The Minutes
SLE HOA BOARD MEETING
Date: March 17, 2024
Board Members in Attendance: John O’Neil (President), Gus Ferguson (VP, attending by phone), Rebecca Morales (Interim Treasurer), and Lois Tarnowski + Brendan Mills (Members at Large)
Quorum: YES
Call to Order: 4:00pm
Minutes from the last meeting: Accepted
(motioned by: Gus Ferguson Seconded by: Lois Tarnowski)
Treasurer’s Report:
Current in checking account: $ 76,349.76
Current in savings account: $ 124,359.56
Current in petty cash account: $ 201.00
Total in bank accounts: $ 200,910.32
Fundraising For Grader:
$23,000 from sale of dump truck
$ 5,500 from unused shop equipment sale
$11,240 ($1,200/mo for July-Mar KEC shop rent + $440 for June partial rent)
$ 2,270.03 from donations (including $200 donation from a single homeowner, THANK YOU!)
$ 42,010.03 TOTAL SET ASIDE FOR GRADER
In addition, the 2023 audit, complete as of January 2024, will be made available online and in the Spring Newsletter as well as hardcopies at the May meeting. Thanks, Rebecca! The 2023 taxes are also now complete and our CPA mailed the 1099’s on schedule. Lastly, a motion was made by Member at Large, Brendan Mills, to move money from the HOA checking to a money market account to receive more interest. Fellow Member at Large, Lois Tarnowski, seconded, and all other members were in favor.
Behind on your dues? Send payment ASAP or contact Rebecca Morales, at treasurer@spiritlakeeast.org. For more information on payments and donations (including mailing address + PayPal info): www.spiritlakeeast.org/payordonate
Motion to accept Treasurer Report by: Lois Tarnowski
Motion Seconded by: Brendan Mills
ARC Report: There are no new builds to report. If you have building plans for Spring (or questions to prep), contact ARC Chair, Jon Dore, at arc@spiritlakeeast.org. Learn more about building in SLE + find the Architectural Form for approvals here: www.spiritlakeeast.org/building-info
Motion to accept ARC Report by: Rebecca Morales
Motion Seconded by: Gus Ferguson
Timber Report: VP, Gus Ferguson, reminds that any commercial logging in SLE must be approved by the board. Simply visit the Timber page on the website (link below) and fill out the Google form. Send timber/logging questions to: timber@spiritlakeeast.org. For links to the commercial logging form as well as the Timber Exemption form, visit: www.spiritlakeeast.org/timber
Motion to accept Timber Report by: Lois Tarnowski
Motion Seconded By: Brendan Mills
Roads Report: Additional sand was requested + approved on March 5th, and we were at the end of our sand supply, so that should get us through next winter. Spring repairs have begun. We approved additional 20 loads of base and another 20 loads and the board approved the additional base on March 12th.
Fourteen loads were distributed on St. Joe and surrounding areas including Sand Creek. Since then, base rock has been applied to low areas and grading has been done on several other roads as moisture + weather permits.
Regarding Hayden, our most in-need area, earlier attempts were made to begin repairs, but it was still too icy at the time to do any effective repair. While in recent weeks, there was still quite a bit of moisture on the roads, which made it difficult to do any effective grading, work on Hayden will start in early April. Please know that the Road Crew is well-aware of these issues and are working to get to each area as conditions improve, especially Hayden. If you have any areas that you want to get on our radar, please contact the Road Crew using the info below.
Lastly, someone used a skidsteer on CDA in a well-intentioned effort at a temporary fix. The damage—including to the crown and road base—was extensive. This is a waste of our community’s money and took considerable time and materials to repair (resources that should be focused on other in-need areas).
Per the Road Crew, there’s a reason that gravel roads must be graded with a blade and not by a skid or farm tractor. It’s easier to control depth and mixes the fines + coarse together, which holds rock longer.
While we all would agree that potholes and excess water (especially from this unusual season) can be incredibly frustrating, please leave grading to the Road Crew. We have spoken with this homeowner who did not realize the impact and won’t be doing it again. We only want to address it here to explain why this shouldn’t be done. Thanks to all homeowners for your patience + understanding as we work to complete winter repairs and get back to our bigger project of rebuilding the crown in the roads as conditions allow.
Once again, Joe reminds everyone to SLOW DOWN. As soon as sections are repaired, drivers increase speed, causing more problems for our roads, and the work the Road Crew is trying to do. Speeding + passing in SLE are also dangerous and we continue to receive complaints from concerned homeowners. Please respect our roads, your neighbors + speed limits.
The search for a new-to-us grader continues. Joe reminds that pricing fluctuates, but currently we’re still looking at the $80-90K range. Given the situation with the bizarre weather this season, we may be looking at an emergency purchase in the near future, and are prepared for this now that we’re over $40K raised.
Email questions to roads@spiritlakeeast.org. For roads form for reporting issues: www.spiritlakeeast.org/roads
Motion to Accept the Roads Report: Gus Ferguson
Motion Seconded By: Brendan Mills
Welcome Committee: Tisha Dore took over the welcome committee on an interim basis, so we’re now looking for a new welcome committee chair. Tisha says she’d be happy to transition this smoothly to the incoming chair. Contact her with questions at welcome@spiritlakeeast.org. Newbies who have yet to register for HOA billing/mailings, please fill-out the form: www.spiritlakeeast.org/new-residents
Motion to Accept Welcome Report: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded By: Gus Ferguson
OLD BUSINESS
- Newsletter
o Editor & Member at Large, Lois Tarnowski, is calling for all Spring newsletter content from board members by March 30th.
o Newsletters + SLE business ad Info can be found at: www.spiritlakeeast.org/newsletters
o Also, if you’ve provided an email address, you can always find the quarterly newsletter in your email inbox (or junk). If you haven’t given an email address, you’ll get it in the mail.
o Homeowners: To cut costs + save time, please send us an email address so that we can reduce the amount of people who need a hardcopy newsletter mailed to them. To provide your email for this (or update your email address) contact: secretary@spiritlakeeast.org.
- Street Signs
o Pres., John O’Neil, ordered signs for Kelso & Liberty and stop signs (2) + one-way (2). They said they’d call when they’re ready for pickup on budget of $500-600 but development in the area has caused delays. Will check back again next week and report final cost.
Motion to Accept Old Business: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded By: Gus Ferguson
NEW BUSINESS
- Cellular phone
o Switch over to new service.
o We tried Consumer cellular but they don't do business accounts.
o We are going to switch from TracPhone to Verizon (managed Tracphone) so we can do auto payment through the checking account.
Motion to Accept The Plan: Lois Tarnowski
Motion Seconded By: Gus Ferguson
- Contacted by IDOT regarding our entrances
o They became aware of our entrances through a resident.
o They advised the entrances never received a permit for either entrance.
o They have an upcoming project on the 54 so they will redo the entrances and get them up to code and then permit them (at no cost).
o IDOT will then sign over maintenance to the HOA once completed.
- Board Elections
o Reminder: there are no HOA board elections until May 2024, but nominations for the four spots that will be opening up may be submitted now through the deadline of March 31st.
o While there was a table for in-person nominations at the semi-annual meeting in Nov, nominations may now be submitted online here: www.spiritlakeeast.org/nominations
o Voting will be done at the May 2024 semi-annual meeting or online (link TBD).
o Have questions about nominations? Contact secretary@spiritlakeeast.org
Motion to Accept New Business: Rebecca Morales
Motion Seconded By: Lois Tarnoswki
- Motion to adjourn at 5:08pm by: Lois Tarnowski
Motion seconded by: Gus Ferguson
- Meeting was adjourned at: 5:08pm
