Current Board Activities – October 2007

1. Litigation

Shed Update

In mid August, the Board participated in a 4 hour mediation hearing with the homeowner that resulted in an agreement to remove the shed. This allowed the parties to resolve this matter without going to trial, the shed was removed in mid September and the Association recovered its legal expenses.

Delinquencies

The Board has taken aggressive actions including Small Claims Court, judgments and liens to collect unpaid assessments. While we have had some successes, we have also discovered that once a home goes into foreclosure and/or a resident files bankruptcy, the unpaid assessment is usually discharged and we’ve had to write off the debt.

At the present time, we have 4 homes in foreclosure. The only upside is that once a bank takes title to the property, they become responsible for the annual assessment, [mid year, if applicable] and going forward until it is sold. We also have judgments on 3 residents and will pursue them where possible.

Currently, 5 residents and a bank collectively owe the Association about $10,400

2. Committees

We are working with 4 homeowners that volunteered to chair 4 committees to help us with some of the critical time consuming issues that will allow us to become more productive. The following list contains these individuals along with their area of responsibility:

Bob LeClercq – alternative irrigation of common areas [wells]

Howie Distel – use and maintenance of common areas

Chris Schriber – bid process to reduce expenses

Michelle Merrick – social activities

Please join us in thanking them for their participation, and feel free to call them if you would like to work on any of these committees.

3. Cost of Water

By now, everyone is aware that the Village increased the cost of water and sewage by 54.5%, and there is nothing we can do to oppose the increase. As a result, Bob LeClercq and Mark Diaz were charged with the task of exploring the possibility of installing a well by the pond to water the common areas. After conducting a thorough cost to benefit analysis, and it appears the Association may be able to recover the initial cost within 12-16 months and ultimately save the Association about $8-10,000 annually.

4. Pond

While there was an initial commitment by Pulte to drain and dredge the pond, the project was tabled because they have been unable to locate a vendor willing to provide the service. Evidently, there are numerous County ordinances relating to detention ponds, and everyone contacted felt they might face civil penalties for providing the requested services.

5. Website

1. The website has been completed and we trying to update it quarterly and hope it will become an information portal for all residents and that you will visit it frequently to learn about upcoming events and what the Board is doing on your behalf.

i. We will have a new section [still in beta test] containing classified ads that will allow all homeowners to offer items for sale, and post services needed or offered. There will be a limitation on the maximum number of words, and we believe it will further enhance the site.

ii. We have added a number of community links of interest, and if you have any suggestions for some additional ones that you feel would be of interest to the community, please let us know.

iii. In the event you have any questions or suggestions for improving the website or activities within the subdivision, please feel free to drop us a note at: boardmembers@woodlandsofriverside.com.

7. Miscellaneous
1. The Board is still working on developing a list of preferred vendors as part of the homeowner’s buying cooperative, and now that we have some structured committees, we hope of complete it by year end.

These services will include, but not be limited to wide range of homeowner needs [plumber, painter, fine wood work, basement finishing, etc.].   We will need some help and if you are interested in serving on a committee to coordinate this activity, please contact Chris Schriber.