November 6, 2010
After opening with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Treasurer’s report was provided as follows:
Balance October 1, 2010 41,881.12
Deposits 3,345.66
Expenses 425.00
Interest 1.75
Balance October 31, 2010 44,710.53
Included in the Secretary’s report was a notice from the Mercer County Pheasants Forever that their banquet is January 22, 2011. Two scholarships will be awarded at the banquet to high school seniors or a college freshman whose parent is a current member of P.F. and plans to be a full time student in a 2 or 4 year college. Contact Mark Lefeld at 419-678-2491 or lefeldplumbing@roadrunner.com for details. A thank you card from Mrs. Homan’s MD class at Cridersville Elementary for the great Fishing Derby was read. All were reminded that local restaurants and businesses are sponsoring SAVE GRAND LAKE cards. Every dollar spent on the card goes directly to the Lake Restoration Commission (LRC).
The Vice President, Mark Piening, thanked Jeff Vossler and the Moose for making it possible to have an internet connection. His summary of the website to date showed 34,000 visits and 115,000 page views. Mark reinforced that each member can contact their legislator through the site. Since we have new legislators and the peak season at the lake to grab the government’s attention in waning, it is as important as ever to contact them and keep GLSM high on their priority list.
The LIA newsletter can be received automatically by signing up on the LIA website. 646 members are currently receiving newsletters and alerts using this method. Go to lakeimprovement.com to sign up for automated newsletters or to view the current newsletter. The website, Facebook and Twitter are being managed by Brian Morris who volunteers for this service. Check out the Photo Gallery on the website. We are searching for more photos. Please send or bring yours to us.
SAVE GRAND LAKE t-shirts are being sold by Duckfoot and Bayview in the Promote, Sell & Profit program. Any business can participate. Contact a member of the LIA to sign up. Don’t forget to look at the promotional items on the website for Christmas gifts!
Welcome Cisco Landscaping of St. Marys as one of our new advertisers. There are still several spots open. Please consider advertising on the website. Thanks also to Rick Nurrenbrock for continuing the Val Pak mailers.
Tim Lovett, the LIA President, urged the membership to continue supporting our legislators. Tim introduced Nikki Hawke of Soil & Water who read a statement from Representative Jim Zehringer indicating that he is committed to making GLSM a top priority. Representative Zehringer has been a positive influence and been constantly supportive of those efforts.
Trustee, Tom Rampe, presented the slate of officers that will be voted upon in December. President, Tim Lovett; Vice President, Mark Piening; Treasurer, Pat Lovett; Secretary, Kate Anderson, Sergeant at Arms, Bob Sachs, and Trustees, Jeff Vossler, Dave Meyers, Stan Wilker and Tony Seger. Requests for nominations or volunteers from the floor were made twice. No other nominations were offered. Elections are in December. Please attend the meeting and vote.
Tom Knapke, President of the LRC was introduced. He discussed the 10 year plan being compiled by Jared Ebbing and the LRC which should be complete by December 2010. Their plan is that the state legislators will adopt and support the 10 year plan. This will be a public document that will be available online for all to see. Please continue to keep GLSM in front of the decision makers. We cannot allow the attention to lessen now. Included in the 10 year plan is a request for $10,000,000 for alum treatment next year, dredging – both public and private, treatment trains. Support for the 10 year master plan will be needed from legislators, i.e. Faber, Adams and Zehringer, as well as Latta, Jordan and Boehner. These politicians have indicated the need to show that this is more than just a community problem. They need to see a united community with master plan, and we are prepared to do so. Please contact your legislator and tell them that you want them to focus on GLSM.
In response to audience questions Tom answered the following: Results for all of the projects that have been active on the lake will be released as soon as available. Soil & Water and other organizations are stepping up to partner with the LRC and the LIA to come up with a two-pronged approach to clean up the lake, and to stop what is coming into the lake. The 10 year master plan is aimed at cleanup.
Manure digesters are one possibility being considered. Harvesting the algae is another possibility. Manure hauling is another part of this complex problem. There is no single solution. We should have more updates at the December meeting. It takes time to get these programs in place. It takes patience and support. Money is built into the budget for monitoring the streams.
Tim Lovett interjected that our new governor John Kasich spoke with the LIA and LRC on several occasions. The Governor says that GLSM is a priority. He is considering a task force that would meet quarterly to identify common problems at Lake Erie, which are similar to GLSM. Discussions are ongoing; there are plans and things happening behind the scenes. Continue your support. Give it some time. Hear, see, and read…not everything is correct. Establishing a formal organization to continue the work of the LRC will help to give this program “teeth”.
Brian Miller, from the Ohio Dept of Natural Resources addressed the meeting. The operations of the East Bank Marina are out for bid. Bidding opens 11-19-2010.
Waterfowl season is open. It’s been reported that crappie fishing has been pretty good this fall. Crappie, channel cats, and bluegill are some of the fish that have been collected to see if they are safe to eat. Their tissue has been preserved for testing. The OWPA grant results will be in soon and those funds will be used for tissue testing.
Beaver trapping opens December 26, 2010 and ends February 28th, 2011.
“Airy Gators” are being pulled for the season. Sediment collectors in 3 locations will be ready when the precipitation comes.
The ODNR and LRC are planning a rough fish derby as a part of the overall solution. It will include sheephead, carp, etc. It might also be good for tourism. The strategy is a multi-day derby, so that many businesses can benefit from an influx of participants.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary, led by Larry Baker, is hosting meetings and training volunteers for GLSM. Even the Sherriff is supporting a flotilla. PLEASE volunteer to help.
There have been many plans for this lake, since the 1960s. The LRC’s plan must be supported and followed through. Bring your support and passion for a clean, safe lake.
Dredging continues on Beaver Creek and Montezuma Bay. They are currently pumping to the DMRA (Dredge Material Reclamation Area) near the Montezuma sewer plant. The little dredge is on Riley Bay and will and the large dredge will be working behind the St. Marys ODNR office. A DMRA is being created on the west bank. Some trees will be pushed over to make room. The public will be allowed to take the trees.
The ODNR will be getting a third, large dredge with a multi-year commitment. We must find a place for the mud to go! For the next 2-3 years there will be dredging at Kozy Kampground, mouth of Beaver Creek, Coldwater Creek, and Riley Bay. There must be strategic tributary dredging. Some private agreement dredging will take place at Prairie Creek. Brian reminded us that riprap is as important to the lake as ever. There are miles of unprotected shoreline. There must be a united community action, energetic and proactive, to continue a focusing on the many pieces of the puzzle. Each individual here and around the lake must take part in the new marketing that this lake and lake area will need. Ball State has a marketing plan underway. When Brian was asked how deeply the open water barge could dredge, he replied that the dredges are for silt only. In Riley Bay, hard pan was hit at only 3 feet in some places!
Nikki Hawke from Soil & Water Conservation Div mentioned that Jared Ebbing addressed the Ag Breakfast in November. He told them that gill netting is still a possibility. A meeting to review the revisions to the Ag rules concerning manure application is planned November 8, 2010 at 10a.m., at the ODNR in Columbus.
USE THE WEBSITE TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS TO OUR LEGISLATORS. CALL, WRITE, EMAIL.
At the Federal level Jim Jordan is the key supporter. Locally, Representative Jim Zehringer or Senator Keith Faber need our feedback. Don’t forget new governor, John Kasich.
The 50/50 drawing was won by Trustee, Tony Seger who offered to donate the $37.50 back to the fishing derby.
NEXT MEETING:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2010
10:00A.M.
CELINA MOOSE LODGE