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Lake Development Corporation Minutes

8/04/08

LDC President Jim Dabbelt called the August LDC meeting to order at 4:02 pm.

In attendance with Dabbelt were Rick Bachelor, Todd Fleagle, Bob Grimm, Donna Grube, Owen Hall, Tom Knapke, Frank C. Murray, Doug Temple, Max Gilpin, Brian Miller, Craig Morton, Ryan Garrison & Nancy Allen of the Daily Standard.

Frank C. Murray moved to approve the minutes of the LDC July meeting as were e-mailed to the membership. Bob Grimm provided a second, motion carried.

Treasurer Milt Miller phoned in a treasurer’s report. He said the balance stands at $8315.19. He added that almost all of the bills from the day on the lake were paid except for a very small invoice from the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce. Frank C. Murray moved to accept the report, a second was provided by Todd Fleagle, motion carried.

Craig Morton provided the following lake report:

Lake Level - Approx. 1” above normal pool.

Dredge

• Floating suction dredges. Two channels finished. St. Marys is at Barnes Creek at approx. 1/3 done. Pump a Little will move to Barnes Cr. and St. Marys will go to next channel.
• Next jobs will be Southmoore Shores East and Schells Channel or Prairie Creek Island.
• Dozers have worked on the Uppenkamp DMRA on Behm’s Rd. to continue tear down.
• Dredge crew back up to full staff at 4 FT and 2 PT.
• Finally received the permit to build the Anderson DMRA. Starting across the channel, will be blocked until the DMRA is finished, then removed and channel dredged.
• Anderson shoreline protection of 1800’ is finished. Will be used as a road access to the DMRA.
• Dredging next year will include Coldwater Creek and Beaver Creek.

Lake Issues

• Capital shoreline protection money. Finally getting close to some action! The original $450,000 and the new $250,000 are being joined and will include the Prairie Creek Island, mouth of Chickasaw Creek, dike at Prairie Creek and Safety Island. The bids should go out in Aug.
• Beach testing. All beaches testing very safe with low bacteria levels.

Park

• Dog Park. The dozer and disk work is finished, the fence is up, there was a work party Saturday to remove sticks and stones and prepare for planting grass.
• West Bank boathouse. After much debate and head scratching the project is going back to the original West Bank location and should be started soon. The delay was caused by the discovery of a much deeper bottom than originally anticipated which will increase our cost. The new estimate is $55,000.
• Theft of gas and boating accessories. Bad earlier in the season, has slowed down recently.
• All 3 of our Park Officers are qualified for the Marine Patrol Grant from the Div. of Watercraft which helps to pay for at least 3 hours per week of lake patrol for each officer. & Loramie. This is resulting in increased lake patrol and increased citations for 1. No Wake 2. Alcohol & litter 3. Safety violations such as open lake swimming or insufficient PFD.

Donna Grube reported that the Visitors Bureau office was very busy with tourists. She also told about the new ODOT signs that were erected letting travelers know the location of the Visitors Information Center at the lake and in the Armstrong Museum.

Rick Bachelor noted that the geese are not respecting the new Celina Boardwalk. There were suggestions that Ryan Garrison and the folks at the Division of Wildlife should be able to train the geese, but that idea did not win favor with the wildlife officer.

Garrison did remind the group that the duck blind drawing is set for August 16th and a hunter education course is also being offered in August.

Laura Walker was unable to attend but she did send a copy of the letter she intends to send to check on the progress of assignments handed out at the Legislative Day on the Lake. Jim Dabbelt noted that he and Laura attended a Franklin Township Trustees meeting and delivered assignment notebooks to them. It was noted that some groups who were not included in the assignments are stepping up. Doug Temple said that the letter from the St. Marys Boat Club was admirable and that every effort contributes to the clean up. (Both correspondences and Walker’s report are included at the end of this report).

Bob Grimm reported that the Lake Improvement Corporation’s biggest fund raiser of the year, the Barstool Open will take place on August 9th. He said it is a sell out and it is the organization’s biggest fund raiser. He also added that in September the groups will give out the Guardian of the Lake Award.

Secretary Grube shared with the group an e-mail she received from LIA member Connie Fielding. It was in response to the July minutes and the discussion that took place concerning having a web presence for the LDC and the watershed’s efforts to clean Grand Lake St. Marys. Fielding noted that she takes care of the LIA’s website and that there would be room not only for that information but perhaps even a blog so that questions and comments on the efforts could be exchanged. Vice President Frank C. Murray took charge of the issue and will be contacting Fielding.

President Dabbelt noted that State Representative Jim Zehringer was working to host a meeting of the heads of the EPA, Ag and ODNR to get them all working on the action plan. He noted that He and Laura and LIA representatives will probably make up the local group.

Frank C. Murray asked what sort of ditch maintenance program is in place in Mercer County. No one had an answer. Several members did note that there was a world of difference between the two counties. Murray suggested the LDC invite County Engineer Wiechart to an upcoming meeting to find out.

A discussion occurred concerning federal funding and Frank C. Murray and Owen Hall were appointed as an Ad Hoc committee to begin a letter writing campaign in an effort to try to obtain federal dollars to help the lake clean up efforts. Murray said he will run with the assignment.

With no further discussion to come before the board, Frank C. Murray moved the meeting adjourn, Rick Bachelor provided a second, motion carried.

The next LDC Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 8, 2008, 4pm in the CVB conference room.