Swiss Village East Property Owners Association
President’s Report
Annual Meeting October 17, 2015
10:00 A.M.
Schuss Mt. Ski Patrol Room
Dear fellow property owners,
​
It has been my privilege to serve as your president during the past year. As with any organization, it takes the devotion and commitment to service of many individuals to assure that the natural beauty of our community continues to offer a sense of solitude and rest as well as the opportunity for recreation and adventure. I wish to thank my fellow Board Members; Lonne Petroskey, Allen Wolf, Dennis Melton, Mike Sherman, Doug Meyers, Patrick O’Neill, Heidi Shaffer, Aleta Berghoef, and Bob Durga for their service. A special thank you is in order to Lonne for his many years as association treasurer, to Allen for maintaining the association website and his historical perspective and Heidi for her love of nature and professional connections that keep us up to date on environmental issues that affect our community. I would be remiss if I failed to thank all those of you who day-by-day do the “little things” that collectively become not so little; picking up trash during a daily walk, clearing debris after a storm, reporting items in need of repair, suggesting improvements that make our little slice of heaven that much better … Thank you!
​
During the past year the SVEPOA Board has addressed a number of items. Following is a summary, in no particular order, of these efforts:
​
TCE Plume:
​
In October 2014, Heidi Shaffer arranged to have environmental activist and water quality expert Steve Grill provide our membership with an update on the advance of the TCE Plume emanating from the former Dura facility in Mancelona. (Electronic copies of the documents shared by Mr. Grill are available upon request.). Since that time a number of local and county meetings were convened to address the issue and plan for measures to mitigate the effects of the plume. At this point it appears that there is little or no chance that the plume will affect water quality in Swiss Village East as it has changed direction. It is our hope that neighboring communities will share our good fortune.
Erosion and Trespassing Along Power Line Easements:
​
Considerable erosion is occurring along the power line easements in Swiss Village East. The primary cause of this erosion is RV and other wheeled vehicles. Snowmobiles are not an issue since the snow cover protects the underlying soil.
Unlike most other power line easements, those in Swiss Village East are private, not public. Hence they are only available to property owners. All other recreational users are trespassing on private property. Since these easements are not posted, most users are likely unaware that they are private. The following remedy was approved by the SVEPOA Board at the July 14, 2015 meeting:
Boulders and /or logs will be placed at the entrance of each easement to prevent wheeled vehicles from using the easements. They will not prevent access by snowmobiles.
Appropriate signage will be posted informing potential users of restrictions.
Formal complaints will be filed with the Antrim County Sherriff against trespassers.
The Board requests all property owners to abide by these new restrictions and to inform acquaintances of the private nature of the easements. The purpose again is to stop the erosion from forming gullies and other damaging results. We appreciate your support and help.
Speeding Within SVE:
Although most individuals proceed through our village at a reasonable, safe speed, some do not. On several occasions vehicles have passed through at excessive speeds or in an unsafe manner. A discussion with an Antrim County Sherriff Deputy ended with mixed results. The speed limit in unposted areas is 55 MPH. Although SVE is unposted the deputy, however, will increase patrols in SVE and will follow-up on complaints of unsafe drivers when filed.
There is a statute in the Michigan Compiled Laws which sets the speed limit in residential subdivisions at 25 MPH. We will research this with the hope of posting a reasonable speed limit in SVE.
Benches at the Cedar River Overlook:
The Cedar River Overlook is stunning! To enhance viewing opportunities, two benches will be constructed at the overlook to increase use of the area and provide a quiet place of rest and reflection. The benches will complement the vista found at the George Johnson Cedar River Park located at the other end of the riverside boardwalk.
VRBO (short term rentals):
Occasionally property owners choose to rent their homes on a short term basis. In order to preserve the solitude of our community while providing for festive gatherings, the Board requests 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:
Nextdoor is a neighborhood oriented, social network available to communities. Membership is by invitation only. At this time several 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. I believe that he has invited property owners with active email accounts on file with SVEPOA. If you are interested in an invitation or want additional information send an email to SVEPOA@swissvillageeast.com.
Thank you once again for your support and all that you do for SVEPOA! Remember, Board membership is not an exclusive club! Please consider serving. We meet just four times a year and occasionally via email. Members who cannot physically attend any given meeting have the option of calling in from remote locations. Allen Wolf, for example, called in from Thailand! I attended a meeting while in Alaska. Others have called in from a variety of places. You see, we are very accommodating. If you feel an itch to participate, please contact us at the above email address or individually by visiting http://www.swissvillageeast.com/
Respectfully,
Ralph O. Crosslin, President
SVEPOA