Minutes

Ridgehaven Homeowners Association Annual Meeting

October 18, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Gilmer County Georgia Public Library
268 Calvin Jackson Dr, Ellijay, GA 30540

I.

RHOA members were welcomed by RHOA president Joe Kent. Joe thanked Rick,
Paul, and Jamie for their contributions and time they spent on the HOA Board
matters during the past year. He also, thanked other community members for their
contributions as well.

II.

President Joe Kent called the meeting to order and established that a quorum was
present at 1 PM on October 18, 2014. (Counting the proxies and the members in
attendance, there were 22 eligible voting members.)

III.

Annual Recap by President Joe Kent

A. There was a water drainage issue back of Sharon Bailey and Jewell McCrarys
units. The project to correct this situation was managed by Jamie Mazursky and
the work was performed by Scott Key. The Board was very pleased with the
results of this project but they are still monitoring these back yards. Great Job
Jamie and Scott!
B. Special Assessment project started in 2013 was completed this year.
C. Bushes that were killed last winter have been removed and replaced.
D. Margo Tucker brought up unresolved old business from the last annual meeting.
President Joe Kent deferred this discussion to later in the meeting when member
motions and discussions would take place. He assured her that she would be
heard at that time.

IV.

Annual Financials and Questions by Treasurer Paul Appel

The meeting was turned over to Paul Appel and he handed out spreadsheets that
were an overview of the HOAs annual financials. He went over these spreadsheets
and answered questions from members. The bottom line is that the money that is
set aside for operating expenses is pretty much a break even in the checking
account with a balance of $917.00 projected at year end. This is pretty much is what
you want for operating expenses. While the Reserve Account (funds set aside for
major and unexpected expenses) is growing and at year end is projected to be
$8,820.00. Next year the Reserve Account is expected to have an additional
$7,000.00.

After this presentation, Joe Kent made a motion that these Annual Financials be
approved and the motion was seconded. A vote was called and there was a
unanimous approval of these financials.
Also, attached to Annual Financials was a list of Highlight/Improvements in 2014.
Paul discussed item 2 on this sheet. Paul and Mack Wood negotiated the values of
the HOAs 4 common area parcels with the County Property Assessor. Since theses
lots can never be built upon (fact verified by Mack Woods to the County Property
Assessor), these lots have little or no value and the propertys value was changed so
that little or no property tax will be charged for them. This will result in a tax savings
of over $570.00 for 2014 and subsequent years.
V.

Membership Motions and Discussions:

A. Joe Kent called for a motion to approved minutes from last years annual
meeting. A motion was so made, seconded, and a vote called.
Vote: The minutes were adopted with a majority vote with one nay.
The nay voter stated that the reason for the nay vote was the two approved
motions in that meeting were not completed.
B. Joe Kent stated according to our HOA attorney John Mahan (in a letter to the
Board dated Oct 11,2014) for any amendment to our declaration, a copy of the
proposed amendment must be provided to each owner at least thirty days prior to
a called meeting where a vote would be taken on such amendment. There were
two motions that were not acted upon from the last HOA annual meeting in 2013
since this notice was not sent out to the owners prior to that meeting. These
motions pertained to the Georgia Property Owners Association Act (POA) Optin and amending paragraph 18 of the Declaration to provide for a 25 % increase
in the up-front reserves charged to new buyers.
C. Margo Tucker moved that the Board proceed immediately with our HOA
attorneys suggestion to obtain titles to the Associations Common Areas by way
of a quiet title proceeding which would have to be filed in the Gilmer County
Superior Court. Susan Appel seconded the motion.
Joe Kent started the discussion of this motion by stating that he had talked to
John Mahan about this and the cost of doing quiet title proceedings for this
property would be about $2000.00. A discussion followed among members with
some of the following questions being raised:
What are the risk of not doing this
Are there liens, mortgages, or foreclosure proceedings on this property
What are the chances of this quiet title proceeding working
Are there any alternatives

Gary Johnson made a motion to move Margo Tuckers motion to a committee

to further investigate the situation. Motion seconded by Edith (Doodle) Pearce.
Vote was unanimous to move motion to a committee.
Gary Johnson, Gary Kahle, and Margo Tucker were appointed to the committee
to move forward with the investigation about obtaining title to the Associations
Common Areas.
D. Margo Tucker moved that at the next HOA meeting, the HOA Members have an
opportunity to vote for a motion for the HOA to submit to opt-in to The Georgia
Property Owners Association Act (POA) O.C.G.A. 44-3-220, et.seq. (Act).
Motion seconded. Vote: Motion passed with a majority vote with one nay.
E. Margo Tucker moved that at the next HOA meeting, the HOA Members have an
opportunity to vote for a motion that the amount of Capital Contribution
Assessment be increased 25% effective January 1, 2015 to grow the Reserve
Fund for $187.00 whenever a lot or home is purchased in accordance with the
Bylaws Article IX, 9.2 and collected from the Purchaser at the Real Estate
Closing. Motion seconded and debated. Vote: Motion failed.
F. Margo Tucker moved that the Board comply with Chapter 14. Open and
Public Meetings, O.C.G.A. 50-14-1 to permit the Owners their individual rights
to attend each Board meeting, with the exception of Executive Session, and
provide an Open Member Forum on the Agenda with due notice for each Board
meeting. Motion was seconded and debated.
Great member discussion: Joe Kent, Chairman apologized for not holding more
open board meetings (one board meeting was held Feb 2, 2014). He further
stated that a lot of association business was taken care of by phone calls to all
Board Members so as to expedite the handling of association business and/or
save Board Members time. In the future, he recommends that more Board
Meetings be held and provide an Open Member Forum on the Agenda with due
notice to members for each Board Meeting.
Margo Tucker agreed to withdraw her motion only if the Chairmans agreed
that the Board commence to hold Open Meeting and Open Member Forum and
this agreement is recorded in the annual minutes. Margo agreed.
G. Margo Tucker moved that the Board calls a Special Board Open Meeting the
first week in March, 2015 to discuss the Members rights to amend the Bylaws
that were adopted by the initial Board. Joe Kent, Chairman, requested that the
motion be referred to a Committee and they report recommendations to the
Board.

H. Joe Kent volunteered to keep his online google account for the online access of
member to HOA documents. He further suggested that if something happen and
he could not maintain this account, the Association should look at alternatives
such as putting it under an HOA account. After member discussion, Joe referred
the matter to a study committee. He appointed Paul Appel and Tommie Bowman
to the committee.
I.

Gary Johnson said that the replacing of the dead plants was a great job and
other members agreed that the community looked much better.

J. Gary Johnson thanked Joe Kent for his service on the Board and for completing
his term. He appreciated the time Joe and the other Board members spent
working on the Associations business. This statement was acknowledged by the
members present with applause.
VI.

Board Election:
Nominations for a vacant position on the Board were taken from the floor by
President Joe Kent. Glenda Burnett and Margo Tucker were nominated. Time was
given for the members to vote and fold the ballots twice. The ballots were taken up
by Jamie Mazursky and given to Sharon Bailey and Jewell McCrary to count. Based
upon the counted votes Glenda Burnett was selected for the vacant Board position.
(Note: Prior to the meeting being called to order, Jamie Mazursky supervised
member sign-In and distributed ballots to voting members and designated proxies.)

VII.

Adjourn:
Gary Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting. Several members seconded the
motion and the vote was unanimous to adjourn the meeting at 2:55 PM