Newly-elected Chair of the Hot Springs Village POA Lakes Committee, Steve FitzGerald, presented the committee’s quarterly report to the HSVPOA Board of Directors on June 15, 2022. FitzGerald said that Board Director Bruce Caverly will be the liaison to the committee. FitzGerald discussed the committee’s plans and also talks about the invasive snails infesting two Village lakes.
Introduction:
Greetings, I’m Steve FitzGerald, the new chair of the almost completely new Lakes Committee. As you probably already know, the committee has experienced a member turnover of almost 70% over the last few months, including the POA lakes manager & BOD liaison. Thanks to the efforts of the outgoing committee members combined with the fact that most of the new committee members have been attending Lakes Committee sessions since early in the year, we’re essentially making a running start with this transition as we continue to work to advise and assist the POA staff on matters relating to lake issues, within the policies and guidelines of the Board of Directors.
Current Projects/Work:
• Advise and validate Lakes Committee recommended inputs & priorities for the HSV 2022-23 Budget.
• Monitor & assist the Lakes Management team w/ Mystery Snail mitigation efforts. There is a non-native snail infestation in Lakes Granada and Estrella. Arkansas Game and Fish have taken samples and are checking the snails for parasites. Before knowing how to mitigate the snails, first, the species must be identified and if the snails are carrying parasites.
• Complete printing & distribution of Lakes Information sheets, to be distributed to Lakes users at the Marinas & various POA locations. This is in addition to new permanent informational kiosks at those lakes with boat ramps.
• Conduct Lakes Surveys (incorporating the assistance of lakes clubs) – collected & compiled data to be turned over to compliance for follow-up actions – survey criteria will be closely coordinated with the HSV Compliance authorities.
Plans for the Next 3~6 months:
• As a group, the committee has already started efforts to identify & document our near-term strategic “way ahead” – this will be one of the major topics of discussion at our next meeting on the 13th of July. FitzGerald said, “What are the things we can do that are value-added to move forward…?”
• Look hard at existing reporting & surveys, and assess them for utility, construct, and evaluate them for potential improvements.
• Improve/expand the information-sharing approach of Lakes Matters with HSV property owners.
Closing:
I’d like to close with a public thank you to the outgoing Lakes Committee Chair, Alan Wellesley. He has unselfishly provided us with a wealth of guidance & historical information that has significantly enhanced the transition of committee activities.
Subject to your questions, this concludes my presentation.
