This page will be the owner’s source for “Official Updates” on the rebuild efforts at R-Ranch. We will update this page as construction information is available.
Capital Improvement Project Ballot Information
Update 4/15/23:
3/22/2023
Dear R-Ranch Owner,
We are now holding the vote for what to build next (or not to build anything at this time). If you would like more information about the 3 options that we could build, please click here, and look through all the sub-folders in the link. The information is also posted on the bulletin boards in the TV Room and Klamath Lodge for your review in person at R-Ranch. If you prefer to watch a video about the options, please check out the Ballot Information: R-Ranch Capital Improvement Project 2023 video on our YouTube channel: R-Ranch Hornbrook POA https://youtu.be/lOwIEWBGNPk
Your ballot was mailed to you on 3/24/23. If you have an email address on file with R-Ranch, you should also have received an email invitation to complete your ballot online. Only one ballot will be counted per share, so complete your ballot EITHER online or on paper, but do not submit a ballot using both methods. If more than one ballot is received from a share, only the first ballot received will be counted. Owners must have been in good standing as of 3/17/2023 to be eligible to vote.
Mail-in ballots must be received by 4pm on Friday, April 14th, 2023 to be counted (This deadline was extended to allow mail-in ballots time to arrive). Ballots may be submitted online via the email link, in person at the Klamath Lodge between 10am and Noon on April 1st, in person at the Klamath Lodge between 3:00-3:30pm on April 15th, or by postal service sent to R-Ranch Vote, PO Box 552, Hornbrook CA 96044 as long as they are received by the April 14th, at 4pm. Please note that this PO Box is different than our usual address, as this box is only used to collect ballots.
President Mark Osborne has called for an Owner’s Meeting on Saturday, April 15th, at 3pm in the Klamath Lodge for those wishing to observe the ballot counting process. If you wish to observe the process via Zoom, please register in advance by clicking this link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HIkwEStHTbCZRtkFDjZGGw
Thank you for your participation in this important vote!
Update 2/22/23:
A Rebuild Committee was formed at the beginning of January, and has been meeting and researching a variety of options for the Ranch to build. On Monday, February 27th, at 5:30pm via Zoom, the Board will determine which options will be put to a vote of the Owners. The Rebuild Vote will be held at 10am on Saturday, April 1st, 2023 at the Klamath Lodge. Absentee Ballots may be mailed in or submitted via e-ballot during the week before, but must be received by noon on April 1st to be counted. The date of record for this vote is Friday, March 17th, 2023. Owners must be current on all fees and fines by 4pm on that date to be eligible to vote on the rebuild.
On November 19th, there was a Special Member’s Meeting to Discuss Rebuild Options. We covered a lot of information, but the highlights were as follows:
- We have $1,305,850 remaining from the insurance payout.
- Current construction rates are very high, so our best guess is that we are more than a million dollars short of being able to build the 10 room bunkhouse.
- If we build any sort of connected sleeping rooms at the former bunkhouse location, we will have to put in a fire suppression system. The latest quote for that was approximately $500,000. If we build unconnected sleeping rooms (such as cabins), we only have to provide a fire extinguisher in each unit and can avoid spending half a million dollars on a fire suppression system.
- Owners provided many suggestions for what could be done with the rebuild money.
- Owners miss the sense of community, and the gathering place that the Bunkhouse provided.
- It was frequently discussed that making the R-Ranch look good to attract new owners is important, and that whatever we build should offer a good return on investment.
- Owners in the meeting expressed a desire to see improvements and alternate sleeping accommodations spread throughout the Ranch, not just at the former bunkhouse location.
- Since the insurance payout was more than $10,000 short of being enough to provide a full rebuild, the Owners get to vote on what to do with the rest of the payout.
We have 4 basic options available to us.
- Keep the rebuild funds set aside for a bunkhouse, and do fundraisers and special assessments to raise the additional funds needed for the project.
- Build something instead of the bunkhouse, like yurts, cabins, or tiny homes to avoid paying for the expensive fire suppression system.
- Use the remainder of the rebuild funds to replenish our Reserve Account, catch up on several smaller upkeep projects at R-Ranch, and cover the increased operating expenses for the next few years.
- Some combination of options 2 and 3.
A Rebuild Committee is being formed, and they will be researching the costs and feasibility of the various options and sub-options. Once they have completed their research, it will be presented to the Owners so that they can make an informed vote, and we will do whichever option the majority of Owners vote for. Owner opinions on which options to research were gathered from an Owner survey that was emailed to Owners.
9/2/22
The Cottonwood Pool Lodge is officially open!!!! We cut the ribbon and the lodge is now available for owners to enjoy!
7/20/22
The pool lodge is nearing completion. We have a tentative date of August 4th for the final inspection. As was announced in December at the special meeting, we will only be building the small lodge at the pool at this time. The small lodge will have bathrooms with showers, an office and a janitor’s closet, and a kitchen with small dining room for owners’ use. The design is such that additional wings can be added as finances allow in the future.
Pool Opening!
The Cottonwood Pool will open on Friday, July 1st at 2:00pm. We have secured the temporary shower trailer to use until the pool lodge is complete. For safety and liability reasons, we cannot have the pool open while the construction crew is present, so please be advised that pool hours will vary based on the construction schedule. Generally, the pool will be open 5pm-10pm Monday through Friday, and 10am-10pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Please do not enter the areas blocked off by construction fencing. Thank you.
6/21/22
Pool Rebuild and Opening
Rebuild, rebuild, rebuild! Where to start? I can assure you we are doing the best we can to get the pool open. With inspections and construction delays we will not be able to have the pool open for the 4th of July. We are trying. I have been talking with the County to see if we could get it open for the weekend, but it will not happen. There is nothing the County can do until the building is completed. I am working with S+B every day to try and do whatever we can to help get the building completed as fast as possible but sometimes there is nothing that can be done. I hesitate to give a date that the building and pool will be open because it is not under our control. I can tell you that the sheet rock is near completion. Linoleum is to be installed on July 5th and the plumbers will be back after that to finish the plumbing. Once we get the pool open, we will keep it open for as long as possible. I know we have all been waiting for this to be done for a long time. We are almost there and we will be there soon. I ask you as owners to not give up when we are so close to seeing the first stage of the rebuild come to an end.
Sincerely,
Heath Kauffman
General Manager
R-Ranch POA
Letter from President Mark Osbourne – 12/18/21
Hello Partners
We have reached a critical time here at the ranch. Since July there have been many changes at the ranch. We have gone through a vote to determine direction for the rebuild. By an overwhelming majority of votes the decision was made to rebuild. At the time the board asked for the vote we based the decision on the information we had before us at that time.
Since that time, we were able to complete a budget for the ranch. Prior to the actual budget preparation, we were told the budget was tight, but we would be ok. Tim and Kelly spent many hours going over the finances and preparing a budget. During this process the true picture of the ranch finances became painfully clear. The board was forced to re-evaluate many things. We have looked at multiple scenarios and kept coming back to one conclusion. The path undertaken would jeopardize the sustainability of R-Ranch. The Board is tasked with making decisions for the best interest of the ranch.
Should we continue a path which likely will lead to the end of the R-Ranch? No! Does this mean we will not build? No! Notice I did not say re-build. We are forced to change the direction of the build. Not all aspects of the build will be changed, but the truth is there isn’t enough funding to build everything we thought we could. The why’s are not pertinent to the path taken but are pertinent to the path forward.
It is painfully obvious the insurance money was insufficient to cover the costs. I am not an insurance expert but have learned why we didn’t receive the amount believed to be covered. We are nearing the renewal period for the Ranch. I have asked an owner, who is an expert, to assist us by looking over the insurance policy. Heath and I are examining the coverages for errors. This includes valuation of the existing structures and equipment covered. Valuation becomes important whenever there is a loss. If you undervalue a structure even with a full replacement policy, you will not receive the funding to fully replace the loss. This is step one to protect our future.
Step two will reinstate our reserves used to repair the pool area which was not covered by any insurance money. Last year the board entered into an agreement with the Cell company who owns the tower at the top of the 3000 acres. The agreement netted the Ranch about $400,000.00. At that time the Board placed this money into the building fund. We have decided to move the tower funds into the reserve account. Having reserves will ensure a safety net in the event of a major unexpected cost. There were no reserve funds following the pool build. Our governing documents require reserve funds. Steps will also be taken to develop a plan to continue to build the reserve account. We will need these funds later to replace buildings when their useful life ends.
Step three will be to get the pool area completed as planned. This includes septic install, bath facilities and a small kitchen area. We believe we can build the cook shack at this time which will add benefit to the future of the existing line shacks and any future designs. The need to reduce costs forces us to suspend the bunkhouse build. Hopefully getting these under contract will protect the money set aside from being taxed.
What does this mean for the bunkhouse? When the above-described building is completed, we will know exactly what funds we have left to work with. This is where we will need ideas from our fellow owners. We will need to think outside the box. Funding for a traditional bunkhouse may never be available. There are other options. Possibly Yurts, additional small cabins, upgrading the existing line shacks with windows, and interior walls. The possibilities are “ours” to determine. We will need to all come to the table with ideas. After ideas are presented comes investigating what we are allowed to do by rules of the state and county.
I know this will affect some owners more than others. I also know the decision is not going to be popular, but it is necessary. So much uncertainty has affected this process. The uncertainty needs to end here. We need to build what we can, protect the ranches future, and most importantly plan the future. We have many owners who are stepping up to help. From fence repairs to assistance with areas they have expertise in. I hope to involve even more owners as we move forward. I believe in the R-Ranch family. Time to work together for a better R-Ranch experience.
Mark Osborne
President R-Ranch POA
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from September 25,2021 Draft Minutes, BOD Meeting
REBUILD UPDATES REPORT
Treasurer, Tim Besheone reported that he has met with S+B James Construction.
The design team is redesigning the plans. It’s going to take a week to redesign the plans. It’s going to take two weeks to put it out for bid to the subcontractors to get us within budget. December is the soonest construction would be able to begin if there is good weather. However, February-March is a more realistic timeframe. The Inspector is willing to come out and inspect the ground which will extend the permit for another six months. The Ranch will not be taxed if we’re under contract. The Bunkhouse and the Lodge will be rebuilt at the same time. If you have any questions concerning the construction, please reach out to Tim as he oversees the rebuild project and oversees S+B
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Please keep your eyes open for the vote – it will come directly from The Ballot Box.
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PRESIDENT’S REBUILD MESSAGE
Not too long ago, an owner stated that the ranch has faced the “perfect storm” during this rebuild. And as most owners realize, that storm has not yet relented because it has encompassed far more than the original fire. First, there was the two+ year-long battle with the insurance company over the “replacement value” clause in the ranch policy. Next came the pandemic that shut down the country, government offices, the supply chain, and froze the rebuild. Plus, during this turmoil, it was also necessary to hire a new General Manager and bring him up to update. Finally, Housing Community Development (HCD) reviewed the ranch’s plans and permits only to add stipulations. In complying with those stipulations, it was discovered that the septic system for the pool/lodge area would have to be repaired and expanded. In the meantime, lumber supplies and shipping costs have skyrocketed. It is now necessary to re-examine the cost and scope of the rebuild project. Although the ranch has over three million dollars in an investment account dedicated to the rebuild that will not be enough to rebuild all of the facilities simultaneously. Thus, the owners and the board have some decisions to make since the rebuild has already started, been delayed, and restarted again.
According to the CC&Rs, Article VIII, Section 3, the owners, by a simple majority vote, have two choices: “(a) to repair, reconstruct and restore the damaged or destroyed Common Facilities, and specially assess all Owners for such additional funds as may be needed for such purpose, or (b) not to repair, reconstruct or restore the damaged or destroyed Common Facilities but rather utilize the insurance proceeds available for such reconstruction, together with any other sums otherwise available to the Association for such purpose, to demolish and remove the damaged or destroyed improvements from the Common Area and to level and landscape the sites thereof and apply any balance of such proceeds and/or funds as the Members holding such voting power may determine.” (Please note that demolished buildings and fire debris referenced in choice b were removed within the first year after the fire.)
Currently, the Board of Directors is consulting with the ranch attorney on how best to proceed with such a vote including ballot language, tabulation, next steps, etc. To assist with input from owners on this decision, the Board of Directors will be reinstating Survey Monkey, a software program that the ranch used in years past to gather owner ideas and preferences. At the very least, the board believes that the lodge/pool area needs to be completed enough to be useable and proceed from there in phases depending on finances. More information will be forthcoming.
Respectfully,
Pat Chase
R-Ranch Board President
FALL 2020 – REBUILD UPDATE
We have diligently been working on getting permitting through Sacramento Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD); trying to figure out the dusk to dawn lighting for the parking lots at the Cottonwood and Bunkhouse areas. As per the Plan Correction Notice #13:
Sheet A-101a, Provide wet stamped wet signed engineering calculations for site light pole design. Provide photometric plan with light pole locations that meet the lighting requirements of section 2108 Park Lighting.
The ranch has engaged a civil engineer, through our contractor, to try and mitigate this correction notice received from HCD.
HCD is trying to force upgrades from 1970s standards and regulations.
We are hoping for permits by Spring 2021 and commence building.
Board of Directors
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UPDATE! 8.25.2020
Our fence contractor has finished installation of the new fencing around the pool, complete with gates, panic bars and a key pad for card and code use to get into the pool! THE POOL IS STILL NOT OPEN YET! But things are moving along!!
8.13.2020
We took some pictures of the new dusk to dawn lighting, new electrical outlets, new in & out hand rails – and look at the beautiful blue pool!!
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We continue to make progress on the pool! Got the lines in, trenches in for dusk-dawn lights, trenches for french drains, propane tanks were set for pool heaters. (4.21.2020)
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The contractor (and our crew) working steadily on getting the pool ready. After restrictions are lifted due to COVID-19, we’ll be on our way to enjoying a summer at the pool. (4.10.2020)
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Good weather in the forecast, pool company come on Monday, April 6, 2020, got the anchors for the ladders and the automatic fill system put in – those needed to be done before S+B James Construction came out started grading for new pool deck today, April 7, 2020!! ?
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PLANS!!
20200117-RRANCH DD-Preliminary (1)
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CONSTRUCTION GOALS FOR THE R-RANCH: Your Board of Directors and the General Manager have set the following goals for the rebuild of the R-Ranch.
NEW POOL: Target date is June 2020. Updates on progress will be posted as available.
BUNKHOUSE/COOK SHACK: Target date for start of construction TBA.
COTTONWOOD LODGE: Target date for start of construction TBA. Both buildings will be constructed simultaneously.
WATCH THIS PAGE FOR OFFICIAL UPDATES