Board meeting of May 25, 2013

Present

 * Jack Caldwell
 * Peyton Carr
 * Joe Dzikiewicz
 * Sonny Fauver
 * Dave Norris

Business

 * Dave Norris presented the current financials. The summary: we have had no expenses to speak of so far this year and income in line with expectations.  All in all, this year's financials should be in line with the budget.  Details are available here.


 * Some residents had hostile encounters with a rude fox hunter who was running his dogs through the neighborhood. This led to a lengthy board discussion in which the following points were made:
 * This is a good time to review the laws that apply, as presented by Jeff McCuistion from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) to our 2011 annual general meeting. From the minutes of the meeting:
 * There are no laws against hunting dogs coming onto peoples' property. Mathews does not have a leash law.
 * Hunters can come onto anyone's property to retrieve their dogs. However, without being invited the following restrictions apply:
 * They cannot drive onto the property.
 * They cannot come onto the property with a firearm.
 * They have to show their ID if asked by the property owner.
 * If the property is not posted no trespassing, they need only oral permission to come onto the property. If it is posted, they need written permission.
 * They cannot release the dogs on the property without permission. However, the dogs may come onto the property.
 * Hunters should ask for permission to come onto the property to retrieve their dogs, or at least inform the owners, but they are not required to do so.
 * All of these permissions only apply when the hunters are on a lawful hunt.
 * Fox season in Mathews is year-round.
 * Deer season is from November 19 through January 7.
 * If a hunter has permission to go to a property, he can only use the private road to drive to that property. He cannot use the roads otherwise.
 * Here are some links to the Virginia laws that apply: 29.1-516.1, 18.2-132, 18.2-133, 18.2-134, 18.2-134.1, 18.2-136.
 * In the event of future such confrontations, Jeff McCuistion of DGIF is a good person to contact. The customer service number for his office is 804-367-1258.
 * In this case, the hunter had verbal permission from a homeowner to park his truck in that homeowners driveway. The homeowner has since revoked that permission.
 * In response to this incident, the board passed the following resolution:
 * Whereas the presence of hunting dogs continues to be a detrimental issue on the common properties of Chesapeake Shores and whereas the owners of such dogs continued to be rude and uncooperative with Chesapeake Shores residents, the board hereby resolves that:
 * The HOA will post the community common areas as no trespassing.
 * The HOA will not give permission to release dogs on the common property.
 * The board recommends that property owners do not give permission to hunters to drive onto their property or release their dogs on the property.
 * The board will contact the Bavon Beach HOA to recommend that they act similarly.
 * In addition, the board voted that it will reimburse Peyton Carr for the purchase of no-trespasing signs in support of the above resolution.
 * The annual members meeting this year will be August 31 (Labor Day Saturday) at 10:30 at the Beulah Methodist Church.
 * The seats currently held by Sonny Fauver and Joe Dzikiewicz are up for election this year.
 * Peyton Carr will chair the election committee this year. He will find two non-board-members to serve on the committee with him and will prepare the election materials and send them to members.