The annual membership meeting of the Crestlake Homeowners’ Association is scheduled for Thursday, January 19 at 7 p.m. at the St. Joseph Township building. The reason for this letter is an invitation to this meeting and to give a brief summary of the past year plus future plans.

2011 Accomplishments
     Our number one priority as an association is pond and commons maintenance. While some Crestlake residents may not feel they utilize the ponds, the hard fact is that the ponds are crucial for drainage for our entire area. Without these ponds everyone would have ground water issues so everyone has a vested interest in the up keep of these ponds.
     2011 saw the second phase of the remediation of our ponds come to completion. We are on track to repay the five-year loan which financed this project without the necessity to increase Crestlake Homeowners’ Association dues at this time.
     Last year the Crestlake Board of Directors approached the St. Joseph village board to explore the possibility of the village taking control of the ponds and all Crestlake maintenance. Whereas our ponds are an integral part of the village’s storm water retention system, we were told that legally this could not be accomplished. Therefore, it is the sole responsibility of the Crestlake Homeowners’ Association.
     The frequency of Crestlake board meetings has been reduced to quarterly meetings with the completion of the 2011 pond project.
     We hired Puzey & Wright LLP in Ogden to manage dues collection, closing letters and monthly accounting reports.
     We continue to organize our annual Halloween Parade and social events during the year.
     Neighborhood Watch - Members of the Neighborhood Watch committee continue to work to keep our neighborhood safe. The eyes and ears of all your neighbors are one of the best insurance policies to keep the Crestlake area safe and secure. Additional help is always welcome as well as new ideas to get more people involved.  We are short a few block captains and welcome your participation.

ELMER NICHOLS RETIRES FROM CHOA BOARD
     Elmer Nichols has retired from the Board of Directors of the Crestwood Homeowners Association. Elmer has managed the Ponds and Common areas for several years for CHOA. He has insured that the ponds were stocked with fish, the weeds and algae in the ponds were treated and the grass in common areas was cut. All of these things are important to maintain property values in Crestlake. Elmer deserves a lot of credit for his efforts and the profound thanks of all the residents of Crestlake. He will be sorely missed.