Elementor #148

5/29/2025

Shadowoak Update

We are meeting next Tuesday with the company who will dredge the forebay at the pond, to discuss the project and the start date.  We hope to have it done by the end of the summer.

We have received positive feedback on the Ballwin annexation issue.  We are working on procedures to get the petition circulated and will need volunteers to obtain signatures at some point.  We have 280 days from the date of the first signature, to turn in the petition.  We will need signatures of 75% of the registered voters in our subdivision, as well as the residents on Hollyberry Drive (which is not part of Shadowoak).   This is because our subdivision is not currently contiguous with Ballwin (a requirement of annexation), and Hollyberry Drive IS contiguous.  We can’t be annexed without Hollyberry Drive joining Ballwin with us.  I don’t know anyone on Hollyberry Drive, but if any of you do, I would love to meet them so we can discuss this issue.

Also, please make sure your voter registration is up to date with your Shadowoak address.  Signatures on the petition will be checked against current voter roles when we turn it in.

Thanks, and let me know of any questions or constructive comments.

Paula Kleypas
Pkleypas@gmail.com

HOA Meeting 10/24/24

2024 Recap.  (two slides)

There was some street flooding in July on Shadowoak Drive.  This has happened before and will happen again.  Please keep the storm sewers in front of your house cleared.  If you think they are clogged, call MSD and they will come clean them out.  The water was pretty high in front of our house on Shadowoak, coming within a few feet of our garage.  Several cars and trucks drove through the water, which washed waves almost into our garage.  If you see that Shadowoak is flooded, please use Hollyberry as an alternate entrance, then take Shadyoak to Timberfield.  Or coming in from Ries or Sulphur Spring, take Timberfield off of Brightfield into the subdivision.  The intersection of Shadowoak and Timberfield/Windyoak does not flood.

Downed Tree  (two slides)    Part of a Siberian Elm tree at the pond common grounds fell onto the yard, deck and roof of a home on Straightoak on June 26.  No one was hurt, thankfully, and the homeowner was able to have the tree removed from their property with little damage.  The rest of the tree was inspected by an arborist and it was found to be rotting at the base.  It was recommended to remove the remainder of the tree.  We had it cut down by Hansen’s Tree Service on October 14.  The cost to the HOA was $3850, which was not a budgeted expense, but necessary because of the danger the tree presented.

Two slides.    We have done some work on clearing willow trees and honeysuckle (invasive species) around the shore of the pond.  Thanks to Teri Larson, John Hosbach, Mike Eggars and Terry James for helping Chuck and me.  We plan to do more work there over the winter and spring and would love some company!  Officer Hessling heads an Explorer Group and has said they might be able to help us with this project.  We REALLY look forward to that!

Street Light refund.  A count of the streetlights in our subdivision, compared to the number of streetlights for which we were being billed by Ameren, found that we have been charged for an extra light.  Apparently, when Big Bend was widened a number of years ago, one of our streetlights was removed to make way for the road, but Ameren kept billing us for that light.  After some discussion, Ameren agreed to give us a credit on our light bill of $1356.00.  They said their records could only go back 5 years, so we could only be refunded for 5 years of billing.

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If your streetlight is out, you may call Ameren at 800-552-7583 for streetlight repair.

GROUNDS COMMITTEE

We need a group of people willing to help maintain our circles and do some much-needed work at the pond.  This work is expensive to contract out and we could save a lot of money if we took care of it ourselves.  There are many ways to help, not all are labor oriented.  Please think about helping out.  We are passing out a signup sheet for anyone who would like to help in some capacity.  This Fall and Winter would be a great time to do some of this work while the temperatures are more comfortable.

Financial Report  (6 slides)

Our Treasurer has done a detailed analysis of our finances, going back as many years as possible.   Slide Avg. cost years 2019-2023.   He can go back further than 5 years, but this view gives us a good look at our average expenses. This next slide is our 2024 budgeted expenses.  Slide 2024 Budgeted Expenses.   They are very similar in percentages and totals.  We have generally broken even as to amount collected vs. expenditures for most years.  Two Slides showing Receipts and Disbursements,  Income/Expense.  You can see the first slide shows Receipts and Disbursements.  The second slide shows Receipts minus Disbursements.  You can see we spent much more than we took in for 2023.  For the years 2019 through 2022, we had a fair amount in reserve for emergencies.  Show slide Ending Balance (Reserve).  In 2023 this surplus was greatly reduced, mostly due to work done at the pond.  We lost our longtime pond maintenance service due to retirement, and the new service was $2000/year higher than the old service.  We also did mapping of the pond depth and repaired a leak at the outtake, which totaled about $6000.  At the end of the year 2023, we were left with a reserve of about $2900.  Slide Ending Balance Reserve) 

In anticipation of the reduced reserve fund, we increased our 2024 HOA fee to $175, hoping to save enough of the excess funds (after paying for our budgeted items) to put toward dredging the forebay of the pond, perhaps in 2025.  This did not happen.  A surprising number of people did not pay their HOA fees, around 10% of the homes.  Seven homes are behind one payment (2024), for a total of $1274, five homes are behind on more than one payment ($3601), and two homes have declared bankruptcy, which means we will never see the $2900 that they owe.  It is possible that we could recoup a total of $4875 if/when the 12 homes that are delinquent pay the full amount on their assessments.  There are a few residents who paid their fees late, but did not pay the accrued interest, and I am not counting them, as the amounts are just a few dollars.  Please be aware that if you pay late, a late fee will be applied.

The other unexpected cost in 2024 was the removal of the tree in the common ground at the pond, at a cost of $3850.

Surplus/Reserve Slide.   Our projected surplus for 2024 has been eaten up, and we are left with about $2994 at the end of 2024.  We had predicted almost $11,000 in surplus at the end of 2024 (this includes the $2900 surplus from 2023).  We now project that at the end of 2024, we may have a total of $5961 in reserve, the amount left over from 2023 ($2900) plus the 2024 reserve ($2994).

We told you last year that we would lower the HOA fee for 2025 to $150.  After reviewing preliminary cost projections for 2025, we think this would not be possible due to rising prices.  For example, Ameren is proposing a 15% price increase for residential service (which includes our streetlights).  This was not anticipated when we proposed reducing the fee from $175 to $150.   We need to keep the fee at $175 in order to avoid reducing our reserve even further.  We need to dredge the forebay before it gets too full, and that will now cost about $14,000.  We need to maintain a healthy reserve in order to handle unexpected expenses as they arise.  We are proposing a one-time special assessment for 2025 of $125 per home.  This would be in addition to the $175 HOA fee.  The $125 special assessment, when calculated for a 90% collection rate over 221 homes, will generate $22,376.  That should cover the pond forebay dredging and leave us with a projected reserve of around $12,000 to $14,000 (includes the 2023 and 2024 reserves).  We would like to keep building the reserve to about $20,000 over the next few years.

In the coming weeks, you will receive a ballot in the mail to vote for the special assessment of $125.  There will be an explanation of why this money is needed.  You will be directed to sign the ballot and either mail it to me (address will be on ballot) or drop it by my house.  There will be an envelope on the INSIDE of my storm door for the ballots.

Please give this important issue some careful thought.  We have a great subdivision, and we need to be good stewards of our living space!

Paula Kleypas

Minutes from 11-16-23 Shadowoak HOA Meeting

Officer Brian Hessling informed attendees of the increase in automobile thefts in the area and gave tips on securing your vehicle and home.

Paula Kleypas gave a short summary about the need to dredge the forebay of the water retention area (also known as the pond) and projected costs, as well as the recent services of the mapping and attempted leak fix.  To cover those expenses as well as the increased cost in maintenance of the common ground and electricity, a vote will be taken tonight to increase the dues to $175 for 2024, and $150 for the years thereafter.

Several residents spoke up about the importance of maintaining the water retention system, and that it will be more expensive if not addressed soon. We were also reminded that there hasn’t been an increase in HOA fees for many years.

Future community projects in the subdivision include dealing with the willows and other over-growth at the water retention area.  We will try to have some work days to take out as much of the over-growth as we can, without incurring expenses to the HOA. Please let us know if you are interested.

Two residents were nominated by proxy for the position of president, but no additional names were added by those in attendance.

The residents at the meeting voted and those votes were added to the proxy votes received, resulting in overwhelming support for the increase of the HOA fee.

Paula Kleypas was voted in as president of the Shadowoak Subdivision.

We want to thank Bill Oesterle for his many years serving as President of the Shadowoak HOA.  He put in much time and effort to take care of our subdivision.