Berger Has Two Price Tags: The Building and the Money

The Berger Center project is moving closer to real contracts and real costs at a time when both construction and borrowing are becoming more expensive. In his September 15 President’s Report, OVA President Steve Spanier said, “On the Berger project, we’re still on track to identify and sign contracts with a project manager, an architect,…

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Our Oakmont Community Up Close

Facts, questions and conversations about the community we share There is always a lot happening in and around Oakmont. Some subjects deserve more than a quick social media post or comment, so I’m going to try something new: Our Oakmont Community Up Close, a recurring Oakmont Observer feature taking a closer look at something that…

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Wildfire Risk, Insurance, and Oakmont’s Financial Future

CAC Entrance Image

As Oakmont members consider major financial decisions involving reserves, infrastructure investments, insurance costs, the proposed Berger Center project, and even the potential purchase of an aging OVA office building, there is another issue quietly influencing all of them: wildfire risk. Wildfire risk is often discussed as a homeowner insurance issue. In reality, it is also…

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Berger Center Is Only One Piece of a Much Larger Financial Puzzle

Rendering of Expanded Berger

A Town Hall About More Than Berger The June 8 Berger Center Assessment Project Town Hall was presented as an update on proposed improvements to one of Oakmont’s most important community facilities. By the end of the afternoon, however, the discussion had expanded well beyond Berger Center itself. Residents heard updates not only about Berger…

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Plant Your Kitchen Garden

BACKYARD GARDENS OFFER FRESH VEGGIES AND FOOD FOR YOUR SOUL A quick guide for simple ideas to start off your backyard kitchen garden. With endless health and medicinal benefits, combined with the beauty and enjoyment to be found, gardening is endlessly rewarding. Getting Started What to Plant Whether starting from seed or seedlings, you can’t…

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Oakmont at a Crossroads: Financial Capacity and the Berger Center Expansion

A System-Wide Analysis of Capital Needs, Debt, and Long-Term Sustainability Introduction Oakmont is entering a period where long-term planning and financial decisions are becoming increasingly interconnected. The proposed Tier 3 expansion of the Berger Center is one of the most significant projects currently under consideration, but it cannot be evaluated in isolation. It comes at…

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