Present:  Bill Schmidt, Jim Collins, Julia Finegan, Rose Arp, Walt Parker, Charles Finegan, Al Slay, Sharon Walker, Walt Magness, Bob Dabney, Randy Phipps, Tom Aldridge, Rooster Basset, Ann Bagley and Billy Burke.

 

Walt Parker established that the meeting had been properly called and there was a quorum present.

 

Julia Finegan, with the help of Bill, read the minutes of the November 9, 2007 meeting.  Walt Parker motioned to accept the minutes and Jim Collins seconded the motion-motion carried.

 

Rose Arp gave the financial report.  Rose reported we had closed the Money Market account of $15,080.40 and deposited it into our checking account.  The Legal Fund account was closed as well with a balance of $164.18, also deposited in our checking account.  Walt Magness questioned the three different transactions with Charter Cable in one month.  Bill explains that Charter Cable raised the rates and we had paid at the old rate so the second transaction was a credit and the third was our new rate payment.  Rooster asks how long during the winter months will we have the lawn service.  Jim Collins says that it is standard to have a twelve month contract.  Bill says we have had some extra mowing lately but Tony's will probably only cut once a month during the winter months although the cost is still the same as the summer.  Walt Parker motion to accept the financial report.  Sharon Walker seconds the motion-motion carries.

 

Bill appoints Ann Bagley, Rose Arp, and Julia Finegan to work with him and Charlene Nelson as a budget committee.  This group will meet every ninety days to review and amend the budget and report back to the Board.  Bill then walks us through the proposed Budget for 2008.  Bill calls this an ideal budget because it can be adjusted from month to month.  A fundraiser Fish Fry or Chili Cook-Off was suggested, possibly with a raffle.  Bill said we would possibly have a workshop with the communtiy (He'll bring the donuts and Ann will make the coffee) about the budget with no minutes-just input.  Walt Parker motioned to accept the 2008 Budget with the exception that it is revisable up or down each 90 days.  Rose seconded the motion.

 

Bill thanks everyone for working together and making last six months go by smoothly.

 

Jim Collins suggests putting a timer on the fishing pier lights because we are spending $400.00-$500.00 a month on electricity for the pier.  Discussion among the members was made but no action taken at this time.  Rooster leaves at 6:55 but we still have a quorum.

 

After this discussion the motion on the floor was voted on and carried.

 

Bill reports during the holidays and down time we will be redesigning our computer record keeping so that it will be easier to read and understand.

 

Charlene Nelson, HBPOA Accountant, says we probably will be fine on our Income Tax Return even though we will have close to $20,000.00 in the bank.  To alleviate the problem there are 75 property owners with unpaid AMA's totaling $24,523.32 which is carried on accounts receivable.  Bill would like to recommend that the unknown address property owners' accounts be taken out of our active accounts and create an HBPOA Unknown Address separate QuickBooks account.  This will enable us to keep track of these accounts and only reinstate those into an active account when a person is located or sells a property and income is received.

Sharon Walker motions to create a separate QuickBooks program to include only 75 unknown address property owners.  Ann Bagley seconded the motion-motion carries with Walt Magness opposed.

 

Board Member Reports:  Area I - Charles Finegan reports Hillcrest Park is looking good.  Tony's family has misplaced the pier key so the park at the pier has not been mowed.

 

Area II - Al Slay reports a rash of break-ins over the last 4 or 5 weeks.  He recommended residents keep a light on the front of their house.  He also reports a possible dangerous condition.  There is a high pressure gas line that runs behind the houses on the north side of Grapevine.  This pipeline was placed in 1948 and is only 2 1/2" below the surface.  The Water Co. had 2 leaks recently in this alley and was digging very close to the line.  Al Spoke to an employee of Cross-Tex Gas & Pipeline and this is where he got his information.  Al suggests having a sign saying No Driving in the alley and across it.  Walt Parker states the Hillcrest Pipeline is dangerous as well.  Bill reports the office had a little more information on the break-ins.  Some kids had established a club house at the end of Grapevine.  Some of the stolen property was found in this clubhouse (vacant house).

The owners were notified by the office and they came out and promptly cleaned it up and boarded up the whole house.

 

Area III - Sharon Walker reports she has had some positive comments about the newsletter and several people have suggested returning to the old Beacon format.

 

Area IV - Walt Magness reports there is an old boat that needs to be moved off residential property in his area.

 

Area V - Bob Dabney has nothing to report.  Bill tells us that Bob has volunteered to be Pool Maintenance Overseer.

 

Randy Phipps says boat ramp is not steep enough yet but they are still working on it.

 

Tom Aldridge has nothing to report in the Fire Department area.

 

Billy Burke has been looking at checking out and approving plans.

 

Ann Bagley reports she has some nice gifts for the Christmas Decorating/Lighting contest.  A dinner from Alice Fayes, A Beall's $25.00 gift card and a gift basket including Champagne will be the prizes.

 

Bill thanks the Ladies Club for restocking the kitchen cabinets.

 

Old business was next on the agenda.  The new boat ramp work has begun.  They are pumping out the water and preparing the area for concrete.

 

The loan for the boat ramp is progressing.  Bill sent personal letters along with our regular mail out for ramp donations.  We have received $9,146.20 in boat ramp donations and we will probably meet our $10,000.00 goal this year.

 

The approved demand letter to Coastal Shoring was sent on November 30, 2007.  The anticipated actual damages the attorney could prove and felt comfortable defending is at least $25,000.00, plus $5,000.00 in attorney fees.

 

Randy Phipps made a motion to remove "Action tabled to repair small boat ramp and parking lot" from the agenda.  Jim Collins seconded the motion-motion carries.

 

7:45 Walt Magness left - we still have a quorum.

 

John Pavlica tells us our insurance policy should be arriving soon.  There could possibly be a change in the common area liabilities.  We will make a down payment and will pay $1,200.00 per month for nine months.  Bill explains how this amount was arrived at.  The windstorm is separate.  The pier is in need of repair.  Improper size pier posts were used to repair the pier in the past.  We do not have 22 posts of the correct size to repair the pier.  Money that has been spent on the pier in the past years is as follows.  2004 - $9,000.00; 2005 - $16,219.00; 2006 - $4,200.00 and 2007 - $2,032.00.  A sign needs to be placed on the pier - 'Use at Own Risk' until it can be repaired.  Randy Phipps will head up a committee to patch the pier.  Billy Burke will help and we will need volunteers after the first of the year.

 

The Office Secretary Committee reviewed Windy Slone the Office Secretary's performance.  Windy has done an excellent job.  She has kept the website current.  Approximately 42 visits to the website have been the average per day which is about double what it had been.  The committee recommends a raise of $1.00 per hour from ($7.50 to $8.50).  Walt Parker motions to give a raise to $10.00 per hour.  It was noted that we might have a tight year.  There was no second to this motion.  Rose Arp motioned to give a raise to $9.00 per hour.  Ann Bagley seconded the motion-motion carried.

 

Walt Parker requests us to add before adjournment to call for anything "good of the order".  Bill accepts this request and Walt tells about a non profit computer group that meets in Rockport.  A grant has been approved.  There are 2 classrooms with 14 computers.  This is all free with teachers who teach from the basic to the sophisticated.  Classes are open to the public.  Walt reports that you can join a computer club for $15.00.  Bill states that he and Windy will probably attend classes on Excel.

 

Walt Parker motions for the meeting to adjourn.  Sharon Walker seconds the motion.  The meeting is adjourned at 8:05pm.

 

Respectively Submitted,

 

Julia Finegan, HBPOA Secretary