JUNO ISLES CIVIC ASSOCIATION

February 26, 2007

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

 

A special meeting of the Juno Isles Civic Association Board of Directors to discuss the annual budget was held on Monday, February 26, 2007, at Holy Spirit Church on Ellison Wilson Road. 

 

v     Roll Call and Call to Order:

Jim Jackson called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.  The following board members were present: 

 

Douglas Acker

Present

 

Blas Contreras

Present

 

Shelley Green

Present

 

Kathy Greene

Present

 

Wayne Hatten

Present

 

Jim Jackson

Present

 

Dave Mastran

Present

 

Bernard Slean

Present

 

Frank Slevinski

 

Unexcused

Idella Vinho

Present

 

Dinah Washam

Present

 

Tom Wajdowicz

 

Unexcused

 

Note: The minutes refer to Board Members by their first name as listed above.

 

 

v     Overall Budget Review:   Jim Jackson

 

Bernard distributed a Tentative 2007 Annual Profit & Loss Budget to all Board members.

 

Jim discussed homeowner assessments with the Association attorney, Scott Gherman. Scott recommended ‘a cautious approach’ regarding Chapter 720. Homeowners must receive a notice 14 days prior to a budget and assessment approval meeting. After the 14 days, the Board may adopt a budget and assessments. Therefore, this is one of two budget meetings.

 

 

v     Budget Discussion

 

Bernard said Landscape Maintenance in 2006 was high.

 

Wayne said that when he spoke with Chris Cox about 10 days ago, she said the lighting program is not happening, and she is resigning her position from the committee. Wayne suggested the excess money that is reserved for that project should be distributed. Jim said Florida Power & Light will be sending us an invoice for the project. Dave said we cannot act on hearsay. Florida Power & Light has agreed to install the street lights. Kathy Green said the contract with Palm Beach County for the lighting project expires in March. The Association will not be able to proceed with Florida Power & Light without an extension of the contract with Palm Beach County. The request for extension has to go on the County’s agenda, which may take about 3 months. If Florida Power & Light does not proceed with the lighting project before the county contract expires in March, the Association will have to apply for an extension.

 

Jim suggested an additional $1000 be added for 6 months of electricity for future Florida Power & Light leased lighting.

 

Wayne stated that it is the Board’s responsibility to uphold and enforce the Covenants. And if the Board is not going to do that, then there is no point in having the Covenants. Wayne added that there should be a minimal amount of reserve, that $85,000 is too much. This is a non-profit organization. It is unlawful for the Association to hold that much money in reserve without earmarking it for the lighting project. Last year’s budget was good since the Association spent approximately $2000 less than it took in. Wayne suggested that the annual dues should be reduced to $70, using the excess reserves to balance the budget. Dues can then be increased in the future as the lighting project proceeds. Idella agreed that is makes sense to reduce the dues now, and then increase the dues as needed for the lighting project.

 

Kathy pointed out that the County reimbursement amount of $26,000 may not be the same as the Association’s cost for the lighting project. At least a $50,000 reserve should be maintained to cover any overage.

 

Jim suggested a line item be added for Web Software for $400. The web software was agreed upon at the last Board meeting.

 

Shelley said the Secretarial Services amount should be increased to cover the expense of acquiring the services of a secretarial assistant. Blas suggested the secretarial assistant could help enforce the Covenants by sending letters to residents to make them aware of the violations, provide a log to the Board and track the violations. Shelley said that many times the residents don’t even know they’re in violation of the Covenants, and that notifying them would bring them into compliance. Wayne said some residents will continue to violate the Covenants, no matter how many notifications they have received. Kathy reminds everyone that the secretarial assistant does not have the authority to enforce the Covenants; the Board has to direct enforcement actions. Dinah posed the question, ‘What next?’ when a resident has received several notifications and is still in violation of the Covenants. Jim reflected that in the past it has proven to be quite an expensive process to enforce the covenants after multiple notifications have been ignored. Blas and Shelley agree that if multiple notifications are sent, with a follow up from the Association attorney, residents will comply. One option, and the most expensive one, is to hire a property management company to enforce the Covenants. Blas suggested that we are more interested in a secretarial services company than a property management company. After Board discussion, Secretarial Services was increased to $6500 to include a secretarial assistant, with the description of Administrative Services.

 

Wayne suggested that funds reserved specifically for legal fees should appear somewhere in the budget. Kathy said that once funds are earmarked for legal fees, they cannot be used for anything else. Jim will consult with the Association attorney regarding legal fees.

 

Blas suggested the Crime Watch amount be increased due to the recent burglaries in our area. Wayne said last year’s Crime Watch budget was for a Sheriff’s patrol once a month. Shelley questioned the need for the speed checking mechanism on Ellison Wilson since the Juno Beach police patrol the area frequently. Jim said Juno Beach police do not have legal authority in Juno Isles. Blas suggested the Sheriff’s patrol be increased. Dinah asked if Karen Marcus could influence an increase of the Sheriff’s safety patrol in our community. Jim said the Sheriff’s office is a separate entity, not a county entity within Commissioner Marcus’ jurisdiction. Blas suggested Crime Watch be increased to $2600 for speed enforcement and neighborhood patrol.

 

The Board discussed that the Postage line item amount be increased since postage is going up by 3 cents in March. After Board discussion, Quarterly Newsletter printing was budgeted at $1600, with postage of $1000. Total Postage was increased from $960 to $2500, including $500 postage for the Annual Meeting Notice and $1000 for Other Mailings.

 

After Board discussion, a line item for $1000 to repair the front island lighting and a line item for $500 to maintain the front island irrigation system were added.

 

Shelley suggested Social Events Rentals be increased from $300 to $600, the picnic be increased from $6000 to $6500, and the Christmas lights contest be increased from $300 to $400. After Board discussion, the increases were made.

 

Jim suggested that Bernard adjust the budget to show the balance of the expenses above the income is to be taken from the surplus funds that have been set aside for the lighting project.

Bernard will make the changes discussed and email a revised copy of the Tentative 2007 Annual Profit & Loss Budget to all Board members.

 

The Board will approve the budget at the next Board meeting on March 5th.  There is a community yard sale on March 17th. Notice will be provided to the residents 14 days before the final budget and assessment approval meeting on March 21st.

 

v     Stropp Fence Review:   Jim Jackson

 

Kathy objected to the discussion of the Stropp fence issue since this was a special meeting to discuss the annual budget. Jim, however, stated that the legal fees associated with the lawsuit made it part of the budget, and it was appropriate to discuss it.

 

The Stropps contacted Jim and offered not to build the second fence in exchange for leaving the existing fence in its’ existing location. The Association attorney suggested the agreement include that the Stropps plan on leaving the property in a couple of years. Shelley said the Stropps have to submit plans for the new fence and property surveys. Jim said if they are not building a new fence it is a mute point. Jim agreed that if the only issue is building a new fence, then Shelley should send a letter to the Stropps stating that their submittal was incomplete and they need to resubmit the application. Jim added that another option is to also try to resolve the existing law suit before the Board chooses to go the next step with the law suit.

 

Doug said that if the Stropps agree to move the existing fence, the Board will not be able to stop the Stropps from putting the second fence in. Shelley said the new fence is a separate issue from the litigation issue. Jim is trying to resolve all Stropp issues at once. Dave said that if the Stropps move the existing fence back, then they will put up the new fence. Idella said the Board needs to resolve one issue before moving on to the next.

 

Jim said that the Stropps could simply tear down the existing fence and the Association would loose more money. Wayne said he doesn’t see how that’s true since the Covenants state that when a resident is in violation, then they are responsible for all attorneys’ fees. He suggested the Board proceed since the Board’s attorney’s fees can be retrieved even if the Stropps tear down the fence. Shelley suggested Jim respond to the Stropps’ letter to him. Wayne said the Board needs to take a vote to either grant a variance to the Stropps for the fence or pursue the Stropps’ compliance with the covenants. But either way, there are two separate issues.

 

Jim agreed to respond to the Stropps’ letter. Jim added that before the Board pursues the Stropps further, he wants to have a community meeting to discuss what the residents want to do about enforcing the Covenants. Wayne said that in the past when a law suit occurred against a resident for violation of the Covenants, the community then abided by the Covenants for quite some time. Wayne suggested that the Board should either enforce the Covenants or shrink them to something the Board can enforce. Jim said there may be that there is a strong desire under a smaller core group of things to seriously enforce. Wayne said the newer residents expect the Covenants to be upheld as they are, and that the residents that have lived here many, many years would like to see the Covenants go away. Jim said the Covenants have not changed; they are the same as they were when the plats were done. What has changed is the residents’ mandatory membership in an Association and the availability of funds to enforce the Covenants.

 

 

v     Adjournment

 

Blas made a motion to adjourn. Shelley seconded the motion.  All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.  The meeting adjourned at 9:12 pm.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Rhonda Thomas