Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Board Minutes October 1, 2012


Bridger Creek Subdivision Community Association
Board of Directors’ Meeting
Monday, October 1, 2012 

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 at the Masonic Temple (14 S. Tracy Avenue).   
Board members:  Sharyn Anhalt, Tim Russell, Erik Steckmest, and Karin Jennings were present; Dorick Sauvageau was absent.
Members present:  Dave Andreassi (Chair, Design Review Committee), Adam Racow (Chair, Park & Trails Committee), Toni and Don Lucker and Joan Michlin. 

Approval of Minutes
Erik made a motion to approve the agenda for this meeting; which was approved unanimously without modification.  Erik made a motion to approve the minutes from the August 6 Board meeting; which unanimously approved.    

Design Review Committee
Committee Report – Dave indicated there is nothing new to report. 

Committee update on action items from August 6 meeting – P3, lot 24 plans remain pending.  Dave provided a punchlist of remaining information needed.  No design fees have yet been paid, so the review process has not been initiated.  

Additional items for Board discussion – Sharyn reported that the home on lot 17 in P2 recently sold and that she discussed the history of the existing fence with the new owners, specifically that it was not previously approved.  The new owner expressed willingness to work with modifying or removing the fence and understands that any changes would need to be brought to the Design Review Committee for review.   

Other Business – Following further discussion involving members, including comments from Don Lucker, Karin inquired whether Don would be willing to serve on the Design Review Committee since it has been without a full committee for some time.  Don agreed.  Karin made a motion to appoint Don Lucker to the Design Review Committee; which was approved unanimously.   

Park and Trail Committee
Committee Report – Adam provided an overview of the committee’s recent activities. The committee met on September 24 to review member responses to the solicitation that was mailed with the annual dues, including a previous meeting on the 19th with Joan Michlin to hear her specific proposals for Phase 1 improvements. 

The committee is in the process of exploring the feasibility of several potential projects, including improvements to the ‘Triangle’ park in Phase 1. The committee has sent a letter to ensure that all residents on Par Court are aware of the project currently being explored. The committee recommends putting a letter of intent in place between the Board and any landowner willing to grant an access easement across their property from Par Court to the park/trail.  Following further discussion, Karin made a motion for Adam (as Committee Chair) to open a dialogue to explore options with the unnamed owner.  Erik seconded.  The motion was unanimously approved.  Following Adam and Tim’s discussions with the owner a letter of intent will be drafted for review and approval by the Board and the owner contemplating grant of the easement.

Other comments received were in favor of connectivity between the subdivision phases.  Following approval from the City Forestry Department, the committee met last Sunday (9/30) and provided volunteer labor to clear brush to create access behind the guardrail in the right-of-way along McIllhattan Road, from Story Mill Road to the golf cart crossing below the Club House.

Although approved at the May membership meeting, and receiving additional supportive comments from the solicitation process, the committee suggests deferring the McIlhattan trail project until next year. The committee intends to explore construction of only the north half of this project (from the northern boundary of the subdivision to South St. Andrews), and plans to obtain costs to bring to the Board at a later time.

There were several comments requesting planting of a hedge as a buffer adjacent to the golf maintenance building on Boylan. The committee requests that the Board ask GCP if they would consider planting buffer landscaping (evergreen drought tolerant natural hedge) along Boylan Road. The committee feels it will increase property values of the neighborhood by buffering the maintenance operations as this is one of the major entrances to the subdivision. It would also have positive property value effect for GCP since they still own lots in Phase 1 along Birdie Drive.

There was a request from a resident in the Bridger Greens Condos that the Golf Course Partners fix the ditch that was created adjacent to the trail during past drainage work from the Links development.  It is a relatively small maintenance project. Adam inquired whether the Board wants to take it up with GCP or handle it as maintenance. From further discussion Dave Andreassi (involved in development of Links) agreed to donate dirt from the spoil piles on site. Sharyn made a motion that the Association cover the costs for the maintenance work to regrade and reseed this area, with Dave’s voluntary provision of dirt. Erik seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Adam will proceed with completing this work in the near term. 

Committee update on action items from August 6 meeting

            Sharyn provided an update on the sprinklers in the Phase 2 Augusta Park. There are at least two bad sprinkler heads which need repair and a few others likely need adjustments. Sharyn recommended that we wait until spring when the system is turned on again and defer this maintenance until next year. Sharyn will contact Grasschopper to winterize the system. 

            Karin provided an update on the Phase 3 City park boundary marker installation requested by the City. Markers were obtained from the City and installed the weekend of August 18 by the committee. Following installation there was a concern by an adjacent neighbor about the orientation of the markers; seconded during the meeting by Tim Russell. The committee plans to reorient the markers so the Park Boundary faces into the park in early spring when the ground is no longer frozen and soft enough to allow for reorientation. 

Additional items for Board discussion – Karin provided an overview of the letter received from the City July 26, 2012 in response to questions posed by the Park and Trail Committee in January regarding ownership of parklands and trails, easements, and responsibility for maintenance of the Phase 3 park (copy of letter was provided to Board members at the August meeting). Most is simply informational and clarifying questions that were raised. Items that were highlighted and discussed were the following:

The City confirmed that the park in Phase 3 (adjacent to the landfill property) was dedicated to the City and that the City is responsible for maintenance (with the caveat that maintenance will be limited to infrequent mowing and weed spraying). It was noted that “the City is amendable [amenable] to discussions regarding a maintenance agreement between the HOA and the City.” However, the City Parks Director is not aware of any maintenance agreements that have been put in place and is not encouraging doing so. Karin recommended that the Committee Chair communicate with the Parks Director in early spring regarding the HOA’s maintenance expectations and plans. The Board will work with the City to ensure that adequate maintenance is performed in this park in the future.

Karin also reviewed the City’s confirmation that there is nothing they are aware of preventing transfer of the remaining “common open space,” “private open space,” or “20’ common open space and public linear trail corridor easement” areas in Phase 1 and 2 from Golf Course Partners (GCP) to the Association. The areas labeled “private park” in Phases 1 and 2 were transferred in 2000, however the others have simply not yet been transferred. Karin made a motion that she work with Dorick to perfect the ownership transfer between GCP and the Association; seconded by Sharyn and unanimously approved. 

Executive Committee
Committee Report – The Executive Committee of the Board was formed during the August 12 Special Board Meeting. The purpose of the committee and members are outlined in the minutes from that meeting, which Sharyn reviewed. There is nothing new to report to the Board at this time regarding the demand letter received July 31, 2012.  

Entity Status of Association –Sharyn reported on communication received from the Association’s attorney, Eric Nord, regarding the legal entity status of our Association, which was discussed at the Executive Committee meeting. Our Association is currently organized as an “unincorporated association”, which was the form of organization chosen by the original membership. As an unincorporated association, the legal liability of the organization could extend to individual members, similar to that of a partnership. Incorporating our association would help protect individual members by limiting liability to the corporation. 

Our attorney recommends incorporating our Association to better protect individual members in the future. Since our covenants and bylaws do not give explicit power to the Board to change our organizational structure, he also recommended that the decision be put to a vote by the membership. Karin made a motion that Sharyn, as the designated contact of the Executive Committee, discuss with Eric Nord, our Association’s attorney what our options are and how best to proceed with informing the members. The motion was not seconded and died. Tim made a motion to have our entity status reviewed by a different attorney, separate from the one that was recommended by our insurance, to be paid directly from the Association. This motion was also not seconded and died. Karin made a motion that Sharyn, as the designated attorney contact of the Executive Committee, discuss with tEric Nord, our Association’s attorney, what our options are regarding entity status and how best to proceed with informing the members, and to then have those recommendations reviewed by a separate attorney which would be paid by the Association. Erik seconded the motion, which passed by majority with Tim abstaining. 

Finance/Treasurer Report
Sharyn, as bookkeeper, provided copies of the Budget to Actual for the current fiscal year (July 2012-June 2013) (as of October 1, 2012), and provided a summary overview for the BoardThe Balance Sheet was not provided, since that report is not up to date until all the dues payments received this month have been recorded and deposited. Tim requested a copy of the current Balance Sheet, which Sharyn said she would provide within two weeks.   

Update on Old Records from Previous Bookkeeper
Records have been requested from the previous bookkeeper’s storage for some time by several different members of the Board. Tim was able to finally, successfully connect with Jayne Keller and obtain the old records that were available. The records have been given to the bookkeeper, to be filed with the rest of the Association’s records.   

Discuss Communications (emails/phone calls) to Select Members from a Member in P1
Karin raised the issue that members of the Board were recently made aware of communications, both emails and phone calls from a member in Phase 1. Karin stated that these communications included misleading and incorrect information and accusations. The member, being present, countered such claim. Discussions ensued, eventually broke down, and the meeting was terminated at 8:30 pm. The remainder of the Agenda was not discussed.