(001) In this year of 2007, we are coming to a showdown on what is to
happen with our establishment.
(002) I do not envy our BOD when it comes
to maintaining a financially stable environment with limited funds and their
attempt to abide by the covenants.
(003) Adequate funding of this park is
just one of the major issue we have been confronted with since the 1990's.
(004) Also, this BOD, and previous BOD's,
has made many statements about abiding by our covenants and rules.
(005) Thousands of dollars on legal fees
and many hours of time have been spent on seeking the right answers to a
changing environment within our park.
(006) Currently, there are three major
issues that are usurping the BOD's time and our money.
(007) Without a doubt, these issues are
causing hard feelings and pitting property owner against property owner.
(008) First, on several occasions we have
attempted to obtain a % vote and raise our maintenance fee from an annual $300.
(009) We spent money and have not
succeeded!
(010) Between now and next Spring, let us
send out an invoice to all property owners with a membership approved balanced
budget, non-revocable, and a five-year plan to cover our prevailing needs.
(011) If it brings our annual fee to $500, so be it!!
(012) No voting, all property owners will
pay the new amount or have a lien on their property.
(013) I proposed this approach during my
second term on the board, and, it met with deaf ears.
(014) Now, we must spend less time with
attorneys and more time on improving our park!
(015) Second, the rental of sites within
our park.
(016) The BOD must put forth a statement
that NO sites will be rented without approval of the BOD( i.e. guest camping
not to exceed 2 weeks annually).
(017) This was a rule in the 1982 "Manual of Covenant & Rules"
and doesn't need to be a covenant - just a cast in concrete rule set forth by
the BOD.
(018) This rule is vital to keeping
entrepreneurs from becoming landlords.
(019) In many markets it is proven that
the rental of housing has a tendency to cause lower property values.
(020) Third, starting now, the BOD must
ignore the covenant concerning permanent living and allow full timers to reside
in a specified dwelling, such as, a park model with an attached room.
(021) It should be stated that the
dwelling must be no less than 800 square
feet and house no more than two people to qualify for permanent living.
(022) The majority of our fulltime
property owners are couples, some in their retirement.
(023) Many of them are members of the
"Rockers", and, dedicate many hours and funds towards activities in
our park.
(024) The full timer is our eyes and ears
during the winter months and the absence of them in our park would be a serious
loss.
(025)
Why would I recommend solutions to these three problems?
(026) Historically, we have violated our
covenants and rules for one reason or another.
(027) Also, there were very few
complaints by property owners when the developers and/or the BOD ignored the
covenants or rules.
(028) It started with the developers
putting roads through the middle of surveyed lots (Art. V Sect. 1 (1).
(029) Previous managers and BOD allowed 12-foot wide trailers to come into our park
without a change to our covenants (Art V Sect 4(e).
(030) Then, 12-foot
wide units were voted on with a violation of the election process (Art. 1 Sect 1 Def
(i).
(031) Full time living began in our park
during 1977 and continued with no effort on
the part of the developer or BOD to make corrections (Art. V Sect 4(i).
(032) Living quarters have been approved
and added to RV trailers and Park models (Art V Sect 4(a).
(033) The storage area is dotted with
junk (Art. VI Sect 1 (d).
(034) During all of these violations,
there was no reprehension from the township, county or state.
(035) During the Mid 90's, the legislators of the State of Wisconsin,
at the direction of the Governor, voted to have counties tax permanent RV's
with attached living quarters as a "Residential-Single Family
Dwelling".
(036) Over 130
property owners of RRLE protested this tax, and, after six (6) years in the courts, lost the case.
(037) On the average, our taxes went from
$400 to $780.
(038) Currently, some property owners
have taxes that exceed $1200.
(039) The sad news is we lost the tax
case - the good news is that we won a new definition for our property.
(040) Until the court case concluded, all
of us were licensing our trailers with a Mobile Home plate at $36 per year.
(041)
We lost our RV title at the cost of increased taxes.
(042) Did you ever give thought to why we
are only allowed one unit for every 6000
square feet?
(043) The minimum lot size of
Residential-Single Family Dwellings is 6000
square feet.
(044) For tax purposes, Rock County does
not look at our non-movable R V trailers with attached rooms any different than
the cottage lots and the houses on Indian Lane.
(045) It should be noted that Rock County
is very pleased with the approximately $550,000
in tax money annually collected from our development.
(046) The county views us as a Planned
Unit Development where the planning was completed in the 1970's.
(047) There is no intention on their part
to have us put in curb and gutter, streetlights, etc.
(048) The changing or violating of our
covenants is up to us.
(049) As a matter of law, we are required
to file for permits on selected work in our development so the township and
county can set forth taxes on our improvements.
(050) So, here we are in the year 2007, 34 years
since the birth of our wonderful and beautiful resort.
(051) The numerous failures by us to
abide by the covenants and rules has not turned our park into a dump or lowered
the property values.
(052) The proof is in the current sale of
properties and the continued rise in property values.
(053) Obviously, the increase in our real
estate taxes is indicative of our rising property values!
(054) There comes a time, regardless of
age old guidance, when all of us must step into this new century and do what is
needed to maintain our park.
(055) Through the years, ownership in our
park has changed from people who started camping with tents and trailers to
people who are looking for an all-season cottage or a park model with an added
room.
(056) The new wave of people is looking
for a spacious park model with a second floor and an attached room.
(057) With the advent of the second
floor, we now have up to 1200 square feet of
living space in many units.
(058) Today, many of our fellow property
owners were never into camping and are just seeking a future place to enjoy
weekends or retire.
(059)
Remember the saying "United we stand, divided we fall."
(060)
There is not one of us that can change the direction of our park.
(061) We need everyone, including the BOD
and park management, to resolve their indifferences and put their best foot
forward.
(062) Hatred, rebellion and retaliation
are terrible things.
(063) Let us put aside our childish ways
and seek out the best for our park.
(064) Just think - If we did not have all
those visits with the attorneys, we would have enough money to repave the
entire loop within our park and more!
(065)
With Sincere Hope that an improved park is in our future,
(066) P.S. In the future, I see a
beautiful new administrative building in what is now a cornfield.
(067) In the same area, there is a huge
parking lot with enclosed storage units for rent by the park.
(068) In the far comer, near I-90, is a long term leased cellular tower.
(069) There is another park entrance on
Knudson Rd. to eliminate heavy traffic at the front entrance.
(070) Oh! The old office and loft is now
a physical fitness building. Wow!! What progress--------