What a Busy Year!

We celebrated our 25th anniversary year by staying very busy. Our dedicated staff members kept up with the thousands of daily details associated with managing communities. Here are a few statistics from 2009.

• In 2009, our maintenance coordinators issued and tracked 4,685 work orders and projects for our communities (up slightly from 2008). That is an average of 19 per workday. A work order can be anything from having a sign fabricated & installed to developing specifications & soliciting bids for a contract to having a swimming pool resurfaced. Each work order includes a large amount of communication with contractors in advance and as follow-up. That is an impressive amount of work.
• In 2009, our home improvement coordinators processed 5,098 home improvement and new construction requests for our communities (up from 4,422 in 2008). Many requests entail multiple communications with the homeowner to ensure that the request is complete before passing on to the ACC for a decision. Each request finishes with a letter to the homeowner documenting the decision.
• In 2009, our bookkeepers prepared 12,345 checks for our communities (up from 11,521 in 2008). That is an average of 49 per workday. It takes great organization skills to coordinate that many bills with due dates and Board meetings. All that while keeping impeccable records that CPA auditors love to see.
• In 2009, our community managers, administrative assistants and inspectors tracked and resolved 71,046 deed restriction violations by issuing 88,138 letters (up from 81,959 in 2008). Our deed restriction management efforts continued to be successful with 85% of all violations getting resolved before a certified letter was needed (up from 83% in 2008).
• And not to be outdone, in December alone, our administrative assistants and accounting staff received and deposited $5,494,405 in assessments (14,107 individual payments). In the five days on either side of December 31st, we processed $4,248,526 in 10,908 payments.

We are looking forward to taking care of lots of business in 2010!

Project Highlight
Colony Grant
Perimeter Improvements Project

Colony Grant is one of the original communities in First Colony with the first homes built in the late 1970's. In 2009, the community completed a five year multi-phased Perimeter Improvements Project that has given a complete facelift to the perimeter of the community. The board of directors developed a long term vision to enhance the appearance of the boulevard areas and to create a signature look within First Colony. The association hired landscape architects Clark Condon & Associates to develop the vision into a master plan.

With preliminary cost estimates, C.I.A. Services presented several options for funding and carrying out the project. In the end, the board decided to carry out a multi-phase project using accumulated funds and modest assessment increases. With project planning, this $1.2 million project was completed without a loan, without a special assessment and with only modest assessment increases to the owners.

The first phase of the project included installing bricks walls at all nine entries into the community, replacing two entry monuments, adding three new entry monuments and installing community nameplates in the brick walls at all other locations. This first phase immediately improved the appearance of all entries and provided identification for the community. The signature look included ornamental ironwork on top of the entry walls and matching limestone medallions on the column. Landscaping and lighting was addressed in the second phase. And the last three phases replaced over 8,000 feet of wood fencing with brick walls.

The association board members did an excellent job creating the vision, communicating the project to the community and overseeing the work: Joe Esch, Mike Hasen, Jay Khayrattee, Dan McKinnis and Eric Wey. At C.I.A. Services, Ralph Troiano provided the initial project analysis and options and Community Karen Cooper oversaw the project to completion.

Residents have been very pleased with the improvements. Congratulations to the Board of Directors, contractors, consultants and C.I.A. Services management staff on a job very well done.

New Accounts Payable Option

Over the last year, we have implemented a new accounts payable procedure for some of our larger communities. It has been very well received and we are now in a position to offer it to all of our clients. This is new procedure is completely optional.

In the new procedure, the Treasurer approves checks for disbursement but doesn't physically sign them. C.I.A. Services continues to receive vendor invoices which are reviewed by bookkeeping, the Community Manager and, if needed, the Maintenance Coordinator. Once everything is approved internally, copies of the checks and backup are emailed to the Treasurer (instead of placing them in the U.S. mail). The original checks are held at our office. Once the Treasurer has reviewed the checks, the Treasurer gives us approval to sign and mail the checks (or hold any).

This new procedure has numerous advantages:

• Eliminates several days of mailing time from our office to the Treasurer
• Reduces chance of late fees and vendors get their checks sooner
• Reduces chance of checks getting lost in the mail or misplaced
• Saves postage on mailing checks and backup to Treasurer
• Reduces copy costs - Treasurer receives a PDF which can be saved for reference
• Allows the Treasurer to easily pass on information about checks that have been written by forwarding an email
• Reduces Treasurer effort - doesn't have to sign and mail checks or keep up with the paperwork

In order for this procedure to work, the Treasurer must have an email address and must check emails on a daily basis. If your community is interested in taking advantage of this new accounts payable option, please let your community manager know.

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Hockey Night in Houston

Our 12th Annual Hockey Night with the Houston Aeros will be held on February 27th when the Aeros take on the 1st place Texas Stars. The Stars are the minor league affiliate of the Dallas Stars so this will become an in-state rivalry (think Texans versus Cowboys). The two teams will meet each other 12 times this season and, so far, the Stars are well on top winning 5 of the first 7 contests. However, the Aeros don't like to lose on Hockey Night!

Our 2nd Annual Hockey Night with the San Antonio Rampage will be held on March 27th when the Rampage will take on the Lake Erie Monsters. Currently the Rampage and Monsters are both occupying the cellars of their respective divisions. This is going to be a respect game so you know both teams will be battling hard!

Each year, we invite our community volunteers, employees and friends to join us to watch a fun game. We have lots of door prizes, our collectible cowbells and programs for hockey newcomers. Everyone has a great time watching a fast-paced and really cool game. Click the photos below to see fun from the last few years.

2007	2008
Houston 2009	San Antonio 2009

Personal invitations are being mailed to our community volunteers and board members this month. Mark your calendars for February 27th in Houston and March 27th in San Antonio. Reserve your tickets now by sending an email to HockeyNight@ciaservices.com.

Upcoming Seminars

Our C.I.A. Services Seminar Series is back after a break for the holidays. This is our 7th year of presenting educational seminars for our board members and other community volunteers. Each seminar concentrates on the practical aspects of the topic and provides board members with background knowledge to help them in their decision making. We consistently receive positive feedback on the content and presentation. To view the seminar descriptions and full schedule, click here or visit the Library page of our website.

Each seminar begins at 6:00 p.m. and runs 2 hours. We provide deli sandwiches so you won't have to rush to eat dinner beforehand. You'll leave with knowledge you can use immediately and a great notebook with the seminar slides, samples and reference materials for your future reference and to share with others.

Understanding Collections & Financial Reports The first half of this seminar will cover all the steps involved in successful assessment collections. Since not everyone pays on time, we'll get into late fees, liens, payment plans, bankruptcy and all the legal remedies. The second half of the seminar deals with reading and understanding your financial reports. We'll trace the flow of money throughout the reports so you'll never be in the dark when staring at all those numbers. February 3, 2010 (Wednesday), 6:00 p.m. — North Office February 24, 2010 (Wednesday), 6:00 p.m. — Southwest Office

Practical Deed Restriction Management Deed restriction management is one of the most difficult tasks handled by homeowners associations because it involves subjective decisions, homeowner's property and emotions. This seminar covers the steps in deed restriction management and how a process can contain "intelligence" and common sense. We discuss the relation between deed restrictions and architectural guidelines and give you examples of well crafted guidelines. Practical deed restriction management requires clear communications and reasonable requirements. March 17, 2010 (Wednesday), 6:00 p.m. — Southwest Office March 24, 2010 (Wednesday), 6:00 p.m. — North Office

You can register at any time by calling 713-981-9000 or emailing seminars@ciaservices.com.

CCUCA Trade Show

This year's Cypress Creek United Civic Associations (CCUCA) seminars and trade show will have a safari theme. This is the 24th year for this great event for Board members and other community volunteers. CCUCA does an excellent job at pulling together experts in homeowners associations to present numerous seminars in a format that runs from early Saturday morning until mid afternoon. There is a continental breakfast and a great lunch where you can mingle with board members from many other communities. This year's event is on Saturday, February 20th.

The seminar schedule and guest speaker haven't been announced but there are always so many good seminars that you have to choose between them. Last year, Dan Parsons, President of the Houston Better Business Bureau, was the lunch guest speaker and the seminars included:

• New board member workshop (presented by a management company)
• Deed restriction enforcement (presented by an attorney)
• Eco-friendly landscaping (presented by a environmental planner)
• Creating and amending deed restrictions (presented by an attorney)
• Association insurance (presented by an insurance expert)
• Coping with economic downturn (presented by former director of Houston Proud)
• Deed restriction enforcement for volunteers (presented by DR committee volunteers)
• Financial asset protection (presented by a CPA)
• Working as a team (presented by an attorney)

C.I.A. Services has always been an active participant in this trade show by having a great booth and presenting seminars. You can view some of our prior seminars online by visiting the Library page of our web site or clicking the links below.

• Board Member Orientation
• Advanced Topics for Board Members
• Practical Deed Restriction Management

For more information about CCUCA and the trade show, visit www.ccuca.org. All the seminar and registration details will be available by the end of January.

Community of the Month

We are proud of every one of our communities so it is always hard to find just one to highlight. We start by having each of our Community Managers write a nomination for one of their communities. We then read them and take a vote. Here are our most recent selections:

• January - Fairway Pointe Community Association
  Southwest Office - Libby Hodges, Community Manager
• December - Kings Lake Forest Homeowners Association
  North Office - Annette Escarenio, Community Manager
• November - Post Wood Civic Association
  North Office - Anna Marron, Community Manager

To see the full story on these communities and to see the past winners, visit the Community of the Month page on our web site.

Anniversaries

Every month we appreciate the communities that are celebrating their anniversaries with us. Here are the clients that started with us in January.

• Hunterwood Village II Association — 24 years
• Homeowners Association of Timber Forest — 13 years
• Kings Lake Forest Homeowners Association — 13 years
• Cumberland Community Association — 2 years

Our goal has always been to create a positive, long term relationship with all of our client communities. We are very proud to be managing all of these communities.

Employee Spotlight

• Congratulations to two of our North Office Staff Support personnel and stockholders on their anniversaries with our company. Charlotte Bulcken has performed various financial and administrative services for 14 years and Liz Holiday has handled home improvement and new construction request for 13 years.



Charlotte Bulcken		Liz Holiday





C.I.A. Services, Inc. www.ciaservices.com Toll Free: 866-219-0563
Southwest Office 9800 Centre Parkway, Suite 625 Houston, Texas 77036-8294 Phone: 713-981-9000 Fax: 713-981-9090	North Office 8811 FM 1960 Bypass, Suite 200 Humble, Texas 77338-4023 Phone: 281-852-1700 Fax: 281-852-4861	Bandera Office 465 Bear Springs Road Pipe Creek, Texas 78063-3178 Phone: 830-535-6222 Fax: 830-535-4265


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