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6 | LIFE IN SOLERA | FEBRUARY 2026 | February is here already. This is the third quarter of our fiscal year. This month's financial reports will be used for our projections in March when we begin developing our budget for the next fiscal year of 2026-2027. We use the year-to-date totals, then divide them by nine to get a monthly average of our expenses. Then we get projections from Keystone Management and our General Manager of all our contract increases for the new fiscal year and increases due to current inf lation amounts. Next, we take the monthly average and multiply that number by three to project our expenses for the rest of this fiscal year. This committee, with the help of our GM, will complete our proposed annual budget for the next fiscal year by the end of March. We will schedule a special Open Session Board meeting during the first week of April. This timeline will allow us to obtain an approved budget, which will be sent out with our annual delivery of required documents. Our annual election for Board members, will be processed the same way as last year's, with paper ballots. The ballots will be sent out in April, and the election will be held at our Annual Members' meeting in May. The Board approved our rules to include online or electronic voting beginning with next year's election. The process will begin later this year. More information will be sent to everyone explaining the set-up process, etc. The electronic voting process will save us money each year. The election by mail costs over $7,000, plus printing and postage. Our annual budget for election expenses this year is $15,000. The projected cost for electronic voting is about $3,700. This cost will be more depending on the number of voters who opt out of electronic voting and request paper ballots. There will be townhall meeting(s) regarding this process change. ~ Marcia Casem Finance Committee

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