FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE IN THE KNOW!
Email: centennialcommoner@yahoo.com
It’s that time of the year for preparations for the Annual January Meeting. Nominations to the Board need to be sent to either CMA or the Board for inclusion on the ballot that will be sent in late November or early December.
If you’re interested please fill out the form on the website and submit it as soon as possible. The current Board will remain if voted in. Write-ins will be allowed but they stand little to no chance of accumulating enough
votes to be elected. This is the opportunity for any resident who believes they could better serve the HOA than the current Board members or feel they have the talent to offer the HOA. Remember we are always looking to add to our volunteer lists and starting as a volunteer gives you a chance to see what is required of a Director of the Board. Many hands make a job easier. Thanks!
So will this year ever end!? It looked like we were getting better but no, we’re not. Most views are we will need a vaccine to be able to go back to normal. While that’s disappointing things could be much worse, right? The Board worked hard to keep the pool open this summer trying to ensure we kept everything in line with the CDC guidelines. We were very cautious about allowing the use of the tennis and basketball courts albeit with restrictions. The Governor then gave us some relief with a sign that said you use our facilities at your own risk. So we opened the playground and posted the signs (as required) on all our amenities. Unfortunately, we and our legal team did not feel comfortable with opening the clubhouse to outside events and the fitness room. Those
will remain closed until further notice. As we wind down these last few months of 2020 you can rest easy that your Board has been showing up and working hard to keep the HOA moving in the right direction throughout the year. We have put the final touches on the next year’s budget, but we are waiting for a couple of vendors’ proposed contracts. And as you read through the
newsletter you will see what we have been doing this summer. As much as we’d like to take a break, now is the time to prepare for 2021.
I’m very proud of the work and effort of all the Board members to keep the HOA strong. If you get a chance, thank them for their work. That goes a long way!
Thanks for taking the time to read through the letter. Hopefully, you will find it informational. At this point it is
our safest and best way to communicate with all of you.
Thanks,
Don Roach
President CCHOA
Election Day – Nov. 3
Political Signs
Our covenants state residents can place only one (1) political sign – not to exceed 2 feet by 2 feet. The sign may be displayed on a lot two weeks prior to an election that the sign pertains to and must be removed the day after the election. Signs need to be placed in non-mowing areas during the mowing season, which we are currently in.
Again only ONE sign.
Annual Meeting – Jan. 2021
You will be receiving information on this meeting over the next couple of weeks. The Board is looking to hold a virtual meeting as a choice. We would tabulate the votes and answer any submitted questions to the Board at this meeting. Basically the Annual meeting format only over the computer. More information will be forthcoming from CMA or the Board.
New Entrance Sign
Bill Drake was instrumental in getting the new 3D sign that you now see as you leave the subdivision. Bill is still working with the technology to understand all the functions of the sign. Hopefully, he will conquer the
device and we will have all our messages communicating to the residents as they leave the property soon.
Halloween Light/Decoration Contest
Every year we have many of our residents dress up their homes for fall and Halloween. With all that is going on, the social committee has decided to award the top 3 homes with Home Depot gift cards. First place will be $100, second $50 and third will be awarded $25. Good luck to those that take the time to do this! The committee will be judging the night of Oct. 30 so make sure you leave your home lit up if you’re leaving…
Video Conference Ability
As with the Annual meeting, CMA has offered us the ability to hold the open meeting virtually. The Board is
mulling this over. Again it would not be an immediate 2-way street. Questions could be submitted before the meeting and answered during the meeting. The information provided would be as we previously did before the virus. Each Director will communicate what is going on in their specific area of responsibility.
No decision yet but we are intrigued by the offer.
Fitness Center
We’ve had many inquire about the opening of the fitness center. The Board reviewed this very thoroughly by reviewing the CDC and Georgia guidelines. In addition, we sought out advice from our paid partners CMA and
lawyer on the possibility of doing this. We were told this was extremely risky and unless we were to commit to a very strict regimen and pay for professional cleaning daily, they could not advise us to do this. Knowing this
information the board decided to not open the Fitness Center. It was a difficult decision but a safe one. I know some are upset but I hope you do understand. As soon as we can open it up, we will. We have had all the
equipment repaired and serviced so it is ready to go.
Mailbox Numbers
For some reason, the numbers are falling off the mailboxes. While this isn’t a big deal, it is an important way of identifying your residence. CMA has started notifying the residents of the issue. From some recent email and Facebook comments the Board has decided to make the information on getting replacements available to the residents through email and Facebook community.
2″ Williamsburg Brass Mailbox Numbers
Purchase at Addresses of Distinction:
800-436-1647
770-436-6198
$3.95 each plus shipping
We have decided to give everyone a 30-day reprieve, or until Dec. 1, 2020, to repair. After that date, you will receive a violation letter and will be subject to the information within the letter.
Pressure Washing / Fines
The Board has sent many communications to residents to clean up their homes while the weather is good to do so. Warning letters have been sent also. If you are a resident that has received one of these letters you should
respond to CMA with your plan to fix the issue or else you will be subject not only to a fine but a daily fine. Hopefully, you will make the necessary plans to abstain from having to pay fines.
Newspapers in the Driveways
Here is another item we’ve discussed many times and continues in some locations over and over. This too will be met with violation letters and fines if necessary to bring the home into compliance. Pick up your unwantedvnewspapers or stop the subscription. All of these free newspapers have a number to call when you no longer
want them.
Landscaping News
Fungicide was applied to all of our side and front yards at our last turf treatment to address Spring and Silver Dollar dead spots that are now showing up in some of our yards. New pine straw will be applied to all of our side and front beds in late November/early December depending on
when the fall leaves have been removed.
“Hard” pruning of hollies and large lorapetalum will begin in January/February. This will give the shrubs the look of being sparse and over-pruned but these are hardy bushes that will come back when spring arrives. This is being done to keep the bushes shaped properly and keep a consistent visual look to shrubs throughout our subdivision.
Financial Update
We ended 2019 with $471,235 in assets. As we finished the month of September 2020 we currently have $503,399 – an increase of $32,164.00. This figure will more than likely continue to increase as we finish 2020. The
community is well off financially. Next year’s budget will be our first deficit budget (approx. $2,000.00) in my memory to be submitted to the residents. That’s due to over $11,000.00 of increased expenses for fungicide and aeration in 2021. Another $8,000.00 is attributed to costs for running the pool due to the virus affects. As we say this, we don’t factor in many items of revenue such as rentals, bank interest, capital contributions, late collections, etc. These types of income are subject to many factors, therefore we don’t try to guess what their amounts will be. YTD 2020 these types of income have contributed $6,198 to our bottom line. If that holds true in 2021 we will have income above our expenses!
The Board feels with more than adequate assets in the accounts our current monthly fees cover our expenses and the reserves are funded well enough for any unforeseen issues in 2021.
Thanks for reading!
Don Roach, President
and
The Board of Centennial Commons Directors:
Bob Weber, Finance
Chuck Whitaker, Amenities
Bill Drake, ACC Coordinator
Shirley Cox, Secretary