LAKE ENTIAT ESTATES
PAST POSTS - History
EVERYTHING HAS
A HISTORY.
An Archive of Association posts, going back as far as possible.
This time of year can be dangerous for pets; many wild animals are pressed for food and range ever further to find it. This is country, and wildlife is always close even when we can't see it in the daytime. It was recently reported that community member Otto Ross's peacock was taken by what appears to have been a cougar, based upon the tracks. Keep a watchful eye on your pets and children!
CHILD & PET SAFETY 12.26.17
BEAVER BLUES 11.26.17
The Association's challenges due to beavers have been documented as far back as 1992 (CLICK for minutes excerpt). Association staff attempted to mitigate damage to the park trees by installing wire fencing around the base of each tree last year, as per the recommended standards of Fish & Wildlife--however, earlier this month the beaver pushed up against this fencing and chewed on the 20 trees, one of which had to be felled for safety's sake. The Association subsequently hired a trapper who caught and disposed of 3 beavers and no additional damage has occurred.
The next step is to install a "hot wire" to shock any remaining beavers, preventing them from doing more damage to the trees. Please keep your children and pets out of the center cove spit while this mitigation is underway during the next few months.
THANK YOU TO MR. WEBB FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!
2018 SHORT-TERM RENTALS 11.21.17
The Association has a procedure in place for the approval of short-term rental (STR) properties, part of which involves filling out and submitting the STR Application/ Declaration form to the Association. The Board decided to maintain the cap at 20 and the fee at $850 for 2018. The 2018 Short-Term Rental Application form will be available by December 15th on the website (HERE).
As outlined in the minutes (as far back as January), staff collated research this year as a means for laying the initial foundations of a standardized method for managing properties in or out of good standing. After review at the October meeting the Board decided that, while the data would not be appropriate for guidance in determining the 2018 STR cap or fee, the Rules committee will further consider it for criteria appropriate to collect with the goal of ensuring a positive Sun Cove experience for all.
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NOTE: You may feel free to submit the 2018 Short-Term Rental Application once it has been made available, but please do not submit the application checks to the Association until your property has been approved by the Board via the lottery allocation process. THANK YOU for your cooperation with the new procedure!
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UPDATE 12.15.17: The 2018 Short-Term Rental Application is now available! Click the link above to be taken to it. Remember not to submit checks with your application.
CHRISTMAS PARTY 11.20.17
Looking for a way to get into the festive Christmas spirit this year, or to just hang out with your fellow Sun Cove neighbors? Why not attend the Annual Clubhouse Decorating Party and Potluck? Good food, good company and light spirits are a great way to keep the chill of the new winter at bay. Thanks to John and Mary Divine for chairing this event! CLICK HERE for more information. No registration required!
HOUSE CHECKUPS 11.13.17
Looking for a little extra security this winter while you're away, or just in general? Why not schedule a series of house checkups with the sheriff? Click the link below to be taken to the Douglas County Request for Residential Security Check.
KEEP DOGS ON-LEASH 11.07.17
DANGER! A family of beavers living nearby have done excessive damage to the trees on the center cove spit, forcing staff to employ the services of a professional wildlife trapper. THESE PARTICULAR TRAPS CAN KILL DOGS, so remember to keep your dogs on-leash and do not let them approach the traps!!
FUEL ON THE RIVER? 11.06.17
The future of the Orondo River Park on the Columbia River is being determined at a town meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Orondo School District office, 100 Orondo School Rd! This is your chance to make your voice heard. If you'd like to participate in the making of this impactful decision, you can read the PUD's article HERE. Click the button below to take their survey. Your opinions matter!
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Thanks to community member Georgia Mashayekh for sharing this information!
FIREWISE SURVEY IS LIVE 11.03.17
The FireWise committee has put together a quick survey for community members in the interest of making Sun Cove a safer place for everyone during fire season! Click the button below to take the survey and make your mind known. We value your input!
FIREWISE SURVEY 10.29.17
SURVEY COMING SOON!
Your FireWise committee has been working hard to help make the community safer during fire season for all. If you've signed up to receive the E-Newsletter, be sure to watch in early November for an important FireWise survey going out! The link will also be made available here on the NEWS page when ready, and physically mailed to those who haven't gone paperless yet. Let's all do our best to make Sun Cove a better place!
ROSS YARD WASTE SERVICE 10.29.17
Longtime community member Otto Ross has graciously allowed Sun Cove members the use of his property for the disposal of their yard waste, provided they contact him for permission. Mr. Ross closed the burn pile for the summer due to fire hazards, but has now reopened his land to members who contact him for permission. Contact him for on-site instructions for placement of leaves, trimmings, grass etc.
HOME WINTERIZATION 10.29.17
Winterizing your property to avoid potential disastrous accidents is always a must! Pipes can freeze and break, especially in an Eastern Washington climate. If you are planning on leaving Sun Cove for more than a few days and don't have a "main" water shut-off on your property or in your home, you can CLICK HERE to see the Water Manager's instructions on how to turn your water off at the street, or visit the Home Winterization section of the website. Be ready for winter when it finally sets in!
WINTER PREPARATION 10.29.17
It may be another snowy winter, so plan ahead for snow removal by lining up a vendor before your first winter visit! For safety, feasibility and consistency, remember that staff will not be available to assist you with removal of berms of snow left at entrance to your private driveways. Check back here during winter to get in touch with plowing references provided by your neighbors to the Association.
POTLUCK/GAME NIGHT 10.08.17
CHAIRPERSON: KAREN BACH
Summer is gone, but that doesn't mean the fun has to end! Community member Karen Bach would like to invite you to a community potluck and game night on October 11th at the clubhouse--all Sun Cove adults invited! What a great way to spend a fall evening...visiting with friends, meeting new people, enjoying a great dinner and playing games! CLICK HERE for more information. Hope to see you there!
WINE TASTING EVENT 9.06.17
CHAIRPERSON: ALZIRA ZOLLO-DEAN
Everybody knows about the annual Sun Cove Wine Tasting! It's a great way to get to know your neighbors or just relax and enjoy the awesome wine and great food. CLICK HERE for more information or to RSVP. The wine will be from Ventimiglia Cellars.
FIRST 55 REGISTRANTS MAX. REGISTRATION DEADLINE NOVEMBER 4TH!
UDPATE : REGISTRATIONS CLOSED!
We've hit our limit. See you next year!
2017 CHILI COOK-OFF 8.28.17
SAD NEWS: THE 2017 CHILI COOK-OFF HAS BEEN CANCELLED! There were only 5 contestants, so there would not be enough chili to go around (for comparison, last year there were 13 contestants!). Here's hoping that we'll see more interest next year, and thank you to the five who signed up to show their stuff!
GOLF CART PERMITS 8.25.17
PLEASE NOTE: The Association attained its golf cart ordinance under very stringent golf cart definitions. However, as time has passed, golf carts within the community have grown more advanced and customized, to the point that many no longer fall under the definition umbrella of 'golf carts,' even though these vehicles have been issued golf cart stickers for lack of an alternative. As such, and due to the matter being brought to the Association's attention, it was decided at the August Board Meeting that golf cart stickers that have been issued to such vehicles can no longer be considered valid and must be exchanged for existing vehicular parking passes.
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If you receive a notice on your golf cart asking that you return your sticker to the Association, your vehicle is still allowed within the community--just use a hanging parking pass as a valid Association permit! If you have any questions, call the office.
COVENANT WAIVER 8.21.17
Every community member will be receiving a Covenant Waiver ballot in the mail to vote on an important issue that has been brought to the Board's attention. CLICK HERE to read about what it's all about! If you don't receive your ballot by September, please contact the office to receive a replacement. Please return your ballot ASAP!
2017 CHILI COOK-OFF 8.09.17
It's that time of year again--time for the 11th Annual Jeff Dowdle Memorial Chili Cook-Off! For more information click the EVENTS tab; to register (it's *free!*) click the button below. Does your secret chili recipe have what it takes to win first place??
AIR QUALITY 8.05.17
Due to the fires raging in British Columbia the air quality has been at an all-time low all across the nation, even peaking into Hazardous conditions. CLICK HERE to check out the Air Quality Monitoring of Chelan, WA to determine whether or not it's safe to be outside for prolonged periods of time--view the Associaton's webcam to take a peek at real-time footage, and CHELAN'S webcams, as well. Everybody stay safe!
SAFETY REMINDER 7.07.17
Check out this excerpt from the Chelan P.U.D. website:
"Chelan County PUD reminds boaters, swimmers and paddlers to be on the watch for changing water conditions on the Columbia River and Lake Chelan this summer due to normal fluctuations in water levels to meet power demand, as temperatures increase and as runoff from snowmelt ends.
Boaters also are urged to keep an eye out for floating debris and to be alert to possible changes in water levels at launches and along the shoreline.
Information on Columbia River flow at Rocky Reach and Rock Island dams and the level of Lake Chelan is available in real time on our website at chelanpud.org along with water conditions at area boat launches."
IMPORTANT REMINDER 7.03.17
There is no fueling on community property (it's subject to an immediate $300 fine)--the nearest refueling stations are in Chelan and Orondo, so be really sure to plan ahead in order to ensure that you don't get stuck or stranded!
JULY 4TH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED 6.18.17
The Fourth of July Celebration is coming! For event details, click the EVENTS tab, or click HERE for the Event Schedule. You can find the Parade Route HERE as well.
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The Fourth of July can only take place if there are community volunteers. If you enjoy this great event, take some time to give back to the community and help keep it going! Volunteers are always needed. CLICK HERE if you'd like to help out and we'll email you a list of available positions and times. Let's make this year as best as it can be!
DON'T JUST LET IT SLIDE! 5.29.17
Summer is a busy season and, above all, a fun season, where everyone is geared up for both excitement and relaxation. That means an increase in activity, and people, in Sun Cove--So if you witness someone breaking a rule, or are having an issue with a neighbor or community member, there are recourses available to you if you're not immediately able to solve the problem yourself. Staff will be logging issues and complaints all summer, so if you have a problem, email us or give the office a call!
REMINDER: The compactor is NOT for yard waste.
Contact member Otto Ross for yard waste disposal, or wait
for the Association's Curbside Pickup Service (see below).
FIREWISE INFORMATION 5.06.17
CURBSIDE PICKUP SERVICE
Last year, the Association offered a chipping service to members for yard waste as part of its FireWise program. This year the Association will be offering a pickup service to members, so be sure to put out your yard waste before May 20th! Debris placed after May 20th will not be picked up. CLICK HERE for the flyer.
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FIRE PROTECTION RATING
Sun Cove's Fire Protection Rating has dropped from a Class 8 to a Class 7 due to its efforts at becoming a FireWise community! (Class 1 is the best protected, Class 10 being the worst.) This could potentially result in significant savings for Sun Cove members! Contact your insurance agents regarding the changes.
CREDIT CARD & E-CHECK 5.06.17
Good news - Sun Cove members now have the option of paying their assessments by Credit Card and E-check! The process is being finalized through WPS, Sun Cove's accounting department in Seattle. For the flyer, CLICK HERE. For help with this process, or to ask questions, contact Ginger Rodgers (you may email her HERE).
2017 ANNUAL MEETING 4.30.17
A BIG THANK YOU to all the community members that participated in the Annual Meeting, either in person or in electronic attendance! We value your opinions.
Despite incredible unforeseen obstacles on the very morning of the meeting, including an extended power outage and no internet access, your Board and staff eventually managed to conduct the meeting without postponing, cancelling or rescheduling, using nothing more than a backup generator, extension cords and a Board member's smartphone that was turned into an emergency hot spot! Wow! Good job, everybody!
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If you experienced issues or confusion due to the aforementioned technical problems, especially with the electronic attendance interface, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Every year we're attempting to make your electronic attendance experience better--we value your participation!
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If you missed the meeting and would still like to view it, CLICK HERE to submit a request to view the video file that includes webcam shots, Powerpoint slides, voting items and browser windows. Once approved, your personal password will only work for 24 hours, so be sure to watch it before then, or you'll have to reapply! CLICK HERE to download the Powerpoint presentation. Now, even though you may have missed out, you can still take a peek at what happened in its entirety!
ANNUAL MEETING
ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE 4.21.17
For more information CLICK HERE to check out the Annual Meeting Blast!
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Are you planning to join the annual membership meeting via the internet (phone, tablet, computer, etc.) on Saturday, April 29th at 9am?
If so, register to attend online by clicking this link before 5 pm , April 25th. You must include your name, Sun Cove address and email address for authentication purposes.
Once registered, you will receive an email that includes everything you need to know in order to join the meeting. At 9am, April 29th, you will be able to log in and experience the meeting in real time if you have an internet connection, as well as electronically pose a question/comment and vote.
PLEASE NOTE that staff begins electronic attendance preparation for the meeting at 8:00am, but the actual meeting starts for members at 9:00am.
PLEASE NOTE that there is no proxy or absentee voting at this time, but you may vote electronically if you cannot physically attend the Annual Meeting.
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In order to submit an electronic vote you MUST ATTEND ELECTRONICALLY. To attend electronically, *CLICK HERE* for the simple registration process.
BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY
TEST PROGRAM LAUNCH 4.21.17
The Board has decided to make the Backflow Assembly Test procedure more convenient and cost-effective for members by organizing an opt-in program, where the Association will hire one BAT to do all of Sun Cove's tests at a discounted price and orchestrate the process in-house. Now, you don't have to do anything but opt-in!
If you'd like to participate in this pilot program, a letter has been mailed to all Sun Cove members with the relevant information--all you need to do is mail back the signed consent form and a check ($30 for each property/device to be tested). Please make checks out to Lake Entiat Lodge, Associated or Lake Entiat Estates.
For the letter that was recently mailed to the relevant members, CLICK HERE.
For more information on Cross-Connection Control, CLICK HERE!
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NOTE--If you have not received this packet by May 1st and believe you should have (i.e., you have a backflow assembly that needs annual testing), please contact us.
APPLY NOW! 3.26.17
The Association is looking for summer staff! In 2016 the Association was hard-pressed to find any applicants for the Clubhouse Monitor and Security positions, despite advertising everywhere from radio and newspaper to Craigslist and posted flyers. If you or anyone you know are interested in a great full-time summer job, CLICK HERE! Click the colored words above for respective job descriptions. Craigslist ads will be forthcoming. Help us make summer safe and fun for everybody!
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This year, long-time groundskeeper Eliceo Solorio will unfortunately not be returning to us. A new assistant groundskeeper is needed for the summer season, so if you also know of anyone who may be interested in applying for the position, or if you are interested yourself, CLICK HERE for the job description and HERE to apply!
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UPDATE 4.17.17 - A seasonal groundskeeper has been hired! If you're interested in employment opportunity at Sun Cove, the Clubhouse Monitor and Security positions are still open (see above information).
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UPDATE 5.06.17 - Security and a Clubhouse Monitor have been secured!
BOARD/COMMITTEE POSITIONS 3.16.17
It's a new year; looking to start fresh or try new things? Would you like to be a candidate serving your community for a 2-year term? Why not run for a Board position! Click HERE for a Board application. Send applications to 250 W Beach Drive, Orondo, WA, or you may also email scans to as an alternative to mailing them.
If being on the Board isn't for you, there are many opportunities to get involved in the community, from Social or Communications--where you focus on networking, bringing people closer together--to Architectural Review and Facilities/Maintenance, where you bring your personal skill set to the table--to Rules & Covenants and Long-Range Planning, where you help shape the future of Sun Cove itself! For a current Committee list click HERE. Email if interested!
RENTAL POLL RESULTS 2.27.17
At the November 2016 meeting, the Board raised the Rental Cap (the maximum number of properties allowed as approved short-term rental properties) to 20 from 19. The Board also raised the Declaration fee to $850 from $750, and issued a poll to verify that the action met the desires of the membership majority.
The poll results have been tabulated and reviewed by the Board. THANK YOU TO THE 183 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COMPLETED THE POLL! The Association is at the Rental Cap for 2017; if you missed the deadline and wish for short-term rental status, see Section 8 for details.
OCCUPANCY STUDY 2.25.17
The Association's Treasurer, J. Anderson, has undertaken a project in the interest of producing a tool that your Board of Directors can use for the ongoing Long-Range Plan. The project involves the Association's meter-reading technology and community occupancy. If you'd like to help with this, click the button below to sign up we'll be in touch with you! You may receive the calendar page as a physical copy (you would have to either provide us with the copy at the end of the study, or email us a scan of it), or you may fill it out and send it to us digitally as a live Adobe PDF form.
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All you would need to do is put down how many people are in your Sun Cove house, daily, for a month or so. Contact J. Anderson for info or email admin@suncove.net.
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PARKING PERMIT PROCEDURE 2.19.17
For several years the Association has issued parking permits with the understanding that they may last indefinitely, until either lost, stolen or damaged. In order to better control the parking permits being issued annually the Board recently made the decision to switch to annually-issued parking permits. CLICK HERE to check out the Minutes regarding this procedural change. PLEASE NOTE that the office must have a current (working) Member Contact Information Form on file for your property in order to send you your new parking passes.
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New passes will be issued to you via mail along with the Annual Meeting Notice, so don't worry about past or future orders. Call the office if you have questions!
PLOWING 1.15.17
When the county plows come to service Sun Cove, they leave berms that are often quite large, especially after heavy winters. Maintenance staff will not be available to assist you with the removal of berms on private driveways due to liability and consistency concerns, so plan ahead for berms and driveways by lining up a vendor before your visit. Romero Landscaping is available for plowing at REDACTED, as well as community member John Horsfall, found at REDACTED, and Roberta Schwantes's Spanish exchange student, Eric, at REDACTED. Good luck!
NEW ASSESSMENT ADDRESS 1.04.17
The Association's accounting team, WPS, recently sent the membership the 2017 Budget and Assessment information. (CLICK HERE for the official letter outlining the details.) The new address is just part of the accounting team's independent shift in the way they processes assessment payments--it is legitimate. Thank you for your patience during this transition! If you have questions contact Ginger HERE.
SHORT-TERM RENTAL POLL 12.31.16
THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL POLL IS CLOSED AS OF 11:59PM, DECEMBER 31ST, 2016. The results are currently being tabulated and organized for Board review. A big THANK YOU to those who participated! Your opinions shape Sun Cove!
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Please remember, the Rental Cap is currently at 20 properties. If you wish to register your property as a Short-Term Rental property, you must submit the one-page Declaration form and pay the current fee of $850. CLICK HERE for more.
WEBSITE UPDATE 11.25.16
The server that hosted the Sun Cove website we all know and love went out of business, forcing staff to migrate the site. However, this was easier said than done, and due to the failings of the alternative server the site was put 'on-hold' by staff until a more user-friendly interface can be located.
We knew our community members needed somewhere to go for their information if they don't receive the E-Newsletter, so with the help of community member Brandon Fix, staff was able to set up this website for your convenience! If you have any document requests, you may request them HERE. Please note that this site is under construction, so not everything may work or be complete yet! UPDATE--The Event Calendar added to the News page has been fixed and now the event times are displaying correctly. Thanks for your patience during this process!
THANK YOU TO COMMUNITY MEMBER BRANDON FIX for helping staff land on their feet on such short notice! We couldn't have done it without his assistance.