(Highlights of the meeting were not prepared by the Board. They were prepared by an attendee of the meeting and are presented to keep unit owners up to date until the official meeting minutes become available after they are approved.)
Hickory Woods Board of Directors Meeting Summary
November 20, 2019 (Wednesday); 1:30 PM @ Clubhouse
Present: Phil Lee, Bob Medeiros, Nancy Shearer, Pat Hoopes Absent: Brian Wells
- Review of October, 2019 minutes Approved 4-0
. - Review of October, 2019 financials (Tim Wege) Active month of October. A number of expenses that made the month unfavorable in our balance (landscaping, tree inspection and removal, common area improvements, clubhouse pressure washing, water, insurance bill). Still favorable for the year so far. Project that we will be off by about $550 for the end of the year. Accepted 4-0
. - Management Report:
* Process to request early driveway snowplowing – List has been developed; will have a green ribbon on the “early out” homes.
* Process to request “no salt” on driveway – will be indicated by red ribbons on the garage doors.
* Fall cleanup will be Thursday, November 21. Snow stakes will be placed.
* Netting has been removed
* Town has asked Mesiti to place boundary markers on HW property. Assumption Is that it’s “routine” because of the building taking place. New Star will notify residents of what is learned.
. - Committee Reports:
* Beautification Committee: Read a letter from Cherryl Gordon (representing the committee) to the Board. The committee has voted to disband as a formal committee because of the lack of funds for the future. They will continue to be a volunteer group that will work to improve our community. The committee was thanked for their work. Voted to formally disband the committee (4-0 vote).
* Clubhouse Committee: HVAC has been “buttoned up.” Requested a deadbolt lock for the conference room door; key to match existing keys.
. - AAI Request:
1 Quarry Road: Request for a roofed deck to have temporary plastic or glass panels. Will not involve permanent glass windows. Proposal included a specific timetable for installation and removal of the panels and does not include becoming a permanent interior space. The board has discussed it at length and opened the issue for discussion of residents. Comments from the attendees included:
* Conditions should apply to anyone putting in glass panels. Dates for removal and installation would be guidelines for all.
* Questions on the approval process.
* Question – do we allow storage of materials under the decks? (A number of properties do presently have items stored under decks.)
* Is this a road to having “condo police”?
Vote: Approved 3-0 (one abstention)
- Old Business:
* 2020 budget sent out to community (via email, New Star Portal and HW web site) for review on October 30, 2019. Formal vote will be taken at the Annual Meeting.
- New Business:
* Annual Unit Owners meeting scheduled for 7PM on Tuesday, December 10, 2019. Major items:
– Ratification of 2020 budget
– Election of 2 Board of Director positions
No December Board of Directors meeting
.
* Sale of commercial property at the south side of the Route 102 Entrance to Hickory Woods.
– It was sold on October 30, 2019 for $750,000; no site plan has yet been filed.
– Background – Transition Committee was concerned about the two commercial properties because of their access to the properties via easements at the Tavern Hill entrance. Philip Lee spoke specifically about the easements that are recorded in the Rockingham County Registry of Deeds. Some of these easements negatively affect our property rights and some of the easements could be beneficial to our community. Philip developed a summary, “Easements Affecting Hickory Woods” after doing extensive research. This summary was distributed during the meeting.
– Key to our protection is that we were rezoned as residential instead of commercial. This prevents the new owners to appeal the buffer (75 feet).
– It was stated by a resident that a backhoe has been doing work. The new owner has the right to do what they want, including clear-cutting the property.
– The BOD will keep a close watch to be certain that Hickory Woods is protected.
– Obtaining legal opinion concerning easements at the Route 102 Entrance. We have “emergency funds” in next year’s budget.
– The possibility of gating the 102 entrance may be a discussion for the future.
. - Community Comments:
- Some trees that were marked for removal (BFC and Quarry) were marked but not removed because of their size and issues with removal.
- Gating issue discussion. It would solve the issue of cut-through traffic, but uncertain if this is the best solution. We need to wait and see the new site plan.
- Adjournment: 2:42 PM (approved 4-0)