September 23, 2021
The 4th Annual Meeting of the Sovereign Oaks Homeowners Association took place in the midst of the pandemic and was held outside at the Riceville Fire Station outdoor pavilion for the second year in a row. Here are the highlights.
Cool evening temperatures did not deter the hardy SO HOA members! Fifty lots were represented, either in-person or by proxy. Add to that the half a dozen or so remote participants listening in via Zoom, and the meeting marked not only the highest attendance on record, it also produced a squeaker of an election. The only downside was attendance outpaced the supply of Sovereign Oaks Honey that was handed out to attendees (one per household) on a first come, first served basis. If you were one of the attendees who did not get a jar, don’t despair, the bees are still busy!
The proposed 2022 budget passed overwhelmingly. (49 – 1). HOA dues remain unchanged at $1500 per lot. Projected revenues are the same as this year, $188,500 while total expenses are projected at $122,210.
Three Board seats were up for election. Incumbent Art Mandler decided not to run for a second term. (Thanks, Art for stepping up and establishing the solid financial reporting as SO Treasurer over the last three years.) Current Board members Mark Jordan and Mike Newton both decided to run for another three-year term. Javier Samayoa (Lot # 56 — 52 Trail top Dr.) and Jason Thomas (Lot # 37 — 53 Wandering Oaks Way) were both nominated from the floor and agreed to run as well.
Here was the final tally:
- Mike Newton: 49
- Mark Jordan: 46
- Javier Samayoa: 27
- Jason Thomas: 27
A tie! With the light fading fast, the cold setting in and attendees heading for the exits, a second ballot was not practicable that evening. Jason and Javier chatted between themselves and Jason graciously informed the board he is content to step aside and looks forward to Javier serving on the Board. So, Javier Samayoa will be joining incumbent Board members Kirsten Kern and Brad Allen, along with returning members Mark Jordan and Mike Newton, each elected to serve a three-year term beginning with the next Board meeting. Welcome, Javier! And thanks to both Javier and Jason for their willingness to serve the HOA.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 7th at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at 28 Hawberry Court. Any HOA member interested in attending is welcome. If you plan on attending, please notify the board at board@sovereignoakshoa.com.
(A full draft minutes of the Annual Meeting will be out in the next few weeks and available on sovereignoakshoa.com.)