Announcements

The LVIA Board of Directors meets at 7pm on the second Monday of each month for our Monthly Member Meeting.  

All Lakewood Village members are welcome. 

We encourage you to attend, your voice is important in continuing to move LVIA forward and keeping it a great place to live. 

Meetings from May to October are held at the Dublin Center.

 Meetings from November to April are held on Zoom.

 Dublin Center is located at 685 Union Lake Rd. White Lake, MI  Please contact Marv Miller for Zoom meeting details.

Update NOTICE to Speeders in Lakewood Village

Lakewood Village Speeding Issue Update 10/9/24

Focused Patrol

We asked the White Lake Township Police to strictly enforce the speed limit in Lakewood Village. They have just completed a two-week Focused Patrol where they deployed the radar trailer four times and had police cars with radar enforcement deployed five times between 9/16/24 through 9/28/24. Officers were deployed for approximately 30 minutes at random times from noon until 4 pm. Here is a summary of the results:

·         In August we reported that the speeding issue was significant on Biscayne (primarily on the straight section near Sunset), whereas Ellinwood was at a high level of speed compliance.

o   Biscayne: approximately 30% of the cars were speeding with approximately 4% of the vehicles going dangerously fast, meaning they were faster than 30 MPH.

o   Ellinwood: approximately 10% of the cars were speeding, the vast majority were low risk, meaning they were less than 30 MPH.

·         The results of the Focused Patrol are as follows: (see tables below)

o   Biscayne: approximately 23% speeding, 2% going dangerously fast

§  One citation was written for a 37 in a 25 zone

o   Ellinwood: approximately 6% speeding, again less than 30 MPH.

·         This is a move in the right direction, but still too many dangerously fast on Biscayne.

o   7% improvement of cars speeding

o   2% improvement of vehicles going dangerously fast

o   However, there were a few more cars above 35 MPH!

·         Next steps:

o   Do another Focused Patrol to see if we can get a higher percentage of compliance.

§  Radar trailer results will be used to judge the progress

§  Ask for stricter enforcement

§  Our goal would be to get Biscayne to 90% compliance, like Ellinwood

·         Bottom line: There was improvement!! We will continue our efforts with WLTPD.

Update on the Radar Sign

At the Annual Meeting we discussed the possibility of deploying a radar sign (AKA a “Your

Speed” sign). White Lake Township has a sign-on loan from the Transportation Improvement Association (https://tiasafety.us ) that they would let us use temporarily. The Road Commission for Oakland County has requirements for the type and mounting of those signs. After investigating the cost and effort to utilize one of those signs, we have tabled the issue for now and will rely on the radar trailer and Focused Patrol efforts of the WLTPD.

Proposed Bylaw Change - Approved

NEW CURRENT TEXT

Section 4.   Voting.  Each lot shall entitle its owner(s) to two votes, provided that said owner(s) is a Member in Good Standing.  Qualification of “Membership in Good Standing” shall be determined according to the records of the Treasurer of the Association.  It is the responsibility of each Member of the Association to ensure that Official Association Records are accurate and up to date by providing written documentation of changes in ownership, mailing address or residency, to the Treasurer of the Association.   When property within the Subdivision is owned by a business entity or Trust, it is the responsibility of that entity to designate voting representative(s) [maximum two(2)] in writing to the Treasurer of the Association.  The Association shall publish a Membership “voter update form” in the Association newsletter once each year prior to the Annual Meeting to facilitate this process.

LVIA 2025 Budget

Here is the approved LVIA budget for 2025.  Here are some things to note: 

We have budgeted

1. $1,000 to update our locks to help prevent vandalism at Thompson Park.

2. $3,300 for the regular dam inspection.

3. Our snow removal budget has not gone up (again).

4. Our cost for Waterlog production has remained constant after dropping from previous years.

5. We have placeholders for capital projects that can be created, based on membership suggestions.

Thank you, 

LVIA Board

Electronic Voting for Lakewood Village

Lakewood Village members in good standing can now vote electronically, which will simplify and enhance the voting process.  The electronic voting system will save a tremendous amount of time managing the votes and summarizing the results.  The key features of our electronic voting package are:

•      Ballot scheduling: will be set to accommodate early voting.

•      Voters can review candidates’ backgrounds on the ballot during their vote.

•      Anonymous voting: all votes cast are kept secret, only results are shared.

•      Voters will receive proof of their vote. 

The new electronic voting system functions are identical to our existing paper ballot system.  Either system will be available for voting on future ballots. 

Please note that while Absentee Ballots are still supported, the new electronic ballots provide the same functionality as paper absentee ballots and provide a time window weeks in advance for casting your vote.  You do not need to request an absentee ballot if you vote electronically. 

We will still accept paper ballots if you have not voted previously. 

NOTE: This is a great time to add your email address to the Lakewood Village email system, if you have not already done so.  Our readership averages about 65% for emails to the community, which proves we have a great tool to reach the membership quickly and effectively.  Ask your friends and neighbors to consider adding their email address to our files, also.

If you have any questions, please contact Marv Miller or Lisa Rizk, or any Board member.

Thank you for your support. 

Sincerely,

Marv Miller             Lisa Rizk

1st VP, LVIA              Secretary, LVIA

Special Topics Reviewed at 2024 Annual Meeting

Answers to questions regarding problems, projects, who to call, and more.

There were many ideas for future projects offered at the July Member Meeting.  Here is a summary of the questions and project ideas, with a status for each.

• · Downed tree in a canal on Lake Neva

  • Who is responsible for removal?

  • This is the homeowner's responsibility. Could we organize a work crew to help? 

• Dredge Brendel boat launch opening

  • What has been done?  What can be done?

  • The cost for this is significant, but will be researched.

• Swimming lessons for Lakewood Village?

  • A volunteer did it for Lakewood Village previously.

  • There are swimming lessons at YMCA and two high schools.

• Asian (Oriental) bittersweet and other invasive species

  • Asian Bittersweet is not on LVIA property. 

  • Invasive species can be reported in several places, such as RCOC on their "Report an Issue" website  https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/take-action

• Gates left open

  • Dave Zabinski is investigating key fob system.

• Brendel launch - improve dock access

  • Trim trees

  • Improve fixed portion of dock

  • Add steps on embankment

  • Steve Woodard offered to organize effort

• Future projects that need research and help organizing

  • Security cameras?

  • Tennis courts?

  • Tunnel enlarged between Neva and Thompson?

  • Outdoor gym at Thompson Park?

  • Expand the pavilion?

  • Jetty by Brendel beach?

We need your help to make Lakewood Village even better.  Even if you offer your time once a year, it will help everyone in Lakewood Village.  Please consider offering ideas, suggestions, and questions.  Contact any Board member for more information.

Trash Cans

The Association has been receiving complaints about garbage cans being left out by the road or in front of a  home. Our bylaws and deed restrictions require garbage cans to be stored in such a manner as to not be seen. If you are doing so, we ask you to take your neighbors into consideration and store your garbage cans in such a way that they are not an eye sore.

Thank you for your consideration. 

Bruce Larson, 

LVIA, Architecture & Ordinance

Subject: Poison Ivy

I have received concerns about poison ivy near the Brendel Lake launch area. In response to this I contacted our local expert consultant, Janet Macunovich. She has reviewed the boat launch area and Brendel beach park and will be making recommendations for how to best address the problem areas. The action required will generally be to contact an outside contractor to spray or remove the plants.

If you know of other areas in Lakewood Village including outlots or parks that should be included in our examination, please let me know and I will ask Janet to check them out.

Janet has also offered to review questionable areas on your private lots within the subdivision at no cost. She can confirm if the plants are indeed poison ivy and recommend how to remove them. Please contact her directly. Her contact information is:   248-681-7850,  JanetandSteve@GardenAtoZ.org   

Thanks,

Terry Crossett, 

LVIA Parks & Rec

248-894-6568

White Lake Twp Civic Center Plans - May 2024

A “Meet & Greet” with White Lake Township Supervisor Rik Kowall was hosted by the LVIA Board at Dublin Community Center on May 13th.  Supervisor Kowall went over many topics of interest to the Lakewood Village residents.  A PDF of Rik's slides is attached here.  Here is a brief summary of some of the key points:

1. White Lake Township was recently named by the FBI as being 15th safest community in the country, on a per-capita basis. Another source named White Lake Township as the 5th most desirable community to live in Michigan. What a great place to live!

2. Police Chief Keller and Fire Chief Holland have been working hard to improve our staffing and facilities. The Fire Department was recently certified with Advanced Life Support ability for our EMS teams, which will improve our critical responses to life threatening situations.

3. A new Township Hall / Community Center and a Public Safety building will begin construction soon on Elizabeth Lake Rd (near Stanley Park). It will be open sometime in 2026. Supervisor Kowall presented a PowerPoint presentation showing renderings of the new buildings and the locations on the properties. Please take a few minutes to review the slides.

4. Elizabeth Lake Rd will be closed from M-59 to near Teggerdine in order to rebuild the road, starting 5/22/24 until October. There was a $1.6M grant received from the Federal Gov’t (assisted by Representative Haley Stevens) for the project. Anticipating the new Civic Center project, the road will have parallel parking spaces and a roundabout by the Kroger entrance. A temporary road will be provided to access the library during construction.

5. The Triangle Trail is being completed soon, running from Elizabeth Lake Rd to Teggerdine to M-59 and then back to Elizabeth Lake Rd. This trail is a hub to start other potential trail concepts and will be part of the walkable area created by the new Civic Center complex.

6. New restaurants are coming to the corner of Bogie Lake and M-59 (Panera & Culver’s on the northwest corner and a coffee shop on the southwest corner).

There were many more tidbits of information, too many to add here.

Many thanks to Supervisor Kowall for speaking with us and giving us a great update.

I hope everyone takes this opportunity to get to know our Township leader.

Best Regards,

Steve Woodard, 2nd VP – External Affairs

Call for LVIA Board Candidates & Help on Committees

We are asking for Candidates for the LVIA Board! The LVIA Board meets monthly to discuss proposals, issues, and decide on Lakewood Village’s future growth. The term of service on the Board is three years.

The standing committees on the LVIA Board are:

• Water Resources: water sampling, weed management, etc.

• Parks & Recreation: park beach cleanup, suggestions for updating the beaches, etc.

• Membership

• Community Life organizes events such as the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Octoberfest, the Annual yard Sale and others.

• Architecture & Enforcement

• Waterlog Editor: The Waterlog monthly newsletter has been an integral part of Lakewood Village for well over 30 years. Please help us keep up this tradition.

Note: If you can’t commit to a full-time Board position, please consider offering your time, talent, and energy for one or two projects to help LVIA grow and improve. Contact Marv Miller or any Board member for more information.

2023-2024 has been a great time for growth, changes, and renewed spirit in Lakewood Village! Most notably, our updated email list keeps Lakewood Village residents informed on many events. Readership is strong, and we hope to add new members to the list this summer.

Sincerely,

Marv Miller

1st Vice President

 Lakewood Village Improvement Association

Year 2024 Annual Dues

 Please be advised that the mandatory annual dues of $335 per lot for 2024 are due and payable as of January 1st.

Payments that are not received by March 31, 2024 (which is a 90-day grace period) are subject to an additional $33.50 late fee per lot.  An additional $33.50 late fee per lot will be added every 6 months thereafter until the dues are paid.

Please return the bottom portion of this letter with your payment in order to assure that your account is credited properly.

Thank you.

L.V.I.A. Board of Directors

Please return this portion, with your payment, to:

L.V.I.A.

c/o 1231 Duckwood Ct.

White Lake, MI  48383

Name:

__________________________________________________________________

Address:

__________________________________________________________________

Lot #s:

__________________________________________________________________

Amount Enclosed:

__________________________________________________________________

Please do not feed the waterfowl

Dear LVIA Members, 

Recently, a Lakewood Village resident asked about the risks of feeding waterfowl. The information below is from an official New York state bulletin posted on the internet, with an additional link below. It is well written and factual, not opinion. 

The Lakewood Village Board does not support feeding of waterfowl. 

We take this position because migratory birds are wild and need to preserve their instincts to survive. The Board asks you to get involved and ask your neighbors to support our position. Here are our reasons for asking Lakewood Village residents to not feed waterfowl: 

1) Feeding them creates unnatural ways for them to get food, and the food given to them is far less nutritious than their natural mixed diet of aquatic plants, natural grains, and invertebrates. 

2) Feeding them creates a single location for food. This increases competition for food, depresses their natural instincts to look for food, and can lead to the spread of disease at the area of feeding. 

3) Excess nutrients in ponds caused by unnatural numbers of waterfowl droppings can result in water quality problems such as summer algal blooms. Note: Lakewood Village has been fighting algae blooms for the last few summers at an added cost to our water Resources budget. Where waterfowl congregate to feed, E-coli counts can swell to levels that make the water unsuitable for swimming. 

4) Waterfowl can rapidly become conditioned to, and dependent on, handouts.  Fed ducks and geese behave differently.  They become more aggressive and eventually lose their wariness of humans.  Some will even attack children attempting to pet them or feed them. 

5) Feeding attracts birds in unnatural numbers, beyond natural food and water supplies, and frequently in numbers beyond what people will tolerate.  Grassy areas such as ball fields and beaches can become unsanitary and unusable. 

6) Feeding alters normal migration patterns of waterfowl by shortening or even eliminating them. Ducks, reluctant to leave in the winter, may not survive sudden cold. 

Please support us in our efforts to make Lakewood Village a beautiful place for humans and wildlife. Please do not feed the swans, geese, or ducks. Their lives and the beauty of Lakewood Village depend on it. 

Thank you, 

The LVIA Board 

The complete article from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation follows. Read on to explore this issue and decide for yourself whether you want to continue feeding waterfowl.  Here is the link.

Join the Lakewood Village Mailing List!

The Board wants to keep you informed on all current and upcoming events.  We keep an email list  so that we can tell you about:

• Water treatment on our lakes

• Updates on the the progress of Stanley Park

• Upcoming events like Easter Egg Hunt, Summerfest, Octoberfest, and others

• Reports from Water Resources, Parks & Rec, Architectural, and other committees

• Activities that require one-time help, like park cleanup and support for major events

 The Lakewood Village email list is private.  The names are never shared or sold.

If you would like to add your name to our email list, especially if you want to volunteer for activities like park cleanup and event support, fill out the form below (cut and paste into your email message), and send it to Marv Miller. 

Name:

Email:

Street Address:

I am interested in (check any that apply)

• ___ Water Resources information (lake treatment schedule, waterfront cleanup, etc.)

• ___ Parks & Rec information (how to reserve the pavilion, pickleball times, etc.)

• ___ Updates on Stanley Park

• I would like to volunteer to help with  (check any that apply):

o   ___ Summerfest

o   ___ Octoberfest

o   ___ Easter Egg Hunt

o   ___ Park cleanup(s)

o   ___ Special Project support

•           ___ Other: _______________________________

• ___ Share my email address with other Lakewood Village members (default is "no")