DRAFT – DRAFT - DRAFT
CROW HILL HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ MEETING
Meeting held at Juneau Downtown Public Library
August 9, 2011
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISHMENT OF QUORUM: The meeting was called to order by President Iris Frank at 5:30 p.m. A quorum was established with the following board members present:
Iris Frank, President
Michele Metz, Vice President
Wanda Fleming, Treasurer
Sheila Box, Secretary
Members at Large, Patricia Young and Tresvant “Tres” Causey III, Jean Feakes
Property Manager Wayne Bundy was present, Duane Gates was absent with a broken arm.
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Iris asked that item 7.a) New budget format, and 8.b) new reserve schedule both be taken off the budget as Duane was unable to be here. Sheila asked that window replacement work group be taken off as group was unable to meet in July, although a new date needed to be set. Wanda Fleming moved to approve the agenda as amended, Michele Metz seconded. The revised agenda was Approved.
3. INTRODUCTIONS AS NEEDED: There were none.
4. APPROVAL OF July 2011 BOARD MEETING MINUTES: Jean Feakes’ name was misspelled, which will be corrected. There were no other corrections to the minutes. Michelle Metz moved to accept the July 2011 board meeting minutes, Wanda Fleming seconded. The minutes were Approved.
5. OWNER COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS: There were none.
6. PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REPORT ON DELIVERABLES: Note regarding the fire from last month was completed, signature cards for the bank will be coming this month according to Wayne, and the carport cleanup has begun. A check register was also requested, and will be coming next month, as it was a new item, and Wayne was unsure what was intended. Overdue dues list was discussed, and appropriate action will be taken against one owner who is very overdue.
7. OLD BUSINESS:
a. Financial – FY2012 Budget Review: Iris noted that the discussion last month indicated that the 10% she thought needed to be in reserves could also be spent on capital projects. So if the $47,000 insurance check is credited, and the $47,000 carryover is figured in from last year, the association actually came out $11,000 ahead. She would like to send this out to the owners once it’s checked, with the old format and new format. For the current year budget, it looks like there is $42,000 over, but the association may spend that in association with the fire. Iris noted that when she first came to the association, it had over $240,000 in reserves, and now is down to about $83,000 in reserves, so anything the association can do to rebuild those reserve accounts should be done, and has ramifications in terms of certification for lending organizations. Duane should be involved in that conversation, so the board should discuss it again next month. In addition a few line items in the budgets were going to be combined, and that will also be explained next month.
b. Maintenance and Complex upkeep – There was discussion regarding items left in community areas, and the fact that one unit on the upper level has been fined four times now for the same items left out, and is up to $100 per fine at present. Wayne clarified that the carports are limited common elements, owned by the association, over which the association has limited judicial control. This means that the association does have the legal authority, with proper notice, to notify the owner that if the items are not removed, according to the bylaws, within 30 days the association will come and remove the items and take them to the dump. It was noted that the association would need to photograph the items as they are now, be specific in the notice regarding which items would be removed, and that the owner would be charged for legal and trash fees. The board directed Wayne to get the legal representative involved and draft a letter notifying the owner that in 30 days the property would be removed and legal and trash fees would be levied.
c. Fire Update – Three bids by Brown Built Construction for $45,000, M&M Services for $44,000, and Bicknell Construction for $26,000 were received. All three bids may be viewed upon request at Exit Realty. The board clarified that all bidders are required to use equitable building materials in order to meet current building codes, and that there will be no overage allowed. The lowest bid, by Bicknell, also had the CBJ permit included. Items not included in the current bid that have been listed in the insurance claim are the rock wall and the four windows in D building that were affected by the heat. It is very likely the rock wall will need to be replaced. We are still waiting for a final decision from the adjuster in Anchorage, who initially offered the association $25,000 – at which time Wayne went back to them and reminded the insurance adjuster that the landscaping, rock wall, windows, and concrete slab for the base of the carport would also be included in the fire damage. It was determined that Bicknell has also done satisfactory work for the association before. Wayne noted that the rock walls around the complex will eventually need more work, and that replacing the rocks with some form of concrete or formed structure will probably be needed, and since the rock wall damaged by the fire has a creek behind it, it will be replaced first as part of the insurance settlement for the fire, and other walls would need to be made to match as they are replaced in the future. We know we will get at least one bid on the wall, including Brett who does the landscaping. Brett also determined that most of the trees will probably survive, with proper trimming. Wanda Fleming moved to accept the bid from Bicknell to replace the carport structure. Jean Feakes seconded the motion. The motion was Approved. The board directed Wayne to have the contractor begin cleaning up the soot and beams now, as part of the contract. Wayne noted that the police have caught a suspect who will be charged with the Crow Hill and other fires around town. Wayne noted that we should get a report from the fire marshal that we could disseminate.
d. Window Replacement – Sheila noted that she has spoken with Wayne about the windows, and needing to get him to find someone who will let her take pictures of new windows which could be posted. She reported that we should have gotten people’s names who wanted to be on the window committee at the annual meeting, but that the association needed to be notified of the window committee. Sheila said she would hold a meeting on the 31st of August at her house, for people interested in windows. Iris noted that a window has already been chosen, so the scope of the committee would need to be defined, including how to pay for the windows, either all at once or in stages, and what the financing options are. Sheila noted that as there were not even enough votes at the annual meeting to go forward, it seemed clear that people didn’t have enough information, and wanted pictures of the windows, so part of the window’s group goal should be gathering information they think people want, and to drum up enough excitement and interest to get people to vote on the windows. Iris suggested putting a note in the next mailing, saying that she wanted to hold another vote in November, although that may be too ambitious and January was probably more likely. It also is more difficult to reach people without updated email addresses, of which there are few on the owner list. Sheila said she would try to draft a notice which Wayne will send out in postcard form with the next mailing at the end of the month before she leaves, to meet at 5:30pm on August 31 at her house.
8. New Business –
a. Dissemination of Information – Sheila has created a blog online, which she presented on a laptop computer. She noted that it was not as easy as she had hoped to make a blog “members only”; it would be a completely public online presence. However, no one can change what the association puts up, and the decision to allow comments could be made at a later date, and comments could always be turned off if necessary. The current page could have several static tabs at the top, which would always be there. One could be “About this blog” describing the purpose of the blog, what it’s for and what it’s not for, one could be a tab for the association bylaws, so they would always be available. Currently she also made a tab for the fire, which includes pictures, the contact information for the fire marshal, and a link to the Juneau Empire story. The current blog also has a small survey posted, which people could do online, and the draft minutes are the current ‘post’. The address is www.crowhillalaska.blogspot.com. While it’s unclear if people will use it; it is the easiest and fastest way to get pictures and information that is not required to be legally issued (which the board would still have to mail). Potentially that could include lost pets, garage sales, etc. it could be as broad or as narrow as the board wanted. Iris suggested that a survey should also be mailed, and that people would need to be notified in the minutes that it is available. Michele asked if there could be a counter to see how many people looked at it. Sheila said she thought there could be a counter. Sheila also suggested that the association put up small bulletin boards at the four mailboxes, which someone would also have to ‘police’ once a week or so, to help develop a sense of community, where people could post lost pets, garage sales, free stuff, or the board could post information about cleanups, and meetings. Iris noted we wouldn’t have the money for bulletin boards this year. Sheila also said that with some increased communication and emails, the agenda could go out on the blog or via email as well, and maybe people would come to the meetings to address items they are interested. Iris asked for a link to the blog. Tres noted that an email about an upcoming meeting should contain the date, place and time of the next meeting in the subject line, and that the blog is another way to advertise the meetings. The board thanked Sheila and recommended the process to expand communication go forward.
9. Board Requests of deliverables from Property Management team –
i. A letter via the attorney to the person who is long delinquent with dues
ii. A letter via the attorney to the owner who’s tenant is storing items in common areas regarding removal of those items
iii. Signature cards for the board members
iv. Bid on the rock wall
v. Check register for next month’s meeting
vi. Direct contractor to begin cleanup of the carports
vii. Blog information from Sheila, and possibly a survey regarding preferred communication to all owners.
10. September meeting – September 13th, 5:30pm at the Douglas Library
11. Wanda Fleming moved that the meeting be adjourned, Jean Feakes seconded, the meeting Adjourned at 6:30pm.
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