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| Annual meeting was held in Rancho Encantado's ballroom. |
The existing Vista Redonda Water and Property Owners
Association Board tabled its plans for a community vote on a controversial set
of proposed bylaws to govern the two boards that will come into existence when
split between the two organizations becomes formal. “It is obvious to the board
at this point in time,” said president Sue Mize, “we need to continue to work
on the bylaws until we come up with a compromise suitable to the community.”
Instead,
Mize explained at the annual community meeting held on August 21 in the
ballroom of Rancho Encantado, that past president Keitha Leonard has agreed to
head up a special committee. It will review complaints about and suggestion for
the new bylaws and present new drafts to the board by October 1. Once the
board, along with its attorney, sign off on the new bylaws they will be
submitted to a vote by the community.
The
process will be put on a “fast track,” Mize said.
Leonard
is looking for volunteers to serve on the committee and asked that those
interested in doing to email her.
There
was considerable confusion at the meeting regarding the planned split of the two
entities, one of which is a quasi-governmental board organization that operates
the mutual domestic water system serving Vista Redonda and the other is a
traditional homeowners association. The two were combined many years ago based
on advice of counsel. The board’s attorney now believe the two should be
separate and a vote was taken at last year’s annual meeting to split the board
in two.
As
the existing corporate charter still includes the homeowners association and
some legal steps have not been completed, as well as bylaws have not been adopted
for the new homeowners association, the authority of the current structure was
unclear and community members raised questions regarding it. As of now, both
operate under bylaws adopted in 2004, according to Mize, Current and newly
elected officers serve on both boards.
Roads
Also
at the meeting, board member Harvey Stone presented the results of a vote taken
to discern the community’s preference in regards to roads. Thirty-nine owners
supported a plan to repair the roads and retain them as dirt roads. Seventeen
said they favored asphalt. In other words, 70 of those voting supported
retaining the dirt roads or 48 percent of eligible voters.
But
in a separate vote, with fewer participants, 64 percent of those voting said
they would accept a partial pavement. In addition, those who participated in
the voting said they would support donating as much as $150,000 to the county
for road repair but opposed buying and donating materials. Stone said he would
convey the voting results to the county.
At
least six votes were not counted because residents brought their votes to the
meeting unaware the tabulation would be completed prior to the gathering.
Leonard
and Chris Brislawn volunteered to try to determine if the county has a
definitive report regarding the safety of using asphalt on the hills. At one
meeting a county road engineer said publicly that is less safe and on another
occasion the director of public works claimed it was safer.
Following
Stone's presentation, the community voted to empower the board to negotiate with
the county on how best to proceed with road repairs and agreed to provide up to
$150,000 to the project should it meet with the board’s approval. The funds
would come from two one-year $800 assessments on each property to be levied by
the yet to be created property owners association.
Stone
and other board members reminded the audience that the decision on how the
roads will be repaired is a county decision as the roads belong to it. The vote
was only a means of conveying the community’s sentiment.
Budget
Board
member Peter Frank provided an overview of 2011-2012 expenses. The neighborhood
spent $160,639 in operating the water system, which was within $74 of the
budget. The amount included a $2,500 donation to the Tesuque Elementary School
PTA. The water board ended the year with reserves of $790,985.
The
2012-2013 water budget calls for far lower expenses, as much of the income will be
redirected to the new property owners association. Frank obtained consent for a
series of steps that would fund the new property owners association as well as
set aside funds for the proposed contribution to the county. Essentially the
water board is reducing its annual collection of money by $800 and permitting
the property owners to levy it instead. Under the plan, each resident will pay
a total of $2,080 for water and property owners association dues.
Water
Board
member David Rule reviewed the neighborhoods struggles to meet the new lower
uranium standards. By using purging techniques and other means, samples from
all but one neighborhood well have met the standard. Well 3A, which he called the “problem
child,” continues to give reading above the acceptable level. He outlined
several possible course of action to remedy it.
In
addition, Rule reported that the neighborhood successfully drew enough water
out of four of its wells to preserve it beneficial use claim on the water. He
will be providing the state water engineer with a report soon.
Other
Ana
van Schayk presented a report from the architecture committee and introduced
two of four new members of the community who were in attendance at the meeting.
The
current board was reelected to serve as members of both organizations. Two new
members joining the boards are Susan Rule and Philip Marineau.
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