Minutes: Autumn Walk Election Results and Meeting Notes 6/15/15

Autumn Walk elections were held on Monday, 6/15/15 and Mike Fitzgerald was elected to the Board. Your Autumn Walk HOA Board of Directors for 2015-2016 are:

• Damon Wood (term expires 2016)
• Dharmesh Patel (term expires 2017)
• Mike Fitzgerald (term expires 2018)

Other major items:

• Call for volunteers: 2015 Picnic
• Finances in very good shape
• Plan to proceed with Autumn Walk monument sign
• Various repairs
• Including issue of jurisdiction over sidewalks
• Snow removal
• Parking

Meeting Details:

1. Quorum established - 12 houses (of 12 needed), meeting called to order at 7:08 PM
1. 5 homes in attendance (9806, 9811, 9836, 9848, 9854)
2. 7 proxies (9804, 9814, 9832, 9845, 9852, 9860)
3. CAS Management represented by April Day
4. Fred Leong agreed to take notes for Minutes, will continue to manage email, web site, FB
2. Financial Review (as of 5/31/15) - April Day
1. Large operating expenses amount in checking account and smaller amount in money market
1. Action taken in June to move half into Reserves as approved by Board at last meeting (November 2014)
2. Q: What are retained earnings?
1. This amount is the difference between income and expenses since the community was founded
2. Autumn Walk has healthy finances because the builder (Miller & Smith) left us in very good shape
1. Miller & Smith paid for many expenses in the beginning, leaving Autumn Walk in good financial standing
2. Unusually good among builders
3. Income
1. No delinquent accounts (a couple of minor late fees, but all homes are current)
4. Admin Expenses
1. Under budget primarily because insurance premium had not yet been paid (this occurred in June)
5. Grounds
1. Improvements approved at last Board meeting
1. Bids to repair retaining wall around tree behind lots 22 and 23
2. CAS just received second bid, will send to new Board
3. Bids seem somewhat high, perhaps because CAS' contacts are in Montgomery County
1. CAS will look into getting a third bid from a local contractor in Laurel area
2. Other items approved at last meeting have not been done
1. Install rip-rap (stone) to prevent erosion at outlet of drainage pipe
2. Dead trees in forest conservation area
1. CAS needs to call County to determine if this is permissible - 9868 is concerned they will fall on retaining wall
2. CAS will inspect after meeting
3. Sidewalk cracks
3. Streetlight with broken pole replaced, but light not working
1. Can be called in by anyone with pole number
2. Lighting Outage Form: https://secure.bge.com/forms/pages/ODL-LightingOutage.aspx
4. Q: Are sidewalks HOA responsibility or homeowner responsibility?
1. One row is looking at driveway repairs, contractor said he cannot touch sidewalk as that is HOA property
2. ACTION: CAS/Board to determine if sidewalks are HOA or homeowner responsibility
3. CAS comments that other communities are having issues where entire row has bad concrete (as in this case)
1. Emerson is issuing citations - homeowner needs to respond
2. Unclear if the damage here is bad enough to generate a violation
5. Extended discussion of snow removal
1. Not clear what should be the policy for HOA contracting for service to clear sidewalks
1. Concern that contractor service is inconsistent in quality and somewhat late, or has other issues (e.g., plow on vehicle damages sidewalks)
2. HOA only formally responsible for common areas, homeowners are responsible for most of sidewalks
2. Drainage problem in heavy snows in some spots
1. Snow piles block gutters 
2. Can the County address this?
6. Social
1. Small amount for social activities
1. Sufficient because we do most activities as potluck including Picnic, Halloween, Flamingo Fridays
2. April notes that other communities have also adopted Flamingo Fridays due to this example
1. Our flamingos are kept by Allie (9832) and Daphna (9834)
2. Will put out a call for volunteers to organize a Picnic in mid-September
3. Fred will offer garage as potential location at end of cul-de-sac
1. Different location can be chosen, but this minimizes traffic issues while providing a garage in case of inclement weather
7. Signs
1. "No Soliciting" sign: ordered, but came in wrong color (supposed to be burgundy and white)
2. Q: Children at play? Consensus that this is unnecessary, portable signs more effective
3. Q: Towing sign? (See parking discussion below)
8. Reserves
1. Plan to do a Reserve Study this year
2. Budget item for Reserve Expense: Monument Sign
1. Residents overwhelmingly in favor
2. Prefer Board pick design versus survey residents
3. Site would be at entrance to street - let residents there know
4. Board wants a high-quality sign because it sets tone for the neighborhood
1. Favors stone look (e.g., Stone Lake, Waverly Woods, etc.)
2. Doesn't need to be "real" stone but should look classy (implementations can vary widely in quality)
5. CAS will ask two vendors to provide locations of sample work that we can look at for quality and appearance
6. Need to get bids within Budget, but believe we have the funds to do this
3. Parking
1. Guest parking is continually occupied, guests must park outside of neighborhood
2. Issue deferred to new Board
1. If parking is addressed, policies need to be clear and enforceable
2. Bylaws say residents should use garage first, then driveway/parking pad; and Board can set policies and set fines for Autumn Walk-owned spaces
3. CAS will provide example parking policies from other neighborhoods
4. Towing:
1. General reluctance to choose this route
2. But, CAS will investigate Howard County policies for towing and related signage
5. Skylark Ridge parking policies established in conjunction with Howard County
1. But our parking areas are HOA-owned, not County
4. Elections
1. Have two Board members, need a third
2. Board is elected by community, then Board chooses its officers
1. Need at least a President to simplify communication/direction to CAS, and to sign papers
3. No candidates submitted prior to elections
4. Nominated from the floor: Mike Fitzgerald
1. Elected to Board
5. Miscellaneous
1. 9836 used the duct cleaning service that Jenny found
1. Recommend them very highly
2. Emerson Town Meeting on Wednesday
1. Comment that would like to see them address plans for Clubhouse renovation
2. In essence, they are proposing paying off the current loan but then taking out a new one to pay for Clubhouse expansion
3. Would like a sense of how the costs and benefits compare
3. Contacting Autumn Walk (questions and issues)
1. Can contact CAS Management (April Day)
2. If email sent to autumnwalkhoa (at) gmail it will be forwarded to CAS and the Board
3. See Contact page of this site