Big Fish Lake Association Board Minutes

Saturday, September 8th, 2012

We lacked the needed members in attendance to have a quorum according to our By Laws.  We did however get a review of the Boat Landing Inspections from WaterGuards and we discussed all items on the Agenda with no action being able to be taken.

Our current membership is 114, a record for BFLA

We need to come up with a way to get members invovled – ideas are welcomed.

Sunday August, 26th 2012

Hidden Cove Orchard

Members Present:  Matt P, Bill S, Mike F, Rena W,  Allen S, Byron B and Jim S

Meeting called to order by Pres. Jim S at 10:30 a.m.

Agenda followed agenda for our Fall September 8th full membership meeting

Treasurer’s Report:  2012 Budget $2,836.00,  Expenses before Social $667.22, Budget Balance $2,208.78

Jim gave updates on the following:

Boat Landing Inspections –  Stephanie Johnson will inform membership of this past years boat inspections

Northern Rearing Pond – Water level in the pond is to low to continue alum treatments, need to investigate options and IF involvement for funding.

July 2nd Fund Raiser – We raised just over $4,000.00, Motion by Mike, 2nd by Allen to have Matt and Jim work out transfer of budget items to cover difference for our $5,000.00 match to IF for our Conservancy Fund.  Passed

Web Domain Name – We now have our web domain name set for the next 9 years

MN Water Membership and website hosting – They have changed due dates for both membership and web hosting.  We are current with next bill due July of 2013.

Constant Contact – Changed bill for this service from Eich Motors to Jim Sand, requires credit card.  Matt to look into BFLA getting its own credit/debit card.  Motion by Bill, 2nd by Mike to pay Eich Motors for pass service fees up to $200.00.  Passed  (NOTE – Linda Eich told Jim that they will NOT be sending us a bill for this a BIG THANK YOU to Linda and Eich Motors!  Please pass on our thanks to Linda when you see her.

Motion by Bill, 2nd by Allen to pay bills associated with BFLA Social – Passed

Membership – We now have 112 members, most ever I believe.  We still need 2 more members to cover our current annual budget expenses as budgeted for 2012.

Items to be added to September 8th meeting Agenda – Lake Development Updates & Law Enforcement on Big Fish Lake

Meeting Adjourned  11:00

Respectfully Submitted

Jim Sand acting Sec.

Meeting called to order by President James Sand at 9:00 AM.  Township Hall.

Board Members present: Jim Sand, President, Jack Brunner Sec’t. Matt Peters, Treasurer, Allen Schmitz, Bill Schnettler, Mike Fandel, Bryan Bjorkland, Rena Weber – Past President;

Excused: Neil Fandel,

Prior to the 9 am Meeting:

a.      Committee met with the Fund Drive Committee: Avon, Fishers. Goal: Meet the $5,000 challenge: Need more donations for the Silent Auction and more membership. All on track.

b.     Jim Sand Up date to Committee: [1] Presence of Buckthorn – individual landowner responsibility; see Web Site up date; 123 e-mails sent.  22 bounced – email address no longer valid. 46 opened, the remainder not opened.

c.      Boat Landing: Contracted Services is expensive. $7500 yearly.

1.     9:00 AM Jim introduced Pam Perry of the DNR for a video and talk on Eagles and Osprey in Minnesota. Today the eagles are healthy over 1000 active nests.  Talk lasted till 9:30 AM, after which she answered questions for 15 minutes. Very informative, very well done

2.     9:45 AM: Meeting was called to order. 22 members present: quorum is 20.

3.     Agenda approved 100%. Minutes of Sept 10, 2011-approved 100% as printed.

4.     Treasurer’s Report: Up to 5/30/12 $2,836 budgeted; $508.69 spent: $2,827.31 balance.

5.     Visioning Grant: expense $1118.18 Balance $885.10; Fund Raising Expenses – zero; Membership Income $2450.00; IF Rearing Pond: exp: $2752.96; Income $5,000; balance $2247.04; Conservancy Fund as of3/321/12= $36,553.00; Non dedicated balance: $13,836.14; Petty Cash = $300.00. Motion to accept. 2nd, 100% approved.

6.     Membership Drive: 100 Members. We will do door-to-door.

7.     Water Testing: by Bill S: Very dry spring. Most areas not running. One area heavy Phosphorus.

8.     Secchi Dish Report: for 2011: Average SD 18.8 feet; 25.54 inches of rain Plus 1.53 Ice/rain. But in 2010 ice/rain was 4.89 and 2009 4.45/ Matt P recognized for 25 for SD readings: Joe and Dee Peters for 10 Years of service to Secchi Dish Reports.

9.     Northern Rearing Pond Report: Procedure: Add chemical alum, which attaches to phosphorus, which sinks to the bottom. Two treatments to date, 2 more pending.  Owners around this area are cooperating with not cutting close to the water and not putting lawn clipping in the water. Wonderful

10.   Conservancy Fund: See above: Yearly interest to fund projects on the lake.

11.    MN Waters Update: Suspended operations: Another conservancy group will run our Web Site.

12.   Boat Landing: Applied for a grant: Denied. Board wishes to work through contracted Services. The sooner something is done, the safer the lake shall be.  Consensus of our discussion.

13.   Army Tent Worms: Association does not have 100% landowner membership. Therefore a fly-over is not possible. Landowners will have to work on this individually or in small groups.  BFLA supports these efforts.

14.   Loon Nests. 3 nests: one empty; one 1 baby, plus 2 un-hatched eggs; one with 2 chicks.

15.   July 2nd Fund Raiser at Fishers of Avon. Open to one and all. Bring your friends. $22 per adult; $10 for kids. This is our last year with a $5000 matching grant.

16.   Boat Parade: July 4th. 2 PM sharp.   August 26th Family Social serving chicken at Hidden Cove Orchard.  Activities from 11:00 to 3:00

17.   ELECTIONS: no one put their names to the ballot.  All those up for re-election have agreed to serve: Motion by re elect: Fr.Jack, Matt, Allen Byron, and Neil. 2nd and passed 100%. At a future meeting the membership will have to work out the vice-president position.

18.   Open Forum: (A) Doug Adamek thanked the board for their dedication and hard work. (B) Power Line down the El Rancho Road. No one knows anything else. (C) Curley Leaf Pond Weed seems to be dying out. (D) Boat Landing; need to solve this problem quickly. (E) To spray for Army Tend Worms about $32 per lot. (F) Lake Assoc. could become a taxing Authority giving us 100% and funds necessary for future major projects.  (G) Association thanks Township for the hall and their hospitality.

19.   Adjourned at 10:32 AM –                                                Minutes by Jack H. Brunner

Meeting called to order by President James Sand at 9:06 AM. Home of Jim Sands

Board Members present: Jim Sand, President, Jack Brunner Sec’t. Matt Peters, Treasurer, Allen Schmitz, Bill Schnettler, Mike Fandel, Rena Weber –  Past President;

Excused: Bryan Bjorkland, Neil Fandel,

1.     President Sand deemed a quorum present to conduct business.

2.     Financial report: Motion, 2nd to appoint CS Record for all mailing business to our membership. Passed by 100%. Last mailing cost us $129.00.

3.     Web Site: $50 to Andrew for this service. Cleaned the site and added Fund Drive poster.

4.     MN Waters closed down. Conservation Minnesota took over by merger. Web site agreement continues with Conservation Minnesota.

5.     Annual Meeting: Cost $75.00. No board meeting necessary before this meeting. However, we will meet at 8:30 AM with fund drive people.

6.     Loon Nests: No expense to date. Two chicks off one, one 0, and no 3 nest: loons are still sitting.

7.     Rearing pond. 4 treatments scheduled. Bill for one $650.00. We hope that PLM will come when they schedule, so our people can observe their work. Motion, 2nd, to pay all these bills when they come due. Passed 100%.

8.     Membership: 100 out of 180-200 potential. Request by Anita Bauer to spray for army-worms. Not possible for our association. Cost about $32 per acre. With our low membership percentage this is not within our reach.

9.     Fund Drive (Avon): Goal $5,000. As of 3/21: balance $36,953 Conservancy Fund . $250 Annual service fee

10.   Greg Berg: requests our input on future lake projects.  We agree.

11.   Request by succhi dish readers: Indoor/outdoor thermometers. (need 5). Funds to be taken from Visionary section of budget. Motion, 2nd 100% approved after a long discussion.

12.   Jim Reviewed the agenda for the annual meeting: (all members bring eats.) Quorum, Minutes, Treasurer Report, secchi dish reports (Awards by Matt for 25 years and Joe and Dee 10 years) Water testing, Membership Drive, Rearing Pond report, Conservancy Fund, Fund Raiser at Avon, Boat Landing inspections, Loon Nests, August social, July 4th parade, Election of board members.

13.   Other business: discussion of army-worms. Web site by Conservancy Minnesota. Finally: Ally-way is a topic of discussion with Township Planning commission. No one has talked to us.

ADJOURNED: AT 10:30 AM. ON SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2012

MINUTES BY:  Jack H. Brunner