The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Viking Valley Association was held on June 8, 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, Christina Lindsay (lot #429) – Secretary, Tom Rice (lot #343)- Assistant Secretary, Robert Walton (lot #217) – Treasurer, David Daniel (lot #231)- Assistant Treasurer.
Tom made a motion to approve the minutes from the May 18, 2025 board meeting. Christina seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee Reports
Handbook Committee
Christina Lindsay of the Handbook Committee reported that all handbook sections had been sent to the office with updates.
Finance Committee
Terry reported on the Finance Committee and said they met on June 5, 2025, reviewing financial documents, discussing bills, equipment trade-ins, and fund management including capital expenditures and Morgan Stanley investments. The Morgan Stanley fund is doing well. It is up $65,378 in May and $32,966 year to date. The committee met with prospective new members and submitted three candidates to the board for approval: Dan Ackart (lot #316), who owns a chemical company and has 30 years of business and QuickBooks budgeting experience; Daniel Rogers (lot #MH108), an accounting student and certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor; and David Schaefer (lot #1227), who manages a large sales staff and departmental budgets in medical equipment sales. Terry made a motion to approve Mr. Ackart, Mr. Rogers, and Mr. Schaefer to the Financial Committee. Robert seconded the motion. Motion passed. Michelle reminded all board and committee members to sign documents with their full names to avoid confusion. Terry is currently acting chairman of the Finance Committee.
Strategic Planning
Jack Bowers reported on behalf of the Strategic Planning Committee following their June 1, 2025 meeting. The committee is looking ahead five years and beyond to identify future needs. Tony Gronniger (lot #2281) and Gail Bush (lot #324) led the creation of a member survey. David Thomas (lot #133) was assigned to evaluate the dam and weirs. The committee is also considering an asset evaluation process to plan for asset aging and replacement. Mr. Bowers proposed that John Cox (lot #521) join this committee. Tom seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Activities Committee
Dan reported that the Activities Committee has been meeting weekly and is hard at work preparing for the Poker Run. The Poker Run is the biggest annual event and will be held rain or shine on June 14, 2025. Proceeds will pay for bands. The Now and Then band played last night and we had a good turnout. We moved it to the front parking lot due to the weather. Our next band will be Mixology on Saturday July 18, 2025 from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Building Committee
Marvin McNabb (lot #28) provided an update from the Building Committee, who reported two meetings held in May during which 21 building permits were reviewed and approved, including two emergency repair permits. No new houses were submitted. The committee reviewed a request concerning multi-layer double-deck docks, currently those are not allowed. The building committee unanimously voted against it. Mr. McNabb clarified that emergency permits were issued to cover urgent repairs such as roof work that cannot wait until the next meeting.
Fire Department
Tom reported on the Fire Department’s monthly meeting, noting a quiet May with only one medical call.
Campground Committee
Mary Hibler (lot #1152) gave the report for the Campground Committee. Campground 1 currently has 21 open sites and Campground 2 has 15, with occupancy improving. Everything is going well. Campers were reminded that any proposed improvements or changes must be submitted to the campground committee or campground managers at least 60 days in advance with the exception of emergencies, because we know those come up. Trailers should not be left in the campgrounds but kept on owners’ lots, and air conditioning units and water should be turned off if absent for more than 24 hours.
Lake Committee
Robert reported for the Lake Committee that a letter had been sent regarding roadside inspections, resulting in 13 lots bringing their properties into compliance, mainly by addressing brush piles, though a few still had incorrect lot numbers. Several property owners have not responded and will face infractions. During the shoreline inspection on May 21, 2025, four defective silt fences were identified and referred to the Safety team, along with five instances of excessive weed growing and rip rap, as well as 18 docks either missing or bearing incorrect numbers. Due to dock buying and trading, more warning letters are forthcoming to ensure dock numbers are accurate because they are important for emergency responders to identify locations. One lot was noted to have two docks, both with incorrect numbers. Water samples were taken on May 22, 2025 with Brian scheduled to report on that later. Tom raised a procedural question about handling unresponsive property owners with junk piles; Safety Manager Jason McTheeney explained that repeat infractions can lead to escalating fines, and after three infractions, the Infraction Committee can vote to revoke lake privileges.
Infraction Committee
Terry updated on the Infraction Committee, which will meet next Saturday to address areas of emphasis, including speeding violations near buoys and improper navigation into coves. Jason highlighted ongoing enforcement efforts, including issuing tickets through Condo announcements for boaters not slowing down 75 feet from buoys or cutting straight across the lake instead of making the required right-hand turn into coves. Riding on the back of boats is an area of emphasis that has not resulted in an infraction, so that’s good news. Tom suggested adding a rule explicitly requiring a right-hand turn into coves; however, current rules only state that boaters must pass the cove, join the flow of traffic, then enter. Jason also reminded us of the harbor rules and clarified buoy placement and the turn lane, emphasizing enforcement is reserved for clear violations where boaters come very close to buoys before powering down.
Dredge Committee
David reported for the Dredge Committee that RK Excavation has begun cleaning out the silt ponds on the south end, placing silt between levees to reduce visible dirt piles. They started a week early and have completed about one-third of the work, operating until 7:30 p.m. daily. Tom inquired about the start date for the tube replacement on 165th, and Ron Spidle (lot #341) indicated work could begin immediately. Ron also answered questions from Robert Hayes (lot #389) about how the tube was going to be installed.
Some maintenance on the weirs is needed after recent rain, with Maintenance Manager Rusty Hendricks assigned for damage control. Mr. Ackart expressed concern about the aesthetic impact of the new silt deposit structure, hoping for improvements. David assured that berms and grass plantings are helping conceal the dirt. Tom raised concerns about debris and concrete dumping along the road between 165th and Lake Viking Terrace, worrying it may become problematic. David explained that some concrete is reused in weirs, but materials containing fiberglass are avoided. Concrete trucks have a designated clean-out area to prevent dumping on private land. Mr. Ackart emphasized the goal of maintaining beauty despite unavoidable “junk drawer” issues. David also mentioned that contractors were instructed to put up silt fences after work, which they promptly did.
Fishing Committee
Tom reported on the Fishing Committee’s recent Memorial Day fishing festival, which raised $2,700 with 39 participants. The event was family-friendly, allowing fishing from the bank, docks, or boats, with hopes to grow attendance in future years. Funds raised support fish stocking and population maintenance. The next event will be a pancake breakfast on July 5, 2025 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., with announcements forthcoming. Michelle and David expressed appreciation for the tradition, noting its popularity among families and children.
Managing Director’s Report
The Managing Director’s report covered extensive activity across maintenance, safety, office operations, and ongoing projects. Maintenance completed a variety of tasks, including cleaning the dirt pile near the south creek on 165th where the tube is being replaced, mowing and brush cutting lots, fixing docks and buoy anchors, and repairing Safety’s jet ski. Beaches were raked weekly, potholes filled, gravel roads strengthened with asphalt millings, and signs installed for the Daviess County Special Road District. The maintenance team’s schedule was adjusted to 9-hour shifts Monday through Thursday and a shorter Friday shift to remove equipment before weekend traffic.
Safety staff stickered 550 watercraft, issued 32 infractions and 38 warnings, responded to medical and fire calls, towed six watercraft, assisted with pool maintenance, helped lot owners dispose of deceased animals, and rescued a kitten from under a dock.
Office Manager Yvonne Erickson (lot #2671) began training with Customer Service Donita Green, covering software such as Condo Control, Zego, QuickBooks, and Google applications. The office processed invoices, bank deposits, journal entries, supply orders, and permits. They also created a food truck signup and permit checklist, completed the monthly DNR report on campground lagoons, handled customer contacts, processed deeds and clubhouse rentals, posted announcements, reconciled festival proceeds, and supported committees including Activities and Fishing. Yvonne started on May 20, 2025, and has quickly acclimated. The office air conditioner required a major repair, replacing 15-year-old components and ductwork, which was thankfully completed during mild weather.
Campground septic work is underway, with DNR approval sought for closing Lagoon 4 by emptying sludge, drying the clay basin, leveling the area, and establishing vegetation. The clubhouse septic system will need partial relocation of soil treatment, with a soil scientist scheduled to take samples on June 16, 2025.
Pool repairs continue to be delayed due to contractors rescheduling because of rain, but concrete work is scheduled for June 10, 2025 after which the pool will reopen with notices on Facebook and Condo.
Bret Bush (lot #324) has been managing the Safety Building rehabilitation. Mold testing came back negative in the Safety office and Fire Department training areas. A list of needed repairs will be developed for bidding and Finance Committee review before Board recommendations. Lake Committee water samples from Beaches 1, 2, and 3 showed very low E. Coli levels but elevated total Coliform bacteria, likely due to recent rain runoff.
New signs will be installed at community areas and all five lake entrances to replace missing or damaged signs. Two signs per community area will improve visibility from both the road and shoreline. Viking Valley Volunteers have been active painting the marquee, updating maps and displays, installing lights, and reviewing upgrades for lantern lights, the Clubhouse basement, and welcome sign posts. Interested volunteers are encouraged to contact Felicia Roth (lot #1922).
Christina discussed Condo Control, and the different areas where it is not efficient for the Lake. We are looking into a new HOA platform that has better communication tools, improved user experience, and significantly lower costs—about one-third the price of Condo. No changes are planned for summer but the new system may launch in fall. Michelle praised the progress made by Brian, the Office, Safety, Maintenance, and the Committees, emphasizing that change fosters growth and success comes from learning from the past. She said the Board couldn’t do this without everyone.
Financial Reports
David made a motion to approve the April 2025 financial statements. Tom seconded. Motion passed.
Board Discussion
During the board discussion, the results of a recent member survey were reviewed. The survey addressed several topics suggested by members, including a connecting road at the clubhouse, a fence around the playground, and the use of Community Area 23 or Beach 1 for dock building.
The Board clarified these ideas did not originate from them but were member suggestions. The official survey results showed responses for each question as follows: Question 1 – 99 Yes (39.76%) and 150 No (60.24%); Question 2 – 92 Yes (36.95%) and 157 No (63.05); Question 3 – 87 Yes (34.94%) and 162 No (65.06); Question 4 – 71 Yes (28.51%) and 178 No (71.49%). These responses indicated the membership’s position, and the Board considers these matters closed. Tom expressed appreciation for the strong survey participation, noting the number of respondents matched typical annual meeting turnout. He also hopes the new software will allow members to submit suggestions directly. Michelle echoed this sentiment, encouraging members to voice their ideas by talking to the Board, Brian, Committees, and attending meetings, emphasizing that member input is important to guide the community’s direction.
Concerns were raised about boats tying together near private docks and blocking access. Members were reminded not to block docks and to call Safety if they experience blockages. Tom asked for clarification on the rules, and Jason cited the Peace Disturbance policy from the handbook, stating no member may restrict another’s movement. David emphasized the need for courtesy and politeness to allow everyone access. Michelle reminded everyone to treat others as they would like to be treated. Tim Knapp (Lot #433) expressed his safety concerns with the number of boats that have been tying up together in coves during the past 3-4 years. Jason encouraged members to take photos of rule violations to support Safety’s enforcement, which can prevent needing to attend infraction hearings. Terry brought up maintenance needs for some association docks, noting nails sticking out and the need to re-bumper docks at Beaches 2 and 3. Tom agreed they should find durable bumper materials for lasting repairs.
Felicia Roth thanked the Board for considering the survey feedback and suggested some of the budget initially intended for survey items might be redirected toward the Safety building. Michelle responded that early concerns about flooding and mold delayed action, but since no mold was found, the safety building project will move forward. Mrs. Roth also expressed gratitude to the Strategic Planning Committee for their work.
Guest Time
There was no scheduled Guest Time at this meeting.
Adjournment
Tom motioned to adjourn the meeting at 3:19. David Seconded. 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
