In my opinion the landscaping committee has been given far too much latitude in terms of type, quantity, quality and cost associated with landscaping. With so many other pressing needs such as painting, repairs, on-going pool and hot-tub maintenance the board must be more active in ensuring accountability and that every aspect of all expenditures are reviewed. I would recommend that all landscaping expenditures be put on hold until a long-term and appropriate desert landscaping plan has been established, that an appropriate budget (much less then is being spent at the moment) is approved on a priori basis and that every committee be held accountable to the board and its members!

Text deleted by Website Moderator, Tue Mar 04 17:19:36 -0700 2008

Time for you to run for a BOD position and/or volunteer your time to join the Landscape Committee.  The Landscape Committee is open to all homeowners and residents.  The Landscape Committee and the BOD oversight of the Landscape Committee is honoring its commitment to the 2005 Homeowner Survey results requesting improved landscaping.  There efforts of water use reductions over the past three years has more than paid the slight CPI increase in the landscaping budgets.  The current 2008 Homeowner survey results will be honored by both the Landscape Committee and the BOD.  Hope to see you soon volunteering your time on one of the community's several committees or the BOD.  Please identify yourself in the future to abide by the Arizona Revised Statues if you wish your request to be considered by the BOD.  S. Edgar  Raintree Resort Casitas HOA - President

 

 

The initial post was made by Rosina Smith as is evident by the sign in.  Having said that, and as you are aware, many of the residents living in Raintree Resort Casitas are infrequent residents making volunteering impractical.  I stand by my original posting and again reiterate that the board - which is elected by the owners - has the responsibility to listen to the voices of the residences and to address their concerns.  I am even more concerned since learning about the paltry settlement that was accepted by the BOD regarding the law suit.  The landscaping budget needs to be reviewed to ensure that the more pressing needs of repairs and painting are undertaken in an expedient manner. 

I would be most interested in having the data that confirms the savings that you speak of regarding water consumption and request that information be provided to home owners.  It is my understanding that water savings may be a reflection of the decision to turn the water off at certain times rather than a direct result of landscaping changes.  It is also my understanding that this disruption in water damaged or destroyed some of the plants.  Please provide an explanation of why the water was turned off, for how long and what affect that has had on the water consumption, the realized savings and on plant health.   

Further, in terms of honoring the survey results I am somewhat concerned that significant parts of the survey are dedicated to landscape related questions at the expense of more important issues.  Having a research background, a poorly designed survey can skew data and report information that may be bias.  Perhaps broader input is necessary to create a survey that is balanced!  Board meetings might offer the opportunity to discuss survey questions and although I have asked that BOD meetings be scheduled around a major holiday since that is when the majority of people may be visiting, the schedule has not changed.  Finally, am I to understand that the survey is being used as the tool on which the BOD bases all of its decisions?  A survey is a sampling, or partial collection, of facts, figures, or opinions taken and used to approximate or indicate what a complete collection and analysis might reveal.  In my opinion, there needs to be in-depth investigation, discussion and analysis of issues such as budgets, repairs and reserves such that Raintree Resort Casitas will be a vibrant and sustainable community.   Rosina Smith