MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING LOVELADIES PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION - August 30, 2008
The Annual Meeting of the Association was held on August 30, 2008 at the LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, in Loveladies. President Roger Smith called the meeting to order at approximately 5:15 PM and welcomed all attending member’s guests.
• President Smith welcomed dignitaries Mayor Joe Mancini, Commissioners Bayard and Gove, Scott Loreaux and Frank Mikuletsky from the Barnegat Light Fire Company and Mike Wolfschmidt from the Harvey Cedars Highpoint Fire Company.
• President Smith introduced all trustees and officers who were present, welcomed new members and guests, and thanked hostesses Joan Dixon Lil Orrico and Ellie Patten.
• Vice President Ruth Reeder introduced guest speaker Margaret Thomas Buchholz who gave a wonderful slide show presentation on the history of Long Beach Island. She focused her talk on the north end of the island essentially from Harvey Cedars to Barnegat Light. Margaret apologized for not having more slides of Loveladies but there “wasn’t much more than sand, beach vegetation and a few shacks” in the early years. Many people camped on the beaches in tents. The main source of transportation was a railroad that ran the length of LBI. Margaret T. Buchholz is the former owner of the Beachcomber and has authored several historical books about LBI.
After the talk, President Smith asked for a motion to dispense with reading of the minutes of the last meeting. A MOTION TO DISPENSE WITH THE READING OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING WAS MADE, SECONDED AND RECEIVED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FROM THE FLOOR.
• Vice President Ruth Reeder, Nominating Committee Chair, introduced the committee members Ellen Moran, Lee Lubowitz and Ruth Margules. She then introduced the following slate of recommended candidates for election by the membership (all nominees were asked to stand and be recognized as they were introduced):
1. Bob Monaco was nominated as Vice President replacing Ruth Reeder.
2. Barbara Nemroff was nominated as Treasurer to replace Bob Monaco. Barbara will continue as Membership Chair.
3. Charlie Farrell, who completed a partial trustee term vacated when Bob Monaco became Treasurer, was nominated to begin the first of two full three year terms.
4. Three trustees on the board, Joan Dixon, Ruth Margules and Gene Patten, have served two consecutive terms and must step down from the board. Ruth thanked them for their six years of dedicated service. One additional trustee vacancy was created with the nomination of Barbara Nemroff to Treasurer.
5. Ruth then nominated Mindy Posoff, Ginny Scarlatelli, Cindy Van Lunen and Mel Viscuso to fill the four vacant trustee positions.
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SLATE PRESENTED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE WAS MADE FROM THE FLOOR, SECONDED, AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
President Roger Smith thanked Ruth Reeder for her service on the board from 1999 to present as Trustee and Vice President.
• Membership Chair, Barbara Nemroff, announced that dues-paying family memberships total 619 as of August 30, 2008. The current total includes 34 families that have rejoined, 21 new memberships and 564 renewed memberships. This represents 65.3% of households in Loveladies. Note: Two attendees joined the LPOA at the membership meeting and two more have joined since the meeting raising our membership total to 623 (65.5% of households).
• President Smith introduced the representatives from the Barnegat Light and High Point Volunteer Fire Companies who spoke about their respective outfits outlining their history and financial needs. Any donations are tax deductable. In both cases, the fire equipment is owned by the fire organizations, not the boroughs in which they reside. Both companies provide protection for Loveladies and are in need of new equipment due to the increased size of houses in area communities and the age of existing equipment.
• Treasurer Bob Monaco reported on the Association’s financial position. Net worth totals $37,699 including a $27,000 CD and cash on hand of $10,699. A copy of his report is attached. This did not include expenditures for the membership meeting and contributions listed below.
• Treasurer Monaco presented the membership with the following proposed 2008 Contributions Budget:
Alliance for a Living Ocean 150
Barnegat Light First Aid Squad 750
Barnegat Light Fire Company 750
High Point Volunteer Fire Company 750
Police FOP #5 250
Police PBA #373 250
SOCH Foundation 700
LBI Foundation “Island Blue Pages” 100* Paid earlier
St. Francis Community Center 300
Total $4000
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ABOVE CONTRIBUTIONS BUDGET WAS MADE FROM THE FLOOR, SECONDED, AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Once the contributions budget was approved, President Smith presented checks for the two Fire Companies to the respective representatives along with a letter from the LPOA.
President Smith introduced Mayor Joe Mancini who answered a question regarding the water survey that was recently sent by the Township. The survey was prompted because the DEP is trying to limit the amount of water we can use in the Township based on faulty assumptions. The DEP does not seem to understand the usage patterns associated with seasonal communities like Loveladies. The hope is that a survey will bring that to light. Mayor Mancini also announced the Township is no longer interested in purchasing the St. Clare property. Commissioners Bayard and Gove did not speak due to time constraints. However, they, along with Mayor Mancini, answer questions one-on-one from the attending members after the business meeting ended.
The meeting was adjourned at about 6:30 PM. Dinner was served by Sweet Vidalia.
Respectfully submitted,
Eldon Hickerson, LPOA Secretary