Candlelight Oaks Civic Club, Inc
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting
November 7, 2019
2019 BOARD MEMBERS:
Sandy Ericksen President
Lori Bulla Vice-President & Pool Committee Chair
Charlie Bowman Acting Treasurer
Dan Gonzalez Co-Treasurer
Marilyn Harper Secretary & Acorn Editor
A.D. Koen Security Committee Chair
Michael Kuhnen Deed Restrictions Chair
Darin Lee Landscaping Chair
Cassie Ramsay Social Committee Chair
Johanna Wolfe Long Range Planning & Government Outreach
Present: Sandy Erichsen, Lori Bulla, Charlie Bowman, Johanna Wolfe, A.D. Koen, Dan Gonzalez, Darin Lee, Marilyn Harper Absent: Cassie Ramsay, Mike Kuhnen.
Sandy called the meeting to order at 7:33pm. This meeting was held one week early to start working on the budget overhaul, and Sandy would not be able to attend on the 2nd Thursday. No one remembered to let SEAL know about the schedule change, so there was no SEAL Report. A.D. needs to tell SEAL there will not be a meeting on the 14th.
Treasury/Budget: Dan passed around spreadsheets showing the 2018, 2019, and proposed 2020 budgets. The discussion concentrated on the expense items that had gone up this year, and caused the projected budget to be unbalanced. Although the 2020 budget was approved by most voters, the board understands that we need to be able to control expenditures, or we might end up resorting to spending from the reserves to cover ordinary budget items. Johanna said that spending from the reserves to cover shortages should be acceptable in the short term, given the size of available reserves. Discussion continued with board members on both sides of the topic. There was consensus that the Board may need to ask residents to consider an assessment increase if the budget cannot be balanced going forward. The current dues of $360 was enacted by Deed Restriction Amendment in 2002, and cost of many of our services has gone up.
Pool: Lori is still evaluating companies and their bids to select one for replastering the COCC pool and repairing the concrete pool deck. (That major job will be paid for from reserves, as it is considered to be a capital expense.) Lori has proposed increases in all of the ways that people are able to use the pool. Starting 2020, the CO annual family membership goes from $100 to $125, COV membership from $150 to $175, charge for OSL swimming program increases to $500, and pavilion rental fee will increase from $100 to $125. These increases are being done as a way to offset the cost of improvements, shared by those who use the pool the most. Motion was made to adopt these increases, and all board members present approved.
Security: A.D. has talked to several security companies in the search for alternatives to SEAL. SEAL has told A.D. this fall that in 2020, they will only support 8-hour shifts of patrolling. This would force COCC to increase hours to 32/week and cause us to exceed the mandated $50,000 total spent on security per year, considering that we have other costs that are charged to our security allotment, such as the required 9-1-1 phone at the pool. But the main problem is the Board does not want to have security patrols that could only be 8 hour shifts on 4 days a week. A.D. said he wanted a Security Committee to help him interview potential companies, and Sandy and Marilyn volunteered. A.D. then made a motion to approve this Committee, and all present approved. The goal is to find a company that will patrol in shorter shifts, preferably 7 days of most weeks, and less expensive hourly rate.
Social: Cassie was not present, but Marilyn reported that Cassie had said the COCC Christmas with Santa Pat would be held at the Kiger home at 5519 Oakhaven on Saturday Dec 14, 2-4 pm. Cassie will check with Richard Solis, who is our contact with Santa Pat, to be sure we can book him for our event. Don Kiger has said he will be having a Toys for Tots collection for new donated toys that day.
The Holiday Lights judging contest will be held the following day, Sunday December 15, beginning at full darkness for best viewing. Lights should be on until 9 pm in case of ties, as it is often necessary to drive back and forth to review before awarding all of the winning signs.
Long Range Planning: With costs going up, there was discussion on getting the homeowners better informed on what their dues are spent on. A flyer had been sent out with the 2017 dues invoices, with illustrations of what the major expenses were. Johanna said she would like to do something like that for the 2020 mailout. Sandy pointed out that time is getting short for getting those invoices out in November.
Johanna said she would invite Amy Peck, who is in the runoff for District A Houston City Council, to attend the COCC board meeting on December 12th. That meeting will be before the runoff election.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15pm.