Deer Springs Ranch Board Meeting

August 01, 2009 10:00AM, Ranch HQ

Meeting was held at Deer Springs Ranch and recorded but not teleconferenced - please review recorded minutes at website for specific detail - Dave

Board members present: John Southwick, John Harris, Ed Belinski, Shawna Cox, Dave Sills

Board members not present: Ben Clarkson, Dustin Hollis

Others present: Nancy Brayton, Robert Allen, Brent Fulmer, Linda Alderman (secretary/bookkeeper)

John: Called meeting to order

Invocation: Dave Sills

John: Motion for board to approve June minutes (were distributed, no meeting in July)

Motion seconded and all members voted to approve

John: Financial report from Linda Alderman

Linda and Shawna: Discussed financial statement distributed to board members and cabin rentals

John: Asked for status on assessments

Linda: Has contacted some delinquent, has received majority of assessments

John: How many lots are delinquent?

Linda: Fourteen

Ed: That’s 5%, high

John: Asked for Shawna input

Shawna: We are on target

General discussion of past due collection effort and use of policy guidelines

Linda: Purchasing unleaded and diesel fuel now - good price)

John: No need to discuss each budget category, any item over budget?

Linda: Yes, office supplies and postage

John: Budget will support

Linda: Fish purchase discussed, asked about water picked up for fire fighting effort

John: Will top off diesel and unleaded gas - discussed fuel savings using Rhino

Ed: Asked if we had a graduated measuring stick for fuel tanks

Brent: Yes

John: Asked that fuel levels be tracked regularly for leak detection

General discussion of measuring and tracking

Brent: Will do soil sample if leak detected

John: Any further questions about financials?

Ed: Past due accounts questioned

Linda: Have received funds from two past due accounts

Ed: When should we go ahead with lien?

John: Now, discussed forced sale

John Harris: Asked about those delinquent

General discussion of delinquent assessments

John: Reviewed removing names of owners that are not required to pay assessments - Dale Clarkson to let us know the names

Shawna: Three owners may be facing tax lien sales

Linda: Will be contacting some

Shawna: Six are behind on taxes - we would have to catch up on taxes if we sold lots - need to act to avoid further tax burden

Dave: Need to review by lot numbers

Shawna: Lot numbers 148, 149 70, 181, and 24 are tax and assessment delinquent

John: Not aware of county tax process

Shawna: Five years to act on county

Ed: Can sell lots that are delinquent for taxes and dues

John: Rather have owners respond to avoid sale - try to set up a payment method

Linda: Trying to do so - have penalties and interest (18%)

Need letter to be approved by attorney and sent - discussed penalties

Dave: Can we proceed?

Linda: Will send warning letters

John: Send letters out now with request to reply by September 1st, this is done according to bylaws

General discussion of policy and bylaws

John: Caretaker report from Nancy Brayton.

Nancy: Reported on cabins, including repairs, water systems OK, road work, Kubota repairs

John: Johnsons used Kubota - discussed repair costs

Ed: Are we continuing on machinery loan policy?

John: Allowed this use due to ranch improvement benefit - discussed rental

Dave: Has discussed use of a form for machinery loan

Shawna: Will bring in form she uses

John: Water tests due?

Nancy: Due in August

General discussion of water test requirements

John: Any other caretaker reports?

Nancy: Water supply spigot was moved

At some point in the meeting anti-siphon valves and their requirement in water systems were discussed

John: Opened up discussion of plans for annual meeting in September - discussed board nominees

Linda: Dave Turley and Brent Fulmer nominated and accepted

General discussion of candidates

John: Annual meeting scheduled for September 12th at 9am at the ranch

Linda: Recommended pot lock luncheon

John: Asked if Nancy could put together a menu

Nancy: OK - Discussed Friday night barbecue success

John: Discussed water systems - Rural Water Association

Brent: They are coming to ranch August 17th to evaluate systems - discussed water facilities, anti-siphon, etc. They will submit their recommendations in writing

Ed: Asked about training for Paul in water

Brent: Discussed expected process for training

John: Opened up discussion of proposal of caretaker agreement - has anything been submitted?

Brent: Discussed concern for contract for Braytons - 5 year contract with specific levels of performance compensation, performance warnings, consideration of lot availability, level of protection, signing off by board members

General discussion of caretakers by group

Shawna: Motion to identify three board members to develop contract by the annual meeting date

Motion was seconded and passed unanimously

Discussion of using e-mail to develop the contract

Shawna: Water certification class discussed - motion to register Paul for October class

John: Does not require motion, just approve expense

Nancy: Paul will be available

John: We are down on projections for cabin reservations

General discussion of reservations and cabin usage

Ed: Discussed member letter received on costs

Nancy: Discussed laundry, washing machine, gray water

John: Discussed cost of laundry in town

Nancy: $300 so far this year

John: Discussed benefits of on-site laundry - can we track needs by members?

General discussion of laundry methods and recommendations - solar electric impact


Brent: Discussed Nancy’s availability impact due to laundry in town - possible availability of military self-contained laundry trailer - will monitor

John: Recognized Brent’s efforts in fire fighting coordination and control

Brent County gave us two radios - have all emergency radio frequency access - discussed fire control effort

General discussion of driveway access for fire access, defensible space for fire break - “limb and trim” up to 15 feet - looking for large capacity chipper - discussed portable water tank placement

John: Need to set standards to meet county requirements

John: Agriculture concerns?

Brent: Some cattle grazing our area are not ours or part of grazing contract

John Harris: Discussed open gate

Nancy: Hamblin is checking out the stray cattle

John: Discussed Johnson grain condition

Nancy: County agent said they planted too deep

John: New business - asked about traffic count on Skutumpah

Bob: County not responding yet

General discussion of traffic measurement, road maintenance, BLM commitment, repairs - Grader for BLM

John: Any new business?

Brent: Asked about agenda for annual meeting

John: We will review and submit for approval last year’s annual meeting minutes - Linda will bring

Shawna: If current on membership, members can vote on board members

Dave: Any gravel contracts in progress

General discussion of gravel policy

Linda: BLM wants gravel use tracked - group discussion of log book

John: Asked Shawna for benediction

Meeting adjourned



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