Lake of The Hills

Lake of the Hills Annual Meeting 5/10/2025

 

President:  Scott Cole

Vice President:    Steve Duso

Treasurer:  Georganne Archambault (Out of town for annual meeting)

Secretary:  Elissa Lyon

Trustee:     Dick Moreau

Trustee:     Matt Lyon

Trustee:     Beth Taylor

 

Call to order        Elissa to call meeting to order, Matt to second it.

Secretary’s Report – Elissa reviewed minutes from 1/18/2025.  Matt accepted, Scott Seconds, approved.

Treasures Report – Scott reviewed the treasurer’s report (Georgeanne was out of town). Money is split up for projects. Projected expenses – Insurance in July. Motion to accept treasurer's report. Elissa first, Matt second.

 

Fish/Water Report –

Dick gives the fish and water report.  He is an aquatic chemist.

Water Report: Dick collects water from 6 different spots around our lake. He reports it to association every year and all are recorded.

Ph measures the acidity in water 0-14. 7 neutral. Our water normally runs between 7.5 and 8.

Winter Ice was 18” thick for the 2024-2025 season. Water hasn’t moderated. Blue gills got caught in low O2 water. Lost some of the bluegills, but it normally isn’t that bad because the dam was extra low for repair and the thick ice contributed to this.

Nitrogen and phosphorous. Leaves that come down in the fall have phosphorous.  One bushel of leaves burned will cause the level of phosphorous exceeding EGLE recommendations and causes algae growth.  Leaves along shoreline. Rake up leaves because they are deterioration and causing phosphorous.  Put wet leaves from lake into flowerbed.  Don’t burn leaves near shoreline.  Keep fertilizer away from shore line.

We used to run samples 3 times a year. Now only do in the early summer because results are usually the same every year.

Fish Report: Age and growth.  We should have great bass fishing this year. Bass have been growing well.  If a bass is 19“ it has been in the water 8-9 years. State is at 17-18” Ours are all bigger than the state average.  We took this year 3 black crape at 6 ½ “.  Crapes are respawning.  State average 10.5 and our lake is 11.5.  7.5 bluegill 5-6 years old. Should have averaged out at 7.

Perch – 7” it was 4-5 years old but it should have been bigger.  So that is why we are planting walleye in the fall.

Total fish planted: over 5,000.  We get fish from Inlay City.  We have planted

450 red eared sunfish.  1560 hybrid bluegill.  They weren’t supposed to reproduce but they have been.  820 catfish. 2180 crape. Walley 100. 25 gallons of fat head minnows.  Cost $10,085.  We have over $2000 in the fish fund from donations.  300 walleye, added 200 black crape.  Will be planting $1,650.00 in the fall.

We also buy from Stoney Creek. When we buy the fish, we pick them up and distribute them all over the lake.

Motion to accept: Scott first and Matt seconded

 

 

 

Clean Up Day:

Beth: Dumpster: no tires, no concrete, no liquid paint/oil. Do not put anything in if it is overflowing. This was a great success.  Please let us know if this is something you would like to see in the future.

Garage sale during Weidman days.

 

Upcoming Projects: A tree was removed from the boat launch to make it more convenient for residents to put their boat in.  Lots of gravel has been pushed out over the years. We reached out to the County, since it is a county road and needs a new top layer, and the County informed us they were broke and were not able to contribute.

 

Matt will check with Miss Dig to make sure all gas lines are accounted for before laying the new top layer.  We will try to level off and re-gravel launch to water. One days worth of work. $2,500 for boat launch upgrade.

Boat launch: put in sign to avoid boats hitting tire on the dock. Dock is launched and in the water.

Dam: Miller, Co. quoted $15,000 to redo rip rap.  He doesn’t want to do it and honor the quote. We will need to have to reach out to another company.  Several companyies don’t want to work on dams because of the liability. We will need to find a new contractor for the rip rap. Probably will be hard to find.

Dam inspection was done 5 years ago was $1,600 by Spicer.  This year the quote was $3,800.  Projected $2,500.  Reason it is $3,800 is because EGLE is asking for updated flow calculations, if not current.  Ours were last done in 2007.  We need to see if they will take our flow calculations from 2007 so we might get a break. Need to find out if we need flow inspection or not.

Soil study. It was recommended in last inspection it was $1,500 now $1,800. 

Scott has requested grants for the dam for several years and we have been turned down every year. Theres is not a lot of available money to get from the government for our dam, but we do try. That is a priority for our lake. They do soil studies of what they build our berm out of.  Study looks at what you have and predicts the failure points so it will give you potential failures under different storm conditions.  No plans to do that at this point. Scott recommends we don’t’ spend any money until our other project is finished, and we get our inspection with recommendations.  Board replacements need replacing per last inspection. 

Previous Inspection: (2020) It was suggested we update our Emergency Action Plan (such as the dam breaking.  Last year they quoted LOHA $5-6K.  Scott meet with Isabella Co. Mgr. one month in April 2025.  We still have our old action plan and the Isabella Co. Mgr. believes between them and us we can do our own and they have technology in place now that will auto ring your phone if there is a disaster.

Waiting to see if Ron can give us names to refer our future dam repairs.

Boards – 22 years since boards have been replaced. Most likely a priority. 

2025 Inspection Scheduled for July for inspection.

 

Muskrats are not bad on berm, but moles are. We quit trying to grow grass on the berm, because the geese keep killing it.  We can’t have woody plants/weeds because they make roots and then the water can flow through it destroying the dam.  

Projecting, if nothing immediate comes up, we will have about $20K to put toward a project, we just need to wait until we get the inspection to see if anything pertinent needs to be done with that money. If not, we might be able to do the boards, or the rip rap.

Special assessment with property taxes? Board to look into it. Talk with township folks. Better guarantee to get payments.

 

Picnic: No picnic for 2025

 

4th of July – Boat Parde. Theme Christmas in July.  Meet at the Boat Launch at 2:00.

 

Elections:

Pat Grahm to replace Matt Lyon as Trustee. Motion passes unanimously. Welcome to the board Pat!  All votes Yes, none opposed. 

 

Thank you Matt Lyon for being part of the board for the last 10 years.  Enjoy retirement.

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Lake of the Hills Annual Meeting 1/18/2025

 

President:Scott Cole Vice

President:Steve Duso

Treasurer:Georganne Archambault

Secretary:Elissa Lyon

Trustee:Dick Moreau

Trustee:Matt Lyon

Trustee:Beth Taylor

 

Dick to call meeting to order, Matt to second it.

 

Secretary’s report: Elissa reviewed the secretary's report from 10/29/2024. Approved by Dick, seconded by Elissa.

 

Treasurer’s Report: Georgeanne reviewed the treasurer’s report. Attendees reviewed the expenditures on the money report. Motion to Approve. Approved by Scott, seconded by Elissa.

 

LOHA has not paid for the dam maintenance yet that ws done in the fall because the contractor will be paid when the job is complete and they need to finish phase 2 in the Spring. (Before annual meeting).

 

Due to the cost of dam we will not be having a picnic this year.

 

Next inspection for the dam is this year, 2025. It is required every 5 years. We have to do rip rap of the dam (lower).

 

Fish fund is at $1,618.83.

 

Are we doing seeding this year on the outtake dam berm? Maybe, to be discussed at future date.

 

Account receivable. Late fee for dues occurs after May 1. If someone still owes money for the dam special assessment, a late fee will not be incurred. 2025 Dues. Send out by Jan. 25, 2025. Due March 25. Late Fee after May 1.

 

Extra money was given by residents to help other residents that couldn’t afford to pay for the repair.

 

Great News! We are ordering a Dumpster for clean up weekend. May 17. The dumpster will be dropped off a couple days before at the turn around on West Shore Drive and remain until full or one week – no tires, no trees, no antifreeze. Beth will be getting quotes for a dumpster company.

 

Project: gravel boat launch turn around. Approximately $500.00. Approximately April 2025.

 

During clean up day we need to get rid of the woody stuff on the berm at the outtake dam. Volunteers are needed! Please help if possible and bring extra tools, chain saws, loppers, etc. We need to get rid of stuff that grows there that shouldn’t.

 

Annual Meeting. May 10, 2024 at 3:00. Community Center.

 

Clean up day. May 17, 2024. 10:00 at the dam. Prep for upcoming inspection. Finish putting up signs that were replaced 2 years ago.

 

Special Note for 2025: Don’t put your boat in until after the spray on the outtake dam. The temperature needs to be above 50 degrees to fix the wall.

 

Garage sale weekend after 4th of July. Weekend of Weidman days. July 11 and 12. 4th of July weekend.

 

4th of July Parade: Theme is Christmas in July. Put up your Christmas lights. 2:00 boat parade. Meet at boat launch.

 

Inquiry: New owners bought land north of the intake dam and they asked about being added to the association. Motion to allow them to become part of the Lake Association. No. An attorney would need to get involved and would be a cost burden.

 

Sooner than later we will need to upgrade the chains on the dam boards. And carabiners.

 

Elissa and Beth to make signs for annual meeting, clean up day, dumpster rules, and garage sale.

 

Fish Report: Fish have been ordered and will be delivered in the fall.

 

Motion to Adjourn: Approved by Elissa, Seconded by Matt.