ANNUAL MEETING
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
President Marv Richardson called the Annual Meeting of the
Membership to order at
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A PRAYER was made by the membership.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
The minutes of the Annual Meeting from
President Richardson introduced Jolene Compton from Weinlander Fitzhugh, a CPA firm to report the results of the audit preformed for WBLRA. She reported after auditing all accounts, the finances were in order. She will have some recommendations for updating our system to make reporting more streamIined.
TREASURERS REPORT:
For the fiscal year ended 2;28,2005,
the Treasurer reported income of 457,456.97 and expenses of 493,579.49. Cash
balance at
PRESIDENT’S REPORT:
Marv Richardson has been on the board for four years, and is resigning this year. Prior to the last four years the association has suffered from chronic financial instability ending each year at or near ending in red ink. For the last four years the board has exercised fiscal restraint, we have set financial priorities and established realistic budgets. The full board has taken responsibility for the associations financial decisions and expenditures. The association has ended each of the past four years with a sum balance, money in the bank. When I first came on the board I never saw a budget. I was told that salaries were a secret, I was told the manager made the decision on bow much and who gets what, we changed that. It has taken a couple of years but now we have a strong manger, we have a strong budget and we have a board that is not afraid to step up to the plate and take responsibility for establishing a budget, prioritizing how that budget gets spent, and allocating fair and equitable increases in pay or no pay increases. I would also like to note that previous management borrowed thousands of dollars the exact amount I still don’t know. But I can tell you for one thing, this association, every member, has been paying up to $27,000.00 a year to pay back that loan. This board and the boards prior to this one have refinanced that loan and have been able to get better interest rates by changing lenders. We have reduced the amount of interest we were going to pay by multiple thousands of dollars and we will have that amount paid off at least three years sooner than it was originally established. Another note I would like to make is that previous management levied special assessments to make money available to purchase equipment, like the road truck. For the past four years because of the boards fiscal restraint it is and has been my goal and I believe the goal of most board members that have served with me for the last four years to never again find our association in such financial disarray that the need to purchase or replace equipment would be caused for levying special assessments. Evidence of our financial well being is in fact that the board was able to purchase a near new road grader and pay cash on the barrel, and guess what we still have money in the bank. This association is probably in the best fiscal condition it is ever been in its 32 years of existence. For years management fail to pursue and collect unpaid assessments, while levying annual assessment increases on those members that faithfully paid their assessments. Two years ago when this came to light to the board, that we had a huge sum of money that was sitting out there that previous management never bothered to go after even though they wanted to increase our assessments. This board and prior boards since I have been on board have made that painful decision this cannot continue to happen. We will take whatever processes to see that these people pay their fair share. We have even offered people the opportunity to pay quarterly, annually, semi-annually, weekly, by credit card, and we still have people who refuse to pay. The association has not increased the assessments, and we still have money in the bank. This association was suffering from a severe case of infrastructure neglect. Over the four years I have been on the board with the new manager in the office we have constructed handicapped parking, handicapped ramp, clubhouse that has been painted, the south wall of the clubhouse has been repaired, new boilers for the clubhouse and swimming pool, the pavilion, electricity has been installed in the pavilion, electricity has been installed and improved in the campground, new sand and salt storage building has been built, excavation of the new bus staging area, well was placed out at Teal Lake, a new pool table was purchased for the clubhouse, the board approved and we are almost done with the new gate house, we put in a slip free floor in the pool area, and a new road grader that was purchased, I know that this is not a complete list. This board and the board for the last four years has done what I believe is an excellent job of managing the association’s money. I would like to say this inclosing, I would like to thank the people that have supported me in my last two elections, and the vote count was overwhelming and sui I do believe there are people in this association that don’t believe that I have represented them in the best manner and that’s unfortunate for them because when I look at the books and I listen to the auditor and I look at what we have done here in the last four years I think I have done fairly well and the board has done fairly well. So with that I thank you for the support that I have had over the last four years and we will move on.
MANAGERS REPORT:
Gail White reports this years accomplishments of updating the electricity at the campground, completion of the bus stop, painting of the clubhouse, (we are trying to concentrate on keeping up what we have), we replaced the gatehouse matching it up with the bus stop making sure everything ties in so we don’t have piece meal, we did replace the outdoor lights at the clubhouse, and we purchased a new grader, and our new web sight is up and running (www.whitebirch.org) and is quite the improvement. In closing I have a comment I would like to make over this last year we have heard many rumors, we have all been doing our best to dispel these rumors, and I ask all of you, “If you hear something, verify it, before you encourage it to go any further, rumor can be stopped only by spreading the truth. So lets work this next year toward a positive attitude and stifle the negative, lets make White Birch a “happy haven” for all of us. Thank you.
RECOGNITIONS:
Marv Richardson recognizes the volunteers that have helped out all year.
The Red Hat Ladies are presented with a certificate of appreciation; this award is presented to the Red Hat Ladies in appreciation of volunteer of services and dedication to the White Birch Association. Shirley Ferrell was awarded a certificate of appreciation for serving on all the committees, and contributing so much to our organization. Karen bus and Linda Hernden were given the certificate of appreciation for donating their time and effort with the flowers at the clubhouse and gatehouse for the last couple of years. Chic Witchell was presented a certificate for her involvement in the EPC and many donated hour dedicated to White Birch. Tina Hayer receives a certificate of appreciation for her many hours of dedication to our children’s programs and activities. Joe Romine and Dan Rahl were awarded the certificate of appreciation for donating time and effort to the Seed and Saplings program for children. Pat Graham received her award for appreciation for the dedication of her time to our Birch Bark each month. We recognize Gina Frayer and Peggy Ellis for making sure our Birch Bark is collated and put in the mailbox each month. Certificate of appreciation was given to Ben and Mary Harrington for stepping In and helping Tina out with the fourth of July Parade and cookout. Sharon Sonnichsen was awarded the certificate for donating her efforts for painting our road signs. The persons recognized for working on our bus stop and gate house were Gary Hernden, Alan Willoughey, Rich Helm, Fred Witchell, Tom Dorsey, and Bill Hammon. Gary Cheadle and Greg Hernden were awarded the certificate of Volunteer of the Year for the many hours they have donated to White Birch Lakes Association.
Our President, Marv Richardson was awarded a certificate of Appreciation for his time and dedication to White Birch Lakes by Scott Hayer in behalf of White Birch Lakes Association.
PAYABLES:
Al Issac made the motion to pay the bills, seconded by Sue Franklin. Majority was in favor of paying the bills with no objections.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT AND ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
Marty Perkins, the nominating committee chairman, announces changes on terms, first two people with the highest votes are going to be in term for three years and the third person will be two. The two incumbents are Brian Kozlowski and Dan Papesh, we also have Ken Passage, Dave Conley and Dan Holzer. Nominations from the floor came from Joe Romine to nominate Marv Richardson for election of Board of Directors and was accepted by Marv Richardson. Marty Perkins stated that if you would like Marv Richardson to be on our board again you just write his name on the bottom of the ballot as a write in. No more nominations from the floor were given and the request to close the nominations was made. The motion to close the nomination was accepted. Speeches were then given by the candidates:
Don Papesh : My wife and I are campers over on Cherry, we have been members of the association for around four years. I was placed on the board to fill a void when Bob Adair resigned and it has been a pleasure to serve on the board. We are looking out for your interest on what were doing here; I think we’re doing a very fme job. Like Mary said we’ve carried over a substantial amount of money, and we have purchased a grader. I do support camper’s rights; I do get comments from neighbors and other campers that the board is out to get rid of them that is not true. I as a camper have no indications than anyone wants us gone. This is a great place to live and a great place to retire and I think camping is a big part of that. Some of the things I would like to see in the future are a promotion committee, because with this campground here we could offer to campers a chance to come up here and get a weekend if they visit with realtors to show what White Birch has to offer and maybe they will come up here and buy a lot.
Dave Conley: The budget from what I hear today seems to be under control, that’s great, I would make sure it would stay that way. Everything you have is really nice but the company’s got to pay for it. I have a pop with the neighbors occasionally and I have never heard anybody say “boy I wish they would raise our assessments so we could have more things.” In that respect if things aren’t broke, don’t fix them.
Dan Holzer: I have lived here
about a year and a half. My wife and I moved here because it is a beautiful
place. We found it because we worked here every fall for
Ken Passage: I have only been here about a year and a half but I have also been around for a long time. My family built the home I am living in, around 30 years ago. A major concern that I have is with informing members, we have a web sight that I was not even aware that it was updated. That web sight is pretty much useless in terms of informing members. The Birch Bark is great for the light hearted stories, lots of kudos, but it doesn’t provide us with any information We need input from the members, especially those that live down state. The web sight is a perfect opportunity to be used to communicate with those people and should be used for that. There should be a comment section, in which the board monthly puts out the issues coming up at the next meeting. Secondly I Want to see much greater emphasizes put on future planning around here. You look at the budget and see its almost a half million dollars, we need to make sure we maintain controls on the budget I think the budget can be reduced, how much and where will depend on what’s there when I get a chance to be on the board. But I think we can bring the budget down and I think everything we do to reduce that should go straight into a development fund that’s earmarked especially for future development. We set a budget and management has to live within that budget.
Brian Kozlowski:
What we need to do, is what the board has done in the past two years that I have bad the privilege of serving on is get a consensus from the people that will talk to us, that will give us information that is of a useful nature. Let’s get to the bottom of the issue and find out what is best for all of us, because that’s what my goal has always been. To do what is best for everybody in here. Again this year I have heard the contention of homeowners versus campers, there is room here for everybody, this is a recreational community, I realize it is residential, but that does not mean we cannot coexist together. I think we need a storage facility on sight here; we have room here at the campground area to a build storage area. I feel there is no need to raise our assessments.
Marv Richardson:
The campers having sheds issue is an issue the board has addressed and tried to come up with a solution. Problem is that really is a covenant and restrictions issue, if we are going to make changes we need the association evolved in the process. The budget is where its at because this association cannot operate free. I know we have a lot of volunteers, but you can’t operate without money, you have to have a budget that’s livable. The club house has been appraised at three and a half million dollars, or you going to maintain it with strictly volunteers? The Birch Bark is done by people, from the heart, it may not say everything I want to hear or read, but it is from the heart and it is from volunteers. I am some what offended when some individuals who don’t pay their assessments put up a web sight and then they go around and want us to chase after what they are doing. Our web sight has to be renewed and updated, I don’t think this association or any board should chase after because some individuals want to do something and want us to follow along. This board, this association is a leadership group, we should be leading the way and not being dictated to by those who really don’t care for anybody but themselves. If everybody paid their assessments every year, we would be able to reduce our assessments. There is an endless list of things that need to be done; we can’t do it without assessments. The money that the non payers have, that they should be paying, we could do a whole lot more a whole lot quicker.
Open Floor for Questions for our Candidates:
Question: Anything you like or dislike about decisions that have been by the board or ) association.
Don Papesh: One thing I would like to say is that I am very happy with is when we set the budget for this year we decided we were going to have a quarterly review. This is part of being fiscally responsible to everybody here. I am very pleased with the cost of the road grader it was a very good investment
Brian Kozlowski: The two years I have been on the board I am really proud that we have a budget now. They referred to us being the 25% over the set budget for our fiscal year of 2004- 2005. That’s true, we were about 22.5% over the dollar amount that we set, we were also over in revenue. We collected far more revenues that we had set in that budget. That was the first time we set what we call a line item budget, where we identified where our money was going and how it was being spent. We can’t get a handle on our expenses if we don’t know where the moneys being spent. If we trim to much we will start trimming services to you. But I think with some fiscal responsibility we can keep a lid on the assessments and provide the services to you that you deserve and that you pay for. There is a lot of controversy about the building going on in the entrance both the bus stop and the entrance building itself. The entrance building was falling down; we set up a limit of $4500.00 for it. The building is almost done, there is some electrical work that needs to be done, but we’re under $2300.00. That’s pretty good. People don’t like the bus stop, if you want your kids to be safe you have to have some place to stick them. People have busy lives, they cannot stand out there and watch those kids, we now have a place to put them. They can be safe and out of the weather and I think it was good money spent. My kids aren’t going to use it my kids are 26. I’m proud we spent money repairing the club house wall, its a lot of money but the building is assessed at three and a half million dollars and in the future its going to be assessed at more without our assessments going up.
Ken Passage:
Something that this board has done that I agree with is the grader, I think that it was a great plus for this association; they should be applauded for that. I do take issue with Brian when it comes to the bus stop, I don’t think we need it, a $11,000.00 miniature home. We needed a place for children to get out of the weather, and away from the road. We do not need to pay someone to sit up there with them, they have parents. I had kids; I had to take care of my own kids. I had to pay to have them watched when I wasn’t there. I don’t think the association should have to pay to have them watched at the bus stop, that’s the parent’s responsibility. These are things we don’t need to do to reduce our cost and I think it will benefit all of us.
Dave Conley:
It’s all been said for me.
Marv Richardson:
The things I am proud of, I happen to be very proud of that bus stop and there is a good reason for that. It was one of the first times that this association was surveyed with your opinions on what you think the priorities should be for this board. There was excavation that had to be done; You have a class building; we bad people say just put a pavilion up there with no walls and a roof so you don’t get rained on. But what about that north wind that comes through there? Maybe it was a little over $10,000, but I think it was a wise choice to do it and do it right. Brian and I have both said that gate house was coming down, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but it was coming down. Its all a part of the facelift that this association needs anyway. What I am particularly proud of, I’m proud of the fact that I served for four years on the board, that all four boards have been able to agree that we are going to disagree. I don’t always agree with Brian and Brian seldom ever agrees with me, but at the end of the board meetings, at the end of the day I consider Brian a vote as I do any of the members on this board. I’m proud of that fact. I have served on boards where it was an absolute war among the members This board and the four boards I have served with have all agreed on that one principal. At the end of the day we were going to walk out of there proud, knowing that our association is strong.
Chris O’neil lot 1094 question: If you become a board member, are you going to be able to vote on everything that goes on or are you in favor of having executive meetings?
Brian Kozlowski:
Since I was on the executive committee being the first vice president, these meetings were specifically for personnel issues, and legal issues. The only time legal issues were discussed were in regards to the lots being turned over to the association or that we were filing papers on for non payments of assessments. The lawsuits (3 of them actually pending), any legal issues, have been discussed in closed session as is required with the entire board, any corporation or business does. You have to understand that when you are involved in a law suit there are issues that are being discussed that cannot be aired until it has gone before the court. Then it becomes public record. There are no big decisions being made in closed sessions, which have to deal with anything that I don’t feel comfortable discussing with anybody. It just happens to be the manner that you run a business and this is a business. You elect us to be your board directors for your corporation to do the business of a corporation and that’s what we do and we do it as openly as we are allowed to do by law. There are no secret meetings that go on. We have work sessions that are informal but they are open to the public. Basically what they are is to hash out a lot of issues, get all the information on the table, so when it comes time for the regular meeting we’re not keeping you there forever and a day discussing facts, we already know what the facts are and we can make a decision that is best for you. So whatever you have heard about secret meetings or the executive committee I am here to tell you it’s not true.
Dave Conley:
I just want to say about the executive meetings and so on the three new boys on the block are kind of been left in the dark on. We know nothing on it you can’t make a judgment on something you don’t know.
Ken Passage:
1f I was ever to be asked first of all to determine whether or not there should be an executive committee, my inclinations would be I don’t see where we need it. We have seven members voted for by the members; seven members should make the decisions on all matters. Roberts rules of orders, those that operates in this association describes the executive committee as being necessary in situations where your board members are spread out geographically we have 6 or 7 board members that live right here. There is no reason we cannot call all 7 together. If there is a need for an executive committee, convince me, tell me why. The closed meeting things there are certain issues that have to be kept closed, it might undermine in case of a lawsuit. Salaries is a little tougher one for me, we are the association and we pay bills and we are the ones that run this business employees are there to do what we tell them to do. I don’t know if salaries are an open issue with people, I think it’s a good idea to know what we pay people. Open meetings are of the norm.
Marv Richardson:
I think if you check you’re by laws you’ll find that boards do have that authority to appoint an executive committee. I can’t understand why it is such a big issue. I think the last three years I don’t think the executive committee itself met maybe three times, twice actually, the executive committee came about when we were starting to roll in to all these legal actions because of all the non payers. There were questions and answers that the attorney might need to proceed and so the board at that time said they needed a executive committee and they elected three people and if an issue came up they would take care of it and get back to the rest of the board and let them know what is happening. I don’t think there has ever been a secret meeting, and if there has they have done a good job keeping it from me. When it comes to closed sessions there are issues, there is laundry that needs laundered that you don’t want wandering around in the public, and the biggest ones are the legal issues When it comes to salaries I don’t think we have ever negotiated salaries, we have looked at the budget and talked about percentages and when we come out in the open meetings no decisions were made in closed sessions that’s illegal, immoral, and just downright not right. Any action take by any discussion that’s done in the closed session has to be taken care of in the open meeting. The whole board all agreed that we need executive committee. The board did have a resolution and the resolution was that the executive committee would be to respond to the immediate legal issues and you know as well as anybody else we have a lot of legal issues around the table right now.
Question: What are the goals for White Birch?
Ken Passage:
I want to. make sure that there is meaningful and timely information in advance to members so they can give feedback to the board. I want to see recreational opportunities improve and be promoted by the board. I want to continue to maintain what we a have, we need to make sure we spend what we need to keep it that way.
Don Papesh: The promotion of this place is very very important I think we have the facilities here to promote quite a bit. Also I may be helping some of the local realtors in pursuing selling some of the property. Some of the things I would like to see is more cooperation in that we have an excellent number of committees and would like their input, because they look at it in a different way. Committees are very important here and I would like to see that even more. We did have work group session and I don’t particularly care for work group sessions.
Dave Conley:
I would just like to stop seeing for sale signs going up on people’s houses because there is a or personality problem. I’d like to see everybody get along and have the White Birch
wave and be done with this mess.
Brian Kozlowski:
I guess that’s what gets around to what Abe Lincoln said about some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time and not everybody all of the time. I have a personal agenda and I don’t mean things for me. The things I think should be done like the sheds for the campers; it’s a good idea. My goal is to serve the people, to serve this community.
Dan Holzer:
Ken has already covered what I was going to basically say.
Question: Tom Bagnasco lot #155: Where do you see White Birch 20 years from now?
Dave Conley: I see it pretty much like it is right now just bigger. But I have a real problem with the powers to be saying you can’t plant that tree or you can’t put up a length offence. We have a recreational community here, most everybody is sitting out in their yard they are not allowed to have a building big enough to put their things in. I don’t think that’s right, now you have to have some restrictions on the building they need to have the same roof pitch, same shingles, use your head here a little bit. Now 960 square feet will handle one car and a pair of bicycles basically. We need reasonable building.
Brian Kozlowski: We did change the restrictions, the roof pitch does have to match the house, the shingles have to match the house, the siding has to match the house and we have to import the building codes. We also increased the size that is permissible. We have changed the outbuilding status to better comport with the concept with this recreational community. Copies are available at the clubhouse.
Marv Richardson: I happen to believe there is a reason for our covenants and restrictions. I have to believe there are a major percentage of the members three years ago voted to reconfirm the covenants and restrictions. I know each year more and more new people move in, whether they are misinformed when they buy in or like somebody said they think they are going to change or just not follow. If you’re going to have covenants and restrictions you have to follow covenants and restrictions. Four years ago when I came on the board that was a big issue, do you support the covenants and restrictions, yes I do. Two years ago it was a big issue, do I support the covenants and restrictions, yes I do. It is not always popular to support the covenants and restrictions, especially when you have people who want to build what they want to build when they want to build it and how big they want to build it. Then you become more unpopular when you say I am obligated by my position as a official of White Birch Lakes that I am going to have to seek all legal ramifications whatever it takes, to make sure that you comply to all the
covenants and restrictions. If you don’t like the covenants and restrictions then to push to change the covenants and restrictions. You can’t have rules and not follow them.
Question: We have tried for four years to have a complete audit and why haven’t we had one yet?
Brian Kozlowski: We had an auditor here to verify our accounting practices follow normal executive accounting practices. Every year the books are financially audited by an independent accountant. In the last four years we know where every penny went. The mangers and board from the past years did not keep track of that and we cannot tell you what they did with that money. The money that has come in since I was on the board we can account for every penny.
Mary Richards: I saw in one of the flyers “do you believe that your money has been well spent over the last 20 years?” and I tell you what I don’t believe we could find a board member here today that would say yes they did a real good job spending my money. But I think what the board members are alluding to is that we have made major changes to make sure that your money is accounted for. No more of this secret about who gets paid and what they get paid. This kind of rumor just doesn’t happen.
Question: Are the new candidates going to follow the same procedures that we are 25% over budget and the paid help got bonuses last year.
Brian Kozlowski: We were over budget this year by 22.5%, understand that that was the first line item budget where we were going to try and keep track of all expenses. That budget was a estimate and as we did go over it we also exceeded revenue. We will continue to have a budget now that we have bases to go by and we can keep to that budget. We have a responsibility to oversee that budget and I hope the new board continues to do that too. As far as bonuses go Christmas bonuses were given to salary help as has been done in the past years. It was not significant amounts of money.
Don Papesh: The only bonuses were Christmas time bonuses. We looked at the revenue coming in and we were way ahead of schedule on revenue, and we decided those people deserved the same thing they got the year before and basically they were salary people only. It was very well deserved, we have a great group of people here and we appreciate what they do.
Question: Todd Graham lot # 956 957: In the years you have lived in White Birch what have you done for White Birch.
Dave Conley: I have stayed in my own backyard and stayed out of everyone’s business. I’ve never been on a committee but I am pretty good at staying out of other people’s business.
Dan Holzer: Along with Dave I have
tried to keep my nose out of everybody’s business. I have volunteered to help
clean up the park at
Ken Passage: I was on the by laws committee, when we amended and totally revised the by laws. I like to keep involved and want to do a lot more in the community.
Question: Do you believe that the salaries of White Birch employees are comparable to the area?
Marty Perkins: I can answer that question real quick myself our salary base is where it should be. I am sorry I answered the question from this young man in the back I should of let the candidates answer that.
Don Papesh: We polled the local road commission, for what we should pay for maintenance in here I think they are very much in line. When you’re managing a budget of roughly $420,000.00 And doing the things that Gail does, yes we actually look at her and what Tim had done in the past and virtually what Gail had to do for us it was very much in line.
Question: Security?
Security got to the bottom of some breaking and entering with help from our security, we did catch the 5 people, not such about the number, the people were catch and admitted to the crimes in here. We have good competent people on security now. Back four years ago I did not see those people I see that today. There was a vote by the members in here to either go with the gate codes or the proximity cards, they voted to stay with the gate code.
Question: .Matt Lucas lot # 404 405 406: If you’re the CEO of a hundred million dollar company do you stop relying on volunteers and get professional help for plans for the future?
Dave Conley: I don’t know what else could be planned out, the whole thing is laid out, lots are bought and sold, and unless you put in a mall or something I don’t see it. People want to come here to live you need to maintain what you have. I don’t know what else could really be done.
Brian Kozlowski: We can only go so far with volunteers, we
have a future committee, and they are doing a great
job. You’re looking at way down the road and is what
we probably should be doing. This is a city and every city
has a master plan and we don’t have one. A master plan would be very
encompassing and we need to look at professional individuals coming in and
formulating a master plan for our community. Eventually we are going to be the
controlling votes in
Marv Richardson: One of the things we have to do as a association is stop thinking small. We need to be looking around, is there room for a golf course, and is there a place to put horses. We need to plan now for what we want 5 10 15 years from now.
The association has acquired three lots and those lots will be used for an emergency entrance and exit. That was part of the expenditure of last year.
At this time Marty Perkins closed the election. The voting committee consisted of Mike Turner, Jackie Hutek, Marilyn Lesparance, Gary Farnham, Bob Pelfry, and Priscilla Moore. The chairperson of the Voting Committee was Mary Perkins.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
EPC:
Chick Witchell stated that for July month we had 4 trees, 2 driveways, 1 garage, and 1 shed. From July 04 to July 05 we had 17 new campsites, 11 contiguous lots, 29 driveways, 41 tree removals, 13 others, 5 garages, 7 sheds, and 7 new residences. This gives us the total of 297 homes. EPC has adopted a new business statement this year.
Futures Committee:
The Future Committee consists of myself, Joe Romine, Cheryl Costantino, Tom and Karen
House, Al Issac, Betty Wise and Matt Lucus.
Campground:
Fred Witchell improvements are the shower wall inside the bathrooms, there is a new septic system. I would like to thank Gary Cheadle because he helped with the campground all last year. I am looking for any volunteer that wants to help.
Security:
Tom Forman, head of security, reports that security has been going good lately, there hasn’t been any more problems with break ins. The suspects of the pervious breaks ins have all plead guilty expect 2 of them and they will appear in court the first of August.
Neighbor watch has been put into effect over the 4th of July weekend and it worked out great.
Entrance Committee:
Greg Hemden expressed their thanks to volunteers that helped. The bus stop had a cost of $5400.00 in material, we subcontracted out the cement work, we bad cost in electrical, and the total cost of the building was $11,000.00. If you depreciated that over 10 or 20 years span I think your getting pretty good value for your money. This is my opinion.
In regards to the gatehouse, “why did we have to get rid of the gatehouse,” it was deteriorating badly and I do have 8 by 10 glossy photos of that damage and deterioration. It was a hazard standing there. A suggestion was made to use Amish buildings. I did go and look at their construction methods and they do not compare in any way, shape or form with what we’re doing out there. Our building will last for 10 or 20 years and we have something to be proud of.
Seedling and Sapling:
We have around 120 kids in White Birch Lakes we need to get more of them involved. We had 30 kids show up for the fishing contest and S for the scavenger hunt.
Conservation Committee:
Al Issac informs us that the conservation committee will basically cover three areas, our forest, our wildlife and our lakes. What we are looking at is breaking that down to three sub committees. An area of concern that has been brought up recently is our deer herd, we have a lot of inbreeding going on and we need to address this pretty soon or we could lose our deer herd. I am not sure what the answer is we are working with the DNR to figure out what to do to thin the herd. We need people who are interested in being on any of those three committees. If interested please see Gail at the clubhouse.
Comments from the Floor:
How many employees do we have and how much of the budget does it cost us? Gail White answered we have approximately 10 part time people, 2 full time employees. I would take a wild guess and say its high at about 50%. The 3 security persons are all part time and get paid only for the hours that they work.
Is someone paid to be with the kids at the bus stop or is that volunteer work?
Yes they are paid, its very hard to get someone to go there at
Why don’t we post a list of all the deadbeats that are not paying their assessments? The board would like to give them a chance to work out a plan to pay off their dues. Its been the practice of the board to try and protect their privacy a little bit even though personally sometimes I don’t think they deserve it. There are people delinquent as far back as 15 or 20 years. If you are not a member of good standing you are not allowed to speak at meetings or vote.
When was the lake was stocked? The
lakes were stocked last fall. Tom Dorsey could tell
you more on the lake stocking, I believe the lakes are
stocked every other year. Last year we put bass in
Marty Perkins announced the result of the election, the first 2 Directors that will be serving 3 years will be Ken Passage and Dave Conley, and the 3 person that will be serving a 2 year term is Dan Holzer.
Motion to burn last years ballots, seconded and motion passed. Motion to adjourn the
meeting….. motion passed.