Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1473623
8 | THE COLONY NEWS | AUGUST 2022 | BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: JUNE 16, 2022 Highlights as presented are a condensed preliminary draft until, after review and approval by the Board at the next meeting, the minutes become official. Changes may occur. A complete copy is available in the HOA Office. Introduction of the 2022 Board Candidates: President Bowman introduced the following 2022 Board Candidates: Thomas L. Brackin, Chuck Gordon, Del Mitchum, Gregg Ross, Kathy C. Stevens, and Pam Vliss. Board Candidate Amy Horlock informed the membership that she will be stepping down from being a candidate due her hearing medical concern, but is hopeful to run again in the future. Communications: Director Deacon informed the membership that there are 3 ways to obtain official communications in the Colony: 1) The Colony News; 2) U.S. Mail; and 3) eBlasts. HOA law permits a resident to pay a fee to receive a membership listing of all the Colony homeowners, including name, address and email only. It is legal for a member to send a letter to someone in the Colony that is not official correspondence from The Colony. This applies to emails as well. Legal Costs: Director Deacon also informed the Membership that the Board understands that many homeowners have questions and concerns about the legal actions by a small group of residents. Many of those questions are "What is this costing me?" These legal actions are against the Association, which is all of us, including the Board. The Board is directly named. This means the costs are being paid by the residents as a part of our monthly assessments for both attorney fees and increased insurance costs. Privacy laws forbid the Board from disclosing the names and the amount of legal costs attributed to each resident. Our Budget includes three General Ledger codes for Attorney Fees: 1) Liens and Foreclosures; 2) General Legal Expenses – routine legal questions and/or threatened legal actions by residents as well as the pandemic; and 3) Lawsuits and Other Legal Actions. Legal costs from the Majestic lawsuits are the largest part of this number. To date, those costs have been paid out of the Golf Course Settlement Funds, which is a result of a lawsuit we won against Majestic a few years ago. That fund is now depleted. The costs associated with a small group of residents who repeatedly attempt to file legal action against The Colony, which includes the residents and the Board, have impacted our current dues increase. The group has requested an injunction to prevent the purchase of the golf course, which the court has denied twice. They now have a motion on file for reconsideration of the attempted lawsuit. The lawsuit General Ledger code was $121,000 over budget. This came out of The Colony Golf Course Settlement Fund, which is now depleted. Although a majority of those costs were for the Majestic lawsuit, the current legal residents' actions have impacted our current $15 dues increase and the costs going forward that will be paid from the General Fund. Please note that depending on the claims made in a lawsuit, the Association might ultimately have some insurance coverage for defense of the lawsuit against the Association. Golf Course Updates: Vice President Dalfonso reported that when the Receiver took over managing the course, the golf carts were in bad condition. Therefore, the Receiver rented 19 new golf carts. The Receiver encouraged residents to use their own carts by removing the trail fee. Members can still use their own golf carts and receive this discount. The golf course is now anticipating receipt of 50 new carts in June 2022. The Association has a PGA Professional working with the golf course to improve greens, which are already showing great improvement. New golf course signage off Jackson Avenue and a mural have been donated to improve the golf course marketability. The PGA Pro is also working on a driving range partnership. The good news is that two junior leagues will start playing the course in July, which encourages parents to rent golf carts and will help increase golf course revenue. The Men's Golf Club Pancake Breakfast allowed the club to present four scholarships to high school students. The club held a tournament with the high school students and banquet afterward. The golf course is looking at holding new tournaments in the near future, such as a couples 9-hole, and social reception afterward. A Colony restaurant professional is currently assisting the golf course explore food and beverage opportunities that can be implemented right now and going forward if we are able to acquire the course. Of the 2,000 golf course vouchers the Board purchased, 120 have been used. When they are used, their email address is captured. The golf course is creating a digital marketing campaign through email, Facebook and the internet to market play at the course. Sports Court Rule: Approval has been tabled for better clarification. Proposed Rule Change to 5.5.5. & 5.5.6 Holiday Lighting and Decorations: Tabled for better clarification. Proposed Tennis Practice Backboard Rule: The proposed tennis practice backboard rule was presented as follows for 30-Day Member comment: Rules and Regulations, Article 3 Sports Court Rules, 3.4 Tennis Backboard Rule: 1. Tennis players intending to use the tennis court for single or double play have priority over individuals using the court for practice on the backboard. 2. A player using the backboard must vacate the court after a maximum of 15 minutes of practice if anyone is waiting to use the court. 3. A person wishing to use the backboard may not reserve the court. Only tennis players planning to play tennis, singles or doubles may reserve the course.