Minutes of Meetings
Southbrook Condominium
Board of Directors Meeting, April 1, 2025
The Board of Directors meeting was held at the home of Bill Jones #79.
Present: Jorie Hanson, Bob Davis, Esther Fishbaugh, Bill Jones, Nancy Stetter, Brad
Gilbert, Mathew Traub, Karin Lee
I. Member Mathew Traub called the meeting to order at 6:15 PM.
II. The Minutes of the Board Meeting of February 11, 2025, and the Annual Meeting of March 7, 2025 are available on the website.
III. Board meeting to reorganize the board after 3 of 4 board members are new. The board members worked to assign positions on
the board. Esther Fishbaugh as treasurer, Karin Lee as secretary, Mathew Traub as vice president, and Brad Gilbert as president.
IV. Following is a summation of the Property Managers report. Informational, no action taken.
A. Evergreen Lawn Care will be scheduling yard clean up when snow is all gone. We also have a new 2 year contract 25-26 with them at
no cost increase.
B. Bozeman Arborcare has done a good job with snow removal. New 2 year
contract with no cost increase 25-26. They will be in to assess shrubs and trees.
C. Clean up day has been scheduled for Saturday May 3, 2025
D. Did shovel snow off some of the north facing roofs so ice would melt faster. Leakage was very minimal for the winter $2,200
E. Stairway for 4plex 27-30 has been ordered.
F. Reviewed painting bids and selected Lance Beierle for $28,783 for 1-8,9-16, 17-18, 71-80, 81-88
G. Have inspected rear deck railing and ceilings on about half of buildings for leakage and rot. Few need work and 2x4 replacement. All
buildings will be assessed.
H. Southbrook sign on 23rd needs attention.
I. Have purchased material for deck railings at a discount.
J. Excess water usage in 1-8 and 55-62 buildings is being addressed.
V. Treasurer's Report
A. Treasurer, Esther Fishbaugh, recapped financials and brought up monthly HOA fee increase options voted on at the annual meeting
B. Motion to discuss the monthly HOA fee brought by Karin Lee, Seconded by Esther Fishbaugh
C. Motion to increase the monthly HOA fee to $250 starting on June 1, 2025 brought by Karin Lee, Seconded by Esther Fishbaugh and
passed unanimously
VI. Task to update owners and renters contact information assignment to Brad Gilbert
VII. The next board meeting will be held on May 21, 2025, 7pm, at Bill Jones unit #79
VIII. Motion to adjourn brought by Karin Lee and seconded by Mathew Traub the meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.
The Minutes were taken by Brad Gilbert, President
Southbrook Condo Association Meeting Minutes
Friday, March 7, 2025
Gallatin Valley Church
All board members present.
Roll call to determine if we have a quorum. Quorum determined.
Meeting called to order at 6:33 pm.
Bill Jones motioned to approve last year’s minutes. Antonio seconded the motion. Minutes were approved.
Property Manager’s Report:
Landscaping – Last inventory was done in 1997 for a total of 405 trees. It’s time to do an inventory again and assess tree health and care. There will be tree trimming and possibly removal in the spring.
Snow Removal – This season so far, snow removal expenses have totaled $24,100 through February. The board approved of an $10,000 increase for next year.
Sprinklers – We hired a new firm. They will assess our two systems and all zones. Zone between 79-81 will not shut off. Need to find valve box for that zone.
Patios, Ceilings (Lids) – We’ve had serious leaks last year due to rot. We’ve repaired the worst ones. We will inventory this spring and continue our repair efforts. HOA is responsible for the railings on the 3rd floor decks and owners are responsible for the maintenance of the deck.
Patio Fences – Some need replacing. They are expensive so we are looking at alternatives including using Trex. They are not designed to hang flower baskets on.
Chimneys – All have been inspected. 30 chimneys were missing caps and HOA replaced them. 3 chimneys were flagged for cleaning and owners notified. Tree branches are a concern over the chimneys so we continue to trim branches.
Ice on Roof – North-facing roofs have ice build-up. Board is looking at options to address the situation.
Gutter Covers – We are installing gutter covers as funds allow. This spring we will selectively start installation.
Bathroom Vents into Attics – Bathroom vents in 2nd floor units are causing mold in the attic of some two-story buildings. The board has determined the cost of correcting this issue is up to the unit owners. Vents should be extended to vent out the roof, chimney or side of the building.
Water Usage – Determined by building not unit. Some buildings have seen a large spike in usage. Bill urged those in first floor units to check for water in the crawl space. Owners should fix dripping faucets, running toilets, etc. If you have an issue, report it to the Resident Manager.
Deck railing replacements – These are 35+ years old and deterioration is evident. Several have been replaced. This will be an ongoing activity.
Painting – We did portions of 4 buildings last year. Our goal is at least 2 buildings a year. Currently awaiting bids.
Sidewalks – We are replacing sidewalks by units 43-46.
Roofs, Fascia – Planning to replace some of the fascia with a Trex product.
New Stairway – planning for new stairwell for Units 27-30. Will be steel and cost roughly $20,000.
Clean-Up Days – Bill offered to organize a couple of clean-up days upon board approval.
A resident brought up the issue of flooding outside units 81-84. Bill Jones said it should be fixed this year.
Another resident asked about garage damage done because of the flooding in the area. Bill Jones said he would take a look.
Also, a large bird (pigeon) has nested outside unit 81-84, making a mess. Bill will address.
Resident Manager’s Report:
• 6 sales in last year. In 2014, the bylaws were changed to only allow 35% of the units to be rentals. There are currently 10 units on the waiting list. One unit is currently for sale and one unit has a contingent offer pending.
Treasurer’s Report:
Esther presented 2024 actual spending and proposed budgets. She stressed the need for maintenance now that the units are decades old. Without an increase, we would have a loss in 2025 of roughly $32,000. With a $25/month increase in dues, we would expect expenses to exceed income in 2025 by roughly $6,000. Esther then presented the current balances in our bank accounts and said we could cover that loss.
Brian Tudor proposed a $250/month increase in due and Debbie Jones seconded. Motion passed. Board has final say in what the increase will be and will notify homeowners.
Esther also passed out the water use report for owners’ information.
Bob Davis presented a slate of 4 candidates for board positions. Jorie then asked for nominations from the floor but there were none. The slate included:
- Esther Fishbaugh (current board member)
- Bradley Gilbert
- Karin Lee
- Mathew Traub
Brian Tudor motioned to accept the slated board of directors. Rogers seconded the motion. All voted to approve.
Old Business:
It was noted that the risk control form was due back today. Nancy will follow up with those owners who have yet to submit the form.
New Business:
Jorie discussed comments she has received from some owners interested in amending our declaration regarding firewood. Current bylaws state firewood must be stored in unit garages. She also noted that our insurance company has told us our policy prohibits firewood from being stored on decks and must be 10 feet from building structures.
Jorie reminded everyone to be aware of where the bathroom and dryer vents are venting to due to some cases of mold in attics.
A resident complained about construction-type noises from the unit above hers. The owner of #84 claims this is not true. Jorie pointed out that the only noise regulation in our bylaws pertains to music. Esther suggested putting in deadening materials.
Patty proposed a resolution that, in the next two months, the new board investigate what a reasonable amendment to our bylaws might be, which would might include the city’s noise ordinance regarding decibels, quiet hours, and what the association will allow in terms of number of offenses and what the penalty for that would be. Esther seconded it. Motion passed.
Debbie proposed that we have a twice a year cleanup at a cost of $1/month per unit. Jorie asked for any opposed. None opposed.
Jorie Hanson made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Brian Tudor seconded the motion.
Meeting adjourned 8:03 pm.
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