Board of Directors Meetings
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
JULY 27, 2005
The meeting was called to order by Bill Frambes, President 7:02 PM.
Attendance was taken. Present: Bill Frambes, Jim Smalley, Chuck Gerhardstein, Ned Barnes, and Gerrie Kortekamp, Board Members; and Dave Munro, Property Manager from Towne Properties.
After the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes from the previous board meeting of May 25, 2005 were presented. Several corrections were mentioned. All corrections will be made and then updated minutes will be redistributed to Towne Properties and the Board. Jim Smalley said he was unable to read last month’s committee report from the Architectual & Maintenance Committee. Bill Frambes asked Alan Hahn to reprint a cleaner report, to eliminate the roller lines. Jim wants to include his report, along with the minutes, on our website. A motion was made by Ned Barnes, second by Jim Smalley to accept the minutes with the corrections. Motion Carried.
OFFICER REPORTS:
•
Ned Barnes presented an updated roster of Committees with names and
telephone numbers since some changes have taken place this month. This
list will be posted on the clubhouse bulletin board. Betty Barnes has
resigned as Chair of the Welcome Committee; Judi Hahn has volunteered
to fill that position. Pat Rummel has agreed to Chair the Social Committee;
Marilyn Jenner and Marge Rauch will be Co-Chairs in Pat’s absence.
It was sadly noted that Mary Gerhardstein has resigned as Chair of
the Social Committee, but will continue helping out on the committee.
She has chaired this committee approximately four years, and is ready
to allow others to step in as Chair. Bill Frambes gave her a very warm
expression of “Thanks” on behalf of the entire community.
MANAGEMENT REPORT:
•
Dave Munro reported that he had several items to discuss that were
already on the agenda and he would give his comments as they came up.
•
He has given a couple of proposals to the board for the repair of the
drainage problem on Vina Vista.
•
He has also received a bid on cleaning the chandeliers in the hallways
and the upper windows of the Terrace buildings.
•
We have two CDs for $60,000.and interest earned YTD of $1,003.
•
Dave has provided a delinquency report; we have five owners who are
delinquent.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
•
Social Committee….Since the committee has not met since Pat Rummel
began as Chair, Mary Gerhardstein reported for the committee. Chardonnay
had their pool opening on Memorial Day and the pool will remain open
until Labor Day. At this time, Bill Frambes asked Mary to remain standing
so that everyone could give Mary special recognition for all of her
time, work, and dedication during her four years as Chair for this
committee.
•
Welcome Committee….Judi Hahn has just begun as chair and has
a list of several new owners who have moved into the community that
they will be contacting. Bill Frambes also asked everyone to give Betty
Barnes a big “Thank You“ applause for all of the work she
has done on both the Social Committee and the Welcome Committee.
•
Pool Committee….Kathy Frambes reported that we are supposed to
get our new door lock installed sometime this weekend. The pool is
scheduled to close for the season on Labor Day. They are trying to
leave the pool open for a longer period of time. at an additional cost
of $37.00 per day. They are putting a request in the newsletter for
donations. If you wish to contribute, make checks out to “Chardonnay
Council of Co-Owners”. The pool will remain open based on the
amount of money that is collected. Notify Kathy by August 25th if you
will be sending a donation. There has been a question about having
food and drinks in the pool. Kathy has contacted the Board of Health
on this question, and they have indicated that it is entirely up to
our discretion, as to whether we wish to allow food and drinks in the
pool area. No food or drink should be brought into the pool itself,
however it is permitted inside the area around the pool.
•
Landscape Committee…..The committee chair was not present, so
Chuck Gerhardstein gave a short report. There has been discussion about
putting in an irrigation system at the front entrance to assist in
keeping the plants and shrubs watered on a regular basis. They talked
about adding a timer, so that watering would occur at regular intervals.
Chuck was unsure whether any proposals were underway. The committee
has been watering every several days at the entryway.
•
Architectural & Maintenance Committee…..Alan Hahn submitted
his written report to the board (see attached).
•
Finance Committee….. Bill Frambes reported that for the first
six months actual revenues were $138,840; the YTD budgeted amount was
$132,114, leaving us with $6,726 more income than we budgeted. On the
expense side, we budgeted $145,000. We have spent $148,358. We have
overspent $3,358, however when we consider the additional income over
budget, we have $3,230 to the good. Reserves YTD is $110,334.48. We
have received YTD $2,010. in interest on our CD’s. We have $60,000.
invested in CDs. We are beginning our budget process for next year
and plan to have a Finance Committee meeting sometime after Labor Day.
We plan to prepare this budget and turn it over to Dave Munro in early
to mid-November. Most likely co-owner fees will go up, not sure how
much, but we have additional expenses to consider. Delinquencies are
extremely low, $400. approx., thanks to the close monitoring by Dave
Munro.
OLD BUSINESS:
•
Chardonnay streets turnover to city…….. At the last council
meeting of Cold Spring, the council accepted the streets in Springside
into the city’s maintenance system, after it took Springside
over a year to make the recommended repairs to their streets. At their
last caucus meeting, the council had put our request as well as the
Springside request on hold until they could get the recommendations
from the Northern Kentucky Planning Commission. For some reason, the
council went ahead, at their last meeting, and approved the Springside
request, but made no mention of the Chardonnay request. The Mayor has
still not responded to several inquiries that Bill has made by E-Mail
for an update to our request. Bill will continue to follow up for some
answer.
•
Terrace hall chandelier sensor….. Bill reported that sensors
have been installed in three more buildings. (1102 Monterey Lane, the
1400-1402 buildings) They have changed their approach and they are
installing light sensors which operate the lighting rather than a timer
switch. They are less expensive and last longer. A decision was made
to wait until September to continue with this project, since the heat
is so intense in the ceiling/attic area. Nine more buildings are remaining
that need the light sensors.
•
TR Gear/ repair drainage on Vina Vista ….. Chuck Gerhardstein
reported that after discussion with TR Gear, they are not able to fix
the drainage problem. A proposal from APEX Maintenance Inc, for $2,975.00
is being considered. Another proposal from The Machine Group for $2,680.00
was reviewed. Repairs would be made similar to the first estimate to
give us the desired results. Water drainage would be piped into the
sewer system and the sod would be restored, as well as redo the curbing
and redo the pavement in the roadway. Another estimate, less expensive,
was rejected since it did not present a permanent solution to the drainage
problem. Chuck recommended that we accept The Machine Group bid of
$2,680.00. Bill suggested that we use money from the reserve amount
set aside for street repairs (parking lot & driveway repairs).
A motion to accept the bid from The Machine Group for $2,680.00 and
use the reserve for street maintenance to cover the expense, was made
by Gerrie Kortekamp; second by Chuck Gerhardstein, M.C.
•
1400 – 1402 Building fire restoration….. Building permit
issues were resolved and progress is now being made to restore the
building. The roof work has begun, the framework is being resealed,
the wood areas are being cleaned and then seal-coated to remove the
smoke odor. The next phase, electricians will come in to redo the wiring,
hook up the HVAC units, plumbing will be roughed in, drywall put up
and then insulation will be blown back into the roof area. All the
crews have been lined up to come in and continue the work. As work
progresses, owners will be contacted to make selections to restore
their unit to its original condition. Owners may elect to upgrade,
at their expense. The official loss, per our insurance company, was
$502,500.00 and does not include the amount of personal losses from
the individual owners.
•
Knox-Box Rapid Entry System…… The Knox-Box has been proposed
and discussed at previous meetings. At a cost of over $4,000. for the
boxes, installation costs, owner notification and postage, the cost
per owner will be $30.00. Providing a key to put inside the Knox-Box
is optional; owners have a choice as to whether they wish to include
a front-door key to their individual unit. A motion was made by Gerrie
Kortekamp, second by Ned Barnes that we purchase and install the Knox-Box
Rapid Entry System for the community. Motion Carried.
•
Chardonnay Memorial area…… Jim Smalley had nothing to report
, since he has not heard back from the E-Mails that he has sent to
Diane Harmling, Landscape Chair.
•
Chardonnay Internet Web Page…. Jim Smalley reported that the
web page is up and running. The internet address is: chardonnayhome.com
The Master Deed, the Welcome Book, and the Chardonnay Grapevine are
some of the items that have been added. The cost is $25.00 per month
to maintain this web page. Anyone with suggestions of how we can improve
the web page, should contact Jim Smalley.
•
Benches to rest on in the common area….. Ned Barnes reported
that two different benches are being considered. One is mentioned in
Alan Hahn’s committee report. The other bench, that Ned saw at
Lowe’s , is white, cast aluminum, has a 10-Year limited warranty,
is rust-resistant and each costs approx. $199.00 plus tax . They are
proposing to have four benches. Bill requested that we table this discussion
in order to get more feedback of what is available, along with pricing
options, before we make a decision.
FLOOR OPEN TO OWNERS:
•
Tim O’Hearn asked if work will continue inside, when weather
prevents the work crew from working on the roof. Bill explained that
the restoration company has a schedule of materials and labor all lined
up to continue work until the job is completed. Bill explained some
of the issues that were addressed in order to get the building permits
issued so that work could begin. Bill also said that in order to get
the right information, you need to ask the right person. He suggested
that anyone with questions or concerns, should contact Bill Frambes,
Rick Hatton, or Dave Munro from Towne Properties.
•
Rhoda Wheeler requested that the board seriously consider including
regular inspections of the dryer vents as a regular maintenance item,
rather than relying on individual owners to take care of this maintenance.
Bill related that, even though this is mentioned in the Master Deed,
as an owner responsibility, he agreed that it was a good idea for us
to consider.
•
Ruth Noll asked if something could be done about the towels outside
on the window sill. Bill explained that the water dripping problem
could not be permanently fixed without spending a lot of money. He
agreed to have Gary, from Towne Properties-Maintenance, look at this
and see if there is another solution to fix this problem.
•
Tim O’Hearn asked if the soil will be replaced and reseeded where
the repairs have been attempted to fix the drainage issue behind his
building. TR Gear has agreed to come back and reseed and replace soil
once the job has been completed by the new contractor (The Machine
Group).
•
Lorita Wadsworth, a resident but non-owner, requested that residents
push their garbage bags to the back of the dumpster, when they are
tossing trash into the dumpster. Lorita suggested that we might mention
this issue in our next newsletter.
•
Bob Kramer asked about the space provided for parking. Bill explained
that each unit is permitted to park four vehicles. Any violations should
be reported to Towne Properties, giving the name of the resident and
the number of the unit where they live, so that Dave Munro can send
a notice letter to them. Bob also asked about vehicles parked that
are blocking a driveway or fire hydrant. Bill said that this type of
violation should be reported to a board member. Board members have
violation stickers which can be placed on the car to notify the owner
of the violation. Vehicles cannot be stored in a parking space, they
must be stored in the owner’s garage.
•
Tim O’Hearn asked when the drainage work was scheduled to begin.
Bill explained that he was not sure; the job will be scheduled thru
the work order system at Towne Properties. Bill agreed to check with
them and let Tim know when they should be able to begin this work.
Bill assured him, work would begin before winter.
•
Randy Spangler asked whether the Police Department would be able to
access the Knox-Box for a unit key if necessary. Bill told him “No”,
only the Fire and Emergency Rescue departments could access this key.
•
Daryl Moore asked if we had any regulations about lighting off fireworks.
He had some neighbors shooting fireworks and bottle rockets off of
their porch into the dry vegetation in back of his building. Bill suggested
that if this occurs again, to call Towne Properties, since this is
a fire and safety issue.
•
Delores VonHandorf asked what should be done if the smoke detector
goes off in the hallway of the building. Bill urged anyone who hears
the smoke alarm go off, for no apparent reason, to call the fire department
and have them come to check on it.
NEW BUSINESS:
• Skunk removal/Joe Gates bill….. Skunks have been found
near the porch and sidewalk of the Gates residence. Joe Gates has contracted
The Critter Getter Company to trap and remove them. He has come to
the board to see what we can do to help him. The board has discussed
this and agreed to share the cost 50-50%.
•
Chardonnay Chain Gang……. Some of the ladies in the Chardonnay
community have been meeting at the clubhouse on Monday afternoons to
stitch, knit, or sew and socialize with their neighbors. In 2004, they
named their group “The Chain Gang”. It is open for anyone
in the community to join and participate in the fun. They have organized
themselves in a way and have been raising money to help benefit the
community. They have bought 40 place-settings of china with their donations
and are now raising money to purchase table cloths to use on special
occasions. They have organized their group recently and elected Rhoda
Wheeler as President, Marge Rausch as Vice-President and Barbara Culp
as Treasurer. They have requested that the board recognize their group
as an auxillary unit of the Chardonnay Council of Co-Owners. Their
purpose is to promote friendship and unity within the community and
to raise money to benefit the needs of the community Ned Barnes made
a motion to do this, second by Chuck Gerhardstein. M.C.
•
Carpet cleaning…… Rather than replace carpet in the Terrace
Building, it was recommended that the carpet be cleaned with a stronger
spot remover. This has been completed and will save the cost of replacement.
We will be getting a bill for $205. for each hall /$410. total.
•
Pool Gate Fix for Lock and Closure……. Bill reported that
a bill has been submitted for this repair in the amount of $464.44
A motion was made by Jim Smalley and second by Chuck Gerhardstein to
approve this expenditure. Motion Carried.
•
Stormwater Charges……. Bill reported that we would soon
be receiving our first billing of approximately $4,200. for stormwater
charges. We did not include this in last year’s budget. Bill
has researched this on the internet and found that there are ways in
which we may be eligible to take advantage of some credits that are
offered which could lower our bill. The first way we could lower the
bill, is by having a retention pond. We do not have a retention pond,
but we do have a retention area, that may qualify. We could get a 25%
credit if it does. The second way that we may be able to lower our
bill, is by challenging the estimate of 237,000 sq.ft. stormwater area.
It will require some work and Bill plans to ask Alan Hahn to see if
he can re-calculate the areas and hopefully lower the square footage
number of this calculation.
•
Lightning rods……. Bill reported that the original estimate
that he got from Jeff Haas,Fischer Homes of $10,000. per building may
be on the high side. He has discussed this with the electricians working
on the restoration, they felt that lightning rods could be installed
for less than that amount. He has asked them to give us a bid so that
we can consider if this is something we want to do.
•
Cable Rebate…… Bill has received a rebate check for the
first quarter of $839.48. This is based on 80% usage of basic and classic
cable services.
•
Other items under review by the Board of Directors include:
Underground sprinkler system for the front entrance
Clubhouse remodeling
Swimming pool patio area expansion
Screened-in decks
Sewer grates and covers being painted
These items are being reviewed and no decisions have been made on these issues. Make us aware of how you feel about any of these items, your opinions are welcome and important to us.
Our next Board meeting is scheduled for September 28, 2005 at 7:00 P.M. at the clubhouse.
Meeting adjourned at 8:47 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Gerrie Kortekamp, Secretary
Chardonnay Council of Co-Owners
