Santa Fe Trail Ranch POA
BOARD MEETING
April 21, 2001
Trinidad State Junior College, Sullivan Room

Board Members: Bill Bumstead Jim Davis Michael Hughes Richard Johnson Paul Miner Carol Rawle Harriet Vaugeois Robert Walton Bill Wenstrom

Accountant: Bill Quigley   Assistant: Lisa Stigall

Guests: Carol Alfs Steve & Carol Bolton Gene Downs Michelle Minion Frances Purswell Vaughn & Joanne Roundy Mike & Mary Shelton Jerry & Betty Withington John Woods

Determination of Quorum
It was determined a quorum was present.

Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting of 02/17/01
Harriet Vaugeois motioned to approve the 02/17/01 minutes. Bill Wenstrom seconded the motion. There was no opposition and the motion carried.

OLD BUSINESS

Committee Reports

Budget/Financial Committee
Bill Quigley reviewed the financials. There was an allocation error under tax preparation. The correct amount for tax preparation is $675.00. The budget is on track. Dues are timely this year and ahead of 2000. The $200 under Refunds is for an overpayment. We are still waiting on a ruling from the IRS for the interest on the amended tax returns. Richard Johnson motioned to approve the financials as corrected. Harriet Vaugeois seconded the motion. There was no opposition and the motion carried.

Burlington Northern Railroad (BNRR) contacted Jim Davis about the crossing at exit 2. BNRR needs a service access from the SFTR property to a communication tower in the area. A double-lock chain will be placed on the gate after the crossing is repaired. SFTR residents will be able to use the crossing in emergency circumstances only. Jim Davis requested that BNRR meet with Emergency Services Committee to discuss their needs.

The committee is still working to install an external phone at the guard shack. The site’s control box is about 3500 feet away and that is causing delays in bringing the service to the shack. The phone will have a combination lock box.

Covenant Review Committee
Jim Davis reported the Covenant Committee has not met. Last years’ attempt to change the covenants fell short due to a lack of voting response. Jim Davis suggested the next attempt to change the covenants wait until 2002. The effort must be very thorough yet simplified in presentation. Participants from the last vote will be poled for their sentiments. Bill Bumstead motioned to table the issue of rewriting the covenants and related documents. Bill Wenstrom seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Common Area Committee

Volunteer Weed Control Program - The outside bids received for the weed control efforts came in above budget. Some property owners have volunteered their time to save the POA the labor charges. The committee will also pursue cost sharing with Charles Baldwin and the Merrill family who own the Morley site to help bring down the over all cost to the POA.

The plan is to spray on Memorial Day weekend and the Weed Control Committee is in need of volunteers. For insurance purposes, volunteers will need to attend a short training session prior to spraying.

Carol Rawle is leading a weed-walk on Saturday, May 12, to show owners what weeds they will be looking for. There are also pictures of the noxious weeds on the web site. Harriet Vaugeois pointed out that if property owners do not perform weed control on their personal property, the weed control in the common area will be less effective.

Greenland Lease – The five properties have been transferred to the Greenland Reserve, Inc. Howard Hallman, the field representative for Greenlands, requested that any modifications or suggestions for changes to the lease to be submitted to them for immediate review. Harriet Vaugeois motioned to have the Board respond to Jim Davis with any changes to the Greenland Lease no later than April 28, 2001, so the process can be finalized. Richard Johnson seconded the motion. There was no opposition and the motion carried.

The Conservation Trust Fund situation has been resolved. SFTR had been approved and should receive about $142.00, as the populations in SFTR increases so will the distribution. This year Jim Davis expects to receive $280-$300 to apply to the lease payment.

Dumpsters – Construction trash is becoming a big problem again. Harriet Vaugeois suggested education. Only household trash should be placed in the dumpsters. No furniture, toilets, construction trash, etc., should be placed in the dumpsters. The trash dumpsters are emptied on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Subsequent to the Board meeting, the Common Area Committee ordered a fifth dumpster for immediate delivery and use through the spring and summer.

Clean up Day – This weekend volunteer crews will be pulling weeds, placing signs and painting the guard shack.

Speeders - Still a problem. If an owner encounters a violator they are asked to note the date, time, and any other pertinent information, talk to the individual if possible, and then report it to the Board. A memo will be sent to contractors including UPS and Federal Express. The women’s group is having a couple of no-speeding days and will be stopping traffic to hand out a flyer and a cookie.  (Click Here to read related article.)

Stray Pets – A reminder will be placed on the web site about stray pets, primarily dogs, running around the ranch.

Communication Committee
The web page is being up-graded and loaded on a new server. It will have full text indexing and information will be sorted by “keyword”. The web site will have a new “Forum” Section combining member comments and other bulletin board items. Fire danger rating will also be posted daily. The water system information will be located in the password-protected area of the site, as will monthly financial reports.

Please visit the web site for other updates. The Communication Committee is trying to send as much information as possible electronically and via the web site to help the POA save money. Currently the site receives in excess of 200 hits a day.

(Click Here to view the Communications Committee Report to the SFTR POA Board of Directors.)

Water Committee
This topic will be discussed in a working session following the Board meeting.

911 Compliance
Las Animas County and U.S. West have different addresses. Some properties could not be identified to get phone service. Las Animas County has a serious addressing problem. This caused deficiencies in the 2000 Census, which caused them to lose revenue dollars from the Federal Government. The county is protesting the 2000 census results and has until about mid-May to submit the appropriate documents to the Census Bureau. U.S. West will change their Data Base to match the County once the problem is resolved.

SFTR is trying to get on the 911 grid. Volunteers are needed to verify addresses as well as identify any improved lots. The SFTR Women’s Group has provided maps of the ranch to the area’s emergency service providers. There is another Santa Fe Trail Ranch subdivision northeast of Trinidad. Some road names there are the same as road names here. To resolve the 911 problem, some address and road names here or there may need to be changed in the future. San Isabel has addresses but their information is not open to the public and so cannot be shared. Continue to call 911 in case of an emergency. There will be more information on possible re-addressing available as the county concludes its study of the problem.

(Click Here to view the Emergency Services Committee Report.)

FROM THE FLOOR

Fire Petitions
About 24 lots have not responded to the petition for inclusion into the Fisher’s Peak Fire Protection District. The list is on the web site. Jim Davis will call each of the owners.

Spring Grading
Regular maintenance of roads will take place possibly as early as the end of May, after the rainy season. The Common Area Committee will explore the idea of placing moveable barricades in front of cul-de-sacs that do not have full-time residents living on them and therefore, are not routinely plowed. This is an effort to keep unnecessary travel down the roads, which can cause more damage. Realtors and others that need access to the road can move the barricades and then replace them. Another idea to help the roads dry faster is to take out some key trees and allow the sun to hit the road.

NEW BUSINESS

Request to Change Status of Lot 23, Unit 8
Carol Alfs requested that the Board change the status of her lot from improved to unimproved on the grounds that the improvements made on her lot were done in January, 1997 in accord with the POA’s 1995 definition of “improved.”

The Board of Directors changed the definition of “improved” at a Board Meeting in July, 1997 specifically grand-fathering improvements of the type made by Ms. Alfs. Harriet Vaugeois motioned to change the status of lot 23, unit 8, back to unimproved based on the fact that the definition change made in 1997 contained the “grandfather” clause. Paul Miner seconded the motion. There was no opposition and the motion carried.

DATE OF THE NEXT MEETINGS

The next Budget Meeting will be held May 19, 2001 at 109 W. Main. The next Board Meeting will be held on June 16, 2001, at 9:00 a.m. at TSJC, Sullivan Room.

ADJOURNMENT

Michael Hughes motioned to adjourn the meeting at 11:20 a.m. Bill Wenstrom seconded the motion. There was no opposition and the motion carried.