We are less than a week away from the voting deadline for election of Board members.  Ballots must be received by February 5.  We are still about 200 votes short of the needed quorum of 320! Come on folks, your failure to vote is not without consequences.  Every time we miss a quorum our Association has to repeat the process.  This is expensive:  New ballot printing.  New mailer and postage expense, Pavilion rental. $$$$$.  This is to say nothing of the value of your vote in determining the direction you want your Board and Community to take for the future.

So how about it.  If you haven’t sent in your ballots (that’s nearly 80% of you) get them in.  Ask your neighbors and friends to do the same.  Unless you want to continue to pay this wasteful expense, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.

Here are some highlights on the meeting.  Initially, David Jerue from Associa announced that new ballots were just distributed to homeowners (the previous ones were defective).  So, homeowners will have to vote again for the three board seats.  We know it’s an inconvenience that shouldn’t have happened but PLEASE VOTE.

Board member, Walt Tibbets, gave a short update on golf course activities.  He basically echoed the contents of the letter the Board published to homeowners.  There is no new information beyond that and the next move is up to Morgan Creek LLC.

An explanation was requested as to why the assessments  were increased in January.  David Jerue stated the primary causes were generally rising costs, especially for utilities, and rising legal fees regarding potential golf course litigation.

Here are highlights of Homeowners questions and comments:

• An article appeared in the Wall Street Journal Friday which discussed the plight of golf courses.  Interesting reading in case you missed it.  WSJ Article: Plight of Golf Courses
• Concerns were expressed over paying more in assessments without control or any assurances the course would remain open.  Another question was what kind of vote would be required.  The answer was, simple majority.  One owner commented it would be difficult to develop sites for homes because of abundant wildlife, the creek, protected habitats, etc.
• PFE gate status:  Morgan Creek LLC is still demanding it be removed.  Their claim to own the land and rights to it are being contested.  It was mentioned that in the worst case we might be able to move the gate.  Results TBD.
• Discussion again of speeders.  Speed bumps on the Pinehurst side were suggested.  Another suggestion was to pursue neighbors who speed and remind them to slow down.
• The Vineyard-Crowder man-gate security was discussed.  Apparently it is easy to break in after hours.  The Board was urged to make it more secure.  They are looking into it.
• A suggestion was made that since other groups in Dry Creek have been formed to limit unwanted development in certain other areas we should form  an alliance with them (strength in numbers?).

Apologies if I missed any others.

Be heard: VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE

The HOA Board will be holding its open meeting Tuesday, January 15 at 6:30 pm in the Golf Course Pavilion.  This is your chance to hear about and discuss with your Board items of interest to all.  Some of these are; golf course status, recent increase in assessments, the ballot delay, gates.  Your attendance is invaluable in showing community support and giving your Board a chance to see how owners feel about the varied issues.  We believe allocating an hour out of your life every couple of months is not too much to ask to stay informed, provide guidance to our Board, and support  your community.

On a second topic, you will be receiving a second ballot in the mail to replace the first one which was defective.  It is for election of three board members. PLEASE VOTE.  It is your chance o make a difference in the direction our community takes.

The golf course owners have submitted to the HOA a final “non-negotiable”  proposal for continuing operation of the golf course with HOA financial assistance.  This is under review by the Board.  Note, the board has made it crystal clear that no homeowners assessments would go to this without a full vote of the homeowners.  In parallel with this, the golf course owners have asked for a pre-development meeting with the Placer County Planning Department to explore building 102 homes on the golf course property.  These actions were described in more detail in a letter to homeowners from the Board published on the Association’s communications platform, Town Sq.  The text of the letter is provided below:

Letter to owners updating status with MC LLC per 1.8.19 Exec Session

While believing that our community would be best served by continued operation of the golf course under good stewardship, the letter makes clear that the Board has and is assembling the necessary expertise to block or slow down possible development of the property for high density housing should the golf course owners pursue that route.  They deserve our support.

For those of you that missed it, a meeting by a small group of residents was held June 6, 2018 with the Placer County Planning Department to clarify the process a developer would likely face.  The meeting results were published in a blog post which is repeated below in case you missed it.  It is a long process.

Our Meeting with Placer County Planning Commission

There are two groups, including this one, now actively providing guidance and communications in support of the Board and the community.    As necessary, when the time is right we will need strong and vocal community support.  Meanwhile we ask that you stay informed, read the Blog, sign up for Town Sq,  attend the open Board meetings to learn more and express your views.