The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Viking Valley Association was held on September 14, 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 Brian Holcomb, Lake Director, and the prayer was offered by Terry Nibarger, 1st Vice President of the Board.
Board Members present were: Michelle Sullivan (lot #1826) – Board President, Terry Nibarger (lot #657) – 1st Vice President, Dan Weidmaier (lot #309) – 2nd Vice President, Tom Rice (lot #343)- Assistant Secretary, Robert Walton (lot #217) – Treasurer, David Daniel (lot #231)- Assistant Treasurer. Board Member not present was Christina Lindsay (lot #429) – Secretary.
Tom made a motion to approve the minutes from the August 10, 2025 board meeting. Terry seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee reports were then presented. There was no report for the Handbook Committee.
Mary Hibler (lot #1152) reported for the Campground Committee. The committee met last Wednesday to discuss upcoming projects. Funds have been set aside for the electrical upgrade in Campground 2, which is scheduled to begin this fall. The committee also plans to complete tree trimming in Campground 2 and is currently obtaining bids for upgrades to the bathhouses. In addition, work continues on the five-year plan, which includes the possibility of adding an additional bathhouse in Campground 1. Overall, the campground is doing well, with only about 20 spots currently open. The septic project has been completed. The committee would like Charles Sudduth (lot #1130) to become the committee chair, and would also like to add Jessica Hibler (lot #1151), Margie Albertson (lot #2342), and Don Hinton (lot #622) to the committee. Tom made a motion to approve these changes. Dan seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Terry reported for the Finance Committee. The committee held multiple meetings during the month and focused on finalizing the budget, which is ready to be presented to the board. The proposed budget for 2026 will remain the same as the current year, with no increase in dues and assessments. Terry reported that the value of the Morgan Stanley fund was up $16,357 for the month which is a .9% gain for the month that equates to a 10.2% annualized return, after dropping some non-performing stocks from the portfolio.
The restructure of the 2025 Cap-Ex spending is as follows.
Tom made a motion to approve the restructure of the 2025 Cap-Ex Spending. Terry seconded the motion. Motion passed. Tom also moved to approve the 2026 budget. Terry seconded. Motion passed.
Terry proposed to the Finance Committee the creation of a special account for fireworks, into which members can make donations. The plan is to begin accepting contributions after January 1, 2026, with a clearly defined cutoff date. The board noted the need to establish clear guidelines for this fireworks fund to ensure there are no potential tax issues.
Jack Bowers (lot #476) reported for the Strategic Planning Committee. The committee met last Sunday and covered several key topics. They are currently evaluating the lake’s existing assets and considering whether repairs or replacements are needed, with an emphasis on establishing a regular schedule for maintenance and upgrades. The most recent member survey indicated strong interest in keeping and improving existing amenities. Based on this, the committee does not support the sale of Lot 591 for a pickleball court and instead suggested seeking outside funding, possibly through sponsorships. Additionally, Brandon Stevens (lot #2244) is interested in building a self-funded fitness center near the water treatment facility.
Dan reported for the Activity Committee. The committee met on September 11 and is planning for the upcoming Wine and Cheese event scheduled for September 27 from 5–9 p.m. in the clubhouse. A band performed a couple of weeks ago, and the event went well. The recent garage sales were also very successful, drawing a large amount of traffic.
Marvin McNabb (lot #28) reported for the Building Committee. The committee met twice in July, approving seven permits, none of which were for houses. They also met twice in August. During one meeting, Brian Donath, (lot #Z8) approached the committee about building a storage unit on his lot to store boats. The committee felt this was in conflict with the marina contract and did not approve it. The committee also addressed aluminum carports, noting that they are not allowed. A proposed rule change would permit carports only if they are attached to the house and constructed of the same material and color as the home, however detached garages are permitted. The committee also discussed eliminating the allowance of toilets of any kind, with proposed changes still under review. It was clarified that while a sink in a shed may be permitted, raw sewage is not allowed. The committee also recommended that building requirements for SU lots be the same as S lots. The committee discussed the rules regarding solar panels, and in order to be in compliance with state law, solar panels are allowed on roofs and sides of houses. The committee maintains that ground-mounted panels on risers will not be permitted. The board is going to review all of these proposed changes and bring them to the November meeting, since the October meeting is the annual meeting.
Tom said that there is no report for the Fire Department.
Robert reported for the Lake Committee. The committee conducted a zebra mussel inspection, with no issues found. Four cleanup letters have been closed, while four remain pending; one of those has been elevated to an infraction. Recent water testing showed satisfactory E. coli levels at Beaches 1, 2, and 3. Samples were collected at a depth of two to three feet.
Terry reported for the Infraction Committee. The committee reported 36 infractions, with 9 dismissed at yesterday’s meeting. James Funk (lot #3200B), who has served as chairman for several years, resigned due to work schedule conflicts. The committee is now seeking two new members as well as a new chairperson.
Bret Bush (lot #324) reported for the Dredge Committee. The committee would like to add Mr. Bowers and Doug Wiltse (lot #494) as members of the committee. Tom made a motion to approve Mr. Bowers and Mr. Wiltse to the Dredge Committee. Dan seconded the motion. Motion passed. The committee reviewed Lot 591 and determined that it is needed for dredging purposes, so they cannot recommend selling it. Michelle clarified that the Pickleball initiative is a subcommittee under Strategic Planning and will continue to coordinate with Strategic Planning in the future. She emphasized that funding for Pickleball and the Pickleball project itself are separate issues. Even if Lot 591 could be sold, any use of those funds would still need to be decided by the membership.
Mr. Bush reported for the Fishing Committee. The committee would like to add Dan Minor (lot #7088) as a member of the committee. Tom made a motion to approve Mr. Minor to the Fishing Committee. David seconded the motion. Motion passed. The committee purchased 3,000 yellow perch to be added to the lake and is working on installing fish habitats. All yellow perch are currently designated as catch-and-release only. While the current fishing rules are not yet included in the handbook, the committee is working on updating the handbook to reflect them. Tom made a motion to approve that all yellow perch caught in the lake should remain catch-and-release through 2026. Dan seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Brian gave the Managing Director’s Report. Maintenance mowed in preparation for Labor Day, sprayed community areas, added rock to the bank at Community Area 16, repaired buoys, changed beach sign posts from wood to metal, and worked most of the month at Campground 1 filling Lagoon 4 and building a rock path to the new septic control box. Maintenance also repaired a broken trailer hitch, trimmed trees, and removed small trees from the lake.
Safety stickered 40 watercraft and towed 4 watercraft, issued 27 infractions and 21 warnings, and responded to 7 medical calls and one fire. Safety relocated feral cats at the request of lot owners, returned multiple dogs to their owners, and set personal buoys at 75 feet from the shoreline.
The office reviewed and processed invoices, prepared and processed bank deposits, ran payroll (input hours, IRA match, and reviewed ADP journal entries), ordered supplies, answered customer phone calls, completed the 2026 budget and submitted it to the Finance Committee. The office worked with Rapid Removal regarding unpaid trash accounts, collaborated with the county and title companies on tax sales and due diligence, began digitizing records, and assisted the Activities Committee with Fall Garage Sale forms. Collections efforts continued, bringing the original balance down from $774,195 to $684,939, with occasional payments and installment plans still coming in. Invoiced infractions, building permits, and late fees, and assisted both the Lake Committee and the Building Committee. Bathrooms at Campgrounds 1 and 2 and Beaches 2 and 3 were cleaned and restocked, along with the Main Office and both levels of the Clubhouse.
Trash expense for Rapid Removal during the first two months of the contract, July and August 2025, was $4,309 less than the expense during the same months in 2024. Four lots were purchased at the Daviess County Tax Sale, 2 that were requested by the Dredge Committee and 2 mobile home lots that need to be cleaned up. We were able to take immediate possession of MH35, and we hope to clear this lot before winter. The other 3 lots are subject to a due diligence process and a one-year redemption period in which the owner can retain possession of the property, and we would be refunded the purchase price that was paid.
Clubhouse Septic: Tom Fritts submitted a site plan and is working on the detail sheets and costs for the system.
The Safety Building rehab project is scheduled to begin late next week.
Tube Replacements: Four tubes will be replaced in the coming weeks: one on Neptune between Nautilus and Otter, one on Cessna between Indian Court and Lake Viking Terrace, one on Lake Viking Terrace at the Garney Area between Galleon Court and Heron Court, and one on Lake Viking Terrace near Community Area 20. Dates and times for the replacements will be posted on Condo and Facebook once provided by the contractors.
The August 2025 Financial Statements were not received from the Accountant in time to be reviewed by the Finance Committee and are not ready to be approved. We will approve them at the November meeting, since the next meeting in October is the annual meeting.
The Board Discussion started with updating the trash rules and the definition of improved lots, to remove the language “new homes under construction”. The board discussed that new builds have a trash container because of their building permit requirements, so they should not have to also maintain roadside trash service while their permit is open. Tom made a motion to approve this change. David seconded the motion. Motion passed.
During board discussion, authorization to sell Lot SU2508 was considered. Tom made a motion to approve the sale of Lot SU2508, as well as to authorize Brian to sign all necessary documents. Dan seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Guest Time started with Susan Goff (lot #MH150) expressing her displeasure with the fact that she applied to be a member of the Finance Committee and was not approved. Terry explained that the handbook requires committee members to be current in the payment of all dues and all other charges, fees and assessment, and the Finance Committee did not recommend her to the Board because she had an unpaid infraction at the time appointments were made.
The Board would like to remind all members that the annual meeting is going to be held next month, October 5, 2025 at the Winston High School. All members are encouraged to attend.
There was a brief discussion about food trucks, and their usage of signs. Food trucks are not allowed to post signs on property that is not theirs. However if they have a food truck on Association property, or on a Z lot, then they are allowed to have a sign by their truck while they are operating.
Tom commended Terry on a job well done while on the board. Terry’s 3 year term is over and he will no longer be serving on the board. Tom recognized that being on the board requires a lot of the time, it is a thankless job, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you Terry.
Terry motioned to adjourn the meeting at 3:17. Tom seconded the motion. Motion passed. The board moved into Executive Session to discuss personnel, third party contracts 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 Tom Rice
Assistant Secretary, Board of Directors
Viking Valley Association
