2021 Annual Meeting Minutes - November

Brookville Knolls Homeowners Association Annual Meeting Minutes (Zoom)

November 4, 2021 – 7:30 PM

Introduction:

● Maria B. called the meeting to order at 7:34 p.m.

● Maria B. introduced the Board members.

● Confirmed Quorum requirements:

o Received 28 proxies

o Members present = 13 (including Board members)

o Total = 41

Establish Election Committee:

● Stu S and Jeff S volunteered for the Election Committee.

Approve Annual Meeting Minutes from 2020:

● Maria B. posted the 2020 annual meeting minutes on Zoom to review.

● Rick motioned to approve the minutes as edited; Alan S seconded. All present were in favor.

Board Election:

● We have 1 open position:

o David’s term has ended.

● Maria B. asked for any nominations from the floor. There were none.

● Maria B. re-nominated David for the position. Stu S motioned to accept his nomination. Jeff S seconded and all present were in favor with no objections.

Old Business:

● Reviewed Board Accomplishments:

Financial and Administrative (David)

● Audit performed by Geoffrey Brundage, a local CPA.

● Manage and pay all invoices

● Manage HOA budget; provide the Board with regular forecasts.

Re-Sale Packages (David)

● Responded to several Re-Sale Package requests.

● Resale packages can be obtained by sending a check for $50 to BKHOA, PO Box 393, Olney MD 20830. Resale packages can take up to 10 days to prepare.

Grounds Maintenance (Rick & Bob)

● Land Décor continues to provide landscaping services for the HOA: mowing, clean up, weeding and mulching the common areas.

● Common grounds clean up days in the spring and fall were again not scheduled due to Covid-19.

● Repaired several sections of the path system throughout the community.

● Worked with an arborist and tree company to maintain and, where necessary, take down trees or prune them in the interest of safety. Homeowners need to be aware that trees in the common area are felled and left where they fall; they are not hauled away due to prohibitive cost. If there are healthy HOA trees with branches hanging over homeowner yards, homeowners can trim any branches over their property.

● Although our arborist does a walk-through of the HOA common grounds regularly, homeowners should email BrookevilleKnollsHOA@gmail.com to report potentially dead trees so they can be addressed before causing damage.

● Engaged Comcast to relocate cable bump between Tidewater Court swimming pool and the first townhouse. This bump is on HOA property.

● Engaged OC&L to assess storm drainage issues and water flow throughout the wooded area behind Queen Elizabeth Drive, Chancery Court, and Toddsbury Court. A preliminary action plan was provided that is under review. Received their recommendations and are working to get bids to implement these recommendations. We will have the work done in 2 to 3 phases. Maria B. updated the attendees that the design is complete and the BOD hopes to spread the cost over a couple of years. Rick is in the process of getting the plans downsized so they fit on 8-inch x 11-inch paper.

Architectural Change Requests (Rick & Bob)

● Reviewed 12 architectural and grounds change applications. Ten were approved, one rejected, and one in progress.

Current Items up for Votes (Maria H.)

ADU Amendment:

o The ballot to approve an amendment to ban ADUs was up for vote at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Each ballot received is good for 11 months. We currently have 86 votes FOR and 12 votes against this amendment. We have received 98 votes out of 166 homes (51.8%). Of the votes received, 87.8% have voted FOR this amendment. We need 100 homeowners (60%) to vote FOR to implement this amendment. This issue impacts entire neighborhood; passage of the ADU amendment may block duplexes and quads.

Traffic:

o The Community is in process of voting FOR or AGAINST speed humps on Heritage Hills Drive between Route 108 and Queen Elizabeth Drive. We need to have all ballots returned by 12/1 to collect enough votes FOR or AGAINST speed humps.

· Status of voting as of 11/3/21:

o Heritage Hills Drive:

FOR

11

AGAINST

4

NEED 80% (21)

15 of 26

Received

42.31%

% FOR

15.38%

% AGAINST

o Dartmoor Lane/Court

FOR

13

AGAINST

8

Need 50% (29)

21 of 58

Received

22.41%

% FOR

13.79%

% AGAINST

Trash Service (Maria B.)

o Potomac Disposal (PD) is revamping their system and services. They will be getting new trucks that will pick up specially deployed trash bins. These new bins can hold 6-7 trash bags. They are also moving to once a week pick up. PD will continue with the current price and service for our HOA through March 2022. This will give us time to get bids from other trash companies. We suspect other companies are moving in the same direction.

o For now, we will bill participating homeowners for 25% of last year’s fees to cover January through March 2022.

o Any issues with the trash service should be reported directly to Potomac Disposal.

Communications (Maria B.)

o Responded to questions and inquiries that came in through the email account (brookevilleknollshoa@gmail.com) and the website.

o Enhanced the brookevilleknollshoa@gmail.com web site and posted regular updates. Information available includes HOA Documents, Information on Re-Sale Packages, Frequently Asked Questions, Board Meeting Minutes, and Community Announcements.

o There is as FAQ section as well as a subscription option to sign up for email alerts when new content is posted to the website. The FAQs were recently updated. Sign up for alerts at https://www.brookevilleknollshoa.com/blog

Community Involvement (Maria B.)

o Renewed the Brookeville Knolls HOA membership in the Greater Olney Civic Association (GOCA) and participate in regular meetings. Maria B. participates in the GOCA meetings, representing our developments interests. Ryan is on the GOCA BOD and sends us meeting updates.

o Shared updates from GOCA on the BrookevilleKnollsHOA.com website as well as direct emails to the HOA community.

Other (Maria B.)

o The BOD has filed several MoCo311 complaints on homes in violation of HOA and County rules on trash / recycle bins being left out. These seem to get addressed initially, but often homeowners fall back to their same behavior. The BOD asked homeowners to comply with these rules and perhaps a gentle nudge from a neighbor may be all that is needed.

There were no questions from the floor regarding the Old Business presentation.

New Business:

● Budget

o David reviewed the budget and current dues.

• Mowing frequency has been cut to contain costs.

• Tree removal is a large expense, depending on the frequency and intensity of storms.

• There is a moderate increase in insurance costs and administrative costs for copies and mailings.

• The county mandated increase in the reserve fund is by far the driver for the annual dues being increased on a yearly basis.

• Montgomery County wants the reserve fund to have a steady increase.

• This would cover potential expenses such as replacing the drainage system and path in the common area; for example, $169,000 estimated for path replacement.

• In the absence of the reserves, there would be special assessments to cover these costs.

• Stu S motioned to approve the budget. Wendy A seconded and all were in favor.

o David also discussed the need for a county-mandated reserve study to be in place by Oct 2022.

o David mentioned that documents needed in the resale package, namely the covenants and ACR guidelines have been watermarked with “Resale Package Copy”. They are on the BKHOA website but these are watermarked “not valid for resale package” and locked. This was done to prevent homeowners attempting to bypass the resale package process.

· ACR submission and guidelines

· Maria B. discussed the importance of homeowners filing ACR’s for exterior modifications and availing themselves to read the guidelines posted on the HOA website.

o Traffic calming

· If approved, our HOA will have speed humps on Heritage Hills along with those already installed on Queen Elizabeth.

o GOCA

· Maria B. discussed GOCA and their role in advocating for homeowners, especially with respect to the Thrive 2050 and re-districting issues.

o Community reminders

· Trash and recycling bins are not to be stored at the curb nor on the driveway. They are to be kept out of sight on non-pickup days - in the garage or alongside the house behind foliage or fencing to cover the view. The community has some homeowners who are repeat offenders and neighbors should consider becoming involved to encourage compliance.

· Lawn and yard waste bags may be kept on the driveway for pickup. Homeowners are responsible for leaf collection (sic raking) from their properties and placing the leaves in the paper yard waste bags. Raking the piles onto the street is not permitted since we do not have county collection for un-bagged fallen leaves.

o Fallen trees

· Maria B. reiterated that living trees located on HOA common areas which fall on homeowner’s property during storms are the homeowner’s responsibility for removal/insurance claims. The BKHOA is only accountable if the tree was dead and the HOA was aware.

Member Comments:

o When to put trash cans out for pickup: Jeff S mentioned that squirrels have been getting into the covered trash cans when they are put out the night before. He switched to placing them at the curb in the morning to prevent this from happening.

o County responsibility for trees in the cul-de-sac circles: Mark W commented that a large limb from a tree in a circle had fallen and blocked the street in front of his home. Montgomery County responded promptly and removed it. But many of the trees in the circles are in poor condition, some with hollow trunks.

o Wendy A commented that Montgomery County is slow to respond, sometimes up to a year, for maintenance and pruning of county trees in the right of way.

o Maria B. will make a note to contact the county to review any trees with concerns.

o Jeff S requested the BOD to email him with the current votes on the speed hump and ADU initiatives.

Maria B. thanked everyone for attending and the volunteer efforts of the BOD members.

Wendy A motioned to adjourn the annual meeting at 8:31 PM. David seconded and all were in favor.

An anonymous voice wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.