Round Trade Lake Improvement Association, Inc.

Meeting Minute

August 15, 2015

The meeting was called to order at 9:00 am by President Jason Klous, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call of the officers was taken by Laurie Dezenzo, Secretary/Treasurer. Jason Klous, President; Vicki Breault, Vice-President, Jack Lamont board member from Long Trade Lake, were present.  Reid McFarlane board member from Trade Lake and Bob Paleen board member Round Lake were absent. The meeting minutes from the June 20, 2015 meeting are posted on the association website so a motion was made to accept as posted by Anne Tuttle and 2^nd by Ramona Lamont.  Motion carried. The Treasurers report was given based on the January 1 2015 through June 20, 2015 time frame. The report showed a total income for the period of January 1, 2015 thru August 15, 2015 was $23,241.17; total expenses $28,298.21 with a net income of –$5,057.04 and Total Assets of $6,856.36.  Vice President Vicki Breault asked the question why if we have a total of $6,856.36 how could we have a negative income. Treasurer Laurie Dezenzo explained it is simply the expenses are more than our income even though we have the assets.  $4962.83 is in our savings account and not part of the cash flow in the checking account.  Jason stated the P&L is a snap shot.  We need to get the grant reimbursement to bump up income.  A motion was made by Roger Breault and 2^nd by Pete Kane to accept the treasurer’s report as presented. Motion carried.

New Business

• President, Jason Klous, report:
  • Physical Removal Day:
  • There were a total of 26 volunteers; 16 from Long Trade, 8 from Round Lake & 2 from Trade Lake.
  • Focus on Round Lake was the outlet because that is an area that was not chemically treated. So there will always be physical remove in that area.  They were successful in removing a lot of it.
  • Picnic at Roger & Vicki’s
  • There were no volunteers from Big/Little Trade
  • We received a Rapid Response Grant for Big Trade this year because EWM was found for the first time last year.  We did the first chemical treatment this year.  However after treatment more was found after chemical treatment.  Would like to do a physical removal this year.  Only Reid & Andrea McFarland showed up.  None was done on Big Trade.  We need to see more participation from Big Trade to do a physical removal still this year.
    • Grant Status:
    • AIS grant ends in June 2016.
    • Treatments completed out of AIS grant – only enough left for surveys
    • We will apply for a one year extension to hopefully get more money.
    • Jason went to a lakes convention a couple of months ago and there is approximately $4 million for lake grants and $50,000 a year or less for ongoing treatments.  We are trying to change that but it is very unlikely we will be unsuccessful in getting something for ongoing treatments.  So, physical removal becomes a big part of the treatment plan until the law changes.
    • Lake shore improvement grant.  Jason will be attending a meeting this Wednesday in Polk County regarding smaller grants for lake shore owners or lake associations for improving shorelines. A big part of what is coming into our system is coming off of actual lakeshore properties.  Grant money available that we may not have to pay back but Jason will find out on Wednesday.  We could use education or events to improve lakeshore quality.  More information to come
      • Purple Loose Strife:
      • Release beetles in mid-July in the inlet channel of Round Lake which is the only place anyone said there was plants.  When Jason was in the area with Dave Blumer there was much less than last year.  So it is having a good effect.  He asked that if anyone sees some on their lake to please let one of the board members know and we will plan on raising more next year.   Discussion followed.
      • Officer Reports:
        • Vicki Breault:
        • Physical removal on Long Trade-did not do the outlet that wasn’t sprayed- too much and too deep to get in.  They felt it would be more effective to go to the north side of the south basin. They got in the water and physically pulled it out with their hands and placed in big tubs in the pontoons.  They got a lot out.
        • Stream monitoring – a bunch trained this spring – 9 sites where the streams and rivers come into and go out of Long Trade.  Measure width and depth and take temperature with a machine the association owns and it also measures the dissolved oxygen in the water.  Did a stream assessment of each site this past month which involved more.  Based on width of the stream, where you have to go up 700 ft which was the Trade River. This is done monthly.  In September they are going to do a bug assessment.  Collect a sampling of the bugs and separate out to identify.  Bugs help to determine the quality of the water.  Some bugs can live in bad water and some can’t.  So the type of bugs you find will give an idea of the water quality.  Based on what we do, we should be able to test for phosphorus and it will be paid for.  This all will help to determine what is going into the lake and eventually test the other lakes. Jason stated that they will be able to find out where the phosphorus is coming from.  If internally it is coming from the bottom it can be treated.  If from outside sources it needs to be fixed. Discussion followed.

• Jack Lamont:
• Large Scale Planning Grant – working with Polk County to gather data so we can make good decisions down the line.  Polk County has agreed to take this thing over; come up with a budget and do the application.  And after some discussion it was decided to split into two $25,000 grants.
  • First one is to enhance on stream monitoring and do studies on nitrates.  It is very expensive because you have to send the samples to a lab for analysis.  Then the experts so reports on the findings.
  • Second one is to take a deep core sampling on Long Trade to find when the pollution and phosphorus levels really started to happen. What did the lake look like 2000 years ago, 100 years ago, 50 years ago.  On Long Trade over the years sewage and plant decay in the lake.
  • Problem is you have to offset with volunteer hours which is 33%.  May have to pay $2000 cash above and beyond to pay for grants.  We are going to try to make it a wash to cover everything with volunteer hours.  For example; instead of get phosphorus/nitrate samples from 9 to cut to 4 sites.  Could do 9 sites of stream monitoring for volunteer hours and only do chemical treatment on 4 sites.
  • The intent is since Long Trade is first in the watershed of the association, we need to get an understanding what is happening and what is coming into there and then moving down to the other lakes in the system.
  • Also can do mapping of properties with a GPS and determine if there is a good buffer guard, rain garden, etc.  There is a $1000 grant that is primarily for education on what to plant.  Discussion followed.
  • Wednesday at 7pm at the Justice Center presented by PCLAR

Pete Kane brought some information on shoreline zoning changes.  State of Wisconsin passed law that you can’t have local strict zoning laws more strict than the state.  There is information on setbacks; etc.

Next month is elections; Jason will run again.  Laurie’s position is up due to term limits.  It is a very critical position.  The Round Trade Lake board member position is open.  There may be someone interested.

Discussion followed regarding emails and new people that are on the lakes.  We need a new tax list to find new owners.  Also there was a discussion of going door to door with pamphlets to get owners interested in the association.  More discussion followed.

Motion was made by Roger Breault to adjourn.  Anne Heimkes 2^nd motion.  Motion carried.  Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted.

Laurie M. Dezenzo

Secretary/Treasurer