STARLIGHT MESA HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION

Minutes of October 22, 2013 Board Meeting,

7:30 p.m. at the home of Glenn Cunningham

Board Members Present: Glenn Cunningham, Chari Gilmore, Armond Kotakian & Trang Tran

·         Glenn advised the Board that the Reserve Study inspection will be conducted on October 24 by Reserve Studies Inc in order assess the condition of the common area components (e.g. pool, pool house, tennis court, etc) that the reserve is intended to fund.  A draft report from the RSI is due five weeks after the inspection.

·         Annual Meeting:  Saturday, November 9 at 10:00am at the Pool.

·         Board to review and approve via email the week of October 28 the pre-meeting annual mailer to the residents.

·         Board reviewed and edited the proposed 2014 budget.  Within the 2013 budget, all obligations were met despite the fact that legal, brush clearance and water usage all incurred larger expenses than were anticipated in the 2013 budget.  It was determined that the quarterly dues of $480 will remain the same.

·         Departmental reports that will prepared for presentation at the meeting include:

·         Review of Residential Changes in 2013

·         Financial report

·         Maintenance report

·         Election results

·         Community News

·         Discussed the extermination of a possible coral snake by the LCFD in Carole Kolla’s front yard.

·         Carole Kolla proposed to the Board via email a book sharing location where residents could donate and borrow books…a type of community library.  Carole provided a link to a charming box on a stand that could be installed in the Mesa.  The Board considered Carol’s suggestion for a book sharing program, and voted to save any suggested material and installation investment by locating the book sharing in a container at the pool house.

·         Reviewed the Chang’s request for the installation of a new sliding door on their upstairs front balcony and a new roof.  The door was approved as it did not change in size from the existing door and thus is preapproved based on Article X of the CC&Rs.  Based on the description and sample of the roofing material, the Board did not approve the roofing material at the time of the meeting.  New information was submitted post the meeting and the request is currently under review.

·         The Board will draft a letter to all residents reminding them to maintain the standards of the neighborhood front yards including watering.  The Mesa funds at significant expense gardening services for front yards, however it is the residents’ responsibility to help with the maintenance by providing sufficient watering.

·         Gazebo.  Karen Levin provided several options for replacing the old wrought iron gazebo across from the tennis court.  Several styles of significant structures were reviewed which would require the services of an architect to ensure they would be properly engineered.  The Board considered the idea of removing the old gazebo by bulk trash day on November 15.  Proposed ideas for the removal and space will be featured at the Annual Meeting.

·         Finance Report

·         2011 and 2012 Audits will be sent out in the annual mailer.  As anticipated the 2012 audit indicated the Reserve Fund is underfunded at 49% in part because appropriate funds were used to refurbish the tennis court in 2012 as a capital investment of the Mesa.  The Board discussed putting any surplus funds from the 2013 budget into the Reserve Fund at the end of the year.

·         In regards to a resident in arrears, the Board reviewed the accounting for the past two years and noted the resident is now paid in full on dues and late fees.  Cardinal will be advised to immediately bill the resident for the Collection Agency fee.

·         Monthly financials were reviewed. 

·         Maintenance in September

·         Glenn and Karen will review the Toribio’s contract and recommend any changes so that it may be renewed for 2014.

·         Accomplishments for October 2013

·         Pool

·         Installed additional signs required by LA County Health Dept

·         Installed water flow meter on solar heating system required by LA County Health Dept

·         Stacked furniture and put umbrellas inside restrooms due to impending wind storm

·         (Only open issue from inspection is replacement of deep marker tiles (planned for November))

·         Repaired broken sprinkler lines in the Putting Green Park and along south side of pool walkway

·         Continued spraying grass in Putting Green Park to eradicate invasive Bermuda grass

·         Adjusted sprinkler timing relative to weather; continued to accumulated data for watering reference chart

·         Directed Jose to begin annual cleaning of the swales systems

·         Began swales crack filling

·         Purchased supply of herbicides for invasive Bermuda, grass, sumac, pampas grass

·         Jose is clearing around sprinkler heads with a small application of herbicide (Karen will discuss alternative methods that may be more ascetically pleasing.

·         Plans for November

·         Continue swales crack filling

·         Install a hand washing faucet adjacent to the tennis court drink fountain (task carried over from previous months)

·         Replace depth markers in deep end of pool

·         Further reduce watering frequency

·         Continue spraying grass in Putting Green Park to eradicate invasive Bermuda grass

·         Replace some concrete and make other minor repairs to the steps from the upper Mesa to the pool

·         In regards to the Bergen’s request for an agreement concerning land usage, the Board secured a survey of the north side of the Bergen property and the remainder of the pool path to the pool.  The results of the survey and a map will be shared with the residents along the path.  Outside counsel is reviewing the survey and proposing a course of action to settle the outstanding land usage agreement.

·         Next Meetings: 

·         Annual Board meeting November 9, 10:00am at the pool.

·         December meeting Tuesday, December 17 at 7:30pm at Trang’s house pending availability of the new Board members.  Glenn is not anticipated to be in attendance at this meeting.

Chari Gilmore:  SMHOA, Secretary