Last nights Annual Meeting came off very smoothly considering the HOA President Gary Walsh was in a hospital bed at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Gary was admitted Monday with a case of walking pneumonia and was scheduled to be released on Thursday. Of course being an annual meeting it involved some last minute running around to gather the required votes for the two open seats on the Board.
Debra Salisbury, the HOA’s legal council and Joe Stewart the sitting VP headed back to the neighborhood to knock on a few doors gathering those final votes. After all was said and done enough votes were cast to have a quorum and the ballots were officially counted by Betsy Dane with assistance by a few other residents in attendance.
The turn out for the meeting was strong as it seemed most chairs in the room were full. All items on the Agenda were reviewed including reports on our present financial status by Treasurer Shana Pakula and the status of our wetlands by Joe Stewart. Debra Salisbury also gave a report on how we’re dealing with the six homes in the development that are now in foreclosure.
The election results saw Gary Walsh re-elected for a second consecutive term. Gary’s efforts have seen the HOA return from the brink of insolvency to a state of fiscal well being in these past two years. There is now almost $10,000 in the HOA’s reserve emergency fund. This was accomplished after spending over $8,000 on the badly needed repair, repainting and maintenance of the outer wall last year. While an additional $2200 was spent on required replanting in the wetlands this year as we strived to stay in compliance with Sarasota County authorities and avoid costly fines.
Finally La Nae Duchesneau was selected to fill the fifth open seat on the Board vacated by Dolly Felix. Adam DeClerico volunteered for the Board and received a number of write in votes. He could be named to the Board by the sitting President at his discretion as the Board is allowed up to seven serving members.
In all 32 votes were cast, 2 more than the required 30 votes need to reach a quorum. Gary Walsh received all 32 votes, La Nae Duchesneau received 15 votes, Adam DeClerico received 9 votes and Vivia Martin received a single write in ballot. The Minutes of this meeting will be posted here shortly.
The new Board will meet with President Walsh early next week to choose it officers.
