Pinecliff  Home Owners Association

Annual Meeting Minutes

September 21, 2010

Attendees:

Bernie McDowell – President

Brenda Kelso – Socials

Pam Dees – Treasurer

Danelle Reed – Secretary

Bruce Hutchison – Parks

Roger Carlson - Architectural Control Committee

Scott Kelso – Architectural Control Committee

Rich Sayer - Architectural Control Committee

39 PHOA Members

2 Non Members

2 Speakers

Venue was Rockrimmon Library; meeting was opened by Bernie McDonnell at 7:08 pm.

Bernie opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and announcing that in the past we have been charged 10.00 per person for a place to hold the annual meeting but that the Library was free.

He introduced 1 of the 2 guest speakers

Janet Rummel with the Colorado Springs Utilities gave a presentation on the Southern Delivery System.  She explained what the project was and why we need it.  Some of the key points are as follows.

• Components- 62 miles of buried pipeline, 1 water treatment plant, 3 water pump stations, 2 reservoirs
• Service - Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security and Pueblo West
• Construction Cost- Phase 1 was expected to cost 880 million dollars but bids are coming in lower.  Customers will see a rate increase of about 12% thru 2016
• Construction Schedule- Phase 1 to be completed in 2016 will include the underground pipeline, 3 water pump stages and the water treatment plant.  Phase 2 to be completed between 2020 and 2025 will include the creation of 2 reservoirs.

Ernest House, Chamber of Commerce took the floor to discuss Proposition 60, 61, & 101.  Some of the key points are as follows

• Descriptions of the Amendments are a little deceiving
• Amendment 60 – Reduces local property and income tax
• Amendment 61 – Limits government borrowing
• Amendment 101 – Reduces vehicle registration and licensing fees
• Propositions are easy to get on the ballots but difficult to get removed
• If passed our income tax will be cut by a quarter, school taxes will be cut in half and will eliminate our car license plate tax that funds our highway and bridges.  Also eliminates the tax that builds the telephone and internet to rural Colorado.  It will cost Colorado more than 73,000 jobs, 6 out 12 Libraries could be shut down and non profits will suffer.

The floor was returned to Bernie- He announced that the year was quiet and the biggest challenges were with city services.  One example is the pot holes that were repaired.

Treasurer Report- Current assets as of August 31^st 2010 were $16,868.00.  Total income for the year (September 2009-August 2010) were $10,633.31 Total expenses for the year (September 2009-August 2010) were $14,151.92.  One HOA member asked about the $8,945.73 legal fees and Bernie explained that the majority of the legal fees were used towards attorney fees to battle a long, ongoing roof issue. 

PHOA members approved and voted in board members Carl Peterson and Danelle Reed

PHOA sponsored activities.   2 newsletters went out this year, social, garage sale (not as much participation this year) chipper program which was a success, and annual meeting.  Due to the lack of funds and sponsors there was no movie in the park.  When asked if anyone missed it there were only a few that said yes even though it’s been a highly attended activity in the past.

Membership- Bernie reported 236 PHOA members out of 416 homes.  Our 56% membership is down form 65% 2 years ago.  He encouraged members to ask their neighbors to become members.  He also announced that we need more volunteer board members.  We need someone to attend and report on CONO which is an umbrella for all the HOAs and also looking for someone with excel spreadsheet experience.

Membership questions and concerns

• Bernie agreed to look into having someone from the parks department come update us on developments going on Ute Valley Park.
• There was a concern about curb side parking especially on Golden Hills.  Roger explained that the PHOA does not have any authority in front of the town homes along Golden Hills and that we were advised by our lawyer that we cannot impose fines.
• Over population of deer.  Roger suggested fencing the areas you want to keep them out of.  Not much we can do.  Do not feed them.
• Adopt a light- Cost is $100.00 per year per light.  Danelle asked if members would be willing to pay $5.00 more for their annual dues to help fund the project but less than 1/3 said they would.
• Curb and Gutters – Who’s responsible? City Street Department
• One member asked about the trash cans back in the park?  There is an adoption park program.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:26 PM

Pinecliff Home Owners Association

Annual Meeting Minutes

September 21, 2009

Attendees:

Bernie McDonnell - President

Paula Lydon – Vice President

Pam Dees - Treasurer

Brenda Kelso - Socials

Carl Peterson – Traffic, Safety & Home Security

Roger Carlson – Architectural Control Committee

     The meeting was held at the Embassy suites Hotel located at

     The next speaker was Kathy Schroeder from Colorado Springs Utilities who discussed xeriscaping.  She remarked that xeriscaping is landscaping for Colorado.  It provides a better connection to nature, is upscale, and saves water.  She also covered the seven fundamental xeriscaping principles.  Before closing her speech, she took a few questions and stated that CSU has xeriscaping information on their website.

     During the business portion of the meeting, the PHOA members voted unanimously to approve the treasurer’s report.  The members also voted unanimously to return Bernie McDonnell and Brenda Kelso to the board, and also to add Bruce Hutchison to the board.  Also, Bernie mentioned some of the things that the PHOA accomplishes throughout the year, which include the Annual Social, Movie Night in the Park, and the Chipper program.  Other topics that he discussed were the CDOT roadwork at the I-25 southbound Garden of the Gods exit, the negative impact of the economy on building plans around Pinecliff, and the cut in the security patrols due to costs.  Bernie stated that the security patrols were a good thing, but our membership is voluntary, and we do not have enough dues paying members to carry the cost burden.  Before closing, other discussion items among the members were rattlesnake sightings and the problem with invasive mistletoe.  The meeting adjourned about 8:42 P.M. 

PINECLIFF HOA ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

September 23, 2008                 Embassy Suites Hotel

The meeting began at 7:00 P.M.

Scott Hente, City Council Member, District One,   Presentation:

Scott Hente spoke about initiatives 200 and 201 regarding billing of city enterprises that will be on the November ballot.  He explained the difficulties of maintaining a budget, that in order to add expenditures the council members had to agree where to cut expenditures.  The council has the burden of meeting federal and state mandates, often the costs exceeding any funds provided.  He stated that approximately 50% of the budget goes to police and firemen, 25% for public works and the remainder 25% for misc.

He stated that economic development is a key concern.  Besides losing businesses internationally our city is losing new businesses moving here and some businesses moving out of state due to lack of incentives.   He gave the example of Western Forge who decided to expand locally rather than move a department out of state after the city awarded them $100,000.  Hente expressed concern that the media presented the $100,000. as a “gift” where in reality it was an investment .  The expansion of Western Forge is providing more jobs and the additional taxes from their profits will exceed the $100,000.

Sallie Clark, District 3, County Commissioner Presentation:

Sallie Clark described the services that the county provides due to state mandates (Sheriff, court house, district attorney, judge support staff, facilities for support staff, and others.)   She listed other services such as parks, CU cooperative extension, 4-H that are not mandated by the state.  She stated immediate needs for the county and urged the audience to support the increase of one cent in the sales tax in order to raise approximately 43 million dollars to meet these needs...

Gwen Happ, Colorado Springs Utilities Presentation:

Gwen Happ reviewed a passout explaining the budget of Colorado Springs Utilities, how resident’s costs compare with other Colorado communities, projected increases and ways Colorado Springs Utilities is cutting expenses.

8:45 Bernie McDonnell, President

Minutes of the Pinecliff HOA annual meeting September 17, 2007 were approved.

Treasurer’s report was approved.

Board members, Pam Dees, Ellyn Feldman and Carl Peterson were approved for another two year term.

Bernie described briefly the accomplishments of the past year: glare screen along Rusina Road, maintaining right turn off Garden of Gods Road onto Rusina Road,  social at Sunbird Restaurant,  Movie in the Park (sponsor UMB Bank)Chipper service, cooperative garage sale, e-mails, newsletters, web site:  pinecliffHOA.com and most recently the service of Cheyenne Mountain Security.  They will patrol regularly and randomly.  When they determine it is necessary, they will contact Colorado Springs Police and try to detain suspects until the police arrive.  Members of Pinecliff HOA may phone Cheyenne Mountain Security directly.  Members may request that security officers check their residences for a private fee.

There was a question from the floor regarding the policy for approval of solar panels.  Roger Carlson, member of the Pinecliff HOA Architectural Committee responded that in general the panels need to be flat on the roof.

Kent Lambert announced that a townhall meeting regarding state amendments would be held Saturday, September 27, 2008 at the Falcon Police Station.

Meeting adjourned 9:05 P.M