| POA assessments likely to increase in 2010 |
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Budget preparations are at a very early stage,
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| Squires & Stags member Tom Gambeski (l-r) has one last issue to discuss with GM Roger Klask after Roger's review of the 2010 POA budget at the group's Friday morning breakfast meeting on September 4. Emcee Bob Littell is on the right. (Photo by Bennett Whipple) |
Squires and Stags
By Ray Bowyer
Assessments for lots and for houses will probably increase in 2010, according to the information provided by POA General Manager Roger Klask at the Friday, September 4 meeting of Squires and Stags.
Budget preparations were at a very early stage at the time of the meeting but that was the direction Klask anticipated.
He reviewed the budget process, in general terms and specifically for 2010. It starts with general direction from the board of directors, goes through proposals by department heads, reviews by senior management and concludes with approval by the board of directors.
The finance committee, made up of interested property owners, is a shift in emphasis for 2010. The committee is heavily involved in the process, reviewing proposals and making suggestions.
The main points of the direction from the board for 2010 include:
- Provide tight expense control.
- Provide for some improvement in appearance of the community.
- Maintain the physical facilities.
- Meet operational needs.
Klask anticipates that the board will approve the 2010 budget at its November meeting, and the budget will be presented to the community at a meeting on December 12.
Reviews year-to-date financials
He provided a brief review of 2009 financial results. Both revenue and expense are below budget, with the net surplus down slightly from budget. The board and staff thought they were conservative in forecasting building activity, but the final result of only about seven new homes being constructed was even less than forecast. It hasn’t been long since the typical number was 100 new homes constructed per year.
In addition to the assessment increase, Klask anticipates small increases in non-member fees for amenity usage. At this time, he expects member (annual) fees to stay unchanged.
One cost increase anticipated for 2010 is a fourth compactor for trash disposal. The POA has two compactors for household trash and one for recyclable material. He believes an additional compactor for recyclable material will provide improved service to residents. He anticipates less routine road maintenance being required, because of the relatively large repaving program planned for this year.
Another cost increase for 2010 is for maintenance of the McDaniel Meadows area, and for some reforestation in the Wildcat area. Another consideration is POA maintenance of cul-de-sac areas.
Additional EMS personnel
One goal in the planning is to provide for at least one emergency medical technician to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Roger believes the current inter-county agreement, in which Pickens County pays Dawson County to provide emergency medical service throughout Big Canoe, might possibly be eliminated. If the POA doesn’t provide around-the-clock service, the level of service available to Pickens County residents would be lowered.
Five different alternatives for Food and Beverage service are being considered. One, of course, is continuing the status quo. The other four would have as an objective reducing the apparent cost of subsidizing the Food and Beverage operation.
Stocking Lake Petit with fish was decreased, because of an anticipated decrease in fishing license revenue and an increase in the cost per fish. The decrease has been noticed by those fishing, and the decrease in license revenue was not as bad as anticipated, so the current plan is to return to the previous level of stocking.
Questions payroll increases
A questioner pointed out that POA payroll growth in the last six years has increased about 50 percent, and asked about payroll growth in 2010. Klask responded that the staff is planning to propose two additional part-time golf maintenance people and two full-time landscape people in order to do more in those areas, but no other additions to payroll are anticipated.
Squires and Stags meets on the first Friday of each month. Anyone desiring to be on the announcement list for future meetings should contact Mike Smaracko, at mjs-oti@att.net or 678-522-9553.