WPA MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES
February 15, 2022
Call to Order –Gary Dreher
Attendance – Gary Dreher, Jonathan Rutstein, Bob Ramsey, Peggy Phillips, Joe Meyers, Tom Cobb, Ken Gaspari, Stan Earnhart, David DeCreny
Absent– Stan Earnhart
Quorum – Yes
Approval – Motion to approve January 18, 2022 Minutes made by Stan Earnhart. Motion seconded by Joe Myers. All in favor. Motion carried. Motion to approve 2021 Reorganizational Meeting Minutes made by Stan Earnhart. Motion seconded by Tom Cobb. All in favor. Motion carried.
Officer Reports
Presidents Report – No report
Vice Presidents Report – No report
Secretary’s Report– Stan Earnhart reports, Thw WPA office has been very busy this month with ARC applications, resident concerns, maintaining proper accounting for the incoming assessments, standard monthly financial actions, and all the necessary transactions that result from new association members.
We would like to remind all association members that assessments are due by the end of February.
It was necessary once again to make an appointment with our computer repair consultant to update and improve the capacity of our WPA office computer. This work is a reminder that we should have equipment that would be capable to run power point presentations and the ability to Zoom of Live Stream our WPA monthly meeting. After discussion it was decided that Stan would look into the cost of new computer equipment.
Treasurer’s Report– Peggy Phillips reports, On January 31, 2022, our Operating Account with South State had a balance of $208,697.40. Our Debit account with South Atlantic had a balance of $1434.23. This reflects $123.80 for stamps and $5.49 for taxes. The ARC Escrow Account with South Atlantic had a balance of $83,014.34.
Each Board member has been given an Updated Reserves Report. The Reserve Account balances were: South Atlantic $207,918.58, Edward Jones $272,840.03, TD Bank $223,684.76 for a total in Reserves of $704,443.37.
Committee Reports
ARC– Bob Ramsey reports, ARC has 74 permits in process. 34 of these are new homes. 40 are existing home permits. Four new home applications were received which were rejected. One owner completed a successful resubmittal. Three site meetings were held. 8 new existing home packets came it. 5 were approved 1 was rejected and 2 resubmittals were approved. A complaint was received about a clear cut of a property and Bob and the ARC are looking into this. A complaint was also received about a lot removing trees, so we did a site visit and find out they were removing vegetation. Our contractor work rules do not prohibit removing vegetation.
Bob makes a recommendation to change the turnaround period from 30 days to 30 business days. Gary reminded us that existing policy can be read either way. No further action needed. Bob will use 30 business days.
Legal– Stan Earnhart reports, The Legal committee met February 7, 2022. The committee discussed current ARC issues and authorized Bob Ramsey to meet with the WPA attorney. The committee discussed monthly meeting minutes issues. Minutes cannot be released until they are approved by the Board. The committee also voted to develop a Quitclaim program for WPA property on the Canals. We will look into having land surveyed for canal lot owners to transfer the strips owned by the WPA to the lot owners.
Finance– Peggy Phillips reports, Each Board member has been given an Updated Reserves Report for January, 2022. At our January 18, 2022, meeting, approval was given to move $50,000 into reserves and to change the percentage allocations for the categories. The updated Reserves report reflects these changes.
As stated in the Treasurer’s Report, as of January 31, our Operating Account with South State had a balance of $208,697.40 and since that time we have deposited $53,025. Our 2022 Approved Budget estimated our annual expenses to be $175,400 or $14,617 per month. Peggy Phillips makes a motion we move $100,000 from Operating to Reserves. Motion seconded by Tom Cobb. All in favor. Motion carried. Peggy Phillips makes a motion we open an account with Anderson Brothers Bank with this deposit. The officers will have to personally go to the bank to open this account. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. All in favor. Motion carried.
Kathy Browy, Bookkeeper, is requesting an hourly increase from $14 to $16. She has been working for Wedgefield since 2017. She works approximately 7 hours a month and reconciles the monthly bank statements, and general ledgers to send to our CPA for review and preparation of our Financial Statements. At year end, she prepares filings for Federal, State, Unemployment, and W-2’s for our employee. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. All in favor. Motion carried.
Communications– David DeCreny reports, He will be getting with Stan Earnhart about putting the HOA website address on our message board. The meeting minutes and the WPA directory are published on the website for anyone who wishes to register and access them. We have three ways of communicating with the residents through direct email, the website and social media.
Community Liaison– Jonathan Rutstein reports, Someone has made a complaint about a child on a go-cart. We will send a notice and talk to the parents, because if something happens to this child the HOA could be held liable.
Welcome Committee– Gary Dreher reads Jean Hulse Haymans report, In 2021 we welcomed a total of 41 new residents. 2022 is shaping up to have a much larger number of welcomes. There are 16 new residents on our Welcome list so far in 2022. 9 of these have received a welcome visit. The visit includes a person-to-person welcome, receipt of a bag full of information about the Wedgefield WPA and the community as well as a small gift.7 of the new residents’ welcomes are pending. This means we either haven’t caught them at home or they have not moved in yes. These welcomes will be completed ASAP.
Drainage- Joe Myers reports, The drainage committee examined requests from two homes on Joanna Gillard Lane that HOA become involved in respect to water pooling in backyard and shed settling unevenly. After examination it was decided neither was an item for HOA action and owners were notified. Three warning were given to a builder on Swamp Fox concerning silt fencing. This was taken care of.
We joined ARC in an on-site examination of four homes recently completed for compliance before deposits refunded. Three passed drainage exams. One failed on Capt Anthony White lane.
We examined a request concerning flooding on the 500 block of Francis Parker. Five homes in a row have front road ditching problems. Two homes have sub standard pipes under the driveway also silting has clogged all 5 pipes. We will remove the silt, dirt from the 400+ feet of ditch and open the 5 pipes. We are ready to approve Live Oak Excavations to carry this out. We intend to use this contractors ARC deposit money to rectify this. The builder has declined remedying the problem. Future problems will not be items of action for the HOA but rather the homeowner to maintain the ditch as per the Covenants. These five will receive a letter from compliance. Joe Myers makes a motion to approve up to $2500 for Live Oak Excavation, to clean up the pipes on the 500 block of Francis Parker using the deposits withheld from the ARC deposits. Motion seconded by Ken Gaspari. After discussion, 8 in favor. 1 abstained. Motion carried.
Drainage responded to a clogged culvert at Possum Trot/ Wedgefield. Joe Myers makes a motion to approve up to $500 for Winyah Landscaping to clean out and carry off the debris in the 3/21 improved ditch and to clean out this culvert to be taken out of grounds repair and maintenance. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. All in favor. Motion carried.
Drainage met with Earthworks to discuss potential joint study with the Golf Course to establish a complete neighborhood Drainage Program. Earthworks proposal was received on February 9th, 2022. This item is will entail the Drainage committee, all of the Board and a large number of residents. This is still in the planning stages.
Water Amenities– Joe Myers reports, They have continued to monitor the canals maintenance conditions. Joe has requested that the tabled motion for funding to research grants to the maintaining the canal depths to be voted on and granted so this grant seeking can begin. Joe Myers makes a motion to approve up to $500 to start this process. Motion not seconded. Motion tabled.
Joe Myers makes a motion for up to $5000 for funding the beginning of the actions necessary in the Licensing and Permitting of the HOA Spoil Site. Motion seconded by Ken Gaspari. After discussion motion tabled.
Condo Liaison– David Decreny reports, There was a water leak under the road at 34 Wedgefield Village Rd. that was repaired by Georgetown County Water and Sewer on February 5th. The road has not been repaved and he spoke with GCWSD about this. They have given the job to an outside paving contractor and could not provide an exact date when it would be completed.
He has spoked to several of the Condo owners and they have expressed concerns with the roads in the condo village and requested that our roads committee do an evaluation of the potholes and some of the drop off areas from the road to the parking areas. Tom Cobb said he would look into this.
Roads– Tom Cobb reports, The roads committee met on February 7th and are planning to pursue four repairs and speed humps including, the depression in the road on Wedgefield road near the entrance to the dock, expanding the cul-de-sac on Francis Parker, Expanding the cul-de-sac on Swamp Fox, expanding the cul-de-sac on Ricefield, and installing three speed humps, two on Wedgefield and one on Wraggs Ferry.
Tom has reached out to several paving contractors. Based on the estimates the total cost should not exceed $47,000. He will continue to reach out to contractors to have estimates by next meeting.
A utility company cut on Wedgefield road and Wedgefield Village and are on schedule to make the repair to the road.
Tom asks for volunteers to help take over patching the roads. He was only able to make 3 patched with 100lbs of patch material.
The roads are alligatored on most sections that have not been repaved and he believes we should look into beginning to repave next year.
Grounds– Gary Dreher reports, We have had two recent accidents where trucks have hit the brick planters at the guard house. We were able to identify the responsible parties through the camera footage. We were able to contact them and we have been assured they will be fixed.
We have the following ongoing and proposed projects for the common areas for 2022: Cleanout of the weeds in the pond at the entrance, planting of spring flowers at the entrance, removal of dead tree in the circle. Upgrade and repair or the sprinkler system for the flower beds, purchase and installation of summer flowers to be planted at the entrance way beds, addition of perennial flowering shrubs in areas such as cul-de-sacs and other common places to add color and repair of the Wedgefield sign at the intersection of Wedgefield road and 701.
We have also retained Howard Quick Cut for the landscaping contractor for 2022.
Gary also thanks Nina McMahan for cleaning out the dead flowers from the beds at the entrance and triangle.
Compliance– Stan Earnhart reports, the compliance committee met on February 7, 2022. We reviewed covenants, By-laws and Board policy. The committee established a procedure to deal with complaints that follows Board Policy. The committee selected three standing complaints to implement the procedure. Residents are reminded that all complaints must be submitted in writing. The WPA does not disclose the names of residents who submit complaints.
Stan makes a motion to add Keitha Kessler to the Compliance committee. Motion seconded by Jonathan Rutstein. All in favor. Motion carried.
Website Committee- Included in Communications.
Old Business-
New Business-
Public Comments- Mike Downes asks about the sign at Frasier and says that the only thing that can be done is to do it the same way. The state DOT said that was the only option. He also said that the WPA pays for the Spoil site because we own it.
Mike Weeler says if we are going to stop the go-carts with kids you need to do it with golf carts. It is state law that they can not be on the road after sunset. Stan Earnhart lets him know that this is the first written complaint knowing who it is. Compliance is dealing with this. Gary Dreher says we should also put reminders out. He also says the coal patch that we are putting out does not hold for long. Mike Wheeler also stated that we could stream our meeting on our website.
Karl Gettman says he has been to a lot of meetings and heard a lot of proposals made with very little discussion. He appreciates Joe Myers following up on the letter he had sent, but he left it there. Would like to know if it is a dead issue. Joe Myers let him know we just received a copy of the proposal last week and have not had time to review it.
Jim Hughes would like to commend Joe Myers for quick action and handling the ditch issue.
Mike Wheeler said when the pool gets drained it goes straight into the ditch Joe Myers was talking about. He also stated that when he went into the canal he hit a mudflap and hit pluff mud. You aren’t getting out if its not high tide.
Golf Course Update-
Next Monthly Board Meeting– March 15, 2022
Adjourn – Gary Dreher