2024 Annual Meeting Minutes

RHODY LANE HOA – 2024 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

DATE/TIME: Thursday, February 17, 2024 / 7:00pm-8:05pm

 1.      Erik Olson (Has Alexis proxy)

2.      Chaz Bantle

3.      Mark Ekman

4.      Randy & Karen

5.      Vince Sampson (+AI notetaker)

6.      Frank Peters

7.      Kestle

8.      Greg

9.      Christine

10.  510-300-7427

11.  The Rojas

12.  Marie Auriol

13.  Amir

 7:00pm – Gave a few minutes for everyone to join.

 7:10pm – Meeting called to order and recording started.

 7:11pm – Introductions.

 7:12pm – 2023 HOA Minutes were read.

 7:14pm – 2023 Minutes were approved.

 7:15pm – Mark presented the 2024 Rhody Lane Operating budget.

 7:23pm: Vince Sampson brought up concerns regarding the landscapers prior to budget approval.

 7:30pm – Agree that Vince will be the representative to hold the landscapers accountable.

 7:35pm – Review of Erik’s work on the picnic table and benches.

 7:39pm – New Business; Discussion of new playground equipment; neutral colors.  And, how to use playground wood chips around the pond.

 7:43pm – Discussed other work parties

o   Tear down of old play structure

o   Power washing by the pond on the paved area.

o   Wood blocking the paved area

o   Fence in-front of the pond

7:47pm – Entrance Island Discussion

·       Roots are rising up above the pavement; sprinklers are disabled

7:50pm – Sport court discussion regarding roots; Erik to get some information on replacement

·       Sport court / pickle ball discussion

7:55pm – Reminder about parking boats, RVs, trailers, etc

·       Street parking is 72hrs; after that, it can be considered a considered a violation…do we need to put something out?

7:58pm – Homeowner landscaping, put forth your best effort to maintain a positive curb appeal.  Remove holiday decorations timely.

7:58pm – New Business

·       Speed limit + speed bumps

·       Express review for paint color changing

·       Option to add a “No Outlet” sign

·       Creating a community chat group; Rhody Lane Facebook Group – Chaz to initiate

8:06pm – Board member positions – no board members desired to leave; and, no one would like to join the board.

8:12pm – No parking on corners for safety reasons

8:16pm – Motion to adjourn the meeting

Rhody Lane Kids Play Area Under Construction

Rhody Lane Kids Play Area will be Under Construction for the next few weeks.

We will be tearing out the old structure ourselves to save the HOA money.  If you have time on the 5/4 or 5/5 please stop by and volunteer to help out.

The new structure is scheduled to be installed by the vendor on 05/16/24.

If you have any questions please contact me at RhodyLane-Treasuer@comcast.net or my Cell #206-498-2727

Sincerely

Your Rhody Lane HOA Board

2023 Annual Meeting Minutes

RHODY LANE HOA – 2023 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

DATE/TIME: Thursday, February 16, 2023 / 7:00pm-8:05pm

In Attendance were:

Board members present – 5

Erik Olson, Mark Ekman, Vince Sampson, Chaz Bantle, Dan Kestle

Homeowners – 6

Jon and Lea Areitio, Angie Sampson, Larry Hyde, Randy Brudwick, Frank Peters, Alexis Hernandez, Amir & Nada Hassan

 7:00pm – Gave a few minutes to let homeowners join

7:08pm – Meeting called to order

7:10pm – 2022 HOA meeting minutes were read and approved

7:13pm – Erik discussed old completed business

-bark application

-new landscaper performance from 2022 – Everyone stated they where very happy with them

 7:15pm – Mark reviewed the 2022 actual budget performance; and the 2023 proposed budget

7:24pm – 2023 budget was seconded and approved

 7:25pm – NEW BUSINESS

-entrance sign; Chaz to freshen up with approved colors.  Likely in April/May timeframe.

-park playground and benches; resurface/reconstructing the benches for use

-play structure replacement; reviewed the ‘why’ behind proposing a new play structure.  Primarily due to safety reasons.  Erik has been in contact with Rainbow play systems for quotes.  Lead times are 4 – 16 weeks depending upon which option is chosen.  All agreed that the new play structure needs to be professionally installed; likewise, all agreed that homeowners can remove the current play structure ourselves so that the HOA saves money.

 7:36pm – Erik present the MOBERG project off Seattle Hill Rd

-presented proposed development plan with highlighted driveways not impacting Rhody Lane neighborhood entrance

-discussed all new construction projects near the Rhody Lane neighborhood; everyone should have received a postcard.  If not, then please contact the board for details.

 7:43pm – all board members elected to remain in positions following no new nominations

7:46pm – open for comments from all present

-Amir; brought up previously in HOA, installing cameras at the entrance of the neighborhood; seems like everyone is okay with everything currently, but should we still install these cameras as a just in case measure of security.  Board should discuss how this could be implemented to ensure coverage for both the entrance and exit of the neighborhood.

 8:00pm – Amir; commented that the board is doing good things for the neighborhood

8:05pm – Annual HOA meeting called to a close

2022 Annual Meeting Notes

RHODY LANE HOA – 2022 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

DATE/TIME: Thursday, February 17, 2022 / 7:00pm-8:05pm

In Attendance were:

Board members present – 5

Erik Olson, Mark Ekman, Vince Sampson, Chaz Bantle, Dan Kestle

Homeowners – 7

Laurie Hodge, Jon and Lea Areitio, Angie Sampson, Larry Hyde, Santiago Valdez, Randy Brudwick, Jose Rojas (joined late)

7:00 – gave a few minutes to let homeowners join

 7:10  Meeting called to order

 Proxies: Dan has Mark/Marie proxy.

7:15 vote to approve meeting minutes from last year

Seconded and approved.

7:15 Old Business:

1) 2021 review of work done

2)  Fence staining was completed

3)  Sprinkler system along the entry way was fixed (this was following the gentrification of Seattle Hill Rd)

4)  Entry fence behind entrance signed was repaired; this is a temporary repair

5) Landscaper was hired for 2021

7:23 Mark Ekman delivered the Treasurers Report/Review

Seconded and approved.

7:31 Board Positions (Leave/Join)

No change to board members for 2022.

7:34 New Business / 2022 Projects

1) April 7th; all common areas will be barked by United Rentals; dark fine black natural black mulch being used.

2) Only thing that needs to happen prior to that is cleaning out the center island.  Taking it down a few inches to ensure rain does not produce run off of newly installed mulch.  Form a work party prior to April to remove the top 3-4 inches.

3) Entrance Sign

• Sign will remain but new paint/colors will be added.  Top pieces will be repaired.  Sign will be pressure washed and cleaned up.

• Idea was brought up for a solar powered light to light up the entrance sign at night.

4) Neighborhood benches and picnic tables

• Budgeted $600 to redo the tops using the left over stain from the fence

5) Future Projects

• Playground replacement or sport court resurface

6) New Development Discussion.

7) Dumping in the neighborhood; signage will be installed to deter this from happening further.

7:58 Open Discussion

• Primarily questions about new business and/or the proposed development project on Seattle Hill Rd.

8:05 Motion to adjourn meeting; approved.  Meeting closed.

2021 Annual Meeting Notes

RHODY LANE HOA 2021 ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES

From our 7pm Tuesday, February 23, 2021 Via Zoom

7:00 - Gave a few minutes for Homeowners to connect.

7:10 - Meeting was called to order by Randy Celori. 

Roll Call was done. Board members present were Randy Celori, Eric Olsen, Mark Ekman, Dan Kestle, (Vinnie unable to attend)

Homeowners: Laurie Hodge, Chaz Bantle, Greg Gomoluch, Amir Hassan, Lea Areito, Andrew Prichard, Tony Bailey.  

Proxies:  Dan received Frank Peters 

7:15 – 2020 Annual Meeting Minutes were read by Randy. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes. Voting was unanimous in the affirmative.

7:20 – Members Comments:  A homeowner brought up an issue that another neighbor complained about as well which was that Lot# 46 is running a business out of his home and when his works come to take his trucks and trailers to work they leave the streets crowded with their cars.  Board Member Vinnie was supposed to have contacted the Homeowner to talk to him about this issue but was not in attendance at our meeting to ask what happened.  Board said they’ll talk to Vinnie soon and write a formal letter if required to bring the home into compliance with our Rhody Lane Rules and CC&R’s.

7:35 – Mark Ekman gave the Treasurer's Report.

7:40 – Zoom Meeting went down!  Discovered it was set-up under a free account which only allows 40-minutes.  Rhody Lane had purchased a Zoom Account to make sure we can accommodate enough participants and have plenty of time.  Next time we’ll make sure we set-up a Zoom Meeting with our Rhody Lane Account! 

7:50 – Most everyone was back on Zoom and we went back to the Proposed 2021 Budget. Randy made a Motion to Approve, Eric seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative.

8:00 – Election of Board Members:  

Randy nominated Eric to assume the President Roll from him.  Dan seconded the Motion, Eric Accepted and a vote was unanimous in the affirmative.

The Secretary Position held by Mike Smith was vacant due to him selling his home.  A motion was made for Chaz to fill this position and seconded Also dnd Chaz accepted. A vote was unanimous in the affirmative.

8:10 – New Business:  It was brought up that maybe we could see about doing a small Solar Powered Ring type Camera on the poll at the entrance to Rhody Lane and Eric said he’d check on it. Discussed that we’re waiting on requested Landscaping Bids.  So far, of the five we reached out to, one declined for now, one wanted $900 a month which is way too much.  Expecting two more bids by month's end that have confirmed they’ll bid.  Board Members, mainly Eric, Dan & Randy agreed to keep doing what they can to keep up with our landscaping needs like they did all of 2020, till we find an affordable landscape.  We will also piece-meal out work if we need something done we can’t do, or just can’t get too.

2021 Dues:  Will remain the same at $400 with a new option to pay Semi-Annually at $220 by March 30th and $220 by September 30th.  The extra $40 is to cover admin time but will go straight into our reserves for future needs. 

2022 Dues:  It was discussed that we had some of the lowest Dues in the surrounding neighborhoods and due to raising cost of landscaping, future maintenance needs, Etc., a motion was made to increase our Dues to $500 starting in 2022 with and option to pay Semi-Annually at $270 by March 30th and $270 by September 30th.  The extra $40 is to cover admin time but will go straight into our reserves for future needs.  The motion was seconded and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative.

8:25 – The meeting was adjourned.

2020 Annual Meeting Notes

Meeting was called to order at 7:20p by Randy Celori. Board members present were Randy Celori, Mark Ekman, Mike Smith, Eric Olson

2019 Minutes Review

The annual meeting minutes from 2019 were read. A motion was made and seconded to vote for approval of the minutes. Voting to approve the minutes was unanimous in the affirmative. 

HOA Administrative Business

David Kassis, elected board member in 2019, is no longer a homeowner, so that seat is vacant. A motion was made and seconded to replace him. Lavenski (Vince) Sampson self-nominated and expressed interest to the board in being president. With a motion made and seconded to vote, the voting was unanimous. 

Glenn Birkvold, elected alternate board member in 2019, is no longer a homeowner, and the board wishes to continue to maintain an alternate. A motion was was made and seconded to replace him as an alternate board member. Dan Kestle volunteered and is interested in the architectural control committee (ACC).

Positions on the board such as president, and assignments to committees such as the ACC are determined by the board and will be considered at a later date. 

Impact Contract End

The board announced that it will not be renewing the contract with Impact Property Management (expires in February/March). This decision was made in light of annual contract increases, and a number of projects which need budget funds. The budget that is freed up will go toward fence repair this year, and building up a reserve in subsequent years. The board will pick up the responsibilities, and also spread duties Vince and Dan who were newly elected. Mike is exploring online payment options so the members can pay their dues. A notice will be posted on the website about this outcome. 

Community Property and Projects

1. Center planter water line: The county broke the water line to the center section at the community entry. The board decided not to have the water line fixed since the county would need to install a separate water meter and bill us twice. The landscaper advised that water is not needed for the trees because they are mature. 

2. Perimeter fence: we were quoted roughly $20K to replace the fence along Seattle Hill Road. That was far beyond our budget, so we looked at other options and determined we would buy the materials and have the HOA members participate in labor. Most of the posts seem to still be in good shape, so the majority of work will be replacing slats. 

3. Basketball court: this will need to be addressed in future years as there is no budget in 2020, and the board is not inclined to go into debt. 

4. Playground: this will need to be addressed in future years as there is no budget in 2020, and the board is not inclined to go into debt.

Financials

The board got quotes on insurance and decided to change the insurance provider. This change dropped some property liability insurance, which the board thought was not needed, increased some general liability coverage, and reduced the overall insurance cost. Board reviewed the 2019 expenses with HOA member attendees and discussed the 2020 budget. There are minor changes, but the major difference is the end of Impact contract in February/March. The board discussed the reserve funds and the new plan to build the reserves. A motion was made and seconded to approve the budget and accept the expense summary. 

Homeowner Forum

• Moss in entry way is a minor concern. Eric will try to run some surface cleaner and use Greg’s water to get the entry clean. 

• Trees are starting to destroy entry way. Randy will call public works about the problem. Sidewalk at top of entry to the right. 

• Commercial playground is a concern but a major expense that is further down the road

• Question about the caps on the HOA entrance sign and at some point the replacement of the sign. Eric has a contact that may be able to help us at cost for an affordable sign replacement.

• There was a vehicle that was parked without an engine, and that is now gone. There is now another vehicle that is parked on the street that has not moved. There are also sometimes 8 cars at one of the homes on 48th drive and a car in the driveway with flat tires. These are problematic for the community, and will likely need attention. The board will investigate options. 

• Waste bins need to be stored out of view from the street, behind a fence or a visual barrier. The board will consider options for reminding HOA members about proper waste bin storage. 

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m. 

2019 Annual Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7:20 p.m. by Randy Celori. Board members present were Randy Celori, Mark Ekman, Mike Smith, Eric Olson (Lea Areitio absent). Jennifer Snow (co-Account manager) and Marcus Tageant (owner) of Impact Association Management were also present. Quorum was confirmed.

Jennifer read the 2018 annual meeting minutes and they were approved unanimously by all in attendance.

Past Business

An HOA member addressed the projects from 2018 that were discussed and expressed frustration that nothing has happened on these projects…the fence in particular.

Sprinker system has still not been fixed by the city/county.

Financials

Jennifer of Impact Association Management went over the 2018 financials. They were approved unanimously by all in attendance. She also went over the 2019 budget, which elevated discussion about the cost of Impact, whether we had sufficient funds to address fence repair and other projects that several HOA members feel need attention this year and in the next few years. With concern about how these projects would be funded, HOA members hesitated to approve the budget. Finally they agreed that the best course of action would be to have a one-time assessment for the projects that needed to be done this year, and the 2019 budget was approved. Impact will gather quotes for key projects and the board will develop a plan to address these concerns in priority order.

Quotes Needed

1. Perimeter fence (top priority)

2. Basketball court

3. Playground

Homeowner forum

Owners requested a copy of the singed management contract. There was discussion about the car that went into the ditch on Jan 31 around 1 am. We reviewed CC&R’s for sharing cost of the perimeter fence and found no restriction or requirement regarding whether the Lot owners or HOA should bear the cost.

A request was made to do an owners meeting in 6 months (July) to keep communication between the property management company and the HOA members open. Questions were asked about what Impact does for the HOA because they see many things going undone in the community and the management fee went up. Marcus (Impact owner) explained Impact is responsible for collecting owners’ dues, answering questions from owners and supporting the board in managing the community affairs. Impact takes direction from the board.

Marcus explained the increase is due to moving association to the new program that offers owners the ability to view their account in real time, view governing documents, submit work requests. Board members can pull real time financial reports.

HOA members had mixed opinion, but in the end were willing to see how the new software and a renewed resolve by Impact would address the concerns of a feeling of a lack of communication with the community.

Other HOA Business

• David Kassis was elected to replace Lea Aretio.

• Glenn Birkvold was elected as an alternate board member

• Other board members remain (positions are nominated by the board as needed)

The board will meet in the near future to reorganized the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) to be more attentive and involved in the community spaces and making sure repairs and maintenance are handled properly. The ACC is currently is staffed by the the existing 5 board members (for convenience) but our regulations allow for others to be on that committee (must have at least 3 people).

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.

2018 Annual Meeting Notes

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Randy Celori. Board members present were Randy Celori, Mark Ekman, Mike Smith, Eric Olson (Lea Areitio absent). Lisa Siegler of Impact Association Management was also present.

Lisa read the 2017 annual meeting minutes and they were approved unanimously but all in attendance.

In a review of old business, we discussed perimeter fence repair—the board is waiting for city construction to finish up before deciding on what/where to repair.

Financials

Lisa of Impact Association Management went over the 2017 financials. they were approved unanimously by all in attendance. She also went over the 2018 budget, which was approved unanimously by all in attendance. Raising of dues from $370 to $400 was discussed and approved unanimously by all in attendance.

Upcoming Projects / HOA Business

Wetlands by south park needing cleaned up (litter) Lisa to speak with landscaper. Possible gate for Rhody entrance – Alfredo Martinez to look into bid, Randy to check with city regarding public street. Quote for resurfacing of the Basketball court to be gotten by Lisa. Playground equipment to be inspected by 5/2018 – By Eric Olson. Welcome packet for Renters - Mike to prepare. Examples of Rental Lease requirements for renting with in the HOA – Lisa to send by end of March.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

2017 Annual Meeting Notes

The 2017 financial report and budget was ratified at the Annual Meeting held February 21, 2017. There is no special assessment this year. The annual assessment of $370.00 is due on March 31st, 2017. The 2017 budget and official meeting minutes are available upon request. The essential details are as follows:

While there is some concern about the age of the fence along Seattle Hill Road, the board has determined to wait until the road construction is completed in 2018 to evaluate any further repair or replacement. Members attending concurred.

The repairs of the playground decks and refinishing of wood services resolved the prior concerns that were expressed last year. There was a general consensus that the landscaper is doing a much better job in maintaining the common areas. The special assessment funds were exhausted as planned in replacing all three mailboxes in the community, and several members commented on how they like the new parcel lockers and the appearance of the mailboxes. There was discussion about the roots that were surfacing in the entry corridor, and the board deferred action until after road construction. 

There were concerns expressed about loitering and alcohol consumption at the South park. An idea was proposed to post sign with rules and hours for park access, including "No Smoking, No Alcohol, No Loitering, No Unleashed Dogs". Another ideas was to post a video surveillance sign, as one of the members does have a camera aimed toward that area.

There were no remaining concerns about the board communication with HOA members nor with architectural control. Although there were some houses that changed the color of their homes without prior approval from the architectural control committee, the board reminded the membership that we don't employ a compliance officer to monitor the neighborhood.

If at any time homeowners within the community have any concerns, violations to report, or questions please reach out to the property manager (see contact page for info).

There were two vacancies on the board to be filled. Eric Olson and Lea Areitio were elected for one-year terms. 

Mailbox secured

The postal carrier has secured the mailbox, and the keys that were removed while the box was open have been returned in the drop slot (where they were before).

There were board members involved yesterday and today in coordinating and monitoring progress, and Impact HOA was responsive to the situation in coordinating communication. 

Thanks to those residents who were involved and contributed by raising awareness and calling the post office. 

Rhody Lane HOA Web site launched

The Board of Directors published the Rhody Lane HOA Web site today. 

At the 2016 Annual HOA meeting a couple weeks ago, the Board of Directors were inspired by the questions and feedback during the meeting to create a Web site. We hope this is one of the steps to adding transparency to the management and improvements of our HOA. 

The Web site has news about annual meetings as well as important documents that make it easier to communicate with the HOA community. To protect the privacy of community members, we will not be posting any pictures of people or personally identifiable information, since the site is publicly available on the internet. There is also a contact page to help members easily make requests or ask questions. All requests will be sent directly to Kaitlin, our agent at Impact Association Management, our property management company. The requests are also logged and timestamped.

In addition, there is a mailing list behind the scenes that will capture email addresses as other HOA members become interested in our updates. The Board has also set up an internal tracking system for community improvements, projects, complaints, etc, to help expedite communication among board members and with Kaitlin at Impact. 

There are a number of improvements we are working on that have been planned for several months, as well as other actions that we're taking in response to feedback at the annual meeting such as community space bench and playground repair, new mailboxes, vehicle and street parking policy, and more. 

We look forward to continuing to serve the interests of HOA members, and encourage your continued input in the process. Since as Board members, we volunteer our time, we are grateful to have Kaitlin, our agent at Impact Association Management, contracted to take care of most of the day-to-day details such as accounting, correspondence, meeting coordination, requests for proposal, HOA member liaison work, and other assignments so that the Board can focus on planning and improvements in the community. 

Warm regards,
Rhody Lane HOA Board of Directors

2016 Annual Meeting Notes

The 2016 budget was ratified at the Annual Meeting held January 11, 2016. This budget does include a special assessment. The Special Assessment is a $120.00 flat fee and will be due February 29th, 2016. The reason for the assessment is to cover the replacement of the park benches as well as new mailboxes within the community. At this time your annual assessment of $370.00 is due on March 31st, 2016.

All Board positions were up for reelection this year, as a result of the vote at the meeting all positions will remain the same. 

A copy of the 2016 budget was emailed to all owners, if you would like a copy of the meeting minutes, please make a request.  A brief summarization of what was discussed at the meeting is as follows:

There was an active discussion about improving the appearance of the community in several ways: tighten street parking rules, more enforcement of disabled vehicles, more enforcement of yard and exterior home maintenance, more timely enforcement of architectural changes. There was also concern about community area bench and play equipment safety. Finally there was a request for some additional email communication to HOA members on issues and actions that impact a significant number of members. These concerns were generally shared by all the members in attendance, and the board was requested to review these and take action accordingly, with the safety concern as the top priority.

If at any time homeowners within the community have any concerns, violations to report, or questions please reach out to the property manager (see contact page for info).

2015 Annual Meeting Notes

The 2015 budget was ratified at the Annual Meeting held January 20, 2015. This budget does include an increase to the yearly assessment. Effective January 21, 2015, dues for 2015 are $370.00 due annually by March 31st.  Please note any dues payments not received by the 15th of April will be charged 25% of the unpaid balance each month delinquent. If you would like a copy of the 2015 approved budget, please request one (see Contact section). 

NOTICE: We are no longer using our PO Box address. Please send all future payments to 9506 4th St NE, Suite #101, Lake Stevens, WA 98258.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the property manager.

Notice of Dues Increase

The Board of Directors announced proposed changes to the HOA dues for Rhody Lane over the next few months. Currently, the annual dues for each property are $250.00, due by March 25th each year. For 2015, the Board is proposing an increase in dues to $370.00, due by March 31st annually. If you have questions about the proposed increase, please feel free to contact Impact Property Management at the information listed below, and please join us at our Annual budget review meeting in January

Why is there a proposed increase?

A review of our Rhody Lane reserves shows that our current dues are not high enough to cover current improvements or future improvements the community may need. These improvements include; updated playground equipment, repairs to the basketball court, and a repair to a leak in the sprinkler system. 

What is the board doing to keep our costs and dues down?

The Board only authorizes necessary repairs and seeks multiple bids for any service. In addition, we are continuously reviewing our expenses to find areas we can reduce our costs. On an annual basis, we will revisit the dues structure; if the reserve balance is higher than the projected funding requirement, dues will not be increased for that year. 

How do our dues compare to those in other communities?

Each community's dues structure is a unique blend of their common area maintenance costs, the funding level of their reserves, insurance premiums, and any special assessments that have been levied. We recognize that an increase in dues is not a welcome change, but in order to ensure that our community maintains its charm, and more importantly, improves its value over time, a dues increase is necessary. We appreciate your help in making this transition as smooth as possible!