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Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake Improvement District notes from our meeting on August 29, 2012 6:30 - 8:00 pm at the New Prague Public Library Meeting Room -
Attendees: Bob Vanasek, Marie Jaeger, Tom Heid, Lowell Mohn, Dave Nielsen and guest Patrick Selter from PLM
Agenda Items discussed:
Addressing various questions from the board, Patrick indicated that a lake vegetation study on returning native weeds in the treated bay be completed by no later than October of this year in order to present any plans for an increased area of treatment of the lake for Curly leaf in 2013. Due to the early spring, the weeds have already started dying off so it may not be feasible to complete such a study if one has not already been done. The ideal time to have completed it would have been in early summer. Tom was going to check with Melissa of SWMO to see if they had completed this native weed inspection. A decision was made to focus on having a lake vegetation management plan (study) completed by summer/early fall in 2013 in order to apply to the DNR for a larger treatment area by January 2014.
Patrick suggested and the board agreed with the idea that we should work with SWMO to request a waiver from the DNR's requirement that the CLID collect the lakeshore home owners signatures in the treated area to include their individual shorelines for treatment. The board is also going to look into applying for a variance with the DNR to request that we be allowed to chemically treat more than 15% of the lake next year for curly leaf pond weed. Patrick recommended that the CLID get started on selecting a contractor to complete the aquatic plant survey. The board is checking with Melissa at Scott County on the bidding process for the plans and who has been included in the past and who is on the approved list for next year.
Patrick also discussed the variety of new treatments that are being explored throughout his industry. He indicated that PLM has been working with the Corp of Engineers on Lake Minnetonka for the past five years through a state-funded program to control Eurasian milfoil. He thought the DNR and the Corp were more aggressively looking for ways to control Curly leaf since it is a huge problem in many lakes and may have established funds for that purpose. Patrick asked the board if we would like to try to possibly include Cedar Lake in this program if it was feasible. This could give Cedar Lake some extra attention and possibly help with our project to further improve the quality of Cedar Lake. The Corp and PLM's probable focus would be to study various treatment options for curly leaf in the 100-acre bay that was treated this year. The Board requested more information about this program.
Marie updated everyone that we are ready to launch the website as soon as the history and home page sections are completed. It was agreed that those would be done by the end of the week. The board approved launch once that was completed and to use CedarLakeImprovement.org as the preferred domain name. Lowell volunteered to send out postcards introducing the site to all CLID residents and to monitor the post office box for the first three months of operation September, October and November of 2012. Board members will rotate checking on PO Box.
Mike was not present but we are still hoping that he can get Jeff Reidemann, the carp fisherman, at the next board meeting to discuss his research on the lake and how and when carp seining could help.
Bob updated the board on the progress with increasing the levy as has been overwhelmingly approved by residents along with increasing the CLID board from 5 to 7. The Scott County Attorney is requesting the original CLID statute forming the CLID. Bob is working with him to provide it. Bob also submitted the CLID annual financial report to the state auditor which is due annually on June 30th.
Our next meeting is set for September 25th. Proposed agenda items are as follows: