Author: Ryan Mueller

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 9/23/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:00 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind, Melinda Broward, Mike Rankin, Sandy Adams, Clifton Bencke

Absent:            Blake Larson

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Minutes approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie presented the finances. The kayak race brought $380 in raffles, $70 in donations, and $669 in merchandise. We spent $257 on the race, to give a profit of $862 for the GLA. Thank you, neighbors! A very successful event! $23,163 currently in assets.

Old Business:

    -Taskforce update: The group wants to discuss dredging test results at the fall meeting. Based on the results, the group is considering making a specialized taskforce to tackle just dredging projects at the lake. This taskforce is urging the city to take action on the spillway and dam repairs. The group is emphasizing to the city that we want to be informed of any large projects that are planned at the lake.

    -Zebra Mussel update: Leslie met with KDWP recently and discussed the invasive species. They explained that we are in the ‘boom and bloom’ stage where we will see the most infestation. In addition, in the fall and spring the mussels lay their eggs so now is when engine and water hose inlets will be at extra risk. They’re ‘invasion’ of a lake has a cycle where the population peaks about now, hopefully decreases over the next few years then hits a resting period.

    -By-laws update: There is a summary of the changes posted on Facebook for residents to quickly see the changes that are proposed. Please review and send any questions/comments to [email protected].

    -Lake Road Reps: Greta is dispersing Resident packets to Lake Road Reps. These include a magnet with a place for your Lake Road Rep’s info if you need to contact them. Greta is next going to tackle welcome baskets for new lake residents. After some discussion, the decision was made that Reps should both be residents of Gardner Lake and up-to-date on their dues. We are always looking for more volunteers, please let someone know if you are interested in helping.

    -Special Events:

-The Fall Cookoff will be meatball themed this year! You can help decide who has the best balls at Gardner Lake. We will have fun, music and great food. To join in the fun, tickets are $10 per adult (5 vote tokens) and $5 for kids (2 vote tokens), extra vote tokens will be$2. There will be prizes for winners and a $5 raffle for everyone to participate in. If you would like to help with the event or participate in the competition, let Melinda know! The group approved $150 for a portable restroom for this event.

-Light Up the Lake Contest will be happening again this December! Get your best Christmas light decorations ready. Plan to submit your photos. We will have a vote through Facebook with winners receiving gift baskets!

-Fall Resident’s Meeting is going to be on October 19th this year. Topics will be forthcoming. We will announce winners of the raffles for the inflatable kayak and inflatable stand-up-paddleboard at this meeting.

New Business:

-Clifton raised a concern with dogs being overly aggressive to pedestrians. This led to multiple anecdotes of people having issues with dogs charging them while they are walking at several areas at the lake. The board discussed what potential options are available for to address the issue. The GLA board respects the JoCo rural area we have, but strongly emphasizes the need for a safe and friendly neighborhood, where neighbors can safely enjoy walks along our beautiful lake.

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Mike and seconded by Ryan

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 8/21/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:00 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind, Melinda Broward, Mike Rankin, Sandy Adams

Absent:            Blake Larson, Clifton Bencke

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Minutes approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie summarized that the GLA current assets are at $27,711. The $80 annual fee for being a non-profit organization was paid.

Old Business:

    –Taskforce update: The team continues to make progress on the spillway issue. An independent assessment of the lake’s condition has been made and is being compared to previous assessments. The team has results for dredging tests that will be shared at the Fall meeting.

    –Zebra Mussel update: Biologists were concerned about the amount of zebra mussels already at the lake. Studies are going to be performed here at the lake to realize the scope of the issue. Solutions are unclear. For instance, a chemical has been quoted at $1.5Million but the results are not guaranteed and it would have unintended side-effects to other wildlife.

    –By-laws update: Ryan is going to put a summary of the changes in each section on the Gardner Lake Facebook page.

    –Lake Road Reps: Greta is continuing to try and think of ways that reps can help keep residents informed on the board and vice-versa. She had an email distribution list made for keeping in contact with the reps. She has been leading an effort with Sandy and the Lake Road Reps to get magnets for residents.

 –Special Events:

–Weed whacking event will take place on 8/25.

–Kayak Race is happening on Monday 9/2! $40 gift card for 1st prize winners! Don’t forget about the new event – peddle boat course! A shorter race where boaters need to collect items along the way. If you are not feeling like an Olympian, we will have ldots of raffle items, snacks and drinks for all! Melinda and the team are hard at work preparing for the big day. The team discussed whether to get a port-o-potty and decided not to get one this year. There are vandalism/security concerns. We will need to look into ways to secure a port-o-potty if used more often for events like this. Leslie is continuing to press the city to address restrooms at the lake.

–Rock the Docks will be here soon on Sunday 9/1! A schedule will be shared on the neighborhood Facebook group. We will not have a food truck this year, last year the food truck did not get much use and so wasn’t justified.

-The Fall Cookoff will be meatball themed this year! Prepare your favorite spherical meat and meet us down below the dam on October 5th. There will be great raffles and prizes as always! We will have fun, music and great food. If you would like to help with the event or participate in the competition, let Melinda know!

–Fall Resident’s Meeting is going to be on October 19th this year. Topics will be forthcoming. We will announce winners of the raffles for the inflatable kayak and inflatable stand-up-paddleboard at this meeting.

    -Ryan demoed a form for easier updates in the resident spreadsheet. He will work with Greta, Mike, and Leslie to determine requirements and build it further.

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Mike and seconded by Ryan

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 7/17/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:00 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind, Melinda Broward, Clifton Bencke, Blake Larson

Absent:            Mike Rankin

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Minutes approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie presented. We currently have dues paid from 87 members in 2024 leading to $28,217 in the GLA’s current assets.

Old Business:

    – Raffle: The raffle is still going! We have added a new item to the big raffle this year! In addition to the Hyperlite SUP, we will be raffling an inflatable Intex Challenger K2 Kayak. Tickets are $10 each or 6 for $50. The winner will be announced at the Fall Resident’s meeting (do not have to be there to win). There will be a 1st draw and a 2nd draw, with the 1st drawer getting to pick their choice of item. Get your tickets for $10 or 6 for $50.

    -Taskforce update: The taskforce continues to wait for results from the engineering firm. After results are in, the team plans to hold another infrastructure-only resident’s meeting to share the findings and discuss potential paths forward.

    -By-laws update: Proposed by-laws have been shared on the GLA website for members to review. The team discussed ways to help residents better view the suggested changes. We are going to work on a summary for the newsletter and possibly Facebook.

    -Minutes update: Ryan shared the meeting minutes on the Facebook page last month. Generally positive feedback for this, though some members were concerned about sharing the minutes. However, to clarify, the minutes have been publicly accessible through the GLA website for many years. The recent ‘change’ was to share that public link on the Facebook page once the latest minutes are added – there has been no change to the privacy of the minutes.

    -Lake Road Reps: Greta is continuing to improve the communication between the GLA Board and the Lake Road Reps. She is currently trying to empower Reps with information about their nook in the community. Ryan is working on improving the electronic side of this project. Greta is also working on welcome packets for new residents and ‘helpful info’ magnets.

    -Special Events:

-A few intrepid souls attended a weed whacking event before the 4th of July Parade… speaking of which… the parade was another great success. We had 6 awesome boats participate with online Facebook voting. The winners were given grand prizes of Gardner Lake swag and merchandise including blankets, pillows, and tumblers.

-Rock the Docks will be here soon! This will continue to be a DIY event where the GLA’s involvement is sharing the scheduled bands. Let us know if you plan to have someone play at your house the weekend before Labor Day and we will add you to the schedule!

-The annual Kayak Race on Labor Day (9/2) is quickly approaching and preparations are being made. The team will be introducing a new event this year – peddle boating! (The 2 to 4 person boats you peddle with your feet). If you have a peddle boat, kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle board, meet at the dam! (Life jackets required!) There will also be some items up for raffle ($5 per ticket, be present to win) and trophies for the winning vessels. In case you haven’t heard, this will also be where we announce the winner of the Hyperlite Elevation 2.0!

-The Fall Cookoff will be meatball themed this year! Prepare your favorite spherical meat and meet us down below the dam on October 5th. There will be great raffles and prizes as always! Raffle winners will be announced at the event. We will have fun, music, and a raffle with winners announced at the end of the event. If you would like to help with the event or participate in the competition, let Melinda know!

-The Light Up the Lake contest will take place again this December. To participate, when the time comes, decorate your house and send your picture and name to the GLA. We will have Facebook voting for the best decorations with prizes for the top winners. The team is planning to have voting 12/20-12/26 with prizes distributed shortly after.

    -Newsletter: Amy is working on a newsletter highlighting exciting happenings in our wonderful community.

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Clifton and seconded by Ryan

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 6/19/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:02 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind, Mike Rankin, Melinda Broward

Absent:            Clifton Bencke, Blake Larson

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie reported that the current GLA current assets total $32,106. That figure does not include the forthcoming dumpster expenses but is a great value indicating a healthy organization. Team discussed budgeting some money for next year’s now annual Lake Road Rep meeting.

Old Business:

    -Taskforce update: The team continues to investigate the avenues available to get the dam/spillway fixed. This includes how to finance the work as well as what work needs done. As soon as there is tangible work to present to the group, the team plans to set up a special meeting for residents.

    -Membership: The Board discussed ways to make storing member information easier for the team. Ryan will be looking into different solutions that keep in mind Lake Road Rep needs, membership/directory needs, as well as treasurer needs.

    -Lake Road Reps: Greta and the Board hosted a meeting with Lake Road Reps. The meeting was a great time where people from all parts of the lake were able to meet. Greta also got down to business and discussed new ideas she has for the Lake Road Rep program with the goal of building a stronger community. Every Lake Road Rep and volunteer helper was contacted by Greta to hear thoughts and share the latest ideas. Topics discussed included: coordinating tasks, updating resident directory, and new resident welcome packages. Also improving communication with residents including sharing minutes more widely and quickly. In addition, some new special event ideas were discussed including corn hole, a “Gardner Lake” night at a local restaurant, and a open house tour day.

    -Special Events: The team discussed preparations for the 4th of July parade including logistics, choosing a Grand Marshall, trophies, and prizes (we have very cool prizes planned this year!). Melinda is looking for leaders for the Chili cookoff and the Kayak Race if anyone is interested!

      -The dumpster weekend was another great success this weekend. Both dumpsters were totally filled! Thanks to all of the members who participated. A new idea for next year’s dumpster weekend, the GLA may try to have a bit of an item swap for items willing to give away but aren’t quite ready for the landfill.

      -Some residents have already made their plans for Rock the Docks on the Saturday/Sunday before Labor Day. If you are hosting a band that weekend, let us know so we can add it to the schedule!

New Business:

    -Merchandise: The team discussed new items including bucket hats, blankets, and floaties. Let Sandy know if you have any ideas for new items!

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Ryan and seconded by Sandy.

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 4/30/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:08 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Leslie Hind, Mike Rankin, Melinda Broward

Absent:            Greta Jahraus, Clifton Bencke, Blake Larson

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Approved as submitted.

Treasury: 68 members have paid dues so far this year. $2083 collected so far this year, $24,889 in the bank account, $2,504 in Venmo. Approved as submitted.

Old Business:

    -Resident’s Meeting debrief: The team discussed the meeting topics and resident reactions. Seemed that the meeting was well received by most and so the format will continue.

    -Taskforce update: Fact finding continues. We should have a report from the engineering firm any day now. The team is turning over every rock possible to bring as much information as possible to residents.

    -Merchandise: The team discussed new items that might be interesting to residents including bucket hats. We will be replenishing stocks soon! See Sandy if you need anything Gardner Lake.

    -Dues: The team discussed suggesting an increase in dues to residents at the Fall meeting.

New Business:

    -Special Events: The team discussed upcoming events including a Spring cleanup and 4th of July Boat Parade. The Board voted and approved $600 per event maximum for major events this summer. Melinda suggested an exciting new idea – a Cornhole tournament! We are figuring out the details and will have info soon.

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Leslie and seconded by Sandy.

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New Raffle!

You can Venmo your raffle ticket entry! Use your phone camera to hover over this QR code and get sent right to the GLA Venmo. Make sure you put your name, address, and “kayak raffle” in the comment!

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GLA Spring Resident’s Meeting Minutes

Gardner Lake Association

Minutes to Monthly Board Meeting

3/16/24

Meeting Called to order by Amy Heaven at 9:00 AM at the JCCC Olathe Education Center

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Mike Rankin, Blake Larson, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind

Absent:            Blake Larson, Sandy Adams, Melinda Broward

Amy Heaven opened up the meeting with some historical meeting minutes from the past. Some new residents introduced themselves. Amy then introduced members of the GLA board.

Agenda: Presented by Amy. Updates were: Mike would present for Sandy Adams and Ryan’s role was corrected to Secretary. Agenda was approved.

Secretary: Minutes presented by Ryan, approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie discussed the treasurer’s report. Leslie had the GLA finances and records reviewed by a CPA, and no issues were found. The GLA is still building membership for the year, we currently have 14 members who have paid dues. Towels have profited $646 in total for the GLA. Calendars cost $930, Directories cost $498, $1,394 collected from directory advertisers. Chili feed profited $446. $142 in costs for Light Up the Lake contest. $486 has been collected through the ladder raffle. New jackets were a cost $1,954 and we have recouped almost all of that in sales. Report was approved as submitted.

Task Force: The group continues due diligence to investigate the dam, spillway, and dredging. A benefactor has financed an engineering firm to research these topics and build a report. This investigating has been taking place over the last few months and is wrapping up soon. The Taskforce will plan to share the report with residents this summer.

Old Business:

  -By-laws update: Ryan gave a quick update. He told residents that he will be resharing the current draft of the by-laws + the few edits discussed in the Spring 2023 meeting soon. After resident review and comments, if no major concerns are found, the by-laws would be voted on in the Fall 2024 GLA Resident’s meeting.

New Business:

  -Lake Road Reps: Greta presented a new idea to help coordinating with Lake Road Reps. She plans to increase communication with Reps and therefore communication with Residents. We are always looking for more involvement, let the GLA know if you would like to be a Lake Road Rep! There will be a Lake Road Rep meeting soon to check-in with the group.

  -Special Events: Dumpster weekend will be 6/8, see flyer for appropriate items. Spring weed whacking event 6/29 before July 4th. Boat parade – July 4th, Rock the Docks – 9/1, Kayak Race – 9/2 , Fall weed whacking event 9/28, Fall Chili Cookoff – 10/5, Light Up the Lake contest December.

  -Merchandise: Greta and Shawnna presented many items from the inventory that Sandy has built. Items include bucket hats, coozies, stickers, tank tops, jackets, and towels. Talk to Sandy or come to a GLA event to see what is in stock!

  -Zebra Mussels: Leslie presented about the invasive critters. Gardner Lake has been identified as infested with Zebra Mussels. We were one of the last lakes in the state of Kansas to be infested. At this point, some adults have been found, indicating that they have been present for at least 3 years. There are many implications because of this finding. Please see refer to Kansas regulations for specific guidance but among some changes are any watercraft need special treatment after being in the lake and fish can not be transferred to other lakes. 

  -Fish Habitats: Leslie discussed the new fish habitats that were installed at the lake. There were 6 in total placed around the lake. They should not snag fishing lures and should promote fish numbers.

  -Bradford Pears: Leslie discussed the troublesome tree. It has been established as an environmental nuisance that is a net negative for communities. The state is giving away free trees to replace removed Bradford Pears.

  -Board Elections: Amy presented on some guidelines for Board Elections. She wants to get back to a consistent process for ensuring that members of the Board are chosen by the electorate. We will begin 3-year terms, with 3 of us expiring each year. Amy chose the first 3 people that will expire this year and they are: Amy Heaven, Ryan Mueller, and Clifton Bencke (post-meeting Ryan Mueller and Sandy Adams switched. We will have an election at the Fall Resident’s meeting to vote for these positions. These board members have the option to run for re-election if they so wish.

  -Facebook Page: Mike Rankin presented some thoughts on the Resident Facebook page the Board unofficially helps administrate. He clarified that the group is for residents of the lake primarily and only in special circumstances will others be allowed into the group (child caretakers, etc.).

  -Butterfly Milkweed: Jan had prepared some packages of butterfly milkweed seeds to share with residents at the meeting. Monarch butterflies specifically like these and will benefit.

  -Ladder Raffle: Darlene Brown was the lucky winner of the Mac’s Docks Ladder! Congratulations Darlene and thanks again to Mac’s Docks for the generous donation!

-Paddle Board Raffle: Amy presented the new raffle for 2024! It is a Hyperlite Elevation 2.0 generously donated by the Ladies of the Lake (thank you!). It is valued at over $400 and can hold more than one person. Perfect for Gardner Lake! Raffle tickets are $10 each and will be sold at events across the summer, and you can Venmo the GLA to enter (put “paddle board raffle” in the comments!). The winner will be announced at the Kayak Race 9/2 this Fall. May the best paddler win!

Adjournment:

  -Amy asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting and this was seconded.

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 2/21/24

Gardner Lake Association

Minutes to Monthly Board Meeting

2/21/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:04 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Leslie Hind, Mike Rankin, Clint Anderson, Clifton Bencke, Blake Larson, Melinda Broward

Absent:            None

Agenda: Approved as submitted.

Secretary: Approved as submitted. Greta motioned to approve, seconded by Leslie.

Special Presentation: Clint Anderson joined the group to discuss sanitation facilities at the boat ramp for Gardner Lake. Need: a lack of bathrooms at a public facility leads to people urinating/defecating in public around the lake or in the lake. Options: fenced in enclosure with gate for access, “concrete vault” restroom, full-on bathroom. Cost: city as a first priority, potential for residents or GLA to contribute as well. Ongoing Maintenance: ~$100/month for pumping. Ongoing Management: needs locked at night and cleaned.

   Discussion: The board agrees with the need for restrooms. All agreed that it would be a good topic to request from the city. Some are unsure of the long-term maintenance and costs. This will be continued in future meetings. Leslie said she would investigate options further.

Treasury: The GLA checking account totals $23,411 and in addition there is $1,301 in the Venmo balance. Ryan motions to approve, Mike seconded.

Old Business:

    -Taskforce update: Fact finding continues. The taskforce has additionally taken on the zebra mussel issue as a priority. The team will have an in-depth report from the Engineering firm soon and so plans to set up a special meeting for resident when fact finding concludes.

    -Merchandise: Sandy and the team discussed new ideas for 2024. Ideas included bucket hats, stickers, hand towels, and clothes with different logo designs. Also discussed a Facebook survey to get resident feedback.

    -By-laws: The team reviewed the by-laws status and committed to resharing them at the Spring meeting to be voted on at the Fall meeting. Ryan will work on these and share with residents.

New Business:

    -The group discussed the Spring Members Meeting planned for March 16th. We have received good feedback on the new location (JoCo Olathe Health Education Center) and will continue to have meetings there. The group discussed agenda items including zebra mussels, By-laws, and raffles.

    -Special Events: Sandy is looking into ways we can add a volunteer component to our annual activities. The team also discussed how to increase involvement with the community at events.

    -Lake Road Rep coordinator – Greta identified a gap in the Board’s communication with Lake Road Reps and volunteered to help with this. She wants to help coordinate with reps when we have projects where we request their help.

    -The Facebook group that is unofficially associated with the GLA was discussed. The Board believes the group should stay focused on residents and only add non-residents when necessary (e.g. child caretaker).

The meeting was moved to adjourn by Leslie and seconded by Sandy.

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GLA Board Meeting Minutes – 1/17/24

Gardner Lake Association

Minutes to Monthly Board Meeting

1/17/24

Meeting Called to Order by Amy Heaven at 4:04 PM on Zoom

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Melinda Broward, Leslie Hind

Absent:            Clifton Bencke, Blake Larson, Mike Rankin

Agenda: Added a discussion of a permanent bathroom at dam to new business. Agenda was then approved.

Secretary: Approved as submitted.

Treasury: We have 5 members added for the new year. Incoming credits were towel sales of $346, ladder raffle of $389, advertisers for calendar/website $798. Outgoing payments were $930 for calendar, $498 for directory, and $142 costs for holiday light contest. Current assets total $23,976. Zoom membership renewal will be paid soon.

Old Business:

    -Membership update: We forgot to put dues envelopes with the calendars, please send $25 member dues to Leslie Hind.

    -Taskforce update: The task force continues on a fact finding mission to determine the condition of the lake and its structures.

New Business:

    -Zebra mussels: Leslie has shared the info from the KDWP. Gardner Lake has been found to have zebra mussels. Signs are being added to lake entrances. There are no easy solutions to this new issue.

    -Special Events:

        -Light Up the Lake contest: This was a great success, we had 10+ contestants and lots of voting on Facebook. Greta and Ryan presented gift baskets to our winners. Larry Keegan was our 1st place winner!

        -We are looking for new events and new volunteers for 2024! Contact Melinda or Greta if you are interested or have ideas! Some early ideas the group is exploring are a poker run, a casual kayak day, a food drive, and home tours.

    -Calendars and directories were delivered to the community! We have identified a few areas we missed and will get them covered ASAP, please let us know if you haven’t received a calendar and directory!

    -We are planning to have our Spring Members Meeting March 16th. We have received good feedback on the new location (JoCo Olathe Health Education Center) and will continue to have meetings there.

    -Clint Anderson requested a discussion of a permanent bathroom solution by the marina and boat ramp. The GLA board discussed some points and look forward to discussing more with Clint at the next GLA meeting where he will be invited to present his thoughts.

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GLA Fall Resident’s Meeting Minutes

Meeting Called to order by Amy Heaven at 9:00 AM at the JCCC Olathe Education Center

Present:           Ryan Mueller, Mike Rankin, Blake Larson, Amy Heaven, Greta Jahraus, Sandy Adams, Melinda Broward, Leslie Hind,

Absent:            None

The meeting was kicked off with some of Amy’s reflections on living at this special lake.

Agenda: Presented by Amy, merchandise item added to previously distributed agenda. Approved with the addition.

Secretary: Minutes presented by Ryan, approved as submitted.

Treasury: Leslie discussed the treasurer’s report. This year we have 126 total members, a record! This year the organization brought in $2,661 in total over all events and projects. Included in this are the fun new Gardner Lake towels that brought in over $600 and the Kayak Race that brought in over $300. Thank you to Chuck Lawrence and Larry Desmarteau for hosting the dumpsters for the clean up weekend! That project was a cost of $1,152 but is important and something we will be sure to do again next year! Other expenses include $150 for the meeting room for Resident meetings, $40 for taxes, and $539 for 4th of July prizes and supplies. Total bank account assets are $24,769 plus $27 in Venmo. Also Leslie has submitted her books to an accountant for review and no issues were found.

2023 in Review: Amy gave a summary of the last 8 months of work that was initiated by City of Gardner comments to drain the lake. In this time, a task force of dedicated and concerned residents has been convened to understand the options residents have at their hands to better maintain this lake. This group has met and had calls with city, county, and state representatives in an effort to get answers. During this time, the state and city has taken notice of some nuisance items and remedied them – namely the brush at the lower end of the spillway and the removal of the broken fish feeder.

Old Business:

  -By-laws update: Ryan gave a quick update, in addition to what was previously reviewed, he is going to work on an update for a clearer definition of the financial review as discussed in the Spring of this year. Ryan wants to share the by-laws over the Winter and vote on them in the Spring.

-Taskforce update: In summary, the team has met with Shirley Allenbrand of the county as well as city officials trying to determine what level of funding they are willing to contribute to the lake. In short, the county may be willing to contribute some but the city does not seem willing to assist without passing those costs directly to residents through dock fees. Because of this, this group has been investigating whether there are any other options for residents to consider. The CID is mechanism that allows residents to fund large projects themselves. Of course, any significant contributions from the community would require a shift in the way the city of Gardner is maintaining and managing this lake. This has led to considerations such as if there is any possibility or interest in residents taking the lake private, or creating a public/private partnership with a more defined relationship with the city.

      The next major step in our investigation is to take serious steps towards understanding the condition of the lake. To do this, the team felt the need to get a pulse on the community’s opinion of this project. They conducted a survey that asked: While we recognize that there are many unanswered questions and issues yet to be nailed down, based on the information that you have seen thus far, would you be willing to pay _____ a year for up to 20 years to repair the dam/spillway and dredge the affected areas of Gardner Lake? This amount was $1000-1500 for first tier residents living on the lake, $500-$750 for residents that are not lake-adjacent but have docks, and $250-$375 for members of the community with neither. Speaking generally, a good portion of residents responded and of them, Tier 1 was generally supportive 73% for/27% against, Tier 2 was 53% for/47% against, and Tier 3 was 35% for /65% against. The taskforce believes the Tier 1 resident opinion was significant enough that they should continue their investigation. With this support, the team will begin working with an engineering firm to do our due diligence in understanding this lake’s status quo, needs, and costs. A firm would investigate the structural components of the spillway as well as the overall health of the lake, including dredging needs. In addition, they will be able to provide estimates for costs.

New Business:

  -Merchandise: Sandy presented some fun Gardner Lake merchandise to get ready for Winter. Specifically, there are some great new jackets in stock!

  -Ladder Raffle: Sandy presented the newest raffle item from the GLA. Donated by Mac’s Docks, this ladder is valued at nearly $1000! Raffle tickets are $10 each! The ladder will be raffled off at the Spring Resident’s meeting!

-Soup Challenge (Chili cookoff): Later today!

-Calendars and Directories: Mike presented updates on the calendar and directory projects, both of which should be out around the new year.

Adjournment:

  -Amy moved to adjourn the meeting and this was seconded by many in attendance.