1. Approve minutes
2. Committee Reports
   Treasurer
   President/Vice President
   Secretary
   Building and Remodels
   Hill: 17104 13th NW-Shed
   Gillett: 1505 NW 167th --Small addition to rear deck and enclosing carport
   Gerbino: 17740 13th NW-- Partial second floor addition on southern end of house; kitchen remodel; cosmetic upgrade to front porch. The footprint of the house will not change. The new roof height will be less than 7 feet above the current roof height. (Note that there are no Innis Arden residents residing east of this property)
   Welsh: 1450 NW 188th-- court, deck, and garden shed
   Activities
   Grounds
   Clubhouse
   Reserves
3. Board Agenda
4. Community Comments
5. Adjourn

Hazardous Tree Mitigation Continues in Reserves

Although all identified hazardous trees have been removed in Boeing Creek Reserve, work continues in Bear Trail, Running Water, Blue Heron, and Eagle Reserves. Hopefully this will be completed by the end of this month.

Meanwhile, please don’t walk through these reserves. Although an accident may seem unlikely, statistics mean nothing if you or a loved one is involved.

Last week a 13 year-old Bothell boy who was playing in the woods was killed instantly when a section of tree snapped and fell on his head. "It's nuts," his father said. "It always happens somewhere else — Eastern Washington, Kansas — but it happened here in this house....Why didn't the tree just break his arm?” For the full story, click here.

This is a tragedy we don’t want repeated, especially here in Innis Arden.

January 21, 2004 Annual Meeting

Between Christmas and New Years, all homeowners will be sent a ‘voters pamphlet’ by first class mail. Shareholders will vote on: 1) Filling two director positions 2) the bylaw amendment to incorporate covenant compliance including a hearing process and implementation of fines for non-compliance 3) Ratifying the election of the President of the Activities Committee to the Board for a one-year term and 4) Ratifying the 2004 Budget including the dues increase.

The pamphlet will include voting instructions, the entire text of the proposed bylaw amendment, a statement ‘for’ and ‘against’ the amendment including rebuttals, candidates’ statements, a proxy ballot, a regular ballot, and a return envelope.

Candidates' Statements

Dave Fosmire
Serving on the Innis Arden Board for the past three years, there have been many accomplishments that have enhanced our neighborhood.

Using a City mini-grant, I have worked with the City and community members to clear vegetation from street walkways adjacent to the Reserves and playground, improving pedestrian safety and deterring the homeless from setting up camp.

As Reserves Chair, I have maintained, improved and restored the trails through the Reserves. Areas of non-native invasive plants were removed and replaced with native plants to insure our Reserves will continue to be places of native growth.

Following the requests of several Innis Arden residents, the danger of hazardous trees in the Reserves to trail walkers and property owners has been mitigated. There will be 82 trees removed, 40 reduced to wildlife snags, 26 pruned to remove dangerous branches, and 10 monitored for future action. This represents less than 5 percent of the trees in the affected Reserves.

I have worked with the City to stop storm water surges from destroying the natural habitat and salmon runs of Boeing Creek.

If I am re-elected, I will continue to organize efforts to preserve the natural beauty and increase the safety of our community.

June Howard
For the past three years, I have been Treasurer of the Innis Arden Board. I have enjoyed the position of serving you and getting to know many of you personally.

Under my leadership on the Board, we have had our financial records audited for the past two years as part of the RCW requirements for mandatory dues. In the year 2002, for the first time, we had a cash reserve study done to determine how much money we need to set aside each year for long-term repairs and maintenance. We hired an outside property management firm to do our bookkeeping and our mandatory dues invoicing.

With an active Board such as we have now, our finances are becoming more complicated than they have been in the past. Should I be reelected, my goal would be to develop an audit committee that will be informed, vigilant, and effective overseers of the financial reporting process for Innis Arden.

I believe that the Board of Innis Arden has accomplished much good for our community in the past three years. I hope you will allow me to be a part of this next three years by casting your vote for me.

R. L. Smith
I have lived in Innis Arden since 1967 and have seen the many changes/growth in the community-all for the good.

I have and still do participate in volunteering my time for the rummage sale, salmon barbeque, and the summer swim league at the Innis Arden pool so I am well versed with the activities of the community.

I feel that I can bring a constructive point of view to the Board because of my knowledge of the many Innis Arden activities and long time association with the community/residents.

Al Wagar
If elected to the Board I will work 1) toward greater openness and community participation in controversial issues and 2) toward greater fiscal responsibility.

I sincerely believe that, if we hammer out consensus (or at least compromise) through open discussions within the community, we can greatly reduce legal expenses. A case in point is recent tree removal in our reserves. Had the Board re-instituted a Reserves Committee with meetings open to all, we could have talked to the arborists who evaluated trees for possible hazards, weighed the risks, and recommended appropriate action to the Board. Instead, the Board declared itself "on notice" that every tree evaluated was hazardous and needed immediate removal and, when challenged involved attorney Peter Eglick at considerable expense to our community. Additional legal fees were spent to challenge, unsuccessfully, the Harvey O'Neill remodel.

Personally, I am both a "hugger" and "cutter" (thereby arousing suspicion in both camps). I want to maintain our reserves in a wooded condition but believe we can and should work with the City of Shoreline to remove many but not all view-blocking trees, planting lower-growing species to replace them.

Innis Arden Club, Inc.
Board of Directors Meeting
November 18, 2003, 7:00 PM
Summary of Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m.
Board members present: Michael Rasch (President), Mike Jacobs (Vice President), June Howard (Treasurer), Carol Solle (Secretary), Loys Lamb (Buildings and Remodels), Maggie Taber (Grounds), Dave Fosmire (Reserves), Roger Lowell (Activities) and Ewa Sledziewski (Clubhouse). Community members attending: 3

Action: A motion to adopt the budget as discussed passed unanimously.

Action: A motion to adjourn at 7:47 was passed unanimously.

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m.
Board members present: Michael Rasch (President), Mike Jacobs (Vice President), June Howard (Treasurer), Carol Solle (Secretary), Loys Lamb (Buildings and Remodels), Maggie Taber (Grounds), Dave Fosmire (Reserves), Roger Lowell (Activities) and Ewa Sledziewski (Clubhouse). Community members attending: About 100.

The purpose of the meeting was for the Board to decide on adopting the proposed bylaw amendment which incorporates covenant enforcement, including a hearing process and implementation of fines for non-compliance.

A motion was made to adopt the bylaw amendment.

Action: The amended motion failed 1-8.

Action: The original motion failed 3-6.

Action: A motion to allow a shareholder vote on the proposed bylaw amendment, adding Section 7 to Article IV, was passed 8-1.

Action: A motion to invite ARM-of-IA to provide a statement in election materials to be mailed to all shareholders was passed 9-0.

Solle proposed that it follow the format of a voter's pamphlet. Proponents and opponents of the bylaw amendment would state the reasons for their position in addition to a rebuttal of the other side's statements. There will be a mutual exchange of statements in order to prepare the rebuttal:

There were others in attendance who wanted to express their views as well, but Rasch pointed out that it would end up being a book, and expensive to print and send by first class mail. However, people may express their views electronically by emailing the secretary who will post them on the web site. These statements will be limited to 100 words. The message board also provides an option for discussion.

Action: A motion to adjourn at 8:20 passed unanimously.

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m.
Board members present: Michael Rasch (President), Mike Jacobs (Vice President), June Howard (Treasurer), Carol Solle (Secretary), Loys Lamb (Buildings and Remodels), Maggie Taber (Grounds), Dave Fosmire (Reserves), Roger Lowell (Activities) and Ewa Sledziewski (Clubhouse). Community members attending: about 22

Action: November's meeting minutes were approved unanimously.

Committee Reports

Treasurer: Howard reported that for some reason utility bills for the Innis Arden Swim Club were sent to Russell Cole, Innis Arden's bookkeeper. Cole was not aware that the Innis Arden Swim Club and Innis Arden Club were separate entities and paid the bills. The Swim Club will be paying back $5,934 to Innis Arden Club. With this new information, Howard felt that we should adjust the 2004 Budget. This will be tabled until the January 2004 Board meeting.

Tom Averill said that he wrote a letter with 19 questions and wants answers from the Board, so that shareholders will have the information prior to the Annual Meeting.

President/Vice President - no report

Secretary
Action: A motion to spend up to $200 on name plates and holders was passed 7-2.

Building and Remodels

Activities: The committee elected 2 co-chairs: Shelley Watson and Pam Smit. Looking back over the year, there has been an Activities event for nearly every month-In February there was a forum on wall color, in March was the rummage sale and wine taste, in June a flower arranging workshop, in August playground work was completed, in September the Salmon BBQ, in October the first annual Oktoberfest, in November a table décor workshop, and in December the Holiday party.

Grounds: No report

Clubhouse: Sledziewski had nothing to report.

Rasch has been approached by several residents regarding the 'clubhouse remodel'. He wanted to make it clear that the Board has not approved of any remodel and that this was only a feasibility study done by an independent group of residents who were concerned about the conditions of the existing building. The Board was not involved in the feasibility study and has not discussed any options with regard to the clubhouse.

Reserves: Fosmire received a message from Ed Barnes who reported seeing 100 silver and chum salmon spawning at Boeing Creek. This may be the result of lowering the gate of the retention pond. The Boeing Creek trail is now open to residents because identified hazardous trees have been removed. In other reserves, hazardous tree removal continues and should be done by the end of the month. Cutting will cease during the week of Christmas. There will be a reserves committee meeting at the end of December to discuss replanting and further tree removals requested by residents.

Al Wagar challenged the basis for a lot of the tree removal. He said there was a discrepancy between what the city approved and trees that were removed. Rasch said that Wagar's complaint will be investigated.

Board Agenda
Bylaw Change Proposal:
Article I. Meetings
Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders shall be held on the (remove "second") third * Wednesday in January in each year, at 8:00 PM, or at such other time as the Board of Directors selects, for the election of directors and transaction of business.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders may be called by the Board of Directors not less than 14 ** or more than 60 days in advance. (Remove "Special meetings of the shareholders may be called at any time by the Board of Directors. ")
Section 5. Notice of Meetings. Except as otherwise required by statute, notice of the time, place and purpose of each meeting, whether annual or special shareholders' meetings, shall be given at least (remove "ten") 14 ** days before such meeting, in writing, by mail to each shareholder. No other publication or notice shall be required.
*Last year, monthly Board meetings were moved from the 1st to the 2nd Tuesday, and the Annual meeting should be moved likewise, to allow time to prepare and mail ballots at least 14 days in advance of the meeting.
**This is to conform to RCW 64.38
Action: A motion to approve of the bylaw change was passed unanimously.

January 2004 Shareholders Meeting and Elections
The bylaws define the term of office for a director as 3 years. If a director resigns before the term is up, the Board may appoint a replacement until the following Annual meeting, at which time a director is elected for another 3 year term.

Voting instructions were discussed.

Proposed proxy ballot

Action: A motion to approve of the new proxy ballot as amended passed unanimously.
Action: A motion to have absentee ballots and proxies mailed to a new post office or to Russell Cole's office passed 8-1.

Boy Scout Troop 325
The troop would like to put 9x5 plaques on each of the Boy Scout projects in the reserves. Projects include a stairway and 3 bridges in Eagle reserve.
Action: A motion to allow Boy Scout Troop 325 to put 9x5 plaques showing the Scout and Troop number on each of their projects passed unanimously.

Community Comments

Action: A motion to adjourn at 9:10 was passed unanimously.

Almost Famous

Innis Arden was graced (albeit briefly) with a statue by Richard Beyer, better known for “People waiting for the Inter-urban” in Fremont. This one is "Watching Whales" and is the newest addition to the Edmonds Waterfront Park.  He and his wife were here visiting Springdale Court from their foundry in Pateros, Washington. 

Administrivia

Innis Arden has a 'presort standard permit' with the Post Office on 145th. Using this permit, we can mail up to 16 ounces for only 23 cents. This results in huge savings when mailing bulky Bulletins once a month to 538 destinations. However, 'presort' mail does not have the same standards as first class mail and not all Bulletins reach their destinations. Some neighborhood correspondence such as notice of the Annual Meeting must be sent by first class mail according to RCW64.38.

Bulletin Board

Missing from area around Richmond Beach Rd. and 8th N.W.
Six year old black male with white spot on chest and on abdomen. Neutered and de-clawed. May have adopted a new home and that's ok, but he has specific diet needs and past health problems if care not maintained. Will give past vet and vaccinations records if you'll leave message on my answering machine: 206 546 4441. He's missed but if he's happy that's the most important. Thanks, F. Steele

Innis Arden family looking for a 3 - 4 bedroom home to rent, or a fixer to buy, while we rebuild our home. We would like to stay in Innis Arden. Please call Brad or Laura Decker @ 206-542-1327.

For rent:Located at 1521 N.W. 190th, it has 4 good size bedrooms, 3-1/2 baths,large deck with Jacuzzi, office, dining room, family room,and play room, and a two car garage. Short term (3-6 Month) lease would be $3,000/month, long term (1 year) lease $2,500/month. Call (206) 546-2000 for information.

Reserves Committee Meeting Monday, December 29th at 7:00 PM in the Clubhouse We will be discussing requests for tree removals, replanting native vegetation, and trail improvements.

Notice: Boeing Creek Trail has been re-opened to residents with keys. Hazardous tree removal is complete.