Hamilton Lake Indiana Association, Steuben County

HAMILTON LAKE ASSOCIATION
Minutes of the Board of Directors
August 12, 2008

Janet Albright called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the following present: Jack Thompson, Bill Martins, Sandy Patterson, Ro Pape, Dennis Germann, Jim Honiotes, Linda Skelly, and Tom Blood. Jerry Smith, Chad Appleman, and Randy Pape were also in attendance.

A motion to accept the minutes of the July 8 meeting was made by Dennis Germann and seconded by Sandy Patterson. Motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Jack reported $23,920.32 in the checking, $45,000.00 in CD accounts, for a total of $68,920.32. There are two outstanding bills that total $20,365.00. We are still waiting to receive funds from the state.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Weed Control and Buoys: Bill has replaced 17 weights and 8 new buoys. The most recent weed treatment was done on August 6. Eel Grass and algae were treated on August 7. A granular chemical was put on the Eel Grass. Continue to monitor the milfoil.

Steuben County Lakes Council: Tom reported that the annual meeting was held. A program on geese management was presented. A resident goose produces an average of 5-7 eggs and a transient goose an average of 3-5 eggs. Indiana has expanded the hunting season.

Black Creek: There is two grant dates. December 31 for dredging and January 31 for stabilization. Janet talked with Kent Tracy of the Indiana DNR. He will continue to work with Williams Creek. Jerry Smith volunteered to work with the Black Creek Project Committee.

OLD BUSINESS:

Delivery of Membership Decals: It was suggested we mail them to members next year. Janet looked into the possibility of sending a mailing with the town water billing. The utility office will take the matter to the Town Board Meeting for approval. The next billing will be prepared the week of August 25. A motion was made by Dennis Germann and seconded by Bill Martins to send a friendly reminder for membership and or weed spray monies along with the utility bill if approved by the town. First preference is to have it mailed with the sewer billing. Second preference would be the water bill. Motion carried.

Celebrate Hamilton Fundraiser: Report by Ro Pape and Jim Honiotes. 160 tickets were sold. Live auction items brought $5,100.00. To date, $13,011.40 has been deposited and $2,109.90 is the expense. As of now each organization will receive approximately $5,450.75. There are pending deposits and expenses.

Callendar Property: The land trust is working with the family regarding a purchase price and the intentions of the land.

Website: If anyone has new attractions, or links to offer, especially for the calendar, please let Janet know.

NEW BUSINESS:

Community Appreciation Day, sponsored by the Town Council, was held on August 10. Hamilton Lake Association was presented with a “Certificate of Appreciation” and a Key to the town.

Workshop: Chad Appleman of Davey Resource Group presented ideas for a workshop that his company would sponsor and the lake association would host. Davey would put together a ½ day or full day workshop or field day along with team players from the association. Chad presented topics that the workshop could cover such as: effective weed management strategies, watershed and lake tour, shoreline stabilization techniques, etc. The day could begin with a breakfast or include a lunch. Davey suggests involving the Indiana Lakes Management Society and inviting its members to the workshop. There are several possibilities to explore and Chad asked that we think about it. The board seemed favorable of the idea and will bring the matter up in future meetings.

Conservancy District: Discussion took place regarding the purpose of the conservancy. The next public meeting will be later in August.

A motion to adjourn was made by Dennis Germann and seconded by Ro Pape. Motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Next meeting is September 9.

Secretary

Linda Skelly

Hamilton Lake Association Board Meeting July 8, 2008

Treasurer’s Report: The Association has $45,000 in CD’s and $44,000 in cash. It also has $41,100 in outstanding bills. These bills have not yet been paid as one for $18,750 is eligible for a 90% reimbursement from LARE and so it will be turned over to the State and the other paid by July 18.

There will be a Steuben County Lakes Council meeting at the Christian Fellowship on Lake James on CR 275, just off of 200W on August 2 at 8:30. Among the items on the agenda is Canada Geese control.

The Black Creek project is moving, albeit slowly. An engineer from Williams Creek was here on July 10 to take samples from the Cold Springs property north of the golf course to determine its suitability for placement of sediment from the lake. On the down side, there will be no construction grant this year because the grant application was apparently submitted too late for consideration. Next year’s application will be done in a timely manner.

As a result of comments from the annual meeting in June, next year’s request for memberships and contributions will be done by first class mailing which is more labor intensive and costly but also more effective in reaching the potential members. Those letters will again be sent out in late April and, once again, Clark’s Landing Co-op dues and contributions will be handled by Randy and Ro Pape.

The Celebrate Hamilton auction and party will be upon us soon. It is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Saturday Aug. 2 at the Clark’s Landing marina. I have tickets as do Ro Pape and Georjean Bush. Please plan to come as all proceeds will be used for lake and town enhancement.

All articles regarding Hamilton lake on our website www.hamiltonlake.org have been updated with current information.

New officers were elected at the July meeting. Janet Albright will be the new president, Bill Dillon will be V-P, and Jack Thompson and Linda Skelly remain as treasurer and secretary, respectively. Board members are elected for two year terms with reps from districts 1, 3, and 5 elected on odd-numbered years, with 2 and 4 on even numbered years. Thus, Ro, Georjean and I will all be up for re-election next year.

Our next board meeting will be on Tuesday, August 12 at the Fish and Game.

Summary of the June 10 Hamilton Lake Association Board meeting

(These are not the minutes of our meeting, simply my notes highlighting main concerns)

Present: Ro Pape, Linda Skelly, Tom Blood, Dennis Germann (completing Mike Roop’s term), Georjean Bush, Bill Martins, Kay Nims, Jack Thompson, Adam Clinton, Janet Albright, Jim Honiotes, Tom Blood, Tony Hile and Bill Dillon

Minutes of the April meeting were approved with minor word changes

Jack Thompson reported that the Association has current assets of $82,293. Of that, $45,000 is held in CD’s with the balance in the association checking account. Weed control bills for May and June have not been submitted at this time. Contributions have been received from a total of 390 individuals, out of a potential of 1000. Approximately $33,000 has been collected in donations in 2008. (Typical expenses during a given year are around $60,000)

Bill Martins reported that water treatments for week and algae control were made on May 6 in Crystal Bay, and on May 21 and 28 in Hamilton Lake, and on June 4 copper sulfide was added for algae. Bill pointed out that Sonar would have to be used again next year for milfoil at a cost which will exceed $100,000.

Tom Blood reported on the Steuben County Lakes Council. He noted that the first annual “Turf Festival will be held at Crooked Lake on Wednesday, June 25, at 5 p.m. The festival will include competitions, a design competition to advertise proper fertilizing techniques and products, and a seminar at 7:00 p.m.

Work on the Black Creek grant continues. Williams Creek consultants have been working on permits involving notice to area landowners and discussions have been held with Robert Watkins regarding a location for material dredged from the mouth of Black Creek. The cost share grant applied for will be acted on by the state in July.

A “No Wake” sign was ordered and installed at the entrance to Crystal Bay. Other signs were placed in the narrows leading to the Mill Pond.

Membership stickers to 2008 members are being hand delivered by board members as they come in. There was a lengthy discussion of the difference between joining the HLA as a member ($10) and paying for weed control, which annually costs more than ten times the revenue produced by memberships. There is a concern that many people simply do not know what their obligation is as landowners on Hamilton Lake when it comes to weed control. A variety of methods of improving communication were discussed.

It was noted that many articles on the www.hamiltonlake.org website are dated and need to be updated or replaced. Work has begun on this project.

There was a discussion of the “Celebrate Hamilton” auction and party scheduled for August 2 at the Clark’s Landing Marina. Getting a good turnout for the party is a high priority and board members have continued to work at getting donations for the auction and silent auction.

The next meeting for the HLA is the annual meeting for all members at Gnagy Park on June 21, with coffee and donuts at 8:00 a.m. The next meeting of the HLA Board will be July 8 at the Fish and Game at 7 p.m.

Summary of the May 13 Hamilton Lake Association Board meeting

(These are not the minutes of our meeting, simply my notes highlighting main concerns)

Present: Linda Skelly, Ginny DeBrunner, Tom Blood, Mike Roop, Georjean Bush, Bill Martins, Kay Nims, Jack Thompson, Adam Clinton, Janet Albright, Scott Federoff, Jim Honiotes, and Bill Dillon

Minutes of the April meeting were approved

Jack Thompson reported that the Association has several CD’s amounting to $45,000 with $36, 928 in the checkbook. It is important to note that so far this year, $43,135 has been donated from 309 members.

(On Wednesday, May 14, a Sonar application was made in Crystal Bay and Crystal Cove at a cost of $8,000. That bill has not yet been paid. Weed suppression for the lake has not been started as water temps must average 62 degrees before R-4-D can be applied)

Bill Martins also reported that 14 nests and 68 Canada Goose eggs have been treated. Additionally, he indicated that buoys will be returned to the water beginning this week. Twelve new buoys have been ordered at a cost of $87 each.

Tom Blood reported on the Steuben County Lakes Council. A current concern has to do with fertilizers used on lake properties. The Council encourages lakers to use non-phosphorus or low phosphorus fertilizer. Steuben County soils do not need phosphorus. There will be a survey conducted at the HLA annual meeting on June 21 at Gnagy Park. The meeting will begin at 8:00 with coffee and donuts. The general meeting will begin at 8:30.

Work on the Black Creek grant continues. Beth Neilson reports that 24,000 cubic yards of material should be dredged from the mouth of the creek and the area at the mouth of the Clark’s Landing channel. We are working on determining where this material can be placed. The grant for the construction phase of the project has not yet been granted.

Under old business it was reported that we have obtained and up-to-date GSI listing of all Hamilton Lake area residents. Koozies ordered in the fall for distribution via the Hamilton Welcome committee along with a brochure explaining the purpose of the HLA have been obtained and will be provided to the Welcome committee.

Membership stickers to 2008 members are being hand delivered by board members---

We are checking on the construction of a series of docks immediately south of the public boat landing at Circle Park. A request has been made to rebuild and expand this dock area. At this time approval is still pending.

Under new business it was decided to purchase and install a “No Wake” sign at the entrance to Crystal Bay. The commercial no wake sign that had been located on the east side of the entrance has been taken down. A new sign, sponsored by the HLA, will be installed soon. At the annual meeting we will introduce the 2008/09 board. Two members are leaving the board, Kay Nims and Mike Roop. We are currently looking for replacements who can be introduced and elected at the annual meeting. Members up for re-election who have indicated a willingness to continue to serve include Janet Albright, Tom Blood and Bill Dillon. The board also approved purchase of new instruments for the weather station which is used on the hamiltonlake.org website. There was also a lengthy discussion of the situation of the Callender property on the north end of the lake. The HLA will work with area conservation groups to aggressively pursue acquisition of the property by an area land trust.

Finally, it was agreed that the HLA would work together with the Hamilton Improvement Team in sponsoring a silent auction on August 2 as a fundraiser for both organizations’ projects. As there will be no wine tasting this year, the silent auction will be held at the Clark’s Landing Marina. Donations of articles for the silent auction are urgently solicited. You can contact any board member regarding the auction which will be held from 6-9 p.m. at the marina. There will be an auction, a silent auction, cash bar, hors d’ oeuvres by TGM Catering and the Little Big Band will be there. Cost is $20 per person. The event is entitled “Celebrate Hamilton.”

The next meeting of the HLA board will take place at 7 pm at the Fish and Game on Tuesday, June 10. The meeting was adjourned at 9:20.

Agenda, Hamilton Lake Association, October 9, 2007

Call to Order: Bill Dillon

Approval of Minutes: Linda Skelly

Treasurer’s Report: Jack Thompson : Current treasury total is $37,028, of which $36,000 is in CD’s All bills have been paid at this time. We should get app. $6,000 from the state to reimburse for our Black Creek engineering study.

Committee Reports

Weed Control and Buoys: All buoys will be removed on October 13/14. Twelve were damaged enough during the season to require replacement. This will happen in the spring.

Lakes Council: Tom Blood ---- Lakes Council continues to work for an outright ban on phosphorus-containing fertilizers at Indiana lake locations

Black Creek Grant: Bill Dillon----Our LARE grant for the construction phase of the Black Creek project has been re-written and submitted. New grants will be awarded in July, 2008. Hopefully, dredging and creekbed stabilization will be included. The marina channel entrance was examined as part of this project. It is hard to say that dredging of the channel could be included because of cost.

Old Business

We should be able to get an updated list of Hamilton area property owners for our spring mailing via access to Steuben County G.I.S. Ginny DeBrunner is working on this.

A new computer and camera are at work maintaining the hamiltonlake.org website. Check it out.

Koozies have been ordered for distribution through the Hamilton Welcome committee for new residents. New 2008 decals have also been ordered for members.

New Business

Preparations for October meeting---last meeting until March: Our membership letters will not go out in October as in the past but in April, 2008. It is important for members to realize that they will get those letters close to the summer season and they need to respond quickly….hopefully. We are working with the Printing Place in Angola to handle our April mailing which should save money over our handling this mailing ourselves.

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Fish and Game, Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Agenda
Hamilton Lake Association, August 14, 2007

Call to Order: Bill Dillon

Guest presentation from Joe Schneider regarding weed control; concerns about Sonar resistant invasive weeds

Approval of Minutes: Linda Skelly
Treasurer’s Report: Jack Thompson

Committee Reports

Weed Control and Buoys: Bill Martins/LARE grant concerns
Lakes Council: Tom Blood
Black Creek Grant: Bill Dillon

Old Business

Scott Federoff----GSI ????
Replacement candidates for two board positions

New Business

Website reporting : Any files we can upload to our website?

Additional concerns?

Is there interest in a social gathering for board members and significant others before or after the Labor Day weekend?

Motion to Adjourn

Next meeting: 7 p.m. Fish and Game, Tuesday, September 11 , 2007

BOARD MEETING REPORTS