Are You Aware That LISE Has An Emergency Siren?

If you’re in Scenic Estates – or probably anywhere south of the Lummi Island Fire Station – you will be treated to a test of the siren this coming Thursday, April 4 (planned for around noon) and again on Thursday, April 11 (no time set yet). This is only a test necessitated by a plan to move the switch to a new location.
 
The siren is located at the maintenance/shop building on Island Drive, near the intersection with Cedar Avenue. Its purpose is to alert the community of emergency situations. The switch for the siren is being moved to a new location – offering an opportunity to test the system to ensure it is fully functional both before and after the move. The tests are being coordinated with the Fire and Sheriff’s Departments. To the best memory of current staff, it has been many years since the siren has been tested. This is a good opportunity to determine that, when it is needed, it will be fully functional.
 
In the case of an actual emergency consult the disaster preparedness plan for your community/neighborhood. There is information on disaster preparedness available on the LISE website here and a link to the Lummi Island Fire Dept info here. Please keep in mind that in an actual emergency situation, communication and internet access may be disrupted. Printing out the disaster preparedness plan and information and assembling in a binder with your evacuation kit or emergency rations is a good idea. Joining in the Map Your Neighborhood efforts is also critical to sharing resources and helping neighbors in the event of an emergency.

Clubhouse Renovations-Progress to Date (4/2/2024)

Foundation Renovations

At this point, the foundation renovations are complete and electrical upgrades are done (there may be some work still pending on outdoor lighting). The contractor is working on framing up the walls for the new mechanical/furnace space and the new outside walls and door in preparation for furnace reinstallation planned for Tuesday, April 9.
 
We’re looking forward to a return to in-person meetings at the LISE Clubhouse for our April Board meeting.

LICA Sponsored Roadside Clean Up

LICA is sponsoring its Annual Roadside Clean Up on Saturday, April 6, 2024 from 9:30-noon. This is a good volunteer opportunity that comes around every spring, gets us out with new friends and old neighbors, and keeps our island roadsides inviting for all. The usual length of road is 2 miles.

The Grange will have its usual hot dog lunch. If you would like to participate, please email carol.mckinney@gmail.com to be added to the list and get a road assignment with instructions. You may adjust your hours if you like.

We will have coffee and donuts for LISE volunteers from 9-9:30 (venue to be determined if the LISE Clubhouse is still under construction). The more volunteers, the easier it will be. Thanks so much for helping out!

Clubhouse Renovations-Progress to Date (2/21/2024)

Foundation Renovations

Here’s where we are with the LISE Clubhouse renovation process – work is once again underway. After an interlude to determine if re-engineering was required when bedrock was determined to be deeper than originally anticipated, the plan has been revised to compensate for actual conditions. The appropriately sized rebar is sourced and the foundation work can be resumed.

Electrical Updates

Good use has been made of the down-time in the foundation renovation – an electrician was brought in to bring our aging power panel, wiring and lighting up to current standards.

Tim Robison, Operations Chair, sends this update on the electrical work – “Electrical work, including cleaning up the electrical panel, finishing install of the new LED overhead lights, replacing electrical outlets, including GFCI outlets outside and in the kitchen have all been completed.  A permanently wired smoke and fire detector also was installed.  Exterior Lights are next; all will be either night sensors or motion sensor LED lights.  A lot of the outside lights have not been working in recent memory - including the ones mounted to trees.  They will all be working soon.”
 
This should result in a much safer experience when the Clubhouse hosts evening activities. The upgrades to the lighting, addition of the large-screen Media cart and the soon-to-be upgraded furnace should all combine to bring our beloved Clubhouse into the 21st century with comfort and style.

Logging Issues Affecting LISE

There are currently three open and at least two approved timber harvesting applications held by Lummi Island Land Co (LILCO): two parcels to the north of LISE spanning Seacrest Drive (that would affect access to LISE) and one parcel to the south of LISE on property that borders the LISE reservoir and may have an impact on our source water.
 
The application that was recently approved is for 1.5 million board feet of timber to be harvested on one 66 acre parcel to our north on the west side of Seacrest Drive. While that may be a generous estimate of the amount of timber to be harvested from this land, the reality is that a typical logging truck will hold between 3,000 and 6,000 board feet of timber depending on the diameter of the logs. Those trucks can weigh in at as much as 45 tons depending again on size of logs. Doing the math, based on a generous estimate of 6,000 BF per load, 250 fully laden trucks would be required to haul the timber to market. That’s 500 trips on the roads through LISE. Assuming it took an hour to load each truck, 8 trucks per day (on an 8-hour workday) it would take at least 30 days to move that much timber from the harvest site.
 
Whether the plan is to move the timber to the north and haul via the ferry (a plan that should have little chance of success with the county and would require shorter log lengths that are not as marketable), or to the south to use the existing log skid and rafting/aggregation point at Inati Bay, the sheer number of trucks and the weight involved would severely tax the only means of egress and exit from the south end of the island and endanger our community. Keep in mind that these concerns only address one already approved application to harvest timber from the south end of the island. There are two other applications – all will require movement of the harvested timber to mills for processing.

detail of a map created by elizabeth kilanowski. Altered for the purpose of illustration.

While the board respects a property owner’s rights to utilize the resources available on their land, it is also necessary to ensure that the actions of one land owner don’t endanger the safety and security of the communities that also share the environment. If you’d like to file a letter of appeal on this Forest practices, it needs to be mailed in time to reach all three offices involved in the appeal process.
 
Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the permit being granted. Filing means that the letter needs to be RECEIVED at the offices involved within 30 days of the decision notice – Dec 15, 2023.
 
Letters of appeal must be received by January 13, 2024, allow for time in the USPS mailing system.
 
Appeals need to be sent to all three offices below:
 
Pollution Control Hearings Board
P.O. Box 40903
Olympia, WA 98504-0903
 
Office of the Attorney General
Natural Resources Division
P.O. Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
 
Department of Natural Resources, Northwest Region
919 North Township Street
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
 

Our Letter Appealing this Decision
Here is the text of the appeal letter as of the latest edit:
Appeal to DNR for consideration of FPA/N #2819206 granted to LILCO on 12/14/2023


Ref:     FPA/N #2819206

From: Board of Directors, Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club

To whom it may concern:
We, the members of the Board of Directors for Lummi Island Scenic Estates (LISE) ask that the determination to permit timber harvesting on 66 acres adjacent to our properties be reviewed and disallowed based on the impact to the life, safety and property of our community and the impact on roads and properties of Whatcom County.

Lummi Island Scenic Estates is a community of 400 lots owned by 329 property owners situated on the slopes of Baker Mountain. Baker Mountain occupies roughly the southern third of Lummi Island and is an area characterized by steep slopes densely forested with second-growth conifers and deciduous trees. Access and egress to this residential community is restricted to a single county road – Seacrest Drive – that turns into Island Drive at the entrance to Lummi Island Scenic Estates. Island Drive ends at the southern terminus of LISE near the peak of Baker Mountain. The 66 acre parcel subject to FPA/N #2819206 is directly to the north of LISE. Seacrest Drive is the only access to the community and in the event of a medical emergency, disaster or wildfire is the sole means of evacuation or transport of equipment and first responders.

As stated in the Forest Practices Application submitted by Lummi Island Land Company (LILCO) and approved by DNR, LILCO plans on harvesting 1.5 million Board Feet of timber from the 66 acre parcel. Using industry standard calculations, at least 250 fully loaded timber semi tractor/trailer loads will need to be transported to the mills on the mainland. There are only two options to transport this lumber – either via County roads north to the docks for the small, open, 18 car ferry operated by Whatcom County that services the residents of Lummi Island, or to transport the logs south to the terminus of Island Drive where there is access to a private un-paved road to a potential rafting area at Inati Bay. This unpaved road (essentially a trail) runs through properties owned by the Lummi Island Heritage Trust (LIHT) and LILCO. History indicates that LILCO will preferably use this road as access to their log skid at Inati Bay to consolidate its timber before hauling in rafted floats to mills on the mainland.

The result is that at least 250 log trucks, fully laden on the out-board run and empty on the return run – 500 trips total – will use the only road to service the south end of the island that runs directly through LISE. This is a two-lane road typical of those in lightly populated areas within Whatcom County – chip paved and serviced only when necessary. The road as it goes through LISE is extremely narrow, steep and at times consists of very tight switchbacks and hairpin turns that are hazardous for vehicles of the size required to transport logs. This section of road was not striped after a recent chip paving by the county – the operators of the striping truck didn’t consider it safe for their equipment. Likewise, the new, heavy duty snow plow the county dispatched to our area was not able to safely negotiate the switchback. This road runs directly through the heart of the LISE Community where single-family homes are most dense.

The level of traffic indicated in this logging application is a direct threat to the safety and security of those who live on or near this single access road. Island Drive is regularly used by pedestrians and dog walkers, many of which are elderly.  There are no sidewalks and shoulders are limited or non-existent.  Pedestrians will be at grave risk to logging trucks trying to traverse these roads. Logging trucks will have to slow or stop to allow pedestrians to safely get out of the way, an especially dangerous maneuver on very steep roads and switchbacks.

The roads here on the southern end of Lummi Island are known to be fragile. In November of 2021 when an atmospheric river inundated the area with heavy rains resulting in flooding in Whatcom County, the water run-off from the steep mountain terrain here resulted in cataclysmic failures of roads and culverts. Two roads in LISE – Island Drive near the entrance to our community and Beach Road – were both ravaged by the waters. Neither has had repairs completed by Whatcom County Public Works as of yet. According to county engineers, the amount of truck/trailer traffic indicated by the application will certainly strain this infrastructure to it’s breaking point.

We, the Board of Directors of LISE ask that the application to harvest these 66 acres be reviewed and rescinded based on:

  • Impact to the safety of life and security of the residents of LISE

  • Impact to the infrastructure – county roads and drainage system of Lummi Island

  • Impact on private roads in the area

Respectfully submitted by the Board of Directors, Lummi Island Scenic Estates:

Clubhouse Renovations to Begin in January 2024

It’s been a while coming, but work is scheduled to begin the first week in January on the foundation repairs. During this time there are liable to be worker vehicles and construction materials staged in the parking areas. Concrete deliveries and pumping/pouring will also require use of the parking areas exclusively. Please bear with us during construction – there will be closures to the parking areas as needed to facilitate the work.
 
While the LISE Clubhouse facility will be closed during renovations, none of the work is anticipated to require closure of the beach and marina areas, just be aware that access will be best achieved via Shank’s Mare (on foot) and observe care and a safe distance from any equipment and construction materials that may be present. A separate walking path that skirts the upper parking area is available and the best way to access the beach and marina area. For the duration, if the signs say the parking area is closed, please leave the car at home.

Disaster Preparedness-LISE Disaster Group to meet via Zoom on January 10, 2024

The LISE Disaster Group is comprised of Leslie Dempsey, James Southard and Laurie Hawkins, all Scenic Estates Map Your Neighborhood Leads. We invite you to a zoom meeting on Wednesday, Jan 10, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) to demonstrate and seek feedback about the LISE-specific Disaster Materials. We believe that this material will be a valuable tool to share with folks in your immediate neighborhood group. We will also be discussing Scenic Estates’ plan to receive Wildfire Alerts from LIFD and to communicate the alert throughout our neighborhood.
 
I’m sure we all have a keen awareness of the vulnerability of the Scenic Estates community in the event of a disaster such as a wildfire on the mountain. The recent wildfire devastation in Lahaina and – closer to home – the Lake Whatcom Fire above Blue Canyon Road were both made worse by a failure of the local authorities to notify residents for a lengthy period.
 
Taking seriously LIFD Assistant Fire Chief John Granger’s admonition that “the first responder in a disaster will be the person looking back at you from the mirror”, the Disaster Group has created a disaster preparedness information tool specific to the Scenic Estates Community. We recently presented this material at a LISECC BOD meeting. The BOD has agreed to host on the LISECC.com website and will promote it via existing communication channels such as the LISE monthly E-Newsletter.

Join us via Zoom for more information.
 
Topic: LISECC Disaster Group Hybrid/Zoom Meeting
Time: Jan 10, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
 
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Meeting ID: 811 5038 8520
 
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Meeting ID: 811 5038 8520

2023 AGM Voting Results

The LISECC Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at the Scenic Estates Clubhouse. See 2023 AGM materials and board candidate statements here.

VOTING RESULTS


Board of Directors (for two open positions)

  • Tim Robison: 54 votes (approved)

  • Jeff Smith: 57 votes (approved)

  • Isaac Colgan: 1 vote

  • Theo White: 1 vote

  • Loren Conroy: 1 vote

At the board meeting following the AGM on September 23, the Directors elected the following officers:

  • President: Jim Coats

  • Secretary: Jeff Smith

  • Treasurer: Lisa Machalski

The following Committee Chairs were appointed by President Jim Coats:

  • Admin: David Canterman

  • Communications: Jeff Smith

  • Planning: Jeff Smith

  • Operations & Water: Tim Robinson

  • Marine: Jim Coats

  • Election: Jeff Smith


2024 Budget and Dues

APPROVED

Approve: 58| Disapprove: 5

The proposed Budget will set dues at $866 per year, having a total income of $563,030 and expenses of $471,920. Dues do not include the existing DWSRF loan or water usage fees.


Audit of financial statements of the 2023 Fiscal Year

APPROVED

Approve: 38| Disapprove: 23

The board is recommending an audit of the 2023fiscal year. The last audit was conducted in 2023for the 2022 fiscal year.

LISECC Announces Boil Water Advisory for All Customers-RESCINDED

News Release

 For Immediate Release: 8/19/2023

News Release

Contact: LISECC Operations (360) 758-7055

 LISECC announces boil water advisory RESCINDED

 Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club is advising all water customers that it is no longer necessary to boil their drinking water. Recent test samples show the absence of E. coli, total coliform bacteria.

Staff have inspected the repair made to the water main, and the water system has been monitored over the past 24 hours to confirm that the system has recovered. With receipt today of the lab analysis from 6 different locations throughout the system, LISECC is now confident that the water is safe for use.

If you have shut off or not used fixtures, water fountains, ice machines, soda machines, and/or other equipment over the past several days, flush the fixture or equipment until there is a change in water temperature before putting it back into service. Some discoloration can be expected and may require flushing the water lines for 3-5 minutes.

If you have questions, please call us at (360) 758-7055

LISECC Announces Boil Water Advisory for All Customers

News Release

For Immediate Release: 8/18/2023

Contact: LISECC Operations (360) 758-7055

 LISECC announces boil water advisory for all customers.

Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club is advising all water customers to boil their drinking water after a recent broken water main may have introduced harmful contaminants into the distribution system. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has been notified and LISECC is working closely with the Office of Drinking Water to ensure that your water is safe. The boil water advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

We are issuing this boil water notice as a precaution until lab analysis proves your water is indeed safe to drink.

There have been reports of water discoloration accompanying the unexpected water main break.  During the event water flow through the water mains increased causing agitation of normal residual biofilms inside the pipes.  The event lasted approximately 8 hours overnight and created the potential for introduction of contaminants from possible cross connections within the system, and or from the ground water surrounding the pipes.   

The boil water advisory includes several precautionary steps for customers. These include using bottled water or boiled water for drinking, brushing teeth, dishwashing, preparing food, and making ice. Water should come to a rolling boil for one minute, then cool to an appropriate temperature before using.

The advisory will remain in effect until LISECC and DOH are confident the water is safe. When satisfactory results are reported, customers will be notified that the advisory has been lifted.

If you have questions, please call us at (360) 758-7055

Update on Two LISE Infrastructure Projects

In an effort to keep members up to date on the major infrastructure projects underway here in Scenic Estates, we’ll be providing updates as information and status of the projects develop.
 
LISE Clubhouse renovations/foundation repairs
are underway. As anyone who has attempted construction near the shoreline can attest, getting permits for the work can be a process that stretches longer than initial planning accounted for. The Clubhouse work is no exception. With a new survey attesting to the site not being in a flood plane, the required shoreline exception has been approved/granted, and the construction permit is currently in process. We’re just waiting for the issuance of the permit to start the work.
 
The Water Treatment Plant replacement
is also underway. A synopsis of the recent site visit has been provided by LISE President Jim Coats:
 
Wilson Engineering made a site visit on Monday, June 19, to discuss the recent pre-design tech memo, explore possible alternatives, and walk the water treatment plant locations.  The representatives from Wilson were Brian Smith, case engineer, Matt Kulp, site layout, Eric Hull, process, and Steve Tevelde, electrical engineer from K Engineers. LISE staff in attendance were Allison Cash, Nick Kluge, and Kevin Southworth. Tim Robison, David Canterman, and Jim Coats were also present.
The first item on the agenda was to focus on the plant and to verify the location. It will be built on Dogwood Terrace, in close proximity to the storage tanks. Two alternative sites were deemed too problematic. We also settled on increasing our production capacity from the current 67 gallons per minute (gpm) to 100 gpm. This increase will enable a build-out of 290 connections versus our current ceiling of 250 connections. We are building for the future as well as our present. Besides increasing our build-out capacity, the new system will provide us with more potable water in our reserves.
Much of our discussion dealt with piping and installation. Wilson offered scenarios in which old existing piping could be utilized with the new plant.  However, the existing piping is 60+ years old, and there is no way to ascertain its remaining useful life.  The new plant is projected to be in use for the next 50 years; it is advisable that we install new piping along with the new plant in order to match longevity.
The meeting culminated with a thorough walk-through of pertinent locations, beginning with the dam and raw water feed to the plant.  We then examined the backwash waste areas.  From there we proceeded up the hill to establish the piping route and explore the building site for the plant itself. The electrical engineer evaluated each step of the process as to needs and visited the existing electrical bunker next to the water towers.
It was, in short, a detailed visit that provided the engineers with a concrete sense of what needs to be done and where.  The “how” of the equation is in their hands.

Voting Results-2023 Special Meeting of the Members

The 2023 LISECC Special Meeting of the Members was held on May 21, 2023 at 9:30am. See the 2023 Special Meeting of the Members packet materials here.

VOTING RESULTS

The threshold to defeat proposed budgets and assessments is a high bar. RCW 64.90.525 states that unless a majority of the votes in the association reject the budget (or assessment), the budget and the assessments against the units are ratified. For the 2023 Special Meeting of the Members, there were 238 voting members; a majority required 120 votes to defeat the assessment.

One-Time Clubhouse Assessment

PASSED

Approve: 65| Disapprove 57

One-time assessment of $385 per lot to repair and restore the clubhouse foundation.

Reserve Study Tutorial with Reserve Consultants LLC

On Monday, May 8, 2023 at 11:00AM, Reserve Consultants LLC, the reserve consulting firm engaged to help develop and advise on administration of the LISE reserve accounts delivered a one hour presentation to the board via Zoom, designed to provide an understanding of how the reserve accounts function and answer specific questions posed by the board in advance.

Their PowerPoint presentation slides , as will the recorded video of the Zoom meeting can be found here.

Special Meeting of the Membership (Audio)

Notification: Special Meeting / Vote on Assessment May 21, 2023

LISE Members:

This letter is notification of an upcoming Special Meeting of the LISECC Membership to vote on a special assessment for funding the repair and renovation of the LISE Clubhouse foundation. The Special Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. Eligible members may vote via absentee ballot, in-person voting at the meeting or by assigning their proxy to another eligible voter. The meeting will be held in hybrid format, with Zoom available for those that cannot attend in person. Zoom attendees eligible to vote are requested to vote either by absentee ballot or by assigned proxy. There will be no voting or interaction through Zoom, it is intended for observation only. 

The Assessment

At the LISECC Board of Directors meeting on Sunday, April 23, the board voted to put the issue of an assessment for funding the repairs to the foundation of the LISE Clubhouse to a vote of the membership. While the initial funding is planned to be through withdrawal of funds from the reserve accounts, the assessment is a mechanism to restore the expended funds to the reserve accounts. This assessment is subject to a vote of the membership pursuant to Washington State RCW 64.90.525 that mandates in order to reject the proposed assessment, a majority of all eligible voters in the association must do so. All HOA’s in the state of Washington are subject to the same law regarding approvals/rejections of both operating budgets and special assessments.

The proposed assessment is for $170,112.00 and is assessed to each member lot within Lummi Island Scenic Estates, regardless of dues relief for bound lot status. The assessment can be paid in a lump sum of $385.00, in equal installments of $32.08 over 12 months or, by application to the business office, in equal installments of $16.04 over 24 months.

The full funding plan – LISE Clubhouse renovations

As we have been discussing for many months now, renovations to the LISE Clubhouse will cover three main issues: the foundation renovations, drainage improvements/culvert replacement, and bringing the decks surrounding the Clubhouse up to current building code requirements.

As proposed by the Board of Directors, the funding for the needed renovations and repairs to the LISE Clubhouse area would be split into two streams. The special assessment covers the funding for the foundation alterations required to ensure the continued safety of the Clubhouse. The drainage improvements/culvert replacement and the deck improvements would be funded through the LISE reserve accounts.

To be clear, the Clubhouse foundation repairs are being treated separately from the drainage/culvert renovations and bringing the deck up to current code standards. As stated earlier, the proposal acknowledges that initial funding of the three issues will be through dispersal of funds from LISE reserve accounts. The special assessment will be used for replenishment to the reserve accounts of the amount advanced for the foundation repairs over the length of the assessment. Maintaining adequate funding in our reserve accounts is a statutory responsibility of the Board of Directors.

This notification packet contains the special meeting agenda, the official ballot for absentee voting, and the proxy vote form required for assigning your vote to another member. Please read the instructions for both the absentee ballot and the proxy form. LISE Bylaw 4.3.3.1 on absentee balloting is also included.

On Meeting Day, Please Be Patient…

To protect the integrity of the process, this special meeting of the membership requires that all attendees check into the meeting beforehand. All attendees must be checked in, confirmed against the voting roles, the absentee ballots received and any proxies received at the business office. This all takes time, we are all volunteers, so please be patient. The goal is to make certain every eligible vote is accurately counted.

Votes will be counted subsequent to the meeting on Sunday, May 21, and the results announced at the regular board meeting to follow later in the afternoon.

Thanks for your participation.

Sincerely;

Your LISE Board of Directors
Jeff Smith, Secretary, LISECC

Additional details about the 2023 Special Meeting of the Members can be found here.

Community Forum to Discuss 2023 Proposed Assessment (Audio)

The LISECC Board of Directors will be hosting a Community Forum to discuss the pros and cons of a special assessment for funding the upcoming renovation of the LISE Clubhouse foundation. The Forum is scheduled for Sunday, April 16 at 9:30 a.m. The forum will be held at the Clubhouse and via Zoom; login information is below.

At the LISECC Board of Directors’ meeting on Sunday, March 26, the board voted to propose an assessment for funding the repairs to the foundation of the Clubhouse. This assessment is subject to a vote of the membership pursuant to Washington State RCW 64.90.525 that requires a majority of all eligible voters to reject the proposed assessment.

The proposed assessment is for $170,112.00 and is assessed to each member lot within Lummi Island Scenic Estates. The assessment can be paid in a lump sum of $385.00, in equal installments of $32.08 over 12 months or, by application to the business office, in equal installments of $16.04 over 24 months.

The full funding plan

As we have been discussing for many months now, renovations to the LISE Clubhouse will cover three main issues: the foundation renovations, drainage improvements/culvert replacement, and bringing the decks surrounding the clubhouse up to current building code requirements.

As proposed by the Board of Directors, the funding for the needed renovations and repairs to the LISE Clubhouse area would be split into two streams. The special assessment covers the funding for the foundation alterations required to ensure the continued safety of the Clubhouse. The drainage improvements/culvert replacement and the deck improvements would be funded through the LISE reserve accounts.

To be clear, the Clubhouse foundation repairs are being treated separately from the drainage/culvert renovations and bringing the deck up to current code standards. The proposal acknowledges that initial funding of the three issues will be through dispersal of funds from LISE reserve accounts. The special assessment will be used for replenishment to the reserve accounts of the amount advanced for the foundation repairs over the length of the assessment. Maintaining adequate funding in our reserve accounts is a statutory responsibility of the Board of Directors.

We hope you’ll join us for a full and open discussion of all aspects of the proposed plan. The next step in the process is for a vote of the membership to either accept or reject the proposed assessment. That vote, tentatively scheduled for May 21, 2023, will be the subject of another notification together with the materials and information required for voting in person or by mail.

Thanks for your attention to this critical opportunity to learn about these issues and bring your opinion and vote to the issue.


Community Forum to Discuss 2023 Proposed Bylaw Amendments (Audio)

The Board of Directors of Lummi Island Scenic Estates Community Club is in receipt of three proposals to amend the bylaws of our community.

In order to give the entire membership full opportunity to enter the discussion, the board held a community forum on Sunday, March 19, 2023, for discussion of the considerations both for and against the three proposed bylaw amendments. The text of the proposed amendments and audio recording of the forum can be found below along with the minutes from the forum.

2022 AGM Voting Results

The LISECC Annual General Meeting was conducted with a Vote-By-Mail Election Process. See 2022 AGM materials and board candidate statements here.

VOTING RESULTS


There were 249 AGM packets mailed; 238 ballots distributed (11 members not in good standing did not receive ballots); 138 ballots returned; 136 ballots counted (2 returned ballots were without member identifying information and were not opened).

Board of Directors (for three open positions)

  • David Canterman: 99 votes (approved)

  • Jim Coats: 76 votes (approved)

  • Isaac Colgan: 69 votes

  • Robert Friedman: 36 votes

  • Lisa Machalski: 86 votes (approved)

The board met on Saturday, October 29, 2022 to elect and appoint officers:

  • President: Jim Coats

  • Vice-President: Jeff Smith

  • Secretary: Jeff Smith

  • Treasurer: Lisa Machalski

Committee Chairs:

  • Admin: David Canterman

  • Communications: Jeff Smith

  • Planning: Jeff Smith & Jim Coats

  • Finance: Lisa Machalski & Tim Robison

  • Operations & Water: Tim Robinson

  • Properties: David Canterman & Lisa Machalski

  • Clubhouse: Tim Robision

  • Marine: Jim Coats

  • Election: Jeff Smith


The threshold to defeat proposed budgets and assessments is a high bar. RCW 64.90.525 states that unless a majority of the votes in the association reject the budget (or assessment), the budget and the assessments against the units are ratified. For the 2022 AGM, there were 238 voting members; a majority required 120 votes to defeat the budget and the assessment.

One-Time Clubhouse Assessment

PASSED

Approve: 66| Disapprove 70

One-time assessment of $612 per lot to repair and restore the clubhouse foundation and deck structure and provide expanded drainage to the property.


2023 Budget and Dues

APPROVED

Approve: 82| Disapprove: 54

The proposed Budget will set dues at $866 per year, having a total income of $539,284 and expenses of $539,284. Dues do not include the existing DWSRF loan or water usage fees.


Audit of financial statements of the 2022 Fiscal Year

APPROVED

Approve: 87| Disapprove: 44

The board is recommending an audit of the 2022 fiscal year. The last audit was conducted in 2022 for the 2021 fiscal year.

Community Forum to Discuss 2022 AGM Ballot Measures (Audio)

In light of the discussions and statements being made surrounding two of the voting issues for this year’s AGM, the LISECC board hosted a community forum on October 14, 2022. Membership was invited to bring their questions regarding the 2023 budget, the associated increase in membership dues, and the rationale for the special assessment to repair and renovate the LISE clubhouse.

Community Forum to Discuss 2022 AGM Ballot Measures

In light of the discussions and statements being made surrounding two of the voting issues for this year’s AGM, the LISECC board has planned a community forum for Friday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. Membership is welcome to bring their questions regarding the 2023 budget, the associated increase in membership dues, and the rationale for the special assessment to repair and renovate the LISE clubhouse.

These are critical issues and there seems to be some misunderstanding of the rationale behind the board’s decision to bring these to the ballot for the AGM. This is not a candidate forum – it is an opportunity to have your questions answered in the most direct way possible – person to person.

The vote to approve or disapprove both the proposed budget and the Clubhouse assessment will be conducted in full conformance with WUCIOA Section RCW 64.90.525.

As in the last forum, speaking time will be limited and those limitations strictly adhered to. The forum rules will be presented up front. The forum will be held via Zoom, login information is below and will be available on the LISECC website before the meeting’s scheduled date/time.

Topic: LISE Community Forum
Time: Oct 14, 2022 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85968466662?pwd=Mkw1ZmJiU3ZGUncweWNTRTE3OTFIdz09
Or Join by phone:
253 215 8782 US
Meeting ID: 859 6846 6662
Passcode: 885574

We welcome all members participation and hope to answer all questions concerning these critical issues.