Southampton Homeowners Association

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SOUTHAMPTON HOM

Monday, August 11, 2008

Present:
Jeff Davidson, President Catherine Neves-Shelley, Treasurer
Ben Shelley
Karisa Peck
Barbara Milbourn, Secretary

Location: 1013 Blythe Court W.

Business: Treasurer Catherine Neves-Shelley reported that 15 properties had still not paid their 2008 dues.

President Jeff Davidson read a letter from the resident at 101 Eller Court stating that since there were so many unaddressed and outstanding violations in the neighborhood, that she would choose her own violation; that of not paying her homeowner association dues.

The outstanding violations and how to cure them without incurring thousands of dollars in legal fees (for which homeowners would be assessed) were discussed at length. The complexities were identified as follows:

1) Normal, less major violations like yard maintenance are in need of closer regulating which requires frequent patrols, violations letters, and follow-up including forced compliance if necessary. The issue of who is willing and able to do this once a week or every two weeks without pay remains outstanding. The matter of enforcement without incurring additional charges to the association is an unaddressed issue.

2) More major violations like common area invasion, unsanctioned/unapproved permanent property improvements, and unpaid dues require specific compliance not totally outlined in the existing Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, and legal fees which the association does not have.

3) The board has attempted and still wishes to solve neighborhood issues in a reasonable and cooperative manner as opposed to resorting to hostile and legal measures.

4) The matter of more serious and long-standing violations of the CC&R’s such as garages that face the street, fences that begin closer to the front of the house or property than allowed, etc. were discussed. In order to bring the entire neighborhood into compliance, (1) the CC&R’s would require revision to be more useful and relevant than they were over twenty years ago; they require amending which will require outlining how they are to be amended and having homeowners vote on the amendments, and (2) each property requires at least a from-the-street inspection and those violations being officially grandfathered if applicable. For example, the board agrees that the association will not force a homeowner with a garage facing the street to tear down the garage, or for a fence that begins in the middle of the side of a house and hides a HVAC unit to be redone.

5) Karisa Peck, Jeff Davidson, and Tammy Lewis Burgan agreed to serve as Architectural Committee members to receive, review, and approve/deny requests for property improvements in accordance with the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions.

An annual meeting of the homeowners will be held in December of this year (possibly at the YMCA). It is hoped that the CC&R’s will be ready for revision and vote at that time.

A neighborhood garage sale date was set for September 20th.

Jeff Davidson is working on a new newsletter that will include a summary of homeowner responsibilities concerning the CC&R’s, an explanation and outline of our common areas, and a new Website that is under construction.

The next meeting of the board of directors will be held in September 15th at 1013 Blythe Court W. Jason Blackman, a professional acquaintance of a board member has agreed to attend the next board meeting for a fee of $75 an hour to assist in the outstanding violations on Eller Court and a general direction concerning the revision of the CC&R’s.

Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.