Minutes of the November 19, 2019 Meeting
11-19-2019 Lakemoor Hills Homeowner’s Meeting, Lake Hills Presbyterian Church
Mike Parker, President, called the meeting to order at 7:05
Secretary Report
Motion to accept the Secretary report was made by Bob Proctor, Seconded by Tim McLaughlin. The minutes are posted on the website.
Treasurer’s Report
Jim Kincaid made the treasurer report. He stated that on Sept 1, 2019. We had $17,262.00 in the bank at that time. Since then we have had income of $9,580.00.
$1,025.00 was received in donations
$2,520.00 dedicated Sip and Snoop income for October.
$6,035 income from membership
Our expenses since September 1 are $1515.
The expenses were for utilities and web site.
$25,227.00 balance to date
$10,667 dedicated to Alcoa Flower Highway Fund.
We have $14,560 available to buy cameras tonight.
We have 253 paid members and still coming in.
Bob Proctor made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Gordon Burghardt made a second and the motion passed.
Beautification Committee Report
Mike Parker asked Kathy Proctor to make a report on the Beautification Committee in Randy Kerns absence. She said that Randy Kerns (Chief Elf) will be putting up Red Bows on the Street Signs in the neighborhood soon.
The trimming of the Christmas tree happens in front of the Lake Hills Presbyterian Church on Saturday December 7. The Burgers who bought the Klassen’s home have agreed to pay for the electricity for the lights on the tree. We thank them for doing that. We will start decorating at 3:30 p.m. and finish by 5:00 p.m. We are looking for someone who can lead us in song to lead the caroling. You are invited to wear your ugly Christmas sweater and holiday hats. There will be cookies and beverages available.
For the Best Decorated Yard contest- Kathy said that on December 16 there would be a group of judges who tour the neighborhood to see how spirit-filled that you have decorated your yard. You can contact Randy Kerns if you want to be a judge as the judges are secret.
Communications
Mike Parker stated that the LHHA became aware of the need for better communication systems in our neighborhood after the incident in the neighborhood this past spring. The meeting tonight will address three areas to increase communications in the neighborhood.
Forrest Orr, Chair of the Text Alert Subcommittee, stated that as of today we have 176 numbers registered on the text alert system. The text alert system is for everyone in the neighborhood not just those who belong to the LHHA.
The alert system is for emergencies only. Forrest stated that you will not receive news about the picnic coming up. It is for threatening situations. We have a neighbor who has set this system up for us for free and we need to get as many people as possible to sign up. The number to text to is 55678 and type the word DETAILS in the text.
Question was asked who will send the information?” Forrest said that the subcommittee is going to establish criteria and set up a system of people who are charged to send out the alerts and we would like to have 24/7 coverage if possible.
David Couch, Webmaster, stated that he had talked to the Emergency Text Alert system manager about getting the alert pushed to the website as well as on the text alerts. That way you can always check the website for the latest alert. The Emergency Response Team (ERT), which is a committee of the LHHA, already has a network of people in the neighborhood (zones) who are designated to spring into action in the event of an emergency. Whoever is approved on the ERT would be able to send the alert texts. This group exists now and you can send an email to ERT@lakemoor.org to the entire group.
Forrest said that once everything is set up we will do a test alert to everyone who has signed up. We will post on the website that a test has been sent out so you will know whether you should have received it by then. The system will also do an email alert. You will get an alert from this number. You save the number in your phone at Lakemoor Emergency alerts and you will always know that it is coming from someone in the neighborhood.
Mike Parker stated that there will be criteria to determine when to send out an alert and a suggestion was made to review criteria occasionally. Forrest also said that the system is a one-way system. You cannot reply to the text. There is no server to receive your text back. We would post on Facebook and the website that the text alert has gone out. If someone did not receive it they can let us know that they did not receive.
David Couch mentioned that once the alert goes out, there will be a Forum on the website where people can go to talk about what happened and share information.
Cindy Connor Coughlin, Welcome Committee, recognized Lauri Martin and Bill Adams who live on Timberlake.
Bob Proctor, Chair of the Emergency Response Team, stated that the attendees should have received two or three pieces of paper as they came in; the Q&A for the Cameras, the ballot with 5 options, and the options for funding.
HE said that the committee is proposing to have 3 locations for the cameras; Montlake and Craghead, Ginn Road and Alcoa Highway and the Maloney Road roundabout near Alcoa Highway. There will be two cameras per site- one facing incoming and one facing outgoing.
Mike Parker, John Haynes and Bob have access to the camera system. License tags are recorded and sent to the city and county police departments. He said that the system is a nationwide system. He said that the license tags are sent automatically to the authorities without any intervention from the LHHA. If a theft occurs, the authorities can read all of the tags that came in and went out of the neighborhood. The system takes a photo of the car or truck and records the license tag. At night- time you do not get a great photo of the car but it does read the license tag. very clearly. These tags are stored typically for 30 days, but can be stored longer if requested. A suggestion was made to ask if an overhead light would aid in recognition of the vehicle. Bob will follow up with Vigilant to see if lighting would improve night camera vision.
Question was asked if we are working with the authorities. Bob said that we are working with the Vigilant group and they are working with the local authorities. They also gave us two cameras free as we were a test site. Bob said the photos on the handout are from our neighborhood.
One neighbor indicated that he had a trailer stolen but never heard anything about it. Bob indicated that he and Mike Parker had reviewed the cameras and sent the information to the authorities. They said that the authorities did not get a hit on the trailer. The neighbor indicated that his trailer did not have a license tag on it, which was a problem with identification. At the time of this theft we only had one camera system operational at the time.
One neighbor asked about our relationship with the Sherriff’s department. Bob indicated that we had a good relationship with Capt. Hubbs prior to the election but that we do not have a good relationship now. Board member Wendy Warren volunteered to contact the Sherriff’s Department to establish a good working relationship. Vigilant has given us the name of a person to work with at the Sherriff’s department. Wendy has that contact name and is to follow up on coordinating with that person.
Bob indicated that he is meeting with KUB to get exact locations for the cameras next week. The systems will be direct wired to KUB.
Bob and team negotiated with Flock and Vigilant on the prices. Flock system costs $8,000 per year for three years with a total expenditure of $24,000. The Vigilant system is $10,648 for the first year and $4000 per year for next 2 years for a total of $19,944. The Security Camera Committee recommended purchasing the Vigilant system.
Bob shared the funding methods that the team has come up with. He said that they are asking the Lakemoor Hills Resource Council (LHRC) for $5000.00 and the LHHA for $5216.00 for this first year. If you make a contribution to the Resource Council it is tax deductible. The LHRC has agreed to buy the cameras so we do not have to pay sales tax and there is no sales tax on the renewables each year.
Bob explained the funding options.
Barbara Houchin asked about the effect of this on the yearly budget. Kathy Proctor, Past President, stated that the yearly activity budget is around $3500 to fund what we have been doing.
Dick Graf, former president and serves on the Metropolitan Planning Commission, said that last week a person from the city of Knoxville spoke to the Planning Commission. Dick said that our LHHA ranks at the top of the list when it comes to neighborhood groups in the city and county. He said that our neighborhood is a group of doers and we get things done without relying on the city or county. He endorsed the $15 dues increase.
A member asked why everyone in the neighborhood is not required to belong to the LHHA and participate in the expense for the cameras? Bob said that the LHHA is voluntary. The Timberlake Community has dues and the Lakemoor Village has dues. The Gazebo has dues and River Gate has homeowners fees.
Bob said that we presented the camera funding options at the September meeting with a $25.00 dues increase, which would totally fund the cameras. There was push back from some attendees at that meeting not to double the dues but try to find a compromise.
Bob stated that you can donate extra money to the camera system through the LHRC and get a tax deduction, but you should tag it for the camera system.
One member suggested a fundraiser to raise money for the camera systems. Bob Proctor said that we have money in the treasury so the subcommittee did not want to raise money at this time.
Tim McLaughlin made a motion to approve option 4 without a paper vote and just to have members raise hands to vote. If you approve option 4 you are approving the purchase of the camera at the option 4 level. The motion was seconded. A member called for the question.
Mike clarified that there is a motion on the floor. The motion will either be approved or not. If it is not, then we will accept another motion from the floor regarding the subject matter.
The vote was taken and the result was 23 in favor and 16 opposed to the motion. The motion carried.
David Couch, Webmaster, discussed the changes to the web site- Lakemoor.org. The changes were desired to make the website more effective in enabling communications. When a post is made, the post will be show up on the first page. The previous Forums were unorganized. David felt that there was a need for categorical communications. You have to subscribe to the Forums, such as Alcoa Highway, Emergency Response Team, Lost and Found, Membership in HOA, etc. He said that you have to be a member to get into the website. Kathy Proctor said that David has been working on the website and does it without remuneration.
Kathy Proctor said that we have the Alcoa Highway Beautification Council made up of representatives of the LHHA, both garden clubs, the resource council and other areas like Martha Washington Heights. They have worked hard to push the installation of the landscaping for the areas near our neighborhood. She said that the city of Knoxville has committed $60,000 toward the landscaping. There is also $60,000 in in-kin services committed by TDOT for dirt moving, fertilizing or bringing in topsoil up to $60K. The team spent some time driving the roads and determined that some of the concrete barriers will prevent drivers from seeing the landscaping so the plan has been revised. We are dedicating efforts to all three roundabouts at this first phase. Kathy indicated that the money from the City is public money and to spend it there must be bids obtained. The drawing has to be stamped as a licensed specified drawing from a licensed landscape architect professional. The Beautification Council has procured the services of a landscape architect to develop the bid documents. Those modified documents for the 3 bridge areas to be completed and turned over to the City who will turn them over to TDOT by the end of December. The areas will include test areas for wildflowers, the roundabout plantings, some new trees, and landscape areas. This is called Phase 1 of the landscape effort. We need to see if we can maintain the areas with the city’s help. Kathy recognized Rosemary Burr, Hollie Rogers, nighttime garden club member and Gene Burr. The landscape fee ($6,000) comes from the designated funds that has been collected and restricted for several years. Kathy also said the construction is delayed due to the amount of rain we have had.
Tanya Copeland announced that the Garden Club will be building the Mailbox Toppers and Swags next week. She said 100% of the money from the sales of the toppers goes toward beautification of the neighborhood.
Mike Parker said that Pollie Miller attended a meeting where the city came up with the name of Ginn Farm Road as the rename of the west side of Ginn Road. Pollie became involved at the right time and they were able to get the name changed that neighbors liked.
The City has also contacted the residents of the cul de sac that will be closed after the roundabout opens at Montlake and Alcoa Highway. The city has not received recommendations from the residents at this time. Mike said that the LHHA will send a letter in support of White Trillium Lane if the group supports this. The group was in favor.
The motion was made to adjourn the meeting and seconded. The meeting was adjourned. 8:35 pm.
Suzan Bowman
Secretary