LAKE IN THE CLOUDS
Report to the Community-April, 2024
Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds
Dear LITC Members,
This month’s Board Meeting was held on April 4, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin Treasurer, Al Sicignano, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.
It looks like this winter is finally coming to an end. We are in contact with Penndot and our engineers to try to get an idea of when Panther Trucking can start work on the Logger Rd entrance. Hopefully the whole project goes smoothly.
Meanwhile, Charlie has been around the community trying to get piles of fallen branches from this winter’s storms, moved away from the sides of our roads. This will facilitate rain water flow and also mowing this summer.
Early in April, Aquatic Environmental, along with a group of LITC volunteers, stocked our lakes with 15,000 Golden Shiners. Goldens are bigger fish than the ones we have used in the past .
It now seems fairly certain that we will not have a lifeguard this summer; we simply cannot compete with the salaries offered by resorts and waterparks. We will be putting up new warning signs at the beach, and ask that those of you who use the beach be extra vigilant when kids are in the water. There are some excellent videos on YouTube that show how drowning doesn’t always look like you think it will. Here’s one you can copy and paste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beNheoRRdKk
Another aspect of having no lifeguard is that it makes it harder for us to ensure that only our members and their families and guests get to enjoy the facilities that our dues pay for. The Board has been discussing various identifying markers we might try, such as LITC stickers for our cars, or hangtags (like the handicapped signs), or beach passes. All of these methods have downsides to them, and none of them will work 100% of the time; but they may help us to keep outsiders to a minimum.
Since ID signs will require the cooperation of our members, we will test the ideas at our May General Membership meeting May 4th at the pavilion. If enough of you support them, we will work on the costs and logistics.
Picnic is August 10th.
Joyce Torrey, Sec.
Board of Directors
Report to the Community-March, 2024
Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds
Dear LITC Members,
This month’s Board Meeting was held on March 7, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin Treasurer, Al Sicignano, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.
As we expected our snow plowing bill for December and January was quite a bit higher this year than last. Even though we anticipate another big bill for February, our available funds are still running ahead of last year. The Board thanks all of you who pay your dues on time, for keeping us in the positive cash-flow column.
After last month’s Crest Hill vs Garbage Truck event, Bill Scott built a stand and installed a new cinder barrel on that hill. Hopefully this helps to alleviate some of the ice/snow mishaps. Bill also trimmed the Lake in the Woods dam breast of weeds as the state requested, and with Charlie’s help stabilized the snow fence there.
We have still had no luck securing a lifeguard for our beach this summer. Charlie left signs at our local high schools and talked to some teachers/swim coaches there, but we are facing the very real possibility of having no-one sitting in that chair this year. Because of our smallish size we are not required by the state to have a lifeguard, but will post signs and remind parents and other swimmers to be extra cautious this summer.
Last year we began to allow dues payments through PayPal in the hope that this option would make things easier for some payers and for our Office Administrator. Sadly, for a variety of reasons, it has had the opposite effect. At the Board meeting it was decided that we would discontinue using PayPal as of March 31st.
In closing I’d like to add a personal thank you to those of you who have sent me compliments and kind words about this report over the last 3 years. Sometimes it seems I have very little of importance to report on, but the Members who write to me just appreciate being informed and updated on the things I CAN report on, and I’m glad they find it useful. And If you don’t…well, just push “delete”!
Joyce Torrey, Sec.
Board of Directors
Report to the Community-January, 2024
Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds
Dear LITC Members,
This month’s Board Meeting was held on January 4, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Bill Scott, Al Sicignano, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.
An important announcement: I’m happy to report on the appointment of Susan Kirstein to the Board of Directors. You may remember that Susan was on the ballot in our election last October, and though she was not elected at that time, she did receive the “next most votes”; so when Carol Shumway retired from the Board last month Susan was asked to fill that vacancy. We welcome her, and know she will bring a great deal of value to our community.
There is never much activity I can report on this time of year—but since I can’t get out of my driveway on this very snowy Sunday morning, I’d like to use this space to clear up some confusion and concern about a comment I made in last month’s report.
First, just to be sure you are all aware of it, there are many things that are discussed at Board meetings that are considered confidential and will never be reported on here. If you were to visit a meeting you would be invited to bring up any issues that concern you, and you can stay while the committees make their reports. But then the Board goes into executive session and you would be asked to leave. Executive session is used to discuss the issues of individual members such as rule violations, requests for exceptions, neighbor to neighbor disputes etc.
In last month’s report I made the comment that “…Board members cannot be expected to confront illegal or potentially dangerous situations”, and suggested that in such situations, the appropriate action would be to call the police. This comment caused concern among some of our members especially those who are not here full time, wondering if we have had robberies or break-ins, and I apologize for that. The genesis of that comment falls under executive session rules, so I can’t tell you what sparked it. I can tell you that it was nowhere NEAR as serious as my comment made it sound, and that we really do live in one of the most beautiful, peaceful places around here.
Once again, I apologize. And if you LIKE snow then I hope you are enjoying today.
Joyce Torrey, Sec.
Board of Directors
Report to the Community-February, 2024
Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds
Dear LITC Members,
This month’s Board Meeting was held on February 1, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin Treasurer, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.
Joan Griffin, our Treasurer reports that we ended the year in fairly good shape financially, considering how much of our funds are now tied up waiting for work to begin on our PennDot- mandated entrance upgrades. This winter has been pretty snowy so far, so our plowing and cindering expenses will be higher than last year’s, but barring any other major emergencies we should be ok.
Panther Trucking had some family illness, meaning that despite working non-stop, it has taken longer than usual to clear and cinder our roads. You may have heard that one of our garbage collection companies had a truck stuck on Crest Hill. A tow truck got it out, and we are looking at ways to lessen the chances of things like that happening on Crest Hill and some of the other trouble spots that are the (only) downside of living in the mountains.
The Lake in the Woods dam inspection report was satisfactory except for one item: the state wants us to mow the edge of the wetlands across the street from the dam. Susan Kirstein has agreed to take over management of reporting and record keeping for that dam.
On the social and recreation side, Joan reports that the lakes will be treated by Aquatic Environmental this June, and she will be getting a bid for adding shiners. The Spring General Meeting will be May 4th, and the picnic will be August 10th.
As he does every January, Charlie has begun searching for a lifeguard for summer 2024. Finding a lifeguard is becoming more and more difficult, as we simply cannot compete with the salaries offered at all the water parks, resorts and private clubs in the Poconos. We are not mandated to have a lifeguard, and at some point may have to forego this extra amenity. Meanwhile if any of you know of a young person who is, or is willing to become a lifeguard, please let Charlie know asap.
Stay warm and safe!
Joyce Torrey, Sec.
Board of Directors