8 | SUNRAYS
SEPTEMBER 2013
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
CA NEWS
Upcoming Board Workshops
and Meetings
Workshops and Meetings held quarterly
WORKSHOP
Thursday, November 7
1 p.m., SCB, Live on Channel 79
RESIDENT DIRECTORS’ OPEN
SESSION
Wednesday, November 13, 3 p.m., CCG
MEETING
Thursday, November 21
1 p.m., SCB, Live on Channel 79
Board Agenda and Minutes are posted
online at
>
Community Association > CA Board.
Board Meetings and Workshops are shown live on
Channel 79. BODMeetings are rebroadcast on the
day of the meeting at 6 and 8 p.m. and the following
Wednesday at 6 p.m. Workshops are rebroadcast at
6 and 8 p.m. the day of the workshop.
CA BOARD RESIDENT MEMBERS
Brent Baker, President
512-532-3358
•
Glynn Hatley
Vice President
512-863-8695
Kim Moran
Resident Member
512-868-5670
The following is a brief discussion of the
steps and timeframe involved in the prepa-
ration of an annual budget for Community
Association operations. The budget cycle
starts inMay with direction to the CA staff
from the Board of Directors. This includes
amission statement, community goals and
budget parameters for the following year.
Appropriate advisory committees also re-
ceive this document for information and
planning.
In early August, a mid-year review of the
current budget is conducted by the Finance
Committee. This examines significant vari-
ances from budget in order to identify pos-
sible adjustments in the following year. Staff
directors and committee chairs, as well as
Board members, participate in the review.
Also in August, the Director of Finance
distributes budget worksheets to the staff
directors. The worksheets include all ac-
counts for the department with current year
budget numbers and space for next year’s
anticipated needs. Staff is instructed to ex-
amine and adjust each line item based on
current experience. Major increases must
be justified.
At this point, the Community Association
budget is divided into three sections:
•HomeownersAssociation (HOA):
to be
funded primarily by homeowners’ dues.
• Golf:
to be funded by golf fees and mer-
chandise sales.
• Landscaped Maintained Homes
(LMH):
to be funded by residents in the
LMH neighborhoods.
Senior CA staff must review anticipated
revenue for each sub-budget and recommend
adjustments to fees or dues to cover the ex-
penses. Normally, some proposed projects
are removed from the budget and listed as
“unfunded requirements.”
In September, staff directors present their
proposed budgets to the appropriate advi-
sory committees for review and comment,
based on the needs and expectations of the
residents. After adjustments, the proposed
budgets are returned to the Director of Fi-
nance for consolidation into the draft Com-
munity Budget. Inmid-October, the draft is
reviewed at a Finance Committeeworkshop
with staff and committee chairs present to
justify their fees and expenses. The Finance
Committee must consider several aspects
in their review, including compliance with
the initial budget guidance, general needs
of the community and long-term financial
soundness. In recent years, the committee
has recommended including one or more
unfunded requirements with corresponding
dues or fees increases to achieve a balanced
budget.
TheBoard of Directors reviews the proposed
budget at their early November workshop
andmay request adjustments prior to final
approval at the formal November Board
Meeting. Note that there are four levels of
review before budgets are approved: staff
directors, advisory committees, Finance
Committee and the Board of Directors. This
is a very thorough and efficient process.
Board Member Views
Submitted by Dennis Walter, Treasurer, Board of Directors
Budgeting for Sun City
Dennis Walter
Treasurer
512-868-3087
Gary Preston
Secretary
512-868-9928
