Annual Meeting Update – thank you to the 89 members who attended the 2025 Annual Meeting and contributed thoughtful questions. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the office staff for their behind-the-scenes efforts in preparing for the meeting. They coordinated the distribution of district director ballots, managed vote collection, organized meeting materials for handouts, and prepared the forever sticker packages for pickup. Additionally, their work in setting up the church and assisting with sign-ins ensured a smooth experience for everyone. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated team supporting our association.
The presentation of the meeting has been distributed by the office via email to all owners who have given us an email address. While it includes the key information shared, it does not encompass all the details discussed. We encourage you to attend future meetings to stay informed about our budget, spending strategies, and the various challenges we face as a community.
Key takeaways from the meeting include the successful completion of our Financial Audit, demonstrating our commitment to sound accounting practices. The financial summary shows that our revenue projections are accurate year after year, while the expense side presents more variability. Notably, the association stayed within the budget for 2024, even though we reported a net loss of $254,000 for the year. This loss is primarily attributed to the accelerated depreciation of capital equipment purchases. This financial strategy allowed the association to avoid income taxes for 2024 while maintaining sufficient cash flow to support ongoing operations. While this situation may not always be replicated, it is indeed a positive outcome for 2024. I also covered the Low-Water Crossing project along with the Roads Committee’s goals for the year to work on the west shore. Also, the stretch goal to complete the east shore culverts and roads if funding and time allow. Other topics included ditch cleaning and improvements along with completion plans for the new operations building at Gate 1. For Properties LLC, I covered the plans to replace the deck at the Marina 27 property this year along with the efforts to renegotiate the lease agreement ending December 31st, 2025.
District Director Elections: Your Vote Matters! – Did you know that every year we elect directors in either the even or odd-numbered districts to ensure continuity on our 37-member Board of Directors (BoD)? Ballots are sent to all eligible voting members in the respective districts, as per our bylaws.
Low Voter Turnout: Historically, only about one-third of our members participate. This means your vote carries significant weight—often, just a few votes can decide a director election.
Board Continuity & Change: While we’ve seen some recent turnover, most changes are due to resignations (health, relocation, long service), not election results. This year, for example, only one new director was elected. Directors serve two-year terms, and many choose to serve multiple terms, some for decades. This blend of experienced and new voices is essential for the board’s effectiveness. My thanks to all those who opt to be a director!
Committee(s) Update – over the next series of articles, I will highlight the various committees that support the Board of Directors (BoD). I’ll begin with the newly established Infrastructure Committee, which I discussed during the Annual Meeting.
In recent years, the BoD, along with the Lake Improvement Board (LIB), Water Enforcement Board (WEB), and office staff have faced an increasing number of variance requests related to our rules. These requests include conflicts regarding docking structures and the use of community property, such as the parkway and pathways as well as boating rules and policy. To address these challenges, the Executive Committee proposed the formation of a new committee focused on our infrastructure strategy. Officially established in January, the committee will hold its second meeting before this article goes to print. We envision this committee playing a long-term role in addressing various topics while evolving our strategy to adapt to future changes.
This committee is tasked with developing a comprehensive strategic plan that will guide the BoD and other committees, similar to an annual budget. The plan will serve as a framework for discussions and adjustments to rules, regulations, processes, and policies that the BoD, committees, and association staff can collaboratively utilize. It will outline how we can effectively use, maintain, and improve our infrastructure and articulate our long-term vision for the lake community.
Many municipalities implement 5- and 10-year plans for the development and management of their assets. The city of Lake Lotawana established such a plan about five years ago, which aids in their annual budgeting and decision-making processes. We are essentially adopting a similar approach.
The key infrastructure categories the committee will focus on include the Dam, Lake, Parkway, Pathways, Roads, Ditches, Silt Basins, Easements, Association-Owned Property, and Buildings. Existing committees, such as the newer Dredge Committee and the established Road Committee, will continue their specific efforts while coordinating with the Infrastructure Committee for a broader perspective. We may also organize joint committee conferences to discuss significant topics. As the Infrastructure Committee progresses, we will seek additional volunteers and may form smaller committees—both short-term and long-term—to address various subjects that require research and discussion.
The initial members of the Infrastructure Committee are myself, Kyle Twenter (primary champion of the concept), Matt Auld, Aaron Worthington, Brian Dufner, and Carl Calcara. Thank you all for volunteering your time as we meet monthly to build out our plan.
Additionally, as mentioned in the annual meeting, Kyle Twenter has agreed to lead the implementation of the Stafford Field Plan (please refer to our website for the full plan document). This is a critical infrastructure asset, and the board agreed to delegate the responsibility for this improvement project to Kyle. He will collaborate and leverage the Lot-a-Smoke group to help with deliverables as they are currently the primary stakeholders in the project besides the overall community.
Courtesy Reminders – please get your new boat, golf cart and storage forever stickers on your property with Lot/Blk numbers as soon as possible.
If you have questions or topics, you would like discussed regarding the Association, please feel free to drop me a note at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
President