Minutes of the Brook Ridge Homeowners Association Annual Meeting,
June 14, 2010
http://sites.google.com/site/brookridgehoa/Home
Present: Carole Princer Levy, Carolyn Levy, Barbara Moran, Paul Spindel, Herb Meyers. Also present: Jeff Stillman, Rob Abelson and Tom Pallman, all of Stillman Management.
The meeting was held at the President’s Room at the Wykagyl Country Club, New Rochelle, NY.
Pre-Board meeting
Board President Carole Princer Levy called a brief pre-meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Issues to be expanded upon during the regular agenda of the HOA Annual Meeting were briefly reviewed:
· Operating and Capital accounts and projected deficit
· Required color matching of the roof shingles of one homeowner
· Payments and payment agreements with two homeowners
Annual Meeting of Homeowners
President Carole Princer Levy called the Annual Meeting of Brook Ridge HOA to order at 7:35 PM and reported on the following issues:
General information
· Proof of Notice of meeting was waived.
· Reading of the minutes of the Homeowners Meeting of the previous year was waived. These are available on the HOA website.
· The community is in good shape. Special attention was drawn to the nice landscaping with flowers and bushes having been planted around the gate area, the pool entrance and other parts of the property.
· Several new owners were introduced and greeted.
Maintenance Payments
Judgments and negotiations with two delinquent Homeowners, and the effect of legal fees in connection with these, were discussed. Partial payments of arrears by both Homeowners were received by Stillman Management. To bring the payments completely current, negotiations on behalf of Brook Ridge HOA are being conducted by Stillman Management. attorney Lewis Montana and the Board.
Swimming Pool
In order to save maintenance costs, life pool attendants will be present at the pool on weekends only. Maintenance of the pool, previously the responsibility of everyday lifeguards, is being handled by community volunteers Paul Spindel, Carolyn Levy, Joe Boyle, Steve Berkowitz and Monica Teuscher.
· Pool furniture, damaged during the previous season, has been repaired or replaced.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
In 2009, the so-called “Amanda’s Law” was passed by the New York State Legislature requiring the mandatory installation of carbon monoxide detectors in all residential housing units. These should be installed in an electric wall socket within ten feet of the sleeping area. A document, signed by the Homeowner, confirming such installation, must be submitted to Stillman Management.
Property Maintenance
· The HOA is suing the builder at Cherry Lawn golf range for damage from mud slides and flooding experienced by Homeowners around the upper circle of Brook Ridge, resulting from the construction of new housing units. homeowners are reminded that parking is not permitted on the street and around the circle of the Brook Ridge property to maintain access to fire engines or ambulances in case of emergencies.
· Homeowners are encouraged to park their cars in their garages or on their driveways, leaving the public parking spaces for the benefit of guests. Cars parked in guest spaces for more than five (5) consecutive days will be charged $125.00 per month.
· The possibility of installing solar panels at Brook Ridge units was briefly discussed, with Homeowner Irv Fletcher giving a brief presentation of his preliminary exploration into such a program.
· Replacement of roads and curbs around the Brook Ridge property is a source of continuing discussion by the Board. Painting recently completed is expected to last 5-7 years, but some peeling has been reported and will be addressed at the next Board meeting..
Review of Financial Report
Paul Spindel reported the current status of the Brook Ridge financial account:
Operating account: $26,419.88
Capital account: $197,954.39
Projected deficit: $16,120.00
Paul Spindel explained that the deficit was mainly due to unexpectedly high costs for storm related repairs around the Brook Ridge property, as well as Homeowners arrears and legal costs..
Election of two (2) Board Members
The termination of the terms of two members of the HOA Board of Directors, President Carol Princer Levy and Barbara Moran, required the election of two officers to fill these positions. Barbara Moran declined to continue her membership on the Board.
The election by HOA members present or by proxy resulted as follows:
· Carole Princer Levy was re-elected
· Enrique Teuscher was elected to fill the second Board position
Vote to Amend the By-laws and Declaration
Consideration of the following Resolution, amending By-laws regarding suspension and/or enjoyment of services, was put before of the members of Brook Ridge Home Owners Association:
Homeowners who are three or more months in arrears of their monthly maintenance charges may be denied the right to use the Common Properties and the right to receive all Association services until such time as the arrears are satisfied. These rights and services include, but are not limited to, snow removal of Homeowner’s property, repairs of leaks in the roof, and use of the pool, tennis court and guest parking.
The Resolution was approved.
Discussion
Following the conclusion of the reports by officers a period of discussion touched on the following subjects:
· Speed bumps: Fairly unanimous criticism of the abruptness of the speed bumps installed at various intervals throughout the Brook Ridge property led to the request for investigating o when the speed bumps are due for replacement
· Entrance gate: Complaints continued about the sometimes difficult functioning of the entrance gate. Board members explained that replacing the gate with a swinging gate would be very expensive and too slow, requiring 12-15 seconds to open. An investigation into a new mechanism is in progress.
· Election Process: A few Homeowners voiced their concern that the current procedure for the election of officers gave them little time to consider the candidates’ capabilities. It was recommended to notify Homeowners of upcoming Board openings and identify the experience of candidates prior to Annual Board Meetings.
· Landscaping: To control water coming from the Cherry Lawn property during major rain storms, suggestions were made to install a “swail” or trench to prevent damage to homes adjoining Cheery Lawn. This will be investigated.
The Brook Ridge Home Owners Association Annual Meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM
Post-Board Meeting
A brief meeting by the Board of Directors, following the HOA Annual meeting, discussed the following issues:
· Election of officers: Carole Princer Levy, President: Paul Spindel, Treasurer; Herb Meyers, Secretary
· A water problem near Unit #49, where two sprinkler lines seem to meet, needs to be investigated.
· New, more attractive garbage cans have been ordered for the swimming pool area.
The next Board of Directors meeting will take place on Monday, July 12th at Unit #54
Respectfully submitted,
Herb Meyers