Julie Anderson, Project Planning Committee Member
Numerous projects are underway during the summer months in our SunBird Community, all born in the project review and planning committee (PRPC), headed by Bill Hook. This committee meets monthly from September through May and evaluates any and all ideas that are suggested by SunBird individuals or groups. Many ideas that have matured to fruition were the result of an HOA board-sponsored brain-storming session held a year ago, when residents gathered and recorded dreams and suggestions to improve life at SunBird. All construction-related ideas were given to the PRPC for evaluation. Once an idea is discussed and approved by the full PRPC, an individual committee member volunteers to champion the project and obtains drawings and cost estimations. The project is then brought back to the full committee and, if approved, is then presented to the SunBird HOA board for final discussion and vote. No project is undertaken without HOA board approval. Residents are always invited to attend both the PRPC and HOA board meeting to provide input.
This summer, the following projects have been or will be completed, having been approved by our HOA Board at previous meetings.
* New, rounded handrails will be installed in the clubhouse stairwells that are easier to grip than the existing handrails. Dave Myers has spearheaded this project.
* Thirteen new exterior doors (in pairs) will be fitted in the clubhouse. Our existing doors are not energy efficient, as they have large air gaps, and can no longer be repaired or serviced. Bill Hook is coordinating the new-door installation to occur in September.
* The front guardhouse will be upgraded with new paint, stone front facing and a large built-in flower planting bed. This project is championed by Jerry Seiler and Bill Hook and will be paid by a $4,000 donation from the SunBird Garden Club.
* The bathrooms at the post office/sports courts have been updated and remodeled. Thank you, Dianne Reed, for championing this project.
* A drive-up HOA drop box was installed outside the post office for residents with limited mobility or for when parking spots are hard to find. You will be able to drive up to drop off your dues, ballots or any other HOA communication into the locked drop box. Julie Anderson coordinated this project.
* A commercial-grade refrigerator and freezer will be installed in the outdoor patio kitchen. An upgraded electrical line was installed, which required extensive concrete work in the patio area. The Kare Bears donated $4,000 for this project, and numerous other groups and clubs also assisted to defray costs. The new refrigerator and freezer will be available for use by all SunBird clubs and groups and will be locked at all times. Margaret McCathern championed this project.
Money for all of these projects comes from the SunBird capital fund, which is funded through SunBird home sales. Every time a home is sold in SunBird, $1,000 of the proceeds goes to the capital fund. At the end of 2018, our capital fund balance was $53,520. We project that 110 homes will be sold in 2019, so deducting the cost of the above projects (and taking into consideration the many donations received from individuals and clubs), we project our ending 2019 capital fund balance to be $39,530. Looking ahead to 2020, we are budgeting to remodel the main floor bathrooms and replace the remaining five pairs of exterior doors. Again, we invite you to join us at our PRPC meeting, held the first Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m., October through May, in the Apache Room. HOA board meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 10:00 a.m., September through May, in the East Ballroom. The PRPC would like to thank Bill Hook for his leadership and fiscal responsibility in prioritizing and completing the many projects that make SunBird such a great place to live!