Alpine Lakes Ranch POA – Board Meeting Minutes (April 17, 2025)

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Location: Zoom

Meeting Start: 1:00 pm

Meeting End: 2:20 pm

Attendees

- Property Owners: Lydia Sanchez, Keith Tice, Pam Flowers, Ron Smith

- Board Members: Gary Cuffin, Fran Cubberley, Sharon Dickson, Christa Henderson, Christi Hester, Laurie While, Shannon Sheldon

Agenda Overview

- Proof of Notification: Email sent to all property owners on April 14, 2025 by the POA Secretary.

- Approval of March Minutes: Motion by Christa Henderson; second by Shannon Sheldon; motion carried.

- Open Q&A at end.

President’s Report

1) Annual Assessments

- Four property owners remain unpaid for 2025 assessments.

- Certified letters to be sent; late fee and 8% interest applied.

2) Board of Director Nominees (2026 Slate)

- Full slate of seven nominees to appear on annual ballot (June; May if possible):

- Gary Cuffin

- Fran Cubberley

- Sharon Dickson

- Pamela Flowers

- Christa Henderson

- Laurie While

- Keith Tice

- Appreciation to outgoing directors: Shannon Sheldon and Christi Hester.

3) Roads Contract Update

- Roads Committee issued an updated RFP aligned with current ALR requirements.

- Four contractors contacted; all intend to bid.

- Key dates:

- Contractor Q&A: May 7

- Bid deadline: May 9

- Committee thanks: Rod Downey, John Thompson, Mike Uhrenbacher, Michelle Downey, Shannon Sheldon, Christi Hester.

4) Response to Recent Facebook Posting

- Clarifications:

- The Facebook group is not an official ALR POA venue.

- Bylaw changes (Aug 2024) were developed over months and approved in an open Zoom board meeting; bylaws (not covenants) are under Board purview and do not require a member vote. Documents are publicly available on the POA website.

- New bylaw: Board candidates must be full-time residents. Rationale: daily engagement improves familiarity with issues; past part-time board participation has been challenging.

- All owners (full-time and part-time) have avenues to participate: open Zoom meetings, owner comments, submissions via the Secretary, and direct emails to directors.

- Community Stats (approximate):

- Total lots: 215

- Lots with homes: 124 (65 full-time; 59 part-time)

- Vacant lots held by part-time owners: 64

- Voting & Ballots:

- Secret ballots counted by Cornerstone Accounting Services (third party).

- Overall outcomes are shared; specific breakdowns are not public.

- Covenants allow assessment increases only by majority vote of members; not majority of all owners.

- Special Assessments & Short-Term Rental Fees:

- Board may impose special assessments/fees per governing documents; owner approval not required.

- Short-term rental fees go to general operating funds (not earmarked), supporting admin, roads, signage, accounting, etc.

- Note: Emergency call list in the Facebook post is outdated; owners recently asked to update contact info.

- Invitation:

- Annual Meeting: Saturday, July 12, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

- Venue: Ross Aragon Community Center, 451 Hot Springs Blvd., Pagosa Springs

- Encouragement to review governing documents and participate directly rather than rely on social media posts.

Vice President’s Topics

- Road Signs

- Remaining road signs to be installed by May 2.

- Suggestion: Roads Committee to assist.

Secretary’s Report

- Emergency Call List & Ranch Maps: Maps completed; call list in final review.

- Ranch Social Calendar:

- May: open

- June: open

- July 26: at homes of Fran Cubberley & Christa Henderson

- August 16: at home of Bob & Sarah Mitchel

- September: open

- October: TBD at Al & Karen Northrop

- Property Sales: No new sales.

Treasurer’s Report

- Funds: $200,000 moved from checking to a CD maturing in June.

- Cornerstone Accounting:

- Concerns about service quality and sloppiness noted.

- Plan to meet post–tax season with Cornerstone’s manager; may consider non-local alternatives if needed.

- Water Retention (Elk Ridge):

- Update requested on developing a retention solution at Coyote Creek.

- Ron Smith: No pond is needed; excavate an existing hole deep enough for a pump to supply water for road maintenance. Next steps: evaluate the best location, coordinate with property owners; Roads Committee engaged.

- NexGen Payments:

- Contract valid through September 30, 2025; payment schedule remains unchanged.

Directors-at-Large Reports

Grazing – Laurie White

- NRCS 2024 Range Survey (Shaan Bliss): Overall stocking rate and grazing season acceptable for a normal year; utilization mostly under 50%.

- Water Status:

- Coyote Park ponds: currently no water (per Scott Brown).

- Ponderosa Hills ponds: ~25% full; one pond at north end and one at south end are full.

- No water east of Tall Pines or at south end of Lodge Pole (per Tom Porter).

- Ditches & Irrigation:

- Spence & Sappington Lakes levels lower than last year; careful irrigation cycles required.

- Ranchers to coordinate rotations with ditch company for flow timing.

- Elk Ridge:

- Water to be hauled to stock tanks for calf/cow pairs.

- Stocking Adjustments:

- Yearlings reduced by ~50 head; calf/cow pairs reduced by ~25 (50% reduction overall).

- Rotations remain flexible based on water availability.

- Timing:

- Yearlings: arrive end of May; starting area (Ponderosa Hills or Coyote Park) TBD.

- Calf/cow pairs: Elk Ridge between May 26 and June 1; specifics to follow.

- Note: Plan to stage calves, cows, and water tanks higher on Bull Elk to help separated calves return uphill rather than down Pescar Canyon.

Roads – Shannon Sheldon

- Confirmed four contractors will bid on the new roads contract.

Architecture – Christa Henderson

- Approved: Outbuilding in Ponderosa Hills.

Partners

WATCO – Submitted by Greg Dickson

- Winter freeze impacts:

- Ongoing repairs to meters, pipes, and lines.

- Elk Ridge pump house → tank house line froze; temporary hauling performed (thanks to Rod Downey).

- Surface bypass line installed to stop hauling and focus on main line repairs.

- Feed line from Elk Ridge tank house to homes on Puma still frozen; water hauled to one home; repairs pending post–main line fix.

- Multiple potential breaks under investigation; exploring repair technologies.

- 30+ frozen meter issues resolved by Peter Coe and Dean Jones (including late-night work).

- Operations status: With some manual intervention, system is meeting 100% of demand.

- Water Safety:

- Boil advisories apply only if bacterial contamination occurs.

- ALR water is highly mineralized and sometimes cloudy but meets state testing requirements; well water meets standards.

DITCH – Ron Smith

- Anticipated lower ditch flows due to light snowpack at Harris & Buckles Lakes.

- Irrigation cycles: Typically 10 days; may reduce to 7 days this season.

- Coordination: Will inform Board when cycles begin (late May/early June) to align roads grading with available water.

- Goal: Use full allotted water effectively; working with ditch share owners.

- Ag Status: Profit is not required to maintain Ag status; intent to profit from land use is the determinant (per Pam Flowers).

Old Business

- POA Website: Still evaluating software package options.

New Business

- None recorded.

Adjournment

- Motion to adjourn by Laurie White; second by Shannon Sheldon; adjourned at 2:20 pm.

Q&A Notes

- Keith Tice: Clarified his Facebook comment was intended to seek information.

- Board: Confirmed his comment was not the issue.