Notice of the Innis Arden Club, Inc. Annual Meeting
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
At the Innis Arden Clubhouse
4:30 p.m. sign-in for proxy holders
6:00 p.m. coffee hour and sign-in for Homeowners
7:00 p.m. meeting (after quorum has been established)
During the Annual Meeting, elections will be held to:
1) We will be electing a total of four Directors to the Board. The two elected candidates who receive the most votes will receive full 3-year terms and the other two elected candidates will receive 1-year partial terms to complete the terms of the positions vacated by Rick Leary and Aaron Bush.
2) Ratify the election of the Activities Committee Chairperson (Maggie Taber) to the Board for a one-year term.
3) Approve the 2016 budget which is enclosed. The YTD expenses for 2015 will be available on the website in early January, and as a handout at the Annual Meeting. They were not yet available at the time of printing this notice. Go to www.innisarden.org, hover over the “Board of Directors” tab and select “Treasurer” from the drop down menu. For password, email csolle66@gmail.com.
4) Approve annual dues of $822.00.
There are several ways that you can vote:
1) IN PERSON: During the Annual Meeting, submit ballot after signing in and nominations are taken from the floor. A ballot will be provided at the meeting.
2) BY PROXY: You may choose to have another person vote on your behalf. A proxy ballot is enclosed. Indicate your Innis Arden subdivision, block, lot (as reflected on your address label), proxy holder, and sign the ballot. Optionally, you may vote on ballot issues. Give your completed proxy to your proxy holder to bring to the annual meeting.
Or, you may designate the Innis Arden Board of Directors to vote on your behalf. Again, you may vote on ballot issues. Mail your completed proxy to:
Innis Arden Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 60038
Richmond Beach, WA 98160
3) EMAIL: Homeowners for whom we have email addresses will be emailed a ballot (and instructions) after the first of the year. If you aren’t already on the distribution list but wish to be, email csolle66@gmail.com. Please cast your eballot no later than January 20th at 7:00 pm.
Note: If you cannot attend the meeting, please vote by proxy or email to help establish a quorum.
(We cannot start the meeting until a quorum of 270 is established. Previously, the meeting has been delayed or rescheduled as volunteers called neighbors and scrambled for their proxy vote to establish a quorum)
Meeting Day–Sign-in and Pre-Meeting Dessert:
All are invited to coffee and dessert sponsored by the Activities Committee, starting at 6 PM in the Clubhouse.
1) If you are voting IN PERSON, sign-in will be between 6-7 PM. Also, please have handy your Innis Arden subdivision, block and lot number (see the upper left corner of your address label) as this helps the tellers sign you in.
2) If you are a PROXY holder, sign-in will be between 4:30-6 PM as a large number of proxy votes are anticipated and need to be processed in a timely manner. Between 6-7 PM, people voting in person will have priority over proxy holders.
3) Ballots will not be cast until after the meeting begins and a quorum (270 voters in person or by proxy) has been established.
Meeting Agenda
- Approve the minutes from the January 21, 2015 Annual Meeting.
- Take nominations from the floor
- Candidates’ presentations followed by a question and answer period
- Discussion of other ballot issues
- Voting and the collection of ballots
- Board Member Reports: President, Secretary, Vice President, Activities, Building and Remodels, Grounds, Clubhouse, Reserves, Treasurer
- Community Comments
- Announce Election Results
- Adjourn
Candidate Statements
Suzanne (Sue) Cox
Being on the Innis Arden Board as Secretary the past six years has been an eye-opening experience and an education. I look forward to serving another three years, and will actively continue to be a supporter of the covenants in our beautiful community. My husband John and I respect and appreciate adherence to and enforcement of the Innis Arden Covenants which protect the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound view, plus the value of all homes in Innis Arden. Most of my life has been spent serving as a volunteer, chairing and working on events, a school board member at my daughter’s parochial school, and with assorted purebred dog clubs. John and I share a hobby of training and showing our own dogs in American Kennel Club events and we’re both long-time AKC obedience trial judges. Since becoming active in Innis Arden about eight years ago, I have enjoyed co-chairing a holiday party, helping with the salmon BBQ and holiday party each year, working on the rummage sale, and helping with other activities. I look forward to continuing to serve our community as an Innis Arden board member, and would like to encourage more of our residents to take an interest in their community and the Board by attending the monthly meetings at the Clubhouse as well as participating in the many activities hosted by the Activities Committee.
Easton Craft
I appreciate the opportunity to run for a seat on the Innis Arden Board of Directors. As residents we choose to live in this neighborhood because of the quality of life it provides. The covenants that created the neighborhood, the natural reserves and the people who live here are vital parts of what makes our neighborhood special.
I believe the Board of Directors must continue to support these unique aspects of our neighborhood and act in the best interests of all the members. The Board must be willing to provide open, honest communication and be open to feedback from residents. The Board must also provide stewardship and protection of the covenants in a way that is honest and respectful to the residents.
As residents, we expect the Board to provide sound oversight of the financial assets of our community. I understand that budget management can provide challenges, but our resources must be allocated appropriately to ensure that areas such as grounds and reserves receive the necessary funds to thrive.
Our grounds and reserves are an important part of our community, I believe with the proper attention they can be managed in a way that enhances their beauty and accessibility while adhering to the view protection covenants.
Finally, it is my belief that the Board must provide the highest degree of transparency with the members of the neighborhood. Transparency is key to building the neighborhood’s trust in the Board and will allow for honest and respectful discourse.
Our community is special and deserves leadership from the Board of Directors that will ensure our neighborhood remains a strong and vibrant place to live.
Thank you for you considering me for a position on the Innis Arden Board of Directors.
Cynthia Esselman
I moved to Innis Arden in 1990 with my husband and two young children. Over the years have I been a very active in serving the community of Innis Arden, the City of Shoreline, and the Shoreline School District. The past few months I have served as the Innis Arden Building and Remodel Chair, filling a position that was vacated in October. I want to continue as a member of the Innis Arden Board, and feel I will bring experience of working collaboratively through my professional and volunteer work, with a thoughtful, analytical and respectful approach.
In my professional life I am an architect and artist. For 16 years, I taught design drawing in the School of Architecture at the University of Washington and have also worked as an art director for a large corporation. From 2010 – 2014 I served as a Commissioner and Vice Chair on the Planning Commission for the City of Shoreline. My skills and experience will be a great asset in helping guide our neighborhood through a time where we are seeing an increase in remodels and new construction. I want to insure that our policies and procedures are working for all of us and, at the same time, preserve the integrity of our neighborhood for the future. In addition, I want to strengthen our relationship with the City of Shoreline. Innis Arden is a unique community and a great asset to the City of Shoreline and we would both benefit from a more collaborative relationship.
As a member of the board, I will work to create common ground from which our community can work together to resolve issues. I have served on many boards over the years and in positions of leadership. In addition to the Shoreline Planning Commission, I have served as President of Enrichment for Quality Classrooms (EQC) at Shorewood High School, and served as president of the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation.
In both my professional and volunteer capacities I have worked collaboratively as a respectful and thoughtful member of many organizations in order to create positive solutions. I hope to have the opportunity to continue to make a positive impact working on the board for the Innis Arden community.
John Hollinrake
I have served on the Board for one full 3-year term. My officer positions are Treasurer and Legal Affairs Chair. I have been the Treasurer for 3 years and the Legal Affairs Chair for last 3 months.
Sue Cox and Cindy Esselman have done an outstanding job for our community and I recommend that they be re-elected to the Board.
As a Board member, my primary objectives have been prudent financial management, improvements to common areas that benefit many residents, increased information flow to residents and the diligent enforcement of the view covenants.
I am the only attorney currently on the Board and the only candidate who is an attorney. The Club faces numerous legal issues each year. In 2016, the lawsuits filed by Ms. Redditt will go to trial. It will be very helpful for the Board to include an attorney to assist with the defense of these lawsuits.
I was the primary draftsperson of the new covenant compliance procedures that went into effect in January 2015. These procedures are working very well. So far, all compliance matters handled by the Board under the new procedures have been resolved, or are in the process of being resolved, without litigation. (The Redditt matter was handled under the prior procedures). To avoid litigation, in contentious situations, we are now seeking legal advice earlier in the process.
As a result of diligent efforts by the full Board, the views of many residents have been restored and overall property values have increased substantially.
Information flow to residents has been increased by posting monthly financial reports on the IA website. I believe I have prudently managed the finances of the Club. Over the last 3 years, the Club has built a Capital Expenditure Savings Account of $100,000 as required by state law. The Club has fully funded the approximately $130,000 entrance project which will be completed in 2016 and has increased spending in the Natural Reserves. Substantial improvements have also been made to the clubhouse.
If I continue to serve as the Treasurer, I hope to freeze dues (or possibly reduce dues) once the Redditt lawsuits are completed. In addition, the Board recently approved my proposal to return to residents certain insurance reimbursements received with respect to the Redditt lawsuits.
I believe the Board should answer all questions asked by residents (except for certain confidential legal matters) and I have made myself available to meet with concerned residents to address their concerns. In addition, I take comments by residents very seriously and take them into account in all decisions.
BJ (Brent) Oneal
I am honored to be running for the Innis Arden Board this year. Having grown up in Innis Arden; my wife, two young sons, and I were thrilled to be able to buy a house on 13th Avenue in 2012. After a year-long remodel, we have been absolutely loving the Innis Arden community, and it has been very special to see my sons participate in swimming, tennis, and trail exploration; just as I did as a child. As a forensic psychologist and small business owner, I have come to understand, appreciate, and often times very much enjoy complex and challenging interactions with others. I have had prior board-member experience for one of the professional organizations that I am a member of and strive to interact with others in a transparent and respectful manner. If elected to the IA Board, I vow to diligently uphold the view covenants of the neighborhood and work with shareholders toward a non-litigious and cooperative problem-solving approach to difficulties that may arise. We very much love this community and look forward to living here for many years to come. Thank you for considering me for this role.
Harley O’Neil, Jr
My name is Harley O’Neil, Jr. In September of this year, the Innis Arden Board of Directors elected me to fulfill the balance of Rick Leary’s term as president of Innis Arden Club, Inc. That term ends at the end of December, although I will preside over the Annual meeting to be held on January 20, 2016. I am now seeking election to the Board and hope that I will be elected by the other board members to be president once again.
I have been an educator in the Shoreline Public School District for 12 years and the owner of Royal Property Management Company of WA, LLC for almost 30 years. During that time I have managed a lot of houses, apartments and commercial properties. The management business requires you to be able to work with people and try to find solutions to problems that arise from time to time. I think this ability is my best qualification for being a member on the Innis Arden Board. I have lived in the Innis Arden community for over 20 years and know that there are covenants protecting Sound and Mountain views. I am in favor of doing everything possible to restore and protect views and at the same time help neighbors to continue to be good neighbors to one another. When I was on the Board previously, I worked hard to get the entrance to Innis Arden completed and the Clubhouse brought up to date and at the same time maintain its historical perspective. The Clubhouse is a popular place to hold community functions and a place for retirement, birthday, anniversary, and other celebrations of life. Look for additional improvements next year in the patio area.
The entrance continues to be improved and is a real focal point for drivers coming into Innis Arden or driving by to get to Richmond Beach. Although many residents participated in clearing the brush and weeds from the entrance, helped place cardboard and spreading chipped wood around the entire entrance, the majority of credit goes to Jean Muir and Ian Walker.
This next year, I expect the Swim Club Board to come forward with proposals to build a new swim club building that will enhance the club house grounds and bring increased value to all of our properties. I am looking forward to the construction of this new building and hope that other residents will come forward to support this worthwhile project.
I believe that we have one of the most attractive and safest communities in the state of Washington. I love living here and I would appreciate it if you would save one of your four votes in the coming election and marking an X next to Harley O’Neil, Jr. Thank you. I wish you a very Happy New Year.
Scott Reid
If I am elected to the Board I hope to have an impact in at least these areas:
More transparency. If we want the community to support the Board and our rules, the way to increase support is through better communication. We can’t expect residents to abide by and support rules they don’t fully understand. Bylaw or major changes should begin with explanations, followed by resident input, ending in decisions.
Greater openness to member input. I view the Board’s role as representing the residents. Sometimes the message from the Board is that they were elected to make decisions, they have the information to make those decisions, and resident’s input isn’t really wanted.
Better funding for our natural reserves. We have amazing trails and proximity to nature in the reserves. From a dollar standpoint, we also have competing goals of maintaining or restoring views. If we want healthy reserves and improved views, we need to spend more or get a lot more volunteer effort going. If we can’t fully fund the needs, then homeowners who benefit should pay for the costs for permits, experts, and tree removal.
Rethink the new tree compliance process. The sweeping changes to the process approved in January went in the wrong direction. I am totally for the covenants and view protection. It’s our most contentious issue and the process needs to be rethought with resident input. Diplomacy should come first, lawyers last. Our high legal costs are a sign that something isn’t working right.
I want everyone to be treated with respect, including Board members. It should be OK to disagree. It should be healthy to have different points of view.
For additional thoughts and details read my blog: www.innisardenviewpoint.wordpress.com. Thank you for considering me for the Board.