By Andy Mowery, Contributor | www.poudreoverlook.com
At Poudre Overlook, we’ve grown to expect a little turbulence now and then—errant sprinklers, cranky fences, the occasional HOA meeting turned improv night. But even by our community’s spirited standards, what’s happening with the POHOA reserve fund might just take the cake—or more precisely, send it sliding into a ditch.
Yes, the ditch. The stormwater drainage facility stretching roughly a mile around the perimeter of our neighborhood. The one now collecting more drama (and sediment) than runoff.
The Problem, In Short? We’re Not Budgeting for the Ditch.
According to both the 2020 and 2025 POHOA Reserve Studies, we’ve dutifully accounted for fences, signage, irrigation controls, and stone columns. But we’ve somehow missed a mile-long slab of concrete infrastructure currently sinking into the landscape. It’s like forgetting your driveway when budgeting for home maintenance.
This oversight would be easier to excuse if it weren’t already showing visible signs of failure. According to multiple emails dating back to 2021—and one particularly soggy encounter in July 2023—the concrete drainage channel is pooling water, clogging with debris, and literally sinking at the southeast corner. The only thing flowing smoothly is the HOA’s disinterest in acknowledging the issue.
What’s worse is that the fiduciary management by successive POHOA Boards since 2020 have engaged in questionable spending practices including spending over $21k on lawyers in a single 12-month period (when the budget was $500), and running a dog (and his family) out of the neighborhood for $7-10k. This is not to mention the sudden decision in 2023 to start spending $500 per month for someone to do Quickbooks . . . when there are volunteers in the community who have sufficient skills.
All of this spending as the percentage of our required reserves slips in just 5 years from less than 1/2 to less than 1/4. And, our plan to right the ship is to . . . plan on 4% inflation measured by Denver’s CPI, to make up the difference way off in the future. Presuming, of course, that we never have to pay for the concrete in the stormwater drainage facility. Like, ever.
It appears that while it is clear that we cannot simultaneously budget for $5k annual legal fees, $6k annual accounting fees, and perpetual repairs on wooden fences that stand no chance against our predictable winds costing us thousands upon thousands annually, we are quietly setting ourselves up for a massive Special Assessment at some point in the future. Each home should already prepare for AT LEAST a $3500 bill, if the stormwater drainage facilities are ignored forever. But, realistically, we are $7-12k behind BEFORE accounting for inflation of costs in the distant future when the work is likely to be done.
Who wants to buy a home in a community with this looming debt hanging over our collective heads?
Four Criteria? The Ditch Checks All Boxes.
As per Community Associations Institute (CAI) standards, any reserve-worthy component must:
- Be the HOA’s responsibility (✅ it is).
- Have a limited useful life (✅ about 50 years).
- Deteriorate predictably (✅ it’s been deteriorating predictably for 3+ years).
- Exceed a cost threshold (✅ try replacing a mile of concrete drainage at $150/foot).
Total estimated future replacement cost: $792,000.
But Don’t Worry, We Have a Plan: Silence.
Despite documented deterioration, confirmed ownership responsibility, and repeated homeowner alerts, the POHOA Board has opted for the tried-and-true method of solving infrastructure crises: pretend it’s someone else’s problem until the concrete crumbles completely. And, recall unofficial Board Spokesperson, Mr. Denenberg, who quipped that we shouldn’t plan for this expense because by the time the bill comes due, we will all “be dead by then”. This is the exact opposite of fiduciary duty.
They’ve even restricted email communication and imposed 2-minute speaking limits during board meetings—just enough time to say “drainage” but not enough to finish “ditch.” While I am advocating that homeowners attend the meeting tonight and speak up, these limitations are not reasonable given the significance and magnitude of this issue.
The Cherry on Top? Conflicts and QuickBooks.
The Board has also made some unconventional casting choices in its internal accounting drama. Director Jennifer Hutchinson has reportedly been paid as a contractor for QuickBooks work while holding elected office, which raises more eyebrows than a raccoon in a trash can. Meanwhile, a new player, Keith Knight, appears to have been granted financial system access before his role was officially ratified. We don’t get to know in advance if he has been promised Ms. Hutchinson’s “salary” to do the same work (while not holding CPA certification, which was the justification given for her non-contract “agreement”), or if he is saving us some money by doing this work on a volunteer basis.
However, it is clear that the Board has taken action outside of a meeting, but has yet to post the AWAM (Action Without A Meeting) documentation necessary because the logs on the website have not been updated since May of 2023. Comments tonight literally won’t matter, as the decisions have already been made in advance without following CCIOA’s statutory requirements for an AWAM.
But who needs transparency when you have QuickBooks permissions?
Where Does This Leave Us?
With a current reserve shortfall estimated at over $644,000 (including the ditch), each homeowner would need to contribute about $7,411 to close the gap. But don’t worry, we’ve got fences.
Maybe it’s time for the Board to dig into the real issues—before we all end up into the ditch.
Stay tuned to www.poudreoverlook.com for more coverage, commentary, and community insights. And remember, stormwater flows downhill—especially when no one’s paying to fix the drainage.