2022 Annual Meeting Minutes

The Minutes of the 2021 Meeting were read and the finance report was gone over. Motion was made by David Smythe and seconded by Debbie Mockabee-Allen to accept the minutes. The following homeowners were in attendance:

David and Claudia Smythe
Jeff Avery
Tim Overall
Debbie Mockabee-Allen
Rosie & J T Reuter
Ray Brewer
Brock Ratzlaff

The end of the year balance on the Checking account was $3,769.79, Savings account was $15001.15.
David and Jeff reported that the generator for the water plant is operable. It is hooked to Propane Gas and could be run manually. The needed concrete pad has been poured (thank you David and Jeff). However, after getting the motor running the computer board of the generator got stuck on ‘inoperable’ and thus far several attempts at having it repaired have been unsuccessful. It has been taken to his shop by a work college of Jeff’s, who is going to attempt to get it working.

Claudia brought up the Tank Inspection done earlier in the year and passed it around, including pictures, that show a great deal of rust and deterioration on the inside due to chlorine gasses and other chemicals. She and David have met with a few companies to get prices on sand blasting, cleaning and recoating the inside of it. A temporary, portable tank will have to be brought in to serve the neighborhood during the expected 7 – 12 day shutdown of the tank. Debbie Mockabee-Allen moved that the tank be recoated and Ray Brewer seconded the motion, with expenses not to exceed $7,000.00.

David and Jeff will continue looking into this project and hire one of the companies to do the work.
Jeff brought up backflow preventors and wants to contact the St. John’s Water Management group to see if we are required to have them on individual homes. While the neighborhood does have a written policy requiring them, historically they have not been required or enforced.

Claudia handed out the current rate sheet for Citrus Cove water, explaining that due to rising costs in recent years and high maintenance expenses we possibly need to be considering a rate increase. Since we are such a small entity it is hard to compare our rates with other small towns, etc. and they have such a larger base of customers. Tim Overall volunteered to look at our rates, expenses, etc. and perhaps come up with some suggestions. We will readdress this at our next meeting, hopefully at the beginning of 2023. Vice President Jeff Avery suggested we meet quarterly to keep a better eye on issues and to perhaps improve the number of residents that get involved.

Jeff Avery, who is currently doing the lawn mowing, reported that due to increased fuel costs in the last year he was requesting to be paid $300.00 per month instead of $250.00. The increase was agreed to by the other officers.
The last order of business was election of officers. Since our President, Chris Carter has moved out of the neighborhood and will soon be selling his property, he has resigned his position of President. Debbie Mockabee-Allen nominated David Smythe to be President, and Jeff Avery seconded it. The others in attendance agreed he was a good choice in spite of Claudia feeling it was a conflict of interest for two officers to be from one family. No one else in attendance would agree to take the position, or any other office. Jeff and Claudia agreed to stay in their current positions, so our officers for the coming two years will be as follows:

David Smythe, President
Jeff Avery – Vice President
Claudia Smythe – Secretary/Treasurer

Jeff wanted to discuss the fact that only a few residents do a lot of work to benefit the water company, such as fixing line breaks when they occur and maintaining the well lot and other common areas but have never been adequately compensated for it. Jeff therefore moved that we pay whomever does work that benefits all get paid $25.00 per hour. Tim seconded the motion and it the motion was accepted.

R J Reuter threw out some ideas that might generate more income for the water company. The first was to offer storage space on the well lot for things like boats, RV’s and trailers. Jeff was concerned about the insurance aspect of doing that, and Claudia was concerned that people moving items in and out of the lot could do damage to the well area itself or to the underground pipes since the well is located at the very front of the property. Another idea that seemed more realistic is that we have never charged Non water customers within the neighborhood for maintaining the common areas of the mailbox area and mowing the “Pit area”. We feel we would need to look into the legality of that, as we could expect push back from residents who thus far have never had to pay anything. This will be addressed at a future meeting.

Debbie moved we adjourn, and all seconded that motion!

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectively submitted,

Claudia Smythe
Secretary/Treasurer