Call to Order: 10:03 am
Welcome: Darton, President
Present/Quorum (yes): Darton, Paul, Clint, Matt, Gini, Dave (Manager). Guests: Armen Yousoufian, April Wilkinson, Todd Larson, Tim Heuer, Sam H.
Consent Items
Approved? – Contents and order of this Agenda: Approved
Approved? – Minutes of October meeting: Approved.
Information Items
Guest Speakers comments (if any): Todd Larson joined the meeting to present to DWA his request to either buy the property we own on Hake Rd., or purchase an easement through that property to access his 60+ acres which lie directly south of the property.
Board Member : None
President’s Report (Darton):
- Darton introduced Todd Larson who presented his proposal to buy or purchase an easement through the Hake Road property that DWA owns. After presenting his request and discussing the issue with the board, Todd decided to change his proposal and is now requesting an easement. His opinion is that having an easement road would not only help him gain access to his land locked property, but could be beneficial to Dockton Water if we ever want to do more than keep the property completely untouched. The board debated whether it would be a benefit for DWA to have this easement road and there wasn’t any solid reasons why we would benefit if the goal was to keep the property strictly as a possible water source for the future. The board seemed to be agreed in feeling that keeping the property and keeping it untouched by development of any kind is probably in the long term best interests of the community. We don’t know if we will ever need to use this source of water in the future and being able to get another source will get more and more unlikely. Considering the community involvement a few years ago over the possible change in use of this same property Darton moved to include a note in our January bill describing Todd’s proposal and the discussion we had so we could ask for community feedback. Paul seconded this motion. The board voted 6 to approve the motion with two abstaining; therefore the motion passed (the board held a special meeting on 12/2 at 6pm to formally vote for this motion since we had not at the regular board meeting). In the note we send, Association members will be asked to contact DWA with any opinions for or against Todd’s proposal. They will be asked to communicate via email or letter or through our website and if they want to attend the January board meeting (most likely via zoom) they will be encouraged to do so. We will keep records of all responses whether in person or by email/letter or website entries. If the responses are predominantly against Todd’s proposal we will notify Todd of this fact and close the discussion. If the responses predominantly show interest in entertaining Todd’s easement request we will take the next step and go to the DWA community at large for a vote in accordance with the DWA Bylaws. A vote to explore Todd’s proposal is required in this instance because this easement request will financially affect the DWA property by more than $5,000 and that requires membership vote. If we need to take this step it will only be the first step in exploring this easement request by Todd. Todd will then need to provide much more detailed information about his easement request and a professional analysis of how this easement might affect our property and the DWA board will need to seek professional input to decide the value of this easement and consult our attorney to discuss this possible transaction. After all this, according to the By-Laws, there will be a final vote by shareholders for or against the easement.
- Dave will put together, with Gini’s help, the write up to include with the January bill mailing – hopefully by mid-December, and get it out to all board members for review. Then in January it will be included it in the bill mailing.
Manager/Operator Report (Dave):
- Skylar is doing a good job learning his new job. Dave will continue walking the meter route with him for another month.
- Jim Beale was not able to get to the Sandy Shores tree cutting yet but plans to do it in the next few weeks.
- Ben Dahle had to close his business due to the Covid downturn and has joined another firm. He will continue working on our Small System plan until it is done and then we will have to take it from there and giving it to the state.
- We sold the last of the water shares that shareholders were trying to sell back. We will be selling one of our own shares soon which will be the first brand new share sold in a long time.
- Dave has decided to stop using a landscape service to mow our properties. He is going to give DWA his old mower since he just bought a new one. He and Skylar will do the mowing and will save DWA several thousands of dollar a year in doing this.
- Dave said he hasn’t heard from Carlos regarding the work that he was supposed to start on the soffits and gutters at the DWA building. He will reach out to see what the status is.
- The fence construction at the Sandy Shores site will be started on Dec. 13.
- Dave plans to get the letter out to the non-domestic shareholders who’s status has changed this month.
Committee Reports:
Finance Committee (Todd):
- Please refer to the Financial Summary for October 2021 on the website.
Water Production Committee (Paul):
- Nothing new to discuss.
CIP and Planning Committee
- Nothing new to discuss.
Old Business / Carryover Items
- None.
New Business / Discussion Items
- We need to add a third signer for checks in case the second signer is unavailable. We will designate the VP as this third signature after the President and Treasurer.
- We need to either remove the special zoom meeting invite from the home page of DWA website or change where it is located because it has confused people trying to join the board meeting.
Other Business
- Gini will be away through the end of February and Clint will be acting as Secretary for January and February.
What did we decide?
- Motion was passed to include a note in the January bill discussing Todd Larson’s easement request and requesting Association input.
- Dave and Gini will write up the note in early December that will be sent to DWA members in their bill and be loaded onto the website. If this cannot be designed by then someone else will need to help Dave since Gini will be away.
- Dave will send this note to all board members for review/changes.
- Dave will upon approval send this note in the January bill.
- Dave will contact the non-domestic shareholders who’s status have changed.
- Darton and or Todd will add Paul as a signer to checks.
- Dave will contact Carlos regarding DWA building construction.
- Darton or Paul? need to change the zoom link on the website so it doesn’t confuse people.
I was happy that the meeting notes included such a clear description of Larson’s proposal ,and the effort that DWA is taking to inform everyone about it with the proposed message to members. Thank you for doing this.
At the January meeting would you provide additional information about the number of shares that are used and what the policy is for selling additional shares.
Also, for the benefit of shareholders who don’t read online or who haven’t signed up for notices, would the board and staff consider the advantages and disadvantages of printing the minutes on the back of monthly invoices? This might help engage folks are open communication.
Thanks again.
Good idea to include print copies of the minutes in the monthly bills, Susan.
Todd & Mary Battison (residential owners along Hake Road) are NOT in favor of DWA selling its land along 268th/Hake, or granting an easement, for the primary, or sole, purpose of creating a new road to redevelop up to approximately 60 acres of land. Very simply, this will create potential, unforeseen problems caused by unnatural water run-off on uneven and steep slopes, and potentially increase land slide potential, especially above Hake Road, which is the sole access for the many homes along that road. Besides not wanting DWA to take action facilitating redevelopment that would increase these potential hazards, we also understand the area has a history of slides even in the land’s natural, vegetated and forested setting. Thanks for your consideration. Happy Holidays!
(residential owners along Hake Road) are NOT in favor of DWA selling its land along 268th/Hake, or granting an easement, for the primary, or sole, purpose of creating a new road to redevelop up to approximately 60 acres of land. Very simply, this will create potential, unforeseen problems caused by unnatural water run-off on uneven and steep slopes, and potentially increase land slide potential, especially above Hake Road, which is the sole access for the many homes along that road. Besides not wanting DWA to take action facilitating redevelopment that would increase these potential hazards, we also understand the area has a history of slides even in the land’s natural, vegetated and forested setting. Thanks for your consideration. Happy Holidays!
Yesterday I walked by the Sandy Shores site and saw the high chain link fence with barbed wire on top. It looks horrible, and I am sorry for the neighbors who have to look at it. Is there a plan to install a visual barrier, such as a row of trees?
My apologies if this is already being addressed, but it was shocking and painful to walk by the site the way it is.