Carry Ponds Association Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, June 5, 2021

 

                                                           Carry Ponds Association, Inc.

Board of Directors Meeting

Saturday, June 5, 2021

 

Present: Jerry Child, John DiPierro (by phone), Paula Ferguson, Stanley Giguere, Ted Gradie, David Grimm, Walter Purda, Paul Saccoccia, Barbara Sutcliffe

 Also attending:, Bruce Ferguson, Lawrence Furbish, Marianne Purda, Michele Saccoccia, Stan Giguere’s daughter, Ashley

 Walter Purda called the meeting to order at 9:36 a.m.

 

Treasurer’s Report - Paula Ferguson

            All CPA road assessments have been paid                                                     $15,150.00

            West 57 owners @ $150 (56%)                                                                      $  8,550.00

            East 44 owners @ $150 (44%)                                                                       $  6,600.00

 

Contingency funds approved for 2021                                                                       $  5,000.00

Admin                                                                                                                         $     500.00

 

2021 West road maintenance budget                                                                         $  4,760.00

2021 East road maintenance budget                                                                           $  3,740.00

 

Condition of CPA Roads - Walter Purda

Walter pointed out that road maintenance figures for 2021 would have to be less because of overages from 2020. The washout on Mountain Road in December 2020 (trees down, lost culvert) required four days of repair (thanks to Stanley Giguere and Dave Robinson) and cost $4,184.00 using up much of the contingency fund.

 Walter has toured the West roads with Leo Beane to estimate repair/maintenance work. Stanley confirmed that the budgeted amount will cover East road maintenance. Budgeted amounts for road maintenance should be sufficient. David asked that an old culvert in the woods be removed.

 Keeper of the Keys Report - John DiPierro, by phone from Florida. Paula read the his email to the Board which contained a lot of detail and explanation. His main recommendations are below.

     Recommendations

1.      Raise key prices to the following schedule:

·         First 2 keys free to each road dues paying property owner

·         Next 2 keys/$10 each

·         Next 2 keys/$20 each

·         Next 2 keys/$30 each

·         Next 2 keys/$40 each

·         All additional keys/$50 each

 2.  Return unused keys for a refund.

3.    Return keys when properties are sold.

4.   Allow Otter Pond owners to determine when they lock the 3 gates around Otter Pond.

5.   All gates should have the same lock/key.

6.   Change locks/keys in 2021.

      7.   Establish a separate “key fund” within the CPA accounts.

 

 Otter Pond residents (Saccoccias, Stanley Giguere and daughter, Ashley) requested that they be able to keep their gates open. The issue of convenience vs. security and compliance to the membership agreement was discussed. The Otter Pond West gate (gravel pit) lock has “gone missing” many times and was replaced with a private lock multiple times. The Board agreed to replace it with a CPA lock. The Board agreed that gates need to be kept locked per our CPA Membership Agreement.

 There is an ongoing disagreement among the Otter Pond residents that has led to one person requesting that the gate nearest his property be moved. Walter will speak with him and propose that a new gate be installed on his property at his own cost. The original gate will remain where it is.

 David pointed out that with 561 keys out we need to limit the number. He proposed to charge a large amount to those requesting many keys (contractors) as an incentive to return or not lose them.

 Walter reminded the group that CPA does not own the roads, we only have an easement for repairs and maintenance. He has worked out an arrangement with Dirigo for their recent tree cutting using double lock systems (where either a Dirigo key or a CPA key will work) that seems to be a practical solution.

 After much discussion of John’s recommendations and other related “key” matters the Board basically agreed to table the issue.

 

Annual Meeting

 The 2021 Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 7 as usual by the dam. Various CPA members will provide tables, tent and all other things necessary. Email notice will go out in advance of the meeting with an agenda, minutes from 6/5/21 meeting and nominations for the one open BOD position.

 

Board, Officers, Nominations

 Paul Saccoccia and Jerry Child have agreed to do another term as Director if elected at the annual meeting. Barbara Sutcliffe has agreed to become Secretary and will do that if elected at the annual meeting. Stanley Giguere and David Grimm will continue as Directors, Paula Ferguson will serve as Treasurer and Walter Purda will serve as President for the final year of his term.

 

 Old Business

•          Thanks to Paula for the distribution of the 911 magnetic cards

•          Dickson Road maintenance can’t be done this year for financial reasons

•          WCP Dam maintenance is a no-go for 2021

•          Spring Road Gate moved back, installed and operational

•          Dirigo Timberlands update - no more logging, but they are developing and selling lots on              Middle Carry which will eventually become part of CPA

•          Procedure for Adding and Subtracting Membership to CPA - membership agreement will             be reviewed and revised and welcome kit will be updated

 

New Business

•          Maintenance and Repair of ECP Dam - there is an existing dam that will be repaired/maintained. Jerry Child will take care of it.

•          Replacing WCP Outlet Bridge - Leo Beane will do the work and cover most of the cost. He has acquired more land in the area and will be developing lots. Discussion about specific types of timber to be used and a “closed bridge” notice will be sent out to CPA owners. Work is scheduled for late June or early July and there may be a volunteer day.

•          Additional Camp Lots at CPA - as mentioned, Leo has bought land on Dickson - pink ribbons mark the area for development.

•          Impact Fee Assessment for New Camp Lot Construction - discussion of charging a substantial one-time fee for new lots. CPA needs more money primarily to fund the contingency account which, at $5,000, can easily be wiped out with an emergency like the Mountain Road washout in December. Different ways of raising more money were discussed including raising dues substantially. David proposed to create a financial “rationale” for raising dues that would include financials going back a number of years and projections for the future. He will work with Paula to create the document and have it distributed in advance of the Annual Meeting with the goal of having a vote on the issue.

 

Meeting adjourned at 11:54 a.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara Sutcliffe (Acting Secretary)