Sunland North Newsletter January 2026
Kathy Gross, editor, information@sunlandnorth.org
Website: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1655, Sequim, WA 98382
Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 3 PM
Upcoming Sunland North Board Meetings
Homeowner Association (HOA) monthly Board business meetings are open for all owners to attend. The Board meetings always include a separate “Owner Comment Period” in which owners are encouraged to participate. The meetings are also a good way to stay informed about what’s happening in the neighborhood and how our volunteers handle various aspects of our shared HOA life. The meetings will be held at The Gathering Place, 135 Fairway Drive.
The Sunland North Board Meeting schedule for the first quarter of 2026:
- January 14, 2026, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- February 11, 2026, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- March 11, 2026, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If you haven’t attended a board meeting lately, please consider attending the first meeting of the year and bring a neighbor friend who hasn’t attended a meeting before. You might be pleasantly surprised by finding out directly what is going on in your neighborhood.
Note: Sunland Owners Association (SLOA) is a separate, overarching HOA that includes several other divisions, the pool and tennis courts, and all the individual homes in Sunland; their Board meeting schedule is separate from Sunland North Division 17.
New in Sunland North
Sunland North Drop Box
A drop box for Sunland North has been installed at the mailbox kiosk on Mt Baker Drive. Feel free to use this for Architectural Control or Maintenance requests, assessment payments (in an envelope), or other communication to Sunland North. Contents will be picked up daily. This cuts out the delays caused by the postal service, etc. Please do not deposit cash.
Of Interest
Sunland Division 17 Holiday Party Great Success
Once again, the Sunland Division 17 Holiday Party was a tremendous success, thanks to the hard work and creativity of the Holiday Party Committee, Kathy Mahnerd, and Renee Jubien. They truly outdid themselves by putting together a wonderful holiday dinner party enjoyed by all.
Held at the beautiful Dungeness Golf Club, the evening featured festive entertainment by the Rainshadow Ringers Bell Choir, a fun-filled Christmas trivia game, elegant centerpieces, chocolate-filled party favors, and an array of wonderful raffle prizes. Once again, Olivia and her outstanding crew provided a delicious meal that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
The evening was expertly MC’d by Eric Mahnerd, who set a joyful, festive tone throughout the night. He led the group in singing Christmas carols, culminating in a rousing rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, complete with everyone donning red foam noses—much to everyone’s delight.
From start to finish, it was a perfect evening that brought friends together and truly got everyone into the Christmas spirit.
Do You Know How Much Extra It Would Cost the HOA Without Volunteers?
Here are a few examples:
- Changing bulbs on the outdoor light posts: if not done by volunteers, electricians would charge $250 per bulb (typically, External Maintenance waits for six outages before incurring this cost if volunteers cannot be found to do the work). Recently, the External Maintenance chair replaced ten lightbulbs on Mt. Baker Drive (shorter lamp posts than Blakely, Mendel, and Cascadia) and saved the association $2,500 by doing so.
- Replacing or adjusting sprinkler heads: some of this is done by our Landscaping Chair volunteer. Sanford Irrigation charges $85 per hour; more complicated irrigation issues may require Jamie Parrish Plumbing at $140 per hour. Do you have experience in irrigation, pipe fitting, or plumbing that can help mitigate those costs for your HOA?
- Another Sunland HOA, similar to ours, looked into a management firm just to do the Treasurer’s job for the association. They were quoted $60,000 to do the same job that a volunteer was doing for the HOA.
So, you might ask yourself, what skills can I bring to the HOA, on a very limited time basis, to help keep costs down for all Sunland North owners? Contact any Board member to volunteer! Contact information can be found on the Sunland North website: www.sunlandnorthownersassociation.com
Be Proactive in Maintaining Your Home!
Sunland North homeowners, please be proactive in ensuring the care and maintenance of your home while you are away for any length of time.
Measures you can take are to:
- Turn off the water to your unit and
- Have a family member or a friend check on your unit regularly while you are gone. They can make sure there are no leaks, either from an external source, such as the roof, or an internal source from a leaking toilet or pipes under a sink. Things can and do happen, and if left unattended, can cause significant damage to your residence.
Damage caused by an external source may or may not be covered by the HOA if you’ve left your residence unattended for the duration of time that you are gone.
Being proactive reduces costs to both you and your fellow HOA residents who share in external maintenance expenses through their HOA assessments.
President’s Report
Susan Hamman (Volunteering since 2012)
In 2026, Sunland North enters its 27th year as a homeowners’ association. Originally controlled by the developer, Estes Builders, it was turned over to the homeowners’ control in December 2012.
Since then, homeowners have served as volunteers on the Board, major committee chairs such as External Maintenance, or on an as-needed basis when special projects arise.
The willingness and strength of commitment by our volunteers have thus far enabled us to operate without the expense of an external property management firm. Property management firms typically take 10% of the gross income derived from homeowner assessments. In our case, this would translate to approximately $70,000 per year. Additionally, homeowners who volunteer understand the community, its owners, and history in a way that a property management firm cannot.
The volunteers are owners who are vested in this community on a personal level and who want to not only protect property values but also maintain the quality of life that we expect and enjoy in Sunland North.
Managing this association cannot rest on a few people’s efforts. As we advance into 2026, we encourage both new and long-term homeowners to volunteer their time and expertise to the community in which they have chosen to live. Don’t think you know how to be a board or committee member? You will get the training you need to succeed. Don’t think you have time for volunteering? There is always time to give back to your community! You’ll be amazed at how rewarding it is!
Have a happy and healthy 2026!
Vice President Report
Mark Anderson
Building maintenance is one of the largest portions of our budget. Staying on top of the costs and anticipating future expenses can be daunting for any household, let alone an HOA in charge of 68 buildings (that are ageing). Our current Exterior Maintenance Committee Chair (Mike Johnson) stepped down from this position on December 31; fortunately, he is willing to continue as a member of our Exterior Maintenance Committee (volunteering fewer hours, of course).
Yes, we are currently asking owners with an interest to step up and be a part of the Exterior Building Maintenance Committee. Please call, email, or text me with any interest!
During 2025, volunteers (Mike, mainly, and others) have gone out at least once a week (all year long on average) to address owners’ concerns such as settling concrete driveways, walkways, patios, and foundations, street security – lighting, fencing, dry rot, painting, and needed repairs from the foundation to the rooftop. These tasks are done promptly and require volunteers to assess after receiving an Exterior Maintenance Request Form submitted by the owner. From the point of assessment to completion of a repair entails a process that has been designed and modified over the years to make the process simple for any owner to follow, and which also meets all the requirements of our board, By-laws, and Washington State Codes.
What are the responsibilities of our HOA, and what are the responsibilities of the owners, you may ask! Always a good question, and the simple answer is that the responsibilities are listed in Appendix A of Division 17 Amendments under Rules and Regulations. Here is a direct link: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/governing-documents/maintenance-responsibilities/
Although both the HOA and the owners have their own responsibilities, written communication is always best to inform each other of their expectations and cooperation. An example: our HOA has a system of clearing debris out of gutters and using ladders and other tools to get access to the gutters to remove debris. Sometimes owners have plants, yard art, or uneven or blocked (fenced) pathways that prevent or delay work from being done. Clearing pathways and helping vendors to do the same, and staying in touch, are essential for getting things done promptly and building trust at the same time.
Last comment: being aware of each other’s responsibilities and helping where we can makes Sunland North 17 not only a clean and peaceful place to live but a community that can depend on one another’s support.
Treasurer’s Report
Betty Gwaltney
As we close out 2025, I wanted to share some financial successes we have had this year. First, our investments in CDs will earn over $30,000 in interest this year – yes, we must pay taxes, but that still is a big factor in growing our Reserves for future major expenses. Speaking of Reserves: our 2025 reserve study showed that we are 28.8% funded; however, with consultation from Reserve Associates regarding how we budget for unit repainting expenses, we updated the Reserve Study to exclude unit painting as a component. The result puts us at 37.5% funded! This better reflects the health of our Reserve Fund as well as how we operationally manage the $$ for unit repainting. As a result, the Board approved reclassifying the 2026 budgeted $$ for unit repainting to Operational Expense – this does not change the annual assessment amount. Also, our overall expenses this year have been slightly under budget, which means we will be able to contribute at least $120,000 to our Reserve Funds, putting the total Reserves over $1 Million! Yes, that seems like a lot, but that fund will be there when your unit needs a new roof, or a driveway replaced, etc. Thanks to all of you for your financial support and for keeping Sunland North financially sound.
From the Secretary
Lawrence Charters
Sunland North website outage
In December, the Sunland North website was down for a little over a day. We “rent” space on a commercial server, and the credit card used for the rental expired. The vendor sent us notices, but these were classified as spam and ignored. One of our members reported the outage, and after a certain amount of fumbling around (it didn’t help that Sequim had several small power outages), a valid credit card was used to renew the service, and the site came back up.
We have taken steps to better monitor the website, and prevent this from happening in the future. One of the great benefits of having a volunteer-led organization is that you can take advantage of a wide range of rich and diverse skills. One disadvantage is that volunteers move on to other tasks, and sometimes things fall through the cracks. We hope we’ve plastered over these cracks.
Speaking of volunteers…
Sunland North is in need of a new Exterior Maintenance Coordinator, as mentioned elsewhere in the newsletter. But we can also benefit from a backup technical services coordinator. In addition to our website, sunlandnorthownersassociation.com, we also have an email system (@sunlandnorth.org, hosted by Google). We “rent” two domains to support these functions, plus we need to manage the email accounts and the user accounts for the website. If you know what a domain is, what a website is, what an email service is, and are handy with a computer, we could use your help. Please contact the Secretary at secretary@sunlandnorth.org
Even more on the Sunland North website
If you want to know who does what, we have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/about-us/
What do owners need to know? We have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/ownerinfo/
What is the Board doing to govern the association? We have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/ownerinfo/agendas-minutes/
Want to see back issues of the newsletter? We have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/newsletters/
What does our insurance cover? We have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/ownerinfo/insurance/
Are there fees we have to pay? We have a page for that:
https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowner-fees/
Have a problem with your lawn? We have a page for that: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/landscape-maintenance-request/
Need some outside repair work? We have a page for that: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/sunland-north-exterior-maintenance-request/
Want to install a skating rink? You won’t be able to, but you can ask: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/homeowners-forms/exterior-changes-architectural-control/
Not sure what you are looking for? There is a Search box available on every single page on the site, or you can look at the table of contents: https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/sunland-north-site-map/
Power failures and Internet outages excluded, the website is up and available for use every day, at any time of the day, serving as a reference library for Sunland North.
Landscaping Report
Tom Steffen, Volunteer Landscaping Coordinator
Thanks to the generosity of Sunland North residents, each of the nine crew members from Cutting Edge Landscaping received a monetary gift of $140.00 in November. This special “gifting” was to show our appreciation of the hard work these crew members do to keep Sunland North’s landscaping looking so well. Thanks to all who donated; your gift was very much appreciated by the Cutting Edge Landscaping crew!
January is the beginning of a new calendar year. And it also marks the continuance of shorter and darker days known as “fallow time,” accumulated days, weeks, and months that appear to prompt little or no growth and production.
Even though our irrigation systems have been turned off, the rain and a few mild and sunny days have kept our lawns lush and green. Yes, weekly mowing has ceased, and only selective pruning and leaf collection continue. But our contracted crew of landscapers remain available to respond to our special requests during this fallow time. Please use the website portal to submit a request or raise a question, or concern.
The annual repairs to irrigation lines, repairing or replacing backflow preventers, replacing broken sprinkler heads, and fertilizing will begin again in the spring.
Here are a few reminders:
- Check that all hose bibs are securely covered with insulated caps.
- Report incidents of unusual water that is running or standing near your building or in common areas (report via website portal).
- Try to reduce traffic on your lawn when the ground is soaked.
Continue to communicate your landscaping issues via our website. We look forward to doing whatever we can to address your concerns.
Here’s to a great new year!
Meet Your Neighbors
Eric and Kathy Mahnerd
Eric and Kathy Mahnerd are familiar faces in Sunland North and around Sequim. They moved to Sunland North — twice! They moved to Sequim from Houston in 2003, and built a home on Bell Hill the following year. In 2014, they decided to downsize and moved to Mount Baker Drive and settled into the neighborhood. When their good friends across the street decided to move in 2021, Eric and Kathy moved about 900 feet to a larger floor plan. (That’s one way to clean closets, I guess!)
Their story together started in 1983. Eric was an airline pilot after serving in the Navy for nine years, and Kathy was a flight attendant for a different airline. Mutual friends set them up on a blind date…both said “I don’t do blind dates!” but agreed to get together with them for drinks. The following night at a party hosted by the same friends, Kathy literally staked her claim … ” Stand back, Mitsy, this one’s mine!” They have a picture to prove it. In November of the following year, on Eric’s first flight as a co-pilot on a Boeing 747, with Kathy as a passenger, and with 350 passengers on board, he proposed!
Since then, they have enjoyed a wonderful life together, along with two cats, Ernie and Bear. They stay very busy giving back to the community and helping others – volunteering at Sequim Food Bank, giving adaptive wheelchair bike rides to seniors with the Sequim Wheelers program, and of course helping neighbors volunteering in several positions in Division 17. Additionally, Kathy also stays busy making greeting cards, managing the lending library at the Mount Baker Mailbox kiosk, biking with the Sequim Wheelers, working as Christmas party planner extraordinaire with her Co-Chair Renee Jubien, and as a bell ringer with the Rainshadow Ringers – who performed at our Christmas Party. In their “spare time,” they enjoy Mahjong, playing pickleball, and going on cruises – over 35 of them!
Besides being the master of ceremonies “extraordinaire” at Sunland North Christmas parties, Eric is the President of Sequim Sunrise Rotary, which means he is also Chair of the Irrigation Festival Parade. One of the popular programs the Rotary club offers is the Sequim Sunrise Rotary Flag Program – a subscription service that erects US flags 5 times a year for a modest donation. All net proceeds go to charitable projects in the Sequim Community. It’s great to see so many residents of Sunland North participate in this program. If you would like more information or a subscription, click the link at: Flag Subscription Form 2025.pdf.
So, if you are out and about for your daily walks and you see them, stop and introduce yourself. With luck, Kathy might even offer a sample of her home-made chocolates!
Homeowners Association (HOA) Office Hours: Monday—Friday, 9 am – 3 pm
We want to remind all new and current residents of the Sunland North (Division 17) Homeowners Association (HOA) Office Hours, except in an emergency. Contact information for each Board and committee chair member is on the Sunland North Website (https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/about-us/); or use the generic “Contact Form” on the website (https://sunlandnorthownersassociation.com/contact-us/).
Sunland North does not have paid administrative staff, and people may be away from home or otherwise occupied; anticipate at least a few days for a response.
2025-2026 Sunland North Board of Directors
President: Susan Hamman, president@sunlandnorth.org
Vice President: Mark Anderson, vicepresident@sunlandnorth.org
Treasurer: Betty Gwaltney, treasurer@sunlandnorth.org
Secretary: Lawrence Charters, secretary@sunlandnorth.org
Board Member-at-Large: Sunny Stern, member-at-large@sunlandnorth.org
Thank You!
Volunteers are central to the running of Sunland North. While we do hire contractors for landscaping and repair work, much volunteer labor goes into the management of the contracts, keeping our homes in proper repair, our landscaping well maintained, HOA insurance researched and renewed, debris picked up from the natural habitat area, and countless other tasks. Remember to thank your Board members, coordinators, and committee members for their ongoing support and the volunteer time they donate to our community. We couldn’t do it without them, and you.
A special thank you to Daphne Walters for her assistance in organizing this issue of the newsletter.
Kathy Gross, editor, information@sunlandnorth.org