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| OHCC LIVING | JANUARY 2026 | 5 Continued from previous page By Tom Porter, President Every year, I review my accomplishments. Some years the list is longer than others, often because some achievements have been carried over from previous years. This year, I am sharing my list of SERT safety-related goals for 2026: • Test all our smoke and carbon monoxide detectors • Test our Amazon Emergency Management System • Review our insurance coverage to ensure it meets our needs • Rotate my emergency supplies (out with the old and in with the new) • Check my First Aid Kits and replace items used in 2025 • Review important documents (Wills, Trusts, Advanced Medical Directives) to ensure they are up to date and easily accessible in an emergency • Update my emergency contacts and check with neighbors to ensure their information is current • Update my medical history on my Vial of Life form and SMART911 • Review our house exit plan in case of a fire • Check fire extinguishers to ensure they are fully charged • Inspect the house for trip and fall hazards • Have fun and enjoy retirement! (This may not be a SERT goal, but it's important) In 2025, the SERT Club ended the year with 363 members, including 27 Lifetime members. Our goal for 2026 is to exceed 400 members. We encourage everyone to renew their membership or upgrade to Lifetime membership. While we have lost some members, we are grateful for the many new residents and encourage them to join SERT. In 2026, SERT will continue to work towards a safer OHCC experience. Some initiatives may require approval from the Master Board of Directors, while others will only need time and effort to implement. Some ideas being discussed include: • Assigning a Lead Safety Coordinator for each Village • Purchasing 2-way radios for Safety Coordinators • Investigating an emergency warning system for OHCC, like the Tsunami siren and loudspeaker system used in beach communities, or utilizing a group texting service If you have any ideas, please share them by sending an email to OHCCSERT@gmail.com. Thank you all for supporting SERT. Please stay safe and healthy in 2026! HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE SERT TEAM standard. But think about what that actually means: To be 100% funded, we would need to collect money NOW for expenses we know won't occur for 15–30 years! Does that sound financially smart? Would it make us safer? Would it raise property values? Would it make future buyers excited to live here? No. In fact, any savvy buyer who saw an HOA insisting on 100% funding for expenses decades away would likely say: "Why are they collecting so much money so early? This HOA is overcharging." The same is true of saying "EVERY HOA should have reserves of 70%." With a healthy income and a 40-year track record, 40-60% is healthy and 30-70% is adequate. Our outside financial experts have said in our situation, 40% is fine. We have 50% and the path ahead shows the percentage will increase steadily, at a healthy pace. To increase the percentage to 70% or 100% now, we'd be overcharging and taking money from you when it isn't necessary. Asking you to pay extra for improvements and expenditures not expected for 30 years would give you a real reason for questioning the Board and the Reserves! Over-funding makes us less attractive, not more. And if this community is LESS attractive, then you should worry about not having 1,632 homes paying their assessments and the HOA not being healthy! e Real Story Our Numbers Tell Fortunately, this HOA has been managed wisely for 40 years. In that time: We understand we have never needed a special assessment. Not once. (One village issued a special assessment once in the past-but never the Master Board). That alone puts us in rare company among HOAs nationwide. Our reserves have always done exactly what reserves should do: • Rise when we save. • Fall when we pay for scheduled replacements. • Maintain steady long-term health. • Support a community that remains highly desirable. And that is the story our numbers tell. It's not only a great story… it's the FACTS.

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