About Our Services
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC.
601 COMMERCE DRIVE, STE. 150
ROSEVILLE, CA 95678
916-771-8777
Management and Accounting Services
About Our Services
Manager/Support
Community Association Management Services, Inc. (CAMS) provides our clients with comprehensive management and accounting services and highly trained staff to meet all the needs of each association. Your association, your board of directors and the members of your association will be serviced by a very experienced professional Association Manager, our Accounting Department, our Customer Services Department, and, if the board chooses, our Maintenance Division.
Accounting Services
Ms. Sharon Johnson supervises the Accounting Department. Ms. Johnson and two other staff persons perform all accounts payable and receivable work. Every month, the associations Treasurer, as well as the members of the board, will receive a comprehensive accounting of the associations fiscal activities in the form of a monthly financial statements package.
CAMS Accounting Department prepares and distributes all monthly assessment statements to the members. Electronic payment (EFT) of the monthly assessments is available to the associations membership at no additional charge.
We work closely with the various CPA firms our clients utilize to prepare their tax
returns and perform their annual audit or review.
All annual 1099s are automatically prepared and filed for the associations vendors at no extra charge to the association.
Assessment collections will be done in accordance with the associations collection
policy. All late letters are prepared by the Accounting Department and reviewed by the associations manager before being mailed to the members. Liens are filed according to the associations adopted Assessment Collection Policy.
The Accounting Department responds to all demand letters generated in the escrow
process when units are sold within the association. Exclusively, either the seller or the buyer of the property pays all fees associated with this service.
If needed, the Accounting Department staff will meet with members of the board to
review and help them understand the information contained in the monthly financial statements.
Each month all association funds are automatically deposited into the associations operating and reserve accounts, according to amounts specified in the associations operating budget. Checks for payments are generally written from the operating account to pay for all expenses. Any reserve expense is also paid from the operating account only after a transfer check has been signed by two (2) board members and deposited into the operating account.
At least five months prior to the end of the fiscal year, the manager will begin working with the board members or the Finance Committee on drafting the new annual pro-forma budget for the coming fiscal year. A final draft of the proposed budget will be ready for board adoption no later than one month prior to the date the budget and the annual disclosures are to be distributed to the associations membership as prescribed by law.
The Accounting Department will provide monthly financial statements to the board members, which include:
- Balance Sheet
- Budget Comparison Report for both operating and reserve accounts
- Check Register
- Delinquency Report
- Cash Reserve Report
- Accounts Payable Report
The association Treasurers financial statements packet will also include:
- General Ledger
- Copies of all bills paid each month
- Copies of the bank statements and reconciliation worksheets
Customer Services
Our Customer Service Department is staffed by an individual who receives and logs all customer service calls and, upon consultation with the manager, assigns and tracks work orders sent to the various vendors that service the associations property and its amenities.
Maintenance Division
A licensed general contractor who works with five qualified construction/maintenance people supervises our Maintenance Division. The staff is capable of performing minor maintenance as well as most major construction work. Our clients are welcome to utilize this service, and most do.
24/7 Response Services
Our standard services includes a 24 hour answering service which, combined with the on-call manager service, ensures complete around-the-clock emergency coverage for our clients.
Replacement Reserve Analysis
California law requires associations to formalize and disclose to its members, some means for addressing the long-range maintenance and replacement of the associations capital improvements. Most associations meet this requirement by utilizing and adhering to their Replacement Reserve Study. Our managers are quite knowledgeable with all aspects of Reserve Studies. Because it is a vital component of an associations operations, we work very closely with the members of the board and the analyst the association selects to perform and periodically update the Replacement Reserve Study.
Vendor Services, Contracts and Bids
Our general policy is to, whenever possible, solicit at least three bids, usually based on a set of specifications, for all major service contracts. In most instances, the specifications will be developed by a consultant or the Manager and then reviewed by the members of the board for final approval before being submitted to vendors for bidding.
In those instances where major work is required, we will assist the board in locating a professional consultant who is capable of preparing the bid specifications and bid package. After the bids are received, they are reviewed to assure they in fact have been accurately bid to the specifications. Any clarifications or corrections are obtained prior to presentation to the board for review and selection.
Payments for all major contracts are first routed through our Accounting Department and then reviewed by the associations Manager and the boards Treasurer prior to payment.
No progress or final payment is made on a contract until the work is inspected and all items on the punch list are completed and, if required, the Treasurer or the board members approve. Those payments, which are to be paid from the associations Reserve Funds will be tracked and paid accordingly.
All contracts require the board Presidents or an authorized board members signature to initiate the start of work. All vendors must provide proof of proper insurance coverages, license(s) and a W-9 prior to starting any work on site.
In the management contract with the association, we generally request prior authorization to incur up to $500.00 in maintenance expenses on behalf of the association without board approval. This is to expedite minor maintenance the property may require.
Insurance coverages for the association are extremely important for the protection of the association and the board of directors. As we all know, insurance coverages have become extremely expensive in recent years. At CAMS we always endeavor to work closely with insurance carriers and the board to find ways to reduce risks and the cost of premiums without compromising coverages. Given the present state of the insurance market, this is vital.
Site Inspections
The associations Manager personally inspects the property a minimum of once every fourteen-days. Of course, the manager will be on site as often as necessary if there is a problem or concern that requires immediate and/or additional attention.
Maintenance requests and other concerns we receive from the members or vendors are routed through the Customer Service Department and the Manager assigned to the property.
As stated previously, the Customer Service Department will generate a work order for minor maintenance items or problems that can be handled by a vendor. Review of the work orders and any follow-up is the responsibility of the associations manager. All requests and concerns are logged along with the response that was made. The logs are included in the board-meeting packet for the board members to review each month.
Managers Duties/Services
The role and responsibilities of the Association Manager are wide and varied. The following is a list of some of the Managers general responsibilities:
Oversee the management of the association on behalf of the board and work with all
staff persons necessary to carry out the operation of the corporation and its
facilities.
Attend all regular board meetings as well as the Annual General Membership Meeting. The manager will also attend all Special Board Meetings if requested for an additional fee.
Confer with the board on all major matters pertaining to the policies and operations
of the association and carrying out the directives of the board.
Meet with and assist all association committees in accomplishing their adopted goals
and/or objectives for the association.
Assist the board in gaining resident compliance with the associations governing
documents.
Assess and advise on the performance of all vendors and contractors.
If requested, properly prepare the Minutes of each board meeting.
Work closely with the Board and any designated committee(s) to operate the association within the adopted budget, without jeopardizing the well being of the members, their guests, the facilities and the grounds.
The Manager will also prepare and distribute the following:
Violation Notices and follow-up letters
All notices and mailings for both board and annual meetings
The first draft of the annual budget for review by the board and or the budget
committee, and then assist in the completion and distribution
Contractual communications will include contract checklists, follow-up lists,
termination and negotiation for continued services
Board Packets will include:
- Board Meeting Agendas
- Minutes of the previous meeting(s)
- Information pertinent to the financial status of the property
- Committee information and reports
- Contracts and proposals
- Follow-up lists and checklists for vendors/contracts
- Management report updating projects
- Copies of all correspondence
- Violation Logs including pictures
Training and Organizational Memberships
We have always believed that on-going training for our staff as well as the associations board members and committee members is essential to the effective operations of the association. Given the cascade of complex state laws heaped upon Common Interest Developments each year by the State Legislature, continuous training is now an absolute necessity. Consequently, our staff attends seminars and training throughout the year and participates in various organizations involved with this industry. We keep board members apprised of upcoming seminars and industry conferences that they may wish to attend.
We also conduct our own seminars for board and committee members at no cost to the association.
The duties and responsibilities listed above are not intended to be an all-inclusive list.
They are, however, intended to offer a general overview of what an association and its board of directors might expect from a professional management firm.
