The Minutes
SLE HOA BOARD MEETING
Date: February 2025
Location: Cup of Grace
Board Members Attending: David Petersen, Gus Ferguson (via phone), Rebecca Morales, Brendan Mills, James Stover (via phone), and Tisha Dore
Quorum: YES
Call to Order: 6:02pm
Minutes from the last meeting: Accepted (Motioned by: Tisha Dore, Seconded by: Rebecca Morales)
Treasurer’s Report:
Current in checking account: $ 28,445.24
Current in savings account: $ 21,480.17
Current in petty cash account: $ 201.00
Total in bank accounts: $ 50,126.41
Annual dues payments are rolling in. Reminder to those who haven’t yet paid, you can find your invoice and the amount owed in your email inbox (sent on Jan 1st) if you’ve provided an email address. Otherwise, a hardcopy was sent in the mail. Treasurer, Rebecca Morales, is logging payments daily, and says thanks to the community for their timely payments. For questions, contact her at treasurer@spiritlakeeast.org.
Also, the 2024 audit is underway led by our past long-time auditor, Trudy Shrigley. She has replaced Heather Polombo who was no longer available. Thanks, Trudy, for coming out of retirement for SLE!
4 PROPERTY OWNERS ARE DELINQUENT ON THEIR DUES (TOTALING OVER $3K):
3 lots owe on multiple years – Liens against their property have been recorded with Kootenai County.
1 lot owes on 2023 and 2024 – Lien against their property has been recorded with Kootenai County.
*** WE DEPEND ON YOUR DUES. PLEASE WORK WITH US TO CATCH UP OR SETUP A PAYMENT PLAN***
Behind on your dues? Send payment ASAP or contact Rebecca at treasurer@spiritlakeeast.org. For more info on payments + donations (mailing address + PayPal): www.spiritlakeeast.org/payordonate
Motion to accept Treasurer Report by: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded by: Gus Ferguson
Roads Report: The temp has dropped, and snow is sticking, so potholes + rough spots are slowly filling in. We’re holding on sanding again until the temps go back up as there’s currently enough snow on the roads to grip tires as long as folks drive slowly and with caution. So, for now, the Road Crew has been focused on plowing and widening sections of the road as needed.
In regard to repairs and maintenance, a blade on one of our plows is in need of replacement. The other plow needs a new motor for the windshield wipers as the existing one cannot be repaired.
Also, more sand was approved to top-off again in prep for temps to go back up next week. But we still have enough for one more extensive sanding before the next four loads are trucked-in shortly.
Regular updates seem to be helping to educate residents on all the moving parts of road management. Thanks to everyone for their feedback and to long-timers for providing essential perspective for newbies.
We continue to invite donations for above-and-beyond items like a roller (or at least the rental of one until we find the right opportunity to buy). We want to use one for spring clean-up, especially now that we’re investing in higher-quality granite on our roads. WE COULD USE YOUR HELP. As you’re sending in 2025 dues, please consider making a donation: P.O. Box 217, Spirit Lake, ID 83869 *Memo: Road Fund
FUNDS RAISED & PUT TOWARDS NEW GRADER + ROAD FUND SO FAR:
$35,999 from sale of the old grader + dump truck
$ 5,500 from unused shop equipment sale
$12,440 ($1,200/mo for July 2023 – April 2024 KEC shop rent + $440 for June 2023 partial rent)
$ 9,020.03 from community + Intermax donation + advertising (THANK YOU, SLE + INTERMAX!)
$ 62,959.03 TOTAL (PLEASE KEEP CONTRIBUTIONS COMING TO SUPPORT OUR ROAD FUND!)
Email Q’s to roads@spiritlakeeast.org. For roads form for reporting issues: www.spiritlakeeast.org/roads
Motion to Accept the Roads Report: Rebecca Morales
Motion Seconded by: Gus Ferguson
ARC Report: Questions from a homeowner regarding an addition to an existing home were fielded. Potential buyer also contacted Arc Chair, John O’Neil, asking about having a kennel business on property. Arc must approve non-agricultural businesses, and this one was declined, noting commercial businesses are not compatible with our covenants under article IV section 2 subsection C. Additionally, he noted the added traffic proposed would be problematic as our roads are already strained and adding more vehicles, especially in a busy location, would exacerbate an already problematic area. Have building plans? Contact arc@spiritlakeeast.org. Form for approvals: www.spiritlakeeast.org/building-info
Motion to accept ARC Report by: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded by: David Petersen
Newsletter Report:
- Spring issue highlighting road clean-up, logging, elections + ad opportunities discussed.
- Newsletters + SLE business ad Info can be found at: www.spiritlakeeast.org/newsletters
- Proceeds from advertising in the newsletter + Facebook Group go to our Road Fund!
- Advertising is NOW OPEN to businesses beyond SLE. Pricing is different, has been posted.
- Also, if you’ve provided an email address, you can always find the quarterly newsletter in your email inbox (or junk). If you haven’t given an email address, you’ll get it in the mail.
- Homeowners: To cut costs + save time, please send us an email address so that we can reduce the amount of folks who need a hardcopy mailed to them: secretary@spiritlakeeast.org.
Motion to accept Newsletter Report by: Rebecca Morales
Motion Seconded by: James Stover
Timber Report: VP, Gus Ferguson, had to track down out-of-state resident as logging was taking place without approvals or their presence as suggested. Owner is going to fill out form. Reminder if you are planning any commercial logging in the spring, there is an application process, and timing of haul-out needs to be approved as well. Also, please continue to check your property and remove any trees that may be compromised by snow load, which could impede plows. Send timber/logging Q’s to: timber@spiritlakeeast.org. Links to Logging + Timber Exemption Forms: www.spiritlakeeast.org/timber
Motion to accept Timber Report by: Rebecca Morales
Motion Seconded by: David Petersen
Welcome Committee: If you have yet to register for HOA billing/mailings, use below link, or contact welcome@spiritlakeeast.org with questions. As properties change hands, it’s important that we establish records for the current homeowner, and we don’t always get them from your title company. It also helps us to more easily verify that you’re the new homeowner + approve your FB group join requests because we field many fakes. So, having your info protects you too. Form: www.spiritlakeeast.org/new-residents
Motion to Accept Welcome Report: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded by: James Stover
OLD BUSINESS
- Street Signs
o Stop sign at Priest & CDA temp-fixed in Jan being maintained in lieu of perm. fix in spring.
o Liberty & CDA sign is missing, and the already approved costs for this and other signs that must be replaced including materials (posts + hardware) = $500-600.
o The signs were ordered and there was a delay in delivery but they’re on the way.
o Rebecca reminded about removing the old bus signs within the community, which are not needed as buses no longer enter SLE, and Brendan confirmed they’ll come down in spring.
o The theft issue and additional brush removal will also be addressed after winter.
Motion to Accept Old Business: Brendan Mills
Motion Seconded by: Rebecca Morales
NEW BUSINESS
- KEC Project
o Crew has transferred the power underground in the last sections of SLE including the entrance to CDA up to Liberty then Liberty east followed by remaining half of Hayden.
o Removal of old poles/wire not expected until spring but they’re removing as they go.
o 136,679 feet—which is approximately 25.88 miles— of cable has been installed in SLE.
o Please watch out and be careful around their trucks. We want to keep everyone safe!
- Intermax Project
o Intermax continues to install temp fiber lines through winter, if logistically possible.
o There are tiered service offerings starting at just over $80, $100 and $130 per month.
o NO CHARGE FOR TRENCHING, NO MATTER HOW LONG YOUR DRIVEWAY IS, BUT ONLY WHILE THE GRANT IS IN PLACE, SO DO NOT WAIT, IT’LL ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME.
o Call 208-676-0471 or visit intermaxnetworks.com/fiber to get in the queue!
- Board Elections
o HOA board elections in May 2025, nominations for the 3 spots now thru March 31st.
o Nominations may now be submitted online: www.spiritlakeeast.org/nominations
o Voting at May 2025 meeting or online (TBD), secured 3 election committee members.
- IDT To Upgrade Entrances
o No updates: IDT’s 54 project (TBD 2025), will include repairing the SLE entrances.
- THE RECEIPTS
o All 2024 receipts have been added to the site and it’s now a resource for the audit.
o 2025 receipts will be added once at the end of each quarter for a total of four updates.
o Here’s the direct link: www.spiritlakeeast.org/the-receipts
- Facebook & Blog
o A public one-way FB page and blog on the HOA site were launched in Dec for those either not on social media or in our private FB group where the same updates are posted. These are working out great following initial tests, so we’ll be keeping them both: https://www.spiritlakeeast.org/blog and https://www.facebook.com/SLEHOANews
Motion to Accept New Business: David Petersen
Motion Seconded by: Gus Ferguson
- Motion to adjourn by: James Stover
Motion Seconded by: Rebecca Morales
- Meeting was adjourned at: 6:25pm
