MINUTES OF MEETING EDEN HILLS
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT

The regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Eden Hills Community Development District was held Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at 4:02 p.m. at the Lake Alfred Public Library, 245 N. Seminole Ave., Lake Alfred, Florida.

Present and constituting a quorum:

Bobbie Henley	Chairperson
Jessica Spencer	Vice Chairperson
Kristin Cassidy	Assistant Secretary Also present were:
Jill Burns	District Manager, GMS
Savannah Hancock	District Counsel, Kilinski Van Wyk
Lauren Gentry by Zoom	District Counsel, Kilinski Van Wyk
Rey Malave by Zoom	District Engineer
Joey Duncan by Zoom	District Engineer
Marshall Tindall	GMS

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS	Roll Call
Ms. Burns called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. and called the roll. Three Supervisors were present constituting a quorum.

SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS	Public Comment Period
Ms. Burns noted there were no members of the public present.

THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS	Approval of Minutes of the April 9, 2025,
Board of Supervisors Meeting
Ms. Burns presented the minutes from the April 9, 2025 Board of Supervisors meeting and asked for any questions, comments, or corrections. The Board had no changes to the minutes.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, the Approval of the Minutes of the April 9, 2025, Board of Supervisors Meeting were approved.

FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Public Hearing
A. Public Hearing on the Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget
Ms. Burns stated that the Board held the public hearing to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 budget which runs from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. She stated that they had already approved a preliminary version in April and advertised the hearing in the newspaper. Ms. Burns gave a quick overview before opening it up for public comment. She noted the O&M assessment would stay the same at $1,083.22 per unit—no increase from the current year. Ms. Burns said that administrative costs decreased, and field expenses also dropped due to the lower new landscaping contract and the fact that some areas were not yet fully developed. Streetlight costs increased due to higher electricity use, but the other reductions offset this rise. The amenity budget remained relatively unchanged, with some minor savings. Ms. Burns stated that before taking public comments, the Board had to make a motion to open the public hearing.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Opening the Public Hearing, was approved.

Ms. Burns asked for any public comments on the budget. A resident inquired about the landscape maintenance going down. He noted that 28% of the entire CDD budget for landscape maintenance seemed high. He was seeking clarification on which areas were included in the maintenance.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Closing the Public Hearing, was approved.

Consideration of Resolution 2025-05 Adopting the District’s Fiscal Year 2025/2026 Budget and Appropriating Funds
Ms. Burns answered resident questions about reserves. There were no capital reserves in the current budget. Once the community is fully built out—including Phases 4 and 5, they’ll conduct a reserve study to determine the annual savings needed for major repairs, such as

resurfacing the pool or replacing the roof. For now, the budget includes contingency funds to cover unexpected expenses like storm damage or minor facility repairs. Ms. Burns explained that homeowners in undeveloped phases weren’t paying into field expenses yet because they weren’t benefiting from those services. Once those phases are built and added to the tax roll, the additional homeowners would help offset increases in maintenance costs, depending on how many new lots come online and what those areas require in terms of service. Ms. Burns noted that, according to security, the budget covers 16 hours per week for a part-time guard at the pool during peak hours and also includes overnight monitoring through a camera system. She added that if someone enters the pool area after hours, a voice alert goes off, staff and police are notified, and if the person doesn’t leave, police are dispatched. They don’t share the guard schedule for safety reasons.
Resident raised concerns about the guard opening the door for people, and staff indicated that these concerns could be addressed later in the meeting.
Ms. Burns stated that sod and other replacements were done in several areas this year, and the field manager would go over those details during his report. They also clarified that some places—like the edges of lakes—are wetlands and can’t be mowed or cleared due to water management regulations. If anyone wants a copy of the landscaping maps or scope, they can email staff for it. There was a question about the Phase 1 fence that keeps getting blown down. Ms. Burns explained that vinyl fences are prone to falling during storms and that they typically don’t file insurance claims unless there is a lot of damage. Minor fixes are usually handled by field staff. Someone asked whether they were paying a contractor every time. Ms. Burns replied that it depended on the amount of damage and whether it was worth filing a claim. Someone asked about the internet expense in the budget, and Ms. Burns stated that it was for the camera system and card access at the amenity center. Ms. Burns turned the meeting back over to the Board for review and approval of the budget. It was noted that the Board couldn’t raise assessments but could make adjustments within the total.

On MOTION by Ms. Henley, seconded by Ms. Spencer, with all in favor, Resolution 2025-05 Adopting the District's Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 Budget and Appropriating Funds was approved.

Consideration of Resolution 2025-06 Imposing Special Assessments and Certifying an Assessment Roll
Ms. Burns stated that this resolution certified the assessments for collection on the county tax based on the budget that the Board had just adopted.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Resolution 2025-06 Imposing Special Assessments and Certifying an Assessment Roll, was approved.

FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Consideration	of	Resolution	2025-07
Designation of a Regular Monthly Date, Time, and Location for Fiscal Year 2025/2026
Ms. Burns noted that the regular meeting schedule would remain the same—5:00 PM on the second Wednesday of each month for Fiscal Year 2025. She explained that the meetings have to be held within the city of Lake Alfred and in the evening, based on requirements set by the town when the District was created. That’s not typical, usually CDDs must meet somewhere in the same county but Lake Alfred added extra rules. The challenge is that the library building they use closes at 6:00 PM, so meetings are limited to one hour. This meeting was held earlier than usual (at 4:00 PM) to allow more time for the budget hearing, since they expected a higher resident turnout. They pointed out that options like schools or hotels weren’t available, and schools don’t stay open that late, and hotels would charge a fee. The library is free, so it’s their best option for now. One Board member asked if the city could keep the library open later for meetings. Ms. Burns stated that residents could bring that up at a city meeting, and if the building were available later, the Board could consider pushing some meetings to 6:00 PM. They also clarified why some meetings get canceled; it’s mainly a budget thing. If there’s nothing on the agenda that needs board action, they usually skip the meeting to avoid unnecessary costs. But residents don’t have to wait for a meeting to ask questions—they’re always welcome to contact staff directly with concerns.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Resolution 2025-07 Designation of a Regular Monthly Date, Time, and Location for Fiscal Year 2025/2026 was approved.

SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Consideration	or	Resolution	2025-08
Adopting Amended Amenity Rules
Ms. Burns stated that they had clarified that the change only applied to the stormwater ponds in the community, not the lakes or other amenities. There had been some confusion about whether activities like paddleboarding or using jet skis were allowed, so this update made it clear that the stormwater ponds are strictly for drainage and not for recreation. Residents are not allowed to use boats, paddleboards, or similar equipment in those ponds. The existing amenity rules for amenities such as the pool, playground, dog park, and lakes remained unchanged and were still posted on the website.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Resolution 2025-08 Adopting Amended Amenity Rules, was approved.

Ms. Burns stated that it was up to the Board if they wanted to continue taking questions. A resident brought up concerns about the dog park, noting that the posted rules didn’t match the more detailed ones that had been shared by email. They asked if it would be possible to install key card access and a security camera, similar to the other amenities. Ms. Burns replied that it was an option for the future, but it would be expensive because there was currently no electricity in that area. Since nothing was budgeted for it this year, it could only be considered during the next budget cycle if residents were willing to support an assessment increase. The resident also clarified that while the dog park isn’t locked, there’s a trespass order on file with the police. If non-residents are using the park or other amenities, the police can be called, but enforcement depends on the officer. The same resident mentioned they had a video of the security guard letting people into the pool who didn’t live there. Ms. Burns stated that such concerns should be emailed directly to the amenity access team, including the date, time, and a brief description. She said the current guard had received good feedback so far and had replaced a previous one due to complaints. Ms. Burns emphasized that they don’t monitor the security cameras live, so specific info helps them review footage quickly and take appropriate action—whether that’s a warning letter or suspension of access for more serious issues. She also said that photos weren’t necessary, just a clear report of what happened and when.

SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Presentation of Fiscal Year 2024 Audit
Report
Ms. Burns reviewed the Fiscal Year 2024 audit and noted that it was a clean audit with no findings or issues. She noted the audit had already been submitted to the state by the June 30th deadline. The Board just needed to make a motion to accept it.

On MOTION by Ms. Henley, seconded by Ms. Spencer, with all in favor, Accepting the Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Report, was approved.

EIGHTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Goals and Objectives
Adoption of Fiscal Year 2026 Goals & Objectives
Ms. Burns stated that during the meeting it was mentioned that a new Florida law passed last year now requires CDDs and other government entities to adopt written goals and objectives every year. To comply with that, Ms. Burns said that the Board moved forward with adopting the goals for Fiscal Year 2026 and noted that the 2026 goals were the same as the ones used for 2025. Once adopted, those goals would be sent to the state by the deadline and also posted on the District’s website.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, the Adoption of Fiscal Year 2026 Goals & Objectives, was approved.

Presentation of Fiscal Year 2025 Goals & Objectives and Authorizing Chair to Execute

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, Accepting the Fiscal Year 2025 Goals & Objectives and Authorizing Chair to Execute was approved.

NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Staff Reports
Attorney
Ms. Hancock reminded Board members that the 4 hours of ethics training are due again by December 31, 2025.

Engineer
Consideration of Work Authorization 2025-02 for Annual Engineer’s Report 2024 Preparation from Dewberry
Mr. Malave stated they were available if anyone had any questions. The Board confirmed that the annual report had been submitted and showed that everything complied with the bond documents. Mr. Malave reviewed Work Authorization 2025-02 for the annual Engineer’s Report. The report was included in the meeting packet, and Mr. Malave stated that everything was in good order and had been fully complied with.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, the Work Authorization 2025-02 for Annual Engineer’s Report 2024 Preparation from Dewberry, was approved.

order.

Presentation of 2025 Annual District Engineer’s Report
Mr. Malave stated that the report noted everything complied and was in working

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, the 2025 Annual District Engineer’s Report, was approved.

Field Manager’s Report (to be provided under separate cover)
Mr. Malave gave an update on landscaping, starting by saying things were generally going okay, nothing major to report. The dog park had some irrigation issues during the dry season but they bumped up the watering and rain helped. A stuck irrigation zone and a main line break were fixed, and a controller that was hit by lightning was replaced. He added that 20 trees were installed. One got knocked over in a storm but was staked back up. If it doesn’t survive, it’ll be replaced under warranty. Mr. Malave stated the natural 50-foot buffer area near the wetlands came up again—it was never meant to be sodded, just maintained as-is. The Board could change that, but right now it’s being handled as initially planned. Mulch was applied earlier in the year at the entrances and near the amenity center. More recently they added mulch at the dog park entrance where grass struggles due to constant foot traffic. Mr. Malave suggested that, down the line, they could look at installing a concrete pad in that high traffic spot. It was also pointed out that some washout areas were repaired, including one off Cass Rd. More sod may be needed later in the year in areas like Phase 2B, where slopes are steep. At the amenity center, the fans were taken down

because they were loose and needed hardware. They would be reinstalled soon. The water fountain wasn’t cooling well and it was scheduled for maintenance. The pool furniture looked good but could use cleaning, which they planned to do before Labor Day. There was also a request for bilingual signs at the amenity and dog park. The plan was to add those to existing signposts to keep costs low. A couple of dog waste stations had been installed, and lights were repaired in Phase 1. They were also getting prices to add lighting to the Phase 2 monuments. Some leftover builder signs were being taken down. A sidewalk that buckled from heat was fixed, and the leftover slab was used as riprap near a drain to stabilize it. Mr. Malave stated that they had discussed possibly creating a pocket park in Phase 2, where kids already use a small open area. The Board was asked if they wanted to explore ideas and pricing—like adding irrigation, benches, or fencing—if there was interest. The fence line maintenance was a big topic. Right now, the landscaper mows and uses chemical edging along private fences but they are not string trimming. The manager explained that string trimmers tend to damage fences, which leads to complaints and liability issues. Switching to string trimming would be expensive and complicated to budget, as new fences are installed every month. The Board agreed to maintain the current status quo unless more residents speak up. Someone asked about cleaning the perimeter fence. Mr. Malave replied that it was planned for this year, and they were already getting proposals. Residents shouldn’t try to fix fence sections themselves—only insured vendors should do that kind of work. Mr. Malave noted that to wrap up, they had approved a $4,731.25 proposal for touch-up work at the amenity center, including more mulch and replacing a palm tree. There was also a quick mention of utility work happening near Phase 2, and staff were keeping an eye on any impact to irrigation or landscaping.

District Manager’s Report
Approval of the Check Register
Ms. Burns presented the check register, March 27, 2025 – June 30, 2025, that totaled
$156,360.52. She offered to take questions on any of the invoices.

On MOTION by Ms. Spencer, seconded by Ms. Henley, with all in favor, the Check Register, was approved.

Balance and Income Statement
Ms. Burns noted that the financial statements were included in the package for review. She added that these were through May 2025. If anyone has any questions, she would be happy to answer. No action is necessary from the Board.

Presentation of Number of Registered Voters – 638
Ms. Burns stated that the District was required to determine the number of registered voters within the District as of April 15th of each year. The number of registered voters was 638. She added that the reason they track if for the turnover of Board seats to residents. She added that under Florida statutes, the District had been established for at least six years and had at least 250 voters. Ms. Burns explained how the transition from landowner control to resident control would work. The District was established in October 2019 and has already surpassed the 250-resident threshold for triggering the shift. The next landowner election is scheduled for November 2026, at which point two of the five Board seats will be transitioned to resident-elected positions. They said they’ll announce the process in summer 2026, and anyone interested would need to register through the Polk County Supervisor of Elections. Then, two more seats would shift to residents in 2028, and the final seat would transition in 2030, completing the whole move to a resident-controlled Board.

TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Other Business
There being no comments, the next item followed.

ELEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Supervisors' Requests and Audience
Comments
Resident asked a question about interest. He stated that his understanding of interest was that it would apply to a loan. Ms. Burns explained the two parts of a homeowner’s assessment: the debt assessment and the operations and maintenance (O&M) assessment. The debt assessment is a fixed amount that goes toward repaying the bond used to build the community’s infrastructure. It doesn’t change year to year and can be paid off early if the homeowner chooses. If someone wants to pay it off and avoid having it show up on their upcoming tax bill, they’d need to act soon—probably within the next few weeks before the tax roll is certified in September. They also pointed out that even if the debt is paid off, homeowners would still owe the O&M assessment each year to cover things like pool maintenance and landscaping. This part of the assessment is

adopted annually and helps fund the upkeep of shared community areas. The audience member stated that the numbers were almost the same, which was why he was confused, because the principal was 60. Ms. Burns clarified that the amortization schedule was based on a bond series that had already been approved, and the interest rate was probably around 5 to 6%. They mentioned that the assessment amounts could differ depending on the phase or lot type, so not everyone pays the same.
Resident asked about the maintenance of lakeside. Ms. Burns noted that the area between the sod and the wetlands had been intentionally left natural when the developer turned it over to the CDD. It was never sodded or meant to be maintained. If the Board wanted to change that, the area would need to be cleared, graded, and sodded before it could be added to regular maintenance. That kind of project isn’t in the current budget, but residents could bring it up in the spring if they’re willing to consider a higher assessment to fund it. Resident mentioned that they had been informed about a lakefront, which was a key selling point. He said that there was no lake water that could be seen from their view; all they could see were grass and bushes. Ms. Burns added that they would never be able to have that cleared from the Water Management District. Ms. Burns stated that the project wasn’t in the budget for next year, but it could be something to look at down the road. As more homes are built and more residents contribute to the system, the cost could be spread out more, making it easier to take on. It would need to be treated as a long-term project, and if residents are interested, it could be brought up again in a future budget cycle. A Board member added that the District was limited in what it could do with stormwater ponds and buffer areas because stormwater permits regulate those. They said the District has to follow those rules and can’t suggest or allow anything that would violate the permits. Resident expressed interest in learning about the protocol, looking to the future to see what can be done. Ms. Burns told him that February through April is the best time to bring up ideas for new projects—such as pocket parks or adding cameras to the dog park—because that’s when the Board works on the preliminary budget. If the Board wanted to explore something like that, they would include an estimated amount in the draft budget—maybe $200,000—and that would trigger a mailed notice to everyone in the community about a potential increase in assessments, like $200 more per lot. The idea is that some people might be excited and willing to pay for the improvements, while others might oppose the extra cost. That’s the point of the public hearing—to get feedback. They explained it’s important to include the full potential amount early on so the Board has the flexibility to approve

or scale it back later without needing to re-notice. Resident stated that he didn’t have kids or pets, so he would not benefit much from the playgrounds or dog parks, but that he loved his neighbors. He added that the only thing he could enjoy would be a view of the lake. Ms. Burns explained that even if residents don’t use certain amenities—like the pool or playgrounds—they still help pay for them through CDD assessments, just like people without kids still pay taxes that support public schools. The idea was that everyone contributes to maintaining community resources, whether they personally use them or not.
Resident asked about a ramp. Ms. Burns noted that it was said that a ramp through a wetland probably wouldn’t be allowed, but there might be some areas near certain ponds that aren’t in a wetland buffer. If someone was interested, they could talk to staff after the meeting and show them the spot, and they’d look into it. The audience member expressed concern about parking and dog parks. There were detailed discussions on both. Ms. Burns suggested going to the city about parking. Ms. Burns noted that the District closes the dog parks for 6 weeks every year for maintenance. There were also complaints about inconsistent parking enforcement. Staff clarified that the city owns the roads, so parking rules and enforcement fall under the City of Lake Alfred, not the CDD. The no-parking signs were part of the city’s development review. They confirmed builder signage was being addressed, especially with storms coming. And finally, someone mentioned that kids might enter a forested area with hogs and possibly large rodents. They asked if signage could be added to warn about wildlife. Staff agreed and said they’d look at posting some alligator/snake warning signs along the trail there.

TWELFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS	Adjournment
Ms. Burns asked for a motion to adjourn.

On MOTION by Ms. Henley, seconded by Ms. Spencer, with all in favor, the meeting was adjourned.

Secretary/Assistant Secretary	Chairman/Vice Chairman