Hello and Happy New Year to our Desert Ridge Community Residents: First, thank all of you again for the support that you have provided our board of directors and committee members over many years.
Our Desert Ridge community has seen new restaurants and retail establishments open in our Desert Ridge Marketplace. Residential development continues with Tallinn @ Desert Ridge, The Luxe, and with Garden Communities soon to break ground on a 882-apartments complex called Elysium at Desert Ridge.
Our community has a lot going on, which includes the following projects that the board and committees will be undertaking during the 1st quarter of this new year:
- The community website needs updating. Phase 1 commenced with the transition to a new website hosting and domain name now listed under desertridgelifestyles.org. The desertridgelifestyles.com website still exist but will no longer be supported as the community primary website.
- The Communications and Lifestyle Committees will be collaborating on the development of a community survey. We encourage the community residents to take time to participate and complete the survey, so that we can continue to provide community events, activities, services, etc. based on the feedback from the community members.
- The Desert Ridge Residential Area Design Guidelines (DRRADG) will be updated and revised for distribution to our members.
- The Desert Ridge Strategic Community Plan will be reviewed and updated by the board members based on recommendations from the Public Affairs Committee.
Our community is more than just a neighborhood. In many ways, it’s a lot like a business. Collectively, our regular annual assessments amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars that need to be budgeted carefully and spent wisely. And our neighbors who have volunteered and been elected to serve on the association’s board are responsible for making critical decisions—on our behalf—about managing the community and our money.
Our board also develops and reviews each year long-range plans—like when replenishing decomposed granite, to paint the common area monuments, walls, view fencing, light poles, fire hydrants, bridges, and replace the irrigation system, etc. throughout the community. The board must set aside funds so that these kinds of projects can be accomplished on schedule or even ahead of schedule in the event there’s an unexpected breakdown.
The board also sends out requests for bids and contracts with vendors to do the work necessary to maintain our community amenities. Board members decide who will do the best job and at the best price or who will be the most reliable company to hire for a certain project.
The board’s decisions can have a significant impact on the community’s appearance and, consequently, on our property values. Although we contract a professional management team, the board ultimately is responsible for overseeing association operations. Therefore, be sure to communicate with the board regularly, attend board meetings and the annual membership meeting to participate in conversations about significant community issues.
Thank you, Desert Ridge Community. I am excited for what is to come in 2024. Until next time. See you at one of our next meetings.
Reginald Younger, Jr.
President
Desert Ridge Community Association
