Two residents made use of the resident forum to share concerns. One shared her thoughts regarding ongoing lifeguard conversations, stating that she felt it was imperative to keep lifeguards for the safety of the children using the pools. Another resident voiced concerns about the recent change requiring residents to show ID to enter the pickleball/tennis courts. Director Eric Holt interjected that it has always been the policy that residents must show ID to enter the facilities and the new system is simply enforcing that policy. WCA President Michiel Oostenbrink said the board is just trying to figure out lay of the land and how to move forward and they will be taking feedback into consideration.
Following audience comments, Welcome Committee Chair Charles Stephens took the floor with an update on his committee’s role. The board recently voted to have new residents visit the WCA Office to pick up their welcome bags to ensure they signed up for the Vantaca portal, leaving the committee unsure about its role. As a trial run, Stephens visited the homes of 10 new residents and five answered the door. Stephens said that, when he inquired, all five homeowners said they had already signed up for Vantaca. He added that he was not sure how many folks would pick up bags at the office if asked to do so. “With all of that said, I’d like to ask the board to rescind the motion to have bags picked up at the office,” Stephens said.
Holt said he was a big fan of centralizing the process. VP Theresa Lanzar said she was in favor of a personal touch but wants to ensure residents sign up for Vantaca. Director Jessica Siddle suggested potentially using a two-pronged approach, having the Welcome Committee visit the home, but also finding a way to entice them to stop in the office. The board agreed to continue to work on a compromise. A motion to return, for the time being, to having the welcome committee deliver bags to homeowners passed unanimously. Directors Jack Maurer and Ashley Wait-Woodcock were absent.
The conversation turned to Glencliff and its financial structure. Glencliff resident Ken Blair explained that when Westchase was established, Glencliff was set up as its own entity that receives additional services paid for by the Glencliff residents, as is allowed by the governing documents. That also allowed them to set up a financial service to monitor those funds. In recent months, Holt had questioned this arrangement. Holt reiterated that his questions were: what is WCA’s role in services being provided and what is the liability. Following assurance from Blair and Accountant Alex Parent that the WCA is only responsible for an audit of the community, Director Terry Lanzar made a motion to renew the financial service engagement letter for two years. It passed 4-1, with Holt dissenting.
Since Wait-Woodcock, the GAC Chair, was absent, Oostenbrink gave a brief update on the No Parking issue in West Park Village. He said decorative posts had been installed and striping was complete in all areas except Brompton, where several residents remain strongly opposed to the changes. Oostenbrink reiterated that the WCA has no jurisdiction on the matter; however, he would like to set up a meeting with all involved parties. The board agreed he should do so.
In his Document Review Committee update, Holt said the 4-person committee will begin the INSG review and will provide regular updates.
Swim & Tennis Chair Dan Haigy asked for approval on two new signs. He requested one at the entrance to the Countryway courts that says everyone must check in and on the back of the sign it reminds guests to push the button to exit. Haigy also requested a sign listing five rules of etiquette for pickleball. The board approved both signs.
Regarding the guest policy for pickleball, Haigy said there had been some misinterpretation of the rules, which state that three non-residents are allowed per reservation — that has always been interpreted as four total players since there are only four spaces for guest names on the YourCourts sign up. To maximize use of the courts and the nature of pickleball, where players often rotate in, the S&T committee recommended that each reservation include up to 6 players with no more than 3 non-resident guests per court. The board approved that request unanimously.
TAC member Marlon Santos briefed the board on their efforts and Oostebrink thanked the committee for the tremendous amount of time they have put in.
In his Treasurer’s report, Holt presented a proposal to invest the association’s cash assets, including three laddered CDARs at $250,000 each. The board voted unanimously to implement Holt’s proposal on or around March 1, as outlined in his Treasurer’s report (see below):
- Operating Account:
- $150K min balance maintained in checking per current policy (~0.025%)
- Remaining Ops balance retained in ICS at prevailing rates (~2.50%)
- Appropriated Funds Account:
- (2) 6-mo Jumbos @ $250K ea. (~3.65%)
- $10K min balance maintained in checking (~0.025%)
- Remaining balance (~$108K) retained in ICS (~2.50%)
- Reserve Funds
- 5-10-85 strategy:
- $100K min balance maintained in checking (~0.025%)
- $200K retained in ICS (2.50%)
- Remaining balance (approx. $1.75M) in CDARs
- (3) 6-mo Jumbos @ $250K ea. March 1st (~3.65%)
- (2) 6-mo Jumbos @ $250K ea. May 1st (~3.65%)
- (2) 6-mo Jumbos @ $250K ea. July 1st (~3.65%)
- 5-10-85 strategy:
Holt then made a motion to move the WCA’s reserves from a component reserve methodology to a pooled reserve methodology, effective Feb. 16. This item was discussed in length at the VM meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
Turning to the activity room rental fee, Assistant Association Manager Karen Marrero confirmed that the current policy requires a $250 refundable security deposit; however, the local Cub Scout troop has not been required to pay that fee in the past. The board discussed concerns with past damage and a motion to require scout troops to pay the security going forward passed unanimously.
Holt brought up a proposed policy for streamlining the process for neighborhoods to vote on proposed INSG changes. The proposal involved the electronic dissemination of ballots by setting up a survey online and sending out a link + QR code for residents in that neighborhood to vote. A motion to have the WCA office provide notice with a link and QR code to an electronic ballot that would be sent to neighborhoods that have proposed INSGs passed unanimously.
Lanzar shared a concern with violations that are being issued on trash days for trash cans that are sitting outside a home’s garage. She explained that this often happens when neighbors are being courteous and bringing their neighbors’ cans up to the garage. Lanzar made a motion that there should be no garbage can violations on trash days, and all open violations that were on trash days should be rescinded. It passed unanimously.
The board previously approved hiring a Maintenance Technician at a salary of $65,000. Oostenbrink informed the board that Inframark realized the all-in cost, including health care, for a skilled technician would be closer to $90,000. Oostenbrink presented three options: Option #1, adjust salary to $90,000; Option #2, leave salary at $65,000 and look for an entry-level candidate; Option #3, use Inframark’s in-house maintenance department at an annual rate of $65,000 for three, 8-hour days per week. Following a discussion with further clarification from Inframark, the board voted unanimously to move forward with Inframark’s in-house maintenance department starting March 1.
Summer Camp Discussion and Vote
Oostenbrink then informed the board that they needed to decide on the WCA’s Summer Camp program for 2026. He spoke at length about the issue at the Feb. 10 VM meeting and reiterated that he was disappointed in what he witnessed at last year’s camp, adding that he felt they could do a better job with the program. Holt added that it was late in the game to be planning for this year’s camp and he agreed the association was currently not providing a good product. He said he had tried to piece together last year’s numbers and it appeared the camp served roughly 40 campers per week, split fairly evenly between residents and non-residents. He said realistically, the camp probably served a total of 100 families over the course of the summer. Holt proposed, at a minimum, to suspend the program for 2026 in order to have time to look at presenting a better product. Oostenbrink added that he knows people are used to having this option, and it’s affordable, but he felt they could present a better program, and there wasn’t time to do that this year. The motion to suspend summer camp for 2026 passed 4-1, with Jozefiak dissenting.
Lifeguard Discussion and Vote
The board turned to ongoing lifeguard discussions. Oostenbrink shared the preliminary results of the lifeguard survey: 425 total responses; 179 to eliminate lifeguards; 137 to have lifeguards in summer months only; 101 for no change; 8 had no preference. Oostebrink said that works out to 55.76% of respondents wanting some sort of guard. Holt countered that 75% are ok with no guards or summer only. Resident Katie Hammond asked, of those respondents, how many use the pool. Oostenbrink shared: 25% often; 22% occasionally; 33% rarely; 20% never.
Resident Bob Bader asked what the savings would be if the community went from the current state to no guards or guards in just the summer. Holt said if they had guards in summer only, it would save roughly $96,000 per year. He added that money was not the driving factor. Bader interjected that $96,000 worked out to $27 per household per year.
As others chimed in, Holt interjected that the issue had been vetted for months and he didn’t want to debate again. He added, “Part of the problem is that we are in the HR business and we shouldn’t be.” He said that, to keep guards in the summer going forward, they would need to work with a third-party service.
Jozefiak asked about the Community Service Attendant (CSA) structure. Holt responded that 2 to 3 people would be on duty, but they would not be lifeguards. After further discussion, a motion was made to keep lifeguards through Labor Day and then move to a swim at your own risk model with CSAs. All members present approved.