2016/06/25 Annual Meeting HIDDEN LAKE ASSOCIATION JUNE MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Approved Minutes
June 25th, 2016 - Rossi Hall
There were 47 paid members in attendance.
After the flag salute President Tom Chagnon asked for a moment of silence for those
Who lost their lives or were injured in the Orlando shootings. He then gave a welcome
to the members present, a welcome to new members Kristin Vance and Don McCormick and a Thank You to all our wonderful volunteers.
MOTION Sharon Gilman/Helen Page: “We move that the elections be held after the
Committee reports.” Motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Jack Page
1. Good news! Tracy Noga, new resident and Assistant Professor at Bentley University
in Waltham, MA is “looking at our books” pro bono. She is a CPA and has her PhD in
Accounting. We look forward to her report.
2. ACCOUNTS
Checking Account Balance = $97,672.35
Emergency CD Fund = $37,270.78
Rainy Day Fund Savings Account = $10,000.00
Unspent Boat Fees Savings Account = $4,699.20
3. Current past due = $21,900.08, about the same as this time last year. (Past due at the
end of FY2016 was $7,676.71. ) Bills are due May 1st and interest accrues from
May 1st per the Covenants. Past due accounts will be turned over to our attorney
this summer. Historically, 50% of members turned over to legal pay upon receiving
first Legal Notice.
Discussion about how high our legal bills are. Explanation: Our new attorney is not
a Home Owners Association attorney and is much more expensive than our previous
attorney.
4. FY 2016 Review (May 1, 2015 – April 30, 2016)
Our budget is prepared 10 months in advance and approved 8 months in advance.
Total income was $10,000 over the budget amount. Road expenses were $9,000 over
budget; the Board voted to use all of the $6,000 in the Budgeted Contingency Fund for
Roads. We were able to establish and fund a Rainy Day Savings Account.
5. Our Current Year FY 2017 (May 1 2016 – April 30, 2017)
This budget was prepared without a Treasurer. The budget does not reflect the monies
routinely taken in from JLNs. The roads are budgeted nearly $11,000 less than the
last fiscal year’s actuals. A majority of the Board voted to make our pool attendants
EMPLOYEES which will cost HLA an additional $4,000 for taxes and insurances and
ADP processing fees. We are also looking at the needed expense of a new pool liner.
It will be difficult to break even given all these variables.
6. Question about going to a Village District as a means of getting people to pay to use
our roads. As discussed last year at a Special Meeting the end result being that many
of our fees would be much higher than $500, some would be lower. We need more
members to make it feasible.
7. Lots more questions and discussion about money. It was a mild winter; we still had to
pay the contractor a FIXED PRICE contracted amount. Tom Chagnon has found a
route HLA might take in Small Claims Court to place liens on properties. (Usually
there are only two members who don’t pay.) The “Grandfathered Lots” is a Bylaws
issue. Tracy Noga stated “Having pool attendants be employees is not optional.” HLA
could pay big fines. The JLNs who pay generally pay early, in March – that’s about
$8,000. Tracy will look at the lawyer’s bill to see if we can tell where most of the
legal fees go. Last year two culverts were replaced and a huge sink hole on Foxhill
was fixed.
MOTION Kenny Peate / Roy Marotta: “We move that the budget report be approved.”
Motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
ROADS – Sam Kaczka
1. Thanks to Steve McGerty for being the Winter Road-Go-To-Guy. Thanks to the
Road Committee, David Vaillancourt and Charlie Falcone for tree removal.
2. Grading
Historically grading has been done the end of May or the beginning of June. The roads
seem to last longer if they are done earlier; moisture is needed. We moved the date to
mid-May. A job of the road committee is to determine when grading should be done.
3. Branch Cutting
The right equipment is needed. We need the braches cut 4’ from the shoulder to a
height of 15’. The bid we got was for $9,000. We might have to do the cutting in two
cycles. Input: Geoff Jones has a boom truck. Idea: Rent a chipper, have volunteers cut
and chip. The red ribbons are from EverSource. They will come in this summer and cut
those marked trees. Tree trimming helps dry the roads because of sun exposure.
4. Plowing
We are expecting a bid from PJ Dionne.
5. Dam Cutting
This October DES is coming to inspect the Hidden Lake dam. (Every five years)
They expect ALL the trees to be cut back 15’ on the east side of the dam. Sam asked
for leniency. They said we could do some trees every yr. Volunteers can cut and take
the wood.
6. Members are reminded to SLOW DOWN on our roads. Speed makes bumps.
RECREATION – Mikki Falcone
1. New Pool Safety features:
*signage (NH law, insurance and Fire Chief inspection)
*new steps into pool house and fiber glass panel on outdoor shower (Thanks, Dave
Stenstrom)
*Fire extinguishers put in pool house, pool office and Rossi Hall
*First Aid Kit
*Sign-In sheets for member/guests
*Safety Checks in the pool every 2 ½ hours (For bathroom breaks, rest)
*Pool attendant employees, CPR certified and cards posted
2. A third solar panel has been added to pool house roof for cost savings
3. Needed: sink for Rossi Hall- S. McGerty has one to donate!
old Phone for pool house- Mark Belland has one to donate!
4. Town of Stoddard Selectmen voted to purchase an AED for Hidden Lake.
It will be mounted on the pump house July/August 2016. (Thanks to Steve
McGerty, Selectman and Fire Chief)
5. Nancy Chagnon is donating horseshoes, ladder ball, and badmitten to the
Recreation area. The sand in front of the well will be the court.
WATERFRONT – Dave Stenstrom
1. Dock went in early. Thanks to the whole dock installation committee.
2. Dave has stained the boat racks. There are still two picnic tables and the planter to do.
3. The NO WAKE buoy is missing. Please remember to go SLOW in Pirate’s Cove.
Dave & Bryan Bruder cut more brush. Dave is proposing a Bonfire Night to get rid of all the brush. More info coming once we can get a permit.
4. There are only two empty dock spaces on the shore lie which are NOT cut out.
5. We are thinking about putting in another set of docks (per DES: docks cannot go any further out.).
ELECTIONS
Nominations
Vice President: San Kaczka declined the nomination. Secretary cast one ballot for
Bill Osterhout * Bill Osterhout.
Secretary: Dian Mathews Mikki Falcone cast one ballot
for Dian Mathews.
Director (Three Years): Mikki Falcone 17 Ballots were counted twice by
Donna Moxley 28 * new members.
Director (One Year): Dave Stenstrom 20 Ballots were counted twice by
Mike Kelley 25 * new members.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Volunteer Insurance – Are our volunteers covered under HLAs Liability Insurance?
Yes, Mikki Falcone researched this. As long as the Board knows they are performing a
service to HLA, volunteers are covered under HLA’s Commercial Insurance.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Bylaw Review Committee will be combined with the Covenants Committee.
People who volunteered to be on the Bylaws Review Committee:
Mikki Falcone Lexi Currie
Jack Page Marc Belland
Dave Stenstrom Dian Mathews
Nancy Chagnon Dave Ferner
2. Letter from Stoddard Ole Home Days Committee requesting a donation.
MOTION Pam Bruder/Helen Page: “We move that HLA donates $100 to the Stoddard
Olde Home Days Committee.” Motion carried.
3. Letter from HLUA requesting a donation.
MOTION Steve McGerty/Marc Belland: “We move that HLA donate $300 to HLUA”.
Motion carried.
4. HLA VACANT LAND Parcels
There are 8 parcels; we pay taxes on 7 of them. Members have two months to think about HLA selling them. This will be brought up at the August meeting. Idea: Can we store sand on one lot?
5. MERGED LOTS
When members merge lots with the Town of Stoddard they must still pay an HLA
Assessment per lot. Our previous lawyer said HLA does not have to recognize the
Town’s merger. The Board voted to charge for each lot and this has been done for
the past three years.
MOTION Helen Page/Jackie Hastings: “We move that the HLA Board asks our new
Home Owners Association lawyer if HLA has the right to charge for each lot.”
Motion carried.
MOTION to ADJOURN: 12:28 PM
Dian Mathews
Recording Secretary
Approved Minutes
June 25th, 2016 - Rossi Hall
There were 47 paid members in attendance.
After the flag salute President Tom Chagnon asked for a moment of silence for those
Who lost their lives or were injured in the Orlando shootings. He then gave a welcome
to the members present, a welcome to new members Kristin Vance and Don McCormick and a Thank You to all our wonderful volunteers.
MOTION Sharon Gilman/Helen Page: “We move that the elections be held after the
Committee reports.” Motion carried.
TREASURER’S REPORT – Jack Page
1. Good news! Tracy Noga, new resident and Assistant Professor at Bentley University
in Waltham, MA is “looking at our books” pro bono. She is a CPA and has her PhD in
Accounting. We look forward to her report.
2. ACCOUNTS
Checking Account Balance = $97,672.35
Emergency CD Fund = $37,270.78
Rainy Day Fund Savings Account = $10,000.00
Unspent Boat Fees Savings Account = $4,699.20
3. Current past due = $21,900.08, about the same as this time last year. (Past due at the
end of FY2016 was $7,676.71. ) Bills are due May 1st and interest accrues from
May 1st per the Covenants. Past due accounts will be turned over to our attorney
this summer. Historically, 50% of members turned over to legal pay upon receiving
first Legal Notice.
Discussion about how high our legal bills are. Explanation: Our new attorney is not
a Home Owners Association attorney and is much more expensive than our previous
attorney.
4. FY 2016 Review (May 1, 2015 – April 30, 2016)
Our budget is prepared 10 months in advance and approved 8 months in advance.
Total income was $10,000 over the budget amount. Road expenses were $9,000 over
budget; the Board voted to use all of the $6,000 in the Budgeted Contingency Fund for
Roads. We were able to establish and fund a Rainy Day Savings Account.
5. Our Current Year FY 2017 (May 1 2016 – April 30, 2017)
This budget was prepared without a Treasurer. The budget does not reflect the monies
routinely taken in from JLNs. The roads are budgeted nearly $11,000 less than the
last fiscal year’s actuals. A majority of the Board voted to make our pool attendants
EMPLOYEES which will cost HLA an additional $4,000 for taxes and insurances and
ADP processing fees. We are also looking at the needed expense of a new pool liner.
It will be difficult to break even given all these variables.
6. Question about going to a Village District as a means of getting people to pay to use
our roads. As discussed last year at a Special Meeting the end result being that many
of our fees would be much higher than $500, some would be lower. We need more
members to make it feasible.
7. Lots more questions and discussion about money. It was a mild winter; we still had to
pay the contractor a FIXED PRICE contracted amount. Tom Chagnon has found a
route HLA might take in Small Claims Court to place liens on properties. (Usually
there are only two members who don’t pay.) The “Grandfathered Lots” is a Bylaws
issue. Tracy Noga stated “Having pool attendants be employees is not optional.” HLA
could pay big fines. The JLNs who pay generally pay early, in March – that’s about
$8,000. Tracy will look at the lawyer’s bill to see if we can tell where most of the
legal fees go. Last year two culverts were replaced and a huge sink hole on Foxhill
was fixed.
MOTION Kenny Peate / Roy Marotta: “We move that the budget report be approved.”
Motion carried.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
ROADS – Sam Kaczka
1. Thanks to Steve McGerty for being the Winter Road-Go-To-Guy. Thanks to the
Road Committee, David Vaillancourt and Charlie Falcone for tree removal.
2. Grading
Historically grading has been done the end of May or the beginning of June. The roads
seem to last longer if they are done earlier; moisture is needed. We moved the date to
mid-May. A job of the road committee is to determine when grading should be done.
3. Branch Cutting
The right equipment is needed. We need the braches cut 4’ from the shoulder to a
height of 15’. The bid we got was for $9,000. We might have to do the cutting in two
cycles. Input: Geoff Jones has a boom truck. Idea: Rent a chipper, have volunteers cut
and chip. The red ribbons are from EverSource. They will come in this summer and cut
those marked trees. Tree trimming helps dry the roads because of sun exposure.
4. Plowing
We are expecting a bid from PJ Dionne.
5. Dam Cutting
This October DES is coming to inspect the Hidden Lake dam. (Every five years)
They expect ALL the trees to be cut back 15’ on the east side of the dam. Sam asked
for leniency. They said we could do some trees every yr. Volunteers can cut and take
the wood.
6. Members are reminded to SLOW DOWN on our roads. Speed makes bumps.
RECREATION – Mikki Falcone
1. New Pool Safety features:
*signage (NH law, insurance and Fire Chief inspection)
*new steps into pool house and fiber glass panel on outdoor shower (Thanks, Dave
Stenstrom)
*Fire extinguishers put in pool house, pool office and Rossi Hall
*First Aid Kit
*Sign-In sheets for member/guests
*Safety Checks in the pool every 2 ½ hours (For bathroom breaks, rest)
*Pool attendant employees, CPR certified and cards posted
2. A third solar panel has been added to pool house roof for cost savings
3. Needed: sink for Rossi Hall- S. McGerty has one to donate!
old Phone for pool house- Mark Belland has one to donate!
4. Town of Stoddard Selectmen voted to purchase an AED for Hidden Lake.
It will be mounted on the pump house July/August 2016. (Thanks to Steve
McGerty, Selectman and Fire Chief)
5. Nancy Chagnon is donating horseshoes, ladder ball, and badmitten to the
Recreation area. The sand in front of the well will be the court.
WATERFRONT – Dave Stenstrom
1. Dock went in early. Thanks to the whole dock installation committee.
2. Dave has stained the boat racks. There are still two picnic tables and the planter to do.
3. The NO WAKE buoy is missing. Please remember to go SLOW in Pirate’s Cove.
Dave & Bryan Bruder cut more brush. Dave is proposing a Bonfire Night to get rid of all the brush. More info coming once we can get a permit.
4. There are only two empty dock spaces on the shore lie which are NOT cut out.
5. We are thinking about putting in another set of docks (per DES: docks cannot go any further out.).
ELECTIONS
Nominations
Vice President: San Kaczka declined the nomination. Secretary cast one ballot for
Bill Osterhout * Bill Osterhout.
Secretary: Dian Mathews Mikki Falcone cast one ballot
for Dian Mathews.
Director (Three Years): Mikki Falcone 17 Ballots were counted twice by
Donna Moxley 28 * new members.
Director (One Year): Dave Stenstrom 20 Ballots were counted twice by
Mike Kelley 25 * new members.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. Volunteer Insurance – Are our volunteers covered under HLAs Liability Insurance?
Yes, Mikki Falcone researched this. As long as the Board knows they are performing a
service to HLA, volunteers are covered under HLA’s Commercial Insurance.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Bylaw Review Committee will be combined with the Covenants Committee.
People who volunteered to be on the Bylaws Review Committee:
Mikki Falcone Lexi Currie
Jack Page Marc Belland
Dave Stenstrom Dian Mathews
Nancy Chagnon Dave Ferner
2. Letter from Stoddard Ole Home Days Committee requesting a donation.
MOTION Pam Bruder/Helen Page: “We move that HLA donates $100 to the Stoddard
Olde Home Days Committee.” Motion carried.
3. Letter from HLUA requesting a donation.
MOTION Steve McGerty/Marc Belland: “We move that HLA donate $300 to HLUA”.
Motion carried.
4. HLA VACANT LAND Parcels
There are 8 parcels; we pay taxes on 7 of them. Members have two months to think about HLA selling them. This will be brought up at the August meeting. Idea: Can we store sand on one lot?
5. MERGED LOTS
When members merge lots with the Town of Stoddard they must still pay an HLA
Assessment per lot. Our previous lawyer said HLA does not have to recognize the
Town’s merger. The Board voted to charge for each lot and this has been done for
the past three years.
MOTION Helen Page/Jackie Hastings: “We move that the HLA Board asks our new
Home Owners Association lawyer if HLA has the right to charge for each lot.”
Motion carried.
MOTION to ADJOURN: 12:28 PM
Dian Mathews
Recording Secretary