SCHOA BOARD MEETING MINUTES

AUGUST 15, 2023

Present: Gordon Baldwin, Lucy De la Cruz, Mindy Ewing, David Hamilton, Laurie and Ben Kirschner, Paul Martin, Hun Park, Chris Regan

• Treasurer’s Report: Chris reported that the SCHOA finances are in good shape. This is in part due to lower than normal water usage caused by part of the irrigation system being shut down due to leaks. Also, the dock repair came in substantially under budget. Some of the extra savings can be applied to the summer picnic. Chris reports there is currently $16,000 in the maintenance budget.

• The January Annual Meeting was discussed with the question raised whether to continue with Zoom meetings or return to Sunbreak Church. The board felt that an in-person meeting would be better than Zoom, with most members agreeing face-to-face provides a better feeling of community. Therefore, the January meeting will return to the church. More information will follow.

• There are no results from the survey yet. Chris, Nancy and Kristen still need to meet.

• Dock repair: Paul reported the dock repair is complete, with the final cost coming in under budget. The section closest to the shore is holding for now, but will need continued monitoring. Paul also discussed the overgrown patches of lily pads around the dock. He has the cutter and rake to remove the lily pads, but needs volunteers willing to help with the work. The plants need to be cut and raked at least once a month to keep them under control. Volunteers are needed. Contact Paul if you would be willing to help. It was suggested that residents could share the responsibility by each signing up for a month when they would cut and rake. The job takes at least two people.

• Mailbox kiosk repair: Paul has priced the materials for repairing the mailbox kiosk roofs. Lumber, tar paper and shingles to repair the seven kiosks would come to around $110 per kiosk. Chris recommended using plywood instead of OSB. Plywood would be a bit more expensive, but it would be easier to work with. Paul, Dean DeBell and John Ewing with start the work in a couple of weeks. The mailboxes will need to be removed while each kiosk is being worked on. Some mailboxes are beginning to rust. If residents want to paint their mailbox, this would be an appropriate time to do so. It was discussed whether it was the responsibility of the HOA to paint the boxes, but according to federal law, the boxes are the homeowner’s private property and must be maintained by the homeowner. If anyone needs their mailbox painted but are unable to do it themselves, they may contact the board to discuss the possibility of assistance. It was also decided that the newspaper boxes under the mailboxes could be removed.

• The current goose fence seems to be keeping most geese out of the Commons. Dave Hamilton and Paul fixed some gaps in Nanette’s fence where some geese were getting through. The new, improved goose fence is still in the works. It was agreed that if Dave will spearhead the project, Gordon and Chris will help with the installation.

• Street light on 68^th: Chris has taken over the work from Hun. The light will need to be taken down and taken somewhere for repair. Chris will reach out to utility contractor Potelco, and also to PSE for possible help with the repair.

• Lucy gave an update on the summer party that is planned for August 27, from 5:00 to 7:00. Nancy is finalizing the numbers. Ramirez Catering is providing the food. Horseshoes, volleyball, a slip-and-slide and a giant Jenga will be available for everyone’s entertainment. If you have not yet RSVP’d, please contact Nancy Muirhead ASAP.

• Lucy also gave a report on the Welcoming Committee. She said the committee continues to contact new residents and visits with a small gift and information about the neighborhood and the surrounding area. Chris provides contact information to the committee as new residents move in.

• Gordon reported that the SCHOA website will remain free for the next 4-5 months, and then will likely cost the HOA about $5 to $10 a month. Chris will update next year’s budget to reflect this new amount.

• Laurie and Ben gave an update on the irrigation system. The sprinklers in the Commons are turned off because of multiple leaks. Oscar, who installed the system, will come in the next couple of days to determine the best way to repair the system. Zone 8 works but it is suspected a mole has chewed through the wiring, so it won’t operate on a timer. Ben has been manually turning on Zone 8 twice weekly. Some sections of the irrigation system are about 20 years old. Repairs to the system could run one to two thousand dollars. A large utility pole that is lying on the ground on Yelm highway is blocking some of the sprinkler heads in that area. It is feared that PSE will damage the irrigation system when they install the pole. Chris will call PSE to advise them of the irrigation system and to request they use all possible care when installing the utility pole.

• Moles have been more troublesome in South Cove. Laurie has been investigating mole removal services, but most are quite expensive. She purchased 8 solar mole repellent devices. They have been installed on Kelly Beach, and she is watching to see if the traps work. If they do, more may be purchased to try to rid the neighborhood of the moles.

• Backflow testing: Chris said there were a few mixups this year with Tim from Clear Water having incorrect or outdated information. All backflow testing should have been completed by this time. If you were inadvertently skipped, contact Chris to be added to next year’s list. You can contact Tim at Clear Water if you still need testing this year, if your system did not pass inspection, or if you have any questions about your inspection or billing. Chris will contact Tim before next year’s inspection to make sure all residents who want testing are on the list, and that the list is up to date.

• Actions to be taken as a result of this meeting: *Chris will contact Potelco about the light on 68^th, and PSE about the pole on Yelm regarding protecting the irrigation system. *Dave will look into materials for the new goose fence. *Paul, Dean and John will begin work on the mailbox kiosks within the next couple of weeks. *The social committee will start preparing for the summer picnic.

• The next SCHOA board meeting will take place October 17^th, 2023 at 6:30. It will be at the home of Mindy Ewing, 6718 Mirror Ct. We will be discussing January’s Annual Meeting, the agenda for that meeting, and the placement of the proxy box on 68^th. Chris will invite Brett Kreier of the Pattison Lake Management Association to the October meeting for a report on the lake.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:48.

Minutes submitted by Mindy Ewing, Secretary, on August 17, 2023