Sudden Valley rejects dues increases

Property owners in the communitywide homeowners association rejected four dues increases on a Saturday, Nov. 7, ballot, including a 28 percent increase for basic maintenance.

A majority of lot owners participating in the election favored the increase for basic maintenance — 52.3 percent — but a 60-percent vote was required to approve the dues hike.

The other three increases were for specific services: the swimming pool, roadside stormwater control and parks maintenance. They got less than 50 percent approval with 60 percent required to pass.

Independent auditors have told leaders of the Sudden Valley Community Association that maintenance is chronically underfunded.

Association staff is coming up with a spending plan to present to the board of directors, said Mitch Waterman, the association’s managing director, on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The golf course will be a high priority because it brings in revenue and would cost more to shut down and maintain than it would to keep open, Waterman said.

The golf course will be $30,000 in the red this year and is projected to lose $5,000 next year, Waterman said.

“We’re allowing the golf pro to aggressively manage and market the Sudden Valley Golf Course,” he said. “He’s demonstrated he’s got it trending in the right direction.”

This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Sudden Valley rejects dues increases."