Henderson Police Targeting Impaired Drivers
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"Henderson...LasVegas...Nevada...Happenings"
Sun City Anthem
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Board Member Urges Residents to "Keep the Faith"
Anthem Opinions has received an important
statement from a Sun City Anthem Board member that we are pleased to bring to
your attention.
Our publication welcomes such correspondence from
Board members in order to develop an understanding between unit owners and those
chosen to represent them...
...in an effort to "break the
ice" between the two elements of the
community....
...something no other
community publication has yet to achieve...
...namely, a sincere attempt and desire for two way communication.
We have now had articles written by Directors
James Mayfield and now this latest by Carl Weinstein....the two individuals who, in our
judgment, have demonstrated attempts to allow residents to understand Board
decisions.
And...we invite the five remaining directors to
share their thoughts with the public through our
publication.
Of course...we also actively look forward to YOUR COMMENTS as well.
Send us an email at:
They will be posted beneath the article in the
Information Page.
Anthem Opinions
Administration
----------------------------------------------------------
Sun City Anthem Director
Asks
Residents for Patience & Understanding
by
Carl
Weinstein
Board
Director
Sun City Anthem
Monday, October 12, 2015
Mr. Fix-It Wants to Make a Tedious Job...Easy !
Removing Adhesive from Tile
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or
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"Mr. Fix-It's World of Home
Improvement"
Sunday, October 11, 2015
The First Illegal Alien !
Happy Columbus
Day !
In fourteen hundred
ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
He had three ships and left
from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.
He sailed by night; he sailed
by day;
He used the stars to find his way.
He used the stars to find his way.
A compass also helped him
know
How to find the way to go.
How to find the way to go.
Ninety sailors were on
board;
Some men worked while others snored.
Some men worked while others snored.
Then the workers went to
sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.
And others watched the ocean deep.
Day after day they looked for
land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.
October 12 their dream came
true,
You never saw a happier crew!
You never saw a happier crew!
“Indians! Indians!” Columbus
cried;
His heart was filled with joyful pride.
His heart was filled with joyful pride.
But “India” the land was
not;
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.
It was the Bahamas, and it was hot.
The Arakawa natives were very
nice;
They gave the sailors food and spice.
They gave the sailors food and spice.
Columbus sailed on to find some
gold
To bring back home, as he’d been told.
To bring back home, as he’d been told.
He made the trip again and
again,
Trading gold to bring to Spain.
Trading gold to bring to Spain.
The first American? No, not
quite.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.
But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.
-
Very cute. Appreciate a piece of levity to start the day.
Tunes of the 50s...60s...70s...Memories Are Made of These
Groovin' to the Tunes
of our
Youth
or
See our Information
Page...
"Why Didn't I Think About That ? ....Tips"
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Sun City Board Member Answers Surplus Funds Questions
Surplus Funds and Cash Flow
Answers to Surplus Funds and Cash Flow Questions
By Jim Mayfield, Board Member
In 1973, I completed my Masters of Accountancy Degree and passed the CPA exam. The governing rules of the accounting profession (Generally Accepted Accounting Principals—“GAAP”) were much simpler and set by CPA practitioners through their professional governing and standards body, the American Institute of CPAs.
In the over four decades since 1973, the US Congress and state legislatures, Federal and state regulatory bodies, and the legal system have stripped away the self-governance of accounting professionals. Government has substituted a complex set of Federal and state laws and regulatory agencies that now set generally accepted accounting principals.
Three adverse consequences of the change of control over accounting principals are that
- CPAs, CFOs and regulators now speak in a language that is difficult to understand,
- GAAP frequently contain conflicts and inconsistencies, and
- Users of financial information are often confused by accounting reports and the explanation of these reports by accountants, who can’t even agree on or define accounting terms.
These problems are even evident in what should be simple accounting and financial reporting environments, such as common interest communities—HOAs.
My purpose in writing this article is to attempt to strip away the complex accounting language in order to answer three simple questions:
1) Does SCA currently have surplus funds (defined in NRS 116) that should be returned to the SCA homeowners or credited to their owner accounts?
2) Do the annual homeowner assessments for 2016 need to be increased to cover the cost of transition to self-management?
3) Is SCA at risk of running out of cash in 2016?
For those of you who just want the answers to these questions and don’t care about the details, the answers to all three questions is “no”. For those of you who want to better understand the answers, I hope you find the explanations straightforward.
Does SCA currently have surplus funds that should be returned to SCA homeowners or credited to their owner accounts?
Commercial corporate financial and accounting rules allow a corporation to retain “profits” (revenues in excess of expenses) in a fiscal year as retained earnings. No requirement is placed upon a commercial corporation to return retained earnings to stockholders. However, NRS 116 prevents HOAs from accumulating revenues in excess of expenses (“carry forward funds”), except to the extent that it shows that carry forward funds are necessary to provide for future specific common expenses (term used in NRS 116.3114). (In my view, common expenses don’t include future undefined contingencies or provisions for working capital.)
Calculation of whether or not a HOA has surplus funds begins with a determination of the amount of cumulative carry forward funds from all prior fiscal years as of the end of each fiscal year. Carry forward funds represent possible surplus funds that must be returned to or credited to the homeowners, unless the HOA can show estimates of future specific common expenses that will use the carry forward funds and reduce future assessments. Calculations on the attached spreadsheet present the amount of carry forward funds as of December 31, 2014 and estimates for carry forward and surplus funds as of December 31, 2015 and 2016.
Carry forward funds as of the end of 2014 were $827,701, based upon financial information in the 2014 SCA audited financial statements. Future common expenses for correcting deferred maintenance and transition to self-management are estimated to be approximately $1.15 million, which is greater than the $827,701 of the 2014 carry forward funds. Therefore, surplus funds did not exist as of the end of of 2014.
The estimate for surplus funds as of the end of 2015 is approximately $91,000. (The calculation of this amount is based upon unaudited financial reports and other current estimates.) Since this amount is less than 10% of the estimate for future common expenses for correcting deferred maintenance and transition to self-management, surplus funds aren’t estimated to exist as of the end of 2015. An exact determination of surplus funds can only be prepared after receipt of the SCA 2015 audited financial statements in 2016.
Do the annual homeowners assessments for 2016 need to be increased to provide for the cost of transition to self-management?
The estimated cost of transition to self-management of $727,200 can be funded from carry forward funds accumulated through 2015. Therefore, an increase in the annual homeowners assessment for 2016 is not necessary.
Is SCA at risk of running out of cash in 2016?
The estimate for surplus funds as December 31, 2016 is approximately $491,000. A precise determination of the amount of surplus funds as of the end of 2016 is not possible at this time due to uncertainties related to actual cost of operations in 2016, cost that will be incurred in 2016 for transition to self-management, and currently unknown future common expenses. The only reason an estimate was calculated was to analyze whether or not SCA could have a cash flow problem in 2016. Using the attached estimate, a basis does not exists to support a conclusion that SCA will run out of cash in 2016. However, if transition costs increase by more than $491,000 over the current estimates of $727,000, cash flow deficits could exist in the fourth quarter of 2016 and will have to be managed by using cash conservation techniques.
______________________
Author’s Notes.
Note 1. The accounting interpretations and estimates used in this article are strictly the views and estimates of the author. They do not represent an opinion or assessment of the Board of Directors.
Note 2. The budgeting process at SCA should include accounting for both carry forward funds from prior years as well as revenues earned in the year being budgeted. This practice has not been followed in prior years and must be incorporated into the budget process in future years.
For the detail oriented, the following is a numerical comparison to the 2 methods of evaluation.
For the detail oriented, the following is a numerical comparison to the 2 methods of evaluation.
-
Sure, wait till the end of the year and get all of everything in order. Isn't it odd the way it works though: Figures never lie, and liars never figure?
Monday, October 5, 2015
General Manager Package
General ManagerSalary / Benefit PackageThere's More !
Yesterday, we welcomed the addition of our new Sun City Anthem General Manager, Sandy Seddon.
Today...let's get down to business !
Where another blog will merely state the package, and as is the case in all Board matters, DEFEND THEIR ACTIONS, always criticizing others who "question"...
... yet providing NO RATIONALE for the "dig"...
...that position differentiates us...
We instead choose to use COMMON SENSE...rather than towing the company line.
In addition...
... we choose to confront the issue from an intelligent point of view...the REAL QUESTIONS that seem to be avoided elsewhere.
And with that objective paramount to Anthem Opinion's objective of "telling it like it is"...
We ask this Board....
Have the concerns brought out by Anthem Opinions of paid employee/dependent medical insurance coverage to our new General Manager been ignored?
We have not been able to ascertain answers....answers that will have a dramatic affect on the lives of Sun City Anthem inhabitants !
What we originally reported to our readers was not the full package.
That package offer is now official...and includes the following:
We have highlighted the benefits we previously were not aware of, or questioned.
a. Salary of $250,000
b. Completely paid medical insurance for employee and family.
c. Long-Term Disability Coverage.
d. 401(k) plan.
e. 3 weeks annual vacation.
f. $5,000 ANNUAL Continuing Education Benefit.
g. $30,000 relocation expense (grossed up an approximate $10,000-$15,000 to net the $30,000).
h. Community paid cell phone.
If you have been reading our past articles, our greatest concern is Obamacare....and the potential devastating affect it would have under certain circumstances.
As such, we thought we would enlighten you about The Affordable Care Act...and how it might affect Sun City Anthem's UNTHINKABLE AND OUTRAGIOUS DECISION TO CONSIDER PAYMENT 100% OF MEDICAL COVERAGE FOR BOTH EMPLOYEE and DEPENDENT.
For plan years beginning in 2015:
• Employee's required premium co-share for the lowest-cost, self-only coverage that provides minimum value is not greater than 9.56 percent of an employee's W-2 taxable (Box 1) income.
The cost of dependent coverage is not calculated in the determination of whether the employer is offering affordable coverage.
• Employee’s required premium co-share for the lowest-cost, self-only coverage that provides minimum value is not greater than 9.56 percent of rate of pay as of the first day of the coverage period (generally the first day of the plan year).
• Employee’s required premium co-share for the lowest-cost, self-only coverage that provides minimum value is not greater than 9.56 percent of the federal poverty level for a single individual.
What does this mean? It means that OUR ASSOCIATION MUST PAY 100% of the cost of any employee's insurance premium that EXCEEDS 9.56% of their annual income.
And...the the definition of "affordable" CAN and in all likelihood, WILL CHANGE, inevitably leading to INCREASE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS.
The law further states:
Starting Jan. 1, 2016, employers with the equivalent of 50 to 99 full-time employees may face penalties if they do not provide "affordable" care to at least 95 percent of their full-time employees as specified.
Now...you may think...why should this concern Sun City Anthem when we do not plan to have 50 full-time employees?
Simply stated...there are regulations as part of the Affordable Care Act that state INDEPENDENT CONSTACTORS MAY BE CONSIDERED EMPLOYEES...FOR BENEFIT PURPOSES under certain guidelines...not all of which must be present.
Here are those key guidelines !
The IRS employs a 20-factor test in determining employment status and, in the case of a small business, every employee counts.
The analysis generally hinges on the degree of control that the employer exercises over the worker’s performance.
In other words, the question is whether the employer has the right to control not only what work will be done, but also how the worker will accomplish that work.
IRS factors that tend to be important in the analysis include whether:
(1) the worker is required to follow the business owner’s instructions
(2) any training requirements are imposed upon the worker by a business owner
(3) there is a continuing relationship between the worker and business owner
(4) work is performed on the business owner’s premises
(5) the worker’s travel expenses are paid by the business owner
(6) the work-related tools are provided by the business owner
(7) the business owner pays for administrative support.
Our concern...How many of these factors apply to us?
It would appear...MANY !
With this in mind, let us not forget that a few years ago, Sun CIty Anthem WAS AUDITED by the Internal Revenue Service; the result of which was an initial demand for $1,000,000 for payment of past income taxes due.
Following an appeal...an appeal that cost residents a substantial amount in accounting fees...
...the matter was subsequently settled...and I will use the words of the Board at that time....
...for "Only $100,000".
Those of us who can count...however, looked at that in another manner; namely had dues surplus funds been returned to residents as the LAW PERCRIBED, there would have been no question of PAYMENT at all.
What lesson should be learned from that fiasco ?
We suggest you do not ask Mrs. Capillupo, Mr. Weddle, Mr. Nissen, or Mrs. Meese.
The answer can't be found in any textbook...
...rather it can be found in the " Common Sense Manual of Financial Facts of life"obtained though real life experience....something NONE HAVE.
Ask anyone who has ever been audited by the IRS !
You become a TARGET for any future scrutinizing by that beloved arm of the federal government !
Some other food for financial thought...
...add the recent Finance Committee report projecting a substantial deficit approaching $1,000,000 for the 2016 year...a topic that will be disputed by the Board, but nevertheless, involves REDUCING RESERVES...
...and our conclusion is obvious !
We at Anthem Opinions, believe this package is outrageous in amount, is in deep need of altering, and due to the lack of proper planning...
...subjects our community to the largest dues increase in association history.
Got a comment ?
Send it to us at:
And..this board of directors to express your OUTRAGE.
Here is the complete list:
Anthem Opinions Administration
Comments: October 6, 2015
If they can create this mess, they should be responsible for cleaning it up. How do we teach these board members that they are NOT acting on behalf of the "whole" community, but only on their misguided interpretations? Therefore, any call to justice, e.g. IRS should be their responsibility. Stupidity is no excuse for lack of knowledge of the law, and any judge will tell you that.
Dorothy A
Comments: October 6, 2015
If they can create this mess, they should be responsible for cleaning it up. How do we teach these board members that they are NOT acting on behalf of the "whole" community, but only on their misguided interpretations? Therefore, any call to justice, e.g. IRS should be their responsibility. Stupidity is no excuse for lack of knowledge of the law, and any judge will tell you that.
Dorothy A
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Decision Made...Still a Number of Unanswered Questions
New Sun City
Anthem Manager Announced
Faces Difficult
Challenge
By now the community has been made
aware that a new General Manager named Sandy Seddon
has been named effective November 23, 2015.
Mrs. Seddon hails from The Golden
State, is in her mid-forties, married, has two children, and according to
what we've learned, has a number of years of experience in managing a homeowners
association.
According to what has been stated,
she apparently has 18 years of experience, but at a California homeowners
association of 900 members.
No matter how you attempt to analyze
her, one thing is for certain.
IT'S A DONE
DEAL ! (for the most part), and no matter
what your personal feelings, she will be the new Sun City Anthem General
Manager.
...and...as far as Mrs. Seddon is concerned, we must give her our support to
enhance her opportunity to succeed as our community
GM.
We at Anthem Opinions....welcome her to
this newest challenge in her career...a challenge that will be DIFFICULT.
Our expectation is that she has the
independence and common sense to stand up to the ill
thought out and financially disastrous decisions made by a group of individuals
whose past actions primarily have shown LITTLE
RESPECT or COMPETENCE in governing Sun City
Anthem.
As a result, our concern is NOT Mrs. Seddon, but those who
determined she was the "chosen one", and if
they will continue to HINDER
those who have made attempts to render good financial
advice.
That is the battle and conflict Mrs. Seddon
will undertake while she manages the community....having to
deal with those individuals who made the decision to hire her, those same
individuals who will also have the opportunity to TERMINATE her at any time...if
the decisions she makes....ARE IN OPPOSITION to those same
people.
In addition Mrs. Seddon
will also have to come to grips with certain individuals in the community who
have taken it upon themselves to consider themselves "community spokesmen"...some of
which HAVE BEEN EVERY BIT AS RESPONSIBLE for the
DAMAGE and FINANCIAL PROBLEMS Sun City Anthem has incurred as those who have made the actual
decisions.
Her
looking at the actual results obtained by those individuals will
hopefully determine just what confidence she should have in their advice to
her....
...and we sincerely hope
she encourages meeting and discussing the concerns of the
residents with others who have differing
opinions.
We also hope that she
also has the ability to look past "politics as
usual".
How to create an
independent environment in order to accomplish
success?
Here are our
suggestions to Mrs. Seddon to achieve success.
BE YOUR OWN
PERSON
STAND UP FOR YOUR
BELIEFS, NOT THOSE OF OTHERS.
(do not be controlled
by a Board...they will be replaced year after year)
TREAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU
,YOURSELF, WISH TO BE TREATED
(be kind and
considerate...realize that senior citizens can often be "difficult" at times,
yet always will have had more life experience than you...and have accomplished
a task you someday hope to accomplish...a self-reliant
retirement)
SEARCH OUT RELAVENT
EXPERIENCE FROM A COMMUNITY FILLED WITH THOSE WHO LONG TO PROVIDE
IT
(especially from those
who have been rebuked in the past for simply disagreeing with those in
control)
DEMONSTRATE
INTEGRITY
(make decisions that are good for the
whole...not for the few)
What is our
suggestion in order to accomplish all of this as a new General Manager of a
large association?
Recognize that most
organizations who place confidence in a new leader, choose their "own people" to accomplish satisfactory results in
achieving goals.
And...as
such...
CLEAN
HOUSE
The saying "A New Broom Sweeps Clean" says it all
!
Build your own
team....with those you feel confident...not necessarily those currently in
place.
They will cling to the
past...the past that brought a decision to REPLACE
THEM.
Tomorrow let's examine
the "full package" and the decisions that have yet to
be announced.
But...today...let's
welcome this lady to our community.
She has a huge
responsibility and will need all the help she can get to make "Self-Management"
succeed.
Got any other suggestions
you would like to pass on to this individual as she joins our Sun City Anthem
family?
Let us
know.
Send us your comments
to:
Anthem Opinions
Administration
-
From Robert N...to...Anthem Opinions
They pick someone WITHOUT Nevada accreditation?????
I am not naïve enough to think a State's accreditation could mean anything....however if the State of California has more-stringent requirements than Nevada, then case closed.....
...but IF the State of California accreditation is merely "mail in your check and you're accredited" then I do have a problem.
October 5, 2015 at 12:33 PM
From Bud M...to...Anthem Opinions
Obviously it is in everyone's best interest for her to succeed. Clearly she has the best chance of doing so if her eyes are wide open and she learns the history of this Board. One of the best ways she can learn just how big her task is, is through Anthem Opinions. Another is through independent meetings with her employer, the residents of SCA.
October 5, 2015 at 12:23 PM
From Carl W...to...Anthem Opinions
As a Board Member I can tell you that one of the major reasons she was selected from among many candidates was the fact that she would not be afraid to look a Board Member "in the face" and "tell them like it is!" This Board is committed to letting her do the job she is being paid to do!
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If only!
Hey, hey! Holy mackerel, the Cubs are on the way!!!!
Dick I hope they win and go all the way.
All the bars I insure will be jammed. HIgh sales mean higher premiums and that means higher commission !
We in Chicago have a hope and desire that our Cubs will pull it off this year.
I would say we're about do... actually were a lot overdue...1908 was a long time ago.
You might know, Rob; he's performed at Sun City Anthem's Freedom Hall, and has to be the #1 Neil Diamond tribute artist on the planet.
Here's the bet.
If the Mets win...I have to buy him and his lady, fellow entertainer, Rosanna Telford, dinner at Joe's Crab House in Caesar's Palace.
If the Cubs win, he has agreed to buy my wife and I a decent Chicago pizza, and sing a Cubs song in a Cub hat or jersey at the Tap House on Charleston Blvd. (What he doesn't know is that he's flying us to Chicago to eat it ).
I will keep all of you posted as to when Rob's concert will take place.