Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1187876
| OHCC LIVING | DECEMBER 2019 | 3 President's Message By Angela Takemato Hello neighbors, I hope everyone has enjoyed the kickoff to our holiday season with a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'd like to apologize to those impacted on Veteran's Day because of a new procedure at the Front Gate. The community patrol officers were misinterpreting a rule in our handbook resulting in inconvenience and confusion. We have clarified the process to be followed, and this will not recur. I want to inform you that the Board met in Executive Session three times in the past month. On Oct. 21, we met to discuss third party contracts. No action was taken at that meeting. On Oct. 28 we met again, to discuss third party contracts and legal matters. At that meeting the Board finalized their review of the three bids received regarding the Clubhouse interior design work, and selected Black Diamond Service Contractors(BDS) to complete the work. The proposal accepted was for a total of $252,625, funded from Reserves. We are now in the process of completing a contract with BDS, and will be developing a detailed timeline for the work. It is estimated that the work will take four to five months, beginning in January of next year. Bear in mind there will be restricted access to parts of the Clubhouse during construction, and some events and meetings may have to be rescheduled. Once we have the timeline, we will share it with you so you can plan accordingly. And we have asked the Design Committee to prepare a brief presentation for the December Board Meeting, to describe the changes planned and to review the plans for accessing the Clubhouse while the construction is going on. Then on Nov. 18, the Board met for our regular monthly Executive session. Topics discussed were third party contracts, delinquency review, executive Committee reports, personnel matters, legal advice, member disciplinary items and approval of minutes of prior executive sessions. Several contracts were approved at that session. We approved extension of the agreement with Johnson Interiors, to store the new furniture and furnishings pending completion of our Clubhouse refresh. The furniture has been delivered and is in storage and we will pay Johnson Interiors $360 per month until the project is complete, and the furniture delivered. This is payable from Reserves. We approved two contracts related to our annual tree work: First the proposal from O'Connell Landscape Management to perform pruning or removal on 494 trees, for an amount not to exceed $52,940, funded from Landscape Operations. Second, we approved the proposal from Atlas Environmental Services for the Arborist to supervise and provide oversight as the work is progressing. The Arborist will notify us when the work has been completed satisfactorily. This is in an amount not to exceed $5,928. Payable from Landscape Operations. Next, given the complexity and time-sensitive nature of the Clubhouse renovation project, the Board approved formation of an Executive Committee to interface between OHCC and BDS, as well as Carpeteria, to finalize the contracts, and to bring final contract language back to the Board for full Board approval. The Committee is also given the authority to approve Change Orders as the project progresses. The approval limits are $5,000 per Change Order, with an aggregate total of $25,000. The members of this Committee are Jerry Gorman, Don Lopez and me. Now a situation which could have been difficult has been resolved. Super Shuttle has been providing our weekly bus service for many years, and we were in negotiation with them to renew our contract, when they informed us that they were no longer offering transportation of this nature! Staff researched other operators, and obtained a bid from a local company called No Vacancy Transportation. We approved their proposal to offer the same service as we have been receiving from Super Shuttle, for an amount not to exceed $47,700 annually, paid from Operating funds. Now we will proceed to finalize a contract, and the new service will be in effect as of Jan. 1. Finally, we approved a proposal from Hoagland and Sons to perform the work to install the concrete bases for the new crossing beacons at the crosswalk at The Park. This is in an amount not to exceed $11,000, funded from Reserves. During the Regular Open Board meeting on Nov. 21, the Board approved, at first reading, some rules changes. The text of the proposed rules will be sent to all homeowners for the legally required review and comment period, and we will review comments and hopefully finalize the rules changes at our January meeting. The two areas addressed are a new rule describing a Code of Ethics and Conduct for Board members, and some changes to our existing Election Rules. The changes to the Election rules are a result of legislation recently approved in California, which imposes new timelines and certain other requirements on HOA Boards as they conduct Elections. Bear in mind, none of these changes in the Election rules are at this Board's request, they are all intended to allow us to comply with the new law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. So, here we are in December. I wish joy to all, in celebrating your own personal holidays!