| Aloha Welcome to the February 2022 edition of the Makaha Valley Plantation newsletter! The aim of this newsletter is to bring you the latest MVP news, project updates, and help build community here on the westside. We have our board elections and the annual meeting coming up so this newsletter is focused on giving you information and insight into that process… Election Season It is that time of year again: HOA elections – this year there are 3 board members positions up for re-election. Owners should have now received their proxy packet, containing their proxy form, letters of solicitation from owners, and information about the upcoming general meeting. A proxy form is a document that an owner signs to appoint someone else to vote on his or her behalf at HOA meetings. We have many owners who live off-island, so it is important that people utilize their proxy vote so that a quorum of 50% can be met and business can be conducted. It is so important we made an FAQ to answer any questions or points of confusion you may have. You can learn more here: https://makahavalleyplantation.org/proxy-form-faq/ Getting involved in general meetings and elections is the best way for you to make your voice heard so we highly encourage everyone to get involved! If you would like to learn more about the election process or stand for election please get in touch with Chester at Touchstone – all contact info is at: https://makahavalleyplantation.org/contact/ Progress report on the Solar PV project A big focus for the MVP board over these past few years has been our Solar PV project and we’d like to share an update on how things are going, and also answer a few questions… Recently we have had various roofing contractors come and inspect our roofs to study their structural integrity, assess the best way to renovate our roofs, and provide quotes. Hawaii Unified is negotiating with each of the contractors to get the best product for the best price, with an aim to selecting a contractor soon. We have also had electrical engineers coming to inspect available spaces for the PV system, and we are in the process of gathering information on our overall energy usage. Once we have this information we can determine how large of a Solar PV system is needed, how much battery storage is required, and we can begin designing the installation. Part of why this project has taken so much research and has taken so long is that we are using this opportunity to improve a LOT of aspects of life here at MVP including replacing our water heaters, installing EV car charging outlets, and replacing our 50 year old electrical systems. You should have received an email requesting a copy of your electricity bill – if you can send it to mvpadmin001@hawaii.rr.com we would be most grateful! That will greatly help us design and layout the best possible system. If you have other questions please check our recently published Solar FAQ on our website at http://makahavalleyplantation.org/solar_faq. If there are any other questions or concerns you have please feel free to reach out and we’ll answer as best we can. What’s It Like Being A Board Member It is a great honor to be a board member and serve your community. It is a voluntary and unpaid role. The board is tasked with making big decisions that affect all members of the community, which is a very difficult thing to do well. They are tasked with overseeing the operation of the complex, collecting funds to cover expenses, and reviewing all issues and complaints that arise. The board also projects a plan of what improvements or maintenance work needs to be done. There are budgets, reserve studies, and monthly reviews of financial reports. With the financial turbulence of the last few years this has been especially difficult and we’re proud to have been able to balance our budget and minimize increases to HOA fees. In executive sessions the decisions become even more difficult when it comes to employee disciplinary action, compensations, hiring issues, dealing with delinquent homeowner accounts, and the various legal issues that arise in these areas. With seven board members you have seven different viewpoints and life experiences, and we work hard to find common ground and move towards beneficial solutions. It’s a challenging process as no-one ever gets “their way” and ultimately every choice must benefit the community. Misunderstandings are common and with such a large community there are very few times that a decision is unanimously accepted. Add to that contractor NDAs, privacy laws, and the ever-looming threat of litigation and it can be difficult to talk as clearly and openly as you might like. Someone one once said, “Being a Board member is one of the most thankless jobs you will ever have.” and I think they were right. Be a Board member, because you truly enjoy serving others. Any other motivation will falter, and then everyone suffers. Don’t Wait Oftentimes when a homeowner has an issue there is a tendency to keep it themselves. This discomfort can quietly fester and, if not addressed, can become highly distressing! When something comes up you don’t need to suffer in silence, nor do you need to wait for a Board meeting; our security team, office staff, and Touchstone are here to serve you when you are having a problem. If you are not satisfied with the response then please write to the board. Many HOAs have boards that do not publicize their email addresses but we believe it is important to be open and available to the community. All of the board’s contact information is at https://makahavalleyplantation.org/association/, or you can ask the front office. Online HOA Fees and Payments People usually set up automatic payments for their HOA fees but these payments can fail, so it’s easy to accidentally build up a debt. Fortunately, as an owner, you can create an account with Touchstone and ensure your account is up to date. Visit https://www.touchstoneproperties-hawaii.com and select “Make an online payment”. Then click Login and enter your account number (which you were given when you first set up autopay at MVP). If you don’t know it contact ar@touchstoneproperties-hawaii.com Dog Doo Doo Don’ts and Leashes Dog poop and dogs on leashes continue to be an issue on our sidewalks and landscape areas! Please remember to clean up after your little furry friends and if you know of a neighbor who is not being so diligent with cleanup please get in touch with the front office. If this neighbor can be identified they can be politely reminded that we all walk the same paths together. We’d also like to remind you to refrain from feeding animals as this contributes to feral populations, not to mention attracting vermin and insects. A community blooms when everyone takes personal responsibility. Check Leaks It’s important to address any water leaks or plumbing issues promptly as, left unchecked, this can cause problems across multiple floors. If you have any issues or concerns please let the front office know so our maintenance team can come and inspect the issue and provide advice. Future Story Ideas If you have any suggestions for articles, photos to share, or have questions we would love to hear from you. Please contact us at mvpcommunicationcommittee@gmail.com or Chester from Touchstone at chester@touchstoneproperties-hawaii.com Mahalo, Andrew Clark and the Communication Committee |
Living Aloha on the west side of Oahu