FROM THE BOARD - DAOA needs your help by donating your time, talent & participation. Thank you! Board of Director’s applications due May 1st. Please contact the office to submit an application for review and consideration. Committee Chair and member positions vacancies Please click the line below for more information or https://www.daoa.org/Committees/Committee_Meetings We look forward to your participation in attending Board and committee meetings in-person or online as available: https://www.daoa.org/Home/Calendar Unable to attend? Step 1: Log onto the DAOA website, Step 2: click on Board of Directors > Meetings for minutes. Mark your calendar: June 8th Q & A, at 9:00 a.m. and June 22nd Annual DAOA Meeting at 9:00 a.m. FROM THE PRESIDENT—Carol Whiteside On a very sad note, our community has experienced the loss of an amazing contributor, volunteer, mentor and for many a good friend. Caroline Holmes passed away on February 22nd. Her commitment, passion & energy to DAOA, Mattawa, Grant County & beyond is unmatched. Below is a list of many of her contributions and / or participation:
DAOA community member friend to those in need. She will be greatly missed.
Board of Directors Carol Whiteside exp 2024 Glenn Lampman exp 2024 Keith Savisky exp 2025 Anita Hammond exp 2025 Matt Yanak exp 2026 Xavier Greisen exp 2026 Mark Pierce exp 2026
Mark your Calendars Annual Spring Clean-up April 19th 9:00 am—1:00 pm Shred Truck (by the Visitor Center) April 20th 9:00 am—Noon Yard Waste (behind the Senior Center) April 20th and 21st 9:00 am—5:00 pm Garbage/Scrap Metal (at the Clubhouse) April 20th and 21st 8:00 am—5:00 pm We will not be accepting furniture, tires, or appliances
From the GENERAL MANAGER’s Desk - James Curdy Annual SPRING CLEANUP is set for Friday, April 19th at 9:00 am, so plan to come out and help clean up our community. You’ll get a free pair of Desert Aire Logo leather gloves and some lunch. Afterwards, you’ll also get an early dump pass to dump personal garbage (Friday) instead of waiting in line Saturday or Sunday. Once again, we will NOT be accepting appliances, furniture or tires and when the dumpsters are full, no more garbage will be accepted. On Saturday 4/20 we will have the SHRED TRUCK from (9-12 Noon) at the Visitor Center in the Entrance Park by the Big Chair.
Our office together with committee volunteers work to help member successfully develop and maintain their properties within the HOA and I believe it shows. Code Compliance and the Architectural Committee continue to work on Greenbelt/common area encroachments to protect Association property. These are members using this community asset as their personal property (without a license agreement). Most members have readily chosen to comply, but we currently have two (2) that are forcing our Association to spend a significant amount protecting this asset. As I have said in the past, I will report out on these to show your current Board takes this seriously and is working on everyone’s behalf. These two properties accounting for 65% of our total legal fees for this period at $44,893. Dog complaints have been around since the mid 70’s and while the county has done away with Dog Licenses, the animal control ordinance still applies and FINES are part of the enforcement in Desert Aire. MACC/911 has a new online reporting link for non-emergency matters. https://macc911.org/ The same as calling 888-431-9911. (See page 5) River View Café The River View Café formerly the Snack Shack is opening April 20th for the season!
Garbage Service is available through Waste Management of Ellensburg at (800) 572-4559. They have a roll out service with a nominal fee. *Please remember to store your can securely out of sight on non-dump days.
Parks & Greenbelts- Volunteers are being sought for 4th of July Park Events which WILL NOT include any fireworks this year. The sign-up sheet is in the office. The pool has had all new gutter grates installed this spring. Exercise Facility We are anticipating some new equipment arriving in the next 60 days. Golf Course The golf course looks good coming out of winter and it has been busier than ever. (See Kyle and Shawn’s articles for more info) REMEMBER, you can also follow us on Facebook for information and upcoming events at: Desert Aire Owners Association and/or Desert Aire Golf and Country Club As always please be sure your email and phone number are current with our office by calling or you can update them ONLINE through the website portal. If you have any questions, thoughts or ideas, stop by, call or send me an email to curdy@desertaire.org
Check out the Bookmobile in the Park the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. For more information go to: https://www.ncwlibraries.org/bookmobile/
We are currently working on the Peterson Place upgrade. We have laid all of the new 4-inch pipe. Next, we will have to do all the testing to make sure that the new pipe is safe for drinking water. These tests will also include a pressure test to be sure there is no leaks or bad sections of pipe. After all the test we will the change over to the new 4-inch line. If you are gone for an extended period of time the Water Department can shut off your water at the meter for $5.00, this will not stop pipes from breaking but it will not flood your home. Just as a reminder, the water policy effective August 1st 2009, states members are not to access the meter boxes in any way or they will be subject to the enforcement mechanisms of the policy. All samples taken have been good. We are currently at 1,311 connections to the water system. The total year to date gallons produced for the overall domestic water system is 30,675,458.
PRO SHOP NEWS – Kyle Preston, PGA Professional We have had some great weather this month and the course has been busy. We also hosted our 2024 Spring Best Ball on March 23rd & 24th. We had a total of 100 participants with a great mix of members and outside participants! The weather on Day 1 was a bit rough to start out, but after a couple hours the rain passed and Day 2 was beautiful. Registration for this years Junior Camps will open on April 1. We have a camp on July 23rd-25th, and on August 20th-22nd. We will allow 32 participants per camp. The kids will enjoy a variety of skill building activities and games on days 1 & 2, and we will head out on the course for Day 3! The CWC Chapter PGA Pro/Am schedule is out. Please contact me if there are certain dates and courses you are interested in playing and we can try to coordinate to go. I would love to get the opportunity to take any and all members to different events. All Pro/Ams are gross and net events, so as long as you have a handicap you are welcome to play. These events may seem like a serious thing, but its all about getting out, playing new courses, and having fun. Here is the link to the schedule on the CWC PGA website: https://cwcpga.com/tournaments-pro-ams/ As we start to get busier, and the golf season really kicks off, please remember that I am open to any suggestions, concerns, or just general comments about the golf operations. I am here to provide the best service I can for our members and guest, and would love feedback on things that are great, or things that may need improvement.
https://wsdot.wa.gov/about/news/2024/work-replace-i-90-vantage-bridge-deck-set-get-underway
Conservation Tip Check on your irrigation system to be sure of proper operation. This includes checking on heads, drip lines, and shut off valves
Golf Course SUPERINTENDENT Report – Shawn Hocking Another spring has come, and it has been a beautiful one so far. It certainly ramps up the work load and shows us our challenges for the year. One of our challenges is at the entrance, where we have been replacing the irrigation system. The south side of the DA Drive entrance has had the irrigation installed for a few weeks but has had no water until last week. On the north side, we changed the route of our mainline, which cost us a little extra time but will be better in the long haul. Currently, we are mostly cleaned up, have installed the irrigation controller, and have started assigning sprinkler stations. Our goal is to have the bulk of the work completed by the end of the month. We also intend to plant some trees and do some landscaping as time and money allows. On the golf course, we have been doing regular maintenance and have been preparing for the Spring Best Ball tournament. We have utilized some of the sod from the entrance and installed it on the golf course behind 8 green and on the left of 16 fairway. Our irrigation system has been up and running, and we are working through the start up issues and a few lingering ones from last year. Aeration on greens and tees should be finished by mid-April, weather permitting. Our crew is inexperienced but they are learning quickly and seem to be doing well. We have been doing a significant amount of training, which requires additional attention, but I believe it will prove to be beneficial through the year. We will also be looking to make additions to our crew as the season progresses. Golf Committee—Kyle Patrick The Golf Committee met on March 6th with zoom technology in the upstairs clubhouse. The Men’s Club reported that Sunday April 7th will be the first Sunday competition. The Country Club hosted a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 16th. Pro Kyle Preston reported that 10 round punch cards are now $450. The monument project is progressing with expectations that the first four will be ready for placement in May. The Golf Improvement Fund is assisting in the monument project. Discussion of the access to the bathrooms and the maintenance of the cart paths was also discussed. Superintendent, Shawn Hocking has the course and the entrance looking good this Spring. Parks & Recreation Committee—Brent Sprague Parks and Recreation committee needs your help! Events for this upcoming season are the Golf Cart Poker Run Saturday May 25th and a 3 on 3 Basketball tournament and cornhole on July 4th after the Golf Cart Parade. We are also trying to schedule a movie night in the park on the 4th. There would also be food trucks in the park that afternoon, into the evening. These events will require approximately 10 volunteers to pull it off, without that sadly they won’t happen. We need people to join this committee. One person cannot put these events together without a team. There is a sign-up sheet to volunteer in the office and they can send it to me. Our meetings are the first Wednesday each month at 5pm in the Clubhouse. I have overseen some repairs to equipment in the Gym and we are getting 3 new pieces of equipment in the next couple of months. They are Technogym and Stairmaster brands. They also finished repainting the gym in March. We will be updating and replacing a few pieces of equipment on a yearly basis. We will also continue to maintain what we have. Again, please volunteer as without volunteers no events can happen.
Tired of carrying cash when you go out? MEMBER CHARGING is an option for those on AUTOPAY! If your account has been current AND you sign up for auto pay …you can charge at the Pool, River View Café, and Golf Shop by showing your Member Card.
Security and Safety Committee – Pam Thorsen Security & Safety Committee (SSC) Mission: To work with available constituencies to improve the public security and safety presence to 24 hours/day, 365 days/year, including security services/community policing patrol, emergency management, fire safety, traffic/road safety, animal control, code enforcement, public health, owner education and any other related concerns affecting the security and safety of the Desert Aire Owners Association in the rural village known as Desert Aire, Washington. Misinformation about the status of area issues is detrimental to all, and seeking out the facts is what SSC does and encourages owners to do the same. SSC’s additional focus of transparency of our efforts and the information provided to owners can be found in committee minutes, Board updates and newsletters and we encourage owners to reach out directly to SSC at dahoasafetycommittee@gmail.com. SSC works on behalf of the owners, to make recommendations to the Board of Directors for joint implementation with management. We can’t be effective on your behalf if you don’t communicate directly (not on social media) to help make our rural village a more secure and safe place to live. Case in point is the property south of Desert Aire on SR243, which was reported recently on social media as “cleaned up”. SSC and others have been notified that Grant County Superior Court has given the owners until 4/1/2024 (not an April fools joke) to remove all the items after many years of continuing to add to the mess. If they don’t, the GC Sheriff’s Office can finally take the legal action necessary. SSC continued to monitor with all Grant County entities on this issue since 2018, which took years to come together, even if it frustrates all of us. A current priority is and will continue to be SSC’s Safe Streets/Roads/Trails (SSRT) work with Grant County Public Works (GCPW) to collaborate on solutions regarding road maintenance/traffic/road safety within Desert Aire. SSC started working on this in March 2021, and in September 2023, held an open forum where owners were encouraged to attend under the Know Your Neighbor strategy. Since then, GCPW has submitted, on DA’s behalf, the first round of federal grant requests under the Surface Transportation Block Grants (STBG) program. Other federal grant requests are in process by the South Grant County Chamber of Commerce relating to SR243, solid waste/recycling/composting and expansion of healthcare services. As soon as SSC hears status, owners will be notified. Recently, the unanimous support of the Board of Directors was given to SSC for launching a long-term strategy for wildfire prevention (January 2024 newsletter). FIREWISE is a partnership with the WA State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Desert Aire’s Community Wildfire Risk Assessment (CWRA) has been prepared and will be signed/submitted, along with a micro grant request for some needed resources. The program launch will be at an event open to owners on Wed 5/8/24 from 1pm-4pm downstairs in the multi-purpose building. We encourage owners to be there to learn how to protect your property and help your neighbors do the same.
Business Office 509-932-4839 Mon – Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm James Curdy, General Manager ext. 100 Sarah Spurr, Accounts Payable ext. 101 Tracey Hockman, Payroll Clerk ext. 102 Reyna Perez, Receptionist ext. 103 Water Department ext. 104 Chris Guillen, Watermaster ext. 104 Water Emergency 509-830-4332 Swimming Pool ext. 108 Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (10:00 am-8:00 pm 7 days a week) Golf Pro Shop 509-932-4439 Kyle Preston, PGA Professional ext. 106 Pro-Shop Staff: Cynthia St. Clair, Paul Meredith, Wendy Knopp, Nadia Delgado, Paul Meredith, and Dick Best River View Café 509-932-1988 Open late April through early October open additional hours on Holidays Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday/Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Village Extras!! Lots of activities are going on at Desert Aire. This new feature highlights these going-ons that are of interest to our owners. Country Club Happenings We had a beautiful day for the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. Lots of yummy Irish dishes and some amazing desserts. Ron Miller took home the prize for best dish- Shepard’s Pie. Irish Trivia and the “Guess How Many” game was a success. Ron St. Clair took home the Pot of Gold. Save the Date: 2-Day Jack Rabbit Co-Ed Tournament (2 Person) May 18th & May 19th, 2024, Shotgun start 9:00 A.M. This is always a fun event. This includes tee prizes, two days of golf, dinner at the Sagebrush Senior Center and much more! We will be hosting the Twilight Golf Scramble on Friday June 14th. This is a 9 hole 4-person scramble with teams picked by the computer. Appetizers following the event provided by the Country Club. Keep your eyes peeled for more information on our next events during the summer -Top Golf and the Horse Race. Country Club would like to give a big thanks to Kyle Preston and his team for supporting us on all the events. Also, a big shout out to Shawn and his crew for keeping our course in great shape. The course is beautiful. Join the Country Club for only $25 per year and you will receive a reduced rate at our events. Come on out and meet some new people and join the fun!! From the Airport Commissioners: SAVE THE DATE! Be sure to mark Sat. June 15 on your calendars, for the Desert Aire Airport’s annual Father’s Day weekend Fly-in Pancake Breakfast. Bring your family and friends and enjoy a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs and sausage, and win one of our great raffle baskets. NEW THIS YEAR! Breakfast will be served at the Sagebrush Senior Center from 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. After breakfast and a 3 minute walk, you can check out the airplanes and talk with pilots on the east parking ramp. Just follow the signs! Watch for more information in the weeks ahead! We hope to see you there! IMPORTANT DATES: All meetings (held via Zoom, login information is available on the website member page, unless stated otherwise) and owners are encouraged to attend. Desert Aire Board of Directors – Held the 3rd Thursday of each month (except December) at 6:00 PM. Architectural Committee - Meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 3:00 PM. (Except in November and December, when they meet only on the 2nd Wednesday). Golf Committee – Meets the 1st Wednesday of each month at 3:00 PM. Parks and Recreation Committee – Meets the 1st Wednesday of each month at 5:00 PM. Communications Committee – Meets the 2nd Tuesday each month at 3:30 PM. Security & Safety Committee - Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM Desert Aire Airport Commissioners - Meets the 3rd Thursday of each month at 4:00 PM.