Bass Lake Improvement Association Spring meeting.

Minutes from the Spring Meeting 2009

The Annual Spring Meeting of BLIA was called to order at 9:00 by Jay Van Thiel with 46 people in attendance. Secretary’s report was approved as printed in the newsletter. Treasurer’s report was given and approved with the balance of $3,086.36. Thank you to Steve and Bev Hamann for bringing the spring refreshments and Jerry and Bobby Jeskey who will be in charge of refreshments for the fall meeting. Jay gave a brief overview of the low water situation of Bass Lake. Jay informed members that the lake water level is cyclical in nature and will come back as the Great Lake Aquifers fill up. Jay suggested members visit the Boot Lake Association web site to see a history of their lake level.

Old Business

1. Clean Boats/Clean Lakes is a program developed to keep invasive species out of the lake. Rick and Deb Mielke are coordinating the program this year. A video was shown explaining the program. Rick explained that the program is voluntary and will have people at the boat landing for about a two hour block of time on weekends to remind people of the importance of keeping boats free of invasive species. Rick and Deb passed around a signup sheet to have members volunteer for a day. They are still looking to fill many dates. Please contact Rick or Deb Mielke or let President Jay Van Thiel know and he will get you the information to get involved. Please consider helping because prevention of invasive species is much cheaper than dealing with it once it’s in the lake. Jay will check with USFS about putting up a sign at the landing about checking boats. Mike Winius informed the members that there will be training in July for people to become trainers for the Clean Boat/Clean Lake program and Mike suggested that our association send some people to this free of charge training.
2. Wayne Wyngaard explained the Bass Lake Directory that he has created and after a brief discussion the membership advised that the directory be sent to members via email and not published on the new Bass Lake website. Wayne also explained why Bass Lake will develop its own web site and that it will have it’s own name now that the OCLAWA will no longer maintain their site. The website will be as follows: basslakeassociation.com Look for this in the near future for all pertinent information. Wayne would like members to suggest what you’d like to see on the site such as dump hours.
3. Jay reminded members that there is no spraying for gypsy moths and that you should kill the egg masses and caterpillars. A member shared that he has had success in killing gypsy moths with a mixture of ½ water and ½ dish soap.
4. Jay shared with the members that the Association will send a letter to Doty and Townsend Townships about ordinances with regard to buoy placement on Bass Lake.

New Business

1. Fall meting will be held on September 4th at 9:00 AM at the Doty Town Hall.
2. BLIA will donate $25 to both the Doty and Townsend Fire Departments.
3. Copies of the updated Constitution and Bylaws were made available to members. Jay suggested that a copy be put on the Bass Lake website.
4. Mike Winius gave an update on information from the OCLAWA meeting and had handouts with information available at the meeting. Mike stated that there are now 20 Lake Associations that are current members and another 3 will be joining. Mike shared information that we should not clean up the shoreline that is now exposed because of the low water level, but rather leave it as is. Evaporation continues to shrink the lake and will continue.
5. Mike Winius presented the information he gathered about refrigerator magnets with information pertinent to the lake association members. Mike will get quotes for the cost and pursue the purchase of these through the association.
6. Dale Wery presented information about the fish committee and the continued success that the lake has seen due to the habitat restoration and stocking. We are at a point where the DNR believes we are a self reproducing lake. Members are encouraged to keep legal bass that they catch. Dale Wery would like you to report to him if you catch a walleye with a clipped fin. Five walleyes were taken during the spearing season. Dale will attempt to get a permit to place Christmas trees in the lake next spring. Dale Wery and the committee will explore ways to move the rock spawning reef to a deeper location.
7. Keith Uhlenbrauck has volunteered to be a lake ambassador who will make contact with new owners and encourage them to join BLIA. Keith will also visit nonmembers of the Lake Association and encourage them to join the association.
8. Jay gave a brief update on the Lake Classification Grant. Jay stated that we are in the middle of the grant that ends in 2011and that the data collected is being analyzed. The information gathered from the grant will be posted on the new Bass Lake web site.
9. The annual golf outing is scheduled for June 19th at 9:00 AM at McCauslin Brook golf course. Jay is still looking for prizes.
10. The Boat Parade will take place on July 3rd at 7:00pm starting at the boat landing. Members were reminded that "water fights” are not a part of the parade and should take place after the parade by those who want to participate in that activity.
11. The Annual Labor Day Meeting will take place on Saturday, September 4th at the Doty Town hall at 9:00 AM and we will have a guest speaker on black bears.
12. A question from the floor concerning any break-ins over winter or others concerns and we were all happy to hear that there was nothing to report other than a squirrel that broke in through an uncapped chimney.