Sunland Division 17 Owners Association
April 10, 2019 2:30 p.m.
The Gathering Place
Call to Order
President Gary Fortmann called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.
Verification of Quorum
Present were President Gary Fortmann, Vice President John Lewis, Secretary Lawrence Charters, and Treasurer Jim Jones. Member-at-Large Mike Johnson was absent.
Approval of Minutes
Minutes of the March 13, 2019 meeting were approved as submitted.
Old Business
Formation of Communications and Outreach Committee
Lawrence Charters moved that the Board create a Communications and Outreach Committee as a standing committee:
The Board shall solicit and appoint volunteers to assist the Board in its outreach to members of the Division 17 community. The Board shall appoint from its number a Director to serve as Board Liaison to the Committee for the purpose of monitoring Committee activity and facilitating communications between the Committee and the Board. All outreach content, to the extent it may be considered official Association communication, shall be reviewed for consensus by the Board before distribution. Functions of the committee may include a newsletter, welcome committee, website coordinator, and the organization of events to encourage owner interaction and contribution, such as workshops, surveys and other activities.
a) Newsletter editor. The newsletter editor shall solicit contributions from Board members and others on items of interest to the Division 17 community, and edit and publish this material in quarterly newsletters distributed to the Division 17 community.
(b) Welcome team. The Welcome team shall contact new owners and offer to meet in person to provide reference material about the community, and to answer questions they might have.
(c) Website coordinator. The website coordinator shall liaison with the contracted website hosting service, review the site for recommended changes or modifications, and see that updates are posted in a timely fashion.
(d) Workshops, surveys, etc. The committee may help organize, at the direction of the Board, additional events and initiatives that provide supplemental opportunities for owners to learn about the association and contribute their input, such as workshops, surveys, etc.
(e) Board Secretary responsibilities distinct from Outreach Committee activities. The activities of the Outreach Committee do not replace the core responsibilities of the Board Secretary to maintain the official records of the Association, including generation of board meeting minutes, the official owners list, and annual meeting materials, nor Board responsibility for all official owner notification processes as required by applicable Washington state law.
The motion was passed.
New Business
Division 11 Slope Maintenance Request
Susan Hamman passed on a request from Division 11, which wants permission to move equipment (truck, etc.) across the meadow to do work on the slope leading up from Mt. Baker on the east side. The work will consist of cutting away brush, replanting some vegetation, and other green space maintenance. The Board had no objection.
Governance Documents Committee
Jim Jones wishes to identify one or more volunteers to work on reviewing, amending, and updating the Division 17 governing documents. Many changes have taken place since Division 17 left developer control, and some housekeeping is required. He moved that Divison 17 create a governing documents committee. Cindy Rhodes has been performing this task, and she will be asked to develop a description what work needs to be done. The Board agreed. Jim will send out a description of the committee and a call for volunteers.
Renew insurance policy with CAU
Donna Carson received a quote from CAU (Community Association Underwriters of America). The quote covers property and general liability insurance, and volunteer accident insurance, for a $74,869 premium. This includes a $5 million umbrella policy as a parachute above the general liability to handle extraordinary circumstances. For $18,800 more, they will provide $10 million of earthquake coverage, with a 10% deductible. After a discussion, the Board decided not to pursue the earthquake coverage.
The Board accepted the bid, approved the offered insurance policy, and approved expenditure for renewal.
Officer, Committee and Coordinator Reports
President Update — Gary Fortmann
Colburn/Burger filed a new motion to increase injunction bond by a quarter million dollars. The motion was dropped after a response from Division 17. John Lewis added that reconstruction on Cascadia Loop is proceeding as planned.
Secretary Update — Lawrence Charters
SLOA has changed access to the SLOA office and the Gathering Place. All keys for the offices have been changed, and reservations for the Gathering Place are being handled directly by the SLOA office.
The updated Division 17 Bylaws have been posted on the Sunland North site, https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/governing-documents/sunland-division-17-bylaws/
Several residents noticed a pickup truck was parking on the green space near the Sunland North sign off Woodcock. The truck was leaving furrows in the grass. Residents reported the truck to the sheriff’s department, complete with a photograph. The truck was located and the sheriff talked to the owner. The incident, while minor, shows the importance of community awareness.
Treasurer Update — Jim Jones
Monthly Expense Report: The preliminary March, 2019 Expense report shows our Operating Expenses for the month were $16,576 which brings the total for the first quarter of 2019 to $55,727 which is $2,544 over budget. The unplanned acquisition of the Injunction Bond ($5,350) and higher than planned legal fees more than offset the lower than planned cost for Sunland Water District irrigation water and minor maintenance. We anticipate that the cost for acquiring the bond will be reimbursed once we file a claim with CAU. At the end of March the Operating Fund balance was $149,442 and our Reserve Fund balance totaled $93,701 which excludes the $250,000 cash collateral for the bond.
Fire Trust Fund: Although the restoration of 191/201 Cascadia is underway, there were no expenses drawn from the Fire Trust Fund in March. During March the Fire Trust Fund earned $185.95 in interest which resulted in a month-end balance of $511,325.
2018 Tax Return: Division 17’s 2018 Tax Return was completed and filed with the IRS during the first week of April. During 2018 Division 17 earned $5,771 in interest which resulted in income tax of $1,701 which is $700 higher than planned due to significantly fewer expenses from the Fire Trust Fund than expected during 2018 and higher than planned interest rates.
Correspondence: Since our last Board meeting I wrote letters of welcome to two new owners and one late payment letter for the 2018 Special Assessment.
Vice President — John Lewis
No report.
Board Member at Large — Mike Johnson
No report.
Insurance Committee — Donna Carson
One unit had water damage from a frozen spigot. This is not covered by HOA insurance, and was dealt with by the owner. This also is a reminder to please remove all hoses from external spigots in cold weather.
Architectural Control Committee — Susan Hamman
Twelve units are coming up for repainting. So far, things are going fine. Architectural requests are picking up with better weather.
Developed Landscape — Gerry Hatler / Eric Mahnerd
No report.
Exterior Maintenance and Inspection — Doug Hale
A couple light poles needed to be fixed. Mt. Baker has water issues from people leaving hoses connected during winter. Roof moss treatment will be starting soon.
Open Space — Tom Hamman
Several areas in the open space were sprayed for poison hemlock. This will be an ongoing task throughout the summer.
Newsletter — Kay Hatler
The March newsletter was sent out and also posted on the website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/newsletters/sunland-north-newsletter-march-2019/ Also posted were photos of the RV lot trimming.
Welcome Committee — Leah Prince
No report.
Website Coordinator — Lawrence Charters
No report.
Sunland Water District Update — Al Frank
No report.
Homeowner Comment Period
No formal comments offered.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:28 p.m.