9/12/18 – Association News

It seems that another column regarding dock inspections would be appropriate.  I do have a larger sample size of statistics that I can share for this column.  First and foremost, the program from its inception was intended to be an annual program.  As determined by the Board of Directors, every dock will be inspected every year.  All docks were initially inspected for the 2017 inspection year except for boathouses.  After the board voted that boathouses must be compliant also, some of those inspections carried over into this year, but those inspections were still considered 2017 inspections.  All docks including boathouses have been or will be inspected again this year.  I also want to emphasize in the strongest possible terms that no one is being singled out or picked on.  Your dock either passes or it doesn’t.  I will admit that my dock passed last year but failed this year (a bracket holding a piece of conduit broke.)  Stuff happens to docks. We have wind (a tornado), freezing and thawing in the winter, and choppy water from boat traffic.   Not to mention we turn over about 150 docks a year with permits for new docks or docks being transferred from one member to another.  Here are the statistics through September 1st:  1118 docks have electricity.  534 have passed (47.7%) and 180 have failed (15.3%.)  The remaining 413 docks still need to be tested or are under construction.  The 180 docks that have failed have the following issues:  73 had power off and couldn’t be tested (41%), 29 had no shut offs (16%), 16 still had Romex (9%), 13 boathouses were locked so they couldn’t be inspected (7%), 11 were using extension cords as permanent power (6%), 12 had broken conduit and exposed wire (6%), 9 had conduit in the water (5%), 8 had breakers that wouldn’t reset or failed GFCI (4%), and 9 docks had multiple non-conformities.  I’m guessing that the ones with no shutoffs and the Romex were simple mistakes by the inspectors.  No one is perfect.  We are pleased with the progress. The numbers would be so much more impressive if all those docks with the power off could be put in the “pass” column.  As you can see we still have a way to go and some very good reasons for testing every year.

Submitted by:  Jan T. Olson – Executive Director

If you need to reach me for anything, please email me at janolson@lakelotawana.net or call the office at 578-4272.