Dues and Fees – thank you to everyone who has paid your dues and fees. We are well over 90% collected and ahead of historical collection efforts. We still have several members who have not completed their Boat Forms necessary prior to picking up your sticker package. Please try to complete this final step so we can close out the sticker effort this year! Believe it or not at the season ramps up we are only a few months away from the board and office starting the planning process for next year. It goes fast!
KC Lake Roundtable – On May 7th, Marilee Magerkurth and I attended a roundtable hosted by the Weatherby Lake Improvement Company. Representatives from Lakewood, Raintree, Viking, Riss and Waukomis communities were in attendance. Many topics ranging from administrative process and tools, communication, dredging, dock management, rule enforcement, water patrol to environmental issues were discussed. It was very informative as there were a lot of common issues we all face in managing our infrastructure and providing a safe environment for all members. During the discussion it was apparent we are already using best practices in many areas, however, we came away with some good ideas to consider for implementation in our own management of the lake.
One of the biggest takeaways is as lake communities we all struggle with how to fund infrastructure projects to ensure the longevity of the community. Another was communication practices and keeping the members informed and educated. We spent quite a bit of time talking about community culture and the impact of ownership turnover. Everyone agreed helping members to see what it takes to run a lake community has to be a key strategy for success.
All attendees agreed that holding this type of roundtable several times a year would benefit all the communities, so looking forward to the next meeting and hopefully getting additional lake communities to participate.
Environment and Water Quality Committee – the basic responsibilities of the Environment & Water Quality Committee shall be to formulate and recommend solutions pertaining to the following: (a) Silt management control and removal; (b) Weed control measures (for example, grass carp and chemical); (c) Coordination of the monitoring of water contamination of the Lake in liaison with current responsible authority; (d) Parkway beautification, air and noise pollution within the Subdivision; (e) fisheries and water wildlife; (f) Develop plans, work with contractors, engineers or consultants as requested by the Board of Directors for projects related to the other responsibilities.
Dave Williams (director) has been our long-standing Chair and advocate for wildlife conservation on the lake. Most residents are not aware of all the work Dave personally does to monitor the lake, work with the regulatory bodies (state & federal) to ensure we legally manage wildlife and to trap and manage critters causing damage. We have a very diverse bio-ecological system that draws in Deer, Fox, Coyotes, Beaver, Muskrat, Mink, Groundhogs, Possum, Raccoons, Otters, Canadian Geese (local population), Eagles, Heron, Migrating Ducks and other bird species just to mention the most common.
Did you know that Canadian Geese are still on the protected species list at the federal level. Dave annually gets a permit to help manage the local geese population through the destruction of nest. The local population is not normal and can become a nuisance as we all know.
Did you know we also have a Fisheries Sub-Committee led by Brad Barnhart (director) who works with the DNR and fisherman to decide on any stocking we do and generally keep track of the aquatic life in the lake. While this committee is not called out in the By-Laws specifically, like many committees we couldn’t be successful without their existence and volunteer time. Thank you, Brad and all the fisherman who help with the Christmas tree annual event. Being the go-to contact when we have questions about what is in our lake is always appreciated.
If you ever have a question on how to address wildlife, Dave is the go-to expert!
Community Alert: Recent Gas Thefts at Goat Hill Docks – I’m sharing a report from owners at the Goat Hill community docks regarding the theft of gasoline from multiple boats, estimated to be up to 100 gallons, occurring during the off-season. We ask all lake residents to help maintain the security of our docks by keeping a watchful eye for any suspicious individuals. Please report any concerns immediately to the Police Department via 911 or the County Sheriff’s non-emergency line at 816-803-8302. Our Police Chief emphasizes the importance of using these numbers, as the city lacks a dedicated non-emergency dispatch number.
As a reminder, securing valuables on your dock, potentially with a security camera, is advisable, as we have experienced thefts of items like water toys in the past. Unfortunately, theft around the lake appears to be increasing with the expansion of neighboring communities. We encourage everyone to be proactive in protecting their property.
Water Patrol – Water patrol activities are starting, led by our new Patrol Supervisor Jen Stafford. Please be respectful and follow the patrol directions if stopped. Review and adhere to the updated Holiday rules, as they now apply all weekend. Note the changes in operating hours for Jet Ski, Wave Runner, Skiing, and Tubing. Our insurance coverage truly depends on avoiding accidents, so prioritize safety over fun as it benefits all members enjoyment of this great recreational asset.
Road Project(s) Highlight – This summer, we have planned several projects including the low water bridge crossing, roadbed repair, culvert repair and replacement, ditch improvement, and road resurfacing. We have secured the necessary funds to complete these projects. I will provide a detailed overview of the culverts and ditch improvements projects in this article.
- The culvert at the end of Broken Arrow Cove (M Block) consists of a single 24” road crossing culvert. This culvert is rusted and requires complete replacement as it serves the Silt Basin #5 drainage system. The existing culvert will be fully excavated to install a new HDPE pipe with inlet and outlet header walls. This project necessitates a full road closure during construction. Dates will be communicated via email and text once finalized.
- The culvert at the end of Bandit Bay (L Block), an 18” culvert will be completely replaced and require a full road closure during the construction. Like above look for communications when the project starts.
- The culvert at Buffalo Cove (R Block) has two 60” road crossing culverts that have rusted at the bottom. Gunite will be used to repair them, creating new bottoms and fixing the inlet and outlet ends. The road will remain open despite heavy equipment in the area.
We also have related infrastructure projects that will be completed prior to resurfacing efforts.
- The ditch at E Thompson Road and Lake Shore intersection is undermining the road, causing a safety issue due to edge collapse on the hill curve. We will move the ditch back, reinforce the roadbed, add a shoulder, and improve safety for trailers and large commercial vehicles turning onto E Thompson Road.
Spire will be starting their gas line replacement a week earlier than planned, so progress is underway when you get this edition of the paper.
Gate Lighting – operations has completed the maintenance of all the gate entrance lighting including new landscaping borders. Getting all the electricity updated is part of the preparation for our new Gate Camera system planned for later this year.
Courtesy Reminders – please get your new boat and storage property stickers on as soon as possible. At some point after Memorial Day the LLA will begin citations for missing stickers and lot/blk numbers. You don’t want to miss out on lake privileges for amassing too many points!
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
President