Minutes: MPCA BOARD MEETING
Monday, April 7th, 2008
7:30 PM
The Board of Directors of the
MPCA met on Monday, April 7th, at Russ Simon’s home. Present were Don
MacKinnon, Cari Moorhead, Peter Roy, Russ Simon and Jim Fitzpatrick, presiding.
Dave Contarino and Dick Ormrod were unable to attend. Guests included Erin Surprenant,
from Great North and Trish Simon from the EC.
The meeting was called to
order at 7:30 PM.
1. Minutes
of the March 3rd, 2008 MPCA Board meeting:
- Motion to approve the minutes, was made by Peter
Roy, and seconded by Don MacKinnon - approved unanimously.
2. Treasurer’s Report
- Presented by Don MacKinnon
- Year to date expenses were running as planned
(about $24,000 under the annualized budget).
- All current year, discretionary expenditure
projects for both the WSC and EC will be reviewed at this meeting during
the Committee reports.
3. Committee Reports
Water Systems Committee
- Presented by Jim Fitzpatrick.
- The new Irrigation System service contract with
Piscataqua Landscaping, including the annual turn-on and turn-off process,
was signed and will be paid for at the MPCA level. This year’s turn-on
process is scheduled for April 30th and May 1st and
all members who require access to their homes to turn-on the irrigation
system should ensure access is available to their homes during this two
day period.
- Several projects in process and planned were
reviewed and approved including the upgrade or replacement of the computer
monitoring system, pump motors, controllers, circuit boards and sensors. Cost
of this work is $12,000 to $14,000. In addition, work on the sewer
system’s manhole covers (repair/replace selected manhole covers and
connections) was approved for $3100, as well as other miscellaneous
projects for $1000 - $2000.
- The WSC was authorized to draft an RFP to improve
the road to the Pump House in order to provide adequate access for large
service trucks. The expected cost of this project is $10,000 to $14,000.
- Various repairs and replacements of controller’s,
meter caps and pumps are in process and need to be completed prior to
installing the new Water Monitoring System. This maintenance should be
completed in the second half of March and the new monitoring system is
targeted to be installed during April.
.
Environmental Committee:
- Presented by Trish Simon & Jim Fitzpatrick
- The Board approved a series of projects to repair
trail benches and foundations, start to repair trail culverts, repair
signage and the basic 3 day Lot #4 planned cutting of dead trees, invasives
and saplings. Costs as planned will be around $5000 for these projects.
- Don MacKinnon had requested that for the larger
EC Lot #4 projects (bridge repair, screenhouse and deck repair and dock
repair) that we get estimates and projected timing (this year and next
year) from qualified vendors to prepare for our Capital Expense Planning. This
currently is underway.
- The EC requested that in order to complete the
Policies and Procedures update for MPCA Common Land Maintenance, due to
the new Shoreline Protection Act, the Board needed to establish a policy
on fines for unapproved and illegal cutting on common land. The following
motion was made by Russ Simon, seconded by Cari Moorhead:
- Any person(s) who has done unauthorized and/or
unapproved cutting (of trees, saplings, plants, shrubs, etc) on MPCA
Common Land will be subject to MPCA fines and all costs associated with
any administrative actions and restitution of the property for each
occurrence. The MPCA fine will be $500 for the 1st offense,
$1000 for the 2nd offense and $1000 thereafter for any
subsequent offenses. All costs associated with restitution include, but
are not limited to any and all legal, fine or administrative costs
incurred by the MPCA as a result of this unauthorized cutting, as well as
any and all costs associated with restoring the property to original
condition. The motion was unanimously approved.
- The presentation to the membership on
the new Shoreline Protection Act and its impact on Moody Point is ready
for the MPCA’s Special Meeting on Saturday, April 12th.
Community Life Committee:
- Presented by Cari Moorhead
- Many thanks to our recent Friday BYO hosts, the
Johnson/Remignanti’s on March 7th, Kay McTigue on March 14th,
the Steventon’s on March 21st, the Sokol’s on March 28th
and the Chernyshov’s on April 4th. The Friday BYO’s for
April are planned at the Fitzpatrick’s on April 11th, Tom
Treece’s on April 18th, and AnnaLisa Gotschlich’s on April 25th.
- The second running of the Great Bay Half-Marathon
on April 6th was a great success. This year we had 9 MPCA
members participate as walkers – congrats to all for a job well done in
less than ideal weather conditions. Many thanks to all who contributed their
time and efforts to our “manning” the water station for the runners and
walkers. In addition, we raised $555 as a contribution to Club Chameleon. As
usual we had 20 to 30 people volunteer to support this effort. In addition
to our water station, the Cushing Road race segment was enhanced by a
Country Band performing at the Lot #11 entrance and a troupe of four Belly
Dancers, braving the cold, wind and occasional sprinkles at the entrance
to the Cushing Road Circle. The Belly Dancers brought smiles to the faces
of both the participants and race observers as they reached the critical
11 mile mark of the race. A big Thank You as well to the Chernyshov’s for
hosting the after race party at their home. All in all, a wonderful day in
the neighborhood!!!
- The next Timely Topic is scheduled for April 20th
at Gisela von Hanstein’s and will feature guest speaker Ann Beattie, who will discuss
the four centuries of life on the Isles of Shoals. Doors open at 6:45 -
Presentation begins at 7:00 PM. In addition, a Bird Walk with Andra
Crawford and Dave Arnold is being planned for Saturday May 10th
starting at 8:30 AM at Trail Entrance #3 (between 133 and 137 Cushing
Road).
- The Floating Dock should be installed for the
season sometime during May. In order to prepare for the boating season and
the Friday BYO’s moving to the Screenhouse: The Board requested that all
kayaks and canoes stored in the Screenhouse for the winter must be removed
from the Screenhouse and placed in the shoreline racks by May 15th.
Additional racks are currently being finished by Dimitri Chernyshov.
Drainage Issue Report and
Update
- Presented by Russ Simon.
- Awaiting DES’s issuance of a Letter of Deficiency
to the Moody Point Company. We continue to be informed by DES that it
should be issued shortly, but it has yet to be received.
Fire Pond Dredging Committee
- Presented by Peter Roy
- The presentation to the membership on
the Fire Pond and Cisterns is ready for the MPCA’s Special Meeting on
Saturday, April 12th.
5. MPCA
Managers Report:
- Presented by Erin Surprenant
- The Board was informed that Great North is
converting to a new software system for Financials. There may be some
conversion growing pains, but all should be rectified quickly.
- Many thanks to Bob Blanchette and his crew for
the great snow removal service during this record breaking winter. The
Board will also communicate this to Bob and his crew directly. Bob
Blanchette has asked the MPCA Board and other Moody Point Associations he
has contracted with for a fuel surcharge on the contracts due to the
unexpected increase in fuel costs since signing the new 3 year contracts. After
discussions Erin and Russ had with Bob on the best way to approach this
for Moody Point, Bob proposed a 2% fuel surcharge on all our contracted
rates to be implemented starting with the May bills. The surcharge would
be removed in the future if gas process fall below $2.75/gallon. The Board
approved the surcharge for the MPCA and recommends that all associations
approve the surcharge as requested.
- There is a new bill in the NH House (House Bill
1174) that is under consideration that will require all Boards to notify
all unit members 7 days in advance, by regular mail of all Board meetings
and then send copies of all minutes to all unit members by regular mail. This
bill will greatly increase both our administrative and postage cost. Erin
strongly recommended that the MPCA and their members send letters and make
calls to defeat this new proposed legislation.
- Great North has sent out the Notices for the
Special Meeting on April 12th consistent with the requirements
in our By-Laws.
6. Other Business
- Walter Cheney sent a letter to the MPCA Board and
Meadows Association members potentially offering his two (2) Osprey Circle
Wetlands lots for sale to either the Meadow’s Association or the MPCA. After
a review of the letter, the Board agreed to respond to Mr. Cheney with an
acknowledgment that they had received his letter.
- MPCA Special Members Meeting on Saturday,
April 12th: As a result of the requests for a Special
Informational Meeting of the Membership by both the EC and the Fire Pond
Dredging Committee, the Board has agreed to organize a Special Meeting on the
morning of Saturday, April 12th at 9:00AM in the basement
auditorium at Newmarket’s Town Hall [Coffee & Donuts will be available
starting at 8:30 AM]. The Meeting Agenda will include:
- A brief discussion of Newmarket emergency
response and Moody Point.
- A presentation, discussion and vote on
funding a cistern for fire protection.
- A presentation on the Comprehensive Shoreline
Protection Act of 2008 and how it relates to Moody Point.
The
Board urges you make time to attend this important meeting on Saturday morning,
April 12th. If other plans conflict, please make sure a neighbor has
your proxy for this meeting.
The Board Meeting was
adjourned at 9:20 PM.
The next regular MPCA Board
Meeting will be held at Don MacKinnon’s home on Monday, May 5th, 2008
starting at 7:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Russ Simon
Secretary