Hawthorne II HOA Annual Meeting November 15, 2023

Location:  Parke Regency Hotel, 1401 Leslie Dr + Zoom online meeting

Welcome & thanks to everyone attending our in-person and online annual meeting   

•      Please make sure you have signed in either in-person or online (quorum, voting). Attendance was 11 attendees in person, 1 proxy and 5 online attendees. (17)
•     The night’s high level agenda:
  • 2023 Accomplishments – Proposed Capital Improvements – Operations - Financials – 
  •  Voting – Miscellaneous - Adjourn
•      For those online, if you’d like to comment or ask questions, speak up or add a comment.     

Don Read and the HOA Board recognized Don Sutton:

Don Sutton has retired from the board; we’d like to thank him for his many years of service on the board.  He has left to spend time in California but remains a resident of Hawthorne II.  Don has been very active, and he will be missed. He has served for many years in many roles, and we have spent the year trying to capture all his knowledge. Again, thank you Don!

The board members introduced themselves. All were present: Mark Clauss, Jeff Biggs, Don Read, Cherilyn Hardman Sytar, and Toni Wudtke.

Significant accomplishments made throughout 2023 (detailed amounts in the finance report):

Here is the list of significant projects for 2023:

1. Repair & update area around the waterfall by the goosinator shed - $15k (estimate – work still in progress) removing trees but stumps still need removal, clean up some plants, but need to make sure the lighting is addressed as it is broken. Additional landscaping may be pursued by boat ramp and cleaned up plants around waterfall, stumps, by the boat ramp will do some more on the landscaping.
2. Replace irrigation pump $5k we have to replace the pump every 3-5 years.
3. Repaint lights around the lake $2350. Jeff led us through the painting of the lights, the 2nd or 3^rdtime we have done this activity.
4. Hawthorne Commons did some minor updates. Had to trim trees back and clean things out. Budgeted the year before and then updated the plantings. Cherilyn had the plants updated and it looks awesome. Now we need to ensure the landscaping company continues to properly maintain.
5. Accepted online dues payments – 18 payments with a convenience cost to HOA about $4 per online payment to process. Mark worked with David Williams to set up the online payments for dues. Next year will accept checks and online again.
6. Working to improve our goose deterrent process. Moral victory with the geese, battling them for year, numerous attempts that are supposed to work. 2 years ago purchased the goosinator. The issue is it takes lots of time. Going to ask for help doing this, in the Spring. Purchased a home for the goosinator. We will have some training. New residents, the Powells have a laser to run them into the water that they used in their previous location. But once in lake, still need goosinator to drive them out and on their way. Had an issue earlier this year with a resident unknowingly feeding the geese, that has been corrected and the population decreased in that specific area.
7. Lake & lake algae: Had multiple treatments for the lake algae. We had significant problems with the algae, for whatever reason and this year this it got out of control. We have a contract and they are to come out and provide chemicals. We had them out an additional 4-5 times this year and plan on keeping this in better state as soon as Spring 2024 returns. In the past, we used to have chemicals, grass carp to the water, and as brought up in the meeting, we can look into grass carp for the future, we also put the pumps in to aerate the water.These pumps currently run 10-12 hours a day. We will ask the marine biologist about restocking the lake, a couple of big grass carps. 

 Maintenance:

1. For context we will pay about $45k for “landscaping” – representing 50% of our annual budget -for reference this is half of our budget.
2. Updated and decorated our entrances, we have spent some money on decorations for the holiday, which look very nice.
3. Keeping goose population to a minimum the only extra expense this year is we replaced the batteries which will happen occasionally.
4. Maintaining the fountainsand lights, this is a fair amount of money, see financial report.
5. We have all aspects of dam/inlets inspected to ensure we are maintaining it properly and that no repairs are needed. Inlet repairs occurred in 2022. Our next engineering inspection will be in 2025.What we previously fixed was the inlet pipes which were breaking the concrete, it was more of a temporary fix, if we are to fix those on a more long term approach, then we would have to hire a company that would have to replace the big pipes, go thru the sidewalk, we would have to let some water out, couldn’t use the sidewalk around the lake.  The dam was put in in 1992.  By having regular inspections and mini repairs we lengthen the life span of the the dam and inlets…we spend approximately $1500 every 5 years to inspect. 
6. Removed dead trees around the waterfall/goosinator shed, attendees asked if this was part of contract or additional. Any work not listed in the contract, would be extra, we ask for a bid on additional work and then contract the work to be done.
7. Minor updates to our website were made to clean it up.

Board proposed Capital Improvements options for 2024: 

• Refresh the Lake Waterfall areathis is in progress, all that is left to clean it up and add some plants and the lighting. Minimal have to pay $2K
• Fix and upgrade lighting at the Acres Entrance someof the lights are not working, we have a bid to fix the lights for $4675. There appears to be a damaged or cut wire under the road leading from the main control box to the median. This damage has been confirmed by one company, before we initiate the repairs, we will pursue a 2^nd If confirmed, we can go forward and get repaired. It is pre-approved for this amount, but validation by board will happen first.

Focus areas for 2024:

One comment from the attendees that it might be nice to explore trees that line various main streets like Woodbine. When the pear trees died, we removed them, but this is coordination and property rights and ownership between the city, the HOA and the homeowners who own the adjoining city property. It could be explored next year, if time permits, but right now; not something we can pursue.

1. Need group participation to help with goose control (operating Goosinator). We have created an online way to assist. We will be using “Sign up Genius”, in Spring of 2024. For now, our fearless Goosinator Leader, Cherylin will continue to do it through Spring. We will have a training session for volunteers. One we have a list, we will train, share the lock combination on the shed that is the Goosinator’s home. We have proven, that the geese hate the goosinator. We will make sure to teach how to turn the goosinator, as there is no reverse on the machine. 
2. Review and understand the impact of AirBNB within Hawthorne. A home in Acres became an AirBnb. We have looked into updating covenants and will put out the vote. The home is now considered a business. The HOA does no vetting of rentals. Actual renters are vetted by Airbnb Updated the HOA covenants, neighbors’ concerns (property values, noise, excess traffic, boats, or RVs on street, # of renters, etc.), current covenants state single family dwelling only. The city is aware of the issues in the community. Our city council member shared various facts and information being discussed at city levels as well as what they are hearing from other HOA’s. The neighborhoods are all zoned residential, most HOA covenants do not allow a business. 
3. Reviewing the need for traffic calming devices within subdivision. Have had issues of excessive speeding on Longwood and Woodbine. A traffic study was conducted. There are 3 criteria you must meet to add additional calming devices on the street. We did not meet all 3 at this time. A future study will be conducted, as the speeding continues. All it will take is one serious incident and that could impact multiple families.A device has been installed on the lamppost on Woodbine that alerts drivers to their speeds. The city had indicated they would be willing to increase police patrols in the neighborhood and the adjoining neighborhood of Eagle Crest as some vehicles are coming and going from the intersection of Armstrong and Longwood. We currently do not have a contact within Eagle Crest to disseminate information via their board (if one exists). Suggest that if it continues additional concerned community members contact Bloomington City Works or the BPD.  Board member Toni Wudtke has additional info if desired. 
4. Continue to expand the Board’s Operating manual. WE have been working on the creation of this manual and continue to record and update all existing and future notes, the how to do things, pictures, why certain systems were put in, future maintenance, etc.
5. Plan to proactively apply treatments to the lake to prevent algae. Our commitment to be more proactive with the algae.

Other suggestions capital improvements or focus areas? None were mentioned at this time, if ideas do come to mind, please contact a board member with your thoughts.

HOA Operations (to help members understand other parts of our role)

• Managed HO requests (fencing, pools, additions, complaints (dogs, unkept properties)
• Working with vendors (grounds maintenance, lake, irrigation, fountains, electrical)
• Building an Operations Manual for the H2 HOA Board 
• Miscellaneous Homeowner requests, questions, etc..

Annual Treasurer’s Report:

• Recap of annual dues, operating expenses, and capital improvements.We have a little bit bigger bill coming in for landscaping, rebuilding the fountains, fishing line tangled around the motors, we sprayed for mosquitos, money for goosinator, rechargeable batteries, we have two sets of batteries. We spent $1600 trash removal, also purchased a new pump, expenses for running the fountains and lights, also have payments for the watering over at Acres since this is not fed from the lake.Like all other things, insurance is up, we also had one cost for a foreclosure, removed some liens from a few properties, the newer holiday decorations, some final clean up. 
• After final invoices, we projectwe will have about $11,500 going into 2024 – we have $33K now – but as stated still have some outstanding invoices to clear yet. We have two cd’s 20,288 and $15,215.10. We do not have a specific $$ goal of how much we want to build up. We do want to consider a small reserve in case of a big expense that could come our way, i.e., dam repairs or a major issue with the lake or lighting. Not raising the dues next year, 10K a year for something we see, we are doing pretty good.
• Cash flow analysis with current checking & savings balances
• Estimate of remaining expenses 

 Election

• Three board members are up for re-election (Don Read, Jeff Biggs, and Cherilyn Sytar) a vote was taken, and all 3 were unanimously reelected by those in attendance at the meeting.
• No other official voting needs surfaced during the meeting discussion.

Miscellaneous

• Special interest helpers?(examples: Len Mroz (flag), Dave Williams (website) – are there other special interest projects anyone has been considering and wants to bring up> - not currently.
• Social events: Happy Hours, Neighborhood watch?Christmas Tree Decorating Contest-2024, potential private Facebook group for the Hawthorne II community to organize – maybe go to the lake, have a July 4^thparade, neighborhood cookoffs, block parties, etc.We have a board volunteer that will explore a private Facebook page and an attendee who expressed interest in helping coordinate various social events.  Keep your eyes to the website for potential updates.
• One question from the attendees: Do we have an official dog cop?There is a small barking dog that is left outside all day. Some neighbors unable to attend tonight wanted the subject brought up. Do we have other issues with dogs walking unleashed or loose dogs running free?We really need to encourage our community to go to the city, call or visit your neighbors to inquire on dog situations or in some cases from unresponsive folks, you can leave anonymous letters in the mailbox. We do not want to generate conflict within our homeowner community, but we strongly encourage all to follow the leash laws and to pick up after your dogs and cats. Both cats and dogs should be leashed or contained within your own fenced yard, they should not be roaming into neighbors’ yards.  Encouraging all to use communication with neighbors, alert the HOA board members and to call our local police department, the non-emergency number of course.

Sheila Montnoy Alderwoman Ward 3, attended and shared some of the bigger issues being discussed as our City Council member:

Three current issues addressed by our city council representative: 

1. Annual property tax levy. Multiple local taxing bodies independently determine their tax levy for the coming year between now and year end. The Equalized Assessed Valuation or EAV is an input to the process. EAVs have increased on average about 10% this year. Unit 5 comprises the largest part of our property tax. 
2. Information about a proposed significant investment in downtown Bloomington can be found at downtownforeveryone.com. Public input is invited. Please visit the site to review the proposals and provide feedback. 
3. Zoning considerations. Short term rentals and group homes are increasing across the community. This can impact home prices, rental rates, and housing availability. Special permits are being issued for chicken keeping, which may conflict with HOA covenants.

Extra FYI – no malice intended with this information.

Adjourn

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