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| OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2022 | 3 President's Message By Greg Kusiak, President (2021-2022), Board of Directors "We finally warmed up to 45 degrees after two weeks of frigid temps, 8 inches of snow and ice." So wrote a friend to us over the holidays who lives in the northern tier of states. What a great reminder of how our friendly climate makes our lives safer and easier. When we lived in the mountains and in the upper Midwest, falls on the ice and car accidents were common at this time of year. We don't miss shoveling walks, digging out our cars from the plowed snowbanks and scraping windshields. Happily, our HOA budget for snow removal is $0.00. Traditionally, our last event of the year is the big New Year's Eve party at the Clubhouse. Sadly, COVID-19 concerns caused enough withdrawals to force another cancellation last year. Traditionally our first event of the new year is Do Dues Day, which is marked by congested wanderings and conversations in Abravanel Hall. Despite the surge of the Omicron variant and the State's indoor masking requirement, this year's event went off as scheduled thanks to a creative solution by our Recreation Director Chris Bessey. Although several clubs skipped the event to promote safety, the remaining clubs were scattered throughout the Clubhouse and nearby outdoor venues. Many attendees commented that they preferred the improvised format, and the turnout was brisk despite the constraints. The ultimate measure of this year's success was the RV Club selling out of hot dogs before the event was over. The Budget and Financial Advisory Committee has been hard at work developing a budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2022-2023 which begins April 1. Among this year's challenges are coping with a bewildering labor market, compensating for inflation since last year of 6.5% in San Diego County and assuring adequate reserves. We remain fortunate that our community has been so well maintained over nearly four decades and are confident that we can maintain our sound financial health by incremental adjustments to our budgets over time. The Committee will be presenting its recommendations to the Board at a special meeting on Thurs., Feb. 3; please mark your calendars and watch for the meeting notice via email. California has a new law banning certain tools powered by ICE's (Internal Combustion Engines). In the past, there have been regional restrictions on two-cycle engines and more recently on other gas- powered tools. Implementation rules, deadlines and possible rebates will be considered by CARB, the California Air Resources Board. Your Association has been actively engaged with O'Connell Landscape Management to experiment with battery powered tools for the last few years, and some manufacturers have used us as a guinea pig to determine the viability of these tools. An example is the "Green Machine" riding mower which has been in use for more than a year. New designs and improving battery technology are finally breaking into the market for commercial uses, which are much more demanding of both power and battery life than tools designed for home use. We expect to remain ahead of the curve as the new law begins implementation. Our key landscape staff person departed in early December and the replacement process is under way but moving very slowly in this labor market. Landscape projects beyond routine maintenance will necessarily be delayed until this position is filled and the new person is up to speed. Please be patient; just as it takes time for grass to grow and flowers to bloom, it will take time for us to solve this problem. One project which is moving forward is the front entry renovation. The beautiful new monument sign is in place, but remains shrouded; there will be an unveiling once the related new plantings and other landscaping changes are complete. Work on the front nine of the golf course is nearly complete, with the largest remaining barrier to play being the grow-in of the new sod and seedings. This winter's weather will largely determine how quickly this proceeds. The practice green and the practice chipping area are not yet completed since they impair equipment access to the back nine and lake work. However, a plan is in place to reroute the equipment to allow those elements to be completed shortly. Work on the golf course has precluded starting any work on the lanai or restrooms. The areas required for staging construction for two projects would have overwhelmed our parking and created chaos. The Lanai Committee will shortly resume its work to launch a permanent outdoor lanai and a contemporary recreation facility to replace the existing building. In the interim, the Board has approved Continued on following page

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