President Outlines State of the Valley
Great Shape, but……….

By Robert Starks, President HVL POA Board of Directors

We are very happy to have welcomed 57 new families into our Hidden Valley Lake community over the past year. Thank you for joining us in what Cincinnati Magazine has rated as the Safest Community in the entire Tri-State area. We are not only a safe community but also a fun and social community. We have a large number of excellent Clubs and Committees that help maintain and improve our Valley. The following is a brief synopsis of our current status and progress.

• Our lakes continue to be in very good condition under the vigilant observation of our Lakes committee. Silting is a problem in several areas and a fund has been established for dredging to be done in the future. The Paradise Lake Dam Overflow Drain was replaced this past year and the Dam repaired. Also we are working directly with the Soil and Water Conservation District and specifically with Ms. Jennifer Hughes to monitor and assure the continued health of our lakes and water shed area.

• The State has also mandated documented inspections of our culverts, (24” diameter or more), on an annual basis which is a new and time consuming responsibility.

• Our Main Dam is inspected on a regular basis and continues to be in very good and stable condition.

• Our Pool continues to be in excellent shape. A new state mandated drain safety guard will be installed this year to protect small children.

• The 77 Acre Park continues to be improved each year thanks to the Parks Committee, Athletic Club and HVL Maintenance. This area includes ball fields, walking paths and other amenities. If you have not done so, please find time to visit and enjoy this great recreation area.

• As a result of the efforts from past and present Streets Committee members, our roads continue to be in very good condition. Approximately $100,000 has been budgeted for continued improvement in 2009.

• The road stripping test (edge and center lines), consisted of approximately ½ mile of road that was done last year. It has been so effective and popular that we plan to cover approximately (5) additional miles this year.

• We have had two Town-Hall Meetings recently to help keep you better informed. The first was with the Indiana State Department of Natural Resources. The team included Forest Rangers, a Biologist, Conservation Officer and the County Storm water Coordinator. They have toured our community and described the status of our local habitat and animal population. The second meeting was to allow the Bright Fire Department an opportunity to address our community. Town-hall meetings provide the opportunity for two way communications with a question and answer period and should improve the flow of information for all residents. The audio portion of these meetings is available on our web site.

• We have also re-established Coordinating Council Meetings. These open meetings bring together our Clubs and Committees in order to benefit from the collective ingenuity and experience inherent in our community. I am continually amazed by the extraordinary amount of collective knowledge available in HVL.

• The Fitness Center is thriving. Our many, many thanks to all of the people involved from the original volunteers to the current management team and also to the community members who use the facility on a regular basis.

• The Board of Directors, Finance Committee and your POA Management Team along with complete assistance from all Committees and Clubs have kept the 2008 budget under strict control. In past years we have benefitted from the fees associated with building approximately 60 to 70 new homes. In 2008 only (7) homes were built. In spite of decreased revenue and increased costs, we reduced our planned 2008 budget and still managed to come in a bit “Under” budget for 2008. I can not over-emphasize that this has been the result of an all out team effort. However, this is where the “But” comes in. Our 2009 budget is constructed assuming there is no major change in our planned income or expenses. I am not an alarmist but we all know that we are not immune to the health of the general economy and we do not know where the bottom is. That said, you are assured that the same team will remain vigilant and make adjustments as necessary to maintain our community. We will also continue to keep you posted with updates in the Echoes.

To summarize we have well maintained amenities for the 1,829 homes and approximately 5,000 friends and neighbors that share and enjoy the benefits of HVL living. You have seen increased communication from the VRUC to the community with the Superintendent’s Report in the Echoes. It is the goal of the POA to work constructively with the VRUC and to find ways that working together may benefit the community. We are also looking forward to meeting you. Please join us for the Sluice Gate Closing, Veterans Day, HVL Clean Up Day and the many other events that you will see mentioned in the Echoes. And as always you are invited to share your thoughts and concerns with me.