The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Viking Valley Association was held on July 12, 2026 at 12:30 PM in the Upper Clubhouse. Board Members present were: Michelle Sullivan (Lot #1826) – Board President, Dan Weidmaier (Lot #309) – 1st Vice President, Dave Schaefer (Lot #1227) – 2nd Vice President, Christina Lindsay (Lot #429) – Secretary, Tom Rice (Lot #343) – Assistant Secretary, Dave Daniel (Lot #231) – Assistant Treasurer. Board Members not present were: Robert Walton (Lot #217) – Treasurer.
Michelle called the meeting to order at 12:30 PM. Dave Daniel made a motion to move into Executive Session to discuss legal matters, third party contracts and employee matters. Tom seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Tom made a motion to open the meeting to the public at 2:00 PM. Dave Schaefer seconded the motion. Motion passed. There were 28 members in attendance.
Michelle 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 Dave Daniel.
Tom made a motion to approve the minutes from the June 14, 2026 board meeting. Dave Daniel seconded the motion. Motion passed.
There was no report for the Handbook Committee.
Dave Schaefer reported for the Finance Committee. During the review of the June financial documents, a year-over-year (YOY) increase in administrative expenses was noted, which directly correlates to differing billing cycles for HOALife versus past Condo Control billing cycles. To streamline future reviews, the committee established a new policy where any financial variance exceeding 10% and $5,000 YOY and Budget will automatically trigger an explanatory note for group discussion. The Morgan Stanley portfolio experienced a decline of $33,412 in June, closing the month with a balance of $2,150,130. Following a mid-June portfolio review addressing non-performance, the committee agreed to request that Morgan Stanley liquidate 16 underperforming companies across both the growth and value portfolios and replace them.
Additionally, Morgan Stanley will be asked to establish semi-annual virtual or in-person meetings with the committee for regular portfolio reviews. The committee is continuing to finalize details for the proposed Annual Dues Calendar change ahead of the October membership vote at the annual meeting. Work also continues alongside the Strategic Planning Committee regarding the Lake Office bid. The team is currently finalizing the specific dollar amount for the project, which will also be voted on by membership in October. The committee discussed storm sirens, the fire department tanker, lot sales, trash expense, and clubhouse septic, all of which Brian will report on in his Managing Directors report. Finally, there were no relay items submitted by the Strategic Planning Committee for evaluation this month.
Jack Bowers (Lot #476) reported for the Strategic Planning Committee. The committee met to discuss the community’s 5-year plan, office building replacement, and possible playground updates. Regarding the playground, the committee presented two options for layout and equipment for Board consideration. Both options feature renovations to existing equipment, additional seating for adults, shade-providing pergolas, and child safety fall protection. A serious structural update was given regarding the current Lake Office, which is a 1960s-vintage manufactured building that has far exceeded its original 20-to-30-year lifespan. A retired resident building contractor recently inspected the facility and determined that renovations are not practical or cost-effective. His assessment revealed severe structural issues, electrical problems, and potential safety hazards that cannot be easily mitigated. Consequently, the committee is proposing a complete building replacement. The new facility would resolve all existing safety hazards, improve employee working conditions, project a better first impression for prospective property buyers, as well as members, and provide an improved meeting space for committees. This replacement proposal will be sent to the Finance Committee to explore funding options before moving to the Board and the community for a vote. Finally, the comprehensive 5-year plan is on track to be presented to the Board within the next two months, ahead of the Annual Meeting. This plan addresses long-term future needs and updates for community areas, buildings, rolling stock, roads, and the lake, distinguishing where simple repairs will suffice versus where full replacements are required.
Tina Daniel (Lot #231) reported for the Activity Committee. The committee reported that the Fourth of July boat parade was a major success, featuring 8 beautifully decorated boats and an enthusiastic crowd of spectators along the shore. First place was awarded to the Larson Family (Lot #580), their theme was “The Mayflower.” Second place went to the Anderberg Family (Lot #473), their theme was “American Eagle,” and third place was captured by the Houghton Family (Lot #318), their theme was “Stars, Stripes & Soundwaves.” The Ice Cream Social held immediately following the parade was highly successful, drawing a large crowd of residents and completely running out of ice cream. Looking ahead, the committee announced several upcoming summer events. The Mixology Patio Party is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM behind the Clubhouse. Attendees are reminded to bring a lawn chair for an evening of music. Additionally, a Corn Hole Tournament will take place on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 2:00 PM behind the Clubhouse. The tournament entry fee is $10 per person, and the format features six total games where players rotate partners each round, with the highest individual score winning the tournament. Residents are encouraged to bring friends, lawn chairs, and their favorite beverages for a fun afternoon.
Richard Woodruff (Lot #98) reported for the Building Committee. The Building Committee is currently seeking 2 new members to join the committee. During the month of June, the committee processed 25 permit requests, approving 24 of them. These approvals resulted in $2,450 billed for road improvements. The approved permits included one new home construction, six dock improvements, as well as requests for septic repairs, landscaping projects, decks, and rock driveways. The current time frame for committee approval of a permit is about a week, which is an improvement from the previous 10-15 days. The committee discussed updating the online building permit application, specifically to merge the easement sections with the hope of receiving all the information needed to approve building permits.
Brian reported for the Fire Department. The recent deployment of the pumper truck on July 4th successfully qualified as official training for the crew. The department responded to a couple of fires recently, including a dumpster fire that may have been caused by discarded fireworks. Due to the resulting fire damage, the association may be responsible for the cost of replacing the dumpster. To prevent future incidents, the department is exploring the creation of a designated area next year where fireworks can be safely stored and periodically sprayed to suppress potential fires.
Charles Sudduth (Lot #1130) reported for the Campground Committee. An in-depth discussion was held regarding a recent campground member survey. The survey covered four key issues such as the 21-day full-time limit, a proposed change to the full-time monthly charge, a possible monthly fee for full-time members to be eliminated and annual fees for all campground members to increase, and possible restrictions on the number of full-time campers allowed in the campground. Discussion ensued regarding a general lack of communication surrounding the underlying reasons for these proposed changes, as well as the need for clearer handbook definitions, specifically clarifying “full-time” versus “part-time” status and defining the exact parameters of a “day.” It was clarified that the 21-day limit explicitly accounts for the continuous utility draw of air conditioners and major appliances running while residents are staying there. Christina, the Board’s campground contact, apologized for her absence from the committee meeting that was held on July 4th, explaining she had only been notified of it that morning. She requested that any official voting be postponed so she could meet with the committee to get her questions answered and better fulfill her role as a Board representative. Michelle noted that she has heard numerous concerns directly from campground users regarding members not knowing what specific problems the committee is trying to resolve, which prevents members from understanding the underlying reasons for any proposed changes. Other comments included removing the full-time distinction entirely because the association cannot effectively track who enters and exits the campground. Christina noted she had spoken with Brian regarding the overlapping responsibilities of the Safety department versus campground management. Michelle stated that all members must be held accountable and that rules should be explicit so they cannot be interpreted differently depending on who reads them. This is a standard she believes should apply lake-wide, not just to the campground. Christina reemphasized that because she does not stay in the campground, she remains impartial and wants to focus strictly on the facts. She repeated her request for time to fully understand the situation so she can confidently represent the community. The matter was tabled for consideration next month.
Michelle reported for the Lake Committee. The Lake Committee met on June 23, 2026 to conduct a lake inspection from Robert’s boat. As a result of this inspection, eighteen 30-day compliance letters were processed. Of these notifications, ten were issued for lot numbers not being correctly posted on docks, six were for weeds along the shoreline, one was for a dock in disrepair, and one was for shoreline erosion. Additionally, the committee made in-person contact with a lot owner regarding a mowing issue, and the owner promised immediate compliance. The committee members plan to conduct a follow-up inspection within the next two weeks.
There was no report for the Infraction Committee.
Bret Bush (Lot #324) reported for the Dredge Committee. The Dredge Committee held a meeting on July 6, 2026 and discussed shifting operations from spring to fall and will check the availability of a dredge rental for 2028. To optimize operations, the committee is comparing the cost of internal maintenance labor over two months against hiring Dredge America for one month to handle all labor and piping, noting that the association currently needs more pipe floats. The committee clarified that dredging operations target a depth of 6 to 7 feet to remove silt only; work will stop immediately if rock, clay, or dense material is encountered to avoid digging beyond original lake depths. Exceptional performance was reported for the current weirs, which have visibly improved water clarity and reduced post-rain debris. Moving forward, the committee has 13 budgeted shoreline areas remaining this year for cleanouts and rip-rap installation. Bids are being sought for the Garney Tract cleanup, structural improvements to facilitate creek cleanouts via long-arm machinery, and a cleanout with rip-rap installation at Community Area 3 near the maintenance area. Finally, the committee discussed expanding the holding ponds in the Garney area and confirmed that project plans will be finalized with three bids for each proposed initiative. A concern was raised about certain coves not getting dredged, which could lead to that cove filling in completely. The committee clarified that they cannot go on individuals property, so while they work hard to dredge for the lake as a whole, but some of the narrow coves where the dredge can’t get into would be the property owners responsibility.
Dave Daniel requested a Special Road District update from Ron Spidle (Lot #341). Mr. Spidle reported that current operations are focused on 190th Street and 165th Street, with the primary objective of improving road drainage. He noted that recent rainfall confirmed that stormwater is draining away from the roadways as intended. Project timelines estimate the completion of 190th Street by Wednesday, July 15, 2026, after which crews will transition to Oval Avenue. Work on Oval Avenue is projected to conclude within approximately one week.
Mr. Bush reported for the Fishing Committee. The Fishing Committee met on Saturday, July 4, 2026, prior to the Pancake Breakfast. Regarding fall fish stocking, the committee confirmed that Yellow Perch have been ordered, and they are currently researching the costs for stocking Walleye and Smallmouth Bass. The annual Pancake Breakfast catered by Chris Cakes was a major success, feeding 563 people and generating $3,672.73 in net profit that will be used to purchase more fish. Special appreciation was extended to the vendor for providing a favorable rate that maximized fundraising results. Additionally, six fish habitat structures were constructed and deployed this month in the same locations as last year to further improve those areas.
Brian gave the Managing Director’s Report. The Maintenance Department completed all scheduled dredging operations and addressed recent storm damage by clearing fallen trees and wind debris, including work on Mooney and Mallard. Routine property upkeep included mowing roadsides, lots, and the dam. Maintenance raked beach sand, filled potholes, unclogged culverts, and sprayed weeds across all community areas, the airport, beaches, and the clubhouse grounds. Additionally, the crew completed shoreline and erosion control projects at Community Areas 6 and 16, repaired lake buoys and lights, cleared the burn pile and dumpster areas, and organized the maintenance shop.
The Safety Department issued 42 warnings and 15 infractions, processed twenty-seven 30-day letters for the Lake Committee, and posted 32 building permits for the Building Committee. Safety stickered 166 watercraft, completed 6 zebra mussel hot washes, towed 5 boats, and repaired, serviced and relaunched the Safety boat. Emergency and community responses included 6 medical calls, 1 fire response, extinguishing an unattended fire at Community Area 23, and performing a requested member wellness check. Operations included processing 237 HOALife guest requests, removing unauthorized signs, painting a no-parking zone at the office and fire department, assisting with package deliveries, and supporting Maintenance with dredging and dredge removal. Finally, Safety patrolled 2,498 land miles and 46 water hours, completed internal medical equipment inspections, assisted with Fire Department truck inspections, and attended 2 Fire Department training sessions.
The Office handled routine customer service, which included walk-ins, phone calls, and emails. They processed deeds and assisted in the sale of three Association lots. They managed Clubhouse rentals and posted Facebook and HOALife announcements. The office updated the lake website with a current list of lots for sale, a current committee list, and the current handbook. They also printed and bound handbooks, which are available for members to pick up in the Office. Financial duties included, bank deposits, and payroll, as well as applying Venmo payments for the Family Fishing Festival and Poker Run. They invoiced campground full-time members, lake wide late fees, suspended PalGate access for past-due members, and forwarded the Rapid Removal trash suspension list to Safety. The office invoiced Lake Viking News accounts, and continued to work on addressing past due accounts. They also created the June board minutes, compiled sewer lagoon data for the DNR and submitted the report. Committee support included drafting financial documents for the Campground Committee and the Finance Committee, as well as compiling and distributing the Campground Committee member survey.
Aubrey Burns and Collin Mason resigned from their positions with Safety. Aubrey recently graduated from Northwest Missouri State University and is starting a career with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services while Collin was needed by his family’s business.
We moved our seasonal dredging employees to full-time in Safety and Maintenance. Tyson Martin will take Aubrey’s position in Safety. Tyson has served as the Harrison County Emergency Management Coordinator and is leaving a higher paying job as a full-time firefighter at Rosecrans Airport in St. Joe. Mike Head was hired to fill the opening in Maintenance created by Alvin Turner’s departure earlier this year. Mike previously worked at a rock quarry and a meat processing plant.
As a reminder, effective July 1 all Real Estate Sign requests must be submitted in HOALife.
Trash expense for Rapid Removal during June 2026 was $10,490 less than in June 2025, and savings for the first year of the trash contract with Rapid is $41,692 less than the expense during the final year of the contract with Affordable.
This month we sold 3 lots for a total of $11,200.
The new storm sirens have been delivered and will be installed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. We could not coordinate a time when the local power company and the siren company could both be here for installation, so we won’t be able to experience the savings reported last month. We purchased new poles from the local power company, but the siren company will dig the holes and set the poles. The total cost with this new arrangement will be $69 more than previously reported, but it will include the use of a crane to remove the 3 poles currently holding our old sirens.
We plan to take possession of the new Fire Department tanker on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Safety installed a trail camera at the airport to determine the amount and types of vehicular traffic driving on the landing strip. The camera revealed, on average, 1 vehicle per day over the month of data we obtained with an equal distribution between trucks, ATV/UTV’s, and SUV’s. We are using the data and reviewing handbook rules to create a comprehensive plan for the Board to consider.
Concerning the Clubhouse Septic, the Missouri Department of Health contacted Tom Firtts with another question. To assuage the department’s concerns, Tom is proposing 2 smaller aerobic treatment units that can be run one at a time or both should the flow increase to the level the state wants the system designed to accommodate. We remain hopeful that a permit will be issued before September. Blackout dates for clubhouse rentals to accommodate for the septic installation are September 8 through December 31, 2026.
Tom made a motion to approve the June 2026 financial statements. Dave Schaefer seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Board Discussion opened with a proposal to replat lots 2503, 2514, 2515, 2517, 2518, 2521, and 2522 as SU Lots. The reasoning behind this is that the Association currently owns three of these lots, which are along Gulfstream, and would like to sell them as Special Use lots, which would require a replat. An invitation was extended to current members who also own lots along Gulfstream to replat their lots at the same time, at their own expense. We contracted with a survey company to complete this project. Tom made a motion to approve the replat as SU lots for lots 2503, 2514, 2515, 2517, 2518, 2521, and 2522. Dave Schaefer seconded the motion. Motion passed.
The next item on Board Discussion was to clarify trash rules for commercial activity at Z lots. The points of clarity included if commercial lots can choose either full time or part time, have either a residential toter or a larger dumpster, and if a business only has a residential toter, then whether or not their extra trash can be placed in the trash dumpsters at the maintenance yard. The point was made that it would be difficult to distinguish between residential and commercial trash if a lot owner has both. It was agreed upon that it is reasonable to expect a business to monitor their own waste volume, so perhaps it would be best if commercial lots maintained an adequately sized dumpster from a vendor of their choice, with a suggestion made for a minimum six-yard dumpster size. Additionally, proposals were made to require businesses to structurally enclose dumpsters to prevent eye sores, which would require a Building Committee review. Ultimately, the Board agreed to postpone a decision, and Brian will bring a revised rule proposal back to the Board next month focusing on full-time/part-time distinctions, adequate trash capacity, and vendor choice.
Guest time was scheduled for Caroline Casals (Lot #348) to appeal a dog bite infraction. Mrs. Casals was not present at this meeting.
Michelle reminded the membership that the next board meeting is Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM, with executive session starting before the meeting at 12:30 PM.
Dave Daniel motioned to adjourn the meeting at 3:16 PM. Tom seconded the motion. Motion passed.
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
