Meeting of the Members of the Gwynedale Residents Association
January24, 2017
Held at Gwynedd Square Presbyterian Church
Present: Jon Zeitz, Dave Hull, Dan Damico, Josh Gieske, Ilya Maslov, Diane Beck
andAssociationMembers
1. The meeting was called to order by President Jon Zeitz.
2. The President’s Report
a. 2016 Accomplishments
i. All legal issues have been concluded and dues will be 100%paid after
completion of a sheriff’s sale of one home.
ii. The POD problem was resolved.
ii. The Capital Account has been returned to its full amount ($231,000) post the
court paving in 2014.
iii. We have a new interactive website where homeowners can find information
about regulations, etc., and also contact the Board, get informed and vote
on issues.
iv. An updated email list was developed to alert homeowners of upcoming issues
and for use on the new website.
v. The community has voted to amend the covenants to have one trash hauler by
a vote of 165 to 12.
vi. The Association and Grounds Committee, working in conjunction with
engineering firms and Upper Gwynedd Township, have taken steps to address
major erosion problems.
vii. Two issues resolved by Upper Gwynedd were the repair of the sinkhole
at the bottom of Supplee and a storm drain on Gwynedale Way.
b. Challenges ahead as our development approaches its 30-year birthday
i. The erosion problems are ongoing.
ii. Future road repairs on the Courts will be the responsibility of our Association.
iii. The basketball and tennis courts will need to be repaired or replaced, an
expensive undertaking.
iv. We have more trees and shrubs that will need to be taken down and replaced.
3. Treasurer’s Report
a. Dave Hull presented the Gwynedale Income and Expense Statement for the period
ending December 31, 2016.
b. We have one unoccupied home that is being sold at a sheriff’s sale.
c. We are starting year 2 of our 3-year landscaping contract with Shearon.
d. We undertook repair of some of the concrete aprons.
e. Expenses
i. Historically we have been able to balance our budget with past surpluses.
ii. Over the last few years our budgeted expenses have been higher than
money taken in.
iii. The Association attempts to keep our dues low, but also be responsible in
keeping our community in good repair so as to maintain our home values.
iv. Our community is aging and we have some big-ticket expenses causing us
now and in future years to go significantly over budget if dues are not
increased.
v. In order to avoid, for example, a future $1,000 assessment, we are working to
prioritize and manage our budget in a proactive and responsible way.
vi. Therefore our dues for 2017 will be raised to $850.
vii.Shearon will work with us to plan and take preventative action before larger
problems arise.
f. Volunteers
i. We need volunteers so that we do not have to resort to a managed company, as
our dues would rise significantly.
ii. One person in attendance reported dues of $200 a month for a managed
association. Another person owns a home in a self-managed association and
pays $1850 a year.
5. Architectural Committee Report
a. The Architecture Committee needs volunteers and a chairperson.
b. Annual inspection forms
i. The goal is to encourage each other to keep up our properties in order to
maintain our home values.
ii. Another goal is to try to be consistent in the inspections.
iii. We are going to change part of the inspection process to electronic form.
c. Tennis and basketball courts
i. The courts are crumbling and falling apart.
ii. We have different options such as taking them out entirely and having grass,
replacing them with new courts, or replacing with something else.
iii. At some point we would like to use our new website to present ideas and
costs of implementation and maintenance.
iv. We will then solicit opinions from our community and submit reasonable
options to a vote.
v. In making our decisions we need to take liabilities into consideration.
6. Grounds Committee Report
a. The Grounds budget includes contract and noncontract work.
b. The largest part of the budget is for management of lawns and trees.
c. Procedure for landscaping management
i. The committee meets once a month from March through December and some of
our work is managed through zones.
ii. Each spring we have a community clean up followed by a cleanup by Shearon.
iii. Then we meet and have a walk through of the development with an arborist to
check trees, etc., and make a list of what work and remediation needs to be
done throughout the year.
d. Once a year we give out grass seed to interested homeowners.
i. The planting of seed grass is best done in early spring or in the fall.
ii. Homeowners should be aware that Shearon sprays at certain times of the year,
which can affect grass growth.
iii. It is best for homeowners to rope off the areas where they have planted seed so
the grass will not be mowed or sprayed.
e. The committee is also responsible for maintaining a snow removal contract.
f. 2016 review of special projects
i. Repairs to several storm sewers were made as street sewers run underground
andsome concrete had become dislodged. Some areas were owned by the
township, which did a great job and noticed that some of our street grates need
repair. Those on the courts belong to the Association so we will pay to have
them repaired.
ii. Lights at our entrance have deteriorated and were replaced with energy
efficient LED.
iii. As it is difficult to find a cement contractorwilling to come out for a small
job, one resident coordinated of number of homeowner projects and
Association projects, which included badly deteriorated sections that were trip
hazards, particularly around aprons.
iv. The Association hired a surveyor to determine property lines of homeowners
and the Association.
g. Projects coming up
i. More concrete work.
ii. More work on erosion problems including stabilizing banks and finding ways
to mitigate problems before they worsen.
iii. Tree work, involving taking out and replacement, is ongoing.
iv. Snow removal is pricey even with small events.
7. Website Update
a. We have gone from letters, stamps, and knocking on doors to an electronic
communication system.
b. The new website allows homeowners to contact the Board, make suggestions, answer
surveys, and vote on issues.
8. Single Trash Hauler
a. The new community trash hauler is Waste Management.
b. The start datefor all homeowners to enroll will begin on March 1 and end on June 1
depending on homeowner contracts.
c. No other trash hauler will be allowed to collect beyond the end of May, 2017.
d. There will be a simple form online at the gwynedale.net website for homeownersto
complete which will include choosing an enrollment date and size of carts.
e. Homeowners must contact their former trash company to notify them of this change.
e. Billing will be handled by Waste Management.
f. The charges for the first year of the contract will be $16.55 a month, paid quarterly,
with a 3% limit on increases for the following two years.
g. The once a week pick up day will be Thursdays, although as with all companies, the
day could be changed in the future.
h. Homeowners should check the website for additional information.
9. The meeting was adjourned.