Reserve study finds long‑term repairs and roofing top 2026 capital needs; deferred maintenance reduced but remains material
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Summary
RCSC presenters said roofing, pool decks and aging golf rolling stock are among the largest capital needs and that the reserve study guides the schedule and cost estimates for replacements.
The Recreation Centers of Sun City’s (RCSC) 5‑Year Planning Team and Budget, Finance and Audit Committee described the reserve study as a "living, breathing document" that inventories every asset, its purchase date, expected life and estimated replacement cost. Linda McIntyre said the reserve study informs which projects appear in capital budgets and that the study was last comprehensively updated before a 2023 refresh.
Committee members reported that a prior estimate of roughly $20,000,000 in deferred maintenance was reduced to about $18,000,000 through review and prioritization; finance staff later said that by 2026 the organization expected roughly $5,200,000 of assets to be beyond their estimated useful life and will continue to work those items out over time. McIntyre stressed that items move on and off the reserve study as condition changes.
The committee presented the 2025 capital project list (budgeted roughly $5.7 million) and a proposed 2026 capital plan funded by SIF dollars and a 4% contribution of annual assessments. Major 2026 capital allocations highlighted by presenters include:
• Roofing projects (largest single item cited: a foam roof at the Lakeview bowling alley estimated at $822,000).
• Pool and spa resurfacing, decking and equipment (ongoing across multiple pool sites).
• Golf equipment and rolling stock (committee cited mowers and utility vehicles averaging 14–15 years old).
• HVAC projects (15 projects budgeted at roughly $405,000).
• Shade structures, paving and vehicle replacements.
Presenters said club capital allocations follow a new process (BP‑16) that requires clubs to submit project lists to the club office, facilities price estimates and prioritization by the Committee on Clubs; clubs are allocated about 5% of the capital budget. The committee noted supply chain delays and material availability have extended the completion timeline for some projects.
Committee members discussed unfunded capital pressures that were intentionally omitted from the 2026 operating budget, including an estimated $400,000–$1,000,000 master‑planning effort, infrastructure/system replacements for member services and accounting, and the potential replacement of marquee signs (estimated ~$750,000) that are no longer repairable. Members were shown examples of club requests that exceed current capital availability (shuffleboard resurfacing $150,000; lighting upgrades $160,000; ventilation upgrades ~$175,000 each).
Finance staff described how prior carryforward funds and capital reserves have been used to accelerate capital spending; presenters said the carryforward declined as the committee increased capital expenditures to reduce deferred maintenance.
The committee framed the capital plan as a balancing exercise between postponing projects, reallocating funds and seeking modest assessment increases or alternative funding sources to cover additional unfunded priorities.
