Insight and Education for Community Associations Community Associations Institute / Central Arizona Chapter / www.cai-az.org
Summer Safety & 2014 Legislative Update
PLUS‌ President’s Message Community Spotlight 2014 CAI CAC Event Calendar
Summer 2014
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Summer Safety & 2014 Legislative Update
Summer 2014
Community Associations Institute / Central Arizona Chapter / www.cai-az.org
Features
Departments
16
The 2014 Legislative Session - What Didn’t Happen
18
How Our Chapter Benefits From CCAL Attorneys
By Ryan DeMenna
Hello Sunshine!!
20 Preventing Storm Damage
Chapter Executive Director’s Letter
Myths & Misconceptions ................... 10
By Jordan Lynde, CPSI
Committee News ................................ 11
22 Monsoon & Heat Safety
Membership Committee News
By Rebecca Herro
New Members ................................... 12
23 Common Scorpions in Arizona By Jack Dayen
By Michael McLaughlin, CSP, ARM, CIRMS
Annual Sponsors ............................... 30 Congratulations Corner ..................... 32
Tips to Remember
Calendar of Events ............................ 34
By Cherie Koester
2014 CAI CAC Event Calendar
26 Is Your Community Safe?
23
By Rich Jessup
Splish Splash Into Summer… and a Successful Pool Season
Diamond Corner ................................ 35 Showcase of Top Sponsors
Product and Service Directory .......... 36 While efforts to ensure accuracy are exercised, the publisher assumes no liability for the information contained in either editorial or advertising content.
By Jake Hoffman, CMCA
By Mark Beatty, APM
CAI Events ......................................... 14
2014 Annual Sponsors
25 Landscaping Safety –
escalating HOA dues?
Welcome to the Central Arizona Chapter!
Tradeshow Summary Night Golf Maryland Manor Community Clean-up Project
24 Outdoor Grilling
28 Is our community safe from
Liquor Law and Community Associations – Does the Party Have to Stop?
Sun City Festival Named Nation’s Best Active Adult Community
21 Play It Safe on the Playground
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PCAM Corner ....................................... 6
Community Spotlight .......................... 8
By Fernando Torres
24
President’s Letter
From the Chapter Executive Director.... 5
20
By Lorene Gilbert
From the Chapter Board President ....... 4
Valhalla Community Magazines
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www.Valhalla360.com
For advertising and editorial information, please call Valhalla Community Magazines at (480) 634-1708.
Summer 2014
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From the president
President’s Letter
Community Associations Institute Central Arizona Chapter
By Mary Jo Edel, CAI-CAC President
2014 Board of Directors
As another legislative session has come to an end, I would like to reiterate the very important role the Arizona Legislative Action Committee (AZLAC) plays in community association governance. Each year, the legislative session presents new challenges, compromises and opportunities that affect our industry and business practices. Working through these issues takes an enormous amount of time, dedication and willingness to work both behind the scenes as well as in public forums. The AZLAC delegates are nominated by the individual chapters and by the AZLAC itself. All committee members volunteer their time and energy to benefit all CAI members on a weekly basis. Also keep in mind that the AZLAC depends solely on donations of the community associations, individual contributions and the businesses it represents. The AZLAC currently retains DeMenna & Associates, a respected lobbying firm, to lead our efforts at the legislature. I would like to thank all of the community associations, individuals and business partners that have
donated to the AZLAC this year, as well as in past years, and encourage those who did not to please consider this in the future. Finally, and most importantly a “HUGE CONGRATULATIONS” to the AZLAC for winning the National Legislative Action Committee of the Year Award amongst all LACs in all jurisdictions. I had the honor and the privilege to accept this award at the CAI Annual Conference and Exposition awards dinner in Orlando, FL on May 17th along with Mark Wade - President Elect – CAC, Darryl Larson- President Elect SAC, and Jena Carpenter- Past President, Board member - SAC and AZLAC member. Tom Skiba, CEO of CAI National stated, “It was a really tough competition this year.” Dawn Bauman, Sr. Vice President, Government & Public Affairs said, “The AZLAC is well deserving of this award and CAI members in Arizona are very fortunate to have this team advocating on their behalf.” I am extremely excited and proud to be a part of this team. Mary Jo Edel CAI-CAC President
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Ready or not, summer is here! Whether you take the position that summer began on Memorial Day, June 21, or perhaps Easter (which a case could be made for in Phoenix), everyone can agree that the sweltering season is now well under way.
precursors. From tips to dealing with the heat and preventing monsoon damage, to playground safety and an update on the new legislation, all of the information you need to make it a fun, safe, well-informed summer for you and your community is right here.
In Arizona, the beginning of summer can be signaled by a number of different events: (1) the first 110 degree day; (2) the first “mom, I’m bored!” spoken by a child out of school; (3) the first dust storm or monsoon; or (4) the end of the legislative session.
Jessica Maceyko, Esq., on behalf of the CAI-CAC Magazine Committee
www.caicommunityresource.com
Chapter President-Elect Mark Wade, CMCA, AMS, LSM, PCAM Leisure World Community Association 480-823-0003 • mwade@leisureworldarizona.com Chapter Vice-President Linda Van Gelder ALPHA Community Management 623-825-7777• linda@alphacommunitymanagement.com Chapter Secretary Toni Rudolph First Citizens Bank 602-624-0949 toni.rudolph@firstcitizens.com Chapter Treasurer Josh Bolen, Esq. Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Bolen, PLC 480-427-2862 • josh.bolen@carpenterhazlewood.com Chapter Directors Milan Carnes Verde Groves HOA 937-477-8652 • milancarnes@hotmail.com Lynda Erickson, PCAM 602-616.7322 lerickson@cox.net Augustus Shaw, Esq., CCAL Shaw & Lines, LLC 480-456-1500 • ashaw@shawlines.com Jeff Reynolds, CMCA, AMS Messina HOA 602-549-5369 • jjreyno@gmail.com CAI Central Arizona Staff Kayte Comes Executive Director 602-388-1159 • kayte@cai-az.org Chapter Office 1625 E. Northern Ave., Ste. 201 Phoenix, AZ 85020 Tel: 602-388-1159 • Fax: 602-513-7462 info@cai-az.org • www.cai-az.org Community Resource Committee Committee Members Jessica Maceyko, Esq. Ekmark & Ekmark, LLC
From the Editor...
Fortunately, this issue of Community Resource provides valuable information as to all four of the above summer
Chapter President Mary Jo Edel, CMCA, AMS, PCAM PMG Services 480-829-7400 x202 • maryjo@pmg-service.com
Jacob Marshall, CMCA CCMC Elaine Anghel, PCAM Tri-City Property Management Services Lindsey O’Connor, Esq. Carpenter Hazlewood Delgado & Bolen, PLC Audra Gambill Community Association Underwriters of America, Inc. Lydia Peirce Linsmeier, Esq. Shaw & Lines, LLC Magazine Editing Subcommittee Dawn Engel, CMCA, AMS Planned Development Services Kerry Lynn Goto, PCAM Great Boards Ursula Mancuso, CMCA, AMS PMG Services
CEN T R AL AR IZONA CHAP TER
Kathe Barnes, PCAM Scottsdale Ranch Community Association
From the Director
Chapter Executive Director’s Letter By Kayte Comes, Executive Director CAI – Central Arizona Chapter
Summer is here, and that means many of our CAI members just returned from the National Conference held in Orlando, Florida. The Central Arizona Chapter was again rewarded with some exciting news. The Chapter’s Legislative Action Committee was named the 2013 Legislative Action Committee of the year. I want to thank all of the LAC members and our lobbyist for how hard they worked over the last year and the many countless hours down at the State Capitol. This Chapter and the State of Arizona would not be in such good standing with the community association legislation without their dedication, knowledge and most of all, passion for the community association industry. The award is well-deserved. The Chapter also won a National Excellence Award for Chapter Management and Development for the 2013 Annual Sponsorship campaign. Many thanks go out to the Membership/ Sponsorship Committee for raising all the funds that help support the events and activities the Chapter produces for the membership. This Committee is a staple of the Chapter and enthusiasm from the chairs, Linda Van Gelder and Toni Rudolph, has been amazing - they keep everyone motivated and on task. Just when I thought the Committee wouldn’t be able to top what they raised last year, the Committee went ahead and exceeded it this year.
Your community is waiting to hear from you. Speak up.
Full Color Community Magazines and Newsletters Your communication is our business.
Valhalla Community Magazines To see what our communication tools can do for your community, visit www.valhalla360.com or call (480) 634-1708.
I am very blessed as the executive director to have such strong and gifted volunteers. I appreciate all the work you do for the Chapter and I can never thank you all enough for your time and extreme dedication to this industry. Congratulations! We have swept the CAI National Excellence Award for Chapter Management and Development four years in a row.
Summer 2014
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PCAM C o r n e r
Liquor Law and Community Associations – Does the Party Have to Stop? By Mark Sahl, Esq.
With the summer party season quickly approaching, many associations like to host barbeques, mixers, and membership gatherings. In many associations, members may enjoy drinking their beverage of choice, which is often of the alcoholic variety. The question frequently arises, “can the association allow its members to consume alcohol on the association’s property?” The answer is, “it depends.” Title 4 of the Arizona Revised Statutes addresses the sale and consumption of liquor. However, the statutes are not written with community associations in mind and can be difficult to navigate. Based on the fact that very few community associations have a liquor license, most associations must pay close attention to A.R.S. 4-244.05, which applies to all unlicensed business establishments or business premises where alcohol is consumed. A.R.S. 4-244.05 prohibits the consumption of alcohol on any business premises (which may include association clubhouses, pool areas, etc.) if any of the following activities occur: (1) food or beverages are sold, (2) entertainment is provided, (3) a membership fee or a cover charge for admission is charged, or (4) a minimum purchase or rental requirement for goods or services is charged. Read strictly, this statute could have a severe impact on “BYOB” events held at association facilities. However, the analysis regarding the applicability of the statute is complex and depends on the facts that apply to a particular association’s activities. In certain cases, an association has a strong argument that it can allow “BYOB” events on its premises, but this decision is never risk-free. Regardless of the analysis of A.R.S. 4-244.05 with respect to “BYOB” events, one thing is for certain – an association should never charge a “cover charge” for any party where alcohol is served on the association’s premises unless a special license is obtained. Furthermore, absent a special license, an association should not engage in the service of alcohol to its members. If an association wishes to sell and/or serve alcohol, it should consider obtaining a Series 15 special event license (temporary liquor license) pursuant to A.R.S. 4-203.02. These licenses can be obtained up to 10 times per year and actually allow the
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association to sell alcohol. If the particular association does not qualify for the special event license (which is determined by the local municipality and the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control), the association may be able to “partner” with qualifying organizations, like charities, rotary clubs, and other organizations that clearly meet the requirements imposed by A.R.S. 4-203.02. If this type of “partnering” is done, the qualifying organization must retain at least 25% of the gross liquor sales from the event. Failure to follow the requirements of Title 4 can result in severe criminal and civil penalties. It is important to note that multiple agencies have the authority to enforce Title 4 (including the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, and local law enforcement) and each agency may enforce the above statutes in a different manner. Additionally, it only takes one unhappy homeowner to report the association’s activities to the one of the above agencies. Just ask some of the attendees of any community association function that was shut down by one of these agencies over the past few years! In addition to observing the liquor laws addressed above, associations should also ensure that they have the proper insurance in place and that the insurer is aware of the association’s practices with respect to consumption of alcohol on its premises. Failure to do so could lead to substantial liability if an injury should occur on the association’s premises and the association’s insurer refuses to provide coverage. Based on the complexities in this area of the law, associations and community managers should ensure that they obtain competent guidance regarding the applicability of Title 4 and the options available to associations to allow the consumption and/or sale of alcohol on the association’s premises. This particular topic is far too broad to do more than highlight a few of the relevant issues in this article. Whenever alcohol is sold, served or allowed on an association’s premises, there is always risk. However, that risk can be minimized by following the liquor laws, obtaining sufficient insurance, and ensuring that members do not have too much to drink! Mark Sahl is a partner with Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Bolen, PLC. He focuses his practice on litigation, general counsel work, collections, and liquor law. Mark is also a Certified Public Accountant. He can be reached at mark@ carpenterhazlewood.com.
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Summer 2014
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community spotlight
Sun City Festival Named Nation’s Best Active Adult Community By Bruce Friedman
Nestled at the base of the scenic White Tank Mountains in Phoenix’s northwest valley, Sun City Festival is the latest active adult, master planned Sun City community in the west valley. The community, which is currently under development by Pulte Homes, consists of over 1,800 homes, and is scheduled to surpass 7,200 homes once it has been completely built out. The heavily amenitized community celebrated its first closing in October 2006, and in the spring of 2007 opened, in succession, the Copper Canyon Golf Club, the Indigo Grille Restaurant and Bar, and the Sage Recreation Center. In April 2008, a softball complex was added, and in April 2011, a 9,000 square foot wood shop and glass and pottery studio facility opened for use by the homeowners. The community also offers an eight court pickleball complex, six tennis courts, bocce and horseshoes, an 18-hole putting green, a state of the art fitness complex, and a 277,000 gallon resort swimming pool, all for the enjoyment of the homeowners. Residents thoroughly enjoy playing golf on the Troon Golf managed 18 hole championship golf course, and flock to the Indigo Grille to enjoy the fun, festive happy hours.
awards from the homebuilding industry. Most recently, for the second time in its short history, Sun City Festival was named the nation’s best active adult community by the National Association of Home Builders. The National Association of Home Builders 50+ Council “Best of 50+” Housing Awards is the industry’s most prestigious national awards program honoring excellence in building, design, marketing and lifestyle. The industry and the media view the awards as a showcase for innovation, emerging trends and quality housing for the Active Adult demographic. Del E. Webb famously said “Concrete, steel and lumber make the buildings, but people make the community.” Nowhere is this idea being demonstrated more clearly than in Sun City Festival. The recognition by the National Association of Home Builders simply acknowledges the efforts of the residents to live Mr. Webb’s dream.
Lifestyle is the backbone of any Sun City community, and the residents of Sun City Festival have taken the baton from their predecessors at other Sun City communities and continued the tradition of growing lifestyle in Sun City Festival. In just seven years, 33 chartered clubs have formed, and their members are actively pursuing hobbies and interests from pickleball and quilting to wine tasting and dancing. Complimenting all of the club activities are a wide array of lifestyle activities planned and executed by the community’s Lifestyle Director and a loyal group of volunteers. These fun events include pool parties, dances, comedy and musical shows, indoor and outdoor movies, and much, much more! The incredible growth in lifestyle, fitness and wellness participation has led to Sun City Festival winning many major
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Bruce Friedman has served as Sun City Festival’s Community Manager since February 2007. He began a career in the community management field after completing 28 years of active service in the United States Navy. He is an employee of AAM, LLC.
Parking Enforcement
& Courtesy Patrols For Your Community
Arizona Parking Solutions, Inc. Community Patrols
www.arizonaparking.com
866.506.5759
Summer 2014
9
Myths & Misconceptions
Myths and Misconceptions By Lynn Krupnik, Esq., CCAL & Elaine Anghel, CAAM, PCAM, AMS, CMCA
Myth: Children use playground equipment at their own risk, and the association does not need to be concerned about children getting hurt using the playground equipment.
Myth: For those associations who have bodies of water to maintain (pools and lakes), you can take a “swim/use at your own risk” attitude and not worry about the liability that water creates.
Fact: Associations need to keep in mind that, pursuant to Arizona case law, associations have a duty to keep the common areas safe. The standard that is applied is “what would a reasonable person do?” in similar circumstances. Therefore, associations should have a routine inspection and maintenance program in place for playground equipment to show proof that it is taking reasonable steps to keep the common areas safe. In addition, if someone calls in with a safety concern about the playground, the association should take steps to inspect the playground shortly thereafter and document the steps taken. Although not all injuries can be prevented, taking precautions to help keep the playground equipment safe and documenting those actions should help limit the association’s liability if injuries occur.
Fact: When an association has pools or lakes as part of their amenities, it is critically important to take every precaution necessary to ensure that risks are minimized or eliminated. It is important to have an appropriate preventative maintenance program in place in order to prevent liability exposure. For example, the pool gate needs to be checked regularly to ensure that there are no faulty locking mechanisms, and the dual drain system needs to be in compliance and in working condition. It is also important to insure that the appropriate insurance coverage and limits are maintained, in the event an incident occurs.
Myth: There’s nothing an association can do about vacant units in a condominium and the potential damage that can happen due to water damage caused from a vacant unit. Fact: Condominium associations usually have broad rulemaking authority. They can often use that rule-making authority to establish rules governing requirements of owners in their units to help prevent water leaks. These rules can include requirements such as changing out plastic tubing and replacing it with metal-reinforced tubing for water lines, replacing the water heater after so many years, requiring annual inspections after the water heater is a certain age, requiring the unit to be inspected on a weekly basis if it is vacant for a certain period of time, etc. Many owners may not realize what actions should be taken to help prevent water leaks. Adopting rules and providing notice to the owners of those rules can help prevent some water leaks. Furthermore, if an owner fails to follow the rules and water damage occurs because of that failure, the association may be able to hold the owner liable for the cost of the repair in excess of any insurance coverage.
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Myth: In a situation where a snowbird is out of state several months of the year and cannot be in town to address maintenance issues, they can expect the association to wait until the fall to have their matters dealt with. Fact: A homeowner is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their home all year round, regardless of their physical presence in the community or their inability to inspect/correct the issue at hand. If a homeowner chooses to be a part-time resident, it is their obligation to then rely upon a source on their behalf (family or hired contractor) to tend to the maintenance issues in a timely matter.
The information contained in these Myths & Misconceptions is for informational purposes only and is not specific legal advice or a substitute for specific legal counsel. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Lynn Krupnik is an attorney with the law firm of Ekmark & Ekmark, L.L.C., where she has been practicing in the area of community association law since 1997. Ms. Krupnik is a member of the CAI College of Community Association Lawyers, and speaks and writes often on topics that affect community associations. Elaine Anghel is the Vice President of Management Services of Tri-City Property Management Services, Inc. and has been in the homeowner association industry since 1993.
Committee News
Membership Committee News The Membership Committee is proud to announce that at the CAI National conference held in Orlando, Florida our Chapter was selected to receive an Achievement Award for its 2013 Annual Marketing Sponsorship Campaign in the Chapter Management and Development category! The award was presented at the General Session of the conference on Friday, May 16th at 10:30 a.m.
“BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CLIENTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT WE ALL SHARE.”
If you have a referral for a prospective member, please let either the Chapter Office or the Membership Committee know. The Membership Committee will assist by meeting with them, answering any questions, and/or inviting them to an upcoming luncheon or event. Once they become members, we have a Mentoring Committee that calls all new members, welcomes them to the Chapter, provides where to get our calendar for upcoming events, and ensures they know how to become involved in the Chapter. Responsibilities include contacting new members and mentoring for 90 days.
602-404-0568 WWW.ABCSCAPES.COM
If you would like to become a volunteer and be part of the Membership’s Mentoring Committee, please let Kayte Comes, the Chapter’s Executive Director, know. The commitment is for a 3-month timeframe.
C E N T R AL A R I ZO N A C H A P T E R
Stop by our office… 1625 E. Northern Ave., Ste. 201 Phoenix, AZ 85020
I do not know you. I do not know your company. I do not know your company’s services. I do not know your company’s reputation. Now, what is it you want to sell me?
Sales start before your salesperson calls… by advertising in CAI’s Community Resource Magazine.
Call 480.634.1708 to advertise. Summer 2014
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CAI MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION New Members
Welcome to the Central Arizona Chapter!
6402 Arlington Blvd., Ste 500 • Falls Church, VA 22042 Ph: 1-888-224-4321 • Fax: 1-703-970-9558 • Online: www.caionline.org/join MEMBERSHIP CONTACT: (where materials will be sent) Name: Title: Assoc./Company: Address: City/State/Zip:
The Central Arizona Chapter proudly presents and welcomes our new members from February, March and April 2014.
Homeowner/Board Members: Ms. Patricia Ashbrook Mr. Terry Kressel Ms. Dorthy Wilson Ms. Margaret Saulsby Ms. Elizabeth Guinan Dr. Diane E. Cheney Mr. Edgar Van Cott
The Forest Highlands Assoc. The Forest Highlands Assoc. Northtown HOA, Inc. McCormick Ranch POA The Recreation Centers of Sun City West The Recreation Centers of Sun City West
Individual Community Managers: Ms. Shani Fazzi Mr. Jim Kost Ms. Suzanne Thomas Ms. Mindy Zapien Mr. Craig Pustejovsky Mr. William Sutera Ms. Cathy Anne Collins Ms. Vikki Morley Mr. J. Kelly Reading Ms. Stefani Mercado Mr. Michael Harjun
CCMC CCMC CCMC CCMC CCMC CCMC
Phone: Fax: Email: Select your Chapter:
Central Arizona
Recruiter Name/Co. Name: TOTAL MEMBERSHIP DUES* Community Association Leaders & Homeowners q Individual Homeowner or Board Member $114 q 2 Member Board $200 q 3 Member Board $275 q 4 Member Board $345 q 5 Member Board $395 q 6 Member Board $445 q 7 Member Board $500 For 2-3 Board Member applications, please list the additional individuals who will receive materials. For applications exceeding three, please contact CAI Customer Care at 1-888-224-4321. Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Phone: Fax: Email: Name: Address:
DC Ranch Assoc.
Business Partners: Mr. James Kauth Mr. Paul Overton Mr. William Schlimgen Mr. William Shawn Van Iwarden Mr. Clint Collard Mr. Duane McPherson Mr. Timothy D. Roth Mr. Bryan Houser Mr. Curt T. Sullan Mr. Steve Walter Cheifetz Mr. Brian Lemmermann
City/State/Zip: Phone: Fax:
Aqua Trac EMPAZ, Inc. dba Empire Works FDReserve Studies Management Poolside, Inc. ACE Asphalt CiraConnet Summit Restoration and Consulting, LLC BELFOR Property Restoration Burg Simpson Eldridge Hersh Jardine, PC. Cheifetz Iannitelli Marcolini, PC Somerset Landscape
Email: Individual Managers Management Companies Business Partners q Accountant q Attorney q Builder/Developer q Insurance q Lender/Banker q Reserve Study q Supplier/Landscaper, etc. Please Specify: q Technology Provider *Membership Dues above include $15 Advocacy Support Fee PAYMENT METHOD q Check Enclosed
q VISA
q MasterCard
$134 $410 $580
q AMEX
Account #: Name: Signature:
CENT R A L AR I ZO N A C H A P T E R
Is your membership current? Contact Kayte Comes at (602) 388-1159 or kayte@cai-az.org.
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IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION: Under the provisions of section 1070(a) of the Revenue Act passed by Congress in 12/87, please note the following. Contributions or gifts to CAI are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. However, they may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses subject to restrictions imposed as a result of association lobbying activities. CAI estimates that the non-deductible portion of your dues is 17%. For specific guidelines concerning your particular tax situation, consult a tax professional. CAI’s Federal ID number is 23-7392984. $39 of annual membership dues is for your non-refundable subscription to Common Ground.
CAI Ev e n t s C ENTR AL ARIZO NA C H APTER
Tradeshow Summary By Amber Welch
Once upon a time, not so long ago, April 4, 2014 to be exact, the CAI-Central Arizona Chapter held their annual tradeshow. Over 275 community managers, management company employees and community association board members traveled from all over the state, gathering at the Glendale Civic Center to see what CAI had in store for this year’s show. As the tradeshow doors opened, guests were in awe as they stepped into the pages of their favorite literary classics. Seventy-five vendor professionals dressed the part and welcomed guests to their book-based booths for the themed “Back to Books” show. Attendees enjoyed tarts with Alice in Wonderland, solved mysteries with Sherlock Holmes and even “monkeyed” around with Curious George, just to name a few. Each exhibitor stocked their booth with company information, creative give-a-ways, games and raffle prizes, which gave attendees an entertaining opportunity to meet and greet each exhibitor.
Paramount Roofing Roofing Southwest Seacoast Commerce Bank Sherwin-Williams Paint Sunland Asphalt The Mahoney Group The Travis Law Firm, PLC Vial Fotheringham, LLP
Gift Card, 2 shot glasses and bottle of alcohol $50 Home Depot Card True Grit Theme Basket $50 Nordstrom Gift Card $50 Gift Card - PF Chang’s $50 Gift Card $200 Southwest Airlines Gift Card $50 Gift Card (Restaurant)
Although every booth was creative, a special recognition is in order for our booth exhibitor winners: 1st PureGreen 2nd Shaw & Lines, LLC 3rd First Citizens Bank Marketing Boot Camp Winner: Vial Fotheringham
On behalf of the Tradeshow Committee, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all the tradeshow sponsors, exhibitors As the tradeshow came to a close, all participants gathered and volunteers. In addition, we would also like to thank all together in the venue’s patio garden for a fabulous catered lunch, libations and networking. After lunch, the fun continued participants who donated a book to the Friends of the Tempe Library. With your generous contributions we were able to with raffle drawings and a happy hour mixer. Community collect over 350 books for the organization. The donation will managers, management company employees and HOA board members alike, crossed their fingers in hopes of winning one of help support the City of Tempe’s summer youth and senior programs. The 2014 CAI-CAC Annual Tradeshow was filled many fabulous prizes sponsored by our generous exhibitors. with excitement, as this year’s tradeshow theme was incredibly memorable, for both the exhibitors and attendees. CAI - Central Arizona Chapter Early-Bird Raffle $100 CAI - Central Arizona Chapter Book Drive Raffle - Kindle Amber Welch is a member of the 2014 CAI-CAC Tradeshow Committee and is Fire HDX 16GB currently the HOA Relationship Manager at Metro Phoenix Bank, Local HOA Banking & Lending. CAI - Central Arizona Chapter 1st Prize - Surface 64GB Windows RT CAI - Central Arizona Chapter 2nd Prize - $200 Cash Applied Pavement Technology $100 Gift Card BlueStar Landscape One round of golf for four By Jenifer Meyers (4) at Trilogy at Vistancia Butler Hansen, PC Two (2) $50 Visa Gift Cards March 2014 again saw CAICarpenter Hazlewood CAC’s darkest event, Night Golf! Delgado & Bolen, PLLC Kindle Fire HD Returning to the Continental CCMC $100 Gift Basket Golf Course in Scottsdale, much fun and mischief was had by CLC Enterprise Painting $50 Visa Gift Card all in this sold out event. Dinner and drinks kicked off the DLC Resources, Inc. Showcase Showdown Gift night, followed by a sunset shotgun start. Nine holes of glow in Basket the dark best ball kept the golfers almost as busy as trying to Amazon.com Gift Card remove the glow in the dark light sabers attached to all the pins. Goodwill of Central Arizona Dinner Gift Card & Bottle After golf celebrations included several raffle prizes and a 50/50 of Wine raffle! Holbrook Asphalt Golf bag
Night Golf
LaBarre/Oksnee Insurance Liftmaster Marcel Painting Maxwell & Morgan, PC Nautilus General Contractors
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$100 AMEX Gift Card OGIO Travel Bag $50 Carrabbas’s Italian Grill Gift Card 32 “ Flat screen TV Book with $50 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
I would personally like to thank all involved in making this event not only a sell-out, but also a bright spot on all our calendars. Jenifer Meyers, CMCA, Night Golf Chair, has been an involved CAI member for nearly 12 years and has chaired the Events Committee in the past and several events over the years. She recently joined the team at Goodwill Commercial Maintenance.
Maryland Manor Community Clean-up Project By Suzanne White
On Saturday, March 22, 2014, CAI- Central Arizona Chapter, in conjunction with A S & A Management, hosted a successful clean-up project with the Board of Directors and homeowners at Maryland Manor in Glendale Arizona. Residents, managers, and business partners came together to complete several projects throughout the property. Pittsburg Paint donated all the paint and painting supplies for the project that were used by volunteers of all ages. Spectrum Property Services and their employees managed and organized the grass removal project and converted the landscape to granite in specific locations where grass was no longer able to grow. Lunch was cooked by Alpha Community Management after the work was completed. The contribution made by volunteers was overwhelming, and the day would not have been possible without all the support. The community was very grateful for the amount of work that was offered and donated on behalf of CAI for communities that are in need and in financial hardship.
A special thank you to everyone that donated items for this event: Pittsburg Paint – paint for entire project, rollers and covers, frames, brushes, drop cloths, buckets and grids Spectrum Property Services – irrigation capping, granite, shovels, wheelbarrows and weed spraying East Valley Disaster Services – repairing stucco on pony walls prior to painting A S & A Property Management – breakfast and river rock Berlin Precision Construction – power washer First Service Residential – water bottles Valhalla- “no trespassing”, “no dumping”, and “play area” signs Alpha Community Management – BBQ grill Desert Classic Landscaping – front loader
Suzanne White CMCA, AMS is the Director of Business Development for Paramount Roofing and Paramount 911 Restoration and Construction. Suzanne has been in the industry for 12 years and is the Lead member of the CAI Family Community Clean-up Projects.
Summer 2014
The 2014 Legislative Session What Didn’t Happen By Ryan DeMenna
Arizona politics is anything but predictable. But, there does seem to be one thing we can always count on: the annual legislative assault on the laws governing Arizona’s homeowners associations (HOAs). This phenomenon has become a perpetual aspect of every session. It isn’t too difficult to understand why this occurs. This is one area of law where legislators have the ability to directly impact what goes on in our homes, and in our neighborhoods. And, for many of them, the temptation to override local control is simply irresistible. For Arizona HOAs, the best news may be what didn’t happen. By directly engaging policymakers, both during session and out of session, the Community Association Institute’s (CAI) Legislative Action Committee (LAC) has eliminated many problems before they take the form of legislation. In just a short time, this year-round approach to legislating has reduced the number of bills with a direct impact on HOAs. For example, in 2012 the LAC identified at least 36 bills impacting HOAs. In 2013, the number declined to 29, and in the session that just ended, the number dropped to 17. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, despite the reduction in the overall number, many of the bills that are eventually introduced by lawmakers are still quite onerous. In 2014, the most compelling example was SB 1334. SB 1334 would have prohibited the award of attorney fees to a HOAs in administrative hearings. The passage of SB 1334 would have reversed the “loser pays” rule in HOA litigation, and opened the floodgates for frivolous lawsuits. HOAs unable to recover attorney fees would, in turn, be forced to look to their residents to foot the bill in the form of increased assessments. The bill was defeated in the Senate and, after being revived as the result of some parliamentary maneuvering, was defeated yet again in the House. Of the bills that became law this year, the most significant changes can be found in SB 1482. This bill specifies that local municipalities cannot require the establishment of planned communities, allows employees of an association to perform specific functions in small claims court, makes changes to voting in community elections, establishes rules for homeowners that rent their units, and regulates the display of political signs in planned communities, amongst other provisions. The content of this measure should be familiar, as similar provisions were added to an elections-related bill in the final hours of the 2013 legislative session. The courts ultimately struck down those provisions after concerns were raised that the bill violated the Arizona Constitution’s “single-subject” rule, which specifies that legislation must “embrace but one subject and matters properly connected therewith…” So, we needed a “do-over.”
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The legislature successfully passed, and the Governor ultimately approved, other HOA-related measures dealing with golf carts, common area valuation, resale disclosures, and “ranchette” communities. These bills, as well as SB 1482, become effective 90 days after final adjournment of the legislative session. This year, most of Arizona’s new law becomes operational on July 24, 2014. Every legislative session, the LAC and its lobbying team strive to ensure that HOA-related legislation is both sensible and functional. As an advocate for HOAs and their residents, CAI’s reputation continues to grow. The organization has set itself apart as one that supports straightforward and understandable HOA policy; a refreshingly unique approach acknowledged by both Arizona’s policymakers and their staff. These days, Arizona politics is much more of a “blood sport.” In looking back at this and other recent sessions, it’s almost impossible to overlook those instances in which today’s legislators would have benefitted from the presence of legislative giants that – at one time – dominated the process. Stan Turley, perhaps the last of these giants, passed away shortly after the Arizona Legislature adjourned in late April. Turley, the only Arizonan to serve as both Speaker of the House and President of the Senate since the late 1940s, was known for his rare ability to see issues through the eyes of others. The Republican lawmaker from Snowflake never considered his Democrat counterparts to be political enemies; they were colleagues and friends. He would often describe his four-part philosophy to policymaking: “If it’s a moral issue, if it’s gambling, if it’s drugs, if it’s alcohol, if it’s what I consider to be a moral issue, I’m going to do whatever I feel like for myself. I don’t care what anybody else thinks or feels. I’m going to do what I want to do. Then I want to look at the state’s interest. I think if you identify a state interest that’s where you should be. Then you go to a district interest, your district where you represent. And then you go to your party. The Republicans don’t much like a guy putting the party down to number four but that’s my priority. I can get away with it because that’s just what it is.” Imagine the impact that this type of philosophy would have in eliminating the “one-size-fits-all” approach to HOA policymaking! It’s sometimes difficult to identify the impact that legislative giants like Stan Turley had on the process. However, it’s probably safe to say that SB 1062 – the most significant “crisis” of the 2014 session – would have been unlikely to occur under Turley’s leadership. The bill would have effectively given businesses the right to claim a religious objection to providing service to customers. And after garnering national attention, the measure basically paralyzed the state legislature. Confusion over the bill’s impact fueled the controversy, and Arizona was – once again – thrust into the national spotlight. Companies ranging from Apple to American Airlines asked Governor Brewer to veto the legislation. The NFL even threatened to find a new location for the 2015 Super Bowl. continued on page 17
The Governor ultimately vetoed the bill, but the Arizona Legislature never fully recovered. For weeks, lawmakers and staff struggled to return to the familiar rhythm of the process, until a budget proposal for the coming fiscal year was introduced – almost a month later. Budget negotiations carried on for weeks, and in early April, legislators successfully passed a budget proposal for fiscal year 2015 that met with the Governor’s approval. Typically, the successful passage of the budget signals the end of the legislative session. This year, however, there were still over 250 bills in the Senate, and 150 bills in the House remaining to be processed. In the waning days of the 2014 session, there was a flurry of legislative activity on bills still in the pipeline that kept lawmakers working well into the night. Lengthy debates on issues ranging from redefining the regulation of taxi services to prohibiting anyone from aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft absorbed multiple hours of legislative action. While these proposals are not exactly cutting edge policy, these are the types of issues that occupy endless amounts of legislative floor time each year. After 101 days, the Senate and House ended Arizona’s 51st Legislature, 2nd Regular Session on Thursday, April 24, 2014, at 1:46 AM. In all, lawmakers introduced 1,205 bills. Of these, 303 received legislative approval and were transmitted to the Governor for her consideration. Governor Brewer ultimately signed 278 bills into law, while the remaining 25 were met with her veto stamp. The LAC’s legislative efforts, reinforced by their lobbying team, do not often produce tangible results. But CAI should be proud that the organization successfully worked to ensure that a number of shortsighted proposals were defeated – and many never saw the light of day. The overall reduction in the number of HOA-related measures introduced every session also speaks directly to the LAC’s constituent-driven efforts, aimed at tackling HOA-related issues at the local level, before they take the form of legislation. As we look ahead to the 2015 session, it’s important to keep in mind that there will be a new Governor, and over one third of the Arizona legislature will be new to the process. It is critical to educate these new policymakers about the best way to tackle HOA-related issues, while simultaneously preparing for the next legislative assault on the laws governing Arizona’s HOAs. Finally, it is important to recognize that the successes of each session would not be possible without the volunteers that serve on the LAC, and the time they dedicate to crafting better public policy.
Ryan DeMenna is with DeMenna & Associates, a Phoenix based government relations, public affairs and political consulting firm. With nearly 60 sessions of combined experience among the current staff, the firm provides lobbying and consulting services intended to make a difference – influencing legislative opinion in virtually every manner possible. To learn more about DeMenna & Associates, please visit www.demenna.com.
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How Our Chapter Benefits From CCAL Attorneys Of thousands of practicing HOA attorneys nationwide, fewer than 150 have been admitted to CAI’s prestigious College of Community Association Lawyers (CCAL), and eleven of them are members of the Central Arizona Chapter. They are: Scott Carpenter – Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Bolen, PLC, Tempe, AZ James Hazlewood – Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Bolen, PLC, Tempe, AZ Curtis Ekmark – Ekmark & Ekmark, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ Lynn Krupnik – Ekmark & Ekmark, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ Donald Dyekman – Dickinson Wright, Phoenix, AZ Charlie Maxwell – Maxwell & Morgan, PC, Mesa, AZ Brian Morgan – Maxwell & Morgan, PC, Mesa, AZ Beth Mulcahy – Mulcahy Law Firm, P.C., Phoenix, AZ Michael Nagle – Nagle & Zaller, P.C., Scottsdale, AZ Augustus Shaw – Shaw & Lines, LLC, Phoenix, AZ Mark Lines – Shaw & Lines, LLC, Phoenix, AZ Established in 1993 by the CAI Board of Trustees, CCAL sponsors CAI’s annual Community Association Law Seminar as part of its goal to provide forums for the exchange of information among experienced legal professionals working in the community association field. CCAL goals include promoting high standards of professional and ethical responsibility, improving and advancing community association law and practice, and facilitating the development of educational materials and programming pertaining to legal issues. In addition to being premier community association lawyers, CCAL members generously share their knowledge and expertise through articles, books and programs for homeowners, managers and other community association professionals. Many are also actively involved in state and federal legislative activities and prepare amicus (friend-of-the-court) briefs on critical judicial cases that affect common-interest communities. “While there are many excellent attorneys who provide indispensable support to community associations, CCAL members have truly distinguished themselves, both professionally and within CAI through their writings, speeches and industry involvement,” says 2014 CCAL President Jim Slaughter, an attorney in North Carolina. “They have gone above and beyond to support and strengthen the community association concept.” Adds CAI Chief Executive Officer Tom Skiba, CAE, “CAI and our members benefit in so many ways from the active participation of our CCAL members. They bring invaluable energy, expertise and perspective to CAI education programs as well as to our advocacy initiatives at the national and state level.” Learn more about the College at www.caionline.org/ccal.
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Hello Sunshine!! By Lorene Gilbert
It is that time of year again and summer is here. Below are a few friendly reminders on how to stay healthy while enjoying the beautiful outdoors. First, put on sunscreen. The sun’s rays are damaging to the skin and will age you quickly. Look at what the sun does to lawn furniture left out over a season! There are three kinds of UV rays. Use only sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to completely block UVA, UVB and UVC rays (A=age, B=burn, C=cancer) Second, wear the appropriate clothing if you are going to be outside working or playing in the heat. You should wear light, loose-fitting clothing. But to avoid harmful UV rays, stick to long pants (no shorts) and long-sleeved shirts, and also wear a wide brim hat. Wide brim hats work best because they protect the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp. Third, protect your eyes. To thoroughly protect your eyes, you should wear UV-absorbent sunglasses. Your sunglasses should be rated to block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation. And fourth, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!! It is essential to protect yourself by drinking lots of water. If you know in advance that you are going to be outside for long periods of time, drink plenty of water the day prior so you do not start your day in the sun already partially dehydrated. The days that you are out in the sun, drink small amounts of water at a time and frequently. Drinking plenty of water will help reduce heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Some warning signs to watch out for are headaches, lightheadedness, confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin. Fifth, find shade and take breaks throughout your day. Go indoors, or get in your car and run the A/C for a few minutes to cool down. This will help you enjoy your time spent out in the beautiful summer sunshine. Lorene Gilbert ACLP, SLM Certified, is the Director of Business Development at Clean Cut Landscape Management, and has been enjoying the beautiful Arizona sunshine for over 30 years.
Summer 2014
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Preventing Storm Damage By Fernando Torres
Preventative pruning mitigates the damage inflicted to trees and the aftermath when storms occur. Powerful winds during the monsoon thunderstorm season may cause branches to break off because of the mass of the limbs and the overabundant foliage. If the limb doesn’t simply break off, the tree may be split apart, unless braced or cabled.
lion tailing to minimize pruning, are counter-productive and not encouraged at any time.
The goal of tree pruning is to maintain a healthy canopy and to produce a mature tree that has a similar size and form to what it would naturally attain. Proper tree pruning will ensure longer life and healthy structural strength for increased safety, along with less corrective pruning through its lifespan. Tree pruning also takes into consideration pedestrians, vehicular movement, and visibility of signage and traffic. Trees allowed to develop with minimal pruning will only require correction for obvious structural faults, such as poorly positioned or strongly competing limbs and weak branch attachments.
Another factor leading to storm damage is the soil, which is softened into mud by the rainfall of the monsoon thunderstorms. If the branches do not break off, and the limbs do not split the tree apart, the high winds, loose soil, and heavy grouping of leaves can make the tree uproot, especially those that have shallow roots. The primary purpose to stake new trees is to hold roots firmly in the soil until they become established and are able to securely anchor the trees in place, enabling them to withstand winds and develop strength. Note that staked trees need to be monitored to remove all staking and associated hardware as there could be severe, detrimental effects like girdling. For turf, and nearly all other landscape plants, the water itself can be the storm damage culprit. Soil that is compacted from irregular irrigation and traffic is only somewhat porous. Aerating the turf gives the water a place to go and helps to diminish flooding. Also, having dry wells inspected and cleaned out will help to move the water into the ground, further reducing the water levels.
Before
After
Only trained personnel such as Certified Arborists should be allowed to prune trees, as they will be very careful to avoid over-pruning. Tree pruning is a task to complete with a light hand which works with the tree over a period of years. Extreme practices that remove as much as possible, such as
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Taking these preventive measures before the monsoon season will help minimize the damage to the landscape and avoid costly repairs.
Fernando Torres is the Chief Business Development Officer at ILM Landscape. He has built his career in the client relations field. He received his degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.
Play It Safe on the Playground By Jordan Lynde, CPSI
Playgrounds are places for fun, imagination, exercise, recreation and socialization! But the laughter can easily turn to tears if you’re not careful. Safe playgrounds are made by recognizing the hazards and risks our kids might encounter, and then knowing how to instruct our children about those hazards and risks. Younger children are likely to be injured on the playground because of their stage of development. They are compelled to investigate. They won’t be satisfied at the bottom of the slide -- they need to see the top, too. But physically, they are not coordinated enough to do what they want. In addition, they can’t project the consequences of their actions; they never anticipate falling off. As parents, it’s our responsibility to make sure the equipment our children are playing on is age appropriate and that our kiddos are using it properly. Yes parents, that means teaching your child how to use the equipment they are playing on, just like how you showed and taught them to ride their bikes: first with training wheels and then with much more care after you took the training wheels off and then ran beside your child as they wobbled down the sidewalk! It is essential to teach your children how to behave at the playground and to supervise their activities. Here are a few of the most important elements to consider when your kids are using playground equipment: • Teach your children to hold onto all equipment with both hands. • Teach them to wait until moving equipment stops completely before they get off. • Teach them to sit on the swings and slides, not stand, lie, or hang upside-down. • Be sure they don’t push or shove. • Instruct them to walk well away from areas where other children are swinging or sliding. • Be sure the equipment your child plays on matches their ability. A ten-year-old can easily climb a larger play structure, for example, but a two-year-old shouldn’t follow suit. • Teach your children to use equipment as the manufacturer intended. • If you see something on the playground that poses a hazard (insufficient surfacing, broken equipment, a sharp edge, missing hardware, etc.), tell someone! Call the association’s
community manager, the local P&R department, or school principal. When it comes to our kids’ safety, it’s everyone’s responsibility! Most children are injured by falling. A fall from six feet can result in lacerations, fractures, paralysis, or death. The most serious injuries occur when children fall onto concrete or asphalt rather than onto a more yielding surface, such as sand, engineered wood fiber or rubber. Always make sure the equipment your kids are playing on has the proper surfacing with sufficient depth. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has established voluntary product safety standards for home and public playgrounds. These include equipment specifications and suggestions for everything from the type of base surface to design and arrangement of the play area. The standards also stress that safe playgrounds require adequate supervision and maintenance, as well as good design. Regardless of how safe your playground equipment is, children have immature judgment regarding the hazards and risks inherent in playgrounds and playground activities. A little thought, strategic planning and common sense can boost supervision practices on the playground to much better levels and subsequently, keep our children happy and safe! Enjoy playing this summer! Jordan Lynde is the father of seven children and also the owner of Play It Safe Playgrounds and Park Equipment, Inc., and has been a supplier in the recreation industry for 17 years.
Summer 2014
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Monsoon & Heat Safety By Rebecca Herro
Summer is finally here! But unfortunately, it’s bringing its good friends with it: monsoon season and scorching temps. Now is the time to start preparing yourself and your community for the weather that’s looming on the horizon. A little bit of work now can go a long ways toward helping to keep your residents safe and your community looking great throughout the warmer months. MONSOON SAFETY Heavy rains and strong winds can wreak havoc in communities: downing trees, causing erosion and washing gravel and dirt into culverts and onto roads and sidewalks. Before the monsoons hit, it’s not a bad idea to go through your community to do some preventative work to help lessen the effects of this summer’s rainy season. While it’s impossible to completely safeguard against damages, it is possible to help make the clean-up process easier and quicker. Tree Care Having a proactive, year-round tree management plan in place is crucial to not only having a healthy and resilient tree asset, but also to lessening monsoon damage. Trees with heavy or thick canopies are more susceptible to being blown over or having limbs break off in heavy winds. This can have devastating effects on your tree asset and create safety hazards for your residents and their property. Before monsoon season arrives, contact an ISA Certified Arborist to help identify and prune trees with overly thick foliage or dead or structurally unsound branches. Trees under two years old also need special pre-monsoon season care. These younger trees may not yet have fully established root systems, and strong winds can cause them to lean or fall. To help prevent this, check young trees for root stability before monsoon season arrives by moving the trunk slightly from side to side; stake trees that show instability. Managing Runoff When the monsoon rains hit, water can accumulate very quickly. That’s why it is important to have a system in place now to check the condition of your drains, storm grates, culverts and other water management vehicles. Establishing a regular cleaning program to keep your culverts and drainage corridors functioning as designed can help prevent damage and limit the community’s liability should flood damage occur. In some cases, natural debris can be removed
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from washes and natural areas if the flow of the water is restricted. Now is the time to review those areas before the storms arrive. HEAT SAFETY With temperatures climbing into the 100s and 110s make most of us want to stay inside with the air on, sometimes that’s just not possible. If you have to be — or choose to be — out in the heat this summer, it’s important to take a few precautionary steps to keep yourself and others safe. Here are a few tips to help you avoid potentially life-threatening heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 1. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is characterized by moist and clammy skin, dilated pupils, dizziness, weakness, muscle cramps, headaches and nausea or vomiting. Heat stroke — the more serious of the two — can bring mental confusion or loss of consciousness, seizures, constricted pupils, very hot body temperature and dry, hot skin with no sweating. 2. Dress for the weather. Block out direct sunlight by wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Avoid heavy, dark-colored and tight-fitting clothing. Instead, opt for looser, light-colored fabrics. 3. Hydrate. Keeping yourself hydrated is key. Start drinking water the night before you plan to be outside. Then, drink 12 ounces of water 30 minutes before you start working and continue drinking 12 ounces of water every 30 minutes while you are working. Avoid caffeine and energy and sport drinks with high sugar contents. 4. Monitor yourself and those around you. Be on the lookout for any symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If you are feeling dizzy or nauseous or stop sweating, stop working and go sit in the shade. Loosen or remove any heavy clothing and slowly drink cool water. If you notice symptoms of heat stroke, call 911 immediately. Have a safe and happy summer! Rebecca Herro leads DLC’s Client Relations Team. As a member of the DLC family for the past 5 years, Rebecca’s team supports the needs of DLC’s 28 Community Partners as well as implementing the company’s growth strategy for future clients.
Common Scorpions in Arizona
predator, armed with two pincers and a formable stinger ready to unleash a small amount of neurotoxin venom.
By Jack Dayen
Scorpions of all kinds prefer our easy-to-maintain western desert landscaping, especially palm trees, large river rock stones, heavily watered grass yards and unkempt wood piles. These places often have a high potential for housing prey and are regular hotspots to find scorpions. It is of great importance to stress the significance of general pest control on one’s property, be it residential or commercial. It is imperative to ensure that a scorpion’s food source is eliminated. With proper integrated pest management techniques, including application of chemicals, black lighting and habitat modification (maintaining a well groomed landscape and ensuring easy access points on the exterior of a home are reduced), scorpion populations can be appropriately controlled. Black lighting is a valuable tool to perform at night, as scorpions glow a bright green under a black light, making it comparatively easy to eradicate or relocate them offsite. Black lighting, however, should only be done by a licensed pest management professional. This is essential as a female scorpion gives birth to 25-35 young, carrying her young on her back until roughly 1-3 weeks after birth, at which time the juveniles leave to pursue their own existence.
Scorpions are generally nocturnal solitary predatory creatures, and are often territorial. They normally devour insects and are especially fond of crickets, arachnids, fellow scorpions and occasionally large game such as lizards, mice and small snakes. Within Arizona, there are three principal scorpions. We have the most contact with the Giant Desert Hairy, the Devil/Striped, and the Bark scorpions. The Giant Hairy scorpion has the distinguished and privileged honor of being the largest scorpion in North America, sometimes measuring upwards of 5 inches in length. The Devil/ Striped scorpion excels at having a scary name but it is the least common of the three and is of medium size. It is the small Bark scorpion, however, that frequently causes the most nuisance for humans and pets alike, as they are extremely common and their small size (1-3 inches in length at adult size) permits them nearly unequalled access to various hiding places. Additionally, Bark scorpions are considered to be one of the few scorpions which can be a potential threat to humans, particularly if one is allergic, very young or elderly. Given the nature of these arachnids (as they have eight legs), they are adept hunters capable of compressing themselves into tight, narrow and high places. They are most agile and capable climbers as well, making them quite the insect
Overall, please be aware that scorpions are heavily present in Arizona and various measures can be taken to possibly lessen one’s exposure to them. Jack Dayen is happy to work for a wonderful company called Burns Pest Elimination proudly serving Arizona for over 30 years.
Summer 2014
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Outdoor Grilling By Michael McLaughlin, CSP, ARM, CIRMS
One of the most enjoyable summer pastimes is cooking outdoors with family and friends. Nearly everyone would agree that a steak or burger cooked over the open-flame of an outdoor grill tastes better than one prepared indoors in a broiler or frying pan. However, residents in multi-residential housing must take special precautions to enjoy the benefits of grilling outdoors. Using open-flame grills or other similar devices on balconies is unsafe and, in most cases, prohibited by local fire ordinances. An open-flame grill can use gas, charcoal, wood or pellets as a fuel. By taking a few simple precautions, you could prevent a relaxing evening outdoors from turning into a fiery tragedy for you and your community. For those of you who read no further, the most important suggestion is to cook with an electric grill. Electric grills burn almost as hot as gas or charcoal, but are safer, cleaner, and lighter in weight. What are the Hazards? Remember, in multi-residential housing, you are not alone. The risk of fire to one homeowner is a risk to all homeowners sharing the same and nearby buildings. Failure to take adequate precautions to prevent the spread of fire can result in injury or death to fellow residents, and a large lawsuit against you. When you use an open-flame grill located too close to a building, such as on a balcony, there is always the danger of a fire getting out of control and spreading to living areas. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one-half of all structure fires started by gas or charcoal grills begin on an exterior balcony or open porch. The smoke produced during grilling can be harmful, even fatal, and you cannot control the direction that the wind will blow the smoke. Lethal smoke can build up inside your unit or your neighbor’s unit without you ever knowing it. These are the predominant reasons why, for multi-residential housing, most fire codes and local ordinances prohibit using open-flame gas or charcoal grills on balconies, beneath combustible overhangs or within 10 feet of the building. These same codes usually exclude one- and two-family dwellings from these prohibitions. Safety Tips for Outdoor Grilling The following are general precautions for all outdoor grilling:
• Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory and follow all manufacturers’ instructions regarding set up, operation, maintenance and clearance to combustibles. • Only use open-flame grills outdoors. If used indoors, or in enclosed spaces, they pose both a fire and asphyxiation hazard. • Position grills well away from siding, deck rails and out from under building eaves and overhanging tree branches. • Place grills a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and foot traffic. • Keep children away from grill areas: declare a three-foot “safe zone” around the grill. • Use long-handled grilling utensils to minimize the potential for burns. • Periodically clean grease and fat build-up in catch pans beneath the grill so a hot grill cannot ignite it. • Keep a portable fire extinguisher near the grilling area. Charcoal Grills The following are general precautions for outdoor grilling with charcoal grills: • Purchase the proper starting fluid and store it out of the reach of children. • Never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to help ignite the charcoal. • Never add additional charcoal starter fluid to ignited coals or instant light charcoal. • If your bag of charcoal gets wet, leave it in a well-ventilated area outside the home. Charcoal can spontaneously ignite as it dries. • Allow coals to cool at least 48 hours before disposing. Wrap cold ashes in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place them in a noncombustible container. continued on page 25
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Gas Grills The following are general precautions for outdoor grilling with gas grills: • Check the gas hose and couplings for leaks before using your grill for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to these areas will quickly reveal any leaking propane by forming small bubbles. • Always turn off the gas supply at the bottle after cooking. • If you smell gas while cooking, move away from the grill and call “911”. Do not attempt to move the grill. • Never store propane gas cylinders inside buildings or garages. Electric Grills The following are general precautions for outdoor grilling with electric grills: • Visually inspect the cord, plug and all connections for damage before operation. • Only plug an electric grill into a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. • Unplug the grill when it is not in use. • Do not immerse the cord, plug or heating element in water or other liquid. • Do not use an electric grill in the rain. Conclusion Whether or not local fire codes or ordinances restrict the use of open-flame grills on balconies and near combustible building components in multi-residential housing, it is a good idea for the association to do so. The association should adopt rules that prohibit grilling with gas, charcoal or wood grills on or beneath elevated decks, balconies and roof decks. The association rules should also restrict grilling with these devices to grade level at least ten feet from the building. A safer alternative to conventional open flame grills is the electric grill. Local fire codes and ordinances will usually allow the use of electric grills on balconies in multi-residential housing, however, verify this with the local municipality before permitting them on the balconies. Overall Recommendations for Associations and Residents: • Prohibit open-flame grills on balconies in multi-residential housing complexes. • Prohibit storage of LP gas cylinders inside of units, garages and on balconies. • Ensure that all propane gas cylinders are equipped with an overfill protection device (OPD). • Encourage residents to switch to an electric grill. • Try using a U.L. approved electrical starter in place of charcoal lighter fluid. • Always read the owner’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for safe operation of the grill. IMPORTANT NOTICE - The information presented by CAU is based on information from sources which we believe to be reliable, but is not guaranteed and may not be a complete statement of all available data. Any suggested actions recommended by CAU are based solely upon an analysis of available industry data and our best judgment. You are encouraged to have your legal counsel review all of your proposed plans and policies before implementing them. Michael McLaughlin, CSP, ARM, CIRMS is a Senior Loss Control Manager for Community Association Underwriters of America
Landscaping Safety – Tips to Remember By Cherie Koester
An average of 197 landscape service workers died from on-the-job injuries each year between 2003 and 2006. The fatality rate for the landscape services industry, about 25 deaths per 100,000 workers, is similar to that for more recognized high-risk industries such as agriculture and mining. Although landscape service workers make up 0.8% of the U.S. workforce, they experienced 3.5% of the total occupational fatalities (NIOSH Fact Sheet, Fatal Injuries Among Landscape Service Workers, 2008). It is important for every company, large or small, to implement a safety program. Understandably, not every company has the budget to outsource a safety consulting firm to build the program. Therefore, many companies are left to figure it out on their own. Here are five essential tips to remember when creating your own safety program. 1 – Management commitment and planning The management team must be on board and actively express their commitment to the successfulness of the program. All levels of the company must understand what is expected of them from management when it comes to safety. This communication is significant and should be clear and meaningful. 2 – Employee involvement All employees should be involved in safety training. Training programs might focus strictly on field deployed employees, but a responsible company will also remember to train the “in office” staff. Get feedback from the employees as to where they feel they are at risk. Listen to your staff. 3 – Workplace assessment The maintenance landscaper may have different hazards than the construction landscaper, and then still different than that of the tree climber. Each division of a company may need to implement additional training depending on their specific hazards. The company as a whole should conduct a generalized safety training, then additionally each division may have further training. 4 - Hazard prevention and control Safety is about prevention, not reaction. Implement controls and follow through with accountability. Each employee is responsible for their own safety. Each supervisor, manager and director is also responsible for the safety of everyone under their direction. A successful safety program will have accountability of the employee and his or her leader. 5 – Training 100% involvement in training is a requirement of a successful safety program. Records, records, records. Follow through with each and every member of your team to be sure everyone is receiving the prior training for their job duties. Cherie Koester is Caretaker Landscape’s Director of Environmental Compliance. Cherie received her Master of Science Degree in International Environmental Technology Management & Sustainability and her Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Technology Management from Arizona State University.
Summer 2014
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Is Your Community Safe? By Rich Jessup
The safety of all residents is a valuable and priceless aspect of your community and should be protected as such. What many tend to overlook is that ultimately, a community provides more than just a quality place to live -- it also provides the promise of a safe and stress-free environment. For this very reason, it is vital for community managers to address all issues related to crime, vandalism, parking management, excess noise disturbances and other nuisances – all which can seriously detract from the everyday quality of life for residents. Eventually, if not attended to, these issues will become major concerns for all involved, as many small negative factors can permanently affect the overall impression a community gives off. Preparation is the key component to managing these issues. It truly takes a proactive measure. This is especially true when you consider that community nuisances can become more than just major headaches, but they may also lead to lawsuits and injuries, costing substantial time and resources. Heading the list of concerns that lead to lawsuits against communities is criminal activity, including assault, which represents more than 40% of lawsuits filed. Most criminal acts have been found to occur in unlocked common areas such as parking lots and facilities. Factors such as inadequate lighting and lack of patrolling are often blamed in the claims of negligence. Slip and fall accidents in common areas and other maintenance-related accidents head up the list of nonsecurity related issues. While not criminal, these outcomes can be no less costly to you, as overly-litigious behavior is becoming the norm in our society. Having a clear-cut and accountable community patrols program is crucial for maintaining a consistent approach to reducing the occurrence of negative incidents and maximizing community safety. A comprehensive community patrols program must at a minimum include the following:
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! Established patrols procedures ! Regular community patrols ! Adequate and timely reporting These few simple practices go a long way toward proactively prepare a community against hazards. An established set of procedures adds teeth to your program, and reduces the likelihood of future occurrences. Furthermore, having consistent follow-through creates an almost viral process of rules awareness amongst community members. Also, a community may elect to take positive steps such as improving the visibility of its signage throughout the facility. Through clear rules communication, you can eliminate the uncertainty that leads to many infractions. Regular nightly community patrols are also an important measure. Simply put, a properly patrolled community will provide visible and constant awareness, ensuring that most violations or incidents are noted and reported. It is also vital that a community safety program ensures violator accountability with direct follow-through. Having well-trained staff members who are effective in recognizing violations and incidents, and having a timely reporting system will go a long way toward establishing your community safety program. In the end, your main objective is to prevent and protect your community from exposure to lawsuits and other incidents that may harm residents and their guests. Through a well thought-out process of establishing a community patrol program, including defined procedures and adequate and timely reporting, a community can work towards establishing a safer and better environment in which to live.
Rich Jessup is the President of Arizona Parking Solutions, and has served his community for many years in law enforcement and education. Rich continues to serve as a reserve police officer for his department and college adjunct professor teaching in the Administration of Justice Studies program.
Splish Splash Into Summer… and a Successful Pool Season
By Jake Hoffman, CMCA
As summer rapidly approaches and temperatures quickly climb into the 100’s, few amenities in a residential community will be enjoyed more than the community swimming pool. Swimming pools have the potential to be a major influencer of home values, attract prospective home buyers to the community, provide a central gathering place and help foster new friendships among neighbors. For association board members, pools can be more than just fun and games. The maintenance and management of these community assets can be a major time investment and become the cause for significant consternation, if done incorrectly. Fortunately for board members, professional community managers and pool technicians can eliminate nearly all of the headaches associated with having a community pool. Below are a few tips for effective pool management. Know the Regulations The Maricopa County Environmental Services Department (MCESD) regulates public and semi-public pools and spas on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health Services and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. The applicable regulations can be found within the Maricopa County Environmental Health Code – Chapter VI, “Bathing Places – Public and Semipublic Swimming Pools” and the Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 8, Article 8 and Title 18, Chapter 5, Article 2. Keeping up to date on the local regulations and periodically realigning association rules to match any regulatory updates will go a long way to ensuring positive inspections from the County. Prepare a Biological Contaminate Policy Swimming can be a healthy and relaxing activity for all ages. However, according to the Maricopa County Water & Waste Management website, “in the past two decades there has been an increase in the number of Recreational Water Illness (RWI) outbreaks associated with swimming pools, water parks and spas.” In some cases, these RWI outbreaks can be associated with a biological contaminate
entering the swimming area. Be sure that your community has a Biological Contaminate Policy in place prior to the occurrence of an event. Doing so will allow your management and customer service teams to correctly and immediately answer homeowner and board member questions, advise proper procedure and contact the correct individuals (pool techs, manager, etc.) to ensure the health and safety of residents is the primary concern. Reserve Appropriately Aside from a community’s landscape, there are few assets as noticeable to homeowners as their community pool. In many cases, it is their oasis to relax after a long hot day. Poorly funded reserves can lead to an inability to keep the pool in good repair and condition, potentially leaving homeowners with an inoperable or unlicensed pool—a lose-lose for everyone. Hire Trained Pool Technicians A quick online search for ‘Arizona pool service’ will leave even the most experienced Googler’s head spinning due to the incredible quantity of search results that pop up—roughly 34,600,000! There are a lot of pool service providers who claim to know what they’re doing; however, the risk of having to close an association’s pool, even if for just a few days, is simply not worth the few bucks that can be saved by hiring unqualified technicians. Do your homework, get referrals and enjoy the resulting peace of mind. A community swimming pool is an amenity that everyone in the community should be able to enjoy and, when maintained and managed effectively, is a key asset for your association. Professional community managers provide a wealth of knowledge and best practices in the area of pool management that can save associations time, energy and money, all while ensuring your residents get the most from their community.
Jake Hoffman is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for Associa® | Jomar Association Services.
Summer 2014
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Is our community safe from escalating HOA dues? Discover the latest asphalt preservation breakthroughs to lower costs. By Mark Beatty, APM International Pavement Management Advisory Board
QUESTION: According to our reserve study, this is the year that our private street is to be sealed. We do this every three or four years so we can preserve the streets and not have to bear the cost of replacing them. We also want to avoid the hazards such as potholes and cracks developing that can make driving, biking, or walking unsafe in the community. Can you tell me what the right thing is for us to do to keep costs at a minimum? …But at the same time, extend the life of the streets for years to come?
Applying a less effective sealer, although it may ‘paint’ the pavement black and make it ‘look good’, is not necessarily beneficial at extending pavement life and definitely not a cost-effective strategy long term. Using a shorter-life product, such as a ‘seal coat’ requires more frequent reapplication that can lead to 60% - 70% higher costs over time. Even worse, costs can jump well over 600% compared to effective pavement preservation strategy if the asphalt fails due to ineffective maintenance. The use of high density mineral bond eliminates this problem. The added durability and performance of high density mineral bond correlates to a 60% - 70% percent reduction in the costs of maintaining pavement assets. With asphalt maintenance, often the number one expense item a private community funds, dropping the costs 60% - 70% percent easily translates to lower HOA dues. As specified by engineering experts from the American Public Works Association, high density mineral bond is recognized to be one of the most significant advancements in pavement preservation. (Note: A high density mineral bond is not to be confused with seal coats labeled as premium ‘mineral filled’ sealers.)
ANSWER: Preserving an asphalt roadway is often a painful topic. I hear comments from community managers and board members like:
“Every contractor suggests something different… what should I be looking for?” “Aren’t all asphalt sealers basically the same… they all contain the same thing, right?” These are all valid questions. So, being as concise as possible, hopefully I can debunk some myths and provide some increased clarity regarding pavement preservation. A critical point to emphasize is the need to determine what best preserves the asphalt, not just what turns a road black. The stakes are high when it comes to managing pavement assets because mistakes are expensive and can be followed by lawsuits. If you use a more durable surface treatment such as a High Density Mineral Bond (more commonly known as HA5), or a Type II Slurry (not to be confused with a ‘slurry seal’ which is really just a seal coat), you lower your overall management costs and reduce the likelihood of major expenses, such as an asphalt overlay. A Type II Slurry has been around for years and has side effects that residents in private communities dislike such as grainy residue on the surface for months after installation as well as an inherent rougher surface texture. The real breakthrough in pavement preservation is high density mineral bond. This is a new category in pavement preservation designated by the American Public Works Association. It lowers pavement management costs while leaving behind a surface that residents find visually pleasing, but more importantly, it effectively extends the life of pavement.
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Seal Coat HA5 Both treatments are 4-years old. Only HA5 is still protecting the pavement. (Both streets are the same age)
Research Study: A recent report from an engineering firm compared the performance pavement with high density mineral bond installed to pavement with a popular seal coat product installed. The engineer’s report identified an average of 9x LESS cracking in the pavement with High Density Mineral Bond installed compared to the pavement with seal coat after a four year period.
Mark Beatty is on the Advisory Board for the International Pavement Management Association and consults with public agencies and HOAs throughout the U.S. He is a sought after presenter at public works events as well as HOA seminars. Mark serves as the Vice President at Holbrook Asphalt Company. You can contact Mark at mark@holbrookasphalt.com
Summer 2014
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Annual Sponsors
CAI - Central Arizona Chapter
2014 Annual Sponsors
DIAMOND SPONSORS Arizona Parking Solutions, Inc. Carpenter Hazlewood Degado & Bolen, PLC CCMC Maxwell & Morgan, PC copper SPONSORS Alliance Association Bank Brown|Olcott, PLLC Vial Fotheringham, LLP GOLD SPONSORS CBI Consulting & Construction Mgmt. Community Association Underwriters of America Dicks Coglianese & Shuquem, LLP DLC Resources, Inc. Metro Phoenix Bank SILVER SPONSORS Burns Pest Elimination Butler Hansen, PC Caretaker Landscape and Tree Management COIT Cleaning & Restoration Desert Classic Landscaping Dynamite Paving & Sealcoat Goodwill of Central Arizona, Inc. Kasdan Weber Turner, LLP Mutual of Omaha Bank Paramount Roofing Republic Services Roofing Southwest Shaw & Lines, LLC Sherwin-Williams Paint Southwest Slurry Seal, Inc. Universal Protection Services Valley Protective Services BRONZE SPONSORS ALPHA Community Management APM Contracting Services (Allscape) BlueStar Landscape Brown Community Management CLC Enterprise Painting FirstService Residential Ginsburg & Dwaileebe CPA’s, LLP Holbrook Asphalt Jomar Association Service, Inc. Jon Wayne Construction & Consulting Metro Property Services Nautilus General Contractors PMG Services RENCO Roofing TLC - The Landscape Company Tri-City Property Management Services, Inc. Union Bank HOA Services
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Thank you for helping us make our first
25 years
successful!
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You do the
MANAGING We’ll do the
MAILING PAYMENT COUPON BOOKS VIOLATION NOTICES
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480.821.0985 • PagePerPage.com
BALLOTS / ELECTIONS
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Vial Fotheringham provides homeowner associations with the everyday advice you need and can understand. We offer practical answers to your questions, free training, publications, and online resources. Our team helps associations like you proactively and successfully navigate community life. Visit www.vf-law.com.
2450 S. Gilbert Rd Ste 212. Chandler, AZ 85286 Phone: 480.448.1334 Summer 2014
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C o n g r at u l at i o n s Corner
AMS Designations Spectrum Management Associates, LLC Mr. David Norton
the Unsung Hero Award. The awards go to the volunteers who stood out in 2013 and made a difference in the events they were involved in through personality and flare.
CMCA Designations Associated Asset Management, LLC Mr. Brian Quillen
Congratulations to:
Vision Community Management Ms. Lissa Johnson Vision Community Management Ms. Michelle Hepp PCAM Designations PMG Services Ms. Ursula Looper CCMC Ms. Kathleen Clark PMG Services Ms. Maggie Story Mr. Dale Stansel
“Dollar a Door” Legislative Action Committee Campaign 2014 Corporate Community Sponsors Gainey Ranch Community Association Ginsburg & Dwaileebe CPA’s, LLP Leisure World McCormick Ranch POA, Inc. Recreation Centers of Sun City West, Inc. Rio Verde Community Association Scottsdale Ranch Community Association Silvergate III HOA, Inc. Spectrum Management Associates Sun City Grand Community Association Verde Groves HOA Westbrook Village Association 2014 Community Involvement Partners Alan Lezak Central Square Association
Ken Miceli Owner / President Advanced Painting & Contracting, Builders Choice for HOA’s Ken is one of CAI’s biggest fans. His involvement with CAI goes back twenty plus years. Ken has been involved with every committee in the Central Arizona Chapter and served on the CAI Board of Directors in 1996-1997 and 2006-2007 as the Chapter President. He also has an equally strong commitment to his own community at Scottsdale Ranch Community Association. He volunteered and served four years as a Board Member and Association President from 1999 – 2001 and again from 2010 – 2014. Ken’s world class painting & contracting companies are licensed and bonded general contractors with the State of Arizona and offer a “one call does it all” solution to the customers they serve. “My involvement with CAI set the foundation that my painting & construction business is built on, the importance of long-term positive relationships. CAI made a difference in my life, and I am sure if it hasn’t already it will for you as well!” Ken Miceli’s companies have specialized in servicing HOA’s throughout Arizona for over twenty years. Ken looks forward to opportunities to work with members of the CAI organization and promote CAI’s values in everything he does. The Member of Merit Award
The Central Arizona Chapter will be highlighting the 2013 Volunteer Award Winners in each issue in 2014.
Denise Ochoa Denise is the Client Services Manager of the Phoenix office of Kasden Weber Turner LLP (formerly Kasdan Simonds Weber & Vaughan, LLP) and has been involved with CAI since 2003. Her firm does construction defect law and currently has cases in multi-housing, single family homes, schools and churches. She is currently on the Programs Committee and chair of the CAI Tradeshow.
The three highlighted in this issue were the recipients of the Distinguished Service Award, Member of Merit Award and
“It has been amazing to watch CAI grow over the years and welcome so many new members. I have been on the CAI
Volunteer Awards Corner
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The Distinguished Service Award
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Programs Committee for the last 7 years and have enjoyed working with so many volunteers on the Committee. I was honored to be a part of the CAI Board as well. I have built many wonderful relationships with association owners, association managers, board members and vendors. I look forward to meeting many new people through my membership at CAI.� The Unsung Hero Award Linda Van Gelder For the past 4 years, Linda has served as the Membership/Sponsorship Chairperson for CAI Central Arizona Chapter and is a current member of the Legislative Action Committee. For her first year’s efforts, she was one of two recipients of the CAI Rising Star Award in 2009. In addition, Linda was awarded the CAI Spotlight Award in 2010, the Member of Merit Award in 2011, and the Award of Excellence in Membership Award in 2012, which she accepted in San Diego at the National Conference, this particular award being given by the CAI National Board of Trustees. Again in 2013, she accepted the Unsung Hero Award at the CAI Central Arizona Chapter annual luncheon. Linda is also a licensed RealtorŽ. She received her licensing in 2002 and actively practices the sale of residential property in the Valley. She dedicates her time and knowledge to Valley organizations to help ensure the community management industry gains more respect and appreciation. Linda oversees the daily operations of ALPHA Community Management. ALPHA Community Management was featured in the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the top 25 Management Companies in the Valley. She is also the co-chair of her community block watch. She knows firsthand why it is so important to have a cohesive, communitybased, safe neighborhood and wants to contribute that knowledge to all of our Valley board members and residents. On a universal scale, Linda is very active in the Susan G. Komen Foundation. As a two-time breast cancer survivor, she is an advocate for awareness and seeking support for both victims and family members alike. She marks her tenth year cancer-free this September 2014. She will continue to promote and sponsor awareness, while assisting our Valley events, like October’s Race for the Cure, with her remarkable outlook on life. Linda has enjoyed serving her first Board of Directors term at CAI, working further with community members, helping to develop and implement strategy, and fulfilling the mission of the organization.
I am also a salesperson in print. I talk to the 10,000 perspective customers in Community Resource every issue. How many do you talk to? The readers are here, where is your ad?
Hello, I am an Ad. Valhalla Community Magazines
(480) 634-1708 Summer 2014
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C a l e n d a r o f Ev e n t s
Keep your money where your house is ...
2014 CAI-CAC Event Calendar
JULY 10th
New Member Happy Hour Meeting Sponsored by – First Citizens Bank Location: K O’Donnell’s 14850 N. Northsight Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260
17-18th
PMDP M-201 Tempe, AZ Location: Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel Tempe
Amber Welch
august 15th
Bowling Location: Brunswick Via Linda Lanes, 9027 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
21st
PCAM Roundtable Discussion (LAC Grassroots Effort) Sponsored by – Holbrook Asphalt Location: Scottsdale Ranch Community Association 10585 N. 100th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85258
september 4th
New Member Breakfast Club Sponsored by – Ekmark & Ekmark, LLC Location: 6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 261 Scottsdale, AZ 85253
4-6th
PMDP M-100 Tempe, AZ Location: Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel Tempe
17-20th
Large-Scale Manager’s Workshop Location: Sonesta Resort, Hilton Head, SC
October 6-7th
CED Retreat Location: Washington, DC
16th
Annual Sponsor Appreciation Night Location: First Citizens Bank Scottsdale, 14650 N. Northsight Blvd. Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Community Cleanup Project
23rd
PCAM Roundtable Discussion (Breakfast) Sponsored by: Burdman & Shore Location: Westbrook Village 19281 N. Westbrook Pkwy, Peoria, AZ 85382
23-25th
CEO-MC Retreat Location: Hard Rock Hotel San Diego, CA
For more information, visit the chapter website at www.cai-az.org or call the office at 602-388-1159. Items in red are CAI National events.
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Give your associations the satisfaction of banking locally by keeping their investment in Arizona! Whether you are looking for a full service banking relationship or a great return on your reserve accounts, Metro Phoenix Bank is sure to meet all of your association’s financial needs.
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9th CAI – Central Arizona Educational Lunch Location: Phoenix Airport Marriott 1101 N. 44th St., Phoenix
18th
Relationship Manager
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602-346-1816
Metro Phoenix Bank
4686 E. Van Buren #150 Phoenix, AZ 85008 602-346-1816 awelch@metrophoenixbank.com
Diamond Corner
Diamond Corner The CAI Central Arizona Chapter wants to thank our Diamond Sponsors, whose contributions assist us in preserving, protecting, and enhancing the industry. Our Diamond Sponsors contribute at the top level to our organization and are recognized in each issue by providing helpful information to our members. Arizona Parking Solutions, Inc. Over the years, Arizona Parking Solutions has assisted HOA’s and property managers by providing services which greatly reduce parking issues. In keeping with the theme “Summer Safety”, let’s address a current issue that many residents face when it comes to the safety of their own personal vehicles. Over the past year, vehicles have been targeted by thieves who are taking the garage remote control, along with the vehicles registration or insurance card for one simple reason: to get into your house when you are not at home. If your car has been broken into and nothing seems to be missing, check for these three items. If they are gone, make sure to reprogram your garage door openers. The goal of these thieves are to come back to your house when you are at work, out of town, etc. to take whatever is of value as fast as possible. To eliminate this theft, think about keeping your vehicle registration, insurance card, and garage remote in a place where the thief will not find them. Carpenter, Hazlewood, Delgado & Bolen, PLC Summer safety brings concerns about pool safety. As lawyers, we know that liability concerns are paramount. Adequate liability insurance is the key. As lawyers we can review rules. But, if there are concerns about gates or other physical issues in or around the pool, have your insurance agent inspect your property. CCMC While many of our residents make plans for the summer – graduation parties, weddings, barbecues, vacations – planning for safety may not be as high up on their lists. Here are some friendly reminders to share with your residents so they can add “being safe” to their list of things to do this summer. • Be sure locks on pool fences are secure, the batteries on interior alarms are functioning, and that children are closely monitored at all times when outdoors.
• Check the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. These alarms only work if their batteries do; this is a good time to check and replace them. • Check expiration dates on medications and properly dispose of ones beyond their useful life. Encourage residents to log on to www.FDA.Gov for helpful information on proper medicine disposal. • Let a close friend or neighbor know if you plan to be away for an extended period of time so they can check the front porch for circulars, packages or door hangers. Nothing screams, “We aren’t home” more loudly than a growing pile of items in front of a resident’s home. • Enjoy the great outdoors with plenty of water, a cell phone and an awareness of immediate surroundings in case a call for assistance is necessary. It will be easier to find someone who is lost if they can accurately describe what surrounds them. Many people underestimate the need to stay hydrated when they are out; they should always bring water with them in case they are out longer than planned. By sharing these few, friendly reminders with our residents via email, newsletter or bulletin board posting, we, as community managers, can help the residents in our care not only have a fun-filled summer, but a safe one, as well. Maxwell & Morgan, P.C. Summer is a great time to evaluate the condition of an association’s property for safety purposes. This includes ensuring the swimming pool and barriers are up to code and there are no safety hazards in the streets or sidewalks, such as large cracks that can pose tripping hazards. Walk the property with your contractor to ensure a safe and funfilled summer.
CENTR AL ARIZONA CHAPTER
Stop by our office… 1625 E. Northern Ave., Ste. 201 Phoenix, AZ 85020
Summer 2014
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Product and Service Directory
If your business is interested in advertising, please call (602) 388-1159.
Full Service Commercial Landscape Maintenance Apm is a full service commercial landscape maintenance contractor providing services throughout the valley. Our company partners with management companies to establish the highest level of services required by h.O.A. communities. Scott Haas, President A.P.M. Contracting Services scott@apmcontractingservices.com ( 623) 340-2760
Ginsburg & Dwaileebe CPAs LLP Audits, Reviews, Compilations, Tax Preparation, Forensic Accounting, Board Financial Statements and Accounting training, Expert Witness Testimony, Superior Court Special Master Assignments Our practice is exclusively devoted to homeowner associations. Contact us for our new “one fee for all� pricing. No charge for phone calls and board meeting attendance.
(602) 826-8640 mike@gadcpas.com
Metro Property Services
Galaxy Gates
Metro Property Services has been providing full service management to Homeowner Associations across the Valley for the past 24 years. Master planned, single-family homes, condominiums, active adult, and new developer communities. Efficient service with state of the art reporting, timely and accurate information. Our relationships with the associations we serve are long-term with some clients being with us for over 15 years. We are a leader in Fountain Hills.
Galaxy has the highest quality products, installation, service, and maintenance throughout Arizona. We offer up-to-date technology in access control, automatic gates & video surveillance. Our projects consist of: gates, access controls, retrofits, renovations, surveillance; all of which our expertise and value engineering customizes to provide a turn-key experience. Galaxy prides itself on superb fabrication of steel, iron, and aluminum fence and gates; from the very simple to the ornate.
www.metropropertyservicesaz.com
(480) 654-3839
Kasdan Weber Turner LLP Kasdan Weber Turner LLP is one of the most experienced & successful construction defect litigation law firms in the Western United States with offices in Southern & Northern California & Phoenix, Arizona. Our firm has a well-established reputation in construction defect litigation. We represent owners of singlefamily homes and multifamily housing (condos, high rise, lofts, and apartments), as well as homeowner associations, and institutional, commercial, houses of worship, and municipal properties.
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Advertise your business for only $100.00! Call (602) 388-1159 today!
Advertise your business for only $100.00!
Advertise your business for only $100.00!
Call (602) 388-1159 today!
Call (602) 388-1159 today!
www.caicommunityresource.com
Summer 2014
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