Ashford Park Home Owner’s Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
6:30 PM
Gulfway Church
Results are highlighted and underlined below
Meeting was Called To Order
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Pledge of Allegiance-Please stand - Bob Webb
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Prayer - Bob Webb
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Reading of Vision Statement - Brenda Trawick
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Roll Call
Secretary’s Report
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Action Item - February 12, 2015 HOA Meeting Minutes - Minutes were accepted as read
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Old Business - None
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Correspondence - None
Treasurer’s Report
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Informational Item - January/February Financial Report & Budget Analysis Statement - Can be found below
President’s Report
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Action Item - Resignation Letters-Letters of Resignation from Tom Owen and Clara Woods were accepted by Board Vote.
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Action - Appointments to fill vacant Board Member Positions-David Roffman (will serve a Vice-President) and Kevin Welsh (will serve as Treasurer) were appointed by Board Vote.
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Action Item - Action Item-2015 Proposed Budget-2015 Budget was approved as presented.
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Action Item - Website/Website Sponsors-Website Sponsors at $300 each (Matt Demers & Frith Lawn Care Plus) were approved by Board Vote with the funds going directly to the webmaster to build and operate a new Website for Ashford Park. The new website will have added depth and features.
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2013 and 2014 Audits - The Board, by Vote, authorized the Treasurer to have the 2013 and 2014 books audited.
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Informational Item - List of Board Members and their Respective Board Positions
President - Bob Webb
Vice President - Dave Roffman
Secretary - Brenda Trawick
Treasurer - Kevin Welsh
Architectural Chair - Mark Wolcott
Nomination Chair - Barbara Cutsinger
Informational Items
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Name of Board Members and their Corresponding Positions have been forwarded to the Insurance Provider.
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The Outgoing Board Members were both cooperative and helpful during the transition.
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44 people volunteered to serve on 4 committees. Their names and respective committees have been placed on the website. The 4 committees met on February 24 with reports forthcoming from the respective Chair-Persons later in the meeting.
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List of time-sensitive tasks were presented to each Committee by Bob Webb
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The Committees developed a set of FAQ’s (frequently asked questions) and those FAQ’s have been placed on the website. More FAQ’s will be created at each committee meeting.
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Anyone wishing to be added to one of the committees should see the Board Secretary, Brenda Trawick or Tech/Communications Committee Member Deb Peterson after the meeting.
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Proxy Voting - A Sample Proxy letter will be placed on the website.
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On Thursday March 5, Bob Webb met with Bob Schroeder, who is the new Hampton Park HOA President. We agreed to invite one another or our designees to all meetings involving the City Engineer and/or Environmental Specialist to better understand issues and expectations relative to the drainage problems connected to the jointly-owned retention pond.
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Informational Item - Furniture/Equipment Inventory: 2 computer desks, 1 File Cabinet, 2 Laptop Computers, 1 printer, 2 chair mats, 1 shredder, 1 digital camera, and 1 file box was received from outgoing Board Members. The Board wanted this information recorded in the minutes.
Committee Reports
Finance / Legal Committee Report
Sherry Irvin
March 10, 2015
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A Subcommittee was formed to evaluate the needed changes in the Covenants and By-Laws. Dale Torrence will serve as Chairperson of the subcommittee.
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Kevin Welsh agreed to contact a few CPAs who might have interest in doing our 2013 and 2014 audits.
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Bob asked our committee to create seven (7) FAQs. We created nine (9) and they are now on the HOA website.
Maintenance Committee Report
Chris Canupp
March 10, 2015
Committee members met on 2/24/15 and conducted a walk around the subdivision on 2/28/15 to visually observe the issues brought up at discussion at the meeting on the 24th. Discussion and inspection of the retention pond at the S/W corner of the subdivision and retention pond that is shared by Ashford Park HOA and Hampton Park HOA located on the S/E corner were inspected. Currently a ditch was dug on the perimeter of the pond and canal deepened and banks built up to assist in the flow of water out of the pond. A project that needs to be completed is levelling and possibly seeding the retention pond on the S/W corner. The committee will also be exploring other possible alternatives for the S/W retention pond. The HOA is responsible for a retention pond located on the N/E corner of the subdivision that borders Foley High School property. Currently this pond is overgrown with small to medium trees that could cause a problem with the flow of storm water out of the pond and downstream. This pond has been neglected for many years. This pond needs to have the overgrown vegetation removed. This requires the project to be completed by a contractor. The overgrown weeds also runs along a fence line and underground storm water drain pipe on the east side of the subdivision that borders City of Foley property. Several underground storm drain pipes were inspected they appear to have cracks in the concrete or separated at the pipe joint or box. The most serious one is located in the common area between Oakford and East Ashford Park. This project may require a contractor to complete. Several fences on HOA property need to be repaired and boards replaced. Materials to repair broken warped boards may be already available from the removal of the HOA fences on Gabon Dr. where it crosses over the canal. These fences are beginning to fall and these areas will eventually need to be opened up as the last few emptied lots are filled and access to the HOA common areas become restricted. In conclusion the completion of the work on the S/W corner pond is a priority and needs to be finished. The storm drainage pipe located between Oakford and East Ashford needs to be a priority too. The repair could be as simple as a concrete patch to more complex involving a contractor and installation of new pipe. Finally the overgrown retention pond on the N/E corner of the subdivision is a future project that needs to be completed if funding is available.
2015 Tech/Communications Committee Report
Here is the list of things that we want to do through our committee.
1. Creative ways to get the annual fee statement to all of the homeowners. Put up signs as was
done for the Annual HOA Meeting. Bobby Hale researched the cost of these signs and found a
company that will make the signs for $35 each. Each sign can serve as a reminder that it’s time to pay HOA dues, as well as state the time and place of the HOA Annual Meeting. E-Statements can be sent to all who have e-mail addresses. If we do not have an e-mail address for a homeowner, then we will probably have to send theirs through U.S. Mail. Two weeks before dues are delinquent, delinquent notices with late fee information shall be mailed via U.S. Mail to all who have not yet paid. At each Board Meeting, we will openly encourage homeowners to utilize the new website and to pay their dues when they receive E-statements, as this savings on postage will help keep our HOA dues down.
2. Our subcommittee “Helping Hands” will give instructions to homeowners as to how to set up an email and use the website. Volunteers needed. Susan Pichoff will help. Maureen Ashmore had to resign due to work issues. We need a few more helpers. If you know of any neighbors /homeowners needing help, contact Deb Peterson or Susan Pichoff.
3. Update our DATABASE. Deb Peterson is heading up this project. This is an ongoing project as homes sell and new owners need to be added regularly. Marianna Whatley will look into a way to get information at the closing of a house. A document was sent out to all homeowners asking them to update this information and return within 60 days. So far 20 homeowners have replied.
4. 911 – Neighborhood watch - https://www.remind.com. These are ways to get in touch with neighbors quickly to report immediate threats to the neighborhood.
Architectural Committee Report
March 10, 2015
1. Our Committee surveyed the Ashford complex for compliance related developments, and possible noncompliance issues. One concern was the observance of tree house / jungle gym playground equipment in backyards. Also, the concern that these playhouses would be considered outbuildings. We have discovered several situations of playhouses in addition to storage outbuildings which were constructed long prior to this year. Some go back as much as 8 to 10 years ago located at the early phases of both East and West Ashford Roads. I will bring up the situations tonight and the possible ramifications for prior constructions to limit future building of playground equipment,
2. The Committee unanimously approved the fence construction at Ron Winterstein’s house. Together with Ron, Mark Manley and I walked the proposed fence location and dimensions, approximately 10 ft. x 114 ft., to abut but not encroach the neighbor’s fence which intersects laterally.
Informational Item - Next Committee Meetings-April 28 at Gulfway Church 6:15 (not Foley Library)
Informational Item - Next Board Meeting-May 12 at Gulfway Church 6:30 PM