The proposed 2019 master and APN operating budgets will be published on the community’s website and in Lifestyles Magazine this week. If approved by the board in December, the budgets will require a $2.00 increase in resident assessments effective on January 1. This would increase assessments from $125 per month to $127 for single-family homeowners.
The reason for the increase, according to George Sebastian, Finance Advisory Committee chairman, is an adjustment for modest cost increases in several ongoing programs in the coming year.
In other actions or discussions on October 24, the board:
1) Discussed how to clarify and possibly expand on the winterizing policies on APN properties. This involves the management of water and natural gas facilities and the monitoring of winterizing activities. The discussion focused on how to deal with properties that have been vacated or are vacant during winter months.
2) Decided to wait until the exact cause of the September 4 fire that destroyed an APN home on Michigan Avenue in Neighborhood 8 is known, before they proceed with a special assessment in the neighborhood to pay for part of the insurance expense. A cause investigation by the Huntley Fire District and insurance companies has not been completed. On October 16, a letter was sent by the Sun City association to all Neighborhood 8 homeowners stating that all of the residents of Neighborhood 8 will be responsible to share in the expense of the $15,000 deductible on the insurance policy covering the exterior of homes. According to the Sun City governing documents, “In the event of an insured loss, the deductible shall be treated as a common expense (not covered by insurance), or a neighborhood expense in the same manner as the premiums for the applicable insurance coverage.”
The letter goes on to say that, “Although the cause is not known at this time, there is no reason for the board to believe that the fire was caused by negligence of any homeowner involved. Therefore, the board will treat the deductible as a neighborhood expense pursuant to Article 6.1 (b) of the Sun City Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions.” It is expected that the cause investigation will be completed in the next few weeks.
The board decided not to pursue installation of surveillance cameras at or in major buildings in the community. After researching the cost and reasons for such facilities, board members agreed that they aren’t needed or justified at this time.
Directors also decided to make no change in the current three-hour limit on family swim time in the Prairie Lodge swimming pools. The board agreed that a proposal to expand the time to four hours was unnecessary at this time.
Finally, the board approved a change in the signage at Millgrove Woodshop, to display information that the Woodchucks and Cue Club charter groups are both occupants of the upper level of the building.
The next meeting of the board will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday, December 5, in Drendel Ballroom, Prairie Lodge.
