Long & Crooked Lakes Association Membership Meeting Minutes
July 12, 2015
1. The meeting was called to order by Greg Koenigs at 5:20 pm on Sunday, July 12, 2015
2. Those present introduced themselves.
3. Dan Torgersen noted that the 2014 Secretary’s Report was posted on the website. A motion to accept the 2014 Secretary’s report was made, seconded and passed.
4. Treasurer’s Report - Dan Torgersen
a. The balance as of 6/21/14 was $4,356.44. Dues collected were $600.00 and expenditures were $262.00 leaving a closing balance on 6/21/2015 of $4,694.44.
b. Dues are again $20 per household. Torgersen appealed to everyone to pay the dues since the number of households paying dues has decreased each of the past five years.
c. A listing of LCLA members was circulated. Torgersen asked those present to confirm contact information (phone number, email address) since email and the website are the primary means of communication.
d. A motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report was made, seconded and passed.
5. Plum Creek Watershed Report – Jerry Finch: At this point in time the focus will be on the area from Warner Lake Park to the Mississippi River. Key remedies will be trying to control erosion and to build plant buffers between water ways and crop fields, feed lots and pastures with animals.
6. Township update –Jerry Finch: The Township Board is working on a five year maintenance plan for the asphalt roads in the township. Other than that, things are fairly quiet.
7. Environmental Reports
a. Water Level and Posting of No Wake Advisory – Greg Koenigs
i. Wright County has guidelines of when to post No Wake Signs and when to take them down. Stearns County currently does not have guidelines.
ii. The LCLA Board of Directors proposed that when the lake level is 10” above the Ordinary High Water Level (OHW) the No Wake Advisory sign is put up. It stays up until the lake level falls to 6” or less above the OHW. Based on this, the No Wake sign would not have been posted in 2015. Currently (7/12/2015) the lake level is 0.06” above the OHW.
iii. A motion was made to accept the LCLA Board recommendation. The motion was seconded and passed.
iv. A motion was made to post the No Wake Advisory Sign, not only at the public access, but also to attach it to the buoys in the channel. Discussion pointed out that the buoys are the Sherriff’s property so it may not be allowed. A second motion was made to take one of the No Wake Advisory Signs and put it in front of the easement next to Anne Ackerman’s property. Motion was seconded and passed.
b. Water Clarity – Ken Bachofer
i. Ken measures water clarity using a SECI disk and reports the readings to the MPCA. In May, Long was at 19’ and Crooked at 20.5’. In June Long was at 17.5’ and Crooked at 18.0’
ii. There has been no statistically significant change in the last 15 years. The MPCA says that a statistically significant change is 0.5’ per decade.
c. Muskrat & Beaver – Ken Bachofer
1. 2 beavers were taken out last fall. There appears to be one currently active.
2. Traps were set in May, but someone sprung the traps when they were set.
3. Brian Mies (DNR) is angry about the traps being sprung and will make an effort to determine who did it and to bring action against them.
4. Over the past 2 years, 150 muskrats have been trapped. This seems to have stabilized the population. However, trapping will likely be needed again in a year or two.
d. Aquatic Invasive Species (milfoil, zebra mussels) – Bob Payne
i. Wright County has 40 lakes with AIS and Stearns has 8 lakes. Long and Crooked currently do not have Eurasian Milfoil or Zebra Mussels.
ii. Website giving information about AIS will be posted as a link on the LCLA Website.
e. Loon Report – Jim Sorenson
i. Both Long and Crooked had a pair of loons and hatched 2 chicks.
ii. Both Long and Crooked now have a pair of loons and 1 chick.
f. Bass Slot Limit – Bob Payne
i. The Bass Slot limit adopted about 10 years ago expires in 2015 with the objective of increasing the size of bass. It has been successful and the bass are about 2” bigger.
ii. There are three options:
1. Do nothing and the slot limit will expire
2. Extend the slot limit another 10 years. This would require a Public Meeting called by the DNR.
3. Extend the slot limit another indefinitely. At any point in the future, it could be decided to cancel the slot limit. This would require a Public Meeting called by the DNR. It is also not a certain thing; the DNR thinks that a slot limit in perpetuity is possible.
4. The motion was made, seconded and passed that LCLA should contact the DNR Department of Fisheries and ask that the slot limit be extended in perpetuity. If this is not possible, the LCLA would request a 10-year extension.
8. President’s Update – Greg Koenigs
a. Doug Kantor is the Webmaster and is maintaining the website. Doug has also created a Facebook site for LCLA.
b. There is grant money available for AIS inspections. However, Long and Crooked Lakes are too small and likely would not get any grant money.
c. Second outlet for Long Lake
i. A group met with the DNR and Stearns County inquiring about the process to put the old and inoperable second outlet. The process is complex and time-consuming and very likely would be expensive.
ii. The LCLA Board determined that they would not participate in any effort.
iii. Lynden Township has no jurisdiction and would not be a proponent.
iv. If a group, other the LCLA, wanted to try and pursue this project, the LCLA would not oppose it, but would also not support it, i.e. LCLA would be neutral.
9. New Business
a. Some residents of Long Lake have fireworks on July 4th. The question was raised about LCLA partially funding the fireworks.
b. It was decided that the resident who do the fireworks likely don’t have a permit. Therefore, for liability reasons, LCLA should not fund the fireworks.
10. Officer Elections
a. President
i. Greg did not stand for re-election.
ii. Greg nominated Lyle Rudningen and the nomination was seconded.
iii. Ken Bachofer was also nominated and the nomination was seconded.
iv. A secret written ballot was held and Ken was elected President for the 2-year term of 2015-2017
b. Secretary/Treasurer
i. Dan Torgersen stood for re-election.
c. He was nominated and the nomination was seconded.
d. There were no further nominations.
e. Dan was re-elected for the 2-year term 2015-2017.
11. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 pm
Submitted by:
Dan Torgersen
Secretary/Treasurer
