The Nov. 7 meeting was called to discuss the reserve item list prior to finalizing the coming year’s budget.
President Michiel Oostenbrink began by explaining that the previous board had prioritized each of the 147 items on the reserve list on a scale from 0 to 5, with 0 assigned to projects that had recently been completed and 5 to those deemed the highest priority.
Based upon feedback he had received at the recent budget workshop with the Voting Members and his experience as part of the RFP process, Oostenbrink said that there’s a need for project management expertise. He reached out to Robert Dvorak from engineering firm BDI after speaking to CDD Chair Matt Lewis.
Dvorak told Oostenbrink that he would be willing to create a proposal for each project that the board felt needed his expertise and could work on a case-by-case basis. Dvorak could create a scope of work, seek out vendors and help solicit and vet bids, and provide a professional opinion as to why the board should select one bid over another. Oostenbrink added that Dvorak was available to call into the meeting, but the board agreed that would mean straying from the meeting’s singular agenda item of reviewing the reserve item list. Oostenbrink conceded that the discussion could be done at a future meeting. He then suggested that the board start with the 26 items ranked a 5 (highest priority), and work down from there. The board considered each asset, along with its estimated remaining life span (in years), its estimated replacement cost, and the anticipated fund balance as of the end of the current calendar year. They also considered each asset’s current condition.
Among the assets that had previously been ranked a 5, the board determined that the Countryway bathroom renovations remained a priority in the coming year. Refurbishment of the Countryway activity room, however, was downgraded to a 2. The floor replacement is currently fully funded, but the floors are still in very good shape.
The board also decided that the Countryway tennis court awnings need to be replaced in 2025, including the poles to avoid having vendors come out on separate occasions.
The board agreed to address several of the West Park Village pool items since it is currently being repaired, including painting the pool’s sun shelter and equipment building and replacing awnings.
The board briefly discussed the fact that there is currently $22,866 in the anticipated fund balance for a new slide for the WPV pool. The estimated replacement cost is slightly more than $35,000. The board would need to make up the difference if they opted to replace the existing slide.
Regarding the WPV gate house, Director Jack Maurer said he was hesitant to invest in upgrades when he wasn’t convinced that staff would properly maintain them. Director Terry Boyd asked whether it was possible that staff wasn’t properly maintaining the current space because it was in subpar condition. The board agreed improvements were still a priority, but not of the highest priority.
The WPV bathhouse is still a definite 5, according to the board. That includes bathroom refurbishment and new flooring, replacement of entry doors, and both interior and exterior painting. The board also deemed the WPV tennis court awning and benches a priority.
Moving on to items ranked as a 4, Director Jessica Siddle suggested delaying some of the individual improvements to the Countryway activity room until an overall plan could be created. The board agreed that some items, like the entry doors to the office/rear activity room, needed maintenance and not replacement.
Asphalt overlays of the Countyway and WPV parking areas were deemed a priority for the coming year, despite being ranked a 3. The board also prioritized the Countryway pool awnings (both fabric and framing), pool tile and pool resurfacing.
The board then discussed those items ranked as 2. They agreed that the majority of community signage needs maintenance, not replacement. They also determined that the furniture in the Countryway activity room needs to be cleaned, not replaced, and that the room’s ceiling tiles need to be replaced. Siddle reiterated her suggestion to hold off on improvements to the room until the board could establish a cohesive improvement plan.
Following the meeting, WOW reached out to Oostenbrink for clarification on a few issues, and he added some additional thoughts on the importance of the reserve item review. “When it comes to managing a large number of assets in a community association, it requires a systematic and strategic approach,” he said. “The end goal is to develop an ongoing plan where we continue to review, refine and optimize the replacement order/schedule and do the best we can to spread out the replacements as evenly as possible to minimize the financial impact to the community.”
Editor’s Note: WOW’s early deadline and late meeting dates limited what we were able to include in print. Coverage of the November Voting Member and regular WCA Board Meeting, which included a vote on the 2025 budget and assessments, can be found at westchasewow.com/hoa-news. Coverage of the November CDD meeting can be found at westchasewow.com/cdd.
