2021 | Cross Creek HOA

CCHOA Annual Homeowners Meeting November 15, 2021

Board Members attending: Andrea, Molly, Bill, Ralph, Scott, John, Jim, Clarence, Hossein, and Terry

Not Present: Chris

John kicked off the meeting by welcoming everyone to the meeting, introducing all current Board members, and letting everyone know which Board Members were chairing the various committees.

Andrea then talked about the events held throughout the year, including the Easter Egg Hunt, the Annual Garage Sale, the weekly evening subdivision strolls, the end of summer picnic, and the Halloween costume parade and gathering. The committee that put those events together consists of Molly Balbach, Katie Woolsey and Andrea. The committee is always looking to encourage other neighbors to join the group for new and different events that hopefully can be held throughout the year.

We then presented the current safety, beautification and maintenance items currently before the Board for consideration in 2022. Bill
Woolsey has done extensive work with the City in an effort to control the speeding concerns along Cross Creek. In addition to the "traffic calming stripes that were installed a couple of years ago, other alternatives such as stop signs, radar, no thru traffic signs, and speed humps were discussed. A recent traffic study done by the City revealed that because of the speeding results along Cross Creek, our Sub qualifies for speed humps, with the City paying for 1/2 of the cost of installation, and 100% of the ongoing maintenance of the speed humps. The challenge is that there is a requirement that the homeowners directly adjacent to any proposed speed hump installation site be amenable to having the humps installed next to their homes. Bill is currently talking with homeowners along Cross Creek to see if we can get approval from them to move forward with the project.

John addressed the concerns we have about the evergreen trees along the Cross Creek median. Some of the trees are in poor condition and we are addressing the best plan of action for rehabilitation, removal or replacement of the trees. The cost to remove and replace the 22 trees in the Cross Creek median would be roughly $24,000

Scott spoke on the replacement and upgrade of the street sign posts. There are currently 38 posts in our subdivision, however by combining multiple signs on a signal post, we could reduce the cost to something less than the $34,000 quoted by Signs and More of Troy, MI. Scott will be setting a meeting with the City Engineer to see if all of the posts currently in place are absolutely necessary.

Scott then spoke on the possibility of adding street lights throughout the sub. If placed in locations near a transformer box, the cost of each light would be roughly $2500 each and would be installed by DTE. Questions regarding insurance and maintenance were raised and Scott assured the group that those items would be addressed, should we decide to move forward.

Clarence then reviewed the 2020 and 2021 financials. He talked about certain expenditures and discussed unusual expenses we had throughout the year, such as removing the roots in the storm drain behind the homes at the end of Otter, and the need for the Association to maintain a balance in the event of emergencies. The Board has agreed to always try to maintain a balance of between 10% to 15% of our annual budget to address these types of emergencies. It was explained that with an estimated balance of $21,800 in our operating budget at year end 2021, and an additional balance of $15,500 in a separate saving account, the CCHOA currently will have approximately $37,300 in cash at year end.

Ralph then spoke on a proposal to increase the association dues by $50 to $300 per home. If ratified by the homeowners, this increase would allow the Board to address larger projects throughout the sub without financial constraints.

Questions from homeowners were addressed and everyone in attendance were encouraged to volunteer on a committee of interest to them.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:36pm.

Attached is the Power Point presentation from the meeting. (simply click here or on the PDF icon below)

CCHOA Board Meeting October 13, 2021

Attendees: Andrea, Molly, Bill, Ralph, Scott, John, Jim, Chris, Clarence, Hossein, and Terry

Not Present: N/A

Budget Review:

1 - Trees along Tienken Road are needing a trim. Scott suggested we contact the city before we incur the expense.

2 - Water for Oct actual seemed high to Scott. He has been cutting back on the sprinkler intervals all year and was expecting to see a bigger decline. We will investigate in December if volume is still up.

3 - There is a $300 increase in fees from our Holiday lighting vendor. The Board unanimously approved accepting the increase and going forward with the service.

4 - Scott introduced a 10 year trailing budget report and suggested we include that going forward. The group agreed that it would be beneficial and Scott will work with Clarence to include this at year end meeting.

5 - The board is committed to keeping $10K to $15K in reserves for unforeseen expenses.

Board Posts

1- John recommend Chris serve as VP of the Board and it was seconded by Clarence. It was approved by all.

Updates:

1 - Traffic Speed Humps - Bill gave an update on the City Engineers plan for implementing speed humps along Cross Creek. Bill would like introduce the plan at the meeting and put into the public forum. Bill will look into what could be done to address Lakeview as well. Bill will try to get approval for one hump in advance.

2 - Signage - Scott has got a quote for new signs. Today we have 30 signs, and the total fee would be $34K. The board would like to see which signs can be eliminated with the city before we decide what to do.

3 - Lighting - Scott received quotes from DTE to replace 3 entrance lights (each pole has 2 lights) that was $27.5K. We are not going to pursue that and instead Scott will find replacement heads for the existing lights.

Annual Meeting Agenda:

1 - Board Member Introductions - Subcommittees and volunteer opportunities - John

2 - Recap of Recent Activities - Molly & Andrea

3 - 2022 Agenda - Key issues: Safety, Beautification, Maintenance - Chris

4 - Speed & Traffic Report - Bill

5 - Signs & Lights - Scott

6 - Financial Standing - Clarence

7 - Dues Increase Discussion - John & Ralph

To Do:.

1 - Andrea will investigate alternative dates for the Annual Meeting. Andrea will also develop a flyer once the date is confirmed.

2 - We will aim to present a proposal to the Homeowners to consider dues increase before the 2022 increase is levied.

CCHOA Board Meeting Sept 8, 2021

Attendees: Andrea, Molly, Bill, Ralph, Scott, John, Jim, Chris, Clarence, Hossein, and Terry

Not Present: N/A

Financial Overview:

Budget Update - Clarence reported the overall budget is forecasted quite accurately for the remainder of the year. A few recent highlights: Printing – funds for the HOA dues invoice copying and the Community Relations newsletter
Landscape – pond draining/maintenance, tree & lawn maintenance
Pipes – Clarence recommends we look into preventative mechanisms to avoid a similar expense to remove root infiltration to the drainage system. Bill will work with Clarence to find some options and present to the board.
Scott to provide maps with drain locations to Bill.
Sprinkler Irrigation – For new water dispensing units and installation the base cost is $1025. It was unanimously decided to install them in the spring when the system is reactivated.
Lighting – Scott is investigating replacing a transformer for the entry light so it can be repaired. Costs TBD.
Holiday lighting – The board will maintain the same level and expense for decorating the front entrances with lights for the season.

Assets:

1.We have a 13 month CD that is earning $230 in interest; which was paid in March 2021 and will be paid again in April 2022. Our savings remain unchanged.

2. In a “normal” year, the expenses are about $22K annually to just maintain the status quo, however, given that the sub is 30+ years, there has not been a “normal” year in the last 5 years.

3. Current average spend is closer to $28K, as unforeseen expenses keep arising, which only leaves $2K annually to go into reserves.

Updates:

Speed Bumps – Bill spoke with the Rochester Traffic Engineer. The city has set up a traffic study along Cross Creek that will last a week. If the study shows excessive speeds (avg of >31 MPH or 85 percentile) they will split the cost of the bumps with us. We will revisit the next steps for curbing traffic at the next meeting when the engineer can present the findings.
Neighborhood Priorities – the Board reviewed the sentiments of their zones as to which issues were top of mind with their neighbors. Safety and traffic was the top issue, followed by lighting, and beautification (trees, signage, etc.). Board will work to advance one of these main issues this year, once the result of traffic study is available.
Community Relations Subcommittee. Andrea and Molly shared the progress of some summer events. Funds to support the garage sale was approved. Upcoming activities include:
The subdivision garage sale is Sept 10-11.
Summer walk series is ongoing on Monday and Thursday nights at 7:30 pm. Meet at the intersection of Cross Creek and Lakeview.
The Block party was attended by ~45 ppl on August 27. There were a few ideas raised at the event (purchasing the lot at the end of McGregor, creating a mile-long loop through the Cross Creek park, etc. that the Board will investigate).
There are about 50 emails collected as a result of the flyer communication; which gives the Board electronic means to communicate with about 1/3 of residents. More are still needed.
Hossein will speak to Jennifer French about adding Andrea as an administrator on the FB Group page.
Updates were made to the neighborhood website to correct the last meeting minutes and reflect the actual board zone appointees.
A tentative date for the Annual Meeting was proposed (Nov. 9), pending availability of a venue. The event will be hybrid; in-person and remote teleconference enabled. The Board will present to the attendees the plan to move forward with one of the key issues (assumption now is that it will be traffic mitigation plan for Cross Creek) as well as raising the association dues. The finances will be reviewed with a plan for how the increase in funding will be allocated.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 13 at 6:30 PM. Location Rochester Hills Library.

CCHOA Meeting July 22, 2021

Attendees: Andrea, Molly, Bill, Ralph, Chris, John, Jim, Clarence, and Terry

Not Present: Jeff, Scott, and Hussein

Board Member Zone Re-assignments:

Andrea to manage Zone 11
Molly to have Zone 10
John will have Zone 5 and will have Bill Woolsey, who lives in Zone 5, assist him as an apprentice. Bill can attend The Board meetings, but will not be able to vote.
Jeff, not present, was nominated, and approved to be Vice President of the Board.

Financial Overview:

Budget Update - Clarence reported the overall budget is forecasted quite accurately for the remainder of the year. A few exceptions:

Sprinkler updates - the group would like to get a couple estimates to see which company we should work with. It was suggested we see if the water allowance can be automatically adjusted for rainfall via a wifi controller.
We will not proceed with mulching, saving $1400.
Fixing the entry light bulb is an open issue that will cost an uncertain amount.
We will proceed with investing in Google Workspace for moving board operations online, which has an annual cost of $864.

Assets:
1. We have a 13 month CD that is earning $230 in interest; which was paid in March 2021 and will be paid again in April 2022. Our savings remain unchanged.

Updates:

Community Relations Subcommittee. Andrea and Molly shared the progress of organizing some summer events. Funds to print a subdivision-wide flyer to announce the formation of the committee and upcoming events was approved. Upcoming activities include:
1. An end of summer social is scheduled for August 27 or 28, pending confirmation of vendor availability.
2. A subdivision wide garage sale the weekend of Aug 19-21, PENDING at least 10% (12 homeowners) agree to participate via Google sign up sheet.
3. Summer walk series is ongoing on Monday and Thursday nights at 8pm. Meet at the intersection of Cross Creek and Lakeview.
John gave an update on costs to remove the trees along Cross Creek Blvd. To fully remove a tree the cost is $1200/tree and we have 20 trees. The vote was to hold off for now on removing the trees until we have clarity from the neighborhood on which priorities are deemed most important (lights, signage, trees, traffic) as funds only allow for one project annually.
Welcome Packets - Jim was in contact with the Rochester Chamber of Commerce and confirmed they will supply us with 6 gift bags with freebies from the participating organizations (restaurants, shops, services, etc.) in the community.

Issues:

We have a contract for common area landscaping and they have had a personnel shortage this year and the board has communicated to the company that our property needs to be attended asap.
Andrea suggested the board adopt Google Workspace to move to online data storage, facilitate collaboration amongst the board, and allow for virtual meetings for the neighborhood Annual Meeting and board meetings. The cost is $6/ user (12 users) per month for an annual cost of $864. Included with the workspace is Gmail, Drive, Meet, Calendar, Chat, Currents, Jamboard, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Keep, Sites, and Forms. John made a motion to approve this expense and it was seconded by Ralph.
Ralph suggested each board member work within their zone to understand the receptivity to raising dues in 2022. He has spoken to neighbors in his zone and not heard any kind of objection.
Bill Woolsey gave an overview on curbing traffic through the subdivision with speed bumps along Cross Creek and Lakeview. He is going to invite the Traffic Coordinator to attend our next meeting who will explain where the bumps would be located and go over maintenance expectations.
Terry asked that the board look into power washing the entrance signs. Chris will look into it.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 8 at 6:30 PM. Location TBD.

Cross Creek HOA Board Meeting Minutes 4/30/21 7:00 pm

Present: Jim Clincher, Jeffrey Letson, Clarence Brantley, Hossein Salimnia, Terry Jones, Ralph Crittenden, John Ellwood, Molly Balbach, Andrea Serra

Absent: Scott Whitford, Christopher Ruppel

I. Welcome New Members and Introductions a. Welcome Molly and Andrea

II. Cross Creek HOA History / Background a. Clarence reviewed key milestones in HOA lifespan along with important artifacts (Bylaws, Deed Restrictions, Mission. Etc.)

b. Existing board subcommittees were reviewed.

i. New Chair Appointments:

1. Welcoming Committee – Jim

2. Special Events & Community Relations – Andrea & Molly

3. Traffic – Ralph

4. Communication Committee – Andrea to co-chair with Scott

5. Governmental Relations – Jeff

ii. Existing Chair Appointments

1. Grounds & New Landscaping – Clarence & John

2. Common Area Maintenance – John

3. Lighting – Scott

4. Sprinklers – Scott

5. Financial – Clarence

iii. New subcommittee – Andrea suggested adding another area of focus for Board Operations / Infrastructure, in which the tools and inner workings of the Board could be handled. It was recommended the Board utilize online document storage and solutions to centralize the artifacts pertaining to its function.

III. Current Finances a. Clarence reviewed current standing of dues remittance (3 homeowners outstanding)

a. An up-to-date budget and asset itemization were distributed and reviewed.

IV. Spending Decisions a. The board reviewed 2 pressing issues:

i. Pipe Clean out work – it was decided that an additional ~$2.1K should be spent to locate the source of the crack and repair it. Clarence proposed motion, Jim seconded, and it was passed unanimously.

ii. Trees in Cross Creek islands – it was decided that $4K should not be spent to fertilize the trees for another year. Instead John will gather some proposals to remove the diseased trees and replace with a more suitable species. Given estimated costs, it will most likely be a phased project that may take a few years to complete. John to acquire bids and present a few options to the board for the next meeting. Terry proposed to forgo the fertilizer, Clarence seconded, and it was passed unanimously.

V. 2021 Meeting Schedule

a. The Annual HOA Meeting will be held one night during the week of October 18th, pending confirmation w/ venue.

b. The schedule of Board Meetings will be every other month or at least every 6 weeks.

Proposed timing:

i. Friday, June 25 at 6:30 pm

ii. Wednesday, August 25 at 6:30 pm

iii. Thursday, October 14 at 6:30 pm

iv. Tuesday, December 7 at 6:30 pm

Cross Creek Homeowners Association

P.O. Box 81873

Rochester, MI 48308-1873