MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING held September 12, 2009 at the Horton Community Center, Grapeview. The meeting was opened at 9:05 AM by President Gary Longmire and attended by Mike Croke, Linda Pryor, Daryl Axelson, Roxanne (Rocky) Brown, Roger Hansen, and Dan Poole; and guest members Rod Wilkinson, Art Towne, Helena Rowse, Morina Dustan, Larry and Jodi Grumme, and Marilee Bittner-Fawcett.
Noted for the record, the Trustees approved June 6, 2009 Regular Meeting Minutes and July 18, 2009, Special Meeting Minutes via email.
GUEST MEMBERS
Art Towne shared observations and comments regarding annual meetings, and questions regarding the approved bylaws and the petition to support absentee voting.
Rod Wilkinson and Dan Poole introduced suggestions for changes to the Club’s website: The creation of a sub-page for each of the common areas (Bridge, Water, Roads, Dock, and Beach) was proposed and a Blog was recommended to facilitate communication between the Board and the membership.
MOTION to accept proposed changes to the website to include sub-pages for information regarding each of the common areas (Bridge, Water, Roads, Dock, and Beach), was made by Mike Croke, seconded by Dan Poole and carried.
MOTION to host a Blog on the Club’s website for a trial period of six months, with Dan Poole serving as the moderator, was made by Mike Croke, seconded by Daryl Axelson and carried.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Noted for the record, the Trustees approved action by email (9/1) to withdraw a total of $225,147 from Money Market accounts at Kitsap Bank and Olympia Federal Savings to open an Escrow Account with Quigg Brothers at Columbia Bank for the bridge repair project.
MOTION to transfer the balance from a maturing Certificate of Deposit at Kitsap Bank to the Money Market Account at Kitsap Bank; and to deposit the balance from a maturing Certificate of Deposit at Key Bank to the Money Market Account at Olympia Federal Savings, was made by Linda Pryor, seconded by Daryl Axelson and carried.
MOTION to file the 2008 Income Tax Return as a Corporation as recommended by the Club’s CPA, David Fisher, was made by Linda Pryor, seconded by Roger Hansen and carried.
Linda will contact David Fisher to discuss a question regarding why the Geotechnical Analysis was capitalized as opposed to being filed as an expense; and to question whether the Club’s option to file either as a Corporation or a Homeowner’s Association could impact the procurement of funds through a loan or a grant program.
BRIDGE – Noted for the record, the Trustees approved via email (9/2) of changes to the bridge repair contract requested by Quigg Brothers: The work time for project completion was extended from forty days to forty-five days and progress payments will be made within seven days instead of twenty. • Roger Hansen reported the revised contract with Quigg Brothers was signed and an on-site preconstruction meeting was held this past week. All permits are now in place for Quigg Brothers to start work on Tuesday, September 16th, with plans to encase two piles in concrete during the low tide window. They will be mobilizing during the following two weeks, setting up floats and work platforms and will commence with repairs to the understructure as soon as the materials are available. The anticipated completion date is between mid-October and early November. • Mason County requires inspections throughout the repair project for which a special inspector must be hired. Roger recommended that the Club retain Exeltech Consulting for this purpose with consideration for their knowledge and familiarity with the bridge and the ongoing project. He presented a supplement to Exeltech Consulting’s existing contract, proposing an estimate of $5,629.99 to perform this additional service. This proposal includes some hours to inspect the centermost spans of the understructure while Quigg Brothers’ work platforms are in place (these spans were last inspected with an articulated boom truck in 2006). MOTION to approve the $5,629.99 supplement to Exeltech Consulting’s contract for additional construction support services was made by Mike Croke, seconded by Dan Poole and carried. • The Trustees reviewed a summary of the Asset Replacement Fund indicating the total cost for the bridge repair project to date is projected at $289,650.30 (includes approved supplement), which will leave a balance of $421,812.29 in the Fund. • The Trustees discussed scheduling a Special Membership Meeting to address plans for moving forward with a replacement plan for the bridge. A Workshop for the Trustees to review information and discuss a presentation was scheduled for Saturday, October 10th, at 9AM with the location to be determined. Following the Workshop, the Trustees will make a decision with regard to scheduling a Special Membership Meeting.
WATER – Daryl Axelson reported the Sanitary Survey was completed on August 24th. The official written report has not yet been received, but the preliminary report from the Department of Health’s inspector indicated fourteen recommended action items, seven of which have been completed. • Daryl noted installation of a pressure relief valve downstream from the storage tank’s isolation valve was recommended. Installation of a sample station at the water tank site was recommended to facilitate testing of the water directly from the tank; this sample station may also be required to comply with a new water law that will be effective in December, 2009. The cost for a new sample station is $703.00, plus parts and labor for installation. MOTION to authorize the expense to purchase and install a sample station was made by Roger Hansen, seconded by Mike Croke and carried. • The inspector noted that the Club needs to send out a mailing every two years to residents within the Sanitary Control Areas around the wells, reminding them of practices that need to be observed to protect the wellhead areas from contamination. Daryl provided a draft of an updated version of the letter that was sent in 1997 to the residents within a 100 foot radius of the wells. He noted that the American Water Works Association (AWWA) recommends this letter be sent to all residents within an expanded control area of 200 ft. around each well. MOTION to approve sending the drafted letter to approximately fifty property owners who are within the 200 ft. Sanitary Control Areas was made by Dan Poole, seconded by Mike Croke and carried. • Long Painting viewed the site in preparation for the water tank painting project that is scheduled to begin Monday, September 28th. No permits are required for the project although Mason County has requested that damage caused by fresh water discharging (from the tank) into the Sound should be mitigated by taking several days to discharge water during the high tides. Two pressure switches were purchased and will be installed on wells #1 and #2. These two wells will be providing water directly to the main lines when the water tank is out of service. The two pumps will be cycling quite a bit more than normal so members will be asked decrease the demand by conserving water. • Troubleshooting the tank controls following the last water tank overflow indicated there may be a problem with the float switches. Nicholson Drilling provided a quote of $105.00 for a service call to inspect the floats when they are accessible during the painting project. If replacement is needed, the cost quoted by Nicholson to replace them is $418.30. MOTION to authorize the expense for a service call by Nicolson Drilling to inspect the floats and replace them if necessary was made by Dan Poole, seconded by Mike Croke and carried. • Investigation of a water leak in a service box determined the connection is providing water to more than one lot. Daryl recommended providing the homeowner with the options of either capping off the line to the second lot or paying for installation of a water connection for their second lot. MOTION to accept Daryl’s recommendation regarding the water connection was made by Roger Hansen, seconded by Dan Poole and carried. • Daryl proposed the $90.00 purchase of a ‘Water Conservation’ banner. The six foot long, vinyl banner would be posted on the water tank during the painting project and could be of use in the future during drought conditions, etc. MOTION to authorize the expense to purchase a ‘Water Conservation’ banner was made by Roger Hansen, seconded by Mike Croke and carried.
ROADS – Dan Poole reported he was in the process of painting the speed bumps and plans to complete the project soon. He noted there are some potholes that need to be filled with asphalt patch. • The Trustees reviewed correspondence from a member requesting $230.00 for hours worked to clear a drainage ditch last winter. The ditch was damaged during a homeowner’s construction project and the member was concerned that overflowing water endangered his property. The Club cannot pay individual members for their time or services unless that person is an employee or licensed contractor. MOTION to recommend that the member request payment from the property owner whose contractor caused the damage, was made by Dan Poole, seconded by Roger Hansen and carried. • Correspondence from a member requesting clarification of the right-of-way policy with regard to installing parking areas and culverts was discussed. MOTION to send a letter to the member requesting that they restore the embankment bordering their property and adhere to the current culvert standards and ‘No Parking’ policy with regard to the right-of-way, was made by Rocky Brown, seconded by Mike Croke and carried. Dan Poole will make contact with the member to be sure the right-of-way and culvert policies are clearly understood and adhered to. • A member reviewed problems with standing water in the drainage ditch bordering their property and a possible connection with their septic and drainfield system. The system installer recently made an adjustment to the system that has decreased the amount of water in the ditch; however the lack of an incline in this location is still a problem. A recommendation was made to remove and lower a culvert north of the property to facilitate water flow. Dan Poole will meet with the member onsite to review the situation.
BEACH – Mike Croke had no report.
DOCK – Rocky Brown reported she will be working with Daryl Axelson to schedule employee hours for some minor maintenance tasks that need to be done at the dock facility. • She reviewed the options that have been explored for the dock and gangway replacement project, including building the float with volunteer labor. The Trustees agreed the option of building the float with volunteer labor is worth consideration, noting that volunteers would not be able to undertake the gangway replacement. Rocky will be working on getting an updated bid from Lakeshore Construction and a bid from another company, with bids broken down so the gangway is bid separately from the float. • Rocky suggested building a small structure, similar to those used at trailheads, for sign-in sheets and information pertaining to the dock.
OLD BUSINESS
Noted for the record, the Trustees approved via email (7/26) of the Annual Meeting Agenda and the Ballots.
MOTION for a name change from the Bridge Committee to the Bridge Finance Committee was made by Gary Longmire, seconded by Dan Poole and carried.
NEW BUSINESS
The Board of Trustees received a petition submitted by Deborah Axelson with signatures from members representing 82 lots. The petition requests that a vote be called at the next scheduled Annual or Special Membership Meeting for an amendment to the Bylaws, Article 3, Member Meetings, as follows: “A member may cast his or her vote in person or by proxy. A proxy shall be mailed with the member meeting notice and shall include an absentee ballot that must be identical in all significant respects to the ballot provided to members voting in person. A member may only execute and file a proxy without an absentee ballot if used solely to determine whether a quorum exists.” A letter will be sent to Deborah acknowledging receipt of the petition and intentions to include the initiative on the agenda for the next Membership meeting.
A member expressed concern with members who had taken steps to remove foxes from the island. Discussion followed regarding how to educate members about wildlife laws that are enforced by regulating agencies; the Blog was suggested as a means of communication amongst members.
ADJOURNMENT
Next Meeting October 3rd, 9AM
Linda Pryor
Secretary