CRYSTAL LAKE COTTAGERS- PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - Sept 9, 2011

At the Annual General Meeting in June, 2011 there were only five directors remaining on the Board. Three new people volunteered to serve on the Board and Barry Abelson was elected as Chairman of the Board.

Barry called three meetings this summer and you will find below what the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee have achieved and are in the process of achieving.

1. It was decided to have combined meetings of the Board of Directors and The Executive Committee. This had not happened before.

2. We bought Liability Insurance and Directors Insurance for the association. We did not have any insurance.

3. It was unanimously decided at the AGM in June that we support the local Fire Department and determined that CLCA would buy the Volunteer Fire Department First Aid equipment consisting of 2 oxygen regulators, 1 resuscitator mask, blood pressure monitor, burn kit, medical bag, splints & medical supplies. With tax included, the total cost to the Association was $1,890.00. The Fire Department did not have these. This could save a life.

4. We put surplus money into interest bearing G.I.C.’s. The money was in a non-interest account.

5. We formalized many things:

a. We brought our Incorporation documents up-to-date.
b. We brought our Income Tax documents up to date.
c. We decided to have our financial statements reviewed by a Chartered Accountant and verified.   This was not being done.
d. We decided to hand out our financial statements at the next AGM so there can be some discussion.
e. We decided to have all actions of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors approved at the AGM.
f. We decided to have a formal AGM at the start of the annual June CLCA meeting and then have speakers; not the other way around.
g. We decided to change the Bank’s signing officers to two current Executive members.

6. We decided to mark “Gull Island” with more signs.

7. We made a list of all our ongoing projects and “who is in charge of what” to make sure that everyone is working on the projects with completion dates. Find below the results:

a. Bulletin Board at the dump -- Mike LeBlanc & Chris Brickman
b. Beautification Committee -- Mike LeBlanc, Chris Brickman and Carl Brickman
c. Insurance -- John Hubbard
d. Incorporation, Income Tax, Bank signing & Investments -- Don Langlois
e. Gull Island -- Mike LeBlanc, Chris Brickman
f. Website -- John Hubbard
g. Buoy’s in & out -- Gerald Vanderlinden, Wayne Shaw, Harold Phillips & others
h. Membership & Membership Development -- Sarah Petrik
i. Winter CLCA Executive Conference call Meetings -- Chris Brickman
j. Liaison with GARAI -- Carl Brickman
k. Liaison with FOCA -- Carl Brickman
l. Liaison with Kinmount Gazette -- Carl Brickman
m. Auditor -- Deb Hubbard
n. Liaison with CEWF – Coalition Of Equitable Water Flow -- Sharon Brickman
o. Water samples -- Bill Lee
p. Loon survey -- Bill Lee
q. Invader species -- Bill Lee
r. Wildlife Inventory -- Bill Lee
s. Water levels & the dam -- Sharon Brickman
t. CLCA Newsletter -- Sarah Petrik, Barry Abelson, Carl Brickman
u. Annual meeting (AGM) -- Executive Committee

8. We created a brand new information flyer on the CLCA, spearheaded by Sarah Petrik, and this was delivered in August to most of the cottage properties as a means to get new members and to show them what the Association does on their behalf.

9. As part of the Beautification Project, several flower boxes were purchased and put in strategic areas around the lake thanks to Chris Brickman and Mike LeBlanc

10. One of the CLCA’s key mandates has always been the general health of the lake water, trying to make sure our water is as pure as we can get it. To this end, the Association has been actively responding to inquires from the Township and others in regard to the dealing with old and poor septic tanks that are allowing waste to get into Crystal Lake.

11. We created an article (Sarah Petrik) about the Crystal Lake Cottager’s Association (CLCA) and asked the Kinmount Gazette to publish it (Carl Brickman); which they did in August; to promote the Association and the role it plays in the community.

12. We are in the midst of creating a letter to the OPP re: the following items:

a. We want better identity by the OPP when they approach a boat at night.
b. We want to make sure they do not bring Zebra Mussels to our lake since their boats may be in 3 or 4 lakes a day.
c. Are they spending a disproportionate amount of time on our lake compared to others?
d. What is their criterion for the amount of time spent on our lake?
e. Will they share information on their conviction statistics?

13. We have put “Good Septic Tank Practices” on our website.

14. Crystal Lake Marina sells a map of Crystal Lake, so we decided not to produce one of our own.

15. Our very ambitious project for this year is to make the entrances to our lake, namely Crystal Lake Road, Galway Road and Clear Bay Road, much more attractive, appealing and classy. We are going to have three signs made, the same as the “Kinmount” sign, and put them at the three entrances to our lake. These signs will have nice rock foundations. Mr. Dudman has agreed to donate all the rocks and install them for free (approximately $12,000.00 value). Our three signs and installation will cost the Association about $5,000.00. When completed, every cottage owner will be proud of what we have done.

How’s that for our first summer on the job!!!