Kona Garden Estates Service Corporation Newsletter
November 2023
92-1329 Prince Kuhio Blvd #4 PMB #104 Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704
INCLUDED IN THIS MAILING
2023 Newsletter
Candidate Information
Ballot
Proxy Form
Bill for Past Due Amounts (if applicable)
Notice of Voting Ineligibility (if applicable)
Addressed Return Envelope
2024 ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA
Our community is currently experiencing a high degree of growth with many new owners and significant construction activity. This is a sharp change from the past and is presenting some opportunities, along with some challenges, which we would like to bring to everyone’s attention.
KGE represents a rare opportunity to build and live in a secure and beautiful location. One of our ongoing challenges is preventing unauthorized access to KGE via the main gate, the Road to the Sea, and even ‘overland’ roads from neighboring areas. The primary purpose in limiting unauthorized access is to ensure the privacy and security of our properties. We ask that all owners limit sharing of the gate keycode and report any unusual activity in the neighborhood (ie. people accessing from Road to the Sea, or tour groups/other activity by non-owners).
With the recent influx of new owners and activity, we are presented with an exciting opportunity to build a more vibrant and appealing community. The intent of the community bylaws is for Owners to make decisions regarding the Bylaws to direct the development and rules of the KGE community. The Board’s duty will be to implement the Bylaws and manage day-to-day operations, within the limits of the Bylaws. Therefore, in order to make the most of this opportunity and to chart our future, we need input and action by as many of our owners as possible. By building a stronger organization within our community we will also have a stronger voice to influence the ongoing development in our surrounding region and be able to ensure that KGE’s interests are heard.
Whether through participation on the board, helping your neighbors, or simply keeping an eye on our neighborhood, we can all play a part in building a better future for our community. It is up to all of us to determine what KGE will become in the future.
2024 Annual Meeting: The annual meeting will be held Saturday, January 13, 2024. The meeting will be held outside at the KGE storage container at the East end of Jasmine. Please bring a chair. The meeting will start at 10 A.M. Results of the election will be announced. The Board will report on the state of KGE and its finances. There will be no discussion, input, nor motions other than procedural as specified by HRS 421j, 414d, and Robert Rules.
A Bit About 2023 Sales
Ten properties changed hands. Average lot sale was $47,375. Three homes changed hands. Average sales price was 417,833.
Upcoming Meetings in 2024
1/12 – Board of Director's Meeting 6PM Dave Steacy’s home
1/13 – 2024 Annual Meeting 10 AM East end of Jasmine
1/13 – Newly elected Board Member's Annual Meeting time & location: TBA KONA GARDEN ESTATES WEB SITE
Please access the Kona Garden Estates web site to preview the 2023 annual meeting minutes, as well as financial reports, updates on what’s happening at KGE, and some nice pictures. Use this url: http://www.konagardenestateshi.com/
Legal Update….
Kona Garden Estates Service Corporation is being sued. In 1994, the claimant bought a lot in Kona South Estates, the subdivision to our west. In 1995, he began building a home. He connected his lot with our KGE road, then got ahold of the KGE gate code, and used our paved road to bring in building materials. He was told, many times in the years since then, that he could not use our road to access a parcel in another subdivision. He has ignored MANY documented attempts to stop this action. In 2001, he bought an adjoining lot in KGE and claimed he now had the right to drive onto the neighboring subdivision. (Not true.) He used the house as an Airbnb and rental. He has illegally given out the gate code to facilitate this. . During the January 2022 Annual Meeting, this issue was presented formally to the owners. The board wanted direction on whether the owners endorsed pursuing this matter. A motion was approved to continue on the course of stopping this illegal use of our roads. Now the claimant is trying to sell the home. Our legal actions have prevented this. He is suing us on a procedural issue. The board is not surprised. This Florida lawyer, in 2018, stated that if we messed with him, he would sue the board and each of us individually. He would tie us up in court over every little thing, which would cost him little, and us, a lot! And that’s what he is doing. This one action will (at minimum) triple our insurance rate and cost us thousands in legal fees. It distresses the board greatly that maintaining the KGE roads, our primary charge, has digressed into spending money to stop this man.
KONA GARDEN ESTATES; PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET
Insurance $6,500.
Bookkeeper 14,400.***
Front Gate Maintenance 1000.
Landscaping 900.
Electricity 800.
Gate Improvement 54,000.
Legal Fees 5,000.
Lien Filings 200.
Office Mailings 500.
Security Camera Maintenance 200.
PO Box 155.
State Filing Fees 1,000.
W(eb Site 250.
Total $84,905.
*** If the board is unable to recruit a treasurer or hire a bookkeeper, the only option will be a Property Management business. Estimated cost is a minimum of $1,200 per month.
Items To Ponder
There are 154 lots in Kona Garden Estates. Of those, one “lot” is the road system. Two lots still belong to the developer and have never been sold, so they don’t pay toward road maintenance yet. Statistically, about 1/3 of the owners do NOT pay their road fees each year. One of the joyless responsibilities of the board is to try to collect these monies. As of this writing, $43,498.29 is owed.
SOMETHING TO PONDER; A reality which must be faced is the expense of paving roads. Increasing costs make it questionable if our small group of owners, at $200/year road fees, will ever build up adequate funds. A similar conundrum occurred about paving the main road. In that instance, a special, one-time assessment was levied.
Financial Update
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR KONA GARDEN ESTATES THROUGH NOVEMBER 14, 2023
Revenue Account Balances:
Income $33,176.86 Savings $42,411.11
Checking 101,235.49
C/D 29,997.50
Expenditures __________________________ Total: $173,644.10
Administration Costs $ 825.16
Bookkeeping 3870.00
Gate Repair 600.00 2022 versus 2023 Income & Expense
HELCO 722.28
Insurance 2153.80 Account Balance (22) $149,919.86
Landscaping Services 385.00 Account Balance (23) $173,644.10
Legal Fees 5,208.75 Increase: $ 23,724.24
Lien Fees 261.00
Office Supplies 321.63 Expenses (22) $9835.79
Total $14,347.62 Expenses (23) $14347.62
Increase: $4511.83
2025 Candidate Statements
Josie Coleman:
Joe Esposito:
Joshua & Shelby Howe: My name is Shelby Howe and my husband’s name is Josh. Josh and I are from Missouri where we owned a construction business for seven years. I also worked in home care for the elderly while raising five children. In 2020 we adopted two little boys into our family and decided to move to Hawaii and enjoy raising them there. In 2021 we purchased a piece of property in KGE where we are planning on building our family home. We are now renting a home on Bougainvillea but hope to be starting our home soon.
Josh is working for a construction company in Discovery Harbor while I homeschool the children and volunteer at the pregnancy center on Fridays. The kids and I try to stay involved in the community by volunteering as much as we can.
We love living in KGE and getting to know our neighbors. I’m sure you have seen all of us at some point as we are the family that walks the corgi every evening. We are excited to see out community come together and make our subdivision a great place to live.
Jessie Rex: I was born and raised in Iowa. After graduation I moved to the Ozark’s, to southwest Missouri on Table Rock Lake, where my ex-husband and I established a successful construction company for 20 years. I moved to Hawaii eight years ago. I have four boys. Two live on the mainland and two are here in Hawaii. I am a private contractor for medical staff services. This allows me to travel, which is my favorite thing to do next to writing. I love being outdoors and hiking. I had my 15 minutes of fame when I was cast to be on the Fox TV show, LEGO Masters, season one.
Steve Weiler: I have owned a lot in Kona Garden Estates since 1991. I was the Service Corporation Board secretary when Arnold Dahlberg first set up the development. I have served more recently on the board for the last six years. For the last four of those, I have served as KGE President. I am usually the person called when the gate doesn’t work, and, along with Dean Rex, we are usually the ones who fix it. I am willing to continue helping Kona Garden Estates by serving another term of office, if elected.
November 2023
92-1329 Prince Kuhio Blvd #4 PMB #104 Captain Cook, Hawaii 96704
INCLUDED IN THIS MAILING
2023 Newsletter
Candidate Information
Ballot
Proxy Form
Bill for Past Due Amounts (if applicable)
Notice of Voting Ineligibility (if applicable)
Addressed Return Envelope
2024 ANNUAL MEETING AGENDA
- Call to Order
- State of KGE Reports
- Adoption of 2023 Annual Meeting Minutes
- Adoption of Financial Report
- Election Results Announced
- Establish New Gate Codes
- Adjournment
Our community is currently experiencing a high degree of growth with many new owners and significant construction activity. This is a sharp change from the past and is presenting some opportunities, along with some challenges, which we would like to bring to everyone’s attention.
KGE represents a rare opportunity to build and live in a secure and beautiful location. One of our ongoing challenges is preventing unauthorized access to KGE via the main gate, the Road to the Sea, and even ‘overland’ roads from neighboring areas. The primary purpose in limiting unauthorized access is to ensure the privacy and security of our properties. We ask that all owners limit sharing of the gate keycode and report any unusual activity in the neighborhood (ie. people accessing from Road to the Sea, or tour groups/other activity by non-owners).
With the recent influx of new owners and activity, we are presented with an exciting opportunity to build a more vibrant and appealing community. The intent of the community bylaws is for Owners to make decisions regarding the Bylaws to direct the development and rules of the KGE community. The Board’s duty will be to implement the Bylaws and manage day-to-day operations, within the limits of the Bylaws. Therefore, in order to make the most of this opportunity and to chart our future, we need input and action by as many of our owners as possible. By building a stronger organization within our community we will also have a stronger voice to influence the ongoing development in our surrounding region and be able to ensure that KGE’s interests are heard.
Whether through participation on the board, helping your neighbors, or simply keeping an eye on our neighborhood, we can all play a part in building a better future for our community. It is up to all of us to determine what KGE will become in the future.
2024 Annual Meeting: The annual meeting will be held Saturday, January 13, 2024. The meeting will be held outside at the KGE storage container at the East end of Jasmine. Please bring a chair. The meeting will start at 10 A.M. Results of the election will be announced. The Board will report on the state of KGE and its finances. There will be no discussion, input, nor motions other than procedural as specified by HRS 421j, 414d, and Robert Rules.
A Bit About 2023 Sales
Ten properties changed hands. Average lot sale was $47,375. Three homes changed hands. Average sales price was 417,833.
Upcoming Meetings in 2024
1/12 – Board of Director's Meeting 6PM Dave Steacy’s home
1/13 – 2024 Annual Meeting 10 AM East end of Jasmine
1/13 – Newly elected Board Member's Annual Meeting time & location: TBA KONA GARDEN ESTATES WEB SITE
Please access the Kona Garden Estates web site to preview the 2023 annual meeting minutes, as well as financial reports, updates on what’s happening at KGE, and some nice pictures. Use this url: http://www.konagardenestateshi.com/
Legal Update….
Kona Garden Estates Service Corporation is being sued. In 1994, the claimant bought a lot in Kona South Estates, the subdivision to our west. In 1995, he began building a home. He connected his lot with our KGE road, then got ahold of the KGE gate code, and used our paved road to bring in building materials. He was told, many times in the years since then, that he could not use our road to access a parcel in another subdivision. He has ignored MANY documented attempts to stop this action. In 2001, he bought an adjoining lot in KGE and claimed he now had the right to drive onto the neighboring subdivision. (Not true.) He used the house as an Airbnb and rental. He has illegally given out the gate code to facilitate this. . During the January 2022 Annual Meeting, this issue was presented formally to the owners. The board wanted direction on whether the owners endorsed pursuing this matter. A motion was approved to continue on the course of stopping this illegal use of our roads. Now the claimant is trying to sell the home. Our legal actions have prevented this. He is suing us on a procedural issue. The board is not surprised. This Florida lawyer, in 2018, stated that if we messed with him, he would sue the board and each of us individually. He would tie us up in court over every little thing, which would cost him little, and us, a lot! And that’s what he is doing. This one action will (at minimum) triple our insurance rate and cost us thousands in legal fees. It distresses the board greatly that maintaining the KGE roads, our primary charge, has digressed into spending money to stop this man.
KONA GARDEN ESTATES; PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET
Insurance $6,500.
Bookkeeper 14,400.***
Front Gate Maintenance 1000.
Landscaping 900.
Electricity 800.
Gate Improvement 54,000.
Legal Fees 5,000.
Lien Filings 200.
Office Mailings 500.
Security Camera Maintenance 200.
PO Box 155.
State Filing Fees 1,000.
W(eb Site 250.
Total $84,905.
*** If the board is unable to recruit a treasurer or hire a bookkeeper, the only option will be a Property Management business. Estimated cost is a minimum of $1,200 per month.
Items To Ponder
There are 154 lots in Kona Garden Estates. Of those, one “lot” is the road system. Two lots still belong to the developer and have never been sold, so they don’t pay toward road maintenance yet. Statistically, about 1/3 of the owners do NOT pay their road fees each year. One of the joyless responsibilities of the board is to try to collect these monies. As of this writing, $43,498.29 is owed.
SOMETHING TO PONDER; A reality which must be faced is the expense of paving roads. Increasing costs make it questionable if our small group of owners, at $200/year road fees, will ever build up adequate funds. A similar conundrum occurred about paving the main road. In that instance, a special, one-time assessment was levied.
Financial Update
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR KONA GARDEN ESTATES THROUGH NOVEMBER 14, 2023
Revenue Account Balances:
Income $33,176.86 Savings $42,411.11
Checking 101,235.49
C/D 29,997.50
Expenditures __________________________ Total: $173,644.10
Administration Costs $ 825.16
Bookkeeping 3870.00
Gate Repair 600.00 2022 versus 2023 Income & Expense
HELCO 722.28
Insurance 2153.80 Account Balance (22) $149,919.86
Landscaping Services 385.00 Account Balance (23) $173,644.10
Legal Fees 5,208.75 Increase: $ 23,724.24
Lien Fees 261.00
Office Supplies 321.63 Expenses (22) $9835.79
Total $14,347.62 Expenses (23) $14347.62
Increase: $4511.83
2025 Candidate Statements
Josie Coleman:
Joe Esposito:
Joshua & Shelby Howe: My name is Shelby Howe and my husband’s name is Josh. Josh and I are from Missouri where we owned a construction business for seven years. I also worked in home care for the elderly while raising five children. In 2020 we adopted two little boys into our family and decided to move to Hawaii and enjoy raising them there. In 2021 we purchased a piece of property in KGE where we are planning on building our family home. We are now renting a home on Bougainvillea but hope to be starting our home soon.
Josh is working for a construction company in Discovery Harbor while I homeschool the children and volunteer at the pregnancy center on Fridays. The kids and I try to stay involved in the community by volunteering as much as we can.
We love living in KGE and getting to know our neighbors. I’m sure you have seen all of us at some point as we are the family that walks the corgi every evening. We are excited to see out community come together and make our subdivision a great place to live.
Jessie Rex: I was born and raised in Iowa. After graduation I moved to the Ozark’s, to southwest Missouri on Table Rock Lake, where my ex-husband and I established a successful construction company for 20 years. I moved to Hawaii eight years ago. I have four boys. Two live on the mainland and two are here in Hawaii. I am a private contractor for medical staff services. This allows me to travel, which is my favorite thing to do next to writing. I love being outdoors and hiking. I had my 15 minutes of fame when I was cast to be on the Fox TV show, LEGO Masters, season one.
Steve Weiler: I have owned a lot in Kona Garden Estates since 1991. I was the Service Corporation Board secretary when Arnold Dahlberg first set up the development. I have served more recently on the board for the last six years. For the last four of those, I have served as KGE President. I am usually the person called when the gate doesn’t work, and, along with Dean Rex, we are usually the ones who fix it. I am willing to continue helping Kona Garden Estates by serving another term of office, if elected.