Fall 2017 barge hours:
8-20-17 Additional Barge Operator hired – Barge will run full schedule through Labor Day. Working on operators schedule after 9/4/17.
8-10-17 (2:30PM) — BARGE OPEN – Repaired and back to full schedule.
8-9-2017 (6:30pm) — BARGE CLOSED as of 5:30 PM today. Please be advised that the Barge is Closed temporarily due to the GenSet having a broken shaft on the fan pulley.
Bill Hullinger will call John Deere first thing in the morning to have them come out to assess the parts needed and make the repair. We will not know until some time tomorrow when they will be able to come out. We will let you know as soon as we know when the barge will be repaired.
8-4-2017 — The Diamond Island Association Annual Meeting is set for Saturday, August 19, 2017, @10:00 am. Please join us @ Koranda/Manning lot. Plan on bringing a lawn chair to sit in.
The Board will be presenting their recommendation for the the configuration and financing of a new barge for the membership to vote on.
There will also be an election of Board Members/Directors. There are currently four incumbents (Phil Bottger, Mike Andrasco, Bill Hullinger and Dean Nerad) running for the three open expiring positions and one year remaining on Kate Crane’s term. The top three receiving the most votes will be elected to 3-year terms. The person receiving the fourth highest number of votes will fill the remainder of Kate Crane’s term which expires in 2018.
If anyone is interested in running for a board position, please see Mike Maloney who is heading the nominating committee.
Agenda:
- Welcome and Open Meeting: President, Gary Gries
- Approval of June Meeting Minutes: President, Gary Gries
- Board Election: Secretary, Laura Ryan
- Financial Review/Vote to approve financial statements: Mike Andrasco, Treasurer
- Barge Maintenance update: Bill Hullinger, Board Member
- Fall Barge Hours/Operators update: Bob Price, Barge Operations Manager
- Barge Committee: Vote to approve acquisition of new barge
- Election Results
- New Business
- Motion to Close
Thank you for attending the annual meeting. We hope the rest of your Summer is “Awesome”!
2017 Parade Gallery!
T-Shirt fundraiser!
These great looking 100% cotton T-Shirts won’t last long! They will make amazing Mother’s Day gifts… The perfect attire for dinner on Thursday night at the Legion…………. You will be the talk of the town at the sandbar wearing a DIA 2017 shirt! You can place your orders by responding to this email with quantity, color and shirt sizes. Or stop over at Lisa & Bill Marley cottage 32!. Cash/Checks ( Payable to DIA )
2/8/17 — It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Buford “Bud” Chandonia (Cottage #53). We are sharing an announcement that Ron Chandonia posted on Facebook on February 2:
My father died late this afternoon. Mom and I, and Chris and her husband Ed, were with him throughout his short but difficult final struggle with congestive heart failure. As I spent the night with him at the hospital yesterday, he spoke repeatedly of his desire to move on to “see what the answer really is.” Presumably, he now knows for sure. Dad was part of the Greatest Generation. Last night we were talking of the many people who benefited from his long and caring life. “But I didn’t do enough,” he insisted. “I should have done more.” The Greatest Generation. RIP.
1-31-17 — We have sad new. Sandor Jankovich (Cottage # 79) passed away on January 20, 2017. The funeral mass will be held at St. Stephen King of Hungary Church located at 2015 W Augusta Blvd., Chicago, IL 60622 at 11:00 AM (Central time) on February 4, 2017 to be followed by a luncheon in the church basement.
8-17-16: Cass County Office of Emergency Management is recommending watercraft be operated at a no-wake speed until 8/23 because of the high water due to the abundance of rain!
8-10-16: Homeowners! Your annual Island meeting is set for August 27 @10:00 a.m. Please join us at Koranda / Manning lot. Plan on bringing a lawn chair to sit in. We have 3 open board positions so an election will be held at the end of the meeting.
August 27 Island Agenda
- Gary Gries: Introduction of new homeowners
- Mike Andrasco: Financial review
- Billy Hullinger: Seasonal maintenance update
- Kevin Douglas / Ed Koranda: Future Barge proposal
- Gary Gries: New barge financial options
- Bob Price: Fall Barge Hours / Operators
- Gary Gries: By law revisions
- Kate Crane: Board Election
- Homeowners running for the 3 open seats are:
- Ann Spratt
- Dave Benhart
- Jim O’Brien
- Janet Chutro
- Laura Ryan
- Homeowners running for the 3 open seats are:
7/18/16: Homeowners:
06-25-16 DIA info meeting minutes
03/28/16 – A letter from Gary Gries regarding work that has been competed over the winter on the barge, today’s condition and the plans in the future for the barge. Please take the time to read.
3/27/16 – It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Maryann Smerekanich, former island resident, cottage 13.
Sep. 28, 1946 – Mar. 18, 2016
SOUTH BEND – Mary Ann Smerekanich, 69, of 52220 Donald Street, passed away peacefully Friday in Hospice House, South Bend. Survivors include her husband, Andre; a daughter, Amy A. of South Bend; and a son, Andrew N. of Anchorage, AK. Memorial services will be at 11 am Tuesday, March 29th in St. Theresa, Little Flower Catholic Church. There will be no visitations. Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan, MI is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Center for Hospice Care, Hospice House, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637.
3/3/16 – 2016 Barge calendar added to the Barge info page. and populated with the spring schedule.
2/18/16 – 2016 member letter and letter from DIL mailed to each member.
1/25/16: Hugh Silberman’s obituary and memorial information is published in the South Bend Tribune.
1/20/16: We are sad to report former islander (cottage #63) Hugh Silberman passed away this morning. He is the father of islander Ursula (Barry) Irwin (#81 & #87). When arrangements are known, we’ll pass that along. Our thoughts and sympathies to Bonnie and the Silberman & Irwin families.
1/10/16: Happy 2016 Homeowners!
The barge repairs are finished. The plan is to place the barge back in the water via 2 cranes on Monday January 11, 2016. All power going to the Island will be shut off temporarily during this process.
Due to the weather conditions it is very unlikely that the barge will be “parked” in the channel this season. We will continue to keep everyone updated.
We wanted to provide the latest updates on the barge:
- The barge was relocated in order to inspect and repair the area that was sitting on the beams.
- Large reinforcing and repair plates are in place; island and mainland side. 95% of welding on these are complete.
- Welding & patching continues on the leaks and holes discovered during inspection.
- Top deck work needs to be finalized: tack down loose plating, install plate across the weak area.
12/8/15:
The barge has been removed from the water. We could use help to clean the bottom of the barge. If you are interested, please come to the landing at 9 a.m. tomorrow. We recommend that you wear old clothes, you will need to bring a scrapper.
Thanks! DIA Board
On December 8, 2015 the electric company will be turning off all power to the island.
This will occur at 9 a.m. with an estimated duration of 5 hours, or the power will be back on at approximately 2 p.m. The power outage is due to the barge being removed from the water. The entire barge landing will now be considered a construction site, with no access for parking.
The company leading this project requires all homeowners to stay at least 500 feet away from their equipment for their safety. We hope to have pictures of this project posted to the website as soon as possible to keep everyone informed.
12/7/15: Sadly, we report that Mary Beth McGrath’s mother, Helen recently passed away. There will be a Memorial Mass celebrated on Thursday, December 10, at 6:00pm at Saint Pius X Catholic Church, 52553 Fir Road, Granger, IN 46530 (corner of Fir and 23). You are invited to celebrate her life with her family and friends. For those of you who cannot be there in person, please keep Helen and our family in your prayers.
11/19/15 update: Northern Indiana Construction company estimates the removal and inspection of the barge will start the week of November 30, 2015. Continue to check your email and the island website for updates.
Any interest in a new DIA cookbook? All proceeds to go to the Barge Fund. It was a hugely successful fund raiser about 10 years ago. Shall we try again? Submit your recipes, with your full name and cottage number to diacookbook@gmail.com. Hard copy/ hand written recipes to cottage # 31 any weekend. Please submit before Christmas, 12/25/15.
Links
- Diamond Lake Association
- Cass County
- Cass County Sheriff’s Office
- Michigan Boating Laws
- Michigan DNR
- Michigan DEQ
- Penn Township
- facebook users: there is both a Diamond Lake Michigan and a Diamond Island Michigan group on facebook – neither are affiliated with their respective associations, but both are fun!