2013 POA Operations - Communications

Photo by Richard McLaughlin
2013 ANNUAL REPORT
Hilton Head Plantation
Property Owners’ Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 21940, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925
Tel. 843/681-8800 • Fax: 843/681-8801
www.hiltonheadplantation.com
Hilton Head Plantation Property Owners’ Association, Inc.
2013 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Lois Wilkinson, President
Terry Conway, Vice President
Tom Hoppin, Treasurer
Pat Harlacher, Secretary
Members:
Jerry Cutrer
Michael Keskin
Tom Kuczkowski
Ben Letizia
Harold Meyers
STAFF:
General Manager
T. Peter Kristian
CMCA, LSM,
PCAM®
Maintenance Staff
Maebell Capers
Elijah Jenkins - PT
James Mills
Executive Secretary/
Front Desk Supervisor
Sharon P. White
ARB Administrator/
Community Relations
Dianne Masales
Front Desk/Receptionist
Chydonna Chambers
Community Relations
Specialist
Betsy Weppner
Assistant General
Manager/
Director of Administration
Todd Lindstrom
PCAM®
Staff Accountant
Natalie Keene
Records Clerk
Angela Graves
Communications
Coordinator
Denise McAllister
Tennis Pro
Keith Ferda
Tennis Clerks
Bob Bruce - PT
Geraldine Fink - PT
Dennis Malick - PT
Robert Wallace - PT
Director of Security
Art Benoit
ARB Consultant
Dick Wirth - PT
Director of Activities
Chrissy Kristian
Assistant Director
of Activities
Keriann Ginter
Deputy Director
of Security
Capt. Warren Gaither
Lieutenants
Joseph Farmer
Vanessa Green
Edward Sutton
Sergeants
Michele Chisolm
Timothy Harrell
Donald Martin
Director of Maintenance
David Mills
Officers
Cpl. Terrence Boyd
Cpl. William Bruce
Off. Tomeka Brown-Carr
Cpl. Tomika Busby
Cpl. Vera Ford
Cpl. Randy Gamble
Cpl. Raymond Gibbo
Off. Troy Gonzalez-Mazzone
Pfc. Malcolm Horne
Off. Matthew Kleehammer
Cpl. Williette Lee
Pfc. Grant Marcurella
Cpl. Carl Olson
Off. Emmanuel Roberts
Off. Jerri Spraggins
Off. Katherine Stevens
Cpl. Luda John Wahlfeldt
PT Officers
Pfc. Anthony Major
Dispatchers
Cpl. Suzanne Bennett
Cpl. Paul Munroe
GOVERNANCE:
Under By-Laws adopted in 1977, the HHPPOA is governed by an elected nine-member policy-making Board of
Directors serving overlapping three-year terms, and an appointed General Manager.
PROPERTY STATUS (12/31/13):
HILTON HEAD PLANTATION: 3,711 ACRES
FAMILY DWELLING UNITS:
4,104
72 MILES OF ROAD
UNDEVELOPED LOTS: 174
SERVICES:
Covenants Enforcements: POA Staff
Road Maintenance:
POA Staff
Recreation:
POA Staff
Security:
POA Staff
Landscape Debris: Self-Service Debris Pile
Building Permits & Inspections: HHP Architectural Review Board and
Town of Hilton Head Island
88 LAGOONS
TOTAL: 4,278
Electric:
Palmetto Electric
Fire:
Town of Hilton Head Island Fire Dept.
Police:
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Dept.
Postal:
US Postal Service Rural Delivery
Telephone: Hargray Telephone Company
Water & Sewer:PSD
Household Trash Collection:
Republic Waste serves the Town of Hilton Head
President’s Letter to Property Owners
I am happy to report that our community remains
strong and solvent, and that the improvements
made during 2013 lay a firm foundation for the
continued success of Hilton Head Plantation.
POA Management and Staff
After three rewarding years as a member of
your POA Board, I can personally testify that our
competent and caring staff continues to serve us
well. The many comments that residents make
to the staff and Board confirm the value of the
quality customer service that they provide. Staff
turnover remains low. The untimely death of
Dianne Masales saddened us all. Dianne served
us for many years as a valued member of our
ARB/Community Relations staff. We will miss
her friendly and efficient manner, as well as her
knowledge and expertise.
Governance
We continue to practice the highly successful
governance model that has served HHP so well.
The capable and well-informed Board that you
elect sets policy and makes major decisions
regarding direction. The General Manager and
staff implement and execute the decisions and
directions of the Board. Our strong committee
structure makes this model work. The work and
research of the volunteer committee members and
their input to the Board members who chair the
committees results in Board decisions that reflect
the needs and desires of HHP residents. I extend
my thanks to each of the committee members for
your commitment and participation.
Financial Status
We continue to provide excellent resident services
while charging a minimal assessment, in large
part due to the expert fiscal management of
our staff. They kept 2013 expenses significantly
under budget and helped 2013 revenues exceed
budget. The Road Toll Project initiated to aid in
the collection of assessments overdue by at least
two years has succeeded. We have collected or
are collecting most of these overdue accounts.
Due to recovering real estate sales, our Capital
Transfer Fund (1/4 of 1% of all HHP real estate
transactions) grew to approximately $339,000 in
2013, exceeding the expected $240,000 balance by
almost $100,000.
Infrastructure
Our POA owns and maintains 72 miles of roadway,
16 miles of leisure paths, the Bluff Walk, the
Dolphin Head Recreation Area, the Spring Lake
Pavilion, the Plantation House, the Surrey Lane
Ball Fields, the Spring Lake Pool, Pine Island, the
POA Service Center and maintenance complex, and
88 lakes and lagoons. Along with the day-to day
maintenance, special projects in 2013 included:
• Three Pine Island mini-beach renourishments
(avoiding turtle nesting season)
• Rebuilding three sets of steps along the Bluff
• Rebuilding the retaining wall and disposal dropoff areas for landscaping debris...on time and
under budget
• Remodeling the Plantation House kitchen,
including replacement of the floor
We anticipated a 2013 completion of the Monopine
Project designed to solve our cell phone coverage
issues. While Town permitting problems and
the challenges of two residents have delayed
the initiative, the POA and Crown Castle remain
committed to the earliest possible completion of
the Monopine Project.
Safety and Security
We live in a safe and secure environment due to
the dedicated efforts of our Security Chief and
the Officers on our outstanding security force.
Our low and improving crime rate clearly adds to
the desirability of Hilton Head Plantation. 2013
witnessed a significant reduction in crime, due
to the excellent training provided to our security
force, our investment in the latest communications
equipment, and first-rate leadership that results
in high morale and low turnover. Corporal Tomika
Busby received a POA award recognizing her for
the heroic actions in the line of duty that resulted in
President’s Letter to Property Owners (cont’d.)
the saving of a man’s life. Cpl. Busby also received
much-deserved recognition from the Hilton Head
Island Fire Chief and on the state level.
Activities
The activities we offer to our residents continue
to grow and change, widening our horizons
and increasing our fun. Our popular Kids Kamp
attracted a record number of participants. Our
recently rebuilt Spring Lake Pavilion continues to
serve as a very popular events venue, reaffirming
the value of our investment in the facility. We
anticipate the 2016 opening of our new and
improved Spring Lake Pool, pending the long
permitting process before construction begins. The
inspired work of a resident Task Force appointed
by your Board resulted in a creative plan to finance
the new pool without incurring outside debt and
without increasing resident assessments.
Communications
Your Board understands the importance of effective
communications. Building on the success of the
Main Gate electronic message board, we approved
and installed a second message board at the
Cypress Gate. At the suggestion of a resident, we
created a special email address so that residents
can communicate directly and privately with their
POA Board President. The effectiveness of our
monthly publication, Plantation Living, continues to
grow, as evidenced by a major increase in vendor
advertising revenue.
Salty Fare Redevelopment
We worked closely with the management and
residents of The Cypress, HHP waterfront residents,
our Town Councilperson, the Mayor, and the Town
staff to ensure the redevelopment of the Salty Fare
parcel in a manner compatible with the lifestyles of
the immediately surrounding community and of all
HHP residents.
I feel honored to have served as your President.
Your comments and criticisms were important to
me and I thank you for taking the time to make
them known. My sincere thanks to everyone…
Board members, Committee members, residents,
management and staff…who all contributed to the
continued success of Hilton Head Plantation in
2013.
Respectfully submitted,
Lois Wilkinson, President
2013 POA Operations - Administration
The General Manager’s Office is responsible for
providing staff support to the Plantation’s Board of
Directors and its committees. The Service Center
maintains the records of the Board, its committees,
and all the Association’s legal documents. The
General Manager’s Office also provides oversight
for all of the POA’s Departments and affords
guidance as needed. Overall coordination for your
monthly newsletter (Plantation Living), the POA
Website (www.hiltonheadplantation.com), and
the Newcomer’s Welcome Packets come under the
jurisdiction of the General Manager’s Office.
During 2013, the Board performed due diligence
to ascertain if the next phase of the Spring Lake
Master Plan could be moved forward. After
receiving input from residents, the Board of
Directors, Staff, and the Recreation Committee,
the Land Planning firm of Wood+Partners was
commissioned to draft a conceptual plan for a
multi-generational renovated Spring Lake Pool.
This design concept, when completed, was
published in Plantation Living for comment. After a
careful analysis by a Financial Task Force appointed
by the Board, it was determined that, due to the
POA’s excellent financial health, it would be possible
to move such a project forward. This analysis was
conveyed to the property owners at a community
meeting in the fall of 2013. Based on the positive
financial analysis and community support for the
project, the Board decided to move forward with
the Planning and Permitting for the renovated
Spring Lake Pool. These types of projects were
made possible because of the community’s vote to
adopt a Capital Transfer Fee back in 2007. Without
your support, this pending project — the new
Spring Lake Pavilion — and many others would not
be the realities we all have a shared pride in today.
The Department also continued to work with the
Trustees of the Hilton Head Plantation Conservancy
Foundation to raise funds to benefit the Whooping
Crane Conservancy. Over $15,461 was raised
in 2013 with the present HHPPOA personnel
continuing to absorb the cost of administering the
work of the Conservancy Foundation.
The POA’s creative policy to aggressively pursue the
collection of past due assessments from property
owners that were more than two years behind in
paying the dues owed to the POA proved to be an
exceptional tool. Each of you bears the expense of
carrying these delinquent accounts. In an effort to
forgo the time and expense of foreclosing on these
properties, the Board chose to charge a toll for the
vehicles used by these severely delinquent owners
to motivate them to
arrange for payment
plans or deal with
the inconvenience
of paying a daily toll
for their vehicles to
use the Plantation’s
roads and other
services. In 2013
we collected more
assessments than
billed and only
one person out of
the original 26 remains on the toll program. This
measure has been successful beyond expectations.
We continued to make improvements to Plantation
Living. In 2013 we published three color editions.
Our advertising revenue was up significantly over
2012 surpassing the budgeted target.
The Board proactively worked with Crown Castle
International to pursue the installation of a
telecommunications monopole disguised as a pine
tree, complete with artificial bark, to help improve
cell phone and other wireless services on the
Plantation.
A strong Accounting Department, bolstered by the
oversight of the Board and the Finance Committee,
continued to maintain HHPPOA’s excellent financial
position both in substance, as evidenced by an
excess in revenue to expenses, and the care in
the management of the POA’s financial and other
tangible assets.
Our bimonthly Coffees continue to be well-attended
and serve as an opportunity for the greater
community, the Board, and residents to exchange
information in an informal atmosphere. This format
continues to be widely praised.
Providing you with quality and efficient services will
continue to be the goal of the entire Hilton Head
Plantation staff.
2013 POA Operations - Security
The Hilton Head Plantation Security Department
recognizes that it cannot operate at its maximum
potential without the support of the homeowners that
it serves. Promoting and maintaining a safe community
environment takes more than the efforts of your Security
Officers. No amount of law enforcement training can
match the value of the eyes and ears of concerned
community members who report suspicious behavior,
safety hazards, and violations of law. This allows our
Security Department to take a proactive, instead of
reactive, approach to the safety and well being of the
community it serves. It is our Department’s goal to be
community-based problem-solvers. We have challenged
our Officers to adhere to and maintain the highest
ethical standards in administering services with your
safety as their prime mission. We will continue to meet
this commitment daily with courtesy, sensitivity, and
constant vigilance.
The Security Department is responsible for providing
many services to residents of the Plantation. The most
visible is access control to the Plantation at three gates
where approximately 12,000 vehicles are processed
daily by our Officers. That totals over four million
vehicles annually! Protecting life and property, traffic
control, keeping the peace, and the enforcement of
State Laws and Plantation regulations are some of the
Department’s other basic missions.
In 2009, we introduced the Dodge Charger into the
Department’s fleet of patrol vehicles. These new
vehicles have exceeded our expectations in performance,
and as a side benefit, have reduced gas consumption as
compared to the Crown Victorias by almost one-third.
The Security Directors of South Carolina and the
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office presented Corporal
Tomika Busby, of the Hilton Head Plantation Security
Department, with the 2013 Security Officer of the Year
Award. This is the fifth time in eight years that an
Officer from Hilton Head Plantation has received the
award. This is the second time Cpl. Busby has been
named Security Officer of the Year (the first time was in
2005).
Security Personnel patrol 72 miles of roads and amenity
areas; additionally, they respond to and complete
reports on lost, missing, and stolen property; respond
to medical emergencies; inspect homes of residents
who are away; provide animal control; respond to fire
and burglar alarms; jump-start vehicles; assist residents
who are locked out of homes or autos; provide gas for
stranded vehicles; provide security checks of commercial
areas after closing; and conduct health and comfort
checks for the elderly.
Once again, during 2013, crime on Hilton Head
Plantation (unlike the surrounding communities) was
very low. This was
due in part to the
Board’s decision to
add a third Patrol
Officer to the night
shift.
In 2013, our
Officers logged a
total of 151,545
miles patrolling
the Plantation’s residential areas. Security Officers
responded to 420 alarms from residential homes and
businesses and, additionally, Officers responded to 5,260
calls for service from our residences and businesses.
Included in these calls for service were 3 burglary
cases, 7 breaking into motor vehicle cases, 526 medical
assists, 1,217 resident assists, 52 traffic collisions (4
were deer-related), 10 incidents of trespassing, 14
domestic disturbances, 5 cases of disturbing the peace,
33 cases of vandalism, and thousands of calls regarding
animal complaints, improper parking, lost and found
items, prowlers, and Covenant/Rules and Regulations
violations.
Additionally, Security Officers completed over 35,329
security checks for our away-from-home residents and
commercial properties. Over the last 12 months, 131
State and 352 Warning tickets were written for speeding
to drivers on Hilton Head Plantation roadways for a total
of 483 traffic stops. Security Officers issued 900 nonmoving violations for such things as pets running-atlarge, RV’s/boats in driveways, and overnight and illegal
parking.
The Security Department reduced the deer herd by 50
this year, and continued its very successful participation
in the Deer Management Program, thus helping in the
preservation of the natural habitat on the Plantation.
A program to require guests to provide identification in
the form of a driver’s license or other acceptable form of
photo ID was continued. Although this procedure may
seem inconvenient to some, it has had a positive effect
on the Plantation’s crime rate and has kept a multitude
of individuals with no, suspended, or expired driver’s
licenses off our roads. This procedure also insures that
the person requesting the pass is the person whose
name is on the pass. Keeping you safe is a primary
goal and although we can never guarantee that the
Plantation will be totally crime-free, we do strive to take
reasonable precautions to identify who is picking up
a pass to enter the property and that they are legally
driving on our roadways.
Reducing acts of vandalism and educating our residents
about locking their doors when away from their
homes and autos continue to be the priorities of the
Department.
2013 POA Operations - Maintenance
2013 was a productive year for the POA. We embarked
upon and completed several projects, large and small.
at Spring Lake Pavilion; and we constructed a new stateof-the-art landscape debris drop-off site.
During the first half of the year, we trucked in several
hundred tons of approved sand to continue the ongoing
project of replenishing our treasured corridor to the Pine
Island beach. This beautiful amenity is threatened by
erosion with every lunar tide and northeast wind. We
added an additional 300 tons of compatible material
in the fall. Hauling and replenishing is limited by the
seasons as we remain sensitive to our surrounding
environment and natural habitation.
We acknowledge and appreciate the professional
employees of Palmetto Coastal Landscaping (PCL)
and Palmetto General Services for their tireless efforts
in keeping HHP well-manicured. This cohesive team
assembled by Ricky Smith has proven their commitment
to quality by going above and beyond our expectations.
This elite team maintains a vigorous mowing schedule
on our roadsides, common grounds, and lagoon edges;
they keep our entrances and streets clear of litter and
debris, our amenities in full bloom with annual flowers,
and they perform countless tasks outside of their
contracted scope of work.
Numerous areas of root damage to our roads and leisure
paths were repaired. We identified a list of areas, cut
and removed the intrusive tree roots and damaged
asphalt spoils, added a new gravel base, repacked the
road bed, and patched the areas using close to 3,000
square yards of new asphalt. Additional areas for repair
were identified for 2014.
Another 200 linear feet of chain and bollard post along
the roadside of Whooping Crane Way was installed to
hinder motorists from pulling off into the Azalea garden
adjacent to General Howard Davis Island. Beautification
of the three-point intersection at Dolphin Head Drive/
Seabrook Drive continued with the installation of
Snowdrift flower bulbs and a variety of tropical perennial
plantings along the Zoysia grass perimeter. Additional
plantings also included: thirty-four Azaleas, four
Cassias, one flowering Plum tree, one flowering Cherry
tree, and numerous Amaryllis bulbs, all funded by the
Avid Gardeners.
Our Storm Water Management Agreement with the
Town of Hilton Head Island was renewed for another five
years. We worked with the Town of Hilton Head Island
to complete several drainage projects such as main
outfalls and pipe inspections, locating and recording
grade levels of all existing drain basins and outfalls,
and replaced many ruptured flashboards in our lagoon
outflow structures. Our relationship with the Town and
their Storm Water Management team has helped save
HHP a substantial amount of money during stressful
economic times.
Other achievements in 2013 include refurbishing the
Main Entrance sign, road restriping of the Whooping
Crane Way/Main Entrance corridor, complete with
new reflectors and freshly painted directional arrows,
crosswalks, and stop bar lines at each stop sign. We
installed new steps at the Bluff; safety bollards at the
“exit side” of each Security guardhouse; a new drinking
fountain (complete with doggy bowl) and new bases at
the ball field; up-lighting to illuminate the new flagpole
PCL employs Henry Jenkins as a mechanic and welltrained equipment operator. Henry has been working
in this community since 1978. Henry is responsible
for maintenance and repairs on all POA vehicles and
equipment. He operates our huge debris grinder and
transforms countless yards of your landscape debris into
tons of viable mulch that is redistributed throughout the
Plantation.
Lastly, Henry operates our new 2013 John Deere
6430 4WD tractor with a 25 ft. boom arm flail mower
attachment. This piece of equipment is used to mow
around our lagoon edges without slinging the mowed
debris into the water. Unlike rotary mowers, the flail
mower throws the clippings straight down keeping
vegetative contamination in our ponds to a minimum.
The flail cutting blades driven by this 175 horsepower
tractor is capable of severing limbs up to four inches in
diameter. This monster machine is used to trim back
small trees, encroaching limbs, and other vegetative
growth along our roadways, leisure paths, open spaces,
drainage ditches, and the Bluff.
(photo above) Henry Jenkins operating the
new 2013 John Deere tractor.
2013 POA Operations - Community Relations
The goal of the Community Relations Department
is to focus on maintaining residential properties
and preserving the aesthetics of the surrounding
natural habitat of Hilton Head Plantation. Our
main objective is to protect the quality of life for
residents and guests by assuring that the overall
ambiance and natural environment of Hilton
Head Plantation is maintained by the evenhanded
enforcement of Hilton Head Plantation’s governing
documents.
Covenants
The Covenants staff works with our homeowners
in a cooperative manner to maintain their
property and to encourage them to take personal
responsibility for the upkeep of their property,
which impacts the Plantation community as a
whole. Monitoring of our protective covenants
involves many different facets, which fall into four
basics categories: People, Pets, Parking, and
Property.
During 2013, the POA responded to over 2,259
non-moving covenant violations. All these
violations were investigated and processed. Of
the violations reported, only 43 fine letters
were forwarded to those residents who were
non-compliant. Almost all (98%) violations
were resolved through education and voluntary
compliance. The Covenants staff communicated
with residents by forwarding letters and/or emails,
phone calls, and, in some cases, personal site visits
were made to address concerns. Our efforts to
be more amicable and understanding resulted in a
greater appreciation of our mission to sustain the
quality of life for residents and their guests.
A lighter approach to covenants compliance is
featured in a monthly article in Plantation Living
starring Harry Heron who is the Covenants
Bird, the voice of reason and
compliance. He often focuses
on current trends and problems
we have in our neighborhoods.
Harry comments on day-today compliance issues and
may offer solutions to our
homeowners concerns. In
the coming months, Harry
will continue to comment on
harmonious living by focusing
on compliance with the Leash
“Harry Heron” Laws, and residents and their the Covenants Bird
guests being more responsible
pet owners. Our commercial vendors periodically
need to be reminded that all service providers need
to purchase the required day passes, monthly,
or yearly decal, even if it is just for an estimate.
Compliance with this requirement will eliminate the
number of guest passes being used for commercial
vendors and alert residents of how misuse of the
Guest Pass policy can cause yearly assessments
to increase. We hope you enjoy reading Harry’s
column for updates and his monthly analysis and
insights.
Some of our administration projects included
working with Realtors to keep the yearly decal fee
at $25. Our sales have tripled in this area. The
increase in home sales has added to our Capital
Assessment which has enabled the Board to tackle
some major capital improvements such as the new
Spring Lake Pavilion and the pending renovations
to the Spring Lake Pool. With the purchase or
renewal of the discounted Realtor Decal, Realtors
are provided with an information packet that
highlights the many different amenities within
our gates to assist them when showing property
within the Plantation. Also included is a welcome
brochure for the Realtor’s prospective homebuyers.
Sales of Commercial Day Passes purchased by
contractors/commercial vendors brought in an
additional $76,000 over budget. This was a direct
result of our Gate Officers being more diligent
in access control and a sign that the economy
is improving as property owners take on more
renovations to their homes.
2013 POA Operations - Community Relations (cont’d.)
The Covenants Staff assists the Security
Department with daily entries made into the
Incident Report Log, gathers data for monthly
reports, graphs, tracking trends, juvenile activity,
researches and gathers reports for pending
cases, manages the Emergency Card Information
database, and posts weekly Realtor Open Houses
for compliance.
The Community Relations Department continued
to communicate, educate, and work with
homeowners. The task of demonstrating the value
of sustaining our community, both aesthetically
and functionally, is our ongoing mission. These
practices and programs are focused on sustaining
harmonious living and protecting and enhancing
every member’s property values. The reasonable
enforcement of our governing documents and
arming and advising residents with equitable
solutions to issues is designed to assure residents
that their investment will continue to grow and be
protected throughout the years.
Architectural Review Board
From the very beginning of Hilton Head Plantation,
it was the natural environment that was the main
attraction for homebuyers. Survey after survey of
Hilton Head Plantation’s residents confirm that this
single feature is the primary reason for their choice
to call Hilton Head Plantation home. In order to
protect that primary asset, ARB Guidelines have
been established to ensure that development can
proceed in an orderly, well-planned manner and
in harmony with the natural environment. The
developer determined the overall land plan and
infrastructure and prepared the regulations and
covenants used to control development. Every two
years these Guidelines are reviewed and updated.
The Guidelines protect the community from
unattractive and irresponsible construction, thus
enhancing the overall beauty and cohesiveness of
the development, maintaining property values, and
protecting the environment.
The ARB has the responsibility to review and
approve or disapprove all plans for improvements,
accept property owners’ compliance deposits,
establish and collect fees, and assess fines for noncompliance.
The Review Board consists of four volunteer
members, an Architect and a Landscape Architect
(both paid consultants), the Chairperson (a
member of the POA Board of Directors), and Staff
Administrator. The Review Board meets on the
fourth Thursday of each month. Submissions to
the Review Board are due on the fourth Monday of
each month.
During 2013, seven (7) new homes and 436 major
alterations were approved and 439 Building Permits
were issued. Over 4,894 requests for service or
assistance were acted upon.
The Department continues to convert new plans
and renovation plans to CD-ROM. This is an effort
to insure that in the event of a disaster, original
houseplans will be available for rebuilding. A very
successful and popular program with residents, not
only does it cut down on paper use and is more
cost-effective, but it is also easier for homeowners
to access their houseplans via a CD-ROM.
The ARB office is also in charge of the Right-ofEntry program, which, for a deposit of $2,000, will
attempt to prevent further damage to your home,
in the event of a major disaster, by placing a tarp
over your roof, boarding up broken windows, and
removing trees from the roof.
2013 POA Operations - Activities
The Activities Department offers a variety of
classes and programs that appeal to HHP’s diverse
population. Several annual events continue to
grow in popularity including the Kids’ Night Out, the
Shamrock Shuck & Shag, the Cooking Live Series,
the Caribbean Pool Party, the spring and fall Trash
& Treasure Sales, as well as the spring and summer
Concert Series with Rob Ingman, Deas-Guyz, and
The Headliners.
During the year, we continued the tradition of
our various holiday programs such as the Easter
Sunrise Service,
the Easter Egg
Hunt & Brunch (in
joint effort with
The Country Club
of Hilton Head),
the HHP Day 4th
of July Celebration,
and the Halloween
Pet Parade and
Halloween Movie
Night.
surgery, as well as an elder care symposium. Also
back by popular demand, was a spring and fall
Home Sense Series with The Home Depot. Other
popular activities included discount tickets for The
Arts Center, community blood drives with The Blood
Alliance, and the Teen/Tween Trivia Night.
Throughout 2013, our certified fitness instructors
did a tremendous job teaching a broad range of
classes. The most patronized classes continue to
be Low-Impact Aerobics, Total Body Conditioning,
Gentle Yoga, Total Fitness, Intermediate and
Beginner Pilates, and Water Aerobics. We also
continued to offer sessions of Chair Yoga and
Qigong, as well as a new 6-Week Fitness Challenge.
Numerous HHP families continued to support our
“Kids Kamp” summer program, and we experienced
a solid increase of 12% in total enrollment from
2012 to 2013. With the total enrollment climbing
from 255 in 2012 to 285 in 2013, the weekly
average enrollment also grew from 126 in 2012
to 141 in 2013. The daily average enrollment
also increased, rising six spots from 94 in 2012
We also partnered with the Hilton Head Island
High School NJROTC Unit to host the 8th Annual
Veterans Day Observance Ceremony. The year
ended with the Children’s Holiday Party and the
very popular Holiday Hayride.
The lineup of new seminar topics for 2013 included
sleep apnea, skin cancer, prostate cancer, breast
cancer, diet and diabetes, vacation travel, energy
conservation, cataract and vision correction
to 100 in 2013. We offered Kids Kamp for eight
weeks, and some of the new weekly themes for
2013 included “When I Grow Up”, “A Bug’s World”,
“World of Make-Believe”, “Fiesta Week”, “A Week
at the Circus”, and “Kids Kamp’s Got Talent”.
Special events this year included a visit from two
naturalists with the Coastal Discovery Museum, a
pool party, a train show, puppets by Millie, a visit
from the Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue Dept.
and their big red fire truck, a fiesta luncheon, and
the End-of-Kamp Show.
2013 POA Operations - Activities (cont’d.)
The Spring Lake Pool was the place to be this
summer as the approximate attendance during the
pool season (April through October) was 22,035,
with the peak of 187 at any one time. The more
popular pool activities included Morning Water
Aerobics and Evening Deep-End Water Aerobics.
In 2013, the Plantation House underwent several
transformations beginning with the installation of
a brand new basketball goal in the parking lot. In
the fall, the Plantation House kitchen was also
given a makeover with brand new kitchen cabinets
and granite countertops. At the ball fields, new
soccer goals and a water fountain were installed.
Even our furry friends have enjoyed the brand new
doggy bowl at the new water fountain station. The
Spring Lake Pool filter system was also replaced at
the beginning of the year just in time for the pool
to open for the season. The conceptual design
(see below) by Wood+Partners of the new Spring
Lake Pool and Boardwalk plans was also unveiled
this year, and we are excited to see the plans and
permitting phase of this project move forward in
2014.
Additionally, the POA continues to implement a
Memorial Brick Program whereby residents can
purchase a brick in memory or honor of a loved
one who served in the military and have it placed
in a special area in front of the flagpole. Residents
may also choose to make a donation of various
items such as a picnic table, park bench, or even
plants and shrubs through our Memorial and
Honorarium Program
(MHP) in recognition
of a friend or loved
one. This year,
The Avid Gardeners
donated funds for the
installation of a new
flagpole located next
to the tennis courts
and the Spring Lake
Pavilion.
Overall, the year
was marked with
a tremendous amount of activities, memorable
events, and rewarding accomplishments. Our
volunteers and the POA-sponsored clubs continue
to offer valuable contributions to this wonderful
community with their donations and support of
the POA, facilities, activities, special events, and
landscape. We are very grateful for the generosity
of these special people, and the Department thanks
the community for its continued support and
assistance.
2013 POA Operations - Communications
In the POA’s continuing effort to provide residents
with accurate, timely, and useful information, the
Communications Department utilizes a variety of
informational tools including the following:
General Howard Davis booklet
PUBLICATIONS
The Department has been working on a commemorative booklet showcasing General Davis’s articles
from 2002-2003 Plantation Living editions. The
booklet is expected to become available in 2014.
Plantation Living
WEBSITE: www.hiltonheadplantation.com
Current news and historical information are
provided to residents, the general public, and offsite property owners via the monthly newsletter.
In addition to news, paid advertising is accepted.
Advertising revenue for 2012 reflected the nation’s
sluggish economic
climate; however,
2013 picked back
up and exceeded
the annual target
once again. We
continue to receive
positive feedback
from advertisers.
● Online Classified Ads – This popular feature
on HHP’s Website enables residents to rent or sell
items and
to acquire
bargains
from their
neighbors.
Multiple
printing bids
are periodically
obtained in order
to maintain the
best cost for value
to the POA. In August 2012, the Department
awarded the printing of the newsletter to a new
vendor, which enabled the POA to present the
first ever full color issue to HHP residents with the
December, 2012 issue. In 2013, the Department
was pleased to produce three color issues (March,
August, and December 2013).
A substantial savings in postage costs was noted
due to signing up new, out-of-town property
owners to receive Plantation Living via email rather
than automatically mailing the newsletter to them.
The Department continues to promote the viewing
of the color newsletter online.
Annual Report
In 2013 the Communications Department prepared
the first ever color Annual Report for 2012 and was
pleased to use many beautiful photographs taken
by local HHP residents.
● Email
Services –
Since 2006,
the POA has
offered email
notifications
to residents for any or all of the four different
services: Urgent Information (Hurricane
Information, Weather Alerts and other Emergency
Situations); Safety Alerts (Criminal Activity and
Safety Tips); and Plantation Activities (Coffee
with Peter, Trash and Treasure Sale, Pet Parade,
Holiday Lighting Contest, etc.). Also, part-time or
non-resident property owners may opt to receive
Plantation Living electronically rather than
via U.S. mail. When they sign up for one or all
of these email services, they receive periodic
information about the topic selected. To date,
over 2,200 residents have signed up (either via
HHP’s Website or by visiting the POA Service
Center) to receive these email notices. There are
a few registered members from Canada, the UK,
Germany, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the
Bahamas, and Bermuda.
The Communications Department periodically
promotes the Email Services feature to residents –
in Plantation Living, on the announcement boards
at both entrances, and as a Featured Event on the
Website.
2013 POA Operations - Communications (cont’d.)
● Safety Alerts – In order to communicate swiftly
to HHP residents, a Safety Information Alert is
featured on the Website.
● Online Resident Directory – After the POA’s
last hardcopy Resident Directory was produced in
2005, it was determined that the costs and time
involved were prohibitive. Also, as soon as the
Directory was printed, it became inaccurate since
members’ information changes continually. To
counteract these challenges, and to serve more
Internet users, a decision was made to implement
an online, member-generated Resident Directory in
September 2008. Approximately 1,570 residents
have joined thus far, with additional participants
signing up daily.
Electronic Community Announcement Boards
Working in conjunction with the Administration
and Maintenance departments at the end of 2010,
the Communications Department was involved in
the introduction of the first digital announcement
board at HHP’s
Main Gate. The
Department is
responsible for
uploading daily
messages to the
community. A
second digital
board was
introduced to
the community
in March 2013 at the Cypress Gate. Both signs
have been met with overwhelmingly positive
feedback. For Veterans Day, the Department
utilized the first animated message, complete
with waving American flag, to the delight of the
community.
Communications Projects
The Department is involved in presenting
information to the residents for various projects
such as the plan to add a new cellular monopine
in the community, as well as the Spring Lake Pool
renovation project. Information is distributed via
the Plantation Living newsletter, email notices,
community meetings, and by other means.
Communications Committee
The Department values the hard work and
expertise of a dedicated volunteer committee that
tirelessly contributes to various projects.
2013 POA Operations - Tennis
The Spring Lake Tennis Facility had 100 Annual
Memberships (200 people) during 2013 and the
courts were busy with more than 16,750 hours of
court time used. A combined 1,100 residents and
their guests used the tennis facility throughout
2013.
Due to the increase in USTA League teams, the
sponsored/past Hilton Head Plantation Property
Owners membership program has grown to nine
(9) memberships.
A big contribution to the overall revenue for the
club has been Spring Lake’s participation in the
USTA League and Interclub program. Every year
a record number of teams are broken, and 2013
did not disappoint with 47 teams consisting of
men, women, mixed, combo, 18’s, 40’s, 55’s,
65’s, and 70’s Divisions. A record fourteen (14)
teams qualified for the State Championships with
one of them advancing to the Sectional/National
Championships.
On the “lighter side” of competition, Spring Lake
held its Friday/Saturday Round Robins, which are
hosted by the Tennis Committee. They were wellattended with themes such as Twi-Light Pizza, Brats
on the Grill, and the Sunset Boat Cruise. Another
popular event was the Hilton Head Plantation
Challenge. Teams consisting of men, women,
and mixed doubles from Spring Lake Tennis and
the Country Club of Hilton Head “squared off” for
a fun-filled day of competition, followed by an
Awards Party with over 90 players in attendance.
The Bocce Ball Program (in its eighth year of
operation) consisted of two leagues – spring and
fall, with a championship tournament and party
at the end of each session. The courts were busy
with over 1,000 hours used. The Bocce Social
Club consisted of 67 memberships. The courts
were resurfaced five times throughout the year
and two (2) sets of bocce balls were purchased
for members’ use. A few of the sideboards on the
courts were also replaced.
During 2013, tennis court maintenance included
resurfacing and re-taping six (6) courts and adding
two (2) tons of top dressing to the remainder
of the courts. A few tennis nets, windscreens,
and grooming equipment were replaced. One
of the top certified tennis court contractors from
Hagerstown, MD provided his yearly facility
inspection and offered suggestions on the daily and
annual court maintenance.
Financial Statements - December 31, 2013
Due to Staff illness and scheduling conflicts,
the final version of the 2013 HHPPOA Audit
was not completed in time to be included
with this 2013 Annual Report.
Copies of the 2013 HHPPOA Audit will be available
at the Annual Meeting, the POA Service Center,
and on the POA Website:
www.hiltonheadplantation.com.
(photo above) Newly constructed state-of-the-art
landscape debris drop-off site.
Annual Meeting
Saturday, March 22, 2014
10:00 AM
Plantation House
HILTON HEAD
PLANTATION
PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
www.hiltonheadplantation.com