Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Kill Tree Committee

April meeting minutes....Feeling the heat?

Recuse themselves?  How about any of them that live on J Place?  Just more lip stick. If they did, they might find a new Compliance person.  What a bunch of BS..(my opinion, of course) 

TREE, BRUSH, VEGETATION AND NOXIOUS WEEDS COMMITTEE

April 2, 2021

Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 1:00 pm via conference call.

Present: Peggy Olds (Chair), Valerie Harrison, Ron Brumbaugh, Pam Harris, Diane Mangels, Tracy

Lofstrom (Surfside Manager)


Introduction and Welcome: Peggy welcomed all members and staff.


Old Business:

--March, 2021 Minutes: The final March 2021 minutes were submitted and approved by the Board.

--Fire control work with Surfside EMC: Peggy met with EMC last month. The EMC will work to

implement their list of actions. Both committees suggested the fire marshal be invited to speak at the

Surfside Annual Meeting. The Tree Committee will continue to provide informational/educational

materials for Surfside media outlets on fire control and offered to staff an informational booth at the

annual meeting. Pam will research assistance available from the fire department for fire control on

member properties.


--Compliance Automation: Tracy is reviewing two compliance software packages. She expects to

decide on a software purchase by mid-April. She also expects to post the ad for a new compliance

investigator by mid-April. Tracy discussed the work needed to populate the database of any software

chosen. Committee feedback is to populate software with active cases first, put software to use, then as

time allows, populate the historic database. Diane, Pam, Val and Peggy volunteered to help with data

entry to avoid using staff time and save Surfside money.


--Moratorium: Tracy reviewed a Board discussion on a moratorium on proactive work only. Given the

tremendous staff workload in the absence of a compliance officer, we continue to support a hold on

proactive enforcement. Member complaints and escrow checks continue, but Tracy cautioned if large

numbers of complaints are submitted, they will be held until staff and software are available to process.


New Business:

--Tree Report/Discussion: See attached summary report.

--Earth Day Activities: The committee will partner with the CRC to host a fall planting and plant

exchange event. Tracy is researching plant discounts and pre-order/sales with local nurseries. Peggy

previewed an Earth Day insert to be forwarded to Kimber/Mo for Weekender for next few weeks.

Selections were made; Peggy will forward to staff for use.


--Member Contacts: Peggy mentioned contact with 3 members completing tree plans. Tracy discussed

completion of long-standing Case 5309.

--Press Contacts: The group discussed potential contacts with local media or other outlets. Tracy

explained all contacts for official response from Surfside should go through her or Gary Williams, Surfside  Board President.


--Conflicts of Interest: Pam led a discussion on conflicts of interest and objectivity in compliance work.

Staff or volunteers on the committee should consider recusing themselves if they are working on cases

involving family or adjacent neighbors, or if they feel uncomfortable in any way being involved in any

committee compliance cases. Peggy expressed an expectation that any committee member filing a

complaint related to the Tree Committee work must also recuse themselves. The committee unanimously

agreed with both conditions.

Meeting adjourned at 1:50 PM

Next Meeting: Friday, May 7, 2021 at 1:00PM

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks to me like an admission that they write tree complaints.

Anonymous said...

The tree cutting committee makes plans for earth day. You can not even make this stuff up.

Anonymous said...

They do, I watched them write mine up.

JoAnne said...

What I heard in the meeting before last was that there was to be a moratorium on tree complaints. This was as a result of the compliance officer quitting and Tracey stated they couldn’t handle 40 to 50 complaints in the office without that position being filled. My understanding was only a HOA member with a complaint could file one. I don’t think that would include the tree committee, but I must be wrong!
Arbor Day!, you must be kidding!

Anonymous said...

The HOA will never begin to come together until the Old’s are out of any part of the HOA management. You made a step forward when Clancy left. You need to finish what has been started.

Anonymous said...

The members of the tree committee have no concept of what earth day is or what it’s about. They are just hell bent
On cutting, cutting and cutting. You can’t tell me all these tree complaints are coming from HOA members, it’s the tree committee.

Anonymous said...

Remove the Olds, tired of their negative impact on our community

Anonymous said...

I do NOT want to pay for a compliance officer! STOP THE POSTING OF A JOB NOT NEEDED! I do not want to pay for another person who works against the homeowner/property owner. SAY NO

Anonymous said...

"My understanding was only a HOA member with a complaint could file one".
This is not an accurate statement. Per the complaint process in the covenants anyone can file a complaint. You don't even have to be an HOA member.

Anonymous said...

It comes down to Tracy doing her job. She needs to put a stop to peg and her group and the proactive. Tracy is so afraid of losing her job so she let's them direct her

steven wallace said...

I think there is wording in the covenants that require members to spy on neighbors. "Members shall have the right and responsibility to report any violations of
Restrictive Covenants. " Since we all are required to "karen" our friends why is a SHOA police necessary?

Anonymous said...

When is the Board get off their duft and asset the Ridge folks for their cutting of our trees FOR THEIR BENEFIT ?????? They SAVED their favorite tree while the rest of us looks at STUMPS !!!!! Bull - get off your duft Board members and DO THE RIGHT THING !!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm not on J, I love that tree, hope it is saved. The tree covenents need to go.