Following publication, the Lake Beulah Management District held its regular meeting at the East Troy Town Hall on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

Commissioners Present: Chairperson David Bitter, Commissioners: Stan Alger, Doug Dorn, Richard Dow, Val Johnson, Dave Skotarzak and Rick Stacey

Absent:  None

Also in Attendance:  Riparian Owners and Lisa Sweet (Administrative Services).

Chairman Bitter called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.

Item #1:  Approve the Meeting Minutes April 20, 2010  Regular Meeting

The group reviewed the minutes and determined the following changes:

Item #3: The grant paper work is due by June 1, 2010.  Commissioner Alger stated LBMD was granted an extension through the end of this year, December 2010.

Item #4: Stewart Alger will prepare the equipment for use.

Commissioner Stan Alger made a motion to accept the minutes from April 20, 2010 meeting with the noted changes, Commissioner Dick Dow seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #2: Treasurer’s Report- Presented by Treasurer Dick Dow

Treasurer Dow reported on the reports submitted on the Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual through April 2010 and the Balance Sheet as of April 30, 2010.

Treasurer Dow made a few comments on the reports.

Reported on the Profit and Loss Statement (under Tax Revenue), LBMD received the lottery credit of $1,705 that was not budgeted.

Stewart Alger submitted expense receipts for the weed harvester of approximately $1,000 (Weed and Water Control).

Under Well Defense Fund, expenses are running higher than budgeted.

The $150,000 line of credit was approved by the bank and LBMD can start drawing against it.

Commissioner Skotarzak made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as reported by Treasurer Dow.  Commissioner Alger seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #3: Lake Management Plan, Aquatic Plan Management Plan and Grant Update.

Mr. Bob Nauta was not present at this meeting and therefore no update was provided.

There was group discussion regarding the plans.  Both plans are on the LBMD website in draft form.  The DNR has not approved the plans at this time.

Commissioner Alger will include both plans with the grant application for the new weed harvester.  The DNR requires the paperwork to be submitted no later than June 1, 2010.  Commissioner Alger stated that he will attend the July 2010 DNR meeting on behalf of the LBMD.

Action Item:    Chairperson Bitter will talk with Bob Nauta regarding these matters.

Item #4: Weed Harvest/Equipment Status Report and possible take action on the matter.

Commissioner Alger reported that Stewart Alger is preparing the equipment for use.  The front bar of the cutter requires some repair.  Commissioner Alger stated there will be a total of three people for the weed cutting crew which includes one new employee.

Item #5: Algae Bloom in the Bay by the Bench- Establish Task Force to Investigate Cause.

Laura Meager, Lake Beulah resident, reported on an algae bloom in the bay by the bench.  She commented that due to the warm weather and fertilizer, she believes blue green algae has formed.  Laura reported the DNR will monitor blue green algae only if there is a reported illness.

Commissioner Skotarzak inquired about testing and the costs.   He mentioned that resident Audrey Greene is familiar with these issues and would be a good resource for LBMD.

Action Item: Commissioner Skotarzak will call Audrey Greene to discuss these issues.

Action Item:  Laura Meager will obtain a list of consultants from the DNR (Heidi).

Action Item: Chairperson Bitter will call Bob Nauta to get his professional opinion.

Item #6 Hwy J. Dam Status Report:

Jack Dalaney from Walworth County reported on the status of the dam on Highway J.   Walworth County will be changing engineering firms (Patrick Engineering).  There is extensive tree growth around the dam and the roots will have to be removed.  The county will do the tree removal in the winter.  The county would like the citizens surrounding the dam to be informed of the tree/brush removal since it will be extensive. All of the work is to be done by September 2011.

Action Item: Commissioner Skotarzak will follow up with the county regarding the plans for the dam.

Jack Dalaney reported that Lake Geneva is concerned about the amount of salt going into the lake.  The representatives of LBMD stated the Town of East Troy uses mostly sand on the roads in the winter.  Salt readings should be included in the Lake Management Plan and LBMD will share the results of the water testing with Walworth county.

Item #7: Septic Status Report

Commissioner Rick Stacey reported the county will be taking over the septic pumping monitoring at the end of this year.  He provided the name and telephone number of the contact at the county.  Chairperson Bitter would like to develop a plan for a “septic pumping recommendation” to make recommendations at the Annual Meeting in August.

Action Item: Chairperson Bitter will follow up with the contact at the county.

Item #8: Boundary Issue Status Report:

Chairperson Bitter suggested this item be added to the agenda for the Annual Meeting in August.  At that time, the group will explain the situation with the water shed and the benefits of becoming a Lake Beulah Management District member.

Action Item: Chairperson Bitter will investigate the costs to expand the boundaries by contacting SEWR Pak and RSV Engineering.

Item #9: Town of East Troy Report

There was nothing to report.

Item #10: Walworth County Report

There was nothing to report.

Item #11: Status Report on Well #7:

Bob Nauta was not present to comment.  Attorney Laing was not present to comment.

Action Item:  Chairperson Bitter will contact Attorney Laing and obtain a report for the next regular meeting.

Item#12: Commissioner/Public Comments:

Jerry Peterson from the Kettle Moraine Land Trust introduced the new KMLT administrator and reported on a few KMLT accomplishments.

Jerry Peterson invited LBMD and all of its members to the Kettle Moraine Land Trust Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 5, 2010 and provided a written invitation (hand out).

Jerry Peterson reported the Beulah Bog clean up is completed and the DNR will recognize efforts with an onsite plaque.

Item#13: Determine Next Regular Meeting:

The group confirmed the next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the East Troy Town Hall.

Item #14 :

Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats 19.85 (1) (e) & (g)  Since legal council was absent there was no need to move into Closed Session.

Chairman Alger moved to adjourn the meeting, Commissioner Dorn seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

With no further business, Chairman Bitter adjourned to the closed session at 8:34 pm in accordance as stated above.

Item #15: Adjourn

LAKE BEULAH MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

PDF Version

Following publication, the Lake Beulah Management District held its regular meeting at the East Troy Town Hall on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

Commissioners Present: Chairman David Bitter, Commissioners: Stan Alger, Doug Dorn, Richard Dow, and Rick Stacey

Absent:  Commissioner Dave Skotarzak and Commissioner Val Johnson

Also in Attendance:  8 Riparian Owners, Ray Fisher (Lake Beulah Protective Association), Bob Nauta (RJN Environmental Services) and Lisa Sweet (Administrative Services).

Chairman Bitter called the meeting to order at 6:57 pm.

Commissioner Rick Stacey made the request to discuss: Item #9- Walworth County Zoning Report on Input from Towns, Villages, and Lake Districts on Allowing Homes to be Rented for Vacation Purposes and possibly take action on the matter.

Commissioner Stacey reported Walworth County does not allow short term rentals (under 30 days) at this time.  Walworth County has sent communication to each Town, Village and Lake District asking for their opinion on the matter.  The county is expecting all correspondence to be received by the end of May and will make the determination after all opinions have been heard.  The Walworth County Zoning Committee will be discussing this issue during the regularly scheduled meeting in May and may or may not take action at that time.

LBMD is in favor changing the ordinance to allow residents to obtain Conditional Use Permits for short term rentals of their homes.

Chairman Bitter made a motion to officially support changing the ordinance to allow residents to option Conditional Use Permits for short term rentals of their homes by drafting a letter and sending it to Walworth County and the Town of East Troy, Commissioner Stan Alger seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Commissioner Rick Stacey excused himself from the meeting at 7:05 pm.

Item #1:  Approve the Meeting Minutes February 25, 2010 Regular Meeting

The group reviewed the minutes and determined there were no changes to be made.

Chairman Dave Bitter made a motion to accept the minutes from February 25, 2010 meeting, Commissioner Dick Dow seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #2: Treasurer’s Report- Presented by Treasurer Dick Dow

Treasurer Dow reported on the reports submitted on the Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual through March 2010 and the Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2010.

Treasurer Dow made a few comments on the reports.

On the Profit and Loss Statement (under Tax Revenue), LBMD received the lottery credit of $1,705 and it will be added to the budget next month.

A payment was made to the Wisconsin State Lab for the amount due.

Since the line of credit has been exhausted, Treasurer Dow has filed the papers to obtain another line of credit of $150,000 and is communicating with the bank regarding this matter.

Commissioner Alger made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as reported by Treasurer Dick Dow.  Commissioner Dorn seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #3: Lake Management Plan and Grant Update and possibly take action on the matter.

Mr. Bob Nauta reported on the Lake Beulah Management Plan.  Earlier in the week, Mr. Nauta emailed LBMD a draft copy of the report.  This report will be completed within the next two weeks and will meet the DNR deadline for the 5 year permit.

A copy of this report is on file with the Lake Beulah Management District and will be posted on the internet upon its completion.

The final report will be discussed at the next Lake Beulah Protective Association Meeting which is on May 15, 2010.

Commissioner Alger reported that a copy of the Aquatic Plant Management Plan is to be included with the grant application for the weed cutter.  The grant is due by May 1, 2010.  Mr. Bob Nauta stated he would finish the survey and forward to Commissioner Alger prior to May 1, 2010.

Chairperson Dow made the motion to approve the Lake Management Plan document with the necessary changes and additions. Commissioner Alger seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Nauta asked LBMD for a copy of the last Aquatic Plant Management Report.  The Lake Beulah Protective Association has a copy of this report and forward to Mr. Nauta.

Action Item: LBMD will obtain a copy of the last Aquatic Plant Management Report from the Lake Beulah Protective Association and forward to Mr. Bob Nauta.

Mr. Nauta stated that the Lake Management Plan grant expired on June 30, 2009 and therefore the DNR will not pay fees acquired after that date.  Mr. Nauta thought there may be a grant extension available to include costs acquired until December 31, 2009.

The grant which covered lake monitoring has been paid.

Item #4: Weed Harvest/Equipment Status Report and possible take action on the matter.

Commissioner Alger reported the weed harvesting crew from last year will be returning this year.  In May, Stan Alger will prepare the equipment for use.  As of this time, the cutter bar on the harvester needs some work.

Item #5: Septic Status Report and Possibly take action on the matter.

Chairman Bitter stated septic pumping will start again in May.  This is the last year of the contract with the current pumping outfit.

Action Item:  At the next LBMD meeting, Commissioner Stacey will report on the state of the county’s septic pumping take over.

Item #6 Boundary Issue Status Report and Subcommittee Discussion and possibly take action on the matter:

Resident John Stoss of New Deal Drive, reported on the outcome of the meeting with residents.  Mr. Stoss stated there were two meetings with New Deal residents.  Commissioner Dow attended each meeting.  Mr. Stoss stated residents are concerned with two issues: (1) Choice of becoming part of the LBMD (2) Choice of septic pumper.

Mr. Stoss stated that after several discussions with residents of New Deal, the group as a whole does not want to be a part of Lake Beulah Management District.

Mrs. Stoss stated he would offer the use of his parking lot for weed removal.

There was a group discussion regarding weed cutting in the area.  According to the DNR, a waterway may be cut in areas such as these. However, the weed cutter cannot cut below one foot off the ground.  There was discussion regarding Milfoil in the area.  If Milfoil is an issue in this area, LBMD would need to request a permit from the DNR to chemically treat milfoil.

Commissioner Alger commented on the state of Milfoil in Lake Beulah.  He stated according to the DNR, the growth of Milfoil has leveled off at this point and chemically treating is not necessary at this time.  Mr. Bob Nauta will be including comments about the state of Milfoil in Lake Beulah in his Aquatic Plant Management Report.

Chairman Bitter would like to keep this agenda item on the list for the next meeting to continue discussions.

Action Item: Chairman Bitter would like to have “Discussion of Milfoil Growth” added to the next meeting agenda for group discussion.

Item #7: Increase of Boat Launch Fee for LBMD use for Protection Costs of Lake Beulah

Chairman Dave Bitter reported the DNR has set a limit of $10.25 per boat launch.  Lake Beulah is currently at $10 per launch.  As of this time, this may not be changed.  Commissioner Dow stated the DNR does have grant money available for a pressure washer, but the DNR will not allow for someone to be paid to wash the boats.  The boat owner would be responsible for washing their boat prior to launching.

Item #8: Discuss Appointing a Legislative Committee for Work on SB620 and AB844 and possibly take action on the matter.

Mr. Bob Nauta commented on the proposed bills.  The first bill discussed pertains to ground water management and who has control when it comes to water usage.  The second bill applies to high capacity wells and the process in which they are built.  The bill suggests applicants must provide public notice of construction and anyone may challenge it.

The group agreed it may be best to meet with other Lake Districts to discuss these topics.

Action Item:  Chairperson Bitter suggested a subcommittee be formed. He asked all board members to gather a list of potential committee members. This list of names will be discussed during the next LBMD meeting.

Item #9: This item was discussed at the beginning of the meeting (Zoning Report from Commissioner Rick Stacey)

Item #10: Status Report on Well #7 and possibly take action on the matter.

Attorney Dean P. Laing is excused and not present at this meeting since there is nothing to report on the state of the law suits.

Mr. Bob Nauta presented the board with handouts illustrating the water usage from Well #7.  Mr.Nauta commented that at this time, the well is using a lot less water than approved for.

Item #11: Commissioner/Public Comments:

There were no commissioner or public comments.

Item#12: Determine Next Regular Meeting:

The group confirmed the next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the East Troy Town Hall.

Item #13: Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats 19.85 (1) (e) & (g)  Legal council was absent.

Chairman Bitter moved to adjourn the regular meeting, Commissioner Dow seconded, and the motion passed unanimously. With no further business, Chairman Bitter adjourned to the closed session at 7:59 pm in accordance as stated above.

Item #14: Re-convene to Open Session to consider and act upon any matters discussed in Closed Session.

The board returned to open session at 8:30 pm.

Item #15: Adjourn

Chairman Bitter made the motion to adjourn the meeting, Commissioner Alger seconded and the meeting adjourned at 8:31 pm.

PDF Version

Following publication, the Lake Beulah Management District held its regular meeting at the East Troy Town Hall on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

Commissioners Present: Chairman David Bitter, Commissioners: Dave Skotarzak, Stan Alger, Richard Dow, Val Johnson, and Rick Stacey

Absent:  Commissioner Douglas Dorn, RJN Environ- Robert Nauta, P.G. (excused)

Also in Attendance:  2 Riparian Owners, Ray Fisher, Protective Association, Lisa Sweet, Administrative Services

Chairman Bitter called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.

Item #1:  Approve the Meeting Minutes November 17, 2010 Regular Meeting

Commissioner Stan Alger made a motion to accept the minutes from November 17, 2010 with the one change presented, Commissioner Dave Skotarzak seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #2: Treasurer’s Report- Presented by Treasurer Dick Dow

Treasurer Dow reported on the reports submitted on the Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual through January 2010 and the Balance Sheet as of January 31, 2010.

Treasurer Dow made a few comments regarding the actual year to date vs. full year budget.

As of this time, all property tax revenues received through January have been paid.  Total revenues received of $166,152 are 68% of the total year tax levy of $243,378.

Treasurer Dow commented on the Well Defense Fund.  Attorney fees projected through March of $30,143 are 32% of the annual budget for this fund.

Our last line of credit has been depleted. The group agreed that Mr. Dow should negotiate the $150,000 additional line of credit agreement that was approved by our electors with the Citizen’s Bank of Mukwonago for Board approval.

Commissioner Skotarzak made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as reported by Treasurer Dick Dow.  Commissioner Alger seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #3: Weed Harvest/Equipment Status Report and possibly take action on this matter:

Commissioner Alger reported that he is expecting the quote for the 7 foot bar weed cutter and trailer very soon.  Commissioner Alger will be requesting the grant papers from the DNR.  The papers need to be completed and submitted by the end of March 2010.  Once the grant has been submitted, Commissioner Alger will order the new machine.  The machine will be delivered in 2011.

Item #4 Septic Status Report/Boundary Issue Discussions and possibly take action on this matter.

Chairman Bitter reported there are a few items to consider in regards to the boundary agreement discussion.

1. The group has to consider which residents should be placed in the LBMD and which residents should not be in the LBMD.  RSV did a study and came to the conclusion that all of the Beulah Park homes are deeded have rights to Lake Beulah.

Action Item: Chairman Bitter will have RSV send LBMD a letter summarizing the study which was done on the Beulah Park Area.

1. After speaking with the attorney, Chairman Bitter was told that tax payers cannot be charged different mill rates on their tax bills.  However, residents can be charged different fees for the services which are provided.

There was a group discussion on whether or not a subcommittee should be formed.  The group decided not to make a decision at this time, but to add this topic to the agenda for the next meeting.

There was a group discussion regarding the property owners of New Deal Drive becoming part of the Lake Beulah Management District.  There was group discussion concerning weed control of this area.

Action Item: Commissioner Dow will contact the owner of Fred’s Tap to start discussions with the residents on New Deal Drive.

Commissioner Skotarzak would like to see a legal document or letter from the attorney explaining that charging a “fee for service” on the tax levy is legal.  This document should be provided for the Lake Beulah Management District Annual Meeting in August 2010.

The group had discussions regarding other ways to create funds for protecting and maintaining Lake Beulah.  Chairman Bitter will explore the option of increasing the boat launch fee for protection of the lake.  The first step is to have discussions with the Town of East Troy.  The group agreed to make a request to have this topic be added to the town agenda in April.

Action Item: Chairperson Bitter will contact the town to start discussions regarding increasing the boat launch fee for lake protection.

Commissioner Skotarzak made the motion to request that the town of East Troy to investigate the possibility of adding a Lake Protection Fee to the boat launch.  Chairman Bitter will contact the town to have this item added to the agenda in April.   Commissioner Dow seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

#5 Status Report on Well #7 and possible take action on the matter.

Attorney Dean P. Laing is excused and not present at this meeting since there is nothing to report.

Oral arguments will take place soon and LBMD will receive the outcome of the oral arguments via email in 30 to 60 days.

The group agreed to update the website with the lawsuit status as soon as a decision was made.

Item #6 Commissioner/Public Comments:

Ray Fisher from the Lake Protective Association reported on the status of Purple Loosestrife in and on Lake Beulah.  The DNR has provided a free permit/grant to a Lake Beulah resident to manage the Purple Loosestrife in her area of the lake.  There is a specific beetle that attacks this evasive species only.  Once the plant is under control, the beetles will die.

Ray asked the board to consider their position on the removal of evasive species from Lake Beulah.  There was a group discussion regarding concerns of evasive species.

Ray also asked the group to encourage the Town of East Troy to budget money for gypsy months.  There was budget money for spray treatments last year.  There is no budget money for spray treatments this year.  If there is a warm, dry spring, there will be a gypsy month outbreak.  The Protective Association included a newsletter regarding gypsy months in their most recent dues billing.

The next Lake Protective Association meeting is May 22, 2010.  Commissioner Dow requested that this group ask for volunteers to collect water for water monitoring.  Ray agreed and will proceed.

Commissioner Dow gave an update regarding the status of the double billing from the WI State Lab of Hygiene.  LBMD will probably have to pay the $4,219 past due amount but we will request a $1,800 refund from the DNR.  There was confusion as to the timing of the water analysis and payment covered by the grant.  Bill Rose of the USGS and Bob Nauta have recommended an alternate, less costly analytical lab for future water analyses.

Action Item: Commissioner Dow will ask the labs for competitive quotes.

Jerry Peterson from the Kettle Moraine Land Trust sent a letter to the LBMD stating his appreciation for the $2500 donation.  Jerry requested a meeting with the LBMD to discuss the status of the land trust.

Action Item: Commissioner Johnson will have Jerry Peterson send his proposal and discussion points for the next meeting via e-mail.

Commissioner Dow stated the group received a letter from the Wisconsin Association of Lakes requesting a donation and to renew LBMD membership.  Last year a donation of $100 was made.  The group agreed this item should be added the agenda of the next regular meeting.

Action Item: Commissioner Johnson will add the following to the agenda of the next regular LBMD meeting:  WI Association of Lakes possible donation/membership renewal

Commissioner Dow reported that resident Audrey Green sent the group information on a possible grant for monitoring exotics or equipment for ground water monitoring.  Since the grant amount is considerably low, the group agreed to not file the request for grant money at this time.

Commissioner Stacey reported on an issue that came up during last month’s Walworth County Zoning Meeting.  The county has sent a letter to all towns, villages and lake districts within the county asking for input on vacation home rentals.  It seems that with the slow economy, residents are in favor of allowing homes to be rented for vacation purposes.  Commissioner Stacey will give the group an update at the next regular meeting.

Item #7:  Determine Date of Next Regular Meeting

The group confirmed the next regular meeting will be on April 20, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the East Troy Town Hall.

Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats 19.85 (1) (e) & (g) to confer with legal counsel.

Chairperson Bitter moved to adjourn the regular meeting. Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1) & (g) to allow District Commissioners to confer with legal counsel and deliberate regarding water well litigation strategy.

Since there was no legal counsel representation at the meeting, there was no Closed Session.

Commissioner Alger made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Commissioner Stacey seconded and the meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

Following publication, the Lake Beulah Management District held its regular meeting at the East Troy Town Hall on Wednesday, November 17, 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Commissioners Present: Chairman David Bitter, Commissioners: Dave Skotarzak, Stan Alger, Richard Dow, Val Johnson, Doug Dorn and Rick Stacey

Absent:  None

Chairman Bitter called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.

Item #1:  Approved the Meeting Minutes October 28, 2009 Regular Meeting

There are two corrections to be made:

1. Change RSV Engineering to RJN Environmental Services, LLC
2. Commissioner Alger: Asked to change page 3 paragraph 6 from “suggested” to “was told”

Supervisor Skotarzak made a motion to accept the minutes from October 28, 2009 with the two changes presented, Commissioner Alger seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #2: Treasurer’s Report- Presented by Treasurer Dick Dow

Treasurer Dow reported on the reports submitted on the Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual for January through October 2009 and the Balance Sheet as of October 31, 2009.

Treasurer Dow made a few comments regarding the budget.

Regarding Water Quality Monitoring:  Almost$10,000 DNR Grant money was paid to WI State Lab. Treasurer Dow thought this money was supposed to be paid to Lake Beulah.  Treasurer Dow will hold the remaining money due until there is an explanation regarding the DNR grant money.

Plant harvesting budget is down because the workers had a late start and wages are lower than expected.  Treasurer Dow reminded the group of the upcoming annual $1600 contribution to Divine Word Seminary for storing the weed harvesting equipment at the seminary.

Treasurer Dow reported that he has asked Citizens Bank of Mukwonago to transfer $50,000 from our Line of Credit to our money market account to cover expenses through February 2010.

Treasurer Dow reported that a Certificate of Deposit of $36,000 came due on November 16, 2009.  This money will be rolled over for 12 months and will come due again in fall of 2010.

Commissioner Skotarzak made the motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report as reported by Treasurer Dick Dow.  Commissioner Johnson seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Item #3: Weed Harvest/Equipment Status Report and possibly take action on this matter:

Commissioner Alger reported that the DNR responded to a few issues regarding weed controll.  The DNR stated that a resident or weed cutter may cut a “pass through” path to access the lake.  The weed harvester can cut weeds by Stringers Bridge and Goat Island.  The weeds would have to be manually picked up since there is not a way for the harvester to pass under the bridges.

Commissioner Alger made the following recommendations:

1. Maintain the current cutter.  The cost to maintain the current cutter would range from $1000 to $3000 depending on the condition of the hydraulic pump.  The cutter bar on the current machine needs some work.
2. Purchase a new cutter with the same size bar as the current cutter and apply for the DNR grant.

The grant process starts with submitting a letter of intent which states the ability to purchase in January of 2010.  LBMD would order the new machine in Spring of 2010 and the machine would be delivered in 2011.  If the DNR approves the purchase, the grant would pay for 50% of the cost.

There was discussion of possibly purchasing a cutter that can be attached to a boat to cut weeds in areas the big cutters could not fit (under the bridges).  Commissioner Dow has a DVD which explains the process and will share it with the group.  The approximate cost of the weed cutter attachment is $3000.

The cost of purchasing a new 7 foot bar machine is approximately $100,000.  Treasurer Dow reported that there is $132,883 in restricted CDs for the purchase of new equipment.

Commissioner Alger made the motion to order the 7 foot weed harvester and apply for the DNR grant in January of 2010.   Commissioner Dow seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

After the motion was approved there was discussion.  It is understood by the board that Commissioner Alger will oversee the maintenance of the cutters and take over as supervisor if need be.  Commissioner Alger stated that Stan Alger will work part time in 2010 and will train Commissioner Alger and the new staff on equipment maintenance.

Item #4 Septic Status Report/Boundary Issue Discussion and possibly take action on this matter.

Chairman Bitter reported that out of 132 homes, 13 have not yet had their septic tanks pumped by the contracted Otto Jacobs.  Chairman Bitter will follow up with those residents. The average cost is $129 per house every three years.

Action Item: Chairman Bitter will follow up with the houses that need their septic tanks pumped and will get the attorney involved if there is no response.

There was discussion regarding the properties in the district that do not have direct access to the lake.  There was discussion regarding properties not within the management district which do have access to the lake.  LBMD will review titles to determine if there is legal access.

There were several comments made by riparian owners.  The main concerns were higher taxes and weed cutting.

Action Item:  Chairman Bitter suggested the group research the ability to adjust the mill rate.  The attorney will determine whether or not residents can be taxed differently depending on the services received.

Commissioner Skotarzak made the motion for the group determine which properties have actual access and easements with the exception of residents on New Deal Drive, Goat Island and Beulah Park.  Commissioner Alger seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously.

Refer to the hand outs from October 28, 2009 which list properties not in the district.

Commissioner Johnson suggested that the group determine if a sub-committee is needed for this process.  The sub-committee would include both LBMD and non board members.  The group agreed that this issue should be the next step.

Commissioner Dow suggested to the group that the residents of New Deal Avenue should meet as a group and come to the LBMD board with one voice.

Item #6 Commissioner/Public Comments:

Chairman Bitter reported that there is nothing to report on the Status of Well #7 and therefore did not feel it necessary to invite the attorney to the meeting.

There were several comments made by residents regarding boundary issues and weed harvesting. Resident, John Stoss (owner of Fred’s Tap) offered his land for pick up of harvested weeds in front of New Deal Drive.

Commissioner Skotarzak made comments regarding the status of Well #7 and the Village of East Troy.  Commissioner Skotarzak suggested a meeting between the Village of East Troy and the LBMD to discuss the reports and data.

Action Item:  Chairman Bitter will follow up with Bob Nauta regarding this matter.

Commissioner Dow commented about the water quality of Lake Beulah and stated the concern of a hard water lake turning into soft water thus promoting algae and weed growth. Water quality will change over time as high capacity well pumping reduces the flow of groundwater through the aquifer. Our water quality monitoring program will detect this water hardness change.

Chairman Bitter reported that he sent a letter to DeWitt and Ross for settlement payment.  He included an incorrect amount.  The group agreed that another letter should be sent with the correct amount.

Item #7:  Determine Date of Next Regular Meeting

The group confirmed the next regular meeting will be on February 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the East Troy Town Hall.

Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats 19.85 (1) (e) & (g) to confer with legal counsel.

Chairperson Bitter moved to adjourn the regular meeting. Adjourn Open Session to convene in Closed Session, pursuant to Wis. Stats. 19.85(1) & (g) to allow District Commissioners to confer with legal counsel and deliberate regarding water well litigation strategy.

Since there was no legal counsel representation at the meeting, there was no Closed Session.

Commissioner Stacey made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Commissioner Skotarzak seconded and the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m