Our New Grader

Hello, Spirit Lake East Homeowners. As you may already know, the SLE HOA Board of Directors has made an emergency purchase of a new-to-us grader. From our previous outreach, we were looking for a very specific model, year-range, price and location. The stars had to align for all to come together. So…

IMAGINE OUR EXCITEMENT WHEN, AFTER 15 MONTHS, WE FOUND HER. 

2006 CAT 14H - Clean and meticulously maintained by one of the biggest builders in the region, and barely used after multiple upgrades once an older operator retired out, and younger employees preferred the computerized models in the yard. Given the company’s recent equipment upgrades, and that this grader was no longer in regular use, and that all equipment must continue to be insured + maintained while it remains an asset, it was listed at $120K to get it off the books. According to Roads Chair, Joe Sandbank, an excavation expert + business owner with numerous CATs, THIS WAS A STEAL.

After doing our due diligence including an exhaustive review of maintenance + repair records with the company and CAT as well as an onsite visit (10hrs round-trip) by our HOA VP, Gus Ferguson, who ran demos in the yard with an operator while Joe participated by phone, we negotiated + agreed on the company’s bottom-line of $105k, and in Montana (no sales tax). Full specs and maintenance + repair records below.

IT WAS A LEGITIMATE EMERGENCY PURCHASE IN EVERY WAY.

OUR ROADS = EMERGENCY: Winter was wild, temps were extreme, and our roads took a beating with flooding, rutting, severe pot holes + water trapped under frozen ground. While we’ve made a lot of progress on repairs over the last few months, it’s all taken much longer + cost far more due to failing equipment. For such a perfect opportunity to present itself in our time of greatest need, and as we move into the next phase of rebuilding the crown in our roads, is miraculous.

OUR GRADER = EMERGENCY: Having a 50-year-old 1974 grader as our sole option to privately manage 60 lane miles of road serving nearly 300 lots is untenable. It was a ticking time bomb that has resulted in ever-increasing costs. From more billable hours to run a fragile machine that isn’t big enough, heavy enough or powerful enough to get the job done (which means less can be done when the ground moisture is right) to increased materials costs as the old grader needs more road base due to limitations in how it can be distributed as well as time + money lost on repairs after *every use* not to mention searching + paying for increasingly hard-to-find parts, some impossible to find all together. The knuckle remains broken as it can’t be safely welded and must be heat-treated (another expensive repair we could not rationalize).

OUR TIMING = EMERGENCY: Given the scarcity of the specific model + year range we were looking for (and that it would need to be in good condition, and well maintained with solid records) and considering that smaller construction, excavation + land management companies are all looking for the same grader for the same reasons, then add proximity for onsite review + delivery as well as our preference of buying in a state without sales tax, and it became clear that this was also an issue of emergency timing to capture that "just right" opportunity.

THIS IS WHY FUNDRAISING HAS BEEN HIGH-PRIORITY FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

Our grader fund began with the rent negotiated + paid by KEC contractor, ILB, which is using our HOA shop for storage and staging as they work to bury all electrical lines in our neighborhood. This was a golden opportunity for SLE to build income outside of homeowner dues that has come at a time when needed most. Next, we liquidated all shop equipment not in use for many years or NEVER USED (and only ever purchased as projects). Then, we began sharing each month in the meeting minutes our ever-increasing numbers, asking for your help to grow the grader fund with personal donations, and we’ve been sharing the progress that we’ve made—together—ever since. Thanks to our early donors for blazing the trail!

Some members have said they've been hearing for 20+ years that a better grader is coming, but “it's always the same story." They donate or vote to support it and nothing happens because—despite best efforts—hands are tied, quorum is “impossible" to achieve, and all the while, residents remained in limbo with no relief, property values hanging in the balance.

This is unacceptable. 

Few people want to contribute to a cause that will never benefit them. So, we are confident an emergency purchase will result in increased donations, and we're assured of that by already seeing personal donations growing significantly as residents have seen our fundraising numbers grow. 

The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

What’s more, the savings we'll enjoy for having a working grader will offset the cost of the emergency purchase as well. We will be sure to document + report on this.

THERE WILL BE NO SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, BUT WE ARE ASKING FOR DONATIONS, IF YOU CAN.

The emergency purchase was done using over $40K in funds raised + money from savings where we still have a reserve. We’ve continued to collect monthly shop rent from ILB including in April. We’re also now negotiating a transfer of that agreement to the latest KEC contractor to help close the gap + replenish savings. In addition, we’re putting the old grader on the market. She could use some love and still be useful on a farm or homestead. Let us know if you have any leads.

We now ask for your donations—big, small or your own “just right”—to keep the road base coming and be a part of covering the cost of our new grader that will serve our community for many years to come. Now that she’s here, and you know your donation WILL go to benefit SLE right now, we hope you’ll participate—if at all possible—to help us grade a new path.

MAKE DONATIONS PAYABLE TO: 

SLE HOA 

P.O. Box 217 

Spirit Lake, ID 83869

Check Memo: Road Fund

Thanks for your patience and understanding as we’ve limped along with old, tired, dilapidated equipment. It’s time we found our way out of the forest too. This has been a long time coming and many past boards and road chairs have contributed to getting us here now that conditions are just right. For more info including repairs + maintenance records, and photos, see below. For questions (purchase to fundraising), email us at boardmembers@spiritlakeeast.org.

Sincerely, 

The Spirit Lake East

Homeowners Association Board