HOA Annual Meeting Apr 30th, 2012
The Crossings Homeowners Association’s annual meeting was held this past Monday evening in the Phase 1 playground at 7:00pm. Several dozen homeowners were present. Below are my notes on the topics discussed at the meeting.
- Board President, Jack Curran, welcomed everyone and extended an invitation to all to participate in the open session of each future Board meeting.
- The second storm water retention pond renovation project will likely need to be completed within the next 18 months. Current cost estimate is approximately $11,000. The Board will need to determine how this should be funded. A potential assessment, if done at one time, would be ($11,000 / 150 homeowners) approximately $73.
- The landscape contract was awarded to Goerl Landscaping for a 3 year term.
- 3 positions on the Board have been filled. The nomination process produced 3 individuals willing to serve. They are: Chris Bogdon; Brian Kile; and Kevin Sullivan.
- The Board is considering hiring an attorney to review the Plan Covenants. This document was provided by the developer in 1987 prior to commencing work on The Crossings and is in need of clarification, modification, and update.
- Treasurer, Jim Lacey, provided a brief financial summary. 146 homeowners are current on HOA dues. Most opted for the 1 annual payment option. 3 are paying quarterly. Regarding the 4 delinquent accounts: one is in litigation and if payment is not received prior to May 6th, then the process for applying a lien on the property will commence. One other home is a sale-pending status and the seller’s realtor is aware that HOA dues must be paid in full prior to the Board releasing a Certificate of Resale.
- The checking account balance is approximately $18,000 and is adequate to fund the remainder of the 2012 budget. There is approximately $5,000 in the HOA savings account.
- It was noted that the variable in each year’s budget is the number of trees that may need to be removed.
- Jim also reminded everyone about the planned Spring Clean Up this Saturday, May 5th from 10am to 1:00pm. Volunteers are asked to contact Ray Speicher at 724-841-4262 or Jim Lacey at 724-776-4636 if you plan to participate. We plan to meet in the Phase 1 park pavilion Saturday morning.
- The Spring Yard Sale is planned for the following Saturday May 12th.
- I gave a quick update on the plan to provide more frequent communications via e-mail. 67 homeowners have provided their e-mail addresses to me. If you have occasion to be discussing this with your neighbors who might also like to receive these e-mail updates, please ask them to send me their contact information at kraynikc@gmail.com.
- The Crossings Directory, last provided in 2008, is being updated for distribution to each home.
- Copies of a plan drawing, color-coded, to indicate Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 were made available at the meeting. Some of our newer neighbors are unfamiliar with these references that they have seen in the Board meeting notes and asked me for clarification. If anyone else would like a copy, let me know and I can e-mail it to you.
- The need for upgrades to the Crossings web-site (www.thecrossingsneighborhood.com) was also noted. Chris Bogdon volunteered to review it and offer suggestions.
- The next Board meeting will be held on May 16th at the Curran residence (501 Sheffield Court) starting at 7:00pm. From 7:00pm until 7:30pm the floor is open to anyone wishing to bring new issues/ideas/comments forward.
A short question and answer session followed with these topics:
- Is the current annual dues level sufficient to meet annual expenses? (Yes, provided that tree-removal cost stays at normal levels. Weather events or disease infestation could cause it to increase. But the remainder of expenses in the budget are adequately funded.)
- Why do the covenants specify fencing restrictions of non-standard size that increases the cost? (This is a topic that will be reviewed with the attorney for possible amendment).
- When Goerl Landscaping is working near the plan entrance on Hunting Ridge Trail, their truck is parked too close to Rochester Road. This creates a hazard for people using that entrance to the plan. Goerl should be asked to park in a safer location. (Jim Lacey volunteered to contact Goerl and point this out to them).
- When a homeowner’s yard is left uncut and becomes an unsightly nuisance, what recourse does the HOA have available to remedy this problem? (There is language in Article 4.1 (f) that gives the HOA the right to have the yard work performed at the owner’s expense. This will be discussed in more detail at the next Board meeting to seek alternate solutions.)
- With regard to the home that is sale-pending and delinquent on HOA dues, a licensed (and very charming) realtor suggested that the Certificate of Resale provided by the Board should contain contact information and instructions for the buyer on remittance of HOA dues.
The meeting was then concluded. Thanks to all for attending. For those unable to make it, hopefully you will find this information useful.
