November 2016

2016 BOARD ELECTIONS RESULTS
The annual meeting of the general membership was held in September. It was good to see and meet many of our new residents. The election of new Board members resulted in Judy Kilburg being re-elected for another three-year term. Harold Corn and Lorraine Otero were also elected for three-year terms, and John Fredlund for the one-year term vacated by Joe Brophy. Newly elected officers and committee chair positions and their respective e-mail contact information are listed on the left-hand column of page 1. Welcome new Board members! We appreciate your willingness to volunteer your time to manage the operations of our community. We thank those whose gave so much of their time to serve on the Board: Stan Bennett, President; Katie Ballmann, Secretary; and Joe Brophy, Legal Chairman. Since the annual membership meeting, Jack Nyhan resigned from the Board. We appreciate his contributions as water compliance & community relations chairperson. His resignation leaves us with a Board vacancy. We have a great team again this year and are looking forward to serving the community.

BUDGET
The Board of Directors voted at the October Board of Directors' meeting to increase the dues by 10% for 2017, to $759.00 per lot. With 155 total lots in the community, this will bring our total budget for 2017 to $117,645.00, which is still a very good deal, considering this includes water, in comparison to other communities. This is the first increase since 2012. In fact, the dues were lowered during the special assessment and kept at that lower rate last year. Unfortunately, due to unanticipated legal costs and much needed road repair and System 1 water line replacement needs, we felt the increase is necessary. Fortunately, we did have money available to cover the $30,000 (plus) in legal costs and replacement of 2,000 feet of water lines, and a significant increase for our insurance, but this leaves us short on funds in case of an emergency. A reserve study is being performed, which will result in providing information on how much money we should have available in reserves. HOAMCO, a Home Owners' Association (HOA) management company was hired to manage the financial aspects of the Association, and the contract with Sunland Management and Tax Services was terminated in October. We will still have to hire an accountant to perform audits/reviews and prepare the tax returns, which is why the increase in accounting costs. The costs for HOAMCO will not be as high as originally anticipated in the 2016 budget. The budget for electricity was kept the same, although we hope this will decrease as more leaks are identified and sections of water lines are replaced in System I. The road maintenance budget was increased slightly. Our insurance rate was increased significantly from last years' budget to cover the costs of the new policy, with a slight increase to cover any rate change for next year. The 2017 budget is attached.

ANNUAL ASSESSMENT DUE JANUARY 1. 2017
Payment for the annual assessment is due by January 1, 2017. This year HOAMCO will be sending invoices out to the membership. You all should have received a welcome letter from them, which mentions that they will provide more options for member payments. Payment plans are still available and still require Board approval. Forms are available on our website. Keep in mind that late interest will still be applied on any unpaid balance, as well as any monthly HOAMCO charge. As per the Bylaws, Section 8, any assessment not paid within thirty days after the due date shall bear interest from the due date at 1.5% per month. Assessment shall be considered "past due" three months from the original due date. The Board realizes that this is somewhat confusing, so if you have any questions, please contact the treasurer or another Board member for further explanation. The Payment Agreement and Policy for Payment Agreement is found on our website, slppoa.org, under http://sIppoa.org/www/policies. All requests must be approved by the Board of Directors. Requests should be mailed to our physical mailing address or e-mailed to treasurer@slppoa.org

LAWSUIT
Over the last couple of years, the SLPPOA Board of Directors has been involved in a lawsuit filed by three homeowners. The plaintiffs pleaded their case in February, and after some unexpected delays, we defended our side in July. The judge made his ruling in our favor, and was clear that only those documents stated in the Homeowners Association Act can be provided to members who request copies of financial information. The plaintiffs refused to sign the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and have filed a Request for Reconsideration. A hearing before the judge is scheduled for December 12, 2016. Quarterly financial reviews have been performed, end of year financial reviews were performed, and this still did not satisfy the plaintiffs. Then we had a 3-year audit performed by a different accounting firm and still the plaintiffs are not satisfied. These individuals continue to believe they are entitled to copies of every financial document, even those documents which contain member payment information. We stand firm in protecting members' personal payment information, and this was supported by the judges' decision. As of the last invoice, the lawsuit has costs this Association $31,412.55.

WEBSITE
Mike Schacht continues to manage our website and improvements are ongoing. He has done an excellent job on posting the water usage data. Members have the ability to request a personal log-in and can then view their personal water usage data. So far, there are only a small number of members who have made the request and are logging in. If you haven't done so as yet, please go to our website (sIppoa.org) and request your own personal log-in. It's quite impressive to be able to see what the wells are pumping, how much is being used by homeowners, and how much water is unaccounted for (leaks in the main lines). If you have information or ideas you would like to see on the website, please let us know. We're happy to take suggestions.

WATER
Speaking of water, main line leaks are an issue that our water team is actively pursuing. As you well know, our water is a precious commodity. You can compare your water usage to other households in our community and possibly identify areas where you may curb your water usage or identify and fix any leaks within your property boundary. The majority of our members are conscientious however, we have some homeowners that continually use an excessive amount of water. This cannot continue. We have a limited amount of water rights and every year we come very close to exceeding our allotment. The Board is researching what options are available for legally having a surcharge assessed to those homeowners with high water usage. Please be wise and cognizant of your water usage to help save this valuable resource.

The Board voted to transfer $30,000 from the reserve account to replace 2,000 feet of water lines in System 1, which was performed in two phases of 1000 feet in each phase. Phase II (the 2nd 1000 ft.) of System 1 main replacement was accomplished by a small number of water volunteers working with our contractor in late August and early September. Three identifiable leaks (root balls) were found and of course were repaired/replaced with all new water line material We were notified by the New Mexico Environment Department that the Drinking Water Bureau has given us a waiver for dioxin monitoring for the period of 2017-2019. The purpose of the waiver is to eliminate sampling requirements only for the parameters identified in the waiver because of evidence that the risk of contamination for these parameters is minimal. The waiver is posted on our website.

ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR MONTHS? PLEASE WINTERIZE!!
Every year there are water leaks found in homes that have not been winterized. Please don't let that happen to your home. If no heat will be on during the winter, all supply water lines should be drained and/or blown out by the homeowner or a professional in order to avoid pipe damage. Leaving your furnace on a low setting while you're away may not prevent freezing.
• Turn off your main water shutoff valve.
• Turn off and drain hot water heaters, water softeners, hot water baseboards, in floor heating systems.
• Open all fixtures including those in the showers and any outside bibs (disconnect hoses).
• Completely eliminate or dilute the water in drain traps by pouring an "RV" type antifreeze solution in them as directed by the instructions
• Pour antifreeze into all toilet bowls and tanks.
• For dishwashers, refrigerators (with a water dispenser or an ice maker) and clothes washers, follow the manufacturer's directions. Remove and empty any "whole-house" or "in-line" type filter canister. Remove any water filter inside refrigerator. If you find the task daunting, get a plumber to do it for you.

ROADS
Road grading will be completed soon. There is a new contactor conducting this work and the transition hasn't been completely smooth as a new set of eyes have identified issues that have not been addressed in the past such as exposed electrical and telephone lines. We're working with JMEC and Windstream to lower lines as they are identified. Two different road maintenance contactors have been asked to provide bids for major repairs on Los Griegos and the awarded contactor should start in the spring. Association roads need work including:
• improving drainage, ditches, and sloping,
• installing larger culverts in some locations, and
• improving road surfaces with fill, asphalt millings, and/or other road repair products.

This will be a multi-year effort with repairs being completed as funds are available.

If you see a phone line exposed in your area, please contact Windsteam at 1-800-347-1991.

It's been a nice warm and very beautiful fall, but winter snows are just around the corner. Winter snow will be here eventually. Everyone is reminded that roads may not be plowed first thing in the morning before you leave for work. Our contractor also plows for Thompson Ridge Estates, so he will get to us just as quickly as possible. The contract states that he will be called to plow when there is at least 6 inches of snow. Also, when he does plow, he won't be plowing all the way down to the dirt. Driveways will also most often have a berm of snow caused from the snow coming off the edges of the blade. This can't be avoided. We do have a sander that the contactor has available, but first he has to plow and then go back to La Cueva and get the sander. This can't always be accomplished the same day, so please be patient. We would also like to remind members to keep the right-of-ways clear of all vehicles and objects which could hamper snow removal. This includes vehicles, trailers, etc. parked in the cul-de-sac, dead end, turnaround areas where snow is sometimes piled. Remember, this is a rural community and the HUD report specifically states that at time during inclement weather roads could be impassable. Be patient, be prepared, and be courteous.

FIRE WISE REPORT
Vallecitos Prescribed Burn Planned on Jemez RangerDistrict
SANTA FE, NM — Oct. 25, 2016 — For Immediate Release. Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest are planning to conduct the Vallecitos prescribed burn on the Jemez Ranger District. Ignitions for the 363-acre treatment area, located 6 miles northeast of Jemez Springs and south of NM Highway 4, could begin as early as Wed Nov 2nd. The window for the planned burn is open through Dec. 2, 2016, and is dependent on favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality, and weather forecasts.

Prescribed fires are one of the most effective tools available to resource managers for restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. These fires mimic natural fires by reducing forest fuels, recycling nutrients, and increasing habitat diversity. Each prescribed burn is designed to meet specific objectives. The Vallecitos prescribed fire area is designed to remove dead forest fuels, provide community protection, and promote forest health. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.

Smoke from the Vallecitos prescribed burn will likely be visible from NM Highway4 between La Cueva and the Jemez Pueblo, US Route 550 from San Ysidro to Bernalillo, Albuquerque, and Interstate 25.

Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory problems are encouraged to take precautionary measures. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health's website at https://nmtracking.org/fire.

For additional information about this prescribed burn, please contact the Jemez Ranger District at 575.829.3535.

For those of you with respiratory conditions, please take precautions with the possible smoky conditions.

Stay indoors with windows and doors closed as much as possible. While traveling by vehicle, keep all windows rolled up and the fresh air intake knob on your dashboard turned off.

To maintain quality indoor air while wildfire smoke levels are elevated, do not use candles, fireplaces, gas stoves or anything else that burns.

Vacuuming stirs up particles already inside your home into the air, so take a holiday from cleaning during the treatment burn event!

If you have a heart or lung condition, plan ahead by talking to your doctor about specific steps you should take to protect yourself.

Best wishes for a joyous and safe holiday season and a happy new year!