FRIENDS OF NORRIS LAKE MEETING MINUTES

29 Oct 09

 

CALL TO ORDER:  President Dennis Williams called the meeting to order at 7:32pm.

 

WELCOME GUESTS:  None present.

 

ATTENDEES:  Lance Harvey, Dennis Williams Jeri McFadden, Roy & Libby Fair, Laura Huber, Rick Cartwright and son Corbin, Sandra Clifford, Larry and Kathy Johnson, Leonard Matheny and Sean O’Keefe.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT:  Cash on hand approximates $6,000 after bills are paid for the cancelled festival band and porta-potty..

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

A post-mortem on the fall festival cancellation due to area flooding and recurring rains, particularly on week-ends, led to a discussion as to the relevance of holding a fall festival in the future.  The primary reason is that profit, usually very little, may not warrant the effort expended in acquiring volunteers, supplies, and support structure (band, porta-potty outlays of $800).  The fishing tournament, held in consonance with the spring festival, brings in at least a profit of $500 which, when added to receipts from Half and Half, food sales and donations, will turn a profit of at least $1,000 and make the event worthwhile.  But perhaps more than anything else, the 2009 inclement weather pattern, which to date shows no break, has dampened (literally) the enthusiasm of PLANNERS to pull it all together.  Perhaps a year will change that attitude.  Stay tuned.

 

 Cancelling an outdoor function band normally carries a heavy financial burden—anywhere else but Norris Lake you’re looking at a minimum gig cost of $1,500.  We have been exceedingly fortunate to have the services of the highly popular Blues Cats Band owned by Jeff Robinson who was a past resident of this community.  His in-laws still live here and he and Wendy and their daughter visit often. Because of this long term affiliation with the writer and other FONL members, he has charged us only $650 per event because they love this place and the familiar audience that comes with it.  Last year Jeff and I negotiated a just-in-case NO COST next week-end rain date in event of rain-out; it happened this time around.  Jeff’s charge to FONL--ZERO--but a potential loss in income for his band of $3,000.  Roy Fair made the motion that FONL provide the band a payment of $350 as a gesture of goodwill for the many favors this band has provided; motion seconded by Lance Harvey.  After a brief discussion, the motion was approved and a much appreciative Jeff was later notified by phone to pick up the payment at their next visit to in-laws.  One of life’s lessons is that you ALWAYS honor goodwill with goodwill in turn.  The payoff is indisputable.

 

Jeri McFadden provided an input to the group regarding her visit with the HOA Board of Directors to explore FONL’s approved offer to fund and provide a commercially prepared collage of photos and frames depicting a decade of FONL’s support to the community on two of the main room walls.  What followed was a Board discussion of future potential room furnishings, décor and finances that left the issue open ended.  FONL was ready to move out; maybe next year.  There has been a lot of HISTORY made around this lake in the last 10 years--one event, the 100 year flood, happened in the last 60 days--that ought to be captured and documented.  A generation that reaches deep into our community’s past is about to be extinct and they have left little behind except perishable words--a failure on their part—we should not let our own slip away.  Selah.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

The new, refreshing and informative HOA website is up and running at the same URL per Sean O’Keefe. Sean and wife Melissa, FONL members and website administrators, have been instrumental in institutionalizing this HOA funded initiative along with new Property Manager Roel Puyat.  To enter the site, put in your card number and the 2009 password as before and review the many improvements in information, photos and contact points.  You can now establish your own user name and password apart from the old and existing method and you may create a profile of yourself and family if you choose for all to see.  You may now expect to see MINUTES of both Board and HOA meetings.  Sean indicated that residents who have a personal business will be able to support site maintenance by placing an ad on the site for a $40 fee.  There is also an expectation that you will be able to pay your annual assessment through the site.

 

Candidates for the HOA Board of Directors vacancies (4) closed on 30 Oct.  Only four names had been submitted as of FONL’s 29 Oct meeting—current Board members running for re-election are Sharon Rowen, Tammy Pratt, and Cal Reily along with new resident David Clifford.

 

Because Thanksgiving falls on the date we normally meet (last Thursday in each month except December), the next FONL meeting will be held on 19 Nov 09.  At that meeting FONL will also elect its 2009 officer slate.  Three of four current officers—Dennis Williams (Pres.), Jeri McFadden (V/P) and Laura Huber (Treas) agreed to stand for re-election though Dennis and Jeri may verbally agree to a swap.  Roy announced that he will step down from the Recording Secretary and FONL E-mail Group Moderator position he has held for the last 8 years and will need a replacement in this critical position.  While he and Libby will continue their attendance at organization meetings and Roy will continue to oversee the fecal coliform testing of the lake and participate in some work parties, advancing age (75) dictates a lighter load.  Candidates for this key position should make their interest known by the next meeting.

 

MATHENY MINUTE:

 

In retirement, Leonard has found that his community workload--adventures might be a better word--has skyrocketed.  Roel reported that the heat in the clubhouse was not working—Leonard to the rescue—the gas had been SHUT OFF and the valve tagged. To preclude Roel from becoming iced over, Leonard “acquired” a heater for the office.

 

The area around the dam looked like an Oregon tree cutting operation with all kinds of leftover logs from the flood clogging our artery.  They were “disposed” and the area cleared by quickly Leonard lowering the dam and raising it again.

 

He reported that the silt pond above the No Business Creek bridge needed to be dredged and it needed to be done by 14 Jan 2010 as that is when the CURRENT permit from last dredging approval expires.  No one wants to wade through that Gwinnett (et al) bureaucracy any more than one has to.  The COMPELLING issue is that Gwinnett wants the silt hauled away SAME DAY as it is dug thus messing up our roads with mud and water if the truck body has any leakage (likely).  (Leonard spoke of a truck gate that failed in the past that dumped all kinds of crud onto the street).  And there is OUR COST to haul away SOMEONE ELSE’S SILT FROM GWINNETT PROPERTY that spills over into our lake.  The lowest outside bid to haul it away last time was $10,000—Mike Sager, a community friend of Leonard’s, agreed to do it for $4,000.  There is no time restriction on removing dredged silt from our property; Leonard will haul it to those in need of fill material for a small fee.  One has to ask –has anyone approached Mike Beaudreau, our County Commissioner, as to Gwinnett underwriting or sharing this cost??  Doesn’t pass my sanity check that the community does all the physical work putting up silt fencing and also bears ALL the cost of clean-out and immediate clean-up.

 

Leonard has laid waste to fire ant hills in our public places.  Be careful walking around them—they fight back and their stings are BAD.

 

He also asked for work party help to remove the old shrubs around the pool area and replace them with new items.  Larry and Kathy Johnson were immediate in their offer of help.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:37pm.