Lake Interlochen HOA 48thAnnual Meeting
January 11, 2021 @ St. Stephen United Methodist Church
Directors attending: Ralph Sobel, Roger Pendleton, Dot Wightman, Ken Seipel,Brenda Cubbage, Chris Slauter, Nancy Weaver, Tony Lester
Absent: Bryan Keathley, Bruce Turner
Because of virus concerns, temperatures were taken of each person upon entrance and seating was spaced to provide social distancing as per state guidelines. There were ten HOA members and eight Board members in the basketball court-sized facility.
President Sobel called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
Secretary Pendleton reported in addition to the annual meeting there were four Board meetings in 2020, each lasting about two hours, held in directors’ residences. Minutes from these meetings were emailed to members and posted on the HOA website. For the first time, video footage was posted on the website – from the July 4thand Christmas boat parades. Pendleton informed that, as was done in 2020, the neighborhood Directory will be emailed in two formats, Word document and PDF, and there will be two editions during 2021.
Lake Committee Chair Lester reported significant accomplishments during 2020: dredging the ends of the North Channel (Porto Bello/Westwood) and the West Channel (Montreau/Findlay); and repairs to our dam on Village Creek, which impounds water for Lake Interlochen.
The rains throughout the year, and the gravity flow pump system, continued to maintain water levels to optimum and testing for e-coli showed water quality continued to be excellent. Lester stressed that residents need to stay vigilant to minimize lawn clippings, leaves and debris being blown into the water.
The silt level in the pump silo is still at acceptable levels, and is being checked regularly by our maintenance person. However, Lester voiced concerns that the impound pool on Village Creek, where the HOA owns the water rights, is decreasing in size because of upstream silt and debris encroaching and building up on the shore. Lester, Sobel, Seipel and Pendleton met with city officials in November and presented plans to remedy the problem with a retaining wall, which Lake Interlochen HOA would fund. We are still awaiting instructions from the city as to approvals and procedures required to commence the retaining wall project.
All three fountains were serviced during the year. The motor on the Old Channel fountain was replaced and the North Channel and Middle Channel fountains were repaired.
Lester and Findlay Drive resident Brian Dawson, who has volunteered a lot of his time and expertise to assist the Water Committee, went on several excursions, trimming and removing low hanging branches. Numerous residents, with a nudge from President Sobel’s emails, helped improve navigation by having large low-hanging branches removed professionally. As our annual algae control endeavor, the lake will once again be stocked with tilapia in late April.
Architectural Committee Chair Cubbage reported reviewing plans for several projects but only two issues required intervention: a dock was repainted because of objections to an unacceptable color and landscape lighting had to be toned down due to neighbors’ complaints.
In the absence of Treasurer Turner, President Sobel gave each guest a printed report and then presented our excellent financial condition. Dues payments are on a pace consistent with previous years; at year’s end there were 55 accounts with outstanding dues totaling $17,031. As of January 9, deposits of $3,638 had been made. On December 31, 2020, cash total of $179,589 represented a $6,416 increase over year-end 2019. Net income for 2020 was approximately $7,400. Expenses, totaling $34,834, were in line compared to previous years. Interest income was about $1,000 lower, as interest rates dropped significantly.
Debbie Simek, Loch Lomond Drive resident, suggested the Lake Interlochen neighborhood consider becoming a dark sky area and said she would send the Board particulars to be distributed to HOA members. The mission of the International Dark Sky Association is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.
The Board proposed adding the following wording to our Protective Covenants on Page 5, Section C, Usages, #11: “No boat may be more than 18 feet in length.” Per HOA by-laws the proposed amendment must pass by a two-thirds supermajority. Prior to the vote, Findlay Drive resident Mike Traner objected to the proposal. There was a lengthy debate over boat sizes, horsepower of boat motors, and speeding boats creating damaging wakes.
The proposal passed 21 to 2. Five directors (Pendleton, Slauter, Turner, Weaver and Wightman) were re-elected for two-year terms.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15.
Minutes submitted by Roger Pendleton