Christine Novell, president of the Sun City West Governing Board, said in a community video interview that the board will prioritize a funded master plan and carry out items from a recently approved strategic plan as the new fiscal year begins.

“I'm excited. This will be my third year on the governing board,” Novell said, adding that she formally became president July 1. She said the board will welcome three new members elected in March and that the nine-member board “are gonna do some great stuff.”

The master plan is one of several items the board approved to move forward after adopting a strategic plan in March. Novell said the strategic plan includes “40 action items over the next 1 to 3 years,” and that roughly 21 actions are funded and scheduled for the coming fiscal year. “The master plan is really going to be a big part of that,” she said.

Novell described resident input as central to the process: “The governing board is that conduit from you guys, from the community to Steven and to the rest of the staff, but we need you to continue to voice your input.” She encouraged residents to attend upcoming meetings, join committees and consider running for the board.

The board said regular public meetings resume in September and that board members and staff will increase community outreach this year. “One of the key things that we funded, in fact, was more community outreach,” Novell said, noting the board and staff plan to be visible in the community and to hold events where residents can meet them.

Novell also urged participation in volunteer programs that introduce residents to board service, citing the community’s Torch program as her own entry point into volunteerism: “Once I attended that Torch program ... I was so inspired to volunteer.”

The interview was conversational and did not record any formal motions, votes or board actions during the segment. Novell invited residents to contact the board via the spoken email address, “gb at suncitywest dot com,” and to write to her directly at the spoken address, “christine dot novellosuncitywest dot com.”

No specific implementation schedule or external approvals for the master plan were described in the interview; Novell said only that the item was funded and a high priority for the board in the new year.