Inwood Forest Community Improvement Association
Board of Directors Meeting
White Oak Community Center
November 13, 2013 Meeting
Board Members Present: Residents that signed in:
President Julie Grothues Elio A. Arce
First Vice President Hugo Du Bois Hershell Earnest
Treasurer Jane Martin Ellie Tyson
Director Corey Cornett
Director Marida Curry
Director Dennie Hodge
Board Members Absent:
Second Vice President Tom Haynes
Meeting Called to Order
At 7:04 pm, President Grothues called the meeting to order. Bryan Pierce of Genesis Community Management was appointed parliamentarian and Du Bois was appointed Sergeant at Arms. The agenda was adopted as the Orders of the Day, with no objections.
Homeowners Forum
A homeowner presented the Board with a petition to modify the deed restrictions in Section 12. He said it was signed by the owners of 86 lots in that section and has been filed with the Harris County clerk’s office. The homeowner stated that the petition was to simply gain a consensus of what the neighbors in Section 12 wanted regarding fences around the rear of their property. Hodge questioned what type of fences the homeowners were petitioning for. The homeowner said it was for whatever type of fences the homeowners would like. Grothues informed the homeowner that the Board would review the petition.
A homeowner on Leaning Oak informed the Board that she saw a coyote twice in the same week and that she and a neighbor have both lost pets to the coyote(s.) She is very concerned that the coyote may attack a child or adult next. After her last coyote sighting, she called critter control companies who gave her detailed information regarding cost and process of removal of these animals. The homeowner presented that information to the Board for further review.
Approval of Minutes
The Board reviewed the general and executive session minutes from the September 11, 2013 monthly meeting. Du Bois moved to approve the minutes, Hodge seconded. Cornett, Curry, Du Bois and Hodge voted in favor, Martin abstained. Motion carried.
The Board reviewed the general and executive session minutes from the October 9, 2013 monthly meeting. Martin moved to approve the minutes, Cornett seconded. Cornett, Curry, Du Bois, Hodge and Martin voted in favor. Motion carried.
The Board reviewed the general session minutes from the special meeting held on October 30, 2013. Martin moved to approve the minutes, Curry seconded. Cornett, Curry, Du Bois, Hodge and Martin voted in favor. Motion carried.
Financial Reports
Pierce reported that Genesis has not completed the monthly financials for the month of October due to an employee’s illness, but informed the Board that the office manager will provide them with a copy of the financials within a few days.
Management Reports
- Properties and Facilities Committee Report
Grothues said there were no issues to report re: the pool. She also reported that Poli De Leon has completed the cleanup work around the community which included the debris on the former west course and the W. Little York and W. Gulf Bank fence lines.
- Deed Restrictions Committee Report
Pierce reported that there were 350 uncured violations per the November inspection and that 250 violations had been cured. He also noted that a number of the letters sent were for general home maintenance and yard up keep.
- ACC Committee Report
Curry reported that there is one pending ACC request regarding replacing current windows with energy efficient windows. Curry stated that she felt that it was unnecessary to require residents to submit an ACC application for changes that would be improving the home. Grothues noted that the deed restrictions require approval for all external improvements/changes made to a home to ensure that they are improvements and a suitable quality of materials and workmanship.
D. Security Committee Report
Du Bois encouraged all those present to have an alarm system in their home. He also noted that there are many cheap and effective ways to make it appear to have an alarm system if they do not have one.
- Communication Committee Report
Du Bois reported that there had been an issue with the email blaster for a day and that the glitch may have caused some homeowners to receive an email twice. This has since been fixed and everything is working well again.
F. Resident Relations Committee Report
Martin reported that there would be no yard of the month for November, however, she noted that outdoor Christmas decorations will be judged the Saturday before Christmas.
Old Business
- Entrance Signs –
Curry noted that she originally brought the idea for a new entrance sign to the board last year, but stated that nothing had been done. It was noted that work needs to be done to determine where signage is needed for example, Section 1 entrances, at the park/pool, look at alternatives on the esplanades and consider materials to be used. This way the Board would be working forward versus starting with a sign and working backward. It was noted that this has been discussed several times before.
New Business
- Deed Restriction Violations to Legal
The Board will discuss deed restriction violations that are recommended to be sent to legal in Executive Session since it involves the discussion of specific addresses.
- Collections to Legal
The Board will discuss accounts with outstanding balances that are recommended to go to legal in Executive Session since it involves the discussion of specific addresses.
- Draft of 2012 Audit report
A draft of the 2012 audit report was forwarded to the Board prior to the meeting in
October for review. Martin moved to accept the 2012 audit report draft as submitted. Du Bois seconded. Cornett, Curry, Du Bois, Hodge and Martin voted in favor, Motion carried.
- 2014 Budget
The Board reviewed the 2014 budget numbers discussed at the October 30th special meeting and dropped in on the budget worksheet draft. There was a discussion about the updated collections and legal fee chargeback worksheets. Based on that schedule, it appeared that while collections were coming in from payment plans, not as many accounts had been fully paid off in 2013 as in 2012.
The current budget numbers indicated that dues would need to go up and it was noted that the 2013 operating budget was set at $275per lot with approximately $27,000 pulled from reserves for a net billing of $250 per lot. Martin asked for time to review her notes and schedules for payment plan collections.
Curry stated that she was not in favor of raising dues if homeowners can’t see something being put back into the community. It was noted that dues for operating expenses had been $250 per lot from 2007 thru 2012 and that expenses such as security had gone up since that time and new maintenance items had been added to the mowing schedule.
Cornett questioned whether or not money could be pulled from the reserve account rather than increasing homeowners’ dues. Grothues noted that due to an increase in expenses and funds needed to keep collection efforts going, it did not appear possible to pull all of the increase from collections.
Curry asked to discuss a budget question in Executive Session.
Further discussion was tabled to give Martin a chance to review her collection worksheets. An email will be circulated to the Board asking for dates to hold a special meeting to set the 2014 budget.
- 2013 Audit Fee Proposal
Martin moved to approve Barry Wuntch, CPA’s 2013 audit fee proposal of $4,400. Curry seconded. Cornett, Curry, Du Bois, Hodge and Martin voted in favor. Motion carried.
- Set Date for Town Hall Meeting for Border Property Owners
Grothues noted the previous proposal to have a town hall meeting for border lot owners to get their thoughts and comments about fences on “border” lots, those lots that border the former golf course property. She suggested Wednesday, December 4th. A comment was made that December was not a good time.
The Board moved to Executive Session at 8:18 pm.
The Board reconvened to the General Session at 9:21 pm.
Deed Restriction to Legal
The Board voted in Executive Session to send certified deed restriction letters to 13 of the 15 addresses listed in Grothues’ email to the board dated November 11, 2013 now and review the 14th violation (cleaning of a tile roof) before the next letter was sent; also on the 15th violation, the board voted to deny a homeowners request for a fence variance.
Collections to Legal
The Board voted in Executive Session to send certified collections letters to the 9 accounts that owe more than two years and the 15 accounts that owe two years in dues per Martin’s email to the board dated November 11, 2013.
Adjournment
With no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was formally adjourned at 9:29 pm on a motion by Du Bois seconded by Martin and unanimously carried.
Next Regular Board Meeting
The next Board meeting is scheduled for December 11, 2013.