POA Board appoints Election Committee members

At the July board meeting, the Bella Vista Property Owners Association board tweaked a few policies and named the new Election Committee.

The board appoints committee members to three-year terms. The Election Committee consists of Buddy Gray, Richard Hartman, Jack Allen, Gary Creakbaun, Roger Scoles, Phillip Bode, Michael Johnson, and Bob Higgins. Their first duty is the fall assessment election.

Early in the meeting Board Chairman Bob Brooks announced he was pulling a resolution from the agenda that would have changed the cost of amenity use for unimproved lot owners.

In 2015, the board agreed to raise the cost of a photo ID card for nonresident members so it more closely reflected the cost for resident members. The photo ID card gives members a discounted price at some amenities and is needed to register a boat on association lakes. Because nonresidents pay $8 a month less in assessments — $96 less annually — the cost of one nonresident photo ID card was set at $131 (before tax) compared to $35 for a resident photo ID. A second photo ID issued for the same property is $35 for both residents and nonresidents.

Brooks said the twotiered system caused a drop in use of amenities by nonresidents. His proposal would have made the cost of an ID card equal for improved and unimproved lot owners.

After the meeting, he explained the photo ID fee is one of many usage fees addressed in the fee schedule. He said he decided to wait until the entire schedule was under review to suggest the change. The board looks at fees along with the annual budget each fall.

The board approved the second reading of a policy that will make the Young Residents Committee a joint advisory committee. It was formed as an ad hoc committee two years ago.

Two policies were approved as first readings. One is modeled on the city’s trail use policy and prohibits gas and electric vehicles (except maintenance, emergency vehicles and power wheelchairs) from the trails.

A second policy updates the publication policy for the POA. It adds social media and email newsletters.

Also, the board approved moving money to pay for a chemical storage rack in the Central Golf building. The project was approved in 2014 and $288,000 was put into reserves for it. Some months later, an engineering firm was hired to develop construction plans and the scope of the plan changed. The new estimate was $384,500 so more money was added to reserves. Before the work can be done, three bids are required.