Manor Homes of Old St. Anthony (MHOOSA) October 2008 In Memoriam: John and Maria O’brien were in a car crash in downtown Minneapolis on Sunday, October 12th. John was pronounced dead Hennepin County Medical Center, and Maria was seriously injured. Our condolences to Maria who is now recuperating at home. Dellora (Dell) Gladman passed away on September 23rd. Dell and her husband, Jim, have been MHOOSA owners and residents for more than 25 years. Our condolences to her husband, Jim and their sons, Jamie and John. Notes from the Annual Meeting Twenty-seven households attended MHOOSA’s Annual Meeting and another fifteen households were represented by proxy. Dues Increase: The proposed budget, which included a $20.00 dues increase, was approved. Monthly dues for units with garages is $263.00, and dues for units without garages is $254.00. Board Election: Jonathan Andersh was elected Treasurer, and Rodney Allen Schwartz, Catherine Conzet, Mary Jo Henning were elected to the board. Land Acquisition for Garages: Preliminary estimates place the cost of a single garage at approximately $25,000 which includes land purchase, building construction and additional costs necessary to prepare the location for motor traffic. In order for the association to proceed, legal assistance to modify the existing association documents would be required. Given the estimated cost, it was felt that too few home owners may continue to be interested in garage purchases to approve further spending on legal fees. The board will contact the homeowners previously interested in purchasing a garage to ascertain their continued interest. Security: – Following a meeting with a security system consultant, $1,000 was added to the 2009 fiscal year budget to purchase a high quality night vision video and a small number of still cameras. The cameras will be placed in strategic locations throughout the grounds to assist in the identification of suspects if a robbery were to take place. Lawn Sprinkler System – An update on a bid by Sprinklers by Design to install a lawn and garden sprinkler system MHOOSA’s common areas was discussed. The membership present chose to move forward with the installation of a sprinkler system and authorized the board to pursue the purchase of a sprinkler system at a maximum cost of $35,000 to be assessed at no more than $200 per year per unit for a maximum of three years, was carried after a vote of 36 to 5. Remember to Turn Off and Drain Outside Water! October 28, 2008 Reminder Turn Off Outside Water Late each fall you must disconnect your hose, shut off the valve to the outside water faucet and drain the water from the pipe to prevent the pipe from freezing. Frozen pipes can break, flood your unit and possibly adjacent units, resulting in an insurance claim which could negatively impact the association’s ability to get affordable insurance in the future. The shut off valve for the outside water is generally located in the ceiling in the basement utility area. If you have a finished basement, this valve may be concealed behind a small covered access hole. Shut this valve off and turn the water on at the outside spigot to drain the water from the pipe. If there is a small brass bleeder on this pipe, open the bleeder and drain the pipe. Watch to make certain water at the outside spigot stops running. If the water does not stop running at the outside spigot, the valve inside your basement will need to be replaced. Call a plumber and get the valve replaced—If you simply turn of the water at the outside spigot, the pipe will fill with water and present the risk of freezing and breaking. If you have any questions, give me a call. Marte Johnston, Manager Manor Homes of Old St. Anthony 612-378-0447 |