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Hello, Highlands Residents!
The Highlands Board of Directors wants to wish a warm and happy spring to you all!
Some of you have asked what we've been up to over the past year. We want to share our year in review as well as some of the signature projects each of our directors has headed up including some exciting news regarding the Highlands Clubhouse.
But first, our year in review.
As many of you are aware, insurance costs went through the roof for the association over the past 5 years — going from approximately $40k per year in 2020 to almost $200k per year in 2024.
In practical terms, insurance went from 8% of the annual budget to 35% of the annual budget in just 5 years time.
This means that while operating costs for The Highlands continued to grow, our budget did not. The money that would normally be set aside to keep amenities in top condition had to be immediately consumed by insurance as our budgets are required to be balanced by law.
Unlike most associations, our antiquated documents offer no remedy (like a shortfall assessment) for sudden increases in operating costs.
With annual dues increases locked in at 5% maximum (an increase of around $20 per year per homeowner), it's impossible to keep pace with the escalating costs of insurance and operations using the tools in our current documents.
Further compounding the issue, options we do have, such as a special assessment, cannot legally be used for operational costs, leaving the community at great risk as soon as this coming budget year.
Which brings us to our first highlight of 2025: the Proposed Amendments.
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STEADY LEADERSHIP
Throughout this past year, the Highlands Board of Directors has remained focused on providing steady, thoughtful leadership during a period of significant financial pressure for the Association.
Rather than delaying difficult decisions or ignoring the challenges facing the community, the Board committed to carefully researching options, seeking professional guidance, and communicating regularly with residents about the path forward.
This steady approach has allowed the Association to remain financially stable while continuing to maintain community amenities and services despite rapidly rising operating costs.
Most importantly, the Board has remained focused on long-term solutions that protect the community while positioning The Highlands for stability and success in the years ahead.
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HIGHLIGHT 1 – THE AMENDMENTS
The Amendments, drafted over the course of months with hundreds of hours of research, community input, revisions, and communications, are ready to pass! We just need your consent to put them into practice.
(Sign the consent here, it takes less than 60 seconds!)
The financial amendments are absolutely critical to both the short term and long term financial health of The Highlands, providing not just a short term means of rectifying the financial crisis, but also stabilizing the overall financial outlook long term by fully funding the reserves and opening new avenues for funding (like Amendment 1) that don't increase costs on Highlands homeowners at all.
But, the amendments aren't just about balancing the books.
There are also much-requested and much-needed modernization efforts for quality of life updates for residents and the Highlands common areas.
Everything from modern roofing and fence materials, to allowing reasonably sized shed storage, to simplified, easier to follow ARB guidelines, we've made it easier and more straightforward to keep the community looking its best.
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HIGHLIGHT 2 – THE DIRECTORS
Despite the financial challenges, the Board of Directors has been tirelessly working to find ways to keep amenities open, keep the finances stable, and keep operations moving along on a shoestring budget.
Below are just a few of the incredible accomplishments the board has achieved for The Highlands this past year.
SHELLY McLAUGHLIN – SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION
Shelly has been a critical part of all of The Highlands success over the past two years. She identified the need for critical document updates before the financial crisis hit. She took action when others wanted to delay and has undertaken the lion's share of work, along with legal counsel, in ensuring The Highlands can not just survive, but thrive in the years ahead thanks to her incredibly diligent work on the Amendments.
Her detail oriented nature, team-oriented disposition, and commitment to find practical solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems has contributed greatly to the continued welfare of the community.
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND CHEERS FOR DESMA UNDERWOOD
Desma Underwood in particular has done something that deserves singular recognition.
She pursued a contract with Spectrum that brought in $356,160 to The Highlands (after fees and before taxes) as part of their internet agreement.
By agreeing to leave The Highlands open for internet competition for 10 years (which we were already doing anyway and not getting paid for it) rather than signing an exclusive internet deal with a competitor, Spectrum paid The Highlands a significant sum right when we needed it.
Desma quite literally saved The Highlands' finances when we needed it most and we are so thankful for her creativity in pursuing this unexpected income stream to stabilize our budget this year.
KYLE STEWART & DAWN VEZINA – HOT ON THE TRAIL TO REPAIR AND REOPEN NATURE TRAILS
Kyle and Dawn have served as our dedicated “Trail Team” this year, helping oversee and protect one of our community’s most valued amenities — our trails.
They have taken the lead on addressing the trail section that was severely damaged during the flooding from Hurricane Ian, working closely with contractors, engineers, Winter Springs city officials, and code enforcement to move the repair process forward.
Their work has included monitoring the dangerous washout area, coordinating with the City of Winter Springs to secure and safeguard the site, engaging engineers to evaluate the damage, and scheduling repair crews to begin restoring the affected section.
In addition, Kyle and Dawn regularly communicate with vendors and officials and help oversee trail conditions to ensure the repair process stays on track and that our trails remain safe, clean, and accessible for the families who enjoy them every day.
Their persistence and hands-on involvement are helping ensure the damaged section of trail is properly repaired and brought back to safe use for the community.
BRET MELVIN – KEEPING THE COURTS IN SESSION
Bret, our resident racquet sport aficionado, keeps a watchful eye on our tennis and pickleball courts, ensuring that lights, timers, cameras, and amenities are functioning properly, that the nets are set at regulation height, and that the court surface and surrounding clubhouse and grounds are safe and ready for play.
He identified a defect in the court surface earlier this year and negotiated a complete court resurfacing with the original install company and manufacturer at no cost to The Highlands for materials (a savings of $50–$60k).
Finally, he also secured a donation of a tournament quality outdoor ping pong table, paddle rack, and paddles at no cost to The Highlands and oversaw its installation at the tennis court clubhouse.
Now, families can enjoy all their racquet and paddle sports in one area. Best of all, the new ping pong table is covered from the rain, so families can enjoy this great game together, even on a rainy day, until 11 pm.
PAUL BUSCEMI – WATCHING EVERY DOLLAR
As Treasurer, Paul has brought a much-needed level of scrutiny and financial discipline to the Association’s spending. For years, many bills were simply paid without careful review. Paul has helped change that.
He doesn’t just glance over invoices — he reviews each bill with a fine-toothed comb to ensure the Association is being billed accurately and that charges are legitimate. His careful review helps prevent errors, unnecessary costs, and overlooked overbilling from slipping through.
Beyond reviewing invoices, Paul actively looks for ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency wherever possible. He regularly identifies opportunities to cut expenses and protect homeowner funds that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Because of Paul’s diligence, every dollar spent by the Association is questioned, examined, and justified. His oversight helps ensure the Association operates with greater accountability, stronger financial stewardship, and responsible use of homeowner dues.
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FIRST RESERVE STUDY IN 10 YEARS!
One of the most important accomplishments this year was initiating The Highlands’ first reserve study in over a decade.
A reserve study is a long-term financial planning tool that evaluates the physical assets the Association owns — things like roofs, trails, playgrounds, pool equipment, drainage, and clubhouse components — and determines how much needs to be saved each year to repair or replace them as they age.
In simple terms, it answers questions like:
• How old is this equipment or structure?
• How long should it last?
• What will it cost to repair or replace it?
• How much should we be setting aside each year so the money is there when it’s needed?
These questions are asked and answered for every major asset the Association owns.
Unfortunately, no reserve study had been completed for over 10 years. Without this critical planning tool, it becomes extremely difficult to properly budget for aging infrastructure, which can lead to unexpected failures, deferred maintenance, and financial strain on the community.
The newly commissioned independent reserve study has already identified at least $2 million in funding needed to properly plan for repairs and replacements of aging community assets over time.
The good news is that we will now have clear data and a roadmap for how to maintain and improve our amenities moving forward.
With this reserve study in place, the Board will know exactly where future funding needs to go to ensure the quality, safety, and beauty of The Highlands remain in top condition for years to come.
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STREAMLINED MEETINGS FROM 3 HOURS TO 60–90 MINUTES
This board is committed to showing up prepared and respecting residents' time.
Whereas previous meetings were 2–3 hours long, current meeting times average about 60–90 minutes so residents can stay informed about community business while getting home to their families at a reasonable time.
PRIORITIZED RESIDENT INPUT AT MEETINGS TO BE FIRST RATHER THAN LAST
To respect residents' time even further, this board elected to put resident input on agenda items FIRST at meetings so residents can be heard before business commences.
Rather than making residents wait upwards of 3 hours until all the business was complete to be heard, we have resident input at the beginning AND the end of our meetings, ensuring residents' concerns on agenda items are always heard.
PROCURED FREE VENUES FOR MEETINGS
Saving thousands of dollars on venue rentals by utilizing community meeting rooms.
TRANSITIONED MEDIAN MAINTENANCE TO WINTER SPRINGS, SAVING APPROXIMATELY $12K PER YEAR
As part of the commitment to running operations on a tight budget, Shelly, Paul, and Desma identified this critical savings in our budget, allowing Winter Springs to maintain property that they already were responsible for, but that The Highlands had been paying to maintain out of pocket for years.
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PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY’S FINANCIAL INTERESTS
As part of its ongoing commitment to responsible stewardship of Association resources, the Board conducted an extensive review of past financial and operational records.
Through this process, the Board identified approximately $2.2 million in damages associated with actions taken and critical issues that were not addressed under the former property management company.
Rather than allowing homeowners to bear the full cost of these issues, the Board has begun working with legal counsel to hold the responsible parties accountable and pursue recovery of those costs wherever possible.
While this process takes time, the goal is simple: to protect Highlands homeowners and pursue recovery so the community is not left carrying the financial impact of these damages.
The Board remains committed to transparency and responsible stewardship as it evaluates the most effective path forward for the community.
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HIGHLIGHT 3 – THE HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY
The real highlight of this past year, however, has been the incredible residents of The Highlands.
We've had more meaningful interactions with the community over the past year than ever, and your support and input has been greatly appreciated!
To show our appreciation for YOU, here are some highlights from this past year as we've been able to partner with the community to benefit everyone.
CREATED FIRST-TIME-EVER VOLUNTEER FORMS
Allowing residents to share their time, gifts, and talents with the community.
PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITY TO REFINE AMENDMENTS
Q&As, committees, and lots of coffee later, we were able to vastly improve the amendments from their first draft, making them clearer, more specific, and easier to understand.
RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS SAVE THE DAY FOR THE POOL – TWICE
Our community stepped up in a big way this year.
With insurance consuming our normal budget for repairs, when the pool pump housing broke, the pool was facing an indefinite closure. But, with a fortuitous find online for parts combined with the generous skilled labor of a resident volunteer, the pool pump housing was fixed in time for peak swimming season!
Later, when a lightning strike took out a number of components at the pool, including the gate, we had no choice but to close it...unless someone was willing to attend the gate in person to have residents sign in.
Armed with a clipboard, sunglasses, and some snacks from the cooler, our intrepid resident volunteers stepped up again, forming a team to selflesly attend the gate to ensure families could still enjoy the pool until electrical repairs could be completed.
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HIGHLIGHT 4 – THE CLUBHOUSE
Now, for the final, and most exciting part!
We are so excited to announce that remediation to the clubhouse is officially resuming this week!!!
We, like you, cannot wait to once again be able to host birthday parties, community gatherings, HOA meetings, and of course, to once again have our CAM on site to answer questions in person!
There is a lot of work to do, and we appreciate your patience as we pursued every avenue to attempt to compel our previous AC Ductwork contractor to redo their previously poor workmanship, leading to leaks and other issues.
Work is resuming this week with ceiling removal so the damaged ductwork can be accessed and replaced. This initial step is expected to take approximately two days.
Following that work, ABC Air Conditioning and Heating Specialist Inc. will begin installing the new ductwork. They will be coordinating closely with RecroMax, the remediation team, to complete the process safely and properly.
The steps from here are roughly as follows
(With some flexibility assumed, given the nature of construction)
• Recromax: Remediation Prep for AC Ductwork – In Progress This Week, Estimated to take 2 days
• ABC: AC Ductwork – In Progress Next
• Recromax: Finalize Remediation
• EnviroPro Plus: Post Remediation Inspection
• Repair and Reconstruction
• Reopening
We will be in communication with you all in regards to how things are progressing and we will of course let you know as soon as we have specific timelines regarding each of those milestones in the timeline.
Thank you all for being such an incredible community and for giving us the honor to continue serving you faithfully.
2026 is going to be an AMAZING year!
Sincerely,
The Highlands Board of Directors
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Welcome Our New Community Association Manager
We would like to welcome Rosie Maisonet-Garvey as the new Community Association Manager assigned to Highlands HOA through Extreme Management Team.
Rosie brings 20 years of experience in the community association management industry and will be working closely with the Board and homeowners to ensure a smooth transition, address open matters, and help keep the community running efficiently and professionally.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Courtney Lawson, our former Community Association Manager, for the time, effort, and dedication she gave to Highlands. We appreciate her work with the community and wish her the very best as she focuses on her health.
Please join us in welcoming Rosie to Highlands and wishing Courtney well.
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🏡 Spring Community Garage Sale
The Spring Community Garage Sale will be held:
Friday, April 10
Saturday, April 11
Sunday, April 12
Please note that this is a change from the originally announced dates of April 3–5. The event has been moved back one week to avoid conflicts with the holiday weekend.
Already signed up?
If you registered for the original dates, you do not need to sign up again. Your registration will automatically carry over.
Want to participate?
Residents planning to host a sale are asked to sign up using the link below.
Signing up helps the Association:
- Estimate participation for the required permit
- Promote the event on community social media
Please note that signing up does not obligate you to hold a sale if your plans change later.
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Governing Document Amendments – Owner Consent
The Association continues to seek Owner consent for the proposed amendments to the governing documents. Owners who have not yet submitted a consent are encouraged to review the proposed amendments and consider submitting their consent. Your participation protects the Highlands and helps our community remain strong, stable, and homeowner-led.
🖊️ How to Sign
If you have already submitted your consent—either electronically or on paper—no further action is needed.
Signing electronically is quick and easy, and it saves both you and the HOA time and money.
Click the button below to sign the consent form:
- You may consent to one, several, or all six amendments.
- Just initial the amendments you agree to.
- Any amendment left blank will be treated as not consented to.
- If you’ve already submitted a consent and wish to make a change, simply submit a new one — your most recent submission is the one that will be used.
Please consider checking on neighbors who may not be seeing these newsletters or who may not be as familiar with electronic forms. Offering a little help can be very supportive during this process.
📄 Helpful Resources
If you’d like to review the materials before signing, here are the links:
• Interactive Q&A Chat (Instant Answers Anytime):
This chat is available 24/7 and can walk you through any questions you have about the amendments and explain how they work. It’s extremely knowledgeable and designed to give clear, accurate explanations based on the amendment materials.
• Full text of all proposed amendments (Owner Portal Documents):
Log into https://portal.hoaemt.com
Go to Documents on the menu --> Governing Documents --> Proposed Document Changes -->
Document titled "Highlands HOA Amendment Revisions May 2025; v3.pdf"
• Existing governing documents (Owner Portal Documents):
Log into https://portal.hoaemt.com
Go to Documents on the menu --> Governing Documents
• Summary of the financial crisis and explanation of each amendment:
• Video presentations (Owner Portal Dashboard):
Log into https://portal.hoaemt.com
Scroll down on the dashboard for the video presentations titled "State of the HOA" and "Proposed Amendment Changes"
Sign Now! or Questions?
🆘 Need Help?
1️⃣ Signing issues or requesting a physical copy
If you have any trouble signing electronically, or if you prefer a printed or mailed copy, please email:
consent@thehighlandsws.com
2️⃣ Questions about the amendments
The easiest and fastest way to get your questions answered is through the interactive Q&A chat—it gives immediate, accurate responses anytime you need them.
If you still have questions afterward, the Board is always available at:
directors@thehighlandsws.com
Thank you for your support and engagement.
Warm regards,
Highlands Board of Directors
Sign Now! or Questions?
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Amenity Hours & Access
Pool
🕗 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Tennis & Pickleball Courts
🕡 6:30 AM – 10:00 PM
Court access doors will not allow entry after 10:00 PM. Court lights and restrooms remain available until 11:00 PM.
Parks & Trails (Including Audubon Park)
🌅 Dawn to Dusk
🚧 Trail Closure & Safety Notice
Portions of the community trails are closed by order of the City of Winter Springs due to unsafe conditions. These closures are in place to protect resident safety.
Tampering with, moving, or bypassing barricades or closure signage is a serious violation of a city-ordered closure and places residents at risk. Any individual identified interfering with safety barricades will be referred to the Winter Springs Police Department for enforcement.
Please do not enter closed areas. Trails will remain closed until repairs are completed and the City formally reopens them.
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Master Association Notice
This communication applies solely to matters of the master association, Highlands Homeowners Association, Inc. It does not address operations, decisions, or business of any individual sub-association. For questions or concerns related to a sub-association, please contact that sub-association directly.
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How To Reach The HOA
Email
- Board of Directors: directors@thehighlandsws.com
- Management: office@thehighlandsws.com
- Account & Assessment Inquiries: assessments@thehighlandsws.com
Call Management: 352-366-0234
Mon-Thur 9a-5p / Fri 9a-12p
Ext 161 for general questions
Ext 110 for account and log in questions
Ext 137 for Spanish
In-person (by appointment only):
Owners wishing to meet with Management in person should call to schedule an appointment.
Extreme Management Team – Winter Springs Office
1073 Willa Springs Drive, Suite 2001
Winter Springs, FL 32708
Mailing address:
HIGHLANDS HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC.
C/O Extreme Management Team
2113 Ruby Red Blvd, Suite B
Clermont, FL 34714
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