WOODLAND HILLS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

APRIL 26, 2011

 

President Randy Alexander brought the meeting to order at 7:00pm.  Attending were Jim Stewart, Carol Crozman, Dick Helmstetter, Lois Lund and Ed Streibel.  The meeting was held at the Black Hawk Fire Department meeting hall.  Approximately 25 to 30 residents were in attendance.

 

After Randy called the meeting to order Ted Schultz from CETEC Engineering updated the audience with the current state of the water project.  The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has approved the placement of the project onto the 2011 State Water Facilities Plan.  This makes the project eligible to apply to DENR’s programs for funding consideration.  The estimated cost of the project will be about $1.2 million.  The next step will be to submit a formal water plan and hold a public hearing.  The project will be paid for by a 20-year loan with a 3 percent interest rate.  We might be eligible for grants or principal forgiveness from 8 to 25 percent of the cost of the loan.  If the residents approve the project and we obtain the funding we could expect to request bids in January of 2012 with the project starting later in 2012.

 

Alexis (Ali) Demersseman from the Black Hills Council of Local Governments spoke to us about her role in assisting us with preparing our application and requests for funding. 

 

Ted was asked about the water system being upgraded to handle firefighting.   The board did consider the idea but the cost of upgrading the plan from four-inch mains to six-inch mains was considered prohibitive.  Residents on Chickadee Lane asked if the system could be changed so that their water supply comes from the upper part of the system rather than the tanks near the #1 pump house.  It would result in an improvement on their water pressure, which is in the range of 20 to 25 PSI.   Ted said it’s possible but the added cost is the big drawback.

 

Ted and Ali completed their update and the agenda resumed.

 

Secretary's Report:

Jim read the minutes from the 2010 Annual Meeting.  Jim motioned to accept the minutes with a 2nd by Sharon Wilson.

 

Income Report:

           Lois presented our finances.  Losses for the past year totaled $24,000 with leak repair being the largest expense.   Water rates have been raised and the new monthly minimum is $35 and $3 per 1,000 gallons.  One resident raised a concern about the higher late fees and that his schedule keeps him out of town when payment is due.  Lois explained that if the monthly minimum is paid in advance a meter reading with the balance due could be sent in the following month with no late fee.

 

  A motion to accept the income statement was made by Dick with a 2nd by Larry Taylor.

 

Water Report:

The water system suffered an annual average loss of 49 percent in 2010.  Dick had calculated that water losses were over 3 million gallons.  

 

But there was good news.  Early in 2011 a leak on the mainline was found and fixed on Chickadee Lane and a leak on a residential service line plus a leak on the mainline were fixed on Junco Lane.  Since those repairs our water losses have been 28 and 26 percent in February and March of 2011.   The suspected leak along Woodland Drive between Chickadee and Bluebird is still active with a water loss of around 1.5 gallons per minute.  Ed noted that the DENR considers 15 percent water loss to be a near normal operating value.  

 

Larry Taylor asked if there were any reports of sand in the water supply.  That has been a problem in the past for residents along Eagle Lane.  Ed hadn’t heard of any problem and one resident on Eagle said he had no sand while another had reported some in their filter.  A few years ago with water losses near 70 percent the well was pumping so much water that sand was a factor and a sand separator was installed.  Larry said those losses and the resultant wear on the pump with sand should be a consideration in the decision to proceed with the system overhaul.

 

 The 2010 Drinking Water report was available and, again, our water is excellent.

 

Old Business: None.

          

New Business:

Beverly Hull indicated she would like to have a subdivision garage sale and a few residents expressed interest in that.  Beverly will notify Jim with details so it can be included in an upcoming newsletter and on the website. 

 

Other Business:

Tim Severson with the Woodland Hills Road District spoke briefly.  He thanks the folks who have been plowing the snow off the roads this winter.  It saved the district a tidy sum.  Among those who have been doing a nice job of plowing are Tim, Randy, Garry Colasardo and Larry Taylor.   Garry mentioned he would improve his aim and improve his mailbox takedown score.

 

A question was raised about ownership of the roads in Woodland Hills. Are they truly private and could we lessen the traffic in the subdivision?  Opinions were shared but no action plan for further action was developed, or at least the recording secretary didn’t hear of one.

 

Elections:

Jim was the chair of the nominating committee but no one expressed an interest in it.  Carol and Dick’s terms have expired and both expressed the willingness to run again.  Both of them were re-elected unopposed.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:52pm - Respectfully submitted by Jim Stewart, Recording Secretary.