2024-11-19 (Budget Adoption)

Meeting Validation:

Quorum was not met. President invoked Bylaws Article IV Section 12 – Board of Directors Quorum and adjourned the meeting at 7: 14 PM. Reconvened meeting brought to order at 7:20 PM and business that was intended for the scheduled meeting was transacted. No new business was introduced.

Reading / Summary / Approval Past Minutes

• June 19 Special Meeting – Management Agent Replacement and follow on actions (Minutes approved)
• July 18 Regular Meeting (Minutes approved)
• August 03 Special Urgent Meeting – Admin Charges (Minutes approved)
• August 21 Special Urgent Meeting – Revise previously approved cost for Tot Lot from $2000 to $5300 and change contract from Orchard ($11,900) to Price ($5,300) (Minutes approved)
• August 21 Special Urgent Meeting – Terminate Orchard Landscaping Contract, Hire Price Landscaping ($29,000 full year beginning 2025) (Minutes approved)
• August 15, 26 Special Urgent Meetings – Camera, snake and jet sewer line from 561 – 563. (Minutes approved)
• August 29 Hearing with 563 to determine liability for sewer backup of 561 / 563. (Confidential)(Minutes approved)
• September 3 Special Meeting 561 – 565 Sewer Line Repair (Minutes approved)
• September 10 Special Meeting My Brothers Proposal $3200 for gutter repair on 8329 – 8331. (Minutes approved)
• 2024-09-11 Special Meeting 8367 Sewer Backup (Minutes approved)
• September 19 Regular Meeting (Minutes approved)
• 2024-11-06 Special Meeting – Sewer Repairs Building 3 (Minutes approved)
• 2024-11-06 Hearing Condensation Line Block Reimbursement (Minutes approved)

Status of Projects

• Planter Boxes Refresh
• gutter repairs (finally done)
• logo design

Financial Review

• $621,000 total funds as of 31 Oct 2024. Report is here.

Motion & Discussions

Budget Final Review & Adoption

• Budget files can be accessed and downloaded here.
• Motion to adopt the final budget that was published on October 28, 2024 as published, reflecting monthly assessment correction to align with the Declaration Article VI section (a) and a total expenditure amount of $384,150 for the fiscal year beginning January 1 2025 and ending December 31, 2025. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.

BOD Expense Sheets

• refreshments from September – Motion to reimburse Ms Murphy for the expense of $100 for the purchase of snacks to provide at the meetings. Receipts here. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.

2025 Regular Meeting Schedule

• Align with bylaws for annual meeting and make 3rd or 4th week of month
• January (21, 22, or 23)
• March 25 (Annual Meeting – 4th Tuesday in March as per bylaws)
• April 15 (reconvened if quorum not met)
• May (20, 21, or 22)
• July (22, 23, or 24)
• Sept (23, 24, or 25) Budget Review
• Nov (18, 19, or 20)
• Discussion: Council members in attendance suggested keeping to Tuesday evening meetings. Suggestion accepted by the BOD. Motion to adopt the meeting schedule for 2025 as above with a regular open meeting every other month on a Tuesday evening as per the following schedule. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• January 21
• March 25 (Annual Meeting – 4th Tuesday in March as per Bylaws Article III Section 3.)
• April 15 (reconvened if Council quorum not met)
• May 20
• July 22
• Sept 23 Budget Review
• Nov 18 Budget Adoption

Other Motions

• Select second bank for reserve funds to remain FDIC insured
  • CFG Community Bank
    1422 Clarkview Road
    Baltimore, Maryland 21209
    410-823-0500
  • Bank of Glen Burnie, The
    101 Crain Highway, SE
    PO Box 70
    Glen Burnie, MD 21061
    410-766-3300
  • Motion to separate our reserve money into the necessary number of Money Market accounts in order to remain covered under FDIC with up to $250,000 in account with The Bank of Glen Burnie and the remaining up to $250,000 in an account with CFG Community Bank, leaving a remaining of approximately $121,000 in the operating account with Truist. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• Pool Contract and Pool repairs
  • Pool Contract – $54,600 of which $14,469 (26.5%) is Sussex Square’s share. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
  • Pool Repairs – $15,915 of which $4,217,48 (26.5%) is Sussex Square’s share. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• Snow removal contracts and Comparison
  
  • Price Landscaping
  • GMC
  • Motion to approve and hire Price Landscaping for 2024-2025 snow removal services as per the list of services and prices listed in the proposal at the link above. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• Electronic Notices (notices by email)
  
  • Approve process as per MD 11-139.1
    • Motion to approve using electronic means, mainly email, to provide notices to the Council members based on each member’s individual approval as per the statutes MD 11-139.1. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
  • Approve form to be signed by homeowner
    • See attached.
    • Motion to approve the form dated November 2024 giving unit owner’s permission to the Council / BOD to be notified by electronic means as per the attached. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
  • Approve Brevo as email autoresponder (free service) – Motion to utilize Brevo email autoresponder services for free to provide blast email newsletters, notices and to implement the electronic notices agreement as per the statutes MD 11-139.1. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• PO Box $85
  • need volunteer to talk to PO and see what needs to be done to get address on Cornwall or Norwood
  • Motion to approve 6 months PO Box rental fee for PO Box 616 at the Millersville post office while progressing towards getting permanent address on one of the streets within the private property of Sussex Square Condominium Council, Inc. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• 8367 repairs
  • plumber bill – Scardina ($350) Motion to reimburse Ms Murphy (8367) for plumbing expense that resulted from blockage of the shared line. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
• 8351 repairs
  • plumber bill
  • eco clean
  • jet and improve main line adding new cleanout outside ($3200).
• Resale package changes
  
  • remove parking rules since they were not approved nor incorporated properly and are not aligned to Declaration Article VI section (a).
    • Motion to remove the pages from the resale package and from mention of governing documents stating parking rules. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.
  • add Letter from the President – attached. Motion to add letter from the President as presented at the link to the resale package. Motion seconded by: Mr Payne. Motion approved – 2 in favor, 0 opposed.

Electrical Lighting Proposal Refresh & Re-vote (Tabled until January)

Collections Process (Owners in Arrears)(Payment due First of Month) (Tabled until January)