Riverwalk Talk

RiverWalk Talk Volume 24, Issue 9 A Newsletter Covering Life in RiverWalk September 2020 In This Issue Board Actions for the Months of June, July, August 2020 By Fran Shay This report covers regular, special, and Town Hall Board meetings held President's Report.............Page 2 on June 16th, July 14th, and August 11th. The Board actions of the August 20th Manager's Corner .......... ..Page 4 Board meeting will appear in the October issue. To view the proceedings of Treasurer's Report............Page 5 the meetings, links to videos of all meetings are found in the homeowner log- Clubs/Classes...................Page 16 in section of the www.riverwalkofwpb.com website at My Community/Forms Activities .......................... Page 20 and Documents/Board and Committee Meeting Minutes. Calendars.........................Page 25 A regular Board meeting was held on June 16, 2020, at 7:00 pm, with all Board members and the General Manager Kathy Jean Pinchuck attending. Nicole Johnson, Director of Operations of Hafer Company, presented summary findings of the 2019 Audit Report. She reported that RiverWalk MEETING DATES had the highest, cleanest level of assurance on the financials, and discussed some major changes to accounting policies and how they affect the creation and interpretation of financial statements. Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m. Board Meeting Chris Shead made a motion to approve acceptance of the 2019 Audit Report. Richard Keller seconded, and the motion was approved by consensus. Monday, September 28, 10 a.m. Due to a faster pace of painting than originally anticipated, Chris Shead Architectural Control Committee made a motion to increase reserve expenditures for the community house painting from $700,000 to $1 million to be revisited in August or September. Annetta Veres seconded the motion which passed 5-2. Directors Nicoletti, Roman, Schack, Shead and Veres voted in favor; Directors Keller and Reinhardt were opposed. After a status report by Chair of the Safety and Security Committee, Peter When You Need Help: Lundquist, Peter Reinhardt made a motion to purchase three permanent traffic speed signs that record data and take photos of passing vehicles at a In an Emergency, Call: cost of up to $10,000 each. Richard Keller seconded the motion which passed by consensus. 911 Chair of the Tennis Committee Sandra Jennings made a resolution to the Non-Emergency Board which will limit the ability of non-resident players to use the tennis Police, Call: courts. As a Committee resolution no second was needed, and it passed by consensus. 822-1900 As Board Liaison of the Oak Tree and Hardscape Restoration Committee, Peter Reinhardt made a resolution to move forward on the August 2019 Board approval to hire an engineer to prepare and oversee a master plan with various trades with a limit of $40,000 on the start of the Board Actions: Continued on page 18 SEPTEMBER 2020 RIVERWALK TALK Page 2 Do We Want a Volunteer Fire Department? Fortunately, we have paid professionals in our local fire departments. But we have a volunteer Board! While we are reactive and put out our community “fires,” we are also proactive in looking and planning ahead. Such is our local community government—a republican form of democracy. The purpose of this article is to develop an understanding of what will help us volunteers accomplish our mission—to do what is best for our community. Definitions. A “pure” form of democracy is different than a “republican” democracy. In a “pure” democracy a small group of homeowners would meet in a town hall-type meeting and discuss and vote on every issue. With 1,367 homeowners, this is not possible. In a “republican” form, we have elected members of our community represent them at the decision-making table, our Board meetings. Homeowner Input. While homeowner opinions are welcome, some may believe that they may direct their representatives/Directors as to what they should do. But, in reality, an individual homeowner is limited in trying to influence Directors. Homeowners may send emails to the Board of Directors, and express their concerns and opinions at open forums before Board meetings. A better strategy is to join one of our current 12 committees that can do its own research as a group, and try to implement policy by making informed reports to the Board with possible resolutions for change. Directors are Homeowners. Directors, too, come to the decision-making table with biases and opinions, but they are tasked with making a judgment based on facts, logic, and/or expert opinions that homeowners may not be aware of. This is why you will see disagreements and arguments among Board members who are trying to convince other Directors to change their mind. In order for this to work, we need to run meetings that aren’t “free- for-alls” with personal attacks, yelling, or certain Directors dominating discussions. That is why we are required to use Robert’s Rules of Order (not chaos). That is why we have a “Code of Ethics” for Directors to follow. Board Meeting – 8/11/20. At our August 11, 2020, Regular Board meeting, we corrected a processing error that involved a difference in posting agenda topics between Special and Regular Board meetings, and the involvement of homeowners. We continued to have problems with our audio in using our new equipment but, finally, corrected some Zoom setting issues that allowed for better communication with homeowners. Fortunately, Channel 63 was operating correctly. The good news from our meeting is that the contract with Xtreme Landscaping has officially been approved after discussing and approving attorney addendums to the original contract. It will be posted on our website once signed. This new contractor will begin on September 1st. Also, our painting contractor, RCI, will continue work in two weeks or sooner. The Board approved increasing this year’s allotment for painting an additional $500,000 after receiving unanimous approval recommendations from our Finance Committee and Treasurer. Our Mission. As volunteer Board members, please know that we are doing our best to meet the needs of our community. We strive to ensure the maintenance and quality of our common grounds and amenities in a fiscally responsible way, and enforce rules and regulations equitably. As a team, we will move ahead improving our property values. Please remember we are part-time volunteers who will continue to listen and learn. When we make mistakes, we will correct. Change is inevitable. Be kind and stay safe! Hank Nicoletti, Board President SEPTEMBER 2020 RIVERWALK TALK Page 3 For so long now, the coronavirus has direction is unpredictable. The important thing is to be Editor's been front and center in our brains. ready. For a couple of days at the end of Note July—beginning of August—it was Welcome to our new Board member, Evelyn Mahanes. not. Hurricane Isaias took first place Evelyn is a brave person for stepping up. You will find an as we scrambled to get our hurricane article on Evelyn on page 7. shutters closed. Maybe it was a relief to think of something other than the virus for -- Patricia Bird a short while. Editor in Chief When I went to bed that Saturday night, the predictions kept moving the storm west toward us. It didn’t sound good. I was sorry that I hadn’t put down the track by my front door, but I didn’t have the energy to go out into the dark garage and then wrestle with the screws to put it down. I went to bed and waited for the heavy winds to begin. And I waited. And I waited. And there was nothing. No wind. No rain. I hope we can be that lucky through the rest of the hurricane season, but we have to remain ready. Hurricanes can come up quickly, and they can build strength even faster. Their RiverWalk Talk RiverWalk Talk Mission Statement A newsletter covering life in RiverWalk The purpose of the RiverWalk Talk newsletter is to provide community information to the RiverWalk homeowners. The newsletter also will do its best to include interesting articles and ads. However, any claims in the ads have not been investigated by the staff, and they are not endorsed in any way. Editor in Chief . Patricia Bird It is the responsibility of the reader to check the claims in the ads and whether Associate Editor..Elaine Confino the business’s licensing is current. Advertising Manager . Kathy Wolf Activities Director. Ilissa Shannon Activities Editor...............Fran Shay Any report of the President, Treasurer, or Property Manager will be Accounts Manager . Ron Frano printed with no changes by the editors but for spelling and grammar thereby Calendar. .Fran Shay maintaining the integrity of the article and the author’s meaning. Minor Contributing Writers. Steve Bucar, changes to an article’s length could be requested by the editors. All other Greg Christoph, Lourdes Ferris, Len articles will be edited to improve readability and fit available space. Fintzy, Bea Fries, Lisa Gammon, Dianne Golder, Betty Handel, Marianne McCann, No personal attacks will be printed, and coverage of Association meetings Sandra Masters, Pat Minkler, Heather will be reported as accurately as possible. No articles or ads will be accepted Sandarr, Steve Wolf that are about social or political issues or are in support or against any Photo Editors.........Elaine Confino, candidacy at RiverWalk or for government office. Nancy O'Keefe, Steve Wolf Graphic Design & Layout. Patricia Bird The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit all submitted copy, except for the articles mentioned in the Mission Statement, for fit and content according to policies set forth by the Board of Directors of the RiverWalk of the Palm Beaches Homeowners Association.

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