MEADOW CREEK HOA

Meadow Creek HOA

Annual Meeting Minutes

November 15, 2018 – 7pm

 

Call to Order: 7:05pm

 

Verify Quorum: 35 in person, 9 by proxy (15% of 188 needed, 29) Quorum was met.

 

Welcome and Introduction of the current Board of Directors

Martha Koscinski, President; Reid McKinley, Vice President; Mary Schlosser, Treasurer; Gerry Lang, Secretary and Nate Card, At-Large.

 

Approval of 2017 Minutes:  Motion was made to approve minutes as written. Motion was seconded, and majority approved the minutes.

 

Presentation from Tanya Andreasen – Neighborhoods Coordinator for City of Bozeman

The Neighborhoods Program (Inter-neighborhood Council) aids in organizing citizen focus groups and inter-neighborhood meetings to keep the residents of Bozeman informed and active in their community and local government.  Meadow Creek is not currently a member; however, some residents of South Bridge, our neighbors to the East, have contacted Tanya regarding the possibility of forming a “neighborhood association” with Meadow Creek.  The Council meets once a month.  There are currently 14 neighborhood associations in Bozeman.  Membership is voluntary and free.

 

Tanya also discussed a helpful online platform called NextDoor.  There are positive and negative aspects of NextDoor.  As it is free, there is some advertising, which can be a nuisance.  However, it also provides important information to the various neighborhoods concerning garbage pickup, snow removal, street cleaning and other public service announcements.

 

Shannon Weber of Luna Properties discussed their new software upgrade called Appfolio.

 

Mary Schlosser, Treasurer, discussed the Proposed 2019 Budget and reviewed the bank accounts and balances as of November 15, 2018.

Operating Account– $16,298.00

Playground Account - $2,949.00

Reserve Account - $38,059.00

Performance Deposit - $2,000.00

Storm Water Account - $19,795.00 

Street Lights Account - $6,229.00

 

As of this date, our six (6) bank accounts total $85,479.00.  Of that amount 84% are funds held in reserve for various projects

 

The owners of properties located on Blocks 1, 2, 3 contribute to the Storm Water and Street Light Accounts through a legal association called the East Side Enterprise Association (ESEA) and share the costs for common area retention ponds, storm water ditches and street lights with the MCHOA.  The MCHOA administers and bills the ESEA annually, based on a percentage of the annual budget for storm water and street light maintenance.  The biggest unknown expenditure is the cost to maintain the storm water ponds and ditches.  It was recommended that a schedule be set up for the maintenance of the storm water ponds and ditches on a regular basis.   When the street lights burn out, they are being replaced with more efficient LED bulbs.

 

Mary Schlosser reviewed some Line items in the budget.

Attorney fees has been reduced from previous years.

Street lights cost approximately $600 each to upgrade to LED lights.

Every year we budget $10,000 for our reserve account to fund unforeseen, large expenditures.

The budget for 2019 was set at $67,900, a few thousand less than the 2018 budget. Last year we reduced the annual assessment using carry-over funds from the previous year.  However, we are not recommending that for this year.

 

The annual Assessment will go up $10 to $350/year.  Owners can pay in full by January 31 or in two installments; half by January 31and half by July 31.

 

Vote to approve the 2019 Budget:  41 yes 1 no.   Budget for 2019 approved.

 

There are two positions open for the board due to term limits as outlined in the Covenants.  Both Martha Koscinski and Nate Card have served two terms.  Mary thanked them for their service prior to the budget and financial presentation.

 

Call for volunteers for the board. Bruce Parker volunteered Mark Kosinski volunteered. The term is two years. Nominations were closed. Motion to accept the two candidates. Mary moves. Motion seconded. All are in favor.

 

 

Open Floor       

 

Question: Light Survey – what was the result?  Reid McKinley reported that 57 homeowners responded with approximately 10% of the respondents having issues with lights they consider to be too bright.  Gerry Lang pointed out that the pole heights affect the amount of light shining below.  Light spreads and there’s not much the HOA can do about the height of the poles. One idea is to get a lower lumen to make the light less bright. There are approximately 22 lights remaining to be retrofitted to LED.  Owners are asked to please contact the management company if they notice a light out.

 

Question: S 27th boulevard – will it ever be landscaped?  The median strips are owned by the City of Bozeman.  A few years ago, the City, in conjunction with MSU, planted “native grasses” in the median strip closest to Blackwood in an attempt to discover which water resistant, low maintenance grasses that would thrive in the harsh environment of a median strip at the Meadow Creek elevation.  The study has been concluded.  The Board with approach the City asking for improvements to those median strips.

 

Question:   Owner discussed how this past summer during a windstorm, several dangerous limbs came down in the S. 29th median of cottonwood trees.  This Homeowner contacted the City Forestry Division and asked them to remove the downed limbs.  The City never responded, so the owner had a tree service remove some of the limbs.   It was recommended that the HOA put pressure on the City to clean up that area.  A few years ago, the City culled the trees from Blackwood to up to the bridge.  A comment was made that Kids are playing in and among the trees and there is concern regarding their safety.  New board can contact the City Forestry Division to come in and cull the trees again.

 

Question:  Courtney King would like to speak to the board about her parking space after the meeting.

 

A new website has been set up – www.meadowcreekhoa.net.  It contains photographs of Meadow Creek, a handbook, minutes of meetings, notices, covenants, bylaws and design review information.  Contact with the management company can also be done through the website.

 

Design reviews are done on a different website:  www.meadowcreek.info .

 

Meeting Adjourned:  7:50pm