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Avalon Homeowner’s Association Meeting
March
4, 2004
Board
President Sammy Barmer called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Board
members present: Sammy Barmer, Cedric Buckley and Steven Waite.
Number
of residents in attendance: 14
Minutes
of the Feb. 12, 2004 meeting
were handed out to everyone present. Sammy Barmer made a motion to approve the minutes as
written. Steven Waite seconds the motion, and the minutes were approved by a unanimous
vote.
Treasurer Michele Harris gave a profit/loss
summary for February 2004 in comparison with February 2003. Michele noted that the
year-over-year increase of $204 in property and general liability was due to the recent
adjustment in our insurance premium for the clubhouse/pool. A statement of the financial
position was also included. Total assets: $41,712.60.
Through
Feb. 29, 2004, 52 percent of the residents had paid their bi-annual homeowner’s dues
of $90. There are 144 outstanding payments. Michele said she would send out a statement
the third week of March, with a $10 late fee, to residents who had not paid. Michele also
said the bank has agreed, at no charge, to make automatic drafts available for residents
to pay their dues. All residents in attendance agreed this was a good idea. One couple
requested a monthly payment plan. Sammy Barmer said the board would review later, and
determine what terms would be offered.
Michele
also stated the board had approved the purchase of an undeveloped lot at the corner of
Brighton Circle and Avalon Way from Jennifer Reed. The Homeowner’s Association made
an offer of $30,000, and it was accepted. The board also approved the purchase of the
undeveloped lot adjacent to this property, on Avalon Way, from the Hugh Ward Family, and
agreed to make an initial offer of $17,500 with all outstanding dues to be considered paid
in full. Once both lots are purchased, the property will be developed into a playground,
park and picnic area for residents.
All
residents in attendance agreed with the plan. One suggested part of the property be used
for additional parking for the clubhouse/pool, across the street. Sammy Barmer said that
once we have purchased both lots, the board would discuss and determine how to best use
the property. Sammy said he was very excited to bring closure to this because we’ve
been talking about this for a year and, as we move forward, we will be recruiting
residents to help implement the solution.
Sammy
Barmer made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. Cedric Buckley seconds the
motion, and the report was approved by a unanimous vote.
Landscaping:
No report was given.
Clubhouse
and pool:
Sammy noted that Home Depot had metal tables and four chairs on sale for $299, and that
two sets would be purchased for the pool. Sammy said he and Randy would buy them that
weekend. Sammy also noted that we would be getting three new pieces for the exercise room
at no cost.
Social
events:
No report was given. (The Easter egg hunt is scheduled for April 3 at 1 p.m.)
Covenants
(any violations): None
to speak of from the board, or residents in attendance. There were complaints about
speeding, parking in the street, children riding their bicycles, weaving, in the middle of
the road at 5 p.m. one day. Someone said the street sign/stop sign at the corner of
Wakefield Place and Avalon Way (near the back entrance) was damaged, and the stop sign
missing. The sign had been completely tipped over at one point, but was upright again. One
couple, which lives in Phase 4 of Avalon, complained about a trash being left on the
ground by the contractors working on the new Landmark homes – even though
there’s a dumpster present to deposit the refuse. They said they collect half a
garbage can every three days. Sammy said he would call Landmark.
Sammy
noted that another subdivision is being built just north of Avalon. Sammy said that he,
board member Steven Waite and three other residents met with the developer to discuss
their plans. Steven noted that 176 homes would be built, with the minimum square footage
being 1,400. Sammy said the developer was steered to use by County Commissioner Larry
Swales and a couple of residents.
Sammy
said that Rankin County law requires subdivisions to have two entrances, and that the
developer of the new subdivision had traded land with the City of Flowood, to get property
adjacent to Avalon, on Avalon Way at the back entrance to build its secondary entrance.
(The primary entrance would be off of Old Fannin Road, north of the dry cleaners. Sammy
said the developer is willing to build a treatment, for Avalon, at the back entrance that
would handle gating mechanisms. The developer asked for our blessing to build their
entrance at this point in return for building the back entrance treatment for Avalon.
Sammy said the developer would not help us with the gating, but is willing to spend a
sizable amount of money to ensure a nice road and a landscaped entrance.
The
secondary entrance to the new subdivision would run parallel to Hugh Ward Drive. Their
entrance would be built so it tied into our entrance. The Avalon Homeowner’s
Association would have a say in how it looked. The entrance would be “closed
down” so large trucks could not come through. Construction of the new development
would be in two phases, and completed in 18 to 24 months. The developer would start in
front, closer to Old Fannin and Spillway roads. The back of the subdivision, the second
phase, would border Avalon. Sammy said the Avalon Homeowner’s Association would
prefer the secondary entrance be built sooner, rather than later, and the developer
tentatively agreed to build it in conjunction with the first phase.
Cedric
said he would be establishing block captains for Neighborhood Watch purposes. To start, a
captain would be designated for each phase of Avalon. Street captains would be added
later.
Sammy
then opened the floor for discussion or questions.
A
resident said he read where the Old Fannin Road expansion, to three lanes, was supposes to
start. He wondered if we had heard anything. Another resident said a local paper stated
that Larry Swales was in Washington, D.C., at that very moment trying to get more federal
money, to expand Old Fannin to five lanes; Swales had a list of five projects and
expanding Old Fannin Road was No. 4, priority-wise.
One
resident wondered if anyone had any experience, or problems, with The Disk network.
Michele said that she yes, especially this time of year, when the season is changing.
A
question then arose about what the covenants stipulated about the location of satellite
dishes, the concern being the location of dishes in the new section of Avalon, where some
are visible. Sammy noted that a new covenant was enacted, and required that they be within
15 feet of the back of the house or, preferably, mounted in the rear – out of sight.
Dishes mounted prior to the new covenant were “grandfathered” and allowed to
remain in their current locations – and not in violation.
Sammy
adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.
Minutes
recorded by Steven Waite.