Dunlap Lake Property Owners Association
P.O. Box 5
Edwardsville, IL 62025
To: Members of the Dunlap Lake Property Owners Association
From: Alan Ortbals, DLPOA Board President
Date: April 14, 2015
Re: Assessments
The vote on the revised DLPOA Covenants and Restrictions (C&Rs) has been counted and 84 percent gave their approval. That was an important step as it brought us in line with state law and remedied many of the ambiguities and conflicts that existed in the previous articles. Thank you for your support.
There was a lot of discussion at the annual meeting on March 6 regarding the need to revise our assessment structure and to generate more revenue in order to make much needed improvements. There was very little support for continuing the status quo: basing assessments on lot size. At our current rate of 1.4 cents per square foot, assessments range from $60 to $1,034.
There was also discussion of a number of overdue projects that need attention: adding rip rap to the dam, improving the spillway, constructing a safe catwalk on the drain silo, and making improvements to several of the common areas, for example. There is no money in the budget for these items nor to proceed any further with the possible acquisition of land for a silt depository. The DLPOA also needs to upgrade our current administrative assistant position to an association manager in order to manage all of these projects and do a better job of administering our resources.
It is with these issues in mind that the Board of Directors unanimously approved a budget for FY 2014 based on a $500 flat assessment for each “voting lot.” Under our new C&Rs, a voting lot is defined as a contiguous piece of real property under one ownership. It doesn’t matter how many lots, parts of lots or tax parcels it is made up of. If your property is made up of multiple lots or parcels that are contiguous, you would receive one ballot and one assessment of $500.
This assessment change requires the approval of the membership and will only take place if the majority of those members casting ballots votes in favor.
With the realization that the membership may vote against this amendment, the Board also passed a “backup” budget based on an assessment of 1.5 cents per square foot. This is currently authorized in the restrictions and requires no vote on your part. This budget allows us to continue to operate as we have been: cutting the grass on common areas, removing fallen or dangerous trees, stocking the lake, making required repairs to the dam, etc. It does not provide the funds necessary to make the kinds of improvements described above.
Both budgets are included below for your review. The current restrictions also can be found below.
There will be a meeting of the membership on Wednesday, April 23, at 7:00 p.m. at the Moose Lodge on Marine Rd. to explain and answer questions. Please plan to attend.
You will also find enclosed a ballot to cast your vote on the proposed amendment. So that we know that you are authorized to vote, you will need to print and sign your name and give your address. Ballots must be mailed by Friday, May 18. Unlike previous referenda, voting will be done by voting lot as defined previously. Those of you who own multiple, contiguous lots or parcels that may have received multiple ballots in the past will receive only one ballot, entitling you to two votes. If you have questions e-mail Carolyn at carolyn@dunlaplake.org.