December 14, 2015

W E L C O M E

SIMONTON LAKE H.O.A.

PURPOSES

PURPOSESExplore Possibilities of Expanding

Conservancy District Bylaws

WHAT IS A

CONSERVANCYDISTRICT

The Indiana Conservancy Act (IC 14-33) provides a mechanism by whichlandowners, through a circuit court process, can organize a special taxing district

( a local unit of government )to solve specific local issues related to water resources management.

Purposes being suggested forExpansion of the Districts Bylaws

(currently only sewage system)

No. 2 - Improving drainage.

No. 6 - Developing forest, wildlife areas, parks, & recreational facilitieswhere feasible in connection with beneficial waste management.

No. 7 - Preventing the loss of topsoil from injurious water erosion.

No. 9 - Operation, maintenance & improvement of any work of improvementfor water based recreational purposes, or other work of improvement that could have been

for any other purpose authorized by the Act.

Suggested Conservancy Projects( As recommended by the Environmental Committee )

Proactive & Uniform Lake Weed Control

Public Landing : Paving / Landscaping / Maintenance

Re-establish USGS lake level monitoring

Erosion control

Drainage improvements

Environmental Enhancement

Sediment RemovalConstraints :

A - What Can we doB - What can we Afford to do

C - What are we Allowed to do

Sediment removal – completed to date

Sediment Removal Costs To Date

$ 172,400 - Basin, Fees, etc$ 405,000 - Dredging of 25,500 Cubic Yards

NARROWS - LANDING - CHANNEL ACCESS

$ 577,400 - Total

Our VisionWeed Control – USGS Monitoring – Landing improvements & maintenance,Buoy installation, maintenance & removal – Fees, Consulting, Newsletter,

Studies & Permits - Sediment removal, Erosion mediation.

Additional Sediment Removal78,000 Cubic Yards

48 Acre basin increase

M O N E YOUR VISION

$ 150,000 - SITES 4 & 5$ 160,000 - SHORTFALL ON CURRENT SEDIMENT REMOVAL

$ 675,000 - WEST AREA SEDIMENT REMOVAL$ 720,000 - EAST AREA SEDIMENT REMOVAL

$ 400,000 - BASIN / WILDLIFE AREA$ 5,000 - LANDING ISSUES & MAINTENANCE / YR

$ 20,000 - WEED CONTROL / YR$ 5,000 - USGS MONITORING / YR$ 65,000 - STUDIES/PREMITS/FEES

This is a list compiled from discussions with various Freeholders & is certainly fluid as the process progresses

FUNDING( After much discussion, consciences seems to be that the fairest approach to funding the improvement

of Simonton Lake seems to be the following)

A Special Assessment based on current Assessed Property Valuesat a .0009 district wide rate.

With a current District Assessed Value of $ 130,000,000,The .0009 Proposed Rate Increase would generate

$ 117,000 Revenue / yr,

Examples of a .0009 ($90 per $100,000) increased assessment to your annual Property Tax bill:

$75,000 Parcel -- $67.50/yr$100,000 Parcel -- $90.00/yr

$150,000 Parcel -- $135.00/yr$200,000 Parcel -- $180.00/yr$250,000 Parcel -- $225.00/yr$300,000 Parcel -- $270.00/yr

Association’s request to amend the Conservancy’s Purposes (Summary)

Indiana Conservancy District Act (IC 14-33) provides a mechanism by which landowners, through a circuit court process can organize a special taxing district to solve specific local issues related to water resources management.

Currently our Conservancy is single purpose for collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage. Most Indiana Conservancies are multi-purpose.

Additional purposes proposed by the Association:

Add a purpose to resolve drainage issues within the district. Example….High water property damage Add a purpose where practical to preserve Wildlife and recreation areas within the district. Example…restore the

basin to some environmental value or farmland Add a purpose to resolve erosion issues and filtering chemical/nitrates from entering the lake. Example…prevent

weeds/algae blooms and more sediment entering and filling our lake. Add a purpose allowing for the ongoing operation, maintenance, and improvement of the above purposes

authorized by the Indiana Conservancy Act (IC 14-33)

Why funding is needed

The State and County DO NOT adequately maintain the lake. Government doesn’t have the funding. The Association is voluntary and doesn’t have the funds or resources to resolve the concerns of the committee. 50% of our 301 acre lake has less than 4’ depth, and our Lake is actually 2 small lakes Our Lake is too small for the high speed boats which cause resuspension of sediment damage and unsafe condition. Land development within the Watershed lacks proper drainage practices causing damage to property owners.

Association is looking for the support of Conservancy members to:

Fund the current debt ($175,000) Resulting from 25,518 cy of sediment dredged at sites 1, 2, & 3. Before LARE grant expired.

Fund sites #4 and #5 ($175,000) already permitted Resolve erosion issues and remove sediment identified and recommended in 2010 Diagnostic Study (est $300,000) Sediment Removal in identified and permissible areas of the big lake (est $300,000) Sediment removal in additional and permissible areas of the Narrows (est $150,000) Sediment removal in permissible areas of the Little Lake (est $150,000) Sediment removal in channels (est $150,000) Acquire 48 additional land acreage for sediment disposal (est 400,000) Strategic weed control and annual treatment (est $20,000 annually) Additional Buoys and signage and annual installation, removal and storage (estimated $5,000 annually) Improvements and maintenance of the Public Landing (est $5,000 plus $1,000 annually)

Projected costs to Conservancy members

Association’s goal is to limit the special assessment to $90/$100,000 of your assessed value (NOT Market Value) The special assessment will be added to your Real Estate taxes payable in the Spring and Fall According to tax professionals the tax is deductible Actual costs, project prioritization, funding options, and schedules will depend on methods employed, what government

agencies allow or require, and Bond financing options.

Process

Nothing can happen until the Conservancy’s Purposes are amended. This petition is not a final vote. The court will investigate, hold hearing, and allow for member input before making its

decision The Association’s Environment committee will determine the scope and priority of the projects. The committee will make its recommendations to the Conservancy Board for authorization and approval Association members are encourage to participate on the environment committee and provide input.

Simonton Lake aerial photo dated 1938

SIMONTON LAKE – 2013 PHOTO