Lake Mitchell Improvement Board
  
Lake Mitchell Improvement Board - September 25, 2006

Members Present: All present - Lois Poag, James Dean, Mike Solomon, Bill Goodwill, Ray Mayer and Dave Foley. Pam Tyning from Progressive Engineering also attended.

Meeting called to order: 5:30

Treasurer’s Report: Ray Mayer reported that expenditures for 2006 totaled $71,148, while revenues for that period were $63, 812 creating a deficit of $7,336.

Drain Commissioner’s report: Mike Solomon reported that lake levels were 1289 feet above sea level which is .2 foot below the spring high water mark.

Old Business

Lake Survey: The lake survey of August 30 indicates approximately 450 acres of milfoil which is an increase of three fold from 2005’s 150 acres.

Lack of Funds: As a result of the dramatic increase of milfoil all funds were spent on the first chemical treatment/harvest so a second one was impossible.

New Business

Public Comments:

Jim and Nan Vick have done preliminary work on instituting a phosphorus ban in Wexford County. Work on this project will continue through the winter.

Much interest was expressed on finding sources in addition to assessments, to fund aquatic weed treatment.

Mike Solomon suggested a plan and Bill Goodwill formulated it as a motion for administering aquatic weed control for 2007.

The motion states that all milfoil in the lake will be treated and a combination of chemical and harvesting will be used to insure that navigation is possible in all sheltered coves and other areas of shallow water weed growth near docks and homes. The navigational treatments will be done just once during the summer season. No attempt will be made to clear all weeds from coves.

Meeting adjourned: 7:45

Next meeting: October 23, 2006

Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - June 10, 2006

Members Present: Lois Poag, Ray Mayer, Dave Foley

Members Absent: James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Mike Solomon

Meeting called to order: 10:06

Secretary Report: Approved

Treasurer’s Report and Drain Commissioner Report: not submitted

Old Business: None

New Business:

Shoreline Cleanup: The new system of pickups made on specific days for specific sections of the lake seems to be going well.

Bass Tournaments: At the annual meeting Memorial Day, many concerns were raised about bass tournaments. The primary complaint being that Lake Mitchell fish caught by tournament fishermen often ended up in Lake Cadillac where they were released at Kenwood Beach and the City Park. Probably 25% of the tournaments have their weigh-ins at Pilgrim Village but again if you live other than in the southeast corner of Mitchell you lose fish from your area.

Dave Foley met with Mark Tonello, one of our area fishery biologists.and learned that in Michigan, tournaments do not need permits. They need one to use state facilities such as the Mitchell State Park dock but nothing in that permit pertains to fishing. Tournaments just show up, launch their boats and fish; that’s why some weekends we might have over a hundred boats from perhaps 2 or 3 tournament clubs. The anglers hate to see that many boats since it negatively affects their fishing.

State law says you cannot transport fish from one lake to another. If enforced, anyone who catches fish in Lake Cadillac couldn’t bring them to Mitchell (or vice versa) which would have major implications for all who fish. What the COs and fish biologists have done is have tournament fishermen return perhaps 50% of the catch to the other lake. This would be appropriate except with numerous counties to cover and tournaments in Houghton, Hamlin, Duck, Green, Elk, Torch, and Crystal Lakes as well as ours, there just isn’t enough officers to go around.

A year ago the legislature was approached about changing the season to make it illegal to catch and keep bass until mid-June, but the bass and tourist lobbies had more clout and the catch and keep season opener remains the last Saturday in May.

Tonello said he and Rozich searched the Internet and fish study archives looking for something that would show that the tournaments’ transporting and relocating of fish had a negative impact but could find no studies to back up the premise. I also did extensive web surfing and also found nothing.

This year 700 bass were caught by tournament fishermen on Memorial Day Weekend and 500 of those were released in Lake Cadillac.

At the June 10 meeting it was decided that:

1.Ron Moelker, a veteran tournament fisherman would find the wording of the law that requires bass tournaments to return fish to the lakes where they were caught. Dave Foley and Ron would work to have this posted at all launching spots used by tournament anglers.

a. Get support of Lake Cadillac Association and City of Cadillac, Pilgrim Village, and Mitchell State Park for this placement of signs.

b. Ron Moelker will provide wording of the law, type and size of signs.

2. Contact all tournaments in the winter and request that they bring necessary boats and live wells to transport at least half of bass caught to the other lake. (Mitchell to Cadillac, Cadillac to Mitchell).

3. Gain the support of the DNR so their fishery biologists and/or Conservation Officers will make sure tournaments comply. Lake Mitchell Association should be prepared supply volunteers at weigh-ins to see that this is done.

4. Clubs that are unwilling to transport fish will be asked not to hold tournaments in our lakes.

Aquatic Weed Control Plan: Tthe upcoming chemical treatment and harvesting work that PLM wiil do was discussed and Ron Moelker, a property owner on South Franke Cove, brought some pictures taken in the 1970s of the cove. Then it was an extremely shallow weed-choked body of water. The property owners subsequently paid to have it dredged to a depth of twelve feet. Now, as you know, it has silted in to an average depth of four feet and they looking to have it dredged again at a cost of $75,000- $100,000.

Ron’s point, and it seems to be valid, is that this cove was never really a natural body of water - at least at best is was quite shallow and filled with weeds. Consequently the aquatic growth that is there now just contributes to the silt problem. What the residents of that cove want is a more aggressive approach to weed control to minimize the decomposing weed matter that is filling in the cove.

The LMIB will be requesting that PLM to bring in their small harvester and work to do some long neglected harvesting up close to the southwest and south shore of the cove. Several docks are surrounded by lily pads and the weed growth in the center of the cove needs to be significantly reduced.

Purple Loosestrife Beetles planted in coves: On June 8, Cyndy and Dave Foley went to Petoskey and collected 40 beetles that feed on loosestrife and these were distributed on plants in Big and Little Cove. Although supplementary plantings will be needed, it is hoped that these insects will stem the increase of loosestrife in our wetlands.

Next Meeting: Saturday, July 8 - 10:AM Cherry Grove Township Hall

Meeting adjourned: 110:04

Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - May 8, 2006

Members Present: Lois Poag, Dave Foley, Bill Goodwill & Pam Tyning from Progressive Engineering

Members Absent: Ray Mayer, Mike Solomon, James Dean

A quorum of four members was not present, so no official business was conducted.

Drain Commissioner’s Report: The lake is slightly more than two inches above the legal level so the dam is closed in anticipation that the lake level will continue to drop.

Shoreline Cleanup: Paul McDonald signed a contract making him the official shoreline cleanup/weed hauler employee for the 2006 season.

Aquatic Weed Control Plan: The weed survey will be held on one day between June 6,7, or 8. The chemical treatment will likely be June 12 or 13. Weed harvesting will occur in the week leading up to the 4th of July - June 26-30.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:30.

Next meeting: Saturday, June 10 at 10 AM at the Cherry Grove Fire Hall.

Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - April 4, 2006

Call to Order: Vice-president James Dean called meeting to order at 5:45.

Present: James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Mike Solomon, Dave Foley

Treasurer’s report:

Foley requested authorization to present bills to Margo Copley for payment of winter bills regarding website, newsletter, & weed hauler ads.

Board members made a motion and passed it unanimously to approve the payment of the bills.

Old Business:

Two bids for weed hauler job were received. Paul McDonald of McDirt Delivery and Snow Plowing LLC was low bidder at $6250. (Brent McCumber bid $7,500). McDonald was notified of Board’s acceptance of his bid contingent of his signing of contract which James Dean will develop with assistance of Pete Stalker.

The Board made a motion to accept McDonald’s bid and it passed unanimously.

New Business:

Dave Foley asked to be reimbursed for expenses of nails and getting signs laminated that will be posted around Lake Mitchell informing PWC drivers of Michigan Boating laws. The Board agreed to his request.

Foley asked permission to contact Lake Mitchell Association to ask if they would add a sentence on their mailing of annual meeting notice encouraging property owners that if they fertilized to use phosphorus free fertilizer which was available at the 13th Street Market and Grahek’s. The Board approved his request.

Meeting adjourned: 5:00 .

Next Meeting: Monday May 8, 5:30 PM Cherry Grove Fire Hall.

Special Meeting of the Lake Mitchell Improvement Board--March 8, 2006 at 401 Lake St.

Members present: Mike Solomon, James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Dave Foley

Members in Florida: Lois Poag, Ray Mayer

Meeting Called to order: 6:00 PM

Motion: Mike Solomon moved (second by Dave Foley) to appoint James Dean as vice-president of the Lake Mitchell Improvement Board. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion: The Lake Mitchell Improvement Board, through an ad in the Cadillac News, will solicit bids for a weed hauler the 2006 season. Bids may not exceed $8000. Motion was made by Mike Solomon and seconded by James Dean.

The details of the Weed Hauler’s Job Description and the revised policy for Shoreline Cleanup will appear on the website www.lakemitchell.org. by March 9.

Meeting adjourned: 6:40 PM

Minutes submitted by Dave Foley