HOA LIBERTY SQUARE MINUTES 

Minutes of the May 4^th  Meeting of the Liberty Square Homeowners Association

 Meeting Time:  7:00 pm

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors: Bill Jury and Vicky Loy

Property Manager: Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners: Dave Gamble, Benny Hamby, Mike Loy, Dan Regelski, Cyrilla Smith, E.Rojas, Ginger & Ernie Olivito, Harold Kellogg, Niki Carrey, Peyman Khan, Bridget  Courtney, Pete Douglas, Merry Impey

Minutes: 

The meeting was called to order at 19:07

HOA Board updates:

Financial:

• Operating account currently – approximately $34,000
• Reserve account currently –  approximately  $27,000
• Delinquent Dues currently- approximately  $12,000

**reminder that all HOA dues must be current before pool keys can be given out**

Neighborhood Update

A neighborhood update was given on the current status of the neighborhood and recent activities on behalf of the residents of Liberty Square:

• Landscaping has been completed for all 4 corners of the commons area.
• Dog signs regarding pick up your dog poop and keep your dog on a leash at all times have been installed all over the neighborhood. REMINDER : No Exceptions- All dogs in the PARK must be on a leash at all times. Residents are complaining they cannot take their kids to the park to play due to several homeowners that are still allowing their dogs to come off their leashes. Repairs have been made to the tennis court.
• Pool repairs will be completed before pool opening which is scheduled for Saturday May 13^th. There are 2 more dates for the distribution of pool keys : May 10^th– 7:00-8:30 and May 13^th, 10:00-11:30. Please note all HOA dues must be current before keys will be given out to any resident.
• All 4 detention ponds are in need of cleaning to include debree, saplings,and underbrush. Two of them will be scheduled for the Fall, the remaining two will be 1^st of next year. Total cost for these will be around $12,000 but must be done as it is the responsibility of the subdivision to keep these cleaned and functional.
• New pool gate and lock has been installed. New keys were made to fit the gate instead of alternating keys as we have in the past. Hopefully the higher gate will deter intruders from climbing over the gate.

Open Discussion The floor was opened for discussion regarding any neighborhood topics;

• Benny Hamby brought up concerns about 2 trees by his home that are close to the detention pond next to his property. His concern being they are getting so tall that if they were to come down due to wind or storms they are close enough to do some damage to his property. Chardon made a note to follow up.

• Board reinstated having residents sign a document that has the pool rules listed before they will be given a key to the pool. Residents found to be non-compliant with these rules shall be subject to the following actions:

1. 1^st offense: Written notification of violation
2. 2^nd offense: Fine of between $25 -$100 dependent upon violation
3. 3^rd offense: Revoked amenity access

If  anyone observes non residents using the pool they should call 911  since they will be charged with trespassing.

• Dog poop and dogs off of leashes signs have been added. Warning letters will be sent to offenders. If rules are not followed the county will have to get involved and animal control. Residents feeling unsafe should contact animal control or Acworth PD to make a complaint, as the HOA has no enforcement authority over off-leash pets any more than we can issue traffic tickets for speeding.
• Arrows were added to at the flagpole, however there is some confusion about why this happened. The City Manager and police officer that came out to assist us with this dangerous spot stated they would be adding 3 way stop signs. They were adamant that this area was not a Roundabout. Dan Regelski will follow up with his contacts for an update.
• There is a garbage can that has been moved from the pool area. This is considered a theft so if anyone “borrowed” it for some reason, it should be returned immediately or further action will be taken..

• A resident voiced concern about the corner area of one of the commons area that continues to have sand and dirt washed to the sidewalk which creates a very slippery situation. HOA  board will look into our options as this was created as a result of  some large trees being removed and the ground is eroding.
• Pete Douglas requested that Chardon ask our landscapers if they would give us quotes for aerating lots. Since some of the yards are in dire need of attention and the landscapers costs that we pay is basically to mow and blow.
• A lengthy discussion took place regarding the ARC committee, the covenants, bi-laws and the guidelines. As it was determined that this meeting was not the forum to continue this discussion it was ended with further follow ups to happen with the ARC and HOA.

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 – at which time keys were distributed to those that came prepared with their keys to swap out, read the pool rules, and their dues were current.

Minutes of the February 22, 2017 Meeting of the Liberty Square Homeowners Association

 Meeting Time:  7:00 pm

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors:  Tony Weatherington ,Bill Jury, and Vicky Loy

Property Manager: Unable to attend

Homeowners:Dave Gamble, Mike Loy, Dan & Eileen Regelski, Flora Odom, Grace Tagoe, Gloria Dunaway, Cyrilla Smith, Angela Durham, Marlene Nikoukaru

Minutes: 

The meeting was called to order at 19:07

HOA Board updates:

Financial:

• Operating account currently – approximately $40,000
• Reserve account currently –  approximately  $27,000
• Delinquent Dues currently- approximately  $17,000( 2 at $1000 ^ )

**reminder that all HOA dues must be current before pool  keys can be given out**

Neighborhood Update

A neighborhood update was given on the current status of the neighborhood and recent activities on behalf of the residents of Liberty Square:

• Special thanks to Tony Weatherington & Bill Jury for hanging our new flags at the entrance way.
• Privacy fence beside the pool had a portion that was knocked to the ground by apparently someone backing into it. Fence has been repaired.
• Two of our residents Mike & Vicky Loy recently found a homeless camp being set up in the woods between Liberty Square and Ingles (if coming from Ingles on the left hand side (2^nd outlet) They went to Ingles & reported this to their assistant mgr who immediately phoned the police, who in turn arrived within minutes into Liberty Square. The next day there was no sign of the camp. Ingles said they would be happy to take care of this problem immediately but someone has to report it to them.
• All residents should be vigilant and advise Ingles immediately of your findings. We spoke to Mindy (assistant mgr) and she said she is always available to assist our neighborhood with anything that involves Ingles property.
• Two of our residents, Mike Loy & Dan Regelski attended a town meeting a few weeks ago where they approached the mayor and Acworth City Manager regarding the parking position demarcation lines that needed to be re-painted. Past requests to have this done had been unsuccessful. Special thanks to both of them for attending the meeting & going directly to the source. They attended the meeting on a Saturday, the stripes were painted on the following Tuesday. Both of them are also following up on having a police officer or City Mgr come into our neighborhood and review the roundabout as you enter the subdivision.  Concerns and complaints regarding how unsafe and confusing this area is has been voiced. Hopefully stop signs or arrows can be added. They will update the board as they get updates on this project. Again, thanks!
• Repair to tennis court cracks has been scheduled for April. It was suggested that pictures be taken of the tennis court prior to the repair to keep on file.
• Costs are being obtained for sail shades which will be a more permanent replacement for the pool umbrellas which continue to be destroyed each year.

Open Discussion The floor was opened for discussion regarding any neighborhood topics;

• Board will reinstate having residents sign a document that has the pool rules listed before they will be given a key to the pool. Still concerns about the gate not being secure enough to keep non-residents out.
• Letter was sent out to all residents covering several  items of concerns. Dog poop and dogs off of leashes is a continuous problem which was one of the items addressed in the letter. Hopefully signs will be posted soon to indicate that IT IS THE LAW –to pick up your dog’s poop,and that all dogs are required to be on leashes. Signage will include that fines can be imposed if residents do not follow these rules.
• Landscaping quotes have been rec’d /reviewed by the board for landscaping projects (budgeted for this year) which will include the front entry behind the flag and the corners of each commons area. This will be something that will be started and completed within the next 3 months.
• Liberty Square is responsible for the upkeep of the detention ponds which are for flood control. As you enter the subdivision (behind the iron fence) will be the first one that will be cleaned out as it has not been maintained for at least 7 years or longer.  Quotes rec’d so far are too high, board has asked for multiple quotes before we proceed with this project.
• A resident voiced concern about not having a firewall behind their homes. Board will look into who/what is necessary to address this concern.

Meeting adjourned at 19:45.

Meeting Time:  7:00 pm

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors:  Tony Weatherington, Bill Jury, and Vicky Loy

Property Manager:  Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners

Dave Gamble, Mike Loy, Dan & Eileen Regelski, Chad & Beth Whiteside, Amanda & Pete Douglas,Jack Sorrells,Flora Odom, Lena Grace Tagoe, Lester Dunaway, Deshawn Bullock, Benny Hamby,Peyman Khan, Cyrilla Smith, Joseph Pitts,Matt & Sarah Pitts

Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 19:07. HOA Board update:

• Two board members; Carl Sulzer and Marty Marks have both sold their homes and will be moving out of Liberty Square. We wish them both luck with their new homes.The board appointed Bill Jury and Vicky Loy as replacements for these two positions.
• A quorum was confirmed based on attendees and proxy votes submitted.
• One resident was nominated and Tony volunteered to run for another term.
• Tony Weatherington won the election and will retain his position as HOA president.

Financial:

• The operating account currently has a balance of approximately $42,500 and the reserve account has a balance of $26,800.

A couple of notable projects are upcoming that will affect the budget (increased) has been updated accordingly under maintenance to include

1)pool repairs that will include leak detection as we continue to have some leaks. These are not unusual repairs and should be expected due to the age of the pool.  2) Team management is currently obtaining bids for the tennis court to repair the new cracks in the foundation. ** It was noted that the lifetime of resurfacing tennis courts is 5 year. **

Neighborhood Update

A neighborhood update was given on the current status of the neighborhood and recent activities being undertaken on behalf of the residents.

• Team management is currently obtaining bids for the corners as you enter the subdivision (commons areas) to beautify these corners due to loss of trees and bushes.
• Several projects completed recently 1) the playground has been recently painted and stained. 2) All bricks in the commons areas (park, playground, entrances) have been pressure washed. 3)Several diseased bushes around the playground /gazebo area had to be removed. Removal necessary to prevent any further contamination.
• The board is currently checking on an alternative for umbrellas for the pool for the upcoming summer as we continue to purchase umbrellas and because residents do not close them back up when they leave they always get destroyed which is a waste of the homeowners money. There is an alternative the board is looking into that will be a more permanent fix that will provide shade.
• Residents complained about non residents entering the pool. Several comments and suggestions were made which included: 1) check into purchasing a higher gate for entrance 2) pool rules need to be on the outside of the entrance gate 3) Bracelets or pins should be required if you are at the pool. For this to be effective residents will have to be involved to challenge anyone that does not have one of these. Concern noted that most residents are hesitant to speak up and get involved. Unfortunately we do not have the funds to have someone on sight at the pool to enforce our rules.
• Board will reinstate having residents sign a document that has the pool rules listed before they will be given a key to the pool.
• Past due HOA dues list was discussed in general regarding the current status. As of the meeting on the 18^th the past due amount was $11,924.54. Appropriate measures and follow ups have been taken by the board and Team Management. Resident requested that Team Management review the # of renters that are on this list and also asked about limiting the number of renters that we currently have. As for the covenants specifying a cap on the number of renters allowed there is not one. In order to change the covenants 75 % of residents will have to agree to do so. In addition there are huge legal fees involved when attempting to change any covenants Resident asked about the necessity of the pool phone which is $750 annually. Chardon noted that the pool will not pass inspection if we don’t have an emergency phone on the premises by the pool. Unfortunately this amount reflects a corporate rate and is the cheapest rate available.
• Resident stated that the landscapers are spraying weed killer instead of edging the weeds. Some of his plants around his home were killed. Chardon to get Gold Touch in touch with the resident and to correct this issue.

Open Discussion

The floor was opened for discussion regarding any topics

• Bill Jury is now a member of the board which means he cannot chair the architectural committee. Floor was opened for volunteers and asked attendees to spread the word that another board member is needed.
• Residents commented again about cars parking illegally outside of marked spaces on the street. The board has followed up with both the county and city and neither are claiming ownership of painting new markers for parking. As one last attempt a letter will be sent to our mayor asking him for his guidance.

• Residents brought up the number of cars that are parking on the streets. A reminder that the covenants are very clear and straight forward. If you own 2 cars they must be parked in your garage. If you own more than 2 cars those should be parked in your driveway. A letter of several concerns will be sent to all owners and this will be one of the issues.
• Owners continue to be irresponsible and not clean up after their dogs.

This problem will be included in the letter of concerns.

Neighborhood communications

• A resident set up a Facebook Group for the neighborhood.This will allow us all to communicate, share ideas and hopefully bring the neighborhood closer together.

Here’s the link – www.facebook.com/groups/libertysquareacw…

• nextdoor.com is another source of communication which includes not just our neighborhood but surrounding Acworth neighborhoods as well.
• https://www.libertysquareacworth.com/ you will find all sorts of information on this website that includes copies of HOA minutes, Architectural Control Requests, and Covenants and By- Laws.
• The bulletin board will have notices or reminders plus contact information.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 pm.

Minutes – Vicky Loy & Bill Jury

Meeting Time:  19:00

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors:  Tony Weatherington, Carl Sulzer

Property Manager:  Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners & Residents:  Dennis & Suzanne Willis, Dave Gamble, Mike Loy, Lisa Slaten, Bill Jury & Randy Chancey, Dan & Eileen Regelski, Chad & Beth Whiteside, Robert F Smith Jr., Katie Garcia, Sandy & Karlene Hinton

Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 19:07

Neighborhood Update

A brief neighborhood update was given on the currents status of the neighborhood and recent activities being undertaken on behalf of the residents

Financial:

• The operating account currently has a balance of approximately $34,000, and the reserve account has a balance of $25,500. The operating account had a huge boost last month from second quarter dues, which is why the amount is so much higher than at the March meeting.

General:

• The pool will be opening on May 14^th. Tiles have again been replaced around the top edges of the pool and all seems to be in good working order at the moment.
  • A new resident, Katie Boschert, has volunteered to organize a small event for pool opening day. From about 11:30-1, there will be snacks and small activities by the pool.  More information will be sent about this next week and posted to the bulletin board. Thanks to Katie and Beth for volunteering to organize social events for the community.
  • Another new resident, Beth Whiteside has volunteered to help with planning any neighborhood events as well
  • Umbrellas will be provided at the pool this year. Residents are asked to please put the umbrellas down when leaving the pool, as wind is the number one destroyer of umbrellas and the reason they do not usually last more than a year.
  • Pool keys are to be handed out after the meeting as well as on May 9^th and 14^th. Notices have been sent to residents with dates and times for the distribution.  Residents must exchange last year’s key for a new key or pay $10 for a new key with a check only.
• A vendor has been selected to trim up the trees on the roadside. 171 trees will be trimmed up so that delivery vans and school buses no longer hit them and people aren’t smacked in the face while walking.
  • A resident asked about having nuisance trees removed from the street by the HOA. Following last year’s tree removal activities, the community spoke up quite loudly about their want to retain as many trees as possible, and even voted to allow the city to make the call for tree removal.  Therefore, residents wishing to have trees removed on the street side of the sidewalk should contact the city of Acworth to petition for their removal.
• A neighborhood yard sale will be held on May 14^th from 8AM-5PM. Anyone wishing to participate should let Bill Jury know that they are going to have items for sale and he will make sure there are arrows pointing to the individual houses.  Bill and Randy have a huge sign indicating “Neighborhood Yard Sale” that they will be putting up at the entryway.  Thanks to Bill and Randy for arranging this.
• The entry monument has been repainted, and repairs are underway at the playground.

Open Discussion

The floor was opened for discussion regarding any topics

• Sandy Hinton is moving away from the neighborhood and Bill Jury will now chair the Architectural Review Committee.
  • The committee has only three members after Sandy leaves, so additional volunteers are needed to the group is at least 5 people.
    • Mike Loy and Lisa Slaten volunteered to join the committee
  • A resident commented on cars parking illegally outside of marked spaces on the street. Many of the street markings are faded and Team Management will contact the City of Acworth to request re-striping of the markings.
  • A discussion was held on the merits of sending out violation letters for visible trash cans. The point of these letters is generally to ensure that trash cans are not left in the street and alleys after trash day, but are wheeled up closer to the homes.
  • A question was asked about the number of yard sales each year – generally it is done once a year but can be done more often if there is interest.
  • A resident mentioned the homeless camp near the I-75 Southbound exit ramp, saying residents of the camp have been seen rifling through trash in the neighborhood.
    • The association discussed this issue at the last meeting, and we do not have much legal recourse. The owner of the property must file trespassing charges against them for living on the land
    • Residents were advised to continue calling Bartow County code enforcement to make formal complaints and see if they would once again send police out to the area
      • Bartow County Code Enforcement
      • Deputy James Lowry
      • 770-383-7405

.

The meeting was ended at 19:45.

Meeting Time:  19:00

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors:  Tony Weatherington, Carl Sulzer

Property Manager:  Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners:  Sandy Hinton, Katie Boschert, Mike & Vickie Loy, Dan & Eileen Regelski, Marlene Nikoukary, Elaine Rojas, Mark Wilson, Spudabeh Akhbari, Gloria Dunaway, Flora Lynn Odom

Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 19:05

Neighborhood Update

A brief neighborhood update was given on the currents status of the neighborhood and recent activities being undertaken on behalf of the residents

Financial:

• The operating account currently has a balance of approximately $20,000, and the reserve account has a balance of $25,000.  Several major projects were undertaken last year, some of which required reserve funds.  This year we hope not to touch the reserve account unless something unexpected occurs.

General:

• Gold Touch Landscaping has been through to sod over the areas in which trees were removed last year
• The board has requested proposals from several tree companies to trim up trees in the neighborhood this year.  We are awaiting responses
• The pool continues to have tiles falling off despite several repairs performed under warranty by Aquarama pools.  The board continues to discuss options with Aquarama and they will be out once again to repair the latest missing tiles.  We are not sure whether the repairs will be done before or after pool opening, but the missing tiles do not impact the usability of the pool.
• The pool will likely be opened by the 2nd week of May.  The board will make a final determination of pool opening date and announce key distribution times at a later date.
• For years, people have been complaining about a homeless encampment parallel to the entryway drive across the woods.  The HOA has been working with various entities over the past year to try and remedy the concerns.  Team Management have contacted Bartow County Code Enforcement and were able to get the county police to visit the site in February.  Three people were removed, with one arrested for outstanding warrants.
  • A landowner has been identified for that property and must press trespassing charges before the county can do much
  • The tents were meant to be removed after the initial visit, but are still there
  • Several residents expressed their concerns about the camp and expressed a desire to have it removed.
    • The prospect of a perimeter fence was discussed for the neighborhood – this would be prohibitively expensive for the HOA
    • The suggestion was made that the more calls the county receives about the camp, the more likely they would be to do something about it.  Interested residents may contact Bartow County Code Enforcement using the following information:
      • Bartow County Code Enforcement
        Deputy James Lowry
        770-383-7405

Open Discussion

The floor was opened for discussion regarding any topics

• A question was raised about whether any stipulation exists within the covenants to prevent the number of rental properties within the neighborhood.  There is a feeling that renters are not taking care of their homes and are not picking up after their dogs.
  • There is no restriction in the covenants to limit the number of rentals.  In order to change this, there must be a 75% yes vote on any amendment to the covenants.  Several years ago this change was proposed and the overall reaction of the community was to ignore the amendment or vote “no.”
  • The argument was made by other residents that there is no way to know who is not picking up after dogs
  • The concern was voiced that lenders would be less likely to offer mortgages to people buying homes in communities with many renters.  Other residents disagreed with this assertion and stated that a lender is not legally allowed to discriminate based upon number of renters
• A question was asked about the entry way – The right side driving in looks beautiful, while the left side is not as pretty.  Is there something we can do about this?
  • That land is owned and managed by Ingles, though the trees and a few feet of grass are maintained by Liberty Square.  Grass will not grow there due to heavy shade and roots of trees.
• A resident commented that the playground bridge is broken and is in need of mulch.  Team Management will have this repaired and will order mulch.
• A resident asked whether anything could be done socially when the pool is opened as has been done in the past.
  • The social committee is currently nonexistent
  • One resident in attendance informed the group that she is a professional event planner and offered to begin organizing events.  The board has allocated some funds each year for social events that could be used for a pool opening party.
• A resident inquired whether operating a daycare business out of a home was allowed.  There is one house in front of which cars are constantly improperly parking and blocking other traffic.
  • Having a home-based business is not necessarily prohibited, though the business operator should have registered the business and posted in front of the home that the business would be run from the home.
  • Team Management will send a letter to the homeowner regarding improperly parked cars.
• A resident indicated that a neighbor has two “junk” cars in their back yard that have not moved in some time and would like to know if the HOA can do anything about this.
  • The HOA can send a letter.  The best course of action may be to contact code enforcement from the city of Acworth to determine if having derelict vehicles in a residential neighborhood is prohibited.

.

The meeting was ended at 19:55.

Meeting Time: 19:00

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors: Tony Weatherington, Carl Sulzer

Property Manager: Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners: Martha Moore, Gloria Dunaway, Dennis Hinton, Mary Maloney, Peyman Khan, Flora Odom, Brian Solomon, Marlene Nikoukary

City of Acworth: Mark Hipp, Director of Public Works ; Brandon Douglas, Assistant City Manager

Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 18:05

Neighborhood Update

A brief neighborhood update was given on the currents status of the neighborhood and recent activities being undertaken on behalf of the residents

• City of Acworth Representatives were present to discuss any issues residents may have with the trees/sidewalks
• HOA financial status was reviewed – largely unchanged from May
• Pool Issues were detailed
  • The pool company used for the pool resurfacing came out to repair tiles falling off the pool prior to its opening last month. This was done free of charge.
  • Two pool lights needed to be replaced because they were tripping the breakers. This was done by a licensed electrician at a cost of $850. The timer to turn the pool lights on is located inside the clubhouse in the bathroom hallway.

Tree Management

Following the May HOA meeting, a committee was created to provide input into tree and sidewalk management in Liberty Square. Three volunteers came forward to form the committee: Jeff Bixler, Sandy Hinton, and Bill Jury. Sandy provided an update on the committee and the board’s activities over the past month:

• The board and tree committee have met with the city to obtain their viewpoint
• The city is very concerned not only with the sidewalks, but also with the underground utilities which are buried for the most part directly under the trees and are not enclosed within conduit.
• The city has committed to fixing all of the sidewalks in the neighborhood, investing $11,000 into replacing 540 feet of concrete
• Where trees need to be removed for the sidewalk to be spared further damage, the city will remove those trees
• Following talks with the city, the committee came up with three options that could be taken following the city’s initial repairs:
  • Option 1: Continue to allow the city to handle all future repairs to the sidewalks. We have been warned by the city that should they continue to handle the maintenance that they will remove any trees causing damage to the sidewalks at the time of repair.
  • Option 2: Raise funds to cover future sidewalk repairs without the assistance of the city. We discussed this option with the city, and while it’s not being presented to us as an option for this initial round of repairs (as the city has already procured funding and a contractor), we as a neighborhood would have the option to manage future repairs ourselves. This may leave us with the option of leaving trees intact, but would require sidewalks to be diverted around problem areas and encroach upon homeowner property in some situations. This would also mean that the city would no longer be responsible for the maintenance of the sidewalks, and the burden of future costs would be upon the HOA.
  • Option 3: Individual homeowners can assume the maintenance costs of the sidewalks bordering their homes should they object to the removal of trees adjacent to their property. The City has advised that in this scenario, individual homeowners would be responsible for repairing any trip hazards that develop as the trees mature, and that the City would not resume ownership of maintenance in the future unless the trees in question were removed.

Following Sandy’s summary, Brandon and Mark from the city of Acworth were given the opportunity to speak.

Brandon commented that while it initially looked as though the neighborhood would need to be clear-cut to accommodate the utility lines, the elected officials within the city council have made the determination that this option is not really viable. The city prefers to take a wait and see approach with regard to removing trees for the sake of utilities. As the trees continue to mature and cause possible damage, the city will work with the HOA whenever a tree must be removed. The city sees this as a partnership between themselves and the HOA and look forward to working with the HOA.

As Public Works Director, Mark is very concerned with the power and communications lines buried beneath the trees. He commented that knowing exactly where any line is buried is very difficult, and given the size of the available open land in Liberty Square, planting trees in other locations is not feasible.

The city representatives stated that they do not wish for the neighborhood to plant any additional trees to replace those being removed and the HOA would not be held accountable to the city tree ordinances for trees that must be removed. The HOA is welcome to plant small bushes, shrubs, or other plants that do not have extensive and invasive root systems.

Following a few questions, the HOA did indicate that we are currently seeking a landscape architect to properly plan for aesthetically pleasing replacements for any trees that the city might need to take.

If the city takes additional trees out this year, they will work with the HOA and in some cases the individual homeowners to ensure that there are no surprise removals. Once the sidewalks are dug up for replacement, the city will be able to better assess which trees are causing the most damage.

SIDEWALK REPAIRS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN JULY 6^TH and should take 1-2 weeks.

Open Discussion

The floor was opened for discussion regarding any topics

• Some residents have commented that the landscapers are not doing a proper job and have asked to cease service. The HOA will arrange for the landscape company owner to meet with these residents to hear their concerns. This is a preferable option to individual residents hiring outside landscapers for mowing. Common concerns included:
  • Bald spots
  • Mowing Too fast
  • Why are large riding mowers being used when push mowers would probably be better?
    • Putting the landscape contract out for bid is a possibility next year, but specifying all-pushmower usage will likely cost much more
  • Residents discussed the pros and cons of all three tree options presented by the committee.
    • Option 1
      • Pros: Cost is borne entirely by the city; sidewalk liability remains the purview of the city
      • Cons: Additional trees will likely continue to be taken by the city
    • Option 2
      • Pros: Trees have greater potential to be saved
      • Cons: Cost is borne entirely by HOA; sidewalk liability is now the responsibility of the HOA; multiple repairs to the same areasbecause of the same trees
    • Option 3
      • Pros: Trees have greater potential to be saved; Individual homeowners have more say into the infrastructure fronting their homes
      • Cons: Cost is borne by homeowners; City no longer has any responsibility for that portion of sidewalk; Difficult to enforce a repair once a homeowner has agreed to take responsibility; Liability for that sidewalk could impact the HOA; Subsequent buyers of the home must be willing to accept responsibility
    • A vote was taken to gauge resident preference for each option:
      • Option 1: 12 Votes
      • Option 2: 0 (Zero) Votes
      • Option 3: 1 Vote
    • The grouping of residents present at the meeting voted in an overwhelming majority to allow the city to maintain the sidewalks and trees
    • A resident commented that someone attempted to break into their home during the early morning hours a few weeks ago. The police were called and determined the man was intoxicated and was claiming he was at his own house. The man was arrested for public intoxication and taken away.
    • Residents have been improperly parking along the entrances to the alleyways when plenty of street parking is still available. Residents are advised to call the city of Acworth non-emergency line to report this and the city will ticket the vehicles.

The meeting was ended at 18:55.

Meeting Time: 17:00

Attendees:

Liberty Square Board of Directors: Tony Weatherington, Marty Marks, Carl Sulzer

Property Manager: Chardon Wyatt

Homeowners: Jeff Bixler, Brian Solomon, Elaine Rojas, Dennis Hinton, Karlene Hinton, Deshon Bullock, Shelley Bullock, Mike Loy, Cyrilla Smith, Harold Kellogg, Sharon Williams, Shu-Min Yen, Sandy Hayes, Sally Latino, Shannon Darrah, Ginger Oliveto, Ernie Oliveto, Gloria Dunaway, Les Dunaway, Bill Jury, Martha Rawan, Rhea Jeanne Starnes, Floralynn Odom, Myron Smith, Hal Moore, Karin Agnetti, Karen McPhee

Minutes:

The meeting was called to order at 17:05 and began with introductions around the room

Neighborhood Update

An update was given on the currents status of the neighborhood and recent activities being undertaken on behalf of the residents

• HOA financial status was reviewed
• Pool Issues were detailed
  • The pool opening is scheduled for Mother’s day weekend
  • Tiles have begun falling off the pool once again. The pool company who did the resurfacing work has been informed and they will be out to repair it free of charge. This may delay the pool opening – we will hear more from them in the coming week
  • Pool/Tennis/Bathroom locks have been replaced and new keys are being distributed. Keys were distributed from 1800-2000 on 5/3 and will be distributed again on 5/9 in the clubhouse. Old keys must be exchanged for new ones
• Painting Works were detailed
  • The clubhouse has been repainted and the decking stained
  • A repair was made in the Men’s bathroom following a burst pipe over the winter. New cutoff valves have been installed and drywall repaired with an access panel
  • The entryway fence and fence at the rear of the neighborhood will be painted white by the same company as soon as the weather permits
• Landscape issues were reviewed
  • Gold Touch Landscaping was out to walk the property with Team Management and a board member on 5/1. Issues to be followed up include improvement of the corners where dead bushes have been removed and potential replacements for trees that have been removed
• Tree management was discussed
  • The trees removed in the neighborhood were removed due to their root systems causing damage to utility lines or sidewalks. The absolute worst cases were targeted for removal
  • Several arborists were consulted before the decision was made to remove trees, and all of them agreed that the space the trees were given was not conducive to trees growing to maturity. There is too little space.
  • The City of Acworth has refused to repair neighborhood sidewalks until the trees were removed
  • The city is working with the HOA to ensure the sidewalks are repaired and the trees are properly replaced where needed. They are very open to replacing the trees in different locations with different species, they ask only that the HOA keeps them informed of its intentions
  • The board is currently evaluating urban trees as replacements for those that have been removed
  • Street tree removal activities are finished for 2015.

Open Discussion

The floor was opened for discussion regarding any topics

• A resident was concerned about the current state of mulch at the playground. Team management will take action to get mulch as needed
• A resident was concerned with the playground equipment being dirty. Team management will take action to have the equipment cleaned
• A resident brought up the topic of a basketball hoop being purchased for the tennis court to keep children from playing in the streets
  • This is something that was decided some time ago, but the volunteers who were to install it moved away
  • After much discussion, it was agreed that residents favored a hoop in the tennis court with the explicit rule that any basketball players would defer the court to tennis players. The board must vote on purchasing the hoop
• A resident was concerned about the equipment being used to mow lawns inside of back yard fences. Team Management has informed Gold Touch to begin using small push mowers in these areas
• Several residents voiced strong opinions both for and against the tree removals in the neighborhood
  • A motion was put forth that an ad-hoc committee be formed to determine the tree replacement strategy for the neighborhood. The motion was seconded and passed with no opposition by those homeowners present, with the board abstaining from voting.

The meeting was ended at 18:20.