MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY BOARD MEETING

SECTOR 2A AT SNOHOMISH CASCADE ASSOCIATION

7:00 PM  WEDNESDAY  DECEMBER 8, 2004

 

CALL TO ORDER / APPROVAL OF MINUTES

  1. Tim Rizzo called the meeting to order at 7:06 pm.  Present were Tim Rizzo, Jennifer Stout, Steve Yandl, Sue Ann Goldman, John Patterson, Bill Steenis, Betty Malowney, and Bill Malowney.
  2. After Steve Yandl informed the group that no corrections had been made to the minutes as emailed to each Board member and also posted on the web site for the previous month, he asked if he might waive a complete reading of November minutes.  Sue Ann Goldman made a motion to waive the reading of the minutes and accept them.  John Patterson seconded the motion.  The motion carried 7 – 0.

ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE REPORT

  1. John Patterson reported that the homeowner with lot ID 1-0-086 made some initial progress when served with a letter of non compliance and also sent a fairly detailed action plan with benchmark dates.  Several of the key items were not addressed as promised in the action plan.  John will be sending the homeowner a letter advising them that $25 per day fines would commence on January 1, 2005 unless corrections were completed by then.  Closed Discussion documented in separate record: By unanimous consent, a strategy to cover multiple contingencies depending on the response of the homeowner was devised  This will give the committee the ability to work through this issue without having to open debate or vote depending on what the homeowner does, proposes to do, or fails to do.  The summary of this policy strategy will be kept as a memo dated December 8, 2005 with one copy filed by the committee and a second copy held by the Secretary of the Association.////
  2. John reported that the driveway for lot 1-0-084 has been done in concrete as requested.
  3. John shared the request from Krystal Dhondt to conduct her Avon business from her home.  The only part of her request that is being denied was to allow her to post a sign in her window since that would be a violation of a separate covenant against signage.
  4. Steve Yandl presented an approval letter for Jan Corbally to do some day care at her home.  This approval was done by the Board rather than Architectural Control Committee to avoid any chance of conflict of interest.
  5. John Patterson asked that after he completes letters for actions now pending that someone else on the committee or on the board handle writing letters of non-compliance.  Steve Yandl indicated that he would do some of them as Secretary of the Association.
  6. The issue was raised that there is a shed with composition roof rather than cedar shake on 2-1-006.  Steve Yandl will need to write a letter to the homeowner advising her of the covenant requiring that she change the roof material to cedar shake.

MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

1.      Bill Malowney reports that he is pleased with the way Skinner Landscaping has our common areas looking.

2.      Three new NGPA signs have been placed since last meeting.

3.      A 6” x 6” post was installed at the ball field with connector to be used as an anchor or tie down post for portable toilets in the future.

4.      Bill advised that we will be having Skinner top dress and over-seed the outfield portion of the ball field in January or February for roughly $2000.  The Little League will be asked to dress the infield with their sand mix to correct surface damage.

5.      Bill suggested to Jen that she contact the Little League and try to set up a discussion well in advance of the season.  In the past, they have dumped sand in an improper location or damaged plantings with the delivery truck; problems that don’t need to happen again if we share concerns in advance.

6.      Wood chips were added to both play areas to maintain more than enough depth to protect (cushion) any child falling off the equipment.

7.      Four hemlocks were transplanted from center islands along Snohomish Cascade Drive to the proximity of the future entrance to Willis Tucker Community Park at the end of Sno-Cascade Dr.

8.      Bill announced that he will be picking up signs to be placed in yard in recognition of outstanding holiday displays.  He should have the signs by Friday the 10th.

TREASURER’S REPORTS

1.      Sue Ann Goldman presented her now standard five reports that should be considered part of these minutes.

2.      Sue Ann also shared packets representative of the items going out with annual assessment billings on December 15.  The packet include an invoice, the budget with supporting documents for the long term capital improvement fund, ballots for budget ratification and award of proxy, a copy of the “Rules and Procedures of the Architectural Control Committee and a return envelope addressed to the registered office of the Association.

3.      Sue Ann indicated that for the year 2004 we spent some of our reserves but the budget was very close. 

UPDATES FROM THE SECRETARY

1.      Steve Yandl shared a response received from the Washington State Department of Revenue on November 29.  They were responding to his November 15 inquiry and clarified that money received by the homeowner’s association as owner assessments is not a business activity, thus the Business and Occupation (B & O) tax does not apply to us.  They refer to RCW 82.04.140 for the definition of “business” that applies for purposes of determining what may be taxed by the State.

2.      Steve distributed copies of a comparison spreadsheet prepared by Peter Truss, the VP of Silver Firs II homeowner’s association.  The data was informally obtained and not yet complete but suggests based on dues paid and amenities received, we, as an Association, are providing a good fair value for homeowners in Sector 2A at Snohomish Cascade Assn.  If an updated version with complete data for all the area HOAs  is provided, the complete spreadsheet can be filed; this version was more of an informal gauge for the Board.

3.      Steve passed along a letter of thanks from Northwest Christian Sports League.  They indicated their appreciation for the use of our baseball field and home to do so again in the future.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

1.      Bill Malowney will acquire five signs to recognize homeowners doing an extraordinary job with holiday decorations.  Bill Steenis asked everyone who was able to pick their 10 favorite houses with decorations and score (order) them.  The group will meet at the Steenis house, 7:30pm, Wednesday, December 15.  Scores from all who make it to that meeting will be combined to determine the five top rated decorations.  Those homeowners will be awarded the new signs for the month.  This will set a precedent for how the “yard of merit” program will run next Spring and Summer although different signs will be required.

2.      Steve Yandl asked for opinions on the draft change to the Rules and Procedures of the Architectural Control Committee sent out by email to the group.  This change would address handling of the home business issue.  John Patterson suggested that all home businesses needed an approval letter rather than only demand such from businesses where we had complaints,  Tim Rizzo asked for a fresh file copy in email so suggested edits could be made in a different color and the file circulated amongst board members.  Discussion of a more finalized version will be on the agenda for the January 2005 meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

1.      We have received a letter of understanding from Jacobson Jarvis & Co. PLLC.  This is a commitment to utilize them again for our next annual audit.  The letter was turned over to Tim Rizzo for his signature and then to be sent back to the firm.

2.      Bill Malowney brought up the fact that Gold Creek Sector II has tagged a large number of trees to be removed.  He has approached them about allowing us to choose some that are healthy and move them to the end of Snohomish Cascade Drive near the new park entrance at our expense.  If approved at their Board meeting, this would cost us about $150 per tree which would part of the $4k budgeted to improve plantings in the area near the park entrance.  There were no objections to Bill’s action plan.

3.      Sue Ann Goldman shared her concern that both she and her husband might need knee surgery in the upcoming months.  This would prevent her from doing the Treasurer’s job and helping with the newsletter for a couple of months.  She has contacted the PostNet company about taking the newsletter as an emailed file and helping assemble it.  It was suggested that we approach Le Powers to see if we could pay her to fill in on keeping the books as she is very familiar with our system.

4.      Sue Ann Goldman inquired if it was appropriate to give our Postal Carrier a gratuity for the holidays.  The group agreed that she was deserving of the same (or greater) level gift as was being given to the landscape crew and supervisor, postal regulations limit the size of gifts that can be accepted.  Sue Ann Goldman made the motion that she acquire three separate $25 gift certificates that will be given individually by Board Officers on behalf of the Association.  Steve Yandl seconded the motion.  The motion carried 7 – 0.

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:22 PM