THE YEAR IN REVIEW Bridge Repair Underway

Coosawat t ee Ri ver Re sor t Associ ati on
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Robert McCall—President, Board of Directors
August 2014
Inside this issue:
Our CRRA fiscal year runs from
May 1st through April 30th each
year, while our Board of Directors’ election cycle occurs during
July/August each year. As I reflect on the past year as the Board
President, many favorable changes come to mind. As you read the
Treasurer’s article this month, you
will see we had a good year financially. The ability to resolve a
legal issue amicably resulted in
higher revenues than we had anticipated receiving. While we
won’t always be able to count on
receiving higher than planned
assessment revenues, we will continue to focus on collecting past
due assessments, selling CRRAowned lots, leasing Villa units,
and improving operational efficiencies. Marketing and selling
CRRA-owned lots this past year
brought in $103,000 in revenue
and will increase our assessment
revenue this year by another
$16,000.
During the past year, we saw
more improvements to our website content than ever before, including more comprehensive financial and budget information,
board meeting minutes, governing
documents, and helpful owner
information. Communications
will undoubtedly remain a top
priority since communicating
effectively with almost 5,000
owners proves to be a challenging task. The hiring of a new
General Manager (GM) and the
ability for owners to meet with
the GM on a monthly basis has
received positive feedback.
Bringing the Newsletter back
to a monthly publication and
changing its format has also
proven to be a welcome
change. Look for owner surveys to occur later this year, as
we hope to make smart decisions which take into account
owners’ feedback.
Another accomplishment was
the decision to lower impact
fees for owners who want to
improve their property values
by adding a driveway or starting a project. What used to cost
as much as $2,000 in impact
fees for installing a cement
drive-way, can now be done for
as little as $100. According to
our staff, permit applications
have doubled since impact fees
were lowered and we are see-
ing both improvements and new
housing applications. The Architectural Review application
process has also been streamlined to allow for many projects,
which don’t require a variance,
to be approved in days versus
weeks.
Our GM also transformed the
organizational structure of
CRRA this past year, in an effort to increase efficiency, decrease cost, and better serve
property owners. I will close by
quoting Heraclitus, the preSocractic Greek philosopher,
who said that “Change is the
only constant in life” to highlight the need for all of us to
seek ways to improve our community and make CRRA even a
better place to live.
Year in Review
1
From The Treasurer
2-3
Everyday Heroes
3
Did You Know?
4
Pickleball
4
Mural Winner
Election Results
4
5
July Board Briefs
5
Assessment Installment Plan 6
CRRA Lots for Sale
7
House Checks
8
Chat with the GM
CRRA’s General Manager
Debbi Friend Spears invites
the community to come share
their comments, concerns
and ask questions on
Saturday,
August 23, 2014,
10:00 a.m. until Noon
at the Water Tower.
Bridge Repair Underway
A contract has been signed with Simmons Grading to repair and realign the
bridge at Fish Trap Park near the Riverside Pool. Orange barrier fencing is up to
indicate the construction zone. Please do not enter this area!
The first order of business has been to take the rotting wood off the sides of the
bridge, then to realign and repair the other elements of the bridge. Then they will
put the sides up and work on the bridge entrances.
Simmons Grading has 60 days to complete the work, but the contractor estimates
it may be nearer 30 days.
While we may have missed this summer, the Association felt we had to do our
due diligence before a contract was signed. We apologize for the delay but look
forward to having the bridge back in great shape.
F r o m t h e Tr e a s u r e r
Linda Sue Granata, CRRA Treasurer
Thanks to so many people including the staff, the committees, the Board and the property owners (along with a little bit of
luck), CRRA saw its strongest financial year since the economic downturn in 2008! The following chart depicts a fiscal
year-end cash balance comparison:
As you can see in the charts which follow, actual amounts collected surpassed the amounts we budgeted/expected in the areas of Current Year Assessments, Prior Year Assessments, CRRA Lots Sold, and Capital Contributions received.
FY 2013-2014 Current Yr
Assessments
$3,300,000
$3,250,000
$3,200,000
$3,150,000
$3,100,000
$3,050,000
$3,000,000
$2,950,000
$3,254,648
$3,075,421
Budgeted Amount
Actual Amount
Continued on page 3
F r o m T h e Tr e a s u r e r
Page 3
continued
CRRA’s
Everyday
Heroes
FY 2013-2014
Budgeted Amt
$600,000
Actual Amt
$535,803
$500,000
$400,000
$323,500
$300,000
$166,106
$200,000
$89,700
$100,000
$150,000
$36,000
$0
Prior Yr Assessments
Continued from page 2
Villas — Although the Villas did not
meet their budget due to not meeting
the renovations schedule for the longterm lease units and an extremely cold
winter, the Villas came very close to
breaking even this year with a small
net loss of $3,885. With further expansion of the long-term lease program in FYE 04/30/15, the Villas are
projected to generate a profit of
$55,000.
Expenses — Total expenses of
$4,128,876 were $306,994 under
budget for the year. However,
$286,921 of this expense underage
was in the Roads & Grounds Department: and it is our goal in the upcoming year to do much more in road
repairs and paving than was completed during the past fiscal year.
Due to the strong financial year that
we experienced, the Association was
able to contribute $1.2Million to the
reserve fund from FYE 04/30/14
CRRA Lots Sold
Capital Contributions
operations. This high contribution allowed us to include a lower amount in
the dues for FYE 04/30/15 than indicated in the reserve study, but still be slightly above the reserve study recommended
balance at 04/30/15.
The Budget Committee (comprised of
Board members, Finance Committee
members and CRRA’s General Manager)
spent many hours in January and February 2014 developing the budget for the
upcoming year. Based upon being in a
stronger financial position than in recent
years, several capital expenditures and
additional projects were budgeted. A
new Finance Committee sub-committee
was also formed to analyze potential investments for the reserve fund, in an
effort to generate additional interest income for future years.
CRRA’s annual financial audit occurred
this month, and received an unqualified
opinion. No material weaknesses were
cited.
Josh Hopkins’ swift, decisive action made
one family’s holiday very happy.
Other than it being a holiday, Friday,
July 4th was setting up to be much
like any other workday for CRRA
Public Works team-member Josh
Hopkins.
While performing tree work in East
Park, Josh was startled to hear
screaming: not the usual River revelers, but something much more ominous.
A little boy’s tube had broken away
from his parents’ — and he was drifting, further and further from them.
Without hesitation — and still clad in
steel-toed work boots — Josh leapt
into the Coosawattee and swam to the
crying child: where he held the little
boy until the frightened parents could
reach him.
Ensuring the child was safely reunited with his parents, Josh simply
climbed out of the River, and resumed his tree work in East Park.
Just another day on the job? We
think not. And we wish to recognize
and thank Josh Hopkins for going
above and beyond the call of duty.
Did you know? Fun CRRA Facts!
Sybille Bassano, Amenity Committee
Did you know that we expect around
8000* tubers to float down the
Coosawattee River this season?
Did you know that some 5000 to
6000* people will use the pool, gym
and putt-putt golf course at the Recreation Center this summer? Besides the
normal pool fun, the “Rec Center”
pool is also used by deep and shallow
water aerobic groups Monday through
Friday, and our local EMS Fire and
Rescue team uses the pool for scuba
certification. Additionally, the EMS
team also does boat rescue training
and swift water certification at Riverside Pool and North Park.
Did you know about 3000* people
will use Riverside Pool to stay cool
this summer; and that it is home to our
very own swim team the Coosawattee
Torpedoes?
Did you know that F oxhound pool
will be visited by as many as 1000*
sun and fun lovers this season?
…and FY I

Our campgrounds are fully
booked during the summer, and
picnickers, anglers, boaters, and
kayakers make good use of our
river and parks.

The popular and scenic Fishpond is
stocked with Catfish, Bass and
Brim; and restocked every 2-3
years. It is also a great place to walk
or picnic.


Tennis Courts at the Rec Center and
at Summit are heavily utilized by
owners and guests, and soon Pickle
Ball will be available at the Rec
Center Tennis Courts.
Did you know how much of our dues go
towards amenities? For fiscal year 201314, $74.55 of each dues payment went
towards our amenities. Of that, $1.40 went
towards the General Store.

At the General Store, Pickin’ on the
Porch is held every 2nd and 4th Saturday during the summer. It is one
of our most popular events. And
remember the General Store when
you need a convenience item, if you
have a hankering for a good sandwich or unique items made by local
artists.
In Addition to all these fine Amenities…
did you know that our Riverside Pool
building includes several rooms that are
not utilized currently, but we are considering ways to take advantage of this great
facility. Please watch for our Survey requesting your feedback and ideas in the
near future.

The Fireplace Room accommodates
groups that play games such as
Whist, Bridge, Hand & Foot, and
Mahjong, as well as Bible Studies
and Dulcimer practice groups. So
far, about 100 owners participate in
these groups.
The Pickleball court is now available at the Rec Center. Pickleball is a racquet sport in which two to four
players use solid paddles to hit a perforated ball
(similar to a Wiffle ball) over a net. The sport shares
features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and
layout of a Badminton court, and a net and rules similar to tennis — with a few modifications. One of the
fastest growing sports in North America, Pickleball
was invented in the mid 1960s as a children's backyard pastime but quickly became popular among
adults as a fun game for players of all skill levels.
If you’d like to play or just want more information on
Pickleball, contact Bob Grout at 239-691-5411.
In addition to our board meetings, the
Water-tower hosts the Good Neighbor
Club’s monthly dinners averaging 65
– 80 members, and it is booked for
special events
Please remember…We will be holding an
end of season cook out in conjunction with
PICKIN’ ON THE RIVER at the River side Pool from 6:00 to 9:00pm Saturday
evening August 30th.
Our next Pickin’ on the Porch at the General Store is scheduled for August 23rd.
*Numbers are estimated using the amount of
“sign-ins”, not unique visitors.
One of our very own artists — Mrs. Becky Bugosh — has won the mural
contest! Congratulations Becky and thank you for presenting us with a very
unique design. The project is well underway, and Becky is pictured above
painting the summer fun mural at the Riverside Pool building.
If you want to see the finished masterpiece, stop by the Riverside Pool and
admire it!
Page 5
The election ballots have been tabulated by Mauldin & Jenkins and verified by the Nominating Committee on July 25, 2014.
The results are as follows:

Eagle Mountain - Sherman Hawkins

Beaver Forest - Eric Barnes

Villas - Bill Dickert

Beaver Bend - Sybille Bassano

Eagle Mountain Campground - Jay Laird
Prior to the annual voting there was no candidate
for Beaver Lake. However, during the August 9th
Annual Meeting, Jim Petersen was elected and is
the new Beaver Lake representative.
JULY BOARD BRIEFS
 Board approved Compliance Committee’s recommendation that a minimum fine of $100 be set for any violation that involves building without an ARC Application where needed.

The Board tabled discussion on private road turnovers until the August 16, 2014 Board Meeting.

The June 21, 2014 Open Session Minutes were approved.
 The Board approved the appointment of 2014-2015 Nominating Committee – Chair: Beverly Cochran, Owners: Liz Mayer
and Charlie Gardner.
 The Public Safety Committee was renamed the Public Works –Security Committee and the staff liaison was updated to be
the Public Works Manager.
 The Board approved establishing an Ad Hoc Community Safety Team to develop an integrated emergency planning plan
for the community and review other measures that would improve the safety of the community, such as possibly creating a First
Responders Squad.
 The Board approved awarding Cantrell’s the garbage collection contract for the common areas, with the provision that
should the garbage trucks speed throughout the community the contract would be terminated.

Betty Reece was appointed the Assistant Treasurer.
 It was reported that the Finance and Roads & Grounds Committees approved the engineering study to be completed on
Nexus Road.
 Also that the Finance and Public Safety Committees approved the purchase to replace the gate hardware of all 12 gate-arm
locations.

A revision to make the Communications Committee an operating committee was tabled until after the Annual Meeting.
 The Board approved establishing an Ad Hoc Ecosystem Team to study the ecosystem of CRR and report back to the Board
on the current conditions and improvements that can be done to restore the ecosystem balance to CRR.
Page 6
Hate paying CRRA Assessments and
I R A Ta x e s i n t h e S a m e M o n t h ?
Well, you don’t have to! You can pay your assessments in monthly installments. If you are a member in good standing, you
can start paying the next year’s assessments in monthly installments — and then in May pay any difference there may be.
So, for example: the dues for the 2013-2014 year were $653. Starting in May 2013 $54.42 would be automatically debited
from your account for the next 12 months. In March 2014, it was announced that the assessment rate would be $669. In May
2014, you would pay $16 (which is the difference between the previous and current assessment) and then your monthly installment would be modified to $55.75.
If you are interested in participating in this program, please contact CRRA’s Accounting Manager Gena Kelley at (706) 2761060 ext. 250 and she will get you set up.
CRRA’s free concert series “Pickin’ On The Porch” is in full swing — and held on the second and fourth Saturday of the month
through the end of October. The venue is the General Store at Eagle Mountain; and the music begins at 7:00pm. This is one of our
most popular community events. And remember the General Store should you need a convenience item, or have a hankering for a
good sandwich.
Here’s our band schedule for the remainder of the 2014 concert season:
8/23/14 — Dr. Paul (Paul Constantine)
* 8/30/14 — Pickin’ On The River
9/13/14 — Dwight Sanford
9/27/14 — Roy Schneider
10/11/14 — Loose Shoes Band
10/25/14 — Barefoot Boone
* August 30th will be a special end of season “Pickin’ On The River” held at the Riverside Pool. The festivities will commence with
a cook-out starting at 6:00pm and music to follow.
Page 7
EMC633 (31st St.) -- $4750: Lovely, .08 acre hillside RV lot
providing exceptional views and ample space for parking.
Terraced lot is ideal for deck or patio entertaining.
BF496 (Villa Dr.) $4750: Ideal building site in a superb
locale: just minutes from Water Oak Dr. and the main
gate. BF496 boasts nearly ½ acre of level, ready to build
property – all on a peaceful, residential street. Quiet,
Convenient, and Affordable!
EMC685 (31st @ 38th St.) -- $4750: Incredible corner RV
lot just off of Ogden Dr. You'll enjoy spectacular yearround views from this property within walking distance to
the river, pool, dog run, swinging bridge and Fishtrap Park.
EMC699 (37th St.) -- $5000: Nestled away just off Ogden
Dr., this pristine, scenic .08 acre RV lot is ready to pull onto.
Located just down the street from the river, pool and park,
this lot will make a great Summer retreat for the whole family.
EMC308 (10th St.) -- $6500: NEW LISTING! Conveniently located just off Ogden Dr., this .08 acre RV lot is
cleared, level and graveled. Ready for you to pull onto and
enjoy for years to come. The adjacent RV lot C307 is also
available for sale -- suitable for a guest RV or combine
both lots for extra parking, a patio or an outbuilding. Fantastic location on paved 10th Street.
EM636 (Mango Cir.): $5000. Just across the street from
the Rec Center and within a mile of Eagles Mountain gate,
EM636 offers over ½ acre of picturesque, mountain
views. This property plateaus nicely to accommodate
almost any size and style of home: from a casual weekend
getaway to a sprawling country chalet.
The adjacent .57-acre property is also available for $4500
BB257 (Zenith Trl.) -- $3500: If you desire convenience,
this property is for you! Located on Zenith Trl. just ½
mile from Ellington Rd. Gate, BB257 offers ½ acre of
prime, ready-to-build land. This lot boasts over 100 feet of
road frontage, with side boundaries extending as far back
as 289 feet. And you’ll be only ½ mile from Foxhound
Pool and 1.1 mile from the River and Fishtrap Park: A
perfect family setting.
BL564 -- $12,500 (Foxhound Ct.): Create your own piece
of heaven with this 1 1/2 acre cul-de-sac lot on Foxhound
Ct. The majestic mountain views will bring tranquility to
your home, and both stun and impress your visitors!
BL564 is conveniently located less than ½ mile from
Ellington Rd. gate and Foxhound Pool – and just 1.5 miles
to Fishtrap Park and the River.
EM1727 on Newport Dr.: $8500. Location, Location,
Location! This lot has it all. Situated on a main Coosawattee River Resort thoroughfare and just a 5 minute walk to
Canoe Park and the riverbank. Perch your home atop this
½ acre property and entertain guests on terraced patios. This is a prime residential lot for the discerning builder
– and comes complete with the “WOW” factor.
EM141 (Alcan Way) -- $5500. Spectacular .64-acre island
lot located just 3/10 mile off Lemmon Lane. The incredibly unique configuration and terrain of this property offer
unlimited building potential: All within only 1 mile of the
River and Canoe Park.
EM603 (Jersey Ct.) -- $5500. Convenience is an understatement for this half-acre property located less than ½
mile from Eagles Mountain gate. Nestled into a quiet culde-sac, this is a great building site with a phenomenal view
For more information on these or any other
CRRA-owned property,
call Jonathan at (706) 889-2802.
CRRA is Hiring
HIGHlights &
Footnotes
Coosawattee River Resort
Association
CRRA is currently seeking to fill various full-time,
part-time and seasonal positions.
634 Beaver Lake Drive, Unit 5160
Ellijay, GA 30540
At this time, we are seeking qualified applicants for
the following:
Phone: 706-276-1060
Fax: 706-276-1061
WE’RE
ON THE
W EB
WWW. COOSAWATTEE. NET

AR/HR Payroll;

Facilities Office Manager;

Facilities Maintenance;

Pool Attendant.
If you or someone you know would be a good fit
for one of these positions, please visit our website:
www.coosawattee.net
Please find and complete the on-line employment
application located under the top menu heading
Contact Us
HOUSE CHECK:
P u b l i c Wo r k s ’ P r o p e r t y I n s p e c t i o n
Program
CRRA’s Public Works Division has
instituted a program called HOUSE
CHECK designed to help part-time residents keep a better eye on their property.
Works patrol officer on duty will stop at
the property, exit his vehicle and survey
the home site.
HOUSE CHECK begins with a thorough data verification and documentation process which includes:
Whenever terrain and conditions permit,
Public Works will attempt to walk completely around (360 degrees) the exterior
of the residence one time in order to:

A log of all vehicles belonging on
property;

Visually inspect all entrances and
windows of the property;

Photographs of all exterior walls
and garage;

Ensure that all garage doors and entrance doors are locked;

Photographs of outbuildings, yard
structures and/or children’s play
equipment; and,

Perform a visual inspection of the
roof and all sides of the residence to
identify any storm damage; and

Collection/Verification of all emergency contact information and related telephone numbers.

Take one photo (time/date stamped)
of the residence.
Upon completion of this due diligence,
as a part of routine patrol the Public
Should there exist nothing out of the ordinary, following the patrol officer’s shift
the digital card and log will be scanned
into Public Works’ computer system. The
time/date stamped photo will then be provided to the property owner either by email
or ground mail.
Should something out of the ordinary be
discovered, Public Works will follow the
established notification, documentation and
reporting protocol, up to and including immediate notification of the property owner
and the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office.
If you would like more information on
CRRA’s HOUSE CHECK program, please
call (706) 276-1060 ext. 230.