MEETING MINUTES
Huntington West Homeowners Association
Annual Membership Meeting
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 PM
Gwinnett County Fire Station 18
Current Huntington West Homeowners Association President Steve Carbin called the meeting to order and welcomed members. Steve thanked the 12 members (plus Board) for attending and thanked the folks at Station 18 for allowing our HOA the use of their facility. Steve thanked everyone who voted in the recent elections and introduced the current Board members. Complete election results are as follows:
Newly elected 2014-2015 Board officers are:
Steve Carbin – President
Nichole Pasteur – Treasurer
Susan Powell – Secretary
Compilation of votes received:
For President: Steve Carbin – 36 votes
For Treasurer: Nichole Pasteur – 36 votes
For Secretary: Susan Powell – 35 votes
NOTE: one write-in vote was received for office of Secretary
Steve thanked everyone who voted and expressed appreciation for the support of the Board. He reminded members that the By-Laws of the Association call for a Board of Directors consisting of at least four members. The By-Laws require elections for only the three offices of President, Treasurer, Secretary, but provide for the addition of any other officers or members deemed appropriate by the Board’s elected officers. Steve introduced Mark Adkins as the fourth member to assist with the management of the neighborhood.
President’s Report
Steve reminded members our neighborhood is almost 25 years old now, so it is not unexpected that we now see we are required to spend capital improvement funds to keep the neighborhood and its amenities in good condition. Steve updated members on the insurance claims that helped to get the accident damaged column at our entrance rebuilt correctly – the contractor initially rebuilt a structure that was not to specifications, so they had to tear it down and rebuild it again.
Steve updated members on recent improvements at the pool: upgrades to the security system were required when vandals entered the pool over the winter and ripped cameras off the wall. We now have new cameras and DVR that are under warranty. Dacula Pools will continue to be our pool maintenance contractor for the upcoming year. Steve reminded all members and homeowners to keep eyes on the pool and our facilities and report any suspicious activity to police.
Opening Day Celebration for the pool was held last Saturday, May 17 – we had a great turnout and got to meet some new homeowners.
Steve reminded members that speeding issues in the neighborhood continue to be a problem. Member Joel Sharpton asked to read his own heart-felt letter to the members present (a copy is attached to end of these meeting minutes). Steve again this year reiterated that the HOA has investigated all sorts of solutions over the years, but the only thing that is sure to work is if WE, the residents of Huntington West, commit to making sure we all abide by the speed limit, and insist that all members of our own household and any visitors to our home also abide by the posted speed limits on our streets. The Board will support speed bumps or any other alternative brought forward by homeowners, but a tremendous amount of work is required to obtain the approval of all affected homeowners who will be assessed by Gwinnett County for the cost of speed bumps. Any member(s) interested in taking on the responsibility for such a project welcomed and encouraged to contact the Board to volunteer. Treasurer Nichole Pasteur will have more info in her report. Street parking continues to be a problem as well, and contributes to the dangers for residents who walk, pets and children playing. Parking on the street is prohibited by our covenants, so habitual street parking issues will be addressed and will result in fines for any homeowners who do not resolve the issue.
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Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Nichole Pasteur offered printed copies of the current financial reports for the HWHOA – complete financial statements are posted monthly on the HWHOA web. NOTE: The current budget is based on the number of current members. Nichole addressed the fact that mandatory dues are not “pool dues” – only 10-12% of dues go to maintain the pool. There are other expenditures: playground, parking lot, common areas, insurance, landscaping, lighting, water and other utilities, trash collection, taxes, legal fees, property management fees. The Board has worked hard again this year to keep costs down – dues remained the same again this year. Annual HOA dues for mandatory members will remain $390 again this year – another year without the 10% annual increase permitted within the By-Laws of the HOA. Homeowners who are not mandatory are encouraged to pay junior membership dues in order to contribute to the upkeep/taxes for the neighborhood facilities and to be able to vote on Association issues. The $90 fee for junior dues has not increased for many years – the Board was asked to raise the junior dues amount. The Board agreed to consider raising junior dues the next time mandatory dues are increased. NOTE: there are currently 154 mandatory members required to pay full dues and 12 non-mandatory members who voluntarily paid junior dues.
Nichole reported that the budget for HOA expenses did not increase, except for taxes and insurance we have no control over. This is a blessing, considering we still have an older pump at the pool and tennis court repairs have helped to maintain our courts well enough for another year. Our tennis courts have had another “Band-Aid” applied for this year – the old asphalt cracked over the winter and the cost to repair the winter damage was $3,000 (costs are $1100 per linear foot). Our previous repair lasted 4 years, so we are hopeful we can get some more good use out of the recent repairs.
Nichole detailed the specific costs for repairs to the pool surveillance system, as well as brand new signage at the pool and the front entrance. Nichole has investigated the costs of decorative aluminum street signs and poles: the costs are $750 - $850 each: We would need 13 street signs if we cover the entire neighborhood, but we could also add decorative STOP signs to them (at an additional cost). There are other companies that market individual STOP signs – Nichole will investigate those as well. If feasible, we might be able to install STOP signs at problem intersections in Huntington West to address chronic speeding. At the minimum, we would want to install the signs at the key intersections on Huntington Hill Trace, but the Board has previously been advised by the County DOT that these custom STOP signs are not actually enforceable, at least with respect to issuing citations. However, the Board feels it is worth the effort to try to at least use signs at key intersections to try to slow drivers down. Stay tuned for more information on this pending decision.
Nichole gave specific details for activating pool key cards when dues are paid - extra key cards or replacements for lost key cards are available for $10. Dues will be considered delinquent as of June 9 and members will be assessed late fees. Members who were unable to come to the Opening Day Celebration will need to contact Nichole to make arrangements for activating key cards (or picking up new key cards). A new bike rack will be installed after the pool opens.
Nichole reminded members to check the message board at the entrance for alerts and upcoming events. She is also in the process of updating the neighborhood website to be more current and more user-friendly. A neighborhood Garage Sale is planned for Saturday, June 21. Nichole has purchased a reusable sign for the neighborhood’s entrance to be used when garage sales are planned.
Secretary’s Report
Susan Powell provided a few printed copies of the Minutes of the last Annual Meeting in May 2013 – minutes of last year’s meeting and previous years are posted all year on the HOA web. Minutes were approved as written and as posted on the HOA web by membership present. Minutes of several other past meetings are available on the web and minutes of this meeting will be added when completed.
The Opening Day Celebration on Saturday, May 17 was a big success and enjoyed by all again this year. As always, all homeowners were welcome at the party - after the party, the pool is only available to paying members for the remainder of the summer
Susan reminded members that the HOA does not actually organize the graduation sign for the front of the neighborhood – it is up to individual parents of graduates to organize and pay for the sign each year. Congrats to all our graduates!
IMPORTANT: Susan announced a very important decision recently made by the HOA Board: Susan has managed the leases and Wait List for our neighborhood for the last 10 years. Our management company, Heritage Property Management Services, Inc. has developed a new Leasing Department and offered this additional service to our HOA. The cost of this service will be $150 per lease – with a maximum of 11 leases per year. Management of the 11 leases permitted within our HOA’s Declaration and Wait List is very time consuming and has legal implications in some cases. So, the Board has voted unanimously to turn over the management of our leasing program to Heritage’s Leasing Department. Current homeowners who lease will be advised of this change in writing and will be required to provide a copy of their current lease, as well as tenant information and vehicle identification to Heritage. Heritage will manage the leases and maintain the Wait List. Any future requests to lease or be added to the Wait List will be managed via Heritage.
REMINDER: Huntington West first reached the maximum number of 11 homes leased (5% per the Fifth Declaration) in July 2009. When a current lease expires, Board approval is required for any new lease. The Declaration provides for a WAIT LIST for homeowners wishing to lease when the 5% maximum of homes have been leased. The HWHOA will hold accountable any homeowner trying to circumvent the lease maximum. The HOA’s lawyers have advised fines for any homeowner violating the protections of the Fifth Declaration will be significant – at least $25 per day. The HOA’s Fifth Declaration and all governing documents are on the HOA website (
Susan reminded members that “Yard of the Month” begins anew for the months of May through September. Four winners are selected each month (one in each phase of the neighborhood) - Block Captains (in other phases) judge each month and winners will each receive a $25 Home Depot gift card for their efforts.
Susan asked members to help keep pots of flowers on corner arbors watered this summer – there is no scheduled irrigation two of the corners, so please keep a jug in your car and give decorative flowers a drink when you pass by.
Covenants Report
Nichole is currently acting as the Board member managing enforcement of our covenants because we do not currently have a Covenants Chair – any interested members should contact Nichole to volunteer to fill the Chair position or to volunteer to assist with covenants enforcements. Nichole is working with our managers at Heritage to re-write the covenants notice letters to make them easier to understand and more “friendly reminder” effective. Street parking is dangerous and is also unsightly and prohibited by our covenants, so it will be addressed and fines will be issued to homeowners who do not resolve the issues. Nichole reminded members the HOA owns a pressure washer available to be rented ($10 per day for HOA members, $20 per day for non-member homeowners). Contact Nichole to request rental of the HOA’s pressure washer.
Nichole has contacted Jackson EMC to ask them to trim overgrown trees restricting the lighting of our security street lights. Our HOA dues pay for the electricity to keep our streets illuminated, so we want to make sure the lights are well maintained by their owners, Jackson EMC. Some light posts need to be repaired – post numbers for inoperative lights have been reported to Jackson EMC. Nichole will post the Jackson EMC number to call when a street light burns out on our HOA website.
IMPORTANT: homeowners adjacent to the street with overgrown tree branches and bushes that restrict visibility are asked to trim back vegetation to assist with street safety.
ACC Report
Steve gave update for ACC Chair Todd Starr, who was unable to be present tonight. Some aging homes need paint – please remember ACC approval is required for paint jobs, even if painting the same/existing color. Remember: the ACC request form stipulates the homeowner should submit the request form 30 days ahead of planned project. The Board has arranged with member Truett Maddox to build replacement mailbox posts for members in need of a new post. Truett currently has a couple of those posts made and ready for purchase (cost in range of $225). Interested member scan contact Truett at 770-294-7921.
New members to help with ACC duties are welcome – contact Todd via HOA website ()
NOTE: Nichole is looking into the possibility of posting ACC approvals on the HOA web so homeowners will be able to check to make sure any changes/work being done has actually been approved by the ACC, as required.
Old Business
None
New Business
Member Joel Sharpton read his open letter (attached) to Huntington West homeowners and residents about his fears the constant speeding on our streets will turn deadly at some point. Joel reminded members to report school buses and trash haulers who speed as well.
Members were reminded that open garage doors present a temptation for theft – keep garage doors down unless when not in use, lock car doors in driveways, garages and at the pool.
Closing remarks/meeting adjourned
Steve thanked those who voted for the new Board officers and asked for continued support during the upcoming year. The Board hopes to see everyone at the pool this summer
Hearing no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
What I consider a very important agenda item I would like to see brought up and discussed is the speeding problem in our community. Now that Spring and Summer are upon us it seems a lot of people are becoming more aggressive drivers. I have almost been hit while walking my dog and I have spoken to another homeowner who was also almost hit by a speeding car.
These seem to be driven by all genders and ages, though the most common are women,perhaps late for work, driving way to fast and not paying attention, or young boys and girls who seem to have little regard for rules and are even snarky about attempts to slow them down. But these are not the only types of offenders by any means; I just see more of them than any other types.
We definitely need to discuss how we can find ways to control these people before someone or someone's pet is seriously hurt. If my pet or one of my loved ones is hurt by a speeding driver, I can guarantee they will regret the day they were born! And I have spoken with several others who feel the same way.
I think the speeders ought to consider how close they are coming to destroying their lives and their futures, not to mention the ones they might hurt or kill. Is an extra minute or two getting to the front gate really worth it? If you don't have 2 minutes or less in your life to exit this complex then you are sick, selfish, arrogant,dishonest and stupid, and I think that message should be sent to every household in Huntington West. I will personally pay for the letters and postage to be sent by Heritage to all homeowners if the board will agree...but I get to write the letter, which can be approved by the board before being sent. Or the board can write it but I will not pay. Somehow we need to wake these people up!
Then we need to discuss the ways in which we can force compliance: speed bumps; more signs; electronic speed monitors; ways we can get the car descriptions and license numbers so we can publish them for our community and beyond, hopefully embarrassing theselfish peoplewho continue to violate; rent-a-cops to be stationed at critical places at important times to monitor and log speeders. It's easy to mark short areas of road where cars can be timed for speed, and rent-a-cops can do that. We don't have to give anyone a ticket...just publish who the violators are. Discuss with our attorney ways to protect ourselves from lawsuits regarding this but it can be done. Revoke privileges in the community might be another way to punish, or charge extended dues to these people. This will of courserequire a vote of the community and it willlikely never pass. However, just theeffort will get everyone's attention, and that could be a plus.