October 29, 2018 -- Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting Minutes

 

A. Call to Order: 10:01

B. Roll Call: Present; Dave Foley, Shari Spoelman, Mike Bengelink, Mike Solomon and RLS consultant Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones present. Absent: Marty Williams, Tom Jacobson.

C. Additions/Deletions: Add -Approval of  amended 2018-19 Budget.

D. Approval of Agenda: Unanimous

E. Approval of June 25, 2018 minutes: Add omitted word. “Approved” to approval vote on 2018-19 Budget. Then Board approved minutes unanimously.

F. Public Comments:

Dave Stringer announced the names of new Lake Mitchell Property Owners Association Officers: Dave Stinger, President; Ron Moelker, Secretary: Jackie Erway, Vice President, Bob Sayles, Treasurer and Dave Kuyers, Board Member.

G. Agenda Items:

   1. Treasurer's Report: 

        Revised (6/18) 2017-18 Budget: Estimated expenditures $183,250.

        2017/2018 Accounting up to 6/30/18.

          Balance at end of 2016/17 $348,726.67

          2017/18 Revenue $88,222.43

          2017/18 Expenditure $111,347.59

          LMIB reported account balance $325,601.51

  Accounting up to 9/30/18

             2018/19 Revenue $30.957.90

   2018/19 expended          $7,162.40

              LMIB reported balance $349,397

  2. Lake Mitchell Association Update

       Ron Moelker reported:

         The LMA is reorganizing and has elected new officers. LMA hopes to better represent property owners and is looking to put on some activities in the future as well as add material to LMIB website.

3. Assessment  - initial discussion

The current balance of $348,000 is considered more than adequate for anticipated Board expenses. The current assessment of $250 per lakefront lot. Only$50 was collected in 2018 and  may be lowered at Public Hearings scheduled for 2019.

  4. Consultant's Report (Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones):

       In 2018 approximately 60.8 acres of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) treated throughout entire lake.

       Coves and Canal treated 22.1 acres for nuisance pondweeds.

        Cladophora algae was collected from  Canal.

        Beetles will once again be planted on loosestrife plants in 2019.

        Watershed study should be finished by 2019 and its findings should help control algae blooms. Brandy Brook supplies most nutrients.

         A few acres of phragmites (an invasive wetland plant) were treated.

        A new herbicide for EWM was tested in Houghton Lake and, if appropriate, may be used in Lake Mitchell.

  5. LMIB mailing list 

       After discussion a motion was made and approved unanimously to share LMIB mailing list with Lake Mitchell Association so news from both organizations can be shared among all on mailing lists.

   6. LMIB website 

       A committee of Dave Foley, Ron Moelker, and Jackie Erway will meet with Webmaster Jim Neff to work out a way that LMIB and LMA can share the website and make it easier for visitors to navigate the site.

   7. RLS Contract

       Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones, CEO of Restorative Lake Sciences, serves as the consultant to the LMIB. RLS has coordinated the aquatic vegetation control program since 2008. The Board reviewed a contract she offered for 2019. The total cost was the same as the 2018 contact - $16,000. A motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously to renew the RLS contract.

    Meeting Dates for 2019:

      Saturday  1 PM April 27

      Monday 10 AM June 24

      Saturday 10 AM August 24

      Monday 10 AM October 21

      Public hearing dates for 2019 will be set at a later date.

   The dates were approved unanimously by the Board.

H. Correspondence: none

I. Public Comments

     Snider from Hiawatha Court – Doesn't use computer and wanted to know how to get Board info.  Was advised the annual Lakesider Newsletter would be mailed to him each year in May.                     

      Ron Moelker – Asked how much EWM and nuisance weeds was treated in 2018? Was told 60 acres in main lake  and 22 in coves/canal plus 20 acres of algae harvested in Canal. Asked about harvesting in South Franke Cove and was told none was done in 2018. Noted the presence of zebra mussels in South Franke Cove. Dave Foley noted he found one zebra mussel near his home. This is one of the first instances of reported zebra mussels in Lake Mitchell. They are prevalent in Lake Cadillac.   

J. LMIB member comments – none

K. Chairman comments – none

L. Adjournment – 11:10. 

June 26, 2018 -- Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Minutes  

 

A. Call to Order: 10:02

B. Roll Call: Present; Dave Foley, Shari Spoelman (acting chairman), Mike Bengelink, Tom Jacobson,  Marty Williams and RLS consultant – Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones. Absent; Mike Solomon 

C. Additions/Deletions:  Add-  to agenda “2. Adjustments to Ron Klimp's agreement to except weeds collected from Lake Mitchell.”

D. Approval of Agenda: Unanimous

E. Approval of April 28, 2018 minutes: Unanimous

F. Pubic Comments:

Jay Puvogel -  Liked the look of Torenta Canal after recent harvest. Fish and heron have returned.

Rick Davis – Property owner on Little Cove. Concerned that weeds have not been picked up. Dave Foley will check and work with weed hauler.

Michelle George – Property owner on South Frank. Although appreciative of email responses to her concerns, did not like having personal visit from Board President.  

Ron Moelker -  Asked for information and rationale for watershed study. This issue would be addressed in consultant's report.

G. Agenda items:

1. Treasurer's Report – A request was made to revise 2017-8 budget to reflect the $5290 requested for the Watershed Study. Mike Bengelink with a second from Tom Jacobson made a motion to amend the budget to add $5290 for watershed study. This received Unanimous approval.  

A motion was made by Bengelink and seconded by Jacobson to approve the 2018-2019 budget as amended by the treasurer .

2. Adjustment to compensation paid to Ron Klimp for accepting roadside pickup and Torenta Canal weeds. Based on concerns provided by Klimp. Foley made a motion seconded by Bengelink to raise rate per trailer load from $20 to $25 trailer (47 loads in 2017) and establish a rate of $20 per cubic yard of algae harvested from the Torenta Canal (approx 50 cubic yards this year). The motion passed unanimously. Note: Klimp was paid $1240 in 2017. Expected  cost for 2018 is about the same or slightly higher. 

3. Consultant's Report: Jennifer reported that Coves were surveyed in late May and the main lake was done on June 6.  58.25 acres of milfoil were found. Treatment was done June 18-19 and the harvest of the Torenta Canal was done June 21 and 22. In mid-July another survey will be done and treatment will follow soon after.     

           Watershed study – Based on a question raised during public comments, the watershed study will look for sources of nutrient load. Some of it is natural but where source can reasonably be controlled, measures, perhaps use of nutrient filters, will be taken. Samples of nutrients will be taken and analyzed. The focus will be on the immediate water shed  (immediate source of nutrients). A report will be made to Lake Board  in the spring of 2019. 

Change of treatment date  - Dave Foley asked if treatment of coves and, perhaps the main lake, could begin about a week to ten days earlier next year as weed growth became problematic in coves by 1st week of June (Treatment was June 18 and 19). Jennifer said this that could be done and this issue will be discussed in spring  of 2019. 

Ron Moelker asked how surveys were done. Jennifer said survey is done by sight, raked samples of vegetation, and electronic detection. 

Ron Moelker requested a committee be established to to develop a plan for weed treatment in South Franke Cove. Foley made a motion seconded by Bengelink to establish a committee made up of 2 LMIB members (Foley and Solomon), 2 South Franke property owners (Moelker & one other TBA) and Jennifer from RLS. This committee will report to LMIB by spring of 2019. The motion was passed unanimously. 

H. Correspondence

Dave Foley relayed a request from a lakeshore property owner whose property is on the tributary from Gytta Lake. The land, adjacent to Lake Mitchell, is infested with purple loosestrife. The resident would like the loosestrife seeded with galerucella beetles that feed on the plant. Jennifer will see if she can get beetles to seed the loosestrife patch.      

I. Public Comments: None

J. Committee Member Comments: None

K. Chairman Comments: Next meeting August 25 at 10 AM

L. Adjournment: 11:04  

 

April 28, 2018 -- Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Minutes 

 

A. Call to order: 12:00

B. Roll Call: Present – Mike Bengelink, Shari Spoelman, Mike Solomon, Marty Williams, Dave Foley. Absent – Tom Jacobson. Also attending – Jennifer Jermalowicz-Jones, RLS consultant.

D. Additions/Deletions: None

E. Approval of agenda: Unanimous

F. Approval of December 6, 2017 minutes: Unanimous

 

G. Agenda items:

1. Treasurer's report:

2. Current Balance $403,035.88. Expenditures for 2017/2018 at this point $29,132. Bulk of expenditures will come in June July from chemical treatments. 

3. Acceptance of Stringer resignation – Dave Stringer the Cherry Grove Township Representative resigned and was replaced by Marty Williams.

4. Election of secretary – Dave Foley was elected to replace Dave Stringer as Board secretary

5. Contact Equalization Office with assessment amount – Board secretary Dave Foley will see to this detail. 

6. Combining Middleditch properties  - The following motion was made: “The Lake Mitchell Improvement Board approves the request to combine Middleditch lots PW1014 to PW 1015 retroactive to 2016.”  The motion passed unanimously. Dave Foley will convey this information to Equalization office.

7. Attendance at MLSA annual meeting – Mike Solomon encouraged Board to attend annual Michigan Lakes and Streams Conference  and put forth this Motion: 'The Lake Mitchell Improvement shall permit and pay tuition for up to 2 members to attend the MLSA annual conference.” The motion received unanimous support.

8. Presentation of lake plan/watershed study – Mike Solomon requested that Restorative Lake Sciences (RLS) develop a plan to update the 1979 watershed plan. Jennifer agreed to this and will be assisted by Jordan Bentley, a specialist in Watershed management .

a. The area to be studied includes the Lake Mitchell watershed with special attention to the three tributaries to the lake and lakefront properties. The goal is make a plan that is adaptive and present it to the Board in May 2019. The budget for this project is $10,580. The payment will 50% up front and the balance upon completion of the project. Mike Bengelink made a motion that was seconded by Dave Foley. Motion: “The LMIB agrees to support and fund the Watershed Management Plan and budget as proposed by RLS.” Mike Solomon abstained from voting due a conflict of interest. The rest of the Board supported the motion.   

8. Consultant's Report:  Jennifer said due to the late spring Survey of the coves will begin the last week of May or 1st week of June. Main lake survey will follow in early to mid-June. Treatment will follow a few days after the survey. Surveys could come earlier if weather warms quickly.

After using Sculpin for several years to treat milfoil, Navigate will be used this year. This is being done to minimize the chance of milfoil developing a tolerance for  a specific chemical. Using the same chemical year after year can result in the plant developing a tolerance for a specific treatment. 

A new Sepro treatment, Procellacor is now available. This treatment is more specific to milfoil and requires less chemical and is effective for a longer time. RLS will study the results of treatments on other lakes this year and may recommend a change in chemicals in a future year.

The Torenta Canal will be harvested this year.

 

H. Correspondence

1. Dave Foley reported on a letter from Ron Zyrowski with concerns about excessive weeds making navigation impossible near his home at the west end of the Torenta Canal (277 W. Lake Drive.) Jennifer said the situation will be evaluated and necessary action taken.

 

I. No Public Comments were recorded.

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:45.

 

Submitted  by 

Dave Foley

Secretary