After 5 years as a member of the Section 22 HOA board, this is my last message, because my time is up. It has been an interesting five years that saw tremendous change in the community. When I got on the board, I had no particular projects that I wanted to see implemented. My goal was to help make the community better. I can’t say I will miss all the meetings, phone calls and debates, but when I look around the community, I am happy to see all the fruits of our labors.
A board like this can only be successful if there is a great team to share the work, and a supporting cast of community volunteers who care enough to get involved. If this community is going continue to grow and prosper, we need more members of the community to step up, and get involved. Unfortunately, the 80/20 rule applies to communities like ours. 80% of the people benefit from the efforts of the 20%. The fear is that the 20% get frustrated, and stop getting involved. At that point our community, and potentially our property values are in jeopardy.
When I first got on the board in 2020, we began the “Vision 2025” input meetings. From this grew a program that helped to re-shape the community, change the look, and focus on lifestyle improvements. This program was a big success, and all you need to do is look over at Linkside, the fitness complex or the dog park to see how these changes enhanced Burnt Store Marina. The community owes a big “Thank you” to Glenna Benson, Bob Honcharski, Rob Jamross, Kelley Beaty, Arne Arnesen, Lesley Rose and Cheryl Shaw.
2026 is the final year of our special assessment, which allowed our community to purchase the irrigation, golf course, fitness center and Resort Pool. Retrospectively, this was a great decision that allowed us to control our own destiny. I’m not sure anyone thought about the amount of work it takes to oversee these assets. BSM is a small city. We have over 6 million dollars in revenues that keep this place going, accompanied by 6 million dollars of expenses that is a growing challenge to contain.
There is a tremendous amount of growth happening throughout our area. Though Burnt Store Marina doesn’t have much more room to grow, we still need to look at the future. The board brought in a consulting firm, Morris/Depew to help us look at the next five years and beyond to begin to formulate a plan for the future. They looked at the community, the assets we have, the regulatory environment, and the competitive universe outside our walls. There is no such thing as standing still, you are either growing or dying. In a community like ours, backsliding will only erode property values and diminish the value proposition for residents. In 2026, a plan should be put in place to create a vision for the next five years.
WELCOME “VISION 2030”
A new team needs to be put together under the board’s guidance, and take a fresh look at how BSM can grow into the future. We will need to have the community agree to financing a new plan. Our continued dominance in the real estate marketplace will depend upon our ability to attract new buyers with a lifestyle that is second to none. Just looking at the notes from the Vision 2025 group, we can put together a starting point for discussion. It will start with a dream, turn into a vision and then with an action plan, become a reality. We truly have the bones in place to make BSM the gem of the west coast. Below are just a few ideas that have been discussed:
• New ornate light poles that enhance the esthetics of our main roads, including lights along Cape Cole Blvd.
• A playground for young visitors when they are here
• A community center to hold meetings and events
• An exercise building to allow larger, and more types of classes to include dance, aerobic and self-defense.
• An expanded Linkside Café restaurant to include a bigger kitchen and more seating
• An enclosed lanai at the golf course to offer comfortable indoor seating in the hot summer
• More bocci ball courts and shuffleboard courts
• Golf cart paths for all 27 holes
• A restroom on the Heron golf course
• A computer lab/business center for meetings
• EV charging stations for public use in the community
These are just some of the ideas that have already been discussed, but are waiting for their chance to become a reality. This list just scratches the surface, and with community input, there will undoubtedly be many more additions to this list. It will be up to future boards and the community at large to decide what type of community we want to become. Remember, standing still is not an option.
In closing I first want to thank Jerry Newmin for being a great partner on the board for the last four years. Jerry worked tirelessly for everyone in the community on numerous projects, and never hesitated to get involved when he could help. He has been a great teammate, sounding board and mentor to me personally. I also want to thank the other board members who have given so much of their time, talent, and resources to make BSM great. Special thanks to Rocky Mansfield, Maggie Hart, Barry Groesch, Steve Hocker, and the many volunteers who give their time freely while asking nothing in return. Lastly, my biggest thank you goes to Mike Lemon. Over my five years on the board, NOBODY has done more for Burnt Store Marina than Mike Lemon. We didn’t always see eye to eye on things, but I never questioned his commitment to our community. Mike Lemon has more energy than Donald Trump, which is really saying something. Burnt Store Marina is a great place due in large part to the efforts of Mike Lemon.
The best is yet to come. We’ve come a long way, but the journey continues. Get involved. Be a part of the solution!
