JLPOA Annual Meeting Raises Water Quality Challenges, Other Important Issues


Members of the Johnson Lake Property Owners Association gathered for the annual meeting on June 25, 2005. Read more to see the minutes of the meeting.


Bob Polkinghorn, President, called the meeting to order at 10:20 AM. It again was held at the Webster Fire Department.
 
Bob welcomed everyone. He reminded all that there were t shirts and sweatshirts for sale as well as tick removers (Jane Tomnitz’s daughter-in-law is selling them), as well as pennants for boat/flag poles. Details of the pennant will be posted on the web site as well as in the next newsletter. Jeri Slachta will make them for us.
 
Dennis Quinn informed us of the problem facing the Webster ambulance system. Right now we have a 24 hour manned station which they want to reduce to a 12 hour. Our imput may be needed if the problem isn’t solved. Webster is central, serves Siren, Hertel and Webster. An unmanned station takes more time to reach patients, and creates longer waiting times for the first responders. We definitely need to keep the 24 hour manned station.
 
The minutes of the last annual meeting were presented, unread. 
 
Lois Hansen gave the Treasurer’s report which is attached. We have 118 members, 70 of which have paid dues this year.
 
Dick Golding gave a presentation on the Johnson Lake Monitoring Program—why it is needed, how important past data is, trends, etc.  The results of 11 years of water monitoring showed a significant decline in water clarity. We all need to think about how we can enjoy our lake-front property without harming the lake.   Bob Polkinghorn thanked Dick, Roy Hansen, John Okerstrom and Fred Weber for their help in assembling the data. Bob also helps.
 
Fred and Nancy Weber and Dick and Jeri Slachta attended the NW Wisconsin Lakes Conference.  Both Fred and Nancy reported that the main concerns were the quality of lake water. One foot of secci clarity equals $10,000 worth of property value. Nancy said that Ham Lake was even mentioned as having milfoil and the problem they were having dealing with it.    
 
Dave Ferris, from the Burnett County Land and Water Conservation Department was our guest speaker. 
 
Dave said the time to act is now to turn our lake around. We should be alarmed now—we are losing a quarter of our clarity. Ours is a seepage lake, driven by ground water (long term rainfall trend). Ground water acts as a filter. We are the stewards of Johnson Lake, the first and second tiers around the lake—what we put in the lake is what helps or hinders. Minimize, minimize! Run off, shoreline impact, hard surfaces—everything we do on our property is important—and it means everyone is responsible, not just a few. 7 to 10 times more nutrients go into the lake from runoff from lawns versus shoreline buffers which filter the runoff. Props on boats bring up nutrients that have been dormant. Ground water only moves abut 5 o 10 feet a year—whatever we put in the lake stays for 20 plus years. Runoff contains phosphorus—it is a blast of fertilizer, allows everything to grow, multiply. In 1950 a lake place put less than 0.10% of phosphorus in the lake, while now a lake place puts ½ pound per house! Natural buffers slow down the runoff. Rain gardens also are a help. They are an indentation, planted with flowers and plants where the rain water runs off to. It acts as a drain field. Pickeral weed is a good buffer. Erosion can raise your high water mark and make your house non conforming. 
 
Dave also spoke on exotics, concentrating on purple loosestrife and Eurasian water milfoil. A beetle is doing a good job of controlling loosestrife. Ham and Round lakes have Eurasian water milfoil. It started where they had weeds harvested. Ham had to hire an aquatic specialist. They have spent $15,000 so far on spraying and it will be an on-going expense. We don’t want it in our lake—be proactive—learn what it looks like, take a sample of anything suspicious (put into a small plastic bag with water), call Dave (715-349-2186) or take it him at the Government Center.  Milfoil mostly comes in by boats—it would be good to monitor the access.  Corie Dacus attended the Clean Boat, Clean Water seminar and has lots of information we can use. A sign-up sheet to help with monitoring the access is being passed around. Putting together information in a envelope and putting it on the windshields of the cars at the access might be a less invasive way to start.  If you have any questions, Corie is a good resource.
 
Nancy and Fred Weber said our lake is beautiful—maybe we should form a committee and have a property of the month contest (best buffer zone, etc.).  It could be put on our web site.
 
Bob Polkinghorn informed us that we need 4 Board members. Bob, Joan Golding and Dan Young’s terms are up and there is also one vacancy.  Bob, Joan and Dan said they would reup if no one came forward. Linda Satorius was asked to fill the vacancy. John Satorius made a motion to accept the nominations, Mark Lacek seconded. Motion was carried.
 
Dan Woodbury said the boat landing is in need of work. Dave is sure we can get a permit—it is the Township’s responsibility to fix it. The Association will talk to the Township. Cost will be approximately $200.00.
 
Sue Lacek asked about aggressive sunfish—Dave said that we have too many—they are always hungry. Luckily they are small. Catch and don’t release. Dennis Quinn said that stocking our lake with walleyes might help—they would eat the sunfish. He will look into it and let us know.
 
Mark Lacek asked if we could sponsor s safe fireworks display—we will look into it.
 
A good idea is to make your guests aware to check their boats for aquatic vegetation before using our access.
 
Bob Wagner won the drawing for a year’s subscription to “Cabin Life” magazine.
 
Meeting was adjourned at 12:15 PM.
 
Respectfully submitted,
 
 
 
Joan Golding, Secretary

Posted: Wed - August 3, 2005 at 11:20 PM      

©
Content Copyright 2004-2006, Johnson Lake Property Owners Association, Inc.