The HOA board spent the better part of last year looking at the neighborhood's finances, our balance sheets, and projected expenses along with the increased cost of virtually everything in our city, state and country. We have resisted a dues increase for many years and have chosen to manage the neighborhood as frugally as possible. In fact, the last dues increase was over 12 years ago. So we take this increase with considerable weight. The cost of landscaping and mowing for 40 acres of common space, snow removal, insurance, bookkeeping, necessary infrastructure projects and downed and dead tree removal require a constant flow of payments to keep the neighborhood clean, safe and aesthetically pleasing for all who live here. This past year alone, we lost many established trees due to weather, including some 100-year-old cottonwoods. We had two major city mandated projects to remove silt from water retention areas in our neighborhood and we had to chemically treat both dandelions and several poisonous and invasive plants across the neighborhood. Projects such as these carry high costs, and most of us don’t see the positive outcome but we would all see the negative effects if we ignored these problems. Board members are unpaid volunteers from all over the neighborhood who come together to try to solve issues that could end up being problems for all of us all. Although it is rewarding work, we have to make tough decisions at times. We also attempt to do as much of the work ourselves as possible as volunteers to attempt to keep costs down and we routinely clean the neighborhood, cut down dead trees, paint fire hydrants, clean out beds and plant flowers and trees. We could use some help from neighbors who have a passion for keeping the neighborhood up and would love to have more volunteers. 
We raised dues this year after looking at costs coming from new contracts with vetted vendors, necessary neighborhood projects and maintaining fiscal responsibility for the neighborhood. The board has discussed raising dues over a period of years now and we resisted an increase during COVID and post economic recovery. The increase is directly tied to the neighborhood staying economically healthy going forward. We have also studied HOA dues from other neighborhoods across Lincoln and our yearly dues structure falls toward the bottom of similar neighborhoods. 
Additionally, we are in the process of converting over to a new website to keep costs down and to add some new features. Our new site is vintageheightshoa.com and we are continuing to add content there. As you make your yearly dues payment know that you are welcome to come to any board meeting and review any materials and share your thoughts on what will continue to make Vintage Heights a great place to live. Board meetings are being loaded onto the new website over the next few weeks and we encourage neighbors to come out and be a part of what is going on in the neighborhood and even join the board to serve the neighborhood.