Attending:
Board Directors - Cliff Anderson (President), Floyd Edler (VP, ARC), Alan Promberger (Common Grounds), Peg Mazza (Social), Donna Falcone (At Large)
Sentry Property Management - Christie
Residents - about a dozen - Welcome to new homeowners!
Financial - News - Our Treasurer, Mike Bazzy, has resigned from the Board. The position will be filled at the Annual Meeting. Anyone interested in serving on the 7-member Board of Directors, please contact any Board member. The list of Board Members and their phone numbers are on the web site at this link:
https://sites.google.com/site/hawthornpark/Home/BOD
Financial - It was reported there is about $51k cash on-hand, and expenses are running slightly under budget year-to-date. It was reported that 8 homeowners are carrying a balance.
AutoPay - The Board requested NewsFlash to include a link to Property Management's web site where dues and assessments may be paid on-line:
http://www.sentrymgt.com/make-a-payment/
Tree Damage - Recent storms have damaged several trees on common grounds that need to be removed. Alan has been diligently getting estimates for this work. In the various bids that have been obtained Alan is looking at quality of workmanship and lawn damage considerations in addition to price. He recommended using a service with equipment that minimizes damage to lawns that will be crossed to gain access to the trees. Also, having the trees chipped on-site is cheaper than hauling away. The work will commence once the funds are available.
Tree Damage - Cost - The Hawthorn Park "surplus" kitty is insufficient to pay for the tree clean-up. The HOA does not have insurance that covers tree damages. Per Property Management, seeking relief from FEMA is not an option for HOA's. Alan mentioned a number of estimates. We are looking at something in the neighborhood of $12k to cover 4 or 5 trees, and more to cover additional tree damages. After prolonged discussion, a motion was passed to move forward with a Special Assessment of all Association Members for $250. The Board and Property Management will be working to execute the process to communicate the Special Assessment and collect the money. The communication will include information on scope of work and due date for payment.
Front Tree Stump - The stump removal of the diseased oak tree at the front entrance remains to be done. Alan is following up with the contractor. Stump grinding, but definition, needs to be about 1-foot below ground level.
Tree Removal Procedures - The Board discussed the need to inform home owners on the procedures for removing "street trees" and having them replaced. Cutting them down requires County approval and ARC review, and a commitment to replace the removed tree with another from a defined list of permissible species.
Social - Christmas Party - Peg is seeking a volunteer homeowner to host the Christmas Party this year. The committee will do most of the work, including clean-up. Please contact Peg (941-794-3898) if you would like to invite this warm annual event to your home!
Social - Garage Sale - Peg is planning the February garage sale. If anyone would like to help, please contact Peg. There is no fee to residents who want to participate in the sale. We usually have between 20 and 30 homes participating, and lots of customers!
Social - Spring Picnic - Peg shared her ideas for a Spring Picnic in April, which would include a Silent Auction. The idea is to bring nice items left-over from the Garage Sale to be auctioned to raise money for the Social Fund. Where to hold the picnic is a question at this point. The Palma Sola Botanical Park has raised their prices and it may no longer be an option. Anyone with ideas should contact Peg.
Legal - Property Management and the Board have engaged an attorney to address the breach of agreement of a person living in Hawthorn Park who should not be living here.
ARC - The Architectural Review Committee is chaired by Floyd (not Alan). Please address all ARC questions and paperwork to Floyd. Are you considering exterior work on your home, lawn, or trees? An ARC review and approval is required. The form is in the annual Directory, and also downloadable from this link:
https://sites.google.com/site/hawthornpark/Home/Info/ARCform
Common Grounds - Please address concerns or questions about common areas to Alan.