News – Rangeley Maine Highlands Ovelook Landowners Association

Good day, the following is an urgent message from the HOLA Road Commissioner, Dave Douglas.

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To all HOLA Residents:

Effective today (March 22, 2023) All HOLA roads have been posted with Heavy Loads Limited. This means that any vehicles (trucks, construction vehicles, moving vans, etc.) that exceed a gross weight of 23,000 pounds will not be authorized on HOLA roads. If violated, a fine of $1,000 will be issued to the HOLA resident.

For those not familiar with this posting, annually, around this time of snow melt the majority of roads (dirt or paved) in the Rangeley area are posted to protect the condition of the roads from major damage. I (HOLA) am following the Rangeley road commissioner’s posting effectivity date lasting until June 1, 2023.

The postings are located at all intersections off of Rt 4 and Harold Ross road. They are large orange posters clearly visible to all drivers.

Thank you for your cooperation and if there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at: ddouglas.me@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

David Douglas

HOLA Road Commissioner

HOLA ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TO BE HELD SEPTEMBER 3RD AT 11 AM

HOLA Annual Membership Meeting

Agenda

September 3, 2022 at 11 AM at The HOLA Waterfront

If raining, we will meet at 2493 Main Street

1.. Welcome & Sign In

Purpose of Annual Meeting

Necessary HOLA Business
Approve all Executive Committee Minutes for prior year
Inform and discuss issues
Meet socially – Bring a chair

2.. Introduce Board of Directors

Thank you for your service
Thank you to Mary Ellen Simon retiring after serving on the board since 2016

3.. Minutes of last annual meeting September 4, 2021

Approve all Executive Committee Minutes for year

4.. Road Committee Report – Dave Douglas

5.. Waterfront Committee Report – Ed Zambraski

6.. Treasurer’s Report – Jeff Zapolsky

2021-2022 Budget vs. Actual
Questions
2022-2023 Proposed Budget
Questions
Vote to approve 2022-2023 Budget

7.. Assessors Report—Jocelyn Kinlock, Mary-Ellen Moroney, Mike Zulauf

8.. Nominating Committee Report – Val Zapolsky, Millie Hoekstra, Susan Welch

Vote for Board Members
Vote for Road Commissioner and Assessors

9.. Ad Hoc Legal Committee Report

Revised/Updated ByLaws for HOLA

Vote to approve updated Bylaws

10.. Other items

Questions and Comments from membership

Sign up for Committees

11.. Next meeting September 2, 2023 at 11 AM

12.. Board Members meet to select officers

To: Highlands Overlook Landowners Association (HOLA) Members

From: Ed Zambraski for the HOLA Board of Directors

Re: Update

Date: April 27, 2022

One of the goals and responsibilities of the HOLA Board of Directors is to keep members informed of matters that pertain to the Association and local area. To meet this goal HOLA has established and maintains a website. ( www.holarangeley.org ) The HOLA Board has approved an additional approach of using email in an attempt to keep members informed and to increase communication.

I have agreed to send out periodic (e.g. every few months) email “BLASTS” with succinct announcements concerning the Association and local matters that would affect our group. The ones that were sent out over the past several years have been very well received by our members, so I will carry on. We hope this is of value and I would appreciate any feedback that you may have.

MATTERS OF INTEREST

Winter: I had to ask several people about Rangeley’s winter weather, as I was fortunate enough to spend December and January in the “southern latitudes!” I was told that it was cold with not much snow during the early season. The snowmachine trails did not open until mid-January. I do know from personal experience that in February the cross country, Saddleback downhill and snowmachine trails were all in excellent shape. Speaking of Saddleback, a contract has been signed to have the Saddleback Mountain Road, (the road from Dallas Hill Rd. to the ski area), totally rebuilt. NO MORE BUMPS!

HOLA Finances and Dues: As pointed out at our past annual meeting by our HOLA treasurer, Jeff Zapolsky, HOLA is in very good financial shape. This past fall approximately 80% of our over 200 members paid their dues by the November 15 due date. This makes handling our finances much more efficient and it is greatly appreciated.

Ice-Out and the HOLA Waterfront: Ice-out has not occurred, and it appears that this will happen during the first week of May. Boat slip and kayak rack assignments have been made for the 2022 season. By mid-May the aluminum dock should be in and the waterfront ready for full use.

HOLA Roads: Recently the Road Committee met. The consensus was that Burgess did a very good job sanding and plowing the roads this past winter. Our roads are still posted (i.e. weight restricted). Mud season saw a few problem spots but the roads, in general, are in pretty good shape. The Road Committee outlined the plan for road improvements this coming year. While grading, ditching and repair/replacement of culverts will probably not start until June, there are some “time dependent needs.” Many of the ditches parallel to our roads have been grown in by alders and other trees. These need to be cleared before ditching can occur. Members of the Road Committee and other volunteers have begun to cut these and haul them away. Doing this before the leaves appear makes this a much easier task. In addition, there are trees along the HOLA road rights-of-way that are leaning over the road and/or blocking the line of sight at various corners. The Road Committee would like to ask landowners to help cut these tress / bushes back, clear the ditches along their road frontage, and to clear and repair driveway culverts that have been clogged by snowplowing pushing stones and debris into them. The Road Commissioner, Dave Douglas, has indicated that if the landowner simply piles the debris. He will arrange to have the cut trees hauled away. The landowner simply has to call Dave to make this happen (443-822-9043).

On Saturday, May 7^th at 0900 the Road Commissioner is organizing two “work parties” to fill potholes and pick up trash etc. along our roads. One party will focus on the Lakeview Highlands and the other will focus on the Overlook. If ANY resident would like to contribute a morning to assist in this effort, please contact Dave. (phone number listed above or by email ddouglas.me@gmail.com ). Let’s make this a community effort!!

Lastly, on both of our hills many properties are being developed. It is the responsibility of the landowner to have driveway culverts installed. These culverts must meet certain specifications in terms of size, length, etc. The owner can arrange to have this done by a contractor or ask our Road Commissioner to include a culvert installation when HOLA road work is being done. This latter approach is often cheaper. It is important to note that the landowner is responsible for the cost of installing a new driveway culvert, as well as any costs associated with the repair or replacement of an old culvert.

Two HOLA Special Committees: This past year the HOLA Board established two Ad Hoc or special committees: a committee examining some legal questions and one dealing with ATV and snowmachine issues. The legal issues committee’s primary task is to determine if the HOLA Bylaws, last revised in 2008, need to be updated to comply with Maine laws and/or other local regulations. This committee is Chaired by Ed Zambraski (978) 660-9970 or (zambraski@gmail.com). The ATV/Snowmobile committee is interacting with the local ATV and Snowmobile Clubs, as well as with state officials. The goal is to maintain access to the trails for HOLA members, and at the same time, keep non-HOLA riders from using HOLA road for recreational use. This committee is Chaired by Dana Pagley (617) 594-3521 or (cru400@aol.com). If you have any questions or would like to provide input, please do not hesitate to contact the respective committee Chair.

2022 HOLA Annual Meeting: The annual HOLA meeting will be held at the HOLA waterfront on Saturday, September 3^rd at 11:00.

To: Highlands Overlook Land Owners Association (HOLA) Members

From: Ed Zambraski for the HOLA Board of Directors

Re: Update

Date: September 24, 2021

MATTERS OF INTEREST

Summer/Fall: The weather this past summer was quite odd. It was not consistently “bad” or consistently “good.” No weather pattern seemed to settle in and many days were quite windy. We do need rain as the drought continues and the lakes are very low. The foliage is turning and the peak should be around October 1st. I have been told, and from the traffic encountered, that the restaurants and retail shops in Rangeley have had one of their busiest seasons. As with many places, the issue of getting help or workers has been and still is problematic. Real Estate sales and new home construction have “gone through the roof.” Within HOLA for the first time the number of improved lots, or those with houses, now exceeds the number of empty lots.

HOLA Annual Meeting: On September 4^th at 11:00 down at the HOLA waterfront, Millie Hoekstra our HOLA Chairperson, called the annual HOLA Membership meeting to order. The meeting was well attended with a record 88 individuals present. The minutes of that meeting will be posted on the HOLA website. The major points of the meeting were:

-our treasurer, Jeff Zapolsky, indicated that HOLA is in very good financial shape.

-an increase in the road/snow dues of $105 for improved lots and $48 for empty lots was approved by the membership. This increase is specifically designed to support a multi-year plan to improve HOLA’s 7.4 miles of roads.

-after several years of excellent work, Dave Arthurs has resigned as Road Commissioner. Dave Douglas has agreed to serve and was approved as the new HOLA Road Commissioner.

Normally at the annual meeting when the Chair calls for “any other items” things are usually pretty quiet. This year was an exception as there was quite a bit of constructive discussion. One issue was unauthorized ATV use on private properties and on HOLA roads. It was pointed out that the HOLA leadership is involved and will continue discussions with the local ATV clubs, and local and state officials about ATV use within HOLA and potential ATV trail systems in the Rangeley area. Another topic of concern was “renters”, and in particular when the owners were not present (e.g. Airbnb). Opinions were expressed that many of these renters either do not know and/or care to abide by HOLA rules, both here on the hills and at the HOLA waterfront. These matters will be discussed at the HOLA Board meeting in November.

HOLA Waterfront: Over the past 18 years Mary-Ellen Moroney has served as the HOLA Harbormaster and Chair of the Waterfront Committee. Mary-Ellen has been responsible for many of the major improvements at the waterfront and the day to day management of the boat racks and slips. On September 10^th the Waterfront Committee met and discussed the concern that with the increased usage of the waterfront by HOLA members, the time and effort to manage the waterfront has been increasing each year. The committee asked Mary-Ellen if she would like to be relieved of this responsibility. Her answer was “yes, if someone else would be willing to take this on.” The committee then asked Ed Zambraski, “yours truly,” if I would assume the role of the Harbormaster and Chair of the Waterfront Committee. I have agreed and will officially start October 1^st. Mary-Ellen and I are currently working together to make this a smooth transition.

Annual Road/Snow and Administrative Dues: In the coming days the HOLA treasurer, Jeff Zapolsky, will mail out the 2021-2022 dues notices. Within this mailing are revised forms to request a canoe/kayak rack or boat slip at our waterfront for next season. Jeff spends a huge amount of time keeping the HOLA owner database, maintaining our financial records and paying HOLA bills. To make his task as easy as possible members are asked to send in their payments without delay and well before the November 15^th deadline.

Rangeley Library Telephone Directory: The Rangeley Library is currently updating their telephone directory for the new 12^th Edition. There is no cost for new listings or edits. Should you need to update your listing, I am attaching a sheet indicating how to proceed.

To: Highlands Overlook Land Owners Association (HOLA) Members

From: Ed Zambraski for the HOLA Board of Directors

Re: Update

Date: July 14, 2021

MATTERS OF INTEREST

Spring/Summer: During “mud season” in April & May many folks try to plan a trip to more southern latitudes. This coincides with the fact that normally we do not have a “spring” (winter leads right into summer). This year was a dramatic exception. Ice out was April 17^th (very early), temperatures moderated and everything, including lawns, grew 2-3 weeks earlier than normal. In June we did have a stretch of hot days (92 degrees), but things have cooled off and we are now having our normal high temperatures in the 80’s. Rangeley is busier than I have ever seen it. Retail shops, the IGA and restaurants are seeing no shortage of customers. The Real Estate market is seeing unprecedented activity. Several new homes are under construction within HOLA. I should add, Saddleback Ski area had an excellent first season. Saddleback will continue to serve the community this summer with a new Pub/restaurant located on the second floor of the main ski lodge. As the weather warms up the HOLA Waterfront is ready to accommodate. The docks, swim lines, swim float and some new tables and benches are there for your enjoyment.

Road Commissioner/Committee: After many years of diligent, faithful service to the organization, Dave Arthurs will be retiring from the HOLA Road Commissioner position. We need to elect a Road Commissioner at the Sept. 4th meeting. Our By Laws state:

The Road Commissioner shall be responsible for the maintenance of and snow removal for all the roads in the HOLA geographical area. It will be the Road Commissioner’s responsibility to work closely with the members of the Road Committee and HOLA landowners to formulate work plans, set priorities, set budgets, contact various contractors.

If you are interested in serving the organization in this capacity , please contact Millie Hoekstra, milliehoek@gmail.com

Road Maintenance and Snowplowing Budget: HOLA maintains over 7.4 miles of roads. The improvement of our roads over the past several years, largely due to our Road Commissioner and Committee, has been significant. That being said, many of our roads need to be upgraded. The HOLA Board has developed a multi-year plan to improve our road system. This includes building up our roads with significant amounts of shale to bring them up-to-grade and assist with drainage. These improvements will require additional resources.

Our current budget for road maintenance and snowplowing/sanding has not been increased for the past 13 years. The fees have been $ 210 for an empty lot and $ 463 for property with a house. To upgrade our 7.4 miles of roads the estimated cost is an additional $25,000/year to our existing road budget. To generate these additional funds the annual road fees would have to be increased. The estimated increase would be going from $210 to $ 258 for an empty lot and $ 463 to $ 568 for an improved lot. For individuals with a house this would be an increase of $ 2.00 per week. With this increase the HOLA Board does not anticipate any additional increases over the next few years. Just FYI: other HOAs in our area are paying much higher fees ie. $1,200 and $3,300 per year. This plan to improve our road system and the proposed increase in road fees will be discussed and voted on by the membership at the annual Sept. 4^th HOLA meeting.

ATVs: According to the HOLA ByLaws, ATVs may be used on HOLA roads by HOLA members, their renters or guests, only to visit others or to access approved ATV trails. Individuals not associated with HOLA are prohibited from driving their ATVs on any HOLA road. New signage put up last year at various entrances to HOLA has made this very clear and have been beneficial.

There are currently no approved ATV trails that can be accessed directly from a HOLA road; access requires driving over private landowner properties. One route over private land is across Nile Brook along the CMP power lines. HOLA landowners adjacent to Nile Brook are concerned about the excessive erosion and damage to their property, and the potential negative affect on Nile Brook, caused by ATVs using this route. While they have made the decision, at this time, not to post, barricade or totally close off this trail, they are requesting that HOLA members on the Overlook not use this route (e.g. trailer their machines to Depot St. in Rangeley) or use it minimally only when absolutely necessary.

Annual HOLA Meeting: The 2021annual meeting of the HOLA membership will be held on Saturday, September 4^th,11:00 am at the HOLA Waterfront. (Please bring a chair.) If it is raining, we will move the meeting to RFA Lakeside Theater, 2493 Main St., Range