New Policy For Even More Transparency
By David Petersen, HOA President
Fellow Spirit Lake East HOA Members
Immediately after the election of May 13, the Board began to receive requests for obscure financial data and information that goes beyond legally required disclosures. Residents DO have the right to request financial data and the Board has a duty to provide that data in a timely manner. We will continue to fulfill that duty.
All financial data is posted on the SLE website www.spiritlakeeast.org. We’d like to help you when you ask, “Show me where it says that, or point me to where I can find that 2023 receipt”, but we simply don’t have the time. Before you send a request to the Board for financial data, examine all the online records, and you’ll find your answer.
Because the Board wants to dispel any rumor(s) that we’re not responding to requests for data, it will now be HOA policy to publish a verbatim copy of the member’s request, as well as our reply, and any commentary that may follow. We will publish on the official SLE Facebook page and on NextDoor. If the member sent a request for info by email we will also reply to that address.
Replies come first, requests come second. Social media posts will not allow for commenting because they’re meant to be informational; they’re not subject to debate.
Below is our response and below that is the member’s info request. This is the format we’ll use when we receive info requests.
David Petersen
SLE President
=============
Spirit Lake HOA Board of Directors Response To Request by Kim Zirbel
Friday May 16 1030
Hello Kim - Please see the link below for access to four (4) years of Spirit Lake East financial reports including all:
- Quarterly Profit & Loss Statements (2020-Q1 2025)
- Year-End Balance Sheets (2020-2024)
- Annual Audits (each following an exhaustive third-party review of every expenditure, receipt, bank statement + financial report for the entire year, 2021-2024)
- All Receipts for all expenditures (2024-Q1 2025)
- Also, under 2024 Receipts, directly below the new-to-us grader Bill of Sale, you will find a link to learn all about that emergency purchase including a detailed explanation of why it had to be made, and highlighting all funds raised, and unused shop equipment sold to prepare for the purchase, including all available Bills of Sale, bank deposits and/or Quickbooks record of deposit. Also on that grader page are Financial Reports by Marilyn Rousher covering the sale of those items as well as shop rent collected (negotiated by Gus) and other funds raised starting back in 2023 when she was Treasurer.
After you’ve reviewed every single record made available through the link below (the greatest transparency in the history of SLE) only then please let us know if you have any other questions.
However, everything posted online already should more than legally satisfy your request in one way or another, from comprehensive reports and receipts to the all-encompassing audits from a professional third-party review of every record of every year over the last four.
As for votes cast by this Board or previous boards, that information is not financial in nature, does not fall under financial disclosure requirements, and therefore it will not be provided. Please refer to Idaho code 55.3203 and 30.30.1102(d).
David Petersen
President, SLE HOA
cc: Kim Zirbel email
cc: SLE HOA FB page
cc: NextDoor social media page.
===============
Subject: Request for Access to HOA Financial Records
Wed, 14 May 2025 13:37:21 -0700
Dear Spirit Lake East HOA Board Members,
I am a homeowner and a member of the Spirit Lake East Homeowners Association, and I am writing to formally request access to the HOA’s financial records, as permitted under Idaho law and our governing documents.
Specifically, I would like to review the following documents for the past three fiscal years (or the most recent three years available):
• Annual budgets and approved financial statements
• Income and expense reports
• Reserve fund balance and contributions
• Records of major expenditures and vendor contracts
• Bank account statements or summaries
• CPA or audit reports (if applicable)
• Emergency Fund and Votes that have been done without approval of SLE residents.
I understand that reasonable notice may be required, and I am willing to schedule a time to review the records during regular business hours, or to receive copies electronically or by mail if that is more convenient.
Please let me know within ten (10) business days how and when I may access these records, or if any administrative costs are associated with fulfilling this request.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing back from you.
Just so you know – the appropriate parties have been included in this request.
Kim Zirbel
