Septic systems focus of short POA work session

At a work session on Thursday, March 16, the Property Owners Association Board of Directors approved the use of common property for a replacement septic field for a home on Ramsey Drive.

The POA has a policy that allows members to ask for permission to use common property when their septic system fails. The board considers each request separately. Typically, there are no votes at work sessions unless it is an emergency. The vote was taken at the work session because the board members agreed that a failed septic system was an emergency.

Board member Sandy Fosdick voted against the motion. She said that more requests are likely because of the topography of the area and the rate of growth in the city. It’s possible, she said, that a more expensive system could take care of the problem without using common property.

“I’m concerned that we are going to get to the point that we are going to have more and more of these,” Fosdick said. “At what point do we change our policy and say, ‘I’m sorry but you’re going to have to put in the more expensive system.’”

The only other agenda item was a series of policy changes that have already been approved as a first reading at last month’s meeting. Although the board work sessions are designed to answer questions before the regular board meeting, there was little discussion of the policy changes. Chief Operating Officer Tom Judson reminded the audience that each change is recommended by the Rules and Regulations Committee and then discussed at work session before the board votes at a regular meeting. Then the process is repeated for a second reading. The second vote on those policy changes will be taken at the regular meeting on Thursday, March 23.