Spring 2024 NEWSLETTER

Articles in this Issue

• President’s Message

• Update From the Superintendent

• Update from the Facilities Committee

• Update From the Wildfire Prevention Committee

• 2024 Election Recap

• Firewise Certificate

• Architectural Review Committee Reminders

President’s Message, Richard Rosemont

There is an old adage, "the only constant in life is change." Change will be a common theme
throughout my message.
First, over time, Kingswood Village has experienced a change with our staff. It's fair to say that
since David Stirling's resignation in 2022, we experienced a change that was not as favorable
for us as we had hoped. Both Brayden and Jay were simply not up to the task of managing the
maintenance of KVPOA; however, change can be good. This past December, our Hiring
Committee advanced the candidacy of James Longo for our consideration. After doing our due
diligence, James was hired to oversee and manage our entire maintenance operation. Since,
James successfully navigated winter snow management activities over the winter while at the
same time preparing for spring and summer maintenance activities, including recruiting a solid
maintenance team. Joining the team are Coordinator/Carpenter Chloe Switzer-Holden,
Journeyman Carpenter Todd Contino and Maintenance Worker Jose Cervantes. Additionally,
we are in the midst of the onboarding process of our final maintenance worker. This team has
hit the ground running and is making a difference. Quoting a fellow homeowner and Board
member, "his is the first time since I have lived at Kingswood that we have a manager who
really cares about Kingswood, and I finally see things getting better." Change can be good.
Finally, change can be bittersweet. At the time of the publishing of this newsletter, you will
have learned that our Office Manager, Amanda Thompson, decided to pursue a new
opportunity she couldn't pass up. While Amanda's tenure was shorter than anticipated and
ended abruptly, we are thankful for Amanda's contributions throughout her employment with
KVPOA. We wish her well as she charters a new chapter in her professional career. Lastly, the
"Brothers"; seasonal work has concluded, and they have transitioned back to their other jobs.
We thank them for their services through the fall and winter. They were pivotal to our
successful winter snow maintenance activities.

Second, as the seasons change, our operations and maintenance duties also change. With the
change from winter to spring/summer, with the accumulated snow melting away, our
maintenance team logically changes their duties. With snow melting and temperatures

warming,” construction projects have commenced. Staircases are being replaced at a pace
we are not accustomed to (on average 2-3 days to remove, replace and paint per staircase).
Incidental deck repairs are being addressed. Campus lighting improvements are being
planned. Defensible space activities will start soon. Preparation to start up the irrigation system
is underway. Painting activities have commenced. Raking/clearing of pine needles and
pinecones is underway. Activities to prepare the pool for opening kicked off last week. We
swapped out older dumpsters for better bear proof ones. Signage for our dumpsters have been designed and ordered. The Men's bathroom door has been replaced and the fob system
access restored. So, as you can see, when we changed our manager and hired our new
Superintendent, James Longo, and support staff, we changed how work is being planned and
prioritized and how the work is being executed. Take a look around. You will notice the
difference. You will notice improved competence in workmanship. You will notice better
efficiency in how projects are being executed. You will notice staff on the property. Again,
change can be good.

Third, the Board approved changing its monthly Board meetings to the third Monday of the
month, with the one exception being the month of September, when our annual meeting will
continue to be held on the third Saturday of the month. The rationale for this change was
based on increased owner participation during special meetings and town halls that we held on a weeknight. Three months into the year, the jury is still out relative to improved homeowner
attendance. We have had instances where attendance was greater than usual. We are hopeful it continues, and more and more owners join our meetings. We try hard to be efficient during our meetings without compromising our message.

Lastly, we have changed how we keep you informed. Along with our seasonal newsletters, we
started with a weekly bulletin, providing you with current news and updates. Once the weekly
cadence resulted in redundancy messaging, I changed to messaging when new or newsworthy information emerged. I hope you find this method of communication beneficial and informative.

Let me conclude with this. Since the Board was fully seated last October, we have worked
hard to change how KVPOA is perceived in a positive way. We worked intelligently to change
how we approach getting things done. We knew we needed to make personnel changes and
to make better personnel selections in order to effect positive change. I think we have turned
the proverbial corner with light at the end of the tunnel. I will repeat the quote used earlier from my fellow owner and my Board colleague, "this is the first time since I have lived at Kingswood that we have a manager who really cares about Kingswood, and I finally see things getting
better."

Update from our Superintendent

James’s motto is “Small daily improvements are the key to staggering long term results.” And
he is on his way!

While the Facilities Committee identifies projects, our Superintendent James and staff
implement those projects. Since joining Kingswood Village five months ago, James has hired
all new staff. Please be sure to say hi and introduce yourself to Todd, our journeyman
carpenter, Chloe, our project coordinator and apprentice carpenter, and Jose, our

3 maintenance technician. A second maintenance technician is in the process of being hired. Be sure to welcome our new staff, they are eager to meet you.

James is an active hands-on manager, out in the field and behind the scenes. What is going
on behind the scenes? If, for example, a homeowner has a maintenance request, the
homeowner can fill out an online form that is found on the first page of the KVPOA website
(scroll down and you will see the link). Once you have clicked the link…..

Maintenance Work Request

…the online form pops up and asks the homeowner several questions about the problem: type
(deck, siding, etc) and priority. The information gathered on the form is automatically
transferred to a spreadsheet that tracks the status of that particular repair. In addition, a
summary report of responses is created that can aggregate the types of repairs, providing

visibility for the most frequent issues, and providing input for budgeting. The online request
form, tracking, and reporting is accessible to the Board and ensures transparency.
James and his staff have also implemented an online project management plan for the
construction projects identified by the Facilities Committee. Each project is broken down into
discrete steps with start dates and end dates assigned. Big projects include step
replacements, deck replacement, rim joists, trim, railing, cracked footings, post repairs, and
exterior painting. Chloe, as project coordinator, sources vendors, coordinates site visits for
quotes, and schedules.

Budgeting is a big part of the job as well. Both James and Chloe are focused on getting the
most bang for the buck. A recent example is acquiring lumber for the construction projects. By
going outside the Tahoe area, KVPOA was able to reduce lumber costs significantly (with free
delivery!). They are currently busy soliciting quotes to seal the parking lots. Proposals from
painting contractors are coming in as well. Three to four buildings will be painted this year.
With summer on the horizon, James and staff are finalizing a step-by-step pool maintenance
document, as well as a pool chemical sign-in sheet. They are getting ready for the county
inspection and will be on schedule to open the pool. (And men….there is a new bathroom door in the pool area that now works!)

As to what is going on in the field, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Check out
the progress all across our community.

Facilities Committee, Nick Zaikowski and Raquel Bito

The Facilities Committee and our Superintendent, James Longo, have been laying the
groundwork for a new look at Kingswood Village moving forward.

New commercial grade light fixtures have been ordered. A “first look” of 5 installs
will be available as you enter Commonwealth Drive on the right-hand side. These
condos also sport new stairs and give a good idea of the enhancements to come.
We’ll soon apply the lighting fixtures to the entire development for a cohesive
lighting aesthetic.

To improve our grounds, an aerator has been purchased to reestablish and revitalize our lawn
areas. In addition, a stump grinder was purchased to remove the stumps left behind from
required tree removal. Lawn areas and highly visible areas will be prioritized. By acquiring
these two tools, we will save money versus renting them. Decorative chips are being added
throughout the landscape and new plants are being evaluated.

Two new kayak rack have been ordered, adding 16 slots to the ones we have already. Please
note that kayak owners must register their kayaks. Stay tuned for more details.
The fob key to the tennis court will be fixed to ensure our amenities are for the use of KV only.
This involves trenching and then installing a new data line to the courts.

The saga of bears and dumpsters continues. KV has requested dumpsters with vertical doors
that are easier to open and close, plus have increased capacity. As bears awake from their
winter slumber, please remember to lock dumpsters, remove food from cars, and be aware
that bears may enter units through sliders and windows. Bears stay around areas of easy food
sources. The more we can do to limit the access bears have to trash, the better chance we
have of reducing the activity.

We will have new signage indicating dumpsters are for KV residents only.

Important reminder: EV vehicles are prohibited from being charged using extension cords.
This is a huge fire risk, as North Tahoe Fire has made clear. Please make sure your renters
are aware. Electric vehicle charging stations are being investigated by the Board. An EV
survey will be sent to homeowners in the near future to better understand our community
needs.

Wildfire Prevention Committee

2024 Is The Year! The WPC is laser focused on seeking a final defensible space inspection
and full compliance as required by the State of California, in September 2024. The inspection
will be performed by the North Tahoe Fire Department. Phase 3 of tree removal was
completed at the end of 2023. However, we anticipate some additional dead trees will appear and these will be removed as well. Liberty Utilities and Cal Trans have done their fuel
treatment work along 267. KVPOA has contracted with a company to remove pine needles
from the roofs of our units. Our maintenance staff will be vigilant in addressing pine needles,
trimming and separating overgrown bushes, and pruning tree limbs that are too close to the
ground. We are scheduling a volunteer clean-up day to remove vegetation, especially the
flammable (and stubborn!) manzanitas along 267, as well as pine cones and pine needles from around our units. A clear 5’ area must be maintained around our units to meet defensible
space requirements. Lastly, firewood on decks must be covered with a fire-resistant tarp. The
Board will be publishing information so homeowners can acquire tarps prior to August 1st.

Should you want to rake pine needles from around your unit, you can check out rakes from the
maintenance office. Just let the staff know first. Then use the maintenance request form and
staff will pick up the piles

We hope to get a GREAT turnout for our volunteer clean-up day. It is a workout, but there is
something for everyone to do….from zooming around on golf carts to hand out water, to raking the ever-present pine needles, to major sawing and disposing of vegetation into the
dumpsters. It is a fun way to get to know your neighbors better and enjoy a picnic lunch after
expending calories on the clean-up!

Stay tuned for announcements of the Volunteer Clean-up Day. We are targeting Saturday,
August 17th. This date is very important in order to spruce up prior to the inspection in
September. Please “save the date” now.

2024 Election Update, Eric Marchand

A letter to homeowners regarding the deadline for nominations went out on March 29, 2024.

Here are the salient points:

Three (3) directors’ terms are ending, so there will be three (3) positions to be filled
The deadline to submit nominations is June 27, 2024 and all nominees must be in good standing with the association.
Nominations can be submitted electronically (board.kvpoa@gmail.com; tahoe.kingswood@gmail.com) or by mail to the KVPOA Office (KVPOA; P.O. Box 815; Kings Beach, CA 96143).
If at the close of June 27, 2024 there are the same number or fewer qualified candidates as board positions to be filled, then the Board can proceed to seat the candidates by acclamation without balloting. This saves the association time and money.
If there are more nominees received than the number of open seats, the 2024 election will proceed as normal, without an election by acclamation
Ballots will be delivered to homeowners between August 16-22, 2024 with detailed instructions.
The deadline for voting will coincide with the KVPOA Annual Meeting on September 21,
2024

Please note, more details will be forthcoming as the deadlines get closer.

FIREWISE Certification

We resubmitted for FIREWISE recognition and received approval. The
certificate reflecting our recognition can be downloaded from the KVPOA
website should you need to present a copy of the certificate to your insurer
or any local or county agencies

Architectural Review Committee Reminders

If you are planning on remodeling a kitchen or bathroom in your Unit, or are planning to
upgrade your windows, water heater or furnace, please review KVPOA’s Rules and
Regulations for approval requirements to make interior and exterior improvements. There are
two forms available to download from the KVPOA website: The Architectural Review Form and
the Window and Door Application Form. These forms spell out the requirements, including
permits, insurance requirements, contractor licensing, and much more.

It is incumbent on homeowners to fully familiarize themselves with the requirements. Failure to
obtain the prior written approval of the Association’s Board of Directors may result in removal
or modification of the unapproved improvement or change. The owner will be responsible for
any and all related costs, including a potential fine by the Board.

The Rules and Regulations were updated in August 2022 to provide for approval for
emergency situations. The two most meaningful changes to the Rules essentially provide
homeowners with a way to replace appliances, such as furnaces and water heaters, if they
encounter an emergency situation. With this change, KVPOA’s Rules are now similar to the
Placer County emergency permit process where homeowners can address an emergency
situation and then follow up with a permit application.

Contact the Editor, Diane Keller

I hope you have enjoyed this newsletter. If you have comments about this newsletter or
suggestions for future newsletters, please contact me at kvpoanewsletter@gmail.com.