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Saturday, March 22, 2014

This is really bothering me

One of the proposals for the new Rules & Regulations is allowing people to use the top of the dam for walking or riding non-motorized vehicles as well as allowing fishing from the dam. The more I think about this the more it is bothering me. There are reasons this has not been allowed in the past. Our insurance company has no problem with it but there are other considerations besides liability. By the way, remember insurance does not cover punitive damages, only compensatory, meaning if there is a law suit indicating we should have known better than to allow people on the dam we (meaning you) will be paying damages if we lose a suit. Right out of your pockets.
Here are my other concerns. I watch people throwing big rocks into the lake from the shoreline at the park near my home all the time and have called it in and stopped them myself as well. Those rocks are there to maintain the shoreline from erosion and must not be removed. What do you think will happen on the dam? Not only throwing the rocks into the water but also rolling even larger ones down the face. As a board we are charged with among many other things being sure the dam is maintained. Those rocks must stay in place and I promise you many will not. 
The dam area is also one of the deepest parts of the lake and it is a very sharp drop off. I am not sure some kid, or an adult for that matter, could climb back up the slippery underwater rocks to get back out if they fell in. It truly is dangerous and kids especially will be right there at the water's edge.
As I laid in bed Friday night thinking about this something else came to mind. We all know how kids are. They will not be careful while riding across the top of the dam. I remember when I was about ten starting down a too steep grassy hill on my bike and not being able to stop. You don't think to drop off the bike, you simply try to stop while staying upright. The only thing that kept me from serious injury was hitting a tree. Think of some young person showing off doing wheelies or whatever and starting down the dam, either side of the dam. It could be a catastrophe.
Yes, maybe I am getting old and worrying but I can't help it. I do not want something like this on my conscience. This entire idea needs to be re-thought. I know some of the readers will not agree with me but that is always the case. I can not in good conscience support this rule. Other board members may not agree but I am putting this out there for you, the property owners and residents, to consider.
Ken