Greetings!
This is first in series of COLA e-mail updates aimed at keeping our member organizations apprised of COLA happenings and opportunities for Lake Associations. Please pass this information to other members of your Lake Association Board and other interested members of your association. Newsletter editors should feel free to use any of this information.
Tri-County AIS Summit – this was an extraordinarily successful event held in Detroit Lakes on Saturday, January 15th. Almost 300 were in attendance to receive updates on the threats posed by AIS, the plans for avoiding further inroads to Minnesota lakes, and the need for more effective responses to those lakes already infested. Speakers included representatives from the Pelican River Watershed District, City of Detroit Lakes, Becker County, DNR, local businesses, and other groups. The meeting was sponsored by Becker, Hubbard, and Ottertail COLAs, along with the Pelican River Watershed District and Lake Detroiters Association. Of great importance was the presence of 8 state of our local elected state representatives, all of whom promised to help in facilitating a stronger, more effective statewide program. Barb Halbakken, Becker COLA’s Secretary, played a key role in organizing the event which received statewide recognition. Those interested in additional information can go to www.PRWD.org for copies of presentations and video clips from the meeting.
Becker County Ordinance Review Committee – The Committee has had an organizational meeting which resulted in division into several working groups – septic, resorts and shore-impact-zone changes. COLA’s John Postovit is involved in two of these and Chuck Church is working on the third. We will be closely watching this process. And we are prepared to jump in as needed.
Representatives at County Meeetings – we are trying to get COLA representatives to attend County Commission and other important meetings held by officials in our County. We see this as a way to get to know people who are making key decisions, and to perhaps increase our influence. If you are interested in this effort, please contact me (rhecock@arvig.net) or Chuck Church (cchurch22@hotmail.com)
COLA Consortium – representatives from Becker COLA have been meeting with like-minded folks from other COLA’s from around the state. Minnesota Waters has been facilitating these meetings. One outcome is that we have found out what other County COLA’s have been doing. Also, there seems to be substantial interest in working together on some key issues like invasive species, zoning issues, and the like. An early effort may be a letter-writing campaign to alert legislators of our interests – there will be more on this soon.
The Next Step – COLA Executive Committee is joining with Becker SWCD and RMB Labs in submitting a grant application to BWSR for support of some diagnostic work for several COLA Lakes. The Grant calls for analyzing past monitoring efforts for each participating lake, looking at other data bases pertaining to those lakes (fisheries surveys, watershed info, land use, etc.) and developing specific recommendations for future monitoring needs for that lake. If your lake may be interested in participating in such an effort, please contact Dick Hecock (rhecock@arvig.net or 218 846-0436).
DNR AIS Inspections – DNR has announced 2011 grant opportunities for cost-sharing programs to establish public access inspection programs. Several Becker COLA lakes have participated in such a program before – Bad Medicine, Big Cormorant, Floyd Shores, and others. Applications are pretty simple. Due by Feb. 7. For information and application forms go to website: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/grants/aquatic_invasive/watercraft_inspections.html. Additional information can be obtained from Darrin Hoverson (Darrin.Hoverson@state.mn.us) or Wendy Crowell (wendy.crowell@state.mn.us).