Special Thanks to Jay & Nash Patel, Marcus Pointe Residents, for allowing the Board to meet without cost at their Days Inn location next to Kia Motors on RTE#29.

Attending:  Carol Wilson, President; members: Jim Balthrop, KG Mani, Jim Witt, and Larry Clarke and Tina Longwell representing Centre Group Properties Inc, Marcus Pointe Homeowners Association Administrator. 

For our membership: 
Your Board serves pro bono because we are genuinely concerned about our community.  Our goal is to maintain the appearance and upkeep outlined in the legal covenants that govern the operations of our community.  We encourage everyone to go to the web site http://www.marcus-pointe.com/ download the Covenants and Architectural guidelines.  There are blank forms for addressing/requesting architectural changes to your property that require prior approval. Please do not sign contracts or begin work until you have checked this site.  We do not want to be confrontational or disagreeable but covenant enforcement is required.  Spend a few minutes reviewing the community requirements and avoid letters of violation.  We also encourage you to register for the Association blog where you can provide your comments any time you desire http://www.marcus-pointe.com/blog.php.  Our Board meetings are open to the Association membership and we encourage you to attend at least one while residing in the community.

Carol Wilson called the meeting to order.

Financial Report:  Centre Group presented the financial report.

• Your Board is pleased with the new financial report formats.  They are much more informative and require less time for explanation at the meeting.  Thanks to Centre Group for their efforts.
• The financial report indicates a number of homeowner 2009 delinquent accounts remain unresolved.   Centre Group continues to make efforts to resolve those accounts.  We have six accounts with multi-years delinquencies. 
• Household status:
• Foreclosure complete:  1
• Foreclosures pending:   2
• Foreclosure removed:  1
• 5-year Liens in place:   1
• New 5-year liens in process:    2
• Sent to the attorney for collection:    $ 1,291.91
• Collection action pending (prior to attorney):  $ 2,990.09
• Demand letters pending:   $    549.26
• Total outstanding late fees:    $    848.26
• Points of order for your information:

• When homeowner accounts become delinquent; penalty, late fees and interest apply as well as any account associated attorney fees.  When any amount of payment is received from the homeowner and it is not for the full amount billed, the payment first goes to fees, interest and penalties and any pending attorney costs.  This means that if the account is not paid in full, dues or a portion thereof remain delinquent.
• It costs the Association ~$200.00 for the attorney to place a 5 year lien on a property.

Architectural Control Committee Actions: 

• 3/6/2009  The Golanta’s, 2017 Hesperia Way.  New home approved and under construction.  House exterior is complete.  Phillip Russell is the builder.
• 6/15/2009 Courtney Pereira 3013 Lake Pointe Circle, request to retain fence extending into Crescent Lake – disapproved.
• 5/25/2009 William Cleary 3493 Marcus Pointe Blvd.  Yard landscaping – approved.
• 5/25/2009 Jack Hartzog 2062 Downing Drive, drainage and landscaping changes – approved.
• 7/8/2009 Dr Ernest brown 3049 Knotty Pine, property modifications to address drainage problems – approved.
• The Board received a letter of complaint over which we have determined we have no jurisdiction (nothing in the covenants, bylaws or architectural guidelines that gives us authority to act).  Our response to the homeowner offers a potential solution that has to be worked outside the MPHA Board.
• Thanks to the ARC for their quick action on these matters.
• Thanks to the homeowners for helping the Board by following the ARC guidelines and asking before you start.

Board Discussion Items:

• MPHA Blog:  The blog continues its slow growth.  We now have 214 members.
• Irrigation Upgrade:  The Board directed Center Group to contract with Riker Irrigation to install the sprinkler system along the fence side of Marcus Pointe Blvd in the rear of our community.  Riker’s best and final offer was $14,000.00.  The work should start within several weeks.
• Meeting with County Engineer:  The Board has asked Centre Group to arrange a meeting with County engineer, Larry Newsom within the next three weeks.  The topics to be discussed at that meeting are as follows:
• The location of the county-owned, solar-powered speed alerting sign currently in back of the 9th tee box across the intersection of Marcus Pointe Blvd and Marquette Ave.
• The speed limit in Marcus Pointe.
• Stripping of Marcus Pointe Blvd
• Potential striping of a walking lane on Marcus Pointe Blvd.
• Homeowners can contact any Board member with their comments.  The blog can also be used..
• Posting Delinquent Names and Addresses:  There was a homeowner suggestion to post the names and addresses of delinquent accounts on the MPHA web page.  The Board agreed unanimously that this would not in the best interest of community unity.  The financial reports, which include delinquent account information, are available for any homeowner to review.  Any Board member has copies that can be reviewed by interested homeowners.
• New Lawn Maintenance Company: Reports regarding the new lawn maintenance company have been all positive to date.  They have made improvements to several of the common areas.
• Cutting the Gulf Power Right of Way:  Questions arouse regarding cutting under the Gulf Power power-line right-a-way.  That cutting is scheduled with a bush-hog once a quarter.
• Dead Tree Removal:  A dead tree in the rear of the property that is in the fence line will be removed down to the fence level (it was finally determined that it is located on our property).  The board felt the expense of removal and replacing the fence to cut to the ground level was an unnecessary expense.
• Community Security Update:  After receiving a limited number of responses to our security RFP, it was agreed to table the issue for a few months.  We were unanimously disappointed with the responses.  The costs of the proposals were all very high, most were more than double the cost of what we shared with the golf course in the past using off duty Escambia Police patrols.  The only serious proposals worth consideration were roving patrols.  The desire for video surveillance proposal did not materialize as a workable solution.  The Board has directed the Board Secretary to secure the last three years of police reports for Marcus Pointe for the Board to review to determine the best course of action.  We had hoped the security professionals would have done this but none of the proposal reflected that level of effort.
• Board Signs Documents: 
• Bank documents were signed by all Board members to update the Bank on current members and their signatures. 
• The Board President signed the agreement with an additional attorney.  The Board now has the option of using one of two attorneys and we will choose the one who provides the most cost effective and timely response.
• Marcus Point Entry Sign:  Homeowners may have noticed that our Marcus Pointe Entry sign light is out.  Jeff Peyronin has assumed responsibility to remove the broken light and replace with a new one.  Thanks Jeff.
• Community Information Update: The Board is investigating an electronic sign that would be placed on the back side of our community sign to provide current information to our homeowners.  It would be powered from the electric meter on the back of the current sign.  Placing it on the back side was selected because there is just no way to make the sign look appealing placed anywhere in the front.  Since we have only one community access/egress point, homeowners will be able to keep updated when the exit the community.  Placing it in the rear also poses no objectionable ascetics problems.
• Clay Pit Landfill: There has been a marked decrease in traffic to the dump. Contact with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the first week of July 2009 indicates the consent order has still not been signed by the owner.  This court order would give DEP permission to enter the property to add test wells and take current samples to assess the environmental risk.  .
• Yard Debris:  We have had several complaints regarding debris piled on the street.  The Board asks the following:

• ECUA Thursday yard debris pickup will ONLY pick up trash in front of homes with an ECUA trashcan.  Placing the debris near a vacant lot or near common area causes the ECUA to pass up the debris.
• Please do not pile the debris on the street until Wednesday. MPHA Covenants, Article VII, Section 20 states:  Curb side placement of garbage and trash receptacles shall be limited to reasonably short duration of a few hours to accommodate scheduled curb side pickup.
• Place yard debris on the street and not on the grass.
• Please be conscience of the size requirements.  ECUA will not pick up debris that is over size or weight.

Yard Maintenance:  Larry Clarke is willing to respond to request for assistance from those families in violation with some education and guidance how to easily come into compliance.  Larry will additionally assist in getting it right from the labor perspective on a one time basis.  Contact Larry Clarke, MPHA Secretary, 850-476-5225 if you desire to take advantage of this free service.

The meeting adjourned at 5:15.

Respectfully submitted,
Larry Clarke
Marcus Pointe Association Board Recording Secretary.