President’s Letter

By Jeff Janssen | Email
309-846-0250

What a wonderful time of year!!!  The spirit of giving and celebration is in the air.  Merry Christmas!!!

December is a great time to reflect…  As I look back over the last six years of serving on the Fox Point Board, I feel blessed beyond what I deserve.  I have been privileged to work with some truly awesome leaders that have chosen to use their skills to serve our Fox Point Community.  I am amazed at what all has been accomplished!

Our neighborhood is blessed with residents that are willing to step up and volunteer to build our community.  With that in mind, it is time for me to pass the President torch to the next leader and a new Fox Point Board to begin in January, 2018.  I look forward to continued good works from and within Fox Point. Over the past few months, the Fox Point Board has been working through our 2018 Operating Budget and Long Term Capital Plan.  Our Budget has various parts that all come together to make a strong plan for the future of our neighborhood.

Our Operating Budget covers the routine expenses incurred by our association throughout the year like pool expenses, landscaping expenses, and lake expenses.  The 2018 Capital Budget sets out a plan to replace the tennis courts; to replace the boat racks; and to improve water quality in the lake with phoslock treatments.

In addition, we completed a reserve study in 2017 to assist us in updating the long term capital plan.  Yes, we plan potential projects for the next couple of decades and how we will reserve funds to pay for them.  Please see the Treasurer’s budget commentary by Lynn Douglas and the 2018 Operating Budget and Long Term Capital Plan later in this newsletter. 

For several weeks this Fall the Barrington Police Department positioned a speed awareness sign within Fox Point and completed a speed analysis for the Fox Point Board.  I greatly appreciate the additional attention to safety that our drivers have displayed within Fox Point.  The reports were very positive and revealed a low average speed of drivers, as well as a low number of drivers more than 5 mph over the 25 mph speed limit.  Thank you!

As another year will soon be drawing to a close, we will be preparing for our Annual Homeowners Meeting on January 15, 2017 at 7:00 pm.  At this meeting, we will be electing a total of 4 members to the Fox Point Board (each of which will be serving a three year term).  I am pleased to announce that we have 6 candidates running for these vacancies.  Please see their biographies later in this newsletter.

In compliance with our Fox Point Election Guidelines, we will be sending out the official ballot in January.  A special thank you to all of the candidates for their willingness to serve our Fox Point community.

Thank you all for a wonderful year!  A special THANK YOU to all of you that have served with me on the Board and all the dedicated volunteers who have contributed their time and resources to Fox Point.

So as I wrap up the last President’s Letter for 2017 and my last President’s Letter as President of Fox Point, I bid you farewell…

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!!!

Nominating Committee

Fox Point Residents please take a moment to read about the candidates running for the Fox Point Board in 2018.  There will be 4 open board positions in 2018.  The election ballot and instructions for voting will be in the January newsletter.

Thank you,

The Nominating Committee

Mike Postma

Our family moved into Fox Point in late 2016, and has enjoyed the community immensely in our brief time here. My wife (Jenny) and I have been fortunate to live in great neighborhoods while relocating to Alabama, Kentucky and now back to Jenny’s hometown in Barrington. Our children Jack (age 8) and Lucy (age 5) certainly have adopted well by seeing all the kids at the pool and in school. 

A consistent aspect of the communities we’ve been blessed to live in is high engagement and participation by the households which call it home. I am running for board because I would like to get involved to ensure our neighborhood continues to engage its members. Each home has different priorities and expectations of our board and whether it be safety, social events, or amenity enhancements my goal is to ensure we keep everyone in mind while being good stewards of our resources. 

I’m currently the President of a retail solutions company within a large industrial holding conglomerate which has prepared me well for balancing varying interests with larger strategic goals. If elected, I’m committed to serving in the best interests of all Fox Point families to maintain and increase the value of our homes. 

Geoff Ommen

Hello neighbors,

My name is Geoff Ommen.  I am asking you to re-elect me to your Fox Point board.  Since 2011 I have served our community in the following board capacities:  Safety and Welfare Chair, Secretary, Lake Chair and President.  Over the past 7 years I have either assisted in or spearheaded several significant events in the history of Fox Point.  The two most notable of these was co-leading the new pool initiative (with Elaine Leighton and Tom Malia) and Fox Point’s 50^th anniversary event.  My experiences on the board have exposed me to many of the different social groups that make Fox Point a wonderful place.  Because of this, I incorporate many different points of view when it comes to decisions that need to be made for the benefit of the community.

A retail management position at Sears brought me and my wife Kathleen to Fox Point in 2010 (from California).  We instantly appreciated our community and felt that Fox Point would be the best place to raise our son, Jason (now 12).  Shortly after relocating to the area, I left Sears and established a successful residential real estate career.  Aside from my commitment to FoxPoint, I am deeply involved in Barrington Youth Football.  My wife Kathleen and I both love Fox Point!

I ask for your support and would love to represent you once again on the Fox Point board.

Jeff Barnum

Hello, my name is Jeff Barnum and I am seeking a position to the Fox Point Board because I want to see that our neighborhood continues to thrive and is constantly moving forward.  This neighborhood has so much to offer every family.  As a board member, I would go to work for the families of this neighborhood, ensuring that we carry on the traditions of the past along with looking for new traditions to keep moving the neighborhood forward as a desirable place to live and raise a family.

My wife, Jill, and I both grew up in the surrounding suburbs and have lived in Fox Point for over 5 years at 1210 Lake Shore Drive N. We can still remember the day we looked at the house to purchase and my two boys (Brogan 13, Cooper 9) ran straight for the back yard. At that moment, we just knew this was going to be the place for us.  Our third child (Callie 6) enjoys the backyard now more than ever.

I graduated from Truman State University in 1996 with a Finance degree and I am currently employed at First Trust Portfolios L.P. in Wheaton, IL.  I have been working there for over 20 years as a Sales Manager on the internal desk.  I am currently involved with Barrington Youth Baseball & Softball program volunteering my time as a manager and coach for multiple teams. 

I am looking for your support to represent you and your family on the Fox Point board.

Jay Roberts

Greetings fellow Fox Pointers!  I’m Jay Roberts and I’m excited for the chance to to represent our neighborhood in the upcoming election for the Fox Point board. Like all of you, I love Fox Point and all that it has to offer.  My hope is to preserve all of the traditional activities and assets but to also look for all opportunities to grow and invest so that our neighborhood stays current.  Everyone who lives here understands it’s a special place to live and raise a family.  As a board member it would be my responsibility to ensure that continues moving forward.

On a personal note, my wife, Krista, and I have lived in Fox Point for 6 years.  I’m originally from North Carolina and she from Barrington.  We live on the south side at 1201 Oak Ridge Circle.  We are hard to miss because we are a traveling circus with our four kids (Jackson 9, Camryn 6, Dean 4, & Ryann soon to be 2).  They keep our lives chaotic and fun all at the same time and we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Aside from my family, I love to golf, play platform tennis, work around the yard, and hang out with friends and family.  

Professionally, I’m employed at Sage Products, which is a healthcare device manufacturing company located in Cary.  It’s a great place to work that values its employees and does tremendous things for its community.  My role is in new product development.  Inside the hospital, I coordinate and manage clinical trials of new product concepts to determine if they are viable to go to market or not. I would graciously ask for your support and look forward to representing our neighborhood as part of the Fox Point board.  Hope to see everyone around soon!

Anthony Crissie

My name is Anthony Crissie,  my family and I have lived in Fox Point since December of 2014; we live at 265 Cold Spring.  My wife Stephanie and I have 2 daughters; Isabella (2.5 yrs old) and Sienna (1 yr old).  We also have a dog named Tika, she’s a Yorkie.

Moving to Fox Point has been an incredible experience for me and my family, we are very fortunate to have so many wonderful neighbors in this amazing neighborhood. I want to help keep that going and participate as a board member.

I grew up in Arlington Heights, IL for the early part of my life before my family moved to Barrington in 1991.  After 2 years at Barrington Middle School (Station), I went out to St. Viator High School where I graduated in 1997. In high school I participated in a variety of  clubs and organizations to help make the school a better place.  Some of these include:  Student Council, Retreat Tream, Peer Mediation, Outdoor Adventure Club, and KAIROS. My education continued at the University of Iowa, I graduated with a BA in Political Science in 2001.

I am currently a partner at a nationwide agency called LineDrive where I am the Director of Sales and VP of Marketing.  In my role I manage 10 people; I have been successful by excelling at work effectiveness, being a good listener, and creating well organized game plans. I have kept involved with the community by volunteering help with The Jeffery Pride Foundation, PADS, Atonement Lutheran Church, the Community Meal, and most recently our streets backyard party.

Throughout my life I have been involved in various leadership roles both professionally and personally that have provided me experience I can apply to help serve as a board member

Mike Moran

I have lived in Fox Point for almost 13 years with my wife Kathy, Jack (18), and Grace (13) after relocating from Palatine.  For the past 32 plus years I have grown Moran Transportation Corporation, a regional transportation & warehouse company based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Over the past dozen or so years I have been involved in a number of different local, regional, and professional organizations.  Within the community I spent quite a number of years coaching local soccer teams and I am currently an active member of the Fox Point Home Owners Board (Four Years).  For the past three years I have been managing the common grounds tasks within Fox Point as we have worked diligently to update many of the areas within our community.  We have spent quite a bit of moneys on capitol project within the neighborhood during that period and have worked hard to better maintain many of the assets within our neighborhood.  I have helped manage many a social event during those 13 years as a homeowner and ran the Fox Point Golf outing for a number of years.  I have had the pleasure of serving on the House Corporation Board for my Fraternity for 8 years helping to manage a recently completed 4M capital campaign & facility renovation.  At the professional level I continue to be actively involved in a number of different transportation & political organizations including Past Chairmen of the Regional LTL & Distribution Association (division of American Trucking Association in Washington DC) and recent past President Distributors & Consolidators of American Association. 

I look forward to the opportunity to continue working on the board.

Common Grounds

By Mike Moran | Email

We don’t have too much to report at this time of the year as our tasks have really stopped for the season. Our snow contract is ready and on alert for any snow or ice that might need to be addressed in the coming months. I am also hopeful that we will have two new light poles and fixtures installed at the boat docks by the time the newsletter is published. We squeezed that one final project in for this year which really rounds out an incredible three year period.

I have been managing the common grounds areas for the past three years and what a few years it has been in this arena. We have updated, repaired, replaced, and/or completely rebuilt literally dozens of the core and very visible assets within our neighborhood during these three years. There is still plenty to do but I hope that everyone has seen the true impact of the efforts that went into the last few years. The board in recent years has been very supportive of any effort to beautify our neighborhood and in allowing us to concentrate on updating and maintaining Fox Point. In addition we have paid very close attention to the details on our weekly landscape maintenance programs to help in the beautification efforts.   The “devil is in the details” and so is true of our weekly landscaping. Our current vendor has done a great job in keeping bushes trimmed, weeds pulled, edges in line, tree’s trimmed and new plantings maintained as we have all worked together to make sure that the details were addressed each week by their landscaping teams. I think in the end the neighborhood has really seen some significant changes due to the resultant effort of all involved.

I also wanted to thank Mike & Gavin Uhran & family for setting up the Christmas decorations at each entrance this year. For as far back as I can remember, we have purchased the Christmas wreathes and entrance decorations from the local Boy Scout Troop 21. It is a great local organization to support and one that typically has quite a few Fox Point families actively involved in the group. The Uhran crew has done if for the past couple of years and the Adler family did an exceptional job prior to the Uhran crew. Thanks again to Mike and Gavin for starting the holiday season off right!!

As this year comes to a close so too does the roles of each member of the board and the transition to a new board and another great group of neighbors that will help to keep Fox Point the best neighborhood in Barrington. I bid you all “adieu” as I pass the common grounds torch to the next common grounds chairmen.

Here are just a few of the projects that we accomplished in the past three years. Thanks to all that helped with each project!!!

• Upgrade gardens in and around the pool & tennis court complex (large capital project)
• Replace the pool entrance with new brick paver entrance
• Replace old pool entrance light with gas lamp
• Add two benches at the pool house entrance
• Add flower planters at the entrance to the pool house
• Replace the Fox Point sign on the pool house
• Replace picnic tables at pool complex
• Update garden beds at Cold Spring entrances
• Upgrade the lighting sensors at the Cold Spring entrance
• Extensive tree trimming of trees at boat dock and pool complex
• Replace & upgrade the garden beds at all four corners of the Valley Road entrance (large capital project)
• Replace the two electrical lamps at the front of the islands at the Valley Road entrances
• Completely replace the lights and electrical circuitry at all four corners the Valley Road entrance (large capital project)
• Replace the two light fixtures and poles at the boat docks
• Expand the seasonal plantings and bulbs at the two entrances, boat docks, and pool house entrance
• Repair & seal coat the path to the school complex on the south side, the boat dock asphalt path & the pool parking lot
• Update the swing and misc. parts of the swing set at the pool
• Paint and update the entire swing set at the pool
• Repair walls and wall fence at Valley street entrance (twice) due to trees falling on them

Happy Holidays to all!!

Treasurer’s Report

By Lynn Douglas | Email

The proposed Budget for 2018 outlines the intent of the Annual Assessment and associated spending to operate, maintain, repair, restore and replace assets.

Your Board of Directors expects to act on the Proposed 2018 Budget at the Board Meeting immediately preceding the Annual Meeting on Monday, January 15, 2018.

Proposed 2018 Annual Assessment

An increase of $20 in the Annual Assessment will bring Annual Dues to $995 and is consistent with 2% inflation of goods and services.

Proposed 2018 Operating Budget

Fox Point is a self-managed association and outsources critical functions, Accounting, Website/Electronic Communications, Pool Management and Landscape Maintenance. These functions, along with Insurance, are put out for fixed bid every three years. As such, the costs of these services represent most of the Operating Budget. Overall, the proposed 2018 Operating Budget is consistent with the 2017 Budget.

Proposed 2018 Capital Spending

Capital Spending represents an intention to spend, not specific authority to do so. Actual spending authority is determined by the Board and subject to a competitive bidding process. Actual work could be accelerated or delayed, dependent on condition of any given asset and overall priorities. Intentions for 2018 follow:

• Replacement of 3 Tennis Courts and Fencing

The existing courts are original to the association and twice the projected useful life and in poor condition. The courts were resurfaced and color- coded in 1995 and then again in 2012. The foundation of the courts has sunk and is inadequate to support a tennis surface without quickly developing new cracks, buckling and drainage issues. A tear-off, new foundation and court surface as well as fencing is cost effective at this time and avoids the need to invest in costly resurfacing/color- coding that will last only a few years.

• New Boat Racks

Replacing the decaying Boat Racks at the Boat Dock has been postponed for many years due to other spending priorities and is long overdue.

• Proposed Phoslock Treatment

Algae is a bacterium that often forms near the shoreline surfaces of freshwater lake and ponds. Under ideal conditions, it is fast growing mat like surface with a very foul odor. Phosphorus is used by plants, especially Algae to grow.

Phoslock Treatment is both a commercial product and a process to remove phosphate from water and as such is a powerful tool in all Lake Management Programs.

• Bath House Renovation

Phase 1 of an eventual bathhouse remodel begins with plans, what needs to be done, why it needs to be done and when.   A Town Hall Meeting with all owners will be scheduled at some point in 2018 to address these questions and options. 

• Cul De Sac Island Landscape Restoration

This scheduled initiative is part of the ongoing, multi-year initiative to restore landscapes in the common areas.

Social

By Stephanie Paine | Email

November saw my favorite event of the year – the Progressive Dinner.

The committee members did a fabulous job – a big thanks to Allison Meier, Melinda McElroy, Melissa Mickey and Nikki DiMucci. Without host homes, this event couldn’t happen, so thanks to those who hosted appetizers, desserts and dinner! John and Nonie Brown, Joseph and Susan Shearin, Jeff and Cindy Janssen, CarolAnn Shindelar and Steve Armitage, Mike and Melinda McElroy, Stephanie and Brian Paine, and Becky and Ed Wristen.

Upcoming Event – Santa Visits (December 16, 17 and 24)

The annual Santa Visits are filling up! December 17 and 24 are full and there are a few spots left on December 16. Sign up & pay here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080c48a8a92fa4fa7-foxpoint7. The cost is $8 per family (up to 3 kids included in that price, and an additional cost of $2 per extra kid) and this covers a small gift for the children and maintaining/cleaning Santa suits. Thanks to Jennifer Livingston for coordinating these visits!

2018 Event Chairs – Calling all Volunteers!

Do you have any interest in chairing a specific event in 2018? Reach out to me directly at stephpaine@gmail.com to sign up! Our social events are one of the things that make our neighborhood desirable. Your assistance is needed and appreciated to help pull off these events!