Las Palomas

September 04 President's Comments

Mar 14, 2005

Las Palomas H.O.A.


Las Palomas ?“President?’s Perspective?”

To: Homeowners of Las Palomas
From: Ken Dry
Date: 10/15/04
Re: Summary of September Meeting
For the minutes of the September 2004 meeting, please log on to our website at: www.neighborhoodlink.com/scottsdale/palomas/ . Copies of the minutes will be available at the Las Palomas office for homeowners still in Las Palomas for the summer months. We have enclosed copies to out of town owners without e-mail access.
The follow information is a summery of my observations from the last meeting and only my personal opinion on topics covered in the September meeting and/or review or the minutes of the meetings from 1995 through September 2004. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the position of the other Board members or Previous Board members. I will be happy to discuss any questions that may come up from this correspondence.
We are holding the next meetings in facilities that can accommodate more attendees. We are hoping that this will entice more homeowners to join in the governing process of Las Palomas. The Board would rather have knowledge of your positions on the decisions we have to make before we proceed on the management of Las Palomas.
For those of you who have not been around, we have started our winter seeding cycle. The dust should be settled by October 19th. We will be changing some of the common areas to Xeriscape in areas where the glass does not grow well. The first two areas are at the West, lower pond between lots 85 and 86. We will also change the area adjacent to the Shuffleboards. We are compiling a list of front lawns that are major maintenance problems. We will be contacting the respective homeowners to discuss alternative landscape designs.
In 1995, the board had started a plan to cut the lawn areas in Las Palomas as much as possible in order to save water and reduce the cost of irrigation. We are evaluating our water consumption over the past few years to determine if we have accomplished anything. We have had 9 years of drought. It does not look like the water problem will improve. I have heard from only 35 homeowners on this subject. The Boards responsibility is to the community, to maintain THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY and do it in a fiscally responsible manner.
In reading the last 10 years of the HOA minutes, the Boards have started to treat, differently, the true ?“Common Areas?” and the areas maintained by the Association, but owned by the home owner (front lawns and building exteriors). The Boards have allowed more input from the homeowners when making decisions regarding areas owned by them when the areas are due for corrective maintenance. This is treading a fine line between the question ?“What is for the benefit of the complex and what is only a personal benefit?”? If the Board has determined any request was for the personal benefit of the individual property owner, they have been required to absorb the cost of the change. If the change results in added maintenance, the homeowner has also had to arrange to take care of the maintenance him or herself. This responsibility passes on to new owners and should be noted in sales contracts.
This discussion also pertains to trees in the common areas and on property owned by individuals. I have presented a draft stating criteria to be used by the Boards for the maintenance and removal of trees. This criterion was based on all the decisions made and recorded in the minutes of the Boards from 1995 to 2004. All past and present Board members, who are still Las Palomas Property owners, will review this. Copies will be available to all Association members after completion of our review.
We are working on the budget for the next three years. The monthly assessment will be going up. The major increases are for funding future expenses for road resurfacing, employee pensions in arrears, repair of tennis courts, tree and grounds improvements and utility increases. It is anticipated that the funds will not be used until the end of 2005, which will improve our cash flow and allow us to build the reserve account for it?’s intended use.
The Agenda for October:
Manager?’s report, Architectural Report, Landscaping (conversion to Xeriscape, gates around pool, Tree policy, requests from Mrs. Siegel and Mrs. Garino, Finances, budget and insurance, Security and open forum.
My e-mail address is totalexposure@msn.com. Let me know what you think (preferably in 100 words or less on any one issue) or come and talk to me. A very small percentage of the homeowners let us know what they want us to think what you are thinking. The Board will take your silence as our approval to vote your proxy on our decisions. If you don?’t agree with us, let me know.

Hope to see you at the meeting in October.
Ken Dry