Agenda for RLAA Board Meeting on Monday (July 28)

Call to Order (Jim)

Meeting started at 7:10 pm

Board Members Present

Jim Kridel                                    Rick Stulac                          Wade Quale                       Scott Roeglin

Molly Kridel                                               Joni Stulac                          Nika Rybinski                    Bill Kidder

Barbara English                         Joy Roeglin                         George Schneider

Board Members Absent

Eric Lind

Quorum is present

Guests

Jeff Riedmann (commercial fisherman)

Russ Rybinski (host)

Approve This Agenda

Approved with no opposition

Welcome visiting members

None present other than Jeff Riedmann

Rough Fish Removal - Discussion with Jeff Riedmann (Nika)

Nika introduced Jeff Reidmann, a commercial fisherman who comes highly recommended. Jeff discussed some of his credentials and how he can help Rice Lake control rough fish.

Jeff is president of the Minnesota Commercial Fishermen Association

His partner, Wally Geyer, recently passed away and Jeff is in the process of reorganizing his operation with another partner.

Jeff has been successful in all previous carp removal endeavors he has undertaken in the past.

Suggested we trust the DNR on fishing and water quality issues, since they do not have a vested interest in our operations.

Carp market dictates how much he can charge for carp removal. If fish are between 6-12 pounds, he can find buyers in the Chinese or Jewish markets.

Winter is the primary market for Carp.

Chinese markets also require Buffalo Fish, which we do not have in our lake.

Jewish markets prefer just carp.

Best time for carp removal is in Winter through the ice, when they are concentrated in certain areas and can be harvested with bag nets under the ice which are operated with submarine devices. They are detected with side sonar devices.

Jeff recommended conducting a trial netting in the fall for Bullhead to get an idea on where the Carp are located and if there are issues with tree stumps and debris on the lake bottom. Cost would be $2,000 ($1,000 if just do 1 day effort).

Carp removal concerns

Location to haul the fish out with heavy equipment (trucks, bobcats, loaders). Vehicles would drive out on the ice to collect fish.

What are our priorities for removal - Carp or Bullhead? (We unanimously agreed that Carp are more of an issue on the lake then Bullhead.)

Summary

$1,000 to come in the Fall and preview the lake bottom and where Carp are with Bullhead netting. Intention is not to remove Bullhead problem, but to plan for Carp removal.

Use seine bag nets in the winter through the ice to harvest the Carp.

If market is paying expected prices for Carp, charges for removal may be very low.

Board thanked Jeff for is presentation and will be in touch with him regarding our plans.

After Jeff departed, Bill handed out some reference research he did on Jeff. (see attachment 1)

A motion was made by Nika to hire Jeff at $1,000 for Fall Bullhead netting to plan for the Carp removal in the Winter.

Wade seconded the motion

Vote conducted - 11 for; none opposed

Next Step

Board to notify Jeff of our intention to hire for Fall 2009 pre-Carp netting operation (Jim/Nika)

Treasurers Report (Rick)

2009 Dues collected update

2009 collection amount is $5,700 (down from $6,500 in 2008)

14 members paid in 2008 but have not paid in 2009

Rick will send the electronic statements to Board members with these meeting minutes (Rick)

New member bumper/boat stickers have been given away to those who have paid dues

Dues reminder email?

We should probably consider this (with the Membership Task Team) as a way to reach out to those who may have either forgotten or weren't aware they were due

Old Business

Outstanding tasks from last meeting

Are we 501c3 or just Non-Profit organization? Does this allow us to tell our members their dues are tax deductible? (Eric?)

As Eric was not present, Barbara clarified that we had filed for Non-Profit status since we did not qualify as 501c3 (since we do not server the general public). (Attachment 2)

MAPs legal counsel Charlie Levine would like more information on our association before making a final determination.

Joni said she would check with her tax person to see if we need to file taxes and if so, what the limit is. (Joni)

Legal Hotline from MAPS for $275 per year - Do we have this approval yet?

Rick has paperwork which he will sign off on and return to MAPs for coverage.

Board Member Training through MAPs

Rick, George, Barbara attended "Boot Camp"

Barbara handed out updated MAPs training calendar and encouraged others to attend (attachments 3a and 3b)

New Website design

George started a skeleton of the new site layout and needs help with configuration

Scott to help with PayPal

New Business

Foul smell in boat launch bay

No explanation but the City says it couldn't notice it when visiting a couple of days after the initial report in early June. Since then, there has been some odor when the weather has been dry and hot.

Expense reimbursement policy

Jim reviewed a recommended policy, since we have none currently (attachment 4)

Board unanimously voted to approve policy as is

Water sampling for swimming and recreation

Scott and Joy did some research and found out that the County will do analysis of water samples for public beaches when checking for e-coli and related diseases.

Joy and Nika will check into a recommendation that Minnesota Waters offers some type of water sampling program which may provide this. (Joy/Nika)

Culvert Count of entries into the lake (LM Team - George/Bill)

As of today, 50% completed in doing inventory on storm drains when enter the lake and creek. This is a project by a subcommittee (Bill/George)of the Lake Management Task Team  to count and evaluate the areas where water/sediment/pollution enter the lake and insure they are being maintained as dictated by the State.

Summary of findings and next action steps will be distributed to rest of Board when this project is completed. (Bill/George)

Also checking with the NPDES organization to insure the City is complying.

NOTE: City Public Works employees recently spray painted bright green symbols on the manhole covers leading into the creek and lake. Later discussion with the City found out these markings indicated the manholes/catch basins were checked for sediment. However, we do not know if they were cleaned out or just observed (it appears to be the latter). (Action - George/Bill to follow up)

Solicitation e-mails directed to  RLAA (Jim)

After some discussion on what guidelines RLAA should use to endorse/promote businesses, a motion was made by Rick:

Allow paid corporate sponsors visibility to RLAA members and/or for other organizations that fit our mission statement.

Motion was passed unanimously.

Project Updates

Sonic Algae units (Wade)

Need to remove assuming we will not be purchasing the 3 units. Deadline to return to owner is August 29. (George/Scott/Bill)

George/Scott/Bill will work on plan to remove the units, clean them up, and return to Bruce Wahlstrom from LWD in New Hope, MN prior to August 29. Details forthcoming.

Rick recommended we conduct a survey among RLAA members to get their feedback on the sonic algae unit testing.

Rick will send questions to George, who will send to members to partake in the survey (Survey built in on-line Zoomerang format and sent to all members on 7/31/09. Survey will remain up for 10 days before results tallied.) (Action - George)

Membership Packets (Joni)

Membership Task Team of Joni, Molly and Shane Mason have been working on this project. Will have coupons from local business in the packets, which will be first provided to those new members who sign up. If budget and time permits, the same will be made available to existing members of the association.

Team needs more help to get this project moving forward. Joy and Nika volunteered to assist.

Next Steps

Need volunteers to deliver to residents and businesses (Action - Joy/Nika)

Need to produce packets (Task Team)

Plan on distributing to RLAA New Members only

Carp Exclosure (George/Eric/Jim)

Project on hold for now since we do not have access to the materials (held by Tom Dechmann)

Sediment Monitoring in Stormwater Ponds (George)

Waiting for City to request assistance. Currently, they have a volunteer doing this.

Sediment/Nutrient testing in bottom of lake (George)

James Johnson from FSS does not believe this is necessary, since data collected in the recent past shows there is little we can do to alter it without removing the lake bottom.

Bylaws and Articles update (Executive Task Team - President, VP, Treasurer, Secretary)

Draft for Bylaws changes to be sent by e-mail to Board members (8/1 - Done - George)

Carp/Rough Fish removal (Nika/Wade)

Already discussed earlier in this meeting with Jeff Riedmann.

Task Team meetings updates

Each team should plan on having a minimum of Quarterly meetings (Barbara)

Lake Management (George)

Met for the first time 6/23/09

Created Rough Fish sub-committee

George

Nika

Bill

Marshal

Wade?

Go to RLAA website to see task team project update

Media/Membership/Fundraising (Joni)

Membership portion previously discussed in this meeting for Member Packets.

Media portion working on these projects:

Newsletter for Q2 2009 (Action - George)

Website redesign (Action - George/Scott)

Environment team (Barbara)

No meetings have been held since the Spring cleanup effort was cancelled.

Other Business

Rick Stulac provided the association insurance policy from Shane Mason Agency to George for safekeeping. (per Jim Kridel 8-2-09)

Plan next Board Meeting date

Tuesday, September 15 on board boats (weather permitting)

Kridel's offered to host on their pontoon boat, but would need a second boat for all of us. Would Eric be able to host on his mega-pontoon boat?

Adjournment at 9:05 pm

Minutes drafted by George Schneider 8-1-2009