Recent News & Upcoming Events
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Melissa Kendziorski
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Melissa Kendziorski2025-04-16 08:33:192025-04-16 19:57:56Pool and Spa Closed
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Melissa Kendziorski
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Melissa Kendziorski2025-04-13 12:15:242025-04-14 13:36:38Easter Egg Hunt
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Melissa Kendziorski
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Melissa Kendziorski2025-04-10 14:15:402025-04-14 13:36:28Kentucky Derby & Cinco de Mayo CelebrationPIHA Newsletter (April 2025)
Well, last newsletter warned about Mother Nature having a surprise and she sure outdid herself with the ice storm!!! Hope everyone has returned to normal. Maybe Spring will try to spring again =)
Here’s an update on what’s going on in the Association:
Social Activities Update:
- April 19: Easter Egg Hunt at 10AM @ the Clubhouse. Sign up at the Clubhouse
- May 3: Kentucky Derby/Cinco de Mayo @ the Clubhouse. Gather beginning at 5PM. Race time 6-7PM. Bring an appetizer, main dish or dessert to share.
- A complete list of activities can be found on our website: presqueisleharbor.org. There is also a current list of activities on the bulletin board at the clubhouse.
National Resources Update:
- It was agreed to schedule the hike on April 19th starting at 1PM and to hike the unadvertised trails of Thompson Harbor south of the Grand Lake outlet. The committee needs to access the trails there due to the recent ice storm so watch for more information.
- The Natural Resources Committee (NRC) will be organizing Guided Hikes this year on the following dates: May 17th, June 28th, July 19th, August 23rd, September 27th, October 18th. Please monitor the PIHA website and FB page for the location of where each hike will take place. The NRC is working with Naturalists and others to participate and provide educational opportunities for all that participate. All hikes will begin at 2PM and will end with a cook-out to enhance fellowship among all those that attend the events.
- A ‘Survivor Summer Activity’ is planned utilizing Trail Challenge tokens! The committee is still working on this event. More details to follow.
Campground Update:
- Campground will open May 1st
- Reminder: We have a new Campground Manager, Lee Compton, who will be starting mid-April.
- Reminder: Propane refills and Ice will not be available for purchase this season, although both are available at nearby businesses.
- Reminder: Effective immediately, RV’s will not be moved by campground employees from storage to your campsite.
Clubhouse Update:
- The roofing materials have arrived and work should begin April 14.
- The pool will remain closed until further notice.
- PIHA is looking for summer help for beach/clubhouse attendants. Anyone interested can contact the office or come in to get more information.
IT Committee:
- Reminder: The Committee is still looking for volunteers with a background in IT, especially anyone with a Network background. Please contact Mike Grochola (grochola@dxc.com)
Pool Committee Update:
- The PIHA BOD has approved a contract with Shoreline Architects to begin developing a plan for pool replacement. Phase 1 will include a presentation to the membership at our Annual Meeting on June 21. As more information develops, we will keep our membership updated.
Financial Updates:
- Reminder: PIHA Annual Dues were due April 1st. Late fees are being assessed.
- Credit Card Fees: The fees for credit cards is a continuing financial burden for the Association. Options available to offset these fees were discussed with the Finance Committee and their recommendation was presented to the board for a dual price solution. he PIHA BOD has approved that dual price solution. All transactions will have two options for the member to choose when paying for services/items. There will be posted a cash price and a credit card price. This system will take 2-3 months to implement and will not affect dues invoices until 2026. Watch our website and this newsletter for more information.
Lake Level Special Assessment (SAD):
- We still don’t have a SAD update. Board members continue to attend the PI County Board of Commissioners meeting to obtain updates and/or information. Letters have been written to Robert Macomber, PI drain Commissioner and to date we have been unable to get answers.
Other Important Dates:
- April 20: Easter Sunday – Clubhouse closed
- May 13: PIHA BOD Monthly Meeting – 6PM @ PIHA Clubhouse
A Note Regarding Lake Esau Lake Levels (2/7/25)
Dear Members,
EGLE has not yet determined the Easu lake level, which means no obligations exist at this time. Moreover, due to our club’s covenants and land rights, selling the property will not relieve
us of any potential future responsibilities regardless of any determination EGLE makes.
I understand that many of you are concerned about the implications of this uncertainty. It sounds like you’re worried that selling the lot now might solve our problems—but the reality is
that even a sale wouldn’t remove our long-term exposure.
Here’s what we know:
• No Determination Yet: EGLE has not finalized its lake level evaluation. There are no current obligations imposed on our property or any property on Easu.
• Covenant & Ownership Details: Regardless of a sale, PIHA retains access rights and could still be held responsible for any obligations.
I want to acknowledge your concerns because they are entirely valid. It may feel like we’re in a catch-22, and you might be asking, “How can selling help when we’d still be on the hook?” What additional information would help you feel more comfortable with our current stance?
To ensure we address all your questions and work together on this issue, we are:
• Monitoring the Situation: We’re actively tracking updates from EGLE and consulting with legal experts.
• Preparing for a Discussion: We’ll be holding an informational meeting [date/time TBA] where we can openly discuss these concerns and answer any questions you might have.
I appreciate your trust and patience as we navigate this challenge. Your feedback is critical—if you have questions now or concerns you’d like us to address at the meeting, please let us
know.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Robert V. Crook
PIHA Board Member
County Commissioner District 5
PIHA BOD Statement Regarding Special Assessments for Grand Lake and Lake Esau
Several Board members attended the January 16th, 2025, Grand Lake and Lake Esau Public meeting at the Presque Isle Township Hall. The meeting covered the Special Assessment Districts (SADs) that are being determined for both lakes. While this meeting provided very good information as to the process that is being followed, it did create some concerns among residents as ALL parcels within the Presque Isle Harbor Association (PIHA) will be in BOTH Special Assessment Districts due to land and plat records of the PIHA Common Properties. All properties in PIHA that are not near the waterfront to Grand Lake or Lake Esau are considered “Back Lots” to both lakes.
The PIHA Board encourages everyone to take time and watch the replay of the presentation as it will help you understand the process, how many “parcels” are in each SAD, what costs are incurred in maintaining lake levels, and general discussion as to why the County started to get these districts set-up at this time.
You can use this link to watch the recording, it is 45 minutes long: https://www.presqueislelakelevels.org/post/grand-lake-lake-esau-public-meeting-1-16-25
In the presentation, they discuss the possibility of getting water directly from Lake Huron for the long-term solution for Lake Esau. This idea did cause concern among residents at the meeting, and someone voiced their opinion that PIHA should sell the Lake Esau Park property to remove the PIHA Association from the Lake Esau Special Assessment District. This idea was also posted to Facebook on Presque Isle Uncensored.
The PIHA Restrictive Covenants are very clear in restricting the selling of common property. Any attempt to pursue changing the Restrictive Covenants would be enormously expensive with no guarantee of a positive outcome. We do have Association lots that are directly on Lake Esau, similar to Association lots that are on Grand Lake and Lake Huron. The Board must take all members of PIHA into consideration and not simply “discount” a group from our community.
There are several alternatives that are being investigated for Lake Esau besides drawing water from Lake Huron. These different alternatives have both pro’s and con’s but would be less costly than the Lake Huron option. It was asked and answered in the Township meeting that no other lake in Michigan is currently drawing in water from Lake Huron other than by natural means. However, Lake Esau is a special case as it is very close to a large body of water.
Historically, the SAD process came about as a result of the Edenville Dam failure back in 2020. When that dam failed, it raised awareness of the vulnerabilities of all of Michigan’s lakes that are level-controlled and prompted recognition that there had been lax oversight of those water bodies.
Be aware that creation of a SAD does not create a new tax that would flow into government coffers. SADs are simply the creation of a mechanism to apportion the necessary costs of managing those lakes’ levels, as required by court order. Only the actual costs of managing those lake levels can be assessed – nothing more. If no expenses are incurred, no assessments.
We suspect that the angst regarding our situation comes from the fact that the cost projections for these SADs are currently unknown. That part is out of our hands, but hopefully the County can provide some better estimates soon. Either way, the costs will have to be incurred to comply with the law.
As of today, the PIHA Board of Directors does not have enough information to discuss this issue and therefore this issue will NOT be on the agenda for the February 11th board meeting.
Again, please watch the above referenced recording to ensure you have all pertinent information. There is a contact link on that website for you to ask questions regarding the process or about your particular situation. Also, share your concerns with our elected officials, both county and state. As more information becomes available, the PIHA Board will share this information with all members of PIHA.
Board Meeting Day/Time Change
Effective immediately, the regular PIHA Board of Directors meetings have been changed from the 2nd Thursday of every month at 7PM to the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 6PM.
Our Board meeting schedule for the balance of this fiscal year will be as follows:
Tuesday, January 14 @ 6PM
Tuesday, February 11 @ 6PM
Tuesday, March 11 @ 6PM
Tuesday, April 8 @ 6PM
Tuesday, May 13 @ 6PM
Tuesday, June 10 @ 6PM
PIHA Welcomes our New Executive Director
Tim Supinger has officially started in his new role as Executive Director of PIHA.
His open office hours will be: Mon-Fri 9AM-11AM.
Tim can also be reached at TSupinger@presqueisleharbor.org
Upcoming Committee Meetings
To view any upcoming PIHA committee meetings, please follow the tab located at the top of the website called “News and Events – Calendar of Events” (or click here) to view any scheduled committee meetings.
