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22 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | AUGUST 2023 Landscape Committee In most months, presentation of figures such as income and expenses is done by the Finance Committee. This month, however, I want to present data about what it takes to keep our community attractive and appealing to not only current residents but also guests, realtors, and prospective residents. The Master Land Management budget for 2023 is $1,272,492. These budget items are one of the largest HOA expenses, and they cover irrigation, activity by Park West, our landscape contractor, tree maintenance, and activities overseen by the Landscape Committee. This year, the Landscape Committee budget was set at $97,260. Park West provided an additional credit of $22,500. Thus, the Committee had funds of $119,760 to maintain The Lodge, The Summit, The Courts, the pocket parks, and all the common areas within the community. Tree maintenance is an additional $214,800 expense. These figures may seem huge, but residents should keep in mind that shrubs cost $35 and more and trees go for $330 or more. The community has thousands of trees and tens of thousands of shrubs and ground cover. The Front Yard Cost Center (FYCC) budget for 2023 is $487,056. This total is made up of allocations for irrigation, activity by Park West, tree maintenance, and replacement of declining plant material. The budget for this latter activity is $9,000. How has the Committee spent the funds allocated to it? This year we've walked all the streets that make up the FYCC and observed the condition of the shrubs and trees that are present there. We've overseen the replacement of dead trees and failed shrubs, as well as lawn maintenance. We have, however, been careful to observe our budget constraints, approving expenditures of $6,859 for the first five months of the year. For the HOA property, the Committee seeks to equitably distribute expenditures throughout the community. So far this year, the Committee has directed the refurbishment of three slopes, replacement of declining and dead plantings in the Springdales, refurbishment of the pots in the pool area of The Lodge, clean up of the Breckenridge detention basin, and replacement of trees damaged by residents or improperly chosen by the builder. In addition, the Committee has worked diligently to improve the appearance of the planting along Four Seasons Circle, especially on the corners. In the near future, we expect to oversee a major overhaul of the circle between The Courts and The Summit. The cost of these projects is considerable and the Committee has approved expenditures of $31,548 for the first five months of the year. As of this writing early in July, the Committee is performing all these activities with only four members. In the past, the Committee has had seven, eight, or even nine members. Additional members will allow us to spread activities such as tree trimming scheduling, identification of water wise plants appropriate for our microclimate, and selection of trees that thrive in our community. In addition, additional membership will assure the community of diverse opinions that benefit us all. I encourage any residents who want to see that the appearance of our premier community is preserved to consider joining our Committee. You can find out how we function by joining us for a morning walk. These walks take place every Friday, currently beginning at 7 am. We start at various locations throughout the community and you can find out where our next walk will be by contacting Kat Hughes of FirstService. Another way to see the Committee in action is to attend our monthly meeting that takes place at 1 pm on the third Tuesday of the month. I hope to see you there. ~ Kirk Freyermuth, kafreyer@ frontier.com

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