This is being re-posted at the request of several readers of this blog. The original was inadvertently deleted from its 19 November posting. Since this was required to be recreated, it my not follow the orginal in totalility.
On November 17, the BOD held a special meeting in which various subjects were addressed. One topic under discussion was what has been done to collect the outstanding money owed to the association from members who are deliquent in the payment of their assessments. It has been reported that when the developer/DePaulo turned over the association to the membership in April 2007, the outstanding amount owed the HOA was approximately $25,000. The first BOD through February 9, 2008, worked diligently and collected approximately $20,000 of the outstanding money owed. At the November 17, 2008 meeting, it was reported that the HOA is currently owed approximately$17,500 in outstanding assessments and fees from delinquent members. It was also reported that between February 9, 2009 through October 7, 2008, the BOD under the leadership of the former president did little to collect the outstanding money owed the HOA. From February 9 through August 2008, the ex treasurer and/or the ex-president did not feel it a priority in making any attempt in collecting the money owed the HOA. Therefore the past president and or the past treasurer never attempted, i.e., via the mailing of late notices or phone calls to collect what was owed the association. At the June 17, 2008, BOD meeting, a member in attendance questioned the board members what the board was doing to collect the money owed to the association. No response was given.
In reference to the HOA path/walkway and its current condition. Opinion from an engineer for Kendall County, stated that the paths current condition is such, because of lack of any maintenance during calender year 2008. The majority of the previous board dictated that no maintenance whatsoever be performed to the path, thereby intending to show its displeasure to Mr. Joe DePaulo and the Kendall County Department of Planning, Building and Zoning. The majority of the board openly stated that by not conducting any preventative maintenance on the path, the path would deteriorate and the county and DePaulo would be forced to make the necessary repairs. An agreement with Yingling Landscaping stated they were to conduct regular spraying of the path, thereby preventing and killing off any vegetation that might grow through the crushed limestone. The ex president told Yingling Landscaping that he wanted no spraying done to the pathway other than the one spraying done early in the year. Hence, the vegetation grew wild through the crushed limestone and the board announced to the membership that the path/walkway should not be used, because it was not safe. This plan of attack against Kendall County PB&Z and Depaulo did absolutely nothing. DePaulo stated he would do nothing additional to the path and the county only withheld approximately $4700 of DePaulo’s bond money for any future path repairs.
From February 9, 2008 through October 7, 2008, the majority of the board dictated additional rules, regulations and policies without the approval of the membership. The priority of the board was on new rules, regulations and policies, over and above what was already in the CCR. The path became so unsafe that the board demanded that the members not walk or ride on it. The outstanding assessments and fees went uncollected.
The membership demands certain standards from its BOD. 1) The yearly fees and assessments are collected fairly and equally, 2) the development is safe for its members, 3) the community is maintained.
The board has a responsibility to the membership to do everything in their power to collect the assessments. With the current state of the economy, some members may have difficulty paying their assessments in a timely fashion, but the onus is on the board to make every effort to collect assessments and fees. This is a priority!
All Eyes on Board 