April HOA Newsletter

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Greetings, Grand Lake HOA Residents!

We hope this newsletter finds you well. We have some important updates and information to share with you regarding the happenings in our community. Please take a moment to read through the following articles for important updates and news.

Book Club: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Date: Apr 24 2023 Time: 7:00 pm

Join us for our next Book Club meeting! Bring a snack or drink to share if you wish!

“Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.” So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping story and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.

Report Comparing HOAs in Our Area

Are you curious about how our HOA compares to other HOAs in our area? We have conducted a comprehensive cost-to-value report to provide insights into the financials and amenities offered by HOAs in our region. You can find the report here. It’s a great resource to help you understand the value and benefits of being a part of our community.

Proposed Amendments to the HOA CC&R

As a community, it’s important to review and update our governing documents periodically to ensure they align with the evolving needs of our residents. We have proposed some amendments to the HOA’s Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R) to address various concerns and improve the overall functioning of our community. You can review the proposed amendments and vote on them at this link: [https://www.grandlakehoa.com/2023-proposed-covenant-amendments/]. We encourage you to review the proposed changes and provide your feedback during the upcoming community meeting on April 17th to help shape the future of our community.

New Outbuilding Guidelines

We have recently updated our guidelines for outbuildings in our community to ensure safety, aesthetics, and compliance with local regulations. If you are planning to build or modify an outbuilding on your property, please review the new guidelines at this link: [https://www.grandlakehoa.com/outbuilding-guidelines/]. These guidelines will help you understand the requirements and process for obtaining approval from the HOA Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before proceeding with your project.

Enhanced Camera System for Clubhouse and Pool Area

The safety and security of our residents and community amenities are of utmost importance to us. That’s why we are thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to our camera system at the clubhouse and pool area to ensure enhanced surveillance and monitoring capabilities.

The new camera system comes with advanced features, including high-definition resolution, improved low light performance, and enhanced audio capabilities. This means that even in challenging lighting conditions, the cameras will capture clear and detailed video footage, allowing us to better identify and address any potential safety concerns or incidents.

This upgrade is part of our ongoing commitment to continuously improve our community’s safety measures and ensure that our amenities, including the clubhouse and pool area, remain safe and enjoyable for everyone. We believe that this enhanced camera system will serve as a valuable tool in deterring and preventing any potential security incidents, and in case of any untoward incidents, it will aid in identifying and addressing them promptly.

Pool Season Reminders

This year the Pool will open on Saturday May 13th. Samuel Hilson will be at the clubhouse most of the opening day to help provision key fobs and help any residents with key fob issues.

During pool season the board would like to remind all residents to be familiar with the pool rules and to treat each other kindly while at the pool.

Pool Hours are:

Sunday – Thursday – to 10 pm
Friday – Saturday – to 11 pm

Pool Rules

  • Swim at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty.
  • Keep gates closed and locked at all times. Do not prop open.
  • No running, horseplay, or foul language.
  • No Diving
  • No Smoking or Alcohol in the pool area.
  • Swim Diapers are required for infants and toddlers.
  • Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • No pets are allowed in the pool area for any reason.
  • No glass containers or bottles are allowed on the pool deck.
  • All members are responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Any items left at the pool may be discarded by the HOA.
  • Proper swimming attire is required at all times.
  • No more than 4 guests per member without prior approval from the pool committee. All guests must be accompanied by a Grand Lake Homeowner.
  • Additional Guidelines:
  • You must have your key fob to enter the pool.
  • If you are the last one to leave the pool, please make sure the gate is closed.
  • Observe all pool rules posted at the pool. We have no lifeguard on duty. Swim at your own risk. There is a first aid kit in the women’s restroom, as well as a fire extinguisher.

Arc Compliance

As a reminder to the community, it is essential to submit a proper ARC Request for any Improvements or changes to your property. Adding a Fence to your property also requires an ARC request. Additionally, the community guidelines detail the allowed stain colors for fences. Residents can find the Fencing Guidelines listed on our Residents page. Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.  Residents should also remember to read the Grand Lake covenants concerning street parking.
Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.

HOA Board Meeting

Our Neighborhood HOA board meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. These meetings are open to all homeowners who wish to attend.

To help make sure that all discussion topics are covered, the board asks if you are attending for a specific issue for discussion that you email communication@grandlakehoa.com with a brief description/explanation at least 24 hours before the board meeting so the agenda can be updated and the board can provide time for you to speak about any concerns or issues you are having.

2023 Board Members:

Teddy Schell (President)
Tim Horning (Vice President)
Ela Perry (Treasurer)
John Maginot (Secretary)
Sam Hilson (Communication)

HOA Cost-to-Value Report

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HOA Cost-to-Value Report

Report on Similar HOAs

HOAAmenitesHousesDues/yrOperating Budget
Riverside Landing HOAClubhouse, CH Rental, Pool. Pond201$400.00$80,400.00
Hermitage HOAClubhouse, CH Rental, Pool161$425.00$68,425.00
Hampton Ridge HOAClubhouse, CH Rental, Pool, Pond335$450.00$150,750.00
Dairy HOAPool, Clubhouse rental, Common Area Maintenance253$500.00$126,500.00
The Bridges HOAClubhouse, CH Rental, Pool104$480.00$49,920.00
Grand Lake HOAPool, Clubhouse rental, Playground, A large community Lake, and Common area maintenance169

$500.00

$84,500.00

Foxfield HOAClubhouse, CH Rental, Pool135$750.00$101,250.00
Aldrige HOATwo Large Lakes, Comman Area Maintenance, Greenway Access107$900.00$96,300.00
Sumerset Lake HOALarger Lake, direct greenway access, Common Area Maintenance70$1,400.00$98,000.00
Woodmill Trace HOAClubhouse, Gym, Pool, Comman Area Maintenance132$1,560.00$205,920.00

Analysis & Findings

The board was able to gather data about similar HOAs to Grand Lakes through Elite. We did find that several HOAs had lower dues than us. Some have the same or lower dues but have more members resulting in a much higher operating budget. Raising our rates to $650 will have us closer to the higher range of dues on the list. However, we questioned Elite about the HOAs that had very low dues or operating budgets and they said that a significant difference for those HOAs is that they do not have debt that was turned over to them by their builders. Additionally, Hermitage HOA, which is the most similar to our community, will be raising their dues this year to $650 because they had to do a major renovation to their clubhouse and it used all their reserves and left them with 20,000 in debt. 

Based on this report and that information the board still believes that moving forward with increasing our dues to cover our significant debt is the correct course of action. 

Meeting Minutes – 20 March 2023

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Role Call

  • Board (all present)
    • President: Schell (Virtual)
    • VP: Hornung
    • Treasurer: Perry
    • Communications: Hilson
    • Secretary: Maginot
  • Committee Members
    • Social: Cobbs
  • Residents: None

Redstone Federal Credit Union Denying Deposits Due to Incorrect Recipient Name

  •  If any residents are making checks payable to “Elite Housing” instead of Grand Lake
  • HOA” the checks are being kicked back. All checks must be made payable to Grand
  • Lake HOA, not elite housing management.
  •  Either we can return checks to homeowners requesting they write the correct name, or
  • request homeowners enroll in autopay.
  •  Signature Cards: we need to update signature cards; this will require all signature card
  • holders to be present at the same time (3 people, president, treasurer and
  • representative from Elite)
  •  Discussing movement of HOA account to another location: Synovus on Whitesburg. Will
  • explore the possibility of changing accounts to Synovus bank.
  •  Closing this out, we need to assess the scope of this problem. How many people need
  • to switch the name they are writing checks out to; is it worth the effort to change the
  • entire financial institution for the HOA due to other effects, changing internet and utilities,
  • changing autopay/billpay for people who bank through Redstone FCU.
  •  Will revisit in next HOA meeting.

Discuss/Revise Outbuilding Guidelines and Adopt: 

  • https://www.grandlakehoa.com/outbuilding-guidelines/
  • Will begin maintaining a clearer definition of outbuilding requirements for garden boxes,
  • cabinets, other storage solutions for public knowledge in the neighborhood.
  • Clause limiting the size and number of these storage solutions will need to be added.
  • The board approved the introduction of Outbuilding guidelines pending the improvement of the requirements and review by ARC.
  • Increase in guideline pages for other difficult to understand sections of the HOA
  • covenant ie: Fence construction.

Pool Opening Date: May 13, 2023

Bathroom to Pool Door Repair

  • Quote for replacing the door through “Access Control”
  • All would prefer to use another vendor, will request another service quote from Elite
  • Housing: seek contractor to replace door, Sam Hilson will likely re-install electronic lock system.

Discuss finding on other HOAs: 

  • HOA Value to Cost
  • GL HOA dues aren’t unreasonable; the thing that sets our HOA aside is that we have significant debt to overcome.
  • Moving forward with the vote to raise annual fees to address budget shortfalls
  • Agreed to use proposed raise to $650/house/year
  • Discussion around revisions to CC&R and By-Laws
  • 120 clause: change to requiring a ¾ vote to raise budget unless over 120% change in value
  •  In-Absentia vote: If you have been notified 30 days in advance but elect not to vote, the
  • board may vote in your stead.

Tree Removal

  • VP volunteered to conduct tree removal.

Financial Update

  • February
    • Net Cash $-335
    • Check: $16181.88
    • Money Market: $33K

Resident Time as Needed: No residents in attendance
Committee Updates

  • Social
    • Easter Egg Hunt April 8th Easter egg hunt 8APR, in search of donations to secure the event. Event will have two age groups, executed at the same time.

Any Additional Board Business

  • Camera Equipment has been ordered; Hilson plans to install.

2023 Proposed Covenant Amendments

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2023 Covenant Amendments

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Voting Summary

In total 88 submission
Proposed Amendments to the Covenant
In order to for the HOA to continue to function the board has identified these amendments that we propose for the Association to adopt.

Proposal to Increase the current annual association fee

 

Whereas, the Board of Directors has determined that an increase in the annual assessment fee is necessary to cover the increased costs of operation, incurred debts, and replenishment of the emergency reserves;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the annual assessment fee for each Lot shall be increased from Five Hundred Dollars ($500) to Six Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($650) effective on June 1st and will be prorated for the current Fiscal year.

The Board of Directors shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the increase is implemented and that all members are notified of the new fee schedule in a timely manner.

 

Reason: The Board is currently not able to balance the budget to satisfy the Association's debts, cover the increased cost of operation, and meet the covenant requirement to place a portion of the Association's dues in reserve. If the Board is not able to increase the dues we will be unable to satisfy the debts without closing the pool and suspending the maintenance of common areas. 

85 submissions

Amendment Proposed for Article IV: Assessments

The following language in Section 2 that defines the Annual Assessment amount will be removed:

Assessments shall be four Hundred Fifty Dollars ($450.00) per year if paid in annual installments; Two
hundred twenty five ($225.00), payable every six months if paid semi annually; and one hundred twelve
dollars and fifty cents ($112.50) payable every three months, if paid quarterly.

 

Section 3: Computation will be replaced by Section 3: Budget and Computation which will read as follows:

The Board of Directors shall present to the Association a proposed budget covering the estimated costs of operating the Association for the upcoming year, which shall allocate at least 10% of the annual assessment to a capital contribution or reserve. The annual Association fees shall be based on the proposed budget. The proposed budget shall be delivered to each member at least 30 days prior to the end of the current fiscal year. If the resulting fees do not exceed 120% of the previous year's fees, the proposed budget and the assessment shall become effective unless disapproved at the annual meeting by a Majority of the total Association vote. If the resulting fees exceed 120% of the previous year's fees, the proposed budget must be approved by a Majority vote of the Association instead. If the proposed budget is not approved, the Board of Directors shall continue to operate using the previously approved annual budget until a new budget is approved by the Association.

 

Reason: Having the dues amount in the covenant document requires a very stringent vote to make any adjustments to the dues. The proposed amendment will allow the amount of the association dues to be based on the budget that is presented to the community. This means the dues can go up or down depending on the financial needs of the association. This does not mean that the board can just set the dues to any amount, the dues have to be based on a public budget that is presented to the association for approval. The requirements for approving the budget are slightly more lenient and will allow the budget to be approved by Quorum. It also has a clause to limit increases in any year to 120% of the previous year's dues without a full 3/4 vote. 

86 submissions

Amendment Proposed for Article III: Association Membership and Voting Rights

The following section will be added to Article III

Section 3. Voting in Absentia. Members shall be notified of any vote at least thirty (30) days prior to the closing of the vote. The Board of Directors shall announce the results of the vote publicly. Members who do not exercise their vote by the closing of the vote shall be deemed to have authorized the Board of Directors to cast their vote on their behalf. The Board of Directors shall exercise its discretion in the best interests of the Association, and its decision shall be final and binding on the member. The Board of Directors shall not be responsible for any failure by a member to receive notification of a vote.

 

Reason: The board has discussed what to do in the absence of participation from the Association. Recent votes have shown that a portion of the Association does not feel the need to perform the basic civic duties of making their voices heard on any vote. The current voting system is based on an assumed no vote. Meaning that any household that does not vote is counted as a no when the vote closes. However, we feel that this unduly punishes members who are actively participating in the work of the board to maintain our property value and that all members should have to express through a vote if they are against a proposal brought to the Association. This amendment will allow the board to choose to vote for any member who chooses to abstain from a vote on any proposal. 

88 submissions

Meeting Minutes – Monday, February 20th

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  • Call to Order: Teddy Schell 6:36
  • Role Call
    • Board
      • Teddy Schell (Virtual)
      • Ela Perry
      • Sam Hilson
      • Jon Maginot
    • Committee
      • Frances Cobb
      • Toni Bridges
      • Mark
    • Residents
      • 2
  • Collection and Tally of Votes
    • Received 40 votes, and Board is in favor of accepting that as a quorum
    • One write-in for Ben Shapiro
  • Welcome new Board members
    • Welcomed Jon Maginot
    • Welcomed back Ela Perry
    • Tim Horning was not present
  • Present the Annual Budget
    • See Attached Budget document
    • Compared 2022 actual spending to the budget
      • Budgeted $86,200 but spent $90757.47
    • The 2023 budget requires a special assessment to balance and cover the Lake Loan.
  • Discuss the increase in Fees for the clubhouse
    • From $150 to $200 with a $100 refundable depository
      • The board approved this action
      • Anything currently reserved will use the current fees. 
      • Inform Elite of the new fee structure (Sam)
  • Discuss the status of Lake Renovation
    • Rain has slowed the process
    • Work is continuing
  • Discuss the status of the Special Assessment
    • Should we continue seeking the last votes we need for an assessment to cover lake repairs?
      • 84 of the 127 needed
      • This only deals with the lake problem and not our budget issues.
    • Should we start a new vote to cover the loan expenses for this year?
      • This would require a special assessment of $120 for the next 5 years to cover the Loan and interest.
    • Should we raise rates?
      • Rates could be raised by $150
        • This will pay off the loan in 2 years and save on the interest
        • This will cover the Lake Repair loan and allow the board to begin paying some extra on the $200k loan that we owe.
        • The board selected this as the best option
        • This requires a community Vote
        • We will require residents to vote before activating pool keys
    • Should we shut down services if we can’t afford operation expenses or raise rates?
      • Pool
      • Clubhouse
      • Lawn Services for common areas
  • Resident Time as Needed
    • No Resident Business was required
  • Committee Updates
    • Landscaping
    • Arc
    • Social
    • Pool
    • Clubhouse
    • Playground
  • Any Additional Board Business
    • Assigning Roles for new board members
      • President – Teddy Schell
      • VP – Tim Horning
      • Treasurer – Ela Perry
      • Communication – Sam Hilson
      • Secretary – Jon Maginot
  • Adjourn: 7:47

February HOA Newsletter

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Board Elections Results

Thank you for voting in this year’s Board Election. We received 40 votes for John Maginot, Tim Horning, and Ela Perry and the board accepted this as a quorum as per our By-Laws. Tim Horning will be taking up the role of Vice President, John Maginot will fill the role of Secretary and Ela Perry will be continuing in her role as our Treasurer. Please make sure they feel welcome and maybe thank them for the service they will be providing.

Clubhouse Rental Fee Increase

The board has voted to raise the rental fee for the clubhouse by $50 per rental. This brings the total rental cost to $200, with $100 of that serving as the standard damage deposit that is returned to you after your event is complete and the clubhouse is inspected. The rate increase is necessary to offset the rising operational costs of the clubhouse, as utilities have seen a marked increase over the past year.

Despite the increase, we believe that $100 is still a reasonable price to rent the clubhouse for an entire day. To provide some perspective, renting a single party room for just two hours at the Stovehouse costs $300.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to maintain the clubhouse and keep it affordable for our members. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the board.

HOA Dues Increase

The Homeowners Association’s 2023 budget is expected to have a significant shortfall of $9700 due to the ongoing loan payment for lake repairs. This shortfall will continue for the next five years as we repay the loan. To address this issue, the minimum that the Board can do is seek a special assessment of $60 per year for the next five years. However, this alone will not cover the increased operational costs of the HOA, and without additional funding, the Board will struggle to balance the annual HOA budget.

To avoid having to come back to the community again next year for an additional increase, the Board is proposing a $150 increase to the association fees, This will enable the Board to pay off the lake renovation loan within two years and prepare for the balloon note that comes due in 2025 for the $200k in existing debt owed by the Association. The proposed increase will result in an additional $38 per quarter, making the total quarterly assessment cost $163 and totaling $650 yearly.

The first $100 of the increase will be earmarked for debt reduction until both loans are paid in full, and the remaining $50 will be used to rebuild the depleted saving reserves of the association that have been used to continue operating at a loss for the last few years.

To help members understand why this dues increase is needed and be informed, a survey of other associations in the area is being conducted to compare the value of our amenities and the cost of our HOA fees to similar HOAs in the area. The report will be shared alongside the request to vote for the dues increase. The 2023 budget is also included below to show how the board is utilizing the current dues.

The Board is actively taking steps to ensure the HOA’s long-term financial stability by addressing the budget deficit and paying off existing debt. The Board is also reviewing the CC&R and By-Laws to ensure that the due increase process is followed correctly. The proposed increase will need to be voted on by the association members however, If the dues increase is not approved, the Board will have to make difficult decisions, including shutting down amenities and services like the pool, clubhouse, and lawn care, to cover the cost of the association’s debt. Therefore, the Board urges association members to support this increase to ensure the continued operation of the HOA’s services and amenities.

2023 HOA Budget

INCOME
Association dues$84,500.00
Clubhouse rental$1,900.00
Late fee$1,500.00
Violation fine$0.00
Key fee$0.00
NSF fee$0.00
Legal fee$0.00
Other Income$0.00
Closing Fee$0.00
Total Income$87,900.00
EXPENSES
Property Management
Property Management Fee$12,168.00
Postage$2,272.00
Total Property Management$14,440.00
Landscaping
Landscaping Contract$17,940.00
Aqua Systems – Lake Algae Treatment$0.00
Bushhogging$0.00
Irrigation System Repair$550.00
Hardscape Repairs & Improvements$0.00
$18,490.00
Clubhouse
Cleaning Services$1,600.00
Consumable Supplies$250.00
Pest Control & Termite Service$750.00
HVAC Service and Repair$500.00
Clubhouse General Maintenance & Repair$300.00
Clubhouse Paint$800.00
Insurance$4,600.00
Real Estate Taxes$2,650.00
Utilities$6,300.00
$17,750.00
Pool
Pool Maintenance Contract$4,900.00
Pool Chemicals$3,900.00
Pool Repairs$500.00
Pool Supplies$150.00
$9,450.00
Community Events
Craft and Party Supplies$250.00
Association Events$500.00
$750.00
IT Services
Internet$1,224.00
Web Hosting/Email Hosting$165.88
Website Tools$106.87
$1,496.75
Capital Improvements
Computer Equipment Purchase$0.00
Clubhouse Furnishings$0.00
Security Camera Replacement$800.00
Pool Furnishings$837.00
$1,637.00
General
Loan Payment$23,385.24
Sea Wall Repair Loan$9,700.00
Additional Principle on Debt$0.00
Transfer to Reserves$0.00
Legal$500.00
$33,585.24
Total Expenses$97,598.99
Net Cash Flow-$9,698.99

Arc Compliance

As a reminder to the community, it is essential to submit a proper ARC Request for any Improvements or changes to your property. Adding a Fence to your property also requires an ARC request. Additionally, the community guidelines detail the allowed stain colors for fences. Residents can find the Fencing Guidelines listed on our Residents page. Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.  Residents should also remember to read the Grand Lake covenants concerning street parking.
Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.

HOA Board Meeting

Our Neighborhood HOA board meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. These meetings are open to all homeowners who wish to attend.

To help make sure that all discussion topics are covered, the board asks if you are attending for a specific issue for discussion that you email communication@grandlakehoa.com with a brief description/explanation at least 24 hours before the board meeting so the agenda can be updated and the board can provide time for you to speak about any concerns or issues you are having.

2023 Board Members:

Teddy Schell (President)
Tim Horning (Vice President)
Ela Perry (Treasurer)
John Maginot (Secretary)
Sam Hilson (Communication)

2023 Board Election

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2023 HOA Board Election

The role of an HOA board is to govern and manage the affairs of the community association, including setting and enforcing policies, managing finances, maintaining common areas, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The board works to maintain and enhance property values, promote a harmonious community, and protect the rights and interests of all residents. The board is responsible for making decisions that affect the community, such as setting and collecting dues, managing community amenities, and resolving disputes between residents. Overall, the role of the HOA board is to ensure the effective operation of the community and serve the best interests of its residents.

Grand Lake HOA Board Election​ Ballot

Grand Lake HOA board election vote is being held through an online ballot. Each homeowner is allotted one ballot for each property they own. If you own multiple properties you must create an account for each property. If you do not wish to participate in the online election you can download the ballot and return it to a member of the election committee by the annual meeting on the 20th of February 2023. 

Download Ballot

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January HOA Newsletter

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Book Club: The Maid by Nita Prose

Jan 23, 2023

Come enjoy good company and a good discussion of the book, The Maid (description below). Please bring a drink or snack to share.

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had united with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

Lake Renovation Update

The Board has secured a loan to cover the cost of the repairs to the lake. The contractor has begun work on the lake renovation but has had delays due to weather. This is to be expected because we missed our timeline for doing this work during the dry months while the lake was low.

We hope to be able to complete the vote to pay for the loan by special assessment instead of slowly paying it off over a 5-year period with very high-interest rates.

If your household has not yet voted for the special assessment please consider doing so now.

The board plans to once again print and distribute flyers to those 75 households that have not cast a vote in January. We will include a section that will allow for voting by paper if some are uncomfortable with a digital vote.

The Vote page has been edited to reflect our current plan to use the special assessment to pay back the loan instead of paying the contractor directly. If this changes your vote you can contact communication@grandlakehoa.com to have your vote reset.

These are the steps you will need to do in order to vote.

  1. Register on grandlakehoa.com using this URL: https://www.grandlakehoa.com/register
  2. Wait for your account to be approved and verified as an eligible voter (You will receive an email).
  3. Then go to https://www.grandlakehoa.com/lake-renovation/ to cast your household’s vote. You will be asked to log in and then if you have been approved as a voter you will be able to cast your vote.

If you have questions or need support contact communication@grandlakehoa.com.

Board Elections

The election committee is working to prepare for the board election. This year we will have 3 seats to fill. We will be looking for at least 3 nominations or volunteers to run for these board seats. The term for a board seat is 2 years. The election will be held in the month of February and the results will be tallied and presented at the annual community-wide meeting on February 20, 2023. The board and the election committee will be utilizing the digital voting system on our website grandlakehoa.com. We will have backup paper ballots for anyone that does not want to cast their vote digitally. If you would consider being a candidate for the upcoming election please send your contact information to election@grandlakehoa.com. The cutoff for being considered for a board seat will be the first week of February.

Annual Community-Wide Board Meeting

The annual community-wide board meeting will be held on February 20th, 2023 at 6:30 pm. We encourage at least one homeowner for each household to attend. This meeting will be to certify the election results and assign board positions to new members, Present the annual budget, and discuss the plan for the year.

Arc Compliance

As a reminder to the community, it is essential to submit a proper ARC Request for any Improvements or changes to your property. Adding a Fence to your property also requires an ARC request. Additionally, the community guidelines detail the allowed stain colors for fences. Residents can find the Fencing Guidelines listed on our Residents page. Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.  Residents should also remember to read the Grand Lake covenants concerning street parking.
Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.

HOA Board Meeting

Our Neighborhood HOA board meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. These meetings are open to all homeowners who wish to attend.

To help make sure that all discussion topics are covered, the board asks if you are attending for a specific issue for discussion that you email communication@grandlakehoa.com with a brief description/explanation at least 24 hours before the board meeting so the agenda can be updated and the board can provide time for you to speak about any concerns or issues you are having.

2022 Board Members:

Teddy Schell (President)
Vacant (Vice President)
Ela Perry (Treasurer)
Vacant (Secretary)
Sam Hilson (Communication)

December HOA Newsletter

Leave a Comment / Newsletter / By

Book Club: The Maid by Nita Prose

Jan 23, 2023

Come enjoy good company and a good discussion of the book, The Maid (description below). Please bring a drink or snack to share.

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had united with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

Lake Renovation Update

The Board has been working to obtain a loan to cover the cost of the repair. We will still need to either do a special assessment to cover the added loan cost or do a special assessment to pay the loan back. The loan is currently approved and we are waiting for the final closing to move forward with the repairs. We will be continuing to seek votes for the special assessment in January. We are currently about 30 votes away from having a majority vote and around 75 households have not voted.

The board plans to once again print and distribute flyers to those 75 households in January. We will include a section that will allow for voting by paper if some are uncomfortable with a digital vote.

The Vote page has been edited to reflect our current plan to use the special assessment to pay back the loan instead of paying the contractor directly. If this changes your vote you can contact communication@grandlakehoa.com to have your vote reset.

These are the steps you will need to do in order to vote.

  1. Register on grandlakehoa.com using this URL: https://www.grandlakehoa.com/register
  2. Wait for your account to be approved and verified as an eligible voter (You will receive an email).
  3. Then go to https://www.grandlakehoa.com/lake-renovation/ to cast your household’s vote. You will be asked to log in and then if you have been approved as a voter you will be able to cast your vote.

If you have questions or need support contact communication@grandlakehoa.com.

Board Elections

In January the board will start preparing for our annual election of board members. This year we will have 3 seats to fill. The election committee is in the process of getting up and running. We will be looking for at least 3 nominations or volunteers to run for these board seats. The term for a board seat is 2 years. The election will be held in the month of February and the results will be tallied and presented at the annual community-wide meeting on February 20, 2023. The board and the election committee will be utilizing the digital voting system on our website grandlakehoa.com. We will have backup paper ballots for anyone that does not want to cast their vote digitally. If you would consider being a candidate for the upcoming election please send your contact information to election@grandlakehoa.com

Arc Compliance

As a reminder to the community, it is essential to submit a proper ARC Request for any Improvements or changes to your property. Adding a Fence to your property also requires an ARC request. Additionally, the community guidelines detail the allowed stain colors for fences. Residents can find the Fencing Guidelines listed on our Residents page. Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.  Residents should also remember to read the Grand Lake covenants concerning street parking.
Residents can submit an ARC request through the AppFolio Portal provided by Elite Housing Management.

HOA Board Meeting

Our Neighborhood HOA board meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm. These meetings are open to all homeowners who wish to attend.

To help make sure that all discussion topics are covered, the board asks if you are attending for a specific issue for discussion that you email communication@grandlakehoa.com with a brief description/explanation at least 24 hours before the board meeting so the agenda can be updated and the board can provide time for you to speak about any concerns or issues you are having.

2022 Board Members:

Teddy Schell (President)
Harold Overton (Interim Vice President)
Ela Perry (Treasurer)
Vacant (Secretary)
Sam Hilson (Communication)

Meeting Minutes – 11/21/2022

Leave a Comment / Minutes / By
  • Call to order: 18:33 Teddy Schell
  • Roll
    • Board
      • Teddy
      • Ela
      • Sam
    • Committee
      • Mark
  • Status of Lake repair
    • New Era Update
      • The contractor is waiting for the initial payment to get started
    • Loan Update
      • The loan paperwork is in for the loan
    • Try to finalize the vote and talk to Elite about how much we need for the majority
  • Financial Update
    • Net Income: $6175
    • Check $14325
    • Savings $10267
    • Utility bills are still very high
  • Resident Time (As needed)
    • No Residents were present
  • Committee Updates (As needed)
    • Landscaping
      • Dead trees on the corner need to be removed
    • Arc Complaints should be forwarded to compliance@grandlakehoa.com
    • Social
      • Looking into combing with Kathy Smiths Christmas functions
  • Additional Board Business
    • Vote for removal of current Secretary thru By-Laws Section 6
      • All in favor of removing the Secretary
      • Send a notice to Steve Lowder
    • Alabama Pool King’s early chemical buy program
      • All in favor
    • The pool table is now removed
    • Playground update
      •  All purchases are complete and the build starts tomorrow
  • Adjourn: 8:00 pm

Please cast your vote for the proposed 2023 covenant amendments

Vote!
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