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OCN > 2403 > Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 29, 31 – Annual meeting and reorganization

Woodmoor Improvement Association, Jan. 29, 31 – Annual meeting and reorganization

By Jackie Burhans

The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board met on Jan. 29 for its annual meeting to elect new board members, review 2023 accomplishments, state 2024 goals, and recognize good neighbors. The board met on Jan. 31 to certify the election, reorganize its positions, and approve operational procedures. The regular February meeting was held on the 28th, after the deadline for Our Community News, and will be reported in next month’s issue.

Annual meeting

Board President Brian Bush called the meeting to order and covered the presentation available on the WIA website at bit.ly/wia-2024-annual. Bush confirmed that a quorum was achieved via residents returning their ballots and noted that the board had saved over $2,100 by not providing postage-paid envelopes and saved $1,000 by having staff count the ballots in lieu of the League of Women Voters. Bush reviewed the rules of conduct for the meeting, which he summarizes as “Be Nice!”

Bush reviewed the mission of WIA to perform covenant enforcement and architectural control; maintain and improve common areas; and provide public safety. He also noted that WIA monitors issues in surrounding areas that may affect its residents. Bush emphasized that, contrary to media reports on other homeowners’ associations (HOAs), WIA does not foreclose on properties, enforce ridiculous covenants, or fail to work with residents on reasonable solutions, nor does it have rigid and unchanging rules and regulations. However, he said, the board cannot change the covenants without a 66% vote of lot owners. He noted that the board had recently changed the rules for gates and fences as well as increasing the number of cars allowed to park on the property outside of a garage. If a resident has a problem, Bush invited them to contact WIA via email.

Noting that board positions are unpaid, he introduced the 2023 board members and WIA staff, many of whom have been on staff for quite some time. The WIA dues for 2024 have increased by $8 to $291 annually after considering the impact of inflation on salaries and the cost of improvements. The top three income sources were dues, new construction fees, and Barn rentals. Top expenses other than payroll were common area improvements and forestry maintenance. Bush commended the WIA and Woodmoor Public Safety (WPS) staff for holding expenses under budget.

WPS services include immediate officer response, vacation checks, crime prevention, traffic control, 24/7 patrol, and interagency support and communication. In 2023, WPS had 13,500 on-duty hours; drove 72,837 miles; completed 12.772 vacation checks, responded to 882 calls for service, and more. WPS received $19,080 in donations for vacation checks. In 2023, WPS added two new vehicles to replace aging jeeps. Bush noted that the board invested in body cameras for all officers. He also noted that in 2023 the El Paso Board of County Commissioners had decided to only plow Priority 3 roads when snow depths reach 6 inches, which creates hazardous driving conditions; he noted that by law WIA cannot plow county roads.

Bush reviewed 2023 highlights:

  • WIA purchased a new computer server to replace its 8-year-old server.
  • WIA continues to support the Safe Routes to School trail, which has been a long-term project. He noted that the trail will benefit association members as well and hopes to report on more progress this time next year.
  • Thanks to the $275,000 matching grant for wildfire mitigation, $550,000 of mitigation has been done in the community.
  • Four chipping days over two weekends that were free to residents; a $10 donation was requested of non-residents.
  • WIA improved two miles of trail on the South Woodmoor Preserve that it accepted as a donation from WOSC LLC.

For 2024 goals, Bush highlighted:

  • Obtain more funding for a fire mitigation grant.
  • Developing trails in common areas.
  • Continuing to digitize WIA files.
  • Continuing WPS patrols.

Top architectural projects were roof replacement repairs, with 595 total projects (down from 634), of which 98.8% were approved by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) or office staff.

The Good Neighbor award went to John and Susanna Finter, who helped an ill neighbor by watering, removing snow, and helping in the house. The couple received a $50 Home Depot gift card.

The meeting ended with a round of questions and answers about vegetation blocking visibility at intersections, the cattails at Wild Duck Pond, WIA’s role in traffic safety for School District 38, and the decision not to plow streets until there are 6 inches of snow. If an intersection is in the WIA area, WIA’s contractor can help remove overgrown vegetation, said Bush. ACC administrator Bob Pearsall said he had plans for the contractor to work on the Wild Duck Pond cattails. Bush said that the board had concluded that it was unsafe for officers to do traffic control in front of the middle and high schools. He also noted that snow removal is solely done by the county and recommended residents contact their county commissioner Holly Williams (HollyWilliams@elpasoco.com).

Board reorganization

At the Jan. 31 meeting, Bush reviewed the certified election results, which re-elected three members. The board re-instated directors to the following roles:

  • Brian Bush, president
  • Peter Bille, vice president, re-elected
  • Connie Brown, treasurer
  • Steve Cutler, Common Areas, re-elected
  • Rick DePaiva, secretary and Community Outreach
  • Brad Gleason, Public Safety
  • Ed Miller, Architectural Control, re-elected
  • Per Suhr, Covenant Control
  • Cindy Thrush, Forestry

Board highlights

  • The board appointed Bush, Bille, Brown, and DePaiva as authorized signers on its financial accounts.
  • The board voted unanimously to meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7 pm. The November and December meetings will be moved earlier due to the holidays. All meetings are held at The Barn.
  • The board set its covenant hearing dates for the second Thursday of each month at 6:15 pm.
  • The board set its ACC meetings for the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. except for December when there is only one meeting. The board appointed the 2024 ACC committee members.
  • The board authorized the ACC administrator to approve certain miscellaneous projects, handle compliance fee refunds up to $500, and handle routine change orders for all projects without prior ACC approval.
  • The board authorized the director of Forestry to review and approve tree removal requests and Firewise lot evaluations. The board appointed Forestry Committee members for 2024.

WIA and area developments

WIA is a member of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Organizations (NEPCO), which tracks new developments. WIA is working with The Heights property owners association (POA) to monitor the proposed development called Monument Ridge East. The Heights, a 62-member association, is behind the proposed Monument Ridge East development. WIA also works with the David Weekley Homes on the development of the Cloverleaf area, which has 131 homes. WIA will administer the covenants of this sub-HOA. Bush noted that they wanted to have wrought-iron fences which were not approved.

Bush noted that the North Bay development proposals have ranged from 41 to 13 units but is currently inactive. The Waterside development, which is just north of The Barn, is active and has changed from 52 to 44 units. WIA is working with the La Plata Communities/Vantage Homes and will be reviewing the governing documents. Bush reiterated that there is not one-square-inch of Tri-Lakes that is not planned for development at some point.

For more information on NEPCO, see www.nepco.org; for more information on development projects in Woodmoor, see woodmoor.org/woodmoor-developments/.

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The WIA Board of Directors usually meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Barn at 1691 Woodmoor Drive, Monument. The next meeting will be on March 28.

The WIA calendar can be found at www.woodmoor.org/wia-calendar/. WIA board meeting minutes can be found at www.woodmoor.org/meeting-minutes/ once approved and posted.

Jackie Burhans can be reached at jackieburhans@ocn.me.

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