Sunrise Mountain View Estates
5550 Paseo Otoño
Tucson, AZ 85750
Volume 24 No. 2
Welcome to the Sunrise Mountain View Estates Fall 2015 Newsletter!
In the past, the SMVE newsletter was published in the Spring and Fall and was the primary vehicle for communicating with SMVE HOA homeowners. With the arrival of the SMVE website, the SMVE website and SMVE News Alert emails will become the primary vehicles to communicate important information to homeowners in a timely fashion. All information will be published on the website as soon as the information is available.
Periodically (initially twice a year), articles published since the prior newsletter will be consolidated into a newsletter like the one you are reading. A SMVE News Alert will be sent to notify homeowners that the newsletter is available. Articles that are no longer relevant at the time the newsletter is published may be omitted. We will mail a printed copy of the newsletter only to those homeowners without email. We hope you enjoy the more timely release of information!
During 2015, the Board employed Association Reserves to fully assess all our common area assets, their maintenance history to date, and the projected costs to maintain or replace over the next 30 years. Board members and our CPA participated fully in this study. The final Reserve Study report made it immediately evident to the Board that we have been too conservative in our shorter range estimates of what the dues should be to cover the long range expenses such as replacing our 3.2 miles of roads.
On Monday October 19, 2015 the SMVE HOA Board of Directors voted unanimously to raise the Association annual dues by $300.00, effective on January 1, 2016. The goal is to begin immediately to accumulate the finds required for these large projects.
The First Notice of the dues increase and Questions and Answers about the dues increase were mailed to all homeowners on October 31, 2015. The Reserve Study itself is available to homeowners on the Documents & Policies page of our website. Homeowners who do not have internet access may call Guy Scharf at (520) 338-2420 to view a printed copy.
While none of us like to see the dues increased, if we are to maintain the quality our community infrastructure, and avoid the need to ever have assessments, the dues are the proper way to accomplish this. With attractive and up-to-date infrastructure and sound Association financing, we continue working to keep up our home values.
During 2015, the Board employed Association Reserves, a company that since 1986 has done over 30,000 Reserve studies, to fully assess all our common area assets, their maintenance history to date, and the projected costs to maintain or replace over the next 30 years. This study included the Board members and our CPA providing all the historical data and Board members accompanying Association Reserves representatives during onsite visits.
The primary goal of having the Reserve Study was to use the experience of 30,000 such studies to have better financial planning for the foreseeable future and to avoid sudden large assessments. Once an HOA resorts to assessments, that is a giant red flag for institutions dealing in mortgages and it lowers home values by reducing the number of potential buyers. Also large assessments are a hardship to residents on fixed incomes and the dues are a fairer method of sharing the costs among the residents over time.
The Comprehensive Reserve Study was completed at the end of August 2015 and is available on the website for those who would like to read it. Among the important conclusions that the SMVEHOA Board must deal with:
The Association reserves are only 24% of the recommended current reserve balance.
We must complete replacing our 3.2 miles of roads within the next 11 years and the total projected cost of replacing and maintaining our roads over that time is $897,250.00. This dues raise allows for the replacement and maintenance to be done in sections as the roads require.
It was immediately evident to the Board that we have been too conservative in our shorter range estimates of what the dues should be to cover the long range expenses.
On Monday October 19, 2015 the SMVE HOA Board of Directors voted unanimously to raise the Association annual dues by $300.00, effective on January 1, 2016. Additionally the motion eliminated the $50 rebate for paying the entire years dues in January. The goal is to immediately begin to remedy both of the findings listed above.
To date, SMVE HOA has always maintained a positive balance in our Capital Reserve Fund for unexpected occurrences and known future needs. This fund is expected to be $214,039 by December 31, 2015.
If you divide the $897,250 by 10, the Board must raise an additional $89,725/year for ten years to have the roads fully paid for. Divide $89,725 by 238 (the number of homes in SMVE) and the answer is $377/home/year must be added to the Capital Reserve Fund to pay for the roads.
Since this increase will be saved in interest bearing accounts to eventually be used to replace and maintain our roads, this means that there should not be a need for future dues increases to pay for the roads for quite a while. Since the Board is currently completing a multi-year major overhaul of the common elements (necessary after being installed 25-30 years ago) it may also be possible to begin to raise our “Ready Reserve” to a “healthier” level with savings from the completion of the recent large projects.
While none of us like to see the dues increased, if we are to maintain the quality our community infrastructure, and avoid the need to ever have assessments, the dues are the proper way to accomplish this. With attractive and up-to-date infrastructure and sound Association financing, we continue working to keep up our home values.
Twenty-four years ago when Joan and I retired from teaching and moved from Long Island, New York to Tucson, I already had 28 years of experience in teachers union leadership and negotiations and six years as president of a condo association under my belt. It was this background that propelled me into the early homeowners governance of SMVE, negotiating the resident takeover of the responsibilities of running the fledgling Homeowners Association from the Fairfield employees who had been doing it.
As I was not one of the original three elected to the SMVE HOA Board in the first election, I volunteered to work as secretary. Shortly after, when the Board expanded to five members, I was elected and became a Board member. A few years later when the president decided to retire, I was elected president and served in that office for 9 years.
All of us on the Board enjoyed serving with such a dedicated group of colleagues in such a great community which was still basking in the aura of residents who had moved from all over the country and were now bonding with new friends. We formulated the Rules tailored to the community with the goal of maintaining the standards set forth in the CC&R’s and the community that Fairfield had envisioned. What made the job so satisfying was the wonderful support of the residents in the community.
After nine years as president, I felt it was time for new leadership and so did not run for re-election. It was many years later when I heard that the Board was looking for a secretary and decided to help again. In 2006, I was appointed to the Board by then President Vaughan and became secretary and Chairman of the Architecture Committee. Even though many faces had changed on the again expanded Board, I once again enjoyed working with such a dedicated group and enjoyed serving the homeowners. Now, as President again, still chairperson of the Architecture Committee, and overseeing the trimming of trees in the common area behind our walls to improve views, I continue to meet residents who care equally about their community.
As we all have seen in recent years, more and more of the original residents who came here from 1985 – 1992 and enjoyed their time here are gradually moving away. Time has caught up with these homeowners and they either move to a facility that offers the services they need or move closer to family. It is a generational turnover and happens to all new communities in time.
Time is catching up with Joan and I too. Our daughter Linda, a teacher in Roseville, Calif., has been trying for two years to get us to move near her. Finally Joan and I have decided it is our time to go. We both have regrets at the thought of leaving the home we have lived in the longest in our 61 years together. We realize that few places in the world have the advantages of Tucson and we will be leaving wonderful friends. But we know it’s our time and have decided to put our home on the market in early November.
The saving grace for me is knowing that even though I will have to give up the best job in the neighborhood, I will be succeeded by an equally dedicated group of Board members, Committee Chairs and volunteers and some newer residents who are demonstrating their willingness to volunteer their efforts to help this community to keep up its high standards. I have informed the Board that, at their pleasure, I will continue to serve until the move is imminent. At some point they will have to replace me and I hope the interaction with the community will give the next president the same uplifting memories I will carry with me.
My sincere thanks to the SMVE community for the 24 years of wonderful memories I will take with me. I have been blessed to serve the best community I have ever lived in and those memories will help alleviate my missing everything from working with wonderful colleagues and neighbors to the fantastic views that I have failed to find a way to take with us.
The 3rd quarter financial review indicates we are on target with the 2015 budget versus actuals. Expenses for the North recreational area are at 87% with 3 months left. However the expenses in the South recreational area are currently at 56% and will offset overage of the North area by end of year. Common areas are currently at 69% and expenses for the club house are at 69%. General expenses have reached only 55%. When reviewing the Total Expenses for the first 9 months of 2015, we are currently at 79%. I do not foresee any “surprise” expenses and envision coming in at or under budget. With continued prudent financial management by the board, we look forward to achieving a balanced budget in 2015.
As a reminder, notice of dues will arrive shortly and are owed by 1/1/2016. The majority of homeowners continue to pay early or on time. This is greatly appreciated as tracking down unpaid dues unnecessarily consumes Board time. Late fees will be assessed for dues delivered after 1/15/2016.
Since I reported to you last April, major projects have been designed, bid, managed, and completed at SMVE Community intersections and roadways to enhance SMVE HOAs property values. The Sempreverde (“Barbell”) Project (east side) was completed (see later article). Approximately 588 linear feet were upgraded (located between addresses 5172 and 5380). We also designed and implemented a complete removal and replacement project near the Sempreverde north mailbox at Largo Salici.
The Sempreverde and Largo Salici intersection really looks spiffy as new, colorful plantings grow. That mailbox area and intersection had never undergone a complete updated design, demolition, re-contouring. New irrigation systems, riprap drainage. and colorful plantings with new (24 inch box) Desert Museum Palo Verde trees were also installed. What a joy to watch the beauty of native plants grow and flourish.
Another major intersection project has been completed at SMVE’s biggest mailbox area at Via Velazquez and Gelsomino. Both west and east intersection corners were redesigned and bid, then begun in 2015 with drainage swales, new riprapping, removal of dying and diseased plantings, all new native plantings, and native trees (24 inch box), water irrigation infrastructure, and added water harvesting design along with effective desert storm drainage. All other intersections in the Community have been refurbished and trimmed for line-of-sight visibility to enhance safety and security. We have deferred the final major intersection infrastructure and redesign at Territory and Sempreverde until next year.
I also wanted to thank, those summer Homeowners who promptly reported pesky water leaks in the Community. About 7 small leaks were repaired beginning in early May through August. An unwelcome “surprise” was the occurrence of another group of leaks from old (greater than 25 yrs.) buried irrigation valves. These valves broke apart with copious leaks usually on evenings and weekends when drip irrigation cycled on to avoid the extreme temperatures. Additionally, a large south pool backflow valve needed special plumbing repair with a new plumbing kit replacement and copper plumbing because of two separate slow-drip areas. We appreciate a really excellent custom repair job from professionals at Pioneer Plumbing. Good news! Prompt reporting and in-town landscape committee members allowed prompt notification with immediate leak repair. Results: barely a bump in water loss or costs in our neighborhood.
What about packrats? Packrat projects received extra attention because of the welcome rains. Our 2.5-year packrat surveillance program proved essential for the protection of all homes in our Community. As of September 15, 2015, 96 packrat nests have been removed throughout the SMVE Community. In fact, since May of 2015, I have personally received calls and e-mails from 21 different Homeowners regarding packrat activity impinging on their property. Why has this proliferation occurred? Extra monsoon moisture produces a “green flush” all over the usually dry Sonoran desert. Explosive plant growth provides ample food and new shelter as well as readily available water. Result: packrats reproduce in abundance. They build more new nests that encroach on SMVE properties. Thankfully, Homeowners have alerted me promptly so we can help avoid packrat damage. Our contractor, Mr. Packrat (Kris Brown, owner) has been especially responsive to community needs. When nests do appear on or near Homeowner’s property, costs to remove nests have been allocated amicably between your HOA and the Homeowner. SMVE HOA enjoys a negotiated discount and a 60-day warranty after nest removal. Tracking nests with an ongoing packrat surveillance program allows tracking of all subsequent activity in the Commons to be displayed on a comprehensive map cumulatively. Conclusion: this popular, volunteer-monitored HOA service has been managed promptly on target and on budget.
Pleasure Alert! Drop by the corner of lower Via Velázquez and Territory and look at the area (northeast corner) formerly named “Cox Parcel” and that our Association now owns as Commons. Mother Nature helped transform this previous “eyesore” of deterioration and neglect into a beautiful native Sonoran common area. As a result, the south entrance to our Community is now beautifully remediated with natural native plant growth rather than a deteriorating building, infested with packrats. What an enhancement to all our property values.
“Before”, “after”, and “during” project photos on the website give all Homeowners a sense of pride in these improvements to our community.
For those Homeowners living on Via Sempreverde and who have lobbied for landscape upgrades on south Sempreverde over the last 2.5 years, your requests have been fulfilled. The Board budgeted for 2015 a major upgrade on lower Sempreverde, on the east side between home address 5172 and 5380. The whole area was blue staked for preventative safety prior to beginning the project. Three construction and landscape projects were folded into one to allow negotiating quite favorable cost savings from our SMVE HOA’s contracted construction/landscaper, Cherry Landscape, Inc. for five weeks of planning, bidding, and implementation during May and June, 2015.
So, what would you enjoy at project’s completion? The first view you see driving or walking north on Sempreverde from Territory looking east, is the newly constructed expanse (588 linear feet) of demolition, re-contouring, and new drainage mounds with rock infrastructure. Catalina Foothills small rocks dress both large guest parking areas (North and South) to control storm water drainage. Berms and mounds were created, topography and larger boulders moved to create interest, “specimen” cactus enhance the south and north area of the “barbell” for landscaping. Native plantings with low water use plantings create a well-blended desert view. The whole 7,185 ft2 area (including both ends of the barbell plus the linear connection between the ends) was then dressed with crushed brown granite to control dust, protect plants, and enhance the beauty. Various sized plantings include Tacoma Stans (orange and yellow), yellow lantana, totem pole cacti, and some other desert adapted succulents (agave, prickly pear, etc.).
At the north end of the “barbell”, a previously freeze-fractured and subsequently removed backflow valve has been replaced complete with a light tan protective insulation jacket. New water lines and irrigation valves were installed complete with drip irrigation lines to water native planting. Included in the new landscaping are several trees (Desert Museum Palo Verdes and Mesquite). Given a few years of growth of these selected plantings, this completed construction/landscaping project should further beautify our Sonoran desert. All our property values will be enhanced plus we can personally enjoy daily a lovely landscape. Already, I’ve shared with the Landscape Committee accolades from several homeowners who expressed their overwhelming appreciation to the Committee and Board members for their voluntary efforts.
Several Homeowners have expressed their personal appreciation for the extensive renovations of the South Pool Recreation Area during 2014 and 2015. A few neighbors have asked that I share their accolades with members of the Board. I’ve personally thanked the Board and Committee Chairs on the Homeowners behalf. Now that this major project has been completed, Sue and I wanted to share a few photos and express our thanks to other volunteers via SMVE HOA’s excellent and comprehensive Website (smve.org).
We began this project planning in December 2013. The Board targeted capital expenditures for 2014 and 2015 to several major removal and replacement landscape projects. The overall plan included a multiphase repair, removal, and beautification upgrade of the South Pool/Tennis Court Recreation Area. The centerpiece of this renovation (2015) was most certainly the removal of the old and stained pool concrete plaster and resurfacing with high grade Pebble Tec at both the South pool and Spa areas. New tile trim was also installed.
Mike Jump and I worked together as Chairs of the Maintenance and Landscape Committees so that over all volunteer manpower and oversight would work seamlessly. Such proactive coordination avoids confusion and potential overlapping frustration between different contractors and also Homeowners. Indispensable, on-site financial tracking was provided by Treasurer John Marus, Sue and Bob Vaughan, and Mike Jump as they supported the extensive oversight (about 15 separate bids, then simultaneous invoices) during the payment process over two years. Money flow approvals, detailed accounting of budgets by HBL CPAs of AZ, and communication with contractors required extensive dialogue and coordination. In addition, the Finance Committee cannot be more complimentary of the efforts of Lori Beine as our account executive at HBL. Between Lori, Sue, Bob and Mike and John, financial flow of payments (initial & interim deposits, and final checks) kept the numerous contractors paid accurately and on time. Also we carefully selected a talented group of contractors representing plumbing, plastering, electrical work, landscaping, palm tree trimming, and general construction. Add to these paid contractors were efforts by selected Homeowner volunteers intermittently. Allow me to take a moment to name a few Homeowners with complementary skills for Board and Committee Chairs involved in this lengthy project.
We sought advice from David Manning and Sue Vaughan for selection of replacement electrical fixtures to match the Spanish Colonial theme of the SMVE Community. David and Sue shopped fixtures, suppliers, and photographed options, considered the different project scales, plus outlined options for consideration by Board members. We tapped a previous Board Member, Phil Mowbray, for his extensive experience in xeriscape plant selection for this project. Joe Steiner and Bill Page were always ready to lend a hand to meet with the Landscape/Maintenance Team for input on problem areas, options, and ideas needed for intermittent review before moving forward to implement the proposed master plan.
As you can appreciate, it requires a talented, convivial team of volunteers and contractors to complete such a complex and lengthy project that benefits all SMVE HOA members today and into the future. Moreover, daily management of our Sonoran Desert Community can only be accomplished with excellent teamwork from on-site team members. Unintended consequences occur normally as part of any complex project. Problems must be addressed promptly and in a civil manner.
In summary, I want to walk you through a brief narrative of the component areas of the South Recreation Area so new HOA members especially can have a better understanding of this Community enhancement. Initially, as you approach the Territory Drive security gate, you will view the East and West Entry slopes as well as the 12 guest parking spaces. Both paved entry slopes (East and West) have been bordered with Catalina rocks of varying size to manage drainage and enhance clean trimmed lines. Already in place, small bushes and trees were pruned and trimmed, and mounds were created to enhance topographical interest. Also, river rock lining natural serpentine drainage has been installed, new plantings interspersed, and all areas “dressed” with brown desert crushed granite. The east side of the parking area has also been pruned and trimmed to address safety concerns, blowing trash and dead bushes were removed, and a pathway of crushed granite was installed. This new granite pathway leads you toward the tennis court on the north side of the pool. Much of the effort on the east side was toward enhancing openness, evening security, and the natural desert beauty.
Certain plants native to the desert environment were chosen. These plantings include Desert Museum Palo Verde, Texas Rangers, yellow Tacoma Stans, yellow and purple Lantana, Desert Milkweed, and Red Bird of Paradise. Other areas have been accented with cacti that include Prickly Pear and Elkhorn Cholla. Boulders have been repositioned to focus interest adjacent to plantings.
As you enter the front entry locked pool area, you notice Spanish Colonial light fixtures and newly refurbished Pebble Tec pool and spa. Plantings around the pool have been refreshed and new drip irrigation lines added throughout. All palms have been trimmed, security cactus planted around the outside wall of the pool, and the slope between the pool and tennis court has been re-contoured with rock to create functional erosion control. Additionally, the concrete pathway to the tennis court has been replaced where needed and the east side of the tennis area cleaned of debris, dead plants and tree limbs, then dressed with crushed granite. Much of the infrastructure of hardscape, irrigation lines and valves, utilities, and gravity drainage for the pool and spa is not visible but functionally crucial. An important major benefit is that all new construction reflects current upgraded safety code by our selected contractors.
On behalf of all of the volunteers, I hope this brief overview gives all Homeowners a sense of pride in this valuable asset to our community. FACT: The original recreation area was built in 1987-88. An Unsolicited Opinion: “Yep…… sure was in need of help!”
This is to report some of the work that the Maintenance Committee has been doing so far this year. It has been a relatively quiet summer from a maintenance perspective and most of the work has been located around the two pool areas.
The “Pebble Tec” that was added to the South Pool came out well and has a ten year warrantee. The North Pool “Pebble Tec” has been in place for four years and seems to be holding up well. In addition, we have replaced the two bridges that are on the path to the South Pool Tennis Court. The original bridges were made of timbers that had become very soft and mushy. The new bridges are made with cement and look better and should last a long time.
We will be repairing the shower surround at the North Pool in the next couple of weeks (late October or early November). We are adding structural support, a shelf, and two hooks for towels. We will also be repairing the Pool Deck at both Pools before the end of the year. The North Pool will be done first and the pool will have to be closed for two or three days during early November. The South Pool will be done in December.
We have started reviewing our sidewalks throughout the area. Because of the heat this summer, some of the sidewalks have buckled and may cause a tripping hazard. If the sidewalk is in a common area, it is the responsibility of the HOA to fix but, if it is front of a home, it is the responsibility of the homeowner.
The South Pool will be closing again this year from December 1 through March 1, 2016. This will leave the larger North Pool open for our homeowners and their guests.
The Communications Committee is responsible for the website, newsletter, SMVE Alerts, and the master database. It’s been a quiet summer as many homeowners, including us, decided it would be a good time to visit a cooler place!
The website continues to serve SMVE well. We’ve continued developing the website with mostly behind-the-scenes improvements and fixes to minor problems. Kathy Mitton has joined the committee as a newsletter editor and will help bring you well-written articles of interest.
Currently 40 individuals have taken advantage of the subscription service, which sends them an email each morning when new articles are posted on the website. Everyone is welcome to subscribe to these announcements. Just click on Subscribe to email updates in “Using the Website” in the right column of this page and you will see the email subscription form. Fill in your name, email address, and whether you are homeowner and click on the “Sign Up” button. You will receive an email asking you to confirm that you want to be added to the mailing list for email updates. Once you confirm that you wish to receive updates, you will receive an email each day that new posts are added to the front page. You can unsubscribe at any time using the “unsubscribe” link that is included in every email.
As we described in the last issue, the newsletter is now based on the website content–yet another reason to subscribe to email updates and get the news now rather than waiting up to six months for the next newsletter. For now, we do plan to continue issuing the newsletter twice a year and we continue to mail printed copies to those few homeowners who do not have email. If you receive a printed copy and do have email, please let us know so we can reduce costs and labor–a savings for everyone.
The only SMVE Alert email since Spring was the announcement of the new mailboxes and instructions on how to get your new mailbox keys. We continue to have sporadic problems with some email services randomly deciding our emails are spam and diverting them to your spam folder, or blocking them altogether. As described earlier and in the last newsletter, you can take some steps to help your mail provider know that these alerts are good email and not spam. Subscribing to website updates is another way to ensure you are informed of news, as almost everything said in a SMVE Alert will also be posted on the website.
The SMVE Master Database is a key element in communicating with homeowners. The database contains your address so we can mail you material the CC&Rs mandate we send by USPS mail such as annual meeting notices and dues notices. It also tells us how to contact you when there is an urgent need. If you change your mailing address, phone number, or email, please tell us as soon as possible. You can complete the Homeowner Information Sheet or just email your changes to the Database Manager.
Many thanks to all of our residents for helping make our HOA area safer and more secure. Actually the safety and security of our area depends on us, the residents. What we the residents do, or don’t do, can affect our safety.
We know that we reside in one of Tucson’s safer environments. We also know that we are not immune to unlawful acts, severe or not. What can we, as residents, do to preserve our safety and security?
Good lighting is a very effective and cost-efficient way to deter crime. We have yard lights next to the sidewalk that brighten up the area. When our lights are on they benefit us as well as our neighbors. When our lights or those of our neighbors are out, our safety can be diminished. Keep those lights on!
When you park your car in your driveway, be sure to lock its doors. Just because the car is on your property does not mean that a passerby can’t stop to see if the car’s doors are unlocked and then remove items of value.
Many of us enjoy using the community swimming pools. One way to keep non-residents out is to be sure to close/lock the gate behind you. Do not prop it open so others can enter. And when you leave, be sure the gate is closed/locked. On occasion, non-residents have gained access to the pools and committed some vandalism. If you happen to see a non-resident at a pool or witness an act of vandalism, call 911 as soon as possible.
Speaking of 911, no one on your HOA board is a certified law enforcement officer. If you see something suspicious in the area, the first thing to do is to call 911. Even if you think the infraction is minor, the Sheriff’s Department wants to be informed. Its patrol officers are interested in looking for patterns of criminal activity. What happens here may also be happening in other nearby areas.
The Hospitality Committee hosted an Ice Cream Social on September 12, 2015 at the club house; approximately 40 residents attended. Everyone seemed to have a great time as evidenced by the fact that almost all stayed until the very end. We had an excellent mix of residents who were new to the neighborhood as well as long timers.
On October 17, 2015, Bill Page gave a wonderful presentation titled “Poles Apart”–with a dash of climate change! The presentation featured photographs he had taken in the two poles — the Arctic and the Antarctic. He provided a historical perspective on climate change over history of our planet–from its origin through multiple hot and cold (ice) ages. The photos were superb and the narration was very interesting and informative. We saw many varieties of penguins, seals, and birds in the Antarctic. In the Arctic, we of course saw photos of a polar bear, flowers, landscapes, and more.
42 people attended this presentation in the SMVE clubhouse. Back by popular demand, this was the second slide show presentation sponsored by the Hospitality Committee and given by Bill Page.
If you missed these events, we hope you will be able to able to join in the fun with future events. Hope to see you then!
The USPS project to upgrade our mailboxes continues. Over the last three months, five of SMVE’s six mailbox clusters have been upgraded. More than half of SMVE homeowners are now served by new mailboxes. The new boxes look better and are more secure than the old ones. The USPS is replacing the mailboxes at no cost to us as the boxes have outlived their planned life and repair parts are no longer available.
Only the mailbox cluster at the intersection of Via Velazquez and Via Gelsomino is yet to be replaced. We hope that will be completed in November, but cannot know for certain as the work is done by a USPS contractor.
Homeowners will need to go to the Fort Lowell post office at 6460 E Grant Rd to pick up their new keys one or two business days after the mailboxes are installed.
Homeowners are reminded that they may not post any material on the mailboxes. Since 1992, the Post Office has agreed that SMVEHOA would have exclusive use of the mailboxes to post Association reminders as long as it kept it to a minimum (6-8) times/year and they were removed promptly when the event was over. They stipulated that there were to be no other authorized postings on the mailboxes by anyone else and that the Association should so notify the membership. The Association should remove any and all unauthorized postings. This agreement was reaffirmed by the Post Office to Bill Page on 2/24/15.
In the past, SMVE HOA has taped association reminders to the package boxes. Over the years, that has damaged the paint and made the doors of the package boxes look especially ugly. To eliminate any future damage, we are changing the way we post association reminders. Currently we are experimenting with a few different approaches using plastic signs that sit on top of the mailbox (as shown in the picture). The reminder and sign will be removed after the event. If you see any broken or missing notices, or if the signs cause any problems, please contact Guy Scharf so he can address the issue.
Update: The last cluster of mailboxes, at the intersection of Via Gelsomino and Via Velazquez, was replaced on Friday, November 13, 2015. Enjoy your new mailboxes!
We all owe our thanks to Roelof and Liselotta Van Hasselt for taking action that resulted in SMVE getting the old mailboxes replaced. Over a year ago they wrote a letter to the postmaster at Fort Lowell Post Office detailing the poor condition of our almost 30-year-old mailboxes. They waited a long time to get a reply but when it came, it was positive and promised to put us on the list of mailboxes to be replaced.
Finally, after many more months of waiting, one of the two contractors in Tucson that replaces mailboxes showed up and replaced the ones by the north recreation area. That was last summer. All but the mailboxes at the juncture of Gelsomino and N Via Velazquez have now been replaced and we hope to see the last replacement by the end of November. Thanks Roelof and Liselotte for taking action and helping our community!
We have updated the directions and forms for applying for approval of structural changes, additions, or remodeling. The forms are available on the SMVE website.
We have also streamlined the permission process for contractors to permit some of it to be accomplished by email while requiring contractors to sign a form containing our rules and expectations concerning parking, building materials, debris removal, etc.
Remember, even if you are having interior construction, your contractor should be aware and agree to follow our rules and expectations. The best way to do that is to print the form from the website or contact Bill Page or Bob Vaughan to get a form for the contractor to sign.
This should avoid any problems with neighbors or potential fines for violations.
Please visit the SMVE website, click on the Architecture button, and then click on these links for both sets of procedures and forms:
Some homeowners have asked what the phrase “modified cash accounting” means as used in the SMVE annual financial statement. We’ll try to explain that in non-accounting terms by using the annual financial statement for 2014 that was included in the 2015 annual meeting packet you received in the mail last January.
If you are an accountant, then the HBL cover letter accompanying the financial statement says it all: we use cash accounting except for dues and insurance.
For those of you who are not accountants, first an explanation of “cash accounting.” The annual financial statement shows all of the income and expenses for 2014. But which expenses are actually included as 2014 expenses? With cash accounting, any expense where the check was written in 2014 is considered a 2014 expense. For example, suppose you had work done in November 2013 and received the bill in December. If you paid the bill on December 31, 2013, then it is considered a 2013 expense. If you pay the bill on January 2, 2014, it is a 2014 expense.
We record incidental income in the same way but handle association dues differently. (That’s the “modified” part.) The Board plans expenses and savings for future major projects each year based on the expected association dues for the year. So we need to compare expenses and savings for the year to planned income for the year. And that’s what we do–we count all association dues for 2014 as 2014 income and ignore the fact that nearly half of those dues were actually received in December 2013. We also ignore the 2015 dues received in December 2014.
(The dues for 2015 that were paid in 2014 can be seen on the 2014 annual report if you look at the Fund Balance page. The line that says “prepaid homeowner dues” shows the dues received in December 2014 for 2015. The prepaid dues in the 2014 annual report will become dues income in the 2015 annual report.)
And that’s it. Expenses are recorded for the year in which they were paid. Dues income is recorded in the year the dues are for, regardless of the year in which they were received.
An ex-officio Board member is a former Board member or resident who has greatly contributed to the SMVE HOA at Board meetings and beyond. While these individuals are no longer elected members of the Board, they possess certain skills and/or knowledge that makes their presence desirable and useful. They are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board and are welcome to attend all meetings and contribute to the discussions but they have no voting powers.
In the past, we have had two ex-officio members who contributed valuable insights to the Board. Aaron Starobin was an attorney and former resident who continued to share invaluable advice on legal topics that the Board found very useful. Bob Vaughan is a SMVE resident and physician, past president and past chairperson of the Landscape Committee with a vast knowledge and skills. Every community member benefits by the voluntary efforts that these gentlemen who selflessly provided this assistance.
We have no ex-officio Board members as of February 2017.
For the current list of directors, committee chairs, and ex-officio Board members, click on the Directors, Officers, and Committee Chairs button on the right side of the page.
On October 1st, the water aerobics class ended the 2015 season with a pot luck breakfast. Water Aerobics will resume in April 2016. For more information and for those wishing to join next year, please call Frankie Paulus at , and watch the website for details next year. Women and men are encouraged to join and attend these free classes. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and to make new friends. And the exercise is good for you too!
The Hospitality Committee is seeking new volunteers. Help us brainstorm ideas for community events and host these events! Your enthusiasm and participation will make a difference in the events that are sponsored. The Hospitality Committee is also seeking volunteers to help setup and breakdown chairs and tables for events as well as assist with decorating for events. If you are interested, please call ✉ Ursula Cybulsky at or ✉ Teresa Scharf at .
If you are interested in meeting neighbors while helping to maintain the appearance of our neighborhood, please come Saturday, November 14 at 8:00 a.m. and spend an hour on a cooperative roadside cleanup effort. Please bring gloves and wear sturdy shoes. Litter bags and safety vests will be provided. Please call Bill Page a 577-6835 to volunteer. Meet at Marty Ronstadt’s at 4593 N. Camino Campero in Sunrise Valley. We hope to see you there!
At the October 19, 2015 Board meeting, the Board adopted a policy to require homeowners who rent out their homes to supply contact information about their tenants. If you rent your home, please read the Tenant Information Required policy and send us the information on the Tenant Information Form.
We keep all homeowner contact information in the SMVE Master Database. The database is used to create the semi-annual HOA dues invoices and to mail you annual meeting packets and other announcements as required by the CC&Rs. The Board uses the email and phone information in the database when necessary to contact a homeowner. We also use the database to send SMVE News Alert emails occasionally.
If you change your phone number or email address, or if you change the address you want bills, annual meeting information and other notices mailed to, please provide the Database Manager with your new contact information. If you change the way you use your home, as from second home to principle residence or you rent it out, please let us know about that change. You can tell us either by sending an email to the Database Manager or complete the Homeowner Information Sheet and mailing, or emailing, that to us.
