March 2024 Board Meeting Summary

The following message was sent to membership via email on March 7th, 2024:

Hello Mill Ridge Membership,

The Mill Ridge Board of Directors just finished up the March 2024 board meeting this past weekend.  The full meeting minutes will be created and available to membership soon.  However, in the meantime, the following should provide a thorough summary of all the meeting discussions.  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Board and we’ll be happy to provide additional details.

March 3rd, 2024 Board of Directors Meeting – Important Discussions

Winter Recap

Mill Ridge made it through another High Country winter in pretty good shape.  This winter was the first time in many years where we did not have a plow operator full time on staff, and instead relied on an outside contractor for snow removal.  There were a few growing pains adjusting the contractor schedule and their learning our roads, but we believe that the contractor performed reasonably well.  Additionally, Penny Hodge worked hard to spread salt throughout the neighborhood during long snowfall events.

Luckily this season, there were only a small number of major winter weather events, and as a result there were no major water system leaks.  Mill Ridge made inexpensive technology upgrades to its water infrastructure over the winter; water tank levels, well house temperature, and well house power are now all electronically monitored and alarmed.  This ensures that water system issues and leaks are caught and addressed quickly by the water system response team.

Paving

While winter was gentle with Mill Ridge’s water system, the roads took a beating.  Residents have probably noticed quite a few trouble places throughout the neighborhood.

Mill Ridge maintains a budget for regular paving, and repairing our roads is a top priority.  Penny Hodge has identified and contacted four paving contractors who are currently generating quotes.  Quotes will be reviewed, and a contractor selected shortly, with paving to begin as soon as possible this Spring.

Ponds

As mentioned in December’s communication, an environmental engineer had supplied Mill Ridge with a quote to refill the ponds via pump and liner, or remove the ponds by filling with dirt, both of which were prohibitively expensive.  As a result, the Board pursued two actions:

The first action was to begin filling the pond with water using the existing pump setup without any of the engineer-recommended changes to see how full the pond could get with just the pump.  However, due to issues keeping the pump primed over the winter, the pump did not run a full three-month course.  The water supply issue has now been resolved, and the pump will begin running again in the upcoming weeks.  A water company has also been contacted that may help jumpstart the pond filling.

The second action was to take the line items supplied by the environmental engineer to other contractors to see if they could provide similar services for less expense.  Unfortunately, there are few contractors in the area with the appropriate expertise and availability.  One potential contractor has been identified and will be coming out in the next few weeks to review the ponds and provide a quote.  Penny Hodge is also regularly calling other contractors to try and solicit additional quotes.

So, at this point there is no definite solution for the pond issue, but it remains a priority and multiple options are being pursued.

Tennis Courts

The Mill Ridge tennis courts are a neighborhood luxury that are desperately in need repair and regular maintenance.  In a previous meeting, the Board reviewed multiple quotes and selected a contractor that specializes in tennis courts with multiple clients in the High Country.  A major resurfacing of the courts will be performed by this contractor over the summer.  The same contractor will also perform regular yearly maintenance on the courts to ensure they remain in top shape for many years to come.

Clubhouse

Thanks to a collaborative effort from the community, the Mill Ridge Clubhouse is now a bright and beautiful space with great potential for hosting community events.  The only remaining major item of concern is the bathrooms, which are in the basement and are generally inaccessible to our members and friends with limited mobility.  As such, Mill Ridge is soliciting quotes for a handicap bathroom space on the ground floor of the building.  Such a reconfiguration would satisfy ADA requirements and allow all members to use and appreciate the Clubhouse space.  The contractors are also being asked to quote minor modifications to the outside deck railings to bring them up to code.  Once quotations are received, the Board will review and chart a path forward.

Landscaping

As our full-time maintenance manager Ron Orlowski is now retired, Mill Ridge has been seeking contractors to handle routine landscaping and grounds maintenance throughout the neighborhood.  The Board has selected a contractor that is very cost effective and has already done excellent work in our neighborhood previously.  The contractor will be performing all mowing, and additionally will be on-site one day a week to perform any landscaping tasks directed by the Mill Ridge Office.  The Office has been supplied with a list of landscaping tasks, based on community input, that will help guide the contractor’s work throughout the season.

Financials

Mill Ridge POA’s financials are strong for the current period. Our net income, revenue over expenses, have increased over the same period when compared to the prior year’s financial statement. The increase in the net income is a demonstration of the continued due diligence and commitment of the Board to maintain financially stable operations. Please keep in mind, there are some projects that are planned for this spring, but without any unforeseen circumstances, we believe we will continue to have a viable year.

Newsletter and Website

The fan-favorite Mill Ridge Newsletter is now back on the docket after being retired for a couple years.  The Newsletter committee is busy putting together an informative letter for member perusal.  The newsletter will start out as a semi-yearly publication, but may change to meet member needs.  Additional information will be forthcoming.

In the meantime, the Mill Ridge Website at https://www.millridgepoa.com is now up and running.  Currently there is only a limited amount of content, but there are Community News and Event Calendar sections that will be filling up soon.  If you have any content you would like to see on the website, please let us know.

Events

The Party Planning Committee will be putting together a Mill Ridge Community Easter Egg Hunt in the upcoming weeks, with a tentative date of Saturday, March 30th.  Please keep your eyes open for additional communication regarding the event.

Final Words

This concludes the major items of community interest from the March 2024 Board of Directors meeting.  If you have any questions, concerns, or need anything at all, please reach out the Board.  We’re happy to help the community however we can.

Thank you, and enjoy the warm spring weather!