Message from the Chair
Greetings to all Members of the Road Group. Your Board has been busy on your behalf creating a website, making improvements to the Road, and developing and implementing new policies to govern the Board in a responsible manner. The Board has also been participating in Board governance professional development activities. Please see updates below to learn about new developments from the Committees and the Board.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am pleased to welcome Nell Geddes as our new Secretary. Nell replaces Kevin Blaney as Director and Warren Markwart as Secretary while Warren focuses on the Government/External Relations Committee initiatives.
We have already had a taste of winter, and so I caution all of us to drive very slowly on the Road. We have already seen an excavator and sand truck slide off the Road at different places as an early snowfall produced some very slippery conditions. Please actively advise your friends, family, and contractors to drive the Road with extreme caution to prevent injury to themselves and others.
I wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday season filled with laughter and joy.
Report from the Finance Committee
Thank you to everyone for making your 2018 Maintenance Payments. For the third year in a row, we have 100% compliance. Also, this year almost 75% of you paid through Interac e-Transfer. We appreciate your continued support.
At the AGM in August, the Membership voted to raise the Maintenance Fee for 2019 to $515.00. This increase represents a 3% raise from last year which will be in line with our increasing expenses.
During the next month, the Committee will focus on reviewing the Expense Policy for the Road Group and setting up the invoicing for 2019.
Report from the Road Committee
During the past several weeks Al Mansell has been upgrading the sides of Tower Hill. He has been installing rock, fill, gravel and large armour stone along the eastern side of the road. These additions replace the guardrail that had been there in previous years. The armour stone is expected to last significantly longer than replacement guardrails.
There are plans to install a new culvert near Two Gate Hill. We have cleaned it out and are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for the installation. At this point, the installation will likely not take place until the spring.
The bridge inspection required every two years by the MNR has been completed. According to Greer Galloway, Consulting Engineers the bridge is in generally good condition with only minor deterioration, is consistent with bridges of this construction and is performing in general conformance with the design. The approach to the guard rail system can be upgraded with approach end treatments and can be deferred until the hand rail system is upgraded.
You will notice a number of new signs have been posted on the Road including the new 20 km/hr sign attached to the main road sign. The signage is intended to encourage greater safety on our Road. Thank you for keeping your speed down and obeying the posted signs.
Finally, please keep in mind that everyone using the Road from November to April is expected to have winter tires and 4-wheel drive. Wesley Lake can be contacted if you require plowing for your driveway. He can be reached at 705.657.7552 or thelakes@live.ca.
Note: Please do not call Wesley Lake or Al Mansell for anything other than personal dealings. Ken Marshall, as Road Superintendent, and Ted Vandevis, as Board Chair, are the only two authorised contact persons.
Report from the Communications Committee
As you know, we have launched our new website and have begun distributing newsletters to the Membership.
We have introduced a Road Conditions page on the website. We intend to provide regular updates prior to the weekend for those traveling to the cottage. We will do our best to post them on the website each Friday and also post them on Twitter.
Thank you to all of you who have confirmed your email addresses through the website. If you have not done so, please take a few minutes to do so by filling out this form.
We have been told that some members have not been receiving our newsletters. If you hear from a fellow cottager that they are not getting them, please suggest that they add info@mglakeroadgroup.com to their safe senders list in their email service.
FOCA – Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations
The Road Group is a member of FOCA, a not-for-profit organization representing volunteer associations and individual property owners all across Ontario. You can learn more about FOCA’s work on their website.
FOCA has many benefits including offers and discounts. A full list of benefits can be found on the website Resources page or directly here.
Board Professional Development
At a Strategic Planning session of the Board, the Vision and Mission Statements were jointly developed as follows:
Vision
A well maintained and cost-effective road for all members, with an intent to mitigate risk, leading to the eventual transition to a municipally funded and maintained road.
Mission
To manage a well-maintained, privately funded cottage road at a reasonable cost and to do so while communicating policies and priorities transparently to all members.