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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2019 11 By Laurie Larson Board Vice President Gerald (Jerry) Monahan has lived in Four Seasons Beaumont for 11 years. In that time he has been involved with a number of committees including Off-Leash Ad Hoc, Lodge, Communications, Safety, Neighborhood Watch, and the Communications Board. His committee work has brought him into contact with the HOA residents, the Beaumont Police Department, and the city of Beaumont. He worked with the Safety Committee to bring AEDs (automated external defibrillators) to the community. A retired police officer and competitive racquetball player, safety is of great importance to him. He first came to the Board in August of 2016 when he completed the recently deceased Jean Sandoval's term. This is the second time he has run for the Board, after winning his current term in the April 2017 election. Jerry is proud of the accomplishments of both of the Boards he has been on. He is appreciative of the way he and the Board of Directors serve the community. He believes that "what matters most is communication with residents" and feels that "asking the residents for their opinions really matters." He stresses that the Board "must ensure that the homeowners have a chance to voice their opinions" and feels that the Board could "strive for improvement" in this arena. "One of the most important aspects of oversight of our HOA is reviewing and managing the finances every month," says Jerry. He reads the financials every month and thinks everyone should. He works with the Finance Committee and attends meetings "as both a homeowner and a Board of Directors member." Jerry is pleased with how both the present and recent Boards have prepared for the impending transition which, he states, "is a big deal! The builder has already given us one extra seat so that we now have two available seats on the Board. And when the transition is completed, the final additional seat will be up for election." "And that means we will be responsible for everything," he says. "That includes the buildings, the streets and sidewalks, the conservancy land, the landscaping, the contracts, the electricity, the gas, the finances." "We review contracts to ensure the best service and the best price. Contracts are renegotiated annually, but have more frequent oversight. We have worked to improve our water usage. For instance, the sprinklers no longer come on when the grass is wet." Jerry is proud of all of the volunteers we have in this community. "Without the volunteers, our community couldn't function. Can you even begin to imagine how much it would cost to replace the volunteers with paid employees?" He supports Volunteer Appreciation functions. And his wife Frances supports him. He estimates he spends between 100 to 120 hours per month on Board business, and Frances adds with a smile, "and that doesn't include the time he spends when people stop him in the street to make comments or ask questions." Together since their early teens, Jerry and Frances are each others' biggest supporters. If he is re-elected he plans to continue his work with various committees, not just the ones he works with as BOD liaison, although he very much enjoys the liaison responsibilities he has. He wants to continue improving open communication between the Board and the residents. "And," he says, "I learn from my mistakes. I was in favor of term limits for the committees, but I want to revisit that decision. I think I made a mistake." "All of the work I do here is for a purpose. I want to help keep this HOA the amazing resort style community it is. Every time I drive in through the front gate the beauty takes my breath away. Keeping it that way is a worthy goal to aim for." GERALD MONAHAN

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