President’s Letter

By Mike Moran | Email

Thank you to Jeff Janssen and Bob Ben for their tireless support and dedication to Fox Point as each transitioned off this board. Both gentlemen have done an incredible job during their tenure on the board with Bob servicing 3 years and Jeff serving 7years. When you see either of them in the Fox Point neighborhood please take the time to thank each of them for a job well done.

In January we held our annual election for the 2018 Fox Point Homeowners Association Board of Directors. Thank you to everyone that helped with the election process and especially those homeowners who voted either by mail or by stopping by the meeting.

Here is your 2018 Board of Directors/Officers/ Committee Assignments:

Mike Moran– President

Stephanie Paine– Vice President and Social

Lynn Douglas– Treasurer

Steve Shanfeld– Secretary

Jeff Barnum– Safety & Welfare

Christine Mickey– Tennis

Marc Muhs– Architecture

Geoff Ommen– Lake

Jay Roberts– Common Grounds

Horace Seely -Brown- Pool

Erik Vandenbergh— Civic Affairs

I encourage everyone to get involved & bring new ideas and their time to our committees. There is always good work to be done here and we are always looking for neighbors to get involved.

This year we will be investing resources in the full replacement of the tennis courts as noted in the 2018 proposed budget, published in December, 2017. The existing tennis courts are original and twice the projected useful life and in poor shape.

There will be an information Town Hall meeting on Monday 2/19/18 at 6:30 PM at the Village Church for anyone interested in learning more about the tennis court project.

I look forward to another great year in Fox Point.

Treasurer’s Report

By Lynn Douglas | Email

2018 Annual Assessment

The Board adopted the 2018 Budget, as proposed and published in December 2017. This includes a modest $20 increase to the Annual Assessment to $995.

The association’s CPA, Picker & Associates, will mail invoices to all owners of record before February month end. The Assessment is for the 2018 calendar year and is due no later than March 31, 2018. In the event, you do not receive your invoice, please contact Linda Smith at Picker & Associates at 847- 541-4000 for a duplicate copy.

For those homeowners who use electronic checking to pay their Annual Assessment, please make sure to update the value to $995.

2017 Financial Statement

Fox Point continues to be in solid financial condition with good infrastructure and insurance coverage. We closed 2017 with a $35,000 balance within our Operating Account, which should be adequate to cover expenses we incur during the first quarter of 2018, before 2018 Annual Assessments are due. There was a $686,420 balance within the Reserve Account for future major repairs, replacements and restorations, as becomes necessary.

While variances, actual vs budgeted, occurred, they were not material. The most significant variances were incurred due to water bills associated with onetime events, a leak within the Pool Sump Pump and unanticipated expenses associated with 2016-7, winterizing the Pool House. You can find the 2017 Financial Statement CLICK HERE

Preserve the Reserves

Most physical assets gradually and permanently decline in value over time because sooner or later, everything wears out and requires major repairs, restorations and eventual replacement.

There is a very real need for associations to adequately “reserve” funds for future major repairs, restoration and replacement of common assets, oftentimes decades into the future to ensure it has the funding to take care of business, when it becomes necessary to do so. Failure of associations to adequately reserve often results in deferment of necessary work and a common asset becomes a common liability. Or, the association imposes a Special Assessment on all owners to take care of business.  Both outcomes carry the potential to negatively impact home values.

In 2018, 50.3% of our Annual Assessment is a contribution to FPHA Reserves. It represents our fair share annual depreciation of common assets and helps to ensure the association can fund major repairs, restorations and replacements, when it becomes necessary to do so.

Common Grounds

By Jay Roberts | Email

Greetings fellow Fox Pointers!  I’m truly excited to have recently been elected to the Fox Point Board.  I will be your chairman for the Common Grounds.  I realize I have some big shoes to fill!  Mike did a tremendous job which is evident by his detailed reports each month and by looking around the neighborhood at the improvements in all the areas related to this position.  I’m looking forward to the challenge, learning along the way, and to carrying out some of my own visions for the neighborhood as well.

In 2017 we completed many projects.  This would include all of the new plantings, maintaining both entrances, some improvements to the boat dock area, and some fresh paint to the playground equipment.  These are just a few of the many accomplishments.  Outside of the larger assets the (Lake, Pool, and Tennis Courts) we have many smaller assets and common areas that need to be maintained, improved, and keep our attention.  It is my commitment to ensure that we go into 2018 the same way we ended this year.

I’m eager to get started and to see what 2018 brings us!  I’ll have a better understanding by Spring of all the many projects and goals that need to be reached.  If you need something or have any suggestions and/or ideas to help get me started, please feel free to reach out and let me know.

This is our neighborhood and I want to make sure we continue our focus in the appropriate areas and look for new ways to improve as well!

Pool

By Horace  Seely-Brown | Email

Hello Neighbors! I am proud to be returning to the board in 2018 and will be responsible for the pool yet again. We expect another great season and have plenty of initiatives to keep us busy. We always welcome feedback so please feel free to reach out with ideas. 

Please find a list of things we will be working on in 2018 in no particular order:

Pool House- Initial discussion, including town hall meetings, on much needed renovations

Swim Lessons-  for those too young for swim team, we are reviewing options for weekend morning lessons.

Adult Classes– we have been approached to review water aerobics/Zumba classes.

Grills– Instead of finding the need to always order food to the pool, create an area for residents to bring their own grills.

Pool Management Contract– We are entering the last year of a 3-year contract so will be reviewing vendors for 2019 and beyond.

Guest Fees– we are reviewing options to tighten up our enforcement of guest payments.

Glass–  similar to above, we are reviewing a policy of enforcement for those that ignore the postings and decide to bring glass objects into the pool facility.

As I mentioned, this is a short list and we welcome additional ideas. Pool opening is only 4 months away!

Safety and Welfare Report

By Jeff Barnum | Email

Awareness, Awareness, Awareness

Hello Fox Point Neighbors! My name is Jeff Barnum, and I’m the new Safety & Welfare Chairperson. As I listened to all the Chair reports summarizing the 2017 calendar year at the January Board Meeting, one thing from my predecessor’s report really stood out to me.

Bob Ben reported on the results of the study done with the Barrington Police Department’s speeding radar sign and I was expecting some eye-opening stats. However, the results came back with very little to report: not many people were speeding according to the data from the sign on Valley Road.

Many will tell you that’s not the case and that speeding is a problem. We have all seen the many incidents posted to Nextdoor and recognize people do speed through the neighborhood, whether they are residents or our guests. So why do the results show little to nothing to report? It’s simple, Awareness. Let’s face it, when driving and seeing that sign and radar gun, its human nature to slow down as to not have your speed start flashing for everyone to see.

As I jump into this position, the first thing I would like to promote is awareness.

There have been so many potential solutions presented to the Board over the years, such as sidewalks, speed bumps, speed limit changes, etc. However, there is always something that impedes these suggestions, such as cost, regulations, and governing bodies.

Awareness is free, Awareness is not regulated, and Awareness is easy

Most have heard the quote “Dance as if no one is watching” but I suggest “Let’s drive as if everyone is watching.”

Tennis

By Christine Mickey | Email

We are very happy to report that the 2017 Board approved the complete removal and reconstruction of the 3 Fox Point Tennis Courts.  This is the first time since they were originally built that the courts will be completely redone.  The work will be done by U.S. Tennis Court Construction Company and will start in mid to late April and will be completed by Memorial Day (weather dependent).

The Tennis Committee will be hosting a Fox Point Town Hall Meeting on Monday, February 19th at 6:30 PM at the Village Church to answer any questions from Fox Point residents on the new tennis courts.    We hope to see you there.

Social

By Stephanie Paine | Email

Happy 2018 Fox Pointers! We are excited to kick off the 2018 social calendar – see below. Dates will be finalized and published in the newsletter or on NextDoor. Please consider assisting with any events that are not already assigned to a chair.

March

• Easter Egg Hunt, Chair: Jodi Johnson

April

• April 20 – Card Party, Chairs: Melissa Mickey and Christie Hewlett

May

• Neighborhood Book Swap, Chair: Cara O’hara
• Fishing Derby

June

• Food Truck Friday

July

• July 4^th – Pool Games
• Food Truck Friday

August

• Campout – Chairs: Mike Fleming, Greg Paris, Mike Dimucci

September

• Garage Sale
• Golf Outing
• Neighborhood Home Walk – Chair: Jill Barnum

October

• Fall Fest

November

• Progressive Dinner – Melissa Mickey and Nikki Dimucci

December

• Santa Visits – Jennifer Livingston