Seasons Overall Association 2010 Resident Survey Results Executive Summary Overview A resident survey was mailed with the annual dues statement in December 2010. Residents were asked to rate statements related to budget management, communication, lawn services and flower services on a five-point scale with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. Each response was assigned 1-5 points and an average was calculated for each statement. A higher average score reflected a higher rate of agreement or satisfaction with the statement. A follow-up question to last year s survey related to the tennis courts was also included. Open-ended questions allowed for written comments. The survey questions were consistent with the surveys conducted in 2006, 2007 and 2008 so trended results are available. Results Response Surveys were mailed to 374 households. A total of 78 surveys were returned for a response rate of 21%. The return rate was less then previous years in which 129 (2008), 129 (2007) and 122 (2006) surveys were returned. The majority of residents (69%) who completed the survey had lived in the Seasons for more than six years. 22% of the residents lived here 1-5 years and 9% lived here less then one year. Most of the residents (82%) had not participated in association activities during 2010. Findings The average response for each individual statement is attached to this summary. The average response (high is better) for the survey categories for 2006 2010 are reflected in the table below: Category 2006 2007 2008 2010 Budget Management 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.9 Communication 3.9 3.9 4.1 4.2 Lawn Services 3.8 3.5 3.8 4.0 Flower Services 3.3 3.4 3.7 3.9 All of the categories improved between 2008 and 2010: Budget Three of three statements improved Communication Four of six statements improved or were unchanged; two statements decreased Questions were responded to quickly and I knew who to contact if I had a question. Lawn Service Seven of seven statements improved Flower Services Six of six statements improved The written responses to the open-ended questions were categorized and are listed by order of frequency: Services that you are happy with (most frequent comments): Mowing/Landscaping Flowers Silverwood/Radio/Fallbrook Seasons Parkway/Entrance Board Performance Emails/Communication Overall Appearance Page 1 of 2
What area(s) should the Board focus on in 2011 (most frequent suggestions)? Dues / Cost containment Mowing Welcome Packet City Issues Flowers (annuals) Irrigation Flowers (perennials) Recommendations: Provide additional information to new residents regarding the Association and areas of focus. The frequency of comments related to city services (lights, trash haulers, snow removal, parks, etc.) which are outside the Association s control suggests a lack of understanding regarding the role of the Association. Engage residents that feel strongly about an issue (e.g. signage, tennis courts, etc.) to research an issue and provide recommendations to the Board. As a volunteer association, it is impractical for the Board members to pursue every individual concern raised. Residents that have specific complaints or concerns should be encouraged to get involved. Attachments: Graph Average Response Open-ended Comments Page 2 of 2 Prepared by S. Gentilli, Seasons Resident May 2011
Seasons Association Survey Results 2010 2010 Average 2008 Average 2007 Average Association dues are appropriate 3.8 3.4 3.6 I know how the dues are spent 4.0 3.8 3.8 The budget is managed effectively 4.1 3.7 3.8 Budget Overall 3.9 3.7 3.7 Email distribution of minutes was effective 4.4 4.4 4.1 Annual mailings were timely 4.4 4.3 4.2 Summary of Board activities was helpful 4.1 4.1 4.0 Questions were responded to quickly 4.0 4.1 3.7 I knew who to contact if I had a question 3.8 3.9 3.9 The new Website is effective 4.2 3.8 3.6 Communication Overall 4.2 4.1 3.9 Mowing 4.2 4.0 3.8 Irrigation 4.0 3.7 3.4 Fertilization 4.2 3.8 3.5 Weeding 3.8 3.6 3.2 Spring Clean-up 4.1 3.8 3.6 Fall Clean-up 4.0 3.7 3.5 Overall Appearance 4.0 3.8 3.6 Lawn Service Overall 4.0 3.8 3.5 Annuals 3.9 3.7 3.3 Weekly Maintenance of Flower Beds 3.9 3.7 3.3 Weeding 3.9 3.6 3.3 Spring Perennial Care 4.0 3.8 3.4 Fall Clean-up 4.0 3.8 3.5 Overall Appearance 4.0 3.7 3.4 Flower Services Overall 3.9 3.7 3.4 N = 78 Rev 3.23.11
Seasons Overall Association Resident Survey 2010 Overall Appearance Fall Clean-up Spring Perennial Care Weeding Flowers Weekly Maintenance of Flower Beds Annuals Overall Appearance Fall Clean-up Spring Clean-up Weeding Lawn Service Fertilization Irrigation Mowing The new Website is effective I knew who to contact if I had a question Questions were responded to quickly Communication Summary of Board activities was helpful Annual mailings were timely Email distribution of minutes was effective The budget is managed effectively I know how the dues are spent Budget Association dues are appropriate 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 Average Rating N = 78 May 2011
Seasons Association Resident Survey Comments 2010 Lawn Services Do not mow same pattern all the time; this causes tire tracks in turf and makes the turf laydown. Install rain sensors to save water and make turf healthier. Fix heads to avoid wasting water. Flower Services Petunias are boring. Flower beds should be mulched. Trees and bushes on Tamarack berm are confused, unhealthy and need major pruning (or removal.) Identify two areas / services that you are happy with: Too new moved in November 2010 Cooperation of architectural and ground committee chairman Gardens are colorful Irrigation We do appreciate the clean-up and new plantings @ Silverwood and Fallbrook and at Silverwood and Radio. Many thanks. Weeding and irrigation Flowers The Board you guys do a great service for us. Thank your for all your time. Seasons Parkway Lawn mowing Very happy that old Russian Olive tree that broke off was cleared out Parks Common area mowing Lawn service Flower beds always look good Boulevard maintenance Responsiveness of board to community concerns Notification of how dues are spent Landscaping maintenance Christmas lights during the holidays New landscaping on Silverwood Improvement of entrance at Silverwood Emails are very informative. Thanks for all you do! Quick response to cutting down trees for line of sight on Silverwood and Fallbrook. Very nice job. Entrance looks better. Flowers Christmas decorations and all the rest Maintenance of flowerbeds Happy with overall look of entryway (Parkway) Low low yearly fees. You should probably raise them to $10K-20K a year then I would be very happy Overall appearance is excellent. Good people running association in a well meaning and efficient manner. Appearance of grounds Availability of tennis courts They have been doing a great job keeping the areas nice looking and yet keeping expenses down The trails Rev 3.31.11 1
Overall appearance Dues aren t too high Horticulture Services is doing an excellent job with flower beds Signage at Radio Drive entrance Lawn New roof/paint Lawn care and gardens Lawn and annual gardens Am happy with everything Low dues Christmas lights Replacement of dead trees Mowing Plantings Communication via email Seasons on the Park common areas are neat and clean without undue Woodbury opulence Board management and communications are good. Thank you for your time and efforts. Communicating with members of the association Nice entrances to the Seasons Budget; incredible how far you stretch it. Thanks! I think all services seem to be handled well. Landscaping appearance of parkway. Response to my concerns/issue with neighbor. Lawn care is taken care of in a timely manner Flower beds are clean Overall appearance of properties Regular maintenance Lawn care Irrigation Neatness of residential neighborhoods makes the dues very worthwhile. Some of the Oakdale and White Bear neighborhoods resemble junk yards. The front entrance of the Seasons with the flower beds are pleasing and are well kept The flowers at the entrance and watering Care of plants Snow removal What area(s) should the Board focus on in 2011 Being a new resident I would like to know what our annual association dues cover. Thank you. Irrigation system: watering when its not necessary and poorly adjusted sprinklers (watering the street) Would like the lawn service to blow the grass and leaves out of corners near main entrance instead of into the corners after mowing I want to identify one area I am extremely unhappy with. I believe my dues are the same as others, but I do not receive the same benefit. I live near Tamarack and Winterberry. The teardrop at this intersection is not irrigated, gets no annual plantings and is usually overrun by crabgrass and weeds. Yet I pay for irrigation, fertilizing and plantings that are used elsewhere in the Association. Either residents near this teardrop should receive a discount or the teardrop should be maintained at the same level of other teardrops. I ve brought this up multiple times (in writing) with no acknowledgement or response. Please tell me what the association plans to do: 1. Reduce dues for residents near that area 2. Provide comparable services as in other areas 3. Ignore my inquiry. Rain sensors for irrigation system Rev 3.31.11 2
Fix or replace bad sprinkler heads Different annuals more variety Mulch annual beds Garden @ Tamarack and Winterberry Drive need help Christmas decorations @ Seasons Parkway would look better with garland on both sides of logo Maintenance of berms. We have asked for three years to have ours maintained as this is part of what we pay our association dues for. Nothing has been done. Foliage is all overgrown and has never been trimmed. We believe the mulch has only been amended once in the 16+ years we have lived here. We are extremely dissatisfied as to how our funds are being used. Radio Drive berm (east) between Silverwood and Seasons Pkwy. Give iron supplements to pin oak at Seasons Court and Parkway. Don t throw away established bedding plants; don t transplant iris after August Fall clean-up of leaves could be better. I realize that them falling and snow coming is the problem. 2010 cleanup was much better than 2009. Should we be taking down the tennis court nets and storing during the winter?? I think this was done in the early years. We would be willing to take on this task (lfose@hotmail.com) Let the residents know more about the association Updating Seasons Signs look outdated Some sprinkler heads on Seasons Parkway are not adjusted and water is mostly going in street Need better flowers at entrance to Silverwood Road What happened to the road sign Silverwood Road sign that used to be on Radio Drive? Weeding flowers and planting enough flowers to fill in beds in colors that don t blend in with the soil Could the perennials (i.e. Russian Sage) be trimmed in mid-summer o make it easier to see at intersections? Especially at Seasons Pkwy and Winterberry Court Keep yearly dues the same or lower Would love to see more holiday lights at main entrance Finish Silverwood Mow later day in the week would be better Further enhancement of Seasons at the Park entrance Unified mailbox look Front main entrance Establish one garbage hauler for the entire association! We don t need 5 different companies and 15 trucks rumbling down the streets (Minor 933 Autumn Drive). Keep up maintenance on overgrowth of trees and overall appearance. Mowing blast clippings in to the street Mowing; please make sure they pick up sticks Keep dues the same Plow tennis court paths to connect to parking Email distribution is helpful but there is little information other than a very brief statement not meaningful Thanks you for your efforts, your work and your gifts of time and talent The very front, the Seasons emblem on each side of the Parkway and the front nose If you live in the Silverwood area dues should reflect the one flower bed and two signs we have. I once saw a person mow the entrance, it took less time then I waited in median to turn across Radio. We pay him what, $100 for 3 minutes of work? Money well spent. Keep up the good work. If you want to invest our reserves, my portfolio is up 70% this year, at that rate we could disband and abolish the fees. Never mind, we are doing just fine earning 1% in CD s, good investments! Well at least we know you aren t the next madoff though $28K in mowing kind of suspicious in its own right. Rev 3.31.11 3
Keeping costs down and do not raise dues. Generally, people are not well off. Economy is only fair. Keep doing a good job and please get more Board Members. You are all doing a great job. Repair of condition of tennis courts Collect dues in the summer months! This $180 would be nice to use towards Christmas presents Keep up the great work. Thanks for all your work. The street lighting is very poor! So many people walk on the street and cannot be seen with the street lighting. Someone will be hit by a car. Can the wattage be increased in the current lights? It would be nice to have a map of the nearby neighborhood trails provided to us via email or in the mail. Where to enter (entrances) and where they lead (streets and neighborhoods Keeping costs down Tree maintenance; particularly flowering trees on Seasons Parkway Thank you for your service! Downed trees took awhile to clear out Removal of brush along Radio Drive Welcome new residents. Send info on website, minutes, etc. We moved in in April. Paid dues and had zero correspondence until annual meeting notice. Thought holiday lights were a large part of budget. Wondering why they were not put up in 2010. Split perennials Keep up the good work! Thanks to all board members for contributing your time. This is a city issue than maybe a board issue but the high traffic speeds on Silverwood Road are potentially dangerous Continuing the great job on making the grounds look so beautiful and well-groomed As a non-participant, I wouldn t presume to make a recommendation here. I would like to see the lilacs and bushes by the tennis courts trimmed/pruned Maintenance of cost containment, and continuing the pleasant appearance of the neighborhood (I always get complements on Seasons Pkwy appearance in the spring.) Maybe not a focus, but the flower beds to our entrance look a bit sparse, and in late summer some of the flowers become so tall it is hard to see around them if oncoming traffic is approaching We noticed that during a very heavy snowfall the town homes were not even slightly plowed out. The elderly and one person returning home from the hospital couldn t manage to access the street or their home. Even one swipe of a plow would have been sufficient. They were stranded. The Seasons Park area by the ball fields are full of weeds. The Board could focus on a better job of weeding or spraying to eliminate the weeds. Telephones should be answered Give more information for new resident Rev 3.31.11 4