Search Results

🚫 BOAT RAMP CLOSED – Low Water Levels The boat ramp is currently closed due to low water levels . The water level has dropped to the point where launching a boat would require backing a trailer beyond the end of the ramp, where there is a steep drop-off. This creates a high risk of damage to trailers and vehicles. Both ramps will remain closed until the water level returns to a safe level for launching. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience. 🌊 Low Water Repair Completed – Thank You Neighbors! You probably didn’t know another repair was coming — honestly, neither did we until yesterday morning — but it needed to be done. Thankfully, everything aligned: Beautiful weather Extremely low water levels Warm nighttime temperatures (perfect for curing concrete) And a few great neighbors willing to drop what they were doing to help improve our community A huge thank you to Ivy, Bill, and Mary  for stepping up! Both ramps will remain closed until the water level returns to a safe height for launching boats. This is to prevent trailers from being backed beyond the ramp’s edge, where there is a steep drop-off. We’ll provide updates as conditions change. Thank you for your patience and for being such a strong community.

Good news — the right side of the boat ramp is now reopened and ready for use! Please note that the left side remains under construction and should not be used at this time. The demolition is complete, but we’re waiting for lower water levels before pouring the new concrete. Until then, caution tape and signage will remain in place to mark the closed area on the left side only. The chain and lock remain intact, but the ramp is now fully operable for regular use — no need to use Whip-o-Will for access anymore. A huge thank you to the amazing neighbors who volunteered their time and labor to make these repairs possible — your efforts are truly appreciated! We’ve included some progress photos below so you can see the work in action. Let’s all do our part to keep the ramp in great condition for years to come.

Key votes & decisions Dock repairs approved: Fix right-side crack/washout; optionally pour left side while the truck is on site. Total cap: $2,500; proceed with current funds. Ramp access policy (starts May 2026): Replace dummy lock with electronic coded lock; code given to paid members once 2026 dues are received. Vote outcome: 4/36 “no,” majority “yes.” Non Resident Neighbor Pass: 5 available @ $200/year (single individual). Non Resident Rental Visitor Pass: 10 available @ $350/year (multiple individuals across the year). Dues increase (2026): $100/year approved 36/36. Projections suggest faster progress toward capital goals at the higher rate. Formal meeting minutes will be released prior to the next meeting. Please click and download the following PDF for details.

Location:         Boat Ramp area (264 N Shoreline Dr. New London, NC 28127) Date:                June 7, 2025 Time:               11 am Attendance Amber Garlatz: President Emily Meritt: Vice President Mary Parker: Treasurer Susan Blackmon: Secretary   Opening Meeting called to order by Amber. Review of Robert’s Rules of Order. Members acknowledged. Previous Minutes Minutes read by Susan. Approval: Motion by Amber (1st), seconded by Ann. Motion carried. Financial Report Financials presented by Mary. Dock fee to Eagle Creek increased from $700 to $800 this year. Budget questions raised by Amber. Discussion on process for members wishing to pay more than the $50 on-site fee. Motions Motion to move forward after financial review: Mack (1st), Kim (2nd). Motion carried. Membership & Bylaws Vote scheduled for September to raise membership fees to $75 or $100. Mack suggested restructuring so all owners pay, with additional costs for those with houses. Discussed creating a proxy link to enable more members to vote. Reminder: bylaw changes require approval from a majority of the 285 owners. Bylaws also require two meetings per year. Community Engagement Discussed ways to increase voting participation, including encouraging proxy use. Proposal to create welcome baskets for new neighbors. Kim Therrien volunteered to complete Montgomery County complaint forms regarding abandoned properties. Adjournment Motion to adjourn: Kim (1st), Ann (2nd). Motion carried. Community Activities Informal discussion followed regarding the fishing contest and food fundraiser.

Meeting Held At: Beauticians Lodge on Church Rd. Date February 22, 2025 Meeting called to order Secretary reviewed previous minutes from the last neighborhood meeting. Secretary checked the quorum. Met quorum with 21 members online and in person. Meeting notes and quorum acknowledged Reviewed new business Jon spoke on the dock and with commercial contractors. Rob King discussed video footage that he has been obtaining since the last meeting.  80% of our dock is getting used with commercial traffic. 6-7 trucks going in and out a day. Seasonal locking access to dock, suggested by Jon Ralph question: Likes the bluetooth idea of a lock for boat ramp access. Concerned about people not having someone to call. Jackie mentioned owning the dock by Eagle Creek. Emily's husband spoke on going ahead with dummy lock on chain at boat ramp. Jim Patterson question on contractors: See if Amber can contact the contractors. Discussed Recreation vs. Commercial use to boat ramp causing damage to ramp. See if patch for what is already broken. Tyler Garlatz discussed with all how we could, even if it deters at least 3 people. Motion to vote on Dummy lock with regular lock on one side Motion to vote on the sign mentioned by member James. Sign to state… No commercial use. Members please login to see the site for lock access. Voted yes by majority Motions done by Jon Leonard and Tyler Garlatz All attending members helped to create what the sign should say specifically. Agreed verbage: No commercial use. Landowners Login at www.dixieshores.org  for lock access. Video will be placed on website for landowners to view how to use dummy lock on chain at boat ramp. New business Large grey truck with lights on top and side with no plates found in the neighborhood. Driving by homes slowly. Neighbors should pay close attention if this vehicle is in the neighborhood again. Mention of Airbnb and VRBO’s membership and for how much to charge. Mention of raising the amount of membership dues mentioned. Will table both of these items until next meeting  September 2025 Motion for meeting to be Adjourned. Motion second by James Merritt

Following the votes from our February meeting, we want to update you on the actions being taken to protect our community dock. The proposal is documented here: https://www.dixieshores.org/dock-access-proposal Effective immediately, a dummy lock has been placed on the chain access to the ramp. While this lock is a decoy that can be easily pulled open, its purpose is to deter unauthorized users, particularly the construction crews who have been frequently launching from our ramp. Over the past six months, security camera footage has shown that 80% of dock usage has been from construction teams working on nearby homes. This unmonitored activity has led to noticeable wear and damage to our ramp—something we cannot afford to let happen again after investing thousands in repairs just last year. Summary of changes: Dixie Shores homeowners only are permitted to use the dock. Please do not share access with non-residents. We have notified construction crews that they are no longer allowed to use our ramp and must utilize commercial alternatives like Whip-O-Will Ramp. If you are having work done on your dock, please inform your contractors that they must launch from Whip-O-Will or similar locations. Instructions You can find details on how to use the lock located here: https://www.dixieshores.org/boatlaunchaccess What if I ignore the changes? If the dummy lock does not effectively restrict outside use, we will upgrade to a secured lock with a code that will only be shared with residents. We hope this step will not be necessary, and we are relying on everyone to keep this information private to prevent unauthorized access. Thank you for your cooperation in protecting our shared community space. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out.

As 2024 comes to a close, we want to thank everyone for another fantastic year in the Dixie Shores Community. With the end of the year upon us, it’s time to begin preparing for membership renewals for 2025. Membership Dues Reminder Membership dues for the Dixie Shores Community Association will become due starting in January. We kindly ask that all dues be paid by the beginning of February to ensure a smooth start to the new year. In 2025, we are looking to grow our membership beyond the 118 active members we had this year. Let’s make this goal a reality together! Introducing New Board Members We are excited to welcome two new members to the DSCA board: Mary Parker as Treasurer Emily Merritt as Vice President We’re thrilled to have Mary and Emily on board and look forward to the great work we can accomplish together in 2025. As a reminder, each board member can be reached at their respective emails as follows: admin@dixieshores.org - President vicepresident@dixieshores.org - Vice President secretary@dixieshores.org - Secretary treasurer@dixieshores.org - Treasurer Membership Renewal Process With the September meeting voting results being inconclusive, the 2025 dues will remain at $50 per unique lot owner . For those who were members in 2024 and have provided their email information, Mary will be sending out invoices via email. Please check your inbox for this invoice by January 1. If you do not see it, remember to check your spam folder to ensure it hasn’t been misdirected. If you wish to pay online but we do not have your email address, please email treasurer@dixieshores.org in order to receive your invoice. If you prefer to pay your dues via cash or check, you can mail your payment to: Dixie Shores Community Association 264 N Shoreline Dr New London, NC 28127 Please make checks payable to Dixie Shores Community Association . Thank you for your continued support of DSCA. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store for all of us! Upcoming Meeting and Quorum Reminder As mentioned above, the voting results from the September meeting were inconclusive due to not reaching a quorum. It is essential that all members attend meetings, either in person or online, to help enact changes in the neighborhood. If you are unable to attend a meeting, you can appoint a proxy to represent you . This proxy can be anyone, regardless of their membership status, as long as the board is informed of the proxy’s identity before the meeting begins via email. Our first meeting of 2025 will take place on February 22nd at 11:00 AM at the Beautician's Lodge on Church Rd. Additional communication will be sent as the date approaches. We hope to see you there and encourage all members to participate so we can meet the quorum and cast a revote. Remember, only active, paid members are eligible to vote, so please ensure your dues are paid before the meeting. -- Amber Garlatz Dixie Shores Community Association, Inc. President   admin@dixieshores.org www.dixieshores.org

Dear Dixie Shores Neighbors, I hope this message finds you well. I want to begin by apologizing for the delayed response as we wanted to ensure we had fully explored all possible outcomes before providing an update. At the September meeting, we did cast votes on several important matters. Unfortunately, we were just four neighbors shy of reaching the quorum required for these votes to take effect. As a result, we are planning to vote on the same topics again at our January meeting, assuming we have enough participation to meet the quorum requirement, and the below concern is solved. Given how busy and often out of town many of us can be, I believe we could strongly benefit from making greater use of proxies. According to our ByLaws, anyone can represent you as a proxy, and this allows your vote to be counted even if you are unable to attend the meeting in person or join via Google Meet. If you anticipate not being able to attend, please make arrangements for a proxy to stand in for you so we can gather enough votes to enact the changes our community seeks. The only requirement for this is that you let the board know ahead of the meeting who this proxy will be in order for them to count towards the meeting quorum. Additionally, during the last meeting, we discussed the need for volunteers to step into the DSCA Treasurer and Vice President roles, as the current officeholders have stepped down. Although a few people were nominated, no one has been willing to step forward to accept these positions. Unfortunately, without filling these two seats on the board, the DSCA cannot fully operate to create the changes we all want to see in our neighborhood. We will continue covering basic costs such as the light bill and the dock permit for as long as our funds allow, but beyond that, we cannot proceed without a complete board. If you are interested in serving as Treasurer or Vice President, or if you would like more information about either role, please let me or our secretary, Susan Blackmon, know as soon as possible. Thank you for your continued involvement and support. We look forward to working together to ensure a brighter future for Dixie Shores. If you are interested in the voting results, although inconclusive, I am happy to share those as well. Best regards, Amber Garlatz Dixie Shores Community Association, Inc. President

A Night to Remember: Our Epic Community Bonfire Hey everyone! Last weekend was an absolute blast at our community bonfire! We were so excited to see everyone who could make it. Thanks for coming out and making it such a memorable night. The fun started the moment we set a torch to that giant pile of debris! I can say for myself personally, it was truly satisfying to see all that mess finally get cleared away. As the sun set, we all gathered around… at the road, that bonfire was WAY too hot! We shared laughs and stories. The hot dogs were a big hit, cooked just right with that perfect campfire char. And of course, we couldn't forget the s'mores. Bringing our childhoods back to light, we had a great time roasting marshmallows to perfection and squishing them between graham crackers and chocolate. There were sticky fingers and big smiles all around! For those in our group who love playing with fire (you know who you are!), the bonfire was the highlight of the night. The flames got pretty big, and our fire enthusiasts had a field day keeping it roaring. The night was filled with laughter, warmth, and a strong sense of community. It was a perfect reminder of how great it is to come together and enjoy each other's company. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and helped make the night so special. Your presence made all the difference, and we can't wait for more fun gatherings in the future. Here's to more nights of good food, awesome company, and unforgettable memories. Until next time, stay safe, stay warm, and let's keep the community spirit burning bright! Cheers, Amber Garlatz DSCA President

Project Details: https://www.dixieshores.org/beach This past Sunday, neighbors came together for a day of community bonding and hard work at our beach lot by the lake. The task at hand was daunting - our beloved lot was overgrown and in serious need of trimming. Armed with determination, we got to work. Before we delved into the work, we captured some before and after photos, but I will say the photos don’t do it justice! I strongly recommend you stop and check it out whenever you are passing by! The difference is staggering, thanks to the dedication and sweat equity of everyone involved. The lot now stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared purpose. A HUGE thank you goes out to all the neighbors who joined forces to make this day a success. Your willingness to lend a hand and your enthusiasm for our collective project is truly inspiring. With this like-new cleared lot, a new opportunity arises - a bonfire! With a hefty pile of trimmings that need to be burned, what better way to celebrate our hard work than with a neighborhood bonfire? Hotdogs and s’mores under the starlit sky sound like the perfect way to cap off phase one of this beach lot project. We would like to schedule the bonfire for Saturday, June 15th at 6:30 pm. Bring your own chair; the association will provide hotdogs and toppings!

Saturday, 04.20.2024 Location: Boat Launch area 264 N. Shoreline Drive, New London, NC 28127 Attendees Members: See list at end Agenda Amber Garlatz (DSCA President) called the meeting to start. Tyler Garlatz started an online video for virtual attendees. Ice Breaker Find a new face and discuss at least one place you have lived (now or in the past) Last Meeting Follow-up Susan Blackmon (DSCA Secretary) reviewed the previous meeting notes held Virtual on January 27, 2024. On that date it was discussed paid membership totals at that time were: 64/285 with 6 new members. Reviewed balance sheet, $6500 - $7,000 yearly needed to run organization; Need 135 members at $50 year to meet minimum. Reviewed date for Dock Celebration Party for April 20, 2024. Need to raise $750 with fundraiser Fees for Airbnb 2023 taxes to be filed now that we are an official non profit community association. 2024 Considerations: Dock ideas, discussed stickers. Will send to current paid members. Cost of stickers $350 for 2 stickers per landowner. Gate at boat launch and parking. Budget and Financial Report Keith Texlor (DSCA Treasurer) reviewed financials 102 Active Members 16 New Members 30 Members have not renewed 3 Members sold their property $6,766 in annual dues collected $66/Member average collected $829 in the Dock Fund $355 in the Road Fund 2023 tax return has been submitted to IRS $6,217 in our bank account for general expenses $700 Eagle Creek 2024 License has been paid Common Area Liability Insurance due in June, expecting a renewal cost of $3100. We have the funds to cover our current 2024 obligations! 🙂 INSURANCE: Keith Texlor (DSCA Treasurer) then reviewed more in-depth the current insurance coverage we have and then discussed the need for additional coverage. Currently have $3,000 in cost for 1 million insurance coverage, no property insurance. Insurance premiums typically increase 5-10% yearly. Getting 5 million in liability will double the cost. Cube Hydro is now Eagle Creek. 2024 Goal: Renew our current Liability Coverage for $1M and increase to $2M (to be renewed June 2024) 2 yr goal: Increase liability to $3M and add $25K property coverage. 5 yr goal: Increase liability coverage to $5M to ensure we can adequately protect our access to the water and members from financial impairment. Members discussion: Some members voiced raising the yearly membership fee to $100 yearly. Other members vocalized that raising the membership would be a good move forward. Amount was not voted on at this time. Rose Hammer (Previous president of prior Dixie Shores Association), stated that last year insurance was compliant. Keith stated he reviewed all insurance documentation and we were not covered unfortunately. Keith stated that he reviewed all forms with an insurance representative and found the coverage was not enough and learned how to obtain enough insurance for legal purposes. Questions raised about non property owners paying dues or a specific fee to use the boat launch area. Question of fees for Airbnb owners. Quorum Recognized: 23 present meets quorum. Motion 1: Susan Blackmon, Motion 2: Mac Jones. Steve Spillers member, made a motion to include the non-voting members to be included with yearly fee. This would include our Charlotte Drive neighbors or fisherman who would like to pay dues to have access but would have no voting rights. VOTE initiated and completed with a YES to allow non Dixie Shores residents access to the boat launch area for yearly membership fee with no voting rights. YES Vote applied to our Quorum.Motion 1: Steve Spillers, Motion 2: Mac Jones No Vote or further information completed on Fees for Airbnb owners at this meeting. Members verbalized possible fees of $250-400 yearly for Airbnb owners due to increased usage, wear and tear on property. New Business 2/5/10 year Goals Discussion of 4 properties owned by DSCA Improvement Plan Dock Lot 264 N. Shoreline Dr. Step 1: completed - replace pier Step 2: Add concrete pad, reflectors, additional cleats and a simple chain limiting access/use as a deterrent for non community people; add railroad ties to note parking spots. (ETA May 2024 with no additional fundraising needed) 2 yr. Goal: Survey land to understand space we are able to modify. $1200 in cost for the survey to be completed on boat launch land, mentioned by Jay Pridgen. Fill in the gravel ruts for a smoother driving surface. Add security cameras for monitoring use. 5 yr. Goal: Re-grade and pour concrete driveway that will include a roundabout and parking lot. 10 yr. Goal: Add a gated entry at the road. Consider additional amenities such as boat slips and a playground. Mention of placing a fishing pier to the right side of the lot away from boat launch. Beach Lot (Property beside of members Kim and Andy Therrien) Step 1: Clear off the lot of any debris and brush (Actively seeking volunteers). 2 yr. Goal: Perform a survey on the lot to understand what space we are able to modify. Create steps leading down the lot for safe access. 5 yr. Goal: Add in seating areas and shade. Set up swim buoys for safety. 10 yr. Goal: To Be Determined Skyline Drive Lot (Corner of Skyline Drive and Shoreline Rd) Step 1: Set up “NO DUMPING” signs to reduce debris. 2yr. Goal: Set up a committee to research the lot and any possible use-cases for it 5yr. Goal: Perform a survey on the lot to understand what space we are able to modify. 10 yr. Goal: To Be Determined. Shoreline Rd. Lot (near stop sign at N. Shoreline Dr. and Shoreline Rd.) 5 yr. Goal:  Set up a committee to research the lot and any possible use-cases for it. 10 yr. Goal: Perform a survey on the lot to understand what space we are able to modify. Items Taking action about boats sinking in water and docks. TBD Discussed current issues in the news concerning Squatters that a couple of members had brought to our attention. Members agreed that in hope of permanent residents to take neighborhood watch. Neighborhood watch, permanent residents: Jenny and Steve Spillers volunteered Next Meeting Agenda Items Vote to raise and establish a new yearly member fee from $50 to $100  starting for the 2025 fiscal DSCA year. Vote for fee on Airbnb etc. Meeting Adjourned Dock Neighborhood Cookout/Fundraiser followed after meeting with a 50/50 Raffle