Attending: Steve Smith, Myron Parry, Graig Habermann, Leslie Wagner, J.D. Ray, Julie Chan

 

Absent: James Jolly Shawn Albert

 

Guests:

 

1.The meeting at the clubhouse was called to order at 6:00 PM June 19, 2024 by Vice President Steve Smith.

 

2.Minutes from 4/17/2024 Board Meeting: (there was no 5/15/2024 Board Meeting due to lack of a quorum).  Steve made a motion to approve the minutes as submitted.  Seconded by Graig.  Passed unanimously.

 

3.Treasurer’s Report: Bank balance as of 5/31/2024 is $627,258.07 with $363,725.43 in the money market account, $61,231.43 in the checking account and $202,301.21 in a certificate of deposit.  See attached report.  Julie reported that she started to assemble the reports necessary to prepare the 6/1/2023 to 5/31/2024 financial statements and will send them to DCI’s tax accounts shortly.    Julie also reported that Page Hutton from NWNW sent an email regarding management fees hourly rate increases.  Julie to send the letter to Board Members to support a discussion at the next Board Meeting.

 

 

 

4.OLD BUSINESS

 

a.Adding a letter to community in a water invoice mailing requesting name, address, cell phone and email addresses that can be used to effect short-notice water problems or other events that need quick dissemination.

 

 

 

At the 11/15/2023 Board Meeting, the Board discussed best ways to broadcast short-notice announcements regarding water service.  Myron suggested including a letter in a water invoice mailing requesting name, address, cell phone and email addresses.  Jim provided a first draft (attached).

 

 

 

While Jim’s draft was well-written, it was written from the viewpoint of creating a separate contact list for water issues as opposed to using the Dugualla Community email contact list (as presented on the Community’s website homepage).  Myron to draft a letter from the perspective of using the Community email contact list.

 

 

 

6/19 update: Draft sent to Board Members 4/25, 5/15 and 6/13 via email (attached).  JD made a motion to have the letter sent with the next water invoice mailing.  Steve seconded.  Passed unanimously.

 

b.Increased chlorine testing - Steve reported that he had attempted to contact JJ with King Water.  Steve also reported that water testing frequency was increased to five days per week starting in February, 2024.  At this point, DCI is estimating the cost for an automated system to be approximately $12K plus installation.  This system will reduce manual checking from 5 days to 1 day per week.  The consensus is to include automatic notification of system failure.  Steve to look at additional testing labor cost vs. installing the system.  More to follow.

 

 

 

c.Green Crab Study was completed on 6/7/24. (See attached email from Jessica Larson, Whidbey Camano Land Trust Director) - Board FYI only.

 

 

 

5.NEW BUSINESS

 

 

 

a.Changes to By-Laws – Myron reported that he and Steve had returned Matt Walker’s draft with questions and suggested changes.  Myron explained the progress and some of the anticipated changes to Board operation including quorums for the Annual Members Meeting and record retention/availability.  Myron to follow up with Matt to be able to present the draft to the Board at the next meeting.

 

 

 

b.Land Trust Annual Easement Monitoring Visit – July 15 (See attached email from Riley Carbaugh) - Board Info only.

 

 

 

c.Easement to Moriarty property – Myron forwarded an email thread started by Cassandra Moriarty expressing her frustration that the Whidbey Camano Land Trust has not provided the legal easement documentation necessary for access to their property (see attached).  The Moriarty property is located adjacent to the WCLT parcel south of Dugualla Road.  The Board discussed next steps and concluded it is up to WCLT finalize the easement and ask the DCI Board to approve the easement as it was changed from what was originally proposed (the Board approved granting the easements as proposed at the May 2022 Board meeting).

 

 

 

d.Dugualla District Code for 811 Tickets – Megan Hoiland, from King Water, asked about a District Code for 811 Tickets. They have been getting requests from customers about locations of DCI water mains but King Water is not being notified of any 811 Tickets because they don’t have that code for us (Steve found out that DCI’s 811 account was closed in 2008).  So, King Water cannot answer the customers’ requests.  Steve will determine what is needed to establish DCI’s account.  Her contact info is:  MHoiland@nwnaturalwaterservices.com, 360 678-5336 (see attachment.)

 

 

 

e.Water Bill Forgiveness Request: The Board received a request from a homeowner who returned to their home in February after a several week absence to find a broken pipe and the water running into the house.  The water was immediately turned off.  Steve reported that he visited the home recently and found that it was cleaned out down to the studs.  The owners are asking for a rate reduction from $8,688.60 on their April invoice to $150, their usual usage rate.  After discussion, the Board suggested that the homeowner submit the amount invoiced as part of their homeowner’s insurance claim.  The Board is open to reviewing the request again, if necessary, following the response from the insurance company to the claim.  Steve to follow contact the homeowner.

 

 

 

f.Unauthorized bench near Shorecrest has been removed (per agenda prepared by Jim Jolly).

 

 

 

g.DCI’s property tax exemption under RCW Chapter 84.36 was not renewed prior to March 31, 2024.  (attachment).  Email forwarded to Julie.

 

 

 

h.625 E Maplewood Loop - request for information regarding new water service.  Steve reported that King Water has been asked to look for the connection point.

 

 

 

i.631 E Maplewood Loop – while looking into the request for 625 E Maplewood Loop, Steve discovered there was no meter installed at 631 Maplewood Loop (purchased by current owners 2/12/2023).  Fortunately, the owners have been receiving and paying their quarterly water bill that has consistently been invoiced at the base rate.  Steve spoke with Nate with King Water to get a meter installed.  More to follow.

 

 

 

j.841 Shorecrest Drive – The owner reported a water leak that has yet to be found.  Steve reported that he found that the leak rapidly fills the concrete riser from the valve.  The owner requested that the leak be repaired and a separate connection for 845 Shorecrest be removed as it is only used for irrigation (the home on 845 was removed some time ago).  Steve moved to install meter on 841 and disconnect 845 Graig seconded.  Passed unanimously.

 

 

 

k.The Board discussed that the process of installing the water meter after issuing the final occupancy permit does not work smoothly.  Steve to look into how many meters are we missing in the community.  The Board will also ask King Water to note if a home does not have a meter when the meters are read in July.

 

 

 

l.The Board discussed planning for the Annual Meeting.  At this point, there is little support for providing a meal following the meeting.  Myron reported that he would need several people to help with quorum activities and that he hoped to have more information at the next Board Meeting.

 

 

 

Myron also explained that the By-Laws specify that the Annual Meeting will be held on the third Saturday in September (9/21/2024).  The By-Laws also specify that Board Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month and that the September Board Meeting will be held on 9/18/24.  So, there will be a Board Meeting immediately preceding the Annual Meeting.

 

 

 

m.The Board briefly discussed AirBnB’s in the Community, concluding that (from Division 1 BURs below), a “Rental for residential purposes of a dwelling coming within the terms hereof shall not constitute a business or commercial purpose.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.Visitor comment:

 

7.Executive Session (Board Members Only):

 

 

 

8.Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 6:00 PM.

 

9.Adjournment: 8 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted, Myron Parry.