September 2024 General Meeting Minutes

LOWPOA Meeting Minutes September 7, 2024

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

1. The Lake of the Woods Property Owners Association met on September 7, 2024 at the Bremen Conservation Club

Community Center Building. Mike Nate called the meeting to order at 9:00 am. This was followed by the Pledge of

Allegiance

2. Board of Directors Roll Call:

A. Present: Julie Boynton, Elaine Keller, Deb Lane, Mike Nate, Joe Skelton, Rodney Kitchen

B. Absent:

3. Review and Approval of Minutes

A. The August 3, 2024 General Membership meeting minutes were reviewed by the board via email prior to this meeting.

Joe Skelton made a motion to approve the minutes. Deb Lane seconded the motion and all board members agreed.

4. Treasurer’s Report

A. Julie Boynton made a motion to approve the August treasurer’s report. Elaine Keller seconded the motion and all board

members agreed.

5. Events and Fundraisers

A. Today is Cruise-In and Cuisine from 3:00 - 6:00 pm

i) Food Trucks and Bremen Arts Collective Vendors (quality crafts) will be present. All proceeds will go into the weed

fund.

ii) The TV will be on for the Notre Dame game.

B. Trunk or Treat will be on Sunday, October 27th

i) There will be an animal balloonist and DJ

ii) The event will be from 2:00-4:00 pm.

iii) Each child will receive a coupon for a food truck. The following food trucks will be on site:

(1) Ben’s Pretzels

(2) LaParielle

(3) T&C Cheesecakes

6. Communications

A. Stay up to date by checking in on Facebook and the website. The QR code for the website is on today’s agenda.

B. Thank you to Neika Smessaert who handled the FB page up to this point.

i) As Neika has left the board, we are still looking for someone to assist with the FB page.

ii) If you are interested, or know someone who might be, please let a board member know.

C. Tim Legge has left the board but has graciously agreed to continue to keep the website up to date.

7. Conservancy Update

A. Mike Nate provided the following update.

i) We are still waiting to hear when the 3rd and final hearing will take place.

ii) We are hopeful it will be in the next 30-45 days but are waiting for a new Judge to be appointed. It might be Judge

Bowen.

iii) A lot of misinformation has been going around with letters, bad cost info and asking people to take their name off the

petition for the conservancy.

iv) Mike can provide information to anyone on the formula that has been used for estimating homeowner costs.

v) The opposition has been telling people it will be $1260 per year per property which is incorrect.

vi) Please contact Mike Nate if you have questions.2 | P a g e

vii) A guest present at the meeting asked about someone who came to their door asking them to sign against the

conservancy stating there is no limit to what a conservancy could cost homeowners. It was also mentioned that

homeowners would lose control and it would be a government run agency taking over the lake.

(1) Mike Nate responded that this is not true. Conservancy board members will be from the lake community and all

requested projects have to be budgeted and reviewed by the county before moving forward.

viii) The guest also asked how much the Conservancy budget would need on an annual basis.

(1) Mike shared that the Initial phases will cost more to get larger projects going but eventually the Conservancy

would move into a maintenance phase. Similar to what occurred with the sewer system project.

(2) If any dredging takes place, the initial cost will be high, but it would not have to be done for many more years

after that.

ix) Those present at the meeting discussed the fact that no whole lake dredging has ever been done to anyone’s

knowledge.

(1) Brian Denk noted that back in the 50’s there was some dredging near the dam and some homeowners have

done so in front of their lots and in the channels.

(2) Ultimately the DNR will dictate what dredging can and can be done each year.

x) A guest present asked if anyone has determined how far we can dredge down.

(1) Board members noted that a boring study would have to take place.

xi) Lowell shared that a committee years ago did a sediment study and worked with the permitting biologist who noted

that whatever is done you can’t change the shoreline.

(1) The board noted that any future projects would have to be formally and appropriately permitted.

B. Mike asked that if you know of anyone who is on the fence about the Conservancy to please have them contact him.

C. Julie reminded the guests present that if the Conservancy does not go through this time, we will have to wait another 2

years before attempting again.

8. Weeds Update

A. The aquatic vegetation management program cost LOWPOA $40,410 this past year.

B. The 2024 LARE grant was $18,000

C. Recommendations for the 2025 program will be reviewed by the LOWPOA board and the DNR in October.

9. Lake of the Woods Entrance Signs

A. The double-sided “Welcome to Lake of the Woods” sign has been installed near the 3rd, North/West Shore’s intersection;

just to the east of the Martin ditch.

B. One more sign will be installed on the west side by 4th Road. Mike will be meeting with the property owner for

permission to install where planned.

10. Merchandise/Apparel

A. Items continue to be available for sale. 100% of the profits go to the weed fund.

B. We are expecting a new line-up of items for the spring.

C. Please see Paula Nate if you are interested in purchasing or ordering something.

11. New Business

A. Events and apparel sales have netted around $6,000 for the weed fund this year.

B. There are still 3 open positions on the board for the coming year. If you, or someone you know is interested in serving,

please let a board member know.

C. Mike Zimmerman reported that 7 to 9 years ago he defended two homeowners regarding fence placement down to the

shoreline.

i) There is a 1972 ordinance in place that dictates fences cannot be put down to the shoreline. The intent of this

ordinance originally was to prevent privacy fences that block views.

ii) Mike Z. asked if the board would consider recommending to the zoning commission that chain link fences no more

than 3 feet tall be allowed OR consider asking that existing fences be grandfathered in but not adding new ones.

iii) The Board responded that they feel this issue is between the individual property owners and the county.

D. Mike Nate shared the below LOWPOA Year in Review:

i) 2024 LARE grant application & funding received at $18,000

ii) Applied for and received a $4500 Grant for filters in ditches

(1) Coordinated with BCC to cover additional costs so that all six ditches can be done.

(2) New filter systems expected to be installed in spring 2025

(3) Two different systems will be used. Data will be collected to gauge effectiveness of each system type.

iii) The aquatic vegetation management program continued.

(1) The lake was sprayed 4 times.3 | P a g e

(2) There is no funding left for a 5th spray of Starry Stonewort (SSW), but we did include an early treatment for

Eurasian Water Milfoil and Curly Leaf Pondweed, and were able to spray the SSW twice.

(3) SSW will continue to be a big problem without a sustainable source of funding.

iv) Conservancy Efforts continued

(1) Julie Watkins noted that Aquatic Weed Control said the channel by them is not included in the lake so the DNR

does not consider it part of the lake because it is man-made. What about conservancy funds? Can those funds

be used to treat the channels?

(i) Mike Nate shared yes; conservancy funds can be used to treat the channels.

(ii) Homeowners on the channels would benefit the most from a Conservancy being in place.

v) Seven lake-wide events took place raising money for the weed fund.

vi) Two new “Welcome to LOW” signs were installed.

vii) New apparel items introduced and sold.

E. The dam will be opened on September 15th

.

F. Julie Boynton reported that she reached out to the county about the condition of 3rd Road. The county sent out workers

the next day to fill pot holes, but did also indicated that they currently have plans to redo this road in 2025.

G. Joe Skelton shared that the Kuntz ditch will be dredged by the county perhaps yet this fall.

H. Brian Denk shared that the next BCC meeting will be on the 28th due to the building being rented on the regular meeting

date.

I. Brian also shared that the BCC Christmas party with Santa will have a live reindeer this year.

J. Elaine Keller shared that Marge with Rupert’s passed away.

K. Elaine noted that a work order request has been put into the county to have some of the wetland’s weeds cut down on

the curves at West Shore for pedestrian safety.

L. Joe Skelton shared that several LOW residents have received grants from the Marshall County Soil and Conservation

group to have their shorelines restored using field stone.

M. There are currently no plans for voting for new board members as no one has shown any interest. If you are interested

in serving, please let a board member know.

12. Julie Boynton made a motion to adjourn. Rodney Kitchen seconded the motion and all board members agreed.

A. The meeting adjourned at 10:08 am.

13. The next LOWPOA meeting will take place on Saturday, October 5th at 9:00 am at the BCC building.

Respectfully submitted by Julie Boynton, LOWPOA Secretary