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As this issue of Ocean Hills Living arrives you will be anticipating your New Year's Eve events. A few of us have maintained the fervor of ringing in the new year like we did when we were 50 years younger, but most have a more mellow way of celebrating. And then there are those of us for whom the passing from one year to the next provides an opportunity for ref lection and recommitment. Considering the "rule" that 9 pm is midnight in OHCC, find an entertainment channel that shows east coast celebrations live on the Best Coast. In the "two steps forward, one step back department," we have submitted the second revision to our lake permit application. The permit turnaround process should be short, so we now expect the permit to be issued in mid-January and work to begin by the end of the month. I have mentioned before that timing is sensitive because of possible weather delays, but there is another timing factor. We only have until early April to complete the turf removal and replacement project near the back gate. Further delays could cause us to miss that deadline and forfeit the $190,000 rebate. We have also received approval for rebates to remove the turf on the south side of Leisure Village Way between Barcelona Way and Cordoba Way. That project will proceed independently from the other one. Work has already begun to remove the existing grass in preparation. Like the back gate area, this will be relandscaped with water-wise and native plants and mulch and will remain accessible. The work of the Budget and Financial Advisory Committee began in earnest in December and will continue until early February when the budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 is presented to the Board. In addition to contending with general inf lation, the bulk of our budget is dependent on wages. The special minimum wage offered under California law to fast food employees has elevated the de facto wage scale for all employees. In addition, water is a major expense with or without the irrigation lake, and Oceanside is implementing a 7 percent increase on Jan. 1. The installation of the new entry system is nearly complete. Entry is based on a license plate reader rather than a transponder. The existing transponder system has been partly disabled for several months, so this should reduce the pressure on the entrances and speed up the process. We have also completed a refurbishment of both guardhouses and upgraded the technology to improve speed, reliability and functionality. The new illuminated crossbars have contributed to the holiday atmosphere but will continue to be red and green year-round. In my last report I mentioned that the two Ocean Hills voting precincts had the highest voter turnout in all of San Diego County. In the final tally, they had 92 percent and 93 percent turnout, making them two of the top three. That's a record to be proud of and to build on. Now, to get the participation in HOA elections up! We continue to work with legal counsel and a civil engineer on an acceptable solution to the problem of vehicle undercarriages striking the driveways while backing into the street out of garages. Those with driveway ramps, whether or not approved, remain responsible for any accidents or incidents with pedestrians, vehicles, drainage or other problems caused by the ramps. e Board met in Executive Session on Nov. 18 and took the following actions: • Approved the Minutes of the Executive Session on Oct. 14 • Assessed eight fines at $75 each for failure to stop at a stop sign • Assessed two fines at $50 each for dogs off leash • Denied an appeal of a previous fine for failure to stop at a stop sign • Reviewed multiple delinquencies • Received a report on entry gate improvements from Ken Wright • Approved upgrading and changing to a cloud-based format for EventPro event scheduling software at a one-time conversion cost of $750 and a monthly subscription fee of $785 • Approved a quote for printing the annual telephone directory at a cost not to exceed $7,567.50 | OHCC LIVING | JANUARY 2025 | 3 President's Message By Greg Kusiak, HOA President (2024-2025) Continued on following page

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