by Buz Whelan
By any measure – attendance, enthusiasm or money raised – Cancer Awareness Day held in and around the Emerald Lakes Community Center was a great success. According to chief organizer June Solla, the event raised $1,500 for cancer research.
The day started with a buffet breakfast, continued with a car wash and that led into late afternoon entertainment
The newly-decorated dining room looks wonderful!
with Adrienne ‘Lady A’ Carver and Mike Gregorio providing musical performances and Adel Rivera doing facepainting. There was a Tricky Tray auction that began in the early afternoon and culminated with a drawing of winners between 6:30 and 7:00 pm. Over 100 items were donated for the auction including artwork, and themed
Some of the swag from the Tricky Tray.
baskets for such things as “A Night at the Movies,” “Italian Dinner,” and “Cat’s Delight.” And because the day became an all-day festival with people eating, drinking and visiting with each other even the Center itself profited with receipts up over $400 above normal. And since all the work and materials were donated, there was no cost to the association.
One young participant with her lovely face painting.
The event was supported by the Women’s Club and the 50+ Club and numerous volunteers, among them Eileen Avrich, Delores Amadio, Paul Capozzoli, Henry Chieffo, Melanie DePerro, Rich DePerro, Rachel D. Douglas, Margaret Fitzgerald, Dennis Green, Alex Leslie, Connie Lewis, ‘Cookie’ Litweinski, Joe Olall, Karen Peloubet, and Kay Ricciuto. Of course, without the prodigious efforts of June Solla, this event may not even have happened. For months June has been organizing, promoting and securing materials. She was tireless in her efforts and deserves a big ‘thank you’ from the community.
The bingo crowd, showing their support.
Washing cars in the rain. What good sports!
Opinion
Lola Lauri
Many of our residents are suffering from the noise and bad behavior of the tenants at a few local homes. There are parties and noise and traffic. There are septic failures that threaten our waterways. Every resident is entitled to the quiet enjoyment of his or her home, and that is not happening because of a few careless homeowners. Advertisements for these homes online suggest that they are great for “groups” and in some cases they claim to sleep up to 18 people. Reports of people standing on the docks and cursing and shouting loudly have shocked the attendees at the last board meeting. A number of residents have banded together to address the board and insist on help for these conditions, and they deserve relief immediately. No one should have to live with constant noise and discomfort. (To read their letter click here.)
At first glance, it seems that the obvious solution is to disallow rentals completely within our community. I have heard this suggestion more than once, but I believe it is too soon to take such a drastic measure that will impact the ability of all homeowners to rent their homes. Before punishing all homeowners for the actions of a few, I believe the community needs to look at the issue of enforcement.
Lola Lauri
The following email was forwarded to me today, and it illustrates a problem in our community that the board must address:
Hi Folks:
Time for an update. As you know, our letter to the Board detailed the overuse of the respective septic systems
of the three homes in question. And sure enough, the septic system at 146 Powderhorn Drive has failed.
The septic mound is not perking. The effluent is running out of the top of the mound.
Tobyhanna Township was notified either by the homeowner or the home owners septic pumping company.
The system was inspected and a plan was presented to obtain a permit from the Township to repair and expand it to maximum size permitted. The plan was approved, trees have been cut down and work is going forward.
The Township official told us that if the repair and expansion works, all well and good. He said he would periodically monitor
the system over time. He also said that if the repair and expansion partially works or fails, then he
could take certain measures including fines and require the owner to curtail the use of the system. He also noted that the area designated for expansion
is the only piece of property the owner has left for a septic mound. There are no other options for additional septic
space.
The Township official was unaware of the number of people occupying the house as well as the number of cars and SUV’s parked on
top of the septic mound periodically. Now that he is aware of the situation, he will monitor it.
On October 22, I made a presentation to the Board of Directors at its monthly public meeting. I advised them that ten families signed
the letter but now we have fifteen families supporting this important issue. Almost every lakefront property and some lake view properties
are now involved.
The audience gasped when I described the guy yelling F… You! off the deck of 146 Powderhorn at one am for a full twenty minutes.
I noted that the rules state that a rental must be “to one family” and the Board knows this but they do not enforce it.
Our letter indicted that there was an open pit fire cauldron without a functioning fire screen on Hunter Lane along with chairs and four, six by nine foot stacked
sections of a floating dock. The rules prohibit equipment on roadways. I asked Alan Roth, the Community Manager at a Rules and Regulations
meeting to remove this equipment. He has done nothing. I noted that 1210 and 1214 Hunter Lane had fireworks reported to Public Safety. No fines were issued.
The boat launch on Hunter Lane near 1214 is being used as a bathing beach creating an annoyance for the nearby homeowners. It was further noted that the rules prohibit the use of the lake for commercial purposes. The rental homes are operating as a business. The two Hunter Lane homes charge the tenants
extra to use the rental boats.
Etc. Etc.
Al Leslie, the President said that he is aware of the septic situation and the large number of people still occupying these three rental properties. He further stated that they are working with an attorney on the matter.
The next meeting of the Rules and Regulations Committee is Thursday, October 11th at ten am at the Office.
The next Board of Directors Meeting is Saturday October 27 at nine thirty at the Community Center.
It would help you and all of us if you could attend one or the other to show that we are many and serious about fixing
this awful problem.
We have several standing rules in the Rules and Regulations for ELA that are being broken by the owners of these homes, and the board and the GM need to develop a plan to enforce those rules.(see personal property on roads, public nuisance, lake beach and picnic area rules and rental rules) The fines incurred will serve as a disincentive to the owners to run this disruptive “business”, and without the financial motive, the misuse of the property should stop. Our rules are only useful if they are enforced consistently, and here is a case where they are not. This is not a case of an owner having an occasional party, it is a consistent disruption to the lives of the people living nearby.
Please consider attending the BOD meeting on October 27th, or write to the BOD at elaboarddirects@yahoo.com, to express your thoughts on this issue.
June Solla
On Saturday, October 6, 2012, The Emerald Lakes Community Center will be host to the Cancer Awareness Day Events. This day is dedicated to bringing awareness and help to those who need it and to creating a world with less cancer and MORE birthdays! Saving lives begins with one act, one participant and one dollar at a time. Please, come out and support this worthy cause.
Events
Breakfast- 9am to11am, – $7.00 adults ,6-12yo $3.50, under 6yo free
Crush Cancer Car Wash 12pm-3pm – $5/cars $7/trucks/SUV
Basketball Games 3pm- entry fee-$
Tricky Tray Raffle -$1/ticket.- Tickets will be sold all day- drawing at 6:30pm (winner does not have to be present but name & phone # must be on tickets),
PLUS – Music ,Fun Games , Crafts, Presentations by American Cancer Society,Breast Friends Of Monroe County and The American Lung Association.Those attending the American Lung Association presentation will be able to receive a “free” Radon Testing Kit (limited quantities).
Drinks and Dinner Special.
Beat Cancer Bingo Fundraising Special-7:30pm
For One Night Only – Smoking will not be allowed in the building. You may still go outside to the designated smoking areas to enjoy yourself.
Opinion
Lola Lauri
Hi Daniel Glasgow, and hello to the ELA Board. This letter is for you.
The problem that many of us Facebookers have with the board is that they have always refused to see the opinions and discussions on the internet as valid. We are real people, and real ELA members, many of whom cannot or will not attend board meetings. Frankly, those meetings are very uncomfortable and confrontational and I personally have to steel myself against those feelings and work myself up to attending, which is why I don’t go more often.
Daniel, in your speech at the annual meeting, you said that you wanted to represent everyone in our community, not just the people who attend meetings. If you could do that for us at the next meeting – represent us and insist that our opinions should count too, that would be upholding what you said you were going to do. I am not saying you have to agree with us, (heck, we can’t even agree with each other!) but you could talk about the other side of this issue to the board, you could explain what you have read here and get that side of the issue before the board.
Honestly, don’t you think Read the rest of this entry
Lola Lauri
The decisions made by the Emerald Lakes Boards of the past and present have been the subject of many conversations on our Facebook page. The bylaws revisions were soundly defeated, there is much debate over the new fee for putting our boats into the water, and who can forget the great “cover your propane tank” rule that cost many homeowners hundreds of dollars before it was finally deemed a failure? HOA’s are notoriously difficult to manage, and are often managed by fools. This is not an Emerald Lakes’ problem, it is actually quite widespread. I found some interesting HOA horror stories to share with you all. Some are funny, some are tragic, and many remind me of things that have happened here in our community. Click on the link below and tell me if you notice the similarities too:
http://gawker.com/5830257/the-horror-of-homeowners-associations
Lola Lauri
Cutting the cake is former board officer, Claire Abbazio, who held the longest continuous tenure of 13 years, along with current ELA Board President, Al Leslie.
On August 25, 2012, Emerald Lakes honored its many volunteers and welcomed its new members at a party at the Community Center. The party was hosted by the Emerald Lakes Directors Alumni Society (ELDAS). ELDAS member Pat Galderisi put together some numbers to help us appreciate how much our volunteers contribute to the community, “AARP says in PA each volunteer hour is worth $20.51. With 128 volunteers giving approximately 3 hours per week times 52 weeks each year, these volunteers have saved our community $409,543.68!” We didn’t check the numbers, but there is no doubt that ELA volunteers provide many valuable and important services in our community. As Pat says, “God Bless Our Volunteers, they are unselfish and positive.”
Just a few of the army of 128 volunteers who keep Emerald Lakes going all year long.
Our Wonderful Vols. seated left front, Robin Mastrocola, Tobi Barnett, seated right front, Jean Petersen, Marge Indri and Bill Henry.
New Members, L. to R. Tatiana, Yuri and Natalia Sokolov, seated back row, Mark Colville.
Volunteers Phil Botti and Nancy Pitcher.
L. to R. Pat and Eric Bergstrom, Bob Walsh, Gilda Spiotta and George Haab.
Our New Members – Tiesha Phillip and Family
Treasurer Earl Frank and V. P. Millie Bishop
Sue Lodato, Mickey Lammardo and Dolores Saintil.
L. to R. Margaret Fitzgerald, Bob Leon, Former Dir. Louise Leon.
Former directors Dale Walsh and Pat Galderisi greet volunteers and new members.
Nancy Jean and George Hesser.
Adrian Saintil, Rosario Lammardo and Former Dir. Claire Abbazio.
…..
Lola Lauri
The following is excerpted from the Manager’s report delivered by Allen Roth at the August 25th Annual Meeting: 
Aug 31
This gallery contains 13 photos.
Members waiting for results. Seated in front, Cathy Leach and Candidate Margaret Fitzgerald. Seated in next row, Dorothy Schips and Robin Mastrocola. Further back, Finance and Planning Chair Mark Davis and Chris Texal. Board Directors going over the agenda. L. to R. Directors, John Cress, Joe Miller, Bob Lauri
Opinion
By Buz Whelan
So there they were. Joe Olall, David Pope, and Renae Skubish, along with their candidate Donald Glasgow, forming their usual gauntlet of outrage. And there were the handouts screaming about the latest horrible and extreme changes about to be foisted on an innocent, unsuspecting membership. Ah, but luckily these saviors of the status quo were there to sound the alarm. “Old is good, new is bad,” they verily chanted to those arriving at the school entrance. Thinking is dangerous to these folks; misinformation is the weapon of choice to protect voters from anything that might move the association forward. And when they aren’t peddling misinformation, they promote absurd points of view. Here’s an example of their way of thinking: their tract states in boldface that they are particularly excised over the wording that would change the requirements for removal of a director from “with or without cause” to “for malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance…” They correctly point out that under the existing bylaws the burden is on the director to show why he/she should not be removed. In other words, a director is guilty until proven innocent. It’s an interesting concept. Hey, it works for China and North Korea. Why not Emerald Lakes? The whole concept of American justice is based on the principal of innocent until proven guilty. Maybe these folks would like to change that, too.
Incredibly, new lows were reached. Normally we have to get to the substance of debate, say a dues increase, before the fighting begins. But here we were, listening to the instructions for voting when up to the microphone marches Renae Skubish to protest. Yes, protest. She didn’t like the instructions, specifically regarding the necessity to place votes for candidates in one box and votes on bylaw revisions in another. Ever slow to grasp even the simplest reality, she wanted to be able to put votes wherever she pleased and she made a motion to that effect. Evidently, keeping votes separate because they would go to two separate counting rooms and because mixing them would only add a step of separating them immediately after the voting, and further because this process would create more opportunities for error was all too complicated for poor Renae to process. So she made her out-of-order motion to change the process to one she could more easily understand. You cannot make this stuff up.
Later, when the floor was opened to comments on the revisions and amendments this same person came forward to point out if the Consumer Price Index reached the maximum cap or beyond every year for the next twenty it would cost over $10,000 per property. This is about as realistic as saying if it rains every day for the next year, the dams won’t hold and we’ll all be flooded out. Hey, it could happen, right? Considering that we haven’t hit a 4% CPI even once in the last 10 years, it’s more than a bit of a stretch to suppose we’ll do so every one of the next 20. Yet here come the cheers from the slow learner section, all pumped up over this ‘clever’ observation. Whew. What a close call. We almost lost the opportunities to have vicious debates between association leaders who recognize a need for a dues increase and members who have never so much as glanced at an association budget. Thanks, Dave. Thanks, Joe. Thanks, Renae. All credit to you.
Virtually every claim made in this absurd document – the one they were handing out at the entrance to the meeting place – is based on a misunderstanding of the language used in the revision documents, or worse, on deliberate distortion. Beyond that, it is a cowardly attempt at manipulating the voters. For the entire time of its existence, since November of 2009, the Committee to Revise the Bylaws has been completely transparent. They have reported their progress at almost every single monthly open meeting since then. They have taken on additional volunteers. They have had public debates. Yet these pusillanimous disrupters have made no objections at times when they could have been debated. They waited until the Annual Meeting to put out their lies and distortions when time for debate would be past. As long as this small band of malcontents can manage to influence like-minded or low information voters, Emerald Lakes will be held back by its archaic bylaws. Thank you, Dave. Thank you, Joe. Thank you, Renae.
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