Four Hills Village Homeowners’ Association
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes, 2 April 2009

The meeting was called to order by Joe Zmuda, Four Hills Village Homeowners’ Association President, at 8 PM.

Board members present: Deborah Barnes-Mattie, Brad Gundlach, Ernest Christman, Bob and Diane Hajek, Roger Mickelson, Habiba Akhil, Geneiva Meeker, Roger Hartman. Board member absent: Ray Rieker, on business travel. Roger Hartman served as scribe.

  1. The minutes of the March 5, 2009 meeting were approved unanimously.
  2. The Board agreed that minutes, once approved, will be posted on our web site.
  3. By a written ballot (7 for, 1 against), Pat Hollis Zmuda was elected to fill the remaining term as Secretary. Thank you, Pat.
  4. Joe discussed insurance. There are two options. One is “D&O” (Directors and Officers), covering typical items for which the Board could be sued. The other, general liability, adds some expense and it is not clear why we need it. Joe took an action to get additional information prior to the May meeting. Last year we paid $2327 for D&O insurance. This year it will cost (one estimate) $2126 for executive protection coverage and $500 more if we add general liability. Action: next Board meeting, 7 May 2009.
  5. Planning for diverting and parking vehicles when I-40 is closed due to weather was discussed. Joe Zmuda recounted how in the major storm between Christmas and New Year’s 2006, Four Hills residents had great difficulty getting home during the initial snow because traffic was so snarled in the vicinity of Tramway and Central. Additionally, the local supermarket parking lots were filled with semi-tractor trailers, roads were jammed with semis, and traffic was generally a huge mess. In addition to being an inconvenience, there was a very real possibility that had emergency assistance been required in Four Hills, it could not have reached us in any reasonable time. This is a very complex issue because I-40 is a state road, APD has limited jurisdiction, the city does not control the information signs on I-40, the desired parking locations are public land (potentially NM state fair grounds and Balloon Fiesta Park), and all law-enforcement and governmental agencies (city, county, and state) need to cooperate to develop a solution. Joe has written to many of our elected officials asking for their support to develop a plan to preclude this happening again. The situation repeated itself, but for only a short time, due to the minor snow storm on 27 March. The history of the past year and a half has been no notable progress. Roger Hartman contacted the Smith’s store manager (Tramway and Central). These episodes, contrary to what has been reported in some local media, have a serious negative effect on retail sales, roughly reducing them by half. County Commissioner Michael Brasher and City Councilor Don Harris, both in attendance, agreed to work together to try to get this solved.
  6. Roger Hartman reported on his action to investigate the park just west of Four Hills Road on Rachel St. Roger had sent photos to the board in advance and did not bring prints to the meeting. There is no parking at this park other than on the street. There’s trash scattered on the ground and it’s a straight shot from the park to the open space along the arroyo. Most homes near the park have high block walls on their boundary with the park. Some have planted pyracantha along those walls and there’s graffiti or painted over graffiti. Roger said that we should think about how a park in our neighborhood might affect us given that we’ve been told the open space along the arroyo attracts a homeless population.
  7. Dan Christman will look into how to make it possible for selected Board members to send emails to the membership using open source software and with reasonable cyber security.
  8. The 6 June yard sale was discussed, pros and cons. The Board discussed adding an additional officer just to handle this and decided that was not a good idea. No existing Board member’s position has responsibility. There was discussion about potential liability if we hold the annual garage sale. Joe will talk to the insurance agent and Geneiva Meeker will talk to our attorney. Both will report at the May meeting.
  9. The Board agreed to spend $250 to cover expenses of the garage sale. Jan DeMay has volunteered to do the notices and maps. Pat Hollis-Zmuda has agreed to take phone calls.
  10. Deborah Barnes-Mattie presented the Treasurers report and it was unanimously accepted.
  11. Roger Mickelson covered multiple pending or recently completed actions that affect Four Hills. The Installation 21 developer has agreed to reduce the number of lots (larger lot sizes) and will re-present this to the Development Review Board, probably requiring additional time. The remaining issues are drainage and sewage, which are DRB issues. The East Gateway Coalition of Associations will meet on April 21 at 6:30 at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center.
  12. The Board agreed that the mechanism for refunding $25 to paid members will be to spread the word and have cash available for members who wish to come to the next board meeting, perhaps two meetings, and then mail checks to those who have not already received their money. Several board members offered to assist Deborah with this.
  13. Brad Gundlach thanked the Christmans for their help in getting the last issue of the Chronicle published. All ads for the next Chronicle are already sold (first come, first served).
  14. Geneiva Meeker reported on progress on getting pods removed from a front yard.
  15. Ernest Christman reported on architectural control. There were no items needing action. All submissions were one-for-one replacements of existing out-buildings.
  16. Bob Hajek reported that consideration of improvements to the bike path at the Y at the top of Four Hills Road are proceeding. The next steps will involve the City and the immediately-affected homeowners.
  17. Habiba Akhil reported that real estate sales are picking up in Four Hills!

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30