WEST LONDO LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
Minutes of meeting on
September 4, 2010
The meeting was called to order by Jim MacArthur at 10:01 AM. The Pledge of Allegiance was said.
Officers
present: Jim MacArthur, Bill Stephens, Barbara Scheans, Ray Ramariz,
Bob Berger, Walt Wojewwoda, Al Longyear, Doug Lange, Butch Fournier,
George Kosnak and Ken Cumming.
The minutes were read and corrected.
The treasurer’s report was read and approved.
There
will be no hoedown this year. Diana Spiece gave back the $500 from the
hoedown. Greg Lewis has not returned the $500 that was given to him for
fireworks.
Jim MacArthur is looking into stocking the lake with fish. He is waiting for a response from the DEQ. Will not stock walleye.
Plainfield Township Parks and Recreation is looking at putting in a fishing pier. We want to go on record as being opposed to this idea.
Road
endings---there are 7 road endings--one is a dedicated road ending
(Ernst subdivision). No one will be allowed to buy these properties. If
the DEQ becomes involved they could become public like the one at Londo
Lake. We do not want this. The road commission will not do anything with
the road endings.
We have to appreciate what we have and we need to get along with each other.
Weed
control---Mr. Savin was not prepared when he came to our Aug. 7, 2010
meeting and had not even been on the lake. There are a lot of unhappy
people. Other lakes are also having problems.
Gary Benning--Would raising the lake level help? This can’t be done.
Suggestion was made to dredge the lake and get rid of the muck and weeds---cost prohibitive.
Harvesting is not recommended as it needs to be done a number of times each year and the cost is about $20,000 per cut.
Dennis Keith--Has been here many years and there have always been good years and bad. Mother Nature
has controlled it for years. He is not in favor of weed control and
recommends that the Lake Board stop putting chemicals in the water. He
asked if we had done a study to determine if Asian Milfoil is in the
lake.
Kim Poag--A June 2004 report did not find any invasive milfoil
in the lake. Water clarity at that time was excellent. She would like to
stop weed control. She asked what is it doing to the fish?
Doug Lange--He did a test for water clarity using a Secchi Disk and found the clarity to be bad.
Mary Cook stated that the lake can become dead if not treated.
Jim MacArthur--Stylus Lake is so bad that it is now a wetland--not a lake.
Jim MacArthur, Doug Lange and Jim Goodrow will meet with Fred Lewis (Plainfield Township Supervisor) and try to get answers to our questions.
Sharon
Grimes--Lots of dead weeds. Are they using new chemicals? The chemicals
turned the weeds brown. A week later she got a rash on her arms and
legs when she got in contact with weeds in the lake.
Ed
Hodgins--asked who is on the lake board. There are 2 township
supervisors (Plainfield and Hill), 2 drain commissioners and 2 people
from our lake---Doug Lange and Jim Goodrow.
Dennis Keith asked when the assessment is up---4 years from now.
Carl
Andrews---Is it possible to find someone reputable to come and assess
lake? Jim said there are only 3 in the state who are licensed to do weed
control.
Dan Spiece--Do we have a contract with Savin? The Lake Board has a contract with them for 4 more years.
Gary Benning--Can we get someone from MSU (intern) to come here?
Bob
Joss--He opposes calling the chemical treatment of the weeds
“poisoning”. He stated that in about 1974 the lake was not clear. It has
been clear for about 10 years now. He said we are dreaming if we think
we can do nothing.
Doug Lange--We spent lots of time and money
getting weed control started. If we stop now and it needs to be
restarted down the road--who will pay and who will do it?
Jim
MacArthur stated that when we first started this, people were very
passionate about it---to the point of threatening him. He would not do
it again.
Theresa said we should not treat blindly--evaluate --know what is being used and why.
Ken Cumming--people who are concerned should get active on the issue.
Is the Lake Board necessary? They are answerable to the Township and the township is answerable to the DEQ.
Lauren Richard--Continue weed control which is best for our lake--find the best treatment.
Ed
Chaivre--Are we more worried about the weeds by our lakefronts or those
in the middle of the lake? If your area does not get used it will be
weedy.
Kim Poag--The wildlife can’t read signs--what are the
chemicals doing to them? She said she would do whatever was needed to
follow up.
Doug Ward--About a year ago he attended a meeting where
Savin was. He had evaluated the lake and Doug felt he did a good job at
that meeting.
Jim MacArthur--There was a change in the chemicals that they can use. DEQ controls where weeds are treated.
Doug Ward--lives near Ohio and said all lakes are having the same problems this year---weather related.
Jim MacArthur--We all want the betterment of our lake--whatever way is best.
A poll was taken on the question: Should we stop weed control? 16 said yes. The majority said no--keep treating.
Fourth of July Parade Winners were 1st: Ken and Pattie McDonald, 2nd: Paul and Georgia Bolka.
Meeting adjourned at 11:25 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Scheans