Swanson’s Sledding Hill Closes

After providing winter thrills to over three decades of neighborhood children, the Gallagher Road sledding hill is closed. Anne Swanson called me yesterday and requested this website posting to explain the action.

For over thirty years the Swansons carried liability insurance to cover any accident that may occur on their adjacent vacant parcel. This year their insurance company required a dramatic increase in liability coverage, to be accompanied by an equally dramatic increase in premiums. Anne deeply regrets that it is no longer feasible to carry that special coverage, and as a result children are not permitted to sled down Swanson Hill. She hopes that her neighbors will understand the unwelcome decision that the Swansons had to make. Any children who arrive at the hill will be asked to leave.

Boards of Directors, Access Committee members – 2014/15

The board members for the 2014-2015 term are:

Strawberry Point Bluffs

President, Dave Swanson – Lakeside
Vice President, Del Law – Non-lakeside
Treasurer, Tracy Uguccioni – Lakeside
Secretary, Carla Dalrymple – Lakeside
Trustee, Tricia Erskine – Non-lakeside
Trustee, Don Houston – Non-lakeside

Strawberry Hill Estates

President, David Walmroth
Vice President, Mary McLaughlin 810.299-2222
Treasurer, Craig Mestach 734.417.9224
Secretary, Mary McLaughlin 810.299-2222

The Park, Joint Access Committee

Bluffs representative, Del Law
Estates representative, Mary McCaughlin
Park Treasurer, Lori Lawrence
Member-at-large, Cheryl Houston

Access Committee Report and Plan – 2013, UPDATE June 21, 2013

Neighbors:  The Parks Committee has worked for a year and a half to come up with a budget and plan that meets the maintenance needs at the beach and that answers the concerns of our neighbors.

We have reduced the annual fee significantly from what we had originally envisioned:  to $50 per year per household per year.  We have increased the pontoon fee to $450, payable in two installments.

We know there are some passionate voices in favor, some passionate voices still against, and many people who are relatively neutral.  We want to hear from everyone, not just the particularly vocal voices.

We want the *DEMOCRATIC PROCESS* to prevail in terms of moving forward. Please cast your ballot on whether you will support the $50 increase in fees to support the park, or not.

THE PROCESS:  The Estates will vote at our meeting on 6/25 or by Proxy for people who can’t attend the meeting.  The Bluffs Association is not having a meeting.  Bluffs homeowners can still vote on the Association fee increase of $50.  We hope you do so either by dropping off your ballot or by stopping by the Estates meeting on 6/25 at 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Center.  There are vote forms on the sign on the road and one can be brought to you by sending an email to the Parks Committee.  Proxies and ballots can be dropped off at 10630 Indianola or 10727 Strawberry Hill Lane.

Thanks,
The Park Committee

 

===== Archived message from May 21, 2013 follows =====

The Park Committee has worked very hard taking input from everyone,
getting quotes for expenses and doing many iterations of the budget.  We
appreciate the many encouraging comments that helped us as we continued
in the work to keep our neighborhood beautiful.

SUMMARY:  There is a new budget online.  The ‘short story’ is that we’re
asking everyone to approve a $50 increase in the Association dues
targeted to our beach for deferred and ongoing maintenance reflected in
the budget.  We will increase the pontoon lottery to $450, with the
option for the winners to pay part at the lottery itself, and part in
August.  The pontoon slips are not at the cost of a full marina since we
do not have marina amenities (security, lights, etc.)  Also, the
resolution for vote will be very specific on managing the funds
including transparency in the budget preparation and reporting on
expenditures.

COMPARISONS:  A number of people asked what other neighborhood
associations pay.  Attached is information for 28 local subdivisions.
The average is $219 a year.  If the 1 most expensive and 1 of the least
expensive are excluded, the average is $185 per year.  Portage Lake has
a common beach much like ours with a boat moorings, lakefront and
non-lakefront houses, and there, off-lake homes pay $225 annually and
lake-front pay $200.  They don’t have a pontoon lottery.  So our
proposal is *FAR* below the average Association fee, and our pontoon
owners pay more.

VOTING:  The Estates Association in the neighborhood will vote tomorrow
at our Annual Meeting.  The Bluffs will need to schedule a vote, so we
will ask the Bluffs board president to do so.  More on that process later.

****ESTATES RESIDENTS*****

Please try to attend the meeting so we can record your vote.  If you are
unable to attend, you just need to give your proxy to someone else.

The Park Committee is happy to answer any questions.  (Except Jeff White
whose wife is having a baby *today*!)

Mary Eileen McLaughlin
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Park Budget, v21, June 2013 – SPREADSHEET

Park Budget, v21, June 2013 – PDF FILE

 

Brief History Plan – 2013
Detailed Beach History and Plan – 2013
Access Committee Role and Responsibilities

Average Association Fee.DPF

 

 

Estates Special Meeting – 2013 (re-scheduled Annual Meeting)

 

Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association

Annual Meeting Announcement – Special Meeting

 

Your attendance at the annual meeting is appreciated. One-third of the members in good standing are required for a voting quorum. We were people short of a quorum for the meeting scheduled on May 21, and we are required to re-schedule it as a Special Meeting.

 

PLEASE ATTEND OR SIGN A PROXY.

A Proxy form is attached.  If you are unable to attend, please sign

 the form and send it with the person attending who is your proxy.

 

Subject:        Special Meeting for Annual Meeting

Date:              Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Time:             7:00 to approximately 8:30 p.m.

Location:      Hamburg Township Senior Center

 

Agenda:  

  • Roll Call of the Membership and confirmation of quorum  – President Dave Walmroth
    • Please sign in by 7:00 PM – with Treasurer, Craig Mestach
  • New Business – VP and Park Committee Representative, Mary McLaughlin
    • Vote to increase annual association dues to provide targeted funding for beach deferred and future maintenance in accordance with beach budget v.21 and other documentation on website.  (If you do not have web access, please notify Jeff White at 616-821-1252.)  The Motion is attached and will be read at the meeting.
  • Minutes of 2012 Meeting (VP and Secretary, Mary McLaughlin)
  • Treasurer’s Report (Treasurer, Craig Mestach)
  • Other new business as raised by the membership during the meeting.
  • Election of Directors
    • Craig Mestach, Mary McLaughin and David Walmroth have been nominated as Directors.  If you wish to nominate another individual please contact Mary McLaughlin (734-646-5363 or memc@ieee.org) 15 days in advance of the meeting to nominate someone for a directors position.  Process is described at: www.strawberryhillestates.org.
  • Close

 

Dues Reminder: Payment of 2013 dues and legal fee share (if unpaid) is due by June 1, 2013. Dues are $75.00, payable to Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association.  Mail to SHEHA, P.O. Box 833, Hamburg, MI  48139-0833. If you have any questions about your dues, contact Craig Mestach at 734-417-9224.

===== MOTION and PROXY VOTE documents follow =====

MOTION:  The Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association and the Strawberry Point Bluffs Homeowners Association dues will increase $50 annually ($4.16 per month) per household, and these funds will be targeted to the Park, payable as described in the respective Bylaws for Association dues.  The dues increase is contingent upon:

  • Both Associations approving the dues increase.
  • Pontoon slip donation increased to $450 annually.
  • The initial working budget for the park being Budget v.21, and the budget for the park will be updated annually by the Strawberry Lake Joint Parks Committee.  Reporting and expenditure processes are described in the Committee’s Roles and Responsibilities which has been approved by the Boards of both Associations.
  • Required legal approval (permits, etc.) will be obtained for any maintenance and/or improvements planned.
  • The Parks Committee will set an operating reserve (savings) for future maintenance to be approved by the Boards of both Associations.  When the current bills and operating reserve funding amounts are covered by the dues, the targeted increase in dues will not be collected from the homeowners until the budget and reserve amounts fall below a positive balance.

____   Yes, I support an increase of $50 annually

____   No, I do not support an increase of $50 annually

PROXY FORM

Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association

Strawberry Point Bluffs Homeowners Association

 

I hereby authorize _________________________to serve as my proxy and to vote on my behalf at the Special (or re-scheduled Annual) Meeting on Tuesday June 25, 2013.  I authorize my proxy for ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

____   This proxy is a GENERAL proxy for all matters voted upon at the above referred meeting.

____   This proxy is a SPECIAL proxy for only the matter of an increase in Association dues.

 

 

____________________________________

Printed Name

Address:

 

Annual Subdivision Garage Sale – Saturday May 18th, 2013 9am to 4pm

This message from Kamille Karlson:

“I have put the Sub Garage Sale ad in the Livingston Press and Argus for this coming Thurs. and Fri. for our Saturday Sale.  It will also be listed on their website!!

I know others have volunteered to put the notice on the Indianola Message Board and put out the Strawberry Lake roadside Sub sale sign on Monday.  Thank you.  I’m sure most of you have noticed that there will be a Community Garage Sale in Hamburg the same day as well as individual sales.  I’m hoping that means there will be lots of people out looking for bargains so we can all get rid of our valuable clutter.  Happy selling.  I’m hoping, too, that someone will sell something tasty to eat and drink as some have in the past.  It’s a great way to get lunch on that busy day.
“
= = = = =
Per our longstanding tradition, Friday evening is reserved for neighbor-to-neighbor shopping.

Gallagher Road Easement for Livingston Land Conservancy

In April 2012 the Bluffs HOA board of directors and the the Livingston Land Conservancy entered into an agreement granting limited ingress and egress rights across the Association’s property on Gallagher Road to 30 acres of land designated by the Conservancy as a nature preserve.

The Conservancy had indicated its intention to acquire this property from the original developer, Gold Krause et al, contingent upon the granting of these rights.

The complete legal document defining the agreement can be found HERE. [NOTE: Large file, 11 pages and 8 MB. Be patient on slow internet connections]

 

Submitted by:

George Rogers, SPBHA President 2012

Annual Homeowners Meetings – 2013

Details for the annual homeowners meetings are as follows:

Strawberry Point Bluffs: Monday, April 22 2013 at 7:00pm in the Hamburg Seniors Center

Strawberry Hill Estates: Tuesday May 21st at 8:00pm in the Hamburg Senior Center

The notice/agenda for the Estates has not been printed.

 

The agenda for the Bluffs is as follows:

  1. Call to order
    Roll call of members present
  2. Report of the Secretary
  3. Report of the Treasure
  4. Report of the President
  5. Old Business
    Status of granting the Access Easement to the Livingston Land Conservancy
  6. New Business
    Any business that may come before the Board
  7. Adjournment

Election of New Board Members:

The Board currently consists of six members.  Three members must be lakeside property owners and three must be non-lakeside property owners.  We have six current and potential members and will need to vote.  We will take nominations from the floor.

 

Name Position Side Term Expires
George Rogers President Non-Lakeside 2013
Don Houston Vice President Non- Lakeside 2014
Tracy Uguccioni Treasurer Lakeside 2014
Leonard Dorazio Secretary Lakeside 2014
Tricia Erskine Trustee Non-Lakeside 2013
Christopher Brehm Trustee Lakeside 2014

Standing Elections:

We welcome the nomination of any community member that would like to join the Board for the 2013-2015 term.

 

The agenda for the Estates is as follows:

Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association

Annual Meeting Announcement

 

Your attendance at the annual meeting is appreciated.  One-third of the Members in good standing are required for a voting quorum.

 

Subject:        Annual Meeting

Date:              Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Time:             8:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Location:      Hamburg Township Senior Center

 

Agenda:  

  • Roll Call of the Membership (President)
  • Minutes of 2012 Meeting (Secretary)
  • Treasurer’s Report (Treasurer)
    • Accounts report and dues payment summary
    • Legal fee payment from lawsuit report
  • New Business
    • Vote to increase annual association dues to provide targeted funding for beach improvements in accordance with beach budget and other documentation on website.  (If you do not have web access, please notify Jeff White at 616-821-1252.)
    • Other topics as raised by the membership during the meeting.
  • Election of Directors
    • Please contact Mary McLaughlin (734-646-5363 or memc@ieee.org) in advance of the meeting to nominate someone for a Director position.  Process is described at: www.strawberryhillestates.org.  Note: Advance nomination is required in the bylaws and  must be received 15 days prior to the meeting.  Please call Mary if you have questions.
    • Current Directors and respective Board Officer positions;  all have been re-nominated:
      • Treasurer – Craig Mestach
      • Vice President and Secretary – Mary McLaughlin
      • President – David Walmroth
  • Close

 

Dues Reminder: Payment of 2013 dues and legal fee share (if unpaid) is due prior to the meeting start in order to be able to vote.  Dues are $75, and mailing your payments to the address below in advance is appreciated.  Please make checks payable to Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association and mail in to the below address. If you have any questions about your dues, contact Craig Mestach at 734-417-9224.

 

Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Association

P. O. Box 833

Hamburg, MI  48139-0833

 

 

Pontoon Slip Drawing – 2013

Results of the 2013 Pontoon Slip Drawing:

SLIP NUMBERS

1. Patton
2. Gauthier
3. Vicki Reid Smith
4. Alex
5. Dave Allen
6. Carrier Armour
7. Phillips
8. McManus
9. White
10. Anderson-Grob
11. Howard
12. Flynn

Alternates in order:
1. Walmroth
2. Erskine
3. Landis

——————————————

ORIGINAL POSTING

To: All eligible homeowners in the Strawberry Hill Estates and Strawberry Point Bluffs subdivisions
From: Joint Access Committee for Strawberry Point Bluffs and Strawberry Hill Estates Homeowners Associations

Pontoon Slip Drawing
February 26, 2013
7:00 p.m.
Hamburg Township Library – Room A

This lottery is conducted pursuant to the rules adopted by the Joint Access Committee, in conjunction with the Boards of Directors of the Strawberry Hills Estates and the Strawberry Point Bluffs Homeowners Associations. Although you need not be present to win, the first choice of boat slips will be chosen by those present (or their proxies) in the order of the draw. The remaining slips will be assigned by Access Committee members to those lottery winners who are not present. If you have questions regarding eligibility and other requirements, review the rules on this web site (link below) or contact a member of your Board of Directors.

Please review the drawing rules, especially rules regarding eligibility. Two years ago a neighbor was prevented from participating at the drawing due to unpaid dues. Check with the Treasurer to avoid any misunderstanding. You can find the rules here:

http://www.strawberryhillestates.org/?p=24

 

 

Joint Access Committee