VOH SPRING MEMBERSHIP MINUTES OF MEETING 4/21/12
Overview of Meeting:
This meeting was held in the Corolla Library from 3 pm to 5 pm. All board members were present except Frank Cetera. NBRM was represented by Vicki Garvey. About 40 residents attended. Samples of the welcome package renters receive when they check in at their realtors were available at the meeting sign in table. The minutes below follow the agenda for this meeting. Bold text indicates agenda items.
Introduction and acceptance of the Fall, 2011 Minutes
These minutes were approved without any comment.
President’s Report
Linda Flannery introduced the new board. Linda stated she knows there are issues that must still be addressed, and she reiterated that it is her desire to bring the community together. She affirmed the entire board is available to discuss VOH matters via email or over the phone.
Corolla Education Foundation
Meghan Agresto, founder of the Corolla Education Foundation (CEF), addressed the audience. The purpose of her presentation was to briefly discuss the new State approved Charter School which will be located in Corolla. The first day of class for this school will be August 28th, 2012. The curriculum will follow North Carolina’s State Course of Study. Grades will be K through 6 with the possibility of one or two mixed grades.
CEF’s application was approved by the state based on a class size of 30 students. If the 30 student threshold is not met, then CEF will lose $8K in state funding for every student under 30. CEF is now evaluating resumes for teachers and welcomes help from anyone who wants to volunteer their time.
Treasurer’s Report and Questions
Jim Blaylock, Treasurer, gave this report. Financial records for 2011 are now being audited. No problems are anticipated. NBRM reviewed the 2012 capital projects and budget with residents and the Board. NBRM also discussed the status of our assessments. There is $28.6K in 2012 assessment still in arrears. There are $14.8K still due from earlier years. While the reasons for these delinquencies vary, NBRM is aggressively pursuing collection. If it becomes necessary, access to amenities will be denied and liens will be placed on the affected properties.
A special type of aged assessments is that associated with Jim Bickford. There is about $25K in assessments which need to be written off since Bickford is legally an “original developer” and not required to pay assessments. NBRM stated that while the developer does not owe an assessment for his lots, either the developer or a future purchaser will be responsible to pay a buy-in to the community assets based on a formula defined in the ByLaws. It is estimated that the buy-in would be in the $10K-12K per lot vicinity.
Committee Reports
Environmental Committee: This committee is working well and meeting its objectives. Twenty six homes were identified as requiring some type of corrective maintenance. Owners of those homes, many of whom live hours away, appreciate the committee’s efforts and stated they would comply with the committee’s request.
Landscape Committee: This committee is working well and meeting its objectives. Homeowners near the internal sound side paths were polled for ideas on how to improve the appearance of those paths. The board will vote on making these improvements. The committee has worked closely with the county throughout the extension of the concrete path to High Dune Loop. There will be irrigation for the heavy landscaping that the county will place in the pocket area. Tim Leah was given kudos for pruning – at no costs to VOH – the heavy overgrowth around the tennis court. For 2013, the committee is focusing on improving the appearance of the ocean front parking lot.
Long Range Planning Committee: No report. This committee currently has no chairman.
North Beach Resort Management Update
2012 Capital Improvements:
Homeport Court Drainage Project
This has been an extremely successful and cost efficient initiative. Phase 1, which is completed, entailed installation of a grated catch basin on the northern corner of Homeport Court West and Windance Lane, and installation of drainage pipes five feet beneath the ground from the catch basin to the end of the concrete sidewalk that extends from Homeport Court West to NC12. Because NBRM served as our general contractor, the cost of this project was $15,565 compared to the estimate of over $27,000 received from a contractor to perform essentially the same work. In addition, the entire community owes a debt of gratitude to Bill Robinson. Bill designed this and other drainage systems that VOH implemented over the last few years.
Later this year, Phase 2 will extend the drainage parallel to the east side of Route 12 and terminate at a 24 inch culvert. The state has agreed to this solution as long as Route 12 is not flooded. If Route 12 does flood, than an expensive project to take the drainage under Route 12 must be performed.
At this time, all flooding issues have been addressed. In some cases, such as Sandcastle Drive, the Board recognizes that there are still some local residual flooding issues. The Board believes that this problem is primarily due to improper road grading which will be resolved once VOH repaves Sandcastle Drive. The repaving will result in an improved movement of water towards the grated sewers.
Oceanfront and Lakeside Pool White Coating Issue: The plaster re-coating of both community pools performed in the spring of 2009 failed and needed to be redone. Legal action has been taken against the contractor who performed that work in 2009. The management company selected and hired a new contractor with the agreement of the Board President. The management company stated that with extra work and effort on their part as well as the new contractor’s part, that all repairs and inspection preparations would be completed in time for the May 9th inspection by the NC Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources. The management company assured the community that the pools would open on schedule on Saturday, May 19th.
Lakeside Pool Boardwalk and Fence: These were redone and made complaint with code. NBRM saved VOH $5K by acting as the general contractor.
Handicap Access to Pools: A decision has been made to forego the expenditure in the 2012 Capital Budget allocated to the provision of lifts in VOH Pools as the new ADA requirements for providing such lifts do not apply to VOH. While there is no legal requirement for VOH to provide handicap access to either of our pools, the board will continue to give consideration to appropriate handicap access issues on the resort. The board would like the long term planning committee to consider addressing this issue and Fred Stumpf indicated his willingness to take on this assignment on the community’s behalf.
Other items: The West side paths need work; weeds need to be sprayed and more crush and run must be added. One of the tennis court nets needs to be repaired. There are at least 10 Wild Horse tour companies who will be told to stop using High Dune Loop as a staging area. A new Bocce Ball Court is planned for the Sports Court. Equipment will be available to renters after they provide an ID.
New Website: Under the management company’s supervision and design guidance, the website has been completely revamped and redesigned by the Spokes Agency. The new web address is www.villagesatoceanhillcorolla.com. This website is more oriented toward potential renters and the provision of information that they would find useful and has many new features. For example, for each house that is rented, there is a link on the VOH website connecting that house to the rental company’s website link for the same house. There is also dedicated owner’s area that is password protected and provides information specifically geared towards VOH homeowners.
Summer 2012 Preparedness: NBRM discussed the status of hiring employees and a new rental program for beach umbrellas.
Homeowner Proposal to update EC Policy
This presentation was given by Dr. William Craig. Dr. Craig has been a homeowner since 1998, and his property was built in 1993. Following Hurricane Irene, Dr Craig’s house needed residing due to water damage. Dr. Craig wanted to use a vinyl product produced by Certainteed called Cedar Impressions. His original application to the EC was denied last year, and the board affirmed that decision in December 2012.
The purpose of Dr. Craig’s briefing was threefold: he wanted an opportunity to discuss the advantages of this vinyl product over hardiplank, he wanted to propose updating the EC policies to include contemporary siding materials such as CertainTeed’s Cedar Impressions, and he wanted an opportunity to discuss his frustration with the communication on these topics between the board, EC, and himself.
During Dr. Craig’s briefing, he presented literature that described the benefits of CertainTeed’s product. Those benefits were challenged by a member of the EC who cited concerns that FEMA, NOAA, and the fire department had with vinyl products.
Dr. Craig claimed that while he implored the Board and the EC to share with him their rationale and data which supported the exclusion of Certainteed’s vinyl product, no one ever spoke to him. The board and some members of the EC disagreed with that assertion. The board followed EC policies as stated many times.
There was no vocal support from any member present, nor was there a motion, for the EC to consider changing the EC polices.
Other Business
The date for the Fall meeting was announced. It will be on Saturday, October 6th, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in the Corolla library.
A brief debate over the previous board’s decision to not join the Corolla Civic Association resulted in the new board agreeing to discuss this matter at the next board meeting.