As we close out 2021 and enter 2022, I want to share updates on a few things of interest to Members.
As a reminder, Association dues for the first half of 2022 were due on Jan. 1. The amount is unchanged from last year at $263. Late fees and interest will begin to accrue if not received by the end of the month and continue for each month thereafter until the balance is paid in full. Payment plans are available for Members having financial trouble due to job loss, health issues, etc. Getting on a payment plan will stop fees related to collection attempts so please do communicate with us early if you are having difficulty keeping current on assessments.
The first board meeting of 2022 is Monday, January 17 at 6:30pm. Notices will be going out via e-mail so keep an eye out for the details if you wish to join. For convenience, the Board has decided to continue virtual Board meetings via Zoom for the foreseeable future. There is an open forum for Members to address the Board publicly at the start of each meeting. Of course, we are also available by e-mail at board@canyoncreek.net if you prefer a less formal method for communicating with us.
The Annual Meeting of Members is tentatively planned as an in-person meeting and will be held at 6:30PM on March 7, 2022 at Peace Lutheran Church just north of Boulder Lane on 620. The venue may require attendees to mask up depending on the Austin-Travis County Public Health’s Covid-19 Risk Based Guidance at the time of the meeting. This information will be communicated to all Members prior to the meeting.
The annual audit of the Association’s books and records for 2020 was completed in Q4 under the direction of a new accounting firm and has resulted in a “Qualified Opinion” related to cash and liabilities associated with amenity key card deposits collected under the prior management company. Prior to Spectrum Management, amenity key cards were issued to Members on a cash deposit basis. Key cards could be turned in and the deposit reclaimed, usually upon sale of a home, but often cards were simply left behind for the new owner. Occasionally, key cards would be lost, rendering the deposit unrecoverable. Properly accounting for these events requires detailed recordkeeping. Unfortunately, the records that transitioned to Spectrum from prior management are incomplete so we are unable to accurately tie the amenity key card cash deposit balance to an accurate list of redeemable amenity key cards. To clear this up and move forward with an “Unqualified Opinion” in the future, the Board has decided that any Member in possession of a working amenity key card that was NOT issued by Spectrum Management may turn in their card prior to April 15, 2022 and reclaim their $20 deposit. After this date, any outstanding key card deposits will become the property of the Association, legacy key cards will be ineligible for return and become the property of the holder in accordance with the current amenity key card request policy. If a legacy key card is redeemed and a new card is subsequently requested, Members will need to follow the then current procedures for purchasing a new amenity key card. If you are already in possession of a working key card and wish to keep it, then no action is required on your part. Your card will be reclassified as a “sale” to you and become your property in accordance with the current keycard request process. If you wish to redeem an eligible key card and reclaim your deposit, e-mail Spectrum Management at contact@spectrumam.com with your request and address and our community manager will be in contact.
At the November meeting of the Board, we decided to make the covered patio available for reservation by Members during the winter off-season when the pool is otherwise closed for swimming. Use of this space is offered strictly on an “At Your Own Risk” basis so we are not requiring the presence of a pool monitor or lifeguard. Some operational details will need to be worked out as we gain experience over time with the types of events that Members are interested in holding. For example, a large party gathering may require posting a modest cleanup deposit that is fully or partially refundable depending on the condition the space is left in. Other types of events such as a small book club gathering may require no deposit at all. We’ll be working these types of details out in real time and they may be adjusted as needed so we do ask for patience and cooperation.
In December of last year, the Board made a change to our landscaping contractor for performance reasons. Our new contractor is Urban Dirt, a locally owned firm, with a number of very large contracts including Steiner Ranch, going back many years. With the completion of the pool renovation and repairs this past summer, we’ve now wrapped up the last of the major outstanding capital maintenance items from the last several years which frees up cash for some long planned investments in our landscaping. We have plans to refresh major portions of our landscaping with a more modern look and feel that incorporates clump grasses and other native and drought tolerant plants and annual and perennial color where appropriate while better managing our water usage. We have been working with this vendor for several months on preliminary design plans for this project and are looking forward to getting started in the coming weeks. This is a large effort that will take several years to fully realize.
In regards to landscaping compliance with your own home, the Board is aware that some Members feel they are being held to a higher standard than the Association is holding itself with respect to its Common Area landscaping and, in some respects, that is true. However, the Association is fiscally constrained in its ability to fund upwards of five linear miles of improvements along both sides of Boulder Lane and within the Amenity Areas. For this reason, it is all the more important that Members put in a little extra effort to help us keep the neighborhood as a whole looking its best as we get our Common Areas back to looking their best. To get Members excited and incentivized about landscaping compliance, we are launching this year a “Yard of the Month” competition. Each month in 2022, we’ll choose one property in Canyon Creek that represents the highest standards of landscape care and keeping as determined by a majority of the Board. That homeowner will be awarded a $50 gift card to Lowe’s for their efforts (and may not repeat within a 12 month period). Since we are looking to these homes as models for the rest of us, we ask that winners agree to let us share your address and a few photos with the rest of the Members.
With the Marshall fire in Colorado in the news recently, the subject of wildfire risk is on the minds of the Board and many residents. This fast moving, wind-driven fire in the Denver area consumed 6,000 acres and destroyed aver 1,000 homes in just a few hours. We often encounter similar conditions here in our area so our risk is high for this type of event occurring. The HOA has previously organized greenbelt cleanup and wildfire fuel reduction efforts in focused areas behind homes bordering the canyonlands but was forced to take a break due to COVID safety protocols. We would like to resume these efforts if possible this year but it is clear that we need much greater volunteer organization and participation going forward if this effort is to have a meaningful impact. If we have any residents in the community that feel called to service and are willing to help organize and lead a more structured effort to reduce wildfire risk in the community, the members of the Board would like to talk with you. This role will work closely with the Board, county and city officials and groups of residents to organize resources and coordinate risk mitigation efforts. If this opportunity to make a direct impact on your community sounds interesting, do reach out to us.
Finally, on the subject of community service, it’s time for Girl Scout cookies and we have multiple Scout troops in Canyon Creek who are ready to supply your cookie needs. If one of these adorable Scouts happens to pay you a visit, please do consider a cookie purchase to support her mission of leadership through kindness, service to her community, and development of lasting friendships. Canyon Creek HOA is a volunteer led organization and these are important values to cultivate in this next generation of leaders and community servants.
In closing, have a happy new year; let’s hope 2022 is better than 2021 and thanks for the trust you put in us. On behalf of the Board,
Brett Funderburg
President, CCHOA