Date: 9/16/2021

To: Darien Club Owner’s Association

Fr:  John Becker, DCOA President

Dear Community Members,

As you know, the reconstituted Board had its first meeting July 29.  With that meeting, we added two exceptional professionals.  Sara Vaince, an accomplished Corporate Attorney, serving as our Secretary and Daniel Carnet, a 25-year accounting professional, as Treasurer.  With these additions we have a diverse board representing a cross section of our community.  The Board has divided duties to better serve the owners.  Sara Vaince has volunteered her legal background to review legal, contract, and Oak Trace Phase III Zoning matters for the Association.  Daniel Carnet will apply his accounting expertise to develop a proper reserve study which is long overdue while assembling a plan to address the depleted reserves due to prior spending for large non-planned capital projects.  Alan McNea, Vice President with his construction expertise is overseeing the maintenance of common areas and owner lots while George Battaglia, Vice President has been focusing his energies on reviewing the future needs of the community to improve the Darien Club Subdivision, its vitality, visibility, and value.  The Board has asked Gary Wadhwani to manage and improve the Darien Club HOA Website (https://darienclub.com/). 

Our mission is the following:

The mission of the Board Members of the Darien Club Owners Association is to preserve and enhance the property values of our subdivision by maintaining/enhancing the common ground areas, upholding our Declarations and By-Laws, and ensuring that the Design Rules address the needs of community. The Board will serve the Homeowners by taking a fair, ethical, and objective approach in representing the interest of all homeowners.

The Board has been hard at work to address, for the benefit of all owners, the many issues facing our community.   It has immediately established various commissions with our dedicated community members to ameliorate many of the issues that have grown over the last 20 years. 

Commissions established:

• Wetland/Pond Commission led by Scott Carson
• Common Area Commission led by Marie Becker and Pat Coutre’
• Oak Trace Development led by Cindi Lopez
• Social Committee/Facebook page (Darien Club Community Social) led by Shawna Herbert

All Commissions have been given clear charters to make recommendations to the Board to be considered on balance with the overall needs of the community.

Management Company:

In addition to organizing our Community, the Board is moving swiftly to address Management Company concerns moving away from Oak & Dale Properties to Real Manage, effective November 1, 2021.  This move is driven by Real Manage’s broader range of capabilities including Board and Community Member web portals, text blast capability for urgent community issues, ability to ensure consistent enforcement of Association rules and a broad array of professional support.  At a meeting soon, a representative from Real Manage will demonstrate the web portfolio functionality and speak to their capabilities.  We are certain you will immediately see the improvement in professional service and administration for the community.

Financial Transparency:

The Board recently issued historical financial statements and the current year budget to all homeowners.  The Board is also in the process of reviewing all current contracts and vendors in place with the intention increasing overall value while controlling cost.  During the process, the Board will have an overdue reserve study prepared to evaluate current reserves which were significantly depleted with the replacements of the monuments.  Other elements in the common areas will be reviewed and included in the reserve study in addition to necessary replenishment of reserves to allow for capital improvements and maintenance that will be required over the next several years. 

The Board is focused on enhancing the value of the subdivision, re-establishing it as the premier community in Darien while focusing on the needs of the community which is now over 30 years old.  Today’s needs differ from those in 1990.  We look to invite the next generation of owners to our community.  In doing so, the Board will complete its review of the Design Manual Rules & Regulations for any necessary updates and improvements.  Community comments, requests and recommendations for any rule changes are welcome.  The Board’s objective is to allow owners broader enjoyment of their ownership, increase buyer interest in the subdivision, and as a result increase property value. A board meeting will be scheduled in the upcoming weeks for this purpose.  In the meantime, compile your comments and email any recommendations or comments to the Board Members at DCHOA2014@gmail.com. 

We look forward to your feedback as the Board works to the benefit of all Community members.

Sincerely,

John Becker DCOA President