Message from the Board of Directors President (April 2026)

Unfortunately all the snow we received over the winter, the late March snow and ice storm, a tremendous amount of rain in the last week, and combined with colder than normal temperatures that lasted well into April has resulted in extremely high-water levels throughout the area. As most are aware, the Governor activated the State Emergency Operations Center statewide due to rising water levels and flooding risks across all of Michigan, with a focus on the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex and other critical dams.

For those not living in the area, the water levels around the Association area are extremely high and there is flooding occurring in some of the lower-level areas within the boundaries of the Association. There is still snow on the ground in many places, snowbanks along the roads from County plowing remain in most areas, and our inland lakes all still have a good amount of ice on them. This is not unique to our area as this is occurring across the northern portion of the state.

Please understand that due to the extreme weather conditions, there may be delays with the opening of the Campground, hiking trails, dock installation at Grand Lake, and the opening of the Beach Houses for the season.

Just this week, work commenced on the siding and window replacement at the Clubhouse that occurred with the 2021 Hailstorm. The contractor, MVP, is expecting this work to be completed by the end of April. The other pending work is replacement of the air handling units on the roof of the gym and other units damaged by the storm. Due to updated code compliance, the rooftop units cannot simply be replaced without bringing them up to code. The plan is to replace the 4 units currently on the rooftop with 2 units at ground level. Additionally, 3-phase power is required for these units, and we are working with PIE&G to bring this to the Clubhouse.

The following additional investments in our facilities have been approved by the Board: North Bay Beach House – upgrade of the electrical and installation of a mini-split unit for heating and cooling, Campground – stone grading and leveling for drainage at all the sites, replacement of the collapsed culvert, grading of all the roads, and upgrading the electrical in the Pavillion and upgrading of lighting to LED. At the Grand Lake Beach house, we are looking at a possible relocation Attendant shed and the deck and bath houses will be evaluated for repair or replacement in the next fiscal year.

The Architects continue to work on the Construction documents for the new pool and expanded fitness center project. The board is monitoring their progress.

A good majority of the hiking trails remain impassable due to down trees, snow cover, and flooding. The Natural Resources Committee is monitoring the trails and will be working to open them up as the weather allows.

If you are interested in serving on a PIHA committee, please reach out to the Chair of the committee or any of the BOD members. You can find the contacts for the Committees on the “About Us” tab on the PIHA website.

The Easter Egg hunt was held indoors this year as there was still a considerable snowpack on the ground outside. It was another great turnout as there were close to 40 kids that participated. There is a Blood Drive scheduled for Tuesday June 16th starting at 10am at the Clubhouse.

I am only covering activities planned at the Clubhouse or sponsored by a PIHA Committee, but there are many organizations in the area that may be hosting events. Please always review the PIHA website, the activities bulletin board in the Clubhouse, Grand Lake Association website, & Presque Isle Township Museum Society websites for the most accurate details on all the events.

In addition to all the events and activities mentioned above, don’t forget we have shuffleboard courts at the Clubhouse, jumbo Jenga set, basketball equipment is available at the Clubhouse, indoor games, volleyball, and horseshoes.

The invoices for the annual assessment along with the special assessment have been issued and we are seeing a good return from the membership. Please remember the due date for the annual assessment is always April 1st of every year. There is a 30-day grace period before interest is added to any past-due balances. The due date for the one-time special assessment for the pool replacement and expanded fitness is July 1st, 2026. Any payment received for the special assessment after August 1st, 2026 will be subject to an interest charge.

The next PIHA Board meeting will be on Tuesday May 12th, 2026 starting at 6pm.

Best regards,

Michael Grochola
President, PIHA Board of Directors