Swiss Village East Property Owners Association
President’s Report
Annual Meeting October 13, 2018
10:00 A.M.
Northwoods Lodge
Dear fellow property owners,
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Once again, it has been my privilege to serve as your president during the past year. As always it is important to state that as with any organization, it takes the devotion and commitment to service of many individuals to assure that our beautiful community continues to offer a peaceful respite from the day-to-day stresses of modern life.
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I wish to thank my fellow board members; Lonne Petroskey, Mark Berghoef, Rob Poupard, Mike Sherman, Doug Meyers, Patrick O’Neill, Heidi Shaffer, Aleta Berghoef, and Bob Durga for their service. Mark and Rob are new members of the board. Their presence has brought a breath of fresh air and perspective to the table. A special thank you to Lonne for the innumerable things he does that are well outside his duties as Board Treasurer; repairing benches, the split rail fence at the river overlook, constructing mailbox stands, updating property owner emails and addresses… Thank you to Aleta for taking over the website and distribution list. She has some great ideas to make it more user friendly and a go to source of important information for property owners and those interested in joining our community. Thank you to Heidi and Aleta for the work they did on the flyer that made our annual picnic such a great success!
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Our board meets four times a year including the annual meeting. Although on site attendance is preferred, call in attendance is welcome as well. To date, board members have called in from Thailand, Germany and Alaska. If there is phone service available, one may attend a meeting as a board member or interested property owner; just check the meeting date and time zone. Phone in. We would be delighted to hear from you!
I would be remiss if I did not thank those community members who do so many things big and little that often go unnoticed. For example, when was the last time you saw trash scattered on one of our roads? This just doesn’t happen here. On more than one occasion I have seen residents out for a casual stroll stop and pick up a random piece of litter. It doesn’t take time to accumulate. In another example, the recent storm caused considerable damage to many trees as well as a lengthy power outage. Within a few days of the storm new property owner, Brian Adams, cleared several large trees that fell along the Cedar River path.
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I guess the point I am making is that there are so many random acts of kindness that contribute to what makes Swiss Village East such a rare and special place to live and visit.
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During the past year the SVEPOA Board has addressed a number of items. Following is a summary, in no particular order, of these efforts:
Annual Picnic: As highlighted above, the Annual Picnic at the Children’s Park was a rousing success! Future picnics will be advertised in a similar manner. We hope to see increasing attendance at this event which is scheduled each year in mid-July.
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Signage Update:
Thank you to Burt Thompson of the Antrim County Road Commission for his assistance in bringing to fruition the ultimate placement of 25 MPH Speed Limit signs at selected sites in our subdivision. This has been a work in progress for a considerable amount of time. We look forward to seeing them posted in the not too distant future. Heretofore the speed limit was the unposted, rural limit of 55 MPH.
In a continued effort to eliminate wheeled access to powerline easements, signage will be updated to assist in compliance. As a reminder, use is restricted to foot traffic and snowmobile access by property owners and their accompanied guests.
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VRBO (short term rentals):
It never hurts to remind ourselves that we live in a peaceful community that respects the right of all our neighbor to enjoy the solitude of our surroundings while providing for festive gatherings.
Occasionally property owners choose to rent their homes on a short-term basis. In order to preserve the solitude of our community, the Board continues to request that property owners include a provision in the rental contract that stipulates a quiet time from 10:00 P.M. until 7:00 A.M.
Nextdoor :
For those new to the community or unfamiliar with its valuable social network, Nextdoor is a neighborhood oriented, social network available to communities such as SVE. Membership is by invitation only. At this time, many SVE property owners have signed up with the network. Although it is not an official part of SVEPOA, you may enjoy participating. Allen Wolf is administering the site. If you are interested in an invitation or want additional information send an email to SVEPOA@swissvillageeast.com. Among the items on the Agenda for the Annual Meeting is the possibility of enhancing the information available via Nextdoor.
Security:
As a means of adding Additional Security, Al Leach has a number of wildlife trail cameras that he sets up at random locations such as mailbox stands and powerline easement entrances and exits. The resolution is such that identification of vandals and/or trespassers is possible. Thanks again, Al for providing this service.
SVE Forest Health:
Thank you, Heidi, for arranging the July presentation by Antrim Conservation District Forester, Mike Meriweather, regarding options available to improve the health of our forest. As we are painfully aware, the emerald ash borer has destroyed our ash trees and the beech bark disease will ultimately destroy area beech trees. Mike’s presentation highlighted potential strategies to deal with these issues. The board will continue to explore possibilities and keep property owners informed. Highlights of options Mike shared will be available in the July 21, 2018 once approved.
Other Updates:
Property Transfer: The SVEPOA Board has recently taken possession via Quit Claim, of two SVE lots in lieu of payment of severely delinquent dues. This unprecedented action was accomplished mutual agreement of the property owner and the board. These lots will be advertised for sale in the near future.
Annual Pool Passes for Schuss Mountain/Shanty Creek are available for purchase for SVE property owners for $125.00. They are not valid at Cedar Village. Shanty Creek Resorts also offers annual ski passes to non-residents.
An Important Reminder:
Before beginning any outside building projects of any kind, please review the Restrictions. The Architectural
Committee is charged with reviewing and approving virtually all outdoor projects to assure that they meet our guidelines. If you have any questions please contact Lonne Petroskey or other committee members.
Thank you once again for your support and all that you do for SVEPOA! We hope to see or hear from you at our Annual Meeting October 13, 2018. The call-in number is: +1 (605) 468-8001. The access code is: 538739#.
Respectfully,
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Ralph O. Crosslin, President
SVEPOA