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With one agency already on the dotted line, it falls to Recreation Centers of Sun City West officials to finalize the deal to kick off the CC&R enforcement department for Sun City West.

The PORA Board of Directors approved the memorandum of understanding May 18 in its regular meeting to create the department with funding assistance from RCSCW. The rec center board will consider the agreement 9 a.m. Thursday, May 28 at RCSCW offices in R.H. Johnson Recreation Center, 19803 R.H. Johnson Blvd., in its regular monthly meeting.

The agreement is on the RCSCW board agenda, according to Katy O’Grady, RCSCW spokeswoman.

"There were some minor revisions to it since the board saw it last month, so it needs to get board approval," said Mike Whitting, RCSCW general manager.

Larry Woods, PORA board president, is confident the agreement will be approved by RCSCW officials.

"It looks like this thing is going through," he said. "I expect to get the funding and we can start hiring."

The proposed agreement calls for RCSCW officials to provide $15,000 for the remainder of the 2008-09 fiscal year ending June 30 and $47,770 for the 2009-10 fiscal year beginning July 1, according to a presentation earlier this month by PORA officials. PORA will provide $48,770 for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

PORA officials have gotten a start on enforcement activity using volunteers. Mary Fullerton, PORA executive director, said the volunteers are now concentrating on weeds and RV parking as they are the most critical issues in the community at this time of year. Bill Hansen, PORA board member and legislative committee chairman, said he met with Maricopa County Supervisor Max Wilson about how to approach a proposed bill in the Arizona Legislature designed to strip HOAs the authority to regulate on-street parking. He said county officials may look into an exemption for retirement communities or fight the bill’s passage.

In the earlier presentation, Mr. Woods said Sun City West has 200 separate sets of CC&Rs. Enforcement allows agencies to maintain community standards, educate and communicate with residents, receive and verify complaints, work with residents to resolve complaints and research regulations. Under the proposed agreement, RCSCW and PORA will conduct joint enforcement, with RCSCW officials dealing with age restriction violations and PORA officials handling all other CC&R violations.

PORA had been primarily responsible for CC&R enforcement in the past, with work conducted by one employee, according to Ms. Fullerton. When he retired, a PORA board member filled the role on a volunteer basis.

However, a funded enforcement department, rather than an individual or volunteers, is necessary to ensure compliance, according to Mr. Woods. An enforcement department is also necessary because more complaints are being made, he added.

RCSCW and PORA officials estimate the annual cost for an enforcement department is $96,540.

Mr. Woods said enforcement activities might eventually cover most of the cost. In the meantime, the two agencies will seek sponsors for the program among businesses in the community to help cover costs.

"This (enforcement department) has been our goal all along to get consistency in the enforcement," Mr. Whitting said. "It just took a few months to get it all together."

It is expected RCSCW’s financial responsibility will decrease over time. PORA officials asked for $47,770 in the first year but expect to need $36,000 in the second year and $30,000 in the third, according to Mr. Woods.

"We have spent a lot of time over the last month working on this," Mr. Woods said.

PORA will staff and oversee the department, he added.

"That will give us more exposure in the community," Mr. Woods said.

Mr. Hansen was concerned the proposed agreement included a 60-day cancellation clause, believing earlier discussions had ruled it out. Mr. Woods said officials decided to keep the cancellation clause in the agreement, but if it is enforced the funding would remain in place until the end of the fiscal year.