Oakbrook Townhouses, Inc.
c/o Willow Properties 253
581-5199
9527 Bridgeport Way SW chris@willowproperties.com
Lakewood, WA 98499-2801
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting
February 10, 2025
Oakbrook Townhouses,
Inc.
c/o Willow Properties
9535 Bridgeport Way
SW
Lakewood, WA 96499
The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Oakbrook Townhouses (OT) was held February 10, 2025 at the Lakewood Public Library, 10202 Gravelly Lake Drive S.W., Tacoma, WA 98499.
A quorum being present Board President Al Glamba called the meeting to order at 4:04 PM.
Board members present were Al Glamba, Ken Karch, Doug Martin, and Jonathon Welsh.
Recommendation to Submit the Draft Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the General Membership from January 21, 2025 for Approval at the Next Annual Meeting.
Glamba requested a motion recommending submission of the draft minutes of the Annual Meeting of the General Membership from January 21, 2025 for approval at the 2026 Annual Meeting. Welsh moved and Karch seconded such a motion, which passed, with Martin abstaining.
Approval of Board Meeting Minutes of December 9, 2024
Glamba requested approval of the draft Board meeting minutes of December 9, 2024. Following discussion, Karch moved and Welsh seconded approval of DRAFT 3 of the December 9, 2024 Board minutes. The motion passed.
Approval of Board Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025
Glamba requested approval of the draft Board meeting minutes of January 21, 2025. Following discussion, Welsh moved and Karch seconded approval of the January 21, 2025 Board minutes. The motion passed, with Martin abstaining.
Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Karch described the January 31, 2025 Treasurer’s report previously sent out.
December 31, 2024 January 31, 2025
Operating Account 1824 $ 36,575.41 $
44,756.44
Reserve Account 1449 $ 224,573.97 $ 226,575.87
Capital Improvement Account 6172 $ 15,723.60 $
17,723.73
Glamba read the figures for January 31, 2025 into the record.
Following discussion at which three minor corrections were made, Martin moved and Welsh seconded to approve the January 31, 2025 Treasurer’s Report, subject to the corrections. The motion passed.
Heritage Restoration Lawsuit
Glamba stated this topic will be deferred to the Executive Session later in the meeting.
Results of Annual Meeting of the General Membership from January 21, 2025.
Glamba reported on the results of the 2025 General Membership meeting, including approval of the 2024 Annual Meeting Minutes, ratification of the Board-approved budget, an increase in the monthly charges to $450 from $425, approval of the Board-adoted policies on banning of use of wood burning fireplaces and use of certain barbecues within 25 feet of the building, and availability of fire extinguishers. There were no additional members elected to the Board. Also elected at the Board meeting immediately following the Annual Members’ meeting were Al Glamba as President and Ken Karch as Treasurer.
Election of Board Secretary
Welsh nominated and Glamba seconded the election of Ken Karch as Secretary for 2025. The motion passed, with Karch abstaining.
Update on 2021 Audit Report
Glamba reported he had information from Umpqua Bank, which was the holder of the old bank records of Columbia Bank, where our operating account was located before Willow Properties closed the operating account on June 9, 2022 and transferred the remaining funds to Alliance Association Bank. He indicated he had previously obtained the bank records from KeyBank.
Status of Clogged Drain at 7511 Zircon
Glamba reported that Willow Properties reported that this project has been completed.
Consideration of Investment of Reserve Funds in CDs
Glamba reported on his efforts to secure information about switching certain reserve funds to an interest bearing account, and recommended investment of $100,000 from the Association’s Reserve Account into a 12-month Share Certificate from Sound Credit Union at an APR of 4.25 %. Following discussion, which included information on penalties for early withdrawal, uncertainty of future events, and risk assessment, Welsh moved and Martin seconded to authorize President Glamba and Treasurer Karch to move ahead with an investment of $100,000 from the Association’s Reserve Account into a 12-month Share Certificate from Sound Credit Union at an APR of 4.25 %. The motion passed.
Clogged Pipe at 7533 Zircon
Willow Properties reported that PDQ Construction is planning to go out to look over this issue.
Corporate Transparency Act Reporting
Karch reported on a court-ordered delay in enforcing the requirement for filing. Further information can be obtained on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufnxel3imUc&t=537s
Comcast Rates for 2025
Glamba reported he has signed the necessary papers to implement the new contract with Comcast.
Update on Consolidated Rear Deck Report
Glamba reported we have received from PDQ Construction a consolidated rear deck report, providing estimates of the condition of rear decks.
Update on Mold Remediation at 7617 Zircon
Glamba reported on the approval of mold remdediation work at 7617 Zircon. The Board had considerable discussion on the history of the fire and responsibility for mold removal.
Responses to Inquiries from General Membership at 2025 Annual Meeting
Glamba reported that members needed to comply with Section 173-433-150 of the Washington Administrative Code Restrictions on Operation of Solid Fuel Burning Devices for Stage 1 and Stage 2 Burn Bans and Air Pollution Episodes when wood burning fireplaces will not be used.
Mike Englund, our insurance broker, had earlier reported that he had discussed the wood-burning fireplace issue with the underwriter—they are comfortable with the use of the fireplaces subject to annual maintenance and inspections. They would like to know that a system exists for unit owners to have their fireplace serviced and evidence of the servicing be provided to the Board of Directors each year. Hopefully not too much work administratively—with or without the insurance company involvement, it’s just a good idea to have fireplaces serviced annually.
Glamba also recommended that the following information be provided regarding the fire insurance inquiry. For our fire and liability insurance, eight insurance providers were contacted, three insurance companies submitted proposals, Arden Insurance Services submitted the lowest proposal, and five insurance companies declined even to submit a proposal.
Executive Session on Heritage Restoration Litigation
It was moved, seconded, and approved to adjourn to Executive Session on the Heritage Restoration litigation. Following Board discussion, during which no Board actions were taken, it was moved, seconded, and approved to return to general session.
Invoice from McFerran Law
Glamba requested Board approval for the invoice from McFerran Law for legal services thru January 25, 2025 in the amount of $377.50. Welsh moved and Martin seconded approval for the invoice from McFerran Law for legal services thru January 25, 2025 in the amount of $377.50. The motion passed.
Invoice from PDQ
Glamba requested Board approval to pay PDQ’s invoice # 9022025 dated 2/9/25 in the amount of $4,413.46, for general maintenance work. Following discussion, Martin moved and Welsh seconded approval to pay PDQ’s invoice # 9022025 dated 2/9/25 in the amount of $4,413.46, for general maintenance work. The motion passed.
New Business
HOA Maintenance Form
Karch questioned a HOA Maintenance Form submitted by Willow Properties on behalf of the owner at 7621 Zircon for pressure washing at 7621 and 7619, indicating this was the first such HOAMF he had seen and called for Willow Properties to prepare a presentation for the whole Board on the method now being used, and reminded the Board of its Oakbrook Townhouses Work Order Principles, as adopted by the Board on April 10, 2023 (attached).
Public Hearing on Chambers Creek Trail December 19, 2024
Glamba reported he had attended a hearing on the Chambers Creek Trail on December 19, 2024 at the City of University Place and indicated he had learned of a fault line running north of Chambers Creek Canyon and asked if anyone knew anything about that fault line.
Next Board Meeting
Glamba asked for comments on the suitability of the Lakewood Public Library for most of our future Board meetings, and received general agreement. The next Board meeting will be held at the Lakewood Public Library on March 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM.
Adjournment
It was moved and seconded to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 5:50 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Al Glamba, President
Oakbrook
Townhouses Work Order Principles
As Adopted by the Board April 10,
2023
- There should be a written
procedure to follow for homeowner requests
- Board members should be
familiar with the procedure and follow it, if approached by a homeowner.
- Homeowners should have a right
of appeal (and a process for doing so) of any WILLOW PROPERTIES or Board
decisions on requested work.
- Contractors, Board members, and
homeowners should be made aware that contractors are not expected to do,
or agree to do, work requested by homeowners if outside the contract provisions,
or without a work order from WILLOW PROPERTIES, and should refer the
homeowner to the WILLOW PROPERTIES office
- Contractors should be permitted
to discuss doing private work for a homeowner, separate and distinct from
the Association-authorized work and within the scope of the Bylaws and
CC&Rs, and subject to Board approval if needed, at the homeowner’s expense.
- Homeowners should alert the
WILLOW PROPERTIES office of any work they wish done, both emergency and
non-emergency work
- Homeowners and Board members
should be made aware that WILLOW PROPERTIES does not do corrective work
itself, but contracts with available contractors to do so, and maintains
lists of suitable contractors for such work.
- All approved work is to be
completed in a timely manner
- When a contractor is unable to
commit to complete assigned work in a timely manner, WILLOW PROPERTIES
will engage a back-up contractor
- WILLOW PROPERTIES will maintain
and observe a set of criteria for determining priority of work, approved
by the Board.
- WILLOW PROPERTIES will have an
emergency phone number and attempt to have emergency contracts available,
for the most common types of emergency situations (flooding, tree fall
threatening a unit, vehicle accident with injuries and unit damage, gas
explosion, etc.)
- For most reported non-emergency
situations, the homeowner will be asked to contact the office during
normal working hours to file a work order request.
- WILLOW PROPERTIES will make an
initial determination whether the requested work is within the scope of
the contract, not within the scope, or if there is a question
- WILLOW PROPERTIES may authorize
work to be done which is clearly
within the scope of the Association contract, notify the contractor, and maintain a record of all
such requests and notifications, including a description of the requested
work, who made the request (and when), which contractor was requested to
do the work (and when), when the work was started and completed, and the
bill for the work (amount, when received, and when paid).
- WILLOW PROPERTIES will notify
the homeowner if the requested work is clearly outside the scope of work in the Association contract, recommend that the homeowner contact the Board for
appeal if not satisfied, and notify the President of the homeowners’
request.
- WILLOW PROPERTIES will notify
the homeowner if the requested work may
be outside the scope of the Association contract, recommend that the homeowner contact the Board for clarification,
and notify the President of the homeowners’ request.
- An on-site inspection by a
Board member may be necessary to determine whether work may be authorized;
that Board member may be authorized to approve work, or to bring the issue
to the Executive Committee of the Board (in the case of emergency), or to
the Board itself for routine work.
- The homeowner is responsible
for contacting WILLOW PROPERTIES or a Board member, if (s)he is
dissatisfied with any aspect of work requested. WILLOW PROPERTIES or a
Board member will periodically contact a sample of homeowners to report
completion of the work and determine whether the homeowner is satisfied
with the work. Any dissatisfaction will be the subject of another work
order or notification by WILLOW PROPERTIES to the Board for resolution.
- The contractor is expected to
notify the homeowner if clarification of the requested work is needed, or
if access to the inside of the home is required; to attempt to make such
contact no more the three times; and, if not successful in arranging such
access, return the request from WILLOW PROPERTIES to WILLOW PROPERTIES
with an explanation of what attempts were made. WILLOW PROPERTIES will track such
returned work orders and communicate, as needed, with the homeowner.
Common Situations Which Arise
|
Situation |
Behavior Expected |
Comments |
|
Homeowner
contacts Board member and asks that work be done |
Board member
discusses request with homeowner, makes no commitments, and refers homeowner
to WILLOW PROPERTIES for work order, if appropriate |
Homeowner may
also request work be done via the WILLOW PROPERTIES Web Portal |
|
Homeowner
complains that complaint has not been acted on |
Recipient
(WILLOW PROPERTIES or Board member) checks WILLOW PROPERTIES records to determine
status, and determines further action |
Homeowner may
also check the status of authorized work orders via the WILLOW PROPERTIES Web
Portal |
|
Contractor
unable to make contact with homeowner to clarify needed work or gain access
to home |
Contractor
returns work order (after 3 attempts to contact homeowner) to WILLOW
PROPERTIES for resolution |
|
|
Homeowner
complains that work has not been done properly, and the problem persists |
Recipient
(WILLOW PROPERTIES or Board member) contacts WILLOW PROPERTIES, investigates
the situation and determines further action required |
|
|
Homeowner
requests reimbursement for work (s)he will, or has, performed |
Recipient
(WILLOW PROPERTIES or Board member) requests homeowner to deliver written
request to Board for consideration |
|
|
Homeowner
requests exemption from some work requirement (eg., color of unit, type of
roofing, vegetation management) |
Recipient
(WILLOW PROPERTIES or Board member) requests homeowner to deliver written
request to Board for consideration |
|
|
Homeowner
requests information on work performed, contractor(s) used, bids received,
status of work (complaint not received, work started, underway, or completed,
etc.) |
WILLOW
PROPERTIES attempts to answer query, or refers request to Board. |
Homeowner may
also check the status of authorized work orders via the WILLOW PROPERTIES Web
Portal |
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