Category: HOA Meeting

Meeting started at 8 pm – Online google meeting

• Call to order

• HOA President shared details about a call from Trappe Borough regarding on street parking concerns from fire marshall.
• Trappe Fire company had concerns about vehicles parked on both sides of our street and emergency access
• Residents raised questions about what was approved by the borough when Colonels place was first built
• There is nothing in our HOA docs about not being able to park on the street
• Discussed about limiting parking to one side of the street
• One resident mentioned that he used to drive a fire truck as a volunteer and they should have no issues navigating our street with vehicles parked. 
• Borough garbage and recycling trucks are able to navigate our street with parked vehicles
• Some streets are narrower than ours in the borough and they have parking on both sides
• Even if we decided on parking, how would this be monitored. What happens if visitors parked on the street.
• Do we also restrict parking in the cul de sac. 

• Discussed about adding signs
  • Speed limit sign
  • Children playing sign-
  • No outlet sign
  • Look at speed breakers to slow vehicles 

• Question about the cost of clearing the rain garden and total amount of money with the HOA
• Residents felt they could have been told about the cost and contract before it was awarded or work started
• Board communicated that the rain garden was not setup properly and the HOA would have been liable for a 6 figure fine if there was an inspection. 
• Board had to act quickly to spruce it up and for long term maintenance
• Board shared that the HOA spends about $680 per year on insurance and had accumulated about 19k before spending on cleaning the rain garden.
• The cost to clear and prep the rain garden was about $8500

• Residents discussed the Board sharing budget monthly, bi-Monthly, quarterly or yearly. 
• Board is going to look at that as well
• Residents to vote on 6 items and Board would act on them based on consensus
• Future meetings could also be held online due to current Covid-19 pandemic

• Meeting adjourned

1. HOA fees will be due each March 31 of the year.
2. Antony Peter was elected as HOA Secretary
3. We have scheduled 2 HOA meetings each year. They will occur on the first Wednesday after March 1 and October 1. (Starting on Wednesday, October 7, 2020)
4. HOA Board election of HOA President and Treasurer will occur during the October meeting and the election of Secretary will occur during the March Meeting.
5. Landscaping of the rain garden will begin by removing overgrowth, filling in rutted sections, and seeding the perimeter area with grass. Also, river stones will be placed in high-flow areas. Eventually the entire area will be seeded with grass. Mowing and weeding will be done as needed (monthly or bi-monthly)
6. High radon gas levels have been detected in two homes. It may be worthwhile to get your home tested.
   • Information about radon in the home is available at the following websites:
     • PA DEP: https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/RadiationProtection/RadonDivision/Pages/Radon-in-the-home.aspx
     • US EPA: https://www.epa.gov/radon
   • Kansas State University has two radon testing kits available as part of their National Radon Program Services: https://sosradon.org/test-kits

The next HOA meeting will be on Wednesday, February 26 at 7:00 PM at the Trappe Borough Hall (525 West Main Street Trappe, PA 19426).

We will be electing a new HOA Secretary.

We will be having an HOA meeting on Wednesday, August 8 at 7:00 pm.

It will be held at the Trappe Borough Hall located at 525 Main Street.

As many of you already know, the first general Homeowners Association meeting was on October 25, 2017 at the Trappe Borough Hall.  Representatives from 14 of the households were present.  The meeting started at 6:40 pm

Michael Clement of MikeLen LLC represented the current HOA Board and the remaining, unsold property (the sample home).  Michael presided over the meeting and explained many details about how the HOA was structured and answered some general questions regarding the HOA.

A secretary pro tem was elected (Mark Schaffer) to record the details of this first meeting.  Then elections for the new HOA board were held.  Michael explained how the term length of the board members was determined by the relative amounts of votes:

1. The member with the most votes will have a 3-year term.
2. The member with the 2nd-most number of votes will have a 2-year term.
3. The member with the 3rd-most number of votes will have a 1-year term.

The 3 individuals elected to the new board are

1. Mark Schaffer (8 votes)
2. Matthew Caffrey (3 votes)
3. Melanie D’Angelo (2 votes)

A total of 13 votes were cast (Michael abstained).  The new board members decided to assume the following positions:

1. President:  Mark Schaffer
2. Treasurer:  Melanie D’Angelo
3. Secretary:  Matthew Caffrey

Michael tendered resignations of the current HOA board.  He also submitted copies of the insurance policy, bank account information, HOA articles of incorporation, tax-exempt certificates, and other information needed by the board to commence official business.

Official business was completed at 7:20 pm.

Faithfully reported by the Secretary p.t.,

Mark Schaffer