Las Palomas

President''s Letter - December '07

Jan 18, 2007

Las Palomas H.O.A.


Las Palomas ?“President?’s Perspective?”

To: Homeowners of Las Palomas
From: Ken Dry
Date: 12/31/2006
Re: Summary of December Meeting
For the minutes of the December 2006 meeting, please log on to our website at: www.neighborhoodlink.com/scottsdale/palomas/. Copies of the minutes will be available at the Las Palomas office for homeowners still in Las Palomas for the summer months. We have enclosed copies to out of town owners without e-mail access.
I would like to extend a Happy New Year to everyone.
I would like thank all Las Palomas members for helping to make 2006 a good year for our community. We have received a majority rating of approval for operations of the complex and will strive to satisfy as many of the requests set forth by all the members. Your input is the only way the Board has to judge its performance.
There continues to be some reoccurring issues that need to be address. There have been a number of complaints that pet?’s owners are not policing the functions of their animals. It is not acceptable to leave your pet?’s excrement on other people?’s property. Please pick up the poop. The city of Scottsdale and Las Palomas rules do not allow pets to be unleashed in common areas. Leash laws are very specific and apply to all animals, whether they are well trained or not. The city provides areas where owners may leave their pets to run freely, without violating any laws. There are also parks nearby that are excellent for exercising animals without much interference from other pet lovers. Hard to believe, but there are people who do not like animals running at them, regardless of the animals friendliness.
I am beginning to believe that some of the worse drivers live in Las Palomas or at least work for the residents. Outside of driving too fast, when they get where they are going they can?’t stay on the street and end up parking on the sidewalks. Our sidewalks are old and are starting to crack. A lot of this cracking and chipping is caused by cars and trucks driving onto the sidewalks. We are issuing written notices to all cars coming into Las Palomas to avoid parking on the sidewalks. Owners are responsible for all their invited guests and service workers. The last thing we want to do is start assessing violators for damage due to trespass on the common areas.
Beginning January 15th, 2007, the Family pool will not be heated. The heat will be turned on in time for Easter Break. When allowing your children and guests to use the Adult pool, please be sure to be courteous to your neighbors. Loud noises, screaming and shouting (I assume it would only be the children) should be controlled. Children wearing diapers should not be allowed in the pools. This is a health risk and cleanup of an ?“accident?” is very costly and can result in shutting down the pool for maintenance. Please cover the hot tub when you are through enjoying its?’ relaxing temperature.
We have had a few incidents when owners have questioned the actions of some of our employees in a manner that the Board considers as an over reaction to the situation. If anyone wishes to comment on an employee?’s actions, please contact Bob Wallace or a Board member.
There are specific numbers to contact the gate and the Las Palomas office. Do not rely on caller ID to return a call. Some of the phones are automatically picked up by a fax machine and can not be answered by an attendant once the fax has answered the call.
Our gate attendants are instructed to call residents to get permission to allow workers or guests to enter the property and at times have not been able to contact the owner. This could be caused by having the wrong number on file; the owner was indisposed and could not get to the phone or hear it ringing. This could usually be avoided if the owners would let the gate attendants know when and who you are expecting and whether they can be let in without notification. It takes time for our newer personnel to get to know our members. There are some owners I haven?’t meet and others I haven?’t seen enough to recognize them. Please help our gate attendants. Keep them informed.
As part of the 2007 Budget, The Board approved an additional assessment of $650 per lot, due in March, to cover the cost of repairs to the adult pool, tree removal and additional operating expenses that were not anticipated in the 2006 budget. Part of this money is also to be used to complete the repairs to the family pool, north tennis court and replace reserve funds that were used in 2006 and will be used in the first quarter of 2007. The money will be needed within the first three months of 2007. Our cash flow would not allow us to make it a part of the monthly assessments and still meet our expenses. The assessment will enable us to pay our bills on time and will keep our monthly payments lower. This assessment is consistent with the provisions of Article IV, section 3 of the C.C. & R s.
We will be electing four Board members at the February annual home owner?’s meeting. David Kelsey, Paul (Jerry) Ahler, Mike Frain and I are running for re-election. Norm Cocanour and I were elected for two years. I promised to run each eligible year, regardless of my elected term length. Norm is not obligated to run. If you wish to be considered as a candidate for a Board position, please submit your resume to the Board for consideration and possible inclusion on the ballot. All resumes must be in by the next meeting on January 17, 2007.
If you want an issue discussed at the next meeting, please let me know. I will include it in the agenda.
My e-mail address is totalexposure@msn.com. Let me know what you think (preferably in 100 words or less on any one issue) or come and talk to me. A very small percentage of the homeowners ever let us know what they are thinking. If you don?’t agree with us, let me know.
Hope to see you at the meeting in November.
Ken Dry