Memorial Day Weekend – this year being a week early didn’t stop those who were able to enjoy the season starting with the Jimmy Buffet cover band Friday night. While there was some rain throughout the holiday weekend, everyone’s spirits didn’t seem dampened. Thank you all for another safe weekend and a shout out to our Water Patrol.
Boat Swamping Incident – If you do not follow Facebook, you may have missed posts regarding a boat sinking incident in H block. While the boat did not actually sink, there was an incident involving an overloaded ski boat performing maneuvers outside of Union Cove entrance. My guess is the captain was trying to get passengers in the front wet. Subsequently, the boat’s bow submerged, resulting in passengers being ejected from the boat. Fortunately, although only the dog was wearing a life jacket, all individuals were rescued by a passing pontoon. Due to the quick actions of others, the boat was placed on a lift and prevented from sinking. The owner is very fortunate that no injuries occurred. Let this serve as an example of the importance of safe operation of water vessels and recognizing the limits of recreational activities.
Marina 27 Parking – did you know that the parking lots located at the Marina 27 are leased by the operators for their use. While we allow temporary parking when using the boat ramp, the parking spaces are not to be used by members especially during restaurant operations. If you plan to pick up friends at the courtesy dock, please have your friends park in the gravel lot at the top of the hill by the community club.
Gas Pumps – did you know the LLA owns the gas tank and pumps located by the dam boat ramp. This service is provided for members’ convenience. Please note that the restaurant is not responsible for the pumps, so do not request them to turn on the pumps. When the pumps are powered on, the OPEN sign will be illuminated. It is advisable to keep a fresh 5-gallon gas can at home as a backup in case you are low on fuel when the pumps are closed. The pumps are shut down at 6:00 p.m. to prevent gas spills and fumes, which could affect the restaurant business during peak patio dining season. The aim is to support the success of the restaurant and protect the investment in the property.
Infrastructure Committee – The committee’s first task is a pathway inventory to identify all access points from Lake Shore Road to the lake, including undeveloped platted access points, private easements, and shared paths. This will provide a comprehensive overview beyond familiar historical pathways. The inventory will inform a baseline record and a long-term management plan, ensuring safety, water quality, and maintenance costs are professionally managed while upholding the goals of lake and property ownership.
Road Construction Update – the roads committee has let out the contracts for resurfacing and culvert repairs. There will be a lot of work this summer on the west shore, so keep an eye out for communications on road closures. The culvert locations are Buffalo Cove crossing along with the addition of a new shoulder to the road at the E Thompson intersection. The back of Bandit Bay on the north side uphill road. The back of Broken Arrow cove will see a major replacement that will have the road closed for many days. On the east shore we plan to complete the V block culvert and the culvert at 7 0 Block. Road resurfacing for the west shore will be scheduled as the culvert work is completed.
To get a new asphalt driveway when we do the resurfacing, contact the LLA office to be added to the list. The contractor will reach out to provide bids for each job. Driveway contracts will be between the owner and the contractor.
Low Water Crossing Update – Spire’s contractor will have started work on the gas line relocation when this article goes to print. They are expected to be on site for 4-6 weeks to complete the boring required to install the 8 and 4 inch lines. Spire will also increase pressure in their distribution lines, identify leaks during this process, and make necessary repairs. The pressure upgrade is for the west shore service area, so keep an eye out for Spire service trucks. You will also see construction on Highway 7 as they upgrade their system and regulator station. The Road Committee is coordinating with ICON our contractor for the bridge and culvert replacement to align with the Spire project. The road between Gates 3 and 4 will be resurfaced as the last step in the project.
Silt Basin and Dredge Update – the operations crew continues to make good headway at Basin #3 removing dirt from the basin to the new staging area created over the last month plus. Rain does impact our efforts. The new excavator has been a monumental success more than tripling productivity and safety. Not to mention the reduction of wear and tear on the Long Arm trying to use it for work not really in its wheelhouse.
Currently, the dirt removal is behind schedule, which affects the timeline for replacing the basin drain and any necessary clay base repairs. For those in Quantrill and Waterfall coves, please note that while we planned to dredge this year, it may be postponed to spring 2026 if we cannot recover lost time due to weather conditions.
Did you know the LLA owns 150 properties totaling approximately 910 acres. Several of these properties are located as far as Buckner Tarsney road where we purchased homes to reduce the number below the dam many years ago. You may ask why. The LLA was required to reduce the number of homes to keep our Category II dam status and avoid further investment to meet Category I status. In addition, many of the properties are held for access to the lake even though we will need to invest time and money in making the access viable. One of the goals for the Infrastructure Committee down the road will be to evaluate all these properties to determine their value and how we want to manage going forward.
Courtesy Reminders – we are less than a month away from the July 4th celebration, so please get your firework donations turned in! Like Memorial Day please look for the LLA communication on the Holiday time frames as this year the 4th links to a weekend.
If you have questions or topics, you would like discussed regarding the Association, please feel free to drop me a note at President@lakelotawana.net.
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
President