Personal Notes HOA Meeting 01-23-2025

HOA Meeting Notes 01-23-2025 5:11 pm

Meeting conducted via video conference (Microsoft Teams)

Directors Present: Chris Andre, Dave Quinsey, David Samo, Mita Schumacher, Ed Wenz

FirstService Residential

Ian Navarro - Regional Director

Tiffani Rivers - Community Manager

Carrie Heieck, General Counsel, Tinnely Law

III. HOMEOWNER FORUM

Homeowner #1

Said that she submitted architectural plans.

Homeowner #2

There are too many steps to get the agenda. Include a link in email rather than requiring so many steps.

Homeowner #3

<Note: During this discussion the HOA directors interrupted. At one point Ian Navarro said the time was up because three minutes had passed. The homeowner reminded that they said 5 minutes would be allowed. All of the other discussions were very short so time was not an issue. The homeowner reminded Chris Andre that at previous meetings he said the presentations didn’t need to be rushed. The homeowner said that the interruptions and the early cutoff are the very reason he quickly plows through his statements.>

What steps have you taken to find a new management company?

HOA response: They have informed FirstService that they want to get bids for a new management company. FirstService can also submit a bid.

Fires are burning in the area today. Do not attempt to use the northern emergency exit if you can't see clearly that there is no smoke or fire.

In this photo see the brush growing into the street, and a small dead staked tree. It is supposed to be cleared 50ft on each side. I took this photo from my house today. The rest of the road will be worse. Firefighters may not be able to come up the road to save our homes if it's burning before they get here.

Northern Emergency Access Road. Vegetation protruding into the road.

HOA response: We’ll check to see if the HOA is responsible. Chris said the fires prompted him to advise O’Connell to perform brush maintenance. Homeowner #3 said it is too late when the fires start.

Similarly, don't count on the eastern road on Ocotillo, unless you can clearly see it is safe. The last time I saw it brush was growing over the road.

It's shocking how the main access road off Monticello was overgrown for years. You can't count on the City or this frivolous HOA. I had to go to City Council to get them to order the fire department to force the HOA to take care of it.

There are a lot of prohibited plants along Sevilla, as well as the lower end of Mariposa. Don't assume we are safe in this supposedly "shelter in place" community.

HOA response: Inform us about the prohibited plants.

Speaking of frivolous.

At the last meeting the board delayed the replacement of an Oak tree by my house, and some other plants.

In the photo you can see how small it is because they have had to replace it before because of apparent neglect. At the same time they approved seasonal Poinsettias at the entrance for a similar cost. I understand Chris tabling the issue pending more information about the location, though they should wonder why the landscaper doesn't automatically provide that. But Dave Samo openly opposed the Oak and other plants, in part, because they weren't as visible as the entrance.

In other words, those homeowners with slopes facing their homes shouldn't expect proper landscaping. It's a thoughtless and neglectful position taken by directors and other homeowners who aren't concerned because the land slopes down away from their homes and is out of their sight and out of their minds.

Mita Schumacher took photos by my house and described the landscape as lush. These photos show lots of bare ground, erosion, exposed tree roots. And again, there is the dead Oak. This is also where the HOA paid for restoration a year ago. It won't work if you don't maintain it.

What Mita Schumacher calls lush, as viewed from inside my house.

Erosion and exposed tree roots on the slope by my house.

The landscape is neglected but there is always money for Tacos in the Park and other social events.

HOA response: They complained about the cost of irrigation.

It appears they continue to turn off the irrigation and intentionally allow much of it to go to cactus.

END HOMEOWNER FORUM

The directors said that they did not need the lawyer any longer since Homeowner Forum was over, so she left the meeting.

IV. COMMITTEE UPDATE & INVITED GUESTS

Discussed requirements/charters for committees. E.g. positions (board liaison, secretary, chair), 1 year repeatable term, etc.

Board Liaison is a director who advises the committee

A. SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Ryan, Mita <Note: tech failed so I missed the details.>

B. FINANCE COMMITTEE

Assist with budget

Need to be a higher standard because they will have access to confidential information.

Amber H., Julie B., Karen, Mita S, Shannon Q.

C. LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE

Walk-throughs with O’Connell, make recommendations to the board.

Cathy J said that she thought the committee would do it independently versus doing it with O’Connell.

HOA responded that it can be done either way.

Cathy J, Brenna D, Jeannette A., Mark C., Mita S.

Chris said it is a desert climate like Arizona, and there were drought restrictions. He said cactus grows well.

D. WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Jeannette A., Mita S., Teresa G.

V. REPORTS

A. MANAGEMENT REPORT

Meeting dates edited.

The property manager she said she has been getting requests from homeowners for brush clearance.

B. WORK ORDER REPORT

Four are open.

Closed one.

Combined some work orders for landscape, particularly the requests for brush clearing.

She’s asked them to check the irrigation lines because there have been leaks lately, especially on the weekends. Chris Andre speculated that they are being vandalized or stepped on or something else.

C. LANDSCAPE WALKTHROUGH/PUNCHLIST

No discussion

VI. CONSENT CALENDAR

A. OPEN SESSION MEETING MINUTES - NOVEMBER 2024

B. FINANCIAL STATEMENT - NOVEMBER 2024

Summary read aloud

Approved unanimously

VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

A. RETAINING WALL UPDATE

Retaining Wall Update: The contractor had to go through the vendor approval process (certification, insurance) with FirstService. The contractor got frustrated with the FirstService app to submit their information. The HOA may have to put it out for bid again.

They installed more straw wattle and caps as a short-term fix. Chris said the vendor provided certificates of insurance.

B. NEW GARBAGE RECEPTACLE LOCATIONS

Tabled last time. Tabled again.

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

A. LANDSCAPING PROPOSALS

Mirador and Iris

Landscaper did not provide the maps that the HOA requested.

Plants were removed for irrigation repair, and some were dead and due for replacement. $826

12 Rock Cotton Easter 1 gal. 1 Rock Rose 2 Myoporum, 1 Coast live Oak

Samo asked why it should be planted, wanted to table it. Mita said they aren’t in any hurry,

Chris then noted that the landscaper sent a photo of what needed to be placed.

B. INSURANCE RENEWAL

The general liability has not been provided, others were provided on the last day e.g DNO.

Chris motioned for it to be ratified. Dave Q asked the difference between approval and ratification. Tiffani then said it was previously approved by the board as an emergency via email. She said the board already approved it but it needs to be voted on during the meeting.

Approved unanimously

C. COMMUNITY NOTICES

Nothing

Tiffani said that the board wants this item on the agenda in case there is something to discuss.

D. FLOCK CAMERA REVIEW

They were installed along with signs.

They discussed installing additional cameras. They speculated about putting one at the Castilla cul-de-sac. Sheriff could get a live feed if homeowners reported criminal activity.

E. NEWSLETTER

Val Labore will be handling it.

IX. NEXT BOARD MEETING

The next Open Session Meeting is scheduled for February 27, 2025 at 5:00pm via Teams, Executive Session at 4pm

X. ADJOURN

6:30 pm