Villages Board Actions

November 29, 2018

 

The Villages of Garrison Creek  .. Master Property Management Association 

Summary of September through November Board Actions and Discussions

In September, Developer appointed Declarant’s Allan Fisher and Doug Botimer resigned from Master Board finalizing the Phase V Development LLC Property [Phase 14] exit from our Association.   As of now our VGC MPMA is wholly governed by the homeowners currently acting through a five-member Master Board which requires a  quorum of three to conduct board business.  As a result, the Board has been able to pass minutes from the past months and conduct other necessary business.

The Strategic Planning Committee [Jack Gisler, Dennis Olson, John Cress] is beginning work on the changes needed in our Bylaws and Covenants as we start governing without our Declarants.  Jack Gisler will present their progress to date at the Annual Meeting.

After several months of discussion, a Delinquent Dues Payer Policy has been adopted.  This policy goes into effect immediately and will be posted on our website.  The policy gives us a procedure to follow when a member does not, or cannot, pay their monthly association dues.

Financial reports from our current Operating and Reserve Budgets show we are spending all our income as it comes in.  We are “underwater” every month meaning that our financial administrator [Jim Hall] must juggle bill paying, using next month’s income for this month’s costs.  We hope to alleviate this issue soon with a passage of the proposed 2019 Budget.

Our Water Equity/Cost Committee [Ray Goff, Jim Hall, Scott Towslee, Dick Cook Report] have presented findings that select Phases have been paying more than their fair share of common area irrigation costs.  The Board is proposing that this error be corrected in the future starting with the 2019 Budget.

Our Financial Administrator, Jim Hall, has been in communication with City of College Place officials and the Board concerning a new Storm Water rates to be charged to all CP property owners in 2019.   This will mean an increase in the 2019 MPMA and phase dues.

The MPMA Board is preparing for the VGC Annual Homeowners Meeting on December 9that SonBridge Community Center.  We have a large meeting room reserved and expect a good turnout of homeowners. Also, the Board will review  2018  association outcomes and challenges for  2019 and beyond.  In addition to the prosed budget vote, we will be electing 7 members to our Master Board.   Please arrive for registration beginning at 1:30 p.m.  The meeting will begin at 2 o’clock.

A packet of information has been mailed to each homeowner.  If you did not receive one or have misplaced your packet, contact Dick Cook at cookpines@charter.netor 509-386-4118.

A revised copy of the Land Use Standards will be presented at the Annual Membership Meeting will be available on our VGC website along with Board minutes and monthly financial reports.

The MPMA Board will be presenting the proposed 2019 Association Budget which includes a total dues increase from $82 monthly to $108.50 to be voted on the homeowners. Below is the section of the Revised Code of Washington governing Association budget ratification.

64.38.025 (3) Within thirty days after adoption by the board of directors of any proposed regular or special budget of the association, the board shall set a date for a meeting of the owners to consider ratification of the budget not less than fourteen nor more than sixty days after mailing of the summary. Unless at that meeting the owners of a majority of the votes in the association are allocated or any larger percentage specified in the governing documents reject the budget, in person or by proxy, the budget is ratified, whether or not a quorum is present. In the event the proposed budget is rejected or the required notice is not given, the periodic budget last ratified by the owners shall be continued until such time as the owners ratify a subsequent budget proposed by the board of directors.

We hope to see everyone at the Annual Homeowners Meeting on Sunday, Dec. 9that SonBridge Community Center.  Parking is limited, so you may want to walk or carpool.  

Questions or comments may be addressed to Dick Cook at cookpines@charter.netor Marie Evans at marieevans@aol.com.

Critical Meeting Reminders!

VGC Meeting Reminders
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Pre-Annual Meeting .. Information Session
Sunday 18 November [2 pm] SonBridge Community Center
This meeting has been designed as an informal question/answer session.
Topics to include a review of the 2019 MPMA Operating & Reserve Budgets, VGC [Common Area Irrigation] Water Equity Analysis Report, and other issues of interest to VGC homeowners. Also, Please bring handouts enclosed in the Annual Meeting Notice received in last week’s mail. THANK YOU.
________________________________________
Monthly MPMA Board of Directors Meeting
Tuesday 20 November [5:30 pm] SonBridge Community Center
_________________________________________________
ANNUAL MEETING of VGC Homeowners
Sunday 9 December 2018 [ 1:30 pm] Registration
SonBridge Community Center .. 1200 SE 12 th Street, College Place
_____________________________________________
QUESTIONS?  Contact  Dick Cook .. 509-386-4118 or cookpines@charter.net

Marie Evans .. 509-529-2040 or marieevans@aol.com

2018 MPMA Board .. Scott Towslee, Jim Murphy, John Cress, Marie Evans, Dick Cook

Pedestrian Safety in the Villages

November 14, 2018

Pedestrian Safety Awareness

The Villages of Garrison Creek’s population is growing with the near-completion of Phase 9. More homes bring more vehicle traffic and more pedestrians. Holidays bring many visitors, as well.

The Block Watch/Safety Committee is sending out a friendly reminder to increase traffic safety awareness so that we all can correct our driving habits to respect the safety of our residents as they walk/move through the Villages to enjoy our beautiful trails and common areas.

Promoting public safety in the privately-owned Villages streets is an on-going issue that will be addressed with our leadership team in greater detail. In the meantime, we ask all our Villages residents to please review some minimum safety reminders below and do your part to drive and walk with caution as you travel our streets, sidewalks, and walking trails.

If you have any specific pedestrian/traffic safety improvement suggestions you’d like to share, please contact the leaders listed at the bottom of this email. We all need to work together to promote optimal public safety for everyone who lives in or visits the Villages.

What is a pedestrian?

A pedestrian is a person on foot or who uses a mobility device such as roller skates, skateboard, etc., other than a bicycle. A pedestrian can also be a person with or without a disability using an adult tricycle, quadricycle, or wheelchair/motorized scooter for transportation.

Bicycles are considered vehicles and must share the right side of the street with vehicles when they travel through the Villages. Bicycles are not allowed on our walking trails.

Villages streets, most without sidewalks, are not as wide as public streets and were constructed to be shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles. Please note the following safety reminders (landlords, please share with your tenants, too):

1. Honor the 15 mph speed limit on all Villages streets when driving at all times.

2. Motorized wheelchairs and scooters should access the walking trails by using the main sidewalks on Garrison Village Way as much as possible. If using the side streets is absolutely unavoidable because you live on one, please travel with a walking companion, if possible, and stay on the left side of the street, against traffic, as a pedestrian. Do not travel down the middle of a street or on the right side with vehicles and bicycles. Make sure your wheelchair or scooter is equipped with an orange safety flag for increased visibility. Low, recumbent bicycles should have these orange flags, as well.

3. When entering a feeder street from one of our alleys, please come to a full stop and do not proceed until it is safe. Many vehicles do not stop when they leave an alley and have come close to colliding with a vehicle or pedestrian traveling on a main feeder road.

4. When backing out of your driveway/garage to a feeder street, use extreme caution and be aware of pedestrians/children playing and other vehicles, parked or traveling, that may be in your way.

5. Be aware of any blind spots and obstructed views created by fences and shrubs as you walk or drive in the Villages. Slow down as you approach corners and walking trail crossings and look both ways as you cross the streets.

6. Honor the one-side-only parking rule signs. Our narrow streets need to be fully accessible to any emergency vehicles that need to pass. When vehicles park on both sides across from each other, fire trucks and ambulances are prevented from passing which can significantly slow down critical response time.

7. When walking the streets and sidewalks before sunrise or after sunset, please carry a flashlight or other personal lighting for increased visibility. During icy weather, add traction devices like “Stabilicers” or “YakTrax” to your shoes/boots to reduce the risk of falls.

Promoting public safety is an on-going goal for us all. Please help us by using common sense and courtesy as you travel through the Villages. Slow down. Take the time to look out for other cars and pedestrians. Give pedestrians the right-of-way. Help us keep our streets and sidewalks safe for all.

Thank you.