Board Minutes April 2024

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Meadow Hill Inc.
Minutes of the Executive Board Meeting
April 17, 2024

Executive Session

The Executive Session convened at 9:30 AM. Board Members present: Jim Fuda, Brenda Berk, Donna Whalen, Ron King, Walter Brownsword, and Paul Jenkins. Deb Wellington present via Zoom. Kristin Davis of Imagineers was also present.

Per state law, voting on any issue discussed in the Executive Session is done in the Open Session of the Board of Directors meeting. See Open Session note below for any action necessary by the Board on any item discussed in Executive Session.

Open Session

  1. Call to Order – The Open Session convened at 10:05 AM.
  2. Roll Call – Jim Fuda, Brenda Berk, Donna Whalen, Ron King, Walter Brownsword, Paul Jenkins. Deb Wellington present on Zoom.

III. President’s Remarks. – Mr. Fuda welcomed all attendees and outlined the progress the Board has made in establishing key foundational elements of defining plans and priorities for the next three years for planning for the upkeep of our roads, grounds, buildings and amenities. He thanked all of the volunteers past and present noting the volunteers are the backbone of Meadow Hill.

  1. Minutes – The minutes of the March 2024 Board Meeting were voted on and approved via email. The minutes are posted on Pilera and Meadow Hill websites.
  2. Financial Report – Ms. Berk – Income of $65,489 accrued for the month. CAI rental income of $695 was received. Key Bank CD interest of $485.22 was booked to reserve income. Unbudgeted expense of $400 for accounting fees for a meeting between the Board and Dan Levine to discuss the tax impact of selling the Hollister House. Due to cash flow issues, there was no regular monthly deposit into the reserves. There was however a repayment of $4,000 loan from prior years into the reserves and a deposit of $25,842.28 as a result of the Wire Project Reconciliation. Ms. Berk spent time this week with Katherine Kraszewski, our accountant at Imagineers, reviewing some of Imagineers’ internal processes. There is still some clean up to be done on the balance sheet to clear items related to the wiring project, but the project is reconciled and closed. All vendors’ payments have been made.
  3. Maintenance Report – Darien Covert – Landscape season has begun. Mulch has been delivered and mulching underway. Spring fertilization will begin next week after clean-up. Semi-Annual dump run was completed April 16th. Most work orders are complete, with a few exceptions. Darien reminded us that the pool painting will begin soon. This process will take time and is weather dependent. He hopes that the pool will be open by Memorial Day, or by the first week of June at the latest.

VII. Manager’s Report – Kristin Davis of Imagineers- Ms. Davis’s report is available in the Board Packet and can be found online.

VIII. Committee Reports

Gounds Committee – Mike Proulx – The proposed plan for alternative grasses was submitted to the Board (included in the Board Packet) and the Grounds Committee is seeking Board approval of the plan. The first round of the of the Testing Grass Alternatives is underway. Plans for Spring planting projects are being developed for submission to the Board on or before the May Board meeting.  The Grounds Committee will be holding its first Green Day Event at the MH Clubhouse on May 18th. More details to follow in the Lark and in your mailboxes. There have been many requests for lawn seeding. Seeding continues be done in the fall and will require a work order

Tree Committee– Will be meeting on April 18th and will report next meeting.

Maintenance Committee – Walter Brownsword – This committee is looking into walkway repair and erosion. They are identifying the most serious areas to take care of this year. In regard to power washing, we are going to stick with the schedule. Red and Gray areas this year and brown in 2025.

Nominating Committee – Ron King- Residents will be receiving information and ballots in the mail. Voting will take place at the Annual Meeting on June 13, 2024.

Social Committee – Donna Whalen – Reminder that on Thursday, April 25th at 4:00 the Glastonbury Police will hold a seminar on Senior Fraud. May 18th Green Day Event, more information to follow.

Risk Management – Deb Wellington and Tom Bailey have composed a letter that explains risk management and why we consider it one our most important issues. This letter will be sent to all unit owners and renters. The letter can also be found online in the April Board packet. Deb and Tom have put in many hours researching the topic of risk management and its effect on our insurance policies. Rob Bouvier, Meadow Hill insurance agent, will be at the May 15th Board meeting to answer questions and hand out more information.

Long-Term Planning Committee – Jim Fuda –

The Hollister House Proposal- Lawyers are putting the final touches on the project. There will be a vote on this project, after we have an open forum, to give all residents to ask questions and concerns.

There is an Ad Hoc committee looking at all our amenities. Looking at the pros and cons of our current amenities and bring awareness and importance of these amenities.

The long-term committee will be looking toward future projects. It will take time to develop a game plan for the future of Meadow Hill.

  1. Open Forum

During this time our residents are given time to voice their concerns or make suggestions.

*Suggestion the next bench purchased should be placed at Hollister Way West and oriented to face the river.

*Addendum to the ground’s variance requests. For general planting within the four-foot space please use a work order. Approvals within the four-foot area will be by the Grounds Committee Chairperson, Mike Proulx and the Maintenance Supervisor, Darien Covert. The process will be explained in May. For planting outside the four-foot area use a variance request form which will require Board approval

* A suggestion that we need more signs reminding people that the roads and grounds of Meadow Hill is private property.

  1. Executive Board Votes

A motion to send out the Risk Management letter to the unit owners was made by Deb Wellington and seconded by Brenda Berk. Vote: Unanimous (7 Yes/0, No) Note: distribution will be by e-blast and hard copies provided to the list of residents that receive hard copies of The Lark (about 20 people).

A motion to Increase our Master Policy to $50,000, was made by Deb Wellington, and seconded by Brenda Berk. The schedule for the change will be determined by the Board at a future meeting. Vote: Unanimous (7, Yes/0, No)

Jim Fuda made a motion to rescind the rewiring credits and notify the unit owners that all units are required to pay the full amount of the Special Assessment of the rewiring project. Seconded by Donna Whalen. Vote: Unanimous (7Yes/0No)

Jim Fuda made a motion to mail the rewiring letter to the unit owners with the breakdown on the wiring with updated numbers from Brenda Berk. Vote: (7Yes/0No) Note: distribution will be by mail and posting on Pilera.

A motion was made by Deb Wellington to approve Meadow Hill Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day for Wednesday, July 17, 2024 , with a letter explaining what is considered Household Hazardous Waste, and the details of collection. Paul Jenkins seconded this. Vote: (7Yes/0No)

Motion made by Jim Fuda to execute the Reserve Study Proposal submitted by Rick Filorama of the National Consulting Group of Cromwell, CT and for a kick-off meeting to be scheduled with the Board and Mr. Filorama. Seconded by Brenda Berk. Vote: (7Yes/0No)

Motion made by Ron King for the dates of the Annual Meeting for Elections to be June 13,2024 and the Annual Budget Meeting to be December 10th. Both meetings start at 7 PM.  Seconded by Paul Jenkins. Vote: (7Yes/0No)

Motion to approve the variance request the owners of Unit#217 with the condition that they provide us with details and specific windows and sliders being proposed and confirming outside color conforms to the requirements in the Rules and Regulations.  Motion by Walter Brownsword and seconded by Brenda Berk. Vote: (7Yes/0No)

Jim Fuda made a motion to approve the proposal of AD Masonry for the replacement of the retaining wall near Unit #142 at the cost of $5,376. Funding of $5,000 is to be from the allocated reserves for this item with $376 from the Operating budget. Seconded by Brenda Berk. Vote: (7Yes/0No)

  1. Motion to Adjourn by Deb Wellington and seconded by Paul Jenkins. Vote: (7Yes/0No).

Time of Adjournment: 12:17PM

Minutes submitted by: Donna Whalen, Secretary

Minutes approved by email. Approval by email on April 20, 2024

 

Executive Board Planning Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Background and Purpose

The Executive Board is adding a meeting to plan and discuss topics regarding the operation and functioning of Meadow Hill. The planning meeting allows the Board to discuss topics in more detail and depth than time permits at the monthly Executive Board Meetings. The planning meeting is open to residents’ attendance as it is an open meeting per our bylaws. Consistent with state statutes and Meadow Hill bylaws, no action votes were taken at this meeting. The Board discussion was limited to posted Agenda items.

At 10:00 AM, Jim Fuda called the meeting to order.

Present: Jim Fuda, Ron King, Brenda Berk, Paul Jenkins, Walter Brownsword. Deb Wellington attended remotely. Donna Whalen was out of town and unable to attend.

Agenda Items

  1. Discussion of priorities and timelines
  2. Maintenance – The Board will review the dryer vent proposals and discuss which contractor to select and how to proceed. Two approaches have been considered: 1) the Association will manage the contract and bill the unit owners, or 2) the Unit Owners will be responsible for contacting the selected contractor and paying the Contractor directly. Both options will allow unit owners to opt-out if they prefer to handle the dryer vent cleaning by themselves, as long as it’s done and documented within the period determined by the Board. Additionally, the Board will explore ways to save costs from our budget to fund the dryer vent program. The April meeting is the target date for determining the schedule to select the contractor and the approach.
  3. Insurance – The Risk Management Committee is working on two key documents – a letter to the Meadow Hill community explaining Risk Management and insurance and a Risk Management Control document outlining procedures and approaches to elements that impact risk. Draft documents have been circulated to the board, and comments have been requested.

In addition, the discussion continued increasing the deductible on the Association Master Policy to $50,000. The timing and the cost savings could be discussed with Bouvier and reported at the April Board meeting. The Board targeted action for the April meeting.

The suggestion for a Meadow Hill Household Hazardous Waste Day collection concurrent with the Town of Glastonbury collection days was discussed. There was no consensus on the suggestion, and the discussion will continue after additional research is completed.

  1. Communication—The Board discussed various topics regarding communication.
    1. The Facebook proposal from the Communications Committee was seen as a tool to aid communication. The Board will make a final decision at the April Board meeting.
    2. E-mail system: We will test existing e-mail addresses and seek permission to use them for communication other than mailings required by our by-laws.
  • Hard copies—Provide and distribute them to those without e-mail or requesting hard copies. Use volunteers to distribute them.
  1. E-blasts – continue to use e-blasts through Pilera as the foundational element of communications.
  2. Text alert system – still needs to be explored for emergency notification—future item.
  1. Budget—Brenda reported that the schedule for the budget process will start in August, with a draft budget sent to the board by the November board meeting. The Annual Budget Meeting will be in early December, and the Board will determine the exact date.
  2. Nominations – Ron King reported that notices for the Annual Meeting will be sent out on April 19th. The Annual Meeting will be held on June 13th, and Nominations for Board candidates are due May 10th. Four candidates have committed to date – Jim Fuda, Paul Jenkins, Tim Reid, and Deb Wellington.
  3. Update of MH Documents—The Board will defer reviewing and updating the Declaration, By-Laws, and Rules until later in the year.
  4. Records Retention—Brenda has started reviewing Meadow Hill records to begin the archiving process. Imagineers is compiling a list of MH records they are storing on behalf of Meadow Hill at their office in Hartford. The Board will follow the record retention guidelines from CIAO, which are defined by state statutes.
  5. Change in the Association Master Policy – Deb Wellington has agreed to contact Bouvier to discuss the questions raised by the Board regarding the timing of increasing the deductible to $50,000. The Board will decide on this matter during their April meeting, pending the receipt of responses from Bouvier.
  6. Open Items
  7. Hollister House—Documents are being prepared for submission to the Unit Owners for a change to the Declaration and approval of Development Rights for the unit owners’ approval of the sale of the Hollister House.
  8. Wiring Project Closeout -The loan has been re-amortized to a principal of $227,000 using $371,000 of special assessment funds collected. The board will finalize and close the Project at the April board meeting.
  9. Open Forum

Residents were given this time to express their concerns/suggestions.

  1. Reminder for the April 25th event on Elder Fraud by the GPD. Eblast in the works.
  2. Wiring questions from past meetings. Response: This will be addressed at the April meeting.
  3. Can calendar invites for meetings be sent to residents? Response: The Board will evaluate.
  4. Confirmed the items on finances are to restore and replenish our reserves.
  5. Feedback on communications was offered, and a handout was provided to the board. (The handout provided will be added to the Board packet).

Adjournment: Walter Brownsword moved to adjourn, seconded by Ron King, and unanimously approved by the Board in attendance (6-0). Meeting adjourned at 11:26 AM 

Minutes submitted:       Jim Fuda
Approval:                           Unanimous of attendees (6-0)
Date of approval:           April 09, 2024