Lake Washington Association Board Meeting July 11, 2019
Board Members Present:
| Mike Wosmek Sandy Wosmek Lyle Walker Cathy Klehr Mark Johnson | Pat Hanson Cindy Hewitt Ron Bubany Skip Sustacek Steve Ullom | Steve Grotbo David Rathe Sharon Daniels Laurie Johnson |
Board Members please let someone know if you are not able to attend.
Treasurer Report: Invasive Species Fund $65,726.00 Total Funds: $135,873.67
Paid Memberships: 231
1) Called Meeting to Order 7 PM – President Steve Grotbo
2) Secretary’s June Board Meeting – Sharon D. minutes approved for publication on website.
3) Treasurer’s June 2019 Financial Report – Lyle W. reported Income: Membership $1,100; Invasive Species $80; Dassel Fire $190 / Expenses: Maps (laminate maps)$662; Membership laptop computer $480; PHB (accounting yearend review and filing State and Federal forms)$395; Ellsworth Landing Garbage can $216; Conserve MN $200(membership for LWIA); Constant Contact $347 (annual cost for email service); State of MN for filing state forms $25.
Dassel Rod ‘n Gun Club PA system needs updating, Lyle reported the cost would be a total of about $70, the board approved sharing this cost with the Club.
4) U of M zebra mussel research – Steve G received the following message from Cori Mattke (Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center) regarding genome research Lake Washington has been involved in for the past 3 years. Results from Dr. McCartney’s zebra mussel genome project are being written and submitted for peer review right now and we expect the genome to be released in the next few weeks. We’ll send out an announcement once the genome is publicly available. If you aren’t already on our email list, I’d recommend signing up to you receive the announcement.
This summer, we have a research team lead by Dr. Jim Luoma that is starting a two-year project that aims to develop practical management techniques to reduce the impacts of zebra mussels. The project will use copper treatments are designed to target the early life stages of zebra mussels and prevent successful settlement. This is the project that you received the letter about. More information about the project can be found on our website. In addition, we launched a new Zebra Mussel Research Fellowship that is focused advancing research on zebra mussel control and management strategies for established populations in inland lakes. Areas of interest for the fellowship include chemical and biological control that maximize species-specificity with limited impacts to lake health.
Understanding the impacts of zebra mussel infestation, prevention strategies, early detection, and management are a part of a number of other MAISRC projects as well. We have a summary of all our zebra mussel research on our website. Is there a particular avenue of research that you or your board are interested in?
If you have any additional questions or would like to chat further, please feel free to give me or our Director Nick Phelps a call. Thank you for your support of our work, we appreciate it!
Reported UM articles regarding genome study on zebra mussels was published today.
Board approved making a $5000.00 donation to MAISRC, earmarked for continued study of zebra mussels. Board discussed having someone attend the annual MAISRC showcase for the reason of meeting Dr. Luoma, with the possibility of inviting him to speak at our membership meeting.
5) The purchase of a laptop to be used for maintaining our membership data was Approved via email.
6) Garbage can at Ellsworth Landing was approved for higher expense via email since the last board meeting. On Sunday, it was overflowing a bit, being a great Fourth of July weekend, this would be the worst case. The boat inspector at the landing reported: it was not being abused from what she saw over past few weeks. She said other lakes without the garbage cans are having items piled up next to / in the porta johns. Looks like the can is the right size and is working well at this time.
7) Walleye Population Estimate and Angler Study – Steve G talked with Bryce Thompson (creel clerk / angler survey person). He indicated his last day is August 25th and will be going back to school. He was thinking the DNR would get someone to continue the work for a few more weeks after that. He did have a few more tags when he approached boats over the past week with most recent being one on Stella on Saturday. Not many tags are being called in.
8) Sweatshirt Sales – Renae was still taking in some last-minute orders in on June 13th. The company was working on getting design on youth sizes. No update at this time.
9) Raffle prizes for Pot Luck – Board reviewed and updated list Steve U sent out from last year. Anyone can ask other businesses for prizes.
10) Steve G shared an email to LWIA about noise complaint for “Rock the Dock” from someone on the lake. The Board’s discussion focused on the limits we have as an association to set rules or regulations for the lake community. Steve G will contact this person and share our limits as a social organization. When it comes to statutory laws and rules members of the community should contact the Meeker County Sheriff or the DNR.
11) New board member needed. With Cathy Klehr’s resigning from the board, we need someone to serve out her term until 2021. There was some discussion about how elections are conducted at the membership meeting and how the by-laws deal with election of Board members. The Board is asking all members to please reach out to people you know about joining the board. There is an article in the Newsletter addressing this need.
12) Meeker zoning. For the first time, LWIA received a letter from Meeker County Zoning regarding a variance for an owner to make alterations to a property. Many lake Board members do get these notices. Board agreed this was an issue for individual property owners to react to and not something LWIA would get involved with.
13) Committee assignments – The Board went through the listing of Committees and Project Groups for 2019-2020. These will be posted on the LWIA website https://www.lakewashingtonassn.com/board.php
14) Committee Reports:
Aquatic Invasive Species:
A. Water Quality Testing – Dave R reported pulling water samples on June 27, after a 1 1/4 inch rainfall, from three sites. The results were: from sites
#302 (east of Ellsworth Landing) Phosphorus 770 micrograms/liter and Suspended Solids 42 milligrams/liter
#306 at the holding pond Phosphorus 160 micrograms/liter and Suspended Solids 3.4 milligrams/liter
#312 Nelson farm inlet Phosphorus 354 micrograms/liter and Suspended Solids 18.4 milligrams/liter.
Dave noted these samples were significantly greater than the water sample, from the middle of the lake, we have tested every month. He stated not sure what this all means and what to do with all the testing results we have been gathering. Dave is going to work on collecting all the data out there, pull it together in a way it can be useful, and put it into a spread sheet/graph so we can better understand what it all means. Dave is going to number all the inlets to the lake using their addresses on the lake.
B. Vegetation Survey – Mark and Ron did a survey in June of 90 waypoints and found no milfoil at these sites. They did find milfoil in deeper water areas LimnoPro identified during their survey last year. LimnoPro will be doing surveys in July, we will ask them to give us an estimate of total acres of EWM in the deeper water. We do know it costs more to treat deep water EWM and may want to do some treatments next year. Mark and Ron noted greater concentration and growth of vegetation this year than in the past few years.
C. I-LIDS/Watercraft Inspection – Dave R. reported the speaker is working and data is being collected.
D. Cormorants & Pelicans – Rick F. contacted the DNR (Scott Mackenthun) on June 20th about getting the latest bird count. Scott passed along some info and deferred to Lisa Gelvin-Innvaer (DNR – Non-Game Wildlife Specialist) who has yet to respond. As of 29th, Rick was still trying to find time to process the info from Scott.
E. Zebra Mussels – Dave R. reported he has many small ones on his hotel and not seeing big ones. Some are reporting many clams (native mussels) are covered with zebra mussels.
F. Watershed – Skip S reported there is no new information since last month. He continues to work with Joe Morgan about the sediment noted on last years survey. Mike W reported a neighbor, Hammers 68288215th St. has water that you can hear running through a retaining wall (not sure of source). Skip will talk to them and look at where the source of this water.
Membership / Shoreline Captains – Cathy K and Laurie J are updating the membership list. They noted we are getting more memberships, probably due to fact they will get a laminated map. This list will be updated by the end of July.
Education & Public Relations:
A. Summer Newsletter – Steve G loaded the Newsletter on the website on Sunday. Ron B reported copies will be mailed out on July 12th.
B. Website, Facebook, and Email Activity – Website = 6 hits per day (up 1 1/2 from last meeting), Facebook = 321 likes (up 10 from last meeting)
Social Committee – Pot Luck on Aug 3: Sandy and Mike suggested we get there by 4:30 to help with set up. Skip S reported EZ Dock and Lift has volunteered to pay for the meat and buns this year. Bring all door prizes to the event.
Financial / Grants – Sharon D reported the DNR announced some new grants but LWIA did not qualify for any of these. She wants to remind all Board members to send in all the hours and expenses they have incurred doing lake association things.
MCAL- Representatives/meeting dates – Pat Hansen, Sharon Daniels, Cindy Hewitt are LWIA representatives and the meeting is 7 PM July 18 in room 200 of the old Litchfield Jr. Highschool.
15) Open Discussion – Landing at end of 233rd Street (by Ray’s place) now has new gravel, no one knows who put in the crushed rock.
The LWIA Board took time to recognize Cathy Klehr’s tremendous contribution to our association for these many years. THANK YOU CATHY….
Next Board Meeting Scheduled for Aug 13th at Dassel Rod and Gun Club