Dear Members,
Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays and New Year celebration with family and friends. Like the end of last year, it is great to look back at all the accomplishments by the Board of Directors, Association Staff and Member Volunteers. The list is long again!!! It is also a time to reflect on members who have either moved away or passed leaving gaps in the community as well as those currently struggling in some fashion.
One thing I’ve seen over and over again is the closeness of the community in helping those in need of support for whatever reason. The includes meal trains, donations, helping hand as the list goes on. Thank you all for being such great neighbors.
Accomplishments
- 2024 Budget Approved (no Due increases)
- Culvert replacement W and H Block (~$250k combined)
- Purchase of used Long Arm for silt pond maintenance and dredging
- Fish stocking with Walleye, Hybrids and Red Ear Perch
- Beaver, Otter, Muskrat, Ground Hog, and Geese Control
- Creation of Lotawana Properties and Dredging Committees
- Support of the Parks & Rec1st Annual Lot-A-Smoke event in field behind the office
- Purchase new dump bed crew cab pickup to replace a truck that will be sold – used for day-to-day operations like hauling millings, trees, cold patch, etc.
- Final year-end to submit Designated Voter, Dock and Storage Lot forms (paper reduction)
- Completion of 20+ year settlement with Goat Hill residents bringing them legally into the LLA
- Investing our Operating, Reserve, and Lotawana Properties’ funds in TBills earning over $114k in interest
- Center Road Striping
- Road repairs
- Clean out of Silt Pond north end of Stafford Field
- Starting the removal of dirt from Silt Pond #3 banks and preparation for Silt Pond #6
- Union Cove Dredging (increase of depth from 3-8’; rebuild of ditch line from road to lake with ditch checks for erosion control and new culverts into lake)
- Purchase of two new Boston Whaler boats for the Water Patrol – current boats are not commercial grade and in bad shape (one boat with a cracked hull) – replacing the worst two and will look at again the end of 2024 based on boat status
- Storage lot clean up and Spring and Fall clean up days – thank you, Volunteers!
- Start of Gate 1 Operations lot (behind community club) clean up and preparation for 2024 abandoned property auction
- Annual ditch cleaning and tree removal on Parkway and other accomplishments
LLA Staff experienced changes with the departure of Harold Mitts, Executive Director, and the retirement of Connie Buckley and Pat Renfro (year-end) from the front office. Our thanks to all three tenures with the Association and all their contributions to our success as a community.
In December the office brought on Courtney Fleenor who is ramping up with Pat’s tutelage. Maria Abrams and Denise DiPiazzo are both returning for 2024.
After a lot of discussion, the Board has decided to continue in 2024 without an Executive Director position. Historically we have operated with and without an Executive Director based on the personnel at the time both on the board and staff. Right now, we have two strong leaders in Marilee Magerkurth, Office Manager, and Scott Johnson, Inspector, now Operations Manager. Congrats to Scott on his promotion!!!
It would not be a year at Lake Lotawana without home sales and construction all around the lake. We did see home sales drop off in Q4 with interest rates rising to 7%+ and inventory of homes down significantly. Remodeling and new construction seemed to be as high as ever.
Again, Happy Holidays and New Year to everyone with best wishes for a safe enjoyable holiday season for all.
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
Husband, Father, Grandpa (x3) Friend and President of the LLA