HOMESTEAD IN THE WILLOWS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Regular Board Meeting June 13, 2023 – Unofficial Minutes
CALL TO ORDER: President, James Keating called the meeting to order at 6:40 p.m. Present were Vice President, Chris Evans; Treasurer, Kelly McCormick; Business Manager, Katie Kidwell; Tennis Manager, Jill Ellsworth; ACC Manager, Emily Maxfield; Pickleball Manager, Jane Robbins; and Social Committee Co-Chair, Kelly Kane. Pool Manager, Jenn Thomas called in her report.
MINUTES: The minutes of the May 15th regular meeting were amended for a typo and approved.
PERIMETER FENCE REPORT: Treasurer Kelly McCormick reported that feedback from the community meeting on June 7th has been positive and she has been replying to emailed inquiries. She and other board members will continue to respond directly to emails regarding the fence and will update the FAQ’s posted on the website as they do so. Kelly Kane will update information on Facebook as it becomes available as well. Cody from Split Rail Fence Company quoted $4000 to replace the section of fencing damaged by a car accident on Easter Ave. Kelly moved that the Board authorize Split Rail Fence Company to replace the section of fencing on the North side of Easter Avenue west from the North Pool to Homestead Parkway as soon as it can be scheduled. Chris seconded the motion. Discussion: the cost to replace this section will be deducted from the total bid. Insurance claim proceeds will cover much of the cost with the rest being withdrawn from the Perimeter Fence Reserve Fund. The motion carried. Kelly will obtain the Line of Credit if the ballot measure passes and the Board discussed the logistics of fence replacement section by section. Split Rail wants a dedicated manager to meet with weekly regarding progress, notifying homeowners who need to move vegetation, etc. Also discussed was interior fence height. The Board agreed to replace interior fencing at its existing height except as altered by the Landscape Manager and ACC.
RATIFICATION OF ACTIONS OUTSIDE OF MEETING: Chris moved and James seconded a motion to ratify the actions since the last Board meeting and to adopt the agreements reached with accounts 490 and 525 to have pool suspensions until June 25th. The motion carried. Kelly moved and Chris seconded a motion to adopt the revised budget published in the June Homestead Herald. The motion carried.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Kelly Kane reported the committee has been able to find food trucks to visit the neighborhood once each month. The first food truck event will occur on Thursday, June 15th from 5 pm to 7 pm. The committee is also trying to get morning coffee trucks but it’s impossible to get them on Saturdays throughout the summer. They will try to bring them in for the fall. No one has volunteered to help with the July 4th celebration. Please contact the social committee if you can help at socialcommitteehomestead@gmail.com. The July 4th bike parade is scheduled, and the committee hopes to hire Swim Team H2O’s to handle pool games. The committee obtained a grant from the City of Centennial for a blow-up movie theater night and received a second community engagement grant which will help defray the cost of the movie. They hope to hold movie night over Labor Day weekend on the South Lawn. The committee is also working on a Trunk or Treat event, a blood drive and a book exchange. Holiday carriage rides have been scheduled and the committee hopes to bring in Santa as well.
SWIM TEAM: No Report due to a family emergency.
MANAGER REPORTS
- POOL: Front Range Recreation called in for the report. Opening weekend was busy but the weather has made subsequent days far less crowded. The Board and FRR discussed cleaning, swim team vs lifeguard responsibilities, and flooring in the lifeguard shacks.
- LANDSCAPE: Manager Nancy Bauer reported that ASAP Concrete had completed the crack seal and striping of the North and South Pool parking lots, the pea gravel was removed from the toddler playground at the North tennis courts and replaced with EWF mulch. Greenbelt sod was damaged in the process and she is working with the provider to have that repaired and the entry islands on Costilla, Easter and Fremont were refreshed with perennials and roses.
- PICKLEBALL: Manager Jane Robbins reported the Pickleball Social on June 10th was successful with 35 players in attendance. The Board approved monthly pickleball socials for July and August. Jane thanked the social committee for their help advertising the social. The PB Team Reach app has 68 PB players registered. Jane will post a note on the app to please not bring chairs or food onto the courts. Jane met the Mayor of Centennial and one of the city council members at an event and passed along Homestead’s input regarding the pickleball moratorium. When the moratorium expires at the end of September, Jane will advocate for Homestead and the HOA idea to stripe one court for pickleball. Jane and Tennis Manager Jill Ellsworth had a discussion about bumping in PB in the event an owner wants to pay and the courts are full.
- TENNIS: Manager Jill Ellsworth asked the Herald publish that only court shoes, racquets and pickleball paddles/balls are allowed on the courts. Please do not drag chairs (even if plastic) onto the courts, likewise no little tyke cars and trikes, no lacrosse sticks and balls. The surface is easily damaged but pricey to repair. Jill confirmed that the West Courts are to remain striped for pickleball from Friday evening through Monday afternoon. The tape will stay down on the courts and not be removed. However, if an owner didn’t want to go the West Courts to play, they could stripe an empty tennis court for pickleball provided the players removed the tape immediately upon completion of their match. Junior Team Tennis is very popular as is the Friday Afternoon Club tennis for 2.5 and 3.0 women.
- ACC/TASK FORCE: Manager Emily Maxfield reported that the ACC had processed 40 applications during the month of May. While still working in specialized groups for some approvals, the entire committee will meet to discuss major home additions and large landscape renovations. Homeowners with big projects should plan on their approvals taking a full 30 days to allow the committee time to meet. Emily and the Board discussed the impact of a recent change in xeriscape law, the storage shed Swim Team had requested at the North Pool and the background of a recent window denial.
- BUSINESS: Katie reported on dues collection. James moved and Chris seconded a motion to turn two delinquent accounts, accounts 100 and 872 over to the attorney for collection. The motion carried. The HOA attorney had drafted a ballot and explanatory letter regarding the Perimeter Fence special assessment and line of credit to be mailed at the end of the month. The board reviewed and approved the materials. An invoice for the 2023 10% dues increase will go out to all homeowners in late June, payable by August 1, 2023.
HOMEOWNER COMMENTS: There were no homeowner comments.
FINANCIAL REPORT: Kelly hired a new auditor for the HOA who will get the 2022 audit started shortly. Operating expenses for May totaled $88,464 and were comprised in part of $10,813 in trash & utilities; $12,926 in Administrative expenses; $18,204 in Landscape expenses; $45,286 in Pool expenses, and $1,235 in Tennis expenses.
OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business.
NEW BUSINESS: The Board and Katie discussed increasing communication via social media. A homeowner with experience in the field has offered to help advise the office. Katie will set up a meeting.
The Board convened an Executive Session at 8:30 p.m. to discuss information provided by legal counsel regarding three matters brought before the Board by homeowners. The Board ended the Executive Session at 8:40 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT AND CALENDARING: The meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm. The next regular Board Meeting will be on Monday, July 10th at 6:30 p.m. at the Business Office.