Lake Interlochen HOA Board Meeting
August 6, 2018 @ Slauter residence
ATTENDING: Ralph Sobel, Ken Seipel, Dot Wightman, Dan Clement, Bruce Turner, Roger Pendleton, Chris Slauter, Bryan Keathley. ABSENT: Brenda Cubbage, Nancy Weaver.
GUESTS: Tony Lester, Pat Jenkins, Alex del Carmen, Tom Wightman, Mike Barnett.
Meeting called to order at 7 p.m. Minutes of last meeting, May 14, 2018, were approved.
With a groundswell of Interlochen residents voicing their preference that the neighborhood directory be printed instead of digital, the Board decided to look at various options for a printed version of the 2019 edition. President Sobel explained that the two primary reasons the Board chose to produce the directory in a Word format and email it only to residents were (1) a significant savings to HOA members (Secretary Pendleton maintains the 53-page document so there is zero cost involved), and (2) that there were so many changes (new email addresses, new phone numbers, residents moving in and out of the neighborhood, etc.) soon after it was published each year. The last printed directory was the 2014-2015 edition.
Pat Jenkins recalled that years ago the directory was produced as a three-ring binder and when changes occurred revised pages were sent to residents to replace just those outdated pages.
Director Keathley noted that postage would be a factor today. Distributing the directories at the HOA annual meeting is one idea. Sobel and Pendleton plan to study the options.
Treasurer Turner reported total HOA assets as of July 31 were $150,582; expenses totaled $16,946 in the first seven months of 2018 — up primarily due to beaver trapping and repair to the dam on Rush Creek. Due to the efforts of Sobel, only two residences have unpaid dues. A lien has been placed on those two properties.
Director Seipel reported water level remains normal despite the lack of rain and high summer temperatures. This comforting fact is because of the water intake system designed in the late 1970s by Bob Findlay, developer of Lake Interlochen, remains functioning precisely as originally built. Water is brought in to our lake from Rush Creek via a gravity-flow system supplemented by an electrical pump system.
Another positive hot-summer note is the clear beauty of our waterways – that’s because our tilapia is gobbling up any algae growth in Lake Interlochen and by running the fountains 24/7 the lake water is staying oxygenated for our healthy fish population.
Water quality, which was tested prior to July 4, is very good for e-coli levels. Seipel said he was going to have the water tested again before Labor Day.
On the negative side of Seipel’s report, there are several submerged tree trunks in various channels of our lake network and damage to pontoon boats has been reported.
Seipel said to gain economies of scale the HOA Board will solicit bids to remove the submerged tree trunks. Responsible homeowners will be notified of their share of the cost. At their option, they can remove the navigation obstacles themselves or reimburse the HOA for their share of the removal costs.
The Board approved a proposal from American Underwater Services to dredge the end of the West Channel and if the job goes as anticipated, the end of the North Channel would be dredged next. In the near future the ends of the Middle Channel and South Channel will be considered for dredging.
The dredging proposal is a result of research done by the Water Committee, consisting of Ken Seipel, Dan Clement, Roger Pendleton, Phil Anderson and David Duperre. A key factor that the ends of our channels require dredging is that residents allow grass clippings to fall into the water. The grass clippings are pushed along by winds and the natural water flow to the ends of channels.
Alex del Carmen, a criminologist and new resident of Westwood Drive, volunteered to help form and head a new HOA committee addressing security and crime prevention for the neighborhood. Directors appreciated his offer and will discuss details at the next Board meeting.
Directors Weaver, Slauter and Cubbage, who were tasked by Sobel to study and make proposals to clarify our HOA covenants regarding dock sizes, fence and gate heights, short-term rentals, and size of yard signs, will make their presentation at the next Board meeting, which is scheduled for Oct. 29.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Minutes submitted by Roger Pendleton, August 7, 2018