Bellevue Landowners’ Council
Board of Director’s Meeting
May 5, 2004
The meeting was called to order by Fred Mitchell at 7:34 PM.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Fred Mitchell, Scotti Joseph, Mark Gilbertson, Bob Hunsaker, , Frank Wickersham Chris Kelleher, secretary. Jenny Schefer, treasurer.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Hugh Kasley, Diane Zegel, Gene Schmidt, Tom Rudy, Book Sengstack, Helen Mitchell
MINUTES: Fred announced to all that minutes were not available yet from the prior meeting. They will be posted on the web site as soon as possible as unapproved minutes, and will be reviewed and read at the next meeting.
PRESIDENT’S OPENING REMARKS: Fred opened the meeting with the following statement: “I wish to report on a few things which occurred since the last Board meeting. Landowners will be given an opportunity to introduce concerns/issues under new business. You may also participate as we go along if you wish. Our main agenda item for tonight is a discussion of roads and required funding.
Commercial Activities: My meetings with Louie Papadopoulos to discuss an agreement regarding the operation of his winery are drawing to a close. I met with him once in April and I expect to meet with him possibly for the last time next week. He is drafting a letter to the Board which I expect to receive in the near future.
On a related subject, I am aware that eventually the State will erect winery signs on Hwy 17 and possibly on Keith Road to direct traffic to the winery. In the meantime, Louie erects temporary signs in both places during winery hours of operation. I have learned that one of those signs has been removed twice and now has gone missing. This has nothing to do with Bellevue, or at least I hope not. This likely is vandalism and the police have been called.
Treasurer’s Report: See attached report for details. Wachovia: $20,397.74; Fauquier $44,657.19.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
SITE:
There are two landowners who have commenced projects without site committee approval;
1) Mr and Mrs. Jenkins, lot 76 have added a carport onto their existing kennel;
2) Mr. &Mrs. Eisele, lot 20, have put up a run-in shed. I spoke with both landowners and advised them of the need to obtain site committee approval. The both advised me they will submit the appropriate paperwork.
The mobile home on the lot of Richard and Virginia Grefe has been removed. Mr. Grefe submitted a letter to the county advising them it was removed in March of 2004. The removal cures the violation that existed on the property.
Mark Houser, lot 74, has put gravel down on approximately 75 feet of trail easement. He advised me that he will be erecting a storage building in that area and needed to put the gravel down so the construction vehicles will be able to get in and out. He has put small gravel on a portion of the easement which is alright for horses to walk across, but has left large gravel on a portion of it which is not safe for horses to go across. I advised him of this and he told me it was a temporary condition in that he had run out of money and he would fix it when he could. HE also volunteered to use his equipment to spread the gravel if Bellevue wanted to purchase it.
BLOC BOARD MEETING May 5, 2004 PAGE TWO
TRAILS:
The trails committee, using volunteers, cleared brush from the easement in front of the Dombrowski home. We also cleared the easement and filled in holes along the portion of the trail that runs between Chip Maloney and the Hunsakers. We also trimmed the easement along part of the Houser easement and filled in a hole. This was all accomplished with volunteer efforts and we did not expend any of our budgeted funds.
We have contacted Richard Moon to begin the first mowing around the middle of the month. We are also working with him to try and ascertain if there is a way we can cut down our mowing expenses by eliminating his going over easements that are maintained by landowners.
BARN:
- Currently have all 8 stalls rented as of May 1.
- Grass at barn has been cut twice, grass ring once, and sand ring dragged twice. Work done so far is all volunteer help from George Berner, Frank Wickersham, Dan Webber, Bill Steele, Donna Bee and Tom Rudy. We will be counting on volunteer help to keep our costs down.
- Thanks to Janis Rudy and George Berner for painting the main barn doors and rest room. Also, during past winter, Janis and Matt Rudy and Donna Bee re-hung and repainted paddock gates.
- We plan to have a Spring volunteer clean-up day this Saturday, May 8.
PONDS:
1. The trapper made his first quarter inspection of the ponds and found no beaver activity.
2. 2. Richard Moon completed his work removing all new growth and trees from the dams on High Pond and Canadian Lake.
REC CENTER:
The pool will be uncovered on May 14th; Payne pool scheduled. It will take approximately 2-3 weeks for water to clear up. Anticipate opening pool to residents mid June.
Salaries and chemicals biggest budget items; perhaps could save $ by closing 2nd week to mid August. Brief discussion regarding user fees. Guest fees for recreation center to remain the same (approx $300.00 generated last year by guest fees).
Anticipate door/lock repair/replacement in near future.
SOCIAL/NEWSLETTER: No report.
ROADS:
1) Status of contract for Spring Work: We expect to have a signed contract with our contractor Roger Miller by tomorrow (5/6) for our spring roads work.
2) Status of Spring Roads Work: This work will be started in May. Per the contract, it will include grading and rolling of all gravel roads, road-side shoulder and drainage improvements, the addition of 1,080 tons of gravel, and bringing the bad sections of the Manor House hill (Meadows Road) tar and chip back to gravel. The spring work will conclude with seeding and mulching as well.
3) Future Roads Costs: Costs for future roads restoration and maintenance are being discussed with Roger Miller. We expect to have a better idea of the scope of this work and costs in the next few days.
BLOC BOARD MEETING MAY 5, 2004 PAGE THREE
4) Tar and Chip Repair, Replacement, and Sealing: Following completion of the spring roads work, our top priority should be redoing the Manor House Hill tar and chip as well as repair/sealing of the rest of our tar and chip surfaces. The costs to re-do the Manor House Hill tar and chip should be less than Bob Lake’s original estimates, as a result of the work that will be done on the hill this spring. Additional funds will be needed for this work. These costs will be included in our estimate of future road costs.
5) Roads work being done by landowners: In the most recent BLOC newsletter, the Roads Committee requested that landowners not do any roads work following the completion of our Spring Roads work. This will ensure that landowners do not undo the work done by Roger Miller. Several landowners have contacted the Roads Committee to indicate their unhappiness with this restriction and to inform us that they plan to continue to do road work on their own. The Roads committee request that the Board write to landowners who have been doing their own roads work to inform them that under no circumstances are they to continue doing their own roads work. If they have a roads problem/concern, they should address it with the Roads Committee and then with the Board if they believe the problem is not being resolved by the Roads Committee. We would appreciate the Board’s support and assistance in this matter.
Long discussion ensued regarding possible ways to pay for project – with $40,000.00 already approved to be spent on spring work. Fall work needing to be done will include additional gravel, grading, further patching tar and chip, sealing, etc. Discussion about yearly maintenance, snow removal, and preventing further deterioration of roads again. Board asked Roads Committee to get complete picture of roads improvement/maintenance to better understand all costs. Then finance committee to review budgets and suggest ways to fund.
FINANCE: Research being done regarding ways of funding budget and capital improvement on roads, to include possible assessment, dues increase, or loan option resulting in dues increase or assessment as well. As soon as more definitive figures are in from Roads committee, recommendations will be made. Book Sengstack presented different loan options available. Questions regarding life of the improvement vs length of loan, interest rates, collateral, etc. were asked and answered.
Fred reminded all committee chairs that he has requested a thorough review of the procedures and rules in their handbooks be done and updated if necessary.
Motion made to adjourn: Seconded and approved. 10:04 PM
NEXT MEETING: 7:30 PM June 2, 2004
Minutes recorded by C. Kelleher.