Annual Meeting — March 21, 2026
Rescheduled meeting at Pool Pavilion, 9:00 AM. No quorum required. Key agenda: financial review, tributary update, board elections, transition to community self-management. Bring your own chairs.
Annual assessment revenue from 429 homes at $562/year = $241,098/year. Here's how it's been spent under third-party management.
| Line Item | Annual Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CPM Management Fee | $21,300 | Third-party property management overhead |
| Landscaping & Grounds | $48,000 | Mowing, trimming, common area maintenance |
| Insurance (Master Policy) | $18,500 | Liability, D&O, property coverage |
| Pool Operations | $15,200 | Maintenance, chemicals, lifeguards, permits |
| Snow Removal | $12,000 | Streets and common areas |
| Utilities (Common Areas) | $8,400 | Lighting, water, electric for amenities |
| Legal & Accounting | $6,500 | Annual audit, legal counsel, tax filing |
| Miscellaneous / Repairs | $8,000 | Signage, mailboxes, common area repairs |
| Total Annual Operating | $137,900 | |
| Surplus to Reserve | $0 | No reserve fund established |
| Category | 2024 Actual | 2025 Actual | 2026 Budget | % of Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | $29,322 | $39,736 | $35,250 | 14.6% |
| Management Fee (CPM) | $19,800 | $20,400 | $21,300 | 8.8% |
| Legal Fees | $2,732 | $6,775 | $4,000 | 1.7% |
| Office & Mailings | $3,558 | $4,547 | $2,000 | 0.8% |
| Social Activities | $1,725 | $5,304 | $6,000 | 2.5% |
| Utilities | $21,883 | $26,791 | $23,700 | 9.8% |
| Grounds & Landscaping | $58,300 | $55,000 | $68,311 | 28.4% |
| Pool & Amenities | $22,700 | $48,000 | $51,500 | 21.4% |
| Insurance | $42,000 | $44,000 | $45,000 | 18.7% |
| Building Maintenance | $500 | $500 | $500 | 0.2% |
| Reserve Contributions | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| TOTAL | $245,457 | $229,797 | $240,761 | 100% |
| Year | Assessment Income | Supplemental | Other Income | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $159,411 | $0 | $1,855 | $161,266 |
| 2023 | $182,485 | $0 | $3,984 | $186,469 |
| 2024 | $209,674 | $42,244 | $2,202 | $254,120 |
| 2025 | $237,608 | $41,503 | $3,990 | $283,100 |
| 2026 (Budget) | $241,124 | $0 | $0 | $241,124 |
Known vendors from available financial records. Formal records request submitted for complete vendor payment history.
| Vendor / Supplier | Category | Known Spend | Bid Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Property Mgmt (CPM) | Management | $21,300/yr | SOLE SOURCE |
| DMS Inc. | Tributary / Rip Rap | $52,600 | UNVERIFIED |
| Andreas Construction | Erosion / Phase 1 | TBD | RECORDS REQ |
| Landscaping Vendor | Grounds & Mowing | ~$55-68K/yr | RECORDS REQ |
| Pool Vendor | Pool Maintenance | ~$48-51K/yr | RECORDS REQ |
| Insurance Carrier | Master Policy | ~$42-45K/yr | ANNUAL RENEWAL |
| Snow Removal Vendor | Winter Services | TBD | RECORDS REQ |
| Legal Counsel | Legal & Compliance | ~$3-7K/yr | RECORDS REQ |
| Year | Mgmt Fee | % of Budget | YoY Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $18,000 | 11.2% | — |
| 2023 | $19,200 | 10.3% | +6.7% |
| 2024 | $19,800 | 8.1% | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $20,400 | 8.9% | +3.0% |
| 2026 | $21,300 | 8.8% | +4.4% |
| Quaigbot | $5,000 | 2.1% | -76.5% |
| Year | Annual Assessment | Supplemental | Total per Home | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~$371.59 | $0 | $371.59 | — |
| 2023 | ~$425.37 | $0 | $425.37 | +14.5% |
| 2024 | $488.75 | $200.00 | $688.75 | +61.9% |
| 2025 | $562.06 | $0* | $562.06 | -18.4% |
| 2026 | $562.06 | $0 | $562.06 | 0% |
* 2025 supplemental assessment was billed in 2024. Total supplemental collected across both years: ~$83,747.
Here's how each homeowner's $562.06 annual assessment is allocated:
| Where It Goes | Per Home | Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Grounds & Landscaping | $159.23 | $13.27 |
| Pool & Amenities | $120.05 | $10.00 |
| Insurance | $104.90 | $8.74 |
| CPM Management Fee | $49.65 | $4.14 |
| Utilities | $55.24 | $4.60 |
| Social Activities | $13.99 | $1.17 |
| Legal | $9.32 | $0.78 |
| Other Admin | $9.22 | $0.77 |
| Building Maintenance | $1.17 | $0.10 |
| Reserve Fund | $0.00 | $0.00 |
The Reserve Fund Is Empty
The 2026 budget allocates $0 to reserves. The Indenture (Section 8c) explicitly authorizes "maintenance of reserves for the benefit of the Association." Without reserves, every unexpected expense requires a special assessment — exactly what happened with the $200 tributary assessment.
By eliminating the CPM management fee and redirecting savings, here's what the reserve fund looks like — without raising assessments.
| Year | CPM Savings | Cumulative Reserve | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | — | $0 | 0 months operating |
| Year 1 | +$11,500 | $11,500 | 0.6 months |
| Year 2 | +$11,500 | $23,000 | 1.1 months |
| Year 3 | +$11,500 | $34,500 | 1.7 months |
| Year 5 | +$11,500 | $57,500 | 2.9 months |
| Year 10 | +$11,500 | $115,000 | 5.7 months |
Industry standard: HOAs should maintain 3-6 months of operating expenses in reserve.
Proposed: Expand Board to 5-9 Members
Three directors for 429 homes limits representation and creates bottlenecks. A covenant change to require a minimum of 5 and maximum of 9 board members ensures broader representation, better oversight, and shared workload. A ballot for this change is being prepared.
More voices. More oversight. More accountability. Requires covenant amendment — ballot in progress.
Committees are volunteer-based and report to the Board. Interested homeowners can volunteer through the Submit Request page.
| Document | What It Covers | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Indenture of Trust & Restrictions | Constitutional document — covenants, powers, assessments, use restrictions | Board has broad authority to manage |
| IL Public Act 102-0161 | Transparency, record access, board education, reserve disclosure | Owners have right to ALL records |
| 2004 Tributary Resolution | Court-ordered erosion control agreement with City of Belleville | HOA must maintain tributary |
| 2018 Settlement Agreement | General release of all claims | Legal history resolved |
| Solar Policy | Solar panel installation guidelines | Permitted with approval |
| Political Sign Policy | Yard sign restrictions during elections | Time-limited display allowed |
Self-Management Transition Proposal
A proposal will be presented at tomorrow's annual meeting to transition The Orchards from third-party management (CPM) to community self-management.
Key points:
- CPM currently costs $21,300/year ($1,775/month)
- Self-management estimated at ~$9,800/year
- Annual savings of $11,500+ redirected to a reserve fund
- This portal replaces CPM's communication and document functions at zero cost
- Board has legal authority to terminate the management contract (no homeowner vote required)
Review the full Transparency Report for detailed financial analysis.
Board Expansion Ballot
A covenant change ballot is being prepared to expand the Board of Directors from 3 members to a minimum of 5 and maximum of 9. This change ensures broader homeowner representation and distributes the workload of community governance. Requires supermajority approval.
Infrastructure Spending Oversight
To ensure all homeowners have full visibility into infrastructure spending, the Board is proposing a structured oversight process for projects exceeding $10,000:
- Minimum of 3 competitive bids for any project over $10,000
- Project proposals published to homeowners with 30-day review period
- Infrastructure Committee review and recommendation
- Full cost breakdown and vendor selection rationale made public
- Post-completion inspection and documentation
This process ensures that infrastructure investments — including tributary maintenance — are transparent, competitively bid, and accountable to all 429 homeowners.
| Date | Event | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21 | Annual Meeting | Pool Pavilion | TOMORROW |
| Apr 4 | Easter Egg Hunt | Pool House | UPCOMING |
| May 2 | Community Yard Sale | Community-wide | UPCOMING |
| May 24 | Pool Opens | Community Pool | UPCOMING |
| TBA | Ice Cream Social | Pool House | TBA |
| TBA | Pool Party | Community Pool | TBA |
| TBA | Adult Holiday Party | Clubhouse | TBA |
| TBA | Santa Breakfast | Clubhouse | TBA |
| Category | Documents | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | 7 files | Indenture, covenants, legislation, settlement, policies |
| Annual Budgets | 7 files | 2022-2026 approved budgets with prior year actuals |
| Monthly Financials | 45 files | Monthly financial statements organized by year |
| Meeting Minutes | 12 files | Annual and special meeting minutes 2019-2025 |
| Meeting Packets | 7 files | Annual meeting agendas, notices, and packets |
| Ballots & Elections | 5 files | Board elections, covenant change ballots, proxy forms |
| Plat Maps | 25 files | All 18+ addition plats with lot details |
| Infrastructure | 10 files | Tributary reports, proposals, invoices, erosion docs |
| Surveys & GIS | 2 files | Claxton survey, GIS with pin marks |
| Site Photos | 30+ files | Property stakes, retention areas, rip rap completion |
| Policies & Forms | 9 files | Solar, architectural, food truck, records access |
| Community | 15+ files | Event flyers, newsletters |
All documents are sourced from official HOA records. Under IL Public Act 102-0161, every homeowner has the right to inspect and copy any association record.
The HOA is bound by a 2004 Court Resolution with the City of Belleville to maintain the east tributary for erosion control. This is not optional.
What's been done:
- $200 supplemental assessment collected ($83,747 total)
- DMS completed rip rap project at Arnold Palmer Dr ($52,600) — November 2025
- Tributary committee formed (Mary Siemsgluxz, Mark St. Ivany, Larry Collinsworth, Etienne Thro, Marsha Ragen)
What's ahead:
- Phase 2 erosion control ($240,000 estimated) — requires planning and dedicated funding
- City coordination on upstream water flow
- Regular maintenance to prevent escalation
For any infrastructure project exceeding $10,000:
- Competitive Bidding — Minimum 3 bids from qualified contractors
- Public Review — Project scope and bids published to homeowners with 30-day comment period
- Committee Review — Infrastructure Committee evaluates bids and makes recommendation
- Board Vote — Final approval at an open board meeting
- Documentation — Full cost breakdown, vendor rationale, and completion report published
This ensures infrastructure investments are transparent, competitively priced, and serve the best interests of all 429 homeowners.
Open RFP Engine| DATE | DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | No payment history yet | — | PENDING |
Propose something that benefits the entire community. Proposals are reviewed by the board and, if accepted, put to a homeowner advisory vote. Keep it constructive — this is governance, not a complaint box.
Amendments to the Indenture or By-Laws require a 2/3 majority vote of homeowners (286 of 429 lots). Proposals are reviewed by the board, vetted by legal counsel, and if viable, put to a formal homeowner vote per IL law.
2. Board reviews and sends to legal counsel for IL compliance review
3. If viable, board schedules formal vote with 30-day written notice to all 429 lots
4. Vote conducted — requires 2/3 majority (286 votes) for Indenture changes
5. Approved amendments recorded with St. Clair County Recorder of Deeds
We're building a community that governs itself. That takes people who care. If you want to help, apply below. Board members serve 2-year terms. Committee members can start immediately.
Got an idea that would make The Orchards better for everyone? Drop it here. Good ideas get traction. This isn't a complaint form — it's a "what if we..." form. Think big, think community.
Not just you. Not a complaint. Not drama.
SELF-GOVERNANCE PROPOSAL
For a management portal, some PDFs, and a property manager. Let's look at what that actually gets you.
Same portal. Same document management. Same vendor coordination. Plus transparency tools, RFP bidding engine, real-time budget dashboards, and a board member who built it and lives here.
| Feature | CPM — $21,300/yr | Quaigbot — $5,000/yr |
|---|---|---|
| Community Portal | Basic | Full-featured |
| Document Library | PDF uploads | Organized + searchable |
| Financial Dashboard | Annual PDF only | Real-time transparency |
| RFP / Bid Engine | None | Full pipeline + audit trail |
| Infrastructure Oversight | Board discretion | $10K+ requires 3 bids |
| Assessment Collection | Included | Included |
| Meeting Management | Basic coordination | Agendas, minutes, notices |
| Vendor Management | Opaque | Transparent + scored |
| Board Member On-Site | No — external company | Yes — homeowner |
Every dollar saved goes directly into the community reserve fund.
I'm not an outside vendor. I'm your neighbor. My assessment goes up if costs go up.
Get a better portal with full transparency.
Put a homeowner on the board.
Build the reserve your community deserves.