November 12, 2019

Location: 10110 Round Top Ct
Time: 7:30 – 9:30pm

Present

Chuck, Debbi, Melissa, Pam, Jim, Bruce (by phone call-in)

Approval of Minutes

October BoD Meeting Minutes were approved.
Jim offered to take Minutes, in the absence of John.

Positions on the Board

Those present or on phone for the meeting agreed in principle to offer to keep their current positions. Selection for Secretary and position/responsibility for the New Board Member Bill Berg woud be discussed at the December meeting, along with Kirk’s and Telah’s. It was announced by Chuck that Dante would be handing over his Assistant Treasurer role in 2020, replacement TBD.

New Business/Open Discussion

Annual Meeting Discussion

After a thoughtful and lengthy discussion about future HFCA AGM BOD election procedures, proxies, and eligibility of last minute nominations by proxies, it was decided to maintain the status quo.

Records Retention Discussion

tabled.

Rabbit Run

Very thorough discussion, with Melissa, Chuck and Pam agreeing that it was very useful to have engaged a professional engineer; he confirmed that indeed the wooden bridges built by the Boy Scouts years ago needed to be replaced due to wear and tear. One of the bridges has already been gifted by the BOD and delivered by Melissa and Jarrett to the parents of the Eagle Scout whose project is was, in memory of the young man who’s since passed away. Pam said she thought there is an exemption in VA rules for HOAs related to “grandfathering” of certain features of HOAs required degree of compliance with subsequent Riparian restrictions enacted after the HOAs had come into being or made certain trails and facilities in riparian areas; she suggested that such needed to be examined (possibly pp 69 ff in the regs). Melissa said anything prior to RPA (on/before 1993), an HOA needs to pay $800 per bridge application to Fairfax County Gov’t to replace them. Discussion ensued with agreement to install three signs (at both entries to the trail and at bridge #5) to read: “Danger--Trail Closed—Erosion” (based upon HFCA’s legal counsel wording), using 4x4 posts, metal anchor. We agreed also to keep having the grass cut (most of it) near Rabbit Run. Chuck reminded all of the pending meeting with Fairfax Gov’t engineers in early December to discuss Rabbit Run. It was also agreed that a survey of Rabbit Run on all of its sides would be needed in 2020 and that budget should be reserved for such, as needed.

New Website for PayPal

Jim reported that with Telah’s and Bryan’s help, we were very close to launching PayPal use via HFCA’s website, having established a business (non-profit) PayPal account and drafted wording for the website. Another week to ten days may be needed for Jim to confirm deposit of a real HFCA PayPal account’s receipt of funds from Jim and the funds transfer by Jim into SunTrust bank; when confirmed, Jim will let BOD know. Meanwhile, Kirk was drafting an article for the Newsletter and for the Assessment Announcement Post Card.

VPOAA changes

VA Codification Conversion Resolution - no discussion, as they were affirmed at the AGM. Wording needs to be incorporated into our VPOAA documents.

Rules

Fee of $146.71 for VPOAA requesters for home sales as of Jan 1, 2020 onward, per AGM affirmation. Pam suggested we check on whether it’s at final settlement that payment is made.

Standing Agenda Items

Treasurer

Jim had circulated the October 2019 Financial Review electronically about an hour prior to the BOD mtng, but also brought four hard copies to share, along with November checking and money market hard copy summaries to pass around for comparison with Financial Review balances, which all cross-checked. For the first time, Jim also incorporated checks paid through date of the BOD mtng Nov 12 to show outstanding liabilities which would show up in the November Financial Review and bank statements, so the BOD had a better idea as the year was ending of what remained in our accounts.

Common Areas

Melissa explained plans with Precision Tree to bush-hog around the Upper Commons boxwoods, clear out still dangling/growing vines from nearby trees, and to assess other possible tree work needed once the debris and vines were cleared away. She also explained Precision Tree work planned for the Lower Commons; she also noted that as available a few bales of straw would be placed where needed around the Lower Commons centrally located trees by the asphalt path/bench, so sledders would be protected from hitting them and being hurt. It was agreed by Melissa, Chuck and Bruce that they would meet within a few days to walk both Commons areas together to confirm the work planned to be done.

Social Committee

Christmas lighting competition would again happen mid-December!

ACC

Discussion ensued by Pam on RPA and ACC. She raised some new items about a shed planned to be built by a homeowner in a riparian area, which she felt was OK under the various regs. She noted a fence replacement issue, and it was decided that if no record could be found in ACC, then the owner could replace the fence provided it was exactly the same as the current one. Another applicant planned to replace an exterior door and a window.

Neighborhood Watch

Debbi said all was well! Still could benefit from some more volunteers!

At Large Issues — Kirk (Listserve Rules)

A change was approved to allow new wording about student residents’ services to be offered to HF residents to include “tutoring, computer assistance, and other odd jobs”.

At Large IssuesTelah (Planning)

Not present; tabled until December BOD Mtng. Pam commented that she hoped future planning would consider once again printing and distributing HF Directories every year or so, as appropriate, which HF used to do. She understood Melissa’s point that we are well into the digital age, while indicating this would be a service additional to (not in place of) our electronic directory, because a hard copy of a tangible Directory conveys a proud sense of community in our neighborhood.

Vice President

The BOD thanked Bruce with an ovation and hurrahs for his valiant leadership to work to amend the Deed & Declaration, including two years of effort and even door-to-door campaigns by the BOD, culminating in just over half of all homeowners agreeing to the proposed changes, but falling short by about another quarter of homeowners needed to pass the changes.

President

Chuck summarized recent Braddock District Council changes (James Walkenshaw, COS for US Rep Gerald Connelly would replace Supervisor John Cook). We agreed it would be a good idea soon in Supervisor Walkenshaw’s tenure for members of the BOD to meet with him (or invite him to our Monthly Mtng) in order to welcome him and share with him our needs and plans. Chuck mentioned a particular matter with regard to a homeowner with a tree issue that could affect others in HF. He said he planned November Newsletter the week or so before Thanksgiving and that the December 10 BOD mtng might be by phone or email (TBD later).