Rice Lake Area Association Board Meeting

Rice Lake Area Association Board Meeting

10/8/2003

Meeting Location

Joan Schaller was again willing to host our meeting at her home. Early arrivals Bob Cremers, Steve Cady and George Schneider helped pull Joan's life & dock out for the season prior to the meeting. Joan provided beverages and treats for everyone at the meeting.

Agenda Items

Review 2002-2003 Drawdown Survey Results conducted by City of Maple Grove
Discuss plans for 2003-2004 winter
Current and on-going Buoy Maintenance
Rough Fish Removal plans
Tree Planting along Interstate Highway 94
Miscellaneous

Present at meeting

Chuck Berger Joan Schaller Roger Olson George Schneider Jill Brennan

Steve Cady Jim Malone Bob Cremers Wade Quale

Meeting Objective

The primary reasons for the meeting was to plan events for the 2003-2004 winter and to discuss the drawdown survey results.

The meeting began at 7:17 p.m. and included these areas of discussion:
I. Drawdown Survey Results

The survey results were overwhelming in favor of the drawdown effort. Well over 90% of those surveyed gave the effort and results very high scores. 50% of those 275 surveyed returned their responses. See the last page in this document for specific results to the 4 general questions the City posed to residents.

II. Winter Lake Aeration

Based on a report by the City Lakes consultant, Steve McComas of Blue Water Science and the DNR, it was decided by the RLAA Board to aerate the lake again this winter, even though there will not be a drawdown. Since the aerator has already been purchased and the City is cover the liability insurance, the only cost to RLAA will be the on-going maintenance and usage (power) charges.

Based on last year's experience with the aerator, it was decided to locate the aerator farther northwest on the lake. The exact location is due south of the properties 15567 & 15585 91^st Avenue North. There is a city easement for an underground power line to be run between those two properties under the park path to the city-owned lakeshore.

Chuck Berger has found a contractor who will do the installation of the line and meter/box at a cost of $3,700.

MOTION MADE BY JOAN SCHALLER AND SECONDED BY ROGER OLSON TO ACCEPT THE BID OF $3,700 FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND HOOKUP FOR THE WINTER AERATION UNIT.

Board members discussed whether it would be necessary to run the aeration unit this winter. Based on the opinion of the consultant and the DNR, the Board agreed this would be a good idea to run it this winter. MOTION MADE BY JOAN SCHALLER AND SECONDED BY BOB CREMERS OLSON TO RUN THE WINTER AERATOR THIS SEASON.

Joan will contact Ken Ashfeld from City Engineering to have him draft up a letter to the City Council as a courtesy to notify them RLAA will be running a winter aerator this season. Joan will also see if the City can draft a letter to the homeowners' who will have the power line installed between their properties where city easement rights exist.

III. Buoy Maintenance

The association agreed that the navigational aid installed by "Stonehenge Island" is necessary and should be maintained each boating season. The current buoy will be removed and replaced each season by RLAA. The Hennepin County Water Patrol will issue a buoy permit for RLAA to maintain this and other navigational aids, as RLAA deems necessary. GEORGE SCHNEIDER WILL WORK WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY WATER PATROL TO HAVE A PERMENANT PERMIT ISSUED FOR PLACING BUOYS ON RICE LAKE.

IV. Rough Fish Removal

Wade has been in contact with the Geyer Brothers regarding a plan to remove carp from the lake before the winter settles in. They feel there is still sufficient time before visiting the lake to plan the process. Wade will keep the board advised for timing of their visit to issue a bid and possible subsequent plans to remove the fish. The key issue for fish removal is finding a market for them. The Geyers feel they have such a market in the Twin Cities vicinity.

V. I-94 Natural Sound Barriers

Jill and Joan brought up the idea about planting trees along the NW corner of the lake along the I-94/park path line. This would help reduce noise across the lake to Rice Lake residents, reduce soil erosion, improve the scenery, and get rid of the extra cedar growth in Joan's yard.

Jill contacted the State of Minnesota to find out more on plans for highway improvements and expansion in the area. Nothing is on the schedule for at least 10 years for any expansion or improvements at this time.

RLAA can fund the purchase and installation of evergreen-type trees to help absorb the sound and make the area more attractive. The City of Maple Grove can maintain (water) the trees as necessary, along with other trees they now care for in the same area. MOTION MADE BY JOAN SCHALLER AND SECONDED BY JILL BRENNAN TO ALLOCATE UP TO $5,000 FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF EVERGREEN TREES ALONG THE I-94/CITY PARK PATH CORRIDOR. BOB CREMERS AND ROGER OLSON TO PURSUE CONTRACTORS TO DO THIS PROJECT.

Next Action

Bob Cremers and Roger Olson to get bids for the purchase and installation of evergreen trees to be planted along the I-94 corridor.
Winter Aeration project:

Joan to contact Ken Ashfeld (City) for writing a letter to City Council to notify them winter aeration will take place this season.
Joan to ask Ken Ashfeld to author letter to the 2 homeowners who will have the underground power line installed between their homes (Von Lehe at 15585 91^st Avenue North and Tok No at 15567 91^st Avenue North).
George to get crew together to put out the winter aerator before ice up occurs. Tentatively scheduled to install this weekend (10/11-12).
Chuck to get aerator and cable out of storage at City Garage
Chuck to secure final bid from electrical work to allow connection to winter aerator.

Wade Quale to keep in contact with Geyer Brothers to plan for carp removal before winter 2003-2004.
George Schneider to remove "Stonehenge Island" buoy and store for the season. Also to keep in touch with Hennepin County Water Patrol to get permit for this and other buoys on Rice Lake (when necessary).

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.

Date Sent – August 28, 2003
Number of Survey - 275	RICE LAKE RESULTS
Percent Returned – 50%

QUESTION 1	How would you rate the overall condition of Rice Lake this year as compared to previous years?
	MUCH BETTER	BETTER	SAME	WORSE	MUCH WORSE	DON’T KNOW
	93	19	12	8	6	1
Best in the 14 years we have been here. The lake still stinks in July and August Do it every year never been better. The best improvement in the lake occurred after purging the rough fish out. We should do the draw down every year. More weeds, less winter use, fewer fish.

Question 2	The specific purpose of the draw down project was to control the proliferation of Curley Leaf pondweed and Eurasian Water Milfoil. In your opinion, is the degree of weed growth this year:
	MUCH LESS	LESS	SAME	MORE	MUCH WORSE
	91	23	12	7	1	1
The week kill is minimal and cleanup is non-existent.

Question 3	Did the draw down project of this past winter impact your recreational use of the lake during the draw down period?
	YES	NO				1
	20	115
I snowmobile on the lake and had to curtail it because of exposed rocks, creek bottoms, and other hazards. The draw down is not complete enough to do the job. Yes, very much. Extremely poor for recreation and wildlife!

Question 4	Do you support the use of future draw down projects as a lake management tool?
	YES	NO	NO OPINION
	114	12	11
Do it always so it works some times, as you never know. For once it worked, right year. Not every year – only as need. Continued drawdowns are the way for best results. Also need to ban phosphorus fertilizer in lake watershed. Yes – if it works! Yes – if you don’t kill the fish. We have not had a cold enough winter to make it work. An incredible improvement in lake quality. The fish seem better than before with fewer weeds. Yes, not every year, only when needed. Yes, definitely yearly. Misc. Comments – Very much improved lake quality. Happy lake homeowner. Thank you City Council & staff. The result was obvious – I can’t believe your wasting taxpayer dollars to ask these questions.