SunCrestResidents.org just learned that earlier in the week, it was Zions intention to close the market. After some happenings this week, that idea is still on the table, but is up for discussion.
Jake and Jerry plan to meet with Zions bank as early as Monday 6/30, to discuss what impact the store has on the project and to ultimately make the decision to either close or to remain open and operational.
Jake and Jerry would appreciate our help in this effort. What they propose is just a simple email from every resident possible. All that is needed is a short statement as to why we would like to keep the market open, and why it is a benefit to the development. In addition, include your name and subdivision.
Please send the emails directly to Jake and Jerry at suncrestmarket@yahoo.com so that they can print them off and have a nice pile of supportive e-mails on hand to share with the bank.
The voice of the people up here in SunCrest will have a very strong influence on their decision.
Make a difference and let your voice be heard!
Please take the time to send a quick e-mail immediately.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Latest Zions Info in the News
Here are the latest newspaper articles regarding SunCrest's purchase.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9714575?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700238350,00.html
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9714575?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700238350,00.html
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
SunCrestResidents.org Meeting Rescheduled
Normally, SR.org meets the fourth Tuesday of every month. Anyone is welcome to attend!
This month, due to the auction information and other events, our meeting will be held in conjunction with the Fire Safety Presentation:
ARE YOU FIRE WISE?
On Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Village Green park, (by the Info Center in SunCrest) the Unified Fire Authority of Salt Lake County will make a presentation to SunCrest residents, uniquely tailored to our concerns and needs. There will be information (and handouts) on fire-wise landscaping, fire dangers and prevention, and fire suppression. Learn about UFA's plans for SunCrest. If you live here, you need to know what you can do to keep your home and family safe. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, and join with your neighbors in this important event.
At 8:00 we will hold our regular SunCrestResidents.org meeting. We hope to have more information on what the results of the auction mean for the residents, a TRSSD update, and an OA report. We will do a Q/A and answer as many questions as we are able.
Plan to attend!
This month, due to the auction information and other events, our meeting will be held in conjunction with the Fire Safety Presentation:
ARE YOU FIRE WISE?
On Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Village Green park, (by the Info Center in SunCrest) the Unified Fire Authority of Salt Lake County will make a presentation to SunCrest residents, uniquely tailored to our concerns and needs. There will be information (and handouts) on fire-wise landscaping, fire dangers and prevention, and fire suppression. Learn about UFA's plans for SunCrest. If you live here, you need to know what you can do to keep your home and family safe. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, and join with your neighbors in this important event.
At 8:00 we will hold our regular SunCrestResidents.org meeting. We hope to have more information on what the results of the auction mean for the residents, a TRSSD update, and an OA report. We will do a Q/A and answer as many questions as we are able.
Plan to attend!
SunCrest Auction
SunCrest was auctioned off today. Three entities placed bids, but the judge refused two of them. Zions Bank offered $25 million for the property. They also agreed to pick up the tab (whether it's $12 million or $20 million) for infrastructure and other improvements to make the community comply with the master-development agreement.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9679676?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
We are doing some digging and checking into specifically what this means for SunCrest Residents. We will have more solid information to share at Friday's meeting.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9679676?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
We are doing some digging and checking into specifically what this means for SunCrest Residents. We will have more solid information to share at Friday's meeting.
Vote Tuesday
Democrats and Republicans in SL COUNTY: GO VOTE TUESDAY for school board members and State Treasurer at Draper City Hall, 1020 E. Pioneer Road.
Republicans in UT COUNTY: GO VOTE TUESDAY for State Treasurer at Ridgeline Elementary School at the bottom of the south side of the mountain, in Highland.
For all of our Salt Lake County SunCrest neighbors:
Tuesday, June 24th, is election day for the NEW school district board member that will represent the Draper area. There are several candidates to choose from:
Tracy Bennett, Steve Chambers, Paul McCarty, Lyn Pappas, Bill Rappleye, and Tony Rivas.
Several of us have met with and talked to Paul McCarty, Tracy Bennett and Steve Chambers. Paul and Tracy seem very qualified and have a lot of experience in the education arena, and Steve seems willing to give it all he's got.
PLEASE take the time to go to the Trib Candidate Bio Web site and make an informed decision:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9416611?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
This is NOT a Primary Election. You may vote for only one candidate, and whoever gets the highest percentage, even if it's only 25%, will win the seat. As this new district is forming, it is vital to have board members who know what they're doing, ones who can work with parents, teachers and administrators to create the best possible educational scenario for our children.
All Republicans in SunCrest also have the opportunity to vote in the Primary Election for the Republican candidate for State Treasurer, between Richard Ellis and Mark Walker.
From the Trib:
GOP candidates for state treasurer
Who is Richard Ellis?
* Chief deputy state treasurer for eight years
* 48 years old
* Lives in West Jordan
* Bachelor's in business/finance, Brigham Young University
* MBA, University of Utah
* Married to Joyce Ellis, parents to six boys
Who is Mark Walker?
* State representative for four years
* Former Zions Bank employee
* 32 years old
* Lives in Sandy
* Bachelor's in political science, University of Utah
* Married`to Kimberly Walker, parents to three daughters, one son, fifth child due in October
Republicans in UT COUNTY: GO VOTE TUESDAY for State Treasurer at Ridgeline Elementary School at the bottom of the south side of the mountain, in Highland.
For all of our Salt Lake County SunCrest neighbors:
Tuesday, June 24th, is election day for the NEW school district board member that will represent the Draper area. There are several candidates to choose from:
Tracy Bennett, Steve Chambers, Paul McCarty, Lyn Pappas, Bill Rappleye, and Tony Rivas.
Several of us have met with and talked to Paul McCarty, Tracy Bennett and Steve Chambers. Paul and Tracy seem very qualified and have a lot of experience in the education arena, and Steve seems willing to give it all he's got.
PLEASE take the time to go to the Trib Candidate Bio Web site and make an informed decision:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_9416611?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com
This is NOT a Primary Election. You may vote for only one candidate, and whoever gets the highest percentage, even if it's only 25%, will win the seat. As this new district is forming, it is vital to have board members who know what they're doing, ones who can work with parents, teachers and administrators to create the best possible educational scenario for our children.
All Republicans in SunCrest also have the opportunity to vote in the Primary Election for the Republican candidate for State Treasurer, between Richard Ellis and Mark Walker.
From the Trib:
GOP candidates for state treasurer
Who is Richard Ellis?
* Chief deputy state treasurer for eight years
* 48 years old
* Lives in West Jordan
* Bachelor's in business/finance, Brigham Young University
* MBA, University of Utah
* Married to Joyce Ellis, parents to six boys
Who is Mark Walker?
* State representative for four years
* Former Zions Bank employee
* 32 years old
* Lives in Sandy
* Bachelor's in political science, University of Utah
* Married`to Kimberly Walker, parents to three daughters, one son, fifth child due in October
Thursday, June 19, 2008
OA Meeting Minutes 6/19
Prepared by Eagle Crest Neighborhood Rep/Voting Member, Denise Borst:
Recap of meeting:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:Traverse Ridge Road will be closed to traffic from the 4 way stop south to Eagle Crest Drive starting at the end of next week and scheduled for completion on September 18th.
The areas that will be impacted are the Cove, Tallwoods and Oak Vista. Access to the Suncrest Market will also be restricted.The street is being resurfaced and curbing and gutters put in place.
There are several community activities that will be affected. Tod Bean will be communicating with the project manager to come up with some solutions.
The areas identified are: the community cleanup scheduled for July14-16 with the dumpster slated to be placed next to the OA trailers, the September 13th run scheduled for SunCrest, access for the Alpine district school buses for school starting on August 18th, and the Parade of Homes scheduled for August.
Reminder that the SunCrest approved garage sale is this Saturday, June 21st.
The OA office still has plenty of discounted tickets to Lagoon for July 26th. Each ticket allows up to 8 people to purchase discounted tickets priced at $27 ea for anyone 4 or older. The normal price is $39.95. This will be a great time to visit Lagoon and see some of your neighbors, the Uinta Pavillion has been reserved for SunCrest residents.
Financial:54 lien notices were sent to homeowners who are in arrears on their OA dues, of those, 35 went to the collection agency and of those 35, 7 have been paid in full. The management company is continuing with efforts to collect past due dues.
Today was the hearing for potential buyers to submit their bids to purchase SunCrest. The judge's ruling is scheduled for Monday, June 23rd.
The next scheduled meeting of the OA board is Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 3pm at the information center in the basement. By then we will hopefully have a new developer in place.
Denise
Recap of meeting:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:Traverse Ridge Road will be closed to traffic from the 4 way stop south to Eagle Crest Drive starting at the end of next week and scheduled for completion on September 18th.
The areas that will be impacted are the Cove, Tallwoods and Oak Vista. Access to the Suncrest Market will also be restricted.The street is being resurfaced and curbing and gutters put in place.
There are several community activities that will be affected. Tod Bean will be communicating with the project manager to come up with some solutions.
The areas identified are: the community cleanup scheduled for July14-16 with the dumpster slated to be placed next to the OA trailers, the September 13th run scheduled for SunCrest, access for the Alpine district school buses for school starting on August 18th, and the Parade of Homes scheduled for August.
Reminder that the SunCrest approved garage sale is this Saturday, June 21st.
The OA office still has plenty of discounted tickets to Lagoon for July 26th. Each ticket allows up to 8 people to purchase discounted tickets priced at $27 ea for anyone 4 or older. The normal price is $39.95. This will be a great time to visit Lagoon and see some of your neighbors, the Uinta Pavillion has been reserved for SunCrest residents.
Financial:54 lien notices were sent to homeowners who are in arrears on their OA dues, of those, 35 went to the collection agency and of those 35, 7 have been paid in full. The management company is continuing with efforts to collect past due dues.
Today was the hearing for potential buyers to submit their bids to purchase SunCrest. The judge's ruling is scheduled for Monday, June 23rd.
The next scheduled meeting of the OA board is Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 3pm at the information center in the basement. By then we will hopefully have a new developer in place.
Denise
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Traverse Ridge Road Closure
Traverse Ridge Road repairs.
The Council approved a $1.2 million contract with Geneva Rock to repair Traverse Ridge Road from the four-way intersection in SunCrest to its end at Eagle Crest Drive.
Half of the money comes from the recent $11 million state allocation for road improvements in Salt Lake County; the other half comes from Utah County, which had agreed from the outset to be responsible for half of the costs of maintaining that section of the road.
The roadwork involves tearing out the asphalt surface and the first 33 inches of subgrade material and then replacing both, along with the existing sidewalk and gutter.
The work will begin next week from the Eagle Crest end and progress in stages, blocking the road a section at a time, with completion anticipated in mid-September. Local access to The Cove will be preserved, although it will be over dirt for a time.
Apparently, access to the market from Traverse Ridge Road will be blocked for a time as well; it will be necessary to approach the market from Deer Ridge Road through the Visitor’s Center parking lot until that section of the reconstruction work is completed.
Submitted by Scott Blackmer.
The Council approved a $1.2 million contract with Geneva Rock to repair Traverse Ridge Road from the four-way intersection in SunCrest to its end at Eagle Crest Drive.
Half of the money comes from the recent $11 million state allocation for road improvements in Salt Lake County; the other half comes from Utah County, which had agreed from the outset to be responsible for half of the costs of maintaining that section of the road.
The roadwork involves tearing out the asphalt surface and the first 33 inches of subgrade material and then replacing both, along with the existing sidewalk and gutter.
The work will begin next week from the Eagle Crest end and progress in stages, blocking the road a section at a time, with completion anticipated in mid-September. Local access to The Cove will be preserved, although it will be over dirt for a time.
Apparently, access to the market from Traverse Ridge Road will be blocked for a time as well; it will be necessary to approach the market from Deer Ridge Road through the Visitor’s Center parking lot until that section of the reconstruction work is completed.
Submitted by Scott Blackmer.
Notes from the TRSSD Meeting*
Traverse Ridge Special Services District. The TRSSD budget was approved, but several SunCrest residents, including OA trustee Barbara Blackmer, raised concerns about the TRSSD. Several Council members and the City’s Finance Director responded with some helpful assurances on the record:
a. the new snow removal equipment will be used only for the TRSSD (which is funded by an extra tax imposed only on residents of SunCrest and The Cove at Little Valley)
b. the new snow equipment and a new salt dome at SunCrest should reduce operating costs for snow removal in the winter
c. the TRSSD surplus will be used only for services in the TRSSD
d. the City will consider reducing tax rates when the TRSSD maintains a contingency reserve (after making the capital expenditures this year for new snow equipment) of about $500,000
e. the City, according to the Finance Director (in response to questions from the Council), essentially covers its excess costs from the TRSSD; there are no additional costs that she recommends recovering from the TRSSD. (This is a useful admission, since we have occasionally heard city councilmen or staff speculate that SunCrest costs the City more in excess costs than it gets from the TRSSD.)
f. the City will examine average property assessments to determine if SunCrest properties tend to have a higher valuation because of their view, and therefore already contribute disproportionately to the City’s share of property tax revenues
g. the City will meet with SunCrest residents earlier in the budget process
h. the City attorney will draft a proposal to create a TRSSD Administrative Control Board including two SunCrest residents to oversee and advise the TRSSD board (which by state law is comprised only of the City Mayor and Council).
Note that the 2008-09 budget assumes lower growth in the TRSSD (it was 5.4% in the past fiscal year, compared to 38.9% the year before) and a lower rate of collections (largely because SunCrest LLC has failed to pay its property taxes). As a consequence, the tax rate has gone up slightly under an automatic state formula.
*Notes prepared by Scott Blackmer.
a. the new snow removal equipment will be used only for the TRSSD (which is funded by an extra tax imposed only on residents of SunCrest and The Cove at Little Valley)
b. the new snow equipment and a new salt dome at SunCrest should reduce operating costs for snow removal in the winter
c. the TRSSD surplus will be used only for services in the TRSSD
d. the City will consider reducing tax rates when the TRSSD maintains a contingency reserve (after making the capital expenditures this year for new snow equipment) of about $500,000
e. the City, according to the Finance Director (in response to questions from the Council), essentially covers its excess costs from the TRSSD; there are no additional costs that she recommends recovering from the TRSSD. (This is a useful admission, since we have occasionally heard city councilmen or staff speculate that SunCrest costs the City more in excess costs than it gets from the TRSSD.)
f. the City will examine average property assessments to determine if SunCrest properties tend to have a higher valuation because of their view, and therefore already contribute disproportionately to the City’s share of property tax revenues
g. the City will meet with SunCrest residents earlier in the budget process
h. the City attorney will draft a proposal to create a TRSSD Administrative Control Board including two SunCrest residents to oversee and advise the TRSSD board (which by state law is comprised only of the City Mayor and Council).
Note that the 2008-09 budget assumes lower growth in the TRSSD (it was 5.4% in the past fiscal year, compared to 38.9% the year before) and a lower rate of collections (largely because SunCrest LLC has failed to pay its property taxes). As a consequence, the tax rate has gone up slightly under an automatic state formula.
*Notes prepared by Scott Blackmer.
Lost Dog
Is your dog missing?
Last night some Oak Vista residents found a small dog that was lost.
Please call Sarah at 601.8889 or Kathy at 523-0190 to verify description.
Last night some Oak Vista residents found a small dog that was lost.
Please call Sarah at 601.8889 or Kathy at 523-0190 to verify description.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Thank you!
Thank you to the 40-50 SunCrest residents who attended the City Council meeting this evening. It is so important for our city officials to see that we are involved and interested in the process, and there were some excellent outcomes as a result:
1. The mayor suggested a Town Hall meeting in/for SunCrest prior to budget crunch time from now on (April-ish?). We can have questions answered and increase transparency, accountability and communication as a result.
2. A couple of Council members spoke to Barbara Blackmer's request that a resident or two be added to the TRSSD Council. In order to do that, a TRSSD Advisory Board needs to be created. City Attorney Doug Ahlstrom will start on that paperwork immediately, and we'd like to see some resident members appointed within the next couple of months.
3. The overall consensus seemed to be that the surplus will be used for better snow equipment to increase the level of snow removal service that we receive in the future. From now on, a pro-rated portion of our taxes will be set aside for equipment replacement each year so that we won't see a huge tax increase to replace old equipment.
4. It seems like there'a much better plan in place to justify where our money is going and that the rationale behind it is sound. TRSSD is to cover "costs in excess" of what other Draper residents pay, and the City is now thoroughly tracking that information.
Again, a HUGE thank you for taking time (little did we know that they wouldn't actually get to our 6:30 agenda time until 8:00 or so!!!) to attend and show your interest in the TRSSD issue. Stay tuned for updates on resident appointees to the TRSSD Advisory Board.
1. The mayor suggested a Town Hall meeting in/for SunCrest prior to budget crunch time from now on (April-ish?). We can have questions answered and increase transparency, accountability and communication as a result.
2. A couple of Council members spoke to Barbara Blackmer's request that a resident or two be added to the TRSSD Council. In order to do that, a TRSSD Advisory Board needs to be created. City Attorney Doug Ahlstrom will start on that paperwork immediately, and we'd like to see some resident members appointed within the next couple of months.
3. The overall consensus seemed to be that the surplus will be used for better snow equipment to increase the level of snow removal service that we receive in the future. From now on, a pro-rated portion of our taxes will be set aside for equipment replacement each year so that we won't see a huge tax increase to replace old equipment.
4. It seems like there'a much better plan in place to justify where our money is going and that the rationale behind it is sound. TRSSD is to cover "costs in excess" of what other Draper residents pay, and the City is now thoroughly tracking that information.
Again, a HUGE thank you for taking time (little did we know that they wouldn't actually get to our 6:30 agenda time until 8:00 or so!!!) to attend and show your interest in the TRSSD issue. Stay tuned for updates on resident appointees to the TRSSD Advisory Board.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Fire Safety Presentation
ARE YOU FIRE WISE?
On Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Village Green park, (by the Info Center in SunCrest) the Unified Fire Authority of Salt Lake County will make a presentation to SunCrest residents, uniquely tailored to our concerns and needs. There will be information (and handouts) on fire-wise landscaping, fire dangers and prevention, and fire suppression. Learn about UFA's plans for SunCrest. If you live here, you need to know what you can do to keep your home and family safe. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, and join with your neighbors in this important event.
On Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Village Green park, (by the Info Center in SunCrest) the Unified Fire Authority of Salt Lake County will make a presentation to SunCrest residents, uniquely tailored to our concerns and needs. There will be information (and handouts) on fire-wise landscaping, fire dangers and prevention, and fire suppression. Learn about UFA's plans for SunCrest. If you live here, you need to know what you can do to keep your home and family safe. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets, and join with your neighbors in this important event.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Bankruptcy Delay
The closing date for bids in the bankruptcy proceeding has been extended to June 19, with the auction itself rescheduled to June 23. Scott Wiggins and the other two remaining SunCrest LLC employees have been retained through July 4.
Taxes-TRSSD
SunCrest Residents,
We need your help! Please take the time to attend the Draper City Council Traverse Ridge Special Services District (“TRSSD”) meeting to be held at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 17th. Additional TRSSD items may be discussed during the City Council meeting at 7:00. Both meetings are open to the public, and several SunCrest residents plan to attend. We will have a couple of spokespersons for SunCrestResidents.org and the OA Board, and we encourage residents to attend, even if they do not plan to offer comments, to show the City Council that we are watching TRSSD developments closely.
The agenda and related documents for the City Council meeting may be downloaded from the city website at www.draper.ut.us (click on Agendas and Minutes and then City Council, then select the materials for the meeting on June 17, 2008). The TRSSD budget, along with the 2007 actual revenue and expense figures, is found at www.draper.ut.us/vertical/Sites/%7B9B0E25D7-5E8F-45BF-AFAB-8658E160BEA4%7D/uploads/%7B4721D9B1-4C54-47FB-8FF5-1C1E44AFA2AC%7D.PDF.
The Reader’s Digest Version:
What is TRSSD?
TRSSD is a “special services district” that covers all of the SunCrest subdivision. It was created at the same time the SunCrest subdivision was created. Its purpose was to cover the difference in costs between “regular” Draper city services and “special” Draper city services provided to SunCrest because of its high elevation (i.e.: extra snowplowing). The TRSSD fund was created to pay for this difference in services and the property owners in SunCrest are charged a separate property tax assessment with their property tax bill. The TRSSD property tax is approximately 120% more than what you pay in Draper City property taxes. Since this is to pay for additional “special” services, you are also charged Draper City Property taxes to pay for “regular” Draper City services (police, road maintenance, etc.). The members of the TRSSD board are the members of Draper City Council. SunCrestResidents.org has also made a request to have a resident member added to the TRSSD board to speak for those of us who live in the District. This request will most likely be discussed by the City Council in the next couple of months.
Why should I attend?
Since this has a direct financial impact on every SunCrest resident, it is important that our elected officials know what we think about their budget proposals for TRSSD. Otherwise, they will make decisions based solely upon their own knowledge without our input.
What will be discussed?
The major agenda item is the 2008-2009 budget for the TRSSD (below are some of the numbers being proposed). One of the major items being considered is the purchase of a $390K snow auger similar to ones purchased by Park City that will allow quicker snow removal.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About TRSSD…and then some:
Snow and Taxes: TRSSD As reported in the media, Draper City is considering using some of the surplus that has built up in the TRSSD fund to purchase additional snow removal equipment for the TRSSD and build a covered salt dome in SunCrest. Based on the experience of the past winter, the city is also considering budget increases for the TRSSD fund to cover higher costs for road salt, fuel, and labor than originally estimated.
Many residents have voiced concern over the level of taxation for the TRSSD, questioned whether we are getting necessary and satisfactory services for that tax, and asked why tax rates have not been reduced, since the TRSSD fund has accrued a surplus of more than $764,000.
On Friday, June 13, DeLaina and Paul Tonks of SuncrestResidents.org, Barbara Blackmer of the SunCrest OA Board of Trustees, and Barbara’s husband, attorney Scott Blackmer, met with Danyce Steck, Draper City’s Finance Director to discuss the TRSSD and the current proposals, in preparation for the June 17 meetings. Here is a summary of our research on the TRSSD and the meeting with Ms. Steck:
Background. The TRSSD was created at the suggestion of the developer (Terrabrook) in connection with the city’s approval of the SunCrest development. The city’s concern was that a development on top of the mountain would be more costly to service than residential areas elsewhere within the city limits. The additional cost of pumping water up to SunCrest would be reflected in a higher water rate charged to SunCrest residents. But the city concluded that a high-elevation development would also impose unusually high costs in other areas – particularly for snow removal, street cleaning, street lighting and maintenance, and trash disposal. This was the rationale for creating a special service tax district, the TRSSD, which collects an additional percentage of assessed value on each taxable property within the TRSSD to pay for the additional cost of such services. The result is reportedly that SunCrest residents pay more than twice the level of property tax that is paid by homeowners with a similar home valuation in Salt Lake or Utah Counties, respectively.
Historical problems. Many of us have been frustrated in the past by a relative lack of transparency in the TRSSD and inconsistent methods used to establish the “excess” costs of servicing our development. The city has gone through seven finance directors in ten years. There have been proposals at times to use the TRSSD fund for expenses that seemed to have little to do with “high-altitude” costs, such as funding a traffic light at the intersection of Traverse Ridge Road and Suncrest Drive (this expense is now planned from the General Fund, as it should be). The large and growing surplus in the TRSSD fund suggested that tax rates might be too high, while at the same time some city officials insisted that the rates were not high enough.
Meanwhile, despite the efforts of the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW), we have found it hard to negotiate the streets in winter. City snow removal equipment broke down at SunCrest in the heavy snows last winter, and the city spent nearly twice as much as was budgeted for road salt to de-ice the roads and streets. In fact, salt is by far the largest single expense item for the TRSSD budget: $225,000 for 2008, and snow removal equipment is the largest capital expense associate with the TRSSD.
Better management. We have seen improvements in planning and reporting with the advent of a new city manager and a new finance director (who has years of experience with larger special services districts in Arizona). There is more transparency concerning the methodology for allocating costs to the TRSSD. The controlling concept is that the TRSSD should pay only for “costs in excess” of ordinary service costs in the city.
What the records show. Under the new finance director, DPW employees started recording their hours spent at SunCrest and traveling between SunCrest and the DPW yard on Minuteman Drive. They record their fuel expenses and the salt used within the TRSSD. (They often use a special “red salt” on Traverse Ridge Road and the streets in Suncrest, because this product is more effective in de-icing, although it is more costly than what is used elsewhere in Draper.) The city also measured the lane-miles in Draper (the length of roads and streets multiplied by the number of lanes in each) to compare how much street surface there is in Draper as a whole with how much there is within the TRSSD.
Here is what the records show for last winter (November 1 – April 15): The roads and streets within the TRSSD represent only 7% of the lane-miles in Draper, but DPW staff spent 20% of their time dealing with snow removal and other work in the TRSSD over the winter, and 80% of the cost of salt used by the city over the winter was for salt used in the TRSSD. Snow removal expenses cost Draper more than $14,000 per lane-mile in the TRSSD over the 5 ½ - month winter season, and only about $2300 per lane-mile in the rest of Draper. The difference is the principal “excess cost” that the TRSSD has to pay for.
Nov. 1, 2007-April 19, 2008 figures for snow removal:
Lane miles in the District: 32
Lane miles in rest of Draper: 408
Total Cost snow removal in the District: $436,003
Total Cost snow removal in rest of Draper: $583,801
Average cost per lane mile for snow removal in rest of Draper: $1,430.88
Average cost per lane mile in the District: $13,797.57
Cost to be assessed to TRSSD fund for snow removal: $12,366.68 per lane mile ($13,797.57 minus $1,430.88)
Total snow removal cost assessed to TRSSD 2007-2008:
$390,787 Excess cost per mile
$19,802 Special red salt (salt mixed with red sand for traction)
$9,056 Extra equipment repair costs in District
$53,250 10% administration fee for administering the District
Total: $472,904
Because of the excess funds in the TRSSD fund, Draper officials are proposing a one time purchase of special snow removal equipment to be used only in SunCrest. Additionally, since it takes time and money to drive down the hill to the salt dome to get salt to be used in the District, Draper officials are proposing that TRSSD funds be used to build a salt dome just off of SunCrest drive to house salt that will be used in the District.
In addition, two of the city’s snow plows were disabled by broken axles while trying to clear snow at SunCrest, and on one of them the cab broke off the truck, so there is a need to replace that equipment with snow removal equipment that will work better in deeper snow.
Note: This method has not been used in the past by Draper, which can be attributed to the turnover of city managers and financial directors, and also to some city staff and employees not understanding that TRSSD residents were also being charged Draper City property taxes in addition to TRSSD property taxes.
Snow solutions. Last winter was unusually harsh, but snow removal is consistently a bigger challenge in the TRSSD than it is in the rest of Draper. The city acknowledged that snow removal was not done to an adequate level of service last winter. Although Traverse Ridge Road was kept open almost continuously, lanes were covered most of the winter on almost every street in the TRSSD, so that the streets were narrow and icy. DPW did not come to plow sufficiently early and often to prevent compaction and ice build-up – hence the need to use so much salt to break down the ice, which is costly and “burns” the adjacent landscaping.
DPW thinks it has found a better solution for next winter and the long term. The proposal before the city council is to purchase a Canadian-made Larue self-propelled snowblower (similar to the “snow auger” that was used several times last winter, but more advanced). These “big red trucks” throw the snow further off the road, and the throw can be controlled for distance and direction. With all the attachments, the cost will be about $420,000, and the equipment is expected to last 10-20 years. This is the same equipment that Park City uses. In addition, the city would lease a front-end loader for the winter months to move snow out of the cul-de-sacs, corners, and other places where it built up in huge mounds this past winter. The object is to keep the streets much more clear than was the case last winter.
DPW says it can dramatically reduce man-hours and salt consumption by using this equipment, along with traditional plows, to clear the snow before snow and ice accumulates on the roads to the extent it did this winter. Also, placing a salt dome at SunCrest means quicker response and fewer trips up and down the mountain for supplies. Thus, DPW recommends a larger capital investment in equipment and the salt dome this year, to reduce operating costs in the future.
The money for the equipment purchases is slated to come from the surplus in the TRSSD fund; it would not require a tax increase.
Questions. There are several questions that should be raised with the city council:
1. Will the new snow removal equipment be used exclusively for the TRSSD? If not, the capital expense and related operating costs should be pro-rated so that the rest of the city bears an appropriate portion of the financial burden.
2. Are there alternatives to heavy salting that will be less costly and less damaging to our landscaping? (Is it possible, for example, to use fertilizer or CMA instead of salt, and by clearing the snow more quickly reduce the amount of de-icer that must be laid down?)
3. Exactly which neighborhoods and portions of Traverse Ridge Road are included in the TRSSD? It is hard to imagine that snow removal and maintenance at SunCrest are dramatically more expensive, for example, than at Montreaux, the Cove at Little Valley, and the higher elevations of South Mountain developments. Which of these neighborhoods share in the cost of the TRSSD or get the benefits of additional services?
4. How does Suncrest Drive factor into the budget and service plans, since it has not yet been accepted as a city street?
5. Currently the TRSSD board is comprised of the mayor and city council; it may have included a Terrabrook officer in the past. Can we get a SunCrest resident appointed to the board, to represent those who are being taxed for the TRSSD and served by the TRSSD?
6. The finance director is planning to issue a two-page “popular budget” for the city and the TRSSD (a summary of revenues, expenses, and reserves), and we encourage such efforts to make it easier for residents to see what the city is spending and planning. With more consistent financial methodology over time, we should be able to track the needs of the TRSSD to avoid over-taxing and unnecessary reserve levels in the future.
If you have other TRSSD-related ideas or questions but cannot attend the city meetings on the 17th, please contact DeLaina or Barbara or post your questions on the blog at www.suncrestresidents.blogspot.com
We need your help! Please take the time to attend the Draper City Council Traverse Ridge Special Services District (“TRSSD”) meeting to be held at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 17th. Additional TRSSD items may be discussed during the City Council meeting at 7:00. Both meetings are open to the public, and several SunCrest residents plan to attend. We will have a couple of spokespersons for SunCrestResidents.org and the OA Board, and we encourage residents to attend, even if they do not plan to offer comments, to show the City Council that we are watching TRSSD developments closely.
The agenda and related documents for the City Council meeting may be downloaded from the city website at www.draper.ut.us (click on Agendas and Minutes and then City Council, then select the materials for the meeting on June 17, 2008). The TRSSD budget, along with the 2007 actual revenue and expense figures, is found at www.draper.ut.us/vertical/Sites/%7B9B0E25D7-5E8F-45BF-AFAB-8658E160BEA4%7D/uploads/%7B4721D9B1-4C54-47FB-8FF5-1C1E44AFA2AC%7D.PDF.
The Reader’s Digest Version:
What is TRSSD?
TRSSD is a “special services district” that covers all of the SunCrest subdivision. It was created at the same time the SunCrest subdivision was created. Its purpose was to cover the difference in costs between “regular” Draper city services and “special” Draper city services provided to SunCrest because of its high elevation (i.e.: extra snowplowing). The TRSSD fund was created to pay for this difference in services and the property owners in SunCrest are charged a separate property tax assessment with their property tax bill. The TRSSD property tax is approximately 120% more than what you pay in Draper City property taxes. Since this is to pay for additional “special” services, you are also charged Draper City Property taxes to pay for “regular” Draper City services (police, road maintenance, etc.). The members of the TRSSD board are the members of Draper City Council. SunCrestResidents.org has also made a request to have a resident member added to the TRSSD board to speak for those of us who live in the District. This request will most likely be discussed by the City Council in the next couple of months.
Why should I attend?
Since this has a direct financial impact on every SunCrest resident, it is important that our elected officials know what we think about their budget proposals for TRSSD. Otherwise, they will make decisions based solely upon their own knowledge without our input.
What will be discussed?
The major agenda item is the 2008-2009 budget for the TRSSD (below are some of the numbers being proposed). One of the major items being considered is the purchase of a $390K snow auger similar to ones purchased by Park City that will allow quicker snow removal.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About TRSSD…and then some:
Snow and Taxes: TRSSD As reported in the media, Draper City is considering using some of the surplus that has built up in the TRSSD fund to purchase additional snow removal equipment for the TRSSD and build a covered salt dome in SunCrest. Based on the experience of the past winter, the city is also considering budget increases for the TRSSD fund to cover higher costs for road salt, fuel, and labor than originally estimated.
Many residents have voiced concern over the level of taxation for the TRSSD, questioned whether we are getting necessary and satisfactory services for that tax, and asked why tax rates have not been reduced, since the TRSSD fund has accrued a surplus of more than $764,000.
On Friday, June 13, DeLaina and Paul Tonks of SuncrestResidents.org, Barbara Blackmer of the SunCrest OA Board of Trustees, and Barbara’s husband, attorney Scott Blackmer, met with Danyce Steck, Draper City’s Finance Director to discuss the TRSSD and the current proposals, in preparation for the June 17 meetings. Here is a summary of our research on the TRSSD and the meeting with Ms. Steck:
Background. The TRSSD was created at the suggestion of the developer (Terrabrook) in connection with the city’s approval of the SunCrest development. The city’s concern was that a development on top of the mountain would be more costly to service than residential areas elsewhere within the city limits. The additional cost of pumping water up to SunCrest would be reflected in a higher water rate charged to SunCrest residents. But the city concluded that a high-elevation development would also impose unusually high costs in other areas – particularly for snow removal, street cleaning, street lighting and maintenance, and trash disposal. This was the rationale for creating a special service tax district, the TRSSD, which collects an additional percentage of assessed value on each taxable property within the TRSSD to pay for the additional cost of such services. The result is reportedly that SunCrest residents pay more than twice the level of property tax that is paid by homeowners with a similar home valuation in Salt Lake or Utah Counties, respectively.
Historical problems. Many of us have been frustrated in the past by a relative lack of transparency in the TRSSD and inconsistent methods used to establish the “excess” costs of servicing our development. The city has gone through seven finance directors in ten years. There have been proposals at times to use the TRSSD fund for expenses that seemed to have little to do with “high-altitude” costs, such as funding a traffic light at the intersection of Traverse Ridge Road and Suncrest Drive (this expense is now planned from the General Fund, as it should be). The large and growing surplus in the TRSSD fund suggested that tax rates might be too high, while at the same time some city officials insisted that the rates were not high enough.
Meanwhile, despite the efforts of the city’s Department of Public Works (DPW), we have found it hard to negotiate the streets in winter. City snow removal equipment broke down at SunCrest in the heavy snows last winter, and the city spent nearly twice as much as was budgeted for road salt to de-ice the roads and streets. In fact, salt is by far the largest single expense item for the TRSSD budget: $225,000 for 2008, and snow removal equipment is the largest capital expense associate with the TRSSD.
Better management. We have seen improvements in planning and reporting with the advent of a new city manager and a new finance director (who has years of experience with larger special services districts in Arizona). There is more transparency concerning the methodology for allocating costs to the TRSSD. The controlling concept is that the TRSSD should pay only for “costs in excess” of ordinary service costs in the city.
What the records show. Under the new finance director, DPW employees started recording their hours spent at SunCrest and traveling between SunCrest and the DPW yard on Minuteman Drive. They record their fuel expenses and the salt used within the TRSSD. (They often use a special “red salt” on Traverse Ridge Road and the streets in Suncrest, because this product is more effective in de-icing, although it is more costly than what is used elsewhere in Draper.) The city also measured the lane-miles in Draper (the length of roads and streets multiplied by the number of lanes in each) to compare how much street surface there is in Draper as a whole with how much there is within the TRSSD.
Here is what the records show for last winter (November 1 – April 15): The roads and streets within the TRSSD represent only 7% of the lane-miles in Draper, but DPW staff spent 20% of their time dealing with snow removal and other work in the TRSSD over the winter, and 80% of the cost of salt used by the city over the winter was for salt used in the TRSSD. Snow removal expenses cost Draper more than $14,000 per lane-mile in the TRSSD over the 5 ½ - month winter season, and only about $2300 per lane-mile in the rest of Draper. The difference is the principal “excess cost” that the TRSSD has to pay for.
Nov. 1, 2007-April 19, 2008 figures for snow removal:
Lane miles in the District: 32
Lane miles in rest of Draper: 408
Total Cost snow removal in the District: $436,003
Total Cost snow removal in rest of Draper: $583,801
Average cost per lane mile for snow removal in rest of Draper: $1,430.88
Average cost per lane mile in the District: $13,797.57
Cost to be assessed to TRSSD fund for snow removal: $12,366.68 per lane mile ($13,797.57 minus $1,430.88)
Total snow removal cost assessed to TRSSD 2007-2008:
$390,787 Excess cost per mile
$19,802 Special red salt (salt mixed with red sand for traction)
$9,056 Extra equipment repair costs in District
$53,250 10% administration fee for administering the District
Total: $472,904
Because of the excess funds in the TRSSD fund, Draper officials are proposing a one time purchase of special snow removal equipment to be used only in SunCrest. Additionally, since it takes time and money to drive down the hill to the salt dome to get salt to be used in the District, Draper officials are proposing that TRSSD funds be used to build a salt dome just off of SunCrest drive to house salt that will be used in the District.
In addition, two of the city’s snow plows were disabled by broken axles while trying to clear snow at SunCrest, and on one of them the cab broke off the truck, so there is a need to replace that equipment with snow removal equipment that will work better in deeper snow.
Note: This method has not been used in the past by Draper, which can be attributed to the turnover of city managers and financial directors, and also to some city staff and employees not understanding that TRSSD residents were also being charged Draper City property taxes in addition to TRSSD property taxes.
Snow solutions. Last winter was unusually harsh, but snow removal is consistently a bigger challenge in the TRSSD than it is in the rest of Draper. The city acknowledged that snow removal was not done to an adequate level of service last winter. Although Traverse Ridge Road was kept open almost continuously, lanes were covered most of the winter on almost every street in the TRSSD, so that the streets were narrow and icy. DPW did not come to plow sufficiently early and often to prevent compaction and ice build-up – hence the need to use so much salt to break down the ice, which is costly and “burns” the adjacent landscaping.
DPW thinks it has found a better solution for next winter and the long term. The proposal before the city council is to purchase a Canadian-made Larue self-propelled snowblower (similar to the “snow auger” that was used several times last winter, but more advanced). These “big red trucks” throw the snow further off the road, and the throw can be controlled for distance and direction. With all the attachments, the cost will be about $420,000, and the equipment is expected to last 10-20 years. This is the same equipment that Park City uses. In addition, the city would lease a front-end loader for the winter months to move snow out of the cul-de-sacs, corners, and other places where it built up in huge mounds this past winter. The object is to keep the streets much more clear than was the case last winter.
DPW says it can dramatically reduce man-hours and salt consumption by using this equipment, along with traditional plows, to clear the snow before snow and ice accumulates on the roads to the extent it did this winter. Also, placing a salt dome at SunCrest means quicker response and fewer trips up and down the mountain for supplies. Thus, DPW recommends a larger capital investment in equipment and the salt dome this year, to reduce operating costs in the future.
The money for the equipment purchases is slated to come from the surplus in the TRSSD fund; it would not require a tax increase.
Questions. There are several questions that should be raised with the city council:
1. Will the new snow removal equipment be used exclusively for the TRSSD? If not, the capital expense and related operating costs should be pro-rated so that the rest of the city bears an appropriate portion of the financial burden.
2. Are there alternatives to heavy salting that will be less costly and less damaging to our landscaping? (Is it possible, for example, to use fertilizer or CMA instead of salt, and by clearing the snow more quickly reduce the amount of de-icer that must be laid down?)
3. Exactly which neighborhoods and portions of Traverse Ridge Road are included in the TRSSD? It is hard to imagine that snow removal and maintenance at SunCrest are dramatically more expensive, for example, than at Montreaux, the Cove at Little Valley, and the higher elevations of South Mountain developments. Which of these neighborhoods share in the cost of the TRSSD or get the benefits of additional services?
4. How does Suncrest Drive factor into the budget and service plans, since it has not yet been accepted as a city street?
5. Currently the TRSSD board is comprised of the mayor and city council; it may have included a Terrabrook officer in the past. Can we get a SunCrest resident appointed to the board, to represent those who are being taxed for the TRSSD and served by the TRSSD?
6. The finance director is planning to issue a two-page “popular budget” for the city and the TRSSD (a summary of revenues, expenses, and reserves), and we encourage such efforts to make it easier for residents to see what the city is spending and planning. With more consistent financial methodology over time, we should be able to track the needs of the TRSSD to avoid over-taxing and unnecessary reserve levels in the future.
If you have other TRSSD-related ideas or questions but cannot attend the city meetings on the 17th, please contact DeLaina or Barbara or post your questions on the blog at www.suncrestresidents.blogspot.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
SunCrest OA Dumpster
Who: SunCrest Residents (No builders)
What: Trash Dumpster
When: July 14th thru July 16th
Where: Next to the SunCrest OA Office – 14944 South Traverse Ridge Road
Why: To clean up trash/garbage at resident homes, trails and open space.
As mentioned, this dumpster is for SunCrest residents only. The dumpster may be used for yard debris (tree limbs, shrubbery, grass clippings, etc.) as well as building materials, household items, some appliances, furniture, etc. Items that are not acceptable in the dumpster are toxic, hazardous or flammable materials such as pesticides, herbicides, solvents, chemicals, paints, motor oil, gasoline, etc. Also, tires, batteries, freezers and refrigerators may not be deposited in the Dumpster. Dumpsters have a weight limit of 10 tons and can not be overloaded. Therefore, no concrete, dirt or rock materials will be allowed!
SunCrest OA is also looking for volunteers to help with the clean-up of open space and trails. If you would like to participate, please contact Tod Bean at 801.572.1233 or email at tbean@ccmcnet.com. Furthermore, if you are physically unable to remove debris/garbage from your residence, please let us know and we will try to have someone pick up your items for you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!
Thanks!
Tod Bean
Community Manager
Capital Consultants Management Corporation
Suncrest Owners Association
2016 E. Village Green Circle
Draper, UT 84020
P) 801-572-1233
Email: tbean@ccmcnet.com
Visit our website: www.ccmcnet.com
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Head's Up: U of U Billing Record Theft
This From: AP via KUTV.com (Utah), June 10, 2008
http://www.kutv.com
Utah hospital billing records from over 2 million patients stolen
http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=76de0817-3ffe-4f8e-9764-506795954fa1
The theft of 2 million patient billing records from the University of
Utah Hospitals and Clinics almost certainly includes
some of my records and possibly some of yours – it affects U of U
patients over the past 16 years. Social Security Numbers were included
on at least some of the records, which were being sent to an outside
storage facility . It’s not clear if and how the data will be misused,
but it sounds as though many of us may receive a letter under Utah’s
personal information security breach notice law.
We’ll have to watch how this incident develops, but it would be prudent
to check your credit report and watch for signs that someone has
misappropriated your identity to open accounts, take out loans, or get a
job.
http://www.kutv.com
Utah hospital billing records from over 2 million patients stolen
http://www.kutv.com/content/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=76de0817-3ffe-4f8e-9764-506795954fa1
The theft of 2 million patient billing records from the University of
Utah Hospitals and Clinics almost certainly includes
some of my records and possibly some of yours – it affects U of U
patients over the past 16 years. Social Security Numbers were included
on at least some of the records, which were being sent to an outside
storage facility . It’s not clear if and how the data will be misused,
but it sounds as though many of us may receive a letter under Utah’s
personal information security breach notice law.
We’ll have to watch how this incident develops, but it would be prudent
to check your credit report and watch for signs that someone has
misappropriated your identity to open accounts, take out loans, or get a
job.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
How are the $112 OA Dues Spent?
Scott Blackmer and Tod Bean have worked together to create this pie chart which breaks down how our $112 Dues are spent each month.
Comcast 54%
Personnel Costs 21%
Professional Fees 9%
Landscape, Snow, Maint., Vehicle 6%
Utilities 4%
Taxes & Insurance 2%
Social Events 2%
Office Rent/Supply 1%
Contingency Fund 1%
Our Draper City Taxes
Next Tuesday, June 17th, TRSSD (Traverse Ridge Special Service District) will be an agenda item at the Draper City Council meeting. The purpose of TRSSD was to charge SunCrest folks the difference between what it costs to service Draper proper, and the costs associated with mountain living. Last year there was an enormous (half a million dollars) surplus, yet our rates don’t seem to be going down this year. We pay twice the amount of taxes to Draper City as anyone else, and we want to make sure that the process is equitable and that we aren’t being charged for items that should come out of the General Fund, because we also pay into that.
The meeting starts at 7:00, but the agenda has not yet been posted so we don’t know if we’ll be first, last, or somewhere in between. For now, please plan to attend if at all possible, and bring your neighbors with you. We’ll give you an update on the time when the agenda is posted.
There will be a public comment time, and SunCrestResidents.org would like to invite as many as possible to attend this meeting. Please RSVP ASAP to DeLaina at delainatonks@comcast.net so we know how many to expect.
Typically the mayor will ask how many audience members are there for a particular agenda item, and if it seems that people don’t care enough to show up, then the item gets passed without much debate or discussion.
Neighborhood reps-please spread the word and talk to your neighbors about this important issue!!!
The meeting starts at 7:00, but the agenda has not yet been posted so we don’t know if we’ll be first, last, or somewhere in between. For now, please plan to attend if at all possible, and bring your neighbors with you. We’ll give you an update on the time when the agenda is posted.
There will be a public comment time, and SunCrestResidents.org would like to invite as many as possible to attend this meeting. Please RSVP ASAP to DeLaina at delainatonks@comcast.net so we know how many to expect.
Typically the mayor will ask how many audience members are there for a particular agenda item, and if it seems that people don’t care enough to show up, then the item gets passed without much debate or discussion.
Neighborhood reps-please spread the word and talk to your neighbors about this important issue!!!
Monday, June 2, 2008
May 27 Meeting Minutes
In Attendance: Spencer Angerbauer, Tod Bean, Dawn Berbert, Wendy Weaver, Denise Borst, Jessica Riessen, Paul Tonks, DeLaina Tonks, Scott Blackmer, Barbara Blackmer, Nate Crowther, Reed Sherman, Carol Sparks, Phil VanDiggelen, Lance Unwin, Amy Baird, Steve Seastrand, Nancy Seastrand, Chuck Stolfa, Sarah Kocsis, Karl Burns, Gary Vaughan, Jeri Vaughan, Clark Harvey, George Simmons, Jim Reynolds, Usher Portman,Jason Koop, Jennifer Koop, Jake from the Market, and about 10 others.
1. Market Update-hanging in there, waiting for the new developer to take over. After the SR.org media campaign, sales increased by 20%. Shortly afterwards, Harmon's opened and sales decreased by 20%, so at least the Market is breaking even. Keep spending that $40 a week!
You've probably noticed the Snowie Shack at the back of the market-scrumptious, ice-cold Snowies for only $1.00 is a pretty good deal.
2. Transportation Committee Update-Sarah Kocsis is working with ASD Transportation Services, the OA, and eventually the new developer to make the road in front of the Rec Center a permanent one-way access road. Buses will be coming up and down 9 times a day due to early and late start schedules, and it's impossible for traffic to pass through when buses are there.
As a side note, please let new neighbors know to register their kids ASAP for Kindergarten (in either district) if they haven't already done so. Staffing needs at the school are filled based on the number of students who have registered.
3. OA Update-See calendar items and previous posts for Movie Night, Garage Sale info etc.
Also, SunCrest Lagoon Day will be Saturday, July 26th. Tickets can be picked up at the OA trailer to the south of the Market.
There will soon be a Web site touting the "SunCrest Half" Marathon that will take place on Sept. 13th. Mark your calendars and check the blog in the next couple of weeks for te Web site address!
OA has organized, and OA Board has approved, the following 3 committees:
At least 3 homeowners are needed to serve on each, but more than 3 would be terrific. To inquire about these, or to sign up, contact tbean@ccmcnet.com or call 572-1233.
*Communications: informs residents of the purpose and function of the OA, publicizes activities and events, provides programs, articles and input to other committees about developments and activities of OA.
Helps provide articles for Newsletter. Goal: "consistent quality communications."
*Budget and Finance: Reviews current financial status, recommends an Association operating budget, advises the Board of Directors on investment of Association funds.
*Landscape: Be available to community members for needs, concerns and suggestions. Regularly review policy-level landscape maintenance and potential improvement issues. Makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding Landscape Maintenance Contract specifications and landscape improvement projects. Examines effectiveness of landscape maintenance. Makes recommendations to Board of Directors and Community Manager, regarding communal landscaping.
This is a terrific opportunity to get involved!
4. School District Solutions-head's up to be thinking about resolving SL County residents' ability to attend ASD indefinitely. If there are measures we can put in place that WILL NOT jeopardize SL County JSD students from losing their transportation and standing, we would like to explore them.
If you are in SL County, it would be a good idea to get to know the School Board Candidates for the new district and make sure they understand the situation here in SunCrest.
5. SunCrest for Auction-we know of two of the potential developers interested in biding on SunCrest. The hearing is two weeks away on June 16th, and we will have someone at the hearing to keep us up to date.
1. Market Update-hanging in there, waiting for the new developer to take over. After the SR.org media campaign, sales increased by 20%. Shortly afterwards, Harmon's opened and sales decreased by 20%, so at least the Market is breaking even. Keep spending that $40 a week!
You've probably noticed the Snowie Shack at the back of the market-scrumptious, ice-cold Snowies for only $1.00 is a pretty good deal.
2. Transportation Committee Update-Sarah Kocsis is working with ASD Transportation Services, the OA, and eventually the new developer to make the road in front of the Rec Center a permanent one-way access road. Buses will be coming up and down 9 times a day due to early and late start schedules, and it's impossible for traffic to pass through when buses are there.
As a side note, please let new neighbors know to register their kids ASAP for Kindergarten (in either district) if they haven't already done so. Staffing needs at the school are filled based on the number of students who have registered.
3. OA Update-See calendar items and previous posts for Movie Night, Garage Sale info etc.
Also, SunCrest Lagoon Day will be Saturday, July 26th. Tickets can be picked up at the OA trailer to the south of the Market.
There will soon be a Web site touting the "SunCrest Half" Marathon that will take place on Sept. 13th. Mark your calendars and check the blog in the next couple of weeks for te Web site address!
OA has organized, and OA Board has approved, the following 3 committees:
At least 3 homeowners are needed to serve on each, but more than 3 would be terrific. To inquire about these, or to sign up, contact tbean@ccmcnet.com or call 572-1233.
*Communications: informs residents of the purpose and function of the OA, publicizes activities and events, provides programs, articles and input to other committees about developments and activities of OA.
Helps provide articles for Newsletter. Goal: "consistent quality communications."
*Budget and Finance: Reviews current financial status, recommends an Association operating budget, advises the Board of Directors on investment of Association funds.
*Landscape: Be available to community members for needs, concerns and suggestions. Regularly review policy-level landscape maintenance and potential improvement issues. Makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding Landscape Maintenance Contract specifications and landscape improvement projects. Examines effectiveness of landscape maintenance. Makes recommendations to Board of Directors and Community Manager, regarding communal landscaping.
This is a terrific opportunity to get involved!
4. School District Solutions-head's up to be thinking about resolving SL County residents' ability to attend ASD indefinitely. If there are measures we can put in place that WILL NOT jeopardize SL County JSD students from losing their transportation and standing, we would like to explore them.
If you are in SL County, it would be a good idea to get to know the School Board Candidates for the new district and make sure they understand the situation here in SunCrest.
5. SunCrest for Auction-we know of two of the potential developers interested in biding on SunCrest. The hearing is two weeks away on June 16th, and we will have someone at the hearing to keep us up to date.
OA Board Candidates and YOUR Voting Member Info
All righty, everyone should have heard by now that the Voting Members (remember the ballots that were mailed to you a couple of months ago? The VM's are the people you elected to vote on your behalf in the upcoming Board election.) will be voting on an OA Board Member this Thursday, June 5th at 6:00 at the Draper Library.
Only Voting Members get to vote, but I'm sure they'd appreciate some input from people in their neighborhoods, so scroll down to the May 1st post that lists all of your Voting Members, and let them know what you think.
Here are the candidates running for the OA Board position:
Dawn Berbert
Barbara Blackmer
Ruth Colbert
Lynn D'Avolio
Bob Lance
Ryan McClellan
Larry Nilssen
Only Voting Members get to vote, but I'm sure they'd appreciate some input from people in their neighborhoods, so scroll down to the May 1st post that lists all of your Voting Members, and let them know what you think.
Here are the candidates running for the OA Board position:
Dawn Berbert
Barbara Blackmer
Ruth Colbert
Lynn D'Avolio
Bob Lance
Ryan McClellan
Larry Nilssen
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