Dear Members,
You missed a ruckus meeting filled with many novel ideas such as making major budget changes without member approval, get rid of me as President, and the East side water system members want to hire a lake managerto operate the association, water system and roads. If memory serves me correctly,
isn’t that what the Lee/Powers original suit was demanding?
I have no real objection to the roads and water system having a manager as long as the west side members do not have any additional payments and no liability is given to the west side members. We do have a CMD volunteer committee that manages the lake, fish and dams; these volunteers keep our dues to a cost only bases. The current operating budget is $36,000 a year, if you add a $35,000 a year manager plus benefits, it will more than double the dues for each lot. What is really being advocated is to return to the pre-1984 association where the west side association took care of the lake and recreation facilities, the eastside water association cared for roads, water system and greenbelt.
The lake has experienced real growth with many higher income families now residing among us. The urge to price the rest of us out of this unique environment is always there. I have no qualms with the east side members voting to hire a manager to care for roads and water system. Be kind, leave the lake to CMD and the volunteers.
Other items of interest:
- Trout delivery will take place in early April.
- The April Newsletter will go out in mid-April.
- The Dry-Hydrant project is on track to be completed by the fall.
- A special Roads Project has been formed to deal with Sheets Road.
- An E-Mail policy is being reviewed by the board to address civility.
- Mr. Lee and his legal counsel have formally triggered several provisions
of the Mediated agreement of 2021, to include governance and the transfer
of the water system. Why now is a question without an answer.
Financially, the lake is in pretty good condition. Mediation with Mr. Lee could again,throw us into uncertain financial drama. We won the suit brought by Banner Bank and 2020 appointed board members. Our Legal counsel who saw us through the battle has accepted a position with the Washington Secretary of State. I will be interviewing attorneys to address Mr. Lee and his law firm. If you have anyone in mind, please call me at 509-292-8581.
Jim Boothby
RLCA President