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H.H.P.O.I.A.
Board of Directors
Work Session
Minutes
December
4, 2004
December
4, 2004, President, Arnold DeSandre at 10:00 A.M, called Hickory Hills Property Owner's Improvement Association
(H.H.P.O.I.A.) Board of Director's Work Session to order.
Board
Members Arnold DeSandre, Jane Mucci, Freddie Scaggs, Gary Averitt, and Karl Holz were present.
1. Board
of Directors President Arnold DeSandre noted this would not be a regular Board Meeting and we would be dispensing
with standard formalities such as written agenda, but comments from the well-attended group of community members
would be welcome.
2. Arnold
DeSandre presented initial engineering fee schedule for Velvin & Weeks out of Athens, TX. Velvin & Weeks
are an engineering firm approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) with a less expensive
fee schedule than Freese & Nichols from Ft. Worth, TX.
3. Arnold
DeSandre said Wayne Weeks; a principal partner in Velvin & Weeks has a list of TCEQ-approved contractors in
East Texas available for the next phase of Callender Lake Dam repairs.
4. Initial
fee for Velvin & Weeks engineering drawings and geotechnical survey for the outflow flume repairs required
by TCEQ is $3,000.00 and Hickory Hill's splits this 50/50 with Callender Lake Property Owners Improvement Association
(CLPOIA).
5. Arnold
DeSandre noted a geotechnical survey is required to ensure the ground around the discharge flume will support the
large concrete structure required to control back erosion.
6. He
also noted the $3,000.00 for Velvin & Weeks includes engineering drawings sufficient to acquire bids on the
discharge flume repairs by qualified contractors, and they will take care of all TCEQ approvals for the project.
7. Arnold
DeSandre asked for a motion to approve HHPOIA spending $1,500.00 for our part in this. Karl Holz moved to approve
and Gary Averitt seconded. The motion passed without dissent.
8. Arnold
DeSandre then presented Marine Biologist Stan Smith's lake care program proposal with an initial price of $32,000.00
for the 2005 year. Copies of this proposal were distributed to all present for review. Arnold DeSandre reminded
everyone present the $32K will be split 50/50 with CLPOIA, and our recent bathhouse fire cost HHPOIA an extra $16,000.00
in 2004, which we were able to absorb. With the 10% maintenance fee increase effective in 2005, the plan is to
pay Hickory Hill's part of this professional lake maintenance program from maintenance fee collections.
9. Ron
Taliancich asked how HHPOIA would be paying our half of the roughly $35,000.00 for the discharge flume repairs.
Arnold DeSandre said the Board has initiated a preliminary investigation into borrowing using the Community's common
areas as collateral, since they've been properly listed on our financial records. He also noted the valuation posted
for the common areas is only the Van Zandt and Henderson County appraisal district's tax record amount.
10. Arnold
DeSandre made the motion and Jane Mucci seconded to approve HHPOIA paying ½ of the $32K Stan Smith proposal.
The motion passed without dissent from the Board or any Community member present. He further noted HHPOIA must
be prepared to do their part in preserving the quality of Callender Lake to show good faith with our neighbors
in CLPOIA.
11. Arnold
DeSandre then noted an initial batch of 24 new reflective street signs has been purchased for $540.00 with proceeds
from the Spaghetti Dinner. Mounting Poles and hardware were purchased from Smith Municipal Supplies, a company
out of Houston, TX on the advice of County Commissioner Ron Carroll. Cost of poles was roughly $900.00 with money
contributed by the Ladies Club ($300.00) and The Lake Committee ($500.00).
12. Bob
Lovegrove asked how the Board planned to get the poles properly installed. Arnold DeSandre said a community member
whose delinquent on their maintenance fees would be asked to help to install the signs and poles to work off their
fees at $8.50/hr.
13. Ron
Taliancich and Bob Lovegrove said large amounts of silt and mud flow into Callender Lake from the adjacent Ranch
property during hard rains, and noted the new owners now have quite a few head of cattle in addition to the large
number of horses they've brought to the property. They asked if there was any way the Board could address these
issues. A lively group discussion followed. Arnold DeSandre noted Texas law forbids us from telling folks how to
run their business on their own property, and suggested concerned HHPOIA members work on visiting with and befriending
the new owners to open channels of communication.
14. Ronnie
Young presented concerns with the proposed lowering of Callender Lake level to effect discharge flume repairs.
Arnold DeSandre said TCEQ estimates of lake level state it increases 3-4 inches for every inch of rain received
on its surrounding areas. This means the level should be lowered at least 18-20 inches below the overflow pipe
to provide a sufficient “cushion” for discharge flume repairs. He further noted these repairs would
require pumping out the discharge area basin and making certain no water flows out the discharge pipe to wash away
freshly poured concrete.
15. Following
another group discussion, Arnold DeSandre adjourned the meeting at 11:20 A.M.
Signature_______________________________________
H.H.P.O.I.A. Secretary
Dated__________________________________________
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