Dear Members,

The Association budget for 2007 includes $11,200 for pool area beautification. At the Board’s March 8, 2007 meeting, the Board approved a beautification proposal developed by a volunteer committee. The Board also approved a motion setting a date of April 14 for any group of at least 15 members to submit an alternative proposal to the one approved by the Board at the meeting. If a proposal were presented, a membership meeting would be called to vote on the alternatives. Any proposal had to include sufficient descriptive information and cost data to allow for a comparison to the current Board-approved proposal and to determine the impact on our dues assessment.

On April 15 the Board received and accepted for consideration an alternative beautification proposal signed by over 25 members. Accordingly, the Board has scheduled a Special Membership meeting for May 3, 2007 at 7 pm, (an Announcement/Agenda is enclosed), where you can cast your vote to determine which plan will be implemented. Consistent with our ByLaws, you can vote in one of three ways:

As most of you know, we have been seeking a consensus decision for a long time on how to turn the pool area from a little-used eyesore into a comfortable, attractive setting where we can enjoy spending time, and that enhances the value of our homes and property. We evaluated pavilions; Tiki Huts; pre-fab shelters; concrete, stone, sand, mulch, and paver paths and pads; and various landscaping approaches including resodding. As these options were presented to the membership, many members made it clear that they were resistant to dues increases to fund the project and pay high on-going costs. Moreover, very few members expressed any interest in contributing their time and labor to the project, meaning that whatever we did, we would have to purchase both material and labor.

This journey led the Board to vote on March 8 to implement what is now option one, a combination of paver pathways and three 12’ X 12’ paver pads that will hold commercial grade, plastic-coated metal-mesh tables with four attached chairs (with seat-backs for comfort). The proposed umbrellas are commercial quality and both tables and umbrellas have warranties and would be secured to help prevent theft. The paver paths will allow members to sit at and move from the tables to the pool and the restroom without contacting the turf. The curved pathways will also create areas that can be landscaped in attractive and inexpensive ways and allow for plantings to screen the table areas from the street. This proposal will cost $9923, ($6,863 for pavers plus $3,060 for tables, umbrellas and security hardware), leaving about $1277 for low maintenance, salt-tolerant landscaping, without any increase in dues.

Option two, which was submitted by a group of members, is as follows:

In summary, option two calls for three cement table and umbrella sets situated on a fully grassed pool area at a cost of about $6,000--no paths, table pads or other landscaping are included.

Your vote is very important so that the option that is implemented clearly has the support of most members and is not just a decision by the Board. So PLEASE cast your vote in person, by proxy, or by absentee ballot.

Sincerely,

Paul Zacharias,

President

paulzacharias@yahoo.com phone: 445-8507