Minutes of Dream Hills Committee meeting 28th February 2009 12 noon
Present; Maribel Jimenez Morales (President), Lowri Mitchell, Jan Renisson, Mags Harris, John Sinclair, John Kerr, Jenny McCadden and Tid Clifford.
Apologies; Alwyn Rozenek.
Matters arising.
The minutes of the meeting of 31st January were approved.
1) Proposed date of this years AGM, Wednesday 6th May. Venue and time yet to be confirmed.
2) The committee discussed at length the layout and content of the invitation letters for the AGM and also revised the structuring of the meeting itself. The committee has voted unanimously to remove the secret ballot for the vote for president, which was introduced last year. The president and committee have been working all year to improve communications with the owners, to keep you informed of developments and changes at all times. We intend to send you more information relating to the AGM than in past years, which will also include greater detail in the financial report.
3) Candidates wishing to put themselves forward for the Presidency of the Urbanisation are required to submit their CVs and/or letter of intent to the Administrators’ office by the 31st March 2009. If applying you are required to present your information on one sheet of A4 only, written on both sides. (We cannot sanction the cost of excessive sheets of printed paper being sent to 886 addresses, many overseas.)
The current president, Maribel Jimenez Morales, and her committee will be standing again this year.
4) Any suggestions for proposals related to the AGM, should be communicated in writing to your elected representative as soon as possible before 31st March 2009. If the suggestion involves additional expenditure, an approximation of cost would be helpful, but not essential.
A number of proposals have been received, some of which have already been ‘weeded-out’ due to impracticality, bias or nonsense. The President and committee have a “duty of care” to the owners to only present to them proposals that are considered realistic, thought-out, unbiased and practical.
5) Protocols/procedures are being drawn-up to provide information as an aid to new and inexperienced committee members in the future. This is a “work in progress” which will take quite some time to write and compile, because of its dynamic nature.
6) Security Information Attached to these minutes is a Security report of incidents arising within the Urbanisation handled by the security guards. This brief account is compiled from the detailed nightly written reports of the incidents recorded while on duty from 15th June 2008 to 21st February 2009. All relevant information is passed on to the Neighbourhood Watch.
Mirabel has been informed that there are now some organised gangs in the region. There have been over twenty two break-ins in three Urbanisations – one a gated community, during one recent week, that are in close proximity to Dream Hills. This past week alone we have had more crime in one night in Dream Hills than we have had all year. We advise all owners to be vigilant in making their properties secure at all times and to ring the security number provided or police, when appropriate.
7) Town Hall Meeting. Jan Rennison and John Kerr attended an Information meeting about the new ‘Civil Participation’ initiative that is being introduced by the town hall within the next two years. The objectives are to allow the residents a freedom of participation and of rights. The Orihuela region will be divided into several districts, each overseen by a non political director, creating also a help office - no more being sent from one place to another to find the right answers, hopefully! Residents will supposedly be able to present their problems and concerns to a committee consisting of the councillor for the region, a member of each opposition party and six elected representatives from the association of neighbours. (We assume this means ordinary people.) Interesting to see how this develops in the future as it is still in the planning stages.
9) AOB. Processional caterpillars are in abundance around the green areas and in the barranco - they have made an early appearance this year. Two dogs have already required veterinary attention. Maribel is to notify the Town Hall.
One person has reported seeing cockroaches. There are always some cockroaches about. Keeping a house, patio and garden clean reduces their opportunity to feed. The urbanisation sprays annually, usually in early June.
Barking dogs We remind owners that they are responsible for preventing their dogs from constant barking. Leaving your dog to bark throughout the night is extremely distressful to others owners. Please be considerate to your neighbours.
Meeting concluded at 1440 hrs.
Date of next meeting 4th April.
Next Surgeries 1200hrs Sat 7th March & sat 11th April.