12/15/2025
Notes from annual meeting:
Meeting Opening and Refreshments
- Meeting shifted to December due to conflict; but present with Katie.
- Encouraged refreshments, especially trail mix; planned short meeting focused on necessities and open Q&A.
- Takeaways from Q&A to be posted on Grove HOA page.
Financial Update
- November ended at ~$182,000; financials to be posted on website.
- Extra expenses: 27 native trees planted on Kickapoo to match original developer layout (2 diseased cherry trees replaced); $531 legal fees for attorney on retainer re: potential industrial complex on Route 52.
- No immediate questions; no CPAs present.
Communication and Resources
- Join Grove HOA Facebook; posts by speaker and Katie focus on valuable info (e.g., Katie coordinated street light fixes via resident photos).
- New website: **thegrovebloomington.com** includes financials, meeting minutes, dues payment; reminder link to be posted on Facebook.
- Contact form redirects to board (currently to president); fully functional with good logo.
👑 Leadership Changes
- Jason Higdon long-time president; speaker unanimously voted in as president in November.
HOA Dues Increase
- Dues rise from $100 to **$115** effective next year (first change since inception; no process change).
- Reasons: Target cash reserves >$150k; 10%+ rise in costs (e.g., lawn care up $10/mow); build bargaining power to offload private Kickapoo streets to city (HOA owns, responsible for plowing/maintenance; cracking roads, city requirements for width/curbs/utilities/liability).
Landscaping and Vendor Update
- Prior vendor sabotaged lawns (double fertilizer, worst on Kickapoo); fired, received **$8,500** refund.
- New vendor: F&W
Entrance Improvements
- Switching tall/blocking plants at entrances for low-lying options
- Proposal for 4th entrance off Country Road (southernmost, no connections; uniform style; get quotes first; feedback via submission box).
Board Recruitment
- Current: Jason Higdon staying, Kris Kline long-time; Steve Statz joined; Katie joined; Brandon Fehrman resigned (schedule); Julie resigned (time conflicts). Lisa Polley active, Matt Grosskopf active.
- Seeking 1-2 more members (any background/experience welcome for diverse perspectives: business, attorney, IT/corporate).
Open Q&A and Resident Concerns
- **Number of homes**: ~560 now (535 last year);
- **Unkempt properties** (Ireland Road houses under construction, mismatched brick/fences): Tactful approach needed (e.g., life changes); to be discussed at January board meeting.
- **Political/seasonal signs/lights**: No HOA rules (city ordinance on size only); Christmas lights often year-round; covenants intentionally hard to change (requires near-unanimous votes across ~600 homes soon).
- **Prairie encroachments**: Hoses/pumps from river, batting cage, gardening on public prairie land (not HOA property); structures noted; hard to address.
- **Airbnb issue**: Permit status and ability to operate is first a city related issue. Concerns about safety noted.
- **Dog poop/dead animals**: No HOA receptacles (past discussion); DNR for roadkill deer ; past complaints (photos, collections) not HOA jurisdiction—use police/city.
- **Covenants rigidity**: Hard to amend (e.g., no front-yard solar panels, no sheds, no easy B&Bs); options:
- **Industrial development**: City-driven; county vote Feb; revised Oct plan pulls back from Kickapoo Creek bridge/Ireland Grove (ecological/agricultural concerns); contact county board/aldermen; HOA official stance opposes; add website link considered.
Welcome to The Grove at Kickapoo Creek! As residents of The Grove on Kickapoo Creek, you are part of a vibrant community that blends the comforts of modern living with the natural beauty of Bloomington, Illinois. Established in the early 2000s, our neighborhood, located just north of Ireland Grove R...
