November 2018 Annual Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting-November 7, 2018

Board Members present:  Dan Griffin, Jim Loring, Jill Bates, William Yarbrough, Greg Denny, Tracy Kleinschmidt, Colleen Hodges, Kevin Shifley, and Ramona Triebold.

Members at Large present:  Amanda Welle, Katie Eaman, Ken Hohs, Kathy Komin, Richard Rieck, and Tim Thompson.

The meeting was called to order at 7:07pm by President Greg Denny. 

Special guest speakers:

Tony Rodkey, Countryside Fire Protection District Safety Officer

Firefighter Rodkey reviewed the rules of open burning for the district which are also available for viewing on the CFPD’s website. 

  • Burn only during daylight hours
  • Must be 25 feet from any structure
  • Must be 50 feet from any schools or roads
  • All landscape waste must be generated on property
  • No burning on the street or in any culverts/ditches
  • The burn pile may not exceed 5 feet wide by 5 feet high
  • The wind speed must be at least 5mph but must not exceed 15mph

Diana O’Kelly, Fremont Township Supervisor

Diana O’Kelly shared that the referendum for contracting a single waste hauler for Fremont Township passed with a 61% share.  She is asking representatives from each community in the township to join her to begin the process of securing the best possible contract for the township.  She also shared that early voting will stay at Fremont Township offices for the foreseeable future. 

Bill Grinnell, Fremont Township Roads Commissioner

Bill Grinnell gave guidelines for snow readiness in the township.  He asked that our residents be informed to remove vehicles from the streets when a snow event is expected.  They will be preparing the streets with beet juice this year to minimize snow sticking and ice forming.  It is less corrosive than salt, so there will be less damage to the top layers of the pavement and to the lake. 

Chuck Bartels, Lake County Representative from District 10

Chuck Bartels shared some information on the investigation into the alleged criminal activities of Aaron Lawlor, Lake County Board Chairman.  Mr. Lawlor is under investigation for misuse of government funds.  Mr. Bartels said that the situation is very unfortunate and does not reflect well on the current Board membership.  He clarified that the county has a Triple A bond rating, balanced budget, clean and clear audits, and that they have won awards for their handling of finances.  He stated that there is a $100,000,000 project at the county courthouse underway that will update the entire building and add more courtrooms and meeting rooms.  The Depke Juvenile Center will expand by 50%, also.  Mr. Bartels said the county is working to consolidate 911 call centers within the county for a more efficient system.  Roadwork projects in the county include:

  • Quentin Road. Washington Street, Hawley, and Millburn replacing culverts damaged by flooding. 
  • The 60/83 overpass will come to fruition by 2030, if all stays on the current track.

The county budget was approved in committee and includes $452,000,000 for revitalization of Waukegan, Genessee Street, and the Marina. 

Tori Trauscht, Indian Creek Watershed Grant Project Manager and Diamond Lake Preservation Alliance

Ms. Trauscht reported that the grant totaled $88,000 with $58,000 in matching funds.  MPRD, Storm Water Management, and Fremont Township are all involved in this project.  The watershed is larger than originally thought and begins at Steeplechase/Countryside Golf Courses.  She is working to produce a stewardship guide which will be distributed to all stakeholders of the lake.  It should be ready for distribution by January 2019.  She shared that some ways we can all help is to clear drains of fallen leaves and debris, plant rain gardens with native plants, and use less salt on driveways and walkways as this drains into the lake.  Ms. Trauscht hopes to get signs for all lake access areas reminding people of the rules of good stewardship for the lake. 

Treasurer’s Report- William Yarbrough shared the budget proposed by the Board to the membership.  He stated the dues would remain the same as 2017, $170.  The budget had been distributed to each member prior to the November meeting by US mail.

William fielded questions from our members regarding the proposed budget.  Some topics of discussion included:

  • Seeking alternative solutions to the costly phone at Beach Park. Resident Amanda Welle suggested tying into an existing phone line.  The Board will seek alternatives.  
  • Putting the focus on communication including mailing The Acorn, using social media, and making sure the website is up-to-date.  Katie Eaman will continue to produce The Acorn, Kevin Shifley will continue to focus on social media, and Tracy Kleinschmidt will work on taking over the website which is currently run by Julie Dickey, at the expense of the subdivision. 
  • There was a question about the reserve from the boat slip and boat launch account.  Once the account has exceeded the amount that would be needed for any repair or replacement of said items, may we redistribute that money into other accounts.  The Board will seek legal guidance on this issue.

Ramona Triebold made a motion to accept the budget as presented.  Nancy Krejsa seconded and the motion passed.  The proposed 2018/2019 budget is now the current working budget. 

William went on to inform the membership of collection efforts for members in arrears. Currently, there is about $17,000 in back dues and fees owed to the OTIA.  A delinquency letter was sent out and residents were asked to respond by November 7, 2018.  Those who have not responded will be forwarded to our legal team for the next step in the collection process.  Four members did bring their accounts current.  Richard Rieck asked if the number of unpaid residents is rising and William responded that it is not, but the same residents continue to accrue debt as they do not pay regularly.

The Election for Board Members

The results of the election are as follows:

Elected to the Board

  • Nancy Kresja
  • Richard Rieck
  • Kevin Shifley
  • Ramona Triebold
  • William Yarbrough
  • Katie Eaman

Katie Eaman chose not to accept the position of Board Member and the next highest vote tally was for Ken Hohs.  Ken will be added to the Board filling the vacancy left by Katie. 

Resident Tim Thompson asked that the fire department be called whenever we witness someone burning on the street. 

Special thanks to Dan Griffin for setting up the Lake County Sheriff to patrol the subdivision during trick-or-treating hours.  This will go a long way to protect the safety of our neighborhood children.

There being no further business to discuss, Tim Thompson made a motion to adjourn.  Kathy Komin seconded, and the motion passed.  The meeting adjourned at 8:10pm.

The Board entered into executive session for the purpose of discussing legal matters and electing officers. 

Respectfully submitted by Colleen Hodges, OTIA Secretary