Board of Trustees Report April 2016 John Marshall, President, Cottagers Council

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3 Board of Trustees Report April 2016 John Marshall, President, Cottagers Council The Lake Louise Christian Community Board of Trustees met on April 22nd at the Retreat Center at Lake Louise for its April board meeting. President, Phil Friedrick called the meeting to order, welcomed fellow board members and offered devotions. Items of Importance to Lake Louise Cottagers: 1) The Lake Louise Christian Community finished 2015 in the black The board was pleased to be informed that the Community finished last year in the black, largely due to substantial buy- in fees associated with cottage sales, significant revenue from timber sales, Forest Legacy funds and very generous donations from cottagers, camp alumnae and others. 2) Forest Legacy Project Phase II As you are aware, the Forest Legacy Project Phase I was previously funded, and it protects 750 acres at the west end of the lake from future commercial development. The application for the Forest Legacy Project Phase II, which includes LLCC property south of Thumb Lake Road and east of Magee Road, including most of Standard Lake, has been submitted several times but never approved. It was recently learned that additional Forest Legacy funds are available in Representatives of the Michigan DNR and the Little Traverse Bay Conservancy provided the board with additional information regarding the Forest Legacy program and indicated that there was a reasonable probability that Phase II could be funded. The board voted to move ahead with collecting more information regarding the potential benefits and possible problems associated with having additional LLCC property in the Forest Legacy program. 3) New Information for Cottagers who are Considering the Sale of their Cottage Because the Lake Louise Christian Community owns the property surrounding the lake and leases the land upon which cottages sit, LLCC must consent to any cottage sale and approve the buyers as new members to the community. Therefore, LLCC has established an updated process for cottagers who are considering the sale of their cottage. The four steps that a cottager must take at the onset of the process are to 1) complete and return a Cottage and Lease Interest for Sale form, available from the camp office, 2) follow the additional steps outlined on that form, 3) inform your realtor that LLCC is the land owner and is a key third party in the process, and 4) engage the LLCC Executive Director early- on in the process so that all of the required steps are completed prior to closing. 4) Milfoil update - Kirk Halsted indicated that Savan Lake Services will soon be undertaking GPS biomapping of the lake to determine the location and volume of milfoil vegetation on the lake s bottom. They will use this information to both determine the success of last year s chemical treatment program and plan a sophisticated chemical application program for milfoil management this year. Kirk will be presenting additional information about the outcome of last year s chemical treatment program and a detailed explanation of the biomapping process and its use in milfoil control at our June Cottagers Council meeting. 5) New Cottagers Spencer and Karli Deer and family, residents of Gaylord, MI, have purchased the cottage on building site #12 on Pioneer Trail, previously owned by the Wards. Tom and Carolyn Miller, of Bloomfield Hills, MI, have purchased the cottage on building site #50, the first cottage on Morning Side Beach. They purchased the cottage from the Zydecks. We hope you will welcome both the Deers and the Millers to the community. 6) Make the Summer Camp More Fun for Campers The board discussed ways to increase the fun- factor of camp activities for this summer, hoping to increase the number of returning campers. Two areas of focus were the enhancement of waterfront activities and group activities. The board proposed to seek contributions for the purchase of the components of a nine- hole disc golf course, something that has been very popular at other camps, and stand- up paddleboards for the waterfront, that could possibly be available for rent to cottagers families on the weekends when camp was not in session.

4 Executive Director s Report: 1. Jim Willford, LLCC Executive Director, reported that registrations for this year s summer camps are up from where they were at the same time last year an encouraging start to the 2016 summer camping program. 2. Construction is proceeding well on the camp s three new cabins, two of which the Strong Cabin and the Pankratz Cabin should be completed and ready to house campers by the time the camp opens for the summer. 3. The Lake Louise Summer Camp will have its American Camp Association accreditation review this spring, with a site visit to observe the camp s facilities and program operations scheduled for July 6th. 4. The Retreat Center kitchen has been upgraded with a new walk- in cooler and freezer and compressors that have been relocated outdoors to increase the available space for storage on the level below the kitchen. Also, the Camp is beginning the replacement of the windows in the Retreat Center. Program Development Director s Report: 1. Sarah Hescheles reported that the Restoring Waters Camp Scholarship Campaign is proceeding well. This campaign recognizes that Flint, with its ongoing water crises, is one of many communities whose children would benefit from a camping experience. These scholarships will gift children from Flint area churches, and hopefully from other communities in Michigan experiencing similar economic situations, with a week- long summer camp adventure at Lake Louise Camp this year. 2. The Camp has conducted a Dean s retreat in preparation for summer camping that resulted in the development of specific mission statements, new program ideas, training and support. 3. The Camp is developing new retreat offerings, including a Clergywomen s retreat and a Counselor s retreat later this year and a Pastor s Camp in The Camp will be providing child protection training to all of the year- round staff this year. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be on June 24th at Lake Louise. Additional News Subsequent to the Board Meeting 1. Jim Willford informed the Cottagers Council that $12,600, representing the cottagers dues for this year has been deposited in the Cottagers Council account. Also, we again received $1,300 from the Horner Island Corporation. This represents a $100 dollar donation from each of the cottagers on Horner Island. Because the cottagers on the island are a separate legal entity, they have no obligation to pay LLCC dues. However, for many years, now, they have been donating equally to the Cottagers Council funds, and we are most appreciative of their ongoing generosity. 2. Outcome of LLCC and Hudson Township s Request for funds from Charlevoix County to support Milfoil Mitigation on Lake Louise Last year, we became aware of millage funds that were available in Charlevoix County to assist in the support, maintenance and improvement of the various parks in the county. Because milfoil has been identified in the water at the east end of Lake Louise, encroaching on the county park s swimming area, Cottagers Council Vice- President, Leslie Helwig, led an extensive effort to research, prepare and submit to the county, through Hudson Township, a request for millage funds to assist in lake biomapping and milfoil containment. We recently learned that the County did not approve our request, based on their understanding that the funds were to be awarded to the Lake Louise Christian Community,

5 and the county s guidelines specifically don t allow millage funds to be awarded to any entity outside of a government unit. We will continue to pursue revenue sources for this ongoing project. 3. A Great Fish Fry - If you re going to be at your cottage on Saturday, June 4 th, why not bring the family out for dinner at the Retreat Center, between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m., for the Fish Fry. It s a delicious meal with great fellowship, and all meal donations are shared between the Boyne Falls Food Pantry and the Lake Louise Summer Camp Scholarship Fund. 4. The Lake Louise Loon Nesting Project Last summer, cottagers Bob and Sue Korte, knowing that we had a pair of resident loons on the lake, became interested in the possibility of creating a loon nesting site so as to enhance the likelihood of a successful breeding cycle in They contacted Jeff Lange, the Area Coordinator for LoonCorps, an organization that is committed to preserving and protecting loon breeding lakes and restoring loon territories on lakes in Northern Michigan. The Korte s provided Jeff Lange with a tour of our lake, and they identified the water at the south end of Frog Island as the potential site for a loon- nesting raft this year. Bob and Sue purchased a nesting raft (see photo below) and two loon alert buoys (see photo), and, in late April, they and Jeff Lange, with the assistance of John and Sue Marvin, installed the nesting raft and the loon alert buoys in the waters just off the south end of Frog Island. In order for this effort to be successful, it s very important that cottagers and families and dogs avoid this area, including the south end of the island, until the nesting is completed. Successful loon nestings on occupied lakes in northern Michigan are relatively infrequent, but with everyone s cooperation, let s hope Lake Louise will be one of this year s successes.

6 Board of Trustees Report August 2016 John Marshall, President, Cottagers Council The Lake Louise Christian Community (LLCC) Board of Trustees met on August 13 th at the Retreat Center at Lake Louise for its August board meeting. Board president, Phil Friedrick called the meeting to order, welcomed fellow board members and offered devotions. Items of Interest to Lake Louise Cottagers: 1. Milfoil Kirk Halsted reported that the use of chemicals to control the lake s milfoil has been very successful with a significant reduction in the amount of milfoil present this year. Also, Lake Louise will be receiving $10,495 from Charlevoix County as their contribution to the lake s milfoil mitigation efforts this year. 2. Land Committee the Land Committee will be reviewing and updating the LLCC Building Policy and Residential Regulations this fall and will be reminding cottagers that construction involving cottages, garages, storage or auxiliary buildings, retaining walls, fences, breakwaters, piers, woodsheds, decks, driveways and walkways, septic systems and imported rocks or other materials requires a permit from LLCC as the first step in undertaking construction. Also, the removal of trees within 30 feet of the waterline or larger than 6 inches in diameter requires the Camp s permission. Executive Director s Report: 1. Tennant Chapel Renovations Jim Willford announced that Ruth Ann Tennant Zeigler and Caroljean Tennant are heading up an effort to renovate the Tennant Chapel, including a new roof, new flooring, improved lighting and a new bathroom facilities near the chapel. They have sent out a fundraising letter to their friends and families. Lake Louise is accepting donations and has created a link on their website for anyone interested in making a donation to the renovation project. 2. Camp Sojourner (located just east of the Baptist Camp) This camp has had increased activity this summer with campers coming from Camp Kinawind and Challenge Mountain, Lake Louise Camp alumni, friends of cottagers and some local families enjoying this rustic camping site on the lake. 3. Health Center Replacement The LLCC Board of Trustees has placed the replacement of the Camp s old Health Center as a top priority for the upcoming year. The staff has developed architectural plans for a new building that will meet all the requirements of State of Michigan licensing and ACA and building codes. The Board is looking for individuals who would consider making a donation toward the construction of the new health center. 4. American Camp Association Accreditation and State Licensing Review The Lake Louise Camp successfully completed both reviews with no missed standards and no state violations.

7 5. Beach Tree Removal Beach Bark disease is rapidly moving through Lake Louise property and is having a significant impact on the life of our beech trees. A local tree service has been hired to remove the dead beech trees along Morning Side Drive and all of the diseased and dead trees have been removed from the Lake Louise Camp property. Cottagers should be proactive in removing the dead or dying beech trees on their leased lots. Typically, these trees rot from the inside and, once they are dying, they can fall at any time. Look for trees that are losing their leaves or have white, powdery spots on the bark. 6. Lake Louise Cottager Leases Responding to several instances in the past year where leases were found to be out of date, Jim Willford has been working with cottagers to update their leases so that they accurately reflect their estate planning needs and the lease policies of the Lake Louise Christian Community. He is urging all cottagers to review their leases and to consider scheduling a meeting with him to make sure that all documents are up to date. The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be on November 6th & 7 th at Lake Louise.