A Westchase resident took the floor at the regularly scheduled November WCA meeting to request that the board agree to convert Countryway tennis courts #1 and #2 into dual-use tennis/pickleball courts. He stated that while there are eight tennis courts and six pickleball courts, demand for pickleball far outweighs that for tennis, especially during peak times.
The resident brought with him a petition signed by 92 residents requesting the conversion. Board Member Terry Boyd, who also serves on the Swim & Tennis Committee, said that he would make sure that the committee carefully considers the matter. Committee chair Dan Haigy said he agreed that it was an issue that needed to be addressed.
Radcliffe Voting Member Eric Holt suggested that the board consider holding future meetings at the Swim & Tennis Center, as the current room on Parley has been filled to overflowing at several recent meetings. President Michiel Oostenbrink said the board would take the recommendation under consideration.
Boyd moved to approve Glencliff’s 2025 budget, and Board Member Rick Goldstein seconded his motion. Board Member Jack Maurer said he noted that the budget included funds for a party and asked Boyd whether the entire neighborhood supported that expense. All neighborhood residents approved the budget before it came before the board, replied Boyd. The motion passed, 7-0.
As part of his treasurer’s report, Boyd made a motion to eliminate a line item in the reserve budget for $55,600 for maintenance and replacement of the lights and poles in the Countryway parking lot. He requested that those funds be redirected, in part, to the Countryway and West Park Village bathroom renovations. The lights and poles belong to TECO, not to the association, he explained, which makes such a line item unnecessary.
Maurer and Board Member Teresa Lanzar asked why such a line item existed in the first place, and Oostenbrink asked whether Boyd was absolutely certain that the equipment belonged to TECO. Maurer also said he wanted to know why the money wouldn’t be reallocated entirely to lighting. Boyd said there were sufficient funds in the line item for any lighting needs, and the overage could be used to shore up funding for the two bathroom renovations.
Boyd then amended his motion to redirect the balance (approximately $12,310) to the parking lot resealing at the WCA Management Office. His motion passed unanimously.
Boyd moved to authorize the treasurer to invest $1,000,000 of reserve funds and $500,000 of operational funds for six months at a 4.0% interest rate. He explained that at the end of the six-month period, the board could decide whether they wanted to access the cash for any necessary projects or roll the money over into another investment. All board members voted in favor of his motion.
The discussion then moved on to the budget for the 2025 fiscal year. Boyd suggested that the board include $20,000 for consulting fees in the budget. Oostenbrink recommended that they increase that amount to $25,000 to ensure that the line item was sufficiently funded. He also said the capital contribution would be increased from $750 to $2,000. Maurer reminded Oostenbrink that the VMs had recommended increasing it to $2,500, and the board agreed. Community Manager Debbie Sainz stated that the increase would be effective on January 1.
Oostenbrink asked whether the budget included the $2,000 that the VMs had voted on to record upcoming meetings. Lanzar moved to add $2,000 to the budget, and her motion passed 6-1. Goldstein voted against it.
Facilities Manager Dwight Kilgore requested that the board allocate money in the budget for recreation management software. He said he had several quotes ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 per year, and that such a purchase would assist staff from a liability perspective.
Lanzar expressed concern that those quotes were high, and Board Member Nancy Sells said the issue should have been raised at the budget workshop. Maurer told Kilgore that he would have the Swim & Tennis Committee look into the matter. Sainz pointed out that a $20,000 line item already exists for a contingency fund under future improvements; that amount could be used to fund the software if the board opted to do so later in the year.
Boyd moved to approve the 2025 budget, which included an annual assessment of $421. Lanzar seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The 2024 annual assessment was $364, which means it increased by $57.
Boyd then made a motion to renew the terms of three Covenants Committee members for two years. The board unanimously approved the term renewals for Mary Griffin, Karen Diaz, and Ken Cellupica.
GAC Chair Goldstein said that the discussions between the WCA and the fire marshal regarding parking limitations in West Park Village were at an impasse. The county’s public works department insists that both signs and striping are necessary, while residents want striping only, he explained. The GAC is awaiting a definitive decision from the fire marshal, Goldstein added. If the fire marshal determines that both signage and striping are required, the GAC wants to know where such a rule is written, he stated. The fire marshal ruled a little over a year ago that both are necessary, interjected Holt.
Sidewalks in Bennington and Glenfield are slated to be repaired next, Goldstein shared. Barry Anderson, VM for The Shires, asked who made that decision. Goldstein told him that the public works department had. The CDD said that The Shires was the top priority, but the neighborhood has been overlooked twice by the county, Anderson responded.
Haigy then took the floor to deliver the Swim & Tennis Committee’s report. He reminded the board that they had looked into the possibility of signing a contract with a company called Future Energy Solutions to replace and maintain all the lights at both facilities. After further research, the committee determined that the WCA would save approximately $10,000 per year by doing it themselves. Maurer moved to allow the committee to get quotes for the lighting, and all board members voted in favor of it.
Maurer, who serves as the head of the Renovations Committee, moved to approve a proposal from Bingham Architecture to provide various services that were still to be determined. Boyd questioned whether retaining an architectural firm was premature, and Maurer withdrew his motion.
Sainz said she has started amending her manager’s report to reflect the requirements outlined in the RFP, and stated that the association is currently under budget for the year. Oostenbrink then provided an update on the repairs to the West Park Village pool. The process has been plagued by missteps contrary to what was set out in the signed contract, and the board has been trying to decide how best to proceed, he explained.
Oostenbrink mentioned that the board wanted to select a liaison to work with Greenacre Properties and ensure that the company is meeting the requirements set out in the RFP. He asked Lanzar whether she would be willing to serve in this capacity, and she agreed. Goldstein moved to officially nominate her for the role, and his motion passed unanimously.
Former WCA President Shawn Yesner wrote a resolution to create a document review committee whose purpose would be to go over the community’s guidelines and INSGs to make sure they’re not in conflict with each other, stated Oostenbrink. The association’s legal counsel reviewed and approved the resolution, he continued. Goldstein moved to accept the proposal, specifying that there should be five members of the committee. All seven board members voted in favor of it. Anyone who is interested in serving on the committee should submit a brief biography to Sainz.
Oostenbrink said the board needed to determine whether to increase Pipeline Swimming’s 2025 monthly contract fee from the current $1,127. Kilgore told the board that he had prepared a pool rental fee document that equitably charges approved vendors based upon how many hours and lanes they use, but the fees were based upon this year’s assessment.
Sainz updated the numbers to reflect the 2025 assessment, and reminded the board that the current contract enables Pipeline to use the pool Monday through Thursday from 3 to 7 pm and Saturday from 7 to 11 am. They are guaranteed five lanes, and may expand if other lanes are empty, added Kilgore.
Lanzar suggested charging Pipeline according to Kilgore’s contract rates, and Holt opined that too much flexibility has been built into their contract. Hiring Pipeline removed a huge burden from the board, and the company is now an asset to the WCA, countered Sells. Boyd moved to charge Pipeline $1,300 per month, and his motion passed unanimously.
Oostenbrink asked his fellow board members whether they wanted to use the association’s emergency powers to temporarily relax some of the community’s lease restrictions. Residents whose homes were negatively impacted by the recent hurricanes could be permitted to sign shorter leases than are typically permitted, he continued. The proposed changes could be part of the WCA’s emergency plan, he added. The board agreed to consider Oostenbrink’s proposal.
