In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update.
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And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
To see more videos, visit our Videos page by clicking here.
Political flags may be displayed 30-days before an election and must be removed promptly the next day after an election.
Printed copies should be expected in your mailbox the first week of September.
Check out the archive of past issues at www.scshca.com/view
By Bill Wethe
Finance Advisory Committee Chair
As published in The View, September 2020:
FAC Members
Thank you, Steve Proia, for your service to the community, FAC, and the FAC Subcommittee since December 2017. I will miss your commitment, expertise, and responsiveness. With Steve’s resignation effective August 22, 2020, FAC now has two openings on the Committee. We would love to hear from you if you have an interest in serving on the FAC or on the FAC Subcommittee. Please contact the author if you would like to discuss completing an Advisory Committee Interest Form. I would be pleased to talk about any questions you may have and provide you important information to aid you in your decision-making.
Work Completed
During August, the FAC continued its work with the Board as well as with DRM and Troon management on behalf of the Association including:
Work in Process
FAC and the FAC Subcommittee have several items we are working on including:
Further Information
Additional FAC Members: Larry Anderson, Bob Giovannettone, Bob Jester, Jerry Cavoretto, Mike Whelan, and Bruce Marley. FAC Subcommittee Members on the Replacement Fund and Reserve Study: Chris Stevens, Don Salvatore, Bruce Marley, and Bill Wethe, Chair.
Contact the author at finance@scshca.com.
As published in The View, September 2020:
Frontier Communications
The HOA Board signed the five-year bulk internet-only agreement with Frontier on July 31, 2020. Installation is estimated to begin on November 1, 2020, and will take about four months to complete. According to the agreement, Frontier will install all 3,450 homes by March 1, 2021, and that is when the five-year term will begin.
To recap the basic provisions of the Frontier plan:
This process began over one year ago, and so many people helped to bring this project to its conclusion. We need to take a moment and say thank you to all these volunteers for donating more than a year of hard work. We started with the Bulk Cable Committee consisting of Linda Aasen as Chair, Gene Gonzalez, Steve Aasen, Jurgen Gross, Wally Barbour, Rich Rodeman, Armando Gomez, Rick Stohr, and Robert Israel.
Once we had chosen a service provider and begun contract negotiations, a few more people stepped up to make sure the HOA was proceeding responsibly and reviewed all the contract terms before we made a final decision. So we also need to thank Bill Wethe, the chair of FAC, and attorneys Bob Jester, Bob Israel, and Fera Mostow who helped guide us through the maze of legal terminology. Thanks to all of you for donating so much of your time.
We will be sending residents a schedule of when to call for an installation appointment. As you can imagine, we cannot have 3,450 homes all call on the same day. So we will phase in the installation appointments.
I have asked the FAC to review and recommend a one-time increase in next year’s HOA fees, beginning January 1, 2021, to reflect the increase for the Frontier contract. It will cost the HOA more money if we increase dues during the year. The most efficient method of implementation is to have one price increase in January so that dues stay the same all year long – even though the installation process will begin by November 1 and finish by March 1. Otherwise we will have increased costs to change the dues amount during the year plus increased costs to print and distribute new coupon books. This would also cause more confusion for auto payments if the dues amount were to change in January and then change again in March.
The HOA will also have some up-front installation charges as we pay for the people that are installed during the four-month installation period. The HOA will be getting a bill each month from Frontier for the homes that have been installed. But we are not able to charge those homes a fee until we are able to assess all homes once everyone is installed. Because our governing documents do not permit us to charge different homeowners a different monthly dues rate, we need to start everyone at the same time at the same rate per month. By increasing dues in January for everyone instead of in March, we resolve these issues and can pay for all the partial installations over the four-month period.
This will mean some homes will be installed before the dues increase, and some homes will be installed after the dues increase on January 1, 2021. This was the only way to finalize the terms of the contract given the limitations of our governing documents.
Hopefully, this answers the basic questions as we move forward with the Frontier internet bulk cable contract installation. It will be good for the HOA to have locked in a $12 rate for internet service for the next five years, which equates to a savings for each homeowner of about $50 per month.
Once again, thank you to all those people who worked so hard – just another example of: It doesn’t get any better than this.
Thank you. Stay safe and healthy.
Contact the author at kim.fuller@scshca.com.
Hello Residents,
The HOA Board signed the 5-year bulk internet-only agreement with Frontier on July 31, 2020. The install is estimated to begin on November 1, 2020 and will take about 4 months to complete. According to the agreement all 3450 homes will be installed by March 1, 2021 and that is when the 5-year term will begin.
To recap the basic provisions of the Frontier plan:
I would like to answer the most frequently asked questions:
Thank you.
Stay safe and healthy.
Kim Fuller
President
To see more videos, visit our Videos page by clicking here.
Hello Residents,
The HOA Board signed the 5-year bulk internet-only agreement with Frontier on July 31, 2020. The install is estimated to begin on November 1, 2020 and will take about 4 months to complete. According to the agreement all 3450 homes will be installed by March 1, 2021 and that is when the 5-year term will begin.
To recap the basic provisions of the Frontier plan:
This process began over one year ago with many people that helped to bring this project to its conclusion. We need to take a moment and say thank you to all these volunteers for more than a year of hard work. We started with the Bulk Cable Committee consisting of Linda Aasen as Chair, Gene Gonzalez, Steve Aasen, Jurgen Gross, Wally Barbour, Rich Rodeman, Armando Gomez, Rick Stohr, and Robert Israel. Once we decided on which company, and we entered contract negotiations a few more people stepped up to make sure the HOA was proceeding responsibly by reviewing all the contract terms before a final decision was made. So, we also need to thank Bill Wethe, the Chair of FAC, and attorneys Bob Jester, Bob Israel, and Fera Mostow who helped guide us through the maze of legal terminology. Thanks to all of you for spending so much time.
We will be sending out a schedule of when you will call for an install appointment. As you can imagine, we cannot have 3450 homes all call on the same day. So, we will send you a schedule of when to call for your install appointment.
I have asked the FAC to review and recommend for next year’s budget a onetime price increase for the Frontier contract to begin on January 1, 2021. It will cost the HOA more money if we increase dues during the year. The most efficient method of implementation is to have one price increase in January, so the dues are the same all year long. Although the installation process will begin by November 1 and finish by March 1, we need to start the dues increase in January so we have the same dues each month all year long. Otherwise we will have increased costs to change the dues amount during the year and increased costs in printing and distributing new coupon books. There would also be increased confusion for auto payments if the dues amount changed in January and then changed again in March.
Assuming Frontier completes the install by March 1 here is the calculation for monthly dues to cover your monthly Frontier internet service. You will notice that you are not paying any more money than if we started billing on March 1:
Besides the monthly costs, the HOA must pay $36,600 for the installation. This can come from contingency, it can come from operations, but it must be paid by the HOA. One option is to put a line item in the budget for $36,400 for next year. This would mean an .89 cent increase to the monthly dues (in addition to the $10 explained above).
There will also be the cost to the HOA of communicating by mail with the residents about the installation schedule. This cost is estimated to be .24 cents per month per home to let residents know what is going on and when they will be installed by a schedule. This cost is estimated to be $10,000 ($2.90 per home for the year or .24 cents per month per home). The resulting total monthly cost to the homeowner for next year’s budget is estimated at $11.13 ($10+ $.89+ $.24) with this scenario-Frontier finishes by March 1 and we start dues increases in January.
The above calculations assumed that Frontier would finish by March 1. If, however, Frontier finishes by February 1, we must pay $12 per month beginning in February. This calculation results in the paying $132 ($12x11) for each household during the year. The resulting total best estimate for monthly cost per Homeowner under the scenario if Frontier finishes by February 1, 2021 is $12.13 ($11+ $.89+$.24).
It will mean some homes will be installed before the dues increase begins and some homes will be installed after the dues increase on January 1, 2021. This was the only way to finalize the terms of the contract given the limitations of our governing documents in not charging different prices to different homes. So, to have a smooth transition all year no matter what happens, starting the dues increase in January is exactly the same cost no matter when a person is installed.
Hopefully, this answers the basic questions as we move forward with the Frontier internet bulk cable contract installation. It will be good for the HOA to have locked in a $12 rate for internet service for the next 5 years. A savings to each homeowner of about $50 per month.
Thank you.
Stay safe and healthy.
Kim Fuller
President
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Amy Pearce. Amy passed away on Friday, July 31. Her death was not due to COVID-19. The family is having a private funeral and has asked for their privacy to be respected during this very difficult time. A celebration of life will take place in the future once reopening restrictions are lifted and it’s safe to have social gatherings.
Amy was one of our top fitness instructors and will be deeply missed by the residents and staff of Sun City Shadow Hills. She was a strong and beautiful person who had a timeless skill in bettering the health and wellness of so many lives.
We send our condolences to Amy’s family and loved ones.
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update and to talk about the Frontier contract.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
6:36 PM - IID UPDATE: All power restored in Indio. If you are still without power please check your main breaker or call 1-800-303-7756.
5:51 PM - IID UPDATE: 1875 customers have been restored, 625 customers are still out. We currently have a couple of troubleshooters on site working diligently to restore power to remaining customers. Current estimated restoration time is 45 min. We appreciate your patience.
IID is currently experiencing a power outage in Indio.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 are affected by this outage. All gates, with the exception of Jefferson, are currently down.
For more information, please visit the Outages page on the IID website: https://myaccount.iid.com/portal/outeroutage.aspx
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update and to talk about the Frontier contract.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
I am an artist living here in Shadow Hills. Since the “stay at home” order has restricted our activities, I have been creating my “Quarantine Collection” of collage art. I have done 60+ contemporary collages since April 17.
Submitted by Sandi Dennison-Laufer
The Board meet for Executive Session on Monday, July 27, 2020. Click on the link below to read the motions passed.
Note: Previous meeting's motions passed may be viewed by visiting the Documents page under the HOA menu.
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
Printed copies should be expected in your mailbox the first week of August.
Check out the archive of past issues at www.scshca.com/view
As published in The View, August 2020:
Finances and Frontier
Given all that has happened, I would like to update you on the financial impact the pandemic has had on our operations along with what is happening with the Frontier plan.
Bruce Marley needed to resign from the Board. We will miss his presence and appreciate his many contributions. We are fortunate that Bruce will continue as a member of the Finance Advisory Committee. We are also fortunate that Carey Thompson was willing to step up and take Bruce’s place. There is no one more qualified to take over as Treasurer, and our sincerest thanks go out to Carey for her help during this time. Our situation just got a whole lot easier and more positive because of her efforts.
Because so many of you have asked about our finances and the possibility of a special assessment, I thought I should let Carey explain the current financial situation:
Yes, it’s true, I’m back as your HOA Board Treasurer. Why did I agree to return to the board? Following a 30-year career in state government, I have never abandoned my commitment to public service. Since my Board term expired three years ago, I’ve been an active member of the Finance Advisory Committee; so I’m up to speed on our current financial position.
The good news: there is no need for a special assessment. Our current annual forecast of operating results projects an unfavorable variance of just $25,000 compared to the 2020 annual budget.
Our revenue shortfalls have been offset by significantly reducing our expenses. Over the past several months, the Board, Troon, and DRM have done an excellent job in managing expenses during this pandemic crisis. Operating revenue is forecast to be down by $959,000, while expenses are forecast to be reduced by $934,000 -- thus a $25,000 increase in the operating deficit to $356,000. The 2020 budget was based upon a $331,000 operating deficit reflecting an $8 per unit per month credit in 2020 for the operating fund surplus from 2019.
The Board, along with the assistance of the Finance Advisory Committee, will continue to closely monitor our results of operations and financial position. We pledge to maintain our community’s excellent operations as well as our strong financial position.
I have been asked quite often about the Frontier Communications contract because Frontier has filed for bankruptcy. This was not unexpected. Frontier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but said its service to customers will not be affected by the financial restructuring.
We have met with the reps from Frontier, and for them it is business as usual.
We will be finishing our contract negotiations and, if the terms are acceptable, will sign a five-year contract as presented to the residents.
We are hopeful we can finalize the agreement with Frontier and begin installation by late August or early September. It will take about three to four months to complete the install.
To recap, here are the basic provisions of the Frontier plan:
I want to thank Bill Wethe, Chair of the Finance Advisory Committee, for following the Frontier bankruptcy process to be sure the HOA is proceeding in a responsible way.
In these most unusual times, we will slowly return to normal while practicing safe behavior to protect our neighbors from this most devastating virus. If we can stay the course and apply all guidelines that have been given to us by County and State agencies, we will hopefully avoid anyone contracting this virus. Please help all of us stay safe by being responsible about your behavior during all activities. Masks and social distancing are the keys to our health and safety.
This is still a most beautiful place, and I can’t think of anywhere I would rather be. Clearly, it doesn’t get any better than this.
Contact the author at kim.fuller@scshca.com.
By Bill Wethe
Finance Advisory Committee Chair
As published in The View, August 2020:
FAC Members
As you may already know, Carey Thompson has replaced Bruce Marley as Treasurer on the Board. Thank you, Carey, for your 2-1/4 years of service to FAC and the community!
You may also know the Board approved the recommendation to add two new members to FAC on June 29, 2020. Welcome, Mike Whelan and Bruce Marley, to the Committee! FAC now has one opening on the committee.
We would love to hear from you if you have an interest in serving on the FAC or on the FAC Subcommittee. Please contact me if you would like to discuss completing an Advisory Committee Interest Form. I would be pleased to discuss any questions you may have and provide you important information to aid you in your decision making.
Work Completed
During the month of July, the FAC continued its work with the Board as well as with DRM and Troon management, on behalf of the Association, including:
Work in Process
FAC and the FAC Subcommittee have several items we are working on including:
Further Information
Additional FAC Members: Larry Anderson, Steve Proia, Bob Giovannettone, Bob Jester, Jerry Cavoretto, Mike Whelan, and Bruce Marley. FAC Subcommittee Members on the Replacement Fund and Reserve Study: Chris Stevens, Don Salvatore, Steve Proia, Bruce Marley, and Bill Wethe, Chair.
Contact the author at finance@scshca.com.
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
California has extended noncommercial driver licenses (including AB 60 and limited-term) expiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. The terms of your extension depends on your age.
The extensions are automatic, but eligible drivers will not receive a new card or paper extension in the mail. As an option, these drivers can request a free temporary paper extension online through DMV’s Virtual Field Office to document their extension, though one is not needed to drive.
For more information, please visit the DMV website: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/covid-19-relief-information/driver-license-extensions/
Good Afternoon Residents:
I have received complaints about some people not wearing a mask when entering the Indoor Pool area. Masks are required everywhere indoors. I have also received complaints that some people are not exiting through the designated door but are exiting through the door where they entered. These are not part of the Indoor pool guidelines and put people at risk. Staff has been warning people that they must wear masks and comply with the guidelines if they want to use the Indoor pool.
We must all work together to make sure we do everything possible to keep everyone safe and healthy. That means following the guidelines that are in place. Given current statistics, the more we can do to limit exposure and contact by wearing masks and social distancing the better for all of us.
I have instructed staff that beginning tomorrow there will be no more warnings for not following the Indoor pool guidelines. If a person enters the pool area without a mask they will be cited. If a person leaves through the entry door instead of the designated exit door they will be cited. We would prefer not to cite anyone, but the warnings for some people are not working, and everyone’s safety is more important than personal convenience.
We are also asking that if you are not going to attend at your reservation time, please cancel 24 hours in advance so others may use the pool.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Stay safe and use caution.
Thank you.
Kim Fuller
President
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to answer more questions about Frontier.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates regarding Frontier: www.scshca.com/bulkcable
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
In this episode, President Kim Fuller is back to give us another coronavirus update and answer more questions about Frontier.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
And, please remember to check our website for further updates: www.scshca.com/coronavirus
Do you have an idea for a podcast episode? Contact Bob Firring at podcast@scshca.com.
Listen to all our past episodes here: www.scshca.com/podcast
This is an audio-only episode.
The Ceramics Club remains somewhat active during our hiatus. Working from home creating beautiful pieces, waiting to be displayed and enjoyed by all once the clubhouse reopens.
