Council Grove Lake Association

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January News and Dues

NEXT ACTIVITY: MASTER PLAN PUBLIC MEETING
COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH SATURDAY FEB. 18 th 9:00 AM
(printable view)

Contacts

Email cglakeassoc@yahoo.com	Web Site: cgclakeassoc.org
Chairman: Dave Baker, E-13, 767-6403	Vice Chairman: George Forester, D-39, 767-8194
Treasurer: Vernon Hay, J-9, 767-8071	Secretary: Andy Hutter, C-42, 767-6561

Membership Fee 2006

It’s that time again! A Council Grove Lake association membership registration card is enclosed. Please complete the information and return with the $ 25.00 fee in the enclosed envelope. The telephone numbers will not be published, but used in those instances where you need to be contacted by The Association concerning your cabin, boat, association business, etc. All U.S. Postal mail from the Lake Association will be sent to the address you list. Please keep this address current. If there is more than one owner for a lake house, you may provide another newsletter mailing address, or receive the newsletter via email. Only members whose dues are current are allowed to vote in meetings and elections.

After being discussed at the September and August meeting the membership overwhelmingly voted to increase the dues to $25.00. The old fee barely covered the cost of the usual seven newsletters and meeting minutes mailings. The membership decided on the increase to cover expenses associated with the Mayors’ annexation initiative, creating and maintaining a web site and email list to keep the membership better informed and to provide feedback in a public forum. Many also felt the increase should be used to create a financial reserve for contingencies.

The executive board has strived to use the Internet and email to increase awareness of current news and disseminate more information to the membership. Many documents, that were previously available only at city hall for a fee, are now available on the web site cgclakeassoc.org, The Association email list disseminates current information directly to over ninety addresses and reaches many non email members through neighbors and friends. If you wish to receive email updates concerning current lake news, send your email address to cglakeassoc@ yahoo.com.

Master Plan Public Meeting

A Master Plan public meeting will be held Feb 18, 9:00 a.m. at the Community Christian Church at West Main and McCardell Streets (across from Greenwood Cemetery on West Main Street.) Dr Curt Brungardt, Director of the Center for Civic Leadership, Fort Hays State University, will report on progress of the City Lake Master Plan to the Lake Association and the community. This will also be a time for the membership and the community to provide comments and suggestions about the Master Plan.

Approximately 50 volunteers from the Lake Association and community have made inputs to, and worked on the master plan. A major portion of the plan is complete in draft form. The Governance group is in the process of and doing more extensive, and detailed research, in order to provide more comprehensive information on viable options. We strongly urge all to attend, hear the update and provide further suggestions and inputs. The master plan section of the web site bulletin board is available to review major areas and provide suggestions. http://www.cgclakeassoc.org/

At the first Master Plan Meeting September 10, 2005, we out lined the Master plan process and set some goals. The Orientation Meeting Report is reprinted here as a review of the Master Plan process and our goals.

REPRINT

Council Grove Lake Association
Orientation Meeting Report

The orientation meeting was held September 10 th, with approximately 52 people in attendance. The meeting was lead by Dr Curt Brungardt, Director of the Center for Civic Leadership, Fort Hays State University. The Goal is to develop a Master Plan for the City Lake. This will include both short term and long-term lake area improvements. This document will be used to guide the association, cabin owners and local governing boards as they make decisions about future improvements. The meeting is summarized with notes added to Curt’s hand out.

Purpose of a master plan:

To develop an organized plan of improvements that most people support. Not everyone will be in favor of all aspects of a plan, as we all have varying opinions, but we will work toward the majorities’ priorities.
To provide a context to do research. To find the best solutions to reach the goals of all parties involved. That would include items such as an economic impact study determining the benefits and drain of the lake to all concerned, lake homeowners, the City, and the County.
Provide a position for the Lake Association as they work with governing boards.
Provide an overall long term plan to facilitate grants
To be a collaboration of all parties involved.
Provide a vehicle for all of us to share views.

Resources:

Volunteer time
Economic Impact Study: Drain & benefits of the lake shared by all (lake, city, county)
Leadership Center, Fort Hays State University

Process of the plan – This involves eight steps. A brief summary of each follows:

Vision development: Some of the “elements” of an enjoyable and prosperous city lake were discussed as financial stability, moving from “knee-jerk” reactions to long-term; property boundaries, long-term ownerships, safe boating and fishing, 1200 & 1300 road improvements and infra-structure, improvements to boat ramps and parking, water and sewer systems, code enforcement, restaurant/concession type operation, restroom facilities, facilities for public swimming and such, mowing of roads, etc., noxious weed control, fish cleaning station, fish fence, stocking the lake, dredging (could impact water quality, etc.) leases are up in 2009-financial impact.
Identify key strategic issues: The following were identified: annexation, improvement district, ownership, etc.; roads, sewer system, water quality, ramps and boat docks, safety issues, water level issues, Federal Reservoir, residential development issues, activities and events, lake area maintenance, fishing and conservation, rapport between the lake, city, Federal Reservoir.
Assessment and analysis
Objectives/Action step formation (the what, how, who and when of it)
Submit plan to Association for approval The goal is to do this February 200+
Present plan to local governing board and others
Implementation of the plan
Plan alterations (must constantly be making updates and changes

Open Communication: All meetings must be open forum, no closed meetings

Role of the Stakeholders:

Cabin owners
Association
City
County
State Legislators

Consensus Building, Majority Vote and Collaboration
Time Table

Sept. 2005-Pre planning process, vision development, identify key strategic issues, sub-committees developed
Oct. 2005-Key strategic issues (sub-committee), assessment and analysis
Nov 2005-Assessment and analysis (sub-committee, Identify objectives (sub-committee)
Jan. 2006-Objectives/Action steps formation
Feb. 2006-Plan completion and presentation to the Lake Association

We will be conducting a survey in the near future to determine priorities for improvements and goals. Take some time to think about new things that you would like to see happen or changed at the City Lake. Try to envision the long-term future of the perfect City Lake.

End of reprint

A large portion of the Master Plan work has been accomplished. The survey responses from the city and lake homeowners were used to identify key strategic issues; these issues have been assessed and analyzed. We are now at a point where lake home owners need to make a decision about which path we want to pursue on the all important Governance issue. We strongly urge you to attend the February 18th meeting and be part of the decision making process. We as an organization must consider some very important options, which will affect our future at the lake.