Board Meeting Minutes for TRRPOA

Board Meeting Minutes for Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association are posted below for the last two years.

For additional information about covenants, restrictions and bylaws, please reference the CCR's on file available in the menu bar on this website.

October 27, 2023 Board Meeting Agenda

Agenda, Board of Directors Meeting

October 27, 2023

10:00 AM, Pleasant View Baptist Church

Call To Order – President JP Goding

CC&Rs Review of Submitted Forms

• Previously Approved Requiring Signature

Treasurer Report

• Cost of Grader Repairs

• 2024 Budget Items

• 2023 Budget Update for 3^rd Quarter

Road Chair Report

• Equipment Repair Update, Grader and Truck

• Weed Spraying Update/Discussion

• Status of Gregory and Hammer Creek Roads

• Improving Culdesac on Pilgrim Ridge Road

• Grading Plans for Remaining Roads

• Plowing Upper Roads for Coming Winter

New Business

• TRR Email Account

• Repair/Replace Signs at Gregory Creek Entrance

• Storage/Sea Containers

• Raising annual dues on lots served by Association roads by 20% as allowed by the CCRs

Member Forum

Executive Session

Adjournment

June 16, 2023 Annual Members Meeting Minutes

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association

Annual Members Meeting Minutes

June 16, 2023

The Confluence Resort, White Bird, Idaho

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:00 AM by President JP Goding. Also present were Wolfgang Schubert, Vice President; Samantha Stults, Treasurer; Susan Schubert, Secretary; Kristin Donaldson, Webmaster; Jerry Bentz, Road Chairman; and Gordon Ross, Fire Tree Coordinator. There were approximately eighty plus members and guests in attendance.

Announcements. JP welcomed the members to the meeting and introduced the Board members, invited everyone to attend the picnic at Swiftwater after the meeting, asked everyone to please update their phone numbers for the fire tree. He asked everyone to take a moment to honor and remember Gail Chapman and Al Bolden who had both passed away in recent months.

Recent Idaho HOA Code Changes. Gordon Ross reported that our bylaws are pretty much in line with the changes. Some highlights are the use of solar panels is protected as is the display of political signs and flags within the size boundaries set by the Association. Here is the link to a summary of the changes:

https://hawleytroxell.com/2022/07/whats-new-in-idahos-new-homeowners-association-act/

Local Fire Fighting/Mitigation Resources. Paul Hefner, White Bird Fire Chief, and Kelly Hefner, Fire Behavior Specialist spoke about local firefighting resources and mitigation strategies. The White Bird Fire Department is transitioning to new equipment, including a water tender and a fast attack truck. The Department also has a four-wheel drive fire truck. Water restrictions are still in place in White Bird, and water is being hauled from Lewiston. The State of Idaho donated four pumps which are being used to pump water from the creek to water yards as a public service. The Fire Department supports the Salmon River Rural Fire Department. City trucks have to stay within the city limits, but the Department has two trucks that can respond to fires outside the city limits. The Department can help with prescribed burns. Paul has taught fire fighter for years and has decades of experience. The Department relies on excess equipment from other agencies and volunteers; it is not supported by taxes.

Kelly Hefner has 35 years of experience in fighting fires and search and rescue and is a fire behavior analyst. She helps communities prepare for and fight wildland fires and can help with prescribed burns and burning safely. The biggest concerns for Twin River Ranch are escape routes and safety zones. Both wet and dry winters contribute to fires. Dry grasses which have grown to three and four feet high from all the moisture are a hazard and should be mowed down, especially around roads. Because of the long, wet spring fuel loading is high this year. The danger will come in August when the fuel dries out and the winds start blowing. The steep topography is also a contributing factor to rapid fire movement. She welcomes questions on fire safety and prevention. Members can contact the White Bird fire office.

A general discussion of fire prevention followed. Rick Dunford, Mike Campbell, Sean Smith, and Roy Johnston said they are available to help with wild land clearing. Kristin will get phone numbers for Paul and Kelly and put them on our website. Roy Johnston spoke again about the Federal Grant money available to Idaho County for fire mitigation. Information can be obtained from Sandi Paul, Fire Mitigation Coordinator for Idaho County, at 208-983-3074. Roy said the crew will clear and stack but will not burn. The program requires a 10% deposit which is held until the piles are burned. You can also pay for the burning as Carol and Marty Ansell did and get your deposit back. The cost to them of paying for the burning was slightly more than the 10% deposit. You can get your property inspected and put on the list for next year. The program is doing 10 treatments this year in Idaho County. Roy encouraged everyone to attend the Fire Department fundraisers as they have them which include an annual Fireman’s Ball. Annelle Urbahn spoke about the need for volunteers for the Station 6 Rural Salmon River Fire Department. Interested persons can get an application from her.

Introduction of Board Candidates – Two three-year terms were open. Roy Johnston, Mark Frayser, and Gordon Ross, previously appointed to fill the vacancy when Cathy Little resigned, were on the ballot. Aaron Kamnetz was nominated from the floor. Each gave a brief introduction and spoke on what they felt was important for the Board. Voting commenced, and three volunteers, Wolfgang Schubert, outgoing Vice President; Pete DeSantis, previous Board member and past President; and Deida Malinowski, property owner; collected ballots and started the ballot count while the meeting continued.

Fire Tree. Gordon spoke on the importance of the fire tree for notifying members of a fire but said it’s difficult to catch people as was the case during the recent fire on Hammer Creek Road and Bucks Boulevard. Very few folks answered their phones.

Treasurer Report. Sam reported that there are still several property owners with outstanding dues and/or fees. Two reports were handed out to members attending the meeting: The Income Statement to Date Compared To Annual Budget and the Balance Sheets for May 31, 2022 and 2023. There were no questions at the meeting; anyone with questions can contact the Board at twinriverranch1@gmail.com. Sam gave an update on her efforts to put online paying of dues and fines into place. Many members have expressed a desire for that service. There would be a 2.9% processing fee which would be added onto the member’s payment. Sam has decades of bookkeeping experience with previous businesses, including a travel agency, and her current business, The Silver Dollar. Debbie Little, previous Treasurer has been working with Sam during the transition.

Road and Equipment Report. Jerry reported that the roads are in better shape than this time last year, referring to washboards and potholes. He has a plan for this year. Our previous equipment operator, Robin Lipinski, resigned in October. A new person was hired but was tragically killed in an automobile accident as he was reporting for his first day of work. Ryan Hampton agreed to fill the position temporarily but is now operating his own business full time so can’t always respond when we need him to grade, plow, or spray. Ryan was supposed to be spraying on the day of the meeting but was unable to. Jerry and JP will continue to try and work with Ryan, Ryan’s schedule, and the weather to get the weeds sprayed. Jerry is putting together a grading and plowing plan which he will present this fall. Jerry broke down the $288 in dues that members on Association roads pay: $90 goes towards the expenses of running the Association which leaves $198 per lot for maintaining the roads, which is not enough to provide needed maintenance. The grader requires repairs as we cannot afford to replace it at $100K to $200K for a good used grader. The engine and transmission both are leaking fluids and the diaphragm in the fuel system needs replacing. The cost to repair all is estimated to be $20K to $40K. The grader will be sent to the Caterpillar dealer in Lewiston for diagnosis and cost to repair. The plow truck had a transmission rebuilt last year at a cost of $5K. As for Board members or general members driving out equipment, our insurance requires the operator to be an employee of the Board. Mark Frayser was hired as a contractor to do some snow plowing on the upper roads this past winter but used his own equipment. A question was raised as to whether there may be grant money available to help us with equipment and maintenance. Debbie Little, past Treasurer explained that though we are a nonprofit, we are not a charity and do not qualify for government grants. Also, any profit we make from membership dues must be spent on the Association.

Several members had questions and comments. John Raynor suggested the Board talk to a local heavy equipment dealership about setting up a maintenance contract for the grader to possibly avoid future breakdowns. Roy Johnston said that there may be private forest service grant money available to help with purchasing wildland firefighting equipment. Eric Brimmer said this was the first year that his wife wasn’t afraid to drive our roads during the winter. Pat Hurt said that the ditch on Gregory Creek was destroyed by the grader in an attempt to pull gravel back onto the roadway. Jerry said that he has driven all the roads and the ditch will be repaired, the gravel will be reclaimed and the ruts on Hammer Creek from recent heavy rains will be repaired. He also said there will be no grading until the grader is back from repairs and we have some heavy rains. He suggested the speed limit should be 15mph instead of the 20mph that so many folks already ignore. Many members shared their experiences of seeing cars speeding and throwing gravel off of the road, helping to create the ruts we are beginning to see on lower Gregory Creek and Hammer Creek Roads. Roy Johnston also requested folks slow down as they reach the bottom of Gregory Creek to prevent so much dust from landing on the residences there.

Secretary’s Report. Susan reported that communication with the membership is transitioning to email as Kristin has implemented the board email address, twinriverranch1@gmail.com. Communication from the Secretary has been welcome letters to new members and letters regarding CCR Approval Forms for new construction. She reported and the current sales market with current homes listed at 2; current lots listed at 2; properties sold since last year 12; homes completed since last year 5; homes or shops started since last year 9; sites current being developed 1; CCR Reviews since last year 5. Board meetings have been limited and are being held at the Pleasant View Baptist Church in White Bird as Pastor Randy Myers is very graciously allowing us to use his facility. After Cathy Little left the Board last September, the White Bird Library was no longer available for us as a meeting place. At the same time, the White Bird Area Recreational District tightened its requirements and rental form making it difficult for us to easily schedule meetings there.

Website Report. Kristin continues to update the website with agendas, meeting minutes, and updates on other issues of interest. Please contact us at twinriverranch1@gmail.com if you have any suggestions for additional information to be posted or if you have questions for the Board. Please also let us know your current email address if you would like to be on the email list for announcements and other information.

Voting and Election Results. Roy Johnston was elected in the first round of voting. Mark Frayser, Aaron Kamnetz, and Gordon Ross tied for the second position, so all were included in the second round of voting. Gordon was elected in the second round of voting. We thank all for volunteering to run and encourage them to continue their interest in the Board.

Member’s Forum. Debbie Little made a motion to raise dues on Association roads by $100 per year. The motion was seconded. A straw vote was held, and the motion passed but was just informational as 75% of the entire membership must approve a dues increase greater than 20%. It was suggested we could mail the membership a ballot. The increase would be used for maintaining the roads. Raising dues another 20% would add $9K; raising dues $100 would add $17K. The increase would be only for those lots on Association roads. Pat Hurt commented that most HOAs that fail, do so for bankruptcy. Pat also said it’s unlikely that the membership will approve the increase as it failed once before. JP will form a committee to study raising the dues. Carol Ansell, JP Goding, and Roy Johnston talked more about fire mitigation, particularly removing fuels. There was discussion about placing water storage tanks in strategic areas so trucks fighting fires wouldn’t have to go all the way down to the river to refill. Scott Dalgliesh, owner of River Storage Solutions, says he has 200 gallon totes he will sell to Association members for $20 or $100 to the public which could be used to hold water for fires. Rick Dunford suggested we need two trucks for plowing, one that stays up on top and one that stays down below. Pat Hurt commented that we are one emergency away from bankruptcy.

Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned at 12:04 pm.

Note to Members: The minutes from the Annual Meeting will not be mailed this year. Anyone desiring a printed copy and who cannot print one from the website may email the Board at twinriverranch1@gmail.com to have a copy mailed to them. You may also email the Board at that address for a copy of the financial reports.

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan Schubert, Secretary

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association

May 16, 2023 Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes, Board of Directors Meeting

May 16, 2023

6PM Pleasant View Baptist Church

Call To Order – President JP Goding called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM. Also present were Jerry Bentz, Road Chair; Debbie Little, Treasurer; Susan Schubert, Secretary; Kristin Donaldson, Webmaster; Gordon Ross, Fire Tree, CCRs, and Idaho HOA codes; and Wolfgang Schubert, Vice President. There were two guests attending, Shelly and Mark Frayser.

Old Business. Jerry reported that one of the Association members could get water storage tanks for fire mitigation for the Association at a good price: 3000 Gal/$2500; 2000 Gal/$1700; 1000 Gal/$798. A discussion followed on possible locations. No action was taken as there are not yet funds available for purchasing them.

New Business. There was a discussion of the recently renovated driveway up on Pine Ridge and how it is impacting the ditch and road easement area. The new owners had gotten permission from the Board to improve the driveway, which included putting in a culvert, but the expectation was that they would move it more into the bank. Instead, is it encroaching on the ditch and easement and narrowing the road in that area. JP will talk to them about it.

Sam is continuing her efforts in getting online paying of dues and fines in place. Members will be contacted via email at some point in the future about signing up for it.

Gordon shared some of the information on the new HOA codes in Idaho. He will give a short presentation at the Annual Meeting. Those who are interested may research Idaho House Bill 628 for details. Kristin will put a link on our website.

Annual Meeting and Picnic. Susan and Kristin will put together a list of items needing to be purchased for the picnic, including paper plates, napkins, cutlery, soft drinks, hamburgers, hotdogs, buns, condiments and tomatoes, onions, and such. JP is trying to get a Wildland Fire Director and his wife who is a fire behavior specialist to give a presentation. Agenda items for the meeting will include Gordon’s presentation of the new HOA codes, Fire Director’s presentation, nomination of Board member candidates from the floor, and voting, followed by a brief member forum. For details and the final agenda, please visit our website. Susan will prepare a list of what volunteer help is needed at the meeting and the picnic, and Kristin will send out an email asking for volunteers.

Road Report. There was a general discussion on what road maintenance equipment the Association would need in order to do more frequent grading and better snow removal, such as a water truck, roller, V blade for the grader, and possibly a snow blower for the higher roads that drift closed. In addition, the grader and plow truck may need to be replaced or require more repairs. Jerry will talk to local Road District chairs and see what surplused equipment may be available. He will also do some research on what used equipment is available and at what cost. Any purchase over $5,000 of replacement equipment would have to be approved by the membership. How to pay for any equipment purchases was discussed, including financing any purchase or a special dues assessment.

Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Schubert, Secretary

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association

May 16, 2023 Board Meeting Agenda

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association

Agenda, Board of Directors Meeting

May 16, 2023

6:00 PM, Pleasant View Baptist Church

Call To Order – President JP Goding

CC&Rs Review of Submitted Forms

• Previously Approved Requiring Signature

Old Business TBD

New Business

• Planning of Annual Meeting and Picnic

Adjournment

October 22, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association

Minutes, Board of Directors Meeting

October 22, 2022

10 AM, Old White Bird School

Call To Order – President JP Goding called the meeting to order at 10:02 AM. Also present were Jerry Bentz, Road Chair; Debbie Little, Treasurer; Susan Schubert, Secretary; Kristin Donaldson, Webmaster; and Gordon Ross, Fire Tree. Wolfgang Schubert, Vice President, was absent. There were approximately 40 guests attending the meeting.

JP, Jerry, and Gordon, being new Board members, introduced themselves and shared some of their background.

Approval of Agenda. The agenda was modified to first, Fire Mitigation; second, Road Report; third, Business Meeting starting with the Budget.

Fire Mitigation. JP handed out a packet of information on fire prevention and led the discussion. Mike Campbell, Roy Johnston, and others contributed to the discussion. The purpose of the Fire Mitigation Plan is to help ensure that we will continue to get fire insurance and at a rate we can afford. Some states are losing coverage in fire prone and flood prone areas, resulting in the States having to provide insurance. In some cases, coverage has become unaffordable. Some underwriters are refusing to issue new policies in our area. Suggestions for the plan included placing water tanks throughout the ranch where water can be captured by springs or ponds or catchment systems, especially during the spring when water runoff is high. JP will also find out if we can get a permit to draw water from the River to keep the tanks full or during a fire. The Fire Department in White Bird does not respond to fires on the Ranch. Salmon River Rural Fire District (SRRFD) and the Forest Service do respond, but it is also possible that SRRFD would not respond if structures were not threatened. SRRFD fire trucks only carry 500 gallons of water and would need to return to the Salmon River for water unless water is available on the Ranch. Tanks would need to be purchased and volunteers needed to allow placement of the tanks and help provide water. Areas would need to be flat and have enough room for the water trucks to turn around. Water could be used in the fall, after fire season, to water the roads for grading. Volunteers would be needed to build boxes for fire tools and pulaskis, placed at various locations. Mike Campbell and others at his location have firefighting and EMT experience and also offered the use of their water truck but hoses and a pump are needed. Maps showing the locations of water tanks and toolboxes could be placed on the Association website, twinriverranch.com.

Roy Johnston thanked the Board for inviting the membership to participate in the meeting. He gave a presentation on the Federal Grant money available through the Fire Mitigation office for Idaho County. He and several others have had the land around their homes cleared at no cost to them. The recommended area to clear is 300 to 500 feet. Full time residents qualify for 100% coverage. Part time resident coverage is prorated. The property owner is required to burn the piles left by clearing once it is safe to burn. Roy stressed that it is each property owner’s responsibility to reduce fuels on their property, and all should take advantage of the grant money. He will send information to Kristin to put on the website.

JP talked about how difficult it was to get information on the Jones Creek Fire this summer and how he was never able to talk to the incident commander. The problem is that our area is under the Wallowa District, but with the increased number of houses and home values, it should be moved to Slate Creek so current information is more readily available. He urged everyone to contact local politicians to try and get it changed.

Roads. A new grader operator has been hired and will grade roads starting next week as the roads are wet enough. Jerry explained why we couldn’t grade when the roads were dry as the rocks disintegrate or turn to roller balls, which is dangerous. The plan going forward will be to grade the main roads, Gregory, Bucks, Hammer, and Shuck, four times a year with side roads being graded once a year or more if needed. Currently side roads are in reasonable condition. Jerry asked that members respectfully notify him of any problem areas. We will need a water truck and a source for water for year around grading. Jerry will also check on permits for getting water from the river. Gordon said he has water rights to Otter Creek, and we might be able to get water from it. Mike Campbell volunteered the use of their 2500 gallon water truck. He volunteered to run the water truck during grading and suggested the use of handheld radios to keep in contact. John Urbahn said that the Slate Creek District has a retired water truck we might be able to get cheap. He will get information on it and give it to JP.

There was a discussion on having a secure package drop off area and having delivery trucks put packages there instead of driving on our roads. There is heavy delivery truck traffic, and in general they speed and are two wheel drive. Perhaps a local business could be a drop off location or we could build a secure shed or something. Using the drop off locations would not be required but encouraged. The discussion on drop off locations will continue at the next meeting.

Snow plowing will initially be done by several residents, including Roy Johnston who has extensive plowing experience, on a rotating schedule until we can find a snowplow operator as the newly hired grader operator will not be available to plow.

Implementing some of the ideas for fire mitigation and better road maintenance will require more money.

Al Bolden talked about ambulance response in the winter when there is snow on the roads. Last year an ambulance went into the ditch responding to a medical emergency on the Ranch. Al said that the State of Idaho does not require ambulances to respond if there is risk to equipment or personnel, and that he has been told ambulances will not respond to emergencies on the Ranch in the winter. There is an available Quick Response Unit (QRU) in White Bird that was purchased to respond to rural areas, but it is not being used. Perhaps we could place that on the Ranch to treat and transport residents during the winter and keep it chained up and ready. There are several residents with medical training who could assist during transport. The Good Samarian law was discussed, and it was agreed that those who helped would be protected by it. Purchasing an AED was also discussed, and Mike Campbell volunteered to store it as his place, deliver it when needed, and also to host training on how to use it. Snowmobiles could also be used to transport residents down the hill if conditions are too treacherous for the QRU.

JP will order diesel fuel from Prime Land to fill the tank for the grader. The 500 gallon tank is low but has some fuel left in it. Jerry would like to purchase a regular blade for the grader in addition to the rock rake blade. Debbie said we will have to wait for the next budget year to start. Jerry estimates the blade will cost $1,500 to $2,000.

Communications. Better communication would help with both road maintenance and fire prevention. Kristin is implementing sending notices out using email and has 140 addresses to date but needs the rest. Roy Johnston suggested she add several forums to the website such as one each for roads, fire mitigation, and anything folks need help for or help that folks can provide. Mike Campbell asked where on the website the CC&Rs are, and Kristin explained. She said she would make them a little easier to find. Brooke Myers suggested a property owner’s contact list be made available to owners that included name, phone number, and email. Owners could opt in or out of being on the list and could indicate which information they are willing to share. Another member present suggested that information be added to the list indicating what each member could help others with. Eileen Bentz suggested that the list include any medical training a person has had. There is some contact information available to those that help with the Fire Tree. Susan will send the file to Gordon, who will be the new Fire Tree Coordinator.

Committees. Susan suggested that we form two committees, one for Roads and one for Fire Mitigation, or at least one for Fire Mitigation. She suggested Mike Campbell chair the committee on Fire Mitigation. Kristin can possibly add a Committees tab to the website or add a Fire Mitigation tab and put the committees under Roads and Fire Mitigation.

Member Forum. Nothing additional was said as members were allowed to ask questions during the previous discussions. Members were dismissed prior to the business meeting.

Business Meeting. Debbie reported $4,439.74 in checking and $78,611.39 in the reserve account. She reminded folks that the gravel event during the summer exceeded what was budgeted and resulted in the reserve account being decreased by $9,000 to cover the overage.

She presented the 2023 Budget Worksheet which she based on a 20% increase in dues on lots serviced by Association Roads, from $240 to $288, and no dues increase on lots not serviced by Association Roads as the dues increase will be used solely for road maintenance and administrative costs have not gone up. A copy of the budget will be filed with these minutes. The increase will add another $8,000 to the income. A motion was made and seconded to raise the dues on said lots by 20%. A discussion followed. Debbie reported that we have spent more than our income in four of the last five years and to continue at this rate will mean the Association will be out of funds in a couple of years and will be insolvent and be dissolved. At that point, there will be no road maintenance or plowing. After much discussion, a vote was taken, and the motion passed. The invoices being sent out in November for 2023 dues will show the increased dues. The increase will be posted to the website, included here in the minutes, and mentioned in the November newsletter which is sent with the invoices.

Debbie also requested that the Association sign up for Quick Books online so that she can transfer the bookkeeping from her professional account to the Quick Books account, making it possible for someone other than her to perform the Association accounting duties in the event that she is no long a property owner in the future. She could still be available for a fee to perform accounting duties that the new Treasurer cannot do. Debbie will pass on her 30% discount on Quick Books to the Association. The cost is $700 per year. We are currently paying for a third party system to do our payroll at $30 per month. Payroll is included in Quick Books, so that service would no longer be needed. The new treasurer would not need to know anything about accounting or payroll as Debbie would set everything up for us. All agreed Debbie should proceed with purchasing and setting up Quick Books online. Debbie can still help us with Payroll functions for free if needed.

Adjournment. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:18 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Schubert, Secretary

Twin River Ranch Property Owners Association