BALLYMEADE
2008 Meeting Minutes
Note: A total of FIVE minute documents are presented below:
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
September 17, 2008
The Ballymeade Boards of Directors met at Peter Haggerty's home at 7:00 p.m.
Attendees: Peter Haggerty, Peter Klosiewicz, Jeff Peaper , Mikhael Sarkis and Glenn Moore with B.C. Communities. (Glenn is our main contact person with B.C. Communities. Glenn reported that our former BC rep, Elise Nelson, is now managing all ARC and deed violation issues for BC.)
Delinquency Report provided by B.C. Communities was presented by Glenn: So far the collection rate of this year's assessment fees is over 98%. 3 Demand Letters and 2 Certified Letters will be sent to the households who have not paid their dues yet and will be followed up on according to the Ballymeade/BC collection process (per the website).
Treasury Report was presented by Jeff and discussed in detail. All items, dues, spending and income were reviewed. The budget looks very healthy and is on target, as a result there should be no need increase the yearly assessment fees next year. Next year would make the third year at the $234.00 per household per year. Of note is that nearly $5,000.00 will be added so far this year to the Ballymeade Reserve Fund as a result of the $450.00 Capital Improvement Assessment due at closing on current home sales in the community.
ARC report was presented by Peter K, the issues were reviewed. There were many items of discussion. Peter K presented a spreadsheet to review. Each item was discussed and voted on.
There are a number of complaints currently about rather large satellite dishes in full view in the rear of homes. There is also a complaint about a satellite dish in the front of a home. Based on the current issues, a discussion to amend the Deed Restriction was had and it was agreed that we need to address this issue with a specific Deed Restriction - only a certain moderate size, in the back up the house only, attached to the back of the house so it is not in view of next door neighbors from inside their home. All were in favor of proposing to amend the Deed Restriction in the next annual community.
Regarding the deteriorating fence behind E Boxborough, the task of replacing it will not be assumed by Ballymeade Corporation because the fence is located on a private land. Although the fence was installed by the developer it is located on the easement and the easement is private property. The maintenance corporation should not set a precedent of replacing or repairing developer installed items on private property. Peter K. will do a write up about this to be placed on the website and perhaps mailed to all the homes on the pond side of E. Boxborough Drive so everyone understands that the homeowner is responsible for the upkeep of the fence.
Landscape Committee report was presented by Peter H. This year's focus was primarily to maintain the trees that were planted over the last few years, on all of the streets and around the two dry water basins. Existing and newly planted trees have been watered through the summer; most are doing very well "even growing shoots in August". There are, however, 10 dead trees and the board approved for these trees to be pulled and replaced. Peter H. is going to try to get a grant from the New Castle County Conservancy to assist with the financing of these 10 trees. The plan for next year is to keep maintaining the trees i.e. watering, pruning, replacing dead trees till they are able to thrive on their own.
Miscellaneous:
ARC News: The Board agrees to create a section in the Ballymeade website called "ARC News". For more info, refer to www.ballymeade.org.
Calls to BC: It was agreed by all the attendees of the meeting that any person or homeowner who call B.C. Communities regarding any issue or complaint, will need to leave his/her info including name and phone number, this information will remain confidential between B.C. Communities and the Board of Ballymeade.
Abandoned Car: Located at the end of W Boxborough drive - this issue will be followed
Curb Cuts Issue: Deldot's representatives have been out to Ballymeade. He saw the issues that still unresolved i.e the puddle of water after the rain. He thinks it needs to be fixed, and he will have a meeting with the contractor who did the project
Sink Hole on Longwood Drive: Glenn is to check with the homeowner whether the county has been in touch with her or not.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM
MINUTES OF THE June 2, 2008 MEETING OF THE
BALLYMEADE MAINTENANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Ballymeade Boards of Directors met at the home of Peter Haggerty at 7:00 p.m. Board members in attendance were Peter Haggerty, Peter Klosiewicz and Holly Kollosch. Glenn Moore of B.C. Consulting also attended. (Board attendance was limited due to work conflicts.)
Changes at BC Consulting: Glenn will be assuming Elise's role and will be our primary contact at BC Communities going forward. All the board members welcomed Glenn and want to pass our thanks to Elise for 4 years of fine service to our community. BC Consulting has changed its name to "BC Communities" to better represent the work they perform. Michael Ramone is the majority owner of BC Communities having purchased Tom Cahill and Katie's Spirrizzi ownership interests. Pete Nellius is the minority owner. Tom and Katie still work at BC. Glenn Moore's email address is glenn.moore@comcast.net. He will look into opening a BC Communities email address. At that time, we will change the web site. (Subsequent to the meeting Glenn got the BC Email address and it is: gmoore@bcconsulting.org For the time being, Glenn asked that the board send all Emails to both himself and Elise. BC Communities has started keeping a log of all phone calls and will provide a copy to us monthly. Budget report: As of last Thursday 26 assessments are not paid. One homeowner still is overdue from last year - Glenn will provide email update on letter and lien placement Glenn will follow up to determine if communication with the BC lawyer is an issue and if so will work to resolve. Glenn will check to make sure that everyone got the first notice. Include everyone in next mailing regardless of outstanding balance. We will not send attorney lien or place lien on balances under $20. Interest will accrue through to next year if not paid. There seemed to be significant participation in the garage sale both from homeowners selling and customer participation. Everyone agreed that this is a good thing for the community to do and we will do it each year if the interest remains. Not enough mulch was placed on the trees. Peter H. will call Forever Green again to get this addressed. Some trees are dead. Some may be under warranty with General Lawn and Landscape. Peter H. will follow up. Davy's will perform a tree audit and estimate to address each item. NNC passed us on the Storm Water Basin clean out People are dumping dirt, grass clippings etc in one of the storm water basins. We have to pay hundreds of dollars to remove this debris in order to pass the New Castle County inspections. Our next newsletter will address this. ARC: We still have not found the storage shed mentioned at the Annual Community Meeting. If anyone reading these notes knows where the shed is located, please call BC Communities. No response to the Morningdale front entrance non-compliance letter. BC will a second letter. While efforts have been made to clean up a home on Shrewsbury, there are still a number of dead trees. Pete will compose a second letter. Board members will review the condition of the fence at 544 East Boxborough and determine course of action. We discussed maintenance of the fence located along the top of the rock wall. The homeowner's back property line is 115' from the curb. Board members will review to determine if the fence is on community property. Peter K. will send a second letter to the homeowners with the pink fence requesting that they switch to a natural stain when updating the fence as it does not comply with the ARC rules. Methane Issue:
There is potential a methane issue behind the homes on Morningdale that back to the woods. It will take up to 2 months for the county to determine what to do about this. In the meantime, the board decided to stop mowing the passive open space as a way to discourage children from playing there. The other option considered was putting in temporary fencing but we felt that would not prevent access. Glenn will ask Elise to notify the homeowner. We will continue to monitor progress on this. Garage Sale:
Landscaping:
Yard Waste:
MINUTES OF THE APRIL 8, 2008 MEETING OF THE
BALLYMEADE MAINTENANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Ballymeade board of directors met at the home of Peter Haggerty at 7:00 p.m., April 8, 2008.. Board members in attendance were Pete Haggerty, Peter Klosiewicz , Mike Sarkis, Holly Kollosch and Jeff Peaper via conference call. Elise Nelson and Glenn Moore of B.C. Consulting also attended.
Officers Assigned:
Peter, Pete and Michael are in the 2nd year of their term. Michael proposed the following:
President - Peter Haggerty (plus Landscape)
1st Vice Pres - Peter Klosiewicz (plus ARC chair)
2nd Vice Pres - Michael Sarkis
Treasurer - Jeff Peaper
Secretary - Holly Kollosch (plus ARC member)
The proposal was seconded and the vote to confirm was approved unanimously.
First Lien To Be Placed On Homeowner - Failure to Pay Annual Assessment: One homeowner has not paid last year's assessment yet. Previous decision was to send another follow up letter and place the lien if no response by 4/10. Elise will confirm that the attorney sent the letter and will provide a copy to the board. If no letter was sent, the attorney should send one more letter with 10 days notice and if no response, place the lien. This will be the first ever lien placed on a home by Ballymeade. All notices from the attorney should be sent either registered or certified mail (attorney to determine). No further action from the board required for the attorney to place the lien.
ARC Issues:
Letter sent to homeowner regarding property upkeep was discussed. Next steps were discussed including possible county code violations. Action: in 2 weeks if no progress, send 2nd letter to HO.
We cannot locate the storage building that was identified at the Annual meeting. Peter K will try to find the phone number and call the homeowner who identified the issue.
The repair work appears to have started on the townhouse with the blue tarp.
A letter will be sent to the home on Morningdale with the non-approved screen door. Homeowner complaint initiated action. Elise will verify address. If unable to, she will notify Holly who will verify.
Budget Report: 122 homes have paid as of April 8th. One house paid only $171. Assessments were due on April first. There appeared to be an error on the BC copy fee bill - $2340 vs. 234 @ .10. Elise will send a revised bill via email. Michael checks the NCC website for purpose of auditing home sales. The NCC site has not been updated since Sept. Michael, Peter K and Jeff will reconcile the sales.
Welcome Package: Michael will email the welcome package he has been working on to Peter and Pete for review.
Curb Cuts and FIOS Box: There is a trip hazard at one of the new curb cuts cause by the proximity of the FIOS box. DelDOT is working to have Verizon move the box.
Capital Improvement Assessment: The board discussed the request at the annual meeting to not charge this assessment to homeowners that transfer within the community (if some one "downsizes" from a single family to a townhouse for example). The decision by the board's voting was not to provide any exceptions as the Maintenance Declaration specifies clearly that assessments must be "fixed at a uniform rate for all lots". Administrative overhead was also considered.
Yard Waste Ban by County: We discussed the yard waste ban and what action we would take now such as trying to arrange for a community wide yard waste collection. Decision was made not to take any action at this time.
Landscape Issues: Elly fixed the storm water basin violations and Peter H. will contact the county to re-inspect. There has been no action on the sinkhole since the county letter. Pete H will send Holly the email and Holly will follow up to determine the current status.
Speeding: Whenever ANY one sees speeding, they should call the police. Pete K will send number to Board members.
Administration: The Board agreed to pay for the community garage sale, Elise found a clause that said certain admin costs can be paid for out of the budget. There was a discussion regarding the inclusion of community activities in next years budget. No immediate action was required.
Next board meeting will be in June.
Respectfully Submitted,Holly Kollosch, Secretary
(prepared for Website by Peter Haggerty)
Annual Community Meeting - Minutes
February 20, 2008, 7:00 p.m., Brandywine Town Center Community Center Building
Attendees:
21 Households in attendance (per sign in sheet), including 5 board members
17 Proxies, now on file at BC Communities, Inc.
38 Households Total Represented (24 needed for quorum, 10% of 243 homes)
Agenda:
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7:00 Call to Order
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7:05 Guest Speaker & Q&A
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7:25 President's Report
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7:35 Storm water management
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7:40 Old Business
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7:45 ARC - Architectural Review Committee
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7:50 Landscape Updates
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8:00 BC Consulting Report & Updates
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8:05 New Business
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8:10 Treasurer's Report
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8:30 Nominations and Board Elections
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8:45 Open discussion
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9:00 Adjournment
Peter K, board member, welcomed everyone and opened meeting with introductions of board members and then introduced the guest speaker.
Guest Speaker - Mike Parkowski of DSWA
Peter K. then introduced our guest speaker, Mike Parkowski of DSWA (Delaware Solid Waste Authority, www.dswa.gov). Mike gave a history of the new law banning yard waste in the local landfill here in New Castle County. The reason for the ban of yard waste is that it takes up one quarter to one third of the landfill and the landfill is near capacity. Yard waste is defined as plant material resulting from lawn maintenance and other horticultural, gardening, and landscaping activities. It can be specifically described as grass clippings, leaves, pruning, brush, shrubs, garden material, and branches. The following to web links will provide all of the information needed on how to deal with yard waste. There are many options available.
http://www.dswa.com/programs_yard.asp
http://www.dswa.com/pdfs/YardWaste101.pdf
The links above can also be found on the www.ballymeade.org website under "Links".
If residents have specific questions or problem they can call Mike Parkowski directly on 302-739-5361 or Email him at: mop@dswa.com
President's Report:
Overall it was a very productive year for Ballymeade. We implemented the Capital Improvement Assessment, working with BC Consulting. The community's five storm water basins were completely cleaned up and passed inspection by New Castle County. We got quotes and then contacted for the on-going maintenance of the basins with a guarantee of inspection passing from the contractor. Fifty new trees were added to the community thanks to another grant from the New Castle Conservation District. The web is a very integral part of our community now averaging 1500 "hits" per month. The community is fiscally sound with a very well managed treasury. There is no need for an increase in the annual assessment this coming fiscal year. Ballymeade remains a well managed, highly desirable community with stable property values.
Storm Water Basin Management:
It cost nearly $4,000 to get our storm water basins in shape and good enough to pass a very strict inspection by New Castle County. Quotes were obtained and a contract signed for the ongoing maintenance of the basins. Forever Green was the selected contractor. They have created a whole separate department at Forever Green to deal with basins now. The contract we signed guarantees compliance with no extra cost to Ballymeade and the price was a good bit less than the other quotes. If Ballymeade continues to maintain the basis the county will repair any major damage resulting from major floods or other events saving Ballymeade hundreds of thousands of dollars if this should occur. Each year the board submits a schedule of inspections and maintenance done to the basins to keep on board with this county program.
Old Business:
1. Community-Wide FIOS Cabling - Many residents expressed their unhappiness with Verizon and the damage done to their driveways while installing the underground FIOS cables throughout the community. Verizon was allowed to do this underground cabling per agreement with the state to compete with Comcast; the board did not request or approve this to be done. Residents were advised to contact Verizon directly or work through our Representative, Bob Valihura who handled many of the complaints for our residents last spring and acted as a liaison to Verizon for the board.
2. Curb Cuts/Wheelchair Ramps - The developer never laid out 7 wheel chair ramps at corners in our community. DelDot was requested to install them and with funds allocated by our State Senator and State Representative DelDot contracted to have these installed finally. There is one location where the wheelchair ramp has exposed a FIOS cable box in the ground so that it is a hazard for some one to trip over and there are two locations where the ramp is lower than the black top causing water to form a small pond. DelDot will be inspecting the situation and will do what is needed to fix all three problems.
3. Speeding - Speeding down Shrewsbury and Ballymeade Drives seems to have improved thanks to the periodic patrolling by County Police at the board's request. Several speeders were issued tickets and others put on warning. The police will be called as often as necessary to keep speeds at posted limits - especially near the playground. Residents should feel free to call the police and request a patrol when ever needed.
4. Dogs - Dogs have been a source of some concern for many residents of late. If you are bothered by a dog that is not on a leash, barking constantly, or by an owner that does not pick up after their dog, please call BC with the address and a respectful letter can be sent asking attention be taken. If one letter does not do the trick more can be sent and for the barking, the County Police can be called in if occurs after 10 pm and before 6 am per county code.
5. Encroachment on Common Land - Residents are reminded not to encroach on the federally protected wetlands (do not fill in with top soil, dump or anything!). Residents were also reminded to not encroach on commonly owned woods by cutting trees down, dumping, planting grass, placing benches, etc. Residents were asked to report these violations to BC Consulting whether the problem is new or several years old.
6. Snowplowing - Residents were reminded that our contract for snowplowing does not include hand shoveling around mail box kiosks. Each year complaints are made in this regard but our cost would be very high for hand shoveling so please pitch in and clear a path to the mail boxes so older folks can get their mail more easily after a storm. Also, if you live near a fire hydrant you should clear around it for easy access by the fire department.
ARC - Architectural Review Committee:
There were 26 requests for changes by residents in 2007, most approved, some not. Residents were reminded to always refer to the deed restriction document or summary before doing anything outside. Peter K explained that an ARC request is NOT needed if the homeowner is maintaining the outside structure, such as painting the front door the same color, or replacing a roof with the same color roofing tile. However, an ARC request is required if the color of the door or roof tile will be different, or if a deck is to be stained a different color, or if modifications to a deck are planned, etc. The whole purpose of ARC is to see to it that nothing is done on the outside of a home that will interfere with the property values around the home or diminish the community as a whole. All residents should have a copy of the deed restrictions or they can get a copy from BC Consulting. A summary of the deed restrictions was sent in the Fall 2007 newsletter and will be sent again with the 2008 annual assessment as a reminder to all with the spring home repair season approaching. Copies of the full deed restriction document and the summary can also be found on the community's website - http://www.ballymeade.org/ . Also, at the meeting a question was raised about sheds and whether they are allowed or not. Peter K. said the deed restrictions do not allow them.
Landscape Update:
Peter H. reported on landscape maintenance and improvements during 2007. The maintenance includes all of the work done on the commonly owned areas including the entrance, the playground, around the storm water basins, areas along Naamans Road and many other locations around the community. This maintenance includes grass cutting, grass fertilization, mulch around trees and bushes in the spring, new playground much each spring, etc. Maintenance also includes fertilizing the new trees and watering them as needed so they don't die. The 2007 Landscape Improvement funds were held pending the outcome of the storm water basin clean up. As it turned out, money was left over due to a great contract from Forever Green Landscaping. Rather than just working with the amount allocated, the Landscape Committee requested and received a grant from the New Castle Conservation District adding $6,000 to the improvement dollars. A total of $8,000 was spent on the installation of over 50 new trees in early January 2008. Plans for 2008 include installing 30 new trees obtained wholesale (bare root) from the Delaware Center for Horticulture.
BC Consulting Report:
Elise Nelson could not make the annual meeting due to the icy weather but a summary of BC's responsibilities was provided and reviewed. A copy of this is on the website.
New Business:
The board is initiating a "Welcome Package" to go to new Ballymeade homeowners. This was actually suggested in the Discussion Forum section of the website by current homeowner. Mike S. has created a very nice welcome letter to be sent once the board learns of the home sale from BC Consulting. A copy of current newsletters, deed restrictions, etc. will be included, and the new homeowner will be informed about the website and about BC Consulting, the community's management company.
Besides the above, the board will be in a "maintenance mode" in 2008. 2007 saw many new initiatives put into place that will need fine-tuning and careful management. The storm water basins will be looked after carefully, as will the receipt of Capital Improvement Assessments. The board will be following up on the wheelchair ramp and other problems. A lot of attention will be paid to maintaining the street trees and the 50 new trees planted this winter. We will also be welcoming a new board member elected at the annual meeting, and as the year goes by, there is certain to be many new initiatives that will be undertaken by the board members on behalf of the community.
Treasurer's Report:
Jeff P., our Treasurer, provided a detailed explanation of the 2007 expenses and the proposed 2008 budget. An increase in the annual assessment will not be needed in 2008 - it will remain $234.00 as it was in 2007. Jeff walked everyone through each line item of the budget. A few questions were asked and responded to; a motion to approve the budget was made. The budget was approved unanimously by all in attendance.
Of note, Jeff P. reported that there is one homeowner who has failed for whatever reason to pay the 2007 annual assessment. We are now at the point where a lien is about to be placed on the property. There was a discussion and a consensus that we should proceed with the lien which will have a very negative impact on the homeowners' credit rating. It was felt that if the lien was not placed then the homeowner would continuue to not pay what is due and this would not be fair at all to the other 233 homeowners that paid the annual assessment. The community is due over $700 from this deliquent homeowner. On top of the $234 assessment, the homeowner owes the community for attorney fees, court costs, etc. that have been incurred pursuing the payment of this homeowners assessment.
The reserve fund has been built up in 2007 with the customary 7% of the total budget. In addition, six Capital Improvement Assessments were received (six homes were grandfathered to not pay this because they were already on sale last year when the Capital Improvement Assessments took affect). Jeff noted that there are about 7 or 8 homes for sale currently that are not grandfathered. The conclusion is that the community is on a very solid financial footing for anything major that may come our way in the near future.
Nominations and Board Elections:
Two board members were at the end of their two year term - Bob Gleber and Jeff Peaper. After contributing much and doing much for the community for two full years our heartfelt thanks goes out to Bob and we wish him much luck in his upcoming "semi-retirement". When no one at the meeting volunteered to take over the treasury function Jeff agreed to run for the board again and was nominated. Jeff got a round of applause and appreciation for doing this critical function for two years and agreeing to stay on!! Thank you to both Bob and Jeff from all in the community!!!! So only one board position remained open. Holly Kollosch volunteered and was nominated. Holly is a former Ballymeade board member so she brings a lot of history and experience to the 2008 board! Elections were held and both Holly and Jeff were elected unanimously. Thank you both and we look forward to a great two years working with you. A board meeting will be held in March to elect the officers and positions held on the board. The 2008 board will consist of the following members:
Holly Kollosch (2 year term), Jeff Peaper (2 year term), Peter Haggerty (year 2 of 2 year term), Michael Sarkis (year 2 of 2 year term), Peter Klosiewicz (year 2 of 2 year term).
Questions and Discussion:
The floor was open to the residents for questions, concerns, and new business. Several concerns were raised which need to be addressed by the board and/or BC Consulting regarding: a sink hole near the wetland area behind Longmeadow, BC Consulting getting Delmarva to replace street lights in a timely manner, the condition of the outside of a particular home, and several other things. ARC and the other board members will get on these issues immediately.
The meeting ended very cordially at 8:40 p.m.
Board Meeting Minutes, January 9, 2008
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
BALLYMEADE MAINTENANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
January 9, 2008 (Minutes written February 6, 2008)
The Ballymeade board of directors met at the home of Peter Haggerty, at 7:10 p.m. Board members in attendance were Peter Haggerty, Jeff Peaper, Michael Sarkis, Peter Klosiewicz and Elise Nelson of B.C. Consulting.
Ballymeade Annual Community Meeting – February 20, 2008 – The annual Ballymeade Community Meeting will be held on February 20, 2008 at the community pavilion in the Brandywine Towne Center. The notice to be sent to homeowners was reviewed and approved. BC sent a notice to all homeowners in late January. A second notice, reminder, will be sent 10 days prior to the meeting. The sign will also be placed at the entrance as an additional reminder.
Elections – At the annual meeting 2 new board members will need to be elected. Jeff and Bob are ending their 2 year term now. Both have worked very hard over the past two years to accomplish many things for our community. Many thanks to you both!! Unfortunately Bob has indicated he will not seek re-election due to other commitments. Jeff is undecided but it is hoped he will remain on the board and remain our treasurer. (Note: Peter H., Peter K. and Mike are ending the first year of their current two year term.)
Budget – Jeff reported on our financial condition which is good as we approach the very end of our fiscal year. We should have enough funds to pay bills that are due. The 2008 assessments will be sent out right after the annual meeting so the accounts will be replenished to pay our 2008 expenses. Jeff will present a revised draft of the 2008 budget at our February meeting and then again at the annual meeting. It was agreed that the assessment will not be raised per our commitment to the community at the last annual meeting and the fact that it is not needed due to careful expense containment during 2007 and low bid contracts being signed for 2008 (storm water basin contract, landscaping, BC, etc.)
Annual Assessment – The Treasurer and BC Consulting reported that there is only one homeowner who has not paid the 2007 annual assessment. A judgment (lien) has been placed on the home. The home cannot sell without the lien being paid. The lien will reflect very badly on the homeowner’s credit report. Efforts will continue to get this money paid. With attorney and court fees to collect the $234.00 assessment, the homeowner owes Ballymeade nearly $600.00 (as of Jan. 2008). This is the first time in the 10 year history of Ballymeade that a judgment has had to be placed on a home for this.
Special Assessment – Mike Sarkis will check on the NCC website of property transfers and update our log/record of homes sold to verify that the $450.00 Capital Improvement Assessment has been collected.
Yard Waste Ban – There was discussion concerning the new law concerning yard waste disposal and how this new law will affect our residents. The law takes effect Jan. 24, 2008. Absolutely no information has been provided to the Board or to homeowners about options to deal with this. News Journal articles have been placed on the website to assist homeowners. Subsequent to the meeting it has been arranged for an expert from the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA) to speak at our annual meeting on Feb. 20, 2008 on what our options are for disposing leaves, grass clipping, branches, etc.
Curb Cuts/Wheel Chair Ramps – Deldot’s contractor has put in wheel chair ramps in 6 locations throughout Ballymeade where the developer failed to do so. This project was funded by Bob Valihura (State Rep) and Cathy Cloutier (State Senator). In several locations there were complaints by home owners about poor workmanship and actual hazards being created along the side walks that people could trip over. Water is accumulating in some spots because the ramp is lower than the blacktop so rain water does not wash down the street as it should. Peter will complain to Deldot. (Deldot was called and a full inspection will be made by their engineers. No word as of this writing back from Deldot.)
New Grant for Trees – The board secured a $6,000 grant from the New Castle Conservation District, NCCD. This grant plus our own funds already set aside, offers Ballymeade the opportunity to enhance the attractive and inviting appearance that has made our community attractive to new home buyers and keep our property values rising. This latest grant will be used to plant 50 new trees, some at the entrance (left and right) with the rest being installed along the storm water basin behind the fence along Naamans Road.
Speeding in Ballymeade – There have been no complaints of speeding in Ballymeade by residents in Nov and Dec. Hopefully residents got the idea that speeding will cost them a ticket. We will ask NCC Police to continue to periodically patrol our development.
Exterior Home Appearance – After last meeting’s discussion about how some homeowners in our community being lax in the upkeep of the exterior of their homes (dead bushes, dead grass, etc.) the ARC presented a draft letter to be mailed to some of the homes asking for attention to be paid to the exterior. The board approved the draft and ARC will send to one or more homeowners.
ARC – ARC (Architectural Review Committee)has been “quiet” as is typical in winter. The board agreed that a newsletter will be sent out in March to all homeowners reminding them of the deed restrictions and all decks and any changes to the exterior of the home must be pre-approved by the ARC.
Welcome Package – A resident suggested on the website’s “blog” (Discussion Forum) that a welcome package should be sent to new home owners. The board discussed this suggestion and tried to determine how this could be done – how would we know a new home owner has moved in. Then it was realized that the payment of the Capital Improvement Assessment would alert us to the fact that the home turned over and that new folks have joined the community. Mike agreed to develop something that can be sent out. What should be included was discussed and generally agreed upon. Mike will propose a final package at the next board meeting.
Snow Removal – At the time of the meeting the snow removal contractor had not had to plow yet this winter. Subsequently there was one snow event that required plowing so as of this writing there is only one plowing that needs to be paid for. It’s hoped that we will not get any more snow!!
Tax Filings – the appropriate tax filings / obligations for Ballymeade will be paid in May 2008. Federal taxes are due on the capital gains of our reserve fund money.
Ballymeade Website – The website continues to be a great success. We are averaging 1500 “hits” per month. This means that 1500 pages are accessed by homeowner each month.
Respectfully submitted,
Peter H. Haggerty
President
Last updated on 03/18/2010
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