Town Meeting - 2-16-12

Read President Rick Noffsinger's statement regarding cost management vs. raising the dues.

Joe Claflin was sworn in as a Director of the Board by President Rick Noffsinger.

Treasurer’s report ~ John Porter:
Our year to date revenue is down $29,000 from budgeted revenue.  Expenses are $63,000 over budgeted expenses, bringing a total of $92,000 off of the budgeted income for the year.
Total cash in the bank is $23,888.  The 19th hole profitability is lower than desired, but Finance Committee is working on that.
See post entitled Financial Highlights.

Committee Reports:

Roads Committee ~ Bob Jones:

Reduced resurfacing project on Independence out-bound.  Our allotted budget for the Roads will be less this year.  If you have any pot holes you would like to report, please contact Bob Jones at 262-9262 BobnDani@gmail.com

Wildlife Committee:
The wildlife Committee donated $1500.00 to the Police Department to go toward a new car.  The police car cost $2000.00, parts from old cars sold for $550.00.  So, this new car cost DPOA nothing!

Social Committee:  Chili Cook off and Super Bowl party went well.

Golf Committee ~ DeOtis Cotton:  Marshall Program will start the first of March.  Rules & Regulations have been posted.  Golf Cart registration fee of $25.00 per year will go toward the cart paths.  We are seriously hoping this idea will pass the Board next week.  The cart path on #2 needs $8,000.00 repair.  The Golf Committee passed this idea 100%.  This should have been done a long time ago.  We need this money as a separate fee that will go only to the cart paths.

Beautification Committee ~ Judy Thye:

Pancake Breakfast will be April 7^th, 7am -> 11am.  We will be adding scrambled eggs to our menu of pancakes and sausage.  Price will be $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for children.  There will be a drawing for door prices, so bring your tickets to place in the drawing. 

ACC ~ Jack Watson:

Currently we have active permits; 4 for new homes, 1 for an addition, 2 for remodel 2 for storage buildings.

Public Safety Committee ~ Joe Claflin:
See last nights minutes posted on the Community Page / Public Safety Committee. 
A Fire Lane is necessary to the safety of the members of Diamondhead.  Vehicles will be ticketed if they are parked illegally.  Joe Claflin was appointed as liaison for the Public Safety Committee.

Youth Committee ~ Kerry Crowe:
See post entitled 'Youth Committee Update 2-19-12
See post entitled 'Community Garage Sale' dated 2-8-12 Barbara Benck kbenck2@gmail.com

Nominating Committee ~ Bob Jones:

April 15^th is the deadline for sending in your resumes to the Nominating Committee to have your name placed on the roster of Board candidates.  We have 5 openings on the Board this year; 3 regular replacements, 1 two-year, & 1 1-year terms.  Please contact:

1. Bob Jones   BobnDani@gmail.com
2. Dan Munroe  dan1950@wletc.com
3. Jeanne Zdziarski  Jeannez127@gmail.com

Finance Committee ~ Rick Noffsinger:

Basically, the month of March will be working on the Budget for Diamondhead.  Finance Committee Chairman Don Oseroff was not present. 

Library Committee ~ Jeanne Zdziarski:

I want to thank everybody for cleaning up after themselves in the library.  We are not taking any new books right now, because we are full.  Please do not eat in the Library.

Standards Committee ~ Diane Porterfield:

Please see post with this title, dated 2-17-12

Lion’s Club Fishing Derby ~ John Cumming:

     Last Friday of April, the 27^th , will be our annual Fishing Derby.  There will be 60 children here from Malvern, Lake Side, and Langston schools.  The 19^th Hole has agreed to do hamburgers for us at a reasonable price.  Lunch will be served at the Pavilion, weather permitting.  Cookies & brownies are welcome!

BINGO Night will be this coming Saturday night.  Jack pot is $800.00 !!! Now it is up to $850.00

Topics to be voted on at next week's Board meeting:

Golf Carts using the golf course will be charged $25.00 per cart, per year.  This money will be designated in a separate fund to be used only for cart paths.

Discussion:  Golf Tournaments could raise more money than the expected $4,000 that would be raised by the $25 yearly charge.  (101 golfer times $25.00)

It will take $8,000 to fix the #2 cart path.  “50 cents a week”...  

“We must raise the POA dues $25 every year”...
“We need to control our costs in this community before we raise the dues”... 
“I did not expect to move into a gated, private community without the dues being raised”...
“We must find other ways of raising money other than raising the POA dues”...
“We have the best deal in town (golf membership)”...

Rick Noffsinger:  The reason we are not raising dues this year is because it is just like our Congress / government.. If we go ahead and raise the dues we will not focus on ways to improve our spending habits, than we will simply keep raising dues!  We've got to get a grip on running Diamondhead like a business.  We are subsidizing the golfing community out of the dues $250,000 annually.  The demographics of Diamondhead have changed.  It is no longer a golfing community.  It is a community with some nice amenities, and one of our top amenities is the golf course.  I believe it is the life line of Diamondhead.  It keeps the value of your residential prosperities up.  Look at Belvedere, & Graystone, the property values have all gone down.  Graystone home values dropped 34% when they closed down their golf course.  We are very fortunate here in Diamondhead.  Realtors say we should have about 40% empty homes, but it is only at 20%.  Even though everyone who moves to Diamondhead knows we have a golf course, I have had more complaints from members asking why are we puting all this money toward the golf course.  I want to tell the golfers that you will have to work harder to get the right folks on the board to suport you.  We have 5 Board members to replace.  I'm telling you that you will make everyone happy in Diamondhead if Diamondhead gets a grip on how they do business, get our spending under control, manage the money we have now, than if we have to raise the dues, no problem.  We have to get a grip on what we are doing.  It has not been run properly in the past, because we did not need to, because the times were not that hard. 

Country Club Sprinkler System:

We do have to put a Sprinkler system in the Country Club.  We do not have the money right now.  We are working with the Fire Marshall.  We have committed to putting in a sprinkler system in the Banquet Room with an easy adaptation to add more sections as money allows.  The Finance Committee has budgeted $50,000.  It will cost $65 – 70 Thousand to do the entire building.  Our attorney is looking into any possible legal recourse.  Rick Noffsinger (paraphrased)

New Business:

• ACC Permit Boxes - $20.00
• ACC Pebble Beach Property – piece of property that is pie shaped, asking for H2 status if he purchases the adjacent property.  No. We will grant an H2 status if he builds a structure on it.  The individual understands the regulations.
• Properties/Homes not up to ACC regulations (Medinah Overlook) – POA has contacted the attorney to do something legally to take care of this property.
• Fire Lane – Country Club – Signs have been out there many years.  Arkansas law says that is a Fire Lane.  We will obey the laws.  There must be 20 feet available for the Fire Department.
• Country Club – Youth Committee would like to use a room for the children on Friday nights, with movies & entertainment.  This service will be offered for $1.00 per night per child.  Possibly be ready by March 1^st. 
• Reminder that the 19^th Hole is a Bar & Grill.  We plan to set up one of the card rooms as a dinning room for Friday nights; change the décor, table cloths, dim the lights, etc.  Should be finished in the next 2 weeks. 

Meeting adjourned ( Length of time 1:24 )

Notes provided by
Diane Porterfield
adianerdh@att.net
Please let me know if any corrections are needed.