Briarwood HOA meeting
July 9, 2024
1. CALL TO ORDER
· The meeting was called to order at 7:02 pm
· The meeting was held on-line via Microsoft Teams.
2. ROLL CALL
· Present:
o Board Members: Pat Daniels, Kayla Daniels, Mike Karagoulis, Kristen Leary (left early), Lynne Page, Chrislyn Particka, George Plastis (arrived late, left early), Jean Zwier. Quorum met.
o Guests: David Austen, Lisa Bonsignore, Anita Fox, Melissa Itsell, John Johnson, Shoshie Levine, Joe Schmidt, Cory Pahl, Elizabeth Pahl, Jose Quintero
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE 6/11/2024 MEETING
· Chrislyn noted that she had circulated the draft minutes to the board prior to the meeting via email.
· Pat made a motion to approve the minutes, Jean seconded.
· During voting, when it was Mike’s turn to vote, he asked why Lynne had voted no.
o Discussion: Lynne had asked Chrislyn to include Kathi Rypkema’s comments in the minutes. Chrislyn explained why she had not.
· Motion carried (Yes: Pat, Chrislyn, Jean, Kayla, Kristen, Mike. No: Lynne)
4. ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Pat stated that he had received a note from Jim that he was leaving the ACCE committee, and that Mike would replace him. Pat also noted that Mike would need to be approved and the ACCE committee would need a new chair, which would be handled later in the meeting.
· Pat stated that a new version of the neighborhood improvement project survey had been circulated by Chrislyn via email the day before.
· Pat stated that during guest comments, he was asking everyone to limit their comments to 4 or 5 minutes and would be keeping time. He also noted that the board would take what was said by guests into committee and discuss and that it would not be a free-form discussion with or by the board.
5. GUEST COMMENTS
· Elizabeth Pahl, summary of comments: She believes that the ACCE committee has an unrealistic view of what the neighborhood should look like. She referenced poor behavior by past board members and committees and stated that there seems to be similar behavior by current board members and committees occurring right now - and that this news is circulating through the community. She also believes that if Hodney had wanted the neighborhood to have a true “park-like” feel, as is often referenced, that it would have been made very clear in the covenants. She requests that the committee be more objective instead of subjective.
· Shoshie Levine, summary of comments: She is disappointed to hear that there are still covenant-related issues and that it’s important to be able to talk to each other. She sued the board to build a fence and won. She knows it has not harmed her property values because taxes have increased. This is the first board meeting she has attended in 13 years because of how she was treated at the last public meeting she attended. She doesn’t think the committee has a vision in common with the residents.
· David Austen, summary of comments: It’s great when we get along with immediate neighbors, but values are more than just immediate neighbors. A person’s impression of the neighborhood begins when they turn in. He sees indications that different neighbors have different wants/visions. The ACCE is not supposed to be about aesthetics but about maintaining standards. When people move in, they should know what the covenants are, maybe before they purchase. Some areas have no covenants and they look very different. He maintains that covenants are in place for a reason.
· Anita Fox, summary of comments: She wasn’t planning to come to the meeting but thinks that a lot is brewing. She has heard positive comments about the board and covenant enforcement. There have been lawsuits against the board over fences, one person won and one person lost. She believes there are neighborly ways to discuss fences, including the current issues. Perhaps offer to help move it? Bluntly, though, some people don’t like hearing no and want to do what they want to their property despite covenants. It’s not unneighborly to enforce them.
· Cory Pahl, summary of comments: In regard to being neighborly, he understands there are a lot of situations where one neighbor doesn’t want a fence, but this is not the case with their request. Their fence request was denied, but neighbors are in full support. He indicated to the ACCE committee that he would welcome talking about their questions or recommendations, but none have contacted him. This is disappointing and not neighborly. ACCE committee decisions need to be subjective, not objective. There are covenants, but they do not speak to privacy fences, so it’s on the board to decide what is or is not allowed. There are lots of privacy fences in yards with no pools. Decisions always come down to the opinions of the board that year.
· Joe Schmidt, summary of comments: Addressing the idea of people being upset when they are told no. He was told yes about his fence in 2023 and then again in April 2024. Then someone on the ACCE committee called Ingham County on him, when he was told his fence was in the right of way. He reviewed the new fence request that he submitted, including history of the process to this date. In the new request, the fence is well out of the right of way, but the ACCE wants it pushed back much farther than that, which would cost a lot of additional money at this point. Many of his neighbors are in support of the fence and have talked to him about it. The ones that are not in support have not spoken to him but seem to be talking to the committee.
· Kayla Daniels (speaking as a resident, not as a board member), summary of comments: The covenants don’t prohibit fences or accessory buildings. There is a lot of diversity in houses, fences, etc. in the neighborhood. Some people have beautiful landscaping, and some don’t. It’s unfair to say that people are upset about being told no. In her prior time on the board, they tried to create fence and other guidelines, but were not successful. We owe it to our neighbors to create guidelines so neighbors know what is or is not allowed. The committee should not review for just harmony and aesthetics. They must be objective.
· Lisa Bonsignore, summary of comments: Agree with Kayla, Joe, Elizabeth, and Cory. Has lived in Briarwood since 2002 and has seen a lot of boards. Felt like they were harassed when they moved in because of improvements they wanted to make, which caused a lot of anxiety. Wish they had had a more flexible board, like in recent past, when they had small kids and a puppy. The board needs to be consistent from year to year with decisions, even though all are volunteers. What Elizabeth and Cory want to do in their yard is very appealing. She is upset at the lack of consistency.
· Anita Fox, summary of additional comments: Stated that when she left the board, there were standards; she is curious what happened to them. She offered to talk to neighbors to help figure out solutions.
· David Austen, summary of additional comments: He told Joe that he’d like to get to know him. Also stated that it seems that not long ago, the board was sending emails with no names attached to them.
· Shoshie Levine, summary of additional comments: She stated if there is some instance that we want to have new covenants, it’s not within the committee’s power to do that. It will need to be a neighborhood consensus.
· Melissa Itsell, summary of comments: They were never told about the fence until installation started. She believes that HOAs keep property values up. She is not against all fences, but fences need to take into account a lot of things. In the case of the Schmidt fence, the problem is that it is in the front yard. She thinks that the board should dip into savings and help pay to move the fence. She encourages Joe to move it, to make it lower, and for the board to pay.
· Jose Quintero, summary of comments: He wanted to chime in as a neighbor of Joe and as a former board member. He wanted a shed when he moved in. It was denied, but a board member had a fence approved. When he became a board member, his shed was approved. He understands what the board is going through and has seen changes in what is and is not approved from one year to the next, from one board to the next. His concerns with the Schmidt fence is that Joe has tried to follow the rules and was told yes twice. Then things were done without his knowledge - a “gotcha” moment. He believes that the board needs to be consistent with what was already approved.
6. OFFICER AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
President’s Report
· Pat stated that issues regarding fences and aesthetics is not a new subject. He read a letter (included below) that was entered into the minutes by Gus Breymann on May 7, 2013.
Suggestions received recently from Briarwood homeowners:
Encourage the Briarwood board to refocus its direction to placemaking initiatives, some of which have direct bearing on recreational and social activities. Here's what the Briarwood homeowner wrote to me:
"The last few years the [Briarwood] Board seems to think that their own personal likes and dislikes regarding home aesthetics somehow affect home values, which is really not true. If the Board believes that their mission is to "maintain home values" (which is really impossible for a Homeowners Association), they should look at the home buyer profile for the Greater Lansing area. The key areas of home buyers perceived value aside from distance to the University and school district is social belonging. The Greater Lansing area, especially Old Town, has become aware that the current home buyer profile places social belonging or Placemaking initiatives as one of the top factors for purchasing a home. What does this mean for a neighborhood Association? It changes the focus from built structural rigidity to creating spaces within the neighborhood for neighbors to gather, play, eat, etc.
If the BOA wants to "maintain home values" they should be focused on creating social gathering areas, play areas, grilling areas, gathering places WITHIN the neighborhood. We have two lots within the Briarwood that could be used for this purpose, the BOA should focus their efforts on building and creating a gathering space, a gravel path and broken down split rail fence is not a gathering space. New neighborhoods are already doing this, creating playgrounds and basketball courts, tennis courts, neighborhood grilling areas with benches and tables. This should be one of if not the main focus of our Homeowners Association.
Secretary’s Report
· No report except for minutes.
Treasurer’s Report
· Lynne submitted the treasurer’s report via email before the meeting. She collected some overdue dues and finished the trash day finances. Garden payments have posted, she paid the mowing bill, and renewed the safety deposit box.
· Lynne reported that QuickBooks has raised the fees to $65/month and that we are not using it to its full capacity, so we might want to reconsider using it.
o Chrislyn asked Lynne if she had a recommendation for software other than QuickBooks. Lynne said that the accounting is simple enough that a spreadsheet could be used. Then we could use services through the bank for payments, etc.
o Jean asked about how that would impact garden payments as the QuickBooks method is good. Lynne said there are other good methods.
o Chrislyn asked if a motion needed to be made, and Lynne said that we should leave it as-is until overdue dues are cleared up and a replacement system or process is decided.
· Lynne requested information about owed dues from former treasurers so that she can send out reminders.
o Pat stated that the spreadsheet he gave Lynne was current when it was initially sent to her, and Lynne asked for Pat to confirm the balances with her.
Welcoming Committee
· Jean stated that an updated welcoming handout has been circulated along with questions. There has been some discussion about welcoming renters, which she proposed we discuss at a later meeting. Jean connected with Debbie Budzynski at the township, who can provide a list of rentals.
Maintenance Committee
· Mike stated that he has assembled the light fixtures for the entrance signs and will install them soon.
· Mike also stated Sisu has been working on brush cleanup on the weeks that they do not need to mow.
· Mike also stated that the shed needs a new roof – there is some rotten wood and shingles need to be replaced. He estimates $400, and is asking for a motion to spend the funds. Chrislyn made a motion to approve $400 to fix the shed roof, Kayla seconded. The vote was unanimous, and the motion carried. He asked for volunteers and a trailer that can haul a 16’ board.
· Mike also stated that the east end of the recreation park, over by Cavalier, is owned by East Meadows, but Briarwood has been mowing it for years. He will discuss it with East Meadows and with Sisu, as it should save us on lawn care costs.
· Mike reported that he has not heard anything about the pond pump, that Jim was looking into it.
· Jean stated that the area of the recreation park has been discussed in the past, but there was no action. Pat will send East Meadows contact information to Mike.
Events Committee
· Elizabeth stated that National Night Out is coming up next month. The committee has been discussing increasing the budget, which is currently $750. In recent past, the budget was closer to $900-950. She has heard concerns about non-Briarwood residents coming, but in her experience, it has not been an issue. She has been looking into ice cream truck options, and said that we can put a limit on how much they can sell. The cap has been $800 the past two years. Then funds would be needed for table and chair rental. She would like to propose $900 since there will not be a picnic; it is a great event with high turnout.
o Kayla moved to increase the budget for NNO from $750 to $900. Chrislyn seconded.
§ There was some discussion about there not being a picnic, savings from that, asking people to bring their own chairs, and how to communicate about the event.
§ The vote was unanimous, and the motion carried.
o Elizabeth will also need help setting up. Tuesday, August 6 around 3pm.
o Lynne suggested that the committee consider something less expensive for next year, like lemon ice and ice cream cups. Elizabeth said that the problem with that is lack of volunteers and leftover ice cream. Jean agreed that it was hard to get volunteers.
· Pat reported that Triple E’s food truck was in the neighborhood today and that Royal Pot was coming on the 23rd. He’s hoping to get two or three more for August and September.
ACCE Committee
· No report
7. OLD BUSINESS
· Pat gave a statement. Many past boards have required full board approval for ACCE requests. In 2021, the board gave the ACCE committee full voting power and he hoped that it could continue. He no longer thinks it’s appropriate for the committee to have full voting power and gave several reasons why.
· Pat made a motion to discharge the ACCE committee from approval/denial of requests for the remainder of the current (2024) board’s term. The committee will still handle intake of requests and make recommendations to the board; the entire board will vote.
o Chrislyn seconded.
o Discussion
§ Jean stated that in the past, the committee handled non-controversial requests and the whole board would weigh in on things that needed more input.
§ Lynne stated that she thinks is a good idea to have the whole board vote if the board is engaged and knowledgeable. She also asked if the committee needed a chair.
§ Kayla agreed with Jean and added that they separated the vote due to meeting length. She likes the idea of the entire board voting on more complex issues.
§ Mike stated that his concerns was that to vote on ACCE requests you need to know the covenants and bylaws well, making it easy to make decisions you may regret. If you don’t know it, have you earned the right to vote?
§ Mike also stated that if a board member is making a request, they should abstain.
§ Pat stated that we’d need clear guidelines to be developed.
§ George stated that he thinks the motion is premature. He also stated the efforts that the current ACCE committee has made to systematically review requests. He moved to table the motion; Mike seconded.
§ There was discussion unrelated to George’s motion to table the motion, including both the Schmidt and Pahl fence requests, aesthetics, and county road commission code.
§ Motion to table failed. (Yes: Lynne, George, Mike. No: Pat, Chrislyn, Jean, Kayla.)
§ Chrislyn re-read Pat’s motion. The motion carried. (Yes: Pat, Lynne, Chrislyn, Jean Kayla. No: George, Mike.)
· The board then discussed ACCE committee members and the chair.
o Mike was asked if he was interested in being chair and he declined.
o Kayla stated that she would join the committee, but thinks that Lynne or George should probably be chair
§ No objections to her joining the committee.
o George raised a point of information: Is the entire board going to work to develop new standards?
§ There was a lot of discussion about how to create the document that provides guidance about what harmony and aesthetics mean.
· The discussion then turned to the Schmidt fence, what the Ingham County Road Commission had required he do, and his new fence proposal that was sent to the entire board via email on July 8.
o Chrislyn made a motion to approve the Schmidt fence with the setback required by the road commission, along with the further setback that Joe provided in his July 8 email. Kayla seconded. The motion carried (Yes: Chrislyn, Kayla, Jean, Pat. No: George, Lynne, Mike.)
· The discussion then turned back to the makeup of the ACCE committee, possibly adding two more members.
o Mike declined to be on the committee as maintenance requires a lot of his time.
o Joe stated that he would be willing to be on the committee, but that he would not others might be offended.
o David was asked if he was interested in volunteering, and he declined.
o Kayla volunteered to be chair.
o Pat asked Lynne if she would like to be chair, and she declined. Lynne said she would remain on the committee but would leave if it became dysfunctional.
o There was discussion that George will likely stay on the committee, but he had to leave, so was not asked directly.
o Pat made a motion for Kayla to be chair. Chrislyn seconded. The motion carried (Yes: Chrislyn, Kayla, Jean, Pat, Mike. Abstain: Lynne.)
8. NEW BUSINESS
· The Audit Committee was accidentally missed in reports. Lynne (audit chair) stated that the audit will occur at the end of 2024.
· The discussion about solar panels was tabled until the August meeting.
· Kristen and Chrislyn have both worked on the capital projects survey.
o The last version that was circulated to the board via email was black and white due to cost savings.
o Pat calculated the total cost to send the survey to be $450; he made a motion to approve the allocation of those funds. Chrislyn seconded.
o Jean asked if the communications committee had discussed sending the newsletter with the survey. Chrislyn said no, as no work had yet been done on a newsletter. The motion carried (Yes: Chrislyn, Kayla, Jean, Pat, Mike, Lynne.)
· Cory Pahl stated that he wanted to let the board know that during the meeting, Elizabeth Pahl had received aggressive texts from Jim Rypkema. Pat said he would be in contact after the meeting to discuss.
· Jean noted that the board had received several emails from residents that were writing in support of the Pahl’s fence.
9. ADJOURNMENT
· Pat moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean seconded. The motion carried (Yes: Chrislyn, Kayla, Jean, Pat, Mike, Lynne.)
· The meeting adjourned at 10:28 pm.
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