Hampton Lake Annual Report 2020

annual report

2020

COVER PHOTO BY

Michelle Woodcock Hampton Lake Community Association / Annual Report 2020

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Reed

Chris England

Rich DelCore

Ali Seabaugh

Barry Fiebert

Kristen Kopanda

Pat LIcata

Chris Lewis

Monte Leath

OFFICERS

Rich DelCore President

Pratt Reed Vice President

Ali Seabaugh Secretary

Fred Chitty Treasurer

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION STAFF

Bryan Rhame General Manager

Robin O’Neill Assistant Manager

Brenda Matthews Club Controller

Catherine Guscio Director of Member Relations

Skip Pratt Tackle Box Manager

Rachel Malo Director of Fun

JP Sheffield Boathouse Coordinator

Gail Garbett ARB Director

Michelle Woodcock Accounting Assistant

Nicole Evans Accounting Assistant

Kate O’Connor Communications Coordinator

Avern Monteque Maintenance Technician

Victoria Jackson ARB Assistant

Ashley Tacklebox Associate

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BACKWATER BILL’S STAFF

Andy Ferrel Executive Chef

Antonio Velez Sous Chef

Andrew Hodgins Beverage Supervisor

Jake Forshey Restaurant Manager

Herman In Loving Memory September 23 2020

Alicia Backwater Bill’s Wait Staff

Sabrina Backwater Bill’s Wait Staff

Paul Backwater Bill’s Wait Staff

Cindy Backwater Bill’s Wait Staff

Jeremy Backwater Bill’s Wait Staff

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BACKWATER BILL’S STAFF

Josue Backwater Bill’s Ktichen Staff

Veronica Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Libna Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Dylan Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Dayrin Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Dennis Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Oliver Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

Carolina Backwater Bill’s Kitchen Staff

CONTRACTOR SUPPORT

Katrina Polite Security

Joy Burke Landscaping

Gemilee Marquez Fitness Director

Tracey Kenton Spa & Fitness Manager

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD (ARB) Gail Garbett Director Victoria Jackson Assistant Pratt Reed HLCA Vice President Chris England HLCA Board Member Sandy Leath HLCA Member Sam Brusco HLCA Member Brian Witmer Landscape Architect with Witmer-Jones-Keefer, Ltd. Pearce Scott Architect with Pearce Scott Architects

COVENANTS COMMITTEE Jim Morris, Esq Chairperson Ted Kerrine, Esq Matthew Nikravesh Paua Stechschulte

COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE Lynn Mickinac Chairperson Frank Roach Karen Couser Ed Kelly Larry Ruocco Mark Anderson Bob Herman Keri Peterson Laura Rosen Mike Saraniero

PROPERTY TRANSFER COMMITTEE Sandy Moldovan, PE Chairperson Scot Ahrnsbrak Fred Chitty Rob Houston Paula Jacobi Bruce Nassimbeni Bryan Rhame (ex-officio)

© Michelle Woodcock

Herman Fuqua, Jr. January 21, 1959 – September 23, 2020 One our beloved team members passed away this past year. Herman Leon Fuqua, Jr. was born in Rogersville, Alabama. He graduated from Lauderdale County High School in 1977 and attended Alabama A&M University.

Herman exhibited an incredibly quiet spirit and spoke more with his eyes. He was a hard worker, and an encourager. He enjoyed golfing, watching television, reading and family time. He is sorely missed and it was touching to see our community come together with overwhelming generosity, not only to honor this dear man but also to support his family and create a lasting legacy.

Shortly after Herman’s death a group of residents formed “The Herman Committee” and ever since its inception, they have done remarkable things in memory of our dear friend.

Herman L. Fuqua Day, January 21st, “The Remembering Herman Committee” arranged a visit with Mayor Lisa Sulka to proclaim January 21st as Herman Fuqua Day. This day would have been Herman’s 62nd birthday. In attendance was Herman’s wife Linda, daughter Rockisha, Hampton Lake staff and Herman committee members.

Due to COVID, the celebration was kept to a minimum. Rest assured, when Hampton Lake gets back to normalcy at some point, we will have a significant celebration for the entire community to participate and remember our dear friend Herman. The community received so much feedback about ways to recognize Herman to keep his legacy alive. Here are a few of the things that have taken place: • Proclamation that Mayor signed and read to staff and family declaring January 21st as Herman Fuqua Day. The Mayor is a Clemson grad and she even gave us a “Roll Tide” in Herman’s honor during the ceremony.

• The proclamation will be framed and hung in Backwater Bill’s.

• Committee developed a plaque in the Backwater Bill’s with picture of Herman and a sign with the name Herman’s Place.

• A Woodford Reserve bourbon bottle engraved with his name, date of passing and his love of the “Alabama Crimson Tide”. This bottle will remain on the back of the bar and never be opened. (Thank you Analise Chase for helping with the engraving).

• “The Remembering Herman Committee” has finalized an agreement with May River High School to create two annual $1,000 scholarships to be awarded in the name of the “Herman Fuqua Memorial Scholarship” to two deserving student athletes starting Spring 2021. This is an outstanding opportunity for our community to recognize Herman and keep his legacy alive. The committee is also in the planning stages of a future golf event fundraiser this coming fall.

We would like to thank the committee members: Jim Bell, Mary Blake, Sandy Leath, Teresa Moore and Jimmy VanDerveer for their time, commitment and leadership in coordinating the various efforts.

Jim Bell will be presenting the award with Herman’s family in attendance at the 2021 May River High School Athletic Department awards banquet.

Please join us in recognizing Herman and helping support two student athletes with pursuing a higher education. May River High School Booster Club is 501(c)(3) organization. EIN: 81-1026382 and contributions are tax-deductible.

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COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF ADVISORS 2020-2021

Craig Husted Chairperson

Stephen Kreider Fitness & Recreation

Brian Lackey Food, Beverage & Events

Bill O’Toole Grounds & Facilities

FITNESS & RECREATION COMMITTEE

GROUNDS & FACILITIES COMMITTEE

Steven Kreider Chairperson Brian Evans Debbie Gordon Nicolette Hyland Jarrod Ison Michael Kokolakis Teresa Moore Lauren Schroeder

Bill O’Toole Chairperson Bill Camp Chip Chase Fred Chitty Michael ‘Chris’ Christensen David Gallant Ernie Lindblad Mitch MacLaughlin Pete Marone Michael Sneden Brad Wegard Ed Weglarz

FOOD, BEVERAGE & FOOD &COMMITTEE BEVERAGE EVENTS Brian Lackey Chairperson COMMITTEE Diane Barber Benjamin Block Kara Hounam Mollyann Kossack Frank Roach Larry Ruocco David Schroeder Dawn Wegard

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Hampton Lake Community Association / Annual Report 2020

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER TO MEMBERS Fellow Residents I am writing my last letter while serving our Community on the Board of Directors. We are approaching the transition from the Developer to Owner control and will be electing our first majority Owner Board with 6 residents in the near future.

I know this has been a difficult year for many, and my condolences go out to all who have lost family members and friends during this pandemic or who have suffered from the virus or experienced job loss associated with the economic slowdown.

My time serving you as President has passed quickly and the year of the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed how we operate and what we hoped to accomplish during 2020.

As many people observed, however, living in a great community like Hampton Lake, in the town of Bluffton, with many outdoor activities and good weather, really made pandemic isolation tolerable compared to some of our family and friends in the big cities and colder climates.

The pandemic started with incomplete and confusing information and a steady stream of local and state regulations which made it difficult to run our Community. We met frequently, sought legal help, benchmarked other communities and did our best to provide services and amenities to the community, while balancing the health and safety of staff and residents and complying with government regulations.

Despite the challenges, we were able to provide a food ‘take out’ service from Backwater Bills, and operated our amenities (pool, gym, sports courts, etc.) consistent with guidelines without creating conditions that could spread the virus. We know we did not meet everyone’s expectations, but the provided amenities helped make the pandemic a bit more bearable.

I have been honored to have served you as President during this time and thank you all for your understanding and cooperation for our numerous Zoom meetings which enabled us to continue to conduct our community business.

Hampton Lake has continued to grow. We started 2020 with 985 homes and 59 under construction for a total of 1,044. We ended 2020 with 1081 homes and 48 under construction for a total of 1,129 homes. This increase of 85 homes represents an 8% increase from 2019. Construction activity is now skewing to the new areas with 35 units under construction in Sandhill tract and 13 units in Phases 1&2. As of January 2021, we have 95 vacant lots in Phases 1&2 and 145 lots in the Sandhill tract.

Our financial position is strong with good fiscal management by our General Manager, Bryan Rhame, and his staff. We showed revenues of $6.134 million in 2020 which provided for our staff and amenities, while also setting aside a reserve of $511,345 for capital repair and replacement. Our capital reserve now stands at $2,412,054 million, which is on target with the latest Capital Reserve study.

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER TO MEMBERS In addition to the pandemic workload for the Board and staff, we did have some accomplishments.

• Staffed the 33 Board of Advisor positions • Conducted a first time ‘special meeting’ to do a comprehensive review of the budget • Started the monthly ‘In the Know’ communication tool to explain some of the actions/processes in use for Hampton Lake.

• Completed the auto RFID transition and new gate opening • Conducted Lake and shoreline erosion study • Activated and staffed the Property Transfer Committee • Formed a Nominating Committee that interviewed and selected 10 strong candidates to run for the 6 open Board positions that come with the transition from the Developer to Owner control We are entering an exciting time. We may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for Covid-19 with vaccination rates increasing, infections dropping and regulations easing. We will be coming into our own with the transition from Developer to Owner control. We will take possession and start operating the new Party Barn, the new pool, and the Beer Garden to complete the Crystal Lake Amenity Center.

As chair of the Nominating Committee, I am excited to see the talent of the candidates for the new Board and hope that you will educate yourselves about the candidates and vote when the time comes. We have a great balance of legacy and new residents, some with Board background, some representing different segments of our community, but all who want to see the community succeed.

Respectfully Submitted,

Rich DelCore President

Hampton Lake receives prestigious CAI Award

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Hampton Lake Community Association / Annual Report 2020

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DECLARANT’S LETTER TO MEMBERS Dear Members, For certain, this past year was one we will never forget. As we reflect on 2020 and all the challenges we faced, we are particularly proud of the HLCA staff under the leadership of Bryan Rhame who continued to serve through many restrictions and changes to keep Hampton Lake a safe and secure place to call home. We also want to thank the Board’s Owner Directors, committee members, and the membership as a whole who stayed positive, and served their neighbors and community whenever needs arose.

Prior to the pandemic, the local real estate market was about as strong as we’d seen in years. The national shutdown, which began in mid-march put development, sales, and home construction to a halt. Deep uncertainty set in. However, by May, the greater restrictions in many urban markets like the Northeast and the adoption of remote work began a flood of new buyers to the Southeast. With this came an incredible demand for move-in ready homes. Fortunately, Hampton Lake was well poised to meet this demand with one of the best offerings of new homes and attractive resale properties in the region. With development work rebooted in our final lot phases and the remaining additions to the Parkside Amenity Center back underway, our Hampton Lake sales team went back to work. With the strong support of local real estate agents, we were able to assist a record number of buyers. In fact, Hampton Lake saw record months of sales and 2020 marked the highest number of annual home sales in community history. In total, 198 new households from 29 different states decided to call Hampton Lake home.

The community continued to mature with over 2,000 residents occupying 1,129 finished homes by year-end. Even with the high demand for move-in ready properties, homebuilding continued at a strong pace and Hampton Lake reached 84% build out with 240 lots remaining to be built. At the time of this letter, the majority of those unimproved lots are owned by individuals, with very few listed for sale. Only 85 lot/home packages by builders now remain to be built or sold. And custom developer lots are approaching sell-out with only 6 remaining.

As we look towards the upcoming turnover of the community to you, the property owners, we are committed to ensuring a positive transition as our time as Declarant comes to a close. I have no doubt that the HLCA staff and a terrific slate of existing Owner Directors, as well as candidates for an expanded Board, will be ready to take the reins this Spring. As we finish the final stages of construction of amenities, we are proud of how Hampton Lake’s vision has matured into a place that continues to attract new families, yet still delight long-time Members.

Thank you for allowing us to shepherd your community over the last 16 years. For many of you, this community is more than just another neighborhood. And with neighbors like you, it’s clear that Hampton Lake will continue to be a special place for Lake Life to happen.

Sincerely,

Pratt Reed CEO Reed Group

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BOARD OF ADVISOR’S YEAR-END REPORT 2020 Introduction • The Board of Advisors is made up of three committees of volunteers, each led by a Chairperson. The mission of the BoA is to assist HL management and the Board of Directors in problem solving, research, communication, benchmarking, identifying best practices, and completing studies and projects. The BoA is not a policy-making body but is relied upon for reports, recommendations, and inputs to HL operations and the annual budget process.

• 2020 was obviously a very challenging year for Hampton Lake residents, HL Management, the BoD, and the BoA. In the end a lot was accomplished. The 3 committees stayed engaged with projects and communications during this difficult year in order to continue serving the community.

• The following are summaries of key activities and accomplishments of the three committees of the BoA.

Grounds & Facilities • Completed an assessment of recommended signage from the Flat Creek Drive entrance in order to direct visitors to the various amenities in HL. Several recommendations were given to management and the BoD to efficiently guide traffic with clear direction.

• Assisted the GM and the BoD in drafting a Pandemic Contingency Plan for HL operations.

• The committee offered assistance to the GM for the rollout of the new Gatehouse software features.

This transition was delayed due to COVID but is now in use.

• A work group contacted personnel from the Town of Bluffton and from Waste Management in order to update HL guidelines for proper curbside recycling. This information was published in the HL Weekly Update.

• Members of the committee volunteered to assist the general manager and the HL staff with the installation process for the new RFID window stickers. Since RFID installations began in June, committee members have volunteered 154 hours assisting the HL staff and approximately 2,400 RFID stickers have been installed.

• Communication has been established with the municipal authorities regarding the status of a potential new traffic signal at the Flat Creek Drive entrance. The committee will remain a point of contact with local officials and provide updates as more information is available.

• The initial monthly Master Gardener and Landscaping Educational sessions, led by Bill Camp, were highly successful and well attended. These sessions were temporarily suspended due to covid. G&F plans to reestablish the presentations in the future.

• The committee completed the biennial assessment of all roads in Hampton Lake and completed the 5th edition Roads Report. The report was reviewed and endorsed by the committee and forwarded to the GM and to the BoD to be used for budgeting and prioritizing repairs.

• Committee members provided the GM and the BoD with 2021 budget recommendations based on member survey data and/or committee work projects.

• The committee completed the first HL shoreline study to assess risks to the lake berm and erosion issues.

The committee is finalizing the draft report and, once completed, will forward it to the GM and to the BoD to be used for budgeting and prioritizing repairs.

• The committee facilitated a meeting between the Beaufort County Fire Department’s rescue boat team, HL staff, and the representatives from the HL boat captain’s voluntary emergency team. As a result, the

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BOARD OF ADVISOR’S YEAR-END REPORT 2020 HLCA and the County’s rescue boat team agreed to engage in joint training exercises to better prepare participants for providing assistance on the water.

• The committee conducted an examination of the stressed and dead trees and the high water levels in certain areas of the nature preserves. This work involved an on-the-ground examination and a review of aerial photographs. The committee forwarded a preliminary report with its findings to the GM and the BoD. The committee has identified several other areas in HL wetlands that it intends to assess further.

The committee continued its assessment of stressed and dead trees in the wetland areas.

• In 2019, the committee completed an assessment of HL trails and made recommendations for correcting several trail areas. In September, a work group marked specific high priority repair areas with spray paint in order to assist the HLCA’s landscape contractor in identifying areas to be repaired.

• The safety and security work group conducted an assessment of additional physical locations and new amenities in Phase 3. The group revised the committee’s 2017 patrol checklist to include these additional locations and forwarded recommendations to the GM. • At the request of the BoD and the GM, a joint work group consisting of members of both the Grounds & Facilities and the Fitness & Recreation Advisory Committees was formed to determine feasibility and to estimate costs for installing shade structures at Hampton Lake. The work group visited 8 communities in the greater Bluffton area to view existing shade structures and also researched shade structures on vendor websites. The work group completed a report that recommended 5 shade structures (3 for tennis and 2 for pickle ball) be installed in HL. The report was forwarded to the GM and to the BoD. • The committee assisted the Property Transfer Committee by providing information from the recent roads and sidewalk assessment reports regarding potential defects and/or needed improvements in Phase 3.

Fitness & Recreation • The committee is working with management and the BoD on COVID policy and communications related to sports courts and all outdoor activities.

• Many fitness classes were modified and offered as online video and outdoor classes. This required creativity and innovation by the team.

• Four new nets were installed for pickleball.

• Ball holders were installed for the tennis and pickleball courts as requested by players.

• Fitness center instructors hope to expand activities for youth to provide athletic activities as part of kids summer camp and will start once kids camp is approved.

• The Fitness center aerobic equipment lease contract has expired and HLCA management bought the equipment and is planning to determine if replacement of center pieces of equipment or a new leasing contract is appropriate in 2021.

• Discussion is ongoing on how to notify residents and visitors that bicycles are not allowed on the nature trails. This is not safe for biking and can be harmful to the lake berms.

• Caulking was completed at the main pool.

• Spa and locker room carpets were steam cleaned.

• Coordinated with our swim lessons contractor but we eventually had to cancel due to COVID. • Coordinated with HLCA management on covid policies and communications related to sports facilities, and all outdoor activities

- Reopened Fitness Center through reservation system.

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BOARD OF ADVISOR’S YEAR-END REPORT 2020

- Opened pool facilities through reservation system (increased family times, lap swim times, and activated lazy river earlier on weekends).

- Pools focus was on water clarity with new automatic chemical system, extended heating through October - Reestablished tennis and pickleball reservation system.

• Provided investigations and analysis with numerous estimates for 11 budget lines that resulted in recommendations to the 2021 budget for HLCA management consideration based on the 2019 HLCA survey with primary focus on safety, maintaining quality facilities, and bringing on phase 3 facilities.

• Initiated discussions with the BODs on process for capital improvements, and provided list of 7 projects for consideration.

• Coordinated with the local fire department for CPR classes. Classes are now available at the local fire department.

• Cancelled the scheduled Wellness day in October due to COVID restrictions, and reset plan for presentations in May 2021.

• Provided daily support for Zoom, outdoor, and in person fitness classes with continuous modifications for weather, instructor availability, COVID policies, and HLCA member participation.

• Completed 2020 special funding items – this quarter added new dumbbell rack and new dumbbells, and replaced the floor in the classroom.

• Wrote new HLCA rules for Pickleball, Lakeside Pool complex, and Track & Field, and reviewed and provided modifications for current rules that were approved by the BOD. • As a joint work group with the Grounds and Facilities committee, completed analyses and made recommendations for shade structures for the tennis and pickleball facilities that was approved for the 2021 budget.

• Conducted a thorough maintenance investigation of all F&R facilities and provided recommendations to HLCA management for action.

Food & Beverage & Events Committee • The committee has worked hard with management and the BoD to find creative ways to continue food and beverage service to the community during COVID. • The take-out lunch and dinner program at BWB has been very popular. The staff has been able to make good food available to the community with less than normal staffing.

• Analysis is ongoing regarding the take-out program for potential viability of expanded programs like this for after COVID is over.

• Innovative solutions to some of our scheduled events still allowed them to take place and were well attended. Examples include St. Patrick’s dinner, Passover Seder, and Easter brunch.

• Discussions are underway about life after COVID. This includes topics like restaurant seating for social distancing, modified hours of operation, additional outdoor seating, and other options.

• From March 16th through June, there were a total of 29 planned events that needed to be cancelled or postponed due to COVID. • The Committee made sure that each day that menu items and Lunch and Dinner Specials were advertised on Next Door for members to see.

• Committee members made sure that all wine specials were advertised on Next Door for members to purchase.

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BOARD OF ADVISOR’S YEAR-END REPORT 2020 • The committee continues to brainstorm event ideas for when restrictions are lifted and we can gather together again.

• Coordinated with Hampton Lake Management with the reopening of the Tower Bar. • Provided HLCA Management with an analysis on the purchase of a freezer and the sale of ice cream treats from the Tower Bar. • Reviewed new rules that pertained to the new amenities in Phase 3.

• Worked with HLCA Management on food ideas for the new Beer Garden.

• Reinvented and relaunched the HL Wine Club to continue success and growth as “Pour Choices”.

• Assisted in brainstorming and research for the new party barn and beer garden amenities.

• Modified the Halloween celebration to the running track, which was well attended.

• Began studying the best ways to utilize and decorate the Lakeview Room if it is used for dining in the future.

• Although there were no events for people to gather, Hampton Lake was able to offer take out for Asian Night, Holiday Dinner Party and New Year’s Eve. • The wine group (Pour Choices) held their first wine tasting in November, the number of attendees was restricted to 46 members. Members were spaced 6 feet apart in the Lakeview room.

• Committee members provided the GM and the BoD with 2021 budget recommendations based on member survey data and/or committee work projects.

Craig Husted Board of Advisors Chair

Hampton Lake Community Association / Annual Report 2020 15 © Michelle Woodcock

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS TEAM We are pleased and proud to report that we were able to keep the majority of our full and part-time staff members gainfully employed through the COVID-19 mandatory shut down by implementing various protocols, changing menus and hours of operation. Management was able to reassign some non-essential employees to complete necessary projects and cross utilize staff to aid in areas with increased responsibilities. We quickly reduced the number of F&B employees per shift and increased the curbside offerings to include Tuesday-Sunday dinner offerings. As other area dining offerings increased, Tuesday dinner service was discontinued due to the decrease in demand. Once pool reservations were no longer required, we eliminated the Communication Coordinator position which was tasked with responding and managing reservations. Our Director of Fun and Events Planner, Rachael Malo assumed these and other responsibilities.

We value the talent and commitment of the entire team assembled and worked diligently to keep them safe, healthy, and able to earn a living while managing the community association in a financially prudent manner. We realize the use of our amenities changed significantly, however, the goal was to adhere to the various health organization recommended practices to keep both employees and owners safe, in conjunction with providing service levels and responsible, safe access to the various amenity offerings, when possible. While 2020 was quite different than in years past, we would like to commend our team for remaining positive, adapting to the ever-evolving requirements, and overcoming the many challenges that operating under the COVID-19 pandemic, presented.

FOOD & BEVERAGE Hampton Lake’s Food and Beverage department consists of three separate operations, Backwater Bill’s, Member Events and Private Events. In 2020, our budgeted plan was blind-sided by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our management team went to work to come up with an alternative way to serve our community. We rolled out a very successful to-go operation, while carefully maintaining government and safety protocols. As we continued to practice and monitor the guidelines, eventually were able to add indoor and outdoor dining in July. To keep this and the curbside pickup available, we moved the inside dining to the Lakeview.

To maintain a connection with our valued members, the team created various videos on Instagram and Facebook, demonstrating do-it yourself crafts, recipes, General Manager updates, exercise, and spa treatment tips, as well as reading books to our younger populations.

Due to these unforeseeable circumstances, CDC and SCDHEC regulations, many of our previously booked and coordinated private events were canceled. In total, we scheduled 37 member events and hosted 12 private events. While our 2020 budget for member and private events was unable to be met, the pre-COVID-19 hosted private functions brought in $7,347 to the food and beverage bottom line.

Despite the challenges 2020 had presented us, the entire F&B operation expense was $427,266 for 2020 and overall, our entire operation generated enough revenue to come within $5,000 of our 2020 budget.

BACKWATER BILL’S Backwater Bill’s took on a different feel during the first quarter. While it was not our typical entertaining operation, we were able to speak on the phone with the members and personally deliver Chef’s amazing

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS food. Through your support, we were able to exceed the food budget and keep all of our valued staff employed.

Backwater Bill’s generated $747,839 in revenue with total costs of $1,143,622. We continually work to establish a proper balance of expenses, and hours of operation in order to keep the costs in an acceptable range. BWBs currently incorporates all expenses associated with employer costs, repair and maintenance of food service equipment and Capital Reserve funds, for the entire F&B operation.

We thank our membership for the positive and constructive feedback as we continue in to 2021 providing curbside and limited indoor and outdoor dining. We would also like to thank Chef Andy, Jake, Andrew and the team for maintaining a successful food and beverage operation.

MEMBER EVENTS Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number and types of member events significantly decreased. In 2020, we were able to generate $63,901 in revenue, but the pandemic kept us from reaching our full potential. The number and types of member events sadly decreased compared to 2019. The pandemic did prevent us from hosting many of our annual events as per usual, such as, Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day, which in the past have been very well attended.

Schedule of Events: January Prime & Pasta, Nutritionist Lunch & Learn, Hollywood Game Night, S’mores, Wine Club, Armadillos, Meet Your Neighbors February Trivia Night, S’mores, Wine Club, Armadillos, Valentine’s Day Dinner, Meet Your Neighbors March Comfort Cookin’, Lakeside Village Market, Wine Club, Name That Tune, Armadillos, Cocktail Party, St. Patrick’s Day to go April Passover Seder to go, Easter to go May Mother’s Day to go, Memorial Day to go July July 4th to go August Surf & Turf to go September Labor Day, BreakFast to go

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS October Trick or Treat at the Track November Scavenger Hunt, Wine Club, Asian Night to go December Virtual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest, Santa Brunch to go, Wine Sale, Holiday Dinner to go (limited indoor dining), Hanukkah Dinner Specials to go, New Year’s Eve to go

PRIVATE PARTIES Private parties once again were generated from a variety of sources. All leads were generated and contracted in-house with our events planner. $7,347 in positive revenue was contributed to the bottom line.

Because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many of our scheduled private events, were cancelled or postponed to 2021 or 2022.

Schedule of Events: January Leath Birthday Party, Belfair Holiday Party, Vietnam Vets, HLWG Luncheon February Baby Shower, Roach Birthday Party, Vietnam Vets March Travel Club September McDonnell Wedding, HLWG General Meeting & Luncheon October Connolly Pre-Wedding Party

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS SPA & FITNESS CENTRAL The Spa and Fitness operation, which includes the pool complex, playgrounds, tennis and pickleball courts, were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 virus. The Governor’s mandatory closings lasted from March 17, 2020 until May 17, 2020.

While closed, the team looked for alternate ways to keep the community connected with health and wellness programs. Virtual classes and YouTube videos were created. As soon as allowed, facilities were opened with limited capacities and reservations. Smaller, indoor and outdoor socially distanced sessions with available Zoom connections were offered. The team worked diligently to follow the appropriate protocols, sanitize all equipment and surfaces in between sessions, and take everyone’s temperatures upon entering the gym.

To open the pool, we were able to maintain the various government and health organization guidelines, and provide limited access. This included reservations, safety standards and protocols, a strict sanitization process, limited outside guest access and safely distancing furniture and equipment.

The association was able to renegotiate the management contract agreement for the Fitness Center, ensuring costs could be controlled while revenues and usage were eliminated or reduced. Revenues were down 23.9% or $64,000 compared to budget and our contract was reduced by $62,900. Overall, the department exceeded budget by $62,200, with tennis clinics, tennis lessons and Spa treatment packages, outperforming budget.

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS LAKE/FISHING Quarterly water quality was surveyed at seven sites on Hampton Lake. Parameters monitored included pH*, alkalinity**, hardness***, turbidity****, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature. Seasonal variation in dissolved oxygen and water temperature observed was considered normal and results were similar to previous years. Alkalinity and hardness values decreased from 2019 to 2020. Electrofishing survey results documented a small but increasing trend in largemouth bass relative weights for the first time. Hampton Lake anglers adopted a bass harvest program in 2019 and have made progress toward reducing bass numbers to improve growth. *pH- measure of how acidic or basic water is. pH=7 is considered neutral. **Alkalinity- measure of buffering capacity of water, primarily consisting of carbonate, bicarbonate, and hydroxide in freshwaters. Waters with low alkalinity are subject to wide swings in pH. < 50 mg/l = low buffer, 50-100 mg/l = moderately buffered, 100+ = buffered. ***Hardness- measure of the concentration of divalent cations, primarily calcium and magnesium in freshwaters. 0-60 mg/l = soft waters, 61-120 mg/l = moderately hard waters, 121-180 = hard waters. ****Turbidity- measurement of water clarity. Suspended particulates are the common constituents impacting turbidity (algae, clay, silt, dead organic matter).

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS Water Quality Monitoring Results Seasonal oxygen levels were normal with minimal to no stratification in non-aerated zones. Alkalinity decreased 28% from 2019 to 2020 and hardness decreased 17%. Mean alkalinity and hardness remains at 50 mg/l which is acceptable for buffering wide swings in pH and for promoting the aquatic food chain. We anticipate these values will continue to decline due to normal rainfall and wetland input during large rain events. An additional 20% reduction in alkalinity would likely cause the need to lime Hampton Lake. Since the application of lime during winter 2018, pH remains at near neutral (7.2). For 2020, the mean pH = 7.2, mean alkalinity = 46.75 mg/l, mean hardness = 55.25 mg/l, and mean turbidity = 3.2 NTU across sample sites and seasons.

Turbidity values were discussed at length in the 2019 annual report. In 2020, turbidity values decreased 32%.

We attribute this decrease to the extensive growth of aquatic vegetation in the lake in all regions. In lakes or ponds with rooted aquatic plant growth, turbidity is generally lower if shorelines are stable and suspended clays are low in occurrence. We anticipate turbidity values will return to normal levels after the grass carp population is augmented in 2021 which will reduce the aquatic vegetation biomass.

Actions

1. Continue to monitor water quality on a quarterly basis.

2. Track alkalinity to better determine liming requirements.

3. Stock additional grass carp and continue aquatic vegetation and algae treatment.

Figure 2. Bass relative weights from electrofishing samples spring 2019 and spring 2020. The shaded box represents relative weights for a balanced bass population.

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS Hampton Lake Sportfish Actions

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Continue bass harvest using the SmartFish App and harvest criteria provided in 2020.

Adjust bass harvest criteria as needed.

Continue annual spring bass population electrofishing surveys to corroborate management progress.

Continue fish structure program.

In conjunction with Hampton Lake management, evaluate additional fish management steps for potential implementation.

THE BOATHOUSE & TACKLE BOX The Tackle Box was no exception when it came to restrictions during the 2020 pandemic and the March through May mandatory closure. Early during the closure, several staff members were reassigned to other departments to assist with various tasks and projects. One included pressure washing the community sidewalks. The staff, along with our amazing volunteer Board of Advisors, took responsibility for the issuing of RFID tags. The process began in June and the team has since issued approximately 2,400.

In order to accommodate owners and generate sales, the team instituted a curbside pick-up for items during the period when in-store shopping was not possible. We hosted a COVID friendly, scaled down ‘Village Market’ in November. It was well-attended and Tackle Box sales were brisk at $662 versus an average of $429 for the three previous November Markets. The re-formatted Holiday Event was also a huge success.

This helped us to attain the best December ever with merchandise sales of $9,356. In comparison, the three previous year’s average sales were $6,539. While Boat rentals fell short of budget because of the closure, they were strong after re-opening with revenue of $20,867 from May through December. For the three previous years, May through December, the average rental revenue was $16,879.

Overall, revenues were $25,500 below plan. Expenses were reduced in accordance with the diminished access and reduction in services. Overall, the department incurred a positive variance of $22,000 compared to budget. Total cost of operation was $124,700.

We continue to look for new ways to attract owners to the Tackle Box to shop for home décor items, gifts, logo apparel, fishing tackle and other unique items.

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS Capital Reserve Expenditures The chart below lists the items that were funded by the Capital Reserve and Replacement Account.

This includes pool pumps, HVAC units and a few building repairs. COVID made scheduling and part procurement difficult at times. The Shrimps Puddle renovation and some major road repairs had to be rescheduled for 2021. As with most years, we plan on many repairs and/or replacement of certain items that have reached their useful life, in addition to other elements that may fail prematurely. In many cases items will last longer than the average lifespan. The important point is we have the available funds to address maintenance, repair, or replacement of all our assets.

HAMPTON LAKE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC Schedule of Capital Reserves - December 2020

Deferred Cap Reserve Revenue - Prior Deferred Cap Reserve Revenue - Current TOTAL DEFERRED CAP RESERVE REVENUE

YTD ACTUAL

2020 BUDGET

VARIANCE

1,945,713

1,945,713

0

511,345

511,345

0

-2,457,058

2,457,058

0

0

0

0

6,469

0

-6,469

0

0

0

13,365

16,000

2,635

0

0

0

2,729

0

-2,729

0

0

0

49,088

41,600

-7,488

0

0

0

4,100

0

-4,100

2020 CAPITAL RESERVE EXPENSES Fixed Assets - Replacements R & M - Audio Video R & M - Boats R & M - Buildings R & M - Bulkheads/Docks/Ramps R & M - Fitness Equipment R & M - Furnishings R & M - HVAC R & M - Juice Bar Equipment R & M - Parks/Tracks/Trails R & M - Playgrounds

0

0

0

27,000

27,000

00

0

13,000

13,000

4,720

2,100

-2,620

300

21,000

20,700

R & M - Sports Courts

0

0

0

R & M - Water Heaters, Sauna, Steam Equipment

0

2,400

2,400

R & M - Other

6,582

7,500

918

R & M TOTAL

114,353

130,600

16,247

2020 TOTAL CAPITAL RESERVE EXPENSES

114,353

130,600

16,247

R & M - Pools R & M - Pool Equipment R & M - Restaurant Equipment R & M - Roads/Sidewalks/Bridges

VARIANCE EXPLANATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN THE P&L VARIANCE REPORT PRIOR YEAR EXPENSES 2017

164,015

35,000

-129,015

2018

171,063

319,809

148,746

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2019 530,861 481,085 -49,776 Hampton Lake Community Association / Annual Report 2020

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2020 HLCA OPERATIONS Communications In a large community such as Hampton Lake, communication is a vital part of its success and its members’ satisfaction. Due to the importance of proactive information sharing by the Board, management, and members, communication is something we are always evaluating and trying to improve.

In 2020, HLCA hosted 2 meetings in person and 5 meetings via Zoom, which were open to all members.

The Board of Directors continued the practice of enabling members to submit questions online before the meeting, in addition to being able to ask questions virtually during the meetings. We also continued the opportunity for member feedback with an online survey following the meeting. The advance questions and the meeting feedback allow us to continually improve member meetings and remain attuned to issues that are important to members.

We continue to post financials, meeting minutes, the monthly ‘In the Know’ column, and other documents of interest to members on the HLCA website. As per the Hampton Lake Member Survey, satisfaction with the member website continues to increase.

LakeViews, the mechanism that allows members to ask questions and/or make suggestions and get prompt written answers, continues to be well-used in 2020. LakeViews has been instrumental in providing an avenue for owners to get accurate information to specific questions from a variety of sources, including the general manager, the developer, and to provide input to the advisory committees. Members submitted 204 questions and comments to LakeViews in 2020, slightly up from 191 in 2019.

We continue to use the popular weekly Community Update, the Backwater Bill’s News and stand-alone emails of an important nature, to provide timely updates and notices of upcoming events.

Every Sunday the weekly update provides notice of board meetings, distributes meeting minutes, our club calendar, and other important documents. The “Save the Date” section normally gives notice of events up to three months in advance, however, due to COVID-19, this feature was placed on hold and we provided relevant information regarding events in singular eblasts to get the information in front of members.

In April 2020, Hampton Lake began to use an Instagram account to provide additional communication with members during the COVID-19 pandemic. A video series with How-Tos, event information, crafts, book readings and more were posted to engage with members while we were unable have face to face contact.

Although it’s still in its infancy, we plan to leverage Instagram as another tool for communicating with members in 2021.

As the saying goes, you can never provide too much communication, we continue to try and balance appropriate levels to meet our owners’ expectations without an over saturation. We were happy to note that our last community survey reported high levels of satisfaction with member communications, including 95% satisfied or very satisfied with the timeliness of member communications and significant improvements in satisfaction with most of the communication vehicles that we are using. Communication will stay a top priority for HLCA.

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© Michelle Woodcock

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CHARITY EVENTS Hampton Lake continues to be a very charitable community. Members fundraise for many worthy charitable causes and organizations. Many more members donate time and money to help make these efforts successful. Hampton Lake has members serving on local charity boards and others providing volunteer services to organizations from Meals on Wheels to NHC to Beaufort Jasper Volunteers in Medicine to the Humane Society. There are too many to name them all here. Giving back is what HL does as a community. As an example, here are four community organizations that made a huge impact during 2020 for local charities: the Tiger Bass Race committee, 100+ Women Who Care, the Cure Childhood Cancer community fundraising effort, and the Hampton Lake Women’s Group.

13th Annual Tiger Bass Race/Walk 2020 - The Year of the Corona Virus. Even with all of the restrictions of social distancing, wearing of masks, etc, this annual charity event still happened. The 13th Annual Hampton Lake Tiger Bass Race/Walking Event was held on Saturday, October 24, 2020. The event was modified in that it was conducted as a 5K Walking Event, only available to Hampton Lake residents. Over 180 residents participated in socially distanced groups of walkers.

This year’s event was also very successful in its charity based theme.

This year’s event provided $4,000 to Meals on Wheels of Bluffton/ Hilton Head. Since its inception in 2008, this special Community Event has donated over $200,000 to local charities within the Bluffton community.

The Committee wishes to thank and congratulate all those HL residents who participated in the 2020 Event. The Committee looks forward to the 14th Annual Event which will be held on Saturday October 23, 2021. Hopefully, the 2021 Event will return to having hundreds of participants, volunteers and spectators engaging in the largest annual Social and Charitable Event within Hampton Lake.

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100+ Women Who Care, Greater Bluffton Chapter 100+ Women Who Care Greater Bluffton is an organization made up of women who want to improve the lives of those living in Bluffton by combining funds to make a large local impact in just one hour. They meet quarterly in the Lakeview Room. Hampton Lake members and other local residents may join the organization. Three local area charities are presented at the hourly quarterly meetings. The attendees at the meeting vote and one of the three charities receives a contribution of all the money collected from the members. Each member commits to donating $100 per meeting on a quarterly basis ($400 annually.)

This local chapter, part of a national alliance, was organized by Hampton Lake residents Darice Ahrnsbrak, Mary Blake, Carolyn Day, Barbara Hege and Pat Roth in February 2015, with the first meeting in April that year. Member Bari Lee provides technical support for the website page. The group is sponsored by local business Advanced Integrated Controls which pays for Lakeview Room rental and administrative costs.

Through January, 2020, 100+ Women Who Care Greater Bluffton raised $171,400 in just twenty one-hour meetings. In 2020, $10,900 was awarded to Bluffton Jasper Volunteers in Medicine. Due to meeting restrictions during the pandemic, no other meetings were held in 2020. The group starts 2021 with 109 members and looks forward to future meetings when restrictions are lifted.

Go to www.100wwcbluffton.org for more information.

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HAMPTON LAKE WOMEN’S GROUP The Hampton Lake Women’s Group celebrated its 10 year anniversary this year. The first organizational meeting of the Hampton Lake Women’s Group took place on September 14, 2010. Twenty five women attended that first meeting. Our membership is now over 430 women strong and growing! The HLWG organization promotes friendship and fun for the women of Hampton Lake. Our members are a diverse and talented group of women.

HLWG has over 18 Interest Groups, offering our members fun, educational, interesting and informative activities. From the arts, crafts, book clubs, dining, games, gardening, and sports, to name a few, There are many opportunities to meet women and make friends while having fun participating in Hampton Lake Women’s Group.

The Hampton Lake Women’s Group adjusted to the new and evolving guidelines set in place due to COVID19.

HLWG continues working on adjusting our activities in accordance to social distancing and facility restrictions.

With some creative thinking, we are able to provide opportunities which support and serve our members and community. Some of the activities this year was a completely updated HLWG website, www.hlwg.org.

An outdoor Luncheon meeting, a fun “Bunco in the Parking Lot” and an online presentation on women’s health in November. In addition, many of the Interest Groups have renewed their activities.

All while continuing to safely help our community, through HLWG charitable giving events. During these uncertain times, our HLWG members found creative ways to safely continue helping those in need in our community. HLWG’s charitable activities included collecting school supplies for teachers and students, several food drives and a holiday toy drive for our Bluffton neighbors in need.

The Hampton Lake Women’s Group looks forward to continuing to grow and build friendships, lasting memories and serve our community. Women of all ages, backgrounds and interests make for a fun and exciting organization!.

Beth Scavone HLWG President

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financial report for 2020

The following pages are the independently prepared audit report for Hampton Lake Community Association’s financial activity during 2020. The report was prepared by Crowley Wechsler & Associates LLC, Certified Public Accountants.

The financial statements are windows into Hampton Lake’s performance and health and reflect a growing community that shows strong signs of stability and improved performance.

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report design & layout

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