President Mickey Lauria called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm in the Country Walk Clubhouse. Four Board members were present, namely Mickey Lauria, Murali Sitaraman, Nanda Srimani and Scott Templeton. Twenty seven other residents were in attendance.
A call for nominations for two open Board positions was made by President Mickey Lauria. Prior to the meeting two homeowners, Varun Grover and Susan Zhang had been nominated. President asked for additional nominees, none were mentioned. Ballots were collected and counted. With two positions and only two candidates, both nominees were unanimously approved.
The new board consists of: President Murali Sitaraman, Treasurer Scott Templeton, Nanda Srimani, Varun Grover and Susan Zhang. As per the subdivision bylaws, the current Board members will place elected residents in their positions at their next meeting.
Treasurer Scott Templeton reviewed 2010 Income and Expenses and presented 2011 annual budget explaining each line item. Scott also mentioned that Board started to build up a Capital Reserve fund equivalent to one year’s operating expenses as per board policy.
President Mickey Lauria reviewed the accomplishments over the past year. These include the following:
Establishment and growth of CW HOA reserve fund
· Clubhouse air and furnace repaired
· Renovations of the Clubhouse deck and windows and doors were completed.
· Tennis Court maintenance was completed (resurfacing and new nets).
· Nature trail drainage repaired.
· Subdivision common ground mulching completed.
· Playground mulch cleaned and redone (CW HOA received a refund on bad mulch)
· Bridge over drainage ditch on Nature Trail completed.
· Maintenance contract for nature trail developed and implemented
· New (cheaper) URL for CW HOA website established https://clemsoncountrywalk.org/
· Annual newsletter drafted and distributed
· Signs for no bikes on trail acquired and will be posted
· Posted meeting minutes and budget statements on the Country Walk web site.
· The pool was successfully opened. This included a variety of efforts, including operation of the phone, fixing of the water fountain and gate locks and electrical problem, no diving tiles installed, and the initial setup.
· The e-mail list that serves as communication between the Board and the residents of Country Walk functioned well and appears to be well received.
· The movie night hosted by the Clemson University Police Department, with Master Patrol Officer Jimmy Maw and Reserve Officer Rocco Cioffoletti primarily responsible, was a success. The estimated attendance was between 60 and 80.
· Walk to School was a success.
· The pool was successfully closed on 9/20/10 after a summer of enjoyment. Thanks are due to Denise Burton and Steve Edwards for their efforts towards maintaining a safe and clean amenity.
· Halloween was successfully celebrated.
· A number of dead and/or diseased trees were removed from common areas.
President Mickey Lauria also thanked individuals who had contributed to the operation and maintenance of Country Walk subdivision.
· The Board members. A lot of long meetings during the year. They have donated a lot of their time to take care of the neighborhood.
· Committee Chairs make the subdivision function.
· Steve Edwards, Pool Committee Chairman;
· Cindy Osef, Clubhouse Chairman;
· Tim Burg, Website guru;
· Phil Schmidt, Architectural Control Committee Chairman
· Mitchell Dobrenen, Grounds and Maintenance Chairman
· Thank you to all the residents who are contributing to the day-to-day upkeep of the subdivision by picking up discarded trash, cleaning up after their animals, and preserving our walking trail by using it as the foot path for which it was intended.
The meeting was then turned over to the next president Murali Sitaraman.
President Murali Sitaraman presented a plaque to Mickey Lauria as a token of appreciation and thanked Mickey for serving on the board for 3 years and presiding the last two years, initiating several changes and keeping the residents informed on important issues.
Murali Sitaraman addressed the HOA and started discussions on on-going CW projects and future plans for the next year.
· Berkeley Drive landscaping: Board consulted a Landscape Architect Karl Muzii who designed a thorough plan for landscaping CW entrance area, along Berkeley Drive as well as the middle section near the Gazebo and the two structures on each side. The Architect gave us two separate designs: one for south-side of the entrance and one for the North-side so that it can be incrementally implemented in phases over next couple of years as the budget allows. The architect marked the trees that can be saved and suggested trees and plants, type of grass, etc and explained the need for major clean-up, leveling where needed, sprinklers to keep the new plants, trees and grass healthy, etc..
· Tennis Courts: Board got the courts repaired and resurfaced last year, but to keep it in perfect condition we need to spend 40-50 K. Residents who were present at the annual meeting were asked if they think board should consider doing it now and there was no support for now.
· Clubhouse main floor: needs to be redone, board is looking at options.
· Swimming pool will reopen on May 15. The baby pool drain is being fixed, restart the land phone in May. Denise Burton indicated willingness to take care of the pool area again this summer. Rocco Cioffoletti volunteered to serve as pool committee chair this year; board and other residents really appreciate it.
Mickey Lauria reported on the status of planned construction of Pedestrian Bridge over 123:
· City of Clemson held few public meetings regarding the proposed multi-use path and pedestrian bridge over Highway 123, about 8 feet wide and 40 feet away from the current road/bridge. The path and bridge are going to require temporary slope permission, drainage outfall permission, and a temporary construction easement and perhaps more from Country Walk. Proposed construction will require tree removal and the relocation of part of our nature trail along Berkeley Drive. While all indications are that this project would be good for Country Walk, we will need to be vigilant and try to minimize the negative aspects
Questions and Concerns were expressed throughout the meeting, including the following. Board has already been acting on some of the issues and will carefully consider other items.
· Grounds keeping: Several residents expressed concerns and the need to improve; departing neighbor Grounds committee chair Mitchell Dobrenen developed a comprehensive checklist for landscaping issues. The new board is scheduled to meet with our landscaper at the first meeting. The landscaper will be asked to fill in the inspection/checklist at the end of each quarter.
· Mitch will be moving out of this area in the summer, so we need volunteers to serve on the committee.
· Plans for Frontage landscaping already started and presented at the meeting.
· The Gazebo and the two structures at the entrance were repaired about 3 years ago, but already are in poor condition – board looking at different options of either fixing or taking them out and include the area in new front landscaping project.
· The CW neighborhood directory is being updated. Janet Klodowski and Marie Carter have kindly agreed to do it again and sent out forms to residents for update information.
· Reserve officer Rocco Cioffoletti informed the residents the parking rules on the street. Cars should be parked on driveway or in parking lots, shouldn’t be parked overnight on the street. First offence will get a warning, 2nd time will be $10 fine.
· 4-way stop signs at Country Walk lane and Red Maple Way intersection – Rocco
· Use of solar panels, size of the signs that can be posted in the neighborhood, bike rules – Rules and Regulation committee
· complaints about non-residents’ use of swimming pool not accompanied by a homeowner
· Clubhouse use policy – some residents expressed that the clubhouse should be left unlocked so that residents can walk in and use the clubhouse any time. There were other homeowners present at the meeting who opposed the idea. Board will look at the pros and cons in terms flexibility as well as cost, time and liability factors. The clubhouse committee chair already spends considerable amount of time after the rentals currently.
· The issue of bikes on nature trail was heatedly debated. Current policy on trail is “Other than baby strollers and wheelchairs, and consistent with Schedule A, Article 8.2, of the subdivision covenants, no wheeled vehicles are permitted”. Some residents would like to see it changed and plenty of others don’t and cited incidents of near crashes with riders, teen-agers and liability issues. The above regulation is in CW by-law and needs two-thirds of the residents vote to change. Some homeowners expressed they might pursue it.
· CW entrance lights
With no further items of businesses slated for discussion, President Murali Sitaraman adjourned the meeting at 9:30 PM.
These meeting minutes were compiled by Nanda Srimani, Secretary, CW HOA Board