LONGBROOKE NEWS - APRIL 2024

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APRIL 2024 NEWSLETTER 

 

NOTE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

 

Happy Spring! We're excited to kick off a promising year ahead and share some exciting projects with you. We truly appreciate your patience during this past month’s adjustment period as we settle into our new roles. This edition of our newsletter will be lengthy due to the abundance of updates to share. Future editions will be much more concise!

 

A reminder: moving forward, our primary distribution method for newsletters will be via email. Please ensure we have your email address on file by emailing Longbrookesocial@gmail.com. You will also find the newsletter on our website at http://www.longbrookeberea.com. Starting in June, we will only deliver this newsletter electronically.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to our wonderful community during this period of transition and evolution. This board remains committed to fostering open communication and transparency as we tackle community matters together!

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POOL UPDATE:

 

We know this is the update that everyone has been waiting for! Regrettably, it's an issue that has caused division within our community, and we recognize the strong opinions held by everyone involved. To address this matter, we've consulted with our HOA attorney, Lindsey Wrubel, to determine the most appropriate course of action. Rest assured, all decisions pertaining to our pool have been carefully vetted by legal counsel. It is the Board's fiduciary duty to ensure that every action taken is in the best interest of our association.

 

As you know, the Longbrooke Pool is significant in our community's history, fostering tradition and unity among residents. A large sum of our homeowners’ money has been invested into it throughout the years, with repairs and new amenities built within the last several years. Therefore, the new Board of Trustees believes that it would be a major disservice to our association and our community to move forward with the drastic decision to remove the pool without further exploring more COST EFFECTIVE solutions to either repair or replace it. 

 

We must emphasize that the pool vote announced at the March 2024 Annual Meeting was not the final decision on this matter. According to our legal counsel, this vote was intended as a "STRAW" vote—a preliminary poll conducted to gauge opinion. This vote was only a prerequisite for the next set of voting.

 

According to our governing documents, there would be SEVERAL votes that would have to take place after this for any action on the pool. Firstly, any capital expenditure over $500 requires a vote. Secondly, a vote for a special assessment would have to take place (and we may need a special assessment to remove the pool at this point). Thirdly, a vote to amend the declarations to remove a common amenity would be required as well. Several homeowners have asked why the pool has yet to be removed since a substantial number of homeowners have voted to remove it. Unfortunately, it is just not that simple. 

 

We recognize that our continued investigation into a solution for the pool may upset some people. We want you to know that we hear you and acknowledge your reluctance to pay a substantial amount of money towards this project. $4000 per household (as per the previous board’s investigation into this issue) is a sum of money that the current Board does not want to impose on our homeowners. While it's regrettable that we lack a significant reserve fund for this endeavor, we remain committed to exploring all possible options to ensure the continuity of the Longbrooke pool. Again, we want to emphasize that we are looking into more COST EFFECTIVE solutions to keep this important part of Longbrooke history in our community. 

 

We are actively working on this project in a TIMELY MANNER, with several crucial steps already in progress. Recognizing that this issue has been pending for over a year, we are determined to complete our goals on time. Our pool trustees, Greg Bosl and Kaelin Bobula, are fully committed to meticulous care, diligence, and consideration for all community members, including those advocating for pool removal. The pool committee has been re-established with several dedicated new members to share the workload. We are acutely aware of the situation's urgency and have been operating with this in mind from the outset.

 

Should those who voted to remove the pool maintain their initial vote despite our forthcoming solutions, we will respect your decision. We kindly request your patience throughout this process. Rest assured, in line with our commitment to transparency, we will maintain open lines of communication and keep you informed. Please do not hesitate to reach out to President Jacqui Gareau at Longbrookepresident@gmail.com, Pool Trustees Greg Bosl at Longbrookepooltrustee@gmail.com, and Assistant Pool Trustee Kaelin Bobula at Longbrookepool@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. We truly value your input and are committed to addressing this matter. We recognize its impact on every household in our community.

 

SMITH SCHOOL UPDATE:

 

The closing date on the sale of Smith School is currently June 30, 2024. Demolition of the school will begin shortly thereafter. 

 

GOVERNING DOCUMENTS UPDATE:

 

This is another significant matter we're addressing. As our governing documents were not filed as required by ORC 5312 in 2010, our association must rectify this and ensure they are properly recorded.

 

The previous endeavor to update these documents has unfortunately fallen short. Following the annual meeting, we've received minimal new votes, with even fewer favoring the proposed changes. We want to assure you that your feedback has been noticed. Given the insufficient votes on the previous amendments, we're committed to revisiting this process. We are going to focus on updating the By-Laws only.

 

At this point, updating the By-Laws takes precedence. The current governing documents, featuring conflicting By-Laws and Code of Regulations sections, hinder the Association’s ability to conduct business under clear guidelines. Updating the By-Laws and filing the rest of our governing documents with the Secretary of State and county becomes feasible. This update is crucial for modernizing our community. Notably, enabling electronic homeowner voting is a significant enhancement, streamlining processes and reducing the necessity for in-person special meetings.

 

We will form a homeowners' committee to aid in updating the By-Laws, prioritizing community input. We're fully committed to gathering extensive feedback. To volunteer for the Governing Documents committee, email Vice President Caitlin Goodwin at VPLongbrooke@gmail.com. Following the By-laws update, the committee will address the Declarations, again making sure to incorporate community preferences.

We will be holding a special meeting to vote on amending the By-Laws. Details on this special meeting will be forthcoming. 

 

RESERVE WAIVER UPDATE:

 

We want to announce that a majority of our members have voted to approve the Reserve Waiver. At the time this newsletter was published, we received 154 YES votes and 2 NO votes. 

 

Once we determine the fate of our pool, we will look into having a reserve study done to begin the process of having appropriately funded reserves for our assets. We aim to prevent future generations of Longbrooke residents from encountering the challenges we currently face within our HOA.

 

SOCIAL UPDATE:

 

Due to the pool being closed and most social events being held there, the previous board had decided to cut the social budget. As it stands now, the current budget for any social events is $0. Because of this, we would like to gauge interest in social events and see what kinds of activities the community would like to see and participate in. Your suggestions are welcome! We want to know what YOU, as our community, would like to see happening. We’ve come up with some ideas, but all ideas are appreciated!

Email Kaelin at Longbrookesocial@gmail.com with suggestions, comments, interest, offers of help, anything and everything social!!

 

First and foremost, we will have the 4th of July Bike Parade! This is an important Longbrooke tradition and is a little to no cost event that is always great fun for the kids in the neighborhood. Other social events coming up are listed below! These were planned considering our $0 budget for social events, with generous donations from our community members. Further details about these will come at a later date:

 

May (date/time TBD): Farewell to Smith School Event 

June (date/time TBD): Family Outdoor Movie Night

July 4 (time TBD): 4th of July Bike Parade

 

Some other ideas we had and would like to see if there was interest in are:

 

Community Garden- we would have to find a plot of land and go from there. Perhaps starting with some flowers and native plants and growing from there with time and budget allowances.

 

Kickball and Wiffle Ball Games - Family friendly fun! In the past, these have been held in the field by Smith, and this won’t be an option this summer with the demolition happening, but we have the other end of the field we can utilize for this!

 

Kids Club- recommended to be brought back; we would like to see if any of the older kids in the neighborhood would want to volunteer their time to help the smaller kids with crafts and activities and help things run smoothly. If anyone’s older kids are interested, have them email Kaelin at Longbrookesocial@gmail.com.

 

Community Helpers - People who need help anytime can ask for it! Kids and families can do a little spring clean up of yards, help take trash cans out and bring them in, rake leaves, need a babysitter? Ask! We’re hoping to have a section for this in the monthly newsletters, but in the meantime, feel free to email Longbrookesocial@gmail.com, and we can reach out to any families that have expressed interest in offering their time.

 

WEBSITE UPDATE:

 

The fees for our current web host have seen a notable increase. As a result, we are working to secure a more cost-effective solution and user-friendly platform that is optimized for mobile viewing. While the website address (http://www.longbrookeberea.com) will remain unchanged, expect a refreshed appearance. We anticipate completing these updates by summer.

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GROUNDS UPDATE:

 

We are excited for the weather to finally start to get warmer and our grass greener.  The lawn maintenance company that takes care of our common areas will be starting the spring clean-up in the coming weeks as the weather permits.  They will be adding the tennis courts to the areas they clean-up for the first time this year.

 

With everyone getting out and cleaning up your yards, we wanted to send out a few friendly reminders:

• Grass/weeds are to be no higher than 4 inches tall

• Keep sidewalks edged

• Remove dead trees (including stumps)

• Trim trees & shrubs regularly

• Landscape debris (bags or piles of mulch, wood, branches, unused planters, etc.) must be stored out-of-sight)

• Garbage cans, lawnmowers, shovels, rakes, bikes, scooters, play equipment, etc., must be stored out-of-sight

 

Thanks for all you do to keep Longbrooke a beautifully maintained community.  Please don’t hesitate to email Kelly at

Longbrookehoagrounds@gmail.com with any questions.

 

ARCHITECTURAL UPDATE:

 

As we move into home improvement season, homeowners planning to make exterior changes to their house or lot (e.g., fences, decks, sheds) (although this is not an exhaustive list) can now submit a change request form online. 

 

The form is under the designated “FAQ and Resources” tab at http://www.longbrookeberea.com. The architectural change committee is confident this update to the approval process will get a decision to homeowners as fast as possible so they may begin their projects. 

If you have any questions or are unsure if your change will need approval, please reach out to Longbrookeacc@gmail.com and our trustee, Sara Gaines, is happy to work with you. We look forward to seeing the improvements on your home!

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DUES UPDATE:

 

Friendly Reminder: You have until April 30, 2024, to pay your 2024 dues without incurring penalties! We're still collaborating with Collections attorney Phil Henry to address delinquent accounts. A gentle reminder that any legal fees incurred during the HOA collections process are the homeowner's responsibility, so let's keep those dues up to date! If you're facing any challenges making your payment, don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to lend a helping hand and find a solution together!

 

We've received inquiries from homeowners regarding why dues have remained the same amidst uncertainty surrounding the pool's future. We want you to know that we understand your concerns and we hear you! Longbrooke is still operating as an association. That means we've got ongoing financial commitments and expenses, including pool and association insurance, utility bills, landscaping and common area upkeep, legal fees, web hosting, and more. Even if the pool is eventually removed, there's no escaping the significant costs associated with that project. Thanks for your understanding and support as we navigate these waters together! 

 

THANK YOU, EVERYONE! 

 

We eagerly anticipate serving you all in this wonderful community. For any questions, concerns, comments, or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via our Longbrooke email addresses listed below:

 

Jacqui Gareau, President (Longbrookepresident@gmail.com)

Caitlin Goodwin, Vice President (VPLongbrooke@gmail.com)

Patty Allison-Roy, Secretary (patrial2@gmail.com)

Shannon Kampa of By the Books Accounting, Treasurer (Longbrooketreasurer@gmail.com)

Greg Bosl, Pool Trustee (Longbrookepooltrustee@gmail.com)

Kaelin Bobula, Assistant Pool/Social Trustee (Longbrookepool@gmail.com)

Sara Gaines, Architectural Trustee (LongbrookeACC@gmail.com)

Kelly Browning, Grounds Trustee (LongbrookeHOAGrounds@gmail.com)

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WEEKLY UPDATE - March 8, 2024

 

Happy Friday Longbrooke! Here is your first weekly update about this week's happenings in our neighborhood!

 

1. Thursday night, the Berea Municipal Planning Commission met to discuss the Smith School project. The Planning Commission unanimously voted in favor of approving both the demolition of Smith School and the lot split (with one member abstaining).

 

They did not give a specific date, but stated that the work will start "as soon as possible." They have already hired an experienced contractor and met with the Berea Building Department. It will only take 2-3 weeks for complete teardown and removal. It will take roughly 2 days for the actual collapse of the building, and then the rest of that time frame will be for removal of debris.

 

After the demolition is complete, they will divide the 12.8 acres into 20 lots and add utilities (water, sewer, etc). They will then put a new parking lot surface on lot #20 at a cost of about $130,000. Then that parking lot will be donated and deeded to the HOA. Thank you to our Grounds trustee Kelly Thomas Browning for representing Longbrooke at the meeting and for her report!

 

2. We have officially filled our treasurer position! Shannon Kampa, of By the Book Accounting Solutions, was officially appointed our treasurer today with unanimous board approval. As the only board position open to an outside firm, the treasurer can reside outside of Longbrooke and be appointed by the Board. Given our board's relative newness to serving in these positions, having a professional like Shannon guide us will be invaluable. We appreciate her time, expertise and guidance and are looking forward to working with her. We also wanted to extend a big, huge thank you to our outgoing treasurer Heather Losneck for her time and assistance through this transition!

 

3. Our first official board meeting is on Thursday, March 14. As we are a brand new board, we are always looking for ways to better serve our community. We would like to invite any comments, concerns and questions to be sent to our official Longbrooke emails, so that we can address them at our first meeting. Below you will find all of our official emails:

President, Jacqui Gareau - longbrookepresident@gmail.com

Vice President, Caitlin Goodwin - vplongbrooke@gmail.com

Secretary, Patty Roy - patrial2@aol.com

Treasurer, By the Book Accounting Solutions - longbrooketreasurer@gmail.com

Pool Trustee, Greg Bosl - longbrookepooltrustee@gmail.com

Assistant Pool Trustee and Social/Tech, Kaelin Bobula - longbrookepool@gmail.com

Grounds Trustee, Kelly Browning - longbrookehoagrounds@gmail.com

Architectural Trustee, Sara Gaines - longbrookeacc@gmail.com

 

And just a quick reminder to send in your reserve waiver ballots by March 31! You can email to longbrookevote@gmail.com or send to our P.O. Box.

 

Thank you everyone! Hope you all have a great weekend!

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A message from your new board

 

Hello everyone! Just a quick update for you all: the board is planning our first meeting in the next two weeks. Currently, our focus is on addressing urgent matters such as legal issues, account transfers, and various administrative tasks.

 

We're all about transparency, so we're committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.

 

We understand that the status of the pool is a top concern for everyone, and it is for us as well. Once we've tackled these immediate priorities, we will continue to work on the pool issue. We will be providing everyone with an updated plan and timeline on the pool very soon.

 

Rest assured, we are prioritizing the desires of our community. Your input is invaluable, and we will continue to work together to ensure the best possible outcome for all. We encourage you to spread the word to your neighbors about our Facebook page (search for Longbrooke Residents) so that everyone can stay informed. 

 

We deeply appreciate your patience and support. We're eager to join forces with all of you to uplift our community together!

 

Jacqui Gareau - President

Dr. Caitlin Goodwin - Vice President

Patty Roy - Secretary

Greg Bosl - Pool Trustee

Kaelin Bobula - Assistant Pool & Social/Tech Trustee

Kelly Browning - Grounds Trustee

Sara Gaines - Architectural Trustee

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And here is a link to the Longbrooke Residents Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1104849577564913/

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The Annual Meeting was held on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Grindstone Elementary. The  former Board has resigned as of March 2, 2024.  Here is their presentation to the Association. Information  and totals on the final pool vote are contained within.  The outgoing board wishes to thank the many fine residents that supported and trusted us over the past two years. We leave knowing we did our best under some very trying circumstances. 

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                 218 (72%) homeowners cast ballots (303 Homes)
                 160 (73%) voted to REMOVE the pool
                    58 (27%) voted to REPLACE the pool

                 Of the 76 homeowners who signed the petition asking for the special pool meeting,
                 only 28 voted to replace the pool

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There have been many homes sold over the past months. If you are a new resident - WELCOME! Please feel free to reach out to the trustees with any questions or concerns. 

Just a few friendly reminders:

• If you are planning on making changes to the exterior or your home, including FENCES, please refer to our current Deed Restrictions. Approval of plans by the Architecture Committee is required. Please click the FAQ's tab for further information. 

• Per city ordinance - all home owner garbage cans need to be stored out of sight.

• Vehicles are not permitted to block sidewalks when parked in driveways.

• Remember to pick up after your pets - that means the common areas too!

• Maintain a safe speed limit when driving through our streets and please come to a full stop at stop signs. We have many children in our neighborhood. We want to keep them safe!

• Please keep your sidewalks free of leaves and snow.

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