What is the deal with Lake Elaine?
Lake Elaine is a 27-acre, 110 million gallon artificial lake located towards the end of Butler Avenue. Continental Country Club is obligated to maintain the lake in certain condition and at a certain water level. This obligation is the result of a judicial court order issued in the early 1990s. This court order resulted from a lawsuit filed by the homeowners that lived around the lake against the developer. The lawsuit required the developer’s insurance company to pay $500,000 for the rehabilitation of the lake in accordance with a plan developed by outside consultants. Contrary to some rumors the club did not receive this money; it was placed into an escrow account and paid from there. When the developer filed for bankruptcy protection, the court ordered the club to assume all responsibilities for the lake. The lake is a major expense for the club, with expenses exceeding $100,000 annually. Currently, the lake is about five-to-six feet below the required operating level. The reason is
