Hearthstone at Ellicott Mills II – Annual Meeting Minutes

June 28, 2011 – 6:30 PM

The Community Center at Ellicott Mills II

  1. Call to Order
  2. Beauty Stephens called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.
  1. Establishment of Quorum
  2. Quorum was established.
  1. Introductions
  2. Current standing Board of Directors were introduced.
  3. Beauty Stephens, President
  4. John McNeece, Vice President
  5. Pat Galante, Treasurer (not in attendance)
  6. Richard Fremon, Member at Large (not in attendance)
  7. Mark Jackson, Secretary (not in attendance)
  8. Board of Directors Member at Large candidates were introduced.
  9. Dave Albert
  10. Saundra Barrett
  11. Richard Fremon – The Incumbent Member at Large Board member
  12. First Real Estate Management Officers were introduced.
  13. Annie Elmore
  14. Adam Genn
  1. Election (Adam Genn oversaw election.)
  2. Introduction of Candidates – Beauty introduced the candidates.
  3. Dave Albert
  4. Saundra Barrett
  5. Richard Fremon
  6. Adam asked for nominations from the floor, and none were given.
  7. Balloting
  8. Annie asked for any available ballots and handed out blank ballots to any residents needing one.
  9. Members completed forms and turned them in. Many members had already mailed in their ballots or emailed their choice of candidate to Annie or Adam.
  10. Ballots were collected and counted.
  11. Dave Albert was voted in this evening as the new Member at Large Board member.
  12. Beauty asked Dave to join the attending Board Members up front.
  1. Committee Reports – There are member openings in all the committees. Residents are asked to consider joining one of the committees.
  • Public Safety/Transportation
  • John McNeece reported.
  • Speeding in the community continues to be a problem, so we must police ourselves.
  • If you have a reason to talk to a police officer, call 410-313-2929 (non-emergency police number)
  • You will be asked to verify your address.
  • If you brought your phone number originally used at a prior residence, you will need to verify with the phone company that your new address is linked to the phone number so that your address will match county police records.
  • Do not park within 15 feet on either side of the fire hydrants. Road markings will be put place after everything else is completed.
  • A few homes have had minor damages due to severe weather. Make you’re your insurance policy is up-to-date.
  • Secure any plastic covers over the window wells, as they do get picked up and blown away by high winds.
  • Do not rule out tornado activity in our area, and watch or listen to news reports during severe weather events.
  • Beauty reminded the residents that 15 mph is our community regulated speed limit for a reason. There are no curbs to stop cars, and since we don’t have that safety feature, speeding cars could conceivably run into a home.
  • Beware of children, impaired walkers, pets, and folks in the street at night. Following the speed limits will prevent serious accidents and protect our residents.
  • Be aware of fire safety with cooking out for 4th of July and during the summer.
  • Grills - keep clean, keep 15 to 20 feet away from house, and check for critters in grill before lighting grill. Our siding is petroleum based, and will melt or catch on fire if the heat from a grill is too close.
  • Fire works are against the law.
  • Be aware of gridlocks on Route 29 and around the mall in Columbia for the 4th of July fireworks and/or summer concerts at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
  • Call for help if you are not feeling well, especially if you live alone. Call a neighbor or 911 for assistance.
  • Many residents and visitors do not stop at the community stop signs. Please get in the habit of stopping at these signs to preserve community safety and prevent accidents. Stop signs also help regulate the 15 mph speed limit.
  • Another 15 mph sign will be added on Grove Angle near Joan’s Ficus’s house as another reminder.
  • Another No Outlet sign to discourage non-residents from trying to drive through the community will also be added.
  • Architectural Review
  • Karen Kish reported and began by introducing current committee members.
  • The Architectural Review committee acts as liaison between First Realty Management Company and the EMII Board of Directors.
  • If requests do not meet required guidelines, than the modification or improvement requests will be returned to the requestor for revisions.
  • Ask for assistance or go to the EMII HOA website for forms and directions for submitting architectural modifications or improvement requests.
  • You can also find the guidelines on website.
  • Before any hard landscapes (decks/porches/patios, etc.) or plantings can be installed, your Yard Usage Area (YUA) must be determined. Any of the Architectural Review Committee members can assist you in locating this information.
  • Properties should be well maintained for benefit of all residents in the community.
  • There is one vacancy on the committee, so please consider joining.
  • Contact any member for questions.
  • Environment
  • Mark Buehlman reported.
  • The species of trees that will be planted in our community are:
  • White Pines
  • Redspire Pears
  • Red Oaks
  • Conservation areas
  • Signs will be placed delineating forest conservation areas.
  • These areas are designed for passive use.

Can walk, hike, bird watch, etc.

Do not use for dumping, storage, or machinery use (ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.).

Designed as a natural buffer.

Invasive plants and animals are not to be introduced.

Only native plants should be in the conservation areas.

Do not dump yard debris in the conservation areas as the debris might contain unwanted or invasive seeds.

  • Bird feeders - Keep them clean for the health of the birds and rodent avoidance.
  • Do not feed wildlife as it harmful to them in the long run and encourages dangerous species.
  • Watch for rabid animals, and report any animals exhibiting strange behaviors to animal control.
  • Killing, injuring, or harassing wildlife is a criminal offense.
  • We are directly connected to the Chesapeake Bay. Everything drains unfiltered into the bay. Please be aware of any chemicals you use and make sure waste disposal is handled properly.
  • Morris Levine warned residents to keep dogs away from foliage because of the risk of transferring poison ivy to their owners.
  • Exterior Lighting
  • Liz McNeece reported and introduced committee members.
  • The committee met with a BGE Representative and walked the community.
  • Seven exterior lighting poles will be installed at the following locations:
  • Two on Grove Angle
  • One at the corner of Grove Angle and Decker
  • One by the mailbox at the corner of Decker and Dina
  • One at the first curve on Dina on the right past the community center
  • One on the left at the second curve on Dina
  • One at the end of Dina
  • The lights will be strategically placed so as not be too near any unit.
  • They should be in installed in about six weeks.
  • EMII lights will differ from EMI lights. EMI light bulbs have an orange tone that is hard on the eyes and distorts true colors. Blue colors may look gray, for instance. EMII lights will be normal, blue tone lights.
  • The pole lights will shine down on the streets.
  • It will take adjustment to get used to the streetlights.
  • We can add lights, but cannot take them out. So, we may add two to three lights more once we are sure additional lights are needed.
  • Please turn your front lights on at night to help with dark areas and community security.
  • Question – Could we consider adding spotlights on the community center? Response: The spotlights may shine on adjacent units and disturb those residents.
  • Adam Genn shared that they will be putting solar-powered up-lights on the community center that will not shine on residents’ windows.
  • John McNeece shared that having the lights on in front and back of the units is a deterrent to crime. Call 911 if suspicious folks are wandering around.
  • There was a theft from inside of Marilyn and Phil Goldberg’s garage last year. Please keep your garage doors shut to deter crimes of opportunity.
  • Information and Technology
  • Mike Homa reported.
  • The EMII Website and Yahoo Group site are up and running. However, OfficeLive through Microsoft is undergoing some radical changes in the future.
  • Contact Richard Fremon or Mike Homa if you want to add contributions to either website.
  • We will be removing the HOA website from the Microsoft site as they are shutting down this free service and will look to move it to another site which has not yet determined.
  • Entertainment
  • Liz McNeece reported.
  • She thanked Adam Genn for his attention to the completion of the community center and patience with her many questions and concerns.
  • Entertainment

4th of July Celebration on Monday the 4that 4:00 at the Community Center.

This will be the third annual 4th of July gathering.

Participants may bring their own meat to grill and a side dish and dessert to share. Bring your own drinks.

Extended family members are invited.

Please bring tables and chairs to share, and if you have a canopy to use, we can use them.

Portable grills will be set up outside. If you have one for us to use, that would be great!

Bring outdoor games to use.

This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors.

Fireworks are on your own following the barbeque.

Community Center Grand Opening – Date to be determined.

New tables and chairs are due on July 8.

A rectangular table for board members will be included.

The window treatments are blinds and forthcoming.

Pictures of Howard County sites will be framed and hung around the center. Jeff Greenfield will take the pictures and Karen Kish will help frame and hang them.

Small Group Dinner on October 22

Four units of interested parties are grouped.

The groups may determine their own theme or type of gathering (dinner, hors d’oeuvres, etc.)

Holiday Open House on December 4 from 4:00 – 7:00 in the community center

  1. Donna Mennitto, leader of defacto group of homeowners in the older surrounding neighborhood, stopped by to speak with the residents of EMII.
  2. In cooperation with EMII’s Board of Directors, she is working to inspire Howard County officials to improve roadways in our neighborhood. She joined our Board of Directors in a meeting on April 13 with several county officials to review the list of requested improvements.
  3. Little has happened since that visit. Phone calls and emails are not returned. Our President asked EMII residents to contact officials to let them know we want our requests addressed. The goal is to keep the pressure on. Rob Fasciano and Saundra Barrett will coordinate this effort for EMII.
  4. A list of county officials and the list of requested improvements were distributed during the meeting.
  5. Donna gave a history of the neighborhood, welcomed us to the community and shared that our community doubled the size of the neighborhood.
  6. She asked us to follow the posted speed limits and stop at the posted stop signs to prevent accidents. There are many children, pets, and walkers that do not have any shoulders or sidewalks on which they can stand or walk safely.
  7. In an email to our President on Friday, 06/24, the county reported that it is working with the state to improve the right and left turn lanes at the corner of Grove Road and Route 104.
  1. Builder/Developer Closeout Items/Special Projects
  2. Community Center
  3. Adam is the project manager for the community center.
  4. Warranty, appliance documents, and Use and Occupancy Certificate are located in the kitchen.
  5. The kitchen was never slated to have a stove and was in the original plans as a warming kitchen.
  6. The community center will not be used as an everyday facility.
  7. Extra HVAC filters are in the HVAC closet.
  8. Board members will be given electronic key fobs.
  9. The front lights turn on and off automatically.
  10. The front door is hard to open and will be fixed.
  11. Punch out items and landscaping will be completed.
  12. Sediment Ponds/Storm Water Management
  13. Final work will begin in next 3-4 weeks to bring the sediment control ponds up to county standards.
  14. The ponds will look like EMI ponds – filled with native cattails.
  15. Concrete Inspection/Repair
  16. Sammy O’Connell will serve as point of contact to have concrete and roadway resurfacing completed. He will be assisted by Frank Palmer.
  17. Sidewalks need repair and replacement.
  18. Sammy is looking into locating a list of allowed repairs from the county.
  19. He requested that residents let him know about concrete cracks and damages and/or water pooling on concrete.
  20. Mass Tree Planting –
  21. The planting has been pushed back to late September or October.
  22. Ron Mooney from the Parks and Recreation approves and signs off on trees for developer to get money back.
  23. Jeff Greenfield asked to have the community as a body move the trees if they are unhappy about placement
  24. Sammy O’Connell said the county would plant them where the community wants them and will work with each unit owner for tree placement.
  25. Roadway Resurfacing
  26. The roadway resurfacing is the last builder closeout item in community.
  27. We hope to have the road resurfaced before the first winter weather event, so Absolute Landscaping and Snow Removal will have control over snow removal for roads and sidewalks and walkways.
  28. The resurfacing is dependent on the timeline of the other closeout items.
  1. Other Items
  • The Neighborhood Association will be the last item turned over to the community when all other closeout items are finished.
  • Diseased plants may be replaced in front landscaping. Grass in open spaces will be over seeded in the fall

The meeting adjourned at 815PM.

Minutes are respectfully submitted by Nancy Dickson.