Association Meeting Highlights – August 2014

by Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Secretary RRA

The RomeRock Association Board of Directors met on August 6, 2014 with all Directors present. Approximately 20 residents were also in attendance.

President Dell Rogers remarked on how well the office move went and will now direct the Board to consider a permanent site for the RRA office. The start of our dredging project is still awaiting receipt of the permit required from the Corp of Engineers. Tom Sopko reported on the county’s progress in establishing a “land bank” designed to return tax delinquent properties to new, productive ownership and invited Members who are interested in purchasing such properties to complete the county’s application to start the process.

Rick Gainar reported that the Legal Committee is recommending that $72,500 be moved from our reserve fund to the Legal Expense account in anticipation of the Association’s defense against the lawsuit brought by Barry O’Connell, Joseph W. Petraus, Pat Long, and the members of the Neighbors For A Better Roaming Shores, Inc. In addition, the Legal Committee is currently considering the possibility of legal action applicable to the illegal act of the unauthorized selling of our old weed harvester for scrap, which had been refurbished by our maintenance staff and was near operational status.

Maintenance Director, Dan Mullins, reported that the maintenance crew is still working to clear culvert drains in addition to setting-up the dredge barges for the lake-wide dredging project. The Association’s portion of the Callender Road project is complete and now awaits the County’s work to install a drainage pipe under the road and make the sharp corner at Rome-Rock Creek Rd. safer for motorists. The pool pump at the west beach had been replaced.

The Lake Management committee reported that HAB testing on 8/5/2104 again indicated that toxins were, so far, well below levels of concern. The Sediment/Nutrient Control Sub-Committee’s Rachel Morris, described the current “simple” process her technical group developed to identify types of algae found in our lake. The process identified the algae in a recent July bloom to be predominately Spirogyra, a non-toxic, green algal common in even clean eutrophic water. Rachel invites any other residents with technical backgrounds to join the Committee.

Sally Flash described the four Promotion Club up-coming events for September including a Social for gathering of residents on 9/5 at the Clubhouse, 9/19 Music by Tom Todd (bring the family!) at the Clubhouse, Bike Ride every Monday, Promotion Club Board meeting 8/13, and a workshop to support next year’s fireworks on 10/8. Marge Morris reminded us of the 8/15 pot luck dinner (eye of round prepared by Gloria & Joe Palombi), and Ed Baitt described the Fishing Club’s Annual Clam Bake on 9/14. Doris Carver announced that the Quilting Club moved its meeting place to the Quilting Block on Rt. 45 and Callender Rd.

In the business segment of the meeting, all Directors approved the Legal Expense budget change and the Board’s October meeting change of date from 10/2 to 10/9. A discussion of whether to continue to print the annual calendar or rely on the website calendar occurred.

Member comments and questions included a suggestion to revive the new resident welcoming committee in order to get basic community information to new residents, fish testing update, sediment trap update, water testing at the dam, and space requirement for the RRA office.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:30PM. Association Board’s next meeting will be on September 4. Hope to see you there!