WOOD CREEK ONE OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Annual Meeting
9/18/11
MINUTES:
1. Call the meeting to order and welcome all in attendance – Steve Webster, President, called the meeting to order at 2:10 PM. He introduced Doug and Nancy Locklair, new neighbors, who reported having moved into Wood Creek approximately six months ago. Steve thanked Roger and Dorothy Werchan for making their home available to the community and presented them with a thank you card.
2. Call for Proxy and Determine Quorum is present (23 lots need to be represented): Steve reported a quorum had been met (20 people were in attendance and 28 lots were represented by property owners present, although Buddy and Janice Barnett (18) forgot to sign the attendance sheet.) Later in the meeting, Sue Powell attended, which changed the numbers to 21 present with 29 lots represented. David Black and Johnny Black were represented by Milton Black and Victor received a proxy form verifying David’s and John’s proxy. The following were present: Victor W. Love (37 & 38), Roger and Dorothy Werchan (47 & 48), Sue Powell (33), David Scott (8, 9, & 10), Milton Black (3), David Black & Johnny Black proxy by Milton Black (2, 4,5,6, & 7), David & Nancy Townsend (79 & 91), Pam & Keith Watson (78), Gary Olbrych (58 & 59), Johnny & Myrtle Olbrych (56 & 57), John Welsh (25, 80, 81), Buddy & Janice Barnett (18), Doug and Nancy Locklair (82), Dennis Aldrich (15), Rudy Ruiz (69) and Steve Webster (74). (See attached signature sheet.)
3. Reading of the Minutes from Annual Meeting – 9/19/10; John Welsh, Secretary read the minutes. David Towsend moved to accept the minutes as presented and Roger Werchan seconded the motion. Steve Webster announced the motion carried, with no objection from members present.
4. Financial Report – Victor Love, Treasurer, discussed a summary of the board’s financial transactions over the past year (see attached report). Victor reported Roger Werchan reviewed the financial records and asked him to provide a report of his findings. Roger reported he had reviewed the financial records and asked if a $150 insufficient fund check had been repaid via one of the subsequent $150 deposits. Victor reported this was accurate. Roger suggested in the future the actual checkbook be presented to whomever might review the financial records, stating he could see deposits made but was uncertain about checks written. Victor reported the checkbook was not provided because any checks were copied and included in the bank statement although sometimes they were on the back of the statements. Roger suggested detailing the deposits because although a total amount was clear it had been deposited, there was no way to tell whose assessment fee or which receipt of income was deposited at any given time. Victor thanked Roger for the suggestion, said although he didn’t list each assessment fee deposited, he did note this in the financial records to keep track of when each property’s assessment fees had been paid. Victor suggested next year’s treasurer could create a detailed deposit list associated with each deposit. Roger stated he did not find any problems with the way the records had been kept, and presented a report to the board (see attached report). Steve moved to accept the minutes, Dennis Aldrich seconded and Steve announced the motion carried, with no objection from members present.
5. Building Committee Report – Roger Werchan listed the number of improvements starting in November 2010 and ending September 3, 2011. He said there had been a lot of activity over the past year (28), most of which were approved, a couple of which included variances and some of which were not approved. Steve asked for questions and Keith Watson discussed the board’s decision to allow a home to be built less than 150’ from the front property line. He quoted a deed restriction indicating the board was not allowed to make variances. Steve explained the board having deliberated at length and having considered numerous issues in finally making the decision to allow property owners to build closer than 150’ and explained it was primarily made because of geographical problems with the lot associated with an extremely deep gulley, which created a cost-prohibitive build if the board forced the property owners to build 150’ behind the front property line. This lead to a lengthy discussion during which, numerous property owners and another board member discussed their opinions regarding variances. Several property owners stated the deed restrictions did not allow variances, some of which indicated it was allowed for corner lots and for outbuildings and non-home structures. Some property owners suggested the deed restrictions didn’t allow any variances but since the board had allowed at least three variances in the past, this did set a precedent, although no variance for a home had ever, prior to this year, been granted allowing a home to be built closer than 150’ to the front property line. Victor suggested the deed restrictions were not clear and at times confusing, to which numerous property owners agreed. He read one part of a deed restriction which appeared to allow the building committed to deviate from the deed restrictions. The discussion continued and two property owners discussed how they were not allowed to do certain things by a former board, one not allowed to build at 130’ from the front property line and another not allowed to build a storage structure prior to building a home. Other property owners questioned why some property owners had been allowed to build storage structures prior to building their home. David Scott stated, adamantly, permanent structures were allowed to be built prior to a home being constructed. Buddy Barnett suggested the deed restrictions be amended to make clear that the board could only make variances if precipitated by geographical problems on the property. Victor discussed the history of attempts to change the deed restrictions and the extreme difficulty in making changes because of the two-thirds majority required by the deed restrictions and the necessity to have these votes in the affirmative of a deed restriction change written and notarized. (See report attached.)
WOOD CREEK ONE OWNERS ASSOCIATION Annual Meeting 9/18/11page 2 of 2
6. Additional Agenda Items:
a. Sue thanked Myrtle Olbrych for creating our Welcome Baskets and presented her with a thank you card.
b. Steve discussed the trash container and the problems associated with the company we have used in the past several years. He passed out a list of several quotes (see attached) from various companies in the area, and indicated all were higher and all but one had a smaller dumpster (30 yard vs. a 40 yard). Several property owners and board members discussed the problems, the higher costs from other companies, the usefulness of the containers and the desire to continue bringing in trash containers. Buddy moved and Dennis seconded a motion to bring use another company. Steve announced the motion carried with no objection from members present. The community discussed bringing in the container three times this year since it seemed to fill up within a day or two and the board agreed to suggest this to the incoming board. David Scott asked that the announcement of the container be sent via email. Victor reported the container was always preceded by the newsletter, but could email everyone in the community for whom he has email addresses.
c. Victor thanked David Scott for serving on the building committee and the board over many years and discussed his appreciation for all that David had done and his ongoing availability for consultation.
d. Steve discussed the Spring Event, reported around 19 neighbors participated, discussed the door prizes and food and suggested the event be repeated next year. Several people who attended reported they enjoyed the event.
e. Steve discussed the Work Day and that several board members cleaned up the front flower beds, sprayed around poles, signs and culverts, picked up trash around the neighborhood and trimmed the weeds around the poles, signs and culverts.
f. Steve informed neighbors of new folks to the neighborhood that weren’t in attendance, the Polk family, the Richard family and soon to be the Driscoll family.
g. Additional topics: Keith requested Charlie Powell update the website and Victor agreed to call and ask him to do so.
7. Nomination and Election of New Board Members: There was some discussion about the current slate of officers being willing to remain on the board with Victor stating his preference to be the Secretary and John stating his preference for being the Treasurer. Buddy nominated Pam Watson as 2nd Vice-President. The neighbors discussed accepting all other positions as stated and having a vote for the 2nd Vice- President between Dennis Aldrich and Pam Watson. Everyone agreed to vote this way and Victor suggested anyone owning more than one lot or having proxy for more than one lot had two choices, fill out a ballot for each lot or write their lot numbers on the ballot so all could be counted at once. It appeared owners chose to fill out one ballot for multiple votes. Steve and Victor counted the votes and Victor asked Steve and John to count the votes again. Victor counted the votes a third time and Dennis Aldrich received ten votes, Pam received 18, therefore the following were elected as board members in their respective positions: Steve Webster – President; Sue Powell – First Vice-President; Pam Watson – Second Vice-President; John Welsh – Treasurer; and Victor W. Love – Secretary.
8. Adjourn the Meeting: Victor moved and Steve seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried with no objection from anyone present and the meeting was adjourned at 3:45 PM.
The new board members met briefly and discussed meeting on 11/05/11, 9:00 AM at WoodForest Bank in Montgomery.