by Kim Kallimanis REALTOR®, Property Manager

Carleton Realty

In 1965, construction began on the dam for the Lake of the Four Seasons, by C.M. Luburg Construction Company and Ken Jewells & Associated Engineering firm. The dam was completed in 1966 at a cost of 1/2 million dollars. The dam contains 437,000 cubic yards of dirt (if placed in line 12 inches high and 12 inches wide, it would extend 2,235 miles, approximately the distance from Columbus, Ohio to Seattle, Washington).

Hide A Way Hills, Inc controlled and managed the "Hills" until February 21, 1973.

With ground work laid by the Board of Trustees, Hide A Way Hills Club, an established Ohio Corporation owned by the Members, assumed ownership, management, and remaining the debts and began operating as it is today.

Like all land developments, Hide A Way Hills Club was not without its problems. Salespeople working fro the developers on a commission basis made promises that fell to the right side of ridiculous, to sell lots. Older members may still remember promises of paved roads, artesian wells, shopping center, lots with no snakes, sauna under the pool, teen center and other promises made to move lots.  There were also problems with management, operations, and finances.

Fortunately, our Hide A Way Hills Club has been consistently adjudged to be free of blame or responsibly for thee actions of the developer.

Although there have been many members (probably enough that their names would fill another page) who have worked diligently for many long hard hours for the benefit and wellbeing of the "Hills", special notice should be taken that our Board of Trustees and other members during the early seventies had enough visions, wisdom, and common sense to the the "hand-writing on the wall" and to start the wheels in mothio for the complete take-over of the "Hills".

Articles of Incorporation had been submitted and were approved by the Sate of Ohio on the 28th day of September 1972.

On that day was born Hide A Way Hills Club, a corporation not for profit. Although at that time, the "Club" had no control over the operations of the "Hills" or how the assessment dollar was spent, the members with the leadership of their Board of Trustees continued to reach out for more control of their own destiny.

A promise was made by Hide A Way Hills, Inc. That somewhere in the future all assessment dollars would be spent for the benefit of the members and facilities, and that an accounting would be given to the Club for same. The promised that eventually this would lead to complete control of the "hills" by the members.

A Negotiation Committee was formed. After many days and nights of difficult, but wise, negotiations on the part of that committee

on February 21, 1973, an "article of Agreement" was signed by Hide A Way Hills Inc. (the developer) and Hide A Way Hills Club (the membership). The members were now going to manage the "Hills" with their owner assessment dollars.

On Many 6, 1973, at a special membership meeting a Cod of Regulations was voted on and approved by the members as guidelines in governing themselves.  Negations continued for hide A Way Hills, Inc to transfer title of all common property within the boundaries of Hide A Way Hills to the Hide A Way Hills Club. The transfer was finally accomplished and the Club received the deed to the common property in December of 1973.  One small item that was not as yet settled was the fact that there were first and second mortgages on Hide A Way Hills, Inc. Property in the "Hills", including the common property, totaling hundred of thousand of dollars. Back to the negotiation table, After many negotiations, propsalds and counter proposals, Hide A Way Hills, Inc, and the mortgagor holders agreed to cancel all mortgages and liens on the common property if the membership would buy of find buyers for enough remaining lots to total One hundred and Fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). The members again worked hard and on February 10, `974, bought or found buyers for not only the goal, but exceeded that by Then thousand dollars ($10,000) worth of

1974 was the beginning of a completely new era.  With the Club owning all common property and facilities free and clear, collecting and disbusing it's own assessment dollars and with no developer or sales force to contend with, the members began to look at the "Hills" as truly their own. Their first concern was survival and to this money was needed. On December 8, 1974 at a special membership meeting, the members voted ono increase their assessment from the $15,00 per month to $20.00 per month, effective January 1, 1975. So much for the past...

In 1991, the membership voted to approve a Special Road Assessment to control the dusty roads by applying chip & seal to the main roads. The assessment is now $150 per year. Since 1991, the Club has completed the main roads and greatly reduced the dusty conditions.

Repairs to the older recreation facilities caught up with the Club in 1992 through the Sated Dam Inspections and County Pool Inspections. tThe membership voted to approve a Special Assessment of $300.00 to make those needed repairs.

The Club installed a Microbrewery as an addition to the Lodge in 1993. The Brewery and equipment was paid for by member donations and is equipped to produce 900 gallons of beer a month.

A Brew master has been employed to brew several different styles of the beer, which is marketed under the trade name of Rushcreek Lager. The bee is served at the restaurant and golf clubhouse, and sold in one-half gallon containers for carry out at both locations.

Hide A Way Hills Club is operated by a nine member Board of Trustees. At the regular annual membership meeting, the third Sunday of August, all members have the opportunity to vote for three members to serve as members of the Board of Trustees.

The Board, in turn, appoints five (5) members as a Management Committee who controls the day to day operations. The serve at erhe pleasure of the Board. All Board and Management committee members serve without pay or compensation of any kind.

Your rights and responsibilities as property owners of Hide a Way Hills are covered by the protective covenants of your deed. There rights and responsibilities as members of the Hide A Way Hills Club are covered by Hide A Way Hills Club General Code of Regulations. The Coded of Regulations was a approved by the membership for self-governing  and can only be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership A ten day notice must be sent to all members prior to the meeting advising them of the time and location of the meeting and the amend as it will voted on at that meeting.

The Hide A Way Hills Rules control the use of the Club facilities by its members and are authorized in the recoded covenants. There are normally written by a committee, appointed by the Board, to study and make recommendations for the operations of a particular facility. The Board had the power to adopt, make additions, deletions and corrections to all rules.

Information about HAH History was obtained from the 2006-2007 HAH Member Directory.