Long & Crooked Lakes Association Annual Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2018, 10:00 am

 

1.      The meeting was called to order by Ken Bachofer at 11:10 am at the Clearwater Legion

2.      Drawing for 6 Door Prizes was done by Tara Zieglmeier.

3.      Introductions were made as follows:

a.      Officers

                                                    i.     President (currently Ken Bachofer until 2018 Annual Meeting)

                                                   ii.     Vice-President (currently Judie Manea-Baker until 2018 Annual Meeting)

                                                  iii.     Secretary/Treasurer (currently Dan Torgersen until 2019 Annual Meeting)

b.      Directors

                                                    i.     Environmental Director, Randy Thole – appointed position

                                                   ii.     Lake Management Director, David Weeres – appointed position

                                                  iii.     At-large Director and Webmaster, Tara Zieglmeier – appointed position

                                                  iv.     Immediate Past President  - (currently Greg Koenigs)

c.      Thank you to recently serving Directors

                                                    i.     Environmental Director, Bob Payne

                                                   ii.     At-large Director, Dick Nohner

d.      The 32 attendees introduced themselves.

4.      Secretary’s Report – Dan Torgersen

a.      The September 10, 2017 Secretary’s Report (on website) was approved.

5.      Treasurer’s Report as of October 10, 2018 (on website and attached).

a.      Discussion was held on LCLA’s funding of the Neighborhood Night Out.  Was this an appropriate use of LCLA’s funds?

b.      The Board had discussed this at a Board Meeting and determined that it was an allowable use for the first Neighborhood Night Out.

c.      If there is another Neighborhood Night Out, the Board will take into consideration the comments made at this meeting in deciding if LCLA funds will be used.

d.      The Treasurer’s Report was approved.

6.      Reports

a.      Water Level – Dan Torgersen

                                                    i.     For 2018 YTD, the average lake level was 3.7” below the Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL).

                                                   ii.     Lake level today, 10/20/2018, is 0.30” below OHWL.

                                                  iii.     The lowest level recorded occurred on 7/29 at 7.44” below OHWL.

                                                  iv.     The highest level recorded occurred on 5/30 at 0.12” above OHWL

                                                   v.     Variation YTD is 7.56”

                                                  vi.     For perspective, the highest level ever recorded by the DNR was 21.60” above on 6/19/1983 and the lowest was 18.96” below on 8/23/1989.

                                                vii.     There is a link on the LCLA website (www.longcrookedlakes.org) that connects to the DNR.

b.      Water Clarity – Ken Bachofer

                                                    i.     On 5/24 clarity was 5 to 6.5 feet.  This is Level 3, slightly impaired.  Probable cause is pollen.

                                                   ii.     In June clarity was 11.5 feet.  In July clarity was 13.5 feet.  This is Level 1.

                                                  iii.     Temperature may influence clarity, but Ken doesn’t measure temperature.

c.      Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) – Randy Thole

                                                    i.     AIS continues to spread in other lakes but Long and Crooked currently have no AIS.

                                                   ii.     Wild Rice continues to spread, chocking out bulrushes and water lilies.  It is not AIS.

                                                  iii.     Randy will look into what can be done to control Wild Rice.

                                                  iv.     Randy will organize a meeting to get volunteers to check for AIS at the landing.

1.      A show of hands had 6 people that may be willing to act as AIS inspectors.

2.      The DNR offers a free class for AIS inspection if there are 20 or more people.

d.      Loon – Ken Bachofer, Long Lake, Dan Torgersen, Crooked Lake

                                                    i.     On Long, loons arrived 3 days after ice-out (May 1).  There were two chicks but both lasted less than 1 week.

                                                   ii.     On Crooked, one chick hatched but lasted only 3 days.  The second egg never hatched and was abandoned.

e.      Bass Slot Limit, Fish Census – David Weeres

                                                    i.     The Bass slot limit was extended in perpetuity in 2016.  The slot limit has caused bass to increase 1.9” in size.

                                                   ii.     A fish census was done by the DNR in 2017.  The result of the census is in the Lake Management Plan.

1.      The census showed the number of Northerns is down.  It also showed Blue Gills and Crappie sizes are up (probably due to the decrease in Northerns.

2.      There were 1-2 Walleye.  This is probably due to Walleye that have been caught in other lakes being released into Long and Crooked.  The DNR is unwilling to stock Walleyes.

7.      Board of Directors Update

a.      Lake Management Plan (LMP)– Dave Weeres

                                                    i.     The LMP is available on the website.

                                                   ii.     It is an excellent history of Long and Crooked and contains a wealth of information.

b.      Beaver and muskrat trapping – Ken Bachofer

                                                    i.     LCLA pays Justin Westrup to trap.  He trapped 2 beaver and 53 muskrats.  Justin charges $40 per beaver and $5 per muskrat.

c.      Application for “no-wake” zone through channel – Dan Torgersen

                                                    i.     LCLA submitted an application, including information from the Lake Management Plan and photographs done by Ken showing erosion on the channel banks, to have the channel declared a No-Wake Zone.

                                                   ii.     Jon Lentz, Chief Deputy of Stearns County, informed me that the ordinance has been written and research has been completed.  The next step is to have a Public Hearing.

                                                  iii.     Jon is hopeful that the ordinance will be approved and the marker buoys in the channel will state “No Wake Zone” when they are put in after ice-out in 2019.

d.      Possibility of group training for AIS inspection volunteers – Randy Thole

                                                    i.     See Agenda Item 6c.

e.      Use of chemicals for weed control  on our lakes – Randy Thole

                                                    i.     Because Long and Crooked are Environmentally Protected Lakes, use of any chemical for weed control is prohibited.

                                                   ii.     Submerged vegetation may be removed without a permit in an area not to exceed 2,500 square feet by pulling or cutting.  Vegetation that is cut or pulled must be immediately and permanently removed from the water.

                                                  iii.     Floating leaf vegetation such as water lilies in a channel 15 feet wide extending to open water may be removed mechanically without a permit

                                                  iv.     Emergent vegetation like cattails and bulrushes may not be removed without a permit.

                                                   v.     Handouts from the DNR were available at the meeting.

8.      New Business

a.      Revision of By-laws (on website)

                                                    i.     Revision of the By-Laws was accepted.

b.      What month should annual meeting be held; May or October?

                                                    i.     The membership preferred the Annual Meeting to be held in June.

                                                   ii.     It was also the preference that it be an outdoor pot-luck meeting

c.      Township Supervisor

                                                    i.     Dave Weeres noted that Anne Ackerman will retire in March 2019.  The township will elect a new supervisor.

                                                   ii.     Dave encouraged any LCLA member who has an interest in becoming a township supervisor to file for the position.

9.      Officer Elections

a.      Vice-President, 2-year term.  Currently Judie Manea-Baker.

                                                    i.     Judie declined to be re-elected.

                                                   ii.     The LCLA Board of Directors endorsed Irene Wilcox.

                                                  iii.     Irene Wilcox was nominated and the nomination was seconded.

                                                  iv.     No further nominations were made.

                                                   v.     Irene Wilcox was elected with no opposition.

b.      President, 2-year term.  Currently Ken Bachofer

                                                    i.     Ken resigned as President.

                                                   ii.     The LCLA Board of Directors endorsed Randy Thole.

                                                  iii.     Randy Thole was nominated and the nomination was seconded.

                                                  iv.     No further nominations were made.

                                                   v.     Randy Thole was elected with no opposition.

10.   Drawing for the remaining Door Prizes was done by Jim Sorenson.

11.   The 2018 LCLA Annual Meeting was adjourned at 12:17 pm.

 

 


 

 

2018 Long and Crooked Lakes Annual Meeting Treasurer’s Report

October 10, 2018

 

Opening Balance, 9/10/2017     $4,732.80

                                   

Income

                        9/11/17                       $350.00           2017 Dues

                        9/22/17                       $60.00             2017 Dues

                        11/27/17                     $20.00             2017 Dues

                        8/30/18                       $60.00             2018 Dues      

Total                           $490.00

 

 2017 – 32 households paid out of 89 households

 2016 – 29 households

 2015 -- 19 households

 2014 -- 30 households

 2013 -- 23 households

 2012 -- 26 households         

 2011 -- 31 households

                         2010 -- 30 households

 2009 -- 49 households

                                                                                                           

Expenditures          

                        11/21/17         $345.00           Fee for trapping 2 beaver & 53 muskrat

3/13/18           $54.00             USPO Box Rental

8/28/18           $60.00             Annual Membership in Stearns County COLA

10/10/18         $600.00           Neighborhood Night-out expense

                        Total               $1,059.00

 

Closing Balance, 10/19/2018     $4,163.80

 

 

 

Daniel Torgersen

Secretary/Treasurer