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CALL TO ORDER: August 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM by Jack Leonard
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
President – Jack Leonard – Present
Secretary – Dawn Oliver – Absent
Treasurer – Rex Roseberry – Present
Director of Administration – Charles Bush - Present
Director of Security – Mel Carver - Present
Director of Roads/Maintenance – Paul Lemmon - Present
Director of Lake & Conservation – Scott Moushey – Present
Motion for approval of July Minutes (as published in the August 2008 Newsletter) Motion to approve by Charles Bush, Seconded by Mel Carver, Vote Count: 6 Board Members in favor, 0 Board Members opposed, 1 Board Member Absent, Motion Carried.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Jack Leonard –
We are continuing to evaluate the option of incorporation as a village. We have spoken with Dave Bodo of Bodo and Associates to inquire about the cost to complete the mapping and have spoken with both the County Auditor and Prosecutor to determine the best course of action. A brochure, along with the petition, will be available at the Octoberfest.
The Board has discussed the possibility of constructing a small pavilion located either across from the office or added to the west beach. Funds generated from this year’s Octoberfest can be used to help cover the cost.
The Fish Club will be holding a pancake breakfast this Saturday from 8 – 11AM. All proceeds will go to benefit the recent fire victims in the community. Additionally, the may have donation collection available at the Octoberfest. Please support our neighbors during this difficult time.
I want to thank everyone who is utilizing the Recycling Center. This is a wonderful way to reduce our trash in landfills and preserve the environment.
SECRETARY’S REPORT: Dawn Oliver
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4 Orientations were conducted during the past month.
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On August 13, 2008, the Board of Directors approved a temporary change to the Association sign policy. Due to the current housing market woes, the Board has agreed to allow home “For Sale” signs to be placed on the property from 6PM on Friday until 8PM on Sunday. This policy change will be in effect for six months and will revert back to the primary policy unless renewed.
TREASURER’S REPORT: Rex Roseberry
We have been hit with pretty significant increase in our operating costs to include fuel, legal fees and most recently a 55% increase in cost to purchase road salt for the winter. Scott and I will look for any possible cost cutting measures, but please keep in mind that if the trend continues we will have no choice but to ask for a dues increase for next year.
Motion for approval of August Treasurer’s Report: Motion to Approve by Chuck Bush, Seconded by Scott Moushey, Vote Count: 6 Board Members in favor, 0 Board Members opposed, 1 Board Member Absent, Motion Carried.
DIRECTOR OF ADMIN: Chuck Bush
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The office computer hardware upgrade is nearly complete. Once the hardware is in place, the proposed Access based system, which may replace the DOS Membership Pro program, will be installed for testing purposes only. We will keep the community informed of the progress.
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The Board has agreed to change the date to renew the Lace Road and Keno Road gate controllers after this year. As recommended by a property owner, we will be renewing controllers at a reduced rate in May. This will prevent any member who is delinquent paying annual dues from having access through these gates.
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September is the month to renew your lease for boat storage spaces.
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Grinder pump billings were mailed on August 15th and are due on September 15th. If payment is not made, it can result in service being denied until payment is made.
DIRECTOR OF SECURITY: Mel Carver
It seems hard to believe that it’s that time of year again, when school buses will be driving around the lake picking up your children and taking them to school. Please remember to obey our posted 25MPH speed limit on our roadways, especially during the morning and evening hours when children will be getting on or off buses. They sometimes don’t look when running to catch the bus or running home after a hard day at school. Give them and yourself a chance by slowing down and stopping in an assured clear distance behind a stopped school bus.
We recently had a theft of a boat trailer from the storage area. Make sure if you have something stored there, that it is secured as best as possible and that it has all the proper identification markings. Again, if you see any suspicious activity, make sure you report it to our Deputies. No TIP is to SMALL!!!
We are looking at having a Community meeting on the next year’s Independence Day celebration sometime towards the end of October. We will keep you posted once we have an exact date.
I would like to thank the Fish Club and all the members of the Community who have really stepped up with support and donations to help the Chris Grubbs family get back on their feet after a devastating fire at their residence. We also will be taking donations during the Octoberfest. If you would like to donate or help out in any way, please contact the lake office or me. The Brown Township Fire Department and surrounding departments did an excellent job of containing the fire to one area of the residence. We truly are lucky to live in such a GREAT COMMUNITY!!
Deputy’s Report
Our Lake Mohawk Deputies provided 7 community service calls this month. For the month our Deputies patrolled 2996 miles, and consumed 271 gallons of fuel in the cruisers and 100.2 gallons of fuel in the patrol boats. For the month our Deputies logged 807.5 hours. Citations can be found elsewhere in the newsletter.
The following incidents were reported to the Carroll County Sheriffs/Mohawk Post:
1 – Theft (Cheyenne Trail area)
1 – Theft (East Mohawk/Cheyenne Trail area)
1 – Breaking & Entering (East Mohawk/Cheyenne Trail area)
1 – Criminal Mischief
2 - Incident
1 – Crash
One of families here at Lake Mohawk suffered a terrible loss. Their home caught fire and was severely damaged, including the loss of a beloved pet. This community has come together to help this family and you too can assist. This property owner is in need of many items. Donations would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to help the victims of this fire please contact Mel Carver, Director of Security.
We would like to thank the Brown Township Fire Department for their quick response to the house fire. The BTFD has responded quickly to all calls we have had in our community. Their dedication to serve is exemplary and to be commended. Thanks again!
School will be back in session at the reading of this newsletter. Please use caution driving our roadways and be mindful of the 25 m.p.h. posted speed limit. Remember; you can not pass a bus that is stopped with lights flashing. Let’s keep our children safe this season!
Remember: When boating at dusk/night watercraft must have proper navigational lights. If you have any questions regarding the rules of the water please don’t hesitate to contact our office. Any of our deputies would be glad to assist you with any questions you may have. Let’s continue to have a safe boating season and boat wisely.
In the printing of the June newsletter I inadvertently left an important contributor to our July festivities out of the printing. Our thanks to the Brown Township Fire Department for giving up their day to ensure our community could enjoy theirs. Thanks again BTFD, without you the fireworks would not go off!
MANDATORY: All trailers MUST have their lot numbers displayed. This was made mandatory by the Property Owners Association Board Members. A lot of trailers do not have their lot numbers on them; this makes it difficult for us to locate the owner of the trailers if needed. Additionally, should your trailer be stolen (we recently had a trailer stolen) this lot number assists us in recovery.
Submitted by Captain Dick Moyer
DIRECTOR OF ROADS AND MAINTENANCE: Paul Lemmon
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Repaired electrical lighting at from gate
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Serviced Keno Road and Lace Road Gates
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Completed routine mowing of all common areas
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Completed several repairs at the Snack Shop
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Sprayed weeds and replaced marker posts in the Boat Storage as needed
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Removed sunken boat from the lake
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Completed all weed control in the Boat Storage Area
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Replaced culvert at West Mohawk and Oneida
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Cut and removed tree that fell on Niagra
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Trimed trees and growth back at intersection of Ottawa and East Mohawk
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Completed berm repairs and ditching on Iriquois, Manito and Ontarios
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Repaired the foot wash and replaced volleyball net at Main Beach
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Repaired the broken window at the Clubhouse
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Maintenance used 219 gallons of Diesel Fuel and 82 gallons of gasoline
DIRECTOR OF LAKE AND CONSERVACTION MGMT: Scott Moushey
This past month their was a significant fish kill at our lake.
Fish kills in Ohio lakes occur every year. They can result from a variety
of causes but the most common are weather, vegetation, and the
interaction of the two. As I drove on my boat, it caused me great concern
to see dead fish floating around. The fish began to die and become
visible while I was away on vacation. It happened right after a lake weed
treatment and either of a few scenarios could have occurred according to
our Lake Treatment contractor and experts from OSU Extension office. Most
of the scenarios involve a loss of oxygen in the lake.
After any weed treatment, oxygen consumption far outpaces
oxygen production and oxygen levels in the lake begin to decline
significantly. Couple this situation with a calm cloudy day or two, and a
fish kill can occur. The first fish to die are the larger ones as their
oxygen needs are greater. This seems to be the case at Lake Mohawk. A
sunny day will quickly raise oxygen levels and end the fish kill. Oxygen
levels were measured after the fish were found and was measured at 8ppm.
Oxygen levels are harmful to largemouth bass and bluegill at about 3-
4ppm.
Premature Fall turnover could also have occurred in our lake.
Lakes are stratified in the summer, with a warm upper layer on top of a
colder bottom layer. These layers do not usually mix until fall. The
decomposition of organic matter results in the bottom colder layer losing
most of its oxygen by August. This is not a problem unless the lake turns
over in August or September. Premature mixing can be brought on by a
heavy cold rain. In a heavy rain event, the cold rain water plunges
through the warm upper layer towards the bottom. The mixing of oxygen
deficient water with the oxygenated water can cause oxygen to fall to
levels lethal to fish.
Our lake manager collected samples of the dead fish
immediately. All the samples of the dead or dying fish had snails present
in their intestinal tract. The three live fish that were harvested did
not contain any snails. Tissue samples from the fish showed no visible
signs of parasites. Our lake manager has also been in contact with a
company that performs pathology studies for fisheries. Their
representative has suggested several possibilities for the mortality.
These are either environmental versus pathogen based mortality. We are
currently seeking a quote for screening the following: Bacteria, Virus,
Hystology, Necroscopy, and Toxicology.
Also, we are in the continuing process of our fight against the
parasite that causes Swimmers itch. We will be contacting the Ohio
Department Of Natural Resources Wildlife Division's bird experts before
any decisions will be made.
LAKE MANAGER: Scott Noble
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A “Meet the Candidates” night has been scheduled for Thursday, October 16th at 6PM. The forum will allow each candidate with an opportunity to discuss their primary platform and answer questions from constituents. All concerned property owners are encouraged to attend.
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All property owners who currently have a delinquent balance, and who have not established a payment plan, have been forwarded to legal counsel for collection. If payment is not made, a lien will be placed on the property until the account is paid in full.
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I would like to again remind everyone that Property Maintenance Code inspections continue. Please review the code to be certain that your property is in compliance. Additionally, please review the guidelines regarding trash collection. It is a violation to place trash at the curb that is not in a container. We have experienced problems with rodents leaving a mess because of this. Please have all trash in containers or risk being cited. This will be the only warning. * The audit is complete and copies are available at the administrative office. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
* Major roadway repairs have been completed and we realize there is still work to be done. Patching will continue by our Maintenance staff.
* Octoberfest is scheduled for September 21st. I encourage everyone to volunteer and participate in our one fundraiser of the year.
COMMITTEES – Water Rate Committee
WATER RATES FINAL REPORT
The Water Rate issue has reached a conclusion. The stipulation (or agreement between the parties) has been approved today (8/27/08) by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Commissioners. The next step is for Mohawk Utilities to notify its customers of the rate change before implementing the new rates.
The final new rates show a substantial pull-back by the PUCO Staff in their recommendations previously made for the water volume rates (increase of 25% vs. 114% previously recommended by PUCO) and a denial of a $20.00/ month Customer Charge (it remains at $5.00). Some of this Customer Charge costs were absorbed by an increase in the Available for Use Fee.
Average full-time residential users (4,127 gallons/month) should see approximately a 21.5% increase in their total costs over current rates. This amounts to an average annual increase of $94.00 as compared to the $254.14 originally requested by Mohawk Utilities and $430.25 originally recommended by the PUCO Staff.
Seasonal and non-full-time residential users (snow birds) will have to pay the equivalent of the Available for Use fee ($11.81/month) if they use less than 500 gallons /month. Currently they must pay a $5.00 monthly Customer Charge and a volume charge of $0.76/hundred gallons up to 500 gallons ($3.80).
The Available for Use Fee has been increased from $8.36 to $11.81/month and the yard hydrant fee has gone from $12.65 to $13.28/ month for the 12 users of this service.
Separately, Mohawk Utilities has negotiated a new 3 year agreement with the Village of Malvern for the purchase of extra water. This agreement has rates of $3.25 /1000 gallons for the period 7/2008 through 7/2009, and $3.62, $3.87 for the following two years. Unlike the previous agreement, there is no minimum purchase requirement. Under the old agreement Mohawk Utilities was required to purchase 18 million gallons annually at a rate of $2.25/1000 gallons). OCC has stipulated that Mohawk Utilities file quarterly reports on the amount of water purchased monthly from Malvern so that this activity can be monitored.
CLUB REPORTS –
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
MOTION TO APPROVE: an increased fee and supplemental billing for the Grinder Pump Maintenance Program. This is being proposed due to a significant increased in cost for replacement pumps and parts. The supplemental billing will be $55.00. Without this increase, the program could not be continued and the cost for a service call by an outside contractor would likely exceed $2,500.00. Date of the billing to be determined. Motion to Approve by Rex Roseberry, Seconded by Mel Carver, Vote count: 6 Board Members in favor, 0 Board members opposed, 1 Board member absent, Motion Carried
NEW BUISNESS: Motion to table a request for variance to the Lake Mohawk Building Code. Motion to Table by Scott Moushey, Seconded by Paul Lemmon, Vote Count: 6 Board Members in favor, 0 Board Members opposed, 1 Board Member Absent, Motion Carried.
ADJOURNMENT – 7:25PM with 30 property owners signed in.
OPEN FORUM:
Lot 55 – Folks, I am very gravely concerned that our Board of Directors is once again considering the idea of incorporating as a village (that means going public, not private). This notion has been defeated in the past on several occasions and needs soundly defeated again. Have you any idea the magnitude of such a maneuver? Are you willing to give up everything you moved here for, for a measly sum from the county (ultimately from you, the taxpayer)? I'm not. The President of the Board is. He has stated to me at the August board meeting that he is in favor of this idea as it currently stands. Let him know that you are not in favor.
Do you think the county has Lake Mohawk's best interest at heart?
I have spoken to no less than four past Board members (two were presidents) and there is a consensus that over time our gates would come down, our lake would no longer be under our jurisdiction, and what about our golf course? Once you accept funds from the county, that's it. You are opening a can of worms that you don't want opened.
How about fishing licenses and Ohio state boater's registration numbers? Are you ready for that?
How about no gates? What do you think this would do to your property values? Oh, by the way, do you think your property taxes would go down when your property values fall? Yeah, right.
Folks, this is a serious business. You do not want to incorporate as a village. Another layer of taxes is the last thing you or I need for such things as a village council, a village mayor, etc.
What about a village income tax and another property tax increase? This makes no sense.
This would fundamentally change the structure of our beautiful gated community and I believe turn it into just another neighborhood.
This would require a major change in our general warranty deed which would require two thirds of the lot owners in Lake Mohawk to agree to in writing. See item 10 of your general warranty deed.
Our Board is required to uphold the constitution of Lake Mohawk and our constitution is subordinate to our general warranty deed, see section 21.1 of the constitution. We are a sub-division not a village as stated in our constitution, our general warranty deed, and our deed restrictions. This is how we are organized and this is how we wish to remain.
Please, for your own sake and the sake of your Lake Mohawk neighbors, tell
Jack Leonard, Board President, and all the Board members, thanks but no
thanks. We are a private, gated, lake community and we wish to stay that
way, that's why we moved here. And we urge the Board to stop pursuing this
idea forever.
Lot 732 – We need to look into using harvesters as opposed to treating the lake with chemicals. Chemicals are killing the lake and the fish. We also need to be concerned about any chemicals that can enter the lake, to include the chemicals used to clean watercraft at the Marina.
Lot 643 – New property owner claimed that they counted 200 dead bass. He is concerned that the label claims the chemicals are toxic. Questions whether the use of these chemicals are authorized by the EPA.
Lot 653 – Property owner is concerned that the dead fish will drop property values. Also concerned about the walking path – the pavement needs to be sealed, trees need to be trimmed and leaves need to be picked up to prevent them from entering the lake. Property owner feels we are being over run by raccoons because of the dead fish and that trash cans need to be cleaned at the docking areas.
Lot 726 – Property owner stated concern that although he likes the recent road repairs, we need to be cautious of those areas where moisture seeps up through the roadway. A French drain needs to be installed under the roadway before paving is completed.
Lot 1213 – Property owner questioned whether the lake had ever tried to use a harvester as opposed to weed treatment. He stated that he has heard very positive reports from other areas that have used them.
Lot 726 – Property owner questioned whether any consideration has been given to charging those property owners who abuse their grinder pump. She does not feel that everyone should have to pay for those how are not properly following the guidelines.
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