The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Viking Valley Association was held on August 10, 2025 at 2:00 pm at the Upper Clubhouse. Michelle Sullivan, Board President read our mission statement: Lake Viking is a private lake aspiring to preserve our community and environment for future generations. The pledge was led by Terry Nibarger, 1st Vice President of the Board, and the prayer was also offered by Terry.
Board Members present were: Michelle Sullivan (lot #1826) – Board 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, David Daniel (lot #231)- Assistant Treasurer.
A moment of silence was held for Sally Zerbe, a long time Association member and office employee, who passed away on August 4, 2025. She worked in the Lake Viking office from November 2003 to August 2021 and also served as a member of the board.
Tom made a motion to approve the minutes from the July 13, 2025 board meeting. David seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee reports were then presented. Christina said there was no report for the Handbook Committee.
Terry reported that the Finance Committee met on Thursday Aug. 7 to review financial documents, which are currently looking good. Maintenance and Safety wages are reported below budget, and fuel expenses are significantly under budget as well. Morgan Stanley showed an increase of $31,000 for July, with year-to-date annual gains of $124,119. The committee will review current holdings. There is an offer in progress for the purchase of a Z lot and an SU lot. Work continues on the upcoming budget. The Campground budget was submitted. The Safety Building remains the biggest focus, and the committee unanimously voted to recommend that work begin as soon as possible. After the Finance Committee meeting, an additional recommendation was made by the contractor to install a six-foot overhang over the garage door to help keep water away from that area, at a possible cost of up to $6,000. Terry recommended moving forward with this addition. A vote was held on the Safety Building upgrade, with only one bid received—$77,200—from Revelation Woodworking LLC out of Cameron. This bid does not include restroom repairs. Tom made a motion to approve the bid. Terry seconded the motion. Motion passed. Michelle noted that the contractor must provide a certificate of insurance before beginning work. The Clubhouse septic project is still awaiting further information. The association is already realizing savings from the new trash company.
Jack Bowers (lot #476) reported for the Strategic Planning Committee. The committee reported a good turnout from the recent survey, with 226 responses received. Valuable information was gathered, and the committee will present a proposal to the Board at the next meeting.
Dan reported for the Activity Committee. The committee did not hold a meeting this month. Two bands have recently performed, and the next band, One Way Out, is scheduled for August 23. The power pole for the bands has an issue. The electrical box under the awning is not working. Bands have been plugged in through the window as a temporary solution. The box will need to be inspected and repaired. The Fall Garage Sale is set for September 13.
Robert said there was no report for the Building Committee.
Tony Gronniger (lot #2281) reported for the Fire Department. There were four medical calls and one call for an exterior gas leak outside a home. The fire garage door was repaired, and backup batteries for the garage doors were replaced. Mr. Gronniger discussed the possibility of sharing the clubhouse septic system with the safety building.
Mary Hibler (lot #1152 ) reported for the Campground Committee. The committee met August 6 and presented its budget to the Finance Committee. Work is underway on a five-year plan. This fall, an electrical upgrade will be completed in Campground 2. In the spring, bids will be sought for renovating the bathrooms in both campgrounds.
Robert reported for the Lake Committee. Following the July 31 water inspection, work has been completed for 12 warning letters. Three infractions were issued for non-compliance with previous letters. Testing at Beach 1 revealed a very high E. Coli reading, resulting in the beach’s closure. It will remain closed until testing confirms safe levels. Retesting is scheduled for Tuesday, with continued testing until the water is deemed safe. It is believed the high concentration of geese in this area has created the problem. Geese are currently molting and unable to fly. There was concern that perhaps the reason for the high E. Coli reading wasn’t due to geese, but possibly due to the clubhouse septic. Beaches 2 and 3 remain open and safe for swimming.
Terry reported for the Infraction Committee. The committee met Aug. 9 and they had 29 items to discuss. Of these, four were granted continuances and one was dismissed.
Brett Bush (lot #324) reported for the Dredge Committee. They would like Gary Buck (lot #2257) to join the dredge committee. David made a motion to approve this. Tom seconded the motion. Motion passed. David noted they could still use one or two more members. The committee drove to every Community Area and found that some areas needed some work. A couple examples include some areas that need rock, and the shoreline at Beach 2 needs attention. A list of needed work was given to Rusty Hendricks, the Maintenance Manager. The committee is working on next year’s budget.
Tom said there was no report for the Fishing Committee. He also said that they will meet soon to discuss stocking the lake with fish in the fall.
Michelle read the Managing Director’s Report. The maintenance department reported that mowing was completed along community areas and roads. The catch pond at 3 Tubes was cleaned out, beaches were raked every Friday, and equipment was cleaned. New and repaired weirs were installed, and the asphalt milling pile at the south end was cleaned. Road repairs were completed for the Special Road District. Shorelines were sprayed, community area signs were installed, and wooden post signs at the beaches were replaced with metal posts. Regular pool chemical maintenance was conducted.
Safety reported that during the July 4th weekend, Safety issued 3 infractions, 9 warnings, towed 2 boats, and responded to no medical or fire calls. For the entire month of July, totals included 25 infractions, 26 warnings, 47 boats stickered, and multiple boats towed. Safety responded to 4 medical/fire calls, saved an abandoned boat at lot #110, and rescued a vessel operator from a sinking boat. The F150 vehicle continues to experience mechanical issues.
The office staff reviewed and processed invoices, prepared and processed bank deposits, ran payroll (including hours input, IRA match, and ADP journal review), ordered supplies, and answered customer phone calls. The office manager met with the Dredge Committee to analyze budget versus actual spending, reconciled Capital Expenditures, and acquired additional office equipment as part of a technology upgrade. The 2025 budget analysis and development began, and a new BTC Bank check scanner was installed for remote deposits. An employee review was completed. Efforts included coordinating with the courthouse and title company on deeds for 7 lots obtained last year and processing deeds for 3 lots sold by VVA. Member files were audited and edits were determined for future map printing. The office continued working on past due accounts, which started at $774,000 and has been reduced to $688,000. The office worked with Rapid Removal to update VVA records for lots with homes and audited campground records to ensure all campers were active members and in good standing. Infractions, building permits, and late fees were invoiced. Support was provided to the Lake Committee and Building Committee. Bathrooms at Campgrounds 1 and 2 and Beaches 2 and 3 were cleaned and restocked bi-weekly, while the Main Office and both levels of the Clubhouse were cleaned and restocked weekly.
Trash expense for Rapid Removal during the month of July 2025 was $2,152 less than the expense in July 2024.
Clubhouse Septic: Tom Fritts submitted changes to the State to locate the drip field lower down the hill to ensure it does not encroach on the restaurant lot. If his suggestions are approved, he will submit sealed drawings to the State and send copies to us so we can obtain bids from contractors.
A request for bids for the Safety Building rehab project was posted on Facebook, Condo, and listed in the Lake Viking news. Three contractors attended the meeting to review the project and ask questions, but only one contractor submitted a bid.
The Viking Valley Volunteers have been busy this month. They painted the metal lamp posts along the clubhouse sidewalk, and are busy putting together plans for future updates.
Tom made a motion to approve the July 2025 financial statements. Terry seconded the motion. Motion passed.
The Board Discussion started with the request for a variance from boat sticker requirements by Alan Kingcade, (lot #687). The board agreed that it has an obligation to uphold the established rules consistently. Therefore, a variance will not be granted. Mr. Kingcade will be contacted by the office to let him know how the rules stand.
The Board Discussion continued with the topic of personal video equipment for the Safety Department. Due to recent concerns about behavior, the board wants to ensure everyone’s safety. Jason submitted a plan and the Safety budget can be used to purchase one GoPro Hero13 and one SNAP Magnetic Chest Mount at a cost of $465 plus tax. He suggested it be field tested before more equipment is purchased. If it works well, and we purchase more equipment, then the total cost for all equipment would be $2,050 plus tax. Tom made a motion to approve the purchase of the equipment for the field test. Dan seconded the motion. Motion Passed.
The next item of discussion was about the trash rules, and improved lot definition. The board discussed allowing people who are building new homes on unimproved lots to not be required to have trash service while their new build permit is open. The reasoning is that if you have an unimproved lot and are building a new house, you are already required to have a dumpster, so road service would be unnecessary. The new language to be added will clarify that this exemption applies only to new construction, not renovations. Christina will present the updated language at the next meeting for a formal vote.
Michelle reported that she recently learned from the news that Daviess County has been designated a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) zone. Because of this, there are new regulations prohibiting feeding deer, including the use of salt blocks or any edible attractants that might draw deer in. Bird feeders are still allowed, provided they are placed where deer cannot access them. Michelle noted that there are many deer feeders around the lake, and the fine for violating these rules is believed to be $250. Jason will research the exact regulations and ensure the information is posted on Condo for all members to see.
Katie McElhinney (lot #221) had 5 minutes for guest time. She provided an informational update about the pickleball court. A recent survey indicated member interest, and they plan to include a question at the October annual meeting asking if the membership favors selling Community Area lot #591 to fund the pickleball court. An informational meeting is scheduled for August 24 at 4 p.m. on the lower level of the clubhouse to discuss details such as costs, location, leagues, and tournaments, all members are invited to attend and participate. The idea of selling lot #591 was previously discussed but declined by the former Finance and Dredge committee chairs due to its importance for drainage. There is concern whether selling the lot is even possible, and the subcommittee has been asked to look for alternative lots. The dredge committee will review the issue and revisit the matter. It was emphasized that any use of lakefront lots should consider the lake’s overall best interest. The question was posed if pickleball would remain popular 10 years from now and stressed the importance of knowing both the construction and ongoing maintenance costs, since the lake would be responsible for upkeep.
Michelle brought up a discussion about adding more shade coverage at the pool. Felicia Roth presented a proposal outlining four basic types of shade structures. Seating and table options were also discussed. The board agreed to take this under advisement and revisit the matter at a later date.
Tom motioned to adjourn the meeting at 2:58. David seconded the motion. Motion passed. The board moved into Executive Session to discuss personnel and legal issues.
A sign-in Attendance Sheet is on record at the Office for reference. Let the record show that these minutes are a record of the business transacted at this meeting and are a sampling of the discussions. Comments and discussions are not reflected in whole or as actual quotations in the minutes, nor do they reflect all comments by members.
Respectfully submitted by Christina Lindsay
Secretary, Board of Directors
Viking Valley Association
