The Monthly Board Meeting for Hawthorn Park was held on Thursday, December 17, 2009 at the First America Bank. Here are the topics and highlights of the meeting.
Please note: These are not the official meeting minutes. The official minutes are recorded by Susan Thimmes, Property Manager, and are archived at the offices of Sentry Management.
Attendees
Board of Directors:
Ray Dalto (present)
Wendy Edler (present)
Mike Hogan (present)
Frank Maruca (present)
Mike Sandstrum (present)
Sean Simpson (absent)
Pat Whitesel (present)
Sentry Management
Susan Thimmes (present)
Several interested residents of Hawthorn Park: Lee Fioretto, Tom Falcone, Ed Goff, Art Stadlin
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
Financial - Mike Sandstrum reported $46,877 cash position, with $9,000 current year surplus.
Activities Fund - Frank Maruca reported that $53 was spent on holiday lights, and the balance in the account is $674. He is expecting bills to pay from the Holiday Party and the upcoming Holiday Hayride.
Holiday Lights - Mike Hogan thanked the Dalto's and the Maruca's for installing the holiday lights at the front entrance.
Landscaping - The Board discussed the need for some new bushes at the front entrance and decided to have them installed in January, after the reclaim water is restored.
New Sidewalk - The County completed the missing link between the 9th Avenue sidewalk and the 9th Avenue pavement on the west end of Hawthorn Park. Mike Hogan explained that he and Len Lesjak will be getting together this week to write a letter to the County Commission to thank them for doing this project.
Bulk TV Services Contract - Following the 40 to 26 vote at the Annual Meeting to continue with a bulk-rate TV services contract in Association Dues, the Board investigated DirecTV, Verizon, and BrightHouse. The Board voted unanimously to enter into a 5-year contract renewal with BrightHouse Networks for the same analog TV service we already have. Mike Hogan explained that the decision was based primarily on price, but also on other factors. For example, BrightHouse is the only TV subscription service that does not require a set-top-box nor other special equipment. Any cable-ready TV can connect directly to BrightHouse cable. The first two years of the new contract are locked into the same price we currently pay. Years three, four, and five could have up to a 5-percent increase in each year. The contract has no early termination option. Verizon also offered a 5-year contract deal, which started at about $4 more per month and included one set-top-box. Because Verizon has an all-digital system, every TV connected would require a box, so people with multiple TVs might end up having to pay additional to watch TV.
Fines Committee - The previous Fines Committee membership has been recalled into service, if needed. They are Jeanine Balsis, Carol Heckman, and Murray Renick. Susan explained how the fines process works. The maximum fine is $100 per day, with a grand total of $1,000.
Special Assessment - Susan explained the procedures that will be required to be followed, including notification requirements. Mike Hogan has recently discussed the situation with Karen at Zoller Engineering. Things are still on track for the front pond repair work project to begin in late 2010 or early 2011. Since an exact estimate of the project price is not yet available, the process to ratify a Special Assessment cannot begin. Susan explained that if the amount of the Special Assessment becomes known well in advance, it is an option to bill homeowners in installments.
Calendar - The Board has decided to continue to meet monthly, on the LAST Thursday of each month (except November and December). Dates for Garage Sales and Social Events in 2010 have not yet been established.
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