WCA President Michiel Oostenbrink began the Feb. 10 meeting with board updates.
Oostenbrink spoke to the termination of Association Manager Jennifer Jordan in January, noting that Inframark had an action plan to find a suitable replacement. Oostenbrink discussed the measures that had been put into place to oversee access to the community’s tennis/pickleball courts, including new technology that requires users to be buzzed into the courts. He added that this is not new policy, rather measures to enforce existing policy. Oostenbrink added that they will evaluate the new measures and gather resident feedback. Regarding the lifeguard survey, Oostenbrink shared preliminary numbers. There were 425 total responses: 179 voted to eliminate lifeguards; 137 voted to have lifeguards in summer months only; 101 voted for no change; 8 had no preference. Oostenbrink said the board will discuss the results in detail at its Feb. 12 meeting.
The VMs then voted unanimously on the following VM appointments: Bennington — Rachel Comella, first alternate and Bruce Simpson, second alternate; Greens — Jeff Siddle, first alternate.
The discussion turned to a vote on approval of amendments to the CCRs as outlined in a referendum ballot mailed to all residents in January. Stonebridge VM Christine Lindsay made a motion to delay the vote, stating that Stonebridge HOA President Matthew Rice found 15 mistakes on the ballot and she had 26 things she didn’t feel comfortable casting a vote on because she didn’t fully understand the impact to her community.
Oostenbrink replied with a brief recap of the year-long process and reiterated that there had been multiple opportunities to provide feedback. He added that, as a VM, he reached out to his community prior to the arrival of the ballot to remind residents that the proposed changes had been well vetted and if they were unsure, they could leave the decision to the voting member. District Counsel Kathleen Reres said that she commended Rice for his attention to detail, but, per Florida Statutes, the nature of the errors doesn’t affect the voting process because they aren’t material errors, so they don’t, “prevent membership from making a free and voluntary determination.”
Lindsay also said she hadn’t received all the emails, so she hadn’t had enough time to review the changes. Goldstein thanked the Document Review Committee for its efforts but added that he, too, would like more time because his community found the ballot cumbersome and he wanted to address their concerns.
Reres said that the committee knew this was going to be cumbersome, but the process gives VMs more flexibility to go through line by line to make determinations on behalf of the residents. She added that Westchase’s VM structure is a fail-safe to make sure someone is voting in the residents’ interest. The Enclave VM Christine Hennes echoed that sentiment, adding that her residents struggled to get through the ballot and trusted her to vote in their best interests. Several VMs shared similar scenarios.
DRC Chair Eric Holt reminded the VMs that the committee made a substantial effort to keep VMs informed with updates at every meeting for 8 months, plus a public workshop. He added that he didn’t know what more they’d get out of the process by delaying the vote.
After further discussion, Lindsay edited her motion to delay the vote to March 1. The motion failed, with only four voting in favor and 22 opposed. Reres reminded the VMs that they needed to turn in their ballots by the end of the meeting.
Holt turned to the recording of VM meetings. The equipment had been installed and was being tested. He wanted to get input on policy moving forward. Through a series of straw polls, the VMs agreed on the following: 1) they should offer a livestream option; 2) those attending by livestream will not have the opportunity to speak (only those attending in person); 3) VMs still need to attend in person; 4) recordings will be posted to Vantaca and stored for 1 year. Holt said he would use that information to draft an official policy.
Next was a discussion of a potential switch from a component to a pooled method for managing the WCA’s Capital Reserves. Oostenbrink explained that the current component method is a more rigid structure that funds asset replacement strictly based on estimated useful life and replacement value. Holt noted that reserve specialists prefer the pooled method because it operates on a cash flow analysis as opposed to depreciation. Holt also noted that the risk with the pooled method is low and offers more flexibility. Chelmsford VM Joanne Maurer asked if the pooled method has so many benefits, why hasn’t the board done it before? Holt responded that it is a relatively new methodology and many large HOAs are using it. He admitted he was hesitant when former Treasurer Terry Boyd brought it up, but he now sees the benefit. Worthington VM Chris Elias said his sub association has used the pooled method for three years and they really like it.
Reres added that this has been discussed previously and the pooled method would work for this board because they are fiscally responsible and they do a regular reserve study. Bennington VM Russ Crooks asked if an annual reserve study would still be mandatory with the pooled method. Holt confirmed that an annual reserve study is required in the governing documents. A motion to change from the component to pooled method with the use of previously collected reserves passed by majority vote, with two VMs opposed. The board will also vote on the change during their Feb. 12 meeting.