Saturday, June 30, 2007

Keepsake Shores

Call to order: ELPPA President Chuck Cubbage called the meeting to order at 9:54 AM.

Chuck introduced Tonya Schuitmaker, 80^th District State Representative, who presented information on legislative activities of special interest to lake property owners:

· She had heard from constituents regarding a bill to grant local governments the right to put in marinas at public road ends and had voted against this bill; however the bill did pass 61 to 48.

· She was supporting legislation to lower the alcohol limit for operating a watercraft at 0.08, the same as for operating an automobile.

· She was supporting legislation to educate people of the dangers of Lake Michigan and to make it unlawful to jump off public piers or jetties. This legislation would also relieve municipalities of liability for installing safety measures to discourage this activity.

Chuck then introduced Jim Carol, Van Buren County Under Sheriff, Sgt. Fred Siegl, Marine Safety Officer and Deputy Wyatt Elmore, Patrol Officer.

Under Sheriff Carol encouraged continued support for the proposed lower alcohol limit and for the legislation prohibiting jumping off the public piers.

Sgt. Siegl encouraged calls to the dispatcher at 657-3101 immediately when problems are noted as the best chance that a Marine Safety Officer can respond and personally observe unsafe behavior by a watercraft operator on our lake.

Deputy Elmore patrols the local lakes and encouraged the immediate call when problems are noted. He also asked that people not be offended if an officer stop them. That is the only way they can enforce the basic safety rules, e.g., the requirement that personal flotation devices (PFD) need to be out and available for immediate use and unwrapped from any packaging.

Discussion followed with questions about safety rules for boaters, boat noise, hours for skiing, boater safety training class schedules and also the use of fireworks to which the officers provided answers consistent with the rules and regulations published in various pamphlets and rule books available to the public.

Representative Schuitmaker mentioned an effort to reduce the allowable noise level for an idling boat, which now is 90 decibels, and that she was involved with proposed legislation that would make more fireworks legal in the state. This fireworks legislation would make Michigan more consistent with surrounding states, where most of the fireworks used in the state originate thus costing the state tax revenues, yet with language that would establish parameters on how legally available fireworks could be used.

Emphasis was made by all the speakers of the need to do any of the activities in a manner that was considerate of others and safe for all concerned.

Chuck thanked the Keepsake Shores property owners for again allowing us to use their access site for the Annual Meeting and thanked John Tapper for contributing the food enjoyed at the breakfast. Pat and Mary Cummings were thanked for the use of their electrical service for preparing the coffee. Association Board members in attendance were introduced and acknowledged for their service to the lake association through the year. Chuck also noted that Ed Lindsey had been of significant help to the board relative to the sewer study issue.

Minutes of June 24, 2006 Annual Meeting: A motion was made and seconded to approve the June 24, 2006 Annual Meeting minutes as written, the motion was approved.

Treasurers Report: Pat Cubbage reported a bank balance of $2,618.77 with membership dues, newsletter advertising revenue and door mat sales included. This amount was before any membership dues payments or door mat sales today. A motion was made and seconded to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented. The motion was approved.

Ed Lindsey noted he had an errant diving raft in front of his place as did Chuck Cubbage; if one of these is yours, please retrieve it. Sally Osswaarde mentioned she had a water intake PVC pipe and filter at her property.

Sewer Study Proposal: Chuck provided an update of the sewer issue noting past property owner interest and the continued concern that sewage nutrients were entering the lake. While we could take action to reduce lawn fertilizer and wood fire ash nutrients entering the lake, the sewage nutrients required a more complicated approach. Following our discussions with the township last fall regarding a possible special tax assessment to fund a study, the township decided to fund a study for a system around three lakes, Eagle, Cora and Three Mile. With the assistance of the associations at each lake and information available from the Van Buren County Health Department, the firm of Fleis & Vandenbrink, then doing the expansion of the township offices, completed a study and provided a report to the township officers and the lake association representatives working with the township.

Because the estimated cost of this system seemed high compared to similar projects elsewhere, and coincidental with the study presentation time, four Eagle Lake property owners attended a presentation in April by an engineering firm from Travers City and a professor from MSU offering alternatives to full scale sewer systems yet an improvement over conventional septic systems.

As a result of these activities, a formal presentation of the sewer system study will be made available to all involved property owners from the three lakes on Saturday August 4 and then another presentation on alternatives to sewer systems on Saturday August 25. Further information on these presentations will be mailed to each involved property owner shortly and is available on the Township web site at http://pawpawtownship.org/. All property owners are encouraged to attend both of these presentations and learn more about what these alternatives to conventional septic systems can do to help maintain our lake quality. Some time after these presentations, a straw vote will be taken of property owners to determine the level of interest for support of a Special Assessment Petition to progress further toward some form of a household sewage collection system.

Weevil Update: Chuck Cubbage provided an update on the Eurasian Water Milfoil battle and progress of the weevil treatment. Chuck noted the problems last year with a resurgence of the milfoil and possible explanations for that resurgence; specifically, less ice coverage the previous winter allowing more sunlight to reach the bottom of the lake and the loss of weevils due to the variety of water and air temperatures experienced last spring. There was also evidence of an increased PH level in the lake last spring, possibly a result of the lack of ice cover and later algae bloom. There is also the possibility of a general cycle of weevil population that should rebound over time.

Chuck explained how the weevils work and the need for them to over-winter within the first 30 feet of the shoreline. There is evidence that they have spread all the way around the lake in populations consistent with the original seeding purpose. EnviroScience had visited the lake this spring and found enough weevils to harvest some milfoil for laboratory cultivation with a commitment to return a greater number of weevils to our lake later in the year. On a second visit by EnviroScience the weevil population appeared to be rebounding to a healthy population.

A property owner questioned if encouraging the leaving of natural yard debris along and near the shoreline was causing people to just rake or blow this debris and silt in the water that then moves along the shoreline by wind action. Chuck doubted this because the bulk of such biomass would quickly decompose on a natural sloped beach (seawalls however prevent decay). However, if people rake or blow the leaves into the lake, it would increase the debris.

Another property owner asked if there was evidence of leaking septic tanks. Chuck said there was no way to know for sure without doing a dye test on each property. However; older systems, most likely those installed originally at some of the older properties that had out-houses, probably were not proper systems and would be prone to leaking. This same property owner noted the lake association had discouraged fertilizers and if the use of fertilizers could be made illegal. Chuck said this would require an ordinance by the township that was unlikely. Chuck also noted that while phosphorous free fertilizers are better, no fertilizers would be even better because if it makes your lawn green it will also make the lake green.

A property owner asked if there was the possibility of tax relief if a sewage treatment system is installed. Because there is limited grant assistance available it is doubtful such tax relief would be available either, but this possibility will be pursued.

Concern was expressed about green globs of algae drifting in the lake; Chuck said this was just another form of algal bloom that we may find occurring more and more. He also noted there were other invasive weeds that we may have to be concerned about; such as hydrilla that is similar to elodea (see http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/hydrilla.html). Doug Dorgan noted the efforts of other lakes to prevent the invasion of non-native species in the form of monitoring the public access site with volunteers, paid summer help and video cameras to make sure boaters putting boats into the lake had property cleaned there boat and motor before doing so.

Other Business And Concerns From Property Owners: Because many questions had been asked in the process of discussing the sewer issue and milfoil issue, there were no additional questions.

Adjournment: The 2007 annual meeting was adjourned at 10:51 AM.

Douglas G. Dorgan

Secretary