BARQUE HILL ASSOCIATION Annual Report - 2004

We had a good year (5/03-4/04) as the enclosed Income Statement details. Our revenues were more than anticipated as 96 of 106 owners paid their annual dues of $150. Paid members are so noted 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. The two areas incurring greater expense than anticipated were the long overdue repair of fences bordering common lands and increased festivities at the annual picnic. As a result we ended our fiscal year with a small surplus of $927.

Looking forward, we are budgeting a small loss for this coming 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. However, we do have funds budgeted to continue improvements in the neighborhood including further fence repairs and tree work.

Web Site
John Garvey has created a very interesting and attractive web site (www.barquehill.org) which contains the history of our area, pictures and other helpful information. He is always looking for more material - pictures, articles, etc.

Grounds
We have an agreement with the Town of Norwell, negotiated in 1983, whereby our 64 acres of common land is under a conservation restriction which prohibits any building, dumping or cutting on the common land. In return, the taxes are at a reduced rate and the land is reserved for use by members of the Barque Hill Association.

• Mowing:
  We are fortunate that Bill Goodwin and his On the Green staff have been attentive and efficient in caring for our grounds. In addition to mowing, they have provided a spring clean-up and some minor trimming. Mowing on common land, particularly the center strip on Barque Hill Drive and the frontage of Till Rock Park, is hampered by dog owners not picking up after their pets. Please be considerate of our neighborhood where so many of us walk and play by cleaning up after your dog.
• Fences:
  In early November, several sections of the split rail fences which demarcate our common land were replaced. Although not budgeted, this expense was necessary as posts and rails had rotted and fallen. We expect to continue to replace fences every year or so as the aging process continues.
• Flowers and Rocks:
  Jessie Chai and Loann Keene have done a wonderful job in planting flowers at the foot of Barque Hill Drive and Till Rock. Christmas wreaths added to our enjoyment of the season. Our thanks also to Loann for repainting the Barque Hill logos on the two rocks.
• Shipyard Park:
  We have made great strides in reclaiming Shipyard from spreading growth. Wider spaces were evident at the Picnic and work is ongoing to open more space.
• Clean-up:
  This past fall some dead trees on Barque Hill Drive were removed by Mark Roman and Jon Keene. Some common areas were raked and reflective rebars were placed along the road to protect the lawns from the sweep of snow plows. It's been suggested that more resident participation would happen if clean-up times were posted at the foot of Barque Hill and on Till Rock Lane.
• Misuse:
  We are aware of congregations of teenagers and young adults on our common lands which involve drinking and piles of trash left behind. This activity occurs mainly on Barque Hill Common toward the Till Rock entrance and in Shipyard Park at the landing and near the rope swing. We need to be more aware of this activity and call the police when it occurs.

Social Events

• Picnic - September 20:
  We had nice weather and a great time with activities and games organized by Matt Hendison, food prepared by Paul McCarthy and salads and desserts brought by many. One of the highlights was the resurrection of the infamous egg toss, won by Cindy Catri and Ben Phillips. A suggestion was made that we arrange for a portable toilet next year so that serious fun time would not be lost to the calls of nature.
• Halloween - October 26:
  At Matt's suggestion, we held a Halloween parade at Shipyard Park to give the kids a chance to show off their costumes in the daylight. There were more games and treasure hunts, accompanied by desserts, making for another successful day. Phil Strazzula suggested we once again hire a roving policeman on Halloween night to hopefully prevent any mischief in the neighborhood. We had a patrol from 6-10 PM and had no incidents of any serious nature.
• Christmas Caroling:
  Matt organized a group to carol in the neighborhood shortly before Christmas and gathered donations for charity.
• More Functions:
  Perhaps there is interest in a spring function of some sort for early 2005.

Roads

• Condition:
  Although the subject of road maintenance has been a common one every year at Town Meeting, that expense has continually been deferred to more pressing budget priorities. Finally, this year Town Meeting approved a $1 mil. bond issue for this purpose. However, although our roads are rated "poor," there is no guarantee that they will receive the necessary attention to upgrade them significantly. All we can do is repeatedly make their condition known to the Highway Department.
• Speeding:
  Many reactions were received from residents in response to the Traffic Committee letter requesting a review of the speed in Barque Hill and the feasibility of STOP signs, particularly at the corner of Till Rock and Brigantine Circle. Among the concerns expressed was the obvious danger to children and walkers/runners and a desire to keep the neighborhood as free of signs as possible. The letter was sent in November and is scheduled to be addressed at the May 27 meeting.

Rope Swing and Shipyard Park
During the hot days of summer, we had many kids from outside the area come to Shipyard Park to use the rope to swing out into the North River. This pastime has been a staple of the summer for many years, and the rope swing itself has undergone several reiterations. Despite the fact that the kids are generally well-mannered, chief among our concerns is our liability under the "attractive nuisance" doctrine should anyone be hurt. The fact that the kids are trespassing does not absolve us from responsibility. The general sense at the annual meeting was in favor of taking down the rope.

Home Owner's Guide:
This guide is usually given to new residents of Barque Hill. It was reprinted in the spring of 1994 from the original version created in 1962 to provide design standards and general information for the development of the Barque Hill area by Norwell Associates. It would be nice to have a modern version; anyone interested in working on this project would be welcome.