Did you know – every year we typically have a spring and fall clean-up day for lake residents. We open up the Gate 1 Operations lot for household goods and the Martin Property off Gate 6 entrance for yard waste. It seems each time we fill 3-5 large dumpsters and one for steel items only. The dumpster rental is approximately $3,000 and we do get a small amount of money back on steel.
Dave Williams always has his trailer ready for slightly used goods that can be taken to Red Racks and many times has 3-4 trailer loads to haul away. Thank you, Dave, for caring about and taking the time to lead the charge on helping others in the community. Your family has been such a big part of these events and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.
This fall’s clean up on Saturday November 2nd was a typical turn out and thank goodness no rain. Thank you to all the volunteers that made this event a success for the members. I personally appreciate all the kind words of thank you from those bringing in their loads as do all the volunteers.
Volunteers – as we all know, a community has its city services and in the case of Lake Lotawana the Association services that take care of the infrastructure. Like so many communities, the difference between being an average and great community comes from the staff and volunteers. We are very fortunate to have a lot of people that give their time to the boards, committees, events and activities we have each year both as part of the lake association and being residents of the city of Lake Lotawana. Like the annual spring and fall clean-up, we need individuals to lead the effort and small armies to get the job done. Please consider volunteering in the future as you’ll meet new people and get that “I helped feeling” that always hits the spot.
Did you know the Annual Budget Meeting – did you know that the Association By-laws require the next year’s budget to be approved by a majority of those attending the Annual Budget Meeting (including advanced voting or proxy voting). Should the vote not pass, then we revert to the current year’s budget for the next year. The budget historically always passes by large margins; however, it is critical as owners you are aware of where we are spending your money. We will have just completed this year’s meeting when this article is published, so I will highlight from my presentation items in the next few articles.
Like your personal household budget, there are the primary expenses that make up the largest part of the budget each year. For the Association it is maintaining our building and equipment assets, road infrastructure, dredging operations and associated infrastructure, trash service, water patrol and property mowing. We also have the administration, like many small cities, of all these activities that have an impact primarily on annual wages. During the meeting we will highlight key changes that may drive changes year over year in the budget, however, most of the budget increase is driven by higher costs and as noted for several years the need to catch up on infrastructure maintenance.
FYI, you don’t have to wait until the spring and fall meetings, anytime during the year, you can request a copy of the Balance Sheet or Summary Profit and Loss statement. Also, let me know if you’d like a deep dive into one of my articles on a particular topic.
Stafford Field Update – the City of Lotawana Board of Aldermen approved Ordinance 24-13 granting a change in zoning of the 39.4 Acres from Lakeside Residential “LR” to Private Preserve “PP” at the October 15th meeting. This is the east side of the field as the Silt Basin and LLA Building are located on separate parcels. We are in discussions with the Department of Conservation along with the Bee and Butterfly Fund to develop a management plan for the overall property. The goal to get matching funds and restore the overall area with a habitat the protects our lake and provides a lasting oasis for the Association Members.
Storage Lot – recently working the storage lot, it was frustrating to see so many trailers without Lot/Blk numbers or previous owner Lot/Blk numbers. It is really hard to manage the storage lot and perform audits when that information is not available or accurate. Also, you would not believe the number of trailers that have become overgrown and, in some cases, new trees/bushes. While the operations team is working hard to mow more often the general area it is the owner’s responsibility to maintain the spot where property is stored. Please before the winter weather kicks in make sure you have Lot/Blk numbers on your property and weed eat (cut down tree/bush) around your property. Another trick is moving your property to a mowed open spot and next time the crew comes around it will get mowed. Also, please remove wood, blocks and other material used if you relocate your property. This will damage our mowers and or cause damage to surrounding property. Did you know – in 2025 we will be issuing new stickers for everyone to place on their property (versus 2024 where we did it for most). These will be the long-term stickers for property stored as all storage agreements will be auto-renewed year to year.
Later this fall we will be doing a final audit of the property and moving anything not showing a paid in full storage agreement outside the gate. If you have no sticker or Lot/Blk number on the property, the property will be treated as if no agreement or fees paid. Please spread the word to friends and neighbors.
History Project (Past Presidents) – Reminder to call or send me any information you have on the date gaps for President Tenures (see last issue for dates, etc.). Please send any updates to [email protected] or call my cell 816.679.4154
Courtesy Reminders –Annual Budget Meeting on November 12th. If you have questions or topics, you would like discussed regarding the lake or the association, please feel free to drop me a note at [email protected]
Sincerely,
Jeff Clemow
President