Role & Authority
A natural area management contractor retained by the HOA for maintenance of HOA-owned wetlands property (both North Basin/Area 1 and South Basin/Area 2). Services include natural area management, vegetation maintenance, and prescribed burns. Hey & Associates is the primary vendor in the cost-share maintenance budget and the largest cost driver in the 2026 budget.
Contract — Total Direct HOA Contract
Hey & Associates holds a direct annual contract with the HOA for wetlands management across both basins. This is the full contract amount billed to the HOA:
| Period | Annual Rate | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $8,500/year | Confirmed in Hey & Associates proposal | board-packet-2019-10-10 |
| 2021 | $8,500/year | Flat from 2020 | board-packet-2019-10-10 |
| 2022 | $14,000/year (proposal) | Proposal included prescribed burn; actual renewal at $9,000 per July 2022 minutes | board-packet-2019-10-10, minutes-2022-07-21 |
| 2022 renewal (actual) | $9,000/year | Board renewed at $9,000 rather than the $14,000 proposal | minutes-2022-07-21 |
| 2023–2025 | $9,000/year | Confirmed in May 2023 contract log (three-year rate 2023/2024/2025 all at $9,000) | board-packet-2023-05-11 |
| 2024 (actual billed) | $10,919.02 | Exceeds $9,000 base by $1,919 — extra services include spring trash pickup ($749.89) and October lake management ($766.08), both billed in December 2024. 2024 total per income statement account 8280-00. | board-packet-2025-01-16 |
| 2026–2028 (proposed) | $37,800 total / 3 years across all three basins — see breakdown below | Three separate proposals submitted August 13, 2025 (Proposal Nos. 25-0272 and 25-0273); competing Pizzo & Associates proposals also presented; no contract executed as of October 2025 board packet | board-packet-2025-10-30 |
Note: The $9,000/year figure reflects the total contract billed to the HOA. A portion of this cost is recovered from commercial cost-share parties — see the cost-share table below.
2026–2028 Renewal Proposals (Pending)
Three separate proposals submitted August 13, 2025 by Matt Bucher (Volo office):
| Proposal | Basin | Scope | 3-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-0272 | HOA Neighborhood Basin (Hemlock/Snowberry) — HOA-only, non-cost-share | Prescribed burn (fall 2026) $1,700 + annual herbaceous vegetation management $3,000/yr + annual invasive species removal $1,500/yr + $100/yr reimbursables | $15,500 |
| 25-0273 (North) | North Basin cost-share (Rt 64 & Atlantic Drive) | Prescribed burn (fall 2026) $2,000 + annual herbaceous vegetation management $2,000/yr + $100/yr reimbursables | $8,300 |
| 25-0273 (South) | South Basin cost-share (Atlantic Drive & Shingle Oak Drive) | Prescribed burn (fall 2026) $1,700 + annual herbaceous vegetation management $4,000/yr + $100/yr reimbursables | $14,000 |
| Total | All three basins | 3-year engagement including prescribed burns in fall 2026 (or spring 2027 if weather prevents) | $37,800 |
Note: The 2026 budget’s Lake/Pond line increased to $15,900 (from $9,000) in anticipation of approving this renewal with the prescribed burn component.
Cost-Share Portion Billed to Commercial Parties
The HOA recovers 54.42% of wetlands management costs from commercial entities occupying the shared property. The amounts below reflect only the cost-share recovery portion, not the total Hey & Associates contract:
| Year | North Basin (recovery) | South Basin (recovery) | Combined Recovery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (actual) | $1,640.42 | $431.20 | $2,071.62 | |
| 2025 (actual) | $820.00 | $3,299.89 | $4,119.89 | Expanded South Basin work |
| 2026 (budget) | $4,000.00 | $5,700.00 | $9,700.00 | Planned burns in both basins |
Source: cost-share-budget-2024-2026
Key Contacts
| Name | Role | Phone | Effective | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Bucher | Environmental Services Manager | mbucher@heyassoc.com | 847-740-0888 | As of April 2023 |
Source: board-packet-2023-05-11 (manager’s report, April 2023)
Open Questions
- The July 2018 minutes reference a prior wetlands management company replaced due to poor performance. Hey & Associates was already active by April 2018. The name of the prior vendor is not recorded in any ingested source.
- Contact name prior to Matt Bucher is not recorded in any ingested source.
Related Topics
cost-share-arrangement, community-areas
Meeting History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018-04-12 | Hey & Associates efforts noted in Community Enhancement Committee report — earliest confirmed reference to their work at Prestonfield. Source: minutes-2018-04-12 |
| 2018-07-17 | Community Enhancement Committee (Bryson) reported a wetlands management company change due to poor performance of the prior vendor. Hey & Associates confirmed as the replacement. Name of prior company not recorded. Source: minutes-2018-07-17 |
| 2019-10-10 | Hey & Associates 2020–2022 proposal accepted: 2020 $8,500; 2021 $8,500; 2022 $14,000 (includes prescribed burn — a new scope addition). Source: board-packet-2019-10-10 |
| 2022-07-21 | Hey natural area contract renewed at $9,000/year (up from $8,500; below the $14,000 2022 proposal that included a prescribed burn). Source: minutes-2022-07-21 |
| 2023-04-05 | Prescribed burn completed. Basin buffers burned well; wet basin bottoms did not carry (too wet). Expected to produce wildflower growth. New Environmental Services Manager: Matt Bucher. Source: board-packet-2023-05-11 |
| 2023-10-26 | Referenced in Landscaping Report as “Hays” (misspelling) — directed to clear overgrown trees at the sidewalk near the park. Source: minutes-2023-10-26 |
| 2024-12-12 / 2024-12-19 | Two December 2024 invoices paid: (1) Invoice 19-0361-19324 — October 2024 lake management $766.08 (paid 12/12/2024); (2) Invoice 19-0361-19466 — basins and wood edge: 2024 spring trash pickup $749.89 (paid 12/19/2024). Both coded to account 60-8280-00 Lake/Pond – Dam Maintenance. Full-year 2024 total: $10,919.02. Source: board-packet-2025-01-16 |
| 2025-03 | March 2025 invoice: $1,358.06, included in April 2025 board packet. Source: board-packet-2025-04-24 |
| 2025-08-13 | Hey & Associates submitted three proposals for 2026–2028 natural areas management (Proposal Nos. 25-0272 and 25-0273). Total $37,800 across all three basins over 3 years, including prescribed burns in fall 2026. Presented at October 30, 2025 board meeting alongside competing Pizzo & Associates proposals. No vendor selection recorded in the board packet. Source: board-packet-2025-10-30 |