Board Members Present were: Michelle Sullivan (lot# 1826)-President, Terry Nibarger (lot #657)- 1st Vice President, Dan Weidmaier (lot #309)- 2nd Vice President, Christina Lindsay (lot #429)- Secretary, Tom Rice (lot #343)- Assistant Secretary, Robert Walton (lot #217)- Treasurer, Dave Daniel (lot #231)- Assistant Treasurer
Call to Order: Michelle Sullivan called the meeting to order at 2:00 pm.
Pledge: Led by Brian Holcomb
Prayer: Led by Terry Nibarger
Approval of November 10th, 2024 Minutes- Tom Rice made a motion to approve these minutes. Terry Nibarger seconded the motion. All Board Members yes, motion carried.
Committee Reports
Handbook Committee
Christina Lindsay stated that the committee is working on getting the most current handbook online. Then, they can work on getting the 2025 handbook updated and accurate and put it online next.
Finance Committee
Terry Nibarger stated the committee met on December 5th, 2024, via zoom. The meeting was led by Chair, Paula Hepinstall. The Morgan Stanley account was up $61,000, with a year to date earning of $216,164.00, leaving the balance at $1,797,54,000.
Six lots were sold in the month of November. The SU lots owned by the Association have had the asking price adjusted to $35,000.
The pool is coming along nicely, Brian will have more of an update on this in his report. It should be ready to replaster and open in the Spring. A Venmo account has been set up and is being managed by Kathy Butts, this is to only be used for Activities. Reminder-Dues and infractions are NOT to be paid through this Venmo account.
The 2023 Audit has been posted online. The 2025 dues and assessments will be billed in January and due April 31st.
Campground Septic is expected to be done soon at a cost of about $57,000. Campground Electrical is done. The committee is still gathering clubhouse septic information.
Brian mentioned in the meeting the need to adjust the Capex items, Brian will go into detail on this in his report later as well. We are also working on the sale of various outdated and unused equipment, and Michelle is working to find a more advantageous 401 retirement plan for the employees.
MasterCard has closed its settlement process and we should hear soon if we will receive a payout from it.
Lake Viking Association continues to seek out local farmers who are interested in Haying for the lake. We have 116 acres to be hayed.
Mike Harris (lot# 2138) asked what the set rate was going to be for haying. Terry Nibarger stated this is in negotiations, and we are asking for bids from local farmers to give us a better idea of the rate it should be hayed for.
Strategic Planning Committee
Dan Weidmaier- Nothing to report.
Activity Committee
Dan Weidmaier- Nothing to report.
Building Committee
Marvin McNabb (lot #28) reported the committee met on two Tuesday evenings in the month of November. There were 10 permits approved and issued.
He said Janet VanWye has shown interest in being a member of the committee and would like for the Board to vote on that approval.
Tom Rice made a motion to approve Janet VanWye (lot #0391) as a member of the Building Committee. David Daniel seconded the motion. All Board Members yes, motion carried.
Fire Department
Tony Gronniger (lot #2281) said there was nothing to report.
Campground
Christina Lindsay- nothing to report.
Lake Committee
Robert Walton- nothing to report.
Infraction Committee
Terry Nibarger- nothing to report. The next committee meeting will be in April of 2025.
Dredge Committee
David Daniel reported that the dirt work on Pirate and Garney is complete. He wanted to thank Shawn Hepinstall for the time and effort he pours into the committee and the work that needs done. Shawn Hepinstall (Lot #543) reported that the silt pile clean-up work, done by RK Excavating has been finished. The committee will be putting up signs to say no digging to keep members and contractors out of the Pirate and Garney areas. He added that Rusty with Maintenance continues to work on cleaning out the community areas around the lake. Any of the dirt in the Maintenance area and the south end of the lake is still free to members.
Shawn talked about the ditch in front of 1279, 1280 and 1281, (across the street from lot 717). He said the committee recommends that we move forward with 275 feet of ditch that needs to be dug out. It needs to be lined with rock and the 12-inch culvert that is currently there needs dug out and replaced with a 24- inch culvert. He said bids have been taken on this work and they will meet next Thursday with contractors.
Shawn stated the funding for this will be coming out of the 2024 GL account 6502.
Shawn asked for the board to vote and approve the committee moving forward with this once they get their final bids so that work can begin and not be delayed.
Tom Rice made a motion to allow the committee to move forward with this work. Dan Weidmaier seconded the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.
Terry Nibarger asked how we got in this situation. Shawn stated that the previous ditch that was there, in front of Archibald’s, has filled in, and David Daniel added that the 12” tube currently there is not large enough to handle the runoff.
Fishing Committee
Tom Rice- Nothing to report.
Managing Directors Report:
Brian started by stating the Maintenance department has been busy winterizing watercraft, repairing sewers for the campgrounds, patching potholes, and completing shoulder work for the Special Road District. They have cleaned up the Maintenance yard, removed limbs from roads and community areas, hauled off scrap concrete, moved docks, installed ice heaters and closed the shortcut from Oval Avenue to Bluegill.
Safety assisted maintenance in hauling debris from the swimming pool, conducted an audit on Affordable Disposable Accounts, there were 12 accounts in the arrears and 5 infractions were issued. Efforts are being done to make Safety the point of contact for all permits and questions concerning permits instead of the office. Safety has moved surveys and building permits from the Main office to the Safety office.
The Safety department responded to two medical calls, and issued 30-day letters for members to come into compliance with the handbook. The office has completed the database for taxes, acreage and haying. They have completed the lot/deed purchased dates for billing and dues collection. Locks have been changed at the office and safety building.
The office has been working on QuickBooks, fuel logs, and invoicing processes to improve efficiency, and they have continued to populate the Condo Control libraries with documents.
The concrete and the kiddie pool have been removed. A French drain will be installed to move the water coming from the drainpipe in the brick wall. Stick Man Pools plans to finish chipping the pool walls and floor, pour new concrete, and install new equipment and filters in the pump house before pausing for winter. The new coating will be applied in the spring.
Campground electrical was completed by Penner Electric. The Septic bid has been awarded to B&M Septic and Construction.
Tom Fritts with Residential Sewage is traveling to Bryan, TX next week to learn more about the filter septic system he thinks will work for our Clubhouse project.
Brian has been in contact with Cornett Excavating about the tube replacement on Otter Avenue. They have encountered a few setbacks but hope to have the tubes replaced in December. Otter Ave will be closed for 2 days in December. We will notify our members via Condo Control and Facebook when we have the dates.
Brian stated the 2025 Capex Spending was restructured because the final payment on the Maintenance F450 was not budgeted for, nor was the unforeseen repair costs for Safety’s vehicles. The restructured proposal more accurately accounts for the expenditures planned and needed by the Association. This plan was approved by the Finance Committee and is being presented to the Board for further approval.
Brian added there are plans to replace the Association’s skid loader, brush cutter and Safety’s Explorer, as well as upgrade office technology. Plans are in place for snow equipment for Maintenance and to upgrade Safety’s other vehicles that are costing a lot in upkeep and maintenance and repairs.
Mike Harris (lot #2138) asked if there was a scheduled maintenance plan in place for equipment. Brian stated not to his knowledge. Both agreed it would be a good idea to put something like this into place. He also raised questions about our current skid loaders age, hours, what was wrong with it, and if the offer we got on it for $27,500 was fair. These concerns were addressed by stating we took it to auction and it did not receive a better bid, local businesses gave comparable but less trade in value, and all together Rusty and Brian felt the offer was a solid offer as it was just for the skid loader not the bucket. The bucket was still in good condition and can and will be used on our new Skid Loader. Ron Spidle (lot #341) added that the skid loader is a 2013. Brian said the air conditioning has had continual problems without it ever really being fixed, David Daniel added the windshield and door were also in need of repair.
David Daniel asked about the 3 tubes that were needing replaced. Paula replied this is something Billy Hunter knew about when he was in charge of Maintenance. They are rusted out at the bottom and the support of the road is eventually going to collapse. Shawn said there is a plan in place for these to be fixed/repaired in the future. Not all 3 at once.
Tony Gronniger (Lot #2281) asked how many plow trucks we planned to have available. Brian replied 3, to his knowledge.
Tom Rice made a motion to approve the Capex restructure. Terry Nibarger seconded the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.
Approval of Financial Statements
Terry Nibarger made a motion to approve the November 2024 Financial Statements. Tom Rice seconded the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.
Board Discussion
Michelle Sullivan (lot#1826) stated she has been through the handbook and it does not ever mention specifics of committees. She would like to open up discussion about the roles and responsibilities for committees and the Board Contact participation on committees, along with recusals of committee members if and when needed, meeting minutes being taken for each committee during each meeting and what they would include. She stated there needs to be consistency.
Michelle added we need to state our expectations of committee members in the handbook, along with the selection and approval process of committee members, their role, and the committee’s mission or charter. It is important that each committee functions the same. Tom Rice stated to his knowledge the Financial Committee is the only one that has any actual requirements or qualifications listed to be met to be a part of it. He stated he thinks the board contact should be active in the conversations and topics, but not vote on the committee he or she is part of.
Jack Bowers (lot #476) stated he could have some valuable input and ideas about how committees should work, and that each committee should indeed have a charter or mission and a list of qualifications to be a part of the committee to keep members with a personal agenda from becoming part of a committee then leaving it once their topic of interest has passed.
Tammy Engleman (Lot #2033) stated not long ago a committee had made a decision, and then it was brought before the Board and the Board overturned the committee’s decision. This is something to keep in mind when considering what actual role, the committee has and what the Board can do once the committee as a group has made a decision.
It was discussed that if issues come up in a committee meeting, where members cannot agree, or come to a peaceful vote, the chair of the committee is allowed to make sure members recuse themselves or ask them to do so. The chair of the committee could also ask members to leave the meeting if it is necessary to do so. The topic could/should be tabled and brought before the Board for their direction and thoughts on the issue.
It was also stated that if the need to remove a member from a committee should ever present itself it would need to be voted on by the board as the initial adding of a member to a committee is done by the board.
Marvin McNabb stated it is important the committee members remain neutral on all issues that come before them and committee members should vote just like the handbook says board members should vote. See page #10. He added as a chair, if he felt a member was not doing so, he would ask them to recuse themselves or not take into consideration their ideas or vote on the matter.
Shawn Hepinstall added that should the time arise, when a committee encounters a member who is clearly not being neutral, the chair would simply need to ask them to recuse themselves on the topic. And the handbook should be updated on the specifics of this so all committees are upfront and fair on expectations.
Janet Yuratovich (Lot #563) said if there is a vision of how meeting notes should be taken and what details they should include that the outline be presented to all chair committee members so that there is a template for consistency.
This is a topic that will continue to be brought up and discussed and the board will work with the Handbook Committee to ensure proper changes/ additions/ verbiage is noted in the future handbook regarding this.
Jerry Goehring (Lot #51) brought up the need to acknowledge what part of the handbook the additions about committees will be added to, because it seems to be noted in the bylaw areas which would require a member vote.
Adjournment
Michelle Sullivan adjourned the meeting at 3:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted
Christina Lindsay
Secretary, Board of Directors
Viking Valley Association