BARQUE HILL ASSOCIATION Annual Report - 2002

Treasurer's Report

We had a good year (5/02-4/03) as the enclosed Income Statement details. Our revenues were more than anticipated as 93 of 105 owners paid their annual dues of $150. It was again approved at the annual meeting to identify paid members on our address/telephone listing which is distributed in November. Our expenses were less than budgeted in the landscaping area, and we were not hit as hard in our real estate taxes and insurance premium as expected. As a result we ended our fiscal year with a surplus of $2,358, a welcome change from the nearly $3,000 loss in 2001-02.

Looking forward, we are budgeting a small surplus for this year although as usual there are question marks. Chief among them are our mowing fees which may increase and an almost certain hefty increase in the insurance premium. Our real estate taxes are also certain to rise as the Town of Norwell deals with an extremely tight budget. In that regard our chances of having our roads repaved are very thin. The Town Meeting approved a minimal budget for highway repair, and although our roads our rated as "poor," such items as maintenance for roads and drainage systems will take a back seat to more pressing Town priorities. The Town outlook for the next two years is even dimmer.

Activities

Our annual picnic was held in Shipyard Park on Saturday, September 21. Our thanks to Paul McCarthy for organizing the food and to the many members who brought salads, desserts and other delights. Pat Kelley orchestrated the kids' activities with a moonwalk, pony rides and a clown for face painting and balloons. She then led the games which included the famous egg toss and sack races. Halloween was a frightfully fun evening for the children and successfully patrolled by our hired policeman.

Thanks to Loann Keene and Jessie Chai for planting flowers in front of the Barque Hill Rock and at the start of Till Rock Lane. At Christmas they placed wreaths on several of the fences which demark our common land. Jon Keene generously donated his time and expertise to help clean the path from Barque Hill Common to Till Rock of fallen trees.

Issues

We continue to have summertime problems with outsiders parking beside Shipyard Park and using the river area for late night parties. These occasions are a problem due to the noise, the unsightly trash left behind and the possibility of legal action against the Association if an injury should occur. We continue to post signs and chain the entrance, but the end result is often a call to the police.

It's been noticed that leaves and grass have been dumped on Association land from time to time. Such dumping lessens the attraction of the area we all call home.

Finally, I'd like to thank Paul McCarthy from all of us for the three years he served our Association as President. We are the better for his effort.

Tom Poor