Best Lit Street: Sunny Brook Drive, with lots of homes were well lit and very festive.
Darkest Alley: My own Brookhaven Court, maybe next year…

Ok, now the winners:
Best All Around:
Bobby Decker & Carol (CJ) Price,
2500 Valley Brook Drive.
They got those reindeer trained to fly just in time!

Most Colorful:
Phil & Mary Spurlin
823 Sunnybrook Drive
Lots of multi-color lights and tree wrappings.

Most Animated:
Bob and Barbara Randall,
2400 Valley Brook Drive
Very traditional animation animation and lights that everyone enjoyed.
They wanted to thank all the help from kids and grandkids!

Most Traditional:
Randy and Linda Surtees (and their son helped),
802 Brookside Ave.

Honorable Mentions:
Ronald and Diane Krakowski, 2508 Brookdale Ave. – the ladies loved the red tree.
James and Jamie Minter, 2308 Brookdale Ave. – great traditional look.
Joe and Chrystal Moss, 915 Northbrook – always well animated.
Marjorie Anderson, 2601 Brookdale Ave – lots of wrapped trees and color.
Michael and Judith Burton, 1305 Brookwood Circle – very colorful display.
Bradley & Tammy Baldwin, 2205 Brookwood Place – well done traditional display.

Thanks to all who light their homes and helped make Brookhaven merry and bright!
–
Allen Smith

Current and Partially Paid Accounts as of December 2, 2011

The Treasurer’s report was also cut off at the top and failed to show the beginning balance.  Below is the full report, along with a 2011 Year to Date Budget Report.

Treasurer’s Report as of November 29, 2011

2011 Year to Date Budget Report

Rumor: The vote was defeated therefore there is no HOA.

Truth: The changes to the covenants and the mandatory amendment passed in Plat 1. It did not pass in Plats 2 and 3. What that means is that from this point forward, anyone who buys a house in Plat 1 or for those owner’s in Plat 1 who opted in by vote will be bound by the mandatory provisions. All owner’s in Plat 1 will now be bound by the new consolidated covenants regardless of their vote.

Rumor: The covenants expired forever in 1997 therefore there is no HOA.

Truth: The language in the original covenants states that the covenants were to run for 20 years and then automatically renew. This myth was spread in the form of ‘loaded question’ arguments by someone opposed to the recent covenant changes. Even after explaining the true covenant language at informational meetings, that person continued to print and distribute incorrect information.  So yes, every lot in Brookhaven has covenants as follows: Plat 1 has voted to update the covenants, Plats 2 and 3 are still under the original covenants.

Question: How does the vote affect owners in Plats 2 and 3?

Answer: Owners who live in Plats 2 and 3 will remain under a voluntary association and will continue to be voluntary until such time there are enough votes for those Plats to become mandatory as well.

Question: How did the vote affect dues?

Answer: Dues remain the same as 2011.  All owner’s in Plats 1-3 will be billed for $125 annual dues in January 2012.  Of that amount $100 will cover operating expenses while $25 goes to capital improvements.  At the 2011 annual meeting owners approved using the 2012 capital fund for new lighting at the entrances.

If someone uses these arguments, please inform your neighbor there is definitely an HOA in Brookhaven, whether mandatory or voluntary. Have them contact us if they have any more questions.

Lot owners had three options on the ballot.  Option 1 & 2 on the ballot concerned the HOA amendment to create a mandatory homeowners association for the neighborhood.  Option 3 on the ballot was the CCR amendment to update the existing covenants and to consolidate the 3 sets of covenants into one uniform set.   Below are the final results.

Since a portion of the neighborhood has voted to go mandatory, the association
will form a committee in January to write an amendment to the bylaws regarding
mandatory issues. For Plat 1, the mandatory amendment and covenants are
effective on the filing date at the courthouse. Homes sales closing after that
date will be required to pay dues under the mandatory amendment and comply with
the amended and restated covenants.

The final vote meeting for the proposed covenant changes will be Tuesday, November 15th at 6:30 PM.

We meet at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1501 N. Bryant, Edmond, OK (where we vote).

FREE Notary service provided at the meeting.

Meanwhile, there are several covenant committee volunteers and notaries visiting door to door to answer questions and notarize ballots.

A lot of neighbors have questions about the proposed covenant changes so we put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Download the entire FAQ and Issues as a PDF here.

We meet at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1501 N. Bryant, Edmond, OK (where we vote).

There are also several covenant committee volunteers and notaries visiting door to door to answer questions and notarize ballots.

A lot of neighbors have questions about the proposed covenant changes so we put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Voting questions are listed below, with more of the Issues in dispute coming soon.

Download the entire FAQ and Issues as a PDF here.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why do we need a HOA?

1. By maintaining our neighborhood will keep property values high.
2. To maintain common areas.
3. To preserve standards outlined in the covenants.

2. What do the two proposed amendments do?

The first amendment (‘Amended and Restated Restrictive Covenants of Brookhaven North’ or the CCR amendment) consolidates the 3 sets of covenants into one set.  Brookhaven is comprised of 3 plats.  Each plat has its own set of covenants.  By consolidating these 3 sets of covenants into one it established a uniform set of covenants for everyone.

The second amendment (‘Amendment to the Amended and Restated Restrictive Covenants of Brookhaven North’ or the HOA amendment) creates a mandatory homeowners association for the neighborhood, along with a general framework of operate such association.

3. Where can I get a copy of my existing covenants?

1. The Brookhaven website at www.BrookhavenNorth.org, click here to download.
2. All existing covenants are on file with the Oklahoma City County Clerk’s Office in Oklahoma City, OK.

4. What if I want to vote ‘Yes’?

To vote yes for the amendments you may sign a ballot before a notary and return your ballot to:

• Allen Smith and Denise Dawley, 2205 Brookhaven Court, Edmond, OK;
• Brookhaven North HOA, PO Box 30251, Edmond, OK  73003-0005;
• Matt Winton, Esq., 3233 East Memorial Road, Ste. 103, Edmond, OK  73013; or
• You may attend the Information/Voting Meetings on: September 26, October 24, or November 15 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1501 N Bryant Ave, Edmond, OK.

5. What do the voting options mean?

If you agree with consolidating the covenants and creating a mandatory HOA, and want to declare your property, then check boxes 2 and 3 on the ballot.  By declaring your property, you agree to pay dues under the mandatory association.

If you agree with consolidating the covenants and creating a mandatory HOA, and want the amendments effective only on new owners (successors-in-interest), then check boxes 1 and 3 on the ballot.  This vote will not change your dues paying status.

If you agree with consolidating the covenants, but do not agree with creating a mandatory HOA, then check box 3 on the ballot.

6. What if I want to vote ’No’?

To vote no, you need not do anything.  Only those voting in person or by written ballot will be counted ‘yes’ for the amendment.  Anyone not voting, or not showing up to the voting meeting will automatically be counted as a ‘no’ vote.

Bryant Rock Wall Repairs 2011 Capital Improvement Project

At the 2010 Annual Meeting, homeowners voted to approve a $25 Capital Improvements assessment to repair the walls at the Bryant entrance.  The second phase started today as Keyser Masonry Repair began grinding out grout to repair the rock wall, the brick wall and secure the entrance column caps.  Keyser repaired one of the walls when a car hit the Bryant entrance two years ago and they did very good work.  Keyser’s phone number is (405) 677-6799.

The first phase of that was completed earlier this summer to fix drainage behind the wall which allows drainage through the concrete bottom of the flower beds.

Please note, all contractors used by the HOA are required to provide a current Certificate of Liability Insurance, Workman’s Compensation Insurance (or an Affidavit of Exemption), as well as provide a W-9 ‘Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification’.

There will be an informational meeting next Monday, September 26, 2011, 6:30 p.m. at the St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Matt Winton, attorney, will be there to answer all questions. The meeting dates are in the cover you received with your packet. There will be FREE notary service at all the meeting so you can cast your ballot at the meeting.

Correction Notice: There was a printing error on the CCR’s in the packets. The attorney is mailing a new copy this week.
The corrections are as follows:
In Section 1, after the word carport on line 2, add the defined term ‘(Modifications)’
In Section 8, in the second paragraph the word ‘deliver’ should be ‘delivery’.

If you have questions about the ballot or the covenant changes, please attend the informational meetings.

Thank you,
Allen Smith

garage sale sign

Fall is here and yes once again the Neighborhood garage sale is set.  Saturday Oct 1, 2011.

The signs will be put out at the entrance’s the week prior.

The newsletter that was recently mailed out mentioned a community drop off sale in the park.  Unfortunately this has been cancelled.