Documents

LANGDON LAKE HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

2025 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

***DRAFT***

Meeting Date:  June 28, 2025
Meeting Location:  Tamarack Inn Garage, 62388 Hwy. 204 Weston, OR

Introductions & Roll Call

  • Meeting opened by Association President Tim Klashke.
  • All present Association Board members introduced.
  • New Caretaker (Brett Shaffer) and new Office Manager (Kami Walborn) introduced and welcomed.
  • Roll call of Association members in attendance at meeting.
  • East Umatilla Fire & Rescue representatives James (Wildland Coordinator) and Max (Fuels Reduction Specialist) were also present at meeting.
  1. WILDFIRE RISKS AND PREVENTION/MITIGATION: Comments from East Umatilla Fire & Rescue (“EUFR”) Representatives re: Langdon Lake wildfire risks and prevention/mitigation measures followed by related Q&A session.
    1. Wildfire risk is significant due to historical lack of major fires and general forest management issues in the surrounding area.
    2. Insurance rates (ISOs) have significantly increased, impacting homeowners and threatening insurance affordability and coverage availability.
    3. EUFR collaborating with the Board to help improve community fire readiness, which efforts may potentially and hopefully help positively affect insurance risk ratings.
    4. The Board authorized the purchase of three high quality Association-owned floating water pumps which (along with a fourth pump that was privately purchased) will be deployed around the lake during fire season for purposes of having the ability to pump and deploy lake water to help suppress fires. Pump location sites to be assessed and recommended by EUFR.
    5. Two local volunteer firefighters and various fire suppression vehicles are stationed down the mountain near the sand shed for purposes of primary fire emergency response. Additional volunteers are always needed and encouraged to contact EUFR about training.
    6. Homeowners are strongly encouraged to assess and potentially remove trees located closer than 10 feet to home, limb-up trees a minimum of 6-8 feet above ground level, clear and remove flammable ground debris fuels (pine needles, pinecones, sticks, etc.), maintain a 5 ft. zone of bare mineral soil around propane tanks, move and store firewood away from homes, clean gutters/roof valleys, and block debris from collecting under decks. Fire risk mitigation needs to be a community effort.  The entire Association should participate, as fire casualty risks from unmitigated adjacent/neighboring properties can detrimentally undermine other owners’ fire risk mitigation efforts.
    7. A state grant allows EUFR to offer and provide free fuel reduction/vegetation management; homeowners can request assessments and assistance from EUFR (James/Max) for compliance with recommended best practices that can potentially help align with insurance coverage factors and requirements. Homeowners are encouraged to contact EUFR at 541-566-2311 to discuss grant program details.
  1. APPROVAL OF PRIOR MEETING MINUTES: Moved, seconded, and passed that the minutes of the June 29, 2024, annual meeting of Association members be approved as distributed.
  • ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL REVIEW: Report and comments from Patrick Fisher.
    1. Association over-budget by ~$20,000 due to unexpected/underestimated cost expenditures such as Caretaker snowmobile engine rebuild, insurance coverage, wastewater manhole cover repairs, dam spillway overflow pipe, and 3 new wastewater pumps.
    2. Association transitioned to a high-yield money market account (from 0.3% to 4%, now 3.11%), yielding $4,570 in interest income for Association.
    3. Association capital reserves are healthy; sufficient to meet foreseeable Association needs.
    4. 2025 budget increased by $11,000 (mainly due to increased budgeted and anticipated lake maintenance and legal costs).
    5. Current year through May generally on budget, a few overages due to Caretaker transition and related payroll/travel costs.
    6. Financial account balances — Umpqua Money Market: ~$148,000 and Banner Bank: ~$80,000.
    7. Association is financially stable.
  1. RATIFICATION OF ACTIONS: Moved, seconded, and passed to ratify and confirm all actions of the Association’s officers and directors for the past year.
  3. CARETAKER COMMENTS: New Caretaker Brett Shaffer introduced himself and provided some brief comments.
    1. Provided contact information for a tree removal contractor who had stopped by the lake office and provided the information to Brett for distribution to members.
    2. New floating fire suppression pumps currently stored in Caretaker’s gate building pending staging around the lake. Members invited to stop by to view the new pumps.
    3. Repairs being made to southside wastewater facility perimeter fence damaged by winter snow loading. Damaged fencing can be repaired rather than replaced.
    4. Common area dock by boat launch needs some board(s) replaced and some additional sanding needed.
    5. All members encouraged to contact Brett with any maintenance suggestions/concerns.
    6. No fixed Caretaker duty schedule for security reasons. Brett will generally work 40 hrs./week and generally be onsite by 7:00 a.m.  Weekly days off will vary and will not always be consecutive for security reasons.
  1. RULES COMMITTEE REPORT/COMMENTS: Report and comments from Marianne Fisher.
    1. All motorized craft generally require annual stickers.
    2. Motorized boats (>10hp, jet skis): proof of ownership and up-to-date insurance must be filed with Association office; stickers only issued upon verification of insurance coverage.
    3. Insurance coverage proof must be on file with office every year.
    4. No lending of boats to non-leaseholders or neighbors; only leaseholders and lineal descendants can have boats on the lake.
    5. No fireworks of any kind (including sparklers); this is an instant fineable offense. Owners must inform their guests of the rule.
  • LEGAL MATTER UPDATE REPORT: Report and comments from legal counsel Steve Corey.
    1. Ongoing litigation was filed by Nathan Brainard/Brainard Enterprises against the Association, former president Dale Freeman, and former Caretaker Jerry Smith (who was added to lawsuit via a filed amended complaint).
    2. Pending in Umatilla County Circuit Court — potential jury trial, likely to occur next spring.
    3. Currently in the discovery phase; over 1,000 documents have been provided, and further discovery anticipated.
    4. Association insurance policies provide legal defense to the lawsuit via assigned attorneys from Portland, Oregon, law firm.
    5. Additional legal support being provided by Steve Corey’s office at reduced rates due to the complexity and location-specific issues; coverage mainly for external defense attorney.
    6. Members can request a copy of the plaintiffs’ amended lawsuit complaint via request to Kami at LLA office and a copy of that complaint will also be emailed to all members.
    7. Lawsuit involves disputes over architectural approvals/permitting, alleged management actions, and alleged property management/neighbor relations.
    8. Members and cabin owners adjacent to plaintiffs’ property have expressed concerns and offered to provide relevant information to assist lawsuit defense if needed.
  • TREE REMOVAL POLICY DISCUSSION:
    1. Tree removal regulated by homesite lease and Association rules: Generally, any tree >6” diameter at 6 ft. above ground requires approval from the Architectural Review Committee (“ARC”).
    2. No authorized blanket tree removal for fire risk mitigation or other perceived safety concerns, but the ARC is very responsive to tree removal requests, particularly for asserted fire/safety risk mitigation concerns.
    3. Discussion on whether policies and rules should be revised given new fire mitigation recommendations; consensus to maintain current review and approval process unless/until a legal mandate for tree removal is imposed by governmental authority.
  1. LAKE LEVEL DISCUSSION:
    1. Flooding concern at home sites located in southeast corner of lake and suggestion to lower lake level.
    2. Association has previously offered to pay to haul fill dirt to affected southeast corner homesites to elevate/increase lakeside yard area grade level.
    3. Lake water level implicates multiple competing interests and considerations.
    4. Current lake water level to be slightly lowered and monitored for effect.
  1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS:
    1. Open Board Position 1.
      1. Nominees: Dale Freeman (incumbent) and Seth Small (nominated from floor).
      2. Votes Cast: Dale Freeman 29, Seth Small 12 – Dale Freeman reelected.
    2. Open Board Position 2.
      1. Nominees: Zeno Marvin (incumbent) sought reelection and reelected by acclamation.
  1. MEMBER COMMENTS AND Q&A SESSION:
    1. Confirmation and clarification of operating procedures relating to boat sticker requirements and enforcement
    2. Confirmation and clarification of Caretaker hours.
    3. Discussion of how to deal with asserted ongoing rule violations by members currently involved in pending litigation.
    4. Suggestion to explore potential group discounted tree removal services.
    5. Clarification of how fire mitigation and tree removal interact – there’s no carte blanche blanket authorization to remove trees, application and ARC approval process required.
    6. Inquiry about Association rules and property maintenance standards; many rules are set forth in the homesite lease, otherwise in the Association’s “Green Book.”
    7. New members expressed desire for better orientation and communication about pending legal issues and Association rules.
  • MEETING ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, President Klashke adjourned the meeting at 11:52 a.m.