Final Minutes of the DVLA Board Meeting of March 29, 2011
Monthly DVLA Board Meeting was held at the Fire House. Twenty-three landowners were in attendance.
Board Members attending: Lance Cornwall, Mark Ahrenholtz, Bill King, Jim Johnson Absent: Von Mason
President Lance Cornwall called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
1. Approval of the agenda:
MOTION made and SECONDED that the agenda be approved after an item was added by Mark Ahrenholtz under 3c - Update on proposed cell tower in Dammeron Valley. Motion carried. Mark Ahrenholtz also announced that a meeting which will address how to best use a first aid kit is being held tomorrow evening in Veyo.
2. Review and approval of the minutes of the February 22, 2011, monthly DVLA Board meeting
MOTION was made by Mark Ahrenholtz to approve the February 22, 2011, monthly DVLA Board meeting minutes. SECONDED, and the motion carried.
3. Old Business:
a. Finalization of proposed budget
The proposed 2011-12 budget was approved by the Board at the February, 2011, meeting, and the finalized copy to be distributed in the annual meeting packet was accepted as prepared.
b. Update of Wild Herb commercial enterprise status
Attorney Robert Mitchell sent a letter to the owner of the property indicating that they need to apply to the Dammeron Valley Landowners' Association for permission to operate a business in the valley. Also 15 to 16 items were identified that needed to be addressed, and a request was made that they respond within ten days. To date there has been no response to this letter. The owner contacted some landowners in the valley asking to meet which resulted in a meeting among Mark Ahrenholtz, Brooks Pace, a landowner from the Homesteads, and the owner. Since some of the information she presented in the meeting did not seem to agree with information available from other sources, the owner was asked if she would meet with the Board, Attorney Mitchell, and her attorney (but only after the Board received a response to the original letter that was sent to her). She indicated that the property in question was going to be her second home, but in the meantime she was planning on housing veterans returning from the war. When asked the ages of these veterans, she indicated anywhere from 20 to 60 years. There has been no other response from her.
In response to a question from the floor as to whether such a meeting with the Board, the attorneys, and the owner would violate the open meeting laws of the CCRs, Mark Ahrenholtz responded that the hope would be that following the meeting that the landowner would attend a Board meeting to present her position to the landowners. Another landowner indicated that the website for this facility is advertising that they are presently treating patients, and this seems to conflict with what the owner is telling the Board. A third landowner addressed the amount of increase in traffic to the property, and an additional comment was made concerning the number of beds moved into the home a week ago.
Mark Ahrenholtz indicated that if someone had the available time, it would help to know how many other properties are owned by this entity or the owners, how they are titled, what type of relationship they have had in other communities. This is a commercial entity in a residential area that has not gained permission to operate from the Dammeron Valley Landowners Association. As such, until that happens, it is possible she is not allowed to operate here. Another landowner indicated he had met with someone from the County Commissioners office who indicated that it is not necessary for the owners of the property to secure a business license since the ADA does not consider the situation a business, but a residence. The County attorneys will not oppose the proposed use of this property since the ADA stands legally above everyone else. The County does not inspect these properties, and if state licensed, the state takes over all action. A request was made that some of the landowners in the immediate vicinity of the property be included in any meetings set up with the owner. Another suggestion was that a neighborhood block watch would be a good idea in the Valley.
c. Update on proposed cell tower in Dammeron Valley
An agreement has been reached that the cell tower will be lower, consist of a single brown pole, and be moved 800 to 1,000 feet to the West to blend in to the existing power line.
4. New Business
a. Designation of monies from the Washington County recycling program
Suggestion offered from the floor for use of the recycling monies were 1) paving mail box area, 2) spreading 20 yards of road base at the mail boxes, 3) legal fund, 4) baseball back stop, 5) sign frame for posting notices. Mark Ahrenholtz volunteered to secure pricing on the road base. Mac Thomson offered to smooth the area and spread the road base. Mark Ahrenholtz MADE A MOTION that if the pricing falls within the monies available, that the road base and rock be purchased . Also, if any monies are left, a new sign frame should be installed for the posting of the Board's notices. The motion was SECONDED by Jim Johnson, and the motion carried.
A question was raised about the dumpster that has been set at Rte. 18 and Homestead Drive for a number of months. Mark Ahrenholtz indicated he would call Dixie Waste to remove it.
b. Annual meeting list and selection of participants
Julie M. Cropper volunteered to run for board trustee at the annual meeting. The annual meeting checklist will be addressed at a special meeting on Tuesday evening, April 5, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.
c. Preparation of mail-out for the May 14, 2011, annual meeting
Preparation of the mail-out of the annual meeting packet will also be discussed next Tuesday evening.
5. Reports:
a. President's Message:
Please be as neighborly as possible when dealing with issues in the Valley, and do not get into a problem with comments that are unacceptable.
b. Fire Department Report given by Lance Cornwall:
During the past month, there were five EMT calls, one fatality, and no fires. The F450 command truck is ready to go, and the brush truck is getting its final painting, stickers, radios, etc. and should be ready in about two weeks.
The County has received a grant of $800,000. ($2,000,000 total county-wide) to get our repeater fixed and an upgrade of all pagers, radios, and relay systems.
There were three bids received for the painting of the truck, and the final decision was made by Chief Talbot since he had been given a specific dollar amount under which to work.
c. ARC Report - Lance Cornwall:
Two fences were approved during the month, one on Lot 14, Old Farms Road, and the other on Lot 39 in the Meadows.
d. Reports from Trustees on their areas of responsibility
i. Lance Cornwall: None reported
ii. Mark Ahrenholtz: Regarding entrance cleanup, it appears the Water Department has completed its work on one entrance. An e-mail will be sent out encouraging as many people as possible to come on a Saturday (two to three weeks from now) to pull weeds, spread rocks, and smooth out the areas around the entrances.
e. Financial/Secretarial Report given by Lance Cornwall:
The only transaction out of the ordinary for the past month was the mail-out to the landowners costing $1,107 (stamps $480; printing $450; and label/envelops $115). The printing is not yet showing on the financials as it will be paid to Staples during the next month after the expense is incurred (when it is billed).
In response to a landowner's question, Lance Cornwall indicated that it was not possible to
e-mail any of these packets to save money because there was a voting ballot involved. The ballots had to be tracked physically, and this could not be done via e-mail. Also, by voting on this issue early before the annual meeting we would have a better chance to achieve a majority vote and not have to attempt to secure a majority in the future.
6. Comment and discussion by landowners:
Bill King indicated that the back-up generator for our water system will run for 24 hours on its back-up fuel. This would allow plenty of time to get additional fuel, if necessary, to run the generator.
Mac Thomson indicated the burn pile was to open Saturday, and volunteers are always needed 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. to noon.
7. Adjournment:
MOTION made by Mark Ahrenholtz at 8:30 p.m. to adjourn the meeting. SECONDED, and the motion carried.
Carol Clason, Recording Secretary
