Member Meeting Minutes

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In Cased You Missed It

Call to order at 10:05 am
Introductions and Welcome
Present:
Jamie McGrath
Gary Kennedy
Allen Schmidt
Grant Rice
Dennis Birge
John Williams
Marlis Birge
Sue Schmidt
Michelle Rice
Brandon Smith
Steve Gibson
Sharon Gibson
Cheryl Kimbal
Boots Zeller
Tammy Zeller
Laurie Sand
Vicki Dutton
Scott Hanson
Steve McLaughlin
Nick Oniskey

Review and Approve Minutes – Allen Schmidt

Allen read the minutes from the May 27, 2023 members meeting. Jamie emphasized the policy on short term rentals. No questions were asked.

Review of Finances and Budget – Jamie McGrath

  • One of the wells went out, and it took a $250 per lot assessment to fix it.
  • The new mailboxes are done.
  • Some work was done on the overflow parking lot.
  • The new name of our reserve account is the Capitol Asset reserve Fund.
  • The HOA has about $35,000 left in the bank for the remainder of the year. We will have about $20,000 left at the end of the year, and it will be placed in the Reserve Fund. First time in quite a while we have had funds left over.
  • The HOA is in the process of taking the non-accounting tasks away from our accountant, Andy Schrek. We are hiring Michelle Rice and Tammy Zeller to complete those tasks. They will complete other administrative tasks as well. Tammy and Michelle have been working on the scope of these new assignments.
  • There will be a 20% dues increase this year, and the new per lot total assessment for 2024-2025 will be $993.
  • The RidgeView Heights assessment of $300 per lot will not change.
  • The group discussed the question of how many future dues increases will there be. While it is hard to determine when the dues amount will level off, a couple of key points were made. We are less than 40% done with the repair of our roads after working on them for 4 years. Also, other Home Owners Associations in the area have reserve accounts of over $100,000. The neighboring 6 lot Ridgeview Heights development has a $1,200 per year assessment.
  • Road damage from construction equipment was discussed. The owner pays a $600 non-refundable fee up front. Lot owners are encouraged to unload equipment on the lot, and not the road.
  • There are currently 6 board members. More are needed. Boot Zeller and Michael Dolenga volunteered to be on the board. Steve McGlaughlin will represent RidgeView Heights replacing Jim Star.
  • All issues that members would like to board to address should be sent through the web site.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Roads – Gary Kennedy
We have $30,000 budgeted this year. We are measuring roads now. Black Diamond Asphalt will do the work. Let Gary or Jamie know now if you want some work done, not when the asphalt truck shows up.
Some of the repaired areas are cracking. Gary and Jamie will investigate that.
Black Diamond will not be doing the final chip sealing.

Building Plans – Grant Rice
Lots of construction going on. For the most part, members are aware of the fee and plan submittal requirements.
The question came up about how the board is notified when lot ownership changes. Right now, the accountant is notified, and this needs to go to Michelle also.

Water System – Jamie McGrath
The broken well pump has been replaced, and everything is working.
There will be more government oversight when we move to a class A system. Jamie currently does the required inventory paperwork every year. Aaron does the water sampling. The water management workload is expected to increase in the future.
The question came up as to whether we should contract with a water system management company to take care of our system. We would first need to get bids on this.

Mailboxes – Brandon Smith
USPS installed the new community mailboxes. The Davenport postmaster will assign keys and boxes. They will be ready for owners to pick up their keys in about two weeks. Each owner needs to pick up their own keys. Private mailboxes need to be removed by the owner when they have converted to the new community mailboxes.

Website and Member Communications – Michelle Rice
Michelle monitors the website forms daily. She will be adding emergency contact numbers to the web site.
Members use different electronic methods for communicating, so Michelle is adding text messaging and creating a Facebook page for the Ridgeview HOA. This will help to ensure that all members get notified.
Members need to let her know when their contact info (email, phone #) changes.

Bylaws/Rules Reminders – Jamie McGrath

  • Fireworks are only allowed on News Years Eve.
  • RVs and boats can only be covered by custom covers made to fit the specific unit. Blue tarps covering RVs or boats are not permitted.
  • Do not leave garbage laying around in the overflow parking lot.
  • Keep your ditches clean, and dig them out if they fill with sand from water runoff.

Maintenance and Repairs

The HOA needs volunteers for committees to complete some smaller projects. This includes installing the RVE sign in the upper entrance, cleanup around the pump house, and landscaping/watering around the entryways. Several members volunteered to lead/join these committees.

Community Updated and Announcements

  • The fall community cleanup and potluck will be held on November 9th. That is the Saturday of Veterans Day weekend.
  • Brandon has volunteered to have dog waste bags placed at the community playground.

Open Forum/Q&A Session

  • There was a brief discussion about the need to modernize the street lights.
  • The group recapped the establishment of three new committees. Cleanup and landscaping, stone monument at the upper entrance, and street lights.

The meeting was Adjourned at 11:37 AM

  • Call to order at 11:00 am
  • Introductions

Present:

Rick Anderle
Linda Anderle
Dennis Birge
Marlis Birge
Mitchell Day
Michael Dolenga
Inesse Dolenga
Vicki Dutton
Steve Gibson
Sharon Gibson
Scott Kahler
Gary Kennedy
Spencer Kimbal
Cheryl Kimbal
Jamie McGrath
Grant Rice
Michelle Rice
Laurie Sand
Allen Schmidt
Sue Schmidt
Brandon Smith
Dawn Smith
Jim Starr
Dan Valencia
Sondra Valencia
Sasha Vinkicevic
John Williams
Boots Zeller
Tammy Zeller

Review and Approve Minutes from 4/2/2022 members meeting:

Minutes from the April 2, 2022 member meeting were reviewed. Motion to approve was made by Gary  Kennedy, Second by Dennis Birge. Motion passed.

Review of Finances and Budget:

The group discussed the need to establish a cash reserve account for emergency repairs to the water system and other infrastructure. In May, the Board approved a 20% dues increase for 2023/2024 for both general dues and the special roads assessment. That increases the current dues of $690 ($430 + 260) to $828 ($516 + +312) per lot. The increases will be used to begin building a cash reserve account. The target amount is $15,000 to $20,000. The plan is to start the reserve account in the spring of 2024.  The board strategy is to set up separate bank accounts to hold these funds. Two separate reserve accounts will be set up. One for general reserve, and one for roads. The 20% general dues increase (2023/2024 and future) will go directly to the general reserve account and will be held in reserve for unanticipated costs for water system repairs and other high priority items. The unspent 2022/2023 roads funds as well as all future roads assessments will go into the roads reserve account and be used to fully repair the road system. 

The group discussed the program for covering the cost for road repair incurred by individual lot excavation. The settlement of initial deposits vs. actual repair costs will be completed when all the construction work for the specific lot is completed.   It was also noted that everyone pays for road damage caused by equipment not tied to specific lots.

Road Report

The overall goal is to finish paving the edges and double chip seal the entire road. The board feels that it is best to do some road repairs each year. We will be contracting with Black Diamond Asphalt Paving out of Spokane. Board members are marking spots for repair. The initial bid this year for 4,500 Sq FT was $34,000. The target budget amount for this year is $40,000. Owners should contact Gary Kennedy if they are interested in paving their driveway apron at $8.00 SQ FT. They are planning to complete the repair work in September. Other housing developments in the area will also participate in this paving window, thus keeping down the travel costs for the paver. The current chip seal dig-up material will be spread on the overflow lot. Owners may put oil on Bitterroot Lane.

The association is planning another community cleanup this fall. May need to look closer at drainage and some culverts need to be cleaned out. Some dead trees need to be taken down.

Mail Boxes

The postmaster has given the association new rules for installation of mailboxes. Each lot that has the potential to receive mail will need to be allocated a box. We will need around 60, and currently have 24. We need to purchase and install all the rest of the mailboxes we will need when the next expansion takes place. Brandon and Dawn Smith volunteered to contact all HOA members and determine exactly how many more mailboxes we will need. We hope to be done by the end of the year.

Community Lots

Overflow parking lot: This lot is for short term parking (less than 30 days). It is not intended for long term storage. Contact Jamie if you need to store something longer.

Playground: There was discussion about the level of usage, the condition of the picnic tables, and the installation of a shelter.

Web Site

The company we currently use has not met our needs. The web site crashed after a recent software update, and they restored it to a version of the site that was over a year old. We are moving to a new hosting service. The group discussed additional features, like notifications when updates are made.

Board Membership

There are two openings on the board, one new position the board wants to add, and one for a current member who is stepping down. Brandon Smith and Michelle Rice were nominated. A board member election via e-mail will take place shortly. Tammy Zeller volunteered to step in as a board member next year to work on Budget and Finance.

New Business

Multiple RVs on lots: The group discussed options to deal with lots where multiple RVs are parked.  Some of them are short term situations when owners have visitors, and others are when owners share the lot for the entire RV season. The CCR’s clearly state that only one RV is permitted on a lot. The group clearly was in favor of a more relaxed approach that avoids policing owners about RV parking violations because of sharing with friends and family. To resolve this issue, the members in attendance were in support of the drafting of a board policy on RV parking. It will allow for expanded usage during the primary summer RV season from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During this time, owners could park multiple RVs on their lot to accommodate friends and family. Multiple RVs would not be allowed during the off season from Labor Day to Memorial Day. 

Renting RV Spaces on Lots: The group discussed the RV lot that is currently offered as a rental. The lot owners present agreed that this practice went against the CCR’s and should not be allowed. The Ridgeview Estate lots are for residential purposes only, and not for businesses.  

The meeting was Adjourned at 12:47 PM

Roll Call:

Present:

John Schumacher – President

Allen Schmidt – Secretary

Jim Starr – Treasurer

Dennis Birge

Mike Babbitts

Grant Rice

Scott Hansen

John Williams

Marlis Birge

Dan Valencia

Sondra Valencia

Cheryl Kimball

Spencer Kimball

Stacy Reece

John Reece

Linda Anderle

Sue Schmidt

Shausta Sponaugle

Guy Sponaugle

Boots Zeller

Tammy Zeller

Wes Clapper

Tammy Clapper

Review and Approve Minutes from Last Meeting:

Minutes from March 27, 2021 member meeting were reviewed. Motion for approval was made by Sue Schmidt. Second by Cheryl Kimball. Motion passed.

Treasurer Report:

Jim Star reviewed finances for the last year. The new accounting firm has the books well organized. They now reflect all our assets, and this will come in handy if we want to obtain financing. We have $16,000 in the bank and $8,00 of bills remaining for 21-22.

22-23 proposed budget highlights were: road expenses will remain consistent with last year, moving to class A water system will incur more costs. With the approved dues and assessment increases, there is a projected budget surplus of $16,730 for 22-23. The board of directors approved the budget for 22-23.   

Board Positions and Officer Assignments:

John Schumacher announced that he will step down from the board president position on June 30, 2022. Scott Hansen has been nominated to fill a vacant board position. No other HOA members volunteered to accept a nomination for board positions. Voting by membership will take place before July 1, 2022. The following board officer positions for 22-23 are:

President – Jamie McGrath

Vice President – Gary Kennedy

Secretary – Allen Schmidt

Treasurer – Jim Star 

Old Business

Next Steps for Community Lot:

John Schumacher outlined possible enhancements to the community lot, including water and electrical installations. Plans to move forward with these items were tabled by the board.

Update on Entrance Maintenance and Upper Entrance Stone:

John will get a bid from Aaron to install the stone at the upper entrance. Mike Babbitts will continue to maintain the two lower entrances. 

Update on Water System Classification and Impacts.

Some required improvements to the water system are anticipated because of the move from a class B system to a class A system. More frequent testing will be needed, and we may need to install a water chlorination system. The State of Washington will determine when the improvements will be needed.

Water meter cost will increase to $3,000 due to increases in parts and labor. You can install it yourself, but Aaron will need to inspect and approve the installation before it is filled in.  

Update on Delinquent Dues Status:

There are currently no dues delinquent past two years.

New Business

Present Road Repair Plan for 2022:

22-23 Road repair will remain consistent with last year with continued work on the shoulders. The road budget is dropping from $29,000 to $24,000 for 22-23. The current road repair program is projected to last two more years. 

Contact the president if you would like to have your driveway or approach paved during the road repair season. The contractor will provide an estimate.  

The damage deposit for construction equipment damage to roads will increase to $600. The president will determine if the deposit covers the cost of repair. In most cases, the deposit is returned to the owner.  

Discuss forward Plan for road Repairs:

Future road plans include establishing a road repair account and taking out a loan to chip seal the entire road system after current improvements are completed. 

Present Approved Dues and Assessments for Discussion:

The board of directors has approved an increase to the annual HOA dues for 22-23 from $360 to $430 per lot, and an increase to the 22-23 HOA road assessment from $240 to $260 per lot. These increases are projected to yield a budget surplus of $16,730 for 22-23. The Ridgeview dues are comparable to 7-Bays and Deer Meadows.

Discuss adding Additional Mailboxes at Lower Entry’s:

Seven residences are signed up to use the community mailboxes. A plan will move forward to add one unit at each lower entrance by July 1st. Usage is optional, but this will need to be verified.

Present Plan for Water System Reserve Account:

The board approved the creation of a water reserve account that will be dedicated to future repair and improvements for the community water system, and also that $2,500 should be placed into that account.  

Review Board Approvals for 22-23:

At today’s board of directors meeting, the following items were approved:

  1. The 22-23 budget.
  2. Dues increase and roads assessment increase. 
  3. Establishment of a water system reserve account and adding $2,500 to it.
  4. Increase the fee for water meter installation to $3,000.

Other New Business:

The following items were discussed: 

  1. New shorter light poles, maybe with LED lights. 
  2. Establishment of a quite time in the neighborhood. Opinions were mixed. There have been no issues yet, and it would be hard to police. Board can set a policy if needed.
  3. May need a policy addressing dust from construction. Members were asked to keep the ground damp if the vegetation has been removed. 
  4. Some items were taken from a boat last year. 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:27 PM.

Call to order at 2:00 PM

Roll Call:

Present:

John Schumacher

Jim Starr

Jamie McGrath

Allen and Sue Schmidt

Dennis Birge

Mike Babbitts

Grant Rice

Valerie and Craig Wohlsein

Scott Hanson

Joseph and Molly Meier-Grolham

Cheryl Kimball

Laurie Sand

Steve Mclaughlin

Linda and Rick Anderle

John Williams

Michelle Rice

Guy and Shausta Sponaugle 

Gary Kennedy

Review and Approve Minutes from 10/05/19:

Minutes from October 5, 2019 Member meeting were reviewed and approved. Motion by John Williams. Second by Cheryl Kimball.

Treasurer Report YTD:

Jim Star explained the transfer of accounting services to a new firm in Davenport. He stated that some members are delinquent in their dues and also that the HOA will have some excess funds left over after the end of the current fiscal year. He outlined the assessment increases for 2021-2022, $330 to $360 for dues and $200 to $240 for roads. 

Jim described the failing road pavement system and the plan to replace the roads with asphalt. The goal is to complete the shoulders first. The HOA will spend about $25,000 on roads next fiscal year. After the roads, the HOA will need to build up reserves for repairs on the water system. The balance sheet will be expanded to include all the HOA assets as the HOA will need that documentation for proof of collateral for possible future repair loans. 

Old Business

CC&R Filling Complete: 

John Schumacher went through the recent changes to the HOA CC&R’s.

Ditch and Runoff Review:

John Schumacher indicated that it is the owner’s responsibility to keep their hillsides covered to prevent erosion. 

Tree Removal Update:

John Schumacher described the recent tree removal activity and the recent changes to the CC&R’s addressing tree removal. He also described the need to remove insect infested and diseased trees. 

Community Lot Improvements & Projection:

John Schumacher described plans for grading and graveling, as well as culvert and water spicket installation, with a target to be completed by the summer. The lot is available for boat trailer parking and RV overflow parking. Future plans could include a septic system, electrical service and club house. 

New Business

Present Approved Dues and Assessments:

John Schumacher indicated that the new dues assessment for next fiscal year will be $600. Members will receive an invoice in July. The HOA has $6,000 in delinquent dues and will begin to use a collection agency. There was a question about turning the roads over to the county, but research has shown it would be too expensive to bring them up to county standards.

Discuss Possibilities of Mail Center:

John Schumacher indicated that there is a need for more secure postal deliveries. The Board will purchase three mail-box units with eight locking mail slots each. One for each entrance. An as owners want to begin using them, they will pay a one-time $100.00 fee to reimburse the HOA for the cost. 

Election of Board Members:

There are 4 openings. Two board members (Allen Schmidt and Mike Babbitts) would like to continue. Gary Kennedy and John Williams would like to join the board. The slate of candidates will be sent to members for voting. 

Other New Business:

John Schumacher described an interest by some members in changing out the streetlights for shorter units. 

John Schumacher indicated that there has been bear and cougar activity in the development and surrounding area in the last 6 months, and that residents should be careful when they are outside. 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:10 PM.