It’s that time of year when many of our seasonal residents make their trek back to their summer residences. The board hopes you enjoyed your stay and are looking forward to seeing you back next season. Speaking of moving, I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the new homeowners who purchased units in the Village this month.  Jeff & Stephanie Lemberg, from Mesa, purchased unit 3032; Matthew & Suraya Driscoll from East Grand Folks, MN bought A012 and Brian Dittmar from Tempe, bought unit 1012. Please join me in welcoming them to the Village.  

Our projects list is winding down for the season, but here are some of the things the board did accomplish since my March update:

1. Our PC in the office became too old to update with new software so the board voted to spend up to $1500 on a new computer for the office.  During the first week of April, we purchased a new (refurbished) computer for the office for $426.  Everything on the old computer was transferred to the new one so Cheri is back up and running in the office.
2.  Automatic pool monitoring units were purchased and installed in our two pools and two spas.  These devices automatically measure the water temperature and chemistry daily.  This information is now being shared with our pool vendors automatically each morning so they are aware of any issues and can work to resolve them.  
3. The landscaping committee reports that about 30 shrubs were planted around the Village along with one tree.  In the fall, 7 more trees will be planted in the Village. The planting plan for 2026 will be determined in November of this year.
4. The water pressure from the City of Mesa leading into the Village is about 90 PSI which is outside of the ideal range for homes.  We are systematically installing pressure reduction valves in the lines leading into each set of buildings.  Most recently, new valves were installed in the lines leading to buildings 7, 8 and 9 bringing the water pressure down to around 60 PSI. High water pressure can lead to issues with plumbing and appliances.  Buildings 5 & 6 will be done in the next month and phase 2 will be addressed in the fall. All of the units in phase 1 and Phase 4 were previously completed. 
5. A new control panel was installed for the South spa.  Jeff was able to salvage parts from one that had been replaced previously saving the Village around $800.
6. There are 4 HVAC units cooling and heating the clubhouse.  One of the units was 24 years old and was failing so it was replaced at a cost of $8095.
7. Our reserve fund balance is currently approximately $440,000.  Much of this money is in Certificates of Deposit which will earn the Village about $12,000 in interest this year.  This money is not an emergency account but rather an account for planned future capital improvement projects.  For example, if a clubhouse HVAC unit costs $9,000 and has a 15 year expected life span, then we need to put $600 per year in the account so we have the money to replace it when we need to do so.  We currently need about $500,000 in this account to meet all the projected needs of the Village. We have an outside company periodically evaluate all of our assets and estimate each asset’s remaining useful life. Their final report is called our “Reserve Study” which all homeowners are welcome to inspect in the VAW office.
8. “Gigapower” in conjunction with AT&T has been installing fiber-optic lines throughout the Mesa area. They have offered to run lines to every VAW unit for free.  We’ve been told that the resulting high speed service will run in the $50-$75/month range. As this will require digging trenches around the throughout the Village, the board is reluctant to sign up for the project.  If you have a strong opinion one way or another, please let a board member know.
9. A new commercial-grade garden hose was purchased for the North pool. The hose is used to fill the pool and to water the clubhouse flower boxes.  Regardless of the type we buy, they only last a couple years in the sun.
10. The Social Committee has established themes and dates for next season.  If you are leaving for the summer, make sure to bring back your favorite ball cap and Hawaiian shirt.  The planned event dates are:  
    • End of Season – March 28. Theme: Hawaiian Luau.
    • Christmas Tea – Monday, December 15.
    • Spuds & Splits – Saturday, January 24.  Raffle.
    • Champagne Brunch – Sunday, February 15. Raffle. Theme: Take Me Out to the Ballgame.
    • Usery Picnic and Hike – March 6.
    • St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Potluck – March 17.
    • Additional activities will include Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter potlucks.

Upcoming work:  

1. The dead pine tree near the south pool will be taken down on May 7^th.  We wanted to wait until most seasonal residents have left in order to have the least amount of disruption possible.  There will be an e-bulletin directed to Phase 3 residents closer to the actual removal date.
2. We will be completing the inspection of all garden-unit sump-pumps in the next two weeks. The VAW is responsible for maintaining this equipment while the homeowner is responsible for making sure that the drains are free from leaves and other debris. 
3. Irrigation will be moving from daytime to nighttime in early May.  As the temperatures increase, this change helps us to maximize the effectiveness of watering by minimizing evaporation.
4. Our insurance company has notified us that we need to upgrade the electrical panels in the Clubhouse closet where we store the folding chairs. This work will be done over the summer and will result in a significant disruption of power around the pool and clubhouse.
5. We will be finalizing our annual review of the VAW Rules and Regulations and voting on the new document at the May 13^th Board of Directors meeting.  If you have a suggested change to the Rules and Regulations, please bring your idea to any board member.  The current Rules and Regulations document can be found here. The proposed new rules document is located here (the key modifications are highlighted in yellow). 

Thank you again to all the volunteers who have helped with the projects above and any others that I may have omitted.  

Have a great summer everyone. 

Sincerely, Steve Patton, VAW HOA President