RomeRock Association – Page 94 – Property Owners Association of Roaming Shores

Summary of Choctaw Lake

Published May 29, 2015 | By admin

By Tom Sopko – Secretary RRA Board

In April 2015, the Board attended the OLCA meeting at Choctaw Lake, located between Columbus and Dayton. The attachment is a summary of the Choctaw Lake community.

It is an example of another Ohio Lake community and not a list of recommendations for our Lake.

Choctaw Lake
1. General Description
  1. Established 1964, 50^th Anniversary last year.
  2. 250 acre dammed lake
  3. Located between Columbus, Dayton, Springfield, and Marysville
  4. 1064 lots
  5. 870+ homes
    1. Lakefront and offlake appeared to be well built out
  6. Population about 1300
  7. Lake Front Lot Value, ~$150K
    1. Lots appear larger than typical lot at RS.
  8. Off-lake Lot Value, $20K and up.
2. Boating
  1. No boat fees
3. Water and Sewer
  1. Water provided by a utility owned by Choctaw
  2. Sewer provided by the Madison County Sewer District
Facility Rental (details available on the Choctaw website)
1. Clubhouse
  1. 12,000 sq ft. Includes storage areas, kitchen and bathrooms.
  2. Seats 300
  3. Rents for $750 on a weekend day, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
    1. Friday night setup rental, $250, only if not rented
  4. Otherwise clubhouse rents for $375
  5. Can rent for a half day during the week, Monday to Thursday, at $150
  6. Deposit, $250.
2. Arrowhead, smaller building, seats 40
  1. Rents on Sat & Sun for $200, May 1 to Sept 30, otherwise $125
  2. Other times, $110
  3. Early use for setup, $50
  4. Deposit, $100
3. Tent rental
  1. 20×40 with side curtains
  2. Setup on your property, $225/day
  3. With rental of Clubhouse or Arrowhead, $100/day
  4. Deposit, $100
Amenities
1. Shuffle board court, indoors in club house
2. Small, one picnic table pavilions, on beach, (3)
3. One sandy beach, smaller than RS
4. No “common area” pools
  1. Residents are allowed a private pool on their property
5. Tennis courts
6. Sand volleyball court
7. Basketball courts (2)
8. Baseball field
9. Soccer field
10. Recreational Committee, plans all events
Budget
1. Annual income, $700,000
2. Major source was dues & assessments
  1. Dues and Assessments $1080
  2. Some reduction allowed for owning more than one lot
3. Other sources
  1. Lodge rental, $28K
  2. Boat storage, $19K
  3. Storage facility, $14K
  4. Dock rental, $8K
  5. Building Permits, $3K
  6. Club donations
1. Available Funds
  1. Dam, $484K
  2. Roads, $912K
  3. Reserve, $325K
2. Security
  1. Four full time officers. Three part-time officers
  2. Police are deputies of the County Sheriff
  3. Cost $250,000/year, including salaries & benefits, cars, patrol boat, gas, maintenance
  4. 24/7 security, members want high security and are willing to pay for it.
    1. Last burglary, 13 years ago
  5. Patrol boat has own boat house with lift
    1. Built with maintenance staff and volunteers
  6. Biggest problem – road speeders
    1. 13 miles of roads
    2. They have a trailer mounted speed control radar, “your speed is”, with a speed limit sign.
    3. Police hand out tickets
1. Office
  1. Located near Clubhouse.
  2. ? sq ft.
2. General Demeanor
  1. Residents that I spoke to were very pleased with Choctaw.
3. Dredging
  1. Additional lakes dredging
    1. Choctaw
    2. Holiday Lakes
      1. Quote for contractor mechanical dredging, $100K per acre.
    3. One Other Lake
  2. Mechanical Dredging selected
    1. Being done in-house using existing labor
    2. Selected due to cost
    3. Allows equipment to be used for other activities
1. Algae
  1. Algae blooms are a problem
    1. Surrounding water shed is farm area
  2. Have treated and will continue to treat with Copper Sulfate
    1. There is no plant life in the lake.
    2. Hiring a consultant to grow vegetation in lake
2. Activities
  1. Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
  2. Summer Concert Series, one per month
  3. Annual Ski Show by Ski Club, Labor Day Weekend
  4. Junk Yard Boat Derby, boats built from junk, similar to cardboard boat races
3. Volunteerism
  1. Down
  2. Most amenities improvements handled by volunteers
  3. Also volunteer group raises the money for the amenity
4. Other
  1. Mailboxes are in banks of boxes, you go to pick up your mail, ie from an Association owned lot, like an RL lot.
    1. Identical boxes
    2. No posts along streets
  2. Driveways are all paved (asphalt or concrete), no new stone driveways, stone grandfathered in, but no stone drives were seen
  3. Strict rules on maintaining property
    1. Facility was very neat and clean
  4. Eastside-Westside mentality. Westside had most of the amenities.
    1. Major west side amenities: beach and clubhouse.

The RRA’s Pools and Concession stand will open for the season next weekend (Saturday, May 23rd). The pools will open at 10am and the Concession Stand will open at Noon. Remember, you must present your Membership Card or Guest Pass each time you visit the pools and beaches. Here’s to a great season!

The RRA & RSV Offices will be closed on Monday (May 25th) in observation of Memorial Day. Thank you to all those who have served in our Armed Services!

2015 Dredging

Published May 15, 2015 | By admin

Due to the increase in infrastructure maintenance (i.e. drainage and preparing for the summer season), the anticipated dredging start date will be in mid-June, baring any weather related delays.

In the Community:

Published May 8, 2015 | By admin

Three generations of success:

Roaming Shores resident Doug Hitchcock has been recently featured in the Star Beacon for his family’s sports achievements throughout the generations.

Please click here to read this article in its entirety.

Calling all Green Thumbs

Published May 8, 2015 | By admin

By Tim Langer – Lake Management Committee

Recently I’ve been thinking of other ways I can beautify my yard while also helping protect our communities greatest resource. My research led me to a rain garden.

What is a Rain Garden you may ask? Well, a rain garden is an attractive, landscaped area planted with perennial native plants, which don’t mind getting “wet feet.” They are beautiful gardens, built in depressions, which are designed to capture and filter storm water runoff from impervious surfaces around the home, such as rooftops and driveways. Some of the benefits of rain gardens include their ability to perform the following functions: Help keep water clean by filtering storm water runoff before it enters our lake. Help alleviate problems associated with flooding and drainage. Enhance the beauty of individual yards and our community. Provide habitat and food for wildlife including birds and butterflies.

Why do we need Rain Gardens? As we continue to develop the Village of Roaming Shores, impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways and roads shed water. This increases the opportunity for pollution to flow directly into our lake. Some examples of those pollutants include fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings and yard debris. An easy way to help keep these pollutants out of our lake is to install a rain garden.

Installing a rain garden can be a fairly simple process, involving a shovel and a bit of physical energy. The size and style of your rain garden will depend on a number of factors including: the size of your yard, whether you are trying to create a formal or informal looking garden, and the amount of money you want to spend. Remember, you can never have a rain garden which is too small large or too small. Any size rain garden can contribute to solving water quality problems and will be a beautiful addition to your property!

Go native! Using native plants in your rain garden is highly recommended. The benefits of using native plants in your garden are multiple but a few key benefits include their ability to adapt to our local weather and soil conditions and their ability to attract local butterflies and birds. Remember to avoid planting invasive exotic species. While they will grow, they do not belong here.

As I have learned and I hope you do too, a rain garden may be the perfect addition to your yard’s landscape and mine and to our beautiful lake community. If you are interested in learning more about rain gardens, please read the complete Rain Garden Manual by visiting the Geauga County Soil and Water District website www.geaugaswcd.com and look for the Manual under their Publications tab.

Love the Lake and BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE!

With Sympathy: Jacque Haines

Published May 5, 2015 | By admin

WILLOUGHBY — Memorial Services for Jacque McCoy Haines, age 82, of Willoughby, Ohio, will be 2 p.m., Sunday, May 3rd, at Mentor United Methodist Church, 8600 Mentor Ave., Mentor. The Rev. Kurt E. Landerholm will officiate at the Service.

The family will receive friends following the Service, at the Church, on Sunday until 4:30 p.m.

Jacque passed away on Monday, April 27, 2015, at his home, surrounded by his family.

Born Nov. 7, 1932, in Jefferson, Ohio, he moved to Lyndhurst in 1959 and raised his family there, before moving to Willoughby Hills in 1998 and Willoughby in 2007.

Jacque was a graduate of Jefferson High School, Class of 1950, and of Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University, much to his dismay) where he earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and his law degree from the Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law.

He was a member of Mentor United Methodist Church and a former member of both the United Methodist Church of South Euclid and the Jefferson United Methodist Church, all of where he has served on numerous committees. He was a former member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of South Euclid-Lyndhurst and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels for several years. He previously served as trustee and past president of the Cinnamon Lake Association and as Director and Secretary of the Cinnamon Lake Utility Company, both in Ashland County.

Jacque was also a member of the former Tuscan Lodge 342 F.& A.M. in Jefferson, Scottish Rite, Valley of Cleveland, Al Koran Shrine and served on the advisory board of South Euclid Assembly 42 of the Order of Rainbow Girls; the American Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, Greater Cleveland Bar Association, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland and the Lake County Bar Association. He was honored as Man of the Year in 1975 at the Hillcrest Branch of the YMCA for his volunteer work.

In his free time, he enjoyed traveling, having a round of golf play him, playing tennis, singing in the church choirs and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, attending their many activities.

Mr. Haines was an attorney in the Trust Department of the former Central National Bank in Cleveland, Ohio, then opened a private practice which he continued until last year. Jacque was proud to have practiced law for more than 55 years. He also served as a city councilman and then as Law Director for The City of Lyndhurst for several years.

He is survived by his high school sweetheart, Carol Jean (Anderson) Haines, whom he married on July 10, 1955, in Jefferson; son, Jeffrey (Stephanie) Haines of Bainbridge Township; daughter, Laurel (Mitchell) Babcock of Mentor; grandchildren, Shannon (Haines) (Lt. J.G. William) McCrone, USN, of Norfolk, Va., Lt. J.G. Andrew Haines, USN of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Theodore Babcock and Corinne Babcock, both of Mentor; and brother, James (Mary Lou) Haines of Mentor and their families.

He was preceded in death by his father, Sheriff Daniel W. Haines in 1953; and mother, Elaine McCoy Haines in 1982.

Final resting place will be in Oakdale Cemetery in Jefferson in a private family ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to Hospice of the Western Reserve, Inc., 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44110-2602, or Mentor United Methodist Church Music Fund, 8600 Mentor Ave., Mentor, Ohio 44060.

Arrangements entrusted to DAVIS-BABCOCK FUNERAL HOME, Willoughby. Obituary and condolences at starbeacon.com.

Landscaping Options – Buffer Zones

Published April 28, 2015 | By admin

By David Ernes – Lake Management Committee

One only needs to travel to parks with natural lakes and no homes or man-made
structures and see that the water is clear and pristine. But, once we build a house, or for
lake front owners, build a dock, we disturb the natural state of the land. In the 2007
National Lakes Assessment, a study of thousands of lakes across the continental US,
lakeshore habitat changes was the number one stressor for a lake’s biological condition.
When we make changes to the land, we replace porous soil with impervious concrete or
asphalt. We remove local plants and trees and replace then with lawns and open spaces.
All of this makes significant changes in the lake quality. Erosion can become an issue,
introducing sediment into the lake. The natural ability of plants and trees to remove
excess nutrients is eliminated.

So, what can be done? You may have heard the term “buffer zones” or riparian
zones. This is an approach where the area between a lawn and the lakeshore is modified
by planting bushes and materials that will reduce erosion and filter run-off from reaching
the lake. There are numerous articles on the Internet describing the types of plants that
are most beneficial.

As one travels on our lake, you can see that almost all lakefront properties are
unique. The slope of the land, the shape or the shoreline, and the proximity of our
neighbors all make for unique situations. Not every situation can add a buffer zone at the
shore. However, that does not mean that we cannot help. If one is thinking of making
changes to their lawn and shoreline, take a look at the area. Can you use a rip-rap (use of
rocks for shoreline control of erosion) instead of a retaining wall? Are there open areas
next to your dock that you can have plants run up to the shoreline. If you have a steep
slope, can you have a buffer zone before the slope that can trap and prevent the edge from
eroding, and filter run-off from the yard. Think before removing large trees near the
shore.

And, you don’t need to just be on the lakeshore to use this approach. Many lots
back into a field, creek, ditch, culvert or drain, which eventually winds its way into the
lake. Keeping a buffer from the end of the lawn can reduce the run-off from lawns to
keep the nutrient levels in check.

There are numerous examples where this approach has lead to an improvement in
water quality. The Wisconsin Lakeshore Restoration Project is one example. The
Portland Water District has a brochure titled “Lakes Like Less Lawn”, their program for
environmental landscaping for water quality. So, if you are looking to make changes to
your landscaping, consider the design and see if you can include bushes, trees and other
plant material to improve not only your lot but the lake as well.

BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE

Annual Member’s Meeting Highlights

Published April 27, 2015 | By admin

by Richard D. Gainar, CEBS – Secretary RRA

The RomeRock Association Board of Directors held the Annual Meeting of Active Members on April 25, 2015 at the Clubhouse with all Directors present as well as 65 Members.

Board President, Dell Rogers, welcomed the Active Members and introduced the Directors. Rick Gainar, Secretary, certified the service of notice for the April 25, 2015, Meeting of the Members of RomeRock Association, Inc. and acknowledged the addition of 53 new Members during 2014. Treasurer, John Martin, described a financially healthy association with assets worth almost $2 million and liabilities reduced by $125k during 2014 due to debt reduction. However, our cash reserve, targeted at $200k, dropped to $155k due to the purchase of the bulldozer.

Dell reviewed 2014 activities including, mechanical dredging equipment purchases, a lawsuit, condemned RRA Office building, Clubhouse repairs, Calendar Road culvert project, cell phone tower, scheduled audit, new collections agency, and significant savings due to in-house equipment repairs. Several Members asked questions on expense of the voting process, recycling program, lawsuit update, use of cell tower income, demolition of old RRA Office building, hope for a cleaner lake, and a suggestion to allow fire department to practice by burning old RRA Office building. Major future expenses, according to Dell, include roads, replacement RRA Office building, Clubhouse floor, replacement weed harvester, dredging operations and legal activities for the lawsuit.

Mary Lencse reported that the Ballot Counting Committee counted 134 ballots of which 9 were invalid ballots. Tom Sopko unanimously won the uncontested election.

Carol Delly reported on the Promotion Club’s activities including the July 4^th firework program. Marge Morris reminded us of the May 15 Friends & Neighbors potluck dinner at the Clubhouse while Dave Emick, our Fishing Club’s Vice President, described the clubs activities and celebration of the Club’s 40^th Anniversary. Debbie Bain announced the May 2 kickoff lunch for the Ladies Golf Club.

Rick Gainar and Tim Langer presented the Lake Management Committee’s plans for 2015, the 2015 Dredge Plan and the Sediment/Nutrient Control Plan for the year. Sediment/Nutrient Control Committee Chairman Tim Langer reported on his committee’s activities to encourage residents to consider minor household changes that have significant positive effects on our lake’s water quality. Residents were also asked to support his committee’s efforts to encourage our elected state representatives to take action that limits the excess nutrients and sediment from entering our streams and lake from our watershed.

The meeting was officially adjourned at 2:10pm, but Members were invited to stay and visit the booths on Lake Management and the Fishing Club and to enjoy pizza (from Paradise Bay) and snacks (cookies from Cantini’s Village Market). Committee members and Directors stayed for another hour to answer all questions and hear Member comments. A great meeting!

Annual Meeting 2015

Published April 24, 2015 | By admin

The Annual Meeting of the RRA will be held this Saturday, April 25th at 1pm at the Clubhouse. The Annual Meeting is where the results of the election will be announced, the Treasurer’s report for fiscal year 2014 will be presented, and the Directors will report on activities of the past year. Refreshments will be served after the meeting including pizza from Paradise Bay.

Please make an effort to attend as the growth and success of our association depends on the active participation of its members!

Please note, the Office will close at 11am on the 25th to setup for the Annual Meeting.

Early Start to the 2015 Season

Published April 20, 2015 | By admin

Lake Safety Committee
By: Bruce C. Bower

Hello, and remember, we will all be boating soon! I want to remind you that we are ALL supposed to have our addresses, in reflective numbers, on our docks. The placement is up to you but, make it as visible as you can from a vessel’s viewpoint. It is a Village ordinance that this address be posted on ALL waterfront properties. The reason I am reminding you about this issue is that it is solely germane as a safety issue. If ever, you need assistance you can refer to the nearest address for reference. If an incident is viewed by someone passing by, they can pinpoint the location for aid and assistance. This is the only way in which to describe a certain location on the water. Please consider the importance of this simple task and minimum expenditure in order to possibly, in a worst case scenario, save a life.

There were 14 people at the Safe Boating Class held in March, 18 signed up, 14 showed. Several thanks are in order for this to have happened. The RRA pays for everything above the nominal $10.00 fee, so lunch refreshments and the free use of the clubhouse is on the Association. This shows their interest and dedication to water safety. A huge thanks goes to Dave and Marie Arnold, owners of Chicago Style Subs in Orwell. Dave gives us a great deal on a fabulous assortment of subs and deli trays for the great lunch we are able to give the students and teachers of the class. Go to Orwell, try the food, you won’t be disappointed. Another thanks goes to Joe and Gloria Palombi. Joe volunteers for any and all help needed; Gloria made brownies for snacks and as usual with Gloria, she never needs to be asked. The ever-reliable Ed Baitt helped us with our set up and was able to stay for a couple hours. Without the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Maggie Brown from the ODNR there wouldn’t be a class. By the way, two Shores residents are in the CGA: Steve Raughley and Brad Turner. Steve stated that he can and will perform boat inspections on our lake. When passing the inspection, you will get you a sticker for the 2015 season showing the ODNR that they DO NOT have to inspect your boat. Call me for further details.

Remember to check your fire extinguishers and lights!

As always, call me with comments, concerns or questions at 563.4108. Bower out.

Have a safe boating season!

Upcoming Events

April 19, 2024 – Shores Hold'em
7:00 pm
April 20, 2024 – Clubhouse Rental
April 24, 2024 – Cancelled - RRA Ballots must be recieved via US Mail
1:00 pm
April 24, 2024 – Polar Bear Club Meeting
6:00 pm
April 25, 2024 – Men's Golf
4:00 pm
April 27, 2024 – Pickleball Opening Day
10:00 am
April 27, 2024 – Association Annual Meeting
1:00 pm
April 28, 2024 – Clubhouse Rental
May 1, 2024 – Dues & Assessments Due
May 2, 2024 – Men's Golf
4:00 pm

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