RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - The Rancho Murieta Association Board of Directors completed a light agenda in about 17 minutes on Sept. 15, setting an Oct. 6 budget workshop and discussing the upcoming board election, damage to the gate arms, and other business.

The budget workshop will begin at 6:30 p.m., a time chosen to accommodate residents. Staff has prepared a preliminary 2027 budget covering the association’s ongoing expenses. Still, General Manager Vicky Lentz said it was not ready for board action and would be considered at the workshop. The board will discuss possible additions to the budget at the workshop.

Lentz also reminded residents that RMA’s annual membership meeting and election of directors will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 19. Ballots are expected to be mailed in mid-October.

She said RMA received self-qualifying nomination forms from incumbents Ernie Cowles and John Haviland. Lentz did not mention that three board positions are up for election, leaving fewer candidates than available seats.

Director Tom Reimers also raised a Compliance Committee proposal to fine residents who damage gate arms while entering the community.

“It knocks the gate out of commission until someone can respond to it,” Reimers said. “It is inconvenient for a lot of our residents.”

Compliance Officer Chris Smith said responding to gate damage is costly and requires considerable staff time. Most of the incidents involve golf carts, he said, which can be difficult to identify without RMA tags.

Board President Patrick O’Hern directed the Compliance Committee to prepare a proposal for review by the Governing Documents Committee.

“Then we can bring it up again,” O’Hern said.

In other business, directors unanimously approved spending up to $8,625 for a full audit of RMA’s 2026 financial statements. The association’s last full audit was conducted in 2023.

The board also approved its 2027 reserve study, which estimated that reserves are 81% funded and recommended a 3% increase in the reserve assessment. Staff said the increase was necessary because the assessment was not raised last year and costs have risen due to inflation.