Hello Team LMOA!

Preparations for the summer season are in full swing. Our Facilities & Operations (F&O) Team has put out the beach umbrellas and refreshed the sand - please remember all beaches are closed to pets until December. F&O will start opening the pool soon, and residents can start enjoying the pool on Friday, May 24. Please continue reading for more official news from LMOA:

Floating Pollen: April was remarkably dry. Little rain means pollen is building up on everything, even the surface of the Lake. Residents call in once in a while concerned that something has spilled into the Lake, but it is pollen falling from trees, etc. We will be grateful when it finally rains - maybe this weekend!

Aqua Virginia: At the SCC - Aqua Virginia hearing in Richmond on Tuesday, a Stipulation and Joint Motion to Approve was reached which specified a 35.6% rate increase for water and a 17.9% increase for sewage at Lake Monticello. The stipulation agreement, all filings, and comments will be reviewed by the Hearing Examiner. Her report will be submitted to the Commissioners in the next 2-4 weeks. The Commissioners will adopt or reject the report when making a final decision. Our Board President, Larry Henson and our Community Development Committee Members Tom Diggs and Steve Smith spent endless hours preparing for the hearing. They attended in person, representing our community, and we thank them and other residents for the enormous effort to oppose the rate increase.
 
Voting Starts May 28: The correct date for LMOA voting to begin is Tuesday, May 28, 2024. We were aiming to launch the voting period for the Annual Meeting on May 27 but have decided to wait a day to go live on. LMOA’s Administrative offices are closed on that Monday to observe Memorial Day, and we want to make sure homeowners can contact staff if they are having any issues. Emails and postcards with voting instructions will be sent on May 28. The postcards should arrive in mailboxes between May 29 - and June 1. Voting Members who did not opt-in to receive voting access electronically will need to wait for their postcard to arrive before coming to the Ashlawn Clubhouse for assistance. Please bring your ID as well. Our staff cannot help you without your postcard and ID. You must be a property owner in good standing to vote.
 
Prepare for Voting:

• Promotional Signs: Until voting ends on June 21, 2024, the Board of Directors will make use of LMOA’s communications platforms -including the Fluvanna Review and gate signs - to promote a “yes” vote for a dues increase.

• Articles: This week, we published Part 1 of an article by Rick Roth, our Finance and Audit Committee Chair, in the Fluvanna Review. Next week, we will publish Part 2. The articles can be read on our website HERE.

• Candidate Forum: LMOA’s Broadcast Group will host a Candidate Forum on May 20 at 6 PM in the Fairway Clubhouse. This is a great opportunity to get to know the candidates better. You can send your questions to [email protected] ahead of time or arrive at the forum early to submit questions. The doors will open at 5:30 PM and questions can be written on cards at the door until 6 PM. Moderator Ron Krauss will use as many of these questions as possible during the forum. The will be NO other Q&A opportunity during the forum.

Barcodes: The Public Safety Department would like to remind residents to please contact the Barcode Office if they sell or trade in their vehicle. This way you will not get billed at renewal time. Also, barcodes are non-transferable, so you need to apply for a new barcode for your new vehicle. If a barcode is not on the vehicle it is registered to, it will be turned off. For the contact information and barcode application, visit Public Safety at lmoa.org. Thank you!

Tennis News: There is still room for children 5-15 to sign up for the annual Quick Start Tennis Camp here at Lake Monticello. The camp is from June 10-14 and costs $15 if your child has a racquet or $20 if your child needs a racquet, which they get to keep! Sign up by contacting Lisa Henry at Member Services at 434 589-8263 Ext. 4100. Other tennis activities are:

• Rusty Racquets: Folks who have played some tennis in the past and would like to dust off their racquets can come out and play recreational tennis. Women can contact Karen O'Neill (Text only) at 973-879-7313 and men should contact Betsy Gunnels (Text only) at 434 996-9797.

• Mixed Doubles is every Saturday at 9 AM at the Ashlawn Courts. Contact Betsy Gunnels (Text only) at 434-996-9797 to reserve.

Independence Day Celebrations: Staff and a team of Volunteer Event Leaders kicked off the Independence Day Celebrations planning this week. We will communicate the details and open registration for some events later this month, but the tentative schedule is:

July 4

• 5k Spirit Run

• Patriotic Skiers

• Swim across the Lake

• Horseshoe Tournament

• Kids Putting Contest

• Pickleball Demo & Open Play

• Pool Open

• Stars & Stripes Forever Parade

• Beach 3 CLOSED until Noon

July 5

• Boat Parade

 
July 6

• Sand Sculpture Contest

• Cornhole Tournament

• Kids Games by YRF Committee

• Pool Open

• LMST Pool Party Fundraiser

• Fireworks

• Beach 3 & Bunker Bistro CLOSED all day

Upcoming Events:
 

• May 4 VWST Annual Training: The Volunteer Water Safety Team will be holding its annual training from 9 AM - 12 PM at the Ashlawn Clubhouse in Terrace Room A&B. Learn the ins and outs of being a part of this growing team! This interactive training will prepare you to help keep water activities on our Lake safe! Email [email protected] for more information.

• May 12 Muffins with Mom: The Young Residents and Families Committee is hosting Muffins with Mom again this year! Bring your special mother figure to the Main Beach (end of Ashlawn Blvd.) from 11 AM - 1 PM where YRF will treat her to a free muffin and flowers. Gluten-free options are available. Bring a towel or chair and enjoy the Lake view! The rain location is in front of Ashlawn Clubhouse. If you would like to volunteer at this event or any other YRF event, email [email protected]. Volunteers are always welcome!

• May 18 FCHS Graduation Parade: The Senior Parade around Lake Monticello will be at 2 PM. Details are still being developed for this event, but the lineup will likely begin at the Ashlawn Clubhouse at 1:30 PM. Stay tuned!

• Read more about events in May HERE!

Have a great weekend!

Tom Schauder
LMOA General Manager