July 2023 E-Mail Newsletter

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Greetings from the Board – July 2023

July 9, 2023 No Comments
Ted Dann Chairman Finance Review Committee

Finance Review Committee and Management Company

The accounting team at FirstService Residential (FSR) carries out the day-to-day financial activities and FSR also provides management services for the VCA.  The Finance Review Committee fulfills a critical oversight and approval role providing a monthly review, analysis, and approval of the FSR prepared financial statements and supporting materials. Additionally, as Treasurer, I am responsible to review and approve all Invoices for vendor payment. A snapshot of the financial condition is available for review in the minutes of the Finance Review Committee meetings. The VCA Treasurer’s Report and detailed VCA financial reports are emailed to members as part of the General Session Board Meeting agenda and meeting materials.  Here are the fundamental financial metrics submitted to the Board of Directors each month:

  • Operating Fund Balance
  • Current and Foreseen Cash Needs
  • The Reserve Fund Balance
  • Liquidity Strength
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Accounts Payable
  • Total Income
  • Total Expenses
  • Significant Financial Issues

Budget

The Finance Review Committee is responsible for overseeing the preparation of VCA’s Annual Budget. In concert with FSR professionals, the Committee prepares a projection of financial needs for the upcoming year.  The Committee first approves the Budget at the Committee level before presenting it to the Board of Directors (BOD) for approval and adoption at a Fall General BOD meeting open to the membership.  After the BOD approval, the Budget becomes the road map for upcoming financial matters for the year ahead.

Reserve Study

Finally, every year VCA retains the services of a Reserve Study professional who reports information regarding useful lives and replacement cost of all the VCA’s common assets. Common assets reviewed include park equipment, parking lots, playgrounds, and other amenities. Once the report is received, FSR professionals and the Finance Review Committee evaluate asset replacement needs and include a monthly contribution to the Reserve Fund in the budget. This contribution to Reserves totals $79,167 per month for the current year. The current Balance of the Reserve Fund is over $3.5 million, the bulk of which is under the investment management of Morgan Stanley and FSR professionals.

Your Finance Review Committee, the FSR Accounting Professionals, and the FSR Management Staff all work diligently and ethically to assure responsible financial management on behalf of all the members of the Vistoso Community Association.

Did You Know – July 2023

July 9, 2023 No Comments
Randy Kohout
Single Family Director

  1. Year-to-date VCA actual expenses incurred total $968,738 and are $131,226 under budget.
  2. Pet waste removal from common areas cost the VCA $6,710 through May 2023.
  3. Prudent investing has resulted in $78,466 of income to The Reserve Fund year-to-date in 2023.
  4. Water/Sewer expenses are over budget year-to-date by $23,298.  Projects such as the VCA monuments refurbishment and irrigation upgrades along Innovation Drive and Desert Fairway Dr. are intended to significantly reduce this expense.
  5.  Members can access the VCA budget and the Reserve Study from the VCA website.        

Improved Layout for VCA Website

July 9, 2023 No Comments

As part of our on-going effort at constant improvement, we’ve made some changes to the organization of the website pages and menu items. We may be tweaking things slightly based on the feedback we receive.

We’ve consolidated some pages and reorganized others to make it easier to find things. Most of the information that residents need is now located under the ‘Resident Info’ menu.

The major changes include:

  • The ‘Resident Information Packet’ is a very useful document for all homeowners but was previously somewhat hidden. We’ve renamed the ‘Helpful documents’ to ‘Resident Information Package and FirstService Help’ to be more specific as to what is on the page.
  • Moved all the financial statements, budgets and reserve study to a single page under ‘Your VCA’ (previously the information was spread between two different pages and menus)
  • Reorganized the Forms, Governing Docs, and Policy and resolution pages from ‘flat’ structures to groupings of related items to make it easier to scan the information.

Snapshot – July 2023

July 9, 2023 No Comments
Barbara Daoust
General Manager
First Service Residential

In case you missed the June 29, 2023 Board of Directors meeting, below is a “snapshot” of the General Manager’s report to the community.  The entire report begins on page 8 in the June 2023 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes – Click Here to download the PDF.

RVB Street Lights

  • The VCA Board President and General Manager met with Town of Oro Valley (TOV) Mayor, Joe Winfield, to discuss the streetlights along Rancho Vistoso Blvd (RVB) within the Sun City neighborhood. The TOV has placed this topic on hold until the new Town Manager takes his seat. There was a commitment to include VCA in these discussions. The VCA Board will be meeting with Monrad Engineering regarding the completed pilot project which included the installation of 12 fixtures along RVB .

Wildlife Fencing Project

  • AAA Landscape will be providing a proposal to re-landscape the entryways for both Big Wash Overlook Place and Scenic Overlook Place.   

Signage

  • The signage has been installed on the entrance to the new VCA office. 
  • The two missing letters on the Vistoso Highlands sign located on Rancho Vistoso Blvd and Vistoso Highlands have been installed.

Capital Projects

  • Irrigation – Management is in the process of soliciting bids for this project which includes the common areas along Innovation Drive between Rancho Vistoso Blvd. & Tangerine Rd. and Desert Fairway Dr. between La Canada Dr. and Hidden Springs Dr.
  • Painting – The painting projects scheduled for this year are completed.

Erosion Projects

  • Big View Ct. Channel – Big View Ct. Channel – The VCA Board approved the scope of work to address the additional erosion uncovered in the drainage channel.  Once the updated design is received, a copy will be forward to the Town of Oro Valley for approval.
  • 27 Mile – The VCA Board has authorized an engineering study and design to address the slope grade at the trailhead entrance. Once the design is received a copy will be sent to the Town or Oro Valley for approval.  After the original construction contractor was selected, they indicated they would not sign the contract.  Management is presently soliciting additional bids for this project.
  • Bridal Veil – On May 30, 2023, the VCA Board met with VCA Engineer Tracy Bogardus, FirstService representatives, and Town of Oro Valley Engineer John Spiker to discuss the design options to repair the drainage channel at Bridal Veil located in the Horizon neighborhood. The Board will be considering an addendum to the scope of work that was previously approved from Bogardus Engineering at the June 29th meeting. The channel will be designed to end at the VCA property line.

VCA Facilities

  • The association has entered into an agreement with OVPD to permit police officers to patrol and arrest individuals at our community facilities. The appropriate signage has been ordered and will be installed shortly at all VCA parks and trails.

Entryway Monuments

  • The association is requesting proposals to refurbish the entrance monuments located on Rancho Vistoso Blvd & Tangerine Rd and Ranch Vistoso Blvd & Oracle Rd. The proposals will be reviewed by the Parks & Landscape Committee and then will go to the Board for consideration. The project goal is to reduce water usage while giving maximum appeal to the entrances of the community.

Architectural Design Plans

  • Conceptual design & landscape plans have been submitted to the VCA for a 132-apartment development at the old Vistoso Golf Course location. The plans are in the review process by the Architectural and Landscape Review Committee. Representatives of the Planning Group were informed that there were many items that did not conform with the VCA guidelines. This project will also be reviewed by the Town of Oro Valley Planning & Zoning Committee for code and general plan compliance. Members can find the documents submitted on this project at the association’s website at www.ranchovistosohoa.com.

Reserve Study

  • Association Reserves will be conducting an on-site inspection for the master association 2024 report. This is an important tool to assist the association to budget for the replacement and repair of major components of the association. The draft copy should be ready during the month of July in time for budget preparation.

Critter of the Month for July 2023

July 9, 2023 No Comments

hummingbird

Vistoso’s Critter of the Month

Our Critter of the Month is a Hummingbird. Hummingbirds are the world’s smallest migrating bird. They weigh less than a nickel and have no sense of smell. Hummingbirds may fly close to your face to investigate any changes to their environment. Hummingbirds are not dangerous at all to humans. If you are greeted by a suspicious hummingbird behaving oddly know you have wandered into their territory. Don’t worry for they are on a mission to identify unwanted threats and/or welcome in anticipation of the refilling of their feeding stations. Photo Courtesy of Irwin Flink of The Cove at Center Pointe neighborhood.

A Friendly Reminder Regarding Wildlife

We live in the beautiful Sonoran Desert and share our neighborhoods with the wildlife that has been here long before our homes. Coyotes, bobcats, javelinas, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and birds of prey can pose a danger to humans and their pets. We must be aware of our surroundings and avoid confronting these animals. Maintain your distance and do not behave in a threatening manner. 

If you encounter a rattlesnake, please call 911 immediately to have it relocated. Also, do not feed or supply water to wild animals since they may become more brazen.

Do you know an exceptionally cute critter in your community? Share the love and give your furry, feathered, or scaled friend the spotlight they deserve. Submit a photo of a critter whether it’s your personal pet or a wild animal you’ve observed on the trail. Please attach a photo and a brief description of your critter to [email protected] with the title ‘Critter of the Month’ for a chance to be featured in next month’s newsletter.