Wade Hampton Property Owners’ Association
2023 Annual Meeting Minutes
Thursday, August 24, 2023
3:00 PM, EDT
Wade Hampton Golf Club Clubhouse
Board President, Mr. Al Ritter, called the Annual Meeting of the Wade Hampton Property Owners’ Association (POA) to order at 3:00 pm on Thursday, August 24, 2023. The meeting was held in the Wade Hampton Golf Club Clubhouse and was available via YouTube. POA Board members present were Mr. Ritter, Mr. Tommy Adams, Mr. Bill Broyles, Mrs. Eleanor Welling, Mr. Bill Viehman and Mr. Mike Benitez. Sandy Hardy, POA Administrator, was also in attendance.
Mr. Ritter began the meeting by thanking John Foster and Shane Ahrens for facilitating the POA Annual Meeting in the Golf Club Clubhouse. He then called on Sandy Hardy for a proxy report. Sandy reported that proxies received via mail and email were sufficient to satisfy the requirements set forth in the POA Bylaws to establish a quorum for the meeting. Members in attendance added to that number.
Next, Mr. Ritter asked if there were any additions or corrections to the 2022 Annual Meeting Minutes; and, with no corrections, a motion to publish the Minutes as written was made and seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Mr. Ritter then called on Sandy Hardy for the 2023 Administrative Report, which was as follows:
Available for member review at the meeting was a draft of the 2022 POA Financial Statement, prepared by independent auditing firm Forvis following the 2023 POA audit. Also available were the 2022 Drinking Water Quality Report, the 2022 Consumer Confidence Report and the 2023 Permit to operate a community public water system, all of which the state of North Carolina requires be made available to consumers. Sandy also provided a copy of the state’s mandatory FOG report, which reminds everyone not to put grease down sink drains.
Regarding home construction in Wade Hampton, thus far in 2023 one new- construction home was completed, and one has been approved to start. There are 3 new homes in various stages of the design process. The POA thanks the Member Advisory Committee, Mr. Viehman, Mr. Broyles and Mr. Benitez for the many hours devoted to working with the POA design approval team on submissions for building and remodeling in Wade Hampton. The POA also appreciates all member input on construction projects during the review process.
Security
Head of Security Steve Christy reports a noticeable increase in resident occupancy thus far in 2023, and notes that occupancy has not fallen below 100 homes at any given time this season, averaging 118 member families in residence. That sets a record for residency.
This year Security registered another 100 contractors, 10 landscaping companies and 32 additional housekeepers to the 2022 database, bringing the total registered work force in Wade Hampton to over 700. The recently improved worker registration process has proven very effective during daily high traffic times when work passes allow efficient worker entry. Video recordings during entry now capture registration work passes, vehicles, license plates and individual faces as they pass through the north and south gates.
The addition of an exit gate at the north entrance added an important component to controlled access into the community, preventing attempted entry through the exit lane.
Steve continues to upgrade and refine the digital recordkeeping of security data, and new electronics allow real-time monitoring of activity at both gates through a constant feed of electronic data.
Water and Wastewater Utility Systems
The water line replacement project announced last winter has been underway since the first of the year. In order to better manage water outages to members, about 95 new water line valves were added to the water mains, allowing smaller sections of the lines to be shut off for replacement work thus reducing the number of water outages experienced by residents. The aging and deteriorating culverts along the roads were repaired and new water runoff culverts added, both of which were preliminary improvements necessary prior to the future road resurfacing work.
On June 26th Environmental began the actual water box replacement work. To date about 42 boxes have been replaced and the crews have completed the Chimney Top loop, moving on to Cherokee Trace this week. The side roads will be addressed during the winter when most homes will not be occupied, since dead end roads can’t be detoured.
Patching of the road cuts necessitated by the water line work is included in the project budget and Bryson Grading is scheduled to begin patching the road cuts on Chimney Top the second week of Sept. Once the patching is done, the disturbed areas in the shoulders will be smoothed and seeded.
Roads and Grounds
Lenny Valdes joined the POA team a year ago and his contributions to Wade Hampton were felt immediately. With Lenny’s background in trades and property management, Lenny has taken on many heretofore outsourced tasks within the community. The POA sold the old leaf-blowing tractor and purchased a small tow-behind leaf blower which is much more effective and less intrusive. Lenny is also the on-site link between the POA and Environmental during the water line project and will have in-depth knowledge of the POA water system when the project is complete.
On behalf of the entire POA team, Sandy concluded by thanking the POA Board of Directors for their wise guidance and unwavering support. She thanked the members for creating a culture within the Wade Hampton community in which the POA staff is fortunate to work every day.
Next Mr. Adams, POA Board Treasurer, gave the Annual Financial Report. The 2023 Budget, actual to-date and projected to year-end, were circulated to the attendees. Mr. Adams noted that there is a projected free cash flow projected of over $200,000 for the year 2023. Historically any net income is held in a restricted Reserve Account, and those funds are currently earmarked for the anticipated community wastewater treatment plant renovation. That project is anticipated to begin in 2026 and is a $1m project.
Mr. Ritter then introduced Wood and Jody Lovell, owners of Highlands Sotheby’s International Realty. The Lovells provided handouts on the local real estate market showing year -over- year sales volumes and prices within the area communities. Three residential sales were closed in Wade Hampton in the past year, and there are 2 homes currently on the market. High Hampton is a much more active market, due to the wide variety of amenities and higher number of properties for sale in its newly developed neighborhoods. Prices continue to rise- there was a $9m home that sold on Lake Glenville this year and a recent sale in High Hampton closed for over $6m. The buyer pool for properties on the plateau has expanded to the entire country and because prices in those areas are often higher than here, buyers have no issues with area pricing.
Mr. Ritter then introduced Lenny Valdes, the POA Property Superintendent. Lenny is the on-site POA representative for the water project, and he brought with him examples of the deteriorated components of the Wade Hampton water system which are being replaced during the water project. Examples revealed water lines with 6-7 leak repairs in a 3-foot section and old meters that hadn’t been installed correctly and never worked. He then showed the members the new equipment which will replace the old, including a new saddle on the water main line, a new supply line to the water box, and the new valve, meter and valve in the water box. This equipment within the water box is owned and maintained by the POA, and the water line out of the box to each home is the property of the homeowner. This new equipment will aid the POA in locating water leaks in the system.
Mr. Ritter explained the Wade Hampton Golf Club’s relationship to the Wade Hampton POA and how the POA assesses the Club for the services the POA provides. The Club must approve any assessments levied by the POA, or the payment amounts are negotiated. The Club determined that paying $227,500 rather than the original assessment amount the POA charged the club for their water line work ($517,928) was the amount they would approve.
Mr. Ritter also confirmed that there will not be another water project assessment of members, regardless of changes to the budget due to the Club’s revised payment amount or the discount granted to pre-paying members. If the project’s expenses exceed the assessments received, there can be modifications in the 2025 paving schedule, and the POA has also established a line of credit with its bank which could provide additional funding if needed.
Regarding the exposed cable lines in Wade Hampton, until the project is complete and while lines continue to be cut during construction, Vyve will repair the cut lines but not bury them. When the project is complete and before the asphalt resurfacing, Vyve will be asked to bury the exposed lines throughout the community.
Mr. Ritter introduced Mrs. Eleanor Welling, Chairperson of the POA Nominating Committee. Mrs. Welling announced the nominations to the Board for 2024. The slate of nominees, comprised of Tommy Adams, Mike Benitez, Bill Broyles, Al Ritter, Bill Viehman, Marsha Goodman and Lisa Dargan was submitted. The motion was made and seconded to accept the slate of Directors, and with no objections from the floor, the slate was approved.
Mr. Ritter then presented Eleanor Welling, outgoing Wade Hampton Board of Directors member, with a pottery bowl made by Wade Hampton resident Dr. Ned Turnbull, in appreciation of years of service to the POA. She expressed her admiration of the Board and the work they do.
With no further business to attend to, the meeting was adjourned at 4:30 pm.