Mission Statement: Lake Viking is a private lake aspiring to preserve our community and environment for future generations.
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
Staff Present: Managing Director: Brian Holcomb, Office Manager: Kathy Butts, Note taker: April Holcomb
Call to Order: Michelle Sullivan called the meeting to order at 2:15 pm.
Pledge: Led by Brian Holcomb
Prayer: Led by Terry Nibarger
Michelle announced that members were allowed to vote and leave, but were encouraged to listen to the members, both, for and against the wake boat proposals to be informed. She further stated should there be a tie, if they cast a vote and left, they would not be present for the tie breaking vote that could take place.
1) Wake/Surf Boat Vote
Presentations in favor were presented by:
A) Kevin Wayne- Lot #1221
B) Matt Neilsen- Lot #386
Kevin Wayne talked about how the surf lane is working, and a wake boat is so much more and they can and are used as regular boats and are actually highly sought after because of their safety. He stated they are often unfairly categorized as surf boats. He stated the fastest they can go is 20-25 mph. Stated the ban would be unfair.
Matthew McCubbin lot #50 asked where Kevin was getting this information because he was able to quickly pull up boat information for wake boats that says they go 40 mph. He said the Cobalt boats have an inboard outboard drive system.
Erica Hardy lot #78 asked what was going to keep wake boats from plowing? She stated she sees it all the time and they are not emptying their boat bladders. She stated she has a low-profile boat and the waves beat her boat up. She wants to take her kids jet skiing and tubing but can’t because these boats go flying around them and make it unsafe.
Kevin replied it isn’t just wakeboats, there are a lot of other boats causing just as many waves.
Matt Neilsen lot #386 said his view is all about being friendly and good neighbors across the board when it comes to facebook and what we want to do on the water. He said it was important to protect the assets of the lake, and limiting wake boats harms the sales from the Marine. He said surfing is one of the things his whole family can enjoy and it is hard to find something teenagers want to do that is safe, and this is one of the few things people of all ages can enjoy together. He stated that limiting wake boats might shrink the buyer pool for future lot sales and decrease property values. He doesn’t always love the loud music others play, but
that is them enjoying the lake and it’s not his place to ask them to stop, and the wake boat option is the same scenario.
Markay August lot #349 didn’t ask a question, but stated the lake water has been too rough for years for her to enjoy it and her dock has been torn up and encouraged wake boat owners to go to larger lakes.
Mark Hagen lot #462 asked if there is a concern about the wake boat bladders not being able to empty completely and how it could be a problem trying to contain zebra mussels?
Randy Tague from the Marine replied what we are currently doing to control or eliminate zebra mussels is a joke, and that the boats must be quarantined for 21 days.
Chris Knight lot #24 asked if those who had purchase orders already for wake boats but they were not yet on the water would be honored or if they would not be allowed.
Michelle cited board meeting minutes from 2022 when the freeze was enacted, and a member asked about this. The minutes indicated the board addressed it then and the current board was not going to change the prior boards decision about how that would be enforced.
Jason McTheeney from Safety said most are already on the water as this was discussed back in August of 2022, but we are not going to backtrack, he would honor and sticker those boats, and they could fire him if the board demands they not be allowed.
Presentations against were presented by:
A) Shawn Hepinstall- Lot #543
B) Jerry Goehring- Lot #51
Shawn spoke about how he was for leaving the restrictions in place and it is our responsibility to preserve the lake and keep it safe for others to enjoy, stating the wake boats are specifically designed to create waves 10 times greater than a normal boat.
Allen Kinkade lot #687 asked if anyone had done a study of how wave production in the designated wake boat channel has affected anything.
Shawn responded that no actual study had been done to his knowledge but studies outside of this lake had shown along with common sense, its adverse effects.
Amber Neilsen lot #387 asked if we are really seeing traffic of 4 or more boats in the designated wake boat area at a time all day long during the weekends, stating that seems really loaded.
Jerry stated what he had personally seen and experienced at the lake, including dock damage and rough waters and that wake boats here at the lake need to be phased out. He supports all the activities people want to do on the lake except the ones that uses technology specifically designed to enhance waves. He would love to ban all wake boats today, but realizes the phasing out option is the fairest. He too would vote to leave the restrictions in place.
Nancy Serrone lot #582 asked if there is a concern about the wake boats stirring up the silt. She stated we are spending money to dredge, but is there a possibility these boats are again feeding into the silt problem at the lake.
Shawn replied he did not know the exact answer, but studies show that 20 to 25 feet down, there’s energy from the waves created and it does reconstitute the silt and it actually creates phosphorus levels that cause algae growth.
Margo Feiden lot#243 asked if wake boats or more of them are going to affect the dam.
Shawn replied the only thing he can speak on about that is that we know the energy is 10 times greater from the waves produced from the down prop system, than that from normal boats and horizontal system.
Wake/surf Boat Results:
White sheet- making the current rule a bylaw.
139- yes
54 -no
Green sheet- lifting the freeze on wake boats and making it a bylaw.
52 -yes
142 -no
Pool Maintenance:
Paula Hepinstall lot #543 from the finance committee reported they had received two bids for pool repair. The bids came back and we are expecting the project to cost between $180,000 to $190,000. She stated the committee would like to go with Stickman Pools, work should be completed for the opening of the pool next summer, and it will be a salt water pool which will save us money in the future without the cost of chemicals. Money is to come from the deferred maintenance funds and will not cost the members any additional money.
Tom Rice made a motion to go forward with Stickman Pools, Rob Walton seconds the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.
For the record, new/former board members for financial access.
Michelle discussed the need to remove financial access for previous board members and employees. Doug Winter, Jeremy Lillig, Tony Gronniger and Jeff Ferguson.
Robert Walton made a motion to go forward with these removals. Dave Daniel seconds the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.
Community Foundation presentation: Canceled/Postponed
Meeting adjournment:
Tom Rice made a motion to adjourn at 4:06 pm. Dave Daniel seconds the motion. All Board Members- yes, motion carried.