In attendance – Vice President Ken Shaner, Treasurer Colleen De Grande, Secretary Carol Kupovits, and board members Cherie Hogan, Dave Daniels and Sally Dieck.
Absent – President Gary Batka and board member Jerry Barger.
78 people in attendance and 4 children.
Vice President Ken Shaner called the meeting to order. Secretary Carol Kupovits read the minutes from the Six Mile Lake Association Breakfast Meeting on June 9, 2012. Cherie Hogan made the motion to accept the minutes as read and it was seconded by Colleen DeGrande.
*Treasurer’s report was given by Colleen DeGrande
$19,016.41 checking
$1.00 prime share
$2,415.57 Super Saver
Total $21,456.95
Cherie Hogan made the motion to accept the treasurer’s report as read and it was seconded by Sam DeGrande.
OLD BUSINESS
*August 4, 2012 is the annual Golf Outing. Ken Shaner said so far we have 5 groups scheduled to play, we are short 2 players. If you are interested in playing call Ken. It will be at Antrim Dells, it is $60 to play and $10 for non players for the dinner after golfing.
*Loon up date was given by Cherie Hogan. Cherie wanted to thank everyone for staying away from the Loon platforms and watching them from afar. The babies are getting bigger. Hopefully we will have more Loons next year.
*2012 Christmas party is in the works. Cherie mentioned how much fun it was last year. It will be at the Mallard Golf Club in East Jordan again this year. It is $25.00 per person, cash bar and it will be prime rib and steamship shrimp. It will be December 27, 2012 please RSVP to Cherie Hogan if you will be attending Arnold needs to have a head count.
*Dave Daniels said that the highway clean-up will be Wednesday, July 16th at 10 am. They meet at the corner of M-66 and Old State Road.
*Ken Shaner introduced our President Gary Batka’s daughter Liz that read a statement from Gary.
I am sorry I an unable to attend this important meeting. Family obligations have me in Chicago at this time.
Some lake folks believe we must use all chemicals or all weevils. But your board has been, and is, trying to address both sides of this issue. We will use chemicals as well as weevils. But nothing can be accomplished without money. Please sign your petition and send it in. Without cash to pay for these remedies, no further movement toward our common goal of reducing the presence of Eurasian Milfoil will take place. Please be smart and take action!
*Ken then read a letter written by the Six Mile Lake Association Board which listed events that must happen prior to the special assessment is implemented on the tax roll and a letter addressed to all members and property owners.
*Six Mile Lake Association initiates the “petition” to which property owners agree to the special assessment
1. Copy and mail to all listed property owners with frontage or access to Six Mile Lake
2. Property owners must sign and return the petition to the Association
*Six Mile Lake Association Board members inspect forms for accuracy and errors
1. Petition with errors required 2nd contact and provide assistance
*Six Mile Lake Association Board members count returns and determines correct percentage of petitions from each township
1. If enough petitions are signed the board forwards them to the townships
2. Echo and South Arm Townships board meetings are held one day per month and not at the same time
*The township clerk verifies all parcels and signatures for accuracy
*The township board sends mailings to notify all property owners of the meeting held by the board
*The township’s board will hold two or three meetings for township remaining this year)
*The township rules if the assessment will be implemented to the tax roll of the property owners on Six Mile Lake
These events must happen before any property tax is posted and sent to property owners at the end of this year. We must receive petitions before JULY 31, 2012 or we will not have any funds to do any Milfoil treatment next spring.
*Dave Daniels gave the Milfoil Committee update.
Contracted #weevils Cost
2009 6,000 $ 4,665.00
2010 12,000 8,265.00
2011 16,000 12,450.00
2012 30,000 17,500.00
Total: 64,000 $42,880.00
2013: 20,000 $12,700.00
(Spring and fall with two surveys)
Grand total: 84,000 $55,580.00
This is the account of what we have spent. This was money raised by donations and raffles. The last planting of weevils went in on June 21, 2012. We had a professional grant writer write a grant to the Charlevoix Community Foundation and we received $4,000.00 from them and a donation of $250.00 from the East Jordan Iron Works. We have a contract with Enviro Science for 2013 for 20,000 more weevils.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to sign those petitions and parcel #’s. If you are a trustee of property please tell us. We have 260 owners and 280 parcels of property and two townships.
*On July 27, 2012 the Elk River Chain of Lakes will be having a meeting at the Bellaire County building from 1-3pm in room 211. Dave Daniels and Gary Batka will be going to the meeting.
On August 2, 2012 at 9am in the Bellaire County building in room 211 the Parks and Land Committee meeting will take place. Terry Kupovits will be giving a power point presentation on our Milfoil problem on Six Mile Lake.
NEW BUSINESS
Vice President Ken Shaner introduced Craig Schmidt. Craig said that he lives on the Westside of Six Mile Lake. He congratulated the Milfoil Committee members on all the hard work they have done coming up with a plan to control our Milfoil. This is not easy. He was socializing with people from the lake and said that the Milfoil is getting worse. They did some research and thought that the weevils just can’t do this on there own. So five couples got together and paid out of their own pockets for PLM Lake and Land Management Corp. To come out with a boat and assess our lake.
PLM came out on June 15, 2012. They felt after much research that PLM was best suited for what we need.
Jason Broekstra with PLM Lake and Land Management was introduced. Jason is Vice President of the Great Lakes Division of Operations. He has worked in invasive plant management since 1995. He has a bachelor’s degree in Biology and was awarded the 2008 Applicator of the year award. He is the serving President of the Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society and a certified pesticide applicator. Jason said they used weevils for biological control. That each lake is different.
Six Mile Lake Eurasian Water milfoil is an exotic weed in Michigan it is not a native species. Milfoil has few natural controls. By mid -summer it can form mats so dense it restricts fishing, boating and swimming. It can reproduce by seed and fragmentation. A small fragment of the plant can form roots and develop into new plants. A single fragment can multiply into 250 million new plants in one year. Cut plants re-grow in 7-10 days. Jason said that dried milfoil, after being out of the water for a week can survive if re-submersed in water. Do not leave it on the shore or burn in bon-fire because fragments can blow and reproduce. The EPA and the DEQ have approved herbicides if used correctly. You need the right amount. They did an Avis survey – they broke the lake into sections, we have a lot of native species must be maintained.
*PLM recommends granular systemic products. If you use a contact herbicide the plant will grow back.
*The products they use target only the Eurasian Water milfoil .
*Jason said we have 75 acres of milfoil currently. That he anticipated that by the time we treat with herbicides we would have 100 acres to do. Each year treated it would become less dense.
*There is no proof that herbicides have entered any water wells.
*75 acres is estimated treatment but to be safe they will do 100 acres.
*Cost is expensive – $500.00 per acre. Start with one treatment in the spring $50-60,000.00 Start off high. Couple years after control you will see a plant here and there. Cost goes down in years 3 and 4.
*5 year assessment to start and then go back and re-assess. You need a special lake board to do this. Township gives authority to do this.
*Treat chemically fragments will not be viable. Still some fragmentation, like plants hiding under docks.
*PLM guarantees there work. If milfoil still there they will come back and hit it again.
*PLM has a contract with Spring Lake right now.
*SAFETY – safe for drinking water, pets, fishing, humans, no restrictions.
*When treatment begins – 1 day out of water when treating. Gives them the ability to do the job when the water is calmer. Animals at access sites dogs, deer etc., will not harm.
*NO adverse affects – NONE or we could not use the herbicides.
*Outlet restriction is 1,000 feet.
*Method used – granular hopper with a spreader, 40 pound bags, they have controls to throw different distances and a GPS.
*Use of parks and public access small assessment back lot owners there are very few people.
*Should a home owner treat their own property? Jason said no, they usually don’t put in the correct amount. It will get worse on the lake with an unstable system.
*It was brought up that the north end is surrounded by milfoil by the Loons. In the spring it was clear.
*Lake Sinclair has milfoil.
*PLM can’t treat by an outlet.
*Scott Lake is so infested they can’t use there boats.
*Are we committed to buy the weevils next year? The milfoil committee will look into this.
*PLM said the process does work takes about 5 years.
*Jason said we are doing all the right things and that we have done all the hard work so far and that PLM will back us at the township level. We do monitor our lake water by taking samples to be tested.
*We are trying to educate the township boards about our milfoil problem. They have very little knowledge about this problem.
*Question was brought up about why we can’t charge at the boat launches or having washing stations. Jason said they are working on putting a fee on a permit to fish or boating. This all has to go through state and have to find the right time to do this.
*Some places have volunteers at boat washing stations when people put there boats in and out.
*Odawa Indians paid for boat cleaning station at Paradise Lake.
*Some people not in the Six Mile Lake Association (Lake in the Woods on the other side) did not get letters about this assessment sent to them.
*Timing of the treatment water temp must be 55 – 60 degrees could do the treatment as early as June of 2013.
A question was asked who allows the spending of the money. Ken Shaner said that it has to be approved by the membership.
Jason said for the township we need:
1. Approval plan
2. Contract for cost
3. Contract signed by county
4. Go back to the Six Mile Lake Association
This is not a tax it is an assessment.
If we don’t take care of our lake our property won’t be worth beans. This is a miner investment. We won’t be able to sell our property because the lake will be so infested.
*Not a problem getting the approval of the DEQ.
*Question – who gets presidence on where the weevils are planted. Dave Daniels said that EnviroScience is the professional and they made the decision on where the weevils should be planted.
*The Milfoil committee should be expanded t more residents to be on the committee. A sign up sheet has always been on the table at every meeting. This meeting we had 2 new people sign up.
Fred Hunt said that he hopes the assessment goes through along with a lot of other people in the room.
*Jason said that instead of hoping for the 51% that we need for the assessment. We should reach for 70 – 80 % then we have a better chance of it being past.
* We have 95 petitions signed for it so far and we mailed 260.
*Jason mentioned Bre Grabill a Northern Lakes Manager is a certified pesticide applicator and might be working with him. IMPORTANT – PLM will be at the Public Hearings
*No permit for wells because this is an herbicide that does not require it.
*Dick Webber said he was the President of the Six Mile Lake Association from 1997-1998 and that back then he proposed to treat the lake. You would have thought I was asking the association to take a cyanide pill.
*Past President Scott Sheppard commented that something needs to be done. The Milfoil committee put lots of hours into coming up with a solution to our problem. We need to take the emotion out of this problem and work together, and have a steady focus.
*Vice President Ken Shaner said again we must have the Petitions signed to go through with this. Get them in before July 31st.
*We have open meetings and everyone is welcomed.
*Ken said we need to put the minutes of the meeting on the website we need to put this to a vote do this later.
*Have to set a committee to contact people we haven’t heard from. Go around word of mouth, contact people to educate them about this problem.
*Dates and times of Milfoil meeting to be put on the websites.
*If you have fragmented milfoil around your dock rake it up daily and get rid of it. Do not burn it goes back into the air and the lake.
*Jason said that when PLM does the treatment it takes 4-5 weeks for the milfoil to die and decompose, first the leaves fall off.
*Ken Shaner thanked Jason for the very informative meeting on PLM.
*Ken mentioned we have nominees for 2013-2014 slate of Officers and Board members.
Vice-President (replace Ken Shaner) nominee is Cherie Hogan
Secretary Carol Kupovits to retain position
Open board member position (Dave Daniels resignation) Jeff Rogers nominee
Open board member (Cherie Hogan) Kathy Batka nominee
Board position (Jerry Barger) nominee
Anyone interested in running for an office or board member call Cherie Hogan
Nominations will be brought up at the annual picnic on the 11th of August and put to a vote at the September meeting. You must be a member of the Six Mile Lake Association to run for an office. Pay dues of $25.00 a year.
General Discussion
Six Mile Lake Association Web Site change Derrick added new post to make comments. You can comment on a post and other peoples post and really get a discussion going. The new posts are on the right side and 5 general topics. If you think something is not appropriate you can flag it and say not appropriate.
*Cherie Hogan made the motion the meeting be adjourned and it was seconded by Sam DeGrande.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Carol Kupovits