BELLA VISTA -- At its monthly meeting, the Bella Vista Property Owners board heard good news from Recreation Director Joan Glubczynski and Business Development Director Tommy Lee.
The Blowing Springs Campground is having a banner month, Glubczynski said. Three new tiny cabins are coming, hopefully before the end of the year. Revenue brought by the first cabin, which has been considered a test, has been up 25% this year.
Recreation staff put together the Not So Haunted Mini Golf Course near Riordan Hall this year and it proved popular. Tennis has also been busy, and so are the new pickleball courts at Branchwood.
Later in the meeting, a capital project to add a pizza oven at the Highlands Country Club was approved at the cost of $45,000. The new menu will be small and fairly simple, Lee said. The growth of new homes in the area and the popularity of the pub operating in the building both indicate that operation should be successful. He hopes the new menu items will be available early in 2022.
During her monthly report, Controller Stacie Higgins said the POA had another good month. Revenue was $354,000 over budget in September although expenses were also high, she said. Year-to-date revenue is over budget as well.
All the POA restaurants showed a profit in September. Lot sales were also good.
The water department had a good month, coming in $68,000 over budget.
Higgins said the POA has had 165 open positions throughout the year. Many positions took months to fill after employees left for higher paying jobs, she said. While open positions reflect as lower salary expenses, it also means more overtime wages since the work has to be completed.
This year, the POA hasn't borrowed any money from the water department and has paid back a good portion of the intercompany loan that helped pay the expenses of the Trafalgar fire. Although the POA owns the water department, the accounting is done separately. Higgins said she hopes the POA side can get through the rest of the year without any loans from water but warned that, historically, the last few months of the year produce less revenue.
The board approved an extra payment on the POA's last water bond, which was issued by the county Public Facilities Board in 2014. According to a plan proposed last year, the bond may be paid off early in 2022 saving interest payments. But, Higgins said, if necessary, a smaller payment could be made next year.
General Manager Tom Judson told the board a good number of online and paper surveys are being returned. The surveys, along with focus groups, were designed to provide member input into a Five Year Strategic Plan. The surveys will be accepted until Nov. 15 and the results will be released in January. He expects the plan will be ready in mid-2022.
A small trail project that should not cost the POA any money for at least three years was approved. The new connector trail, about 2800 feet, will be near Manchester Drive. Representatives of the Trailblazers spoke to all the property owners affected by the trail and adjusted the route away from the only property owner who objected.