Landscaping - Catalina Oaks Beautification

Catalina Oaks Beautification

The board has decided to move ahead with the Landscaping project. A check( 50% of proposal) has been issued to start the project. The balance will be paid at contract completion.

Everything Outdoors, was awarded the contract, and will be on site in the next week. They will be visible during the next few weeks, installing Podocarpus, Christmas Palms, Variegated Arboricola, Foxtail Palms, Blue Flambé go, Green Island Fichus and Dwarf Bougainvillea. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

New sprinklers will be installed as required.

We trust you will enjoy the NEW LOOK of Catalina Oaks.

Standard Operating Practice - New Business Procedure

The members of the board may make changes as required to this document. Once reviewed and approved by the board it will be incorporated into the BYLAWS.

Project Authorization and Contract Award (PACA)
The following document is considered the contract award for a project that will commence after a decision of the board. The board agrees they have reviewed various proposals (at least 3) prior to contract award. The board, acting in good faith and in the best interest of the Catalina Oaks Homeowners, after a diligent review of all the data contained in the various proposals submitted for this project, has made a decision. The board is satisfied with this specific proposal which meets the criteria defined in the statement of work dated ______________ issued for the quote.

There are 5 board members. A majority, which is 3 out of 5 signatures on this document, constitutes authorization to issue a check for a job the board has agreed on. The current project_______________ has been awarded to ____________ and a check (50% of the total) will be issued in the amount of _____________ as a partial payment to begin said project. At the completion of said project the balance will be paid in full. The contractor has guaranteed by warranty, the project for a period of ___________.

Any issues will be dealt with in a timely manner and to the satisfaction of the board. Issues or discrepancies will be dealt with thru arbitration, should the occasion arise. In the event there is a situation that requires legal action, the board will seek legal council to evaluate its legal course of action, if required.

Signed this date__________________


Board of Directors signatures

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Note: All documents signed by the board will be placed in the historical files.

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS to be considered

HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
GENERAL STANDARDS

http://www.gvccc.org/documents/hoa_ethics.pdf

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
The following text was taken from the web. It something we should consider adopting and including in the Bylaws. http://www.gvccc.org/documents/hoa_ethics.pdf

Professional Competence - A Board member shall undertake only those responsibilities and assignment that he/she can reasonably expect to perform with professional competence.

Due Professional Care - A Board member shall exercise due professional care in the performance of his duties.

Planning and Supervision - A Board member shall adequately plan and supervise all functions for the Homeowners Association.

INTEGRITY AND OBJECTIVITY

A member may not knowingly misrepresent facts in order to achieve any measure of personal gain for themselves, or any affiliated company from which he/she may benefit. All decisions and representation made to the Homeowners Association must be made with the best interests of the Association in mind.
TECHNICAL STANDARDS
A member shall comply with all technical standards that are in force or may from time to time be promulgated by the Homeowners Association.
PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
All Homeowners Association Board members should exhibit professional courtesy to all community association management professionals and such professional courtesy shall include among other things.
- The Board Member shall not interfere with contractual relationships between community management professionals and contractors.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
No member, or employee of a member, may use their position to enhance their own financial status through recommendation of vendors, suppliers or contractors that may pay a gratuity to the member or employee of a member of the organization. In addition, all situations where any appearance of a conflict of interest could exist must be disclosed in writing to the Board of Directors at the earliest opportunity. Any dealings with related parties must be fully disclosed to the Homeowners Association and abstentious and/or recusal must be entered on all voting and discussion
issues relating to the contractors.
GRATUITIES
It shall be the policy of the Homeowners Association to discourage the acceptance by its members of gifts, entertainment, or other favors from existing or prospective clients, vendors or suppliers. The following are intended to provide guidance in this regard:
- Gifts of a normal value and personal nature given as a token of friendship or special occasions such as Christmas, a job promotion or length of service award are acceptable. Likewise, entertainment that would be difficult to describe as “lavish” is acceptable. Although no precise definition of “nominal value” or “lavish entertainment” is possible, it is possible, it is intended that any gift, entertainment or other favor does not meet acceptable standards of the Homeowners Association if:
- If the gift, entertainment or other favor is judged above the standard of living of the donee and the donor;
- It is judged beyond the ability of the donee to reciprocate, either on a personal basis or with a legitimate claim for
reimbursement from the Homeowners Association; and the gifts or entertainment received would suggest to a
disinterested third party that the donee might be influenced in the conduct of the Homeowners Association business
with the donor.
- It is recognized that many clients, vendors and suppliers consider reasonable gifts and entertainment as an accepted
business practice without any intent to unduly influence the judgment of the Board of Directors.
- Cash gifts of any amount are deemed unacceptable.
Members must use discretion when vendors offer to pay for lunches or dinner that may be considered excessive under the circumstances of the donee.
No member, or employee of a member, may accept any unearned fees or other forms of remuneration that may actually be or appear to be, a conflict of interest.
USE OF HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION FUNDS
No member may use any funds being held for Homeowners Association business for their own personal use. All finds must be segregated either through bank accounts or accounting records.
RELATED ENTITIES:
Any engagement of a company or individual that is related to any member of the Homeowners Association Board of Directors in any way, must be disclosed to the Homeowners Association. This disclosure must be made in writing and approved by the Homeowners Association for the member to remain active on the Homeowners Association Board of Directors.
LIMITATIONS OF PRACTICE:
A Board member who is also engaged in the practice of another profession shall not perform such other services for the Homeowners Association while serving as a Homeowners Association Board member, if the performance of such services is likely to result in a perceived or real conflict of interest. Any member who misses three consecutive meetings of the board of directors will be removed from the Board.

I agree to the above stated Code of Ethics.

Signature Date
Signature Date
Signature Date
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Signature Date

Meeting Minutes April 4, 2009

CATALINA OAKS HOMEOWNERS

Board Present: President - Elaine Florence Geyer; Treasurer - Jean Kay; Architecture Review - Dick Byram; Secretary - Bob Scully. Our 5th board member John Kone, had a prior engagement and was unable to attend.

Residents present: Pat Byram, Pat Estelle, Duane and Doris Reynolds, George Todd, John Glover, Jutta Rosenburg, Vera Johnson and Barbara Scully

1. A meeting of Catalina Oaks Home Owners’ Association was held at the Rockridge Community Center. The President, Elaine Geyer, called it to order Saturday April 4, 2009 at 10:00 AM.

2. The minutes from the January Meeting were read. They are also posted on the blog. The minutes summarize items addressed and actions taken by the board during the past few months. If you would like more detail visit http://catalinaoaks.blogspot.com, contact any member of the board, consider attending the next meeting, or talk to homeowners present.
Meeting minutes for today’s meetings are included herein and will are posted on the blogspot. If anyone prefers a hardcopy just ask and it will be printed and hand delivered to your door.

3. Jean Kay provided a summary of the finances. She paid the Annual State HOA payment of $61.25 and the income taxes to IRS of $1262. As of April 1, 2009 assets are $104, 916 (CDs and checking account). A request was made for a print out of the quarterly expenditures and income to date. The data is available for review at Jeans.

4. Catalina Oaks Landscaping – There is good news and not so good news. There were about 4 meetings and lots of dialogue on the noted subject. At the conclusion of today’s Homeowners Meeting the board selected Everything Outdoors by a vote of 4-1.
Here is the not so good news. We have a mess on our hands. The project is on hold until the board is able to work thru issues that resulted from what could be termed an abuse of position power and a total disregard to board objections. A unilateral decision was made and a check was cut and delivered by our president to Subtropical Landscape and Design prior to the vendor selection meeting.

HOA Meeting Saturday 4/4/09

A meeting is scheduled for Saturday 4/4/09 at the Rockridge Community Center at 10 AM. Hope to see you there. One of the Agenda items will be the NEW Landscaping Project to beautify our entrance and the corner.

A special session will be conducted after the meeting. The intent is to have the board vote on and award a contract to the winner of the project.

Everything Outdoors OVERVIEW

THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED Everything Outdoors PROVIDE AN ONSITE OVERVIEW ON THE LANDSCAPING PROJECT/PROPOSAL MONDAY 3/16/09 AFTERNOON AT 3:00 PM.

THIS WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS THE GROUP HAS WHICH CAN ONLY BE ADDRESSED BY SPENCER PORTEOUS.

Landscaping 2009 Update 3/9/09

A meeting was held to review the latest revised bids submitted for the Landscaping Project. At the last meeting we changed the scope of work(SOW)and asked the vendors to rebid. Then we changed the SOW and asked them to do it again. So the final bid includes the entrance( east and west) and the corner at 10th, as Dick will be installing sprinklers at the entrance (Westside)for approximately $100.

We decided on two candidates. Everything Outdoors and RoseMary. The cost are $5858 and $6165, respectively. Both will guarantee the plantings for 2 years. The lowest cost will not be the determining factor. The candidate selection criteria is still to be determined?

A request was made to have Everything Outdoors present at Catalina Oaks on Monday 3/16/09 afternoon. The time is to be determined. Some concerns relate to dwarf bouganvillia and podocarpus plantings.

The photos( shown below) are of the plants that may be included in the landscaping area. The plant selection is dependent on the vendor selected. A suggestion was presented to have the job split in 2 so that each vendor could get a piece of the action. No decision was made at the meeting.

Another concern was the triming of the bouganvillias over time. Rosemarys bouganvillias climb the walls. Elaine stated that Rosemary would come back and maintain the plantings, including the bouganvillas for 2 years,as part of her warranty.