Is it really time for Oktoberfest? Where did the summer go? Tina and I find ourselves wondering what happened to that whole year we had to get ready for the wedding. We hope your family took advantage of the Montclair recreation facilities and the fun summer events. New in 2007, Friday Night Movies at the beach was a great success. Nearly 50 children and their parents enjoyed popcorn and the walk-in movie. I'm sure the Events Committee is planning more movies for summer 2008 so be sure to vote for your favorite family movie. Our Events Director Maryanne Toal, supported by the hardworking Maintenance Dept. took the Montclair Teen Beach Party to a new level. The Joust and a giant Slip & Slide provided ample opportunity for the teens to get wet and let off steam while being entertained by local bands and an excellent DJ, John Caniford. A special thanks goes to the Montclair Lions who again responded to a last minute call to serve pizza and drinks when the planned provider backed out. I was very disappointed that of the three hundred teens who benefited from this event, only a couple parents responded to the call for chaperones.

Last month I drew your attention to the planned Town Meeting to discuss the upcoming Lake Montclair dredging project. I'm very pleased to report that a great turn out, including Delegate Jeff Fredrick, took advantage of this opportunity to hear an informative and detailed presentation by Chair Ned Greene and the Lake Management Committee (LMC). The total briefing can be found on ArmstrongConnect. At the August Board meeting, the Board approved the proposed lake dredging project and even expanded the effort to include more of the head of the lake adjacent to the Southlake Cove and Waters Edge shoreline. This contract, worth nearly $900,000, is a significant investment in our lake, which in turn benefits the entire downstream watershed of the Chesapeake that Lake Montclair protects. To help stretch out the need for future dredging I am asking the Membership to write and encourage our PWC supervisors to fund and build the proposed fore-bay upstream of Lake Montclair.

At our August meeting, the Board received the out briefing of the auditors who gave the MPOA an unqualified audit. The delta between our income and expenses was a plus of about $100k, which is darn good management with all of the variables involved in the scope of operations of the MPOA. This report reflects very favorable upon the Budget committee, the oversight of the Board and the daily management of our onsite contractor, Armstrong Management. The audit contains one specific recommendation that the Board reduce the Members equity. In simple terms this is a fiscal limbo area for funds and assets that are not currently in an operating account, or in a dedicated reserve.

With the dredging now in the hands of the staff to execute, I intend to turn my full attention, and that of the Board, back to the landscaping issues I have raised and the continued decline in the curb appeal of our community. In my twenty years of service to the Montclair Community I have witnessed no less than three major landscaping/entrance way improvement plans that have never been fully executed. The failure of these stop and start efforts can be traced to the lack of support of the Membership in participating in the Landscaping & Facilities Management Committee (LFMC); a lack of consistent landscaping expertise in the onsite contractor(s) staff; a lack of long range planning/execution by the Board; and a lack of long range funding being set aside by the Association. We were so wrapped up in just trying to get the grass cut and the weeds pulled that the decline of the common areas just happened before our very eyes.

My vision is that WE (the Board, the Membership, Armstrong Management, the LFMC, the Budget & Finance Committee, and Community Landscaping) tackle this challenge on various fronts in parallel. I have asked Geoffrey Winkworth, 2nd Vice President of the Board, to try and recruit new Members to the LFMC. LFMC Chair Donna McCarter needs volunteers that have the same passion for the appearance of Montclair that the LMC has for the water quality of our lake. Please give Geoffrey a call, or use the online volunteer form, if you can contribute even a few hours towards this vital effort. At our September meeting I will ask the Board to dedicate some of the $100K available in the "Members Equity" to a Landscaping and Entrance Way Reserve fund. At that same September meeting I have asked the LFMC to deliver their initial plans for the revitalization of Waterway Drive. A long range plan will also be submitted to the Budget & Finance Committee for inclusion in the budget process. We need the expressed support and interest of the Membership if this vision is to survive beyond one budget cycle.

I want to thank all of the Members who were both patient and understanding as we dealt with the high e-coli readings and the temporary closing of West Beach. To date we still have not identified the direct source; however, the waterfowl are looking like the probable culprits. You can expect the Board to be taking some deliberate actions to reduce their population and discourage their use of the beach areas in the future. You can help in two ways: 1) DON'T FEED THE WATERFOUL. Feeding them only makes them want to stay here; and 2) if you have not done so, sign up for ArmstrongConnect. This has proven to be the best way to send timely information and advisories about swimming. E-mail Communications Director Courtney Larson at newsletter@montclairva.com with your name and address to sign-up.

Schools are opening so everyone needs to watch out for the kids going back to school. Please signup to volunteer for Oktoberfest on September 22. The Events Committee has some great entertainment lined up and your family will want to be there. In closing, please keep in your thoughts and prayers the families of the service men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice so that our children will enjoy the same freedom we take for granted.

James V. Cech, President
jcech@montclairva.com