Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association
Spring Meeting Minutes, May 30, 2009
President Steve Eichman called the spring meeting of the Horseshoe Lake Improvement Association to order at 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 30, at the Beaver Town Hall.
Treasurer Joe Waldo presented a financial summary of HSLA general and milfoil accounts.
Park cleanup is scheduled for June 6th at the landing. A signup sheet was passed for volunteers.
Pam Nelson introduced Dave Bloomer, former DNR rep now with SEH engineering and Matt Berg, our Dive Director. A Dive Day is scheduled for June 8 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Base camp will be at Perala's. A signup sheet was passed for volunteers to provide boats and food for the divers. Great response! Be sure to get a volunteer form from the web site or Pam to record your hours. Perala's have a busy weekend, so please bring food on Sunday or Monday morning. Boats need tarps, nets, and tubs.
Dave Bloomer presented an hour-long power point presentation on our grants and activities to protect our lake from exotic weeds. When our February grant was denied (due to lack of state funds), other options were explored.
Our first grant, for watercraft inspection and education at a 50% match, has been extended until December 2009. We have only received $1200 so far from this grant, which was Erica's salary. Sam Lindquist is taking over coordinating this activity. Hours spent inspecting boats at either the Horseshoe or Echo landings this year can still be applied to this grant. The box will be restocked and new forms and signup sheets available on the web site and in the box. A signup schedule will also be posed in both places.
Grant #2 runs from July 07 to December 2009. This 50% match grant has already resulted in "amazing" reductions in areas where milfoil was removed. Current diving, education and weed removal will apply to this grant.
MOTION seconded and approved to apply for another grant of $20,000 with a 25% match.
This grant would require:
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION & INVOLVEMENT
- Lake user survey
- Open meetings
- Project updates
WATERCRAFT INSPECTION
- Both Horseshoe & Echo lake landings
- Possible participation of Turtle Lake students
LAKE USER EDUCATION
- Half-day Lake Education Workshop (possibly in conjunction with picnic)
- Articles and mailings
CONTINUED MONITORING & MAPPING of our exotic weeds,: hybrid milfoil, purple loose-leaf, curly weed pondweed and others --????
MANAGEMENT & CONTROL
- Large scale removal by divers
- Limited herbicide application
- Physical removal by residents*
5-YEAR DNR APPROVAL
*Dave stressed that we should remove all the milfoil we can. It is important to get the roots - and not remove the native plants. While we should try to get all the tiny pieces, it is not as critical as it once was because milfoil is now throughout our lake BUT it is not dense.
Also, if your area is treated with chemicals, do not touch the plants for at least 14 days for the treatment to be effective.
It is important to know what individual landowners have done in the past for weed control.
Dave feels as positive as possible that we will receive this grant. Thank you to Dave & Matt - we appreciate you! Mike Foster will place a copy of Dave's presentation on our web site. (Posted to the web site; see "Milfoil Fund, DNR Grant, AIS Plan Status" link on home page.)
Our resident dive team, Craig and Laura Nackerud, have spent over $3,000 on equipment and air to help us. MOTION made, seconded and carried, that they receive a budget to $500 to pay for air and necessities. Craig would like to use part of this to plant "treasures" that the student divers could discover. Great idea!
Buckwall channel is passable in the middle where it is 6' deep - the sides are shallow.
MOTION made and carried that Steve has the authority to spend up to $300 to repair the boat landing - leveling and cleaning behind the pads and possibly removing the boulder. He will meet with Beaver Township to get their support - in the past they have paid 50/50.
So far, our box at the landing has collected only $4.25 toward our milfoil control efforts. MOTION made and carried to add a request for a $2 Launching Donation, if approved by the town board.
With the shallow water, we need additional buoys put out. John has buoys and chain available; Joe Waldo will put in and remove buoys on his point.
The Hanson project has received permission from zoning. Copies of the proposal were available at the meeting.
The Fourth of July boat parade was discussed - water fights vs. dry boaters. We know you can't please everyone, but here is the decision:
Boat parade at 2:00 PM with no water play during the parade. Travel the whole route.
Water fight at 4:00 PM in the middle of the lake. Please use biodegradable balloons. Participants will be expected to clean up after themselves.
Steve Hanson will provide a bullhorn.
The sole lakeshore resident on Mud Lake asked what could be done to improve the channel. Steve Eichman will contact the DNR -- this is an important spawning area.
MOTION made and passed that we not pass flyers from independent businesses at our meetings.
Our member Roger Parkin died during the winter. His widow has a pontoon she would like to sell.
Meeting adjourned at 11:25 AM. Our next meeting is July 11th at 9:30 AM at the Beaver Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Sam Lindquist, Secretary
-------------------------------------------------
**Revised Date** Beaver Town Park Clean Up … Saturday, June 6th, 9:30 AM
BOAT PARADE … Saturday, July 4th - 2:00 PM
HLIA Member Midsummer Meeting … Saturday, July 11th, 9:30 AM, Beaver Town Hall
-------------------------------------------------
Do you e-mail?
We realize not every one does --- and minutes are being sent by US mail to everyone. However, for those with access to the web, e-mailing our minutes saves time and money.
If you are willing to receive your association minutes and news via e-mail, please email HLIA or print, complete and mail this HLIA member update form.
Go to HLIA News Page
Go to HLIA Home Page