2014 Annual Property Owner Meeting

It is again time to invite you to our annual meeting on December 2nd, 2014.  All homeowners are invited to attend the meeting.  If you cannot make the meeting you can use the attached proxy form.  This is an important meeting since we have wetland issues that affect everyone.  All households require the proper drainage that the wetlands afford.  Next year will be our communities 20th anniversary!  Come participate in the discussion about all the changes: past, present and future.  Please use the attached proxy form if you cannot attend in person.

When: Tuesday, December 2nd from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM

Where:  North School Lunch Room – 500Woodstock St. Crystal Lake

Agenda:  

• Wetland Maintenance Issues
• Annual Budget and Financial Reports
• Board of Director Elections
• Open Discussion

Financial Reports, Covenants and Forms now on-line:

We have posted the 2014 financial reports, the 2015 budget, director nomination forms, and the CC&Rs on-line in our BPOA Google Drive.  If you want to review or access any of the forms, please visit the BPOA Drive at:  http://goo.gl/PtRSfi.  Send questions or issues getting to the reports to bpoa.admin@gmail.com.

Drain Ponds Update:

We are presently rethinking the extensive excavation that we have been saving for.  According to our experts, excavation would only be a temporary fix as silting continues to occur.  An alternative to this silt removal would be to change the plant makeup of the wetlands to afford better drainage and silt flow.  Some excavation may still be necessary to remove the twenty years of silt accumulation, but continued silting would be minimal.  At the meeting we will discuss this proposal and explain in greater detail what it entails.  

If you have questions, you can e-mail us at bpoa.admin@gmail.com.  We look forward to seeing you at our annual meeting at 7PM on December 2nd at the North Elementary school cafeteria.

Sincerely,

Your 2014 BPOA Board of Directors  

Mark Des Biens, Milan Diklich, Mike Marchyshyn, Paul McPherson, and Philip Zack

2014 Property Owners Association Update...

The 2013 flood demonstrated just how important it is for us to keep the system maintained and in good working order. When our homeowners called the city this summer about the rising and then standing water, Crystal Lake correctly told them that it is our association that is responsible for the drainage in our two ponds. The reason for the increases both in 2010, and in 2014 were to help maintain the two drain ponds. 

The 2010 increase was in order to clear the woody species and to allow us to do regular burns and prevent the invasive species from returning again to the two ponds. The 2014 increase will be used to do additional needed maintenance around the drains and to add to our capital reserve fund.

The board prepared and presented the reasons for the increase in detail at the November annual homeowner meeting. The $75 increase voted on by the board in 2013 will be used as follows: $50 will go to directly towards maintenance to clear the partially blocked drains, this will allow the rest of the system to flush and give us the ability to better inspect the drains moving forward. And $25 will go directly into the Capital Reserve account. This is the long-term fund that will be used to repair or replace the drain tiles sometime in the next 25-50 years when they fail.

Unfortunately, it is the cost of living in the community we live in. I do know that our neighboring communities using professional management companies are paying 3-5 times the amount we pay in annual dues. Your Board has taken many steps to keep expenses as low as possible, while still doing the due diligence required in our association charter. Please email or call the board if you have any questions regarding this information.

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13 - 11/13

SAVE THE DATE

The Annual Braeburn Property Owners Association Meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2012, 7PM at North Elementary School

AGENDA
In addition to electing the 2013 board of directors, we will update you on the wetlands and drain pond restoration maintenance progress, review the association financial reports & budget, and reveal how much the 2013 dues will be.

A letter will be mailed out by the USPS next week with the details, a nomination form if you want run for a board position, and a proxy form if you are unable to attend.

PROXY
If you cannot attend, please complete the proxy form that will be included with the invite and give it to one of your neighbors, or mail it to the BPOA PO Box as instructed on the form.

QUESTIONS
Questions?  Email bpoa.admin@gmail.com.

We hope to see you all there on November 13th!  

Best Regards,
The 2012 BPOA Board of Directors

2012 Reminders and Information

ANNUAL DUES
~ Check your mail this week (or email if you've signed up) for your 2012 Statement. Your $125 Payment is due by 1/31/2012.
~ Please include your LOT Number on your payment. Checks can be sent to: BPOA, PO Box 1764, Crystal Lake, 60039

PRESCRIBED BURNS
~ The East drain pond on Midlane is scheduled for a controlled burn in the late winter/early spring. More details will be emailed out when we have them.
~ The West drain pond is scheduled for a controlled burn in 2013.

2012 BOARD
~ At the Annual Meeting in November the following owners were voted in as the 2012 Board: Mark Des BIens (Midlane), Milan Diklich (Shipland), Mike Marchyshyn (Lochwood), Paul McPherson (Shipland) and Phil Zack (Ryan).
~ Thanks for stepping up and helping, and Thank You to the outgoing 2011 board for your service and for making our community better last year!

SNOW REMOVAL - Please keep your sidewalks clear of snow. This is very important for the school kids who need to walk quite a distance to get to their bus stops every Morning.

WORK IN THE PARK
The Park District is using the same vendor BPOA did to clear the invasive woody species out of the east most drain pond by the park on Midlane Dr. This includes cutting down the same types of invasive trees that were removed from the Association drain ponds last year.
This work should begin this week. Our association is not responsible for the maintenance of the pond closest to the Park (across from the tennis courts).
We have been communicating with the Park District, and we are working together to coordinate our maintenance efforts.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let the Board know. Or you can contact the Park District Director, Ann Viger.


Thank You, and have a Happy and Safe 2012!

Save the Date

The Annual Property Owner's Meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15th at 7PM. We will meet at North School, 500 Woodstock Street, in downtown Crystal Lake.

If you have any questions, please email us at bpoa.admin@gmail.com.

If you can not make it, you can still send your Proxy vote so that we can have enough participation to conduct the Association Business.

Thanks. We hope to see you there.

Summer Time

Hope everyone survived the windstorm of 2011. The City is having a special pickup day for anyone with branches to drop-off. Visit the city website for more details.

Have a great summer and keep checking back for important details about our next Annual Meeting in November.

Regards,
Mark Des Biens - Treasurer / Asst. Secretary

It's Garage Sale Time!!!

Our Association sponsored neighborhood Garage Sale days are Friday May 20th and Saturday May 21st. There is no cost to take part in the sale, however, you will need to register for a City Garage Sale License. Licenses can be found at the City Web Site, http://www.crystallake.org/index.aspx?page=321 . You will need to fill out the license and return it to the City before the sale date (5/20), there is no cost for the license.

If you want to participate in the Sale:
1. Please email bpoa.admin@gmail.com with a cconfirmation email - Include your NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, (Optional - include any details of the types of items you are selling EG: Special Tools, Infant Clothes)
2. Complete the City License Permit and take it to City Hall
3. Dig out your sale stuff, and get ready for two days of sales

Please let us know by Sunday @ 7PM, 5/15, if you plan to participate. The Association will be putting an AD in the NW Herald to advertise the sale. And we will post signs at at the cross streets to let people know how to find us.