Board Meeting ~ January 25, 2018

Board Members Present:

President Gary Pritsch                     Diane Jones

Vice President DJ Bell                       Sharon Carr

Secretary Diane Porterfield             Jim Ott

Treasurer Martha Lindvall

Board Members Absent:
Cheryl Standing                                James Meredith
GM Dennis Dubuque

Meeting was opened at 7:01 pm with Diane Jones’ motion to approve the Nov. 16, 2017 and Dec. 7, 2017 minutes as presented.  Jim Ott seconded this motion.  Minutes were approved unanimously.

Committee Reports:

Long Range Planning – Steve Still stated the complete Long-Range Plan will be presented to the Board in April.  The plan will be very High Level and contain 30-40 pages.  It will take time to go through line by line.  Click here to view

Finance committee – John Porter said the committee is meeting weekly for the 2018-2019 Budget planning.  Click here to view

Wild Life Committee – DJ Bell stated 21 deer have been harvested.  Deer poaching was noted.

Youth Committee – DJ Bell explained that his wife will take over as chairman of this committee until Aug. 2018, since the resignation of the former chairman.  The Easter Egg Hunt is coming up!

Public Relations Committee – Jim Ott stated this committee cannot carry on without members.  A suggestion was made to request members on Constant Contact.

Beautification Committee – Martha Lindvall - Pancake Breakfast à Saturday before Easter

Roads Update -- Diane Porterfield commended Eddie’s crew for the hard work they are doing along our roadway easements - getting rid of dead trees and underbrush.  Hopefully, your road will be next!

GM Report – GM Dennis Dubuque is on vacation - will be back on the 5^th of February.

Preorder of fertilizer & Crab grass control chemicals - Total = $3185.00 pre-buy due on June 1, 2018.  Diane Porterfield made the motion to approve this purchase.  Sharon Carr 2^nd the motion à passed unanimously.

Capital Improvement Budget – Board members were given a list of items that the various departments expressed needs.  For use during the Budget process. 

Historical Assessment data:

2007 – 578 Homes 19 delinquent @ $845.00 = $472,355.00

             1234 Lots 284 delinquent @ $525.00 = $498,750.00   

                                                                Total = $971,105.00   

Using the consumer price index (CPI) to bring it to 2017 dollars is $1,158,282.00

2017 – 651 Homes 17 delinquent @ $945.00 = $599,130.00

              963 Lots 578 delinquent @ $525.00 = $202,125.00   

                                                               Total = $801,255.00

$971,105 (2007) - $801,255 (2017) = $169,850.00 actual difference

$1,158,282 (2007 CPI) - $801,255 (2017) = $357,027.00 difference that we have to spend to keep Diamondhead going over the last 10 years.

Letter read by Diane Porterfield regarding the last 10 years of revenue – click here.

Referring to the Letter ready by Diane Porterfield, Jim Ott explained his ‘3^rd way” of changing Diamondhead’s future is to remove the gates à making Diamondhead a non-gated community. Thereby, opening up the community to Hot Spring & Garland County resources.  If this is ever to happen, the roads need to be resurfaced to be brought up to the standard requirements for the counties to take over road repairs.  This discussion first occurred in 2002 era and was narrowly defeated by those who wanted a “gated” community.  Tom Wright and Carl Marlbuger led this fight with the approval from the county judges.  

Budget Workshop with the Finance Committee & the Board => Tuesday, Jan. 30^th 6:pm

Town Meeting =>Town meeting Feb 15, 2018 7:pm

Write off lots is with DH attorney

Junior Golf proposal was ‘tabled’ until next month when James Meredith and GM Dennis will be here

Jan. 4^th Community Meeting:  “Some people think I (the Board President) have the authority to unilaterally change things.  It does not work that way.  This Board was accused of doing something illegal.  I can assure the members of this Property Owners Association and this Board that everything was done up & up.  The lawyers were involved from the very beginning.  There was nothing done illegally.  There were three main items that were brought up during that Community meeting.  First one is the Speed Bump.  Second one is the security action.  The third thing was the GM.  The last two, the security and the GM, are both personnel matters.  I said I would not discuss those during the Town Meeting.  I will not discuss those in public.  I will discuss those in the executive meeting after this meeting adjourns.  So, the only comment I have:  Is there any action anyone wants to take with the speed bump?”  Click here to view

·         Vice President, DJ Bell, made a motion to ‘get rid of it’.  Marth Lindvall seconded this motion.

·         Discussion:  Diane Jones asked ‘If we get rid of the speed bump, does this mean we are back to the tail-gate feature not working?’  Diane Porterfield & Sharon Carr expressed the thought that the speed bump works by slowing vehicles down as they enter through the gates.

·         Diane Porterfield’s explanation:  The Safety committee presented a motion to the Board (with a tail gate feature to be operable if vehicles crossed the threshold of the gate at less than 5 miles per hour).  The Board accepted that motion and gave instructions to the GM to make it happen.  The GM attempted to make it happen, but people were not slowing down.  (Efforts were made to tell drivers to slow down while entering through the gates – causing frustration by all concerned.) The speed bump made this happen (insuring the cars move slowly – making the gate system work – as directed by the Board).  And I appreciate that he (GM) did that.

·         Jim Ott asked for statics to verify the need for the speed bump.

The members in attendance expressed their opinions.

Article V, section 1A:  Board of Directors meeting…last sentence:  However, members will not be allowed to actively participate in the meetings unless permission is granted prior to the meeting by the President of the Board.

·         President Gary Pritsch brought us back to the motion on the floor regarding the removal of the speed bump.  Jim Ott, DJ Bell & Martha Lindvall voted to remove the speed bump.  Diane Porterfield, Diane Jones, & Sharon Carr voted to leave the speed bump as is.  The tie vote was broken when President Pritsch stated “we will remove the speed bump”.  The membership clapped!

Write off of fully depreciated assets of 2.3 million dollars:  This issue was ‘tabled’ until next meeting in February to give the Finance Committee more time to complete their review.

Employee Handbook:  Recommended changes will need the GM’s comments before vote can be taken.  Issue ‘tabled’ until next month.

Road ways on Plum Hollow at the Marina and on Diamondhead at Ranger, the roads are in bad shape due to rain water issues.  Director Sharon Carr suggested proper care is needed.  A large concrete culvert was recommended.  

24/7 Security:  Director Jim Ott stated: if the Board has a way to increase security at a cost savings, the Board has a fiduciary responsibility to make this happen.  Diane Jones asked for a meeting between the Board and the Safety Committee.  Meeting set for Wednesday, February 7, 2018 @ 6: pm.

DJ Bell moved to adjourn to executive session.  Sharon Carr seconded this motion.  Motion approved unanimously.

Meeting adjourned @ 7:50 pm

Executive Session began @ 8:06 pm

·         Personnel matter & legal update 

Meeting adjourned @ 9:23 pm

Notes provided by,

Diane Portefield

adianerdh@att.net

620-3167