Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:45 P.M. by Ms Carol Wilson, President, Marcus Pointe Homeowners Association (MPHA)

2008 Annual Meeting Minutes Approval
The 2009 Annual Meeting minutes were approved.

Introduction of Board Members

• Ms Carol Wilson introduced the current Board Members:  Jim Witt, KG Mani and Larry Clarke.  The Board came to the meeting with one vacancy. 
• Ms Wilson also introduced Tina Longwell of Centre Group, the association management company. 
• 104 lots were represented at the meeting with approximated 160 attendees.

Order of Business

• Board Selection: Ms Wilson called for a vote to fill the two 2009 slots (one currently vacant and the position held by Ms Wilson which was expiring).  Those attending were made aware of write-in names by members not attending and voting by proxy. 
• There were 8 write names:  Mr Rod Taylor, Mr Marc Bowyer, Mr Randy Myers, Mr Gary Skaar, Ms Carol Clarke, Ms Ruthie Adams, Me Joe Lukaszewicz, and Ms Glenda Jones. 
• The ballots were collected and counted. 
• The winners were announced at the end of the meeting and they were Ms Wilson who was reelected to file her slot and Mr Jim Balthrop was elected to the vacant slot left when Jack Hamm moved. 
• In preparation for the 2010 Board vacancies, members are encouraged to submit names for vacant Board positions via the Blog as soon as it is announced so the names can be added to the mail-out ballot.  Names added after proxies are mailed out are too late and in reality have little chance of winning due primarily to the large number of absentee votes cast before the meeting. 
• Board Secretary, Larry Clarke, came to the meeting with 72 proxies.  He notified the attendees that he would not cast his proxy ballots to change the course of the meetings desires (if someone or an issue was winning 10-2 overall at the meeting and Larry casting his vote for the 2 side would sway the results, he would not cast the ballots).
• Tina Longwell, Centre Group, provided financial information for the year.  The 2008 financial report (attached) was provided and the 2009 budget (attached) , which was included in the announcement mail out, was presented.  There were many questions regarding the following issues:
• Security patrol costs and its value.  Community crime was addressed here by the membership as well as with the ECSO representative. 
• The programmed 2009 expenditure for irrigation system replacement on the back side along Marcus Pointe Blvd. The system was deemed beyond repair and requires over 300 heads (large system).
• The reserve fund for non-public road maintenance is not properly funded.  The covenants require the Association maintain the non-public roads.  Association Secretary met with the Escambia county engineers to investigate title transfer options.  Due to the original design of the community, there is no legal way the county could take possession and maintenance responsibility where private property lines extend into those non-pubic streets.
• Ms Longwell was questioned regarding management fee costs.
• The 2009 dues increase was explained.  The Board apologized for the improper billing of $245.00 which exceeded the Boards authority.  The 2009 dues were revised to $235.00 and a new bill was mailed to association members.
• Board Secretary Larry Clarke addressed proposed covenant changes. 
• Larry pointed out that covenant changes require 2/3 approval of the entire association membership.  With 527 voting lots that means 352 affirmative votes on any issue for the change to be affective.  Additionally the entire proxy process must be completed and available to the membership within 90 days of the annual meeting.
• He first handed out the proxy cards for those named as proxies other then himself to ensure they understood how many votes they were casting
• Each of the recommended changes were discussed and the vote taken.  Those recommended changes were:
• Allow political signs not large the 30 X 30, one for each candidate, not sooner than 30 days before the election and not longer then one day after the election.
• Leave the remaining Sections 12-26 of the covenants as they are.
• Enforce the current 6 ft limit on fence height and the covenant requirement for the fence following the property topography.
• Modify the current covenants to ALLOW fences to be stained or painted and not REQUIRED that they be painted.
• The creation of a fine committee (allowed under Florida law) to offer one additional remedy option for the homeowners association for blatant covenant, maintenance and architectural violations.
• Recommendation for enforcement to topography modifications of one homeowner that diverts or reroutes water onto another homeowner’s lot.
• Add a section on hurricane shutters to the covenants that requires conformance with Escambia County building code.  The covenant addition would be a new section 33 under Article VII.  It would cover permanently installed shutters, professional made shutters that are removed between hurricanes and homemade protection like plywood.
• An additional question sought agreement with the statement that shutters may NOT be installed and left up all season.
• Ms Wilson noted that the Board only has authority over those things included in the Covenants, Bylaws and Architectural guidelines that are all located on the website for download.  The board is frequently called by members seeking help in the following areas over which the Board has no control.
• Speeding – Contact Escambia County Sheriff’s Department
• Street Parking – 48 hours is legal but not encouraged.  On the non-public roads, we tow away.
• Dogs running loose
• Ms Wilson then provided a historical update on numerous areas (attached) but here are the topics:
• Major milestones for Marcus Pointe since November 2006
• MPHA major expenses
• MPHA legal fees
• MPHA utility expenses
• MPHA security expenses
• MPHA maintenance expenses
• MPHA administrative expenses
• Larry Newsom, Escambia County Traffic Engineer, represented County Commissioner Wilson Robertson, who was unable to attend due to public hearings.  Larry provided an overview of county issues relevant to MPHA and took questions from the floor.  The main issues discussed and taken under advisement included:
• Potential addition of a walking path (basically side walk along Marcus Pointe Blvd that would required cutting through all Marcus Pointe Homeowners lawns)
• He advised that an additional turn lane will be added at Marcus Point Blvd and W Street.  We will then have dedicated left and right turn lanes and a straight ahead lane.
• Increasing the community speed limit to 35 MPH
• Center line stripping of Marcus Pointe Blvd to assist with lane separation on some of the more dangerous curves
• Addition of a temporary or permanent speed indicator display in back on the 9th tee box on Marcus Pointe Blvd (an alternate location was suggested from the floor for placement in the rear section of Marcus Pointe Blvd along the “speed mile”).  Larry asked if there was interest in adding speed bumps and there was a near unanimous negative response.
• The planned park at the entrance of Marcus Pointe (delayed due to the current economic conditions)
• The condition of the signs at the entrance by Tom Thumb and at the industrial area was raised. However, about three days before the meeting Wilson Robertson had Escambia county maintenance personnel repaint the signs, clean the landscaping and replace the light bulb.
• ECSO representative Phillip Nix addresses community security issues
• He stated that a review of reported crimes over the past three years indicated that the majority of MPHA reported crime could be avoid by locking home and car doors, parking the car in the garage, if left outside, leave nothing of value visible in the car and not leaving things of value on your front porch.
• He reported Marcus Pointe crime level is below the normal or average for Escambia County.
• He was asked about speeding enforcement by the police patrol.  He pointed out that MP was a closed community and ticketing would probably all be done against residents and visitors of residents.
• There was much discussion of the off duty random police patrols that MPHA pays for in partnership with the Marcus Pointe Golf Club.  There was major concern regarding accountability of being on sight, how monitoring was done and the real value of such an expenditure.  Ms Wilson noted that the Board was investigating other avenues to provide some modicum of security service for the community but that the Board had nothing to report for this meeting.
• (After meeting note:  On Feb 25, 2009,ESCO notified Mr Neal Nash via letter they were raising the labor rate for off duty police coverage by 30% effective 1 April 2009.  Mr Nash, the holder of the ECSO roving patrol contract, terminated ECSO service via letter on March 24, 2009.  The Nash letter effectively canceled MPHA coverage as well since we could not afford the additional $22.500 costs even if the contract could have been novated to MPHA).
• Questions arose regarding what number to call if there are problems.  The Board refers the membership to the information page on the website where all emergency numbers are displayed for association members.

Ms Wilson adjourned the meeting at approximately 7:45 PM.

Attachments:

1. MS Wilsons PowerPoint Slides
2. 2009 MPHA Projected Budget
3. 2008 MPHA Profit and Loss statement
4. 2008 MPHA Balance Sheet

Respectfully Submitted,

Larry Clarke
MPHA Recording Secretary.