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| OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2024 | 3 President's Message By Greg Kusiak, HOA President (2023-2024) Standing at the end of my lane, bundled up in my warmest clothes and waiting for the school bus as the wind whipped the snow in my face … that's what winter meant to me when I was a boy in the Midwest. Some had it better and some had it worse, but for all it was a test we had to pass. On some cold Sundays, after the early nightfall, we would watch a Rams or Chargers game on TV and notice the spectators sitting in the bright sunshine, often in shorts and short- sleeved shirts. Fast forward to 2024 in San Diego where I think it is cold when I have to slip on a sweatshirt to walk my dogs in the evening. For those of you who grew up in this climate, you probably have no idea what a great weather card fate dealt you; for those who grew up experiencing real, raw, North American winter, we will never take this wonderful climate for granted. The continued moderate weather, short days and occasional moisture continue to help reduce our landscaping water costs. Much- increased interest income, water savings and staff productivity improvements have put us in an enviable position with our actual financials about $350,000 ahead of our budget projections. Our lanai project is on schedule and on budget. Our well and lake project is finally in good hands and moving forward and we continue to maintain very strong property values even in the face of home mortgage rates that have more than doubled. I am happy to report that the state of our HOA is very strong! The 40th Anniversary Committee continues to plan for a great celebration of OHCC's big birthday. Please contact the Clubhouse front desk to schedule your photo shoot. I must say that over the years I have neglected to get timely photos of me and my lovely bride. We took the opportunity to be photographed for the 30th and 35th anniversaries and were pleased with the quality of the work. We especially are grateful in retrospect that it nudged us into chronicling our lives. Don't wait; call now. There's still time. Jan. 13 was the latest in a long series of Do Dues Day events. Pre- Covid, this was a meet and greet event that new members and old didn't want to miss. We adapted to the pandemic with minimal face-to-face contact alternatives and have probably improved our processes for collecting annual club memberships. (In fact, we have come kicking and screaming into the 21st century as the Sailing Club now accepts dues payment by credit card!) Sadly, the scaled- down event just didn't measure up to the social opportunities of the past. But this year the event was the wonderful zoo that it was in the past. We're happy to say that D 3 is back and better than ever! We continue to pay the price for the failures and actions of our previous golf course contractor. Most recently, we discovered multiple drains that were either capped or just dropped into the ground unconnected to drainage pipes. It was like painting a drain on the ground and expecting water to disappear. We also found more irrigation pipes improperly installed. Even worse than the last such discovery, this one cost us $12,000 to repair. We have filed complaints with appropriate authorities against this contractor, but we must, of necessity, be prepared to deal with the legacy of their unacceptable work on our own. Local social media are full of reports of malicious vandalism, including doorbell ditching and donkey kicking doors. It reminds me often that our gated community offers us benefits that alter the quality and security of our lives. Safety-conscious residents are pleased that there has been a noticeable improvement in motorists stopping at stop signs since the installation of the cameras. The Board is planning to create an ad hoc committee to look further into traffic and pedestrian safety. If you would like to be a part of this effort, please contact me or the General Manager to express your interest. Of course, we all experience individual drivers who believe they are smarter or more skilled than the rest of us and don't have to follow either our rules or California traffic laws. What you may not know is Continued on following page

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