Fall has certainly arrived at Lake Lotawana. The white caps on the lake last Saturday were a sight to see. It was even more interesting to watch Chris Lang flawlessly pulling his boat out of the lake without a scratch to be found, despite his boat almost turning completely sideways as he pulled it up onto his trailer. Chris, you are so talented! Such are the trials and tribulations of the lake life, which all of us cherish. On a related note please remember not to pull the drain plug on your boat in the ramp area when your boat is pulled out of the water. The water in the boat well can be contaminated with oil and other undesirable liquids. That liquid may run into the lake and most likely will end up in the small cove north of the ramp. Let’s all work together to keep our lake waters clean!
While we are on the topic of cleanliness, mark your calendars for the Fall Cleanup day of November 7th. Please consult the Association website for details. In addition, we need volunteers to help so if you are interested please contact the office.
As I reminded you in the last article the Annual Budget meeting will be held November 10th. Because of the current Covid crisis, the Board of Directors decided to hold the meeting via Zoom. Because of this method of attendance, it also necessitates the need to alter the way you, as members, will be voting for the 2021 budget. I do not want to simply things too much but the bottom line is even though the dues are increasing by 10%, we are asking for less in special assessment which will mean that most people will pay less than they did last year. The office staff has been working tirelessly since last Wednesday to put together the ballots, budget presentation, budget information and an explanation letter; all of which were mailed to you. Please watch your mail in the next few days, read the enclosed material and return your ballots to the Association office no later than November 7, 2020 at noon in the enclosed envelope so that your vote will be counted. The plan is to have the ballots remain in the sealed envelopes you return and then have a number of Board of Directors members open and tabulate the results. Your cooperation following this different method of voting is greatly appreciated. We will announce the results of the vote at the November 10th Annual Budget Zoom meeting. If the 2021 budget is not approved, then the current budget remains in effect for the following year. Please know that this budget process is a months long process by staff, Ways and Means Committee, Executive Committee and finally approved by the full Board of Directors. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in this process as we all continue to have our “normal” be not so normal. PLEASE VOTE and make sure to return timely your ballots to the Association office. I would be remiss if I did not give a huge shout-out to Marilee, Pat, Connie, Jordanne and Jen for their endless hours and efforts to mail nearly 1,200 envelopes to you and your neighbors.
With all the beauty and grandeur of the lake, some not-so-desirable events have occurred during the past several weeks that you should be aware of. We have had many mailboxes tampered with and mail stolen. The authorities were immediately notified. The second event involved an individual who entered the lake, eluded authorities by swimming across the lake and for a reason not yet understood by me, came back to the lake the next day. Well, thanks to Chief McCain of the City of Lake Lotawana Police Department, the guy’s luck ran out. He was arrested and charged with several crimes. Finally, very observant residents noticed a couple fishing in G block. To make a long story short, once again Chief McCain and his officers apprehended this couple. They both were armed with firearms and one was wanted on multiple warrants. Because of these recent events, we are investigating several different avenues to make our lake better. Those include at all entrances having signs that remind people our lake is private, video and still camera systems and other safety measures. Our best source of safety remains YOU! Please report suspicious matters to the Lake Lotawana City Police Department or the Association office. We will gladly pass on the information you share with us to Chief McCain and his Officers.
Now, for the did-you-know section of my article. Regarding docks the rules require that all docking structures shall be identified by Lot and Block numbers in letters and numerals at least 3 inches in height in a contrasting color, and attached to a vertical surface of the dock clearly visible from the lakeside. In addition, the proper license plate issued by the Association must be attached to a vertical surface of the structure visible from the lakeside. Please make sure your dock is compliant. A renewed emphasis is going to be placed on the next rule and I will take full responsibility for its enforcement for those affected. Any dock determined by the Association to be unsafe, noncompliant or in disrepair shall be subject to removal. “Unsafe Docks” and “Docks in Disrepair” are those which “threaten the health, safety and well-being of a resident” or are in a hazardous or dangerous condition, not meeting minimum construction and safety standards. These rules have been around for years. Please don’t think we will be going around the lake looking for multiple docks to remove. We simply want to reasonably enforce the rules after multiple attempts to work with the owner to rectify the dock’s non-compliant condition.
When you sit down and really think about life, we are so lucky to have our families, friends and neighbors. Yes, not every day is perfect but in most instances it could be so much worse.
The Association staff is here to serve you and to improve every day in what we do. Give a us a call at the Association office at 816.578.4272, call me on my mobile at 913.305.7181 or email me at haroldmitts@lakelotawana.net. Please be safe! Harold