Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Board of Directors Meeting September 18, 2008

Call to order: 7:06 p.m., Chair Jim Grisim presiding
Members present: Dale Bacon, Dick Brink, Jim Grisim, Ryan Hoops, Rod Kreuser. Also present, Julie Yoho & Fred Downing.
Motion by Kreuser, seconded by Bacon, to approve agenda. Motion carried.
Downing reported on his work with a representative of Comstock & Sons in carrying out this year’s weed harvesting program. He was favorably impressed and recommends contracting with Comstock again next year. The rep-resentative not only ran the harvester, but also was responsible for repairs and maintenance, all at a cost of $31 per hour. No bill has been received, but a total of $1,000-$1,500 is anticipated. Downing reported that the two bottom belts on the harvester are old and stretched, and Dick Gillitzer recommends replacement. The White Bear City lot is under construction, so the harvester will again be stored on the White Bear Township lot.
Motion by Bacon, seconded by Hoops, to approve the minutes of the July 9, 2008 organizational meeting. Motion carried.
Kreuser presented the September 17, 2008 treasurer‘s report, a copy of which is attached. Motion by Brink, seconded by Bacon to approve the report. Motion carried.
Kreuser reported that White Bear Lake City Treasurer Don Rambo is willing to permit use of the City’s banking arrangement, at much more favorable terms than those provided by Bremer Bank. Kreuser will follow up.
Removal of the harvester from the lake proved difficult. A casualty was a blown transmission on Kreuser’s truck, resulting in repairs estimated to cost about $3,600. Motion by Bacon, seconded by Hoops, to pay half the cost of repairs. Motion carried.
Following the damage to Kreuser’s truck, the harvester was removed using a winch provided by Vadnais Auto Service. Motion by Grisim, seconded by Kreuser to use a winch in all future removal operations. Motion carried.
Grisim presented a proposed annual report. Numerous amendments were made, and Yoho will retype and distribute the revised report, accompanying it with a transmittal letter.
Brink submitted a proposed request to have the Order establishing the BLID amended. (The proposed request was not submitted but has been withdrawn for revision.)
Hoops agreed to have appropriate warning signs erected in the vicinity of the aerator this winter.
Hoops agreed to update the BLID blog, web site and newsletter information.
Following a water skiing exhibition on the lake, there were complaints about weeds being churned up near the shore. It was agreed that the harvester will be standing by to alleviate such problems in the future.
Minnesota Waters is offering a $5,000 matching grant for 2008-2009 for projects relating to conservation. VLAWMO, the BLID, and the City of White Bear Lake submit a joint application based on restoring the northwest shore of Birch Lake. Motion by Kreuser, seconded by Grisim, to approve the BLID’s participation in this project. Motion carried.
The Rush Lake Improvement Association has requested the BLID’s en-dorsement of a proposal to have the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Min-nesota Resources conduct research on the use of iron filings to control curlyleaf pond weed. Motion by Grisim, seconded by Kreuser to approve the request. Motion carried.
Motion by Brink, seconded by Hoops to adjourn. Motion carried and meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Richard E. Brink
Secretary
Next quarterly meeting November 6, 2008