JLPOA Annual Meeting minutes - members share success stories and more


The Webster fire station meeting room was filled with members of the Johnson Lake Property Owners Association. Members filled the air with information and questions about projects like the Guardian program, rain gardens and water quality issues. Read more to see the minutes of the meeting.

MINUTES OF THE JOHNSON LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL MEETING, JUNE 7, 2008


President, John Okerstrom called the meeting to order at 10:10 AM, held at the Webster Fire Hall. He said that the Board would tell you what we have done and also what you can do.

John introduced the Board, Lois Hansen, Joan Golding, Linda Parish (our new Newsletter Editor), Fred Weber, Randy Wick, Dave Persell and Bob Polkinghorn. Linda Satorius was absent.

A motion was made that the minutes from the last annual meeting be approved as written, not read. They have been posted on our Web site.

Lois Hansen gave the Treasurer’s report, copy attached. Only 55 families have paid their dues so far. Fred Weber made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report as read. which passed.

Dick Golding made a motion to donate $100 to the Webster Fire Department. All were in agreement.

Bob Polkington gave a report on the Boat Landing. This is the second year for the camera. There were 981 videos taken last year with no offenders. We had trouble in the beginning (when it was installed this May) but Eric Lindberg adjusted it and it is fine now. The sheriff will give tickets this year for any offenders. In the 5 lakes that have camera surveillance, only 7 boats had weeds.

This year is our final for the grant. Next year we are not sure if we can get a grant--money may not be available. We possibly could know by October--if money is available, we would have to apply again. If we continue with the camera surveillance it will cost $2600, which the grant money would help with. Devil’s Lake has their own camera system which isn’t working very well.

Bob Polkinghorn has video instructions on how to view the videos of the landing. You just need high speed internet. There are about 6 videos a day which Bob checks every morning. If he feels that one is suspicious, he sends it to Eric Lindberg, who reviews it also. If he concurs, then the video is sent to the Sheriff’s Department to follow up on. The 5 lakes all have on site volunteers at the landing on weekends. We need volunteers for our lake. We need the volunteer hours to qualify for the grant also. We also have been told that the DNR checks Boat Landings periodically for suspicious weeds.

John Okerstrom said that we are receiving good publicity about our camera--it is a good detriment to having more boats with weeds coming on the lake.

Fred Weber asked is anyone hadn’t received their documents on the Over Flight results. All had. The 1 offender was run off from man made surfaces--roofs, decks, driveways, etc.--it is up to the homeowner to find a solution. Dave Ferris of the Burnett County Land and Water Conservation Dept. would be willing to help with problems and solutions. Fred will talk to him about this and also about if the black, fabric fencing along the roads could be removed which Carol Polkinghorn asked about. Fred will also contact the Town Board to divert water to the sides of the ramp at the landing.

It would cost about $2500 to $4000 to have another over flight done- for a septic survey. It was suggested that we should be responsible to having our septic systems checked and maintained instead, for the time being. The checks are usually done in the winter. Maureen Wilson suggested putting an article in the next Newsletter pertaining to having our septic systems checked.

John asked if anyone had taken part in the Shoreland Restoration. Bob Wagner related that he had because of lots of run off. He had Cheryl come out (from Dave Ferris’ Department) and was able to solve the problems--he only had to pay 30% of the cost to have it done. He and Karen would be happy to have people come and see the work done.

Jerry Nelson also spoke up about his Shoreline Restoration which is in the process. Dave Ferris came out an suggested rain gardens and plantings to offset the run off from the concrete steps. He also only has to pay 30% of the cost of the restoration.

There also are Master Gardeners programs that we could ask advice from. An article on plants that would grow here would also be helpful to put in our newsletter.

Randy Wick spoke about the Boat Landing. We need lots of volunteer hours to maintain the grant--landing is manned every weekend, two, 2 hour shifts, 7-9 AM and 9-11 AM. If everyone took one 2 hour shift we’d have the sunmer covered. There is a kit with instructions in the mailbox at the end of Randy’s driveway on Schoonover Road. A sign up sheet is being passed around. Last year Johnson Lake had the most volunteer hours -- 271! The next closest to us was 121 hours. THANK YOU!!

Jeri Slachta reported that we had $1000 in sales of Tshirts and sweatshirts last year. The profit for our Association was $370. She has new golf shirts and a heavy weight Tshirt now too.

Dick Golding reported on water testing We have been doing the secchi disk since Mel Paulson started in 1993. In 2000 we started doing the chemical testing also. We test for water clarity, temperature, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll. If our phosphorus level is high we could have algae blooms. Too much chlorophyll makes the water green and ugly

Our chlorophyll level is low, total phosphorus level is 18, 2 below the threshold of algae blooms. We’re a mesotrophic lake--middle of the scale--we could be better, phosphorus is still a problem. Our water is moderately clear now. We had a 17 ft secchi reading in May. Your awareness has helped the clarity, education is the key.

Miscellaneous:
Bob Wagner asked if we should think about limiting the size of motors since we seem to have such a large weed build up after a weekend. Nancy Weber asked what the foam was at the lakes’s edge after winds-no one really knew, but Anita Miller said it was good fertilizer. Jane Tomnitz said she has big beaver holes on her property--what to do? Maureen Wilson reported that to get rid of weeds, fill a gunny sack with pine needles and anchor it in the water where you want to get rid of weeds. You do need to take it out in the Fall. Lois Hansen reported that we have 2 pairs of loons but they are not nesting. We didn’t have any babies last year-first time in over 20 years.

John Okerstrom introduced his son, Jon who edits our website. Jon asked us to contribut to it He will try and incorporate a lake photo album. The web address is Johnson Lake .org.

John called for the election of new Directors for the Board of Directors. There were four seats open. Linda Parish and Randy Wick both said they would run again so we needed two nominations from the floor. Sandy Wick nominated Bob Barnett and Anita Miller said that she would run. Since there were no other nominees, it was moved and seconded that the entire slate be accepted. It passed.

The Board thanked John Okerstrom, Lois Hansen and Bob Polkinghorn for all their hard work for the lake.

It was asked how Ham Lake was doing with the milfoil--Randy related that they are paying a lot for the treatments.

If you have a new address or email, please give it to one of the Board Members.

Fred Weber moved to adjourn the meeting. Dick Golding seconded.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:40 AM



Respectifully submitted,



Joan Golding, acting Secretary for Linda Satorius

Posted: Sun - June 15, 2008 at 11:01 AM      

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