Personal Notes, HOA Meeting 05-20-2021

HOA Meeting Notes 05-20-2021, 2:30 pm.

Meeting conducted via teleconference (Zoom)

Directors Present: Scott Kiefner, Dave Quinsey, Ed Wenz, Tom Wright

Absent: Chris Andre

Three homeowners attending

FirstService Residential, Richard Ford, Senior Community Manager

Board did not consent for the meeting to be recorded.

REPORTS

Management packet now includes page numbers throughout.

Landscape walkthrough punch list. Lots of information in the packet (none discussed in the meeting).

BRM Report: Scott asked that information be turned over to the new person responsible. Ford said that they were already informed. Ed asked about the quote he requested regarding bollards. Ford said it is covered in the correspondence section.

Tom said homeowners are submitting plans that aren’t getting to the Design Review Committee. Example, April 27, homeowner submitted plans, but Ed Wenz didn’t receive them. Ford asked to talk about it in Executive session. Scott mentioned the volume of plans is much lower than when the community was newer.

HOMEOWNER FORUM

Ford limited comments to three minutes and said he was using a timer to ensure compliance.

Homeowner complained that only three people are present <and only two spoke>, yet NOW you limit the time to three minutes rather than five minutes.

Landscape is a disaster by the homeowner's house and elsewhere. Irrigation heads are broken, buried, laying on the ground, and covered or blocked by brush. Cactus in the Mirador cul-de-sac is dying. If the landscaper applied herbicide incorrectly, it might explain why the trees there look unhealthy. <herbicide, mealy bug, fungus killing cactus?>

A meeting hadn't been held in a year, yet meetings are required to be held quarterly. See CC&Rs 6.9 and Bylaws 7.7. Decisions must be made in board meetings. Executive session is for formation and negotiation of contracts, not all contract matters. If the board discusses a contractor, it must be done in an Open meeting e.g. a discussion of FirstService performance.

It is a fallacy that those who disagree with the HOA only criticize. Homeowner said that when they asked for volunteers he walked the brow ditches noting deficiencies regarding Lennar. He said he volunteered for the Design Review Committee and landscape plans were approved in a timely fashion then, whereas now homeowners have lost their contractors while waiting for months. He read the following from HOA minutes from a meeting on October 8, 2014:

Board removed all volunteers from the Design Review Committee, October 8, 2014.

The board is disconnected. At the last meeting they didn't know that trash pickup was included in the landscape contract despite it being discussed at several meetings. A board member didn't have the landscape contract, yet, the homeowner has a copy of the contract." Landscape is not even on the agenda. A broken irrigation pipe took five days to fix despite an emergency call to FirstService and an email to Ford.

A year and a half after the lawsuit with Lennar was settled, and the board won't tell us the result.

Many new residents. Janet greets them, Facebook page (shows them?). At the last meeting the board said they can’t use funds to purchase wine or plants. Homeowners are now funding it, especially Kyle Whissel. Any suggestions from the board? Ford said that for the board to respond it needs to be part of the official agenda. He told her to send him an email. They typically spending $8 -$10 per each new homeowner. Scott said he’ll chip in and contact her offline. He said that it isn't a big deal, but is a nice gesture that means a lot. Tom offered to contribute as well.

END HOMEOWNER FORUM <2:50 pm>

CONSENT CALENDAR

Minutes and financial statements approved <2:52 pm>

Invoice Ratifications:

$1242.96 lights

$2000 Bravo Three blocked area due to riots.

Approved unanimously <2:54pm>

Ed interjected with issues navigating the board packet pdf file.

Acme July 4th, 2021, proposal $2300. Approved. Dave Q counted as abstained. He had been talking about unrelated matters and was encouraged to mute his microphone. He didn't unmute the mic to vote on this proposal. <2:58 pm>

UNFINISHED BUSINESS <2:59 pm>

Architectural modification status—no items

Board and Committee Lists <3:00 pm>

Does any committee need Cindy who volunteered? Nothing. Committee leads can contact Cindy and explain it to her if they need help.

Correspondence <3:01 pm>

Several pieces of correspondence regarding landscape, but they were not discussed in the meeting.

Morella off Mariposa where the custom lots are located. Received complaints e.g. smoking, drinking. Ed said they need bollards to prevent cars from moving past the sidewalk and parking. Additionally, removing the fence would make it look better. Scott said moving the fence might allow more foot traffic, so he wouldn’t want to remove it. Ford says that it is Lennar property. Tom said there has been more police presence, some of the traffic has moved to Ocotillo. We are just moving them around. Ed mentioned community involvement and they need people to call attention. Scott said the law enforcement is more effective than Bravo Three, and Bravo Three should call them. Scott said Ford should contact Lennar. Ed suggested that we ask Lennar to fund installation of bollards, or allow the HOA to do it. Will get BRM to get an estimate to present to Lennar. Ford said that there are issues with the HOA funding work on property that doesn’t belong to the HOA. Ford will get one bid for the discussion with Lennar. Follow up with additional bids if Lennar is amenable. Ford said this is a special project that will be an additional cost and FirstService would have to bill them. Ed said that he will get the bid. Tom asked how much FirstService saves by meetings by video conference. Ford said the HOA has saved money by not paying for mileage.

Tom said companies saved money during COVID and then penny pinch. This sounds like penny pinching. Ford said that he was abiding by the contract that has been in effect for years. Ed said he shares the same concerns as Tom. <3:15 pm>

Correspondence about a request for a type of plant to be installed. Have Ford forward it to landscaper for comment. Scott said that it needs to blend in with the current palate. <3:16 pm>

Shared Use Area

Northstar owes Sky Ranch $800

Approved cost sharing with Northstar, approved <3:17 pm> Dave listed as abstain because he was muted again and didn’t respond.

NEW BUSINESS

FirstService Financial Investment Recommendations

Recommend moving everything to FFI. Ford said money markets and other investments have changing rates. The packet includes a snapshot of that moment in time. Do you want to move everything over to something new, though it is a subsidiary of FirstService? You have a comfort level with Merrill Lynch. Scott asked if anyone was interested in moving the money. Ed said he has no opinion. Scott and Tom said the money should stay with Merrill Lynch. Board decided not to move the money.

Adjourned <3:22 pm>

Next meeting Thursday, June 17th, at 2:30 pm