JUNE 20,
2009
The annual membership meeting was called
to order at 10:07 a.m. by President Ronnie
Brown at the Homestead Township Hall.
The business portion of the meeting was
immediately recessed so that Brett Fessell, the Chief Biologist for the Grand
Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians,
could present a PowerPoint program of their watershed restoration projects.
The tribe in conjunction with the Conservation Resource Alliance received
over $100,000 of EPA grant money to improve five sites in the area
that directly affect the watersheds and water quality.
He also discussed the results of the fish survey which was conducted in
the summer of 2007 on Little Platte
Lake. Those results will be posted on the LPLA website. Our fishery looks
good but could be improved with near shore structure (downed trees for cover).
He will also speak with Todd Kalish about recording the temperature of the lake.
The membership meeting was resumed with
the first item of business to approve the minutes of last year's meeting.
A motion was made from the floor to do so;
Lou Glatzer seconded the motion, and it passed.
John Ester gave the treasurer's report.
The bank balance is currently $4,593.34. We have had fewer expenses
this year so we have more funds in the bank.
He also stated that last year's membership increased to 70 individuals.
A motion to accept his report came from the floor and after being seconded it
passed.
Lynn Walker was unable to attend the
meeting but left his prepared handout of water level, rainfall, snowfall, and
other interesting facts for those who wanted a copy.
Today the water level at the dam on Deadstream Road was at its
court appointed level (reading 1.8 at the
gauge by the dam).
Dave Van Hammen is no longer testing
water because the DNR is conducting tests on three locations on the lake as part
of their ongoing monitoring for Platte Lake. We can access that
information by going to the Platte Lake website. Ronnie and Diane Brown
prepared a guide to help find the water testing results on the website: www.platte-lake.org
Former Board member Lou Glatzer explained
that he would like to see our association continue to do the monitoring also.
The board will discuss this idea further at a later date.
Ronnie Brown is concerned that no pike
have been caught in the lake this year. Brett
Fessell offered to provide us with envelopes to collect scales on any pike
caught for analysis. Scales should be retrieved by scraping above the lateral
line toward the front of the fish.
A discussion on rainbow trout seen and caught followed. Fishing is good with bluegill, and bass are the most
plentiful fish in the lake.
Gretchen Staub explained the aquatic plant mapping that was done last summer. It can be found on the web and will be updated as new areas are surveyed.
John Ester reported that neither the eagles nor the loons appeared to be successful in raising any chicks this year. The eagle nest has been abandoned and the loons appeared to be nesting briefly on two sites, neither of which were the platform. An immature eagle has been seen regularly around the lake.
Ronnie Brown had new informational signs made and installed at the Spruce Street public access site and the Saffron Road public boat launch site. These signs inform visitors about the shallow nature of the lake as well as loon information.
Lou Glatzer announced he had several informational pamphlets to share.
Ronnie Brown explained how the Lake
Observer Committee will work. This identified group of lake residents will
call 911 if they see that someone on the
lake is in distress. They have
phone numbers to call each other if they see something suspicious moving out of
their area and into another observer’s viewing area.
All of the existing Board members ran for reelection. Lou Glatzer withdrew as a candidate and ran the election. He opened the floor for any additional nominations for officers. There were none, so a motion was made to reelect the current board members for another year. The motion was seconded and approved. The board of directors will determine how the duties of officers will be assigned.
Thirty-one people attended the meeting. At this time the date for the 2010 Annual Meeting has not been determined.
Respectfully
submitted,
Gretchen
Staub, Secretary