Our Tuesday evening special board meeting was held for the purpose of a presentation by our lake manager (Joe Rush) and Rebecca Olson regarding a grant opportunity for our lake. The grant is for over $80,000 of which we would need to match something like 40%, some of which could be covered by our volunteer labor.
Some problems seem evident. The grant would be for nothing but planning, no actual physical benefit to our lake at this time. In order to apply for future grants for actual physical lake and watershed work there would be thousands more in grant writing fees. We also would have to pay the entire amount as it accrues then bill the Feds for reimbursement. None of this is budgeted and CICCA requires that certain unbudgeted expenditures must be paid through a special assessment to the P.O.s. To find out if we can even do this it will take a legal opinion that will also cost us (you).
Your board did not act on the proposal at the meeting, just too many facets to digest in a little over an hour. I told the presenters they could expect an answer by our next regular board meeting. They indicated it is possible we could lose the opportunity by then. I for one am willing to take that chance rather than jump into something like this blindly. I am but one person and one vote so the decision will be made by the entire board with input from the lake management commission.
I will keep you advised as this develops.
Ken Dillenburg