The following are highlights of the Board Meeting of May 17, 2017

(These highlights 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 next month.)

Monthly Financial Review

Two units are two months behind in paying their monthly assessments; one of the units is behind due to the death of its occupant.

Clubhouse is incurring high electric charges. It is being looked into.

The Board has authority to spend up to $10,000 for improvement in any 12 month period. As of April there is approximately $2400 available in this “Rolling Fund” to be spent at the Boards discretion.

Possible use of this $2400: New light at West Street ($1750) however question will be asked if the cost can be amortized rather than paying it up front ??

Status of Property Management Issues

At 38 Quarry a large tree split, threatened the home and required the removal of 2 trees: cost $2250.

Golf netting – Court Builders of America ran into a problem because of the way the nets were put away last year – it took them extra time. There were missing zipties that need to be replaced. The installation seems to be shoddy.

Bocce courts are still in need of being leveled. Alternatives are being explored.

The edge of the Putting green is presenting an issue with respect to trimming grass growing next to the green. Alliance proposed aluminum edging at a cost of $775. This is still being looked into.

Barbecue Grill: Additional costs of $250 for extinguisher, box and post.

Restoration of trees on Black Forrest berm (14 trees) will cost $2350; John agreed to cover $1000 (not half). There are a number of factors concerning this issue including whether or not the trees died before expiration of the warranttee. Transition committee may be concerned with this. Dick will start the research.

Signage (no soliciting, private road) – work order has been put in for installation.

Liability Insurance
Since our liability insurance coverage does not cover residents who are injured while using the common areas and does not cover guests who are engaged in athletic activities (see more detailed information) the Board has asked that a Liability Release be signed and submitted for use of the Common Areas.

Only 60 of 90 units signed.

The Board will continue to investigate additional coverage.

A motion was made and approved stating that residents are responsible for their guests and for supervising them in the use of the common areas and athletic facilities AT THEIR OWN RISK. [rule already says that the owner will accompany the guest – this is added.]

Review of Motions Voted on Between Meetings

2 signs were approved warning: “Use athletic facilities at own risk”

The posting for Real Estate Sale signs has been approved:
– Realtor must get advanced approval from the board.
– Open House signs can only be up for one day.

Consideration of putting light at 102 entrance. Brian Wells has ascertained that the property is owned by John and Rick; they consented to putting light on their easement. However, should the property be developed, we may be liable for paying the elictric bill forever. The Board decided to wait and see how the West Street light goes.

Committees

The ByLaws Committee
– Redrawing the Bylaws is coming down the home stretch.
– Special meeting is planned October 17, 2017 @ 7 PM to approve the Sate mandated changes and the changes that were made to remove references to the Declarant (the Builder) and to generally clean up the sloppy cut and paste document that was put together by the Builder.
– An informational meeting is planned for September 26th.

The Club House Committee :
– No major maintenance issues
– Working on an inventory of supplies
– Reviewing energy audit – LED conversion
– Window and screen cleaning strategy – quotes needed

The Transition Committee:
– Board approved of Chairman (Rick Jenkins) and Co-chair (Phil Lee)
– A delegation has met with the town to explore the status of the Bonds as well as the towns role in our transition. Committee requested the Board send a letter to the Town requesting that the existing Bonds not be allowed to lapse before critical issues are addressed. Brian Wells will craft the letter for review by the Board.
– The need for a professional engineer is under discussion. Estimates are being obtained. Since the Nevins had a professional engineer review their property during transition, they will be contacted to ascertain their experience.

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Please go to Board Minutes for the latest meeting minutes.

As you may know the Board of Directors has formed a Transition Committee to assist them in completing the transition from developer control to owner control of the homeowners association and related properties.

We have held our first meeting and the first order of business is to compile a complete list of issues that need to be addressed by the developer.

We need your input. If you have any information regarding conditions that need to be addressed please let us know by emailing us at transition@hwcommunity.info.

Some of the issues we will be concerned with are:
1) landscaping,
2) clubhouse and its facilities,
3) roads and curbs,
4) drainage.

Examples of the type of information we need are as follows:
1) Damaged and not properly formed curbs on Quarry Road.
2) Where Church Lane meets Tavern Hill there is a very large crack/gap between the two streets that needs to be addressed.
3) Loose floor boards or plywood in the club house.
4) Storm drains at the end of Quarry Road that do not properly drain.
5) Across from 19 Black Forest there are wires protruding from the ground.

Please be as detailed as possible in describing your concerns.
Email: transition@hwcommunity.info

(ISSUES RELATING TO YOUR PARTICULAR HOME ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF
THIS PROCESS.)

The following are highlights of the Board Meeting of April 19, 2017

(These highlights 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 next month.)

Monthly Financial Review

Since Doug Kilgore could not attend due to illness, Brian Wells summed up his review of the monthly financial statement by saying there were no unusual expenditures and everything seemed to be in order.

The Board has authority to spend up to $10,000 for improvements in any 12 month period. As of April there is approximately $2400 available in this “Rolling Fund” to be spent at the Board’s discretion.

Status of Property Management Issues

Signs will be put up at both entrances reading “Private Road, No Thru Traffic” and “No Soliciting”.

The service contract to maintain the Club House HVAC system will be awarded to the lowest bidder. To service the system twice per year the winning bid was $1294.

The cost and quality of cleaning services for the Club House is still in the process of being investigated.

The outdoor service contract which includes putting up and taking down the nets has been investigated and will cost $1100 per year as opposed to the previously cited cost. More issues need to be clarified.

Damage to driveways during snow clearance operations is now due to be addressed in June, however, at Brad Perham’s suggestion, an attempt will be made to push it up to May.

The management company will shortly issue a outline of the timing and details of lawn maintenance for the coming season.

Street Light Issue

As was reported from the 2/15/17 meeting, several residents have requested that street lights be installed at both entrances to Hickory Woods. The Board received the following estimate from Eversource:
– Installation of light pole at Route 102: $1653
– Installation of light at Quarry Road: $1750
– Estimate of ongoing electricity costs: $560 per year

Additional estimates were obtained, however, it was determined that Eversource’s estimate was the most cost effective.

It was proposed that the Board immediately pass a resolution to approve the expenditure of $1750 from the available monies in the “Rolling Fund” to install the light at West Road.

It was also proposed that the Board pass a resolution to encumber future “Rolling Fund” resources to install the light at the corner of Tavern Hill Road and Route 102.

Before the vote was taken, Dick Loschi, our Treasurer, inquired as to whether the issue of the lights should be put to a vote of Unit Owners to obtain their guidance. This idea was rejected.

Both resolutions were approved.

One of the residents (me) pointed out that installing the light directly at Route 102 (across the street from the light already installed on 102 at Avery Rd) might benefit the developers of the commercial lots on either side of our entry road more than it would benefit the residents of Hickory Woods. The Chair did not disagree with this view, but thought it might be used as a rationale to obtain financial support from the commercial lot developers for this street light ????

(Because of existing easements, both commercial lots will have entry driveways branching off of our own entry drive, Tavern Hill Road. See below diagram of our entrance.)

Liability Insurance
Since our liability insurance coverage does not cover residents who are injured while using the common areas and does not cover guests who are engaged in athletic activities (see more detailed information) the Board has asked that a Liability Release be signed and submitted for use of the Common Areas.

As 4/19 only fifty-five (57) unit owners have submitted their release.

Representatives of the Board will be meeting with Doug Kilgore and an insurance agent shortly to explore further insurance coverage.

Committees

The ByLaws Committee: Bob Medeiros gave an update of the committee’s progress in redrafting the ByLaws to conform with the new State law governing Condominiums.

The Club House Committee has elected Jim Shearer as its Vice-Chair and the Board has affirmed his appointment.

The Transition Committee will be holding their first meeting shortly.

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Please go to Board Minutes for the latest meeting minutes.

In our board meeting last week, several residents commented that they had not received the login instructions to the new Evergreen Harvard web portal. Please find those instructions attached.

You will need your email address and your account # to register yourself in the portal. Your account # can be found on an invoice from the Evergreen Harvard Group, or on your condo payment coupon book if you have one.

If you have any questions or issues with establishing your account, please contact our property administrator, Cheryl Mahaffey at 603-429-2019 Ext 302 or email cmahaffey@harvardmanagement.com .

Regards

Doug Kilgore, Property Manager
The Evergreen Harvard Group

This committee’s role is to make recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning construction concerns for new and previously completed construction. The board seeks to confirm that the developers have met all planned construction satisfactorily before the board agrees to sign-off on final completion from the developer.

Activities of the Transition Committee may include, but not be limited to:

Review the original developer plans & diagrams as approved by the Town of Londonderry.

Review commitments made to the HW Homeowners’ Association for final completion.

Survey existing construction of physical plants, landscaping, recreational facilities, etc. of all common and limited common areas.

Review items of concern for common and limited areas as reported by homeowners. Consider recommendations to hire engineer for a comprehensive inspection of physical plant & property. Identify any warranty defects?

Identify items of concern to discuss with the developer for previously completed construction and construction yet to be finished.

See Transition Committee Mission Statement

The Board is looking for volunteers to participate on the committee, which will have 5 to 7 members. All Hickory Woods unit owners are encouraged to volunteer. The Board will review candidates and select candidates with skills best aligned to the needs of the committee.

To Volunteer please send your name, address and a few words describing your qualifications to the HW BOD email address.
Bod-input@hwcommunity.info

Thank you,
The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

The following are highlights of the Board Meeting of March 22, 2017

(These highlights 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 next month.)

The Board and the Property Manager are strongly urging Unit Owners to keep their email addresses up to date. This is necessary because they both increasingly rely on email to notify residents regarding improtant matters. This saves the HOA a substantial amount of money in mailing costs. Go to Evergreen Harvard Group, log in and update your profile.

Monthly Financial Review

There is presently $68,460.36 in the Long Term Reserve.

The Board has authority to spend up to $10,000 for improvement in any 12 month period. As of March there is less than $100 remaining in this rolling fund. In April another $2308.87 will become available.

At present there are no unpaid assessments.

See February 2017 Financial Report

Status of Property Management Issues

Three estimates have been received for a service contract to maintain the Club House HVAC system. To service the system twice per year the three estimates are: $1294, $2149 and $2310. More research needs to be done to determine whether the specifics of the bids were comparable.

The cost and quality of cleaning services for the Club House is in the process of being investigated.

The service contract for the facilities outside the Club House, which includes putting up and taking down the nets, is said to be $1100 per season for a total of $2200. It was resolved to quickly investigate alternatives.

Damage to driveways during snow clearance operations. The Board has already spoken with the contractor concerning this issue. The contractor has promised to make repairs in the spring. To report damage to your drive, please contact Doug Kilgore at dkilgore@harvardmanagement.com.

Several residents have requested that street lights be installed at both entrances to Hickory Woods. The Board has received estimates from Eversource and another company relating to installation of the light poles. The Board is awaiting one more estimate.

Liability Release
Since our liability insurance coverage does not cover residents who are injured while using the common areas and does not cover guests who are engaged in athletic activities (see more detailed information) the Board has asked that a Liability Release be signed and submitted for use of the Common Areas.

As of 3/22/17 only fifty-five (55) unit owners have submitted their release.

Please do so. 2017 Release HOA Agreement_r1

In the mean time the Board is still exploring obtaining additional insurance to cover these gaps.

If satisfactory insurance cannot be obtained, the Board will set about the process of drafting a policy and rules to deal with those who fail to submit the waiver.

Committees

The ByLaws Committee has elected Allan Putnam as its Chair and the Board has affirmed his appointment. It has held three meetings and is well underway toward redrafting the ByLaws to conform with the new State law governing Condominiums.

The Club House Committee has elected Bob McGrath as its Chair and the Board has affirmed his appoinment. Responsibilities for overseeing the maintenance of the Club House have been assigned to its members.

A Transition Committee is being planned to oversee our transition from developer based to community based.

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Please go to Board Minutes for the latest meeting minutes.

To: Hickory Woods Residents,

Two members of the Board and our property manager met with Alliance Wednesday (2/22/2017) to talk about how the snow plowing is going.  During the meeting, we discussed the concerns that were brought to our attention by residents during the open Board meeting on 2/15/2017.

The primary topic of concern was the scrapes and grooves in the driveways, caused by the plowing. 

We walked around and examined the driveways where damage had been reported.  Most of the scrapes are shallow and can be covered with seal coating.  Some of the gouges are more than a half inch deep.  The deepest gouges are near the entrance of the driveways.

Alliance has determined, and we concur, that the scrapes and gouges are primarily caused by the snow blower attached to the Bobcat.  The transitions from the road to some of the driveways are sudden and create a situation where the front edge of the snow blower digs into the asphalt.  To reduce or eliminate this in the future Alliance agreed to modify the snow blower by welding a piece of metal on the front of the snow blower that will blunt the edge and reduce the degree to which it digs in.  While this will improve the situation, there is nothing that can be done to prevent scrapes altogether.  Some of these are created by rocks caught under the back scraper, some are caused by the edges of the equipment.

The shallow scrapes are cosmetic and can be covered by seal coating.  The deeper gouges are more of a concern and should be repaired.  Alliance said that they would fill the deeper gouges before people seal coat their driveways.  Exactly how this will be done is not yet clear.  Also, what options are available, if you are not planning to seal coat, have not yet been determined.  The Board continues to look into this and will provide an update in the near future.

If you live on Quarry Road or Pepper Hill Road, these scrapes are not an issue, because they will all be covered when the final top coat is applied by Mesiti this spring.

The Board and our property manager will continue to meet with and work with Alliance to find ways to improve the process and reduce damage to our driveways.  If you experience problems or have suggestions, please let us know at bod-input@hwcommunity.info

Sincerely,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

The following are highlights of the Board Meeting of February 15, 2017

(These highlights 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 next month.)

The Board has asked that you keep them informed regarding the following issues:

• The service contract for the fitness equipment will cost $648.50 per year.
  In the event of an equipment malfunction, please notify the Board at info-input@hwcommunity.info.

• The front door latch on the Club House, which has been failing to lock, has been repaired. However, in the event of another malfunction please notify the Board at info-input@hwcommunity.info.
• Residents have complained about damage to their driveways during snow clearance operations. The Board has already spoken with the contractor concerning this issue, but would like to know if there is any continuing damage to driveways during snow clearance operations. Please notify the Board at info-input@hwcommunity.info.

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The following issues were also discussed:

• The initial estimate received for the service contract for the Club House HVAC system was for $1294 per year. More estimates will be obtained.
• Several residents have requested that street lights be installed at both entrances to Hickory Woods. The Board received the following estimate from Eversource:
  – Installation of light pole at Route 102: $1653
  – Installation of light at Quarry Road: $1750
  – Estimate of ongoing electricity costs: $560 per year
  (The board is now attempting to obtain estimates to have another contractor install the poles.)

• Several residents have also complained about the island in the middle of Quarry Road where it meets West Road. The Board is investigating this issue.
• Liability Release
  Since our liability insurance coverage does not cover residents who are injured while using the common areas and does not cover guests who are engaged in athletic activities (see more detailed information) the Board has asked that a Liability Release be signed and submitted for use of the Common Areas.
  As of 2/15/17 only forty-one (41) unit owners have submitted their release.
  Please do so. 2017 Release HOA Agreement_r1
  (In the mean time the Board is exploring obtaining additional insurance to cover these gaps.)

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Due to problems with the Harvard Management-Evergreen Harvard Group web site, the latest meeting minutes have not been available. The Board has addressed this issue by making this information available for publication on the HW community web site. Please go to Board Minutes for the latest meeting minutes.

For those of you who were not at the Board meeting held on 1/11/17 the following occurred:

Election of Board Officers

– Brian Wells was elected as the Chairman of the Board & Secretary
– Liz Lannigan was elected as President
– Brad Perham was elected as the Vice President
– Dick Loschi was elected as the Treasurer

• As unit owners in the Hickory Woods condominium association, every resident is an owner of the common and limited common areas including the clubhouse facilities.
• There is an insurance coverage presumption that you would not sue yourself, which is clearly true if you are the only owner and the only person on the policy.
• If you injure yourself in your home, will your homeowner’s insurance pay for your medical costs?
  • Answer: Typically, NO. The insurance coverage will not pay. The coverage expects owners to have medical insurance. So similarly, if owners injure themselves while doing something in the condo common area, would you expect the liability insurance to pay your medical bills? Answer: NO, the coverage expects owners to have medical insurance.
  • The liability insurance is for people other than the owners, who might not have medical insurance, and who could possibly sue the HOA to pay for their medical costs.
  • To minimize HW liability, only contractors with their own proper insurance coverage are hired. The Property manager checks this before hiring them.
  • Guests and any other non-owners (random person passing through) might be a potential risk.

HW Condominium liability insurance policy:

• Our policy explicitly excludes two things:
  1) Bodily Injury coverage for Unit Owners, and
  2) Any Bodily Injury that is due to an athletic activity, whether it is for an owner or any other person
• It does not exclude coverage for bodily injury to Non-owners, who are doing anything other than an athletic activity.
  *  A neighborhood child or anyone else who is a non-owner is covered, if they are doing something other than an athletic activity. So, we do not have to worry about kids, or anyone else, passing through, but we must not let them use the athletic equipment.
• If we want our guests to use the athletic equipment, they must understand that we have no coverage for that. We are accomplishing that by having them sign the waiver.
• Guests do not have to sign a waiver for any other reasons, just for athletic activities, such as using the exercise rooms and the outdoor athletic facilities.

The HW Release of Liability document:

• The document was reviewed by lawyers through Harvard Management services.
• This release was written to avoid liability issues, where HW HOA does not have insurance coverage.
• The current insurance coverage is appropriate and typical for condominium associations. Understanding typical condominium coverage was investigated as part of the board’s determination what insurance coverage to acquire.
• Athletic equipment, specifically the exercise equipment, is maintained through a service contract arranged by the HOA. This includes twice a year regular maintenance. If one feels any exercise equipment is not working right, then one should not use it. Please report any concerns to the Board and Evergreen/Harvard Management.
• Unit owner use of non-athletic clubhouse facilities, such as watching TV and other passive activities, are not covered because owners should be covered under their own individual medical coverage. Again, HOA liability insurance is for people other than the owners, who might not have medical insurance, and who could possibly sue the HOA to pay for their medical costs.
• If athletic activities are conducted in other common or limited common areas other than at the clubhouse, the same insurance exclusion of coverage applies.
• The current insurance policy for bodily injury during any non-athletic related occurrence, on any common or limited common area, will cover any person who is not an owner. If the injury occurs in areas that are not common or limited common areas, such as individual units, the HOA insurance coverage does not apply.
• For slips and falls that happen that are not part of athletic activities, if the person is not a unit owner, the HW HOA policy covers the injury. For owners who slip and fall in their own house, the homeowner’s insurance would not pay for medical costs. The homeowner’s coverage presumes that owners have medical insurance. Similarly, if owners slip and fall in common or limited common areas, owners need their own insurance. We are trying to avoid unit owners thinking the HOA or our insurance will cover bodily injuries.

Related HW HOA issues:

• The newly formed Clubhouse Committee will be helping to maintain the clubhouse furnishings, including any repair to clubhouse furniture.
• There is also a service contract that covers maintenance of the elevator. Again, if anyone has a concern that the elevator is not working properly, please report the issue to the board and Evergreen/Harvard Management.
• For the management of property in common or limited common areas, we should all be trying to make our property safe. We are all owners of the common areas. If you see an issue, report it to the property manager.

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors has initiated a committee to help maintain the clubhouse.
Like Board meetings, committee meetings are open to the unit owners. You may choose to attend and listen to the proceedings.
The first Clubhouse Maintenance committee meeting will be held on 16 February. The agenda is provided below.

Sincerely,
Hickory Woods Board of Directors

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Hickory Woods Clubhouse Maintenance Committee Meeting
16 February 2017 (Thursday), Time: 10:00 AM
Place: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor.

Committee Members:
Ron Daigle
Bob Doyle
Carl Hohenstein
Rick Jenkins
Bob McGrath
Marty Quinn
Jim Shearer
Bob Stolarz
Brad Perham as Board representative

Agenda
Call to Order
Proof of Meeting
New Business
– Selection of Chair for Clubhouse Maintenance Committee
– Select method and person for keeping minutes
– Determination of clubhouse maintenance tasks to be completed:
– Monitoring & reporting to board of needed vendor service calls
– Completion of routine tasks by committee members
– Determination of schedule required for committee tasks
– Establish which committee member will complete identified tasks
– Establish committee meeting schedule

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The Hickory Woods Board of Directors has initiated a committee to examine our By-Laws and bring them into compliance with the new state law passed in 2016.
Like Board meetings, committee meetings are open to the unit owners. You may choose to attend and listen to the proceedings.
The first By-Laws committee meeting will be held on 16 February. The agenda is provided below.

Sincerely,
Hickory Woods Board of Directors

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Hickory Woods By-laws Committee Meeting
16 February 2017 (Thursday), Time: 1:00 PM
Place: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor.

Committee Members:
Katherine Christie
Phil Lee
Bob Medeiros
Pat Pannese
Allan Putnam
Brian Wells & Liz Lannigan as Board representatives

Agenda
Call to Order
Proof of Meeting
New Business
– Review of timetable for By-law review:
Preparation for 2018 HW Annual Meeting By-laws voting
– Determination of Chair of By-laws Committee
– Selection of method and person for taking minutes
– Review of NH condo regulations
– Establish system for tracking needed By-laws revisions
– Establish tasks to be completed, with committee member duties
– Establish committee meeting schedule

Time: 1:30 PM
Place: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor.

Agenda

Call to Order
Proof of Meeting
Acceptance of Minutes
Old Business
– Review of Action Items
– Monthly Financial Review
– Property Manager Status Report
– – – -Service Issues: Front Door Latch, Heating Service Contract, Bocce Courts,
AED, Exercise Equipment
– Summary of Results from Annual Unit Owners Meeting
– Liability Release Form Status
– Street Lights for Entrances Status, Survey?
New Business
– Review of requests for Additions, Alterations or Improvements – Window Box
– Committee Status Reports
Other items
– Comments from Unit Owners
– – – -Liability Release Form Discussions with Unit Owners
– – – -Other comments and discussion

Sincerely,
Brian Wells
Chairman and Secretary, Hickory Woods Board of Directors

The Hickory Woods HOA Board of Directors is asking all residents to fill out and submit the liability release agreement that can be found at this link:
2017 Release Agreement

This is necessary because the Board has become aware that our liability insurance does not cover bodily injury to a unit owner, or any bodily injury or property damage that results from athletic activities.

As a result, the Board is asking all residents to sign an agreement that releases the HOA from liability associated with use of our common areas for individual and social activities, participation in volunteer activities and use of the athletic facilities and equipment.

To: Hickory Woods Unit Owners,

In August 2016, the State of New Hampshire revised the law for Condominium Associations. The new laws require that we modify our Condominium Association By-laws to bring them into compliance within two years.

To accomplish this the Board of Directors is creating a By-laws committee.
The primary purpose of this committee is to bring our By-laws into compliance with the new state law. The committee will make recommendations to the Board for changes to the By-laws to achieve compliance.

The Board is looking for volunteers to participate on the committee, which will have 5 to 7 members. All Hickory Woods unit owners are encouraged to volunteer. The Board will review candidates and select the candidates with skills best aligned to the needs of the committee.

To Volunteer please send your name, address and a few words describing your qualifications to the HW BOD email address. Bod-input@hwcommunity.info

Please respond by 20 January 2017.

The link below provides a file that contains the purpose, approach, timeline, mission and products of this committee.

by-laws-committee-purpose_final_r1

Thank you,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

To: Hickory Woods Unit Owners,

The HW Clubhouse is intended for the use of all unit owners. To provide for effective use of the clubhouse, routine management of the clubhouse is required for tasks not provided by the property manager or other vendors. This will reduce expenses and provide quicker responses to routine maintenance challenges.

To accomplish this, the Board of Directors is creating a Clubhouse Maintenance committee. The primary purpose of this committee is to support the board by monitoring and performing routine or simple maintenance responsibilities. The intent is to spread duties over several committee members so not to burden any one person with too many clubhouse responsibilities.

This committee will report to the property manager and to the Board any concerns for major repair and/or replacement of the physical plant (interior and exterior) and clubhouse equipment. The committee will make recommendations to the Board for changes or additions to the clubhouse facility.

The Board is looking for volunteers to participate on the committee, which will have a minimum of 3 and ideally 5-7 members. All Hickory Woods unit owners are encouraged to volunteer. The Board will review candidates and select the people with skills that are best aligned to the needs of the committee.

To Volunteer please send your name, address and a few words describing your qualifications to the HW BOD email address. Bod-input@hwcommunity.info

Please respond by 20 January 2017.

The link below provides a document with the purpose, approach, timeline, mission and products of this committee.

clubhouse-maintenance-committee-purpose-final

Thank you,
The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

Hickory Woods Board of Directors Meeting
13 December 2016 (Tuesday)

Time: 1:30 PM
Place: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor.

Agenda

Call to Order
Proof of Meeting
Acceptance of Minutes
Old Business
Review of Action Items
Monthly Financial Review
2017 Budget Review
New Business
Review of requests for Additions, Alterations or Improvements
Preparation for January Unit Owners Meeting
By-law Changes for Consideration at the Annual Meeting
Other items
Comments from Unit Owners

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors has decided that all future meetings will be open for the unit owners to attend. At least once each quarter we will provide time in the agenda for unit owner comments and questions. The November meeting will be open, but due to a very full agenda and the fact that this is the last time this year when we will be meeting with our Property Manager, we do not expect to have time for unit owner comments. As always we encourage unit owners to provide comments and to ask questions using our email address (bod-input@hwcommunity.info).

Sincerely,
The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

The following email was sent out on 11/4/16 by Harvard Management.

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Dear Hickory Woods Condo Owners,

Hickory Woods Board of Directors Meeting will be held on:

Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Time: 1:30 PM
Place: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor

AGENDA

Call to Order

Acceptance of Minutes

Old Business
– Review of Action Items
– Harvard Management Solutions Monthly Summary
– Status of Contracts and Bids
– Process for Releasing Long Term Capital Funding

Monthly Financial Review

New Business
– Review of requests for Additions, Alterations or Improvements
– Establishing date for 2017 HW Annual Unit Owner’s Meeting
– By-law Changes for Consideration at the Annual Meeting
– Officer’s Succession Plan
– Officer’s Term of Office
– Process for Committees
– Board Office Equipment
– Other items

Executive Session (if needed)

Sincerely on the behalf of the Board of Directors,

Doug Kilgore, Property Manager
Harvard Management
dkilgore@harvardmanagement.com

As you know, on October 19, 2016 at 1:30 PM our HOA Board of Directors held their very first open board meeting.

The following members of the Board attended:
Mary Ferris
Dick Loschi
Brad Perham
Brian Wells
(Liz Lannigan was unable to attend because of a conflict that resulted because this meeting was scheduled before her election to the Board.)

This meeting was the first of four (4) open meetings which are now required under a new State law that was enacted on August 1, 2016. One of the requirements of this law is that unit holders of the HOA be allowed to make comments and ask questions during the open meetings.

While the venue was not arranged so that board members could easily communicate the proceedings to the audience, on balance the meeting was very informative and very well received by unit holders in the audience.

Since the detailed meeting minutes will be available shortly, it would be useless to recap all of the information discussed. However, a few highlights are in order.

Brian Wells did point out that detailed meeting minutes are now available on the Harvard Management Solutions web site. (For the convenience of our unit holders we are also making them available on this website on the Board Meeting Minutes page.

During the Comments and Questions segment of the meeting one unit holder asked about the rooms in the clubhouse recently vacated by Hickory Woods, LLC. She suggested the possibility of the Board appointing a committee to study the issue and make recommendations as to how the rooms could best be used.

Several unit holders also commented on how beneficial this open meeting was and asked the Board to consider conducting all of their meetings in an open manner. It was their opinion that this would enhance communication between the Board and unit holders, thereby reducing misunderstandings.

The purpose of this post is to encourage open discussion. We would welcome your comments.

The Hickory Woods Home Owner’s Association Board will hold their next meeting on Wednesday, October 19th at 1:30 PM. This will be the quarterly meeting that residence can attend. The following agenda has been established for this meeting. Any Questions or comments to the Board should be sent to our email address, bod-input@hwcommunity.info .

Agenda

Call to Order

Acceptance of Minutes

Welcome new Board Members

New Board Member Orientation

Old Business

Review of Action Items

Harvard Management Solutions Monthly Summary

Status of Contracts and Bids

Monthly Financial Review

New Business

Review of requests for Additions, Alterations or Improvements

Establishing Board Meeting dates for 6-12 months

Other items

Unit Owner Comments

Executive Session

Adjourn

The Town of Londonderry approved the watering ban.

All Hickory Woods residents should shut down your irrigation systems by turning the timer box to the “off” position.

The announcement from the Town can be obtained using the link below.

There will be fines imposed by the local authorities for not complying. See below.

“Enforcement of this restriction shall be completed by any sworn officer of the Town of Londonderry Police Department, which is hereby granted the authority to initiate any enforcement action against any violator of this restriction. Any person failing to comply with the restriction shall be deemed in violation and subject to the following penalties pursuant to RSA 651:2: (1) a first violation shall result in a warning; (2) a second violation shall result in a $250 fine; and (3) each succeeding violation shall result in a $500 fine.”

If you require assistance please let us know.

Sincerely,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

ordinance-_2016-07

Six people have applied. Below are exact reproductions of their submissions.
(Information on the last two candidates was finally released on September 26.)

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(Ms. Dalbenzio was one of the original three candidates for the Board. She subsequently withdrew her candidacy. She has now reapplied.)

Sheri Dalbenzio, 31 Black Forest Circle
Professional Experience
Twenty nine years in health care serving veterans
Over 20 years in management
Served as nurse manager of medical unit with 24 hour accountability
Ran out-patient clinic including scheduling for all medical staff (10 physicians, 3 nurses, 3 administrative staff)
Trained and mentored nursing students, CPR instructor, coordinated on the job training at out-patient clinic and in-patient hospital
Served as a clinical instructor at Bunker Hill Community College

Education
Registered Nurse
Salem State College
Bunker Hill Community College
North Shore Community

Goals for Hickory Words
I am so glad to be part of the Hickory Woods community. I realize we are still transitioning, getting to know each other, adjusting to condo living, and deciding our chosen level of involvement. I believe in a neighbor helping neighbor community. Sometimes little things can make a big difference. It’s all up to us individually, but fostering this kind of environment is one of my goals.
I am use to being a team player, a good listener, and getting things done. During my long career in health care I balanced both my full time work and school, while raising my family as a single mother. It is my desire to use my energy to serve our community, while ensuring accountability and good communication. I look forward to serving our community as a vital member of the new Hickory Woods, Home Owner’s Association Board.

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Liz Lannigan, 34 Black Forest Circle

I would like to offer myself as a candidate for the Hickory Woods Board of Directors. I enjoy the people of this community and the many ways we spend time together. I look forward to the many future ways in which we can share informal times and events. As a member the leadership of Hickory Woods, I hope to contribute to guiding our association.

Education and Experience
BS, Tufts University
MS & PhD, New York University

Employment:
Occupational therapist, 40 years providing services to people living with mental illness in many healthcare organizations
Faculty, 30 years in university programs for occupational therapy education, including responsibility as department chair & chair of many committees
Current, adjunct instructor in occupational therapy at the University of New Hampshire.

Organizational leadership:
Vestry Member & clerk, St. John’s Church, 6 years
New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association,
Board of Directors, 13 years, including Treasurer, 4 years & Secretary, 4 years
American Occupational Therapy Association,
Representative Assembly, delegate for New Jersey, 6 years, including member of several sub-committees
Education and Mental Health Steering Committees, totaling 5 years
Recipient of several national and state awards for contributions and leadership

Qualifications
From my past experiences in employment and volunteer organizations, I have developed communication skills for listening and interacting with others in both simple and complicated situations. As a member or leader in these groups, I have needed to understand the many details key to making decisions for the present and future of these organizations. I have been responsible for:
leading discussions of information and opinions to respond to requests and make board actions
administering department resources, including managing equipment, supplies and services
considering short and long term needs and goals to create plans
evaluating costs and priorities to prepare budgets, managing monthly and annual budgets and organizational finances
maintaining minutes and records for distributing information to others and documenting decisions and actions

I believe that my past experiences enable me as a Hickory Woods board member to evaluate information, discuss different viewpoints and make careful decisions. Through listening to other board members and homeowners, I will be able to provide sensitivity and thoughtfulness for any actions required of the board.

Goals for Hickory Woods
I recognize that being a member of the board of directors is a responsibility to act on the behalf of all the homeowners. I understand that this position requires time and energy to make decisions carefully after understanding all of the information. I believe that I am well suited to work together with other board members to provide the best leadership for our community.

If elected to the HW Board of Directors, I would learn how the board has operated to date, including responsibilities of each board member and procedures for collecting relevant information and decision-making. By understanding the structure of the board to date, I want to consider how future planning and procedures can represent the interests and contributions of all homeowners. By recognizing that board decisions include both public and confidential information, I want to promote transparent distribution of information so all homeowners understand the operations of the board of directors.

I am interested to contributing to the future of this community that we all have chosen. I would like to thank you in advance for considering me for election to the board.

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Dick Loschi,19 Black Forest Circle

Career Experience

35 years as teacher, grade facilitator, and soccer coach

Number of years as school facilitator for yearly budget of supplies and equipment

20 years as National Chair for NSCA school rankings

23 year as Treasurer (first) then President of EMGSCA – represented 160 schools

26 years as Treasurer (first) and Vice President – MA State Soccer Association

I moved to Hickory Woods with the desire to join a positive community for my retirement years. What I assumed I would get was a group of people who would enjoy each other, have fun, be active and keep the community growing. I knew that there was no rule saying everyone had to partake in any/all activities nor agree on everything that occurred but hoped that all important issues could be resolved with little disruption and a lot of cooperation taking into account the consensus of the community. Smaller issues were bound to appear but easily could be fixed.

As a member of the Board of Directors for Hickory Woods, I would seek to look for the best interests of the whole community. It is important that the Board faces its duty as the voice, support, and leadership for the community. The Board must be open to what the community may feel it needs but also able to control the costs. It must work to keep the members happy while being fiscally responsible to not over extend funds which may meet larger needs in the future.

In order to show its value and purpose, I feel the Board must be open to the community. Revealing notes from meetings on issues for all, expenses used, taking surveys and having open meetings will give people a feeling of ownership and a chance to express their concerns, opinions and questions. Sometimes views, ideas, and observations from outside can lead to better resolutions on issues.

I believe that each member of the Board must be accountable. It is important that they respect discussions and keep the confidentiality of them. No one member can feel “bullied” nor feel they are the “power” either.

If the Board members are doing their job and following the By-Laws as they should then they should have the respect of the community members. If everyone agrees to follow the decisions of the Board and be open- minded to those decisions Hickory Woods can and will strive. Bumps on the way, of course, but working together can smooth them out. If this is happening then I believe the community will be that fun, active, enjoyable one I moved into.

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Bob Medeiros, 37 Quarry Road

Professional and Leadership experience:

ADP
Software architect responsible for design, development and deployment of large IBM mainframe systems in multi-team environments.

Independent Consultant
Provided a variety of consulting services to several U.S. and Canadian corporations.

Fidelity Investments
Systems manager having complete management responsibility for a development staff of 36 professionals, coordinated the activities of
several Third-Party vendors, and participated in product design.

IBM
Held a variety of technical positions. Received 5 awards for outstanding contributions to the corporation.

Personal
Attended Bridgewater State University, Northeastern University and Boston University (non-degree programs).
Veteran of the U.S. Army Medical Corp.
Member of the Revere, MA Board of Health for 6 years.
Basketball coach at the Middle and High School levels.

Aspirations as a member of the Board of Directors:
My hope is as a member of the Board I can make significant contributions using my experiences in diverse team environments and acquired collaboration skills to create a more inclusive culture that engages and inspires our residents.
Guided by our By-Laws and fiduciary duties, employing creative/common sense methods to problem solving, and ensuring the interests of all our residents are well represented, we can build a solid and enduring foundation for our community.

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(Mr. Perham was one of the original three candidates for the Board. He is still a candidate.)

Brad Perham, 11 Tavern Hill Road

Career and Leadership Experience:

42 years in Education as Athletic Director, Physical Education teacher and Basketball coach

Collaborated with architects and contractors on multiple construction projects of athletic fields and an athletic complex that included a 20,000 square foot gymnasium.

Independent School League Council (16 schools in New England – served multiple terms as President, Treasurer and Secretary)

United Church in Walpole – served on multiple committees including Prudential

Springfield College Alumni Council – served 6 years

Springfield College Class of ‘66 Reunion Committee – Class Agent in charge of gifts, raising $123,000+

Vision for the Hickory Woods Board of Directors and the Community:

As a member of the Board of Directors, I would represent the Hickory Woods residents in a fair and equitable way. As a fiscal conservative, I would be careful in the use of funds, getting the “most for the least.”

The Board of Directors must strive for transparency in its dealings. This may include open meetings, meeting summaries on our webpage, monthly treasury reports and surveys of households.

Our board members must respect the confidentiality of board discussions prior to votes that are subsequently made public.

A condominium community is built on the principle that we agree to share in common resources and to abide by the decisions of our governing body, the Board of Directors. The board listens to residents, is guided by the By-Laws and makes decisions for the whole community. Each resident has the responsibility to abide by the board’s decisions and to let the process take place. Reality is that everyone will not always be happy with all decisions, but we need to agree to live with those decisions.

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Paul E. Ramsey, 24 Pepper Hill Road

Please consider my name for a Hickory Woods Board of Director position.

My wife Claudette and I just moved to Hickory Woods. With over 40 years experience, I currently hold the position of Vice President – Operations at Eversource ( formerly known as Public Service Company of New Hampshire-PSNH). Past responsibilities include the strategic planning, construction, operations and maintenance of PSNH facilities statewide. I have served as a Board of Director for over a dozen organizations and understand the governance responsibility of a Director in representing the members of the organizations. In many of these organizations, I have served as Chairman or Treasurer.  Current Board positions include the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, NH Lodging and Restaurant Association, NH Travel Council, Granite State Credit Union and Neighbor Helping Neighbor.

My academic background is a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Master of Science degree in Business Administration.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Paul E. Ramsey
24 Pepper Hill Road

On September 27th the Town of Londonderry, in accordance with RSA 41:11-d, will hold a public hearing at which time they will most likely vote in favor of a mandatory external watering ban. We’ve attached a copy of the ordinance and hearing notices. (Use the links at the bottom of this post to see the documents provided by the Town of Londonderry.)

There will be fines imposed by the local authorities for not complying. See below.

“Enforcement of this restriction shall be completed by any sworn officer of the Town of Londonderry Police Department, which is hereby granted the authority to initiate any enforcement action against any violator of this restriction. Any person failing to comply with the restriction shall be deemed in violation and subject to the following penalties pursuant to RSA 651:2: (1) a first violation shall result in a warning; (2) a second violation shall result in a $250 fine; and (3) each succeeding violation shall result in a $500 fine.”

All Hickory Woods residents should shut down your irrigation systems by turning the timer box to the “off” position on or prior to September 27th. If you require assistance please let us know.

Sincerely,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

sept-27-2016-ph-on-drought-ordinance

ordinance-regarding-outside-water-use

On 11 October we will be voting to fill the vacancies on the Board of Directors. Because there were a number of questions about how the vote would be accomplished, the Board of Directors, working with our property manager, Harvard Management Solutions, and our lawyers, have defined the following approach. We believe this approach is in keeping with the current By-laws and that it meets the needs of the community.

The election will require that a majority of the unit owners in good standing participate. So at the meeting we will need a quorum of at least 51% of the unit owners in good standing.

There will be no write in candidates allowed. Our By-laws have no provisions for handling write in votes and the Board is concerned that write in candidates will not serve if elected. If someone wants to run, they must indicate that by submitting an application.

The winners will be elected by a plurality vote. Candidates that receive the most votes will be elected. A set number or percentage of votes will not be required.

For the vote to change the By-laws, so that term durations can be defined, we will need a two thirds majority vote in favor of the change.

Sincerely,

Hickory Woods Board of Directors

When: 27 September 2016 at 7PM

Location: Hickory Woods Clubhouse, main floor

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors invites unit owners and residents to a forum aimed at answering questions and explaining what the Board has been doing and what our plans are for the near future. During this meeting we will review what the Board has done this year, talk about how we operate and provide a look ahead to what must be completed before the end of this year and early in 2017.

We have planned the 2017 annual meeting for March. This forum will provide a midyear update and allow us to answer your questions and have discussions with the Board that you might not want to delay until next March.

To facilitate the meeting, we ask that you submit your questions in advance to the HW BOD email address. This will allow us to understand your questions and to prepare answers that adequately respond to the questions. During the meeting, we will read and respond to the questions submitted in advance.

There has been much discussion in the community about what the Board of Directors do and how we operate. Often the information being discussed and provided is incomplete or inaccurate. This forum will provide the same, accurate information to everyone who attends. So please send in your questions and plan on attending the meeting.

Sincerely,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

There will be three (3) vacancies to be filled on the Board of Directors.

As you probably know there was a previous call for candidates for the Board of Directors to which three (3) people applied. Two of those people since withdrew their applications.

With this development we are now soliciting again for applications to the board. If you are interested in being a member of the Hickory Woods Homeowners Association Board of Directors please provide an application to Doug Kilgore at Harvard Management Solutions (email: dkilgore@harvardmangement.com).

Your application should provide a summary of your qualifications for the position including past experiences that will contribute to the Board of Directors and to the Hickory Woods community.
Feel free to include your goals for the community and the Board, and any other considerations that will encourage people to vote for you.
This summary will be provided with the voting materials.

Please submit your application materials no later than September 23rd.

The election will be held on October 11th.

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors met on 8 August to review and approve a proposal for a grill at the clubhouse. A few of the residents put together a proposal for purchase and installation of a grill. The proposal was reviewed and the purchase of the grill and installation materials were approved.

Keys for the clubhouse have been obtained, two per household. Bob McGrath has the keys so please see him to get yours. The key fobs continue to work on the front doors. The keys will provide you access to the back door and the side door if necessary.

During the meeting we reviewed the survey results. For term duration limits almost all (91.4%) of the unit owners want the Board members to have term duration limits. Most of the unit owners (53.4%) would like a two year duration for the Board member terms, while 31% would like a three year term duration. Based on this the Board agreed to move forward with implementing a two year term duration limit. This will require a vote with a 2/3rd majority in favor at a meeting of the unit owners to allow us to amend the By-laws.

The survey results for the Operating Reserve funds show that about half of the residents (49.2%) want the two months of fees to be placed in the Capital Reserve to be used in future years for repairs and replacement of the capital facilities. About a third (29.5%) wanted the funds to be used for improvements to the neighborhood. Based on this feedback the Board is placing 2/3 of the funds into the Capital Reserve to cover future repairs and maintenance. The remaining 1/3 will be held in the Operating Reserve account until the 2017 budget is completed and approved and a detail capital plan is available.

At the 10 August monthly meeting two of the directors resigned for personal reasons. The remaining Board members thank them for their service and for being charter members of the HW Board.

We took action to create a request for new directors that will be posted on the web site and emailed to unit owners of record. Three director are needed to replace the two who resigned and John Kalantzakos who will be resigning this fall. A special meeting of the unit owner will be held the evening of 27 September to elect new directors and to vote on the term duration limit amendment to the By-laws.

During the meeting we also started the process of renewing the Insurance contract and starting the process of hiring the landscape contractor for 2017.

Sincerely,

The Hickory Woods Board of Directors

Contact us at: bod-input@hwcommunity.info