On 22 October, the GCA Board approved the GCA Budget for 2021. In order to balance the 2021 budget, there will be a small assessment increase. The $8.00 per year increase (0.77%) was driven mainly by two factors: the significant loss in revenue (approximately $23K) due to significantly lower CD rates*, and eight delinquent accounts (approximately $21K). To see next year's approved GCA budget, click here.

The Board also reviewed the GCA Reserve requirements tor 2020 in accordance with the VA Property Owners' Association Act. The Board approved four additions to the Reserve Study (EC Kubota replacement at $25K, an EC Ring Drag 2021 purchase at $4K, an outdoor gatehouse information monitor purchase for $15K, the cost for the safety sidewalk engineering study at $36K, and a correction to the 2019 reserve study for the Glenmore Farm fences at $225K over 30 years. To see the updated GCA Reserve Study, click here.

In an attempt to address residents' concerns, last year we initiated patrols by the Albemarle County Police department*. We also continue to monitor speeds on our roads with our two electronic speed signs (one after the gatehouse entrance, and the second on Piper Way just after the Club at Glenmore). Click here to see the speed data over three years.

As you can see from the data, the Albemarle County Police safety patrols have had minimal success in reducing the traffic speed. 32% of traffic passing the first Piper Way radar sign exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 MPH. And 16% of the traffic passing the second radar sign exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 MPH. The fastest speeds were clocked at 71 MPH and 68 MPH respectively.

*A link to the Police Patrol reports is on the GCA Google Drive for residents to review.

You may have noticed that there is a large fence project underway at the Equestrian Center. The fence project will replace all of the posts and boards that needed to be replaced in all of our 14 paddocks. The new wood will be stained in six months to give it time to dry out. The GCA is also under contract to repair the exterior and paint the main barn, the upper barn, the pony barn and three run in sheds in the spring of 2021. We are currently getting estimates to replace the roof at the main barn. The roof at the upper barn was replaced this year.

 

Last year DMA Reserves, Inc of Richmond, VA conducted an engineered reserve study analysis of all of the capital assets at the EC, including the buildings, fences, rings, infrastructure and equipment. The report listed each asset with an estimated date of replacement and the dollars needed for replacement. The bottom line is that the cost to replace all of the capital assets every thirty years is $1,225,000. This amounts to an average of $40,833 per year or $47 per household per year. To the extent that the land is leased to a tenant, this annual cost is offset.

 

The 61 acre parcel was purchased by the GCA in 2014 at a cost of $1,200,000 in order to protect this green space from development. The GCA owns the property now without a mortgage, and the remaining loan from our reserve funds used to retire the mortgage will be fully repaid by August 2022. The parcel is currently leased to Abbie Wright Sullivan who operates a horse farm and equestrian center on the premises.

Each month we receive questions from GCA residents directed to either Associa or to Board Members. As examples, "When will leaves be picked up?" "Where can we find info on mailbox maintenance?" For each Newsletter publication, we will select questions from residents that may be of interest to the community at large, and provide detailed answers. Here is our first "Question from the Community".

Question: The Board approved a budget item for the "safety sidewalk project" for Farringdon and Newbridge Roads. There have been other proposals in the past to protect walkers (speed bumps, road narrowing). Were these other proposals considered?

Answer: The issue of roads safety has been considered many times over the past ten years. This Board and the prior Board looked at two issues for the safety of our community, and they are addressed in our 2020 GCA Strategic Plan. The first is how to address vehicle speed in Glenmore. This is being addressed this year and is a separate topic.

The second is how to address two specific segments of road where the curves in the road create an obstructed line of sight for drivers and walkers. In 2019, the CARB reviewed the issue, and identified sidewalks as a solution ... get pedestrians off the street. The CARB specifically identified two high risk areas (Farringdon Road and Newbridge Road) where the line of sight is very limited due to the curves in the road. Speed bumps have limited value in areas with a limited line of sight, and pedestrians are still on the road. Farringdon and Newbridge Roads are already very narrow roads.

To address the question, we conducted a survey of the GCA Community in the late summer of 2019. Question 15 of the survey asked the community to rate the statement "I support the reasonable expansion of the asphalt sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety in higher traffic and minimal visibility areas". The results of the survey were 81% strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, and 8.4% either disagreed or strongly disagreed.

The Board reviewed the CARB recommendations and the survey results, and approved a budget line item in the 2019 Reserve Study for the safety sidewalks by Resolution dated 17 October 2019. Since then, the 2020 Board directed the CARB to collect engineering information and costs for the safety sidewalks. After a second review of the cost for the engineering study and the estimated cost for the safety sidewalks, the current Board approved the reserve budget line item for the engineering study ($36K) for 2021, and $150,000 for the installation of the sidewalks. That budget was unanimously approved by resolution 2020-014 on 22 October 2020.

GCA elections are just three months away, and the Nominations Committee is looking for candidates to run for the GCA Board in February 2021. If you want to serve on the Board, please click here (Add the subject line "Nominating Committee")

You may have heard in years past that the Board spends hundreds of hours per month running GCA operations. With the expansion of Associa’s professional management services, we have been transferring "operations" to Associa, leaving the main role of the Board as policy and oversight. Board members serve two years and chair and/or serve on two Board committees. The Board meets twice monthly for two hours each.