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"Now is the high-tide of the year, And whatever of life hath ebbed away Comes flooding back with a ripply cheer, Into every bare inlet and creek and bay;" from The Vision of Sir Launfal by James Russell Lowell We are ascending from the depths of isolation and fear and normalcy is flooding back! The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or "CDC" announced on May 13 that vaccinated people can move about indoors or outdoors without masks or social distancing (with a few exceptions which were listed but not explained). My May President's Report said: "Vaccinated people, who are no longer at risk from the disease or capable of transmitting it, are still being advised to mask up and socially distance, depending on whose authority one chooses to consult." Although it prompted some reader objections at the time, it would appear that the CDC belatedly validates that statement. On May 10 we held a "Town Hall" style Board meeting to discuss the Board's proposal to develop our well. It was the first Board meeting in well over a year with in-person attendees and drew a sparse crowd. Considering the importance of the topic, attendance via Zoom was also thin at well below one hundred. It is not known how many watched on Channel 1960 or streamed it live. Hopefully, many more have taken the step of watching the recording or viewing the PDFs of the PowerPoint presentations and other material on the website. The Board's job was to assess a complex situation and develop a recommendation to address it. Typically, that happens as a Board activity in view of the Members. In the case of a large new investment such as the well, it appropriately requires not just the oversight of the Members, but their approval expressed in a referendum. The Town Hall was for the purpose of explaining the Board's recommendations — which significantly were unanimous — and address questions. If it went into too much detail, it would lose its audience, or if too little, it would fail to adequately inform. We were looking for the "Goldilocks" level and hopefully were close to that target. The critical message was that we have the opportunity to save $100,000 per year and preserve a critical green asset. It was never the intent of the Board to publish a large menu of choices and then assemble a proposal; that would have been chaotic and frankly a breach of the responsibility we were elected to fulfill. In short, making such recommendations is why we get the big bucks! The Board and other volunteers worked for over two years putting together the alternatives, consulting experts, weighing competing proposals and looking for ways to achieve long-term savings with the careful investment of our dollars. One of those considerations was water storage, and all proposals and all expert advice were to create a lake for that purpose. Underground storage is estimated at 10X the cost and would prolong the process by months. It was such a clear choice that it was not explained in the presentation. Unfortunately, when the subject of underground storage came up, a lot of misinformation circulated which led some residents to believe that it was a better alternative. In fact, were underground storage necessary, it would have made the project so expensive the Board would have been forced to recommend abandoning the project altogether. I urge you to vote YES for the well development if you have not already done so. The deadline for returning ballots is only a few days away! The golf course is now closed for the next several months as the work progresses. We appreciate your patience. It will be safer and even more beautiful upon completion, especially with a water feature, and will enhance the value of all homes within OHCC. The consideration of this project, the related discussion about our other natural amenities and the social isolation forced on us by the pandemic have sharpened our awareness of the opportunities around us. We can make our community even more accessible and supportive of social interaction. We look forward to receiving and exploring more ideas for enhancements to our wonderful neighborhoods. Another important announcement on May 13 was that Henry Eisenson will be stepping down from the Board. Henry and Silvy are making a second home and establishing residence in Pensacola, and the expanded responsibilities and prolonged absences make it impractical to continue his service as a Director. A decorated war hero, an accomplished inventor, a conscientious Treasurer, a holder of the mirror when you don't want to look into it and — most importantly — my friend, Henry will be greatly missed on the Board. Thank you, Henry, for your service — all of it! The Board met in executive session on April 22 to address third- party contracts. A contract was approved with Well Tec Services to perform well water quality testing and recovery capability at a cost not to exceed $23,000 to be funded from Reserves Account 3205 Landscape and Irrigation. The Board held Special Meetings on April 19, April 30 and May 7. • On the 19th we approved the designs for holes 3, 4 and 5. • On the 30th, the Board reviewed the details of the well presentation and unanimously recommended to the Members the approval of the expenditure of Capital Improvement Funds for well development. We also approved the specific ballot language for the referendum and authorized a pre-approved expenditure in excess of $10,000. • On May 7th we approved the designs for the 6th tee and the designs for holes 8, 10, 11 and 18 and reviewed conceptual designs for walking trails in multiple locations. Thank you for your interest in the affairs of your Association! The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors is June 17 and hopefully will include in-person attendance. | OHCC LIVING | JUNE 2021 | 3 President's Message By Gregory Kusiak

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