Rice Lake Area Association (RLAA) Annual Meeting Minutes (DRAFT)                       5/9/2009

Thank you for attending this year's Rice Lake Area Association annual meeting at Sundance Golf & Bowl on Tuesday, May 5th. We hope that this meeting provided you with some background on what the association accomplished in 2008 and helped outline our goals and projects for 2009.

A buffet-style pizza dinner was held prior to the meeting (6:30-7:15)

Call to Order (President Eric Lind)

Eric began the meeting by apologizing for our not having a projector available to show our presentation. Fortunately, we had one of our members, Scott Roeglin, lent us his 17" PC monitor.

Introductions

Eric introduced the board members present at the meeting

Eric Lind (President)

Jim Kridel (Vice President)

Rick Stulac (Treasurer)

George Schneider (Secretary)

Joni Stulac

Molly Kridel

Nika Rybinski

Barbara English-Belanger

Directors not present - Wade Quale

Each of those in attendance also introduced themselves to the rest of the audience

28 people were present at the meeting, including board members

Presidents Report (Eric)

During this past year, several different projects have been undertaken by this relatively new board.

We are reviewing the association's by-laws to bring them up to date with current needs and situations.

We are reaching out to more residents who can be association members.

We are reaching out to local corporations to help us meet our objectives.

Treasurers Report (Rick Stulac)

Changed the organization reporting period from calendar year to a Fiscal Year of May 1 start.

Currently have $9,200 in the bank.

Increased potential membership by 20% in 2008.

Please provide us with your e-mail address so we can distribute information electronically - it helps us save a lot of money!!

General Lake Update (Vice President Jim Kridel)

RLAA Purpose

The purpose of the corporation is to promote the general social welfare by preserving, beautifying and maintaining the public waters in the Rice Lake area. In addition, the purpose of the corporation is to educate the general public in how their actions may injure the environment and to inform the public how certain actions will improve and preserve our natural resources.

Key objective for 2009 is to increase our membership.

Latest member survey (conducted with meeting notice mailings) indicates these are the priorities of our members:

1.       Reduce Algae

2.       Weed Removal

3.       Clean Water

4.       Shoreline Restoration

5.       Recreation

6.       Add Plants

7.       Fishing

8.       Buffer Zones

2008 Financial Objectives review

Created a Fundraising Task Team (Chair - Rick Stulac)

Increase homeowners dues participation

Barbara English-Belanger joined the board and brought in new members from the West Bay

2008 revenue was 32% higher than in 2007

2008 membership was 16% higher than in 2007

Increase city funding for Rice Lake

Received 116% more funding in 2008

Received the most funding of all 8 lakes in Maple Grove

RLAA Financials Review (Rick Stulac)

Income Statement - Net earned of $1,645.62 for FY 2008

$1,645.62 includes $1,065 of 2009 dues

Balance Sheet - Assets of $9,264.67

2008 in Review

Objectives

Financial

Initiate corporate members campaign

Increase homeowner dues participation

Increase city funding for Rice Lake

Clean Water/Lakeshore Environment

Perform research for long-term solutions to reduce algae and "bad" plant growth

Work towards balance of weeds vs. algae

Create community awareness for Rice Lake to gain public support for clean water

Education

Establish consistent meaningful education for homeowners on how they can help accomplish our Corporate Purpose

Perform research for long-term solutions to reduce algae growth

Fish Study

Barley Straw test

Aquatic Plant Survey

Installed flappers between Rice & Fish Lake

Initiated Algae reduction research with sonic devices

Lakeshore Environment

Cut our dead trees along creek shoreline (south of County Road 30)

Freed the West Bay channel of heavy vegetation

Established Environmental Task Team - Chair: Barbara English-Belanger

Discontinued paying for unused power for aerator electricity when not in use

Create public awareness for Rice Lake to gain public support for clean water

Channel 12 news story (Sept 12)

Showed the video clip at this time

Article in Osseo-Maple Grove Press (Sept 3)

Homeowner Newsletter - Quarterly since September 2008

Added 60 homeowner e-mail addresses to mailing list

Held Shadow Creek (West Bay) initiation meeting

Updated our Website

Lake Quality Concern - Algae Growth

2008 Aquatic Plant Survey summary

Bad Weeds

Curlyleaf Pondweed - Currently under control

Eurasian Watermilfoil - Found in only 1 of 41 stations

Good Weeds

Coontail - Increasing over the past 5 years

Other natives need to increase population to improve water clarity

2008 Fish Study summary

Fish population is out of balance

Need more predator fish

Undesirable fish population is very high

Bullheads

Carp

Conclusion

Algae growth is largely due to the carp and bullheads over population which stir up the existing phosphorous in the lake sediment, resulting in Algae Blooms. Algae shadows the sun from native plants inhibiting their growth

2008 Algae Study Projects

Barley Straw test

Installed in 2 storm water ponds in the Rice Lake watershed within City

Total of 620 pounds of barley straw used

Conclusion

Barley results for the 2 ponds are not conclusive, however, the 2 storm water ponds do not represent a major source of phosphorous loading to Rice Lake. Further barley installations will not have much impact on reducing phosphorous in Rice Lake.

2009 Approved Projects

Sonic Algae Treatment with up to 3 units

Total cost = $3,600

RLAA Cost = $1,200

City Cost = $2,400

Locations

Boat Ramp bay

Tristan Bay

Arboretum

Expanded Aquatic Plant Survey by FSS (Freshwater Scientific Services), including laminated depth maps and laminated plant identifiers

Total Cost = $3,550

RLAA Cost = $1,775

City Cost = $1,775

Coverage will be expanded to West Bay and Elm Creek (normally only covered main lake in the past)

2009 Projects & Plans

Lake Cleanup (will be delayed until later this summer/fall) (ET Team)

New Member Package - Joni

Continue quarterly newsletters - Joni/George/others

Carp Removal ideas - Nika/Wade

Storm water inflow monitor, nutrient testing, sediment monitoring of catch basins and ponds - LM Team

Native Plant Growth via Carp Exclusion Area - LM Team

Dredge Channel by Boat Launch - Eric

Website Redesign - George

Board Member Training - Barbara

Support Rice Lake boat stickers - Joni  (completed May 2009)

Copper Sulfate Algae Treatment

No plans for 2009

City will no longer fund

Dues do not cover the cost ($9,000+ in 2008)

Only lasts a few weeks

Join a Task team!

Lake Management Task Team

Environmental Task Team (ET)

Membership/Fundraising/Media Task Team

Signups in the back of the meeting room

Go to RLAA website (http://www.ricelakemn.com) to learn more

If you would like to join one of these teams, please feel free to contact us by e-mail at [email-masked]

Board Member Election

Terms expire in 2009 for these 4 directors

Jim Kridel

Molly Kridel

Joni Stulac

Rick Stulac

Motion made from the floor to reelect all 4 directors

Motion passed unanimously with voice vote

Nominations for new Board members

Bill Kidder (9221 Chesshire Lane N)

Scott Roeglin (14074 95th Ave. N)

Joy Roeglin (14074 95th Ave. N)

Motion made from the floor to elect all 3 new directors

Motion passed unanimously with voice vote

Board Officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary) will be voted on by Board Directors at next RLAA Board meeting (5/18/09)

Open Forum Questions

Can RLAA own the Boat Launch? (asked by Shane Mason)

Not sure, since it is privately owned. The City also has a 3-year revolving lease on using the launch as well, where they pay $1 per year for rights.

The board can check into this further.

Meeting adjourned at 8:50 pm