Meeting was called to order @ 7:45pm by President Joe Licari at his residence @ 29 Cornell Road. In attendance were 9 residents, including the President Joe Licari, VP Georgette Burns, Treasurer Ellen Blasi, Secretary Tom Rizzotti, and Boat Committee members George Mica, Mike Frisbee, Joan Thierault, and residents Nate Bradley & Matt Cuomo.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Dock Progress - The Lake Authority (LA) & Poets Landing (PL) are trying to remove Cornell Hills Association (CHA) lake rights due to the community not having evidence that connects our property directly to the lake. PL owns the strip of land below the 440 line which is allowed to be flooded by the lake based on property agreements between PL and the LA. CHA has always believed that we had rights to have our stairs to the landing to the 8 boat slips that has been in the water in previous years. The stairs are no longer in question and we can move forward with building them as City Hall states they are part of landscaping and are truly on our property. Only the docks are now in question.
2. Stair Assessment Review - Georgette wanted to remind everyone of the decision in the last CHA meeting in which it was voted and passed that if progress in building the stairs wasn't made by January 2010 that a refund should be made to the community to ensure trust and honesty among the decisions made in public forums. Ellen made a motion to send out a letter to all residents to inform them of the past actions of the board and boat committee in working with the Town, LA and PL to continue moving forward with the building of the stairs and landing. This initiative is still separate of the decision of whether boat docks will be present or not. All residents will be asked to answer a follow up vote that with known progress provided in the letter would you continue to vote for the building of the stairs. Majority count will prove decision of refund. The motion was passed with a return date of April 12. Votes to be counted on April 12th at the next Board Meeting.
3. Continued Progress - Mike Frisbee has continued to work with the city to understand what is approved. He has the plans to start construction but hadn't moved forward based on Joe Licari's request based on the issues we are having with LA and PL. To speed this process up, it has been requested by the LA that CHA to find any evidence proving the boat slips existed. Pictures, documents, boat registrations, deeds, letters from residents, etc are helpful. Please send any form of documentation to Mike Frisbee 21 Cornell Road. Hopes are to build a chronological timeline of when stairs, landing, boat slips were first built using references of oldest residents, pictures, and documentation. SAVE OUR DOCK RIGHTS. Board to canvas community and issue letter requesting any helpful documentation or pictures by 4/15. We would like to present our current findings before CHA at our next Community Meeting in May.
4. Reserve Funding - discussion opened to create and maintain a funding reserve to enable the community to continue updates to fixing issues without continually requesting residents for large assessments. Instead, take smaller allotments of money each month or quarter to build the reserve.
PRO - reserve fund will allow community to make repairs or enhancements with money already aside and waiting for approved vote. CON - residents may not be able to afford the extra charges on top of current assessments already being paid
Current example community is facing is the repair of the road and water leakages.
5. Water Issues - Since the City has denied CHA the update of water and sewer, discussion was opened on any ideas of how to pursue a fix. Constant repairs with constant assessments seemed to be a band-aid to the proble. Motion is made and passed to request independent bids from local contractors to understand the cost of updating and/or replacing the entire water system in the community. This will include the pavement of the entire road(s) when work is completed. Community believes that the city may not have found the best deal for the city sewer and water project we were proposed in 2009. Bids to be gathered over the next 4-6 weeks to be reviewed by next Board meeting or Community Meeting in May.
Meeting adjorned @ 8:50pm.
NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, APRIL 12th @ 7:30pm.
PLEASE WATCH FOR POSTINGS.
