December 12, 2024
I hope that all of you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. I’ve enjoyed seeing Christmas decorations light up all over Abbottsford. It really is, as the song says, “the most wonderful time of the year”.
Since the semi-annual HOA meeting Board members and I have talked to a number of Abbottsford residents, regardless of whether they signed the petition or not, about their suggestions to move our community forward. The following is an overview of developments since the semi-annual meeting. My thanks to everyone who offered suggestions or volunteered to help.
Landscaping
The Landscape Committee drafted, and the Board approved an RFP for 2025 landscape services for Abbottsford. It was sent to landscape service firms with experience in communities such as Abbottsford. Responses are due December 13. The Landscape Committee will recommend three finalists to the Board. The Board will make the final decision regarding the finalists. Notwithstanding the scheduling challenges inherent in the Holiday Season, we hope to select finalists before the end of the year and begin meeting with finalists before year end. I think I realistic goal is to complete the process and select a landscape service provider for 2025 by January 15.
Also… The Landscape Committee has done a great job moving forward with the Front Entrance project. In accordance with BFT’s plan, as recommended by the Committee and approve by the Board, several “challenged” trees will be removed and planting commence immediately thereafter. The Committee is preparing an email blast with more details about how everything is going to look. They’ve done a great job and I’m excited to see the project come to fruition.
Paving
Rhodes Engineering is finalizing the Bid Package and it should go out next week. They will conduct a pre-bid meeting and walk-through with prospective bidders in early January. They will also assist the Assets Committee and the Board in evaluating the bids and selecting the paving company for the job. The goal is to be ready to go as soon asphalt plants open in March.
Management
Cody will be on site and on the job until the end of the year. Our current contract with Floyd & Associates provides that they will at our request expand their services to cover the resident service functions that Cody has been providing. We will get information to you soon regarding how to contact them etc.
In the meantime the Board is preparing an RFP for management services in 2025. Floyd & Associates and several other management firms with experience with communities like Abbottsford will be asked for proposals. Our goal is to complete the RFP process by January 31.
Budget
The approval of the draft Budget for 2025 was tabled at last month’s meeting to enable the Board to get more definitive estimates for several significant expense categories.. principally those covered by the three RFP processes described above. This means that, technically, that meeting has never been adjourned. Our goal is to reconvene that meeting to consider the 2025 budget in the first two weeks of January. We will send a notice of the meeting as soon as possible and no less than ten days before the meeting.
Vacant Board Seat
In addition to the re-convened meeting to approve the 2025 budget, we will also send a notice for a Special HOA meeting to elect a new director to fill the vacancy left by Ashley Cantrell’s resignation until the Annual HOA meeting next May. Former board member Nancy Lorenzi has agreed to be nominated to serve on the Board for that time.
So, as you can see, we’ve got a lot going on…. Please join me in thanking all of the volunteers who give their time to working to keep Abbottsford a great place to live.
And lastly…. I hope that all of you and your families have a wonderful Holiday Season, filled with family, friends, and joy all around.
Townes
