Image Up Advertising & Design

FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | APRIL 2023 5 Message From The Board The weather in February and early March was extremely cold with lots of rain and a little bit of snow. The hills surrounding us are beautifully covered with snow, and as of this writing, more rain is very possible. Our gas bills were extremely high, and as promised by the gas company, the amount for the gas has lowered a little. Additionally, our gas bills should have a credit of approximately $50 to offset the cost of the natural gas. Many of our residents have contacted me about the lower gas bill this month and have stated they have lowered their thermostats to reduce consumption. Others have applied for the Level Pay Plan or one of the assistance programs the gas company provides. The main thing is that we stay safe and healthy during this unusually cold weather for our area. The solar Purchase Power Agreement (PPA) vote was 922 Yes and 312 No to allow the Board of Directors to negotiate a contract for solar power at our three facilities. Many people made suggestions at the Town Hall meeting and have contacted the FirstService Management staff and Board members with additional suggestions on the location of the solar panels, the Trinary Capital Group, and the solar company. We have discussed many of the suggestions with members of our community and are reviewing ways to improve the HOA position as we go forward. There is no contract in place at the time this article was written. Thank you to all the residents who voted. Whether you voted yes or no, the important thing is you participated and had your voices heard. The Highland Springs Interchange Project to reduce delays and congestion that is currently experienced at the I-10/Highland Springs Avenue interchange is moving forward. The project will take into consideration the traffic increases expected over the next 20 years without having to widen the existing bridge structure. This is a cooperative project between the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the cities of Beaumont and Banning. Obtaining planning, environmental, and engineering approval requires three phases: 1. The Project Study Report — This identifies potential alternatives to provide congestion relief. It also looks at the potential environmental impact and cost associated with alternatives. This was approved in December 2021. 2. Project Approval/Environment Documentation (PAED) — The environmental document for the project is approved and the preferred alternative is selected. This began in September 2022. 3. Final Plans and Engineering — Final phase of engineering which comes after approval of the environmental documentation. This is expected to take two years and will begin in 2024. The funding for the project will be approximately $3 million for the Project Study Report and PAED, which has been funded. The $3.5 million for the final engineering and then $25-30 million for the construction are currently unfunded. As you can see, this project's completion will be down the road several years. The Construction Defect Lawsuit against K. Hovnanian is still in progress with depositions by FirstService Management and an HOA Board representative. The areas of our concern include the roadways, facility buildings, sidewalks, and trees. Currently, we do not have a date for trial readiness, but it is possible this lawsuit could be resolved before the end of this year. As we progress further, we will update the information as authorized by the attorneys representing the HOA. The Board of Directors meets on the second Thursday of each month in an open session at 1 pm in The Lodge Ballroom. We also have an informal meeting at the RCN on the third Wednesday of each month where residents can discuss topics and ask questions of the Board members in attendance. These informal sessions allow the Board members to respond and participate in a question and answer period, which the more formal sessions do not permit. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at (951) 212-8898 or at jmonahan.fsb@gmail.com. By Jerry Monahan, Board President

• Cover