president’s letter€¦ · there will be two people in each boat as they patrol the lake. we have...
TRANSCRIPT
LBCA September 2012
Lake Burton Civic [email protected] Office Box 1988Clayton, GA 30525-0050
Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
Newsletter
Dear Fellow Members,
As our summer draws to a close, Ihope you have had a great time enjoyingour beautiful Lake with family and friends.On July 21st, the LBCA sponsored oursuccessful home tour, benefitting ourvolunteer fire departments. We are verygrateful to the homeowners whograciously opened their homes: Donnaand Gordon Brady; Vicki Darrah; andInga and John Woodard.
Two weeks later the LBCAsponsored our annual golf tournament atKingwood Country Club. We hadwonderful donated raffle prizes and greatgolf. The participation by so manymembers made the tournament a greatsuccess. I especially appreciate the hardwork of Jim Holmes, Kent and ElaineGustafson, Ranny Whitney, ElizabethKoets, Gaston Brawley, Jan and BillBomar, Bob Cowhig, Linda and SamDixon, Janis and Jim Stapleton and Boband Gwen Fink. The tournament raisedover $14,000. I look forward to nextyear’s tournament on Friday, August 2,2013 at Kingwood. I hope you will planto play and bring your friends.
All the monies raised from theseevents will benefit our three volunteer firedepartments. Under the leadership ofGaston Brawley, chairperson of the FireDepartment Committee, we hope tocontinue to implement some exciting andsignificant improvements to our firestations. The Association has four newoutstanding Board members who wereelected at the Board Meeting on July 22,
2012. Andy Anderson, a full time residenton Timpson Cove will be chair of a newexciting special project. Andy was pro-fessionally involved in real estate andbanking. Kent Gustafson is a retired Pro-fessor from the University of Georgia andhas been a part time lake resident for over25 years and an active participant in theassociation activities. Kent will serve onthe Water Quality and EnvironmentalCommittee and the Newsletter andCommunication Committees. GeorgePickett and his wife Libba have owned ahome on the lake since 1996. George’sprofessional life was in the airlineindustry. George will serve on the WaterSafety and Georgia Power LiaisonCommittees. Kim Westmoreland hasbeen an active participant in LBCAactivities and will serve on the Home Tourand Annual Meeting Committees. Herprofessional life is in customer servicemanagement with Northeast GeorgiaHealth Systems. I am very excited aboutour goals and projects for the comingyear. I wish each of you a beautiful falland if you have questions, suggestions, orconcerns please call or e-mail me.
Yours truly,
Becky Callahan
P.S. – Please remember that ourdirectory is published and distributed formembers personal use only and not to beused for business purposes.
President’s Letter
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
Then and Again
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
The Lake Burton Civic Association (LBCA)was formed in 1969 as the Tallulah River CivicAssociation (TRCA) to assist lake residents withvarious issues affecting them. The name waschanged to the Lake Burton Civic Association in1974. The organization became a 501(c)4, a non-profit civic association, in 2000 with the purpose ofpromoting its member’s common interests andconcerns. The LBCA currently has approximately900 memberships consisting of two persons each.These 1800 individuals can have an importantvoice in Rabun County.
The Lake Burton Civic AssociationFoundation (LBCAF) was formed in 2000 as a501(c)3, a charitable foundation. A portion ofyour dues, and any donations you make, go to theLBCAF and are deductible on your income taxreturn as charitable contributions. All moneyraised by the Home Tour and Golf Tournament isearmarked for the foundation in support of theLake Burton area volunteer fire departments andother Rabun County charities.
During the last 15 years, LBCA and LBCAFhave contributed over $455,000 to support thethree volunteer fire departments (VFD) servingLake Burton. These contributions have made itpossible to purchase equipment, supplementalinsurance and to meet other needs not funded byRabun County. The LBCA was instrumental in theestablishment of the Wildcat VFD to providecoverage for its section of the lake. Yourcontributions to the LBCAF also made it possibleto purchase the fire and rescue boat housed inMurray Cove. In addition, we raised $82,000 to
fund the installation of dry hydrants and standpipes in strategic locations around the lake. Thesesupply water to the VFD tank and pumper trucksresponding to fires. This effort is ongoing. Alongwith the West Rabun Property Owners Association(WRPOA), the County Fire Committee and theVFDs, the LBCA has worked to lower theinsurance ISO ratings, thereby reducing yourannual insurance premiums by several hundreddollars each year.
The LBCA is also concerned with environ-mental issues. Since the late 1970’s, the LBCA hasbeen taking water samples from various locationsaround the lake to be tested for water quality tosupplement the testing done by Georgia Power.We provide funds to the Tallulah River WatershedCouncil (TRWC), an organization that was begunto address maintaining the quality of Lake Burton’swater and the watershed that feeds it. Weencourage you to visit their web site,www.tallulahriverwatershed.com, which you willfind very interesting. Going forward, they willmanage a water testing program for the LBCA. Wealso have begun conducting annual environmentalseminars to promote “Best ManagementPractices,” defined by the EPA as practices that willprevent or reduce pollution of our waters byhomeowners, businesses, agriculture andgovernments.
Safety is another area to which the LBCAdevotes a great deal of time and attention. Wework with Georgia Power and the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources (DNR) tosponsor an annual Boating Safety Course for you
and your teenagers. We provide funds for off-dutydeputy sheriffs to ride with DNR officers so thatthere will be two people in each boat as they patrolthe lake. We have also provided funds for thepurchase of equipment for use in these patrolboats. In 2012, the LBCA purchased 500 “Vials ofLife,” in cooperation with the Rabun CountySheriff ’s Department. These are placed on therefrigerator door to provide important emergencycontact and medical history information for use byresponders in case of an emergency.
The LBCA has been instrumental insecuring many of the improvements thatcontribute to the quality of life on the lake. Weworked closely with the WRPOA and the county toinstall a recycling center on Laurel Lodge Road.We work with the county and WRPOA on roadpaving and maintenance. We maintain a closeworking relationship with the Georgia Power LandOffice and co-sponsor the annual Lake BurtonCleanup Day with them.
The concerns facing us today remain muchthe same as those addressed by the TRCA in theearly 1970’s. They include: roads, road signage,garbage disposal, lake safety, security and fireprotection.
by Pat Leake, based on research done by Bill Bomar
Giving Back to the CommunityThe Lake Burton Civic Association and
the Lake Burton Civic Association Foundationhave supported local charities and other non-profit organizations serving families in need inRabun County for many years because webelieve that it is important to give back to thecommunity we enjoy so much. Contributionshave been approximately $95,000 over the last15 years, averaging 4% to 5% of our budget. These contributions are in addition to oursupport of the needs of the three Lake Burtonvolunteer fire departments not funded by theCounty. During recent years, several of thecharitable agencies supported have included:
Rhapsody in Rabun – a fund-raising eventbenefiting a different local charitable organizationeach year,
FAITH
Bobby Dodd Scholarship Fund
Sid Weber Cancer Fund
Lake Burton Scholarship Fund
Community Pantry
Chattooga Conservancy
– Fight Abuse In The Home,
– A Civitan Clubscholarship awarded to physically challengedstudents,
– dedicated to providingsupport to cancer patients, their caregivers andfamilies,
– awarded to astudent from Rabun County High School forfurther education,
– provides item such aspersonal hygiene and cleaning supplies that cannotbe purchased with food stamps,
– promotes the naturalecological integrity of the Chattooga Riverwatershed ecosystems,
Richard’s Kids
Save the Hemlocks
Georgia Forest Watch
Tallulah River Watershed Council
- provides clothing and othersundries to children whose parents cannot affordthem. The children are selected by their teacherswho see the need first hand,
– dedicated to savinghemlocks, endangered by Woolly Adelgidinfestations, through a program of education andencouragement of the use of available resources,
– supports restoration,protection, and appreciation of the uniquemountain and piedmont landscapes of north andcentral Georgia,
– focused oneducating all residents about preventing dissipationof and restoring the beauty of the Tallulah RiverWatershed.
by Bill Bomar
Register to Vote in Rabun CountyAs taxes have increased dramatically in the
past few years it makes even more sense to haveat least one member of each household registerto vote in Rabun County. Elections are
frequently decided by a very small margin so youcan make an important difference by votinghere. Advance voting has made it simpler to doso. Applications to register are available at the
Board of Elections & Registration office, theRabun County Library or Georgia Departmentof Driver Services.
Lake Burton ParkApril 27, 2011, a date that all lake
residents will long remember. On that fatefulnight Earl Patton lost his life, numerousothers were injured, and 145 homes weredamaged with 32 of them totally destroyed. Itwill forever be included in the history ofRabun County and Lake Burton. Out oftragedy, death, and destruction comes hopeand opportunity. In my opinion, this is themost significant event in Rabun County sincethe Great Depression. As a result, it putbuilders and businesses, suppliers and subs,
carpenters and craftsmen back to work in themidst of our current economic depression, animmediate stimulus package if you will. Ourlosses were to become gain for others.
As the digging out and hauling off boreon for months, Charles Hardy, a good friendand neighbor, and I were casting about forsomething to focus on other than piles ofdebris. The more we talked, the more wewanted to see something good rise from thedebris. Our conversations eventually focusedon a triangular tract of Georgia Power land
located at the intersection of Acorn CreekRoad, Meeting House Mountain Road, andTimpson Cove Road. Here could bededicated a park to recall the events of April27, 2011 which lasted only moments, but willforever change the history of the lake.
A committee of lake residents has beenformed within the LBCA to undertake theexecution of the park with the full support ofGeorgia Power Company. Suggestions andinput may be sent to [email protected].
by Andy Anderson
The LBCA and area Fire Departments wish to express their gratitude to the followingindividuals for their generosity in supporting the 21st Annual LBCA Golf Tournament. Allproceeds go to the three lake area fire departments.
Sponsors
Special Thanks to Our Contributors
Clay Contracting Gail and Robert O’Leary Jan and Bill BomarNortheast GA Heating and Air Jeff Muir Sid Kollme Lucy and Ben Harris
Mountain Patrol Jill and Bill Dahlberg Habersham Metal ProductBetts and Dennis Love Merry and Don Faulk Evelyne Sheats
Elaine and Kent Gustafson Anne and Bruce Merrill Anchorage Boat DockBecky and Bob Hunter Rabun County Bank Becky and Tom Callahan
Manning and Jim Holmes Julie Barnett (Harry Norman)Cynthia Whitney (RE/MAX of Rabun) United Community Bank
Libba and George Pickett Linda and Sam DixonFrank Bachelder Judy and Dirck Myers Cupboard Café Rob Hester
Linda and Chip Goen Lynn Cochran Jon McMillan Deal’s ApplianceMcDonald’s Mountain Works Service HEMC RE/MAX of Rabun
Linda and Bill Farr Liz and Hank Booth
Lake Burton Club Stone Mountain Park Timpson Creek GalleriesDarrah & Co Hightower Creek Vineyard Butler Galleries
Prater’s Main Street Books Dearing Antiques Tiger Mountain VineyardsMark Boomershine Cinda Koets Boomershine Mori Luggage & Gifts
Gap Printing and Graphics The Hollow LogLavender Cottage and Garden LaPrade’s Chophouse RestaurantLaurel Lodge Restaurant Wood’s Furniture Homestead House
Reeves Hardware The Nest
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LBCA 21st Annual Golf Tournament
T h e L B C A h a s a w e b s i t e ,www.lbca.net, that provides a wealth ofinformation about the association andfoundation. It includes: officer, director andcommittee contact information, financialreports, board meeting minutes and acalendar of activities. Please check it out.
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
Then and Again
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
The Lake Burton Civic Association (LBCA)was formed in 1969 as the Tallulah River CivicAssociation (TRCA) to assist lake residents withvarious issues affecting them. The name waschanged to the Lake Burton Civic Association in1974. The organization became a 501(c)4, a non-profit civic association, in 2000 with the purpose ofpromoting its member’s common interests andconcerns. The LBCA currently has approximately900 memberships consisting of two persons each.These 1800 individuals can have an importantvoice in Rabun County.
The Lake Burton Civic AssociationFoundation (LBCAF) was formed in 2000 as a501(c)3, a charitable foundation. A portion ofyour dues, and any donations you make, go to theLBCAF and are deductible on your income taxreturn as charitable contributions. All moneyraised by the Home Tour and Golf Tournament isearmarked for the foundation in support of theLake Burton area volunteer fire departments andother Rabun County charities.
During the last 15 years, LBCA and LBCAFhave contributed over $455,000 to support thethree volunteer fire departments (VFD) servingLake Burton. These contributions have made itpossible to purchase equipment, supplementalinsurance and to meet other needs not funded byRabun County. The LBCA was instrumental in theestablishment of the Wildcat VFD to providecoverage for its section of the lake. Yourcontributions to the LBCAF also made it possibleto purchase the fire and rescue boat housed inMurray Cove. In addition, we raised $82,000 to
fund the installation of dry hydrants and standpipes in strategic locations around the lake. Thesesupply water to the VFD tank and pumper trucksresponding to fires. This effort is ongoing. Alongwith the West Rabun Property Owners Association(WRPOA), the County Fire Committee and theVFDs, the LBCA has worked to lower theinsurance ISO ratings, thereby reducing yourannual insurance premiums by several hundreddollars each year.
The LBCA is also concerned with environ-mental issues. Since the late 1970’s, the LBCA hasbeen taking water samples from various locationsaround the lake to be tested for water quality tosupplement the testing done by Georgia Power.We provide funds to the Tallulah River WatershedCouncil (TRWC), an organization that was begunto address maintaining the quality of Lake Burton’swater and the watershed that feeds it. Weencourage you to visit their web site,www.tallulahriverwatershed.com, which you willfind very interesting. Going forward, they willmanage a water testing program for the LBCA. Wealso have begun conducting annual environmentalseminars to promote “Best ManagementPractices,” defined by the EPA as practices that willprevent or reduce pollution of our waters byhomeowners, businesses, agriculture andgovernments.
Safety is another area to which the LBCAdevotes a great deal of time and attention. Wework with Georgia Power and the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources (DNR) tosponsor an annual Boating Safety Course for you
and your teenagers. We provide funds for off-dutydeputy sheriffs to ride with DNR officers so thatthere will be two people in each boat as they patrolthe lake. We have also provided funds for thepurchase of equipment for use in these patrolboats. In 2012, the LBCA purchased 500 “Vials ofLife,” in cooperation with the Rabun CountySheriff ’s Department. These are placed on therefrigerator door to provide important emergencycontact and medical history information for use byresponders in case of an emergency.
The LBCA has been instrumental insecuring many of the improvements thatcontribute to the quality of life on the lake. Weworked closely with the WRPOA and the county toinstall a recycling center on Laurel Lodge Road.We work with the county and WRPOA on roadpaving and maintenance. We maintain a closeworking relationship with the Georgia Power LandOffice and co-sponsor the annual Lake BurtonCleanup Day with them.
The concerns facing us today remain muchthe same as those addressed by the TRCA in theearly 1970’s. They include: roads, road signage,garbage disposal, lake safety, security and fireprotection.
by Pat Leake, based on research done by Bill Bomar
Giving Back to the CommunityThe Lake Burton Civic Association and
the Lake Burton Civic Association Foundationhave supported local charities and other non-profit organizations serving families in need inRabun County for many years because webelieve that it is important to give back to thecommunity we enjoy so much. Contributionshave been approximately $95,000 over the last15 years, averaging 4% to 5% of our budget. These contributions are in addition to oursupport of the needs of the three Lake Burtonvolunteer fire departments not funded by theCounty. During recent years, several of thecharitable agencies supported have included:
Rhapsody in Rabun – a fund-raising eventbenefiting a different local charitable organizationeach year,
FAITH
Bobby Dodd Scholarship Fund
Sid Weber Cancer Fund
Lake Burton Scholarship Fund
Community Pantry
Chattooga Conservancy
– Fight Abuse In The Home,
– A Civitan Clubscholarship awarded to physically challengedstudents,
– dedicated to providingsupport to cancer patients, their caregivers andfamilies,
– awarded to astudent from Rabun County High School forfurther education,
– provides item such aspersonal hygiene and cleaning supplies that cannotbe purchased with food stamps,
– promotes the naturalecological integrity of the Chattooga Riverwatershed ecosystems,
Richard’s Kids
Save the Hemlocks
Georgia Forest Watch
Tallulah River Watershed Council
- provides clothing and othersundries to children whose parents cannot affordthem. The children are selected by their teacherswho see the need first hand,
– dedicated to savinghemlocks, endangered by Woolly Adelgidinfestations, through a program of education andencouragement of the use of available resources,
– supports restoration,protection, and appreciation of the uniquemountain and piedmont landscapes of north andcentral Georgia,
– focused oneducating all residents about preventing dissipationof and restoring the beauty of the Tallulah RiverWatershed.
by Bill Bomar
Register to Vote in Rabun CountyAs taxes have increased dramatically in the
past few years it makes even more sense to haveat least one member of each household registerto vote in Rabun County. Elections are
frequently decided by a very small margin so youcan make an important difference by votinghere. Advance voting has made it simpler to doso. Applications to register are available at the
Board of Elections & Registration office, theRabun County Library or Georgia Departmentof Driver Services.
Lake Burton ParkApril 27, 2011, a date that all lake
residents will long remember. On that fatefulnight Earl Patton lost his life, numerousothers were injured, and 145 homes weredamaged with 32 of them totally destroyed. Itwill forever be included in the history ofRabun County and Lake Burton. Out oftragedy, death, and destruction comes hopeand opportunity. In my opinion, this is themost significant event in Rabun County sincethe Great Depression. As a result, it putbuilders and businesses, suppliers and subs,
carpenters and craftsmen back to work in themidst of our current economic depression, animmediate stimulus package if you will. Ourlosses were to become gain for others.
As the digging out and hauling off boreon for months, Charles Hardy, a good friendand neighbor, and I were casting about forsomething to focus on other than piles ofdebris. The more we talked, the more wewanted to see something good rise from thedebris. Our conversations eventually focusedon a triangular tract of Georgia Power land
located at the intersection of Acorn CreekRoad, Meeting House Mountain Road, andTimpson Cove Road. Here could bededicated a park to recall the events of April27, 2011 which lasted only moments, but willforever change the history of the lake.
A committee of lake residents has beenformed within the LBCA to undertake theexecution of the park with the full support ofGeorgia Power Company. Suggestions andinput may be sent to [email protected].
by Andy Anderson
The LBCA and area Fire Departments wish to express their gratitude to the followingindividuals for their generosity in supporting the 21st Annual LBCA Golf Tournament. Allproceeds go to the three lake area fire departments.
Sponsors
Special Thanks to Our Contributors
Clay Contracting Gail and Robert O’Leary Jan and Bill BomarNortheast GA Heating and Air Jeff Muir Sid Kollme Lucy and Ben Harris
Mountain Patrol Jill and Bill Dahlberg Habersham Metal ProductBetts and Dennis Love Merry and Don Faulk Evelyne Sheats
Elaine and Kent Gustafson Anne and Bruce Merrill Anchorage Boat DockBecky and Bob Hunter Rabun County Bank Becky and Tom Callahan
Manning and Jim Holmes Julie Barnett (Harry Norman)Cynthia Whitney (RE/MAX of Rabun) United Community Bank
Libba and George Pickett Linda and Sam DixonFrank Bachelder Judy and Dirck Myers Cupboard Café Rob Hester
Linda and Chip Goen Lynn Cochran Jon McMillan Deal’s ApplianceMcDonald’s Mountain Works Service HEMC RE/MAX of Rabun
Linda and Bill Farr Liz and Hank Booth
Lake Burton Club Stone Mountain Park Timpson Creek GalleriesDarrah & Co Hightower Creek Vineyard Butler Galleries
Prater’s Main Street Books Dearing Antiques Tiger Mountain VineyardsMark Boomershine Cinda Koets Boomershine Mori Luggage & Gifts
Gap Printing and Graphics The Hollow LogLavender Cottage and Garden LaPrade’s Chophouse RestaurantLaurel Lodge Restaurant Wood’s Furniture Homestead House
Reeves Hardware The Nest
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LBCA 21st Annual Golf Tournament
T h e L B C A h a s a w e b s i t e ,www.lbca.net, that provides a wealth ofinformation about the association andfoundation. It includes: officer, director andcommittee contact information, financialreports, board meeting minutes and acalendar of activities. Please check it out.
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
Get to Know Your LBCA Directors & Officers!Andy Anderson
Bill Bomar
Gaston Brawley
Sallye and I were fortunate to finda two bedroom one bath cabinfor sale on what was then calledTimpson Creek Road in 1984,later changed to Meeting HouseMountain Road. We fell in lovewith it on a Saturday and bought
it on Sunday. It's a quiet neighborhood since wehave two cemeteries adjacent to our lot. Weenjoyed the cabin for three years and then built anew home which we enlarged in 2009 when wemoved to the lake as our permanent home. Prior tothe lake, we lived in Atlanta where I was a real estatedeveloper and Sallye held the fort together.
Our children Tom and Molly were 13 and 9 whenwe arrived on the lake and thanks to them, we nowhave five wonderful grandchildren with which toshare all the lake activities. Rocking on the porchwith a gentle breeze while admiring the statelybeauty of Charlie Mountain is about as good as itgets.
I am a Past President and a past Treasurer ofLBCA, and a current Member of its Board ofDirectors. During my term as President in 2000-2002, I worked closely with Georgia PowerCompany to allow the leases to be held by FamilyTrusts and Entities, benefiting the extendedfamilies on the Lake. As a Board Member, I workin the area of budgets, financial matters, andBylaws.
I am a retired Certified Public Accountant fromAtlanta where I was an owner of WindhamBrannon, P.C. I am a Past President of the GeorgiaSociety of CPAs, a former member of Council ofthe AICPA and the Board of the EducationalFoundation of the GSCPAs. I graduated fromGeorgia Tech in 1960 and Emory UniversityBusiness School in 1961.
My wife, Jan, and I have two married sons and fourteenage grandchildren. Our home on the Lake ison the main lake basin south of the Hwy 76 bridgeoff of Acorn Creek Road, where we try to spendfive or six days a week. Our GPC Lease has been inJan’s family since 1931. We renovated our lakehome in 1997, which is shared with Jan’s sister andher family. We are active at St. James EpiscopalChurch in Clayton and the Cathedral of St. Philipand the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta in Atlanta.
My wife Ellen and I live on theeast side main body of the Lake,at the foot of Charlie Mountain,across from the “Safety Man.”This lot has been in my familysince 1947. In 1968, as a teenagerI said “this is the only place I want
to live when I grow up.” In 1987, I built my homehere, becoming a full time resident, fulfilling myteenage dream, and starting a twenty-four-yeardaily commute of two-hundred-ten miles to my job
in Atlanta. In 2011, I retired after twenty years withthe Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta where Iwas Group Vice President and Director ofFinancial Risk Modeling. I am a graduate ofGeorgia State University with a BS in CriminalJustice and an MBA in Finance. I was a PoliceOfficer with DeKalb County for five years, beforebeginning my thirty-one-year banking career. Ihave been a volunteer fire fighter and firstresponder in Rabun County for over twenty yearsand am a founding member of Wildcat VFD. Mywife Ellen is a Registered Nurse and works parttime at Highland Cashiers Hospital. We aremembers of Saint Helena Catholic Church. Myhobby is restoring antique automobiles. I have a1980 Porsche 911SC and a 1965 Thunderbirdconvertible, which I am currently working on. Ialso am beginning to build an airplane from scratchin my basement.
I am the current president of theLBCA, elected at the Annualmeeting in June. I have served asSecretary for the Association fortwelve years and have beena c t i ve l y i nvo l ve d i n a l lAssociation activities for several
years. My main interest has been in the AnnualMeeting and serving on the MembershipCommittee. The committee calls each memberwho has not rejoined to better understand theirreasoning and to answer any concerns. Most ofthe time the member has just misplaced theapplication and we then e-mail or send anotherone.
Tom and I have had a home on the Lake since 1977and been residents for most of the week for thepast five years. Our home is located on MurrayCove on Rainbow Village Lane. We have two adultsons and five grandchildren. We love RabunCounty and our beautiful lake. I am dedicated topreserving and improving this special place.
Gail and I plus our four childrenand their families have a house onTimpson Cove, between thepublic beach and Anchorage. Webegan coming to Lake Burtonwith the family in the 1970’s andrented houses all over the lake.
We built our house in 2004 and enjoy it all yearlong. We live in Atlanta and try to get to the Lake asoften as we can.
Gail and I both work full time. I have been in thehousing business in Atlanta for over 40 years. I ama consultant specializing in homebuilding,architecture and land development. Gail owns andruns Dearing Antiques in Atlanta.
I was raised in Gainesville and on Lake Lanier inDawsonville and moved to Cleveland in 1982. Ihave been coming to my in-laws home on Lake
Becky Callahan
John Dearing
Linda Dixon
Burton since 1982, even before my husband Samand I were married and they were my in-laws.Sam’s family had their property before the lake wasbuilt. His great grandfather was John Laprade, theowner of LaPrades. We bought our own home“Our Dream” in 1997 located on Murray CoveRoad.
I worked for thirty-one years with the state ofGeorgia, as Social Worker Supervisor withDepartment of Human Resources in Dahlonega.For several years I supervised both Lumpkin andWhite counties. I retired from the state in May2011. My husband was co-owner of Norton-Dixon Insurance in Cleveland until Sept 2011when we sold the business.
I have served over ten years as co-chair of theLBCA Tour of Homes, have been on the LBCAboard of directors seven years and for the last threeyears, was its President.
My wife Elaine and I built on theDick’s Creek branch of beautifulLake Burton in 1987. We addedon in 1999 anticipating ourretirement, mine as a ProfessorEmeritus, from The Universityof Georgia, in 2001. Initially we
enjoyed the lake with our teenage daughter, Kara,and more recently with her husband Bucky Hortonand now their two teenage boys, William andJackson. We spend about 6-7 months each year atthe lake and the balance of our time traveling or atour other home in Crawford, Georgia. All of usenjoy our boat and jet skis and the boys lovewakeboarding and tubing so in the summer I spendlots of time driving the boat. A local interest andconcern is maintaining the water quality of the lakesince it affects both the quality of our lives and ourproperty values. One of my favorite things aboutthe lake is the annual fireworks display, enjoyed byboth our family and our visitors. It is a rare andspecial event and venue that we hope will continuefor our family and future generations to enjoy.
My wife Manning and I boughtour home on Dicks Creek in1983. When I retired from thefinancial industry in 2001 wemoved to the lake full-time.
I was president of the LCBAfrom 1988 – 1990 and have been
involved in its activities ever since. I am currentlyworking with Pat Leake on the newsletter.
In 1986 my husband, Ryland andI became Lake Burton propertyowners and LBCA members.Having both grown up in the flatcornfields of Illinois, we find thechanging views of the lake andmountains endlessly beautiful.
We now share our lake home with our grown
Kent Gustafson
Jim Holmes
Elizabeth Koets
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
daughters and their families. I have served as aLBCA Board member, as LBCA Vice Presidentand as President from 1994 to 1996. During mypresidency, we undertook a study to determinewhat actions needed to be taken to begin theprocess of securing better home insurance ratesbased on increasing the effectiveness of ourVolunteer Fire Departments. We raised fundsfrom LBCA members and installed dry hydrantsaround the lake. In cases of fire, these hydrants arelike soda straws extending out into the lake belowthe winter draw down level and allow fire trucks toattach to the red part you see along the roadsides.The pumper truck then draws up lake water to fillthe tanker trucks which deliver the water to the firesite. We also worked with Rabun CountyCommissioners and a dedicated core of VolunteerFire Fighters to establish the Wildcat Fire Station.Now, with three VFD’s, (Persimmon in the North,Wildcat center lake on the West, and Lakes at thesouth end) serving the lake, more homes arewithin the required distance from a station for thebetter insurance rates. In our “other” life, we live inAtlanta. I have a kitchen design consultationservice, Elizabeth Koets Kitchens within thebuilding of my husband’s Architectural practice inBuckhead. We have specialized in designing finehomes in Atlanta and many on Lake Burton.Among my other interests are weaving, white oakbasketry, playing the cello, canoeing and cookingfor gatherings of family and friends.
My wife Martha and I live inAtlanta but have had a secondhome on Lake Burton for thirtyyears. We have three sons and tengrandchildren. I retired from theChemical Industry in 2000. I ama past president of the LBCA -serving from 1988-2000.
Nolan and I moved to Atlanta in1973 and have raised our twochildren there. Nolan was apartner at King & Spalding untilhe retired in 2010. I have been afull time mother, communityvolunteer and now grandmother.
We purchased our house on LakeBurton, located on the main lake near the dam,Fourth of July weekend in 1988. It was a gray, wetweekend and you couldn’t see up the lake at all butwe knew what the view would be. Our childrencalled it mildew manor, but despite this, two hoursafter our offer was accepted, the seller had a back-up contract. We pretty much bombed the house ina remodeling project that kept expanding. Today,we are very glad it did for there is no place we wouldrather be than “at the lake.” In the fall, winter andspring we love to hike in the north Georgiamountains. In the summer we still marvel at theview of these same mountains from our boathouse. Our children are now grown and marriedand we have a fifteen-month-old grandbaby that
Sid Kolme
Pat Leake
loves to splash in the lake. We feel very fortunatethat she too will grow up enjoying the beauty ofthis very special place.
Ken and his family are thirtyyear residents of Lake Burtonon Timpson Creek. HisAtlanta residential architecturefirm, Kenneth Lynch andAssociates, AIA, has projectsthroughout the South andNortheast. He is especially
proud of the extensive work he does in RabunCounty. Ken is a former president and currentboard member of the Lake Burton CivicAssociation (LBCA) and the Vice President of theVinings Village Homeowners Association(VVHA). Ken lives in Vinings in Atlanta with hiswife, Peggy, and enjoys the company of his twogrown children, Kip and Sally, their spouses andfive grandchildren. Lake Burton continues to be agreat love for Ken and his family.
Betty and I have had a home onthe southwest shore of the lakejust before the entrance to Dick’sCreek since 1985. We enjoy thelake throughout the year,especially when we are sharing itwith our extended families. I
founded Mori Luggage and Gifts in 1971.
My wife, Libba, and I have had ahome on the lake since 1996 andhave always appreciated the workof the association. Our house islocated on the west side of themain lake opposite CharlieMountain on Moccasin CreekRoad. I grew up in a small town in
Alabama, came to Atlanta to attend college, met mywife, and we have lived in the Atlanta area almostcontinually ever since. We have three growndaughters, two sons-in-law, and our first grandbabyon the way. After holding several positions withSouthern Airways, I saw an opportunity in the 1979de-regulation of the airline industry and startedAtlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), a large regionalcarrier affiliated with Delta Airlines. I was afounder and director of the company and itsChairman and Chief Executive Officer until it wasacquired by Delta in 1999. My personal interestshave always involved activities on the water. Libbaand I raced one-design sailboats out of the AtlantaYacht Club in the late '60s/early '70s and sailed ourown boat along the Atlantic coast until two yearsago. Although I still have a small sailboat on LakeBurton, I primarily enjoy wakeboarding,swimming, fishing and simply cruising around ourbeautiful lake. If you see an old couple trying toride what looks like a bicycle on top of a surfboardin the middle of the lake - that's us on our latestwater toy!
Ken Lynch
Jean Mori
George Pickett
Bill Russell
Janis Stapleton
My name is Bill Russell. My wife,Joni and I have been married for28 years and have a 21 year oldson, Andy. We all enjoy our timeon Lake Burton with my sister,Shell, and her husband anddaughter, Al and Shanna. Our
lake house and cabin are located where Moccasinand Wildcat enter the main body of the lake. Wehave been at this location since 1956 and havealways spent our summers fishing, swimming, andskiing in these beautiful waters. I am a generalcontractor and my wife is involved in propertymanagement. I have served on the board for twoyears and currently serve as Vice President. Mytrue passion and service desire is to do all I can topreserve this great resource we have for many morefuture generations, thus my dedication to service asyour Water Quality and Environmental Chair. Ialso serve as the Water Quality Task Force Leaderfor the Tallulah River Watershed Council (TRWC)providing service for not only Lake Burton but theentire chain of lakes. My hope is to provide allinterested parties information that will help thembe the best stewards of our waterways they can beand provide them answers to any questions orconcerns that they might have. This position hasgiven me the opportunity to meet many of you andmake a lot of new friends on the lake every yearwhich makes it all the more enjoyable.
I live in Cornelia, GA with myhusband of forty-four years,James (Jimmy) Stapleton, Jr. Weown and operate HabershamM e t a l P r o d u c t s C o . , amanufacturer of detention and
commercial security products. We’ve been on LakeBurton since the late ‘60’s, first enjoying Jimmy’sparents’ lake house on Dicks Creek, and then in1987, purchasing our own lake house onChiggerchaw Ridge Road-Bob’s Cove South off ofLaurel Lodge Road. We have many greatmemories of our three sons, Jim, Keith and Derek,and now their families, having good times on LakeBurton.
I refer to myself as a “professional volunteer.” I’veserved in many leadership roles for charitableorganizations. To name a few, for over twentyyears, I directed Camp Agape, a week long summercamp sponsored by First Baptist Church ofCornelia for children recommended byHabersham County DFACS. I was co-founder anddirector of Prevent Child Abuse Habersham(PCAH). I have also served in several leadershiproles in the Garden Club of Georgia, and being acertified Master Flower Show Judge, have helpedorganize and judge many flower shows throughoutthe Southeast
(Continued on next page . . .)
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
Get to Know Your LBCA Directors & Officers!Andy Anderson
Bill Bomar
Gaston Brawley
Sallye and I were fortunate to finda two bedroom one bath cabinfor sale on what was then calledTimpson Creek Road in 1984,later changed to Meeting HouseMountain Road. We fell in lovewith it on a Saturday and bought
it on Sunday. It's a quiet neighborhood since wehave two cemeteries adjacent to our lot. Weenjoyed the cabin for three years and then built anew home which we enlarged in 2009 when wemoved to the lake as our permanent home. Prior tothe lake, we lived in Atlanta where I was a real estatedeveloper and Sallye held the fort together.
Our children Tom and Molly were 13 and 9 whenwe arrived on the lake and thanks to them, we nowhave five wonderful grandchildren with which toshare all the lake activities. Rocking on the porchwith a gentle breeze while admiring the statelybeauty of Charlie Mountain is about as good as itgets.
I am a Past President and a past Treasurer ofLBCA, and a current Member of its Board ofDirectors. During my term as President in 2000-2002, I worked closely with Georgia PowerCompany to allow the leases to be held by FamilyTrusts and Entities, benefiting the extendedfamilies on the Lake. As a Board Member, I workin the area of budgets, financial matters, andBylaws.
I am a retired Certified Public Accountant fromAtlanta where I was an owner of WindhamBrannon, P.C. I am a Past President of the GeorgiaSociety of CPAs, a former member of Council ofthe AICPA and the Board of the EducationalFoundation of the GSCPAs. I graduated fromGeorgia Tech in 1960 and Emory UniversityBusiness School in 1961.
My wife, Jan, and I have two married sons and fourteenage grandchildren. Our home on the Lake ison the main lake basin south of the Hwy 76 bridgeoff of Acorn Creek Road, where we try to spendfive or six days a week. Our GPC Lease has been inJan’s family since 1931. We renovated our lakehome in 1997, which is shared with Jan’s sister andher family. We are active at St. James EpiscopalChurch in Clayton and the Cathedral of St. Philipand the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta in Atlanta.
My wife Ellen and I live on theeast side main body of the Lake,at the foot of Charlie Mountain,across from the “Safety Man.”This lot has been in my familysince 1947. In 1968, as a teenagerI said “this is the only place I want
to live when I grow up.” In 1987, I built my homehere, becoming a full time resident, fulfilling myteenage dream, and starting a twenty-four-yeardaily commute of two-hundred-ten miles to my job
in Atlanta. In 2011, I retired after twenty years withthe Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta where Iwas Group Vice President and Director ofFinancial Risk Modeling. I am a graduate ofGeorgia State University with a BS in CriminalJustice and an MBA in Finance. I was a PoliceOfficer with DeKalb County for five years, beforebeginning my thirty-one-year banking career. Ihave been a volunteer fire fighter and firstresponder in Rabun County for over twenty yearsand am a founding member of Wildcat VFD. Mywife Ellen is a Registered Nurse and works parttime at Highland Cashiers Hospital. We aremembers of Saint Helena Catholic Church. Myhobby is restoring antique automobiles. I have a1980 Porsche 911SC and a 1965 Thunderbirdconvertible, which I am currently working on. Ialso am beginning to build an airplane from scratchin my basement.
I am the current president of theLBCA, elected at the Annualmeeting in June. I have served asSecretary for the Association fortwelve years and have beena c t i ve l y i nvo l ve d i n a l lAssociation activities for several
years. My main interest has been in the AnnualMeeting and serving on the MembershipCommittee. The committee calls each memberwho has not rejoined to better understand theirreasoning and to answer any concerns. Most ofthe time the member has just misplaced theapplication and we then e-mail or send anotherone.
Tom and I have had a home on the Lake since 1977and been residents for most of the week for thepast five years. Our home is located on MurrayCove on Rainbow Village Lane. We have two adultsons and five grandchildren. We love RabunCounty and our beautiful lake. I am dedicated topreserving and improving this special place.
Gail and I plus our four childrenand their families have a house onTimpson Cove, between thepublic beach and Anchorage. Webegan coming to Lake Burtonwith the family in the 1970’s andrented houses all over the lake.
We built our house in 2004 and enjoy it all yearlong. We live in Atlanta and try to get to the Lake asoften as we can.
Gail and I both work full time. I have been in thehousing business in Atlanta for over 40 years. I ama consultant specializing in homebuilding,architecture and land development. Gail owns andruns Dearing Antiques in Atlanta.
I was raised in Gainesville and on Lake Lanier inDawsonville and moved to Cleveland in 1982. Ihave been coming to my in-laws home on Lake
Becky Callahan
John Dearing
Linda Dixon
Burton since 1982, even before my husband Samand I were married and they were my in-laws.Sam’s family had their property before the lake wasbuilt. His great grandfather was John Laprade, theowner of LaPrades. We bought our own home“Our Dream” in 1997 located on Murray CoveRoad.
I worked for thirty-one years with the state ofGeorgia, as Social Worker Supervisor withDepartment of Human Resources in Dahlonega.For several years I supervised both Lumpkin andWhite counties. I retired from the state in May2011. My husband was co-owner of Norton-Dixon Insurance in Cleveland until Sept 2011when we sold the business.
I have served over ten years as co-chair of theLBCA Tour of Homes, have been on the LBCAboard of directors seven years and for the last threeyears, was its President.
My wife Elaine and I built on theDick’s Creek branch of beautifulLake Burton in 1987. We addedon in 1999 anticipating ourretirement, mine as a ProfessorEmeritus, from The Universityof Georgia, in 2001. Initially we
enjoyed the lake with our teenage daughter, Kara,and more recently with her husband Bucky Hortonand now their two teenage boys, William andJackson. We spend about 6-7 months each year atthe lake and the balance of our time traveling or atour other home in Crawford, Georgia. All of usenjoy our boat and jet skis and the boys lovewakeboarding and tubing so in the summer I spendlots of time driving the boat. A local interest andconcern is maintaining the water quality of the lakesince it affects both the quality of our lives and ourproperty values. One of my favorite things aboutthe lake is the annual fireworks display, enjoyed byboth our family and our visitors. It is a rare andspecial event and venue that we hope will continuefor our family and future generations to enjoy.
My wife Manning and I boughtour home on Dicks Creek in1983. When I retired from thefinancial industry in 2001 wemoved to the lake full-time.
I was president of the LCBAfrom 1988 – 1990 and have been
involved in its activities ever since. I am currentlyworking with Pat Leake on the newsletter.
In 1986 my husband, Ryland andI became Lake Burton propertyowners and LBCA members.Having both grown up in the flatcornfields of Illinois, we find thechanging views of the lake andmountains endlessly beautiful.
We now share our lake home with our grown
Kent Gustafson
Jim Holmes
Elizabeth Koets
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
daughters and their families. I have served as aLBCA Board member, as LBCA Vice Presidentand as President from 1994 to 1996. During mypresidency, we undertook a study to determinewhat actions needed to be taken to begin theprocess of securing better home insurance ratesbased on increasing the effectiveness of ourVolunteer Fire Departments. We raised fundsfrom LBCA members and installed dry hydrantsaround the lake. In cases of fire, these hydrants arelike soda straws extending out into the lake belowthe winter draw down level and allow fire trucks toattach to the red part you see along the roadsides.The pumper truck then draws up lake water to fillthe tanker trucks which deliver the water to the firesite. We also worked with Rabun CountyCommissioners and a dedicated core of VolunteerFire Fighters to establish the Wildcat Fire Station.Now, with three VFD’s, (Persimmon in the North,Wildcat center lake on the West, and Lakes at thesouth end) serving the lake, more homes arewithin the required distance from a station for thebetter insurance rates. In our “other” life, we live inAtlanta. I have a kitchen design consultationservice, Elizabeth Koets Kitchens within thebuilding of my husband’s Architectural practice inBuckhead. We have specialized in designing finehomes in Atlanta and many on Lake Burton.Among my other interests are weaving, white oakbasketry, playing the cello, canoeing and cookingfor gatherings of family and friends.
My wife Martha and I live inAtlanta but have had a secondhome on Lake Burton for thirtyyears. We have three sons and tengrandchildren. I retired from theChemical Industry in 2000. I ama past president of the LBCA -serving from 1988-2000.
Nolan and I moved to Atlanta in1973 and have raised our twochildren there. Nolan was apartner at King & Spalding untilhe retired in 2010. I have been afull time mother, communityvolunteer and now grandmother.
We purchased our house on LakeBurton, located on the main lake near the dam,Fourth of July weekend in 1988. It was a gray, wetweekend and you couldn’t see up the lake at all butwe knew what the view would be. Our childrencalled it mildew manor, but despite this, two hoursafter our offer was accepted, the seller had a back-up contract. We pretty much bombed the house ina remodeling project that kept expanding. Today,we are very glad it did for there is no place we wouldrather be than “at the lake.” In the fall, winter andspring we love to hike in the north Georgiamountains. In the summer we still marvel at theview of these same mountains from our boathouse. Our children are now grown and marriedand we have a fifteen-month-old grandbaby that
Sid Kolme
Pat Leake
loves to splash in the lake. We feel very fortunatethat she too will grow up enjoying the beauty ofthis very special place.
Ken and his family are thirtyyear residents of Lake Burtonon Timpson Creek. HisAtlanta residential architecturefirm, Kenneth Lynch andAssociates, AIA, has projectsthroughout the South andNortheast. He is especially
proud of the extensive work he does in RabunCounty. Ken is a former president and currentboard member of the Lake Burton CivicAssociation (LBCA) and the Vice President of theVinings Village Homeowners Association(VVHA). Ken lives in Vinings in Atlanta with hiswife, Peggy, and enjoys the company of his twogrown children, Kip and Sally, their spouses andfive grandchildren. Lake Burton continues to be agreat love for Ken and his family.
Betty and I have had a home onthe southwest shore of the lakejust before the entrance to Dick’sCreek since 1985. We enjoy thelake throughout the year,especially when we are sharing itwith our extended families. I
founded Mori Luggage and Gifts in 1971.
My wife, Libba, and I have had ahome on the lake since 1996 andhave always appreciated the workof the association. Our house islocated on the west side of themain lake opposite CharlieMountain on Moccasin CreekRoad. I grew up in a small town in
Alabama, came to Atlanta to attend college, met mywife, and we have lived in the Atlanta area almostcontinually ever since. We have three growndaughters, two sons-in-law, and our first grandbabyon the way. After holding several positions withSouthern Airways, I saw an opportunity in the 1979de-regulation of the airline industry and startedAtlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), a large regionalcarrier affiliated with Delta Airlines. I was afounder and director of the company and itsChairman and Chief Executive Officer until it wasacquired by Delta in 1999. My personal interestshave always involved activities on the water. Libbaand I raced one-design sailboats out of the AtlantaYacht Club in the late '60s/early '70s and sailed ourown boat along the Atlantic coast until two yearsago. Although I still have a small sailboat on LakeBurton, I primarily enjoy wakeboarding,swimming, fishing and simply cruising around ourbeautiful lake. If you see an old couple trying toride what looks like a bicycle on top of a surfboardin the middle of the lake - that's us on our latestwater toy!
Ken Lynch
Jean Mori
George Pickett
Bill Russell
Janis Stapleton
My name is Bill Russell. My wife,Joni and I have been married for28 years and have a 21 year oldson, Andy. We all enjoy our timeon Lake Burton with my sister,Shell, and her husband anddaughter, Al and Shanna. Our
lake house and cabin are located where Moccasinand Wildcat enter the main body of the lake. Wehave been at this location since 1956 and havealways spent our summers fishing, swimming, andskiing in these beautiful waters. I am a generalcontractor and my wife is involved in propertymanagement. I have served on the board for twoyears and currently serve as Vice President. Mytrue passion and service desire is to do all I can topreserve this great resource we have for many morefuture generations, thus my dedication to service asyour Water Quality and Environmental Chair. Ialso serve as the Water Quality Task Force Leaderfor the Tallulah River Watershed Council (TRWC)providing service for not only Lake Burton but theentire chain of lakes. My hope is to provide allinterested parties information that will help thembe the best stewards of our waterways they can beand provide them answers to any questions orconcerns that they might have. This position hasgiven me the opportunity to meet many of you andmake a lot of new friends on the lake every yearwhich makes it all the more enjoyable.
I live in Cornelia, GA with myhusband of forty-four years,James (Jimmy) Stapleton, Jr. Weown and operate HabershamM e t a l P r o d u c t s C o . , amanufacturer of detention and
commercial security products. We’ve been on LakeBurton since the late ‘60’s, first enjoying Jimmy’sparents’ lake house on Dicks Creek, and then in1987, purchasing our own lake house onChiggerchaw Ridge Road-Bob’s Cove South off ofLaurel Lodge Road. We have many greatmemories of our three sons, Jim, Keith and Derek,and now their families, having good times on LakeBurton.
I refer to myself as a “professional volunteer.” I’veserved in many leadership roles for charitableorganizations. To name a few, for over twentyyears, I directed Camp Agape, a week long summercamp sponsored by First Baptist Church ofCornelia for children recommended byHabersham County DFACS. I was co-founder anddirector of Prevent Child Abuse Habersham(PCAH). I have also served in several leadershiproles in the Garden Club of Georgia, and being acertified Master Flower Show Judge, have helpedorganize and judge many flower shows throughoutthe Southeast
(Continued on next page . . .)
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
(Janis Stapleton . . . continued from previous page.)
In addition to my volunteer work, I spend as much time as I canenjoying our sons, their wives and our six grandchildren, all ofwhom give us a lot of joy and pleasure. I am now spending moretime on Lake Burton, not only enjoying the lake with family andfriends, but also being of service however I can through the LakeBurton Civic Association where I have served for six yearsmanaging the Boathouse Sign Project, Co-Chairman of the Tourof Homes, Budget and Finance Committee, Legal Committee,and Treasurer.
My husband Jan and I live in Cleveland but havehad a home on the main body of the lake atDick’s Creek for ten years. We love Lake Burtonand come every chance we get! I currently workas a Customer Service Manager at NortheastGeorgia Health System in Gainesville.
Along with my husband Ranny, I have been afull-time resident at Lake Burton since 1973. Weowned Cherokee Landing Marina from 1973 –2002. I was an Associate Broker with WhitneyRealty 1974 – 2011 and have been an AssociateBroker with RE/MAX of Rabun since then. Iserved as president of the LBCA from 1978 –
1980. I currently serve as secretary of the association.
Kim Westmoreland
Cynthia Whitney
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
September 1, 2012
As the summer draws to a close and wemove into fall I am pleased to say there aremany positive items to report regardingprogress toward monitoring and sharinginformation about our water quality andgeneral environment. I am writing thisreport as much from my perspective asWater Quality Task Force Leader for theTallulah River Watershed Council (TRWC)as I am your Water Quality andEnvironmental Chair.
The two most exciting items to reportare that, as you read this article, the longawaited lake-wide water testing for organicsynthetics (pesticides, herbicides, andfungicides) is underway in Lake Burton andthe Georgia Power Company (GPC)siltation and sedimentation monitoringprogram is about to start, also in LakeBurton. In the following paragraphs I willattempt to give you a brief overview of thescope of these two very important projects.
The water testing for organicsynthetics has been commissioned by theTRWC and funded by a financial donationfrom the LBCA. Four samples have beendrawn from each of six different locationson the lake by Compass Environmental, Inc.and delivered to the Pesticide andHazardous Waste Laboratory (which is partof the Agriculture and EnvironmentalServices Laboratory at the University ofGeorgia Cooperative Extension Services inAthens). The six locations are as follows:
1. The lower pool of the lake betweenCherokee and Murray Coves
2. The middle pool of the lake about 200yards south of the water safety man
3. The upper pool of the lake whereDicks, Tallulah, and Timpson merge
4. The mouth of Mueller’s Cove
5. The small cove into which the retentionpond at Vickers Rd empties
6. The head of the Tallulah River at thesmall bridge
There will be four different scansconducted for each of the locations. Thescans will include the following:
1. Fungicide scan for most commonfungicides
2. Herbicide scan for the acidic herbicidessuch as 2, and 4-D
3. Herbicide scan for the non-ionicherbicides that might bio-accumulate(i.e. in fish)
4. Pesticides – chlorinated hydrocarbonsand organophosphates
The results of these tests will beshared with GPC and published for all of usto see. These tests are being conducted withthe full support and interest of GPC. Thisinformation will fill a void in the alreadyquite thorough testing that GPC conducts atleast three times a year. That leads me to thenext positive item I have to report
In my role as the TRWC Water QualityTask Force Leader along with mypredecessor Mike Walters (currently theCommunications Task Force Leader for theTRWC) much discussion has taken placewith GPC about the potential amount of siltand sediment that is making its way to thelake. We have suggested that some form ofmonitoring bottom depth changes(particularly in the upper end of the lake)could over time tell us much in this regard.This issue was first raised in a compre-hensive Water Quality Task Force Report -available for your review on the TRWCwebsite (www.tallulahriverwatershed.com).The website is still in its developmentalstage, but the full Report, including theinitial discussion of recommendations withGeorgia Power officials, is presented. Theseand follow up discussions have resulted inGPC taking on the financial expense andoperational responsibility of a siltation andsedimentation monitoring program that willannually map the bottom contours of theupper ends of Tallulah, Dicks, andTimpson. This will be done using a speciallyequipped boat that will map and monitor thebottoms of the ash ponds at their powerplants. This boat is outfitted with acombination of GPS and sonar equipmentthat sets and “pings” waypoints as it makespasses back and forth across the waterwayresulting in a virtual topographical map ofthe bottom contours. The initial mapping isscheduled to start September 11th this yearwhich will set the waypoints that will berepeated each September moving forward.Over time they will be able to determinebottom depth changes, delta movement,and how far silt and sediment may bewandering into the lake. After several yearsof analysis it is possible that the pace and
volume of silt intrusion could bedetermined.
Everyone in the watershed (all of thelakes) should be grateful to the TRWC andGeorgia Power for their combined efforts inmonitoring the ecological quality of ourwaterways and educating our community asto the status of this precious resource. Thecombination of the water testing and thesiltation and sedimentation monitoringprogram are two giant steps toward betterunderstanding where we are now and whatsteps we may need to take to assure apositive future. I encourage all of you toshare conversation about it with yourfriends and neighbors and encourage themto support the TRWC in its futureendeavors.
Before closing there are a few otherquick thoughts worthy of mention. First onmy mind is the tremendous response to theEnvironmental Seminar. Over the summermany have made it a point to let me knowhow much they appreciated the effort andhow much they learned. Let me know if youthink something of this nature should bedone annually and what we might do toincrease attendance. Also of note, many ofyou might have noticed that the surfacefoaming that was of such great concern lastyear has been nearly non-existent this year.With the thermo cline changes that willbegin to take place soon, some moderatefoaming may still occur due to the microbialalgae breaking the surface tension of thewater. This is a natural occurrence notcaused by phosphates or detergents.
As always please think through yourmaintenance and landscaping procedures aswe move into the fall and winter seasons andconsider what impact you may be having onour water quality and environment. I willalways do my best to answer any of yourquestions and address any of your concerns.
Water Quality & Environment Report
Lawsuit ConcludedIn December 2006, the LBCA brought a
federal Clean Water Act case against theWaterfall Country Club and its owners: J.T.Williams, Bert Williams, David Williams, LakeBurton Development, LLC, Killearn, Inc., andWaterfall Country Club, LLC. The suit soughtdamages to cover remediation and an injunctionto prevent runoff of silt and pesticides from thedevelopment in order to protect the waterquality of Lake Burton.
In late 2010, after nearly four years oflitigation, the LBCA board decided thatpursuing the lawsuit further was unlikely toprovide any net benefit to Lake Burton becausecircumstances had changed substantially. Bythat time, defendants J.T. Williams, BertWilliams, Lake Burton Development, LLC andWaterfall Country Club, LLC had declaredbankruptcy and all had filed sworn bankruptcycourt statements that their liabilitiesconsiderably exceeded their assets. Althoughdefendant David Williams had not filed forbankruptcy, (he did so earlier this year), heclaimed he had no substantial net worth.Defendant Killearn, Inc.’s only assets were itsownership of the bankrupt companies. Inaddition, the bankruptcy court had approved thesale of the Waterfall Country Club property to a
new investment group, free and clear of anydebts or claims against the country club or thedefendants. The defendants therefore no longerhad control of the property and the propertywas no longer subject to the LBCA’s claims. Thenew owners indicated that they were willing towork with the LBCA to avoid any future waterquality issues.
At that point, the LBCA and its counseldisagreed on how to proceed with the litigation.The lawyers had taken the lawsuit on acontingency basis so their legal fees could onlycome from a percentage of any damages andattorneys fees ultimately recovered from thedefendants. Because of this disagreement, theLBCA dismissed its counsel in November of2010.
Subsequently, the board asked NolanLeake to assume representation of the LBCAand to take action to end the LBCA’sinvolvement in the lawsuit. Nolan and Pat hadbeen long-time members of the LBCA and hehad recently retired from King & Spalding so heagreed to do so on a pro-bono basis inDecember.
The LBCA’s new counsel worked over thenext nine months in the federal district court andthe bankruptcy court, where the various
bankruptcies were pending, to create a means toget the LBCA dismissed from the case, whilepreserving whatever legitimate rights the formercounsel of the LBCA had to recover theirattorneys fees from the defendants. Ultimately,the LBCA offered to assign its claims forattorneys fees and damages against thedefendants to its prior counsel in the federal caseand in each of the bankruptcy cases. TheLBCA’s prior counsel refused the offers in eachcase. The LBCA then moved in the federaldistrict court to dismiss its claims and substituteLBCA’s prior counsel in their place so that theprior counsel could continue the litigation inorder to try to recover its attorneys fees. After ahearing at which the LBCA, its prior counsel andthe defendants all participated, Judge Richard W.Story granted the LBCA’s motion in September2011. He dismissed the LBCA from all furtherinvolvement in the case and substituted the priorcounsel as plaintiffs in the case so they couldpursue their attorneys fee claims, if they wished.Although the LBCA is no longer involved, arecent review of the docket of activity in thecase shows the last entry was a request fourmonths ago to suspend litigation of the caseduring the bankruptcy of defendant DavidWilliams.
Bill RussellWater Quality and Environmental Chair, LBCA
Water Quality Task Force Leader, TRWC
770-402-8102
Andy Anderson [email protected]
Bill Bomar [email protected]
Gaston Brawley [email protected]
Becky Callahan [email protected]
Linda Dixon [email protected]
Kent Gustafson [email protected]
Jean Mori [email protected]
George Pickett [email protected]
Bill Russell [email protected]
Janis Stapleton
Kim Westmoreland [email protected]
John Dearing [email protected]
Jim Holmes [email protected]
Elizabeth Koets [email protected]
Sid Kollme [email protected]
Pat Leake [email protected]
Ken Lynch [email protected]
Cynthia Whitney [email protected]
E-mail Directory
Get to Know Your LBCA Directors & Officers!
September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
(Janis Stapleton . . . continued from previous page.)
In addition to my volunteer work, I spend as much time as I canenjoying our sons, their wives and our six grandchildren, all ofwhom give us a lot of joy and pleasure. I am now spending moretime on Lake Burton, not only enjoying the lake with family andfriends, but also being of service however I can through the LakeBurton Civic Association where I have served for six yearsmanaging the Boathouse Sign Project, Co-Chairman of the Tourof Homes, Budget and Finance Committee, Legal Committee,and Treasurer.
My husband Jan and I live in Cleveland but havehad a home on the main body of the lake atDick’s Creek for ten years. We love Lake Burtonand come every chance we get! I currently workas a Customer Service Manager at NortheastGeorgia Health System in Gainesville.
Along with my husband Ranny, I have been afull-time resident at Lake Burton since 1973. Weowned Cherokee Landing Marina from 1973 –2002. I was an Associate Broker with WhitneyRealty 1974 – 2011 and have been an AssociateBroker with RE/MAX of Rabun since then. Iserved as president of the LBCA from 1978 –
1980. I currently serve as secretary of the association.
Kim Westmoreland
Cynthia Whitney
September 2012Newsletter Lake BurtonCivic Association
C
September 1, 2012
As the summer draws to a close and wemove into fall I am pleased to say there aremany positive items to report regardingprogress toward monitoring and sharinginformation about our water quality andgeneral environment. I am writing thisreport as much from my perspective asWater Quality Task Force Leader for theTallulah River Watershed Council (TRWC)as I am your Water Quality andEnvironmental Chair.
The two most exciting items to reportare that, as you read this article, the longawaited lake-wide water testing for organicsynthetics (pesticides, herbicides, andfungicides) is underway in Lake Burton andthe Georgia Power Company (GPC)siltation and sedimentation monitoringprogram is about to start, also in LakeBurton. In the following paragraphs I willattempt to give you a brief overview of thescope of these two very important projects.
The water testing for organicsynthetics has been commissioned by theTRWC and funded by a financial donationfrom the LBCA. Four samples have beendrawn from each of six different locationson the lake by Compass Environmental, Inc.and delivered to the Pesticide andHazardous Waste Laboratory (which is partof the Agriculture and EnvironmentalServices Laboratory at the University ofGeorgia Cooperative Extension Services inAthens). The six locations are as follows:
1. The lower pool of the lake betweenCherokee and Murray Coves
2. The middle pool of the lake about 200yards south of the water safety man
3. The upper pool of the lake whereDicks, Tallulah, and Timpson merge
4. The mouth of Mueller’s Cove
5. The small cove into which the retentionpond at Vickers Rd empties
6. The head of the Tallulah River at thesmall bridge
There will be four different scansconducted for each of the locations. Thescans will include the following:
1. Fungicide scan for most commonfungicides
2. Herbicide scan for the acidic herbicidessuch as 2, and 4-D
3. Herbicide scan for the non-ionicherbicides that might bio-accumulate(i.e. in fish)
4. Pesticides – chlorinated hydrocarbonsand organophosphates
The results of these tests will beshared with GPC and published for all of usto see. These tests are being conducted withthe full support and interest of GPC. Thisinformation will fill a void in the alreadyquite thorough testing that GPC conducts atleast three times a year. That leads me to thenext positive item I have to report
In my role as the TRWC Water QualityTask Force Leader along with mypredecessor Mike Walters (currently theCommunications Task Force Leader for theTRWC) much discussion has taken placewith GPC about the potential amount of siltand sediment that is making its way to thelake. We have suggested that some form ofmonitoring bottom depth changes(particularly in the upper end of the lake)could over time tell us much in this regard.This issue was first raised in a compre-hensive Water Quality Task Force Report -available for your review on the TRWCwebsite (www.tallulahriverwatershed.com).The website is still in its developmentalstage, but the full Report, including theinitial discussion of recommendations withGeorgia Power officials, is presented. Theseand follow up discussions have resulted inGPC taking on the financial expense andoperational responsibility of a siltation andsedimentation monitoring program that willannually map the bottom contours of theupper ends of Tallulah, Dicks, andTimpson. This will be done using a speciallyequipped boat that will map and monitor thebottoms of the ash ponds at their powerplants. This boat is outfitted with acombination of GPS and sonar equipmentthat sets and “pings” waypoints as it makespasses back and forth across the waterwayresulting in a virtual topographical map ofthe bottom contours. The initial mapping isscheduled to start September 11th this yearwhich will set the waypoints that will berepeated each September moving forward.Over time they will be able to determinebottom depth changes, delta movement,and how far silt and sediment may bewandering into the lake. After several yearsof analysis it is possible that the pace and
volume of silt intrusion could bedetermined.
Everyone in the watershed (all of thelakes) should be grateful to the TRWC andGeorgia Power for their combined efforts inmonitoring the ecological quality of ourwaterways and educating our community asto the status of this precious resource. Thecombination of the water testing and thesiltation and sedimentation monitoringprogram are two giant steps toward betterunderstanding where we are now and whatsteps we may need to take to assure apositive future. I encourage all of you toshare conversation about it with yourfriends and neighbors and encourage themto support the TRWC in its futureendeavors.
Before closing there are a few otherquick thoughts worthy of mention. First onmy mind is the tremendous response to theEnvironmental Seminar. Over the summermany have made it a point to let me knowhow much they appreciated the effort andhow much they learned. Let me know if youthink something of this nature should bedone annually and what we might do toincrease attendance. Also of note, many ofyou might have noticed that the surfacefoaming that was of such great concern lastyear has been nearly non-existent this year.With the thermo cline changes that willbegin to take place soon, some moderatefoaming may still occur due to the microbialalgae breaking the surface tension of thewater. This is a natural occurrence notcaused by phosphates or detergents.
As always please think through yourmaintenance and landscaping procedures aswe move into the fall and winter seasons andconsider what impact you may be having onour water quality and environment. I willalways do my best to answer any of yourquestions and address any of your concerns.
Water Quality & Environment Report
Lawsuit ConcludedIn December 2006, the LBCA brought a
federal Clean Water Act case against theWaterfall Country Club and its owners: J.T.Williams, Bert Williams, David Williams, LakeBurton Development, LLC, Killearn, Inc., andWaterfall Country Club, LLC. The suit soughtdamages to cover remediation and an injunctionto prevent runoff of silt and pesticides from thedevelopment in order to protect the waterquality of Lake Burton.
In late 2010, after nearly four years oflitigation, the LBCA board decided thatpursuing the lawsuit further was unlikely toprovide any net benefit to Lake Burton becausecircumstances had changed substantially. Bythat time, defendants J.T. Williams, BertWilliams, Lake Burton Development, LLC andWaterfall Country Club, LLC had declaredbankruptcy and all had filed sworn bankruptcycourt statements that their liabilitiesconsiderably exceeded their assets. Althoughdefendant David Williams had not filed forbankruptcy, (he did so earlier this year), heclaimed he had no substantial net worth.Defendant Killearn, Inc.’s only assets were itsownership of the bankrupt companies. Inaddition, the bankruptcy court had approved thesale of the Waterfall Country Club property to a
new investment group, free and clear of anydebts or claims against the country club or thedefendants. The defendants therefore no longerhad control of the property and the propertywas no longer subject to the LBCA’s claims. Thenew owners indicated that they were willing towork with the LBCA to avoid any future waterquality issues.
At that point, the LBCA and its counseldisagreed on how to proceed with the litigation.The lawyers had taken the lawsuit on acontingency basis so their legal fees could onlycome from a percentage of any damages andattorneys fees ultimately recovered from thedefendants. Because of this disagreement, theLBCA dismissed its counsel in November of2010.
Subsequently, the board asked NolanLeake to assume representation of the LBCAand to take action to end the LBCA’sinvolvement in the lawsuit. Nolan and Pat hadbeen long-time members of the LBCA and hehad recently retired from King & Spalding so heagreed to do so on a pro-bono basis inDecember.
The LBCA’s new counsel worked over thenext nine months in the federal district court andthe bankruptcy court, where the various
bankruptcies were pending, to create a means toget the LBCA dismissed from the case, whilepreserving whatever legitimate rights the formercounsel of the LBCA had to recover theirattorneys fees from the defendants. Ultimately,the LBCA offered to assign its claims forattorneys fees and damages against thedefendants to its prior counsel in the federal caseand in each of the bankruptcy cases. TheLBCA’s prior counsel refused the offers in eachcase. The LBCA then moved in the federaldistrict court to dismiss its claims and substituteLBCA’s prior counsel in their place so that theprior counsel could continue the litigation inorder to try to recover its attorneys fees. After ahearing at which the LBCA, its prior counsel andthe defendants all participated, Judge Richard W.Story granted the LBCA’s motion in September2011. He dismissed the LBCA from all furtherinvolvement in the case and substituted the priorcounsel as plaintiffs in the case so they couldpursue their attorneys fee claims, if they wished.Although the LBCA is no longer involved, arecent review of the docket of activity in thecase shows the last entry was a request fourmonths ago to suspend litigation of the caseduring the bankruptcy of defendant DavidWilliams.
Bill RussellWater Quality and Environmental Chair, LBCA
Water Quality Task Force Leader, TRWC
770-402-8102
Andy Anderson [email protected]
Bill Bomar [email protected]
Gaston Brawley [email protected]
Becky Callahan [email protected]
Linda Dixon [email protected]
Kent Gustafson [email protected]
Jean Mori [email protected]
George Pickett [email protected]
Bill Russell [email protected]
Janis Stapleton
Kim Westmoreland [email protected]
John Dearing [email protected]
Jim Holmes [email protected]
Elizabeth Koets [email protected]
Sid Kollme [email protected]
Pat Leake [email protected]
Ken Lynch [email protected]
Cynthia Whitney [email protected]
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September 2012NewsletterLake BurtonCivic Association
C
Tour of Homes Spans a CenturyThe biennial 2012 Lake Burton Tour of Homes was a resounding success! Over 400 LBCA members and guests
bought tickets to this event - leading to another sell-out. The tour made over $8,000 that will be used to support our threefire departments.
This tour would not have been possible without thegenerosity of the homeowners who graciously lent ustheir homes. The LBCA would like to thank Inga andJohn Woodard, Vickie Darrah, and Donna and GordonBrady. It took an enormous amount of time and energy,not to mention expense, to prepare their homes for thetour. A big thanks to all the volunteers who acted as hostsfor the homes. Also a big thanks to all the boat drivers anddock workers. Without the volunteers a successful tour
would not be possible. We would like to thinkof the 2012 tour as a history lesson, or time line,of Lake Burton. Starting with Chantilly, one ofthe oldest cabins on the lake, to Vickie Darrah’shome, a 1955 home renovated in 2006, andfinally, the Brady’s home, brand new in 2011. Ithink the tour showed the evolution of lakehomes and how styles have changed throughoutthe years.
Finally, we would like to say “Good Job -Well Done” and many thanks to all that helpedmake the 2012 tour possible.
by Linda Dixon and Janis Stapleton
October 14, 2012 Fall Board of Directors MeetingNovember 1, 2012 Directory Info Request and Membership Statements MailedDecember 31, 2012 Membership Dues for 2013 must be paidJanuary 15, 2013 Membership Fees are Due/Directory CutoffMarch 17, 2013 Winter Board MeetingMay 19, 2013 Spring Board MeetingJune 15, 2013 Annual MeetingJuly 4, 2013 Earl Patton Duck Tape RegattaJuly 5, 2013 Lake Burton Fun RunJuly 6, 2013 Fourth of July FireworksAugust 2, 2013 22nd Annual LBCA Golf Tournament (at Kingwood)October 13, 2013 Fall Board Meeting* Please note that some of the above dates are tentative. For the most up-to-date www.lbca.net.
of Directorsof Directors
of Directorsinformation, see
LBCA Calendar For 2012-2013*