Lake Carroll News December 2017

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Lake Carroll News A publication of the Lake Carroll Association and its Members The Lake Carroll News is online! www.golakecarroll.com News & Events>Newspaper December 2017

www.golakecarroll.com

Prez Sez

W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

Veterans Day Thank You at the Clubhouse

Vol. 45 No. 12

Boards of Directors Alone Cannot Do Everything

Page 11A

An opportunity to give gifts to local children. Page 14A

Find the Plumtree Recreation Area Winter Amenity Schedule for 2017-2018 on page 8B.

2018 Board Meeting Schedule Tentatively Dec 15 (if needed); 2018: Jan 26, Feb 23, Mar 23, Apr 27, May 18, Jun 22, Jul 27, Aug 24, Sep 28, Oct 19, Nov 16, Annual Mtg Dec 2, Dec 21 (if needed)

LCA HOLIDAY CLOSURES: OFFICE CLOSURES: Dec 25 & 26 – Christmas Jan 1 & 2 – New Year’s CLUBHOUSE CLOSURES: Dec 24 & 25 – Christmas Dec 31 – Open for NY Eve Party Attendees ONLY Jan 1 – New Year’s Day AQUATIC COMPLEX CLOSURES: Dec 24 – Close at 10:30am Christmas Eve Dec 25 – Christmas Dec 31 – Close at 4pm NY Eve HOLIDAY EVENTS: Christmas Party Dec 9th - page 6B. Breakfast w/Santa Dec 10 & 17 – page 10A. New Year’s Eve Dec 31st - page 1B.

Clarence Grant Board President

As I write my final article for this year, I look back and realize just how quickly the year passed. I guess the old saying is correct: Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer to the end you get, the faster it goes. Or so it seems. The Association has accomplished much this year and yet there is so much more to do. Make no mistake the Board of Directors does not do this alone. In fact, most of the work is done by Association employees and the many committees we have here at Lake Carroll. We currently have thirteen (13) Standing Committees, which have just under one hundred (100) volunteers making up these committees. These committees have a staff liaison and a board liaison assigned to them. These committees do so much of the work involved in making decisions on matters at Lake Carroll. As matters come up in these committees, the members of the committees along with the staff liaison do the research and the discussions on the matter and then send a recommendation to the BOD for consideration. The board liaison does not run committee meetings. They convey wishes from the BOD to the committee and also from the committee to the BOD. We are not members of the committee, but we are there to help them in their decision making process. The BOD also has the final say on whether members can be appointed to a committee or

not. The Lake Committee, along with management, are the ones who did the majority of the work on the Lake Improvement Project. The hours that went into this project are mind boggling. The importance of volunteers cannot be overstated. Associations can’t function without them. The community is only what the volunteers make of it; and it’s up to the board to identify, appoint and motivate them. President John Kennedy had two quotes that have stuck with me for over fifty years. The first being: “You don’t have to be the smartest person in the world to be president, but you do have to surround yourself with the smartest people”. The second being: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country”. Both of these quotes have guided me through most of my life, and I truly believe these volunteers are extremely passionate about the committees they serve on and are very knowledgeable about what they need to do on their committees. Boards must also facilitate the work they’ve assigned to these committees. It’s important to provide moral support and the resources needed to accomplish the task assigned the committee. As a fiduciary of the corporation, we must protect assets, budget responsibly, plan for the future and invest wisely. Our Association Manager and his staff play a very large role in this aspect. One caution is that attempts by well-meaning boards to keep assessments low not only postpones problems, but can also seriously compound them. It’s important to be accurate and realistic when developing a budget, regardless of the annual assessment rate that results. Boards of community associations have a duty to make and enforce rules based on common law, state statutes and the association’s governing documents. I know that no one likes rules, but they are a necessity for organized living. Last month I talked about changing and eliminating rules and the BOD will be doing more of this next year. I am going to layout some of the do’s and don’ts of rulemaking.

• Make rules that make sense.

• Make rules that residents can easily obey.

• Make rules that restrict as little as possible.

• Make rules that get the needed results.

• Make rules that are actually needed.

• Make rules that are enforceable.

• Make rules that are acceptable to residents.

• Make rules that are legal.

Most of the information stated here comes directly from the Community Associations Institute handbook for board members. In conclusion, I think that every board member has to remember that we have to put aside our personal agendas and work for the good of the community as a whole. Board members who get on the board with an axe to grind find that when their axe is ground, they have nothing left to give to the community. It’s important for board members to remember that they have a serious responsibility to serve the community, not their egos. Telling a professional manager how to do his or her job is a waste of the manager’s expertise and the association’s money. It is vital for boards to focus on setting policy and leave the implementation of those policies to the manager. By the time you read this, the annual meeting will be over and the new Board of Directors will be installed and we will be off on another year. I have enjoyed working for you as your board president this year and hope I have lived up to your expectations. At times, it was very challenging; but that’s life. I look forward to serving you this next year in whatever capacity I am afforded. I hope all of you take time this Christmas season to spend time with friends and family and truly enjoy the true meaning of Christmas. Until next year, be safe, be warm, be a light to the world.

Deer presence in Lake Carroll

James Lemm 4-176

Many of us who live in the areas of Lake Carroll with a higher residential population have seen the annual increase in deer presence and activity due to the ongoing hunting season. Some of the deer instinctively seek areas that are not huntable. To some of us it’s a treat to see the deer up close, but please note, IL State Law specifies, “It is unlawful to make available food, salt, mineral blocks or other products for ingestion by wild deer or other wildlife in areas where wild deer are present.” Page 11, of the Illinois hunting rules and regulations. For other Members the increased presence of deer begins the destruction of the foliage around their homes. A reminder that if you want to protect your trees or bushes from being eaten, as stipulated in LCA Code §52.02 (F)(1) Fencing and wrap material color must be galvanized steel, black or green. There’s a lot of wildlife to enjoy in Lake Carroll. Please be safe and respectful of the environment


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