The Board is in the budget process and once again there have been requests that we over-seed the rough areas (outside edges) of the golf course so that the entire golf course would be green all winter long. Currently we only over-seed the fairways of the golf course and not the edges. This means the outer edges of the golf course will be brown all winter while the center of the fairways will be green.
This has been done for the past couple of years because of cost. The cost to over-seed and water the rough areas of the golf course would be $7 per month per home. This would mean a $7 increase in your monthly dues to over-seed the rough areas of the golf course. Many residents believe it is worth the $7 per month per home to have the entire golf course green during the winter.
The Board would like to know your response to the following question:
Do you want to over-seed the entire golf course knowing the cost will be an increase in dues of $7 per month? Yes or No.
Please click on this link and respond to this survey question. We will close the survey on 9/20/19 at 3 pm, so please respond asap. The Board will use this information to determine how to budget for next year’s monthly dues.
If you are in town for Labor Day weekend, come visit us at our beautiful fitness centers. We are open for the holiday!
Our hours at the Montecito Fitness Center are from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm Our hours at the Santa Rosa Fitness Center are from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm
As a reminder, the studio at the Montecito Fitness Center is closed this week for maintenance. The studio will reopen on Monday, September 2. All classes except aqua classes are canceled from Monday, August 26 through Sunday, September 1 at the Montecito Fitness Studio. Classes are still taking place at the Santa Rosa Clubhouse. The fitness center and indoor pool at Montecito are also still open during this time.
So much has been happening that, every once in a while, it is wise to stop, smell the roses, and in our case understand we live in a terrific place, surrounded by terrific people, all working together in this beautiful community. A neighbor says, “good morning”; I smile and reflect on the gift of this paradise. It is a pleasure meeting, talking, and working with so many great people.
Let’s take a moment to thank some of the many people who are doing so much for our community. It is easy to forget all the people who work to make this place a paradise. So many people on so many committees work hard, and we all benefit from their success. Too often people will think it is the Board that does all the work, but it is the members of each committee who are doing most of the work. All these members make the difference between success and failure in creating a beautiful place to live. I for one wish to take a moment and thank them for all their efforts, and for making the work of the Board so much easier.
If you know a committee member, stand up and thank them; we can’t say it loudly enough or often enough given their dedication. Let me take this moment to thank all the Chairs of each committee for the service and unselfish dedication:
City Development Coordinating Committee Chair: Tom Hutson
Communications Advisory Committee Chair: Tom Hutson
Covenants Committee Co-Chairs: Lee Powell and Traci Barnett Hone
Design Review Committee Chair: Ted Shettler
Emergency Preparedness Committee Chair: Jeff Kirkpatrick
Facilities & Services Advisory Committee Chair: John Petersen
Information Advisory Committee Chair: Stacia Armstrong
Landscape Advisory Committee Chair: Chris Stevens
Safety Advisory Committee Chair: Ed Chavez
And the new Lifestyle Committee should be starting in the next month.
So, when the sun sets on this day, I will reflect on the beautiful sunrise, a “good morning” greeting, all the kind people who have gathered in this community, and say to myself: “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
The Bulk Cable survey is complete. We had over 1700 responses which is a terrific help for the Board to understand what everyone wants going forward. I want to remind everyone that the survey is not an official ballot vote but is only a way for the Board to understand and gather information. The Board will be discussing on Monday 8/26 how to proceed. If the Board presents an official ballot vote it will come by regular mail in the future.
The Board is discussing the fine points of the contracts from both Spectrum and Frontier at this time to determine if such a contract for the residents will be possible.
It is clear in the survey that about 85% of the residents want to do something about a bulk cable contract for the next 5 years. There were 79 duplicate surveys where people filled out more than one survey for the same address. All those surveys were deleted from the final list.
Another piece of information we learned from the survey was that 70% of the residents live here full time.
I have an update on the maintenance schedule at the Montecito Fitness Studio: the studio will be closed next week for maintenance beginning Monday, August 26 through Sunday, September 1. The fitness studio will reopen on Monday, September 2. All classes scheduled during this week will be cancelled. I apologize for any inconvenience. Classes will still take place at the Santa Rosa Fitness Center.
For the month of September, I will be instructing the FREE stretch classes at 8:00 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays until Forest returns. Morning stretching is one of the best ways to help kick-start your energy and increase circulation. Overall, stretching is a great way to start your day and helps minimize the aches and pains! Tuesday’s class will be a static stretch class with relaxation offered at the Santa Rosa Fitness Center. Thursday’s class will be a core and stretch class offered at the Montecito Fitness Center. Hope to see you there!
This morning was the hearing before a Judge to obtain a ruling on the Petition filed by the HOA to request passage of 2 By-law changes that were defeated by a resident ballot vote.
The Petition was denied because the Judge felt it did not pass the ‘Unduly Difficult’ threshold. To pass a By-law it takes 1761 affirmative votes in favor of the By-law change. Even though there was 73% to 89% approval of the changes by a vote of the residents, the Judge felt that because the number of ballots cast exceeded the needed amount of 1761 affirmative votes, the court would not use its discretion to overturn the ballot vote. The Judge stated that if 100% of the ballots were in favor of the By-law change it would have passed, therefore the Judge did not think he should use his discretion to overturn an unsuccessful vote.
For the future, to make a change to the By-laws or CC&R’s, it will be necessary to get 1761 approval votes, and that will mean a much a greater effort in getting more residents to vote.
Reminder: The berm located behind the perimeter wall of Phase 3 is not the Association’s property or responsibility. Concerns regarding activity on the berm should be communicated to the Indio Police Department at (760) 391-4051.
A truly different volunteer opportunity has come to the attention of the Information Advisory Committee, and we thought we’d share these details and contacts.
Right now, there are 200 children here in Riverside County that need a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or “CASA.” The children have been abused or neglected and placed into foster care. A CASA works one-on-one with either one child or a sibling group to provide a source of stability, while at the same time coordinating with the court and professionals working on the child’s case. A new volunteer needs no legal or para legal background. If you are able to follow through on projects, maintain objectivity, and can provide 10 to 15 volunteer hours per month, we urge you to contact Voices for Children at www.speakupnow.org, or the main office phone number (951) 472-9301, to register for an Information Session and learn more about their needs and training for CASA. You CAN make a critical difference in a foster child’s life!
Please look for a more detailed story about Voices for Children and CASA in the December 2019 issue of The View.
As I said yesterday, today we are sending out the survey to get everyone’s opinion on how you want to proceed on a Bulk Cable Contract. This contract would allow for Cable/Internet Companies to provide Internet and/or TV services to the residents of the HOA for a period of 5 years and to reduce the amount of money our residents are paying for internet and TV services.
This information was discussed at the last Town Hall meetings on 8/1 and 8/2. The Presentation, the video, and documents to answer questions about the different Cable plans are on the website at www.scshca.com/bulkcable.
The goal for the Board is to gather as much information as possible so the Board can make a responsible and informed decision on how to proceed. To get this information we are asking everyone to fill out a survey online which is now available. You may only fill out one survey per household.
This survey is available on the website, so anyone can log into the Website and fill out the survey once released. You will be required to list your name and address. This is because you may only fill out one survey per household. If you fill out more than one survey per household they will be deleted, so please only fill out one per household. This should provide accurate results, and if there is ballot vote it is only one vote per household, so one survey per household will be consistent with that process.
Please complete your survey by 8/20/19, so that we can review the information and continue the process in a timely fashion.
☞ Click Here for the Survey THE SURVEY IS NOW CLOSED
No matter what the season or what the temperature might be, many of our resident tennis players get out early and often.
Below is a group that plays every Wednesday, organized by program coordinator Ned Hoffman. Left to right are Mike Miller, Joe Malinko, Chuck Maguire, Steve Monsky, Jerry Gilmore, Ned Hoffman, Armin Drost, Earl Nash, and Jack Friedman. Photo # 2 is their photographer, Phil Zeck.
Call them the “die hards” but they are on the courts regularly no matter what the summer heat would suggest to the less devoted.
Please note that some of them only agreed to a photograph after being told they were chosen as a “super senior” Davis Cup team.
As you all know, the Board has been investigating the possibility of a Bulk Cable Contract. This is a negotiation with the Cable/Internet Companies to provide Internet and/or TV services for a period of 5 years and to reduce the amount of money our residents are paying for internet and TV services. The Board appointed a committee to investigate and gather information for the residents to review, and now it is time to survey all of you to find out how you want to proceed.
This information was discussed at the last Town Hall meetings on 8/1 and 8/2. The Presentation, the video, and documents to answer questions about the different Cable plans are on the website at www.scshca.com/bulkcable.
The goal for the Board is to gather as much information as possible so the Board can make a responsible and informed decision on how to proceed. Consequently, there will be a survey on the website beginning tomorrow, Tuesday 8/6/19 for residents to fill out. You may only fill out one survey per household.
This Survey will be based on the following Summary of Options of the two plans being offered the HOA. One plan is from Spectrum, Option A, and one plan is from Frontier, Option B:
Option A
A five-year contract with Spectrum providing High Speed Internet and Cable TV:
Internet Speed 100/10 Mbps with Wireless router
2 DVR Receivers with DVR Service
200+ Platinum Channel Lineup
Includes HBO & Showtime, all PAC-12, NFL Red Zone, Dodgers, Tennis and Golf
Marketing fee of $1.035 Million will be paid to the HOA
Cost: $43-49 per month with a 3% max increase per year after two years ($47-54 possible at year 5).
Please refer to the Town Hall presentation for more details on this pricing.
Option B
A five-year contract with Frontier providing High Speed Internet only (Cable TV is not included with this option):
Internet Speed 500/500 Mbps with Wireless router
Marketing fee: Original offer was $1.380 Million with $18 per month. Negotiations led to reducing Marketing fee paid to the HOA to 0 and reducing monthly fee to $12 per month.
Cost $12-13 per month with a 5% max increase per year ($15-16 possible at year 5)
Note: Frontier is offering optional cable TV plans at prices below what they currently charge to individual subscribers which can be individually chosen by those wishing to use such plans and which will be billed directly to the homeowner. Please refer to the Town Hall presentation for more details on this pricing.
We will be announcing the survey through the E-Blast system to find out your thoughts on having such a Cable contract. This survey will be available on the website, so anyone can log into the Website and fill out the survey once released. You will be required to list your name and address. This is because you may only fill out one survey per household. If you fill out more than one survey per household they will be deleted, so please only fill out one per household. This should provide accurate results, and if there is ballot vote, it also only allows for one vote per household so one survey per household will be consistent with that process.
We are asking that all surveys be completed by 8/20/19, so that we can review the information and continue the process in a timely fashion.
Fly the United States Flag at Half-Staff Immediately Until Sunset on Thursday, August 8, 2019
Honoring the Victims of the Tragedies in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio by the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Our Nation mourns with those whose loved ones were murdered in the tragic shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, and we share in the pain and suffering of all those who were injured in these two senseless attacks. We condemn these hateful and cowardly acts. Through our grief, America stands united with the people of El Paso and Dayton. May God be with the victims of these two horrific crimes and bring aid and comfort to their families and friends.
As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible acts of violence perpetrated on August 3, 2019, in El Paso, Texas, and on August 4, 2019, in Dayton, Ohio, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 8, 2019.
I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America two hundred forty-fourth.
Regarding the Bulk Cable Contract Survey, it became clear in yesterday’s Town Hall meetings that it would be possible for people to fill out more than one survey and that could possibly throw off results. This was not the intent of the process. It was originally intended that each person would be allowed to vote, but that process will not work effectively, so we are going to change the process slightly. Given this information, we will modify the survey so that your name and address will be required. This will mean that only one survey will be allowed for each house address. This should provide more accurate results, and since a ballot vote would only allow for one vote per house it will be consistent with that process. We are still planning on releasing the survey next Tuesday 8/6. Let me know if you have any questions.
Open your web browser, visit scshca.com, and click on Login at the top-right corner of the page.
Enter your username (email address) and password to log in.
After logging in you will be redirected to our Resident Home page. Select the Marketplace menu and click on Classifieds.
On the Classified Ads page, you will see a listing of all the currently posted ads. Click on the Place Ad button located above the listings.
Select a category for your ad from the drop-down menu and then click on the Continue
Enter the details for your ad:
Listing Title: A title for your ad, usually the name of the item.
Contact Name: Your name will be pre-filled.
Contact Email: Your email address will be pre-filled.
Contact Phone Number: A phone number to contact regarding ad.
Item Price: Your asking price for the item. Please note that you should only enter numerals. No other characters, such as letters or dollar symbols, are accepted in this field.
Ad Details: Provide a little more information about the item.
Next, you have the option of adding photos to your ad.
If you don’t have any photos simply click on the Complete Ad button.
Click on the Select Files button. A popup window will appear showing the files on your computer. Navigate to the location of your photos, click on the photo you wish to add, and click on the Open button. The photo will be uploaded to your ad. Repeat for additional photos if necessary. When finished uploading photos, click on the Complete Ad button.
Your ad will be reviewed by our website administrators and will be posted to the listings page once it is approved.
By default, classified ads are active for 30 days. You will receive an email giving you the option to renew for another 30 days before it expires.
You can make changes or delete your ad at any time by clicking on your ad, and then clicking on the Edit Ad button on your ad page.
Bill and his wife Nancy have lived in our community for six years. Prior to retiring, Bill served for 42 years as Executive Director of several major synagogues in New York City and Philadelphia. His last position was in Elkins Park, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel where he served as Executive Director for 25 years. This was the fifth largest synagogue in the U.S. where Bill's responsibilities included the management of all non-professional staff, financial functions, facilities, fund raising and hiring of major vendors.
As a synagogue professional, he achieved the status of Fellow in Temple Administration, became President of the National Association for Temple Administration, and served on the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism.
After retiring, Bill needed to keep busy and decided to volunteer in the community. He is currently a Crew Chief/Docent on the B-17 at the Palm Springs Air Museum (three days a week), a volunteer at the Tolerance Education Center and previously at the Living Desert and the final Bob Hope Golf Tournament.
He truly enjoys living in our beautiful community and is slowly but surely adapting to life in California.
Please join me and the other seven members serving on the FAC in welcoming Bill and thanking him for his service to our community.
We are having more Town Hall meetings this Thursday and Friday 8/1 and 8/2. Although we will be explaining the details in these meetings, I thought I would let you know that there will be two different plans presented at the meetings. There will be one plan from Spectrum and one plan from Frontier. The Spectrum plan will include both internet and TV services while the Frontier plan will only include internet services. Basic cost of the two different plans are as follows:
Spectrum Plan: Internet and TV
Basic Monthly Fee
$40
Taxes and Fees
$3 to $8
HOA Admin Fee
$0 to $1
Total
$43 to $49
Frontier Plan: Internet Only
Basic Monthly Fee
$12
Taxes and Fees
$0 to $0
HOA Admin Fee
$0 to $1
Total
$12 to $13
I thought I would pass along this preliminary information for you in advance of the Town Hall meetings. Details about both plans and the process going forward will be presented at the Town Hall meetings. Hopefully we will see you all at one of the meetings.
Desiree is back! She was our former Fitness Lead in 2016-2017 and is returning to Sun City Shadow Hills as our new Fitness Director. As the new Director, she is excited at the opportunity to offer high quality programs and services for the residents of SCSH, a community she says has “a wide-range of amenities and professional staff to help support a healthy lifestyle.”
Desiree attended California State University San Bernardino where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications-Public Relations. After graduating she became a health and wellness educator. For five years, she developed and implemented nutrition and exercise programs alongside public health foundations and non-profits, such as the Humana Foundation, FIND Food Bank, UC Riverside School of Medicine, and Boys and Girls Clubs.
While working Desiree decided to pursue her passion in physical training and became a successful Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She also received her Mat Pilates certification through Body Arts and Science International (BASI). Desiree worked at 24 Hour Fitness for nearly three years building and developing personal and group training programs. Her clients commonly sought Desiree’s eye for corrective exercise and helping them improve and restore their balance, core strength, joint mobility, and flexibility.
Desiree enjoys educating others about the benefits of quality personalized exercise programs and group activities. She is very adept in leading wellness programs, planning community health events, and promoting fitness and social activities. She is dedicated and compassionate in helping others reach a better quality of life and hopes to ensure SCSH continues to provide top-notch activities and services for all residents!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Desiree at desiree.porras@associa.us or stop by the Montecito Fitness Center.
Welcome to another day in paradise. With all that is happening to make this an even more perfect place to live, I count my lucky stars to have so many people willing to help make our community better. Take a moment, while appreciating all the sunsets, and be sure to thank all those neighbors that work so hard volunteering for our mutual benefit.
Last month we all got to witness the earthquakes that fortunately did little damage here at Shadow Hills. A little north of us, people were not so lucky. But, until an earthquake is upon us, we don’t think about the many people that look out for our safety every day.
The Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, made up of many that work together to warn and check on us after such an event, was active once again to make sure all was safe. This subcommittee’s process of evaluation, warnings, and follow-up to check on homes is appreciated by everyone but sometimes overlooked when there is no emergency. Chair Jeff Kirkpatrick and his subcommittee deserve our thanks, not only when emergencies arise but every day because they give us a sense of security and safety. They are watching out for us, getting ready to go into action at a moment’s notice when the occasion arises. As I have said in the past, when that day comes, Jeff and his volunteers will be the most important people on earth; and I for one am glad to have them here every day. Thank you all for doing what you do so well.
If you’ve not been to the Montecito Clubhouse to experience the new renovation, you need to visit and check out the magnificent job that has been done. Many have written to say thank you for a job well done. The new colors, furniture, and designs are just beautiful. A project that started over one year ago is now finished, and we all get to enjoy the outcome.
We need to thank the people who worked so hard to make this a reality. John Petersen, chair of the Facilities & Services Advisory Committee, led this task from beginning to end. The Interior Design Committee, made up of Linda Bostjanick, Ralph Erickson, Vicki Berg, Barbara Segal, Marie Devito, and Frankie Shack, all deserve our thanks and gratitude for a terrific job.
A very special thank you to Ralph Erickson, who worked throughout the construction process to be sure all was proceeding as designed. Construction is never a perfect science without changes, and Ralph was there to help answer the questions and find solutions when needed. Even when it was time for him to leave the area, he stayed here to make it all happen. How do you ever thank such a person? To all of you: well done, everyone is grateful.
As you all know, the Board has been investigating the pros and cons of a Bulk Cable Contract for the HOA at the request of many residents. This is a negotiation with the cable/Internet companies to provide Internet and TV services for a period of five years in order to reduce the monthly fee. The Board appointed a committee to investigate and gather information for the Board’s review. That committee is working on more proposals and ideas that have been presented to the HOA. Additional Town Hall meetings will be held August 1 and 2 to present more information about the different plans and the process to decide the outcome. The Board has determined that there must be a vote of the residents to give consent for such a five-year contract.
Currently, not only are we investigating an Internet/TV option, but we are also investigating an Internet only option. This option would mean the HOA would provide Internet only, and residents would then pick their own TV plan and purchase that service directly from a provider. There are positives and negatives to both options, so be sure to watch the Town Hall videos before deciding how you want to proceed: www.scshca.com/bulkcable.
As the next step, we will be sending out a survey through the e-blast system to find out your thoughts on having any type of cable contract. The goal of the survey will be to find out if residents want such a five-year contract and, if so, what kind of plan. This survey will be available on the website for residents to fill out. This is not the official vote by ballot; that will come later in the mail.
Only after these steps of gathering information are complete, along with resident input, will the Board decide on how or if we move forward with such a proposal. If the Board decides to move forward, an official ballot will be sent to every home because residents will have to give consent for the Board to proceed with a contract for five years. The Board may not proceed without the residents’ consent on such an action.
Please enjoy your day and never forget: it doesn’t get any better than this!
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