January 2025 Meeting Minutes

Minutes

Sycamore Station HOA Tuesday January 14, 2025 7:00 P.M.

II. Open Session

A.    *Financials:

Period Operating Loss - $1,783

YTD Operating Loss - $46,356

Fee collections have fallen below the average annual budgeted fees by $79 per month

Accounts Receivable in arrears is $1,944, or 1.53% of annual budgeted fees

Total Cash - $337,414

Operating Cash - $32,895

Reserve Cash - $304,519

There were no exceptional expenses in the period.

The following were exceptional expenses in the period:

6015-Pool equipment maintenance: $1,109 to cover anchor replacements and to replumb the wall jet lines.

7010-Landscape expense: $1,297 for the plantings around mailboxes 61-63 and 64-65.

The board agreed on the proposed budget for 2025 with a $20/month fee increase.  This budget was be presented to the association at the annual meeting. The increase was presented, discussed, voted on and passed. The monthly dues are now $180/month starting January 2025.

B.    Update on the drainage project for near nos. 61-63. Frank Goldman is still working on this project. The permit has been renewed. Arborist Neil Norton knows he is to do what’s necessary to try to save the big magnolia. A couple other smaller trees will have to be removed, and as their circumference exceeds six inches, permits are required by the city of Decatur. Frank will contact the arborist to remove the trees.

•   Further communication between Ray’s Engineering, Drainage Solutions, City of Decatur, and the board representative has been ongoing. 

•   We got new drawings from Ray’s Engineering and the city of Decatur approved the plans. It seems that we may be able to move on this project soon.

•  The homeowners and board decided on gray for the color of the wall.

• Drainage Solutions will start the work tomorrow. Frank will meet with Drainage Solutions to make sure that the right trees are removed.

• The board approved the motion to pay the first third of the invoice for the project.

C.    Jeff Sharpe: Ongoing concern about traffic control for the fast drivers around the complex. Seth from Blackjack paving was on site today and was asked to estimate the cost of replacing or repairing the speed bumps. He quoted for 5 speed bumps, 24 feet across, with installation as $10,000. If we supply the speedbumps and he installed it would be $1,675. Blackjack will be using rebar spikes, which destroy the speedbumps if they are removed. Jeff Sharpe will look into using lag bolts. Jeffrey Sarson: we discussed several options. They included adding new speedbumps. Alternatively, we could replace speedbumps with higher speedbumps. Two of the current speedbumps are collapsed. We could reinforce the disintegrating speedbumps by adding a new speedbump in front of the old ones. Jeff Sharpe will do more research on the options. A 25 ft. speedbump that will run across the road is $650. There are economical options for signs and posts. We will try to have a plan in place before summer. We will also add speed limit signs and potentially speedbump signs. Jeff Sarson volunteered to procure and install the new signs. Jeff Sarson proposed to add an island or a traffic circle to the last cul-de-sac.

D.    Mosquito spraying: We need to contact the exterminator to let them know that we don’t need the service.

E.    Committees:

•   Christie action item: New committee members added after annual meeting

•   Additional committees to pursue for volunteers?

1. Landscape

•   Christie will distribute annual questionnaire update and distribution for

•   crepe myrtle trimming,

•   straw distribution

•   Deadline for responses: Jan. 31

•   Next mailbox landscaping projects?

•   Bush/tree between units 25 and 26 - cut down drastically or removed?

•   Entrance update?

•   Other landscaping projects?

2. Social/Welcome Committee

•   Streamlining communications for new homeowners?

•   Question about Facebook and communication forum option alternatives for communication and discussion?

•   The distribution of welcome baskets was approved by the board. Jane Garvey was the responsible board member to do this in the past. We need to recruit a new member to get involved.

F.    Next meeting Tuesday February 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sycamore Station clubhouse.


G.   Adjournment

H.    Business between meetings

•               Jan. 21, 2025: The board voted to pay the Drainage Solutions invoice for tree removal.

•               Jan. 30, 2025: The board voted to accept the pine straw bid from Euro Landscaping.