Notes from November 28 Board of Directors meeting

Members present were Dee Brown-Knoeppel, Don Calvert (via telephone), Nancy Eckstein, Gordon Lee, Pat McGonegle, Jean Pritchard, Chuck Warren, and Manager Layne Varney. The meeting was called to order by President Gordon Lee at 10:00 a.m.

The minutes of October 24, 2016 Business Meeting, the October 24, 2016 Executive Session, the November 14, 2016 Agenda Planning Meeting, and the November 14, 2016 Executive Session minutes were accepted as written.

Committee Liaison Reports

Going Green Committee

Jean Pritchard reported that the committee met on November 3. They discussed the table at Community Day, placed a container on the patio for collecting plastic bottles, and the Shredding Day scheduled for March 17, 2017. Next meeting is December 1.

Rules Committee

Nancy Eckstein reported the committee met on November 7. The committee is continuing to work on updating the Rules Booklet. The next meeting is on December 1 at 10:15 a.m. which is a change of date and time.

Project Review Committee

Dee Brown-Knoeppel reported the committee met on November 3. New bocce ball courts are open for play. Scoreboards have been installed, pipe for picnic area shade sail has been received, benches have been ordered and picnic tables will be ordered soon. Layne is investigating a new source for installation of two speakers for the back of the Ballroom. He will be holding a control training session for interested parties on November 7. Shirley Clark presented preliminary plans for Ballroom/patio walkway. Motion passed to proceed with the project. Shirley will present estimate of cost at December PRPC meeting. Project planned for mid-2017. Next meeting is December 14.

ACC Committee

Pat McGonegle reported the committee is in the process of reviewing guidelines to improve clarification. Some guideline rewrites have been placed on today’s agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for December 14 when the committee will be looking at clarifying lawn art guidelines.

Marketing Committee

Chuck Warren reported that on November 7, 41 new home owners, six Board members, Layne Varney, and some members of the Garden Club attended a welcome breakfast in the Horizon Room. Layne gave a history of SunBird, each Board Director spoke, and questions from the new owners were asked and answered. The Garden Club presented a plant to all new owners. The plants were grown from clippings of SunBird bushes.

Finance Committee

Layne Varney reported that the committee met on November 1. The September financials were reviewed by Layne. Delinquent fees in the amount of $2,367 were collected in September. October home sales were 10, making a total of 118 for the year. Restaurant loss through October should be about $53,000. Layne stated that he thinks the loss for the year should be about $66,000 or slightly less. Next meeting is December 6.

Landscape Common Area Long Term Planning Report

Layne reported that he met with the landscape supervisor, long range planning committee, and Garden Club representatives to begin working on a long term plan to improve and update landscaping for the common areas. This is one of the Board’s 2016 goals. It was agreed that too many plants had been planted by the original owner of SunBird (some needing a lot of water) and in some cases trees and over planting have crept into private home areas. There are approximately six miles of common areas. Pat McGonegle reviewed a poster showing the suggested plants/trees that will be used and are indigenous to the desert. This project will take multiple years to complete. It was suggested, and Don Calvert made a motion to approach the Golf Club to discuss using the golf course property along the Waterview parking lot as a sampling of what the common areas could look like. Motion passed 7-0.

HOA Board Members/Golf Club Board Members Meeting Report

Dee reported that the Pro Shop lease is good until December 2017. Residents donated $11,025 towards reseeding and $6,000 of that amount came from non-golfers. Jean reported that a sign would be placed on Hole No. 8 giving a menu and phone number so golfers can call ahead to the Horizon Room to order food. They are asking to be allowed to send a representative to the new homeowner breakfasts so they can answer any questions people may have. It was agreed that they will be invited to attend.

Liquor License Update

Layne reported that he has been looking for a license series six which would allow us to sell liquor to outsiders. Only so many liquor licenses are available – none are available now. He has called brokers to assist in finding a license. Layne will get applications for Board members to fill out so that they are ready when a license becomes available. An FBI check will be made on each Director. When a license is available, applications are turned into the State liquor department and the City of Chandler. State activates license – City approves. It was agreed to apply for a loan which would establish a line of credit rather than deplete the Contingency Fund to purchase the license.

Collections Report with annual Bad Debt Write-Offs

Jean Pritchard made the motion to accept writing off $5,525.97 in bad debts. While we write off the fourth year bad debts, we do not stop trying to collect if worthwhile. We turn these bad debts over to a collection agency who does not charge us unless the debt is collected. Motion passed 7-0.

ACC Committee Guidelines Update

Pat McGonegle discussed the recommendations of refining and/or writing new guidelines regarding artificial grass/turf, storage containers and storage facilities, fencing, use of lattice, and painting and repainting of exterior surfaces and how these guidelines may vary depending on the type of house. Jean Pritchard made a motion to accept the committee’s recommendations. Motion passed 7-0.

Real Estate Open House Signage

Jean Pritchard discussed the need to approve open house directional signs. Fliers are now available at the front gate but perhaps these flier can also be given out at the HOA Office. It would be up to the realtors or owners selling on their own to provide the fliers. This would benefit current SunBird owners/renters. Chuck Warren made the motion to allow three directional signs for open houses. There was no second. Motion died for lack of a second.

January 2, 2017 is set for the reorganization meeting of the Board.

Gordon Lee reminded everyone in attendance that there will only be one Board meeting in December and that will be on December 12.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:33 a.m. by President Gordon Lee. The Board then went into Executive Session. The next Board meeting will be an Agenda Planning on Monday, January 9 at 10:00 a.m. and a Business Meeting on Monday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m. in the Ballroom.