Kent Tyrrell - President
Rich Kaylor - Treasurer
Greg Kerr - Secretary
John DiPonio - Director
Art Davis - Open Director
A question has arisen regarding the budgetary consequences to the Woodside Village Condominium Association of the reconstruction of the paths in the common areas of Woodside Village. The brief answer to the question is that, with respect to the annual operating budget, there are no consequences.
Annual Woodside Village dues per unit are $1,300, which, spread over 115 units, provides annual income to the association of $149,500. This income supports an operating budget for 2021 of $108,950. The operating budget comprises those items of expenditure that recur on a regular basis. The largest operating expenditures are devoted to common area maintenance ($19,000), lawn care ($18,500), pond maintenance ($11,000), snow removal ($20,000), and administrative expenditures, including management fees ($26,850). These five items equal $95,350, or 87.5% of the annual operating budget of $108,950.
There are other items of expenditure that do not recur regularly or that recur only at relatively great intervals. Road maintenance, pathway maintenance, major pond cleaning, and removal of large numbers of hazard-creating trees are examples. And, there may be other, unpredictable expenditures. It would be unreasonable to budget for these on an annual basis, but funds should be available to handle such expenditures when they arise. To do this, the association has created a reserve fund.
The Michigan Condominium Act requires a site condominium to maintain a minimum reserve fund equivalent to 10% of the association’s current annual budget on a nonrecurring basis. In the case of Woodside Village, this would amount to approximately $15,000, clearly not enough to pay for the common area paths or any other significant project so the reserve fund for Woodside Village is much larger.
The reserve available prior to the expenditure for walkway reconstruction was $205,945. Walkway reconstruction was $61,000, leaving $148,419 in the reserve fund at the end of September 2020. The amount available to place in reserve in 2021 is $40,550.
Clearly, funds were available to finance the walkways without consequence to the operating budget. And, in addition, it was all done without need to resort to an increase in dues.
To review the actual financial budget, please see the link below.
2020 Actual/Forecast Budget and 2021 Budget
Budget 2020 (PDF)
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Addressing the Bylaw Provision Related to Driveway Construction
Driveway Proposal (pdf)
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The following communication is an updated bulletin published on October 13, 2020
Informational Update - October 2020 V2 (pdf)
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We are sure you noticed that our beautiful commons are now improved with a new asphalt walkway. To keep our residents up to date on the project, we are publishing this communication.
1. What work is remaining?
Related to the asphalt contractor, CB Asphalt, we still need to walk through the project, which will occur the week of September 8. During that walkthrough we will identify areas needing attention and discuss timing for any repairs. Herriman & Associates, our management company, has already requested that any “torn and/or wrinkled” looking spots need to be treated with infrared heat and re-rolled. In addition, the contractor will be disposing of any debris such as tree limbs left on site.
2. What about the landscaping?
Related to the landscaping and ground repairs, we have been in contact with our landscaper, E&B Landscaping, and they will be providing us a schedule when they can come out to provide the backfilling and other ground repairs. CB Asphalt recommended that we wait before backfilling along the edges to let the path “cure” before driving heavy machinery across it. The Board will work with Herriman to decide on this timing. We will want to plant some fast-growing grass along the edges of the path and potentially reseed again in the spring.
3. When can I walk on the path?
You can now walk/ ride your bikes on the path.
4. Will the large rocks in the commons remain where they are?
Yes, we have decided to leave the rocks in their current positions as they provide more space away from the path.
What is meant by Personal Property?
Personal Property are items such as chairs, play structures, tables, fire pits, etc.., that are portable and likely used by only the co-owner who owns that property. After surveying your property lines, if personal property falls outside your property, please move these items moved back onto your property.
In contrast, rocks, grass, flowers and in some cases, trees have been planted by Co-owners within a common area directly adjacent to their property. In these cases, either there was an agreement between the original property owner and the developer, or, there had been a prior approval for these beautifications with the Board after the developer’s exit. When we speak of personal property, we are not intending to change these legacy landscaping items.
What if I find that I need to relocate my Personal Property? How do I know I am moving it to an acceptable location?
Please contact Mark Heppner of Herriman and Associates at (734) 459-5440 or email at mheppner@herriman.net who can help discuss options for this relocation. We are requesting this be done no later than August 31, 2020.
What is the Board trying to prevent by these actions?
The Board is trying to prevent the erosion of our Common Elements and the destruction of the woodlands and wetland areas. We consider these natural resources to be very precious to our community and we want to keep them that way.
In addition, we want to be fair to all of our co-owners. This prompted our review by legal counsel on what actions we can take now, when situations were permitted in the past that granted private use of the common area to one co-owner. Upon this review and in the spirit of fairness, we want to hit a reset button and ask all of our co-owners to comply to the goal of keeping all personal property on your property.
Are we being sued?
Not at this time.
Are there concerns about my property?
The next steps suggested by our previous communications were intended to leave the evaluation and action to each Co-owner. The Association is not going to conduct site surveys on each property to determine if actions are required. We ask you to please study your own property lines and ask yourself if you need to take an action to be in compliance with our request.
If a complaint comes to the Board’s attention, we will take each on a case by case basis and help guide a resolution. At the end of the day, we want to promote each co-owner to do the right thing by their neighbor and by the Association.
This communication serves as an update to the Common Elements communication published in May 2020
Common Elements Update - June 2020 V3 (pdf)
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