Resident Jim Fetterman took this picture the morning of August 10 from the Clubhouse swimming pool.
Finally rain – when it rains, it pours! SunBird has survived another season of monsoon storms thus far.
A heavy down pour of rain hit SunBird earlier this past month with a spectacular, up close, lightning and thunder display. Over two and one-half inches of rain dropped within about an hour, flooding many of the roads and the golf course. Several major intersections outside of SunBird were closed due to vehicle accidents and flooding. The golf course was completely full of water adding new water features and expanding the current lakes to cover sections of the cart paths. To make matters even worse, right after the storm had settled the SunBird Patrol found a main waterline break just outside the Clubhouse. The shut off valve was found quickly and the water was turned off saving additional flooding and expense. Fortunately from the storm, no real damage to SunBird other than mud and debris all across sections of the roads, and the golf course was closed for a couple of days.
It’s been a busy summer with many maintenance and improvement projects completed and still in progress in SunBird. The Lakeview Room has been repainted and has a wood paneling partially on the walls. The Lakeview Room balcony has shade covers to help keep sun off the windows for improved room temperature control and a fresh new look. The Fitness Room has an additional two televisions added and wood paneling installed on some walls. All of the exterior Clubhouse metal hand railings, stairs and rafters have been painted. Clubhouse parking lots and roads have been resealed and stripped. The Clubhouse old grey vertical window blinds have been replaced with a beige pull down type to update the look and minimize the sunlight and heat coming through the glass. Some re-landscaping with new rock and plants projects will take place on some sections of the south east section of the clubhouse the end of this month and October.
Great effort and time has been dedicated this year on improving the food and beverage operation financially over previous years. The food and beverage operation in the Horizon Room has improved financially this year over last year at this time; 2015 was a record breaking year for food and beverage sales increasing 23 percent over the previous year of 2014 due to the much improved food quality and service. With this unexpected, tremendous growth in one year and new staffing, the expense increased at a greater rate of 32.3 percent, resulting in a year ending subsidy/loss of this department. This year, the first seven months to the end of July, food and beverage sales have continued to increase at a rate of 2.3 percent and expenses reduced 6.9 percent compared with last year. These positive differences compared to 2015 as of the end of July have resulted in a $38,160.41 gain. As of the end of July in 2015, the subsidy for this department was $57,551.95 compared to this year of $19,391.54. The largest part of this reduction is due to better planning with the increased growth of business, greater focus, cross training staff members for efficiency and better scheduling. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you and your friends here often for good times, great company, a fun atmosphere with beautiful views and good food and cool beverages.
The bocce ball courts proposal was mailed out to the membership for a decision to change the use of the land for this project or not. Quorum requirement for voting is 10 percent of the entire community of 164 was met to allow any change to be considered. The ballot return was 1,126 (69 percent) with 974 (87 percent) votes in favor of the proposal and 152 (13 percent) opposed. The new bocce ball courts will be installed at the end of September or beginning of October and will be ready for use this upcoming season. This will be an exciting new addition to SunBird having two permanent bocce ball courts for members use.
SunBird home sales continue to increase in 2016 after breaking the number all the way back to the sales from the year 2005. The sales of 2015 were 135 homes sold. At the height of the Arizona real estate boom in the year 2003 SunBird had 189 sales, the year 2004 had 177 sales and the year 2005 had 167. During the real estate crash home sales dropped to the 50s for several years and now have been increasing in each year. During the month of July this year 11 homes sold making the year to date total sales as of the end for the first seven months 96. At the rate so far this year, SunBird is approaching the same numbers as the real estate boom over 10 years ago. Some realtors are reporting a waiting list of potential home buyers ready to buy SunBird homes.
We look forward to a new exciting season at SunBird with fun social and recreational activities. It’s the people that make SunBird such a great place to live.