Mar Cheri Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
March 3, 2015
Attendees and Approval of Minutes
Ken Schiewetz, Nancy Krueger, Michelle Egusa, Mark Bunger, Mark Moberg, and Vicki Bengeult were in attendance. A quorum was present.
Minutes of the annual meeting are being prepared by Margo and will be voted for approval at the 2016 annual meeting.
Because this was our first meeting together as a board, and we have several new members, we spent much of the meeting learning about and discussing the issues we face this year.
Old Business
Drainage problems in pool/playground area After much discussion, the consensus among us is that this long-standing problem must be addressed in stages, because we do not have the financial means to solve it all at once. To this end, Mark will contact a firm recommended by Lakehaven Water District to work up a comprehensive plan to redirect the water that flows into this low area into the stream. From there, we will need to work with the city to obtain permits, since the buffer zone of protected area around the stream is 100’ on either side. Our first priority will be to improve the drainage at the entrance to the pool and to the gate into the ball court, and possibly continue the sidewalk from it’s current termination at the Mahar property to the pool entrance.
Rat infestation Mark Bunger and James Rolf took on the nasty work of cleaning out rat infested areas at the pool house. Mark recommends replacing more of the sheet rock with cement board to repair water damage and to keep rats from being able to reinfiltrate. The board agreed that this should be done before the pool opens, and will be asking for volunteers to help with this work.
Spruce trees near pool house Last year, Nancy had obtained an arborist’s report about how to care for these trees. His recommendation was to trim (they were topped in the past) them and to remove one that is too close to the structure. We will have them trimmed and at some point have the too-close tree removed (requires city approval). This will not only keep the trees healthier, but will improve our access to gutters and remove an access to the roof for rats.
Street parking A car with expired registration has been parked in the cul de sac at the bottom of the hill since Thanksgiving. Nearby neighbors will contact the property owner first, and if no corrective action is taken, the police will be notified. Not only do our covenants prohibit storing cars on the street, it is against state law.
Spring is early this year If your yard is anything like ours, the weeds are particularly happy. Weeding and yard clean up now will make for lighter work as the year progresses. “Overgrowth of brush, weeds, lawn or trees shall not be allowed on any residential property.” [Article IX, Section 2] The board is already receiving complaints about overgrown, untended properties. Please don’t wait for someone to contact you.
Stream Mitigation Project Update
Last year Mar Cheri, at the direction of the city, hired a wetlands biologist to prepare a mitigation plan after the illegal tree cutting that happened last spring. This plan is at the point where it is acceptable to the city, but as yet we have not had direct communication with the current or previous property owners to the west of the stream to establish how to pay for all of the work. The estimate is just under $16,000. The affected area is partially on our land but primarily on the Sorenson/Cheng property. Ken is going to make contact with the city representatives to introduce himself as new president and clarify our current status, and then he and Nancy will meet with Dr. Cheng. We anticipate being able to clear the brush and mulch the area before the pool opens, but cannot proceed until the working and financial relationship with Dr. Cheng is established.
New Business
Annual assessments Expect your invoices in the mail this month. Assessment this year will remain at $455, with $50 refundable after 3 hours of volunteer work. We also discussed being more effective in collecting delinquent accounts. Attaching liens to homes doesn’t give us the income we need each year, so we will take other actions, including small claims court if necessary. The vast majority of the community faithfully pays dues on time each year. Thank you!
Associate memberships The pool is not currently at capacity for membership, so Nancy will prepare a mailing to two nearby neighborhoods in an effort to increase membership and thereby improve cash flow. We are looking for 5 or 6 more families to join.
Yard waste bins Vicki will find out how much it costs to get a yard waste bin down by the pool. Having a bin would help us with ongoing maintenance of the property. We currently need to load trucks with debris and haul away.
Next Meeting
7 pm on Wednesday April 1, at the Bengeults’ (29816 2nd Ave SW)
Next Meeting Agenda Items
Project updates
Review of community and pool insurance
Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 pm.