Wednesday, November 13th, 2019

The November meeting was held at the Firehouse. In attendance were Trustees John Ott, Steve Whitelande, Harvey Paparo, Joey Carlson and Tim Vogel. Present for the ACA presentation for the Wolk home was Architect Matt Armentrout and owner Adas Wolk. Also present were Manager Keith Edquist and Bookkeeper Kim Clinco.

Meeting topics: Review of October financials; ACA final review of Wolk proposed home; Dan Harris was present to discuss metering and meter types, excavators. Trash and recycle services update, snow removal contractor named. Poll regarding short term rentals (less than 4 months) to be mailed to owners; decision to forgo a December meeting.

Approval of Minutes

The Board approved the minutes of the October 9, 2019 meeting. These will be posted to the website.

Public Comment

None

Financials

Kim Clincoprovided balance sheet and profit and loss statements as of October 31. The balance sheet showed total assets as $777,513 of which $722,113 were reserves and the operating fund balance $55,399. Income through the 31st was at 47 percent of the budget and total expense through September was 28 percent. There have been no expenses charged to the reserves to this point in the year. The aging report showed two owners over 60 days late with last quarter’s assessments. Notice of Default letters will be sent to these owners.

ACA updates

the Trustees reviewed final plans, including a landscape plan, for the Wolk residence to be constructed on the vacant lot 36, Block 1 on Little Elk Creek Avenue. 24 by 36 plans were submitted showing no change in elevations, but some minor changes to the siding proposed. Colors will not change. Mr. Wolk had acknowledgement on the plans from 4 of 6 adjacent owners either by signed plans or emails copied to management. There followed a motion to approve the plans as submitted with the provision that owner Wolk provide management with email or written confirmation of acknowledgement by the final 2 neighbors. Edquist accepted the $3000 construction deposit check #1015 and gave this to bookkeeper Clinco for deposit. Mr. Wolk was reminded of the $1500 water tap fee which will be due when the system is accessed. Also needed is the contact information for the general contractor. Management will forward a letter regarding this review and next steps required of the Wolk’s as construction progresses. Adas stayed for a good portion of the ensuing meeting agenda to hear the Trustee’s discussion of water metering.

Water System

Dan Harris reported two significant leaks as located and repaired taking daily water use down from 50 thousand gallons per day down to a more normal 11 to 14 thousand gallon per day winter use figure. These fixes relieved a great deal of pressure on the pumps, filters and overall system; both were on old service lines or house interior plumbing.

Harris then provided background information regarding meter pits, read outs from same and further inquiries into the type and placement of such equipment on the water system. He spoke regarding two types of meters in use by other local private water systems, one of which would be read by radio, the second of which would be internet connected and could be read in real time. The radio meters were more expensive than those read via the internet by $150‐$900 per meter depending on the service line size (range from $383 to $1500).

Dan said he would be traveling to both neighborhoods to investigate the on the ground issues/benefits/deficits for each meter type. He reported a need for 81 meters, between the 77 Little Elk lots, and those of off site water users of the system (Miller, Weissner, Polsky residences). Each meter will require a meter pit, and Harris reported on concrete and fiberglass meter pits of various sizes he is still investigating.

Further to the topic, Dan had contacted two excavators regarding per pit costs for excavation and was seeking a third bid. At present the cost is $2700‐$3800 per dig, to which the expense the cost of meters would need to be added. If a single meter pit/installation per day is contemplated, the project will occupy a significant amount of time. Mr. Harris asked the Board to consider the costs and determine how much might be expensed to the reserve fund. Funding for the metering project is yet to be decided upon, but it is clear the expense over 81 excavations and attendant unforeseen expenses will be considerable.

Dan also reported on a less expensive alternative, which while it will not be as specific or rapid in locating system leaks, could still greatly assist in the process. This involved metering of the street valves, which would allow localization of leaks on the system to specific smaller sections. He estimated these costs (for 4 meters) to be near $31,000, and said he is not opposed to the metering project in this form, and subsequently adding individual meters/meter pits on residence service lines to get a real time handle on water use. Ultimately, Little Elk has to get control of water use before the state mandates such controls or enforces use limitations per the association’s existing water decrees/allowances.

Last, a second water tank was discussed as the existing tank will in some few years need to be stripped of its interior coating and repainted. Dan said a 20 thousand gallon tank is available from Grand Junction Pipe for $30,000. He said there is room on the tank site for an additional tank of this size. There was then a brief discussion of a committee to administer the water system in this more complicated metered iteration, and/or of a special district to administer water use and equipment, funding for which could therefore come from taxes on subdivision property instead of from assessments. No decisions were made in regard to these discussions. An informal poll of the directors revealed that in‐home meters were favored by two Trustees, and meter pits by three Trustees at this date.

Updates

Manager Edquist reported on snow plow contractors and the Board determined to engage Good Earth Landscaping for the work this year. Edquist inquired about the use of "Survey Monkey" for the short term rental poll of owners and was directed to have the survey mailed, with stamped return envelopes to encourage participation. He reported receiving the current trash and recycling contract with Waste Management and said he would be in contact with them in regard to the specifics. It is clear from Tuesday site visits that owners are not all similarly equipped with trash totes and recycle bins. Many totes are not bear resistant, and should be.

New Business

none

Unfinished Business

none of the agenda items continued from the October meeting were discussed. The Board determined not to meet in December. The next Trustee’s meeting will be held the second Wednesday of January 2020.