Annual Meeting – the annual meeting was held after I wrote this article, so look for a summary in the next Lotawana News.
Road Update – we are excited to announce several upcoming improvements to our roads this year, including the replacement of the low water crossing (Gate 3) and the targeted repair of several culverts on the west shore side of the lake. The Road Committee is actively obtaining bids from contractors for all necessary work, including road resurfacing.
Our objective is to commence culvert and ditch work as early as possible, with resurfacing scheduled to take place after school is out. The resurfacing project between Gates 3 and 4 will coincide with the completion of the low water crossing. The extent of additional resurfacing will depend on the bids we receive and our road reserve funding.
Please be aware that our operation crew will be working on the ditches soon, followed by contractors replacing the identified culverts. They have already completed some of the work between the low water crossing and Gate 4 and will be focusing next on areas along the west shore.
We will reach out to homeowners who may have filled in their ditches for landscaping purposes so we can coordinate this effort. We have to ensure proper watershed management throughout the area, which may mean changing what is currently in place.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we are working on these important improvements!
Gate 1 Building Update – in the last newspaper edition you saw the new plans and old building. The operations crew has been working on creating a proper pad base as we complete planning with the contractor to start construction. When complete the building will be a huge improvement for the operations team and water patrol that will have a new and safe office space to operate.
Storage Lot Reminder – as spring blooms, it’s a great time to check on your property in the storage lot. The office will email you when your decals are ready, and you can pick up your sticker package there, or have the office mail certified. Please apply your new sticker as soon as possible.
Additionally, before the growth season fully begins, consider weeding and cutting back any small trees that may have emerged. While the LLA will continue to mow the lot as much as possible, we encourage each owner to maintain their own space. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in getting stickers applied!
Dam – later this year the Association will have the dam inspected by the State of MO, which happens every three years. The last report only had a few items requiring action. The first is the monitoring of a leak located towards the base at the south end. This leak is most likely where water has found a seam in the natural rock where the dam was installed. Our requirement is to monitor the leak for any significant change. This year we will hire a contractor to remove trees around the leak and clear some dirt to improve our ability to monitor.
Did you know that many years ago we expanded the spillway as part of the dam upgrade. Our second item from the last inspection was to address concrete spalling. When you walk along the spillway you can distinctively see the original concrete from the expanded sections. Our goal is to address this action with the operations crew cleaning the spillway of all debris and loose concrete. Then we will classify sections that have to be completely replaced from those that can have surface work to prolong replacement. This information will be used to issue a bid package to replace or patch the identified sections. All of the cracks will be sealed similar to what we do on the roads. We will be working with Allstate Consultants to specify concrete material to be used for all repairs. Our long-term goal will be to completely replace the older section through a phased program to spread the cost across multiple years.
The W&M committee will be looking at how the spillway repair will impact our budget going forward and look into creating a Dam Reserve along with the road and dredge reserves. Our dam is aging and it’s time to prepare for additional expenses going forward to avoid surprise assessments.
Courtesy Reminders – 2025 invoices were all due by March 1, 2025 and have started to accrue interest. If you have not yet paid your invoice, please make it a priority. If you would like to set up a payment plan, please contact Marilee at the office.
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