MINUTES -- Coon Lake Improvement District ANNUAL Meeting

July 22, 2009

Meeting started at 6:30 PM for members to meet Board Members and candidate for election

Meeting called to order:  7:05 PM

Attendees:

Board Members Present:                        Board Members NOT Present:

Al Beck – 1^st Vice Chair                    Mike Bury - Chairman

Dave Koenig – 2^nd Vice Chair

Ron Croteau – Treasurer

Tim Donnay - Secretary                     

Members present and recorded in, including current Board members – 52 (includes 1 property owner counted twice - with 2 parcels)

1)      Call to Order & Discussion of Agenda – Mike Bury

Al Beck called the meeting to order, and:

a)      Presented an overview of the meeting, along with the agenda

b)     Presented a slide soliciting members to get involved with the CLID, indicating various areas of need

c)      Introduced the Board Members present as well as Keith VonDeLinde who is running for the open Board position

2)      Lake Treatment Plan – Dave Koenig

a)      Dave Koenig presented the Lake treatment plan material including:

b)     Identification of the Lake Treatment Plan goal.

c)      Background on the Lake treatment Plan and information as discussed at last year’s annual meeting, which consisted of a map of infested area in 2007, and discussed the two options that were available to us depending on treatment possibilities that were approved last year.

d)     Identified things we learned over the last year

e)      Identified the 2008 & 2009 Lake Plans

f)       Outlined the activities taken to identify areas to be treated in 2009

g)      Provided insight on infested areas with maps and aerial photos

h)      Listed other activities of the CLID in 2009 and additional things learned through the process

i)        Presented the 2010 treatment plan and a preliminary view of possible 2011  treatment options

3)      Treasurers Report / Budget/ Voting on Motions

Ron Croteau presented information on the following:

a)      Treasurer’s report – provided a summarized version of funds and expenses since the CLID formation in 2008

b)     Explanation of the timing of receipt of funds from the County from fee assessments was explained by Ron, which led to early 2009 unavailability of funds to do any early season treatment, and explaining that because the fiscal year does not coincide with our annual meetings, that we needed to be looking out 18 months when discussing expense management and availability for treatments.

c)      Recap of the 2009 budget of revenues and expenses that were approved at last year’s annual meeting, as well as a forecast of where we would be at the end of 2009. A recommendation was made to carry any excess into 2010 for early season treatment.

d)     Presented a proposed budget for 2010 that would be voted on – recommended that the anticipated budget surplus in 2010 be carried over to 2011 for early treatment as well.

e)      Provided a list of 3 motions that called for a membership vote to approve -           

1.      Approval for the continued assessment of $300 per property for 2010,

2.      Approval of the 2010 budget in total of $139,100,

3.      Approval of list of two projects in excess of $5k   

Results of voting are at the end of the Minutes.                     

4)      Discussion / Public Comments / Questions

A number of questions were posed by the public, most of which are listed below, and were responded to by the board, or in some cases other members. Space is limited to show the answers. A recommendation will be made at the next Board meeting to perhaps post answers to questions on the website.

* Who is providing treatment this year?

* Did we put this out for bid?

* Did we consider Lakeshore Management Inc?

* Why did we pick whom we did?

* How much is going to be treated? How determined?

* Infested areas don’t seem to be in populous areas – how considered?

* Are we treating only milfoil this year?

* Why no curly leaf pondweed treatment this year?

* Other lakes have done harvesting, such as Minnetonka – have we considered that?

* Questions on chemicals / treatment – What chemicals are being considered? Liquid or granular? Are they safe? Will there be any swimming restrictions? Will there be signs around the lake informing what area has been treated, and any precautions? How / who will notify property owners of treatment areas, dates, and any restrictions? How will treatments affect water quality?

* There was discussion of the Senior Center – why only one assessment when so many docks? Can’t we get them to pay their fair share?

* How are we assessing the campgrounds?

* A statement was made that there has to be a better way than assessments – did we consider other alternatives?

* Water quality / visibility seems good – are the weeds improving water quality? What will happen after treatment?

* Do we really need to do it – weeds overall seem to be down? No curly leaf pondweed any more.

* Where there are additional weeds – how do we know it’s not just a result of lower water levels?

* How are properties being assessed – is everyone equal?

* Why are some people being charged multiple assessments?

* There is supposed to be a means to get an exemption? What is it? If people have limited access why should they have to pay? 

* Do property owners need to treat their own individual lakeshore anymore?

* How does the DNR determine what can / will be treated?

* How large is Coon Lake? Why can’t we treat more?

* What is a common area? Who determined?

* Why is the water quality less on the East Lake?

* Why is most of the treatment on the West Lake?

* Explain what has been treated in the past? Was it effective?

* Why doesn’t the CLID monitor the boat accesses, and check for weeds? 

* Can we control public access to the lake? Can we restrict bass tournaments?

* Are we pursuing grants for lake treatment?

* What are chances of getting a grant for lake treatment?

* If grants are available, why a need for assessments?

* What are we doing to get funding other than assessments?

* What will the clean water act do for us? Why aren’t we asking them for funds?

* How are CLIA & CLID interacting – is there overlap?

* Presentation is hard to read – why don’t we have handouts?

* Can the presentation be on the website BEFORE the annual meeting so people can review?

Al Beck asked for a vote on stopping of questions so we could provide election results and vote on budget related motions. This was approved

2)      Results - Election of Director

There were 52 members whom signed in at the meeting, and were eligible to vote.

Two absentee ballots were sent out before the meeting, but these were not sent in to the CLID PO Box before the meeting deadline.

Keith Von DeLinde was the candidate on the ballot. 

He was elected with a vote count of 44 voters, with 8 voters abstaining from voting.

 Election of officers will take place at the next general meeting after the annual meeting, which will be August 12th at the Senior Center at 7:00 PM

3)      Budget Review & Vote –

Projects over $5k

Budget in total

Fee Assessment

There was a lot of discussion on the tightness of the economy and the discomfort felt by many at being assessed $300 when it couldn’t be afforded. Others discussed possible cutback to an amount as low as $100 or $150.

A comment was made by a member that we haven’t had the opportunity to spend anything on treatment this year because of lack of funds in the treasury until July 6^th, and since we were voted in by the members last year, and the treatment plan approved, we should at least give the plan an opportunity to start to see if it is successful before we start changing it.  That seemed to end the discussions of changing the assessment amount.

It was brought up before the vote on the budget related topics that we should change the order in which we voted on the motions. It was stated that it didn’t matter if we approved expenses over $5k and the total budget, if we didn’t approve the assessments.  This made sense, and it was agreed to vote on the Fee assessment first, the total budget second, and individual projects over $5k third.

Voting on the motions was initially being done on a voice vote, Aye vs Nay.

It was brought up by a member that since we were a county / government agency that it was felt we needed a more official tally of the votes rather than a voice vote.  It was discussed by the board, and a motion made and seconded to conduct a hand count vote.

Motion #1 – Annual assessment of $300

Motion made by Dave Koenig – seconded by Ron Croteau

Vote Results            46 Yes

                          6 No

Motion #2 – 2010 Annual Budget of $139,100

Motion made by Ron Croteau – seconded by Dave Koenig

Vote Results            49 Yes

                          3 No

Motion #3 – Projects over $5k ($120k for Weed Control Treatment & $8,000 for surveys)

Motion made by Ron Croteau – seconded by Tim Donnay

Vote Results            51 Yes

                          1 No

The Annual Meeting agenda having been completed, a motion was made to adjourn the Annual Meeting; the Motion was seconded, and approved 44-2.

The Annual Meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:45 PM

We want to thank all those who attended the meeting, and a give a particular thank you and our appreciation to those who have volunteered to help.

NOTE --- The CLID’s Next Regularly Scheduled Board Meeting will be Meeting will be August 12^th at the CLCSC at 7:00 PM.