Public beach closed for the season, hot & humid weather, lots of rain, lake almost full, State Fair, livestock, grandstand shows, school starts, Labor Day is just a couple of weekends away as is the second installment of property taxes, it must be August 2006 on Lake Springfield.

This August E-mail newsletter is being sent to the 25 SLSIA board members and sent to or delivered to another 380+ homeowners around the lake to help keep members informed about issues, activities or events happening on Lake Springfield. Share this e-mail with those lake people who do not have a computer. If you have new neighbors, tell them about our lake homeowner's association.

Lobster Boil
Mark your calendars for September 16 for one of the best evenings on the lake, our Lobster Boil! Melinda says invitations should be mailed to every homeowner on the lake next week with a September 9 RSVP date. Do not forget to get your order back on time. We only order lobsters for those that reply by our cut off date. The price will continue to be $25 per person which includes fresh Maine lobster flown in that day and all of the trimmings plus dessert, draft beer & wine and music from the group Strange Brew. The TRN Club continues to host our event. If you are new on the lake, this is one event you do not want to miss!

SLSIA Quarterly Meeting
The minutes of our August 2 quarterly meeting are on our web site, www.lakespringfield.org , so I will only cover some items.

Fire. Springfield Fire Chief Bob Bartnick and Deputy Chief Kulek attended our meeting and assured us that every home on the lake has fire protection coverage. The fire on Fairview Lane on July 3 that experienced delayed response time was due to failure of the county's 911 system and human error and "glitches" are being corrected.

Fire Protection Coverage. From former chief Edwards and current chief Bartnick - for homes annexed to the city or for homes in the Lake Fire protection District (homes on the east side of I 55 not in the city but paying about 3% of your property taxes to the district) receive a full compliment of response which includes 4 engines, 2 trucks and a battalion chief. There is no mutual aid agreement with Chatham.

For homes on the west side of the I 55, there is a mutual aid agreement whereby both Springfield and Chatham will respond to a fire. If the home is in the city, they will receive a full compliment of response from Springfield which includes 4 engines, 2 trucks and a battalion chief with back up from Chatham. If the home is not annexed to the city, Chatham will respond with 2 engines, 1 truck and a battalion chief plus receive backup from Springfield.

Poor Visibility of Signs. One of the outcomes of Fairview Lane homeowners meeting with CWLP, Springfield and Chatham fire and police officials was the need for better directional signs to lanes on Lake Springfield. As a result, City of Springfield has developed new signs to be placed at decision points on Toronto Road and at intersections leading to Fairview, West Fairview, Hoechester and Canadian Cross Lanes.

Property Tax Report/2004-05 Market Based Report for Homes Sold on Lake Springfield. In recent years, lake homeowners have been faced with significantly higher property tax reassessments from one of the 4 township assessors. In the 1990's, our Association paid to have a market based report prepared of recent lake home sales. This year, Pam & Scott Tisckos and myself have spent hours compiling data to prepare basically the same report for all lake home sales recorded in 2004 and 2005.

The preliminary report we shared with the board is probably 98% complete. It is intended to help lake homeowners identify trends or values of homes actually sold on the lake. Then a homeowner can compare their home and new or reassessment with other homes of comparable style, location, stories or acreage.

A chart listing 17 columns of detailed information is provided for each of the 61 sales made in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, for example, 22 homes were sold with prices ranging from $163,000 to $900,000. In 2005, 39 homes were sold with prices ranging from $92,500 to $1,200,000. Of the 61 homes sales, 30 of the homes were over assessed. In the 1991 to 1997 study, only 6 of 93 sales were over assessed.

If your home is made of brick, you need to compare your reassessment to brick homes that sold not frame homes that sold. In 2005, the price per square foot of homes built of brick and sold were $162.51 per square foot as compared to frame constructed homes which sold for $126.35 per square foot. A similar comparison can be made for homes that are located in a cove as compared to the main body of water.

We still need to fine tune the report. The board voted unanimously to make this report available to all dues paying members of our Association upon request. We will not post the information on our Internet web site.

Paddle Boat Dinner Cruise. Guest Kirk Barton of Rochester attended to let homeowners know that he and a friend were exploring bringing a paddle boat to Lake Springfield for both private and public use. The 2 story, 70 foot long, 14 foot wide, 18 foot tall boat would hold approximately 110 passengers at a time and would operate on the north side of the lake. They would cater parties but no food preparation would occur on the boat. There are many issues/details/inspections/hoops to go through before this becomes a reality.

2006/2007 Events Committee. If anyone is interested in volunteering for our Events Committee, please let me know! This committee will meet to decide what events or activities our Association wants to host in 2007. Last year this committee recommended the golf outing which turned out to be a huge success. Before that, the wine tasting party and Sherel Nutt Memorial Scholarships evolved from this committee. The committee will meet once in late September or October and forward their recommendations on to the November 1 meeting of the full board.

Guard Rail - Lindsay Bridge
Board members expressed concern about the new guard rail that has been installed on the approaches to Lindsay Bridge; they have been installed so close to the road that they cause a safety problem for walkers, runners and bicyclists. A procedure/construction booklet indicated such structures could be in violation of construction codes. A letter is being drafted and will be sent to the city.

Sea Walls Problems. It was noted that some lake homeowners who have installed sea walls are now starting to have serious problems with them while most others are quite secure. It was suggested that we contact CWLP and have them look into this matter.

2006 Membership Directory/Address Signs
We hope to have our 2006 Membership Directory out around September 1. We will include a membership application form in the directory for those who have not paid their dues. The form will also include a section to order lake address signs.
Because the price of metal and reflective lettering have risen, signs will be offered to lake residents at the price of $19 per sign. This is still an excellent price and worth every penny when guests, medical or police/fire personnel are trying to find your home in a hurry.

Be Careful Out There
The Amtrak Train accident on the Lake Springfield overpass on Sunday, August 6, was an accident waiting to happen. Many of us have seen kids out there jumping off the bridge, throwing rocks at people, etc. The newspaper article sounded like the Lake Springfield Police Officers on the lake made a difference.

I heard the Lake Springfield Police Officers wrote a guy on his wave runner 8 separate tickets earlier this month. That may be a record.

Unfortunately, the police officers have not caught the people responsible for breaking into boats on Villa Grove or South Fox Mill or into the Aqua Club or Ski & Boat Club.

Lake Springfield Clubs
I think it has been a very good year for most of the clubs on the lake. The weather has cooperated and their events have been very well attended. Just this past month, it was really a pleasure to attend the Press Club's Summer Fest on July 29 and see the improvements they made in their facility. They made a world of difference in their club! Great view!! And the following weekend was the Anchor Boat Clubs Chicken Fry. Excellent food & a great band.

The Summer Is Not Over And We Still Have Activities On The Lake!
Saturday, August 19, Blue Ridge Club's Poker Run
August 25 - 27, Aqua Sports Club's Softball Tournament (3 days)
Saturday, September 2, Firefighters/Postal Club's Labor Day Party
Saturday, September 9, Firefighters/Postal Club's Poker Run

If you want to eat out Sunday nights, consider the Aqua Club. They are offering dinners open to the public. August 20 is Muffalatta Sandwich with baked beans and potato chips and August 27 is Good Ole Chicken Fry Chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet corn & roll. Price is about $5 to $6 per adult and less for kids.

Triathlon
I have to thank many homeowners who brought their wave runners, boats or pontoon boats over to Lindsay Bridge and helped watch the swimmers during the July 16 triathlon. I've never seen so many athletes who had to be helped out of the water! A special thanks goes to Carol & Dale Schempp, the King's whose son was a participant, Tom Ala, Sunny & John Stone, Charles Wilken, the Ferk/Hogan's, Tim & Kim Curry, Dave Waltrip who was a busy man, the Gardner's, my wife Kathy and fellow runners Jo Ann & Colleen Pinto whose husband Greg was a participant (Villa Grove). I'm sure I missed someone and I apologize.

Kayak Found
Many asked. Yes, lake items do travel! The kayak was found on Hickory Point, quite a ways from East Lake Shore Drive. I'm told the parents are elated and the boys relieved!

www.lakespringfield.org
Don't forget to check out our web site. If you have questions or want to add something to our site, just contact me or you can use the site to get to us.

Rip Rap
Contact Steve Frank 757-8660 ext. 1026 or Dan Brill 757-8660, ext. 1024 for all of your shoreline needs including to get on the wait list for rip rap. Twenty five barge loads have been unloaded this year and people want more. Unfortunately, CWLP is down to 2 good barges and one not so good barge. Steve says they have a new one purchased and will be delivered before too long.

Lincoln Memorial Garden (Jim Matheis, Executive Director, 529-1111)
Open 365 days a year! There is still time to sign up for the September 16 bus trip to St. Louis to view a special exhibit of Chihuly Glass Sculptures at the Missouri Botanical Garden and to visit the Earth Ways Home Energy & Recycling Festival. Call the Nature Center at 529-1111 for last minute sigh ups.

Saturday, September 23, 1 - 3 PM , is the UIS's Landscape Grows By Degrees Tour. Veteran horticulturist Joan Buckles will conduct a tour or the emerging UIS landscape. Starting at the new colonnade and fountain in the center of the quadrangle and ending at the pond side Women's Peace and Friendship Garden.

Lincoln Memorial Garden and the Sangamon County Rescue Squad are the recipients of proceeds from this year's Midwest Charity Cruise that will be held on Friday and Saturday, September 8 & 9 in downtown Springfield.

Henson Robinson Zoo (Talon Thorton, Director 753-6217)
Open 362 days a year. See animals from 5 continents; you don't have to drive to Chicago or St. Louis to experience the fun of the zoo!

Saturday, September 9 at 6 PM is the Big Fund Raising Event - Animal Magnetism: The annual torchlight auction raises money for the zoo. Enjoy food, drinks and a fun activity while bidding on silent auction items, followed by a live auction. Tickets are $25 per person or $0 per couple. Reservations are required by September 1.

This month's featured animal is the Ring-Tailed Lemur. You can visit Castor age 7, Pollux 7 and Remos 5 while at the Zoo! The ring-tailed lemur is covered with soft fur that is gray to brown on its head and back and is off-white on its belly and limbs. It has a fox like snout covered with whiskers and a black and white marked face. It has forward facing eyes. The most distinctive feature is it long, black and white striped tail!

The lemur is native to both the forests and treeless, rocky terrain of Madagascar. They sleep in trees but are unique in that they forage on the ground during the day. The little guys weigh between 5 & 8 pounds and are just 15 to 19 inches long. Their tail extends another 22 to 25 inches. They live about 20 years and have one or two young in August & September. The lemur live in small groups, about 18, of multiple adult males and females with the female the dominant sex.. They are thriving in captivity but are endangered in the wild.

Springfield Municipal Opera (793-6864)
We are down to the last week of this year's performances. The King & I, directed by Bill Bauser, runs this Wednesday, August 16, to Sunday, August 20. The performances have been excellent.

Questions
What are the penalties/consequences of homeowners not complying with lease agreements, i.e., cutting down trees, shrubs, damaging property, common ground violations, etc. Doug England, our Property Manager, responded very quickly. Chapter 96 of City of Springfield's Code of Ordinances governs Lake Springfield. Any & every rule is covered in this chapter including lease formula, environmental provisions (sewage), boating activities, property, buildings, safety, marginal lands, the parks, Zoo, golf course, Gardens and enforcement and penalties. Doug writes that cutting trees and violations of Chapter 96 provisions could result in a fine of not less than $50 or more that $750. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.

Not properly maintaining yard maintenance is a lease violation. Typically a neighbor will contact Doug regarding lawn problems at a neighboring residence. Doug visits the site and assesses the situation, takes photos and writes a letter to the tenant to inform them of possible violations. Usually the situation is remedied in an expeditious manner. There are times that CWLP's legal Department becomes involved. If that occurs, the tenant seems to be more cooperative and the violation is promptly remedied.

What can be done about very noisy speed boats on the week-ends?
City Police Officer Mike Vogel says city ordinance requires boats with silent choice to have it activated while on our lake. The problem is that many of the larger (and louder) boats do not have the choice. State law sets a certain decibel level for the noise, but that level is very high. It can only be enforced with the use of a decibel reader. We do not own one & DNR only has maybe 1 for this region.

Is there any group or club in the area that does ski shows? Anyone know? Please contact me. Thanks.

Newspaper Articles
The Moore's home on East Lake shore Drive is featured in latest Springfield Scene Magazine!

Building permits in the State J-R lists single-family residential construction at 824 East Lake Shore Drive. Owner is Edward Schainker; contractor, Horn Builders; $350,000.

State J-R Outdoor Section has the Big Buddy Catfish Tournament this weekend. $50 get you and your partner in. Great way to get out of the house. It gets over at 2 AM.

For Sale/Wanted To Buy
Dennis Skaggs wants to sell his Laser II 15 ft. Sailboat - $400; two jet-rail PWC lifts on wooden float - $150. Contact Dennis at dskaggs47@yahoo.com. See at 42 W. Fairview.

Don O'Neal wants to buy a Canopy for a 3000# Hewitt Cantilever Boat Lift. Needs to be 110" wide and 20' long. Contact Don at 585-1010 or oneal.don@uis.edu.

Bartel's have sold their house, boat, wave runners and are living in Chatham. They wrote & said they miss the lake!

Bill Anderson (15 Fairview) has a 1994 Ski Centurian LaPoint TruTac Boat for sale. It is a 19 foot tournament ski boat with only 260 hours. $9,900 firm. Call Bill at 529-8216 or e-mail WJAATALC@aol.com.

Larry & Loretta Michaud (40 Bay Ridge) have a Double Jet Ski Lift for sale. It is a 1,200 lb capacity, cantilever type; new cables, $350 firm. Call 529-3886 or see Larry on the lake just about every day.

The next quarterly meeting of the SLSIA's Board is Wednesday, November 1, at 7 PM. Location TBA.

Have a safe Labor Day weekend. See you at the fair or on the lake!

Garrett