Santa Fe Trail Ranch POA
Regular Board Meeting
March 20, 2004
Sullivan Room – Trinidad State Junior College

Directors:
    Present Absent
  Ed Hockett, President  
  George Gonzalez  
  Monica Leche  
  Diane Rader  
  Don Ruward  
  John Sanders  
  Robert Scott  
  Jerry Withington  

Guests:  Betty Ruward, Julene Gyde, Bob Gyde, Jim Davis, Joyce Wolff, Carol Rawle

  1. CALL TO ORDER – Ed Hockett called this regular meeting of the Board to order at 9:07 AM.
     
  2. PROOF OF NOTICE – Ed Hockett gave proof that proper notice of the meeting had been given.  Notice was posted on the SFTR web site and on the Ranch bulletin board.
     
  3. ROLL CALL & DETERMINATION OF QUORUM - Seven Board members were present, which made a quorum and all business official.
     
  4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING – Jerry Withington moved that the minutes from the November 15, 2003 meeting be approved as presented.  The motion passed.
     
  5. OLD BUSINESS:
     
    1. Replacement of Director:   Bob Scott nominated Bill Wenstrom to fill the vacancy on the Board.  Jerry Withington moved to close nominations.  The motion passed.  Bill Wenstrom was elected by acclaim.
       
    2. Committee Reports
       
      1. Emergency Services:   Ed Hockett reported that the committee met in January and February.  The minutes were posted.
         
      2. Communications:  John Sanders and Carol Rawle reported three new features on the web site:  Greetings, Picture Gallery, and the Neighborhood Watch page.
         
      3. State of J-Lot Integration:   Ed Hockett reported that the agreement with Raton West-Baldwin Ltd.  has been signed and notarized.  John Sanders will have the document recorded with the county clerk.  Although the Covenant committee reports that the owners of J2 are in agreement, their corresponding notarized document has not been received.  Bob Scott moved to set a deadline of April 20, 2004 for their official response.  The motion passed.  John Sanders will send a notice.
         
      4. Financial:  Diane Rader moved to change the POA checking account from Community First to First National.  The motion passed.
         
      5. Common Area:   Bob Scott presented a feasibility study for a community building.  He presented detailed plans to construct a 30' X 40' metal building with an attached 30' X 40' canopy in the common area for a total cost of approximately $71,000.  After a suggestion by Jim Davis to investigate grants, Bob Scott moved to research additional financing alternatives.  A discussion followed concerning alternate building styles.  Don Ruward moved to table Bob Scott’s motion until the next Board meeting to allow alternate plans to be prepared for presentation at that time.  The motion passed.  John Sanders will post an announcement on the web site inviting complete and detailed proposals to be presented at the next Board meeting.  These proposals will be reviewed for completeness by Don Ruward and Bob Scott prior to presentation to the Board and will be due for that review by May 1, 2004.
         
        1. Road:  The subcommittee met 03/19/04.  Minutes will be posted.  Since the last meeting, over four miles of road base has been applied and work is continuing on a priority basis.
           
      6. Water System Update:   Jim Davis reported that this winter’s weather has delayed repairs, but work will resume next week.  There is change in progress to a smaller contractor who has experience with the water system installation.  Schrepfer Industries has graciously committed to provide whatever technical assistance they can in the future at no cost.  Work will resume on the supply line from the Holiday Inn to tank one, and on the automatic controls for that section.  As soon as that portion is proven, the tank one arterials will be proven, and then sanitization and acceptance can be accomplished.  It is impossible to state an expected milestone date because of the unknown condition of the buried lines.  However, this task will be approached in a methodical fashion, and the contractor has committed to stay on it fulltime with no interruptions.  Once tank one is on line, then the supply line to tank two and its’ arterials will become the next target, and the same with tank three.  The pre-payment option date for the original bond is approaching, and the Metro Board will be sending notices to all property owners in a timely manner.
         
      7. Covenant:  Don Ruward reported that the committee met March 11 and will post minutes.  Regarding the amendment of covenants, the Committee recommends that the proposed change be placed before the membership.
         
      8. Unified Database:   Pat Roehl and Diane Rader are continuing to their efforts to create a unified database.
         
      9. Weed Control:   Bill Wenstrom will coordinate weed control efforts.
         
  6. NEW BUSINESS:
     
    1. Financial Report:  Diane Rader presented the 2002 year end reports from Dixon, Waller & Co.  in addition to her own 2003 and January and February 2004 reports.  Bill Wenstrom moved to approve the reports as presented.  The motion passed.
       
    2. Utilization of Ranch Resources:   Ed Hockett reported that property owners have seen drilling activities on properties adjacent to SFTR.  It was suggested that we research opportunities to protect our resources.  Bill Wenstrom will research this issue and monitor the activities.
       
    3. Common Area Committee Proposals:
       
      1. Dues Increase:  Bob Scott presented a proposal for a dues increase (see Attachment A).  Bob Scott moved that this matter be put before the membership for a vote.  The motion passed.
         
      2. Exit 2 Ranch Entrance:  Bob Scott suggested that the Road committee investigate repairing an existing POA road near exit 2.  After discussion, it was decided that Bob Scott would investigate the matter further.
         
    4. Visiting photographers:  Ed Hockett announced that he had received notification from a local agent representing a group of visiting photographers.  They would like to visit the Morley site on April 2.  It was determined a Ranch protocol exists for visiting groups.  Ed will relay this information to the local agent.
       
    5. Resignation:  Monica Leche announced her resignation from the Board for personal reasons effective immediately.
       
  7. FROM THE FLOOR – None.
     
  8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING - The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board is set for May 15, 2004 at 9:00 AM in the Sullivan Room at Trinidad State Junior College.
     
  9. ADJOURNMENT – Bob Scott moved that the meeting be adjourned.  The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 12:10 PM.

Submitted by John Sanders, Secretary, on March 23, 2004.

Attachment A:

PROPOSAL FOR DUES INCREASE

This Board of Directors must recognize that Santa Fe Trail Ranch is a growing community and has a need to provide the expected amenities and services of any other community it’s size.  These services cannot be reasonably provided with our existing resources.

Growth means additional costs, and that means higher dues.

Road maintenance requirements are growing with every new resident.  Cul-de-sacs, which have been ignored for years, are now occupied, adding to the road mileage to be cared for.  Simply increasing dues on a lot by $100 because it is occupied doesn’t begin to offset the cost of maintenance.  When we grade or remove snow, we need to do most of the roads, and will soon have to do them all.

Road basing will be a continuing requirement from now on, with a need to reapply material on ten miles of road each year.

Road base costs have increased to the point that it costs $16,000 to $20,000 per mile, depending on the road base used and the method of application.

This means road basing alone can cost $160,000 to $200,000 each year.  Road grading and snow removal can cost another $100,000 per year.  Assuming these facts to be correct, the road budget alone could be as much as $300,000.

Additional residents mean other costs, such as better gate security, more trash pickup, and more maintenance in the entrance area, such as gravelling and dressing the mailbox and dumpster parking areas.

A community building is at the point of being a Ranch necessity.

There is a need for additional culverts in numerous locations around the ranch, as well as reshaping some of the curves for safety’s sake.

Eventually, our bridge will require repair and maintenance, which we should be saving for now.  This will be a significant expense when it occurs.

If we increased our income $100,000 annually, we could have a more aggressive road resurfacing program.

In order to increase our revenues that amount, the annual dues per lot would have to increase by $220.26.  This represents less than a dollar a day, and would vastly improve the quality of residency on the ranch, not to mention enhancing property values.

I know this seems like a radical change from our past policies, but we can’t continue to defer attention to these very real needs any longer.  We’re either going to have a quality development to live in, and be willing to pay for that quality, or allow our investment to degrade to the point that we’ll lose residents and property values.

The residents I’ve spoken with about this idea were excitedly in favor of proceeding.

I feel that we as a responsible and realistic Board should put this matter before the membership for their vote.

Bob Scott