June 12, 2010
BIG FISH LAKE BOARD MEETING
9:00 A.M.
COLLEGEVILLE TOWNSHIP HALL
The meeting was called to order by President Rena Weber. Roll Call was taken and the following members were found to be present: President Weber, Jim Sand, Linda Eich-Des Jardins, Matt Peters, Byron Bjorklund, Bill Schnettler, Mark Backes & Peter Fandel. Absent: Fr. John (who had a funeral mass to attend).
DISCUSSION:
SIGNINGBONUS – The BFLA will consider doing a signing bonus for other farmers who are interested ingoing through the set-aside process with the County. At this point the board authorized Treasurer Matt Peters to write a check to Arnie & Joy Hamman in the amount of $2420.00 for a 10 year CRP application. The Hamman’s will also be awarded a lifetime membership of the BFLA.
BUDGET – Discussion was held regarding the budget to pay for the signing bonus. Rena Weber reported that she had submitted the documents that Don Hickman and Greg Berg would need for the Phase 1 Matching grant from CMIF. Our understanding is that $10,000 was awarded for that of which $5,000 will be paid by CMIF through Greg Berg. There is also an additional $10,000 for Phase II that members applied for in 2010. Of this $800 has been received for a visioning session which will be held on 8/14/10 – 9:00 a.m. at the Legion in Cold Spring. Our annual budget is$3500. It was determined thatthe$100 expense to Stearns County Soil & Water is a donation from the Presidents budget.
SPREADSHEET– It was also determined that Matt Peters will switch to a spread sheet with the budget numbers as it appears there are 3 areas that need to be tracked. We have one checkbook that will also require 2 signatures on checks – President & Treasurer.
Linda Eich-DesJardins offered to provide a version of Quick Books for this work.
501C3: We do not need an audit. 990E must be filed when we become a nonprofit with under$25,000 in revenue. In 1987 we were a Non-Profit, but we did not file consistently and lost status.
Paul Steilis drafting new Bylaws and articles of incorporation. We did not meet the two week notice to members to change the articles and bylaws, so will announce this at the 10:00 spring meeting and vote in the fall.
Jim Sand reported that Joe Peters had e-mailed him various documents regarding their concerns. No action was taken.
Meeting Adjourned: 9:45
March 3, 2010
Meeting called to order byPresident Rena Weber at 9:15 AM.
All Board Members present: Rena Weber – President; Jim Sand VP, Jack Brunner Sec’t. Matt Peters -Treasurer, Bill Schnetter. Mark Backes, Linda DesJardins, Bryon Bjorklund, Peter Fandel Past President,
CURRENT BUSINESS
Quorum was determined and minutes of Feb 13th wepassed around for approval.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Healthy Lakes & Rivers Program: Rena passed out “lake Management Plan” from the Feb Meeting. We need to involve many people in our many projects. BFL Association will plan a Vision Meeting for all landowners for August: to get committees on base. Consultants will run the meeting. Need to prioritorize our projects. Will try to Aug 14th,site pending for the meeting.
A]Rena has applied for the grant for project A: Curly leaf pondweed: do we have aproblem, do we had a current map of the weed site. Our present baseline is from2005. Applications for grants are being resubmitted for [b] Cropland project and [c] shoreline restoration. Grant money already sent to Soil and Water (GregBerg). So far we get $300.00.
2. 501.C3: Paul Steil will revamp our by laws and work us towards this classification. Many items in our By Laws are not practical, e.g.: Audit every two years, vs. a ‘financial review’. Cost for State classifications is in process of being lowered andadjusted. Consensus: We need this classification. Motion: by Jim, second byMark to permit Paul Steil to review by-laws and proceed with newclassification. Passed 100%.
3. Linda: Web Site: up andrunning. Web Master is Andy from Eich Motors. Linda donated $250 to thisproject. {Super thanks} Membersare asked to forward old minutes to Linda for inclusion.
A]Newsletter and Mailings. On hand: 60 – 80 e mail address, 250 mail addresses, @75 members. Objective: use E-mail addresses for newsletter. Etc. Cheaper.Budget has $150 for mailings: In April, post cards for June for July meeting,Aug- Sept another issue. Agreed: our present budget is a guideline andtherefore flexible. We need the addresses of the second tier around the lake,and a list of friends (e.g.: Commissioners, etc). Suggestion: this summer haveboard members visit with neighbors about membership.
4. Water Quality: Land siteA: owners are interested in planting native grasses with a classification ofCPRP. Land site B: pending somelegal work, this will be in native grasses in a year. Land site C: working on a100 ft buffer of grass
5. Water Testing: by Bill:Inlet by his place 356 m/l with 5 m/l suspended solids. Long lake inlet 54 m/lwith 2 m/l of solids. Rearing pond test results pending. This has the mostvolume of water. Suspended solids 3 m/l. Eastern inlet results pending with 4m/l of suspended solids. Will test again after a heavy rain. Will test the lakeon two sites this summer.
6. Curley Leaf Pond Weed. ByMatt. Exploring commercial testers; Paul Diedrick (sic) reported that thecounty or state would be testing this summer. We do not know when or when wewill see the results. Discussion on cost variables, Point Intercept vs. GPS vs.sight testing. Will review this at a future meeting.
7. Jim: Budget adjustment: $240 added to cost and to expenses. Again, stated that since this is our firstbudget many modifications will be applied in time. Motion was made to approvethis process of adjustment, seconded and Passed 100%.
8. Parking by and near boatlanding. Fact: if you park on the road that is wrong, since you are blocking a2 lane county road. If you park on the shoulder you are parking on private propertyand they owner could have you removed. Question: What role should theassociation take in this matter? This topic will be open for discussion in a future meeting.
9. Dues for the new year areat $25.00 per member.
ADJOURNED AT 10:58 AM.
Minutesby Jack H. Brunner
February 13, 2010
BIG FISH LAKE ASSOCIATION
BOARD MINUTES FOR FEBRUARY 13, 2010
9:30 AM – RED RIVER INN – COLD SPRING
Meeting called to order by President Rena Weber at 9:35 AM.
Board Members present: Rena Weber – President; Jim Sand VP, Jack Brunner Sec’t, Matt Peters – Treasurer, Bill Schnetter. Mark Backes, Peter Fandel Past President.
Absent: Linda DesJardins, Byron Bjorklund,
CURRENT BUSINESS
1. Quorum was determined and minutes were accepted as printed. (Matt/Jim 100%)
Recognized illness of Ruth Peter and Dan Eich.
Budget: Curley Leaf Pond Weed – $1800.00
Shoreline Restoration – $2,600 @ (In multi-lot units)
CIP Program – $800.00
Watershed has $5000 check for us and will be our host of this program. Rena did the pre-application work.
DNR will monitor slot limits on northern in our lake. They do mapping of lake only once per ten years. We have two companies that will remap hi-lighting curly pond leaf. Blue water Scientific $2,500; Lake Management $1,800. Motion (Peter, Mark, to approve this item for the budget. 100%).
2. 501C3 STATUS: What are the benefits? What are the cost factors? Many opinions. Consensus to wait and see what future paperwork may suggest.
3. WEB SITE: Some confusion as to what is! The Old Site should direct people to new site. This motion passed 100%.
4. NEW LETTER MAILING LIST: We will need the basic mailing list for some time. Working on extended mailing list.
5. BILL – Water Testing. A company will train Bill. He may be able to train others. Equipment will be provided.
6. MATT – NO PARKING: Matt talked with the township. Peter will check with Scott in the trail division.
7. AVON HILLS: From Jim: Shore line restoration demands deed restoration when complete. Avoid regression when property is transferred. Co is working on a Proposed Land Use Zoning law.
8. HEALTHY LAKES is where we go for the second $5,000 grant.
NEW BUSINESS: 2ND SAT IN JUNE, ANNUAL MEETING. Will hi-lights story of the Loons.
2. Will need new format to board reimbursement.
3. Need to talk to the fund raising committee about a Lake “Garage Sale”
ADJOURNED AT 10:46 AM.
Minutes by Jack H. Brunner
March 3, 2010
Meeting called to order byPresident Rena Weber at 9:15 AM.
All Board Members present:Rena Weber – President; Jim Sand VP, Jack Brunner Sec’t. Matt Peters -Treasurer, Bill Schnetter. Mark Backes, Linda DesJardin, Bryon Bjorklund, PeterFandel Past President,
CURRENT BUSINESS
Quorum was determined and minutes of Feb 13th wepassed around for approval.
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Healthy Lakes & RiversProgram: Rena passed out “lake Management Plan” from the Feb Meeting. We needto involve many people in our many projects. BFL Association will plan a VisionMeeting for all landowners for August: to get committees on base. Consultantswill run the meeting. Need to prioritorize our projects. Will try to Aug 14th,site pending for the meeting.
A]Rena has applied for the grant for project A: Curly leaf pondweed: do we have aproblem, do we had a current map of the weed site. Our present baseline is from2005. Applications for grants are being resubmitted for [b] Cropland projectand [c] shoreline restoration. Grant money already sent to Soil and Water (GregBerg). So far we get $300.00.
2. 501.C3: Paul Steil willrevamp our by laws and work us towards this classification. Many items in ourBy Laws are not practical, e.g.: Audit every two years, vs. a ‘financialreview’. Cost for State classifications is in process of being lowered andadjusted. Consensus: We need this classification. Motion: by Jim, second byMark to permit Paul Steil to review by-laws and proceed with newclassification. Passed 100%.
3. Linda: Web Site: up andrunning. Web Master is Andy from Eich Motors. Linda donated $250 to thisproject. {Super thanks} Membersare asked to forward old minutes to Linda for inclusion.
A]Newsletter and Mailings. On hand: 60 – 80 e mail address, 250 mail addresses, @75 members. Objective: use E-mail addresses for newsletter. Etc. Cheaper.Budget has $150 for mailings: In April, post cards for June for July meeting,Aug- Sept another issue. Agreed: our present budget is a guideline andtherefore flexible. We need the addresses of the second tier around the lake,and a list of friends (e.g.: Commissioners, etc). Suggestion: this summer haveboard members visit with neighbors about membership.
4. Water Quality: Land siteA: owners are interested in planting native grasses with a classification ofCPRP. Land site B: pending somelegal work, this will be in native grasses in a year. Land site C: working on a100 ft buffer of grass
5. Water Testing: by Bill:Inlet by his place 356 m/l with 5 m/l suspended solids. Long lake inlet 54 m/lwith 2 m/l of solids. Rearing pond test results pending. This has the mostvolume of water. Suspended solids 3 m/l. Eastern inlet results pending with 4m/l of suspended solids. Will test again after a heavy rain. Will test the lakeon two sites this summer.
6. Curley Leaf Pond Weed. ByMatt. Exploring commercial testers; Paul Diedrick (sic) reported that thecounty or state would be testing this summer. We do not know when or when wewill see the results. Discussion on cost variables, Point Intercept vs. GPS vs.sight testing. Will review this at a future meeting.
7. Jim: Budget adjustment: $240 added to cost and to expenses. Again, stated that since this is our firstbudget many modifications will be applied in time. Motion was made to approvethis process of adjustment, seconded and Passed 100%.
8. Parking by and near boatlanding. Fact: if you park on the road that is wrong, since you are blocking a2 lane county road. If you park on the shoulder you are parking on private propertyand they owner could have you removed. Question: What role should theassociation take in this matter? This topic will be open for discussion in a future meeting.
9. Dues for the new year areat $25.00 per member.
ADJOURNED AT 10:58 AM.
Minutesby Jack H. Brunner