Residents come together

Paul Colletti/Telegraph Frank Durkin tells some of the history of the Lost Nation community and reviews the division of the current neighborhood organizations. The color-coded map behind Durkin shows which houses are part of New Landing and which are part of Lost Nation.

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LOST NATION - The property association presidents of Lost Nation and New Landing brought a message Saturday to about 130 residents from the two adjacent neighborhoods: "We're one community already, and we should have one association." After being divided for the last 30 years, Clyde Lytle, president of Lost Nation Property Association, and Tom Wendling, president of the New Landing Property Association, believe two groups that share Lost Lake could finally become one.

In the 1,700-acre area, one person could live in the Lost Nation association, but his neighbor could live in the New Landing association.

For the last year, members from the adjacent neighborhoods have worked to bring about a unified association, with a working name of Lost Lake.

The two presidents on Saturday laid out the steps for becoming one group.

At both board meetings next month, the presidents will ask their boards to approve putting the matter to a vote among residents. If both boards approve, then all 333 houses in the two developments will receive a ballot to say "yes" or "no" on continuing with the unification process, Lytle said.

If a simple majority say they want unification, the two boards will continue with the process they hope to finish by the end of the year. If that happens, then the two boards will create a corporation, transfer all assets to the new corporation and dissolve the original two boards.

"I think it's long overdue. I think we could get there, I know we could get there," Lytle said.

Over the last year the associations created the Lost Lake Utility District, a single utility district to manage the sewer and water system. Proponents of the unification say lack of the utility district is a major obstacle to unification.

New Landing is on a sewer system and the Lost Nation homes use septic tanks.

In the past, the two boards wouldn't authorize a unification vote, because they used the utility as an excuse, Wendling said.

"The utility is no longer an issue," he said.

The Lost Lake Utility District is preparing to purchase the sewer system from the New Landing Utility Inc., and residents who are on septic systems will remain on septic systems.

"At the present time, nothing should change there," said Joe Olliges, chairman of the utility district.

The utility district plans on taking out a $3.5 million loan in order to purchase the utility from Gene Armstrong.

The initial development was started in 1960. It was called Lost Nation, and each home had its own septic system. Then New Landing Development Corp. purchased Lost Nation with additional land to the west, creating the Lost Lake Community. New Landing built a utility system, sewer and water to make the land more marketable to buyers, but New Landing went bankrupt and the two neighborhood associations were created. This led to contention between the two associations because one association had the utility system. However, the formation of the utility district brings the possibility of a unified association, proponents say.

Realtor Don Sofolo believes the unification will help the community raise property values, and make the area more attractive to potential residents. The two sets of rules, regulations and covenants often signal red flags for potential residents of the community, Sofolo said.

"There are two sets of possibilities of 'What am I going to have to do to accomplish my goals?' It's unstable," Sofolo said.

Two years ago, the association sent out a letters to 850 residents. Of the 250 who responded, 95.6 percent of those said they wanted to unify the neighborhoods, said Frank Durkin, a former Lost Nation Property Owners association board member.

"There's nothing new of what we're trying to do here," Durkin said.

There seemed to be overwhelming support for the unification at the Saturday community meeting. There are community organizations that transcend the association boundaries, which sometimes are people's lawns. The Fishing Club, the Senior Focus Club and a Social Club, have many members from both sides of the lake, Wendling said.

During Saturday's meeting, a member of the assembled crowd yelled out "Why can't you work together now?"

"We are, but we have to get bids separately and pay bills separately," Lytle said. "Most issues involve the other property owner's association."

Whatever association fees residents now pay will remain the same, until the new rules, regulations and covenants are put into place.

"This is just in the conceptual stage now," Lytle said.