MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY MEETING

SECTOR 2A AT SNOHOMISH CASCADE ASSOCIATION

7:00 PM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2003

 

CALL TO ORDER / APPROVAL OF MINUTES
  1. Jen Stout called the meeting to order at 7:09 pm.  In attendance were Jen Stout, Sue Ann Goldman, Steve Yandl, Betty Malowney, John Patterson, and Bill Malowney.
  2. Steve Yandl presented the minutes from the November board meeting.  John Patterson made the motion to accept the minutes as presented, Sue Ann Goldman seconded.  The vote was 6 – 0.
GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE REPORT
  1. Bill Malowney reported that we have a tree down along Snohomish Cascade drive that has been reported to Brian Skinner.  Brian will get the tree righted, staked and tethered.
  2. It appears we need an unanticipated moss treatment to be done along with the February fertilization.
  3. If the budget allows in 2004, Bill reports that we will make improvements to the entry area by the fire station and enhance the minimal landscaping done around the Clearview Water Project’s concrete bunkers.  Neither is a critical area but both have been identified as worthwhile projects if higher priority maintenance doesn’t consume funds budgeted.
ACC / CC&R REPORT
  1. John Patterson reported that he has sent a reminder letter regarding the exposed company vehicles consistently in the driveway at lot 3-0-054 by registered mail.  The letter has been signed for but no response has been received yet.  The owner had been given a six month variance to remedy the situation (which he agreed to in) and that period has passed.
  2. John also reported that the shed on lot 3-0-117 still has vinyl siding and is not complete.  The owner had promised in writing to have the job complete by the end of November.  It was also reported that the owner is probably conducting his building contractor business from the house.  After discussion, the board is not inclined to pursue the home business issue, since the nature of that business does not cause any disruption to immediate neighbors or degrade the neighborhood atmosphere.  The shed issue is one that needs to be resolved.
  3. We were asked to consider the imposition of fines and the use of the attorney Sherman Knight to obtain compliance from the owner on lot 3-0-117.  In discussions, the board favored turning both issues mentioned in (1) and (2) above to Mr. Knight at the same time.  We also felt that it made sense for John to contact each of these owners and warn them that such a course of action was imminent unless corrections had been made in a time frame in the range of three to six weeks (John’s discretion on the specific time frame).  Steve Yandl made a motion that the board give John Patterson the OK to issue such a warning and to contact the attorney if necessary without the need for further board approval.  Sue Ann Goldman seconded the motion and it was carried 6-0.
  4. John asked the board to consider if it made sense to contact owners who had painted their house with board approval but where the color was not as expected and the board regretted the decision.  The idea would be to let the owner’s know that the next paint job would need to be a more appropriate color, in other words, the initial approval could not be considered precedent setting.  The board felt that this message could be delivered to all homeowners using the newsletter and owners need to be reminded that all paint jobs need approval, even if the color is the same as the previous paint job.
  5. Steve Yandl relayed to John that some neighbors near lot 1-0-024 were not entirely satisfied with actions taken (or not) to persuade the new owner to do appropriate landscape maintenance and limit junk car parking.  This information came from a conversation with Tim Rizzo prior to the meeting.  John has made all emails (both directions) available for review and feels that the situation was handled adequately.  This may be a case where some members want the board to take actions that are not actually addressed or supported in the CC&Rs.
TREASURER’S REPORT
  1. Sue Ann Goldman presented her set of accounting reports which should be considered an attachment to these minutes.  In summary, we have $3,540 in checking and $31,390 in CDs.
  2. Sue Ann reported that the audit should be completed in January.  Steve Yandl reported that he had received the same information earlier from Tim Rizzo who had taken the time to meet with the accountant to make sure the firm had everything they needed to complete the work. 
  3. Steve Yandl presented Sue Ann with a set of ballots (budget ratification and award of proxy) to be inserted in each assessment / budget envelope.  Sue Ann reports that she is ready to generate the invoices and plans on doing the mailing on December 15.  Assessments will be due on receipt and considered late 60 days later.  This will be explained in more detail in the January newsletter.
NEW BUSINESS
  1. Bill Malowney proposed that we continue a tradition started last year and present a $35 gratuity to the key personnel in Brian Skinner’s landscape crew who work in our neighborhood.  This would include Hector the supervisor but not Brian Skinner.  Steve Yandl made a motion to approve the gratuity, John Patterson seconded and the motion carried 6-0.
  2. Betty Malowney suggested that we consider doing something special for the firefighters of Station 77.  Steve Yandl argued that in the case of tax funded public servants, gratuities should be strictly voluntary and individual, not funded by the association.  The occasional angel committee will look at doing something but it will not be funded with association funds.
  3. Steve Yandl presented a copy of a protocol for production of the monthly newsletter.  His suggestion is that other board members should review the duties they perform and where appropriate should draft similar documents to make it easier for new volunteers to step in and take over the jobs we now do.  In this era of document preparation on the home PC, there is no good excuse for not having adequate “how to” manuals for key duties and keeping them updated as different jobs evolve.
  4. Next meeting scheduled for 7:00 pm, January 14, 2003 at Steve Yandl’s house.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:48 PM.