Hello, Team LMOA!

Please continue reading for the Lake's latest official news update, events, and volunteer opportunities:

NEWS

Aqua Virginia: Lake residents will see the rate increase reflected in their bill this week. Please submit a comment opposing increased water and wastewater rates to the State Corporate Commission HERE. If the SCC does not approve the higher rates, Aqua Virginia will have to reimburse its customers. At the March Water Workgroup meeting, Aqua Virginia staff shared the following:

• A preventative maintenance schedule has been initiated. As a result, at least one pump station a week is inspected.

• Five lift stations have been fitted with remote monitoring (SCADA) and seven more should be fitted by June.

• Thanks to new equipment, the preventative maintenance plan, and better communications, their staff is confident they will be better equipped to prevent sewage leaks from reaching the Lake this summer.

• The utility company also plans to achieve recertification that makes onsite E.coli testing possible.

• They reported that three pumps recently failed because they were clogged with clothing, diapers, grease, microfiber cloths, and baby wipes. According to the staff’s report, sewage systems all over the country are plagued by wipes. “There is a class action lawsuit against disposable wipe manufacturers as the wipes do not degrade effectively, clogging systems and destroying pump motors,” one staff member said. Aqua Virginia staff urges its customers not to flush any kind of wipe, oil, grease, diaper, or fabric. The workgroup members would like to coordinate a campaign about correct flushing habits.

• Finally, Aqua Virginia will soon launch a pilot plan at Beach 5 to see if filtration will remedy odor issues. If the pilot is successful, filtration may be applied at the Glen Burnie Lift Station and at the collection box near the Main Dam, which according to the recent odor study, cause the most odor pollution.

• The next Water Workgroup meeting is scheduled for April 9 in the Ashlawn Clubhouse at 10 AM. 

Dues Increase: The LMOA Board of Directors draft proposal for a dues increase can be reviewed by logging into lmoa.org and selecting Annual Meeting under the GOVERNANCE drop-down menu. Some Residents have asked for more details about what cuts or actions are being considered if the Board Proposal is not approved by a Member vote at the Annual Meeting. The Board is looking into the possibility of levying a special assessment to meet its fiduciary duty to do what is in the best interests of the Association. The details will be shared in the Annual Meeting Notice which goes out in mid-May. Our Treasurer Michael Kelly welcomes you to send him questions which he will answer in the GM Corner in the coming weeks: [email protected].
 
Spring Cleaning: Save the dates! Our trash and recycling service, Green For Life (GFL), will pick up bulk trash the week of April 22. Bulk trash items will be collected by section, and a schedule will be communicated closer to the date. For your convenience, LMOA will also hold Community Yard Sale Day on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Sign up HERE if you would like to be included on the yard sale map.

Dredging: The Dredger needs major repairs. Our Facilities and Operations Director, Tracy Chandler, is assessing the magnitude of repairs and exploring more economical options for managing the dredging operation. We will provide more information once he has researched all of his possibilities. 

Water Safety Membership Meeting: Please consider joining the Volunteer Water Safety Team. The group that supports LMOA’s Department of Public Safety by educating boaters off and on Lake Monticello will hold its annual Spring Membership Meeting on March 16 at the Ashlawn Clubhouse at 10 AM. Please email [email protected] if you would like more information.

Lake Preservation Report: Our Facilities & Lake Operations Committee worked very hard to put together a Lake Preservation Report which they presented to the Board in January. The report included various dredging methods, lake health for swimming and fishing, stormwater management, and more. We encourage Lake residents to have a look at the detailed document which can be found in the attachment or under Facilities & Operations on the private side of the website. The next FLOC meeting is on April 9 at 4 PM at the Ashlwan Clubhouse if you would like to ask the committee members any questions.

Upcoming Event Reminders

March 16: Wellness/Nutrition Program, 3 PM Ashlawn Clubhouse 
March 16 & 17: Peggy Kirk Bell Commonwealth Girls Classic
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Fun at Bunker Bistro from 9 AM to 5 PM and Leprecoin’ Hunt at 3 PM at Ashlawn and Lafayette Parks
March 18: West Coast Swing, 7 PM Ashlawn Clubhouse
March 20: JABA, 10 AM Ashlawn Clubhouse
March 21: Fluco Fest, 5:30 PM at the FCHS (Learn all about summer programs in Fluvanna County; LMOA will promote youth golf programs.)
March 30: YRF Photos with the Easter Bunny, 2-4 PM in the cul de sac near the pool snack bar. Sorry, not an egg hunt as communicated before, but children will receive a treat from the Easter Bunny! Each family can take their own photo on their devices.

Find all the details HERE at lmoa.org.

Volunteer Corner

• CAL-TRI TRIATHLON: Register HERE.  If you have any questions, contact Laker Kellie O'Connor at [email protected].
   

• All Blessings Flow: Soon All Blessings Flow (ABF) will have a permanent satellite at Cunningham. Volunteers are needed to manage the distribution of used medical equipment and supplies. For more information, please visit http://www.allblessingsflow.org.

LMOA Committees: 

• Safety & Security Committee: [email protected] 

• Golf Committee: [email protected] 

• Broadcast Committee: [email protected] 

• Environmental Control Committee: [email protected]

• Young Residents & Families Committee: [email protected]
   

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters: Volunteer registration is open at https://www.blueridgebigs.org/become-a-big
   

• Lake Monticello Beautification Corps: Please contact Helen Schoene at [email protected]
   

• Volunteer Water Safety Team:  Please email [email protected]

Have a great weekend!

-Tom Schauder
General Manager