and useful material.
3) Repaving
Sammamish Paving –
overlay and widening paths to 6’
4) Repairing
Curbing Around
Sammamish Paving – 17
planting islands
Total for these projects is $72,000. Special assessment funding will provide $57,800
($200 for each of the 289 South Cove homes), and the remaining $14,200 will be
used from existing Association funds.
It was suggested that the special assessment be split over two years,
but the Board Secretary pointed out that our Covenants limit special
assessments to the current year only.
David Bangs will work on the format of a newsletter
explaining the special assessment issues, costs, funding, etc. Kendra Mills, Susie Carney, and Mark Buick
are to provide David with information to use in the newsletter on each of their
projects. David needs the information by
Board Nominations – David Bangs
David showed the Board members a draft of a mailbox poster
that he had created asking for homeowners to serve on the Board. It asks interested homeowners to contact the
Board Secretary,
Fred Riler, including a self-bio,
and why they want to serve on the board. The Board members agreed it was a very good
communication piece.
Nominations are due to Fred no later than
Fred Riler presented a petition signed by the required 10
homeowners asking that the Homeowners Association take over the care and
maintenance of the planting islands. The
Board understood the basis for the petition and felt current revenues would
allow the Association to fund the costs (assuming passage of the proposed
special assessment funding). In the
absence of homeowners approving the special assessment, operating revenues will
need to be diverted to cover some projects that are proposed for special
assessment funding, i.e., repairing existing playground equipment and
drains.
The text of the petition is as follows:
Article
III, Section 12 of the South Cove Covenants and Regulations states that ‘the
maintenance of the plantings and landscaping in the planting islands shall be
the responsibility of the abutting lot owners’.
This
policy has resulted in inconsistent care and maintenance as some islands are
impeccably maintained, while others are overgrown and uncared for.
It
is our feeling that the care and maintenance of the planting islands is as
visible, and reflects on the entire community, in the same manner as do the two
entrances to South Cove that are maintained by
the Association. We feel that the Homeowners Association
should take over care and maintenance of all South Cove planting islands (16)
to ensure our community is maintained to the same standards that originally
attracted all of us to purchase homes in South Cove.
Our
current grounds maintenance vendor (Northwest Grounds Maintenance, Inc) has
provided a bid to
Include
the planting islands in their weekly service.
Cleaning up all planting islands is a $1,120 one-time expense; ongoing
landscape maintenance would consist of weeding and trimming of existing plants,
and would cost $230 per month (less than $1.00 per home per month). The maintenance vendor would not plant
flowers or water planting islands. That
would continue to be the option of neighboring homeowners.
To
ensure the proper care and maintenance of the planting islands now, and for
several years to come, it is our recommendation that the care and maintenance
be funded by the Homeowners Association out of the current operating budget. In the event the Association does not have
sufficient funds to cover this expense, we are proposing an increase in annual
dues of $25.00 per home per year. This
would bring our annual homeowners dues to $200.00 per year.
The
following signatures are provided to place this issue on the ballot for a vote
at the 2001 South Cove Homeowners Association annual meeting.
This agenda item deferred to next meeting due to lack of
time.
This agenda item deferred to next meeting due to lack of
time.
Ballots may be by proxy (returning ballot by mail to Board
Secretary prior to the annual meeting), or in person at the annual meeting to
be held
Fred Riler will work on developing ballot form and
mailings. Ballot will include Board
nominees and funding of special assessment projects.
New Business:
Late Fees for Past Due Homeowner Dues – Fred Riler
At the September Board meeting, it was proposed that to eliminate the number of late homeowner dues that the Association adopt a late fee of $10.00 per month. After Board discussion, the proposal was amended, and adopted as follows:
1st
late notice at 60 days past due
2nd
late notice at 120 days past due
To collection agency – at six (6) months past due.
The homeowner would then be responsible for the $175.00
homeowner dues, plus any and all collection agency fees.
Fred Riler felt that the October motion may not be necessary
as Article VI, Section 9 of the South Cove Covenants
addresses this issue. In summary, it
states that non-payment of annual assessments provides for the Association to
send the past due amount to a collection agency, and the homeowner to be
responsible for the principal, interest at 10% per annum, collection fees,
legal filing fees, attorney’s fees, etc.
Mark Buick, Treasurer, still felt the October motion was appropriate and
only added to Article VI, Section 9.
Mark will document the Treasurer’s file with specific wording of the
motion.
Next Board Meeting:
Tentatively scheduled for:
Thursday,
Location – to be
determined
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned
at
Respectfully submitted
Fred Riler, Secretary
South Cove Homeowners Association