Board of Directors Report | Lake in the Clouds

Report to the Community-September, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

This month’s Board Meeting was held on September 19, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin, Treas. Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein, Al Sicignano and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

Panther Trucking will start work on Logger Rd this month, so that we can finally get that entrance re-opened. The Board wants to thank the Logger Rd folks for their patience during this LONG ordeal.

Bill Scott, Charlie Schaffer, and Ed Kirstein have been trying to stay ahead of a group of VERY busy beavers in Lake in The Woods. The beavers are felling trees and attempting to block off the spillway. Unfortunately this puts us in the position of trying to balance two conflicting PA State regulations: 1. Dam spillways must be kept open and free of debris; and 2. It is unlawful to destroy, disturb, or interfere with a beaver dam or house. Some days it seems the beavers are winning, but the guys aren't giving up.

The Sept 14 bonfire was well attended and we were able to appropriately thank Jerry and Marie Benincasa for their long and active service to this community. (They were THRILLED to receive our gift of a Lifetime Free Pass to the annual picnic! :-) With Marie's departure we need a new Chair for the Social Committee. If that sounds like a fun job for you please come to a Board Meeting and tell us your ideas!

We have had some amazing weather this past month and we are hoping it lasts into October. With that in mind, we will hold off making a decision on whether to hold the October 5th General Meeting and Election inside the clubhouse or outside at the pavilion., until a day or two beforehand. When you arrive at the meeting, look for the crowd and you'll know what the decision was!

Regardless of the weather we will hold a Potluck Dinner at 6PM on October 5 in the clubhouse. PLEASE let us know if you plan to come so that we can set up tables etc. Just leave a message at the office, or email office@lakeintheclouds.org

The General Meeting and Election itself will start at 1PM on October 5th. Mailed ballots must be in by October 1st.

Have a great fall and see you on the 5th.

Joyce Torrey, Sec

Report to the Community-August, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

This month’s Board Meeting was held on August 15, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffen, Treas. Bill Scott, and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

Here are a few quick updates:

-The work on the Logger Road entrance is now scheduled for September, (Yes, finally!) The trees have been topped and we are next on Panther Trucking’s schedule once they have completed a job in progress.

-As I reported last month, the 2025 budget-- which you will vote on in October-- does not include any dues increase. Joan Griffin is currently doing some last-minute tweaking to make sure we have allocated sufficient funds for the variable areas such as snow removal and lake ecology, but it looks good for our financial health in the coming year.

-Charlie, Bill Scott and Jamie Brush have re-mulched the path up to Lookout Point. If you haven’t made the easy climb up there yet you really, really should. It’s an amazing view of the Delaware Water Gap….and in my opinion New Jersey never looked so good! (Kidding!)

-Marie and Jerry Benincasa, long- time and very active members and volunteers for this community, will be moving away this fall to be closer to the grandkids. Hopefully they (and you!) will be able to attend our bonfire scheduled for September 14thso we can all thank them properly and wish them well.

Picnic! We had amazing weather, and boy, were we lucky considering the storm that came through the day before. (There was a rumor going around the picnic grove that I had sacrificed one of my ex-husbands to the rain gods to ensure the good weather. This is not true…I would NEVER have been able to choose which one had to go off the rim of the volcano.)

120 people came and ate and chatted with neighbors and played games, and by all accounts had a great time. Which makes all the work worthwhile.

Once again, we really owe it all to the picnic volunteers. The Grill Guys (Charlie Schaffer, Jerry Benincasa, John Cafarella, Gerry Daidone); the Servers (Peggy Keyser, Joan Griffin, Kat Lauer, Judy Sweeny, Susan McClure, Roe Gagliardo, Linda Foran, and Fran Daidone); The registration table (Marg Cafarella, Jan Olsommer, Pat Pancoast); the distinguished parking attendants, Jon Pancoast and Bill Scott; our photographer Mike Foran; and a special thank you goes to Paul Burke our most excellent volunteer DJ, and to Stephanie Pace and Kat Lauer for selling all those 50/50 tickets!

And Marie Benincasa. What can I say. Shopping, cooking, texting, inventory, commiserating and good advice…honestly, I don’t know how this picnic will happen next year without you.

In closing, remember, if you want to run for a seat on the Board you need to tell me or Diane in the office by 8/25, and return your bio form by that Friday 8/30. The ballot will be mailed 9/5!

See you at the BONFIRE, September 14th. Bring chairs and whatever you’re drinking.

Joyce Torrey

Sec. Board of Directors.

Report to the Community-May, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

Dear LITC Members,

This month’s Board Meeting was held on May 2, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Al Sicignano, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

I apologize that this report is later than usual. Mother’s Day is a killer for floral designers and I needed a few days to recuperate. This will also be a double report in a way, since I will include some information from the May 4th General Meeting. This is not the official minutes from that meeting, those will be sent to you this fall as we prepare for the October General Meeting and Election.

Last month I reported on the Board’s discussions of possibly adopting some sort of identifying markers for residents, such as hangtags for our cars, beach passes, and so forth. The goal was to help us identify non-residents who may try to use our facilities. Charlie raised the issue at the General Meeting to gauge the community members’ opinions, and we got some very strong reactions both for and against the idea. But in the end, the deciding factor was “enforcement” …. or rather our lack of anyone to take that responsibility. So, for now the idea has been tabled. And we are still working on finding a life guard for the summer.

Another issue under discussion at both the regular Board meeting and the General Meeting was the problem of aggressive dogs off their owners’ property without leashes. While most of our dogs are friendly, and no threat to anyone but squirrels, we’ve had at least one very serious incident recently that has raised a lot of concerns. Our strict confidentiality rules prevent me from revealing any details, but please be aware that the Board is currently taking serious action on this incident.

Charlie asked me to include these REMINDERS to our members:

We do not allow short term rentals here. 3 months is the minimum.
The speed limit on our roads is 20mph.
Children under 18 driving or riding on an ATV on our roads without a helmet means the parents are breaking PA state law!
No full garbage cans out overnight.
All boats must display lot numbers.
Only dogs on leashes are allowed off your property.
PLEASE read our Schedule A and B Documents before beginning any construction.
If there is a culvert pipe on your property, please keep it cleared of debris.

Joyce Torrey, Sec. BOD

Report to the Community-March, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

Dear LITC Members,

This month’s Board Meeting was held on March 7, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin Treasurer, Al Sicignano, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

As we expected our snow plowing bill for December and January was quite a bit higher this year than last. Even though we anticipate another big bill for February, our available funds are still running ahead of last year. The Board thanks all of you who pay your dues on time, for keeping us in the positive cash-flow column.

After last month’s Crest Hill vs Garbage Truck event, Bill Scott built a stand and installed a new cinder barrel on that hill. Hopefully this helps to alleviate some of the ice/snow mishaps. Bill also trimmed the Lake in the Woods dam breast of weeds as the state requested, and with Charlie’s help stabilized the snow fence there.

We have still had no luck securing a lifeguard for our beach this summer. Charlie left signs at our local high schools and talked to some teachers/swim coaches there, but we are facing the very real possibility of having no-one sitting in that chair this year. Because of our smallish size we are not required by the state to have a lifeguard, but will post signs and remind parents and other swimmers to be extra cautious this summer.

Last year we began to allow dues payments through PayPal in the hope that this option would make things easier for some payers and for our Office Administrator. Sadly, for a variety of reasons, it has had the opposite effect. At the Board meeting it was decided that we would discontinue using PayPal as of March 31st.

In closing I’d like to add a personal thank you to those of you who have sent me compliments and kind words about this report over the last 3 years. Sometimes it seems I have very little of importance to report on, but the Members who write to me just appreciate being informed and updated on the things I CAN report on, and I’m glad they find it useful. And If you don’t…well, just push “delete”!

Joyce Torrey, Sec.

Board of Directors

Report to the Community-June, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

Dear LITC Members,

This month’s Board Meeting was held on June 6, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Bill Scott, and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

FIRST the good news! We have a lifeguard for the beach! Rayvin Gieratowski has agreed to come to work for us again this summer, and will be starting on June 15th.

Now the not-so-good news: We STILL have not heard from PennDot and our engineering firm about when the work on Logger Road entrance can be started. Bureaucracy at its finest!

On the other hand, the Panther Trucking proposal for repair work on our own roads was approved by the Board, and that work will begin shortly. Our all-volunteer Pot Hole Gang started work in May and that work is continuing.

If you have noticed that the beech trees on your property appear to be dying you are right. It’s a recently discovered problem throughout the northeast US, and it’s called Beech Leaf Disease.

I spoke to a gentleman named Logan Goddard, who is the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Service Forester for Pike County. He explained that Beech leaf disease is caused by Litylenchus crenatae ssp. mccannii (LCM), a nematode that parasites tree leaves. This disease has only been discovered in recent years and much about it, including the full cause and how it spreads, is still unknown. Unfortunately, so is a proven effective treatment.

If you want to learn more about it, here is a great website with a lot of information about BLD:

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/GoodNatured/pages/Article.aspx?post=198

I also spoke to Mr. James Rickert who is Pike County Dog Warden and he was kind enough to send me information on our dog laws and on Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. If you would like more information visit LicenseYourDogPA.pa.gov

I have some dates for you to remember: Picnic is August 10th, notices will go out early in July. Community Yard Sale is Aug 17th. There will be a community bonfire Sept. 14th. And we will have a potluck dinner at the clubhouse after the General Meeting and Election on October 5th.

Hope you all have a great summer!

Joyce Torrey, Sec.

PS: All three of our lakes will be treated for bladderwort and pondweed on Wednesday June 19th. Please avoid all contact with the water until Friday the 21st, and that includes your dogs!

And PLEASE read our Schedule A and B Documents before beginning any construction at your home.

Report to the Community-April, 2024

Board of Directors, Lake in the Clouds

Dear LITC Members,

This month’s Board Meeting was held on April 4, 2024, attended by Charlie Schaffer, Pres., Phil Barrow, VP, Joan Griffin Treasurer, Al Sicignano, Bill Scott, Susan Kirstein and Joyce Torrey, Sec.

It looks like this winter is finally coming to an end. We are in contact with Penndot and our engineers to try to get an idea of when Panther Trucking can start work on the Logger Rd entrance. Hopefully the whole project goes smoothly.

Meanwhile, Charlie has been around the community trying to get piles of fallen branches from this winter’s storms, moved away from the sides of our roads. This will facilitate rain water flow and also mowing this summer.

Early in April, Aquatic Environmental, along with a group of LITC volunteers, stocked our lakes with 15,000 Golden Shiners. Goldens are bigger fish than the ones we have used in the past .

It now seems fairly certain that we will not have a lifeguard this summer; we simply cannot compete with the salaries offered by resorts and waterparks. We will be putting up new warning signs at the beach, and ask that those of you who use the beach be extra vigilant when kids are in the water. There are some excellent videos on YouTube that show how drowning doesn’t always look like you think it will. Here’s one you can copy and paste:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beNheoRRdKk

Another aspect of having no lifeguard is that it makes it harder for us to ensure that only our members and their families and guests get to enjoy the facilities that our dues pay for. The Board has been discussing various identifying markers we might try, such as LITC stickers for our cars, or hangtags (like the handicapped signs), or beach passes. All of these methods have downsides to them, and none of them will work 100% of the time; but they may help us to keep outsiders to a minimum.

Since ID signs will require the cooperation of our members, we will test the ideas at our May General Membership meeting May 4th at the pavilion. If enough of you support them, we will work on the costs and logistics.

Picnic is August 10th.

Joyce Torrey, Sec.

Board of Directors