Skyline Ridge Annual Meeting

Becket Town Hall 
Becket, MA 
Saturday

January 26, 2008

1:00 PM to 3:00 PM 

For Lot:

Table of Contents 
 
 

Agenda        Page 3 

Financial Information     Pages 4-5 

Ballot for Election of Officers   Page 6 

Address Change form      Page 7 

2008 Dues Invoice                                         Page 8

Agenda 
 
 

Welcome 

Review of the Association’s finances 

Discussion about road-related issues

• Construction vehicles
• Parking on the roads
• New Road Maintenance Contractor
• Cancellation of contract with Wilbur’s Landscaping for road maintenance  
  

Announcement about new Webmaster/mistress requirements 

Election of Officers 
 
Collection of Sign-in Sheets 
 
 

Financial Information

History of the Association’s Finances 

In January 2005, Northtree LLC, the real-estate developer that created the Skyline Ridge subdivision, turned over control of the Skyline Ridge to the Skyline Ridge property owners. At that time, Northtree had established the annual-assessment amount at $250 per lot. Northtree turned over approximately $10,000 to the Association. This money was raised by assessments (dues) that were paid to Northtree by lot owners before Northtree relinquished control of the community to the lot owners. 

By the third quarter of 2005, it was clear to the Board of Directors that an annual assessment of $250 per lot was not adequate to cover the Associations’ operating costs, and they made a decision to raise the annual assessment to $325 per month. This would increase the Association’s annual income from $8250 (33 lots @ $250) to $10,725 (33 lots @ $325). The Board knew that the budget would be very tight even with this $75 increase, but the Board was striving to keep the annual assessment as low as possible. 

By the second half of 2006, the Board was aware that we would experience a financial shortfall before the end of the year; and because of this, the Board raised association dues to $475 per lot per year. 

By far, our #1 cost is road maintenance. Now that we’ve been managing the community for three years, we know the approximate costs of road maintenance.  

Dealing with road-maintenance costs has been a challenge, for these reasons: 

1. Skyline Ridge, like all communities in cold climates, is at the mercy of the weather when it comes to road-maintenance costs. That is: it is very difficult to predict these costs in an area such as ours, because we don’t know from year to year how much snow we’ll have.

2. There is continuing construction activity at Skyline Ridge, and the large trucks and other construction-related vehicles tend to cause damage to the roads.

In 2007 Skyline Ridge took a big step towards making it easier to manage the cost of maintaining the Skyline Ridge roads: we entered into a month to month flat-fee contract with our road-maintenance contractor, Wilbur’s Landscaping. This contract called for a payment of $900 per month to Wilbur’s Landscaping in exchange for performance of all routine road-maintenance tasks (snow-plowing & sanding in the winter; brush-cutting, mowing, and basic road-grading in the warmer months).  
 
Unfortunately, the Board has concluded, especially after multiple complaints from property owners that Wilbur’s Landscaping was not fulfilling his obligations in a timely and competent fashion.  Since no contract was ever executed with this company we gave it notice that we no longer needed its services and went into contract with B + B Landscaping and Excavation, inc. for a monthly cost of $925.00 per month.  This contract includes Grass mowing, weed killing of grass and weeds growing in the road, Grading roads as necessary, weeding the front entranceway, Delivering and grading 3 loads of gravel per year where needed, snow plowing and sanding.  This will cost the Association $925.00 per year for an annual total of $11,100. 

There will be no increase in dues for 2008! 
 
 
 
 

Budget for 2008 
 

Ballot for Election of Officers 
at 2007 Skyline Ridge Annual Meeting

And Proxy Form 

Lot Number of person(s) casting this vote:___________

We are voting for one officer (Director).  Frank Rizza is the only director who is finishing his term.  He is willing to serve for another 3 years. 
 
On the lines below, write the names of person that you are voting for.

 
___________________________________

If you cannot come to the annual meeting, and you know of a person who wishes to be on the board please sign this sheet and return it to the Treasurer along with your dues.  If you do not know who you want to vote for, please sign this form and indicate on the line above that the board may exercise your vote by proxy and the board will exercise your vote. 

Sign Here:                        Lot number(s) _________ 
 

Change of Address Form 
for Skyline Ridge Annual Meeting 
January 28, 2007 

Please detach this Sign-in Sheet from the other pages, write in the information requested below, and give the filled-in sheet to Sal at the annual meeting or mail along with your dues payment. 

Lot Number: 
 

Name(s)  __________________________________________________ 
 
   __________________________________________________ 
 

Mailing address  __________________________________________________ 

      __________________________________________________ 
 
 __________________________________________________ 
 

Phone   __________________________________________________ 

Email   __________________________________________________ 
 
  
 

2008 DUES INVOICE: 
 

Each lot has a dues responsibility of $475.00 per year. 

Dues are due no later than 12/31/2007.  Note: Dues hand delivered at the annual meeting will be considered late and the property owners will be responsible for late fees. 

Make Checks out to: Skyline Ridge Property Owner’s Association, and mail them to: 

Frank T. Rizza

Treasurer

Skyline Ridge Property Owner’s Association

32 Beaumont Lane

Lake Grove, New York 11755 

Late fees are determined by check arrival at the Treasurer’s home.  Late fees are $50.00 per month and these dues accrue on the first day of the month.  For example, if dues are received on 1/15/08, there will be a late fee due of an additional $50.00.  Also, please remember, it is your responsibility to notify the Association of any address changes or property sales.  You are also required to notify any buyer of their obligation to pay their annual dues on time, or face late fees or other legal action.

Conservation Commission Meeting