Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 7-16-06

Present:

• Dick Sula, President
• Russ Warren, Vice President
• John Wilson, Treasurer
• Russ Crane, Secretary
• Avril Fenwick, Director
• Hal Fallon, Director
• Joe Bunting, Staff
• Joe Croughwell, Staff
• Deborah Retalis, Staff
• Norm Shea, Staff
• Dave Achey, Staff
• Jessica Schoeffield, Staff

Absent: Buddy Darby, Director

1. Call to Order, Verify Quorum – Mr. Sula called the meeting to order at 2:00p.m. with a quorum of Directors by Messrs. Sula, Crane, Fallon, Warren, and Wilson, and Mrs. Fenwick.
2. Approval of Minutes
1. June 5 Minutes (enclosure) – Mr. Wilson moved approval of the June 5, 2006 board minutes as submitted. Mr. Crane seconded the motion. Those in attendance carried this vote unanimously.
3. Administrative Reports
1. Joe Bunting, General Manager
1. Mail Votes (enclosure) – The Board Operations Committee had voted unanimously to approve insurance renewals. The cost for this year’s renewal is approximately $40,000 less than the Y2006 budgeted amount. New for this year’s insurance schedule was the additional $1.3 million for the Maintenance building, which increased the property insurance. Another significant change this year is that wind and hail coverage are now covered by the state pool for wind and hail.
2. Member Comments from the June 5 Board meetings (enclosure) – Mr. Bunting reviewed the member comments from the June 5 meeting.
3. Mosquito Mister Presentation (enclosure) – Norm Shea, Director of Lakes Management, made a presentation regarding residential mosquito control systems. Hal Fallon suggested notifying KICA members about these systems via the Mail List. Dick Sula suggested further study on the subject before making any decisions.
4. LRP VI (enclosure) – status report. Of the 84 action items, 42 are listed as complete, 35 are underway, and 7 are pending. Board consensus was that items 2a and 2c (items assigned to the board regarding governance) should be listed as underway. Staff will post the status report to the website when changes have been made.
5. 2006 Member Survey – status report. The member survey rate of returns is 41.5%. The return rate in 2004 was 45%. KICA’s independent contractor for tabulating and analyzing the survey is scheduled to make a presentation to the board at its September 11 meeting.
2. Joe Croughwell, Director, Security and Safety
1. Security/Covenant Compliance
1. Covenant Compliance (enclosure) – status report for June.
2. Security (enclosure) – status reports for May and June. Typo in renter guest numbers for June 2006. The correct number is 458, as compared with 554 renter guests in 2005.
3. Employee Safety Committee (enclosure) – status report for June meeting.
3. Controller’s Report, Deborah Retalis
1. Investment Report –status report.
2. Budget Timeline (enclosure) – Mrs. Fenwick moved approval of the budget timeline as submitted. Mr. Wilson seconded the motion. Those in attendance carried this vote unanimously.
4. Committees
5. Committee Reports – no committee reports this month.
1. Board Liaison Reports
1. John Wilson
1. Finance – Although there was no FAC meeting during June, the committee was working on a few items. The 2007 budget timeline was modified. There was discussion between the board and several members of the FAC on the new Financial Controls Manual. Mr. Wilson advised that a recent article in the Wall Street Journal raising concerns about Treasury Direct does not affect KICA on an institutional basis.
2. Major Repair and Replacement – On July 23, Banks Construction will be on the island cleaning up curbing and problem areas. The committee has formed three subcommittees: one to study options to maintain and repair wooden bridges, one to research more cost effective ways of pond dredging, and one to assist with the first floor Sandcastle renovations.
2. Russ Crane
1. Community Center – The committee has formed three subcommittees: one to increase the variety and frequency of programs offered at the facility, one to study the Long Range Plan and what future requirements will be needed at the Sandcastle as we approach buildout, and one to focus on the present Sandcastle facilities, as well as first floor renovations.
3. Russ Warren
1. Community Services – Kiawah Reads with Mary Alice Monroe on June 30 had an excellent turnout. The second Kiawah Reads event will feature Walter Edgar with his book Partisans and Redcoats on August 16. Kiawah Reads continues to be a very viable program. The committee suggested that hardback books be considered as well as paperbacks. The Volunteer Recognition event was held at Osprey Point last year and the committee decided to have it there again for 2006. The Lecture Series program that started in the spring will continue in the fall. Brainstorming continues on how to welcome new members.
4. Avril Fenwick
1. Security and Safety – SSAC welcomed St. Johns Fire Department Chief Karl Ristow to its last meeting. Chief Ristow distributed copies of the Fire Department’s annual report. The department has a new fire truck that can reach the roof of a house. However, the truck needs a 20-ft. wide path in order to get to the house, which is difficult on Kiawah due to narrow driveways and homes set far back on lots. Emergency pumps on island have never been tested and should be, but doing so could “blow out” Kiawah’s water system. Board might need to discuss this further with utility company and Fire Department. Gene Hammet of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office was also present at the meeting to discuss CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training. Seabrook Island has a CERT team in place. Town of Kiawah employee, Rusty Lameo, is trained in CERT and KICA might want to assist in getting a Kiawah team in place. Planning for the 2007 PGA tournament has already begun.
5. Hal Fallon
1. ARB – ARB will no longer approve private gates or the replacement of private gates on properties that are not considered “compounds.”
2. Covenant Compliance – The committee raised the question of who is responsible for the quality of landscaping in the area between the roads and a member’s property. KICA rights-of-way can be from 5 to 15 feet wide. In some instances, this area is not meeting members’ landscaping expectations. May require some discussion between Land Management Department and Covenant Compliance Committee.
3. Land and Lakes Management – Assessing 28 cul-de-sacs this month in order to prioritize them for restoration efforts. The committee discussed Norm Shea’s mosquito mister presentation and endorsed him writing an article for use in Digest and on mail list to educate members. Mr. Sula explained that an article would be included in the September Digest and that it could be posted on the list in the meantime.
6. Dick Sula
1. Human Resources – The committee did not meet last month.
6. Unfinished Business – There was no unfinished business.
7. New Business
1. Bass Pond Causeway Rights-of-Way (enclosure)– status report. Dave Achey, Director of Land Management, informed the board that the LLMAC recommends a new planting scheme for the Bass Pond Causeway. The new plan includes native plant materials and blooming grasses to replace trees that were not flourishing due to salt spray. Most members in the Rhett’s Bluff neighborhood are agreeable to this planting scheme. A bulk e-mail was sent to members encouraging them to attend a town-hall style meeting or to provide comments another way. Staff received ten e-mail comments, the majority of which were in favor. Two members attended the town-hall style meeting; one made no comments and one suggested that the grasses proposed are too tall. The proposed grasses would not exceed 36 inches at mature height. Existing (natural) wax myrtles along the causeway are currently pruned to stump level every two to three years, and this process would continue. A member at 19 Airy Hall requested a document from KICA guaranteeing that his view of the marsh near the causeway would be preserved. LLMAC requested approval of the planting plans as drawn at a not-to-exceed price of $71,000. Installation should not begin until September or October due to the heat. Mr. Fallon moved approval to get bids on the project (not to approve the plans). Mrs. Fenwick seconded the motion.Those in attendance carried this vote unanimously.
2. Status Report – Drawings and specifications for the Sandcastle first floor are expected by August 9 and the project should go to bid by August 31. The item could be brought before the board for approval at its September 11 meeting.
3. E-Digest (enclosure) – The Communications Advisory Committee recommended sending the Digest electronically to all members for whom KICA has an e-mail address. Members would then have the option to request that a hard copy be mailed to them. Currently, the Digest is sent to all members via postal mail and members have the option to request it electronically only. The suggestion was made to improve cost savings. After some discussion of various concerns, the board reached a consensus that staff should continue to distribute the Digest as it is done now, via U.S. mail primarily. The CAC may continue to encourage members to receive the Digest electronically.
4. Financial Controls Manual (exhibit) – Joe distributed the revised Financial Controls Manual to the board as Exhibit A. The Finance Advisory Committee recommended the board approve the revised Financial Controls Manual. Mr. Wilson moved approval of the FCM as-is. Mrs. Fenwick seconded the motion. Those in attendance carried this vote unanimously.
8. Adjournment - Having no further business to conduct, the meeting was adjourned on motion duly made and seconded.
9. Member Comments
   1. Buzz Waltman, 19 Airy Hall – Mr. Waltman expressed concern that the new Bass Pond Causeway planting scheme will affect his marsh view. He requested that the board consider Airy Hall when approving plans and not impact his view.
   2. Wendy Kulick, 38 Marsh Edge Lane – Ms. Kulick thanked the board for the padded chairs and the audience handouts. She suggested that mosquito misters might be a more widespread problem on the island than previously thought. Her impression was that KDP uses them at the River Course and Cassique. She suggested that KICA contact Charleston County to discuss potential for insecticide leaks, as they may have experience with misters in other areas. Ms. Kulick mentioned messages sent via the Mail List over the weekend regarding amenities on the island. She asked if the Amenities Task Force had met since last November, as it reported it would, and are there plans for more meetings.
   3. Alina Bartlett, 1013 Thrasher Court – Ms. Bartlett reported a very congested beach access at the Sparrow Pond/Duneside area. There had been another beach access next to the old Inn, but it was not replaced. The pilings are still there. She would like a second beach access to be installed to alleviate the congestion. Ms. Bartlett also commented that she prefers to receive her Digest via U.S. mail rather than via e-mail.
   4. Don McIver, 185 Glen Abbey – Mr. McIver thanked the board for the audience handouts. He suggested that the board allow time for member review and comment of the budget before approving it.

Submitted by: Jessica L. Schoeffield, July 20, 2006
Approved at the September 11, 2006 meeting): Russell Crane, Secretary