"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul."
~ John Muir
If a homeowner wants to make some sort of modification to the exterior of their building please submit a written request and attach a diagram and/or plans for whatever it is that the Board needs to approve.
The Board of Directors has installed a drop box in the center of the development adjacent to the US Mail boxes for the convenience of the residents. Any mail which is directed to the Board may be deposited into this drop box.
If a homeowner should determine that a repair is needed to their home which falls within the responsibility of the Board of Directors the following procedure shall be used. Email your request in writing to forestmish@gmail.com for a quick response.
If a home owner needs an exterior bulb replaced they must send an email to forestmish@gmail.com The Board’s supply of regular light bulbs will be used before starting to use LED lights.
The Board will clean the gutters a few times a year. in the Spring and the Fall. If an individual homeowner has a desire to clean their gutters out more often they have the option to email the Board and request additional cleanings. The Board will hire a contractor to perform the work, and forward the expense of the cleaning to that individual homeowner. The Board may wave this expense and pay the bill on behalf of the homeowner if it is determined that this is an isolated incident or is truly beyond the control of the homeowner.
Effective immediately, the Board of Directors of the Forest Condominium Association has implemented a policy that no member of the community shall have the right to talk to, instruct, or critique, the work of any vendor hired by the Board without a Board member being present. Any vendor hired by the Board will be informed of this policy and if approached by an owner, the vendor will in a courteous and professional manner inform the owner that they are not allowed to discuss any work commissioned by the Board with the owner. If the owner should persist, the vendor should walk away from the situation and inform the President of the Board or the Property Manager of the incident. The President of the Board will contact the owner and remind them of the policy. On the third and all subsequent occurrences by the same owner, the Board shall impose a $25 fine.
PAYMENT FOR APPROVED VENDORS
Effective October 27, 2017, The Board of the FCA must approve all financial payments in one of the following ways before the treasurer may write a check.
1. Bills which arrive monthly from a vendor on the following list and which are paid monthly (recurring bills) may be approved annually at a Board meeting, in advance, and without a specific amount. This list of vendors must be attached to the minutes from that meeting. These include:
Mishawaka Utilities (Joint and FCA)
MAAC (Joint)
Chase Credit Card
2. Vendors which are working under an approved contract, which has been approved at a Board meeting, and this approval is so noted in the meeting minutes. These include:
Property Manager (not applicable as of August 2018)
Lawn Maintenance
Snow Removal
Board Attorney
3. Vendors who submit bills for work performed on either an emergency basis or casual labor under $500. These bills must be approved by a majority of the Board and the treasurer prior to a check being written. This may be done by e-mail on Forestmish@gmail.com. The treasurer must submit to the Board an explanation for the work and the rational for needing it done. At the next available Board meeting the Treasurer will submit a list of these expenditures and the names of the approving members/non-approving members which shall be attached to the minutes of that meeting.
4. Projects or repairs with an estimated cost of between $500 and $1500 must be approved by a majority of the Board and the Treasurer prior to the start of the work. This may be done at a Board meeting or by e-mail on Forestmish@gmail.com. However, at the next available Board meeting the Treasurer will submit a list of these expenditures and the names of the approving members/non-approving members which shall be attached to the minutes of that meeting.
5. Projects or repairs in excess of an estimated $1500 cost must be approved by a majority of the Board and the Treasurer prior to the start of the work at either an emergency meeting of the Board or a regular meeting of the Board. Projects or repairs approved at the annual meeting in the current year budget are exempt from this procedure. At the next available Board meeting the Treasurer will submit a list of these expenditures to attach to the minutes of that meeting.
6. Joint Work commissioned by the three Associations: The FCA will automatically approved and pay any expenses associated with the ponds of an emergency nature or for annual routine maintenance and/or upkeep. Any additional project(s) performed on the ponds with an estimated total joint cost of over $1000 require the same procedure as outlined in #5 above.
As permitted in the by-laws, any owner may examine the financial records of the Association in accordance with this policy and in accordance with any and all privacy rules, regulations and laws. The owner must request a meeting for a review with the President of the Board, the Treasurer, and any other persons deemed necessary by the President at a time of mutual availability during normal business hours.
The Association shall make available at all meetings, the year to date financial records which are defined as the most currently available monthly summary reconciliation reports, and the monthly Chase Statements showing account balances only. At no time, shall the Board release or provide any information which contains an individual’s name or payment history.
If an owner wishes to see a breakdown of individual expenditures to vendors for the current year, this must be requested in writing and the Board has 30 days to prepare this data for visual inspection. Data from previous years (if available) may be requested but additional time may be required to fulfill that request. The Board has the responsibility of maintaining either paper or electronic records for a period of at least three years. The owner will not be permitted to copy, photograph, or retain any of this data for their personal records. The owner may make written notes at the meeting if they so desire.