WPA MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES
August 17, 2021
Call to Order –Bob McMahan
Attendance – Bob McMahan, Adam Anderson, Stan Earnhart, Peggy Phillips, Bob Garrison, Tom Macedo, Jonathan Rutstein, Ken Gaspari, Gary Dreher
Absent– Quorum – Yes
Approval – Bob Garrison makes a motion to table the approval of July 20, 2021 minutes until corrected. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. All in favor. Motion carried.
Officer Reports
Presidents Report –Bob McMahan reports, Bob McMahan makes a motion to approve Neena McMahan as election committee chairperson and to add Mary & John Sasso, Inge Ebert, Pam Gross, Nancy Johnston, Carol McRae, Marion Cuttino, Kathleen Hayes, Karen Macedo and Dianne Macedo to the election committee. Motion seconded by Bob Garrison. All in favor.
Motion carried.
Vice Presidents Report – No report
Secretary’s Report– Stan Earnhart reports, The mailing envelopes for the annual meeting packets have been ordered. Winyah will allow refreshments in the lobby area of the auditorium. Plans are being made to have all snacks in wrapped packages to prevent food handling as much as possible. If we do not leave the auditorium clean, extra cleaning fees may apply.
The election committee will be able to use the “green room” behind the stage for calculating election results. Winyah has a large TV that can be used for power point presentations/proposals. Winyah has a good PA system that we can use.
Stan asks the Board what COVID protocols will the board require?
Treasurer’s Report– Peggy Phillips reports, As of July 31, 2021, our Operating Account with South State had a balance of $2027.16. The refundable ARC Escrow Account with South Atlantic had a balance of $37,764.34.
The Reserve Account balances were: South Atlantic- $164,879.81, Edward Jones- $272,826.83, TD Bank- $223,497.32 for a total in reserves of $661,203.96. Each Board Member has been given an updated Reserves Report.
Committee Reports
ARC– Tom Macedo reports, We have received 4 new home plans.
Legal- Bob Garrison reports, There were no proposed by-law changes for the election received by the cut-off date. We have processed two quit-clams for two small strips of land. We will probably be doing more.
Finance– Peggy Phillips reports, We had three accounts delinquent on assessments for 2021 and per policy, we have recorded liens against these properties.
On August 10, 2021, the Finance Committee with the Board invited, met to review the Year-To- Date Budget in order to project the needs for 2022. Each member was given documentation showing year-to-date incurred expenses and estimates for the remainder of the year. We have deposited $215,000 into the Reserve Accounts in 2021.
The Board Members have been given a Proposed Budget for 2022. Please review this proposal. Peggy is requesting the Board Members meet to discuss and finalize the budget. Per policy, the budget will need to be approved at the Board Meeting in September and will be included in the Annual Election Package mailed to all property owners. The Committee is recommending to the Board that the assessments remain at $525 for 2022. Peggy makes a motion for 2022 assessments to remain at $525. Bob Garrison seconds this motion. All in favor. Motion carried.
Communications– Jonathan Rutstein reports, Directories are at UPS for printing. $2400 was raised by the committee. Jonathan makes a motion to approve up to $750 to pay for the directories. Motion seconded by Ken Gaspari. All in favor. Motion carried.
Community Liaison– Adam Anderson reports, We have had the following correspondences for the month of July & August.
Someone couldn’t access the website. Michelle assisted them.
A request to help the Georgetown High School Golf team to solicit donations of golf clubs for several players. Adam recommended he put his request on the community Facebook page. A question about when the ARC deposit and fees went up. Michelle answered this.
A complaint that the Board did not notify residents about the sewer work going on in July. Adam explained to the resident we did not receive any advance notice and we found out at the same time everyone else did.
Several directory updates.
A question about docks on the canal. Tom handled this.
A question for ARC about sheds. This was answered by Michelle.
A complaint about road issues in the condo area. This was given to the Roads Committee to investigate.
A complaint about weeds on a vacant lot on Jericho. This was given to the Roads Committee to investigate.
A follow up complaint about a pot hole created by GCW&S on John Green. Gary called the water company and they said they would come fix it.
A question about Flood zones on a lot for sale on the canal from a prospective buyer. Tom took care of this.
Welcome Committee– Bob McMahan reports, The Welcome Committee has welcomes 28 new residents with 3 pending.
Drainage- Stan Earnhart reports, 811 has marked the sites for J&M. They expect to begin work this week. The Water Amenities Committee has removed the erosion control for installation in the Possum Trot Ditch.
There is no new information regarding the Robert Morrall sink hole or the Pool Place flooding.
Gov Boone complaint, The survey of lot 118 was completed Wednesday July 14 2021. It appears that the raised ground area extends well beyond lot 118 into the Blake property. The high ground is level with the sewer man hole in the rear of the property and is level with the adjacent property on Screven.
Three Ballard residents have contacted the office regarding drainage and lot 18. Lot 18 was recently sold and will be developed. Most of the drainage from Ballard runs through lot 18 to the tidal water behind the lot. Stan told the residents we are waiting to see the drainage plans and will respond when those plans have been submitted.
Bob Garrison asks where the erosion supplies had been taken. Joe says they are in the gatehouse.
Water Amenities– Ken Gaspari reports, He has contacted and met with Santee. New lights have been installed at the gate house and dock. He has met with Morgan Fowler and ordered what we needed for the key card reader. They are going to install everything and get new cards. Morgan would like to put a surge protector on the new card reader. Quotes are between $4,000 & $8,000 to put an automated gate at the landing. It was determined that the equipment was ordered without proper authorization and that procural procedure was not followed. To correct this Ken made a motion not to exceed $2,500 to replace the gate control system. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. After discussion it was decided funds for this would come from emergency reserves. All in favor. Motion Carried.
Ken makes motion to approve up to $5,000 to hire Earthworks to begin prepping the spoil site. Motion seconded by Adam. After discussion it was decided the Board would not spend any WPA Money on this until the canal property owners come up with the money to show their commitment. Motion was tabled.
Condo Liaison– Jonathan reports, No Report.
Roads– Gary Dreher reports, He has received posts to fix King George and Francis Parker sign. He has also bought additional posts to fix others. He will check on the report that roads are washing away. The situation at Francis Parker has been resolved. We removed all posts and trimmed tree pack.
Grounds– Gary Dreher reports, He has inspected spoil site after it was cleaned and approved the payment to pay the contractor.
He is working on cleaning the algae out of the ponds. Bob McMahan says the flowers at the front look nice.
Compliance– Bob Garrison reports, The election is coming up in November. We have four candidates running. The current positions coming open belong to Adam Anderson, Bob McMahan, and Bob Garrison. Bob Garrison says they will offer insight and procedures showing the proper processes. We should do everything we can to give you as much help as we can.
Website Committee- Jonathan Rutstein reports, We are going to be looking into adding a place on the website where members will be able to access and change their passwords.
Old Business- Bob McMahan would like to add a line item for the 701 sign and find a chairperson who can look into what we can and can’t do. Bob Garrison lets him know that we know that we can only repair it just like it is. He would be happy to work with someone on this.
Bob Garrison says last months meeting there was a vote that was initially two to two with two abstentions. I am asking the president to negate that vote because the proper vote was two to two. That should have been the vote. No one should have been able to vote after the original vote. It was never resolved where the money was going to come from.
Bob McMahan declares the original motion as failed.
Bob Garrison makes a motion that the $2000 allocated for speed bumps be taken from 71025 and moved to 74235, holiday and special events. Motion seconded by Stan Earnhart. All in favor. Motion carried.
Gary Dreher makes a motion we set aside $2000 for additional speed bumps. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. 7 in favor 2 opposed. Motion Carried.
New Business– Bob McMahan reports, we had an email from the golf coach at the high school looking for golf clubs and supplies for the GHS golf team. Bob McMahan says he will put something on the website.
Public Comments– Inge Ebert asks if the residents will have to subscribe to Spectrum if the deal goes through. The Board lets her know she will not have to use Spectrum.
Mike Downes asks why we are putting speed bumps at golf cart crossings and stop signs? Gary says they do not stop at these places. We put them where homes aren’t adjacent to them and for residents’ safety.
Mike Wheeler asks to we have any rules about golf carts being registered? Bob Garrison says they are supposed to register with the office. It is hard to get the law out here to enforce this.
Gloria DeCreny asks if there is someone who could go knock on their door and let them know that we are aware of their child riding around a golf cart? Bob Garrison says it is still something that is hard to enforce.
Neena McMahan asks, if we could put it in the Wragg again about golf cart requirements as a reminder?
Mike Downes asks if we can put something on the sign about golf cart regulations? Bob Garrison and Bob McMahan says it would be hard for people to read without stopping.
Inge Ebert asks how is it that a husband-and-wife team are on the election committee? There need to be new people. Bob Garrison says it is discouraged, but they are separate during the counting process.
Marion Cuttino says since we have an extra person, we should let that person be a counter and let the husband be the extra person.
Dave Seales says we should do the directory completely online and let those who would like a book pay for their own book.
Dave Seales asks shouldn’t we have people register their boats? The Board lets them know that we do. He then asks about having someone monitor the landing? Bob Garrison says in the past we have, which can be confrontational at times.
Marion Cuttino asks about why we are having speed bumps put in at the golf cart crossings? Gary Dreher says we are trying to put them in areas not right in front of people’s houses and to put them places where they are convenient. She says this is not a noise control thing, it is a crossing issue. She asks if we are being reimbursed by the golf course? Bob McMahan and Gary Dreher have received no feedback from the golf course. They say this is a safety issue. She says she doesn’t understand why we are spending WPA money for the golf course.
Bob McMahan says we have had several complaints about that strip of road on Wragg’s Ferry and Francis Parker. These speed bumps have slowed people down. Bob Garrison says there are people against this because they think we are contributing to the golf course.
Mike Wheeler asks if it wasn’t just 3 years since the last dredging and makes the comment that the job that was done wasn’t satisfactory. He says we should get them to come back and re do it. Bob McMahan says it is a different contractor.
Tom Macedo says he is a golfer and uses the crossing. He says if it saves one golfer then he is happy and walks out of the meeting.
Golf Course Update– Jonathan reports he got contacted by an investment group in Charleston. They will close October 2nd on the Golf Course.
Next Monthly Board Meeting– September 21, 2021
Adjourn – Bob McMahan