REFLECTION LAKE BOARD MEETING—OCT 6, 2020
(Meeting minutes approved 11/3/2020)
Board Members in attendance–Jim Boothby, Jeff Toffer, Charlie Bennett, Bill Pease, Joe Dickinson, Rick Smith
Board Meeting called to order by Rick Smith, Vice-President
The previous minutes from March 3rd are still in draft. The last minutes taken in this building were taken March 3rd,2020. On sept 26, 2020, after the election, a meeting was held to elect the new executive board. The Sept 26th minutes will be posted soon
Approval of meeting from sept 26th meeting, by Charlie Bennett with Bill Pease seconding that motion. They are now approved.
We will start posting minutes right away somewhat unfinished and then approving them later, to aid in communication with member.
Jim Boothby: Treasurer’s Report
I got all information from previous treasurer and Banner Bank. I do not have the debt situation in it’s entirety but will be having a meeting with Watson Management soon. See attached budget sheet for specifics.
Reserve account is to be used for special/emergency situations. The 2021 budget is still to be approved, but that budget has been completed.
Capital projects will be brought forward and they include culverts, the green belt, signs, community center repair, repair of docks, and north dam hydrant and dams. These are unfunded at this time. The former appointed board is still slow in relinquishing the title of agent from the secretary of state. I have filled out an amended secretary of state out of my own pocket. They told me it would be five-ten business days and then I would be authorized in using the bank account. In the mean time since the former board did not feel they had the responsibility of turning over the secretary of state agency, they will be paying for any bills up until the secretary approves. Until the bank account has new signature authority, no one can pay any bills. Jim answers that the election stated on the first line that the election would replace the appointed board with an elected board. Three previous board members were re-elected but chose not to serve, so we have a brand new board and we are rolling forward.
Election results: Rick Smith
Copies of the election are available upon request. The winners of the election are Rick Smith, Jeff Toffer, Joe Dickinson, Bill Pease, Charlie Bennett, Jim Boothby, and Chris Cato (not present). Mike Brown elected, but withdrew, so Russ Bishop. Richard Miller was a carryover. Brown, Bishop and Miller are not present
Board members elect the executive board. Bill Pease was elected to President at the Sept 26th meeting has since resigned as President, but will stay on the board. Board members will elect a new President. Charlie nominated Rick Smith and Jim Boothby seconded. A vote takes place in a closed ballot with the result is 5 votes for Rick Smith. Now to vote for vice-president. Nomination for vice-president—Jeff Toffer nominates Joe Dickinson and Jim Boothby seconded. Nomination for Joe Dickinson and now to vote in a closed ballot–result 6 votes for Joe Dickinson.
Final results are: Rick Smith: President, Joe Dickinson: Vice-President, Jim Boothby: Treasurer, Charlie Bennett: Secretary
Committee reports
CMD signup sheet. The committee does the maintenance of the lake, takes care of dams, maintaining docks, weed control to name a few. The following people signed up for CMD: Charlie Bennett, Jeff Toffer, Gary Long, Ken Skutley, Diana Kenworthy, Randy Kenworthy, Dan Loos, Steve Hutchison, Dinece Browne, Joe Dickinson and Catherine Cosby. What a great group of people! Thank you for volunteering! Snow removal contract will be taken care of at the next CMD meeting. They will meet the Tuesday before the board meets at 6:30 at the community center.
Public Relations committee signup sheet. The committee is in charge of communications and social aspects of the community, and welcoming new residents. The following people signed up for public relations committee: Sandi Bennett, Pam Toffer, Rick Smith, Diana Kenworthy, Randy Kenworthy, Vonnie Hutchison, Charlie Bennett, Lucinda Wiser. Awesome participation!
Firewise committee signup sheet—registered as a Firewise USA site. The dumpsters were volunteered by the DNR and the draft site will also be included with this. A free fire assessment for all homeowner and a cost share grant for those that have more than 5 acres. The following signed up for this committee: Charlie Bennett, Jeff Toffer, Bill Pease, Ken Skutley, Catherine Cosby, and Sandi Bennett. So proud of all this volunteerism!
Security committee signup sheet. Basically, it is a presence in the community to let people know that there are people keeping an eye on things. Sign up for this will be later since it basically is only active in summer. But we do need the golf cart back for winter maintenance.
Jim Boothby on valve maintenance:
A few years ago the dam inspector says the valves need to be exercised annually before an emergency occurs. It wasn’t done for about 15 years. We started the exercise process last year and the lake was dropped about two and half feet and then raise it back up. We want to ascertain that the valves work. It also helps with cleansing and sediment control. The real plus is that you know the valves are working and also help with dock maintenance. The lake lowering flushes phosphates, animal feces and debris. The effect of dropping the lake last October was that the lake has never been clearer until August when it got warm. We had a very clean lake, and Dan Loos (previous chair of CMD) feels it is because we dropped the lake. It was done about the 1st Oct last year was the testing of the valve. We do it in October because the rainy season helps fill the lake back up. The lake would not have to be drained if the valve failed. Do we have a motion to for the CMD to exercise the valves? There is a motion by Jim Boothby and Charlie Bennett seconded. The valves will be exercised, lower the lake, check the valves and fill the lake back. Community approved as well however Lucinda Wiser expressed concern for the effect of the flora and turtles. It is recommended by the Conservation District Greater Spokane River. There is a downstream roster to let them know of any emergency. The written recorded of Spokane county DOE exercise the valves is available. One of the inspectors was an environmentalist. Linda Loos asks what is the impact if we don t exercise the valves. Gary has put in boards to raise it up or lower, exercising the valve is not a lot different than the boards. If there was a slow seepage of something, we could drain the lake and fix it before it would impact anything. Dan Loos suggests artificial reefs helping natural plant life aiding the clarity of the water. Kenworthy shares the concern about the cleanliness of the lake and perhaps a natural solution can be found. Charlie states that AVISTA does the same thing to Lake Spokane –exercise valves, do dock repair, and help with invasive weeds. Replacing a trickle tube at the north end would help with the sediment issues there.
Copy of the budget passed, this is interim budget. The appointed board did not do a budget.
The three areas of the budget are administration, operation, maintenance and repair.
Administrative is fairly fixed.
Operations: you get to enjoy the lake because operations is doing their job. Water testing, restrooms, weed control, docks and snow removal are a part of this budget. Small projects is for example like someone smashing the sign around the corner. Dock maintenance to too low but must stay that way in the current budget. Docks are getting older. Jim doesn’t know what attorney fees the appointed board accrued and hasn’t paid. The capital projects fund would be used to pay attorney fees. The capital projects are unfunded meaning, once everything else is paid then the capital projects can begin. There is about $1000 that is not allotted in the budget at this time. We hope not to have to use the capital projects fund and the unallotted $1017 on attorney fees, but we just don’t know right now. Susan Weeks says that the water is $57 monthly so that sounded low for the budget. Jim says there is an agreement that the community center only pays for 6 months a year.
The budget is normally approved at the annual meeting, not by the board, so this is an interim budget and the people here can vote on it. Charlie is counting hands for interim budget vote by the community. Dinece Brown is wondering if we do any fundraising. Charlie states that Firewise did help with $3800 last year.
Show of 22 hands to approve budget, no hands to oppose.
The budget is a road map– it is flexible and can be shifted where it is needed. Brown wants to know if this is a typical turnout, but Mr. Kenworthy says this is higher than normal, Brown says so there it seems that there are 160 lots that don’t care. This year Lucinda Wiser says we have 90 voting lots at the election. Three times the typical vote. On average for an election there is 38 voting lots over the last 5 years.
Rick Smith thinks the community can be fixed and apparently all the people showing up tonight think it can be fixed. We had a valid election. Dan Frees says it is going to an higher authority to contest the election.
Charlie Bennett talks about the AED. The AED was bought by donations in the community. It is part of the Firewise program and the fire department is happy to do all the AED/CPR trainings we want. We are planning to put a cypher lock to have access so the AED can be registered. Four board members will post their phone numbers so you can come call a board member and have access to the AED. You will learn a lot at the training even if you were previously trained in CPR. Training dates will come out after the committee meeting.
One thing we did not talk about in the budget is election costs. Bottom line is $352 paid for by Lucinda Wiser. Expenses were, postage for 131 ballots, rent a PO Box for 6 months, a notary public to certify the election, envelopes and printing costs. Thanks to the election committee and thanks to Lucinda! Rick is asking for the boards approval to pay and it is unanimously approved.
Sandi Bennett speaks that minutes will be sent out by email as soon as tentatively approval by board before a formal approval at the next board meeting to expedite communication and all official communication will come from Reflection Lake outlook email.
Charlie asks where the Turtle Beach dock is?
Donna Mack is asking about the bylaws changes. Jeff Toffer says changes to bylaws have to be approved by 2/3 and convenants approve by 100 percent. There were not many changes. But they are done but they weren’t sent out because of what happened. Attorneys have looked at them. Let’s take up the bylaws at the next meeting. Donna Mack would like to be on it.
Randy Kenworthy wants to say that it is refreshing to see a board meeting without yelling, pleased with the board and pleased that community showed up and thinks it a good sign that we can heal.
Jeff Toffer says he has talked to at least 25 people on his walks and they all just want harmony at the lake.
Motion to adjourn by Rick Smith. Unanimous to adjourn.