Scale Back

I am trying to get a bit more toned. It is depressing seeing my body on the tabloids and not looking the best that I could. I know I'm not famous, but my husband is and often there are award shows to attend and such.

Promotion

Just when I thought about throwing in the towel, I get promoted. It was amazing actually. I went into my boss's office in order to resign and they were desperate for a fourth to round out a golf team for a tournament and asked me on the spot-well, the CEO was there and I couldn't say no. So I'm on the course, last hole and the CEO and I are tied to win. I could throw the game and allow her to walk away a winner or try my best. I decided, what the heck, I'm out of here anyway so I do my best and our team ends up winning the entire tournament! Then the CEO turns to me and says "I wish more sims were assertive like you, consider yourself the Vice-President of our Foreign Investments and take the day off."

So, now I'm the VP with a nice office, nice salary and I was prepared to walk. What a difference a simday makes!

The Plunge

Will take the plunge and quit my job at SC Financial. I will work as the bank manager at The Centre, which will basically mean I get paid for the work I already do and now I can focus on it more. I will have an office and manage Sage and other future tellers we will have. I will meet with residents to decide on loans and banking accounts. I am very excited! I have so much more responsibility than I did with SC Financial anyway!

Should I...

I've been considering quitting my job downtown with SC Financial Investments and working full-time at the hood's bank. Right now Sage has been "promoted" to the task as teller-he basically rings up purchases, but I think customers need to be better educated. We sell investment gold, piggy banks and this is where loans and mortgages are discussed. I think I would need to be there full-time, but how would that work with Ayanna managing The Centre. I seem to be at a plateau here at SCFI so perhaps quitting isn't such a bad idea.

Hood Council Note: Financial Director Update

Update on Plans-need to start thinking about new set of plans now that the new deal is signed.

Local businesses and associated laws

• Establish a program for New Small Business Owners:
  Give new business owners $1000-$3000 credit towards purchase of a community lot.
  Help business owners network with other small business owners in other hoods, perhaps the resurgance of the Small Business Conference.

Implement taxes and welfare support

• Establish a program for Mortgage Loans:
  Borrower must provide at least 10% down paymentLoans must be paid off within 42 simdays (six simweeks) Payments will be daily.


• Increase rental fees:
  Increase rental fees on the Starr Grey Townhomes (two-2 unit townhomes on McIntosh) due to promixity to main strip.


• Change tax structure:
  Instead of $750/simweek per residental lot, increase it to $750/simweek per family. Removes loophole where families in multi-family housing paid less in taxes than other residents.

Manage the local real estates and architectural planning of the hood

• Decrease number of multi-family units from 10 to 4


• Build mixed income housing area:


• Renovate Pavilion


• Build Celebration Park II


• Revamp Celebration Park I


• Combine Celebration Park I and II


• Expand Modern Sculpture Park


• Renovate The Core

Meetings

Rayne and I went to Tati's to discuss hood council business. It's a nice place to have a good meal and relax. I looked over her proposal for the Musik Festival...it seems like a large undertaking for our hood, not to mention the cost of having such an event. We'd have to pay performers, renovate the venue, maintain security, etc.

Hood Council Note: Mortgages

A Mortgage system has been approved. After investigating the options and noting current technology Apple Valley will use the following system for mortgages.


Residents will use the Monique Payer/Payee Bills/Book for mortgages. Mortgages will have a daily payment and must be paid within 21 simdays. Families must have a minimum of 10% downpayment for thier home.


The total amount of the mortgage will be calculated as: ( Amount of house - downpayment ) * (1 + interest rate). The daily payment is calculated as: mortgage amount/# simdays. The mortgage amount, interest rate and number of days remaining for the mortgage will be noted in each household's "bio" screen and maintained by the Financial Director.


Families are encouraged to meet with the Financial Director at the bank in order to discuss affordability based on daily salary and current debts. Interest rates are based on your financial history and ability to pay.

Hood Council Note: I'm the Financial Director

Since I have an anti-aging wavier, I now have the lifetime (or as soon as my wavier expires or I chose not to) position of Financial Director.

This term I plan to:

Local businesses and associated laws
Establish a program for New Small Business Owners:
Give new business owners $1000-$3000 credit towards purchase of a community lot.
Help business owners network with other small business owners in other hoods, perhaps the resurgance of the Small Business Conference.

Implement taxes and welfare support
Establish a program for Mortgage Loans:
Borrower must provide at least 10% down payment
Loans must be paid off within 21 simdays (three simweeks)
Payments will be twice a week (simTuesday and simThursday)

Increase rental fees:
Increase rental fees on the Starr Grey Townhomes (two-2 unit townhomes on McIntosh) due to promixity to main strip.

Change tax structure
Instead of $750/simweek per residental lot, increase it to $750/simweek per family. Removes loophole where families in multi-family housing paid less in taxes than other residents.

Manage the local real estates and architectural planning of the hood
Decrease number of multi-family units from 10 to 4:
Condemn and bulldoze the Fuji Flats (three two unit multi-family units)
One lot is ready for demolition, give other families 3 simdays (until simMonday) and $1000 for inconvience to find new housing (total $4,000)
Would decrease rental income for the hood, however would promote home ownership
Still maintain the Starr Grey Townhomes (two-2 unit townhomes on McIntosh) and AVBH (4 rooms available for rent)

Build mixed income housing area:
Build three small lot homes on Fuji Court. At least two homes must be at least two bedroom and one bath, less than $15,000, other must be bewteen $15,000 and $30,000. At least two homes one story, one home two story.

Renovate Pavilion
Renovate skating rink so more sims can enter rink to skate.

Build Celebration Park II
Small grill area, playground, bathroom on 2x3 lot

Revamp Celebration Park I
Demolish grill and playground area to create more open space. Add chess set, focus more on the lake and fishing activities

Expand Modern Sculpture Park
Demolish small 1x3 lot and build on larger 2x3 lot
Buy Euphoria from Tatiana Garris, use additional land space for the new park
Will increase value of new homes on Fuji Court


Renovate The Core
The Core is too bulky and hinders views of main street (McIntosh)
Demolish 2nd level.
Create 5-9x8 office spaces for the following retailors: The Green Paw Pet Shop; Gears & Beyond; Snips; Wearable Art; I-Scream Icecream & Pizza
Retailors are paying for renovation-no funding needed from hood council, only approval on final design.

My Son

My son has these big dreams and hopes. He wants to become a police officer. He wants to start a family and he's thinking about skipping out on university to get his dreams and goals. O dear, doesn't he realize that a degree is very important?
I've been voted as a permenant Hood Council member, depending on how well my terms go, since A'ron and I have an anti-aging wavier due to his work with Pahala Shore. So they figured that it's best for me to be a stable fixture to the council. I don't mind, I love it.

Hood Council Note: Hood Council Report

The new term will begin soon and Ayanna asked us all to submit a council report of our tasks and recommendations.



My goals for the term:

• Build upon the current business laws: done, a very intensive law has been drafted and approved



• Revisit taxes and find an easy system to deduct taxes and fees: done, taxes are now taken every simMonday. Residents must obtain thier payment invoices by this simFriday and set-up the payments to the hood council. This makes the payments automatic, need to determine where the payments will go.



• Establish a program for Small Business Loans: not done



• Build a Community Memorial Gardens: done and successful



• Revamp Celebration Park: done, but a bit crowded with the new features, may have to build a second park

Recommendations:

• Might need to divide tasks a bit more. It is difficult to manage the real estate of the hood, especially things like parks, however do not see a clear way to divide the tasks as of yet, except to have more resident input or maybe hire a part-time consultant to control the real estate issues of the hood since this isn't a full time issue.



• Financial Director Tasks: Oversee hood finances, implement taxes and welfare support. Coordinate local trades and import based on needs of the community, oversee local businesses and associated laws, collect taxes and fees from residents.



• Real Estate Consultant Tasks:Manage community lots, construction of new homes and destruction of homes. Manage the local real estates and architectural planning of the hood, including any community lots, general beautifying and landscape community gardens, recreation areas and health of animals and native plants.

Pregnant

I'm pregnant with our third child. I barely show, thank goodness. Unfortunately the doctor said that I will need to stay at home. Thankfully I draw maternity leave from work otherwise we'd have to depend on A'ron's income from his projects and at the moment, they are drying up on him. He has another season with Pahala Shore and his paycheck from the Arrendale Heights bit will come soon. Etta Leigh has decided that she will pursue a music career. Thankfully I used my position on the hood council to get her a job tuning the piano at The Centre and she spends evenings practicing the bass guitar...badly.