Mike Maddox, Vice President of the Lake Latonka Property Owners Association and Elizabeth McDermitt Recording and Responding Secretary for the association appeared before the Marshall County Commissioners this week requesting assistance in having road work done in the lake community. This same request was presented in October of 2018.
Mr. Maddox said he has been doing research and found that all the roads in the community are owned by the Lake Latonka association and that their right-of-way width is 40 foot. He said in the past, during the Neal Heack years as County Highway Superintendent the County assisted with road improvements and the lake association paid for materials.
Maddox said they have discussed in the past dedicating the roads in the lake community over to the county but the county wasn’t interested because they didn’t know the width of the right-of-ways and they didn’t believe they were built to a county standard.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger cautioned the commissioners letting them know that Lake Latonka is a privately owned community and the roadways are private road. The county highway department maintains public roadways and should shy away from doing any work on private roads.
Maddox reminded the commissioner that homeowners pay property taxes but don’t get the benefit or road repairs.
The commissioners suggested putting the work out to bid with the various paving companies even if it meant doing the work in phases and increasing the HOA fees.
Maddox said property owners are concerned with the talk of regional sewer districts and what their future liabilities might be for that. He indicated raising the HOA wouldn’t be favorable.
The County Commissioners took no official action on the Lake Latonka property Owners Association request.
