PRESENT

Rachel Dretzin, Susan Krim, Miri Navasky, Alfred Souza, Eva Thaddeus

FINANCIAL REPORT

Susan gave the financial report. We have $8500 in the capital fund, $22,307 in the operating fund, and the barn account, which was opened with a balance of $95,500 to start with, is down to $16,109 now.

BARN RESTORATION

Eva updated the board on the barn restoration. Tom Shepherd says that if we are to overrun the budget at all, it will be by $3,000 or less. The board agree to hold off on altering any windows, but to replace or otherwise put the current windows in working order. Tom is ready to bring in the painter. The color of the barn will be barn red. Tom says we are definitely in need of a new roof. The current roof will not last even a year, and if we don’t do the restoration there will be damage to the barn from moisture.

The board discussed the options and agreed on a corrugated metal roof,
which costs about $10,000 and has a 30-year guarantee. The board discussed how to pay for the new roof. Originally, the board had determined that up to 16k in additional costs would constitute a reasonable community assessment, given the alternative costs of taking down the barn. However, since a new roof wasn’t part of the original plan, the board agreed to fundraise for the roof and assess for any
remainder after voluntary contributions. Susan suggested the possibility of covering the costs out of the capital fund, since it’s a capital project. Eva thought it would be better to reserve those funds for the road. The board agreed to combine fundraising for the roof with fundraising for electricity, which two projects would cost approximately $20,000 together. If the whole amount can’t be raised immediately, the board determined to replace the roof and wait on the electricity.

The board resolved that once the barn roof and the flooring are complete, the barn would be a shared resource of the community. At this point, the barn will be solely for our community’s use and not opened up to other purposes. Community members will be able to sign up to use the barn for parties/ meetings/gatherings. Eva will put out a call for people to sign up to be part of the barn usage community.

The board agreed that the enclosed bay (the first one, on the far left) will be reserved for storage of items for common community use (e.g. pond furniture, toys, grills, etc). It will not be used for community members’ personal possessions. Bicycle storage will be allowed, with a
limit for each member, so the number doesn’t get out of hand. The three open bays (on the right side) will kept open for general recreational uses. Some possibilities were discussed (ping pong table, pool table, sitting area, hammock, projector for movie nights, appropriate furniture, and if we have electricity, a small fridge for beverages). Shelving for towel storage, bug spray and other communally items would be useful. The board agreed that community members can donate furniture, but that the board would set certain controls and guidelines for the donations. The board will designate a barn committee of two to propose and monitor guidelines, pending board approval.

Anything left in the barn will be available for community use, which will restrict what is left there.

INTERNET

Alfred noted that the farmhouse has internet and if the community takes over the farmhouse internet or any additional expense and improves it we could have internet on the barn. Debbie is on a 25mbps connection and we’d probably want to increase that to 100mbps. We can create a guest on the same router.

ROAD

Eva reported that she spoke to Eric Schnackenberg (who crowned her
driveway). Eric walked the road with Eva and estimated that it is probably a 50-60k job to do the whole road not including the side roads. Right now, the way Carmen fixes it, we are putting band-aids on it, but the road is getting lower and lower each time. According to Eric, what we have to do is bring it substantial pieces of crushed shale and build the road to crown it so the water flows off. We’d still need upkeep since snowplowing scrapes roads. He says we will know we’re running out of time if we need more and more bandaids, and we’re there.

Eva suggested a road committee to think about long-term planning especially since Carmen is in his eighties and has been giving us a sweetheart deal. Eric says he cant take on our road for snowplowing. We got some estimates a year ago but not for Eric. Eva likes dealing with
Eric. He’s easy to deal with. Susan thinks we need someone to do both the road and plowing because Carmen would get upset. His ego would be affected. Eric says we don’t have to do the whole road all at once, can start with the parts uphill.

The board decided to ask Eric to give us a formal estimate for fixing the
road. It would be great if he included the plowing, but it’s not a
precondition. If Eric is planning on doing it in stages the board needs to know how many stages. $15,000 a year is in the ballpark. We also need the estimate to include the extra parts off the main road.

NEW LOT

Following the meeting, the motion to approve Deb Adamsons’ lot change was approved unanimously by the board.

The meeting was held at the home of Eva Thaddeus. Minutes submitted by Rachel Dretzin.