Category: Uncategorized
!!!UPDATE!!! There is a change in the agenda for todays meeting at 6:30pm in the Bear Park Pavilion , the Army Corps of Engineers Will be able to make it. They will be there to talk to us and answer questions at the end of the meeting. Also, Woof Lodge is going to come to the meeting and just share with the community what they do. Woof Lodge it the business that is going in the old Jefferson schools admin building, on N. Dixie, next to the church.
DETROIT Beach Association
JUNE 26, 2024 Agenda
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
II. ATTENDANCE OF BOARD MEMBERS (NANCY)
A) NICOLE FITZGERALD (PRESIDENT)
B) VICTORIA WILCOX (V.P.)
C) NANCY MOURADJIAN (SECRETARY)
D) FRANK KREN (TREASURER)
E) FRED BOOGREN (TRUSTEE)
F) DEBBIE HEALY (TRUSTEE)
III. APPROVAL OF LAST MEETING MINUTES
IV. PRESIDENT REPORT (NICOLE)
A) BERM ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER (NOT ATTENDING BUT HAVE INFORMATION)
B) FACEBOOK
C) PARKING LOT
D) BLIGHT
E) OFFICE VOICEMAILS NEED TO HAVE NAMES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
F) FALL GARAGE SALE DAYS
G) ANNUAL MEETING JULY
H) REVOTING IN VICTORIA AND ANY NEW TRUSTEES THAT WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER
V. TREASURER REPORT (TREASURY COMMITTEE (FRANK OR DEBBIE)
A) BUDGET
B) ASSESSMENTS
VI. BEAUTIFICATION and EVENT REPORT (COMMITTEE FRANK or VICTORIA)
A) JAWS PROGRAM
B) WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS
C) PAINTING BEAR PARK TABLESDETROIT Beach Association Agenda
VII. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION WILL BE HELD AT THE END OF ALL MEETING AND SPECIAL GUESTS WILL COME IN THE SLOTS THAT ARE GIVEN BY THE BOARD
VII. MEETING ADJOURNMENT
Call to Order 6.29 pm
Roll Call of Trustees
President- Nicole Fitzgerald (Present) Trustee- Fred Boogren(Present)
V.P- Victoria Wilcox (Present) Debbie Healy (Present)
Secretary- Nancy Mouradjian (Present)
Treasurer- Frank Kren (Present Via Conference Call)
PRESIDENTS REPORT
Updated the board about the berm issue that is behind the homes on the north side of Monona. I informed the board that the property wouldn’t be surveyed by the survey company, as to whether the berm has deteriorated from the residents that live at frenchtown condominiums driving on it, until frenchtown condominiums is out of bankruptcy. I updated the board with the information from the Army Corps of Engineers that was sent over, that confirms that no one is to be driving a vehicle (emergency vehicles only) on any berm given; by doing so, it will accelerate deterioration and hinder the performance of the berm.
Board discussed an ongoing issue with a resident and the residents’ neighbors. We discussed if we had any options to try to alleviate the situation but at this time we do not, since it is out of our hands at this point. We did suggest just notifying resident, in general, to just be courteous of your neighbors, whether you get along with them or not, because everyone has the legal right to respectfully live in their own yard, be happy and be able to enjoy their property without aggression from neighbor(s).
The board was informed that there are currently two blight officers. We are hoping to get a lot more accomplished for our problem areas that seem to be overlooked or deemed, by the township, as the issue has being resolved,when it hasn’t.
Discussed the work log process that I implemented with the board. This work log has to be done every day. Once you open up the app and click the day, your work is recorded as the tasks are being addressed. Then at the end of the day ( 5:00 p.m.) it is printed and emailed to the association’s email. This only encompasses a summary of what is being done. It does not go into great detail but it also gives an idea of what is being done every day for the association in regards to office work.
The board discussed dates on when the flood gate should be closed and reopened. It used to be Memorial Day to Labor Day. The board changed the dates to being closed on October 15th and reopened April 1st (Unless Weather Does Not Permit).
We’ve had a couple residents suggest that we allow people to set up their garage sales in Bear Park during garage sale days. One resident had a lot of good ideas about the situation. He suggested that we rent spots in the park just like we do the pavilion. For those that do not understand how we rent the pavilion, we simply take a $100 deposit, check, for the pavilion and as long as nothing is left messy, damaged and/or no one has driven in the park, the check is generally shredded or given back to the resident. We would apply this same idea to renting a spot in the park for a garage sale. We would mark off spots, for example 10×20, number them and include all that information in a contract that would have to be honored by the renter. The resident renting would be held responsible for their stuff and for honoring their contract or they would not get their $100 deposit back. The deposit would be used for cleanup and/or repair. We will touch base on this more at the next meeting in May.
TREASURER’S REPORT
A lot of liens have gone out. Some residents have done payment plans and some have just paid off their amounts owed. But we are still substantially behind. Even though we are behind there have been a lot of collections we are doing much better than we were. When taking over the roll of treasurer, we had a little over $47,000 in the bank. We are currently sitting at $67,000. These reflect better numbers on collection and this is a good thing. This may seem like a surplus of money but it is just money that has to be used for repairs, maintenance and bills. Inflation has been really taking its toll on the neighborhood. Everything from lawn maintenance to snow removal is on the up. Repairs of everything is more expensive. Insurance for the common properties as well as other association items is another area that costs are up. Nicole spends a lot of time tracking the housing market in order to monitor the homes that pop up for sale and go after some of the people that have not paid in order to collect the money that is owed before the home is sold. This is a huge help but ultimately The assessments may be affected by this and may have to be raised. This is a current open discussion amongst the board and will be brought up at the next meeting in May.
BEAUTIFICATION, MAINTENAINCE & EVENTS
The JAWs program has been coming periodically throughout the season, including winter, to help empty trash in the parks. We’re working closely with JAWs program coordinator in order to get a regular schedule going for the spring summer and early fall season. This means that the JAWs program will be coming out regularly to help with odds and ends around the neighborhood including, but not limited to; repairs, garbage, weeding and other things that the association may need.
We are responsible as an association for the repair of the seawall that borders any common area. All residents are responsible for maintaining their portion of the wall. With that being said, using proper repair materials, it’s approximately $1000 (give or take) to maintain the wall every year. The JAWS program will be instructed as to how to do it and they will join the board members in making repairs this year.
By-Laws of Detroit Beach Association, Inc.
July 2023
Article I
This Association, known as Detroit Beach Association, Inc., shall maintain an office located at Detroit Beach, 2977 Fifth Street, PO Box 176, Monroe, Michigan, 48162.
The first annual meeting of said Association shall be held on September 2, 1950, at 8:00 pm at the clubhouse, notice of which shall be sent to each lot owner or lot owners at least ten (10) days in advance. At this meeting the election of nine (9) Trustees shall be held, three of said Trustees to be elected for the term of one year. Any other business which may come before the lot owners as a whole shall also be transacted.
All subsequent annual meetings shall be held on the third Saturday in the month of July and notice of said meeting shall be given to each lot owner(s) at least ten (10) days in advance.
At said annual meeting any voting that needs to be done will occur, the annual report will be read, the budget for the ensuing year will be presented, and any other business transacted which may come before the lot owners as a whole. A financial statement for the past year and a proposed budget for the ensuing year shall be provided to the lot owners at said meeting.
The Trustees shall meet within ten (10) days after the Annual Meeting for the purpose of organizing and electing their officers, who shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, and hold office of three years or until their successors are elected. If a trustee resigns during their three-year term, the candidate appointed/elected by the Board of Trustees shall only fulfill the remainder of the resigning trustee’s term.
Any Trustee failing to attend three consecutive scheduled meetings, without prior Board approval, will automatically be removed from the position of Trustee he/she hold. The Trustees will also meet upon the last Wednesday of each month for the purpose of transacting any business that may come before them. At this and all meetings of the Board of Trustees, the order of business shall be as follows:
Call to order
Roll call of officers
Roll call of Board which shall be in the order they are elected
Reading of minutes of last meeting
Reports of Committees
Ongoing business
New business
Adjournment
Article II
Duties of Officers
President
The President shall preside at all meetings of lot owners and Trustees. The President shall have supervision of all other officers and see that all resolutions and orders of the Board of Trustees are carried into effect and perform such other duties as may be required by law, these by-laws, and the Board of Trustees. The President shall sign all checks of the Association, together with the Treasurer. The President shall sign, together with the Secretary of the Board, all contracts, and documents that may be authorized by the Board of Trustees. The President shall appoint the following standing committees:
Law and Order
Grounds, Building and Maintenance
Finance and Auditing
Beautification
And such other special committees as may be necessary, subject to the approval of the Board. The duties of these respective committees shall be in accordance with SCHEDULE A attached hereto and made a part hereof.
Vice President
The duties of the Vice President shall be to work closely with, act for and in place of the President in his or her absence, and he or she shall be vested with the same powers and authority when so acting.
Secretary
The Board of Trustee Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of lot owners and the Board of Trustees, in a permanent Minute Book, provided by the Association for this purpose. He or She shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the lot owners and Board of Trustees, and all other notices required by law, or by these by-laws. He or She shall take care of all correspondence required and shall file and keep copies of all correspondence for future reference and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Trustees, or the President. The secretary shall be custodian of the official seal, all contracts, insurance papers or other documents of value, and he/she shall see that they are kept in a safe and secure place. At the expiration of his or her term, the Secretary shall deliver all books, records and other documents pertaining to the Association, which he or she has in his or her possession, to his or her successor in office, or to the Board of Trustees.
Treasurer
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to keep full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the association and shall deposit all money and other valuable effects in its name and to its credit in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Trustees. The treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Association, as may be ordered by the Board of Trustees by check, signed by self and countersigned by the President, taking proper vouchers therefore and the treasurer shall render to the President and the Board of Trustees at their regular meetings, or whenever they may require, an account of all his or her transactions, and of the financial condition of the Association, and shall prepare an annual statement showing the revenues derived from all sources, and an itemized statement showing all of the disbursements for the benefit of all lot owners. He or She shall be required to furnish a bond in an amount as fixed by the Board of Trustees for the faithful performance of these duties, the expense of which shall be paid for by the Association.
In the absence of any officer of the Board of Trustees, or for any reason that the Board may deem sufficient, the Board of Trustees may delegate the powers of duties of such officers to any Trustee, provided much of the Board concurs therewith.
Article III
Management and Use of Office and Common Property
Section A
The management of the Office and common property shall be under the supervision of the President and in absence of the president, then the Officers of the Board. The duties of any employee, contractor or volunteer that may be employed or contracted by the Association shall be in accordance with the instructions of the Associations Board of trustees and subject to the approval of the President and/or Officers of the Board.
Section B
The names of all members of all committees shall be posted in a prominent place in the Office.
Section C
No alcoholic beverages or motorized vehicles (Association work vehicles and equipment exempt) will be allowed upon the common property at any time, and any person, whether lot owners, members of lot owners’ family, or guests, violating this by-law may be required to leave the common ground area immediately and will lose access to common ground area for one year.
Section D
The Board of Trustees of Detroit Beach Association Inc. shall have full and complete power and authority to make such rules and regulations regarding the management of any office staff and use of the common property as the majority of Board of Trustees feels is necessary for the good of the Association and the lot owners.
Article IV
Should any lot owner violate, damage, deface or mistreat, in any manor, the constitutional provision that the use of common property shall not be for private gain, said lot owner will forfeit his or her right to such privilege for one year. This pertains to all articles regarding common grounds (roads, parks, pavilions, benches, seawalls, tables, play, equipment, etc.)
Article V
No property or equipment belonging to the Association shall be taken from or used outside of the Association common area, nor shall any tables, benches or other equipment be removed from the park or other commonly owned property or lot owner responsible will lose rights to all common areas for one year.
Article VI
When any lot owner or owners desire to build upon his or her lot, they shall first submit plans to Frenchtown Township for approval and building permit; the Association may contest any approval. Frenchtown Township should notify the Association of any applications.
Article VII
No pets shall be allowed to run at large upon the common property at any time. All pets must always be on a 6 ft. leash while in common areas.
Article VIII
The purpose or purposes of which this Corporation is formed are as follows:
Whereas Detroit Beach Plat, Detroit Beach Plat No. 1, Detroit Beach Estates, Detroit Beach Plat No. 3, Supervisor’s Plat of Detroit Beach, and Monrona Beach Plat are all essentially residence properties in which there are at the present time upwards of one thousand six hundred lot owners, and
Whereas there was conveyed or contracted to be conveyed with every lot sold in said subdivisions, a common right in the parks, beaches, and roads, and
Whereas this common right has always been considered and is hereby declared to be an essential part of the value of every lot owner’s interest in said subdivisions.
Now, therefore, the purpose or purposes for which this Corporation is formed are hereby declared to be to establish a Government for said subdivisions for a perpetual period from and after the date of the adoption of these by-laws. During said period, no lot owner in said Subdivisions shall have the right to have his/her interest in the common property thereof set aside, admeasured or in any manner separated from the whole, and no lot owner during said period shall have the right to sell, assign, convey, mortgage, place or cause to be placed any lien of whatsoever name or nature on his, her and/or their interest in the common property in said subdivision, PROVIDED ALWAYS, this shall not prevent the transfer of said common right in conjunction with the transfer of any lot, for the use and benefit of successive owners of any lot.
To the end that the above purpose may be achieved, no lot owner shall have the right to a dissolution of the common interest, by legal proceedings or otherwise, during the said period of thirty years. The aforesaid restriction is made for the purpose of preventing the destruction or dissolution of the whole structure by any one lot owner or any group of lot owners.
While recognizing the right of any lot owner to take such legal proceedings as the circumstances may warrant for the securing of protection of such lot owner’s legal rights in this Corporation and of the conditions of such lot owner’s deed or contract of purchase, it is expressly provided that no lot owner or group of lot owners shall have the right to dissolve by Court proceedings or otherwise the whole structure, except by a majority vote of all of the lot owners, each lot in said subdivisions being entitled to one vote.
Article IX
The qualifications necessary for a person to hold office or be terminated from office of Trustee shall be as follows:
Each candidate shall own a lawful interest in a lot in any of the aforesaid subdivisions, either of record in the office of the Register of Deeds in and for Monroe County, Michigan, or in a contract of purchase of a lot in any of said subdivisions. The words “lawful interest” shall be construed as meaning such an interest as meets the requirements of the covenants, restrictions, and conditions to which allots in said subdivisions are subject, and in no case shall any candidate own his/her interest in any lot with more than one other person.
Each candidate must have all assessments on any, and all lots in which he or she has an interest, paid in full, and they must be in good standing insofar as assessments are concerned.
Each Officer and Trustee of the Detroit Beach Association Board shall own a lawful interest in a lot of any aforesaid subdivisions and reside within the confines of Detroit Beach.
Each candidate for trustee will have a criminal background check done.
Each candidate for Trustee must have never been previously dismissed from a trustee position with this association board for theft, discrimination, physical altercation with a resident or board member, made a proven threat to a board member or resident to commit violence or created an unsafe work and residential environment. If the board member was terminated for nonperformance, being disagreeable or any minor offense, it is up to the new, nonterminating board to reaccept individual as a perspective applicant.
Termination of any board member abides by the State of Michigan Employment and volunteer laws. Jobs must be completed according to board title or as requested in common area, if you are not participating you are not an active volunteer. A safe and mutual respect, nondiscriminatory work environment is expected. Theft is not tolerated and is ground for permanent, not open for discussion termination. Theft could lead to legal charges
Article X
The maximum annual assessment per lot in said subdivisions is now $.80 per frontage foot of each lot; frontage to be determined by the direction the house faces the street. Corner lots shall be measured only on the street that the other homes/buildings normally face on that street, with exception to corner lots which angle out along the front of the property at an exterior angle, and the owner shall only pay assessments for one frontage per lot.
A change in said assessments/ HOA fees may be proposed by the Board of Trustees. Before becoming effective, the change in assessments/ HOA must be approved by the majority of lot owners present at any annual meeting; The said Trustees are hereby empowered to make assessments in accordance with this article, which unpaid assessments shall thereafter be placed a lien on the lot or lots so assessed and may be enforced by appropriate action in equity.
In addition, a 30% service charge will be added annually to all delinquent assessment accounts, and the charge to put a lien on or remove a lien from any lots will be $100.
Article XI
Said Board of Trustees shall have no power to, in any manner, bind or obligate the privately owned lots in said Subdivisions beyond the assessment which may be levied. The rights of any third person, firm or corporation dealing with said Board of Trustees, is hereby expressly limited to the assessment which may be annually levied.
Article XII
MiRules and regulations governing meetings and election may be promulgated by the Board of Trustees; provided always that they shall not conflict with the provisions of State of Michigan Laws, the Articles of Incorporation or in conflict with the by-laws of said Association.
Article XIII
The Board of Trustees shall have no power, without the approval of four-fifths of all the lot owners, to give or sell any property in said subdivision. As hereinbefore stated, each lot owner shall be entitled to one vote.
Article XIV
The Trustees shall have no power to sell and dispose of any of the now commonly owned real property without the approval of four-fifths of all the lot owners in writing. As hereinbefore provided, each lot owner shall be entitled to one vote.
Article XV
The Board of Trustees is hereby given power, within the limits of the sources of its funds, to purchase real estate in the name of Detroit Beach Association, Inc., sell the same, invest and reinvest the proceeds, and do every other act and thing necessary in the judgment of two-thirds of said Trustees in connection therewith.
Article XVI
The Trustees are empowered to take over the management and control of said Subdivisions from the present Trustee on such terms and conditions as may be approved by a majority of said Trustees.
Article XVII
Wherever in the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws reference is made to many of the lot owners, or any other percentage of lot owners required to act on any proposition, the language is to be construed so that no lot owner carries the right of more than one vote.
Article XVIII
No lot owners or group of lot owners shall be permitted to use the common grounds for private gain.
Article XIX
There shall be an annual meeting of the lot owners as provided by the by-laws of said Association. Not less than ten days’ notice shall be given to all lot owners of said meeting. Said notice may be served personally, by mail, email, website, physical marque and/or public notice, if the latter, may be done by posting such notice in the Post Office in Monroe, Michigan. This mailing requirement shall be satisfied if performed as aforesaid, regardless of change of address of the lot owner or owners, the full responsibility of keeping an up-to-date address on file with the Secretary being upon the individual lot owners.
Article XX
The majority of the lot owners present and voting on any such meeting for trustees, assessment/HOA fees changes, and sale of common property shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business that may lawfully come before the meeting, excepting as to such matters as under these Articles of Association require a definite number of lot owners to act.
Article XXI
Special meeting of the lot owners may be called at any time by the two-thirds vote of the Trustees or upon the presentation to the Board of Trustees of a petition signed by not less than fifty lot owners. Not less than ten days’ notice in writing shall be given to all lot owners of said meeting, said notice to be served either personally, by mail, email or public notice in the same manner as provided in Article XIX aforesaid. Only such matters shall be acted upon at special meetings as have been set forth on the notice of the meeting served upon the lot owners.
No property owner, being in arrears for any assessments shall have voting rights until such assessments are paid in full. Each property owner shall have only one vote. In all cases where more than one person owns any property in said Association, one must be designed as the owner for voting purposes.
Article XXII
Changes in the Articles of Incorporation shall be made only by majority vote of all lot owners voting and the approval of the court systems. An Attorney is required. New amendments to the by-laws shall be made only by majority vote of all lot owners voting at the annual meeting. Each lot owner being entitled to only one vote at any such election.
Article XXIII
The By-Laws of said Association shall be adopted by majority vote of all lot owners, each lot owner being entitled to one vote, at the time of the approval. Thereafter, the By-Laws may have new amendments added or current deleted by a majority vote of the lot owners present and voting at any annual meetings. Clarification, deletion of illegal or obsolete clauses and five (5) year updating by-laws according to legality, meetings, any assessment fee changes that were previously voted on and in order to keep the bylaws current, are only subject to vote by board members. Each lot owner being entitled to only one vote at any such election.
The wording in the By-Laws should always coincide with state and local law as well as the Articles of Incorporation, this is the chain of power. By-law wording should be reviewed every five years as to keep the wording consistent with legalities, updates are to be approved by the board only, for change is not taking place, just provision of clarity.
Schedule A
Article 1
Law and Order Committee
The chief duties of this committee shall be to regulate and enforce the compliance of all By-Laws, and such other rules and regulations as may be necessary from time to time for the protection and preservation of the common property, and the safety, quiet, welfare and peace of the people.
Building and Grounds Committee
The duties of this committee shall be to plan and prepare for the maintenance and repairs on all common ground structures within the Detroit Beach Association. This committee shall also supervise the maintenance of all common property, and enforce its being kept in a clean, sanitary condition, and cause to be removed all refuse, weeds, or anything that causes an unsanitary or unsightly condition.
Finance and Auditing Committee
The duties of this committee shall be to supervise the expenditure of any extraordinary sums of money, approve all bills payable, payrolls, vouchers, and otherwise that will be necessary in the routine of the business management of the Association, and in general assist the Treasurer in the performance of his/her duties.
Schedule B
Article I
The Government of Detroit Beach Association, Inc. is hereby vested in a Board of nine (9) trustees; five (5) trustee and four (4) officers. The four (4) trustee officers shall consist of; president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary to serve for three years; these four are voted in by the board. The other five trustees will be voted on according to need, and/or nominated, at the annual meeting. Each lot owner being entitled to only one vote at any such election.
Every annual meeting will include a summary of the finances for the fiscal year and a ballot of trustees that need to be formally voted onto the board.
DETROIT BEACH ASSOCIATION, INC.
Meeting Minutes
April 26, 2023
Call to Order 6:30pm
Roll Call of Trustees
President- Nicole Fitzgerald (Absent) Trustee- Fred Boogren(Present)
V.P- Victoria Wilcox (Present) Trustee- Tess Cini (Present)
Secretary- Nancy Mouradjian (Present)
Treasurer- Frank Kren (Present)
Presidents Report
Hello everyone and welcome to the monthly meeting. I appreciate everyone attending and look forward to hearing some of your suggestions and we will try to address any questions you may have.
In March, the all board members had an executive meeting that consisted of basically encompassing a list of things we needed to accomplish. first and we needed to get organized. We are going to finish up bear park and then move on to another one of the parks. We ordered some new trash cans to put along the Edgewater park. And if they work out, we will start gradually replacing the trash receptacles for ones with lids.
We also discussed getting parks surveyed that don’t have clear property lines, so we can make the boarders clear. We have found out that we need to get the deeds in order to have them surveyed, so that is what we are in the process of doing. we will start with the Edgewater park at 6th.
The April meeting went well. We had some special guests that will be speaking in regards to the police station that is going in on N. Dixie, across the street from the association. Gary Klemz, standing in for Kyle Bryant, township clerk. Klemz is very knowledgeable about the project. Jim Jacobs the project architect was also there for any questions and to go into some detail. Sheriff Goodnough also attended to give all of the residents some more information on their view of the project.
We have had many questions in regards to chicken, and whether we can have them or not. According to the township, and they have addressed this, unless you have an acre you cannot have chickens.
Treasurer Report
The financial report was shared for review and was approved by the board. The financials are looking good and we should end up in the same positive financial position as we did last year.
The Snow Removal reimbursement information was submitted to the RDA (Resort District Authority). We are currently waiting on the credit to be implemented.
Beautification Committee Report
The Jaws program will start 5/13 and be Twice a month through September. Spring Cleanup will start 5/13 and happen twice a month. We are looking into solar power for the lighthouses. A call was put into DTE and we are awaiting a call back from the department that handles that area in order to get a quote. A light layer of mulch will be put around the Detroit Beach Association sign, just to brighten it up as well as the Bear Park.
Special Guest Speakers
Gary Klemz, Standing in for Township Clerk: Kyle Bryant, Jim Jacobs: Police Station Architect, David Uhl: Township Development Manager, Troy Goodnough: Monroe County Sheriff
The plans for the police station were presented to the attending residents. Our Frenchtown representatives assured the residents that this project will not raise the peoples taxes.
The building will be 14,000 square ft. The building as well as the grounds will have a nautical theme.The main part of the structure will be the Monroe County Sheriff’s Substation; there will be holding space but it will not be a jail. There are currently 8 deputies assigned to this area and when the substation is complete, there will be 18 deputies and budgeted for 79. This will increase response times, offer safer roads and create the possibility for bike patrol officers.
There will be other areas within the building, such as, eight (8) small conference rooms. There are also plans for a community center in the back area with storage capacity. The community center will hold 500 people, with a large fully operating kitchen.There are also plans on modifying the light as well as creating a crosswalk there to create a better flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The plans include many outdoor amenities such as a park and a walking path. The plans are still in the development stage, so things can change.
The project is to start this May. Once the project kicks off, it will take roughly 460 days to complete. This means from the begining with the bids all the way until the end, which is the completion of the building, park areas will still be being developed. During the construction phase, there is the possibility for road blocks on Dixie. If you have any questions or concerns we encourage you to contact the township, they should be able to help.
Public Participation
Questions were asked in regards to bicycle police. Sheriff Goodnough responded that although that is not currently a plan, it is very possible that in the near future there could be bicycle patrol since they will finally be able to accommodate having a bicycle patrol.
Another Question was asked about having recycle bins up at the station. The response to that was no, there are recycle bins currently at the Mall of Monroe.
Meeting Ajourned – 7:52pm
Let us start this off by saying that we hope that everyone has a safe, healthy, and a year full of growth.
We, the association, had such a productive year. We accomplished some repairs to bear park, repairs and paint to the office building, a lot of cleanup, common areas sealed and so much more.We may not always get to things A.S.A.P, whether it is because of manpower, other pressing repairs are currently in process or both. We promise all of you that we will continue this pattern of growth throughout the year.
Many in our neighborhood suffered from hardships late last year and very early this year, some worse than others. Please, help your neighbors the best you can. Whether it is dinner for the evening, helping cleanup, donating items, sharing something on facebook or a simple kind word etc, sometimes that gesture, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, makes more of a difference than one may ever know.
October was a busy month. We processed a lot of payments, thank you for that everyone. Those payments are what pays for all of the street lights, beautification, grounds and maintenance, lawn service, snow and salt service and those, oh so fun, events like Halloween, Christmas and Easter.
Halloween was so much fun. That fun couldn’t have happened without all of our residents and those that helped decorate, set-up, host, cleanup and tear down. It is truly a group effort, the more people that volunteer the more we can do and get done.
November may have been cold but that didn’t stop the momentum of this group. A group of us dug a hole and prepped it for Detroit Beach Associations first ever “Forever Christmas Tree”. A week later the Forever Christmas Tree arrived and Snow’s Nursery picked out the prettiest Black Hills Pine for us, delivered it and helped bring it over to the tree’s new home. Our group of volunteers got that tree situated, planted and watered. We were able to water our new tree with the help of our awesome resident Portia. Thank you Portia for the use of your water, we cannot thank you enough.
Did anyone notice, given that it was kind of off season for the office, but to spruce up the outside of the office, a simple faux lighthouse etched glass decal was put on the door and a couple of small fake plants outside. Just a little something to make the office itself stand out a bit.
Christmas lights and decorations were pulled out of storage and prepped for their big debut. Candy canes were placed out front of the association, by the sign as well as by the Bear Park Sign. Some wreaths were hung on the lighthouses and the office and lights were put up in Bear Park, by the office and near the front of the association. A huge thank you to the volunteers that made it all Christmasy in preparations for the season and the upcoming Christmas tree lighting.
December it is cold outside but there was a fire burning under us. The office work continues, can’t stop that fun and that is what it is when things are getting accomplished, collecting money and helping residents out.
Sadly, while changing the light bulb on the lighthouses, we found that one of them is not working at all, we had a few electrical companies come out to assess the situation and it will need some work done to it in spring.
Our second annual Christmas tree lighting turned out very nice. Everyone that came enjoyed the christmas music, tree decorating hot chocolate and coffee. We had one little boy that was truly and thoroughly enjoying the decorating part. Thank you to all that came, Thank you to all that helped set up, cleanup and tear down. Just an amazing group of people.
In Closing, let’s take a dedicated minute to say thank you to those residents and random kids that took time out of their busy schedules to decorate, host events, clean up the neighborhood, make repairs and more. Without them, these events and improvements would not and could not happen because it takes manpower.
Easter- Frank, Victoria, Nancy, Nicole
Halloween- Frank, Tiger, Victoria, Adriana, Brandon, Jacob, Fred and Nicole
Christmas- Frank, Tiger, Victoria, Portia, Fred, Nicole
Planting and Prep of Christmas Tree- Tiger, Victoria, Frank, Nicole
Office Building Makeover – Tony, Jaws Program, Nicole
Neighborhood clean up and repair- Tiger, Tony, Jaws Program, Nicole, Nancy
Call Meeting to Order at 7:00 pm by Nicole
President- Nicole Fitzgerald(Present) Trustee- Tony Spear (Absent)
V.P- Victoria Wilcox (Present) Trustee- Fred. Boogren (Present)
Treasurer- Frank Kren (Present) Trustee- Tess Cini (Present)
Secretary- Sandra Parker (Present)
Previous Meeting Minutes
August meeting minutes, we as a board and the attendees of the meeting, representing the community, took a minute to read over the previous meeting minutes. Nicole motioned for the approval of the minutes Victoria accepted and Frank seconded the approval, all other board members were in favor.
Presidents Report
I want to explain why we started posting the meeting agendas. I started posting the meeting agenda on Facebook so that the residents could see what we would be addressing at the meeting and take that opportunity to see if there is something on the agenda that they would like to be present for as it is addressed or if there is something that they would like to add to the agenda. This is a way to help the board work better for you as well as get the residents more involved with their community.
Our Secretary, Nancy, retired. We hate to see her go and she will be extremely missed, but let’s all wish her well. She has assured us that she is retired but will not be a stranger. Prior to the meeting, the board discussed who the new secretary would be. Frank motioned to vote for Sandra, Victoria accepted and Fred seconded, Nicole Abstained, all others were in favor. Let’s all welcome Sandra Parker as our new secretary. Just to let everyone know, we are doing speach to text meeting notes, so let’s see how this goes.
The association assessment/HOA bills went out early September and it is time to get busy collecting the dues now through October. The dues go to so many things such as:
- Street lights
- playground maintenance
- park maintenance
- building and structure maintenance and repair
- Snow and Salt for the winter
- Fun Events
and so much more.
Collecting the assessments/HOA dues also helps the treasurer find discrepancies in the system and fix them. Discrepancies such as misspellings, messed inconsistencies with the street, number versus the word etc.
There have been a lot of complaints again about some residents not securing or leashing their dogs. Per ByLaws and Frenchtown ordinance the dog must be on a 6’ leash, or a fenced in yard. This is for the safety of passers by as well as your animal. We had a tragic event occur that did not end well with two pups. Please do this, no resident wants to have to call animal control.
J & B Seal Coating, sealed the Bear Park Pavilion, the multi-sport area, and the basketball court. They did an absolutely wonderful job and it looks amazing. A huge thank you to J & B Seal Coating,
There is a lot that has to be done in the month of October, so the board discussed canceling the October meeting so that we could take that time and get things ready for Halloween. All board members were in favor, Nicole abstaining. Since the October meeting is canceled, this meeting will be our last until approximately March.
There will be a lot more votes that will happen in this meeting since this is the last meeting until approximately March.
We heard from special guests; Tom Friar, Ignacio Bijarro, and Shane Foster. They discussed Jefferson Schools and what their plans would be if elected. We appreciated their time to come out and share with all of us at the meeting
How the Board works:
- Something is brought to the board, by the board or resident at the meeting.
- The board takes the information, and then votes on what is proposed. Now, sometimes this can happen immediately or it may have to wait. For instance, the Halloween budget will be voted on; the majority will either approve it or they won’t and that will happen right away. Now, say we need to put a stop sign where some residents have said they would like to see a stop sign, then we will not vote immediately, a facebook poll will be posted to see how many people support it. If a lot support it, then we put the sign in.
- No single person can just make the decision. It is a majority rules, period
- We have Officer Trustees: President, V.P, Secretary and Treasurer, and then we have trustees of the board. This is explained in the by-laws and if you are interested in a recent copy, inbox or email us and we can get you a set.
There are things that are in our power to change
- landscaping,
- painting,
- park hours,
- What can be in parks,
- What time the parks are open and close
- Road Signs
That is just some examples.
Things that pertain to local and state laws (even though this is a private community) such as roads and otherwise, we cannot change and we are required to abide by them.
The Importance of Reserving the Bear Park Pavilion
You must reserve the Bear Park Pavilion. This is not anything new, it is something that they have been doing for years. It is a $100 check deposit that is never cashed unless the pavilion or park is left messy and we have to clean it up or things are broken and/or damaged. Reserving the pavilion protects you and the association.
You reserve it and then it is yours for the day. If someone is there, they have to leave, that cannot be disputed because you as the individual that reserved it have the rights to it, period.
It protects the association from full out of pocket cost if there are damages or clean up. Some people have big parties which leave big messes, that is normal but the party holder cleans it up.
So, Please, reserve it, go through the proper channels. The only thing that you have to lose is your party if you don’t reserve it.
Committee Reports
Financial/Treasurer Report (Frank)
Frank touched base on the approval of the 2022-2023 budget and how it was gone over, voted on and approved at the July and again at the August meetings. He also addressed the importance of the budget and the focus of staying within each areas boundaries (ie. office, grounds, law and order, snow removal, beautification) and that we are so far doing an excellent job at staying within those boundaries. Frank continues to monitor our bills and works to get the most affordable pricing; doing this all.
Frank discussed the importance of paying your assessments. He stated that this helps him fix any discrepancies in the system. He also extended his apologies for the typo at the bottom of the invoice, implying that we basically took no form of payment. Thankfully not too many people paid any mind to it. That statement has since been fixed and didn’t seem to slow this community down, because we are already $1000 ahead of where we were last year. This is saying a lot given the amount of money that we have spent this month this year compared to this month last year. Great job everyone
We are within the Halloween budget. So it is a go for ordering donuts, coffee, hot chocolate, and buying the candy. Frank stated that we also have extra in the Halloween budget to purchase visqueen to wrap for the Halloween gathering in the Bear Park pavilion.
Beautification/ Event Committee
Our beautification and events committee is in full swing. With Halloween approaching, the committee will be decorating the pavilion little by little on each weekend as Halloween approaches. They will not be putting the blow up decorations out until the last minute. Once Halloween happens, November 1st the committee will clean up and begin plans for Christmas.
The Beautification and Events committee has been discussing purchasing a real tree to be planted for not just Christmas, but the better of the community beauty. If you are interested in being a part of the beautification committee reach out to the us for more information through Facebook messenger, Text only# (734) 393-2765, email detroitbeach@sbcglobal.net or leave a message on our office phone (734) 289-4354
Building, Maintenance and Grounds
Our head of grounds is wrapping things up with the JAWS program. The season for being really productive is coming to an end. Grounds and Maintenance will assist beautification and Events committee if there is anything that they need assistance with in the off season, although it is not expected to be much. We may be needing volunteers to assist with the committee. Reach out to the us for more information through Facebook messenger, Text only# (734) 393-2765, email detroitbeach@sbcglobal.net or leave a message on our office phone (734) 289-4354
Law and Order Committee
There have been many complaints of blight. Let’s keep it clean, we all want to live in a nice and neat neighborhood. Blight will continue to go out as long as weather permits. If you need help, reach out, many have and have received assistance from the wonderful residents. It is easier to ask for help than to pay a blight fine. I am always looking for volunteers to assist with doing the blight.
Flood gates are not a boat launch. If it can be carried fine but anything that has to be pulled with any type of motorized vehicle is not allowed.
Just a friendly reminder, parking in the park’s parking areas is for the parks and for the OCCASIONAL overflow of guests you may have at your home, not an extension to your driveway. If a busy event is the case at your home, please contact us and let us know so that we can get your guests temporary guest passes that have to be returned to the office in the dropbox or in person if someone is available. If you are at a park to visit the park, please make sure that you have your pass in the window so that you do not get your vehicle towed or ticketed. We do appreciate your assistance and thank you.
The best neighborhood watch is everyone keeping an eye out, ears open and knowing who to contact if there is some type of issue at hand. Please, keep a vigilant eye on your surroundings. Call the non-emergency, (734) 243-7070, number for the police to look into suspicious activity, this phone number will get a car out asap according to Sheriff Goodnough. The tellthesheriff@monroemi.org is still functioning for things that do not require immediate assistance. Of course call 911 if there is an active crime, fire or medical emergency. This will help keep our neighborhood safe and looking nice and it’s almost like a type of neighborhood watch.
Ongoing Business
Bear Park is almost done. We most likely will not be able to finish this year, but early next spring hopefully. Most parks will be being re-surveyed so that we can get some visually pleasing landscaping in. We did discuss changing the speed limit on most of the roads that branch off of Edgewater, Bronson, and Grand.
Halloween and Christmas are coming and the beautification/ events committee may need some assistance. Please jump in and have some laughs while giving back to the community.
Just a friendly reminder, if there are any complaints that need to be addressed about any board member, please email detroitbeach@sbcglobal.net, Text only# (734) 393-2765, through Facebook messenger or come to a meeting. The messages must include the complaint against who, as well as the details, there also needs to be a date, time and your name and phone number. This is for legality and official purpose. No phone calls can be accepted for this type of complaint. Hearsay and personal vendettas are not applicable because of easily disputed legality. Not liking someone or having a disagreement is not a viable complaint, it is subjective and will not be accepted for legal purposes
New Business
One of the residents suggested selling hoodies and/or t-shirts that say “Detroit Beach Association” to go towards getting new metal benches put in at the parks. The board figured we would put a poll on this idea on our Facebook pages and see what type of traction we would get, whether the residents and others would be interested in doing something like this. We will revisit this idea at another meeting, but will do the poll.
Up for vote is:
- Planting a real Evergreen in Bear Park. Frank motioned for the vote on the real Christmas tree in Bear Park accepted by Victoria and 2nd by Sandra, All others were in favor, Nicole abstaining.
- Having Christmas on Saturday December 3, 2022 @ 6:30 pm. Motion was made by Nicole, accepted by Victoria and 2nd by Tess, all were in favor.
- (Just in case we cannot have a March 2023 meeting) Easter in Bear Park on Saturday March 25, 2023 at 1:00pm Frank motioned for a vote, Fred accepted and Victoria 2nd, all were in favor, Nicole abstaining
Holiday Event Schedule
- Halloween- Per Frenchtown hours of 6-8
- Christmas Celebration- @ Bear Park Pavilion, December 3 @ 6:30 (Tree Lighting Countdown promptly starting at 6:40pm, Hot Chocolate, Coffee and Christmas Music) Residents and their families
- Easter in Bear Park- March 25, 2023 @ 1pm (Easter egg hunt) Residents and their families
Public Participation
Connie brought up stray cats. I suggested calling animal control. Hopefully this helps the situation. Thank you again to Ignacio, Tom and Shane for coming out to share with the community.
Adjournment
Motion made by Frank, accepted by Victoria. All in favor. Meeting concluded at 7:36pm