Northlake Neighborhood Association


Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Directors

Monday, February 16, 2004
Saint Benedict Retreat and Conference Center

Board Members Present: Dave Kalshoven, Paul Leone, Chuck Nahn, Carl Wackerle, and Dave Halberslaben

Board Members Absent: Beth Korosec, Mandla Tshabalala

Other Association Members Present: Tanya Buchanan, Jamie Buchanan

Wackerle called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m.

Discussion ensued regarding the usual format of the Board meeting agenda.

Review and Approve January 19 Meeting Minutes
Kalshoven moved to approve the minutes of the January 19 Meeting. Nahn seconded. The minutes were unanimously approved.

Committee Reports

Finance Committee:
Kalshoven reported that he was making progress on the financial statements but his efforts were hampered because his computer had a virus. He is working through the financial statements and reported that he has completed a draft balance sheet showing assets and liabilities. Amounts received from Roark in cash for the remediation of the Teal Court drainage situation are offset in full as a liability for completion of the remediation project. Kalshoven has also begun the process of estimating reserve fund requirements. Kalshoven explained his methodology for estimating reserve fund requirements, based on estimates of asset value, life of specific assets, and the discount to present value of future replacement. Kalshoven indicated that establishing the proper value of reserve funds required accurate estimates of asset values and useful life of those assets. He further indicated that the purpose of the reserve fund was primarily to avoid special assessments and the disruption of services or amenities attendant to special assessment situations. Kalshoven presented the draft balance sheet and a discussion ensued in which all board members participated. Completing the income statement and budget will require accurate estimates of 2004 Need Expenses. Leone indicated he would endeavor to get Neighborhood Maintenance Committee Expenses as soon as reasonably practicable.

Wackerle then inquired as to when the Association would collect the 2004 assessment. Kalshoven indicated that fees for 2004 should be collected in advance as soon as reasonably practicable in 2004. A discussion ensued in which all Board members participated and all members agreed that fee statement should go out soon. The Board specifically discussed the matter of undeliverable fee statements. Nahn indicated that some corner lots had changed addresses and in the past this had caused delivery problems. It was agreed that prior to mailing 2004 fee statements, the Board would ensure that all statements were properly addressed.

Social Committee:
Schreibman submitted via e-mail committee minutes of a meeting of the Northlake Neighborhood Social Committee Meeting Minutes, copies of which were distributed. She indicated that committee members met on February 12, 2004.

Communications Committee:
Buchanan reported that web site hits had increased in January (2557) from December (1198). He further reported that three web master letters had been dispatched. The first concerned the Middleton Police dispatch concerning paint ball damage to some homes in the neighborhood. The message was transmitted directly from Mark Walther of Middleton Police Department to the Northlake Neighborhood Association webmaster. The process worked well. Nahn indicated that, because the protocol used in the paint ball incident worked well, he would confirm the protocol as that to be used in future communications from the police. The second transmission was a reminder to Association members about their obligations concerning snow removal . The third transmission was a request to Association members soliciting ideas for holding Association meetings as the Middleton Library is unavailable and St. Benedicts would soon become unavailable. Buchanan indicated that, due to demands on her time, Tanya Buchanan would be unable to continue to update the website design. In the future, the website will be designed in a “normal” non-seasonal scheme. Buchanan passed out the Communications Committee protocol to new board members for their review and the protocol was discussed. Buchanan indicated that the Communications Committee communicates with Association members only as a result of input from other committees. Buchanan reported that the Middleton UPS store did a good job on transmitting the written correspondence from the Communications Committee.

Neighborhood Maintenance:
Leone reported that he had attempted to fix the entrance light on Indigo Way by changing the light bulb but the light did not appear to operate. Leone further reported that he had contacted Dan Bickle who indicated that he is interested in participating in the Neighborhood Maintenance Committee. Leone indicated that the Association now had a committee of two and would continue to seek other members to serve on the committee.

With respect to lawn fertilization and weed treatments, Leone indicated that he had exchanged voice messages with Michael Jergens of NatureLawn. Mr. Jergens indicated that NatureLawn had underestimated the acreage on its 2003 bid. The 2003 estimate was for approximately 6 ˝ acres but the coverage area was actually closer to 10 acres. Buchanan indicated that the total acreage owned by the Association amounted to 12.6 acres but not all acreage required mowing and fertilizers and the 2003 bid did not include the green space along Hwy Q. Buchanan said he would forward acreage figures to Leone. This would permit Leone to adjust the acreage on the NatureLawn bid and/or get accurate bids from other service providers on mowing and fertilizing. A discussion followed in which all Board members participated. It was then agreed that Leone would bid out the job and request that the Q-side open space be mowed each week. Green spaces as needed. It was agreed that 3-4 bids would be sufficient. Kalshoven and Leone discussed the extent to which outsourcing of some maintenance and landscaping would be required. It was agreed that the committee needs to make people more aware of volunteer specifics and that deadline would be established for determining how much landscaping and maintenance could be obtained through volunteers and would need to be outsourced.

The board then discussed the trees that were removed from behind lots 199, 200, and 201 during 2003. Leone indicated that he would inspect the area and discuss replacing the trees with the owners of lots 199. 200, and 201. On the motion of Halberslaben seconded by Leone, the board resolved to replace those trees as soon as practicable.

Safety Committee:
Nahn reported on the progress of the traffic analysis of street safety and signs of the north side of the Neighborhood. Discussion of the analysis is on the agenda at the Middleton public works committee at 7:30 PM February 23, 2004 at the Middleton City hall. The proposed stop signs, child at play signs, and the drainage situation on Teal will be discussed by the public works committee. Steve Leo will be invited to attend the public works committee meeting. Nahn reported that the preliminary traffic analysis of the north side of the Neighborhood resulted in more stop signs than the earlier study of the south side. Nahn and various board members discussed the proposed locations of stop signs.

Architectural Control Committee:
The board has not yet appointed a permanent ACC. Lyman Wible and Annette Plante-Hogoboom expressed interested in the ACC by proxy at the Annual Meeting but have not attended any meetings in person and have not been contacted by the board.

A discussion of the appointment of an interim ACC, in which all board members participated, ensued. On a motion by Kalshoven and seconded by second by Nahn the board unanimously approved the appointment of Wackerle, Halberslaben, and Jamie Buchanan to serve as the interim committee until a permanent committee could appointed. Other potential appointees were discussed. Leone indicated he would contact member Dave Holman to see if was interested in serving on the ACC again.

Other Business
Kashoven indicated we should learn to remember to compliment, not alienate those who assist the board in furthering the goals of the Association. A lengthy discussion occurred concerning the unintended alienation that occurred as a result of the transmission of the snow removal letter. Member Cohen was contacted by Leone as a result of Mr. Cohen’s e-mail in which Mr. Cohen was somewhat miffed as he had been removing the snow from the sidewalk adjacent to his property and abutting the outlot. Leone indicated that the board needed to make a determination concerning whether Association should contract for snow removal from the open space.

There being no other business, Kalshoven moved to adjourn the meeting. Leone seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.


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