THE
BLUE HER N
April 2013 Issue
Publication of the DeBordieu Colony Community Association “DCCA” www.debordieucandc.com
A
Beach Renourishment Update
t the February 23 and March 16 Board meetings, members of the Beach Steering Committee gave a detailed briefing on the status of our beach, the continued erosion, and the estimated cost to re-nourish it. Also reviewed was a modified approach for allocating costs, and a projected schedule of events leading to a Board decision in mid-May, 2013. This presentation can be found on the DeBordieu Community website, www.debordieucandc.com Each year our beach erosion rate is measured. The February 2013 results show the continued loss of sand along a larger portion of the beach. A more troubling finding is the increasing erosion north of the sea wall. The engineers refer to this as an “unzipping” effect and their projection is that this northward migration in erosion will likely continue. While Hurricane Sandy did not have a direct effect on Debidue Beach, the nor’easter which followed caused significant erosion of our beach and dunes. In some places the sand was eroded so badly that there were scarps over 12 feet high. The key lesson learned - beaches which had been
maintained, and were higher and wider, had significantly less property damage than those beaches which were more narrow and lower in elevation. Preliminary results of our current beach profile shows that we only have 22% of the sand remaining on the beach from the 2006 nourishment project. We are concerned that, given the amount of erosion that continues, a “Sandylike” storm surge would cause major damage to homes and infrastructure, adversely affecting the viability of our entire community. With a reserve fund of $2+ million, we are further concerned that the cost of re-building and repair from a major storm surge could exceed the funds we have available.
After an extensive review of ways to allocate costs for beach renourishment, including input from property owners, the Beach Steering Committee has reached the following conclusions: • DeBordieu properties historically have commanded a price premium compared to other gated and semi-private communities on the Waccamaw Neck. The beach is a key component in our property valuations and our ability to attract new buyers. • An eroding beach with no committed program to maintain the beach compromises property values and most importantly discourages potential buyers. • Projected erosion rates indicate a need for renourishment about every 7 years depending on storm activity. • Since we are a beach community, all property owners should pay a community-wide base assessment. • Those properties within the erosional areas designated by the SC Office of Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) should pay more of the financial obligation. • Beachfront property owners should pay a premium but less than those in the OCRM designated erosional areas. • Developed properties on key lots on the oceanfront should pay less than developed properties on full lots. • Undeveloped lots and key lots on the oceanfront should pay less of a premium than developed properties on the oceanfront. • Individual villas should pay less than single family homes within the same zone. • Island properties not in the OCRM zones and not on the oceanfront should pay some premium. • Ocean Oaks should pay more than the Inland assessment but less than the Island assessment. • These conclusions are incorporated into the allocation of costs among all property owners.
Beach Renourishment Update, continued
The current projected cost of this project is approximately $8.2 million and the Board has requested binding bids to be submitted by dredging contractors in time for the Board’s review and consideration in early May. The following is a preliminary estimate of the assessments by zone based on the projected cost of $8.2 million.
COMMUNITY BOARD BRIEFS The following are highlights from the DCCA March Board meeting:
Approved:
A Special Board Meeting is planned for May 11, 2013 to review the final proposal from the Beach Steering Committee and to decide whether this project will be presented to members for their approval. If the proposal is approved, proxies will be sent to property owners in mid-May with votes to be received by mid-June.
SPRING FLING
Saturday, April 20 6:00 – 9:00 pm At The Pavilon BBQ Pork, Grilled & Fried Chicken
Plus Shared Dishes from Your DeBordieu Friends And Neighbors
$7.50/Person with A Shared Dish $17.50/Person without
Bring Your Own Beverage **Sodas & Mixers Provided**
Reserve Your Spot Today
DCCA Office 527-4436 or dcaadmin@debordieucolony.org Please Specify if you will be bringing a Salad, Vegetable, Casserole Or Dessert
Don’t Delay, Call Today! Hosts: Dick & Helen Rose Carl & Lois Fisher
3 The revision of Section 6.3.1 of the DeBordieu ARB Manual to remove item 14 regarding Contractors requesting entry to DeBordieu Colony to give an estimate or bid a job must pay the daily fee for entry. 3 The use of electronic voting to help collect members’ votes for Annual and Special Members’ meetings. 3 The renewal of the 2013 DCCA Commercial Liability Insurance package in the amount of $59,390. 3 Establishing an account currently referred to on our present balance sheet as “Cash- Operating” equal to 115% of the yearly Operating budget with excess funds from this account and ARB funds not owed, be swept to and held in the Reserve Account.
Reported:
• The Nominating Committee presented the 2013 slate of 6 members nominated for election to the Board of Directors: Jim Christian, Wayne Hinman, Mason Hogue, Marianne Mackey, Dan Roach and Carter Utzig. • On March 5 the Executive Committee made a decision to move forward with an economic impact study. • A Meet and Greet is scheduled for March 30 at the Beach Club to introduce community members to the board nominees. • 1st Annual Firewise Day was Saturday, March 16. *The March 16 meeting minutes are subject to change, as they have not yet been approved. Approved Board minutes are available online at www.debordieucandc.com.
MEET OUR 2013 BOARD NOMINEES Jim Christian
A former Special Agent in Charge with the US Secret Service, Jim worked globally on protective assignments, and investigations, and served on two organized crime strike forces during his 20 year career. He joined Novartis International AG in 1989, and residing in Basel, Switzerland, was a Corporate VP, directing Corporate Security, Competitive Intelligence, The Business Practices Office and Corporate Aviation worldwide. Jim also served as the President of The Pharmaceutical Security Institute in Washington, has been an expert witness for the US Congress and The European Parliament, and for 10 years was an advisor to the Swiss Guard at The Vatican. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from St. Francis College and a Masters from Seton Hall University, and participated in 3 Executive Management Programs at Harvard Business School. Jim serves on the Board of Directors of AMI-Kids, Georgetown, helped renovate the Family Justice Center, has been active in the Wounded Warrior Project, and the County’s Special Olympics, and for 8 years, was a volunteer representative for The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Jim currently serves on the DCCA Legal and Regulatory Committee. Jim and Suzanne have 3 children and 4 grandchildren, built their home in 2004, and have been here full time in the Low Country since May, 2010.
Wayne Hinman After serving 4 years as an officer in the US Air Force, Wayne earned his MBA from Virginia Tech in 1974. He worked for Air Products and Chemicals Inc. for 33 years in various positions including V.P. of Corporate Planning, President of Air Products, Asia, and most recently V.P. and GM of Worldwide Merchant Gases. Wayne retired in 2007, but continued to consult for Air Products, as well as sit on several Air Products Joint Venture Boards through December 2011. He has always been involved in charitable endeavors including sitting on several non-profit Boards including United Way and Boy Scouts. Currently, Wayne is a member of the Board of Tronox Ltd, a NYSE listed company. He chairs the Governance and Nominating Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee of that Board. He continues to be a member of the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business Advisory Board, that he has chaired in the past, and is a member of the DeBordieu Long Range Planning Committee. He is also assisting the Bunnelle Foundation with strategy and balanced scorecards. Wayne, and his wife Barb have 4 children and 5 grandchildren and purchased their lot in 2007 and made DeBordieu their permanent residence in 2011.
Mason Hogue Mason is a partner in the law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, where he serves as Assistant Corporate Group Leader and is the co-head of the Technology Industry Group. He is a business attorney and often serves as outside general counsel to growth companies. Mason’s board experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the Committee of 100 and the Board of Advisors to EngenuitySC. Mason earned a JD in law, a Masters in International Business and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Carolina. Prior to law school, Mason worked for Andersen Consulting (Accenture) in Charlotte, NC. Mason and his wife Presley have 2 teenage daughters, Elizabeth and Emily. Mason and Presley reside in Columbia and have owned their home in DeBordieu since 2004.
The DCCA Annual Members’ meeting will be held at the DeBordieu Clubhouse on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 am. The purpose of the Annual Member’s Meeting is to elect four new members to the Board of Directors for three-year terms and to present to the general membership a 12-month review of the management, operation and financial status of the Association. This year your proxy/ballots will be mailed out during the week of April 8. For the first time, members in good standing will have the opportunity to vote online or return their proxy/ballot via mail. The six nominees for the elections of four new Board members were announced by the Nominating Committee during the March 16 board meeting. The nominees were chosen by a committee vote after taking into account candidate qualifications, DeBordieu location and resident status. Each year significant effort is made to ensure the final selection of candidates represent all the different areas within DeBordieu Colony (Golf Course, Forest, Island, etc.) as well as full-time and part-time residents. Below is a summarization of the nominee’s profiles that will be included in your Annual Members’ Meeting official packet. (Nominee profiles can also be found on the Resident HomePage of the community website, www.debordieucandc.com.)
Marianne Mackey
Marianne’s career involved the development and deployment of financial services products and strategies at MasterCard International. Earlier successes included the introduction of Citibank’s ATM and debit card brand strategy across the franchise in Latin America and Eastern Europe, and management of budgets and strategic planning for Grumman International. Marianne is skilled in bridging consumer needs, developing business proposals and technical solutions, vendor management, assessing legal requirements, staff training, and strategizing marketing plans. Marianne is a permanent resident of DeBordieu since 2011, and a property owner since 2000. Marianne currently serves on the DeBordieu Finance Committee, the Home and Garden Club Board, the Miss Ruby’s Kids Board, and is a Miss Ruby’s Kids mentor.
Dan Roach
Dan is a Director of Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley who has been employed with the firm in Columbia, SC for the past 32 years. He was the Treasurer of the Columbia YMCA for 15 years and is on the Investment Committee of the Upper Diocese of South Carolina of the Episcopal Church. Dan is also currently a board member of Brookgreen Gardens. Dan graduated in 1977 from the University of South Carolina. Dan and his wife Sharon, a retired attorney, have two daughters. The Roach’s built their house in DeBordieu in 2000 and Dan enjoys playing golf.
Carter Utzig Carter is currently an Executive Advisor with Booz & Company. He is a former Partner with KPMG/BearingPoint and Dixon Hughes. He has served on the Infrastructure Committee and lead the setup of the current boat storage program. He has also served on the Beach/Long Range Planning committee. Other board activities include being a former board member on Apparel Think Tank and Oracle Consulting Firm. Carter earned his MBA in Operations Management, Master of Science in Materials Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. Carter and Cathlean have been coming to DeBordieu since 1997 and purchased their first property here in 2001. They have two daughters, Meghann and Anna, both who are at Ole Miss. His hobbies include cycling and fishing.
Mark Your Calendar Annual Members’ Meeting Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 am
AR UND THE COLONY Architectural Review Board “ARB� Checklist We would like to remind community members that ARB Approval must be obtained before making changes to any of the following: 3 Changing the existing roofing material and/or color 3 Changing the exterior color of your home 3 Changing the surface or shape of an existing driveway 3 Any additions to your property to include entry
columns, swimming pools, or exterior lighting 3 Removing trees or landscaping changes
Although not all changes need to be presented to the ARB, please call Meg Wilcox, ARB Administrator at (843) 527-5033 for clarification.
Yard Debris Disposal
The DeBordieu Colony Grounds crew picks up yard debris throughout the community as a courtesy for all homeowners. Please note, this service does not apply to new homes while under construction or to the debris from clearing an unimproved lot. All debris for homes under construction or from clearing a lot must be hauled off DeBordieu property and disposed of at the County landfill. Please keep in mind that our community debris site is to be used for yard debris only. As of late, appliances, flowering pots and building materials are being disposed of in this area, which makes it unacceptable for yard debris collection. Please remember to utilize our community dumpsite only for grass clippings, tree limbs and other yard debris.
S.C.U.T.E. (South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts) by Betsy Brabson & Robin Baughn, Coordinators
Loggerhead sea turtles are beginning to swim our way and DeBordieu & Hobcaw S.C.U.T.E. is making preparations for their arrival. S.C.U.T.E. held its annual spring training workshop on April 7. This workshop gave our existing volunteers a chance to brush up on techniques in reading tracks, locating egg chambers and relocating nests; while allowing our new volunteers to see the process, ask questions and find out more about our organization. If you have seen us on the beach doing turtle activities and want to learn more, please contact Betsy Brabson at 843-546-9531 or wbrabson@sccoast.net.
Remember Lights Out for Loggerheads! Please turn off oceanfront lights by 10:00pm May - October for nesting and hatching sea turtles and keep our beach clean and clear.
www.debordieuscute.org
DCCA ADMINISTRATION DIRECTORY Phone: 843.527.4436 Fax: 843.546.8704 dcaadmin@debordieucolony.org
Blanche Brown ........................ bbrown@debordieucolony.org AMS, CMCA General Manager
Brooke Phillips ........................... bphillips@debordieucolony.org Office Manager Sharon Bishop ........................... dcaadmin@debordieucolony.org Member & Commercial Services (decals & barcodes)
Architectural Review Board.................. 843.527.5033 Meg Wilcox ............................... mwilcox@debordieucolony.org ARB Administrator
Grounds Maintenance. ......................... 843.436.3333 David Sapp ............................... dcagrounds@debordieucolony.org Grounds Maintenance Manager
Community “Safety & Security�............... 843.527.4931 Stephanie Johnson .................... sjohnson@debordieucolony.org Administrative Assistant
GATEHOUSE Phone: 843.546.8520 Fax 843.546.8532
2012-2013 DeBordieu Colony Board and Committee Assignments
Les Crawford ............................... crawfordlm@aol.com President Dick Schwab ................................ rschwab@sccoast.net Vice President David Kossove ............................. phiusa@bellsouth.net Secretary Bob Flowers .................................... reebuck1@aol.com Treasurer / Finance Jim Cooper ......................... james.cooper3@gmail.com Architectural Review Board Glynn Alexander ............................ glynn196@aol.com Legal & Regulatory Jim Green .................................. landevcon@sccoast.net Infrastructure Bill Owen ............................... bill@owenrealestate.com Beach Bill Rentz ............................... creekman2001@aol.com Grievance Dick Rose......................................1highhill@gmail.com Beach Jeff Shields ......................... jeffrey.shields@novartis.com Finance Claire Yarborough .............................. plycwy@aol.com Long Range Planning