MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

SECTOR 2A AT SNOHOMISH CASCADE ASSOCIATION

7:00 PM   WEDNESDAY    October, 12, 2005

 

CALL TO ORDER / APPROVAL OF MINUTES

  1. Jen Stout called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.  Present were Jen Stout, Bill Steenis, Amy Key, Steve Yandl, Betty Malowney, John Patterson, Bill Malowney and Jan Corbally.
  2. Steve Yandl asked to waive a formal reading of the minutes and there were no objections.  John Patterson moved to accept the minutes, Jen Stout seconded and the motion was approved 5 -0.
TREASURER’S REPORTS

  1. Amy Key had previously emailed the set of financial reports for the period ending in September.  The reports should be considered part of these minutes.
  2. John Patterson inquired why we still had a PUD charge since we are all being billed individually for streetlights beginning summer 2006.  Amy had researched and it appears this is to maintain electric meters associated with the sprinkler systems.  The large charge of $8-$10k for streetlights is gone.
  3. Amy distributed rough drafts of a budget for group review prior to the next meeting.  She suggested that we establish a category for anticipated entrance enhancements, separate from our existing maintenance categories.  Bill Malowney commented that improving the area at the north end of 72nd Dr. (will be a pedestrian entrance from the new park) would involve paying Silver Lake Water $2500 to place a water meter for expansion of sprinkler coverage to that area.  Bill also commented that the soil in that area was poor and probably would need to be replaced prior to planting even drought tolerant hardy plants.
  4. There was a brief review of the long range capital improvement timeline and proposed funding.  It still appears that we are accurate in our estimates for future costs and should have adequate reserves when we incur the expenses for the fence.  Bill Malowney commented that typically the county comes in and does maintenance on detention ponds and does an assessment on all homeowners because most associations have failed to set aside funds as we have.  When the time comes, we’ll need to make sure the county bills the association since we have funds set aside for that purpose.
  5. Bill Malowney expressed an interest in having a petty cash account.  Amy explained that we would need a written policy and that in a volunteer type organization there was no practical way to enforce policy if the person drawing the cash failed to later provide document support for the expenses.  Bill decided that the benefit of such an account wasn’t great enough to risk the problems and no other Board member expressed a desire to have such an account.
  6. Amy planned to contact Kim Skinner and clear up the issue of proper sales tax.  There is some disagreement on whether or not we are currently in the RTA which would determine whether our proper sales tax rate was 8.5% or 8.9%.  Amy reports that at the State Dept. of Revenue web site, her address shows as outside the RTA giving a rate of 8.5%.  Skinner and many others charge 8.9% and that figure has apparently made it through whatever audit process Washington has for checking the tax.
ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL COMMITTEE REPORT

  1. Bill Malowney reports that the committee is tracking 16 homeowners for various CC&R violations.  About half are improper sheds.  There are several gravel driveways and a few parking issues with boats or RVs.  Roughly half have been sent letters; nine or ten more letters will go out in the next week or so.  Bill has yet to receive any responses to the initial batch of letters that went out.
  2. Bill reminded the group that he wants to turn this job over to someone new in December.
  3. Bill Steenis suggested that we consider paying someone to handle the CC&R enforcement duties.  Steve Yandl reminded the group that we would need to split Architectural Control Committee functions from CC&R enforcement functions to do so since the CC&Rs prohibit us from compensating members of the ACC for their service.
  4. Steve Yandl asked for copies of the letters that have gone out to file in the Board’s records.  Even though homeowners are directed to respond to the CC&R committee by mail, they often email or phone and it would be helpful to have a reference to what the expectation was should the homeowner need further information.  All responses on the letters will still promptly be directed to the CC&R committee.  Bill Malowney agreed to furnish copies of the letters to Steve.
GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

  1. Bill Malowney reported that there were no maintenance problems.
  2. Steve Yandl stated that we needed to make a decision on Skinner’s latest contract proposal.  The maintenance contract is for essentially the same services as Skinner is currently providing.  It will run for 12 months beginning January 1, 2006 and cost $24,396 plus tax.  This represents a 5% increased cost over the current contract.  Bill Steenis moved that we accept the contract proposal.  Steve Yandl seconded the motion and it passed 5 – 0.
  3. Jan Corbally shared her suggestion that we consider planting Kinnikinnick or Bearberry in several of the areas where we currently lack proper sprinkler coverage.  The areas in question are 3300 ft² at the N. end of 72nd Drive where there will eventually be a pedestrian path connection to the Willis Tucker park and 2480 ft² E side of 67th Ave immediately W of our NW detention pond.  Jan distributed a research summary on the plants, their characteristics and approximate costs based on pricing from Emorys.  Jan proposed that if we didn’t want to risk starting the plantings in an area with no sprinkler coverage, we might clear a small area of lawn where we do have sprinkler coverage and plant Kinnikinnick to see how it performs.  The Board had previously agreed to postpone decisions on these areas until no sooner that summer 2006 when we should know how park entrances will be configured.
YARD OF MERIT PROGRAM

  1. Bill Steenis summarized the activities regarding this successful program.  He suggested that with the weather changes in Autumn, it might make sense to end the program in September rather than October in 2006.
  2. Bill reports that he received only positive comments.
  3. Steve Yandl asked where the signs would be stored for winter.  Bill hasn’t decided that yet.
  4. Bill is lining up judges for holiday decoration judging.  There will be 10-12 awards. The consensus was that we should kick of yard of merit in Spring with judging in April for initial awards in May.
DECEMBER MEETING

  1. Steve Yandl asked if we could change the date of the December meeting from December 14 to December 7 or vote in an assistant Secretary to handle that one meeting.  The new date works better for most so the date will be changed.  It will still be 7:00 pm at the Yandl house. 
MEETING ADJOURNED 8:24 PM