May 2025 Board Meeting

For our May board meeting, the following were present:

Kyle Thompson of the Board

Dave Underwood of the Board

James Kellar of the Board

Nova Kien of the Board

Tom Seeber of the Board

Suzanne O'Connell of Focus Property Management

• We discussed that the entrance street sign update had some delays due to materials acquisition. It should be going forward again.

• We discussed recycling. It has been observed that people are putting contaminating items into the recycling bin. When this happens, the waste removal company cannot take the contents to recycling. Instead, they take it to general landfill. In addition to this, they will begin charging premium rates to do so, and this will cost then a higher rate than standard recycling/garbage removal. People are also not using it properly in general. Boxes are not broken down as they should be. As a result, what is in the recycling bin has not been going to recycling; it has been going to landfill. As a result, the board, chose to remove recycling from the neighborhood. Focus will send out notification that this will be happening sometime in the next month. Messaging will also include directions/hours to the Bloomington recycling center for those who wish to continue to recycle. Most members of the board voted with regret to make this decision. It was an experiment for the neighborhood. It did not work.

• We discussed that the updated trash dumpsters have the same capacity space for garbage. Two of them were changed to lower height versions to make it easier for residents to get the trash into the dumpsters (the third space was not wide enough as the new dumpsters are lower but wider). This also makes them less visible above the container fencing which improves the look of the area.

• Much discussion was had about having a large roll off dumpster for July/August moving season.

• Focus is researching resuming use of the drop box by the main mailboxes. If this is re-implemented, residents will be able to put payments to Oaklawn Park by check into the drop box. This is not yet live, so residents should not use the drop box without first receiving a notification from Focus that this has been reinstated.

• The board approved moving forward with some road repairs. The board approved resurfacing of the entrance area to the neighborhood (Sare Rd entrance). Road surfaces in most need of attention will be patched (in a more substantial way than simply putting lose asphalt into them). We hope this will get us through the next year or two until we can have a more substantial budget for more substantial resurfacing. It will be a high cost to resurface the streets.

• As part of the road repairs, the sidewalk that remains unfinished (after 25 years) near the neighborhood entrance will be updated to continue to the street with an accessible connection to the street.

• The board approved having the tree limbs along the south boarder of the neighborhood trimmed to keep them out of the patio areas of the residents who live there.

• The board approved trimming the bottom of the large pine tree at the corner of Olson and Oaklawn Circle so that mowing crews can access below the tree.

• Bloomington Landscaping Company indicated they would come to the neighborhood in March to check which new trees needed replaced and straightened. They arrived in April. They indicated they would replace and straighten trees in early May. We are now approaching mid-May. We hope they be doing the work soon. The new trees had a one year warrantee.

• The final remaining 6 original roofs are still planned to be replaced later this summer. We are waiting until more money owed to the neighborhood in water billing is paid and likely until July quarterly dues enter our accounts.

• We discussed that the annual meeting in July will be planned to be virtual/online again this year. Focus will be sending out notifications.

• We discussed possible updates to patio door replacements (sliding doors on some that currently do not have sliding doors?).

• We discussed planning the 2026 budget. Focus will putting together a budget proposal. Big considerations for next years budget will include entry and patio door replacements, deck repairs, siding repairs, dumpster enclosure repairs/staining, and continued landscaping improvements.

Kyle Thompson