RLAA Board Meeting Minutes for April 18, 2011

Location: Maple Grove Library (Room 105)                                                                                                                                    Time: 7:00 pm

Call to Order at 7:07 pm

Present: Wade Quale, George Schneider, Rick Stulac, Scott Roeglin

Absent: Joy Roeglin, Bill Kidder, Larry Bick

Guests: None present

Approve this Agenda

Approved as is

Introduction of Board Members and Guests (George)

Treasurer Report (Rick)

No new members since last meeting

1 payment received since last meeting

$8,338 balance in the bank (all accounts)

City reimbursement of $500 for 50% of Zooplankton study

Will make payment of $150 to MN DNR for Boat Ramp Dredging request

Should we renew Minnesota Waters annual membership for $100?

Discussion: We do benefit by being listed by them as a member. We have also used them for attending various workshops and trainings they have offered. We also get their mailings on a regular basis.

Approved 4-0 to continue membership.

Rick will make payment to MN Waters.

Old Business

Rough Fish Removal project (Larry/George).

Can Jeff provide us with a contract for work next (2011-2012) winter for carp removal?

Larry will try to set up a time to meet with Jeff this spring so we can be better prepared with a reasonable plan for next year.

Do we want to pursue radio tracking some carp to find out where they could be more easily netted next winter?

Fish Tag & Release - Used to measure numbers of carp.

Radio Telemetry - Used immediately prior to actual netting to get good understanding where they congregate.

Dr. Peter Sorenson is not an option for assisting with this project, due to resource limits.

Anthony Havranek from St. Croix (WI) may be an option. Has worked with Dr. Sorenson and FSS in the past tracking carp. However, they have their Radio Telemetry equipment tied up the remainder of this year into next winter.

Next steps:

Larry to reach out to Jeff to set up a meeting with us.

See how Foster Lake (details below) does with their commercial fisherman

Algae/Water Quality for this past season (Scott)

·         What can we do to prevent/reduce impact in the future?

Emphasize Lawn Aeration - Scott to follow up with local providers in Spring 2011.

Scott has info from 4 different companies and will summarize what is best. We can then offer that to our membership.

Q1 2011 Newsletter (George)

·         Too late to get this together and released.

·         Instead we can mail out Annual Meeting information plus the RLAA Member Survey.

·         Larry Bick can assist with copy/printing/mailings.

o        Will include Dues Notice, Meeting invite and Survey

On-Going Business

Elm Creek Watershed TMDL Project Plan (George)

·         Next Meeting April 20 - Stakeholder Meeting #4 at Plymouth City Hall.

Update  on 2011 projects

·         Potential 2011 Projects for this season through  early spring submitted to LQC for funding:

o        Dredging out boat ramp channel

o        Plant Survey in 2011

§         Don't plan for one in 2011, but if we need to do one, request it then.

§         Base the decision on resident input of CLP impact.

o        Carp Removal in 2011

§         Keep this on the possibility list for 2011 (potentially in summer/fall, if not next winter).

Storm Water Drain Inventory (Bill not present to discuss)

·         Plan on revisiting this next spring (2011) during open water season.

·         Scott asked if we could have the City check out the cistern on Elm Creek south of County Road 30 located between the Nord and Grefe properties.

Action Item: George checked with the City to get more information on it. Cistern is a Sanitary Sewer and not Storm Sewer. Need to check further with Public Works department (pending for early Spring 2011).

Waiting until snow/ice out and water is navigable before pursuing further.

RLAA Asset Inventory (George)

Reason: Due to a need to relocate existing RLAA assets (winter aerator, PVC pipes, and other related materials) elsewhere than current City Public Works garage.

George started a spreadsheet to track what we have and where it can be stored.

Larry has graciously offered to store the items under his deck for the long-term storage items (winter aerator & carp exclosures).

Short-term storage items (lake rakes, weed cutters, annual meeting signs) will be stored at George's home.

Need a volunteer with a pickup truck to help us transport to new storage location (from City garage on 93rd and Fernbrook to Larry's house on Glacier Lane).

Plan on conducting this effort in the spring after snow has melted.

New Business

2011 Annual Meeting plans

Location - Sundance on Tuesday, May 3

Similar format as in 2010

Work on meeting agenda

Guest speaker will be Rick Brasch from Three Rivers Parks District (TMDL project).

George/Scott to set out Annual Meeting signs Easter weekend.

Rick won't be able to attend Annual Meeting; will turnover Treasury info to another member.

Slow/No Wake Signs (Scott)

Request made by several residents in the Boat Ramp Bay about posting Slow/No Wake signs.

City of Maple Grove recommended we purchase these at Rolyan Buoys in Cedarsburg, WI:

Rather than purchase metal signs to hang on posts, will purchase floating buoys to set in water.

Determined we need two (2) 'Slow/No Wake' and one (1) 'Creek is No Wake' buoy.

Board voted 4-0 to allow purchase of 3 buoys for up to $450 in total cost. Scott will do the purchase and be reimbursed.

Action Item #1: Scott Roeglin to order the 3 buoys as discussed.

Action Item #2: George to see if Hennepin County Water Patrol needs to permit buoys.

Task Team Updates

Lake Management (George)

None at this time. Probably will not have another meeting until after Annual Meeting in May.

Membership (Rick/George)

Star Lakes grant opportunities - clarification on qualifications (Larry - Not present to report).

RLAA Survey - George and Bob Drag came up with a survey which will be sent to 250 watershed residents with Annual Meeting notice. Being offered both on-line and on paper.

Rick donated a $50 Gift Card for Red Lobster as a drawing prize among entries.

Other Business

Foster Lake meeting on April 11 with George, Bill Kidder and Jim Krause (Foster Lake).

Background: Foster Lake is a shallow, 121 acre lake in Wright County by Otsego which has suffered severe algae problems in recent years. They have been doing Alum treatments the past 3 years and are looking to hire a commercial fisherman to remove the carp from their lake, which are causing problems with water quality and plant growth.

Next steps: Will keep RLAA informed on their progress with commercial fisherman and how the carp removal goes. They are looking at doing a fall removal before ice is in.

George is working on a detailed summary with Bill to present to the RLAA board at a later time.

Next Meeting date

Annual Meeting on May 3rd

Adjournment at 8:50 pm

Minutes written by George Schneider 4/21/11                 Rice Lake Area Association website = http://www.ricelakemn.com