2024 Hawthorne 2 Annual Meeting Minutes
November 13, 2024

Location: Parke Regency Hotel, 1401 Leslie Dr + Zoom online meeting 6-8:30

Attendees:
Online: Don Read, Toni Wudtke, Erica Epperson, Brad Wellens, Greg Willis, Michael Balgemann, Len Mroz, Elizabeth Ritter, Joel Woods, Nephele Delis, Cynthia Behrends, Sheila Montney, Jhany? & Xins

In Person: Jeff “CC” Biggs, Mark Clauss, Cherilyn Hardmann Sytar, Bud & Donna Thoma, David & Kim Moore, Diane Sullivan and Bill Welch, Reid & Cathy Richards, Greg & Becky Powell, John Titus, Rena Weyrauch, Noreen McLaughlin, Mark Gardner

Social Time: occurred between 6-6:30

Welcome and Introductions

Mark opened the meeting, explained the role of the board to everyone and conducted introductionsand took roll call.

Accomplishments made throughout 2024 (detailed amounts in the finance report):

Here is the list of significant projects for 2024:

  1. Update lake area around the waterfall $13,900
  2. Landscaping (including fountain repair) $44,000
  3. Electric Repairs (pathway lights, monument repairs) $8,900
  4. Wildlife around lake (fish kill, Stocked with new fish, muskrat removal)
  5. Fishing activity (trash removal, hours open for fishing, signage). Introduced new signs specifying hours and who is allowed to use the lake. Our facility is open to H2 homeowners and Hawthorne Hills homeowners and their guests. Guests should be accompanied by the homeowner or have quick access to the homeowner in order to verify granted permission with a board member or representative (any H2 homeowner). The common grounds (including the lake) are considered private property and is not open to the general public. Violators are trespassing and should be reported to the Bloomington Police.
  6.  Improved our goose deterrent process (thank to all volunteers). Usage of some green laser pointers to deter the geese also seems to be working well.
  7.  We had a good year controlling the lake algae
  8. Attempted to address speeding on Woodbine in late 2023 and one or two inquiries for follow up in 2024. The data collected showed not quite enough activity to qualify for speed control devices on Woodbine. The speeding continues on multiple through streets. Agreed to reach out to BPD to monitor speeding again in January 2025

Maintenance:

  1. For context we will pay about $45k for “landscaping” – representing 50% of our annual budget (includes the Windsong island update)
  2. Updated and decorated our entrances
  3. Kept goose population to a minimum
  4. Maintained the fountains and lights
  5. Removed dead trees and bushes
  6. Minor updates to our website
  7. Worked with Bloomington Police on traffic calming devices, vandalism at the lake, and trespassing at lake

Proposed Capital Improvements for 2025

  1. Landscaping Plan, and Updates
  2. Renting Provisions
  3. Research the viability of building a pavilion around the lake
  4. Lake Updates and Goose control
  5. Dam Inspection (scheduled for 2025)
  6. Continue to expand the Board’s Operating manual

HOA Operations (to help members understand board responsibilities)

  • Managed HO requests (fencing, pools, additions, broken lights, complaints (dogs, unkept properties, noise levels, & speeding)
  • Working with vendors (grounds maintenance, lake, irrigation, fountains, electrical)
  • Building an Operations Manual for the H2 HOA Board
  • Explained board size in number of positions, when we meet, and time commitment. Our primary goals are to maintain the area to retain and improve the values of our individual homes, continue to create a desirable place to live, and the well-being and safety of our community.

City Council news:

Sheila Montney Ward 3 - shared her facts/details from her role as our City Councilwoman.

Details shared on 3 items, specifically: EVA mailings, maintenance of city services (streets, sidewalks, lighting, storm drainage, leaf and brush pick up), and property crimes.

Property Crimes in general in Bloomington and Normal remain relatively low; but there was a spike where some local business on GE Road experienced thefts and there were random car break-ins in surrounding subdivisions. Remember to report something odd to your local BPD. No town is totally safe from potential professional theft rings. Normal and Bloomington BPD working together and have suspects they are monitoring. Can not divulge anymore as it is an open investigation.

Sheila lives at 2005 Woodbine Rd., call her or stop by anytime to discuss anything relative to city policy. Her cell is 309-838-6761 Ward 3

Neighbor Requests/Concerns at meeting:

Concerns expressed from neighbors who live around the lake: random people using homeowners’ property as pathway to lake instead of designated pathways.

Continued due diligence by all homeowners to monitor any concerning issues: fishhooks, trash, loud noise.

Encouraged all to utilize our local BPD for assistance if something is glaring and not to take any matters into your own hands. Bloomington Police Chief welcomes any reports of suspected activity; no matter how large or small it may be. Data is always being collected.

Pickleball courts were brought up, but we do not have room to build pickleball courts in this subdivision

After the treasurer report was shared, a few questions were raised regarding the frequency of when we rebid contracts with our current vendors. As the service industry grows, we may be able to get more competitive bids.

Thoughts on getting cameras or gates at entrances. We could leave gates open – may have to since it is a back entrance to neighboring subdivision-Eagle Crest. if we do not close the gates

Upcoming vote- Rental Provisions within our covenants:

Draft of the proposal is on the website.

  1. To begin with we are designated an R1A home ownership community. According to city ordinances residences cannot run any type of rental business to generate income. If you do so, you are in violation of an enforceable code. Verified support from community at annual meeting
    1. Multiple concerns were raised around the fine we would charge being too low to deter the rentals from occurring.

      1. We should consider at least $1000 so the monetary fine would negatively affect the income received from a 2–3-day rental.
      2. Some felt we should increase fines per violations

    2. Noise levels – yelling, music occur when renter occupied

    3. Excessive cars – up to 20 at a time have been counted
    4. Blocking the street on one side at times, blockage of fire hydrant

    5. Speeding of cars coming and going from the rental has increase

    6. Busses parked in front of house on occasions

    7. Homeowners asked us to make this a top priority, want urgency on the matter

b.  Incorporate last feedback from meeting and any homeowner input this week

c.  The final draft will be sent to our lawyer to review any incorporated updates.

d.  We will put the proposal out via text and email to our members for a formal vote.

i. Approval from over 50% of members required in order to make any updates to existing
covenant
ii. Our goal is to have the proposal out for a vote in the very early 1st quarter of 2025.
iii. Urgency was again asked for by homeowners in attendance. Concerns expressed again that we have been taking over a year to fix the situation of a home being operated as an Airbnb. Concerns are duly noted.

Election of Board Members, Committee Members

  • Looking for another board member and at any time someone is interested in forming ad hoc events; such as garage sales, get togethers or lighting contests; please keep us posted. The board does not have capacity to run social events.
  • Two board members were up for re-election, Mark Clauss and Toni Wudtke were unanimously re-elected.
  • Thank you to Len Mroz for flag duties, David Williams for website maintenance and Bud Thoma for measuring our lake depths and assisting during this summer’s fish kill. Appreciate your volunteer hours for the community.

Annual Treasurer’s Report: -see attached H2HOA 2024 Treasurer's Report

  • Recap of annual dues, operating expenses, and capital improvements.
  • Cash flow analysis with current checking & savings balances
  • Estimate of remaining expenses

Reminder, we have a Facebook page, that you have to request access to. It does not take the place of our website. This is another mode of communication that could be used to create community, foster social events, etc. Title is Hawthorne II (Acres, Commons, & Hawthorne II – members only. The link is on our Hawthorne II website.

Adjourned at 8:30

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