PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

JULY 20, 2024

The Board of Directors’ meeting commenced at 8:00 AM.

The following Board Members were in attendance:  Jerry Beskovoyne (President), Mike Cioffi  (Vice-President), Kathleen Maynes (Secretary), Al Cucciniello, Dean Barbier, Scott Healy, and John Carney (General Manager). Bruce Phillips (Treasurer) was excused.

A motion to approve the minutes from the Board of Directors’ Meeting on May 18, 2024 was made by Mike and seconded by Scott.  The minutes were unanimously approved. 

A motion to approve the minutes from the Board of Directors’ Reorganization Meeting on June 8, 2024 was made by Dean and seconded by Scott.  The minutes were unanimously approved. 

Treasurer’s Report/Finance:

• Lorraine provided a full budget report via email to each Board Member.
• John provided the Operating Budge Summary ending 6/30/2024.

Reports of Departments / Committees/ Ad Hoc Groups:

Maintenance / Housekeeping (Scott Healy): 

• The Maintenance/Housekeeping Departments are to be commended on their preparation and cleanup of the grounds during the Independence Day picnic. 
• The BODs will explore additional restroom options for next year’s Independence Day picnic 
• Now that the Skate Park has been moved to Tennis Lane, Brian Stine is preparing recommendations for improvements in the Maintenance area.  The salt shed needs replacement.
• The BODs is investigating selling one of the backhoes and replacing it with a mini-excavator.  This will better serve the needs of the Community.
• Currently the Maintenance Department is working on the following projects:
  • Checking the Marina for weekly repairs and spreading gravel on the walkways;
  • Mowing, raking, edging, and maintaining the grounds;
  • Installing padding on the gym’s floor;
  • Inspecting and maintaining vehicles;
  • Obtaining water samples from the lakes and pools and maintaining chemical levels at the pools; and 
  • Completing bulk pick-ups.

Sewer and Water (Scott Healy):

• The treatment plant is running well.  
• A contractor has been lined up to start fixing some of the infiltration problem areas.
• The Fawn Hill well project is finally finished and the DEP inspection has been completed.  WLE is only waiting of the operating permit from the DEP.  Once started, this will enable the well to run with the lower chlorine residual.
• Well flows over the July holiday week were the highest ever.  It is recommended that the BODs approve water restrictions during that week.

Open Session:

Jerry opened the open session with the Pledge of Allegiance at 9:00 AM. 

(Attempts were made to Zoom the meeting.  However, technical difficulties prevented this until half way through the meeting.  The BODs will continue to attempt to remedy this situation and find the source of the problem for future meetings.)

General Manager’s Report (John Carney):

• John noted that this is a very busy time of year with numerous functions.
• The Building Department is discussing various drainage issues, especially in its relationship to imperious percentages.
• The BODs is working on redefining the fine schedule.
• The “Catch and Release” program is working at the interior lakes.
• The office is closely monitoring the Short Term Rental (STR) situation with Paupack Township.

Question & Answer Session:

Question:  Is there going to be a list of WLE STRs available to property owners?

Answer:  John will check with Paupack Township about this and see if they have a list.  WLE will have to check if we are allowed to make such a list available.  John noted that if anyone feels that there is an illegal STR is near their property, please notify the office and they will check into it.

Comment:  The Building Committee has plans to put forth new definitions for drainage.

Response:  The BODs is looking forward to improving our drainage situation.

Question:  A request has been made to install a memorial bench for a member of the Women’s Club.  Why hasn’t this been approved?

Answer:  The BODs will discuss this.  In the meanwhile, you can install a memorial paver or tree in someone’s memory.

Question:  Why was the Marina budget charged $10,000 deductible for the law case involving an oversized boat?

Answer:  Because it was a Marina issue.

Question:  Why does WLE really need an electronic bulletin board when we need more security and there is going to be an 8% increase in dues next year?

Answer:  WLE is not holding back on security and dues increases have not even been discussed.  There are different points of views in term of the electronic bulletin board.

Comment:  The house next to me is still a problem in terms of STRs.  They also don’t keep up their drainage ditch.

Response:  John will check into this and also check with Paupack Township.

Question:  Does WLE have a recording device for speeding?

Answer:  No. 

Question:  Due to speeding, can we move a digital speeding sign to Rainbow Drive?

Answer:  Yes, it can be moved.

Question:  Does the office keep a list of renters?

Answer: Yes.

Comment:  Nothing has happened with the people who are EMTs and have volunteered to help in emergencies.

Response:  Should it be necessary to contact one of the volunteers, all the Safety Patrol Officers have a card with the volunteers’ names and phone numbers on it.  John will contact one property owner who has volunteered for additional information.

The open session ended at 9:40 and the BODs reconvened at 10 AM in the Main Office.

Continuation of Reports of Departments / Committees/ Ad Hoc Groups:

Neighborhood Watch (Kathleen Maynes):

• They will be going through the Medical Supply Room and throw out or make donations of the less serviceable items.
• Roof of the Watch Shack has been repaired and the stone walkway improved. 
• Security has been monitoring speed in problems areas and this seems to be effective.
• They will be purchasing an inexpensive small shop vac to keep the Medical and Watch Shack room clean.
• They were advised by Security to take pictures.  However, the BODs do not approve a dash cam.  
• The Medical Kits are portable
• Next meeting is July 27^th at 10 AM – Adult Lodge.

Public Safety (Mike Cioffi):

• Dominic provided the BODs with a Public Safety Report for June 2024 that included citations, incidents, and EMS calls.
• Mike requested that the reports include more information about major incidences.
• The BODs needs reports on major incidences in a more timely fashion
• The BODs needs to work on a video policy for reviewing incidences.

Legal Administration:  No current litigations.

Recreation Committee (Al Cucciniello): 

• The Recreation Committee has scheduled a large number of events for the summer. The list of events is listed on the Recreation website.  For a list of events, go to www.wleonline.org and click on the Recreation link.  
• The tri-chairs of the Recreation Committee cancelled July’s meeting.  Going forward, the tri-chairs cannot cancel a meeting.  If there is a quorum, there still is a meeting.
• The Recreation Committee may reinstate venmo.  

Building Committee (Scott Healy):

• A property owner wants to expand their deck.  The Building Committee does not recommend it.  The BODs denied the variance.
• The Building Regulations need to be clearer for clarification.  The BODs will work on this.
• Percentages of pervious and non-pervious surfaces still need to be addressed.
• WLE is currently at 1428 homes.

CDC (Mike Cioffi):

• The CDC was scheduled to hear three cases. One case was found not in violation and the other two were found in violation because they did not show up.
• The BODs approved the addition of Gino Dall Aste and Rachael Niccoll on the Committee.  They also approved the continuance of Frank Carrotozzolo as Chairperson and Jamie Toth as Secretary.

 

Marina Committee (Dean Barbier): 

• The Marina Committee requested that Mike come in to work at the Marina on Saturday mornings.  The BODs agreed to that.
• The Marina Committee requested solar lights on the walkway from A to B Dock.  The BODs will explore that.
• It was noted that a large number of boats did not have snubbers.
• The BODs approved the addition of Torrey Jacobsen on the Committee.
• The upper parking lot is not just for trailer parking.       

Technology Committee (Kathleen Maynes):

• Implementation of the approved Wi-Fi Policy will not begin until the fiber optics network is installed in WLE.  The BODs does want to purchase equipment/services that will shortly be outdated.
• WLE has had sound problems with Zooming meetings.  A volunteer from the Technology Committee has been assisting us with that.  By the end of this meeting, it was working.  It will continue to be monitored.
• The acquisition of Adams Cable by Blue Ridge and its effect on WLE will be monitored.

Paupack Township (Jerry Beskovoyne)

• An abandoned property in WLE was supposed to be demolished by Paupack Township.  There will be a hearing on this on August 17^th due to the fact that one of  its owners is now in litigation with the Township,  

Mike made a motion to accept first right of refusals, which were done via email due to the fact that they were time sensitive.  The motion was seconded by Jerry. The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion.

They included the following:

Section and Lot:	Email Approval Date:
2-158	2/1/2024
1-092	2/26/2024
5-143	5/8/2024
5-171	5/1/2024
3-202	5/10/2024
5-233	5/21/2024
3-316	5/20/2024
2-078	6/11/2024
4-369	5/16/2024

Correspondence:

• A property owner sent a letter with information about his vehicle resembling an UTV.  The letter did no state any question in reference to this vehicle.  John will reach out to the property owner to have him submit his question.
• A letter was received about conduct at a Recreation Meeting.  The BODs will address this with a letter to the tri-chairs.

Unfinished Business:

• Although Recreation previously voted to approve $15,000 of their account towards a new electronic bulletin board, there was talk of having another vote.  The BODs will table this issue until after the next Recreation Meeting.
• A memorial paver or tree may be installed someone’s memory. 

New Business:

• A discrepancy was found with a homeowner advertising their STR.  The BODs will continue to follow this to make sure the property owner is not in violation.
• Enhancements to the kiddie pool at Beaver were discussed.  
• A revised fine schedule with modifications was submitted.

Mike made the motion to pass the modifications to the fine schedule. The motion was seconded by Dean. The vote was unanimous in favor of the motion.  (John, this should be posted somewhere)

A motion to adjourn the meeting at 12:50 PM was made by Scott, seconded by Jerry, and approved unanimously.

The next BOD meeting is scheduled for August 17, 2024. 

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen R. Maynes, Secretary