Our annual Spring eNewsletter went out on April 15, 2022. If you didn’t receive it, please check your spam/junk folder or let us know if you’ve had an email address change. If you’re new to LRAA and haven’t subscribed yet, please visit our Communication page and click “Subscribe to Email List.”
At our Annual Meeting on September 5, 2021 the membership voted to amend our Bylaws to be consistent with the mandatory sections of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA, which is RCW 64.90).
At that meeting we discussed a proposed amendment to LRAA’s governing documents. That amendment, drafted with the assistance of legal counsel, would result in all sections of WUCIOA applying to and governing LRAA. The previous board concluded that it is in our best interests to be governed by WUCIOA and our new board unanimously agreed with that conclusion at our September 19, 2021 board meeting.
On Monday, December 20th, the returned WUCIOA ballots (52%) were counted in person by Annie Sparrow - Business Manager, Pat Sullivan - Secretary, Sylvia Silberhorn - Treasurer and Don Davidson - Outside Witness /Non-LRAA Resident. Adopting WUCIOA in its entirety was approved by 92% of the ballots returned. The board is in the process of working with a local attorney to have a plat amendment adopting WUCIOA submitted to the county.
Opting into WUCIOA provides our board and community a transparent set of rules to be governed by.
WUCIOA provides a legal framework to ensure everyone pays their fair share of association costs by simplifying the collection of dues, fees, assessments, and fines.
WUCIOA protects property values and aids property transactions by providing purchasers a clearer picture of the financial health of the association and the status of the property they are buying.
WUCIOA provides a more predictable and transparent legal framework for the Board and property owners.
Additional information about WUCIOA can be found on the Governance page.
RELATED LINKS
WUCIOA Information #1 (October 21, 2019)
WUCIOA Information #2 - Q&A (December 8, 2019)
WUCIOA Information #3 (March 15, 2020)
WUCIOA Information #4 (January 26, 2021)
WUCIOA Information #5, #6, #7 (July 7, 2021)
UPDATE: Notice Rescinded December 29th
View/download BOIL WATER NOTICE • Effective 12/27/21
Lost River Airport Customers,
A brief power outage (approximately 1/2 hour) occurred this morning that affected the domestic water service at Lost River Airport.
Typically, the emergency generator would come on automatically and maintain pressure in the water system, but for some reason, the generator failed to start and pressure was lost. We are in the process of trying to determine why the generator failed.
Since pressure was lost in the system, there is a possibility that contaminants could have entered if there are leaks or cross-connections present. At this time, we have no reason to believe that there is any risk, but we are required by the Department of Health to issue a recommendation to boil your water before consuming. Please note that this is only a recommendation, not a requirement, since there is no known contamination.
We are required to mail you a copy of this announcement, so you will receive it in the mail later this week. This email is a courtesy to get the information to you faster. Owners of legal (and illegal) nightly rentals will need to notify their tenants.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at the email or phone number below.
Doug Hale, Operator
Lost River Airport Water System
Alpine Environmental
alpenviro@yahoo.com
(509) 322-0581
We are aware the roads are not optimal right now, especially heading into winter. COVID has taken a toll there, too.
Since we couldn't hold Annual Meetings as usual, we couldn't increase our roads' budget, so we have had to pick and choose projects. This past year, for example, instead of post-winter repairs we had to prioritize funding a county-mandated widening project for a couple of LRAA roads, necessary to keep them safe for emergency vehicles.
By the time our updated budget was approved at September's member meeting every contractor we contacted was already booked (until spring), and then we had early snow. Fortunately, this week's warming trend has provided a small window for at least getting our potholes filled. After next spring's melt we'll have our usual repair and grading done.
Two ways to help...
• Join the Potholes Work Party. If you can lend a hand, please contact us asap via the website Contact Us page, selecting "Potholes Work Party" from the dropdown "Topic" menu.
• Can't join the party? It would be a big help if you could fill large potholes in the road in front of your own property (or that of your neighbors). Piles of gravel for this specific purpose are located on Rainbow Road and the northwest side of the runway (near the yurts).
Due to improving fire conditions, the Board has confirmed that the LRAA Annual Member Meeting will take place in person on Sunday, September 5, 2021 as scheduled. Lost River was moved from a Level 2 Evacuation Notice to Level 1, and Highway 20 has opened back up.
All documents related to the meeting were mailed to all members the first week of August. Those documents are also posted on the website.
We hope to see you at the meeting. However, if you are not able to attend, we strongly encourage you to vote by proxy. This will allow you to have your voice heard on important issues, and it will help us achieve a quorum, which requires 25% of our members in good standing to be present in person or by proxy.
How to Vote by Proxy
Contact the Board through the website (select “General Question” under the “Topics" dropdown menu) NO LATER THAN August 31st . In your message provide the following:
Your name and Lost River address; AND
EITHER provide another member’s name who will be present to serve as your proxy and fill out your ballot for you at the meeting; OR
Identify the board to serve as your proxy and include instructions on how you would like to vote on the ballot issues. The board will complete and submit your ballot in accordance with your instructions.
LRAA Members,
My thoughts are with everyone as we all navigate the challenges of both Covid and the wildfires burning through the valley. I know we all wish we could move on to some version of life-as-usual. I certainly wish that my tenure as president of LRAA took place during more normal times. Unfortunately, our bylaws do not explain what the board should do during such crazy circumstances. Without a roadmap, we are doing the best we can to figure it out. If you did not receive the email regarding the options for our membership meeting, please go to our website to read about it and to take the survey to provide feedback to the board.
Our membership meeting is currently scheduled to take place September 5th in Lost River. The new state law, WUCIOA, requires us to mail certain documents to all members within 30 days of this meeting. In the Annual Member Meeting Packet you will find the following:
Agenda
Proposed 2022 Budget
Description of our Reserve Fund status
Changes required to our bylaws to comply with the mandatory portion of WUCIOA
Ballot
Language for the plat amendment that will take effect if the members vote to opt into the optional portion of WUCIOA.
Note that the vote on the WUCIOA opt-in will not take place at the meeting and thus is not on the ballot. Rather, we will mail a separate ballot to all members after the meeting takes place per WUCIOA requirements. Also note that the board is obligated to follow the mandatory requirements of WUCIOA since it is the state law. The bylaw amendments simply bring the LRAA bylaws into compliance with state law. If members vote down these bylaws, the board will still be obligated to follow them.
The board will make a decision regarding the membership meeting Sunday, August 15th. Please check the website for updates and the results of the member survey. We will also send an email informing everyone of the board’s decision. If circumstances require the postponement of this meeting, we will likely need to mail an updated version of these documents 30 days prior to the new meeting date.
Sincerely,
Jef Rettmann
LRAA President