Board of Directors / Committees
June, 2007
The summer season is here, school is out, the water is warm, the crabs are back and WSHPOA members and friends can be found up and down our beachfront. Many of you who read this were at our Memorial Day Beach Party (see the photo gallery!) and I had a chance to talk with some of you. I am taking this opportunity to tell you of two topics to which I responded - one concerning the state of our beach and the other the annual meeting. Beach
Several owners expressed concern about the state of our breakwaters and what the association was going to do about it. I want to review what has been shared with the members in our mailings earlier this year and what has been discussed in our Board meetings (we trust you are reading the excellent meeting notes written by our Secretary, Sylvia Nolan, on our web page). You may recall the President’s annual letter sent to you at the beginning of the year and in the cover letter from our Treasurer, Bill Estell, with the annual dues assessment, the most recent damages to our breakwater occurred during three storms last fall including the Tropical Storm Ernesto (despite what the National Hurricane Center said, it was a hurricane!). Beach repairs were made thanks to the voluntary efforts of our property maintenance committee, our Treasurer, and the chair of our now expired beach preservation committee. We used some of our reserve funds for beach clean-up of the several hundred trees knocked down, repair of the Gazebo, and addition of rocks to prevent runoff of backfill to the bulkhead protecting the volleyball court. We replaced some of the initial 8-foot tall rectangular boxes in the breakwater sections with newer, reinforced concrete octagonal 6-foot tall boxes. All of these new boxes held up under subsequent severe Nor’easter storms, but again some of the older boxes fell victim to the pounding of waves on top of the storm’s 10-foot tidal surge. As indicated in the March dues letter, we do not have sufficient funds in our reserve to replace the remaining older damaged breakwater boxes at this time. The Board unanimously made the decision that we would not ask for a second special assessment to finance immediate replacements. The Board did decide to ask the membership at the Annual Meeting in October for a dues increase in order to create a special reserve fund for the beach that would be added to each year out of regular annual dues. The entire amount of the dues increase would be dedicated to maintenance of the beach including replacement of the damaged breakwaters over time. Some of you have asked if the Board would be reviewing the approaches taken for beach preservation given the damages to the breakwater. The Board is always willing to hear your ideas on this matter. It is currently the opinion of the Board and our Property Management Committee that unless affordable new technology to prevent beach erosion is available, the best policy is to plan for replacement of our destroyed breakwater boxes as funds are available. The dues increase that the Board recommended for you to vote on in October will be $35 for lots without houses and $55 for lots with houses. Additional information will be sent to you in materials related to the Annual Meeting by early September. Annual Meeting Details of the October 13 th annual meeting will be sent to you by early September. The major topic to be presented to your consideration will be the proposed dues increase. The other matter of interest will be the annual elections. The Board will be considering nominations for vacant positions in its next two meetings. It will present its recommended slate as one of the enclosures in the annual meeting invitation letter. You will be able to vote for the four officer positions – President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary – and 3 of the 7 directors whose two-year terms expire. As a WSHPOA member you have the option of voting for the Board recommendations, or for any nominations submitted from the floor at the annual meeting. Meanwhile I invite any of you who have an interest in serving on the Board to express that interest to any Board members or during the Property Owner’s Forums at each monthly meeting. I hope all of you will be visiting your property and using the amenities of WSH this summer. I will be there almost every weekend. When you see me or any members of the Board, please stop and chat with us. We have a great community, but only great because of your volunteer spirit and your contributions to maintain and enhance White Sand Harbour. Regards, Bruce M. Craig President, WSHPOA
May, 2007 We believe that sunny, warm weather has returned to WSH to stay for a while. Temperatures this spring have been up and down to say the least! In April, weather held for our semi-annual clean-up of Mob Neck Road. A few pictures of this event are posted in the gallery. Two weeks later we had the annual beach clean-up. This was more of a chore, given that sand has advanced over and through the back of the picnic and grill area. Thanks to the loan of Pat Spayd’s tractor and the driving skill of Pat Nolan, much of the sand was removed and placed strategically in back of the bulkhead. This mechanized assistance was needed to excavate the steps from the decorative bridge in front of the gazebo. The Social Committee made sure that all the volunteers were fed following their work! Recently, two members of our development passed. Many of you knew Hector Carpou, who with his wife, Ethel, arrived from New York in 1988. As a recent editorial in the Rappahannock Record stated loved the water and was long time member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Even in his last few years, Hector attended our annual meetings, always interested in how the Board was dealing with community issues. Hector had been a Board member and was the founding father of our involvement in the road clean-up activity, even making sure we had the right equipment to participate! All of us who knew him already miss his encyclopedic knowledge of just about everything! When you come to WSH, be sure to say hello to Ethel. When she is not out at yard sales or working in her beautiful garden, you will see her at our events. She is an active member of the social committee and one of the hardest working volunteers on our clean-up days. Within a week of our loss of Hector, we learned that Frank Powstanski passed. Frank and Anna came to the Northern Neck in the late 1970’s and settled in Bay View across from the WSH entrance sign. They wanted to become part of our community, so they bought several lots across the street on the corner of Mob Neck and Cubbitt Creek Drive. Frank was a career U.S. Army veteran who while serving in the Korean conflict earned a Bronze Star for valor. We will miss Frank and hope than Anna will continue to be our neighbor. By the time you read this, we will have had our annual beach party! This is the second year of its revival all due to the efforts of our social committee. Our entertainment continues to grow, but we welcome new members to come forth with their musical talents next year! If you haven’t been down for a while, you will see that our campground is open and someone is almost always there. Come join us! Bruce Craig President, WSHPOA
March 10, 2007 Your WSHPOA Board of Directors held its first meeting for the calendar year on March 3. Given that board meeting minutes require approval at the next meeting, our posting of minutes on the web may seem out of date. To try to get you important information about WSH before minutes are posted and to make sure information previously posted is relevant; we have formed a Web Committee (see Board and Committees section). In some cases new information will be posted under announcements. In others we will post messages on the bulletin board. If you have ideas for improving the web site, please post them on the bulletin board. No good idea will be unnoticed! If you were down to your property during the first week in March, you may have seen surveyors from the Virginia Department of Transportation along Mob Neck Road. They are part of a planning process that may result in some road improvements this year. Some of you know that Mob Neck Road has been a priority in the county plan for road improvements for a number of years. The total cost of improvements needed has been estimated at $4.7 million, however the amount of money set aside each year for the project has been approximately $80,000. The total accumulated to date is about $1.4 million. Under normal circumstances, projects are not started until all funds required to complete the project have been accumulated.” Thanks to the efforts of our neighbors in Bay View and Harbour Pointe, as well as timely comments by our own Bob Ulses at a Board of Supervisors hearing on VDOT plans in February, the Mob Neck Road project may be moved from its current status to a “spot improvement” category. This means that improvements up to $1.4 million could be made sooner. It is less than we all would like to see, but to “have it all” would take many years. VDOT reported to the Board of Supervisors on March 8 th on its proposal for spot improvements on Mob Neck Road. A two-phase plan for making Mob Neck safer, including its intersection with Hull Neck Road, was proposed and accepted unanimously. The details of these phases have yet to be finalized including scope, design and schedule for completion. The March WSHPOA Board of Directors meeting discussed two other matters of interest to all members. One was a discussion of the condition of our community beach. As previously reported to you, three storms last fall damaged 5 of the large breakwater boxes (one of the small diversion boxes adjacent to our bulkhead is also slightly damaged) At present we have no plans to replace these boxes. We simply do not have the funds to do it at this time. As your Treasurer explains in his dues notice sent out February 14 th, we do plan to present a dues increase for next year at the fall annual meeting. Every cent of the increase will be placed into a beach restoration fund and this will be used to replace breakwater boxes as needed. Your Board unanimously agreed, however, that the breakwater has been doing its job. We are amassing great quantities of sand which we know all will appreciate in using our beach this year. The second matter raised at the meeting concerned the impact of new construction in our community. At present there is no association rule regarding the burning of trees and brush when land is cleared. While the county regulations regarding burning are clear, there is concern that unreported large scale untended fires are a hazard. The Board will be considering language requiring lot owners to notify the Board of site clearing fires and plans to keep them tended during the day or night. The board also considered adding language to our rules regarding containment of waste materials during construction. In recent weeks materials have been blown onto our roads and elsewhere leaving it up to our resident volunteers to clean them up and take them to the county waste site. We have learned subsequently that the county building and zoning regulations require contractors to place on site a portable toilet and a dumpster. At the next meeting we will consider language to add to the architectural control rules requiring owners to include in their request for permission to build a new house or addition a statement that they will abide by this regulation. As always, members are welcome to comment on issues being addressed by the board. If you wish to attend any of our board meetings (see the event calendar) we would appreciate the courtesy of informing any of the board members of your intention to attend. We will be sure to have a seat for you!
January 15, 2007 This past year marked the 30th full year of our Association and the second year of my office as President. Among the highlights of this past year was the reintroduction of an annual beach party held Memorial Day Weekend, which due to the efforts of our Social Committee was an outstanding success. Attendance at our October 14th annual meeting exceeded all others of recent memory and many attended the evening meal held for the first time at the Heathsville Tavern in its new community building adjacent to the blacksmith shop. Another highlight was dedication of our tennis courts to the memory of Kay and Ken Kerst during the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving weekend. Kay and Ken were our first “settlers” and long time volunteers in enhancing the quality of our community. In each of my terms as President, the major focus of your Board of Directors has been on preserving our community beach. In 2005, with your support and the efforts of the Beach Preservation Committee, we contracted for installation of a breakwater system to restore the loss of beachfront that was created by years of erosion and recent storms. During the past summer, many of you witnessed the value of that effort and enjoyed the build-up of sand behind the breakwaters. This past autumn, residents of our development witnessed the fury of three separate storms which occurred during periods of unusually high tides. The first of these, Tropical Storm Ernesto, felled more than 200 trees on our beach and pushed sand from the river into our pond near the bridge spanning its outlet. Several boxes in our three breakwaters were damaged by this storm; however your Board, meeting in November, unanimously agreed that the breakwaters prevented even greater damage to our beach. Repairs were made to the breakwaters and the beach was cleared of trees and tons of debris including sections of piers and bulkheads from other locations. Only days after our beachfront was restored, two additional storms of “no name” hit Northumberland County. Our breakwaters again prevented serious erosion and destruction even though water flooded our picnic and recreation area. We discovered, however, that our Gazebo was not anchored to all of its pilings, but remained upright and intact. We also discovered that our breakwater was again damaged, but unlike Ernesto, it was damaged “in place” and thus has not lost its primary function of disrupting the energy of waves whose pounding erodes our beach. We have replaced the pilings on our Gazebo, but we have not replaced the damaged boxes on our breakwaters. When you next visit your property, you will see that sand has accumulated behind the breakwaters, as it did when they were first installed. In the coming year, your Board of Directors will review its options for continuing protection of our beach. History has shown, and the Board recognizes, the need for funds to continually maintain our beach. We know there has been concern that the Board would ask the membership for another special assessment to repair the damaged breakwater boxes. The Board believes that this is not the approach it would like to recommend. One of the most likely options is to present to the membership at the next annual meeting (October 13 th) a proposal to increase annual dues solely for a beach preservation reserve fund, similar to the reserve fund we have for maintenance of our roads . We welcome your opinions concerning long-term preservation of our beach, the creation of a reserve fund for that purpose, and any other issues you believe your Board should address in the coming year. Comments and suggestions can be given in several ways. One is contact by email through our web site ( www.whitesandharbour.org) by posting your comments on the community bulletin board. Another is to attend our monthly Board meetings held the first Saturday of every month, March through November (except October when the annual meeting is held) at 9:30 in White Sand Harbour at the home of the President. Our meetings always have a property owner’s forum as part of its agenda. We wish each and every one of you a joyous new year and hope to see you at White Sand Harbour during the coming season. With warm regard, Bruce M. Craig President
September 20, 2006 Members will soon be receiving information about the 2006 annual membership meeting and dinner to be held October 14 (see calendar). In my covering letter with this information is a brief statement regarding the recent visit of Tropical Depression Ernesto to our community? View the photographs taken during and immediately after the storm (on this web site), you may understand Ernesto's raw power. Long term permanent and weekend residents who witnessed it can testify that this storm was unparalleled in our development's history. . Despite appearances, we believe that the measures we took in the past two years to restore and defend our beach have proven their value. We have a beach, we can clear its debris, and we can repair our breakwaters. Most of us who have viewed the beach first hand, believe that had not the Association constructed the breakwaters last year, our beach and pond would be one and a great loss to community.. There will be questions concerning steps we should take in the coming months. We will not be able to answer definitively the actions we will take at the annual meeting, but I wish to assure you that your Association’s Directors, Officers and Committee Chairs will continue to consider and assess the options we need to take before committing us to any action this fall. Our goal is to restore our beach and its environs before next season. Please contact any of us through this website with any questions about your property or our community. See you October 14 th.
August 8, 2006 This summer has been one of the hottest on records and in the memory of our oldest residents. For much of July, the Potomac River has been full of sea nettles (more commonly referred to as “jellyfish.”) Who has not been stung by these creatures? We are told by the natives that watermen who have to go in the water sometimes coat themselves with Vaseline for protection. The major drawback to this approach is that our beautiful white sand would cling to the Vaseline and removal would be an onerous chore! The weather has not deterred all from using our beach. One of our newest attractions is our four-seater swing set in bright colors. Try it -- you will like it (all ages!). This is an early reminder that our annual meeting will be held October 15 th. This year we will have our dinner in the new hall behind the Heathsville Courthouse, part of the Tavern complex. If the weather is good, we will again have our meeting in the WSH campground. If there is bad weather (hex on that!), we will met in the board room of the library in Heathsville. Everyone will receive a packet of information about the meeting including the list of candidates for your Board, a proxy vote for those who cannot attend, and information from the social committee about the dinner. And, oh, the jellyfish were mysteriously absent from the pond and beach the first weekend in August! June 22, 2006 For those of us fortunate enough to be able to regularly visit our development, we know that spring and fall give us the most temperate weather, but that summer defines our major attraction – the beach of White Sand Harbour. On Father’s Day weekend, we observed the return of the pelicans and dolphins, clear omens of fair weather, warm water and, unfortunately, sea nettles. As our veteran residents advise, when the nettles make the river unattractive for bathing – try the pond beach—and the restored swim platform. On one of our bike “patrols,” we encountered evidence of the 17 member gathering of the Chapman-Coe clan (Riverview Road on the pond). Later, on the beach we talked with Ms. Chapman, who with her husband was among the first builders in the development She talked about her husband’s great love for WSH and the joy he had in building their house. She was proud that her daughter and son-in-law were restoring the weekend retreat and was delighted to learn the “news” of new owners, new families, and new community gatherings. She expressed surprise that we recently celebrated the WSH 30 th anniversary. I reassured her that many of the original full-time residents were still here and active in the community. . A few “business” notes.
Have a great summer enjoying our restored beach, new swimming platform, and new pond and creek docks!
June 4, 2006 The weather for the Beach Party celebrating WSH’s 30 th anniversary could not have been more perfect! The unofficial count of owners, family members and guests was 118. The campground was nearly full, with the most campers, trailers and RV’s we have had since refurbishing the bathhouse several years ago. According to old timers, no other event was so well attended! We owe much gratitude to the seven member social committee (see the roster on our committee page!) and their respective significant others. The “magnificent 14” not only provided hot dogs, hamburgers and bratwurst (very popular), lemonade and soft drinks, plates, plastic ware, and condiments; but a “moon bounce,” a bonfire (with marshmallows), and a banner recognizing our anniversary. The rest of us brought our favorite food and desserts to share and alternative BYO refreshments. Many stayed after the meal to listen to our talented entertainers reprise hits of the 50’s and 60’s on their acoustic guitars The surprise contributor to the accomplished duo was one of our resident “doo-whoppers” who shall as all persons in this blog remain nameless.. This was the first beach party in recent memory and we hope it will not be the last! One serious note : Shortly after attention was drawn to the signs which were posted last week on the breakwaters - KEEP OFF – DANGER! - Several children were seen walking along the edge of the diversion boxes adjacent to the volleyball court. We cannot make it any clearer – these boxes are slippery when wet, filled with water, and very deep – you cannot easily climb out of them. The big boxes are 8 feet tall! While your property dues help pay for insurance, they do not cover negligence on the part of parents who do not supervise their children (or animals). WSH has been very fortunate not to have serious accidents. Yes, we have had cars hit by deer (even when the car is not in motion!), bicycles falling in our ditches, and nicks and cuts occurring when volunteers are cleaning the beach, helping clear trees falling on driveways, and even when posting the “danger” signs on our breakwaters! But while accidents do happen for “no reason,” some are preventable. Your Board of Directors is in the process of forming a Committee to review safety issues for all of our amenities. We hope to continue our excellent record with due diligence and welcome your suggestions for improving the safety and security of our community.
May 14, 2006 The annual beach cleanup held Saturday, May 6 th, was a grand event. Over 40 adults and children raked, sawed, hauled, piled and burned debris accumulated over the winter. A contingent of volunteers, led by our grounds maintenance chair, shoveled sand that drifted on top of our beach picnic area garden. Our Security Committee chair staked out burn sites and given a steady on-shore breeze, resorted to use of a propane torch to set fire to the collective efforts of the beach clean-up crew. Old timers remarked that this was one of the largest turnouts for this annual event in their memory. It didn’t hurt to have a beautiful sunny day with low humidity and a cool, but not cold temperature. Our treasurer took pictures and they will be posted on our web site. Those who were there could not help but praise the efforts of our Social Committee and volunteer cooks and bakers of brownies, cookies and cup cakes. We know that the beach party later this month will bring out the culinary talents of many of us, but for those who labored this day, the hot dogs, burgers and Polish sausage, soda, lemonade, water and coffee were more than sufficient to bring good cheer to us all. As some of you know, I am a project officer for community-based demonstrations of programs supporting aging-in-place as an alternative to institutional long term care. All of the projects I monitor are located in urban and suburban locations throughout the country. In many of my conversations with project directors and coordinators, I contrast the need to create civic engagement and community identity in their locales with what we have in White Sand Harbour. Ours is not a unique community, but it is one that rarely exists in more populated areas. I know I highly value our volunteer spirit, our willingness to help neighbors, our concern for the environment, and the pride we take in our community. See you on the beach this year! Bruce Craig President, White Sand Harbour POC
Sept. 16, 2005 The three big weekends this summer – Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day – drew many of us to the water venues of our community. The weather this past Labor Day weekend was perfect, a fitting three day respite from the heat of August and the retreat of the annoying sea nettles (jelly fish). Many families were seen on Saturday and Sunday at the entrance of Cubitt Creek up to our beach front and on the swim platform in Lowe’s Pond. The contrast between the beach at the mouth of the creek and ours was clearly evident. The good news is that the contract has been signed and work for clearing our beach front will begin shortly. Come to the annual meeting on October 15th, see the work underway, and help us celebrate at the annual dinner. An information packet will be in the mail shortly. |
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Everyone that spent the holiday in WSH was rewarded with fantastic weather. We hope everyone and their guests had a great time. Hopefully the only glitch in plans were those who wanted to use our Cubitt Creek boat ramp. On Saturday morning a van and trailer for two wave runners fell through the planking on the ramp. Both were successfully retrieved by a local tow truck, but the ramp was closed for the rest of the weekend. Visitors have perhaps noticed that the campground has been exceptionally busy this year. Old-timers cannot recall having so many trailers since the early days of the development – which, by the way is nearly 30 years old! One of the sights you will see in the campground is a large stack of cut timber. This is the result of your Campground Committee working to reduce the development of mold in the bathhouse. By cutting down trees around the bathhouse the additional sunlight helps reduce humidity. New humidifiers have been installed and bathrooms are now cleaned every week until late Fall when the campground is closed. The firewood, by the way, is free to all residents. Arrangements have been made to split the wood in the near future –but take ‘em now if you want! If you have been reading our monthly WSH Board meeting notes, you saw that we have had several complaints about unattended dogs. In the package of covenants and regulations for WSH you will see that pets are to be under the control of owners at all times. Most WSH residents and visitors are very attendant to this regulation and we hope everyone will be observant. Our Treasurer has reported that he is receiving a number of checks for the special assessment we voted on recently for beach preservation. While the deadline in August 15th, an earlier payment would be appreciated! Bruce M. Craig |
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Dear Members, As you know, a special meeting of the WSHPOA was held Saturday, May 14th to discuss and vote on the Beach Preservation proposal to place off-shore breakwaters at the community beach, remove storm debris, and replenish the sand. The meeting began with a full review of the proposal followed by a period for questions and answers and was then opened up for comments. Immediately following the formal discussions, all ballots were opened and counted--both those turned in at the meeting and those sent by mail. The proposal passed by an overwhelming majority with the final count of 127 votes in-favor and 37 votes opposed. The final count represented 77% of the voters in favor the project, substantially exceeding the requirement of 2/3 of the votes. This historic vote, the first for a special assessment in the 35 years of WSHPOA, is, in part, the result of the hard work of the volunteers who served on the Beach Preservation and Communication Committees appointed by your Board of Directors. We are gratified that such a large number of members participated in the beach tour in the morning and/or the meeting in the afternoon. However, for those who could not attend, did not submit a ballot, or who did not favor of the proposal, I want to extend an invitation to contact me or any of the members of the Board or Beach Preservation Committees with their concerns or issues. E-mail contact information is available on the website. We are hopeful to have the work on our beach begin and be completed before our fall annual meeting. We need your cooperation in responding to the request for payment of the assessment by our Treasurer, Bill Estell. We know that this is may be difficult for some of you. Those of us who are owners of multiple lots know that we will need to find additional resources in our personal budgets to respond to this obligation. Some of us may have to borrow money to pay this bill in the time frame needed to meet the obligations of the proposed contract. As indicated by Bill Estell at the May 14th meeting and in his communications with you, all funds will be held in an interest bearing account until payment is due and all work by the contractor is completed to our satisfaction. The National Weather Service stated this week that it expects 13 major storms to affect the East Coast of the United States this Hurricane Season. We are confident that the work that will be done will be our best protection against further destruction of our beach. We hope that many of you will come to White Sand Harbour this summer to see the restoration of our beach and attend our fall meeting to celebrate its completion. Sincerely, Bruce M. Craig, President |
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Dear White Sand Harbour Property Owner: Recently, you received a letter and materials related to the proposal for the preservation of the WSH community beach that will be brought before the membership for a vote at a special meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2005. The special meeting will be held at St. Stephen’s Parish Hall in Heathsville, Virginia beginning at 1:00 P.M. The only issue to be addressed is acceptance or rejection of the proposal to install a series of off-shore breakwaters to preserve our beach. The meeting will begin with a brief overview of the proposal followed by a discussion of issues. After all questions have been addressed, the ballots of attendees will be collected. Then all ballots, including absentee ballots, will be counted. Valid votes will be those of current property owners who have paid the 2005 membership dues. Enclosed is your ballot. Please, bring it with you if you will be attending the meeting. If you do not plan to attend and wish to vote, please complete your ballot, insert it in the envelope provided, and mail it so that we will receive it by Friday, May 13, 2005. All ballots must be signed by the owner and dated. Ballots received after the meeting cannot be counted. Also enclosed are some additional Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we received following our first mailing, as well as the finalized dimensions for the breakwaters. We encourage you to review all FAQs prior to making your decision on the beach preservation proposal. Images of the proposed breakwater system are posted on our website at: http://www.whitesandharbour.org/beach.html As indicated in the prior letter, members of the Beach Preservation Committee and the WSHPOA Officers will be conducting tours of the beach on Saturday morning, May 14th from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. starting at the Gazebo at the end of Fleet Road in White Sand Harbour. Refreshments will be provided by our Social Committee both at the beach and at the special meeting later in the day. I know we are all deeply concerned about the future of our community. Since the previous correspondence, we have endured a Northeaster with 36 continuous hours of wind which completed destruction of several more groins. Only one groin, nearest the bulkhead, remains intact. Eight groins are completely gone and the three remaining ones are sitting 10 to 20 feet out in the river seriously damaged. The entire WSHPOA Board of Directors believes, as do I, that this is our last chance to preserve our beach. We hope you agree. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss the proposal, please feel free to contact members of your Board of Directors or the Beach Preservation Committee. Thank you for your serious consideration of this proposal. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Bruce M. Craig |
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Dear White Sand Harbour Property Owner: In the President’s annual letter sent to you in January, I told you that your Board of Directors would be considering a recommendation from the Beach Preservation Committee on the results of its solicitation of bids for restoration and erosion control of our community beach. The recent sequence of events to halt the continued erosion of our beach that threatens complete loss of our namesake amenity includes: · October 2004—Committee presented a report at the Fall Annual White Sand Harbour Property Owners Association (WSHPOA) meeting summarizing its activities and recommendation to proceed with solicitation of bids for the design and installation of offshore breakwaters. The concern expressed by lot owners at the annual meeting and by committee and Board members was that the preliminary estimates—as high as $500,000—for the cost of constructing stone breakwaters would be prohibitive. · November 2004—Board directed the Beach Preservation Committee to prepare and issue a request for bids according to the approved breakwater design and to report the results of that solicitation to its next meeting on March 3, 2005. It was unclear at that time whether acceptable bids would be received despite efforts to send the solicitation to all qualified contractors in the Chesapeake Bay region. · December 2004—Committee issued the Request for Bids. · February 2005—Bids received. The Board is pleased to report that a bid has been received that is extremely promising. The cost is far more reasonable than had been previously discussed— less than 50% of the highest estimate—and the design and construction represent state-of-the-art thinking on erosion control. The details of this bid are included in the enclosed information including answers to a number of questions as to why we should take this course of action. In order to maximize preservation of our beach, it is important that we make a decision soon. A special meeting of the WSHPOA will be held on May 14th at 1:00 pm. We anticipate convening the meeting at the parish hall of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Prior to the meeting, members of the Beach Preservation Committee and the Board will be available to discuss the project and conduct tours of the beach beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the gazebo on the beach at the end of Fleet Road. All lot owners who have paid their Association dues will be able to vote on this proposal. You may vote by proxy if you are unable to attend the meeting. Enclosed please find a Frequently Asked Questions exhibit that provides specific questions and answers about this project. We encourage you to ask any additional questions. Contact information for reaching Board & Committee members is also included. We would also like to direct you to our WSHPOA website at www.whitesandharbour.org In about three weeks you will receive another letter from me confirming the location and directions to the meeting site along with a proxy vote ballot. We will also include an updated copy of the Q & A’s that will include information related to financing and payment options for construction should the membership approve the proposal. In the meantime, we encourage you to become familiar with the issue and the potential solutions. It is most important that every member be fully knowledgeable and comfortable with what is being proposed. To our knowledge, this will be the first WSHPOA special meeting in its nearly 30-year history. We want you to know that your Board officers and directors did not take this action without considerable thought and deliberation. All of us are invested in, and wish to preserve, the beauty and value of our development. We encourage you to read the enclosed material now, ask any questions you may have and be on the lookout for our next communication. Sincerely, Bruce M. Craig
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As the newly elected President of the White Sand Harbour Property Owners Association (WSHPOA), I want to wish all of you a prosperous and healthy New Year. The past year has been an eventful one, skillfully managed by your officers and Board of Directors and supported by the dedicated service of new and long-time volunteers. I am especially grateful for the service to the association and personal guidance of the Past President, Bob Ulses. We are especially indebted to him for his leadership in meeting state requirements to create a capital asset reserve fund for WSHPOA amenities and improvements. This required extensive research of records to determine age of construction, actuarial rates of depreciation, and anticipated expectations of the cost of replacement of community maintained property, including boat ramps, tennis courts, campground, pond bridge, and beach playground and picnic equipment. Appreciation I am also grateful that several Association officers that you elected in September will continue their service. The Estells, Jinny (Vice President) and Bill (Treasurer) have held many positions and extended long service to all of us. Signe Johnson has been a most reliable and efficient Secretary whose services extend far beyond taking minutes at our annual and monthly board meetings. We will miss the services of Board members Pat Sullivan and Fred Goodwin who will continue to participate on several committees active this winter. We are also pleased to have the continued service of Board members Jim Claggett, Steve Duke, Jack Hurley, and Bill Pierson. We welcome the involvement of newly elected Board members¾Preston Nuttall, Marilyn Mehrmann and Walt Piotti. Preston and Walt have been serving as members of our Beach Preservation Committee. Marilyn is our former long time Secretary and former Board member and currently continues her leadership roles as chair of both the Campground and Social Committees. Other Committee chairpersons have also consented to continue in their leadership roles. Four have length of service going back to the last century - Jim Claggett as chair of Security, Ken Kerst as chair of Architectural Control, Jinny Estell as chair of Grounds Maintenance, and Bill Elsesser as chair of the Audit Committee. Paul Groover, a volunteer for almost every occasion, will continue as chair of Property Maintenance. Jack Hurley continues to offer able and conscientious leadership to the Beach Preservation Committee. As you will see by reading below, this has been and will continue to be, for at least this year, one of the most difficult tasks conducted for our Association. All of these Chairpersons will tell you that their jobs are only made possible by the work of member volunteers. New members of the Association are especially welcome – give respite to the “old timers!” Minutes of Annual Meeting Enclosed are the minutes of the Annual Meeting held September 18, 2004. For those of you who attended the afternoon meeting and the evening catered dinner under the tent on the beach at the end of Fleet Street, it was an occasion not soon forgotten. The remnants of Hurricane Ivan threatened not only collapse of the tent, but also intrusion of water from the surging Potomac River (shortly after the evening event, the tent did collapse). Budget 2005 Also enclosed is the budget for 2005 prepared by our Treasurer, Bill Estell, approved at the annual meeting. If you compare it with the 2004 budget and expenditures presented at the annual meeting, you will see the efforts taken to keep a balanced budget despite the increased cost of contracting maintenance for the campground bathhouse, mowing of our roads, and the set asides needed for our road and asset replacement funds. Key Activities - 2004 A quick review of last year’s WSHPOA events and happenings can be sorted into two categories –long standing activities and new activities that make our community and its volunteer run management successful. Ø Continuing Activities/Events Ø New and Unusual Activities The website will provide up-to-date information about your WSH community. Visit it today!. Beach Restoration The assault by Mother Nature on our most prized asset, the Potomac beachfront that gives us our name, is like the British children’s film, a “Never Ending Story.” The Beach Preservation Committee, that began its deliberations in the fall of 2003, presented it recommendations for protecting and maintaining the community beach. Jack Hurley presented its findings to the Board in August and received endorsement of the full Board to bring them to the membership at the annual meeting. As the notes of the annual meeting reflect, a number of questions were raised about the plan and the estimated cost of the recommended course of action. Consequently, at its November meeting, the Board asked that the Beach Preservation Committee to continue it efforts. Specifically, it requested that the committee prepare a request for proposals for construction of a series of offshore breakwaters along the beachfront. The request with attached documentation including specifications developed by Bay Shore Design for the Committee’s report will be sent to more than a dozen qualified companies in the Chesapeake Bay region. THIS DOES NOT commit WSHPOA to sign a contract. Rather this strategy will provide answers to the questions of members regarding feasibility and cost. The Beach Preservation Committee will review any and all responses to the request, identify for the Board proposals that fully respond to it, and make a recommendation regarding acceptance of any or multiple proposals. If the Board believes that the cost is not unreasonable in proportion to the benefits that are likely to be achieved, it may call a special meeting of the membership to vote on approval of a contract. There is no doubt that should the above come to vote by the WSHPOA, members will be concerned about the financial impact. In 1974, our community beach – the so called “green area” - was estimated to encompass more than 6 acres. Since registration of the plat in the County Court House, erosion has taken more than 90 feet of our shoreline – that is nearly 1½ acres of land. Without immediate action, the use of the remaining four plus acres, including the playground, picnic area, Gazebo, and yes, the new bulkhead, are in jeopardy. Nevertheless, there are limits as to what the Board will accept as reasonable cost to protect this most cherished asset. The Beach Preservation Committee, the Board, and your officers welcome your comments on this matter. Providing Your Comments Members have a variety of ways to address concerns of interest. The Board of Directors meets on the first Saturday of the month from March through September and in the month of November. Members are welcome to attend these meetings that will be held at my house (108 Fleet Street). If you call in advance (see contact information below), you can address the Board during the lot owners’ forum that is a regular agenda item. Upcoming Activities WSHPOA events of the coming year include the annual road and beach clean-up days, usually held on Saturdays in mid-April, May and October and the 2005 fall membership meeting that is tentatively scheduled for October 15th. Final dates will be posted on the calendar of our website. As indicated, our association is managed by volunteers and relies upon the volunteer efforts of all WSHPOA members to keep down the cost of maintaining its many amenities. The Board and your officers strive to create a community where families and their visitors can recreate and live in harmony. It takes time and effort of us all to make this happen. If you have not done so, please get involved. It is a great opportunity to meet your wonderful neighbors. You can reach the WSHPOA officers through their email boxes on the web site (http://www.whitesandharbour.org) or directly contact me by calling my home in Alexandria (703.360-7257), calling or visiting me at 108 Fleet Street in WSH most weekends (804.580-4172, or by calling me at work in Washington DC (202.357-3520). We hope to see you in the coming year. Sincerely, Bruce M. Craig, President |