Hickory Woods Board of Directors Meeting

June 14th 2023 at 1:30PM Community Clubhouse

Summary (Unofficial)

Board Members present: Paul Ramsey, Anne Slaney, Phil Lee, Bob Medeiros, Cherryl Gordon
Absent: Bill Lannigan

NewStar Liaison: Sted Holton

I. Approval of minutes from April 19, 2023: Approved 4-0; One dissenting vote due to the minutes being “incomplete and uninformative.”

II. Review of April and May 2023 Financial Statements - Bob Medeiros. “Decent financial shape”; making up some deficit from earlier this year; new reserve study underway. Most of the money is in the money market - getting 4.8% interest. Some funds are still at Enterprise Banking. Looking at CD alternatives to lock in a higher rate. Question on check to Alliance for $1595 and insurance (Waste Management destruction of mailbox post).. Should we have been involved? Are we setting precedent by negotiating on a matter involving limited common area? NewStar has more clout than the individual homeowner handling alone. We pay through property taxes for waste collection. Approved 5-0.

III. Property Report

a. Alliance progress/schedule: New flowers planted at entrance. Contact Sted if there is an issue; very responsive.

b. 8 Tavern Hill and clubhouse entrance asphalt repairs - Pothole repair estimate $1400; waiting for estimate on Tavern Hill street situation (if any repairs are in the future).

c. Tree treatments progress - Having done the treatments will save the life of trees; good investment.

d. Maple trees on Tavern Hill - Think about removing every other one. We have about 3 years to make a decision before there is damage to the street; damage to the trees themselves caused by the trees growing into each other. Cost of removal will grow with the trees. Approx $10K to do the work.

IV. Clubhouse Committee Report (Bob McGrath absent, communicated information to Sted Holton)

a. Purchase of patio umbrellas - done

b. Side door repairs - cheaper than whole door replacement. Rot caused by water streaming down prior to gutters.

c. Efforts to take care of bird issue - owls with motion heads (small money)

d. Pressure washing ($300) and window washing ($750) needs to be done. Discussion - the work needs to be done. Inclined to go with Bob McGrath’s recommendation. Appreciative of Bob’s care and attention. Approved 5-0.

e. Anne Slaney will represent the board in a committee to investigate new furniture for the clubhouse.

V. AAI Requests

a. 18 Quarry: Patio extension (Approved 5-0)

b. 21 Quarry: Lilac bush planting (Approved 5-0)

Reminder that it’s the location of the planting that needs approval; submit a request to be sure.

c. 15 Quarry: installation of pavers next to the driveway. Stipulation that they must be installed properly to avoid damage during plowing; at the risk of the homeowner. (Approved 5-0)

VI. Old Business

a. Route 102 Development - Sted has been in touch with the landowner about a dead/hanging tree on their property ($860 to remove). More information could be coming on future development - stay tuned. Planning Board meets today to discuss the proposal (commercial building and improvement).

b. Xfinity contract progress - Phil - Two proposals:

Bulk agreement - commit for every member to use Comcast for 5-7 years for a reduced rate. Submitted to our lawyer. Assured us that we would still be able to contract with other vendors.
Door fee with marketing rights, revenue sharing. Rep to meet with residents periodically. We would receive $50 per unit and then a percentage of their revenue ($700 per quarter). It amounts to preferential vendor treatment. Free access for the clubhouse. 10 year agreement - could back out of the agreement. No cost. Huge % of the associations choose this option. Money would not be earmarked - no specifications on spending.

Recommendation to take option 2 - revenue sharing with marketing rights. (Approved 5-0)

c. Reserve Study progress - Sted - Met with representative today; looked at the property and roads. Expects to have a rough draft in the next month or two - inform the next budget. Looking at the possibility of a well and irrigation at the clubhouse. Also asked for projection to include furniture replacement using reserve funds. Study will give the board information for HOA fees. Since the old study, septic responsibility is no longer that of the HOA. We currently have $180,000 in our reserve fund.

d. Homeowner information packet - Bill Lannigan has drafted a package for new owners (instead of “read the by-laws”) and also to be distributed to all members.

VII. New Business

a. Lawn signs - HOA does not allow any signs outside. This includes contractors, real estate. BOD must approve any signs. Interior signs are OK. With the upcoming election season, political signs would not be a positive for the neighborhood.

B. National Grid presented to the Town Council to bring Canadian power through Londonderry. This would involve significant power lines - probably the lines bordering Hickory Woods. Requesting federal funds to be set aside. No new paths but more poles. The work would begin in 2026. Viewable on the town website. Will monitor and communicate.

VIII. Community Comments

Bushes and trees were adversely affected by the early budding and then the late freeze. They will come back next year even though they appear dead. Let Alliance address pruning.
Spots on Maple trees? Sted will look into it. Note that the trees in our front yards belong to homeowners, not HOA
Black fence on the outside of BFC - who owns it? Plants growing outside of the fence, encroaching. Sted will ask Alliance to check it out..
Note: Limited common area is 15’ around the house; full front yard to street.

IX. Adjournment @ 2:20 PM