MINUTES OF THE CLA 25th Annual Membership Meeting September 17, 2011

The meeting was called to order, by President Judy Yorston, at 9:05 a.m.

Election:

Results: President - Judy Yorston

Vice President - Jerry Trent

Treasurer -  Diane Wilbert

Secretary - Barbara Videen

Directors:
Dean Yorston

Dave Videen

DeDe Dubois

Jerry Dubois

Committee Reports:

 Water Quality, Jerry Trent - presented the summary for this year. See 3 attached pages. Overall the lake has done well this year. Collected data will be used by the MPCA in prep for new projects.

 Advertising/Crossings, The Crossings is totally self-sustaining; paid for by advertisements. Help is needed for securing ads for next year. Contact Dean Yorston if you are willing to help him. Eddie Wilbert designed and printed the tri-fold brochure that is placed in the CLA mailboxes on the 2 public landings on Cross Lake. The mail boxes and brochures were purchased using grant money from the DNR.

Membership, Judy Yorston - We have 215 member households bringing in $6090.00 in dues and another $635.00,earmarked by members, to be used for Water Quality.

Scholarship, Barbara Videen - This yearʼs recipient is Nathan Wendorf. Nathan is an avid outdoorsman and plan to major in education. He plans to bring a love of the outdoors to his students. Nathan worked at the CLA fair booth and plans to help with water testing. It should be noted that the scholarship fund is self- sustaining with monies coming from the Silent Auction and the Freedom Fest concession stand.

Social/Recreational - The completed activities were reported: Boat Parade, Senior Outing, Fair Booth, Fair Parade, and Golf Outing. Our final activity will be the dinner/dance to be held Oct. 8th at the Legion. This will also include the silent auction that supports the scholarship fund. Members are asked to make a donation; make up a basket, donate something you donʼt use, or write a check. Local businesses also contribute. Then, plan to attend. This year there is a Halloween theme - costumes are fun, but not required. The cost is $11 for dinner and the band.

Treasurerʼs Report - Diane Wilbert read the treasurerʼs report.

Presidents Updates and Members Discussions:

•   There will be a meeting of the PIKM group on Oct. 6th,at the Pekegama Lake Building organizing the group into a COLA that would then be a part of an effort to add our voice to the conservation effort in govt.

•   Twelve coconut rolls were placed around the lake this year. We have found, by testing both sides of the rolls, that nutrients can be reduced by 25%. We continue to collect data.

•   Judy explained about some grants that are applied for. We are waiting for notification if we will receive funding.

•   The Star Lake Award was explained as some members did not realize how impressive this award is to receive; only 11 lakes in all of Minnesota have been awarded this from the Minnesota Legislature, due mainly to the efforts of the Cross Lake Association. The ceremony was poorly attended by members and officials. It was discussed how we can better communicate to members and the public. Many email addresses and phone numbers on our roster are no longer valid making communication difficult.

•   Member Mary Kay Brautigan suggested we have a Facebook page and offered to find someone to set it up. Those present liked the idea and suggested the “Crossings” keep mentioning to members that they “Become a Friend.”

•   A discussion was held on raising the membership dues. Members decided that we want as many families to become members as possible and voted to leave the dues at $15. Many households donate more money  some earmarking funds to be used only for water quality.

•   A discussion was held on where to donate $500 we have left for community donations. The membership voted to sponsor Pine Center for the Arts for one month, and to check into donating to the Snake River  Conservation Club next year.

•   To get more members volunteering in such projects as water testing, laying coconut rolls, and other projects, it was suggested to plan these events, when possible, at times more convenient to working members and weekenders - afternoons or on weekends. This is not always possible as weather often dictates when these can be done.

•   It was suggested and discussed that another way to get members involved is to try new things such as a  different location and/or band for the dinner/dance. A committee will be formed to explore this. Committee  volunteers: Mary Kay Bratigan, DeDe Dubois, Lois Levin, and Barb Videen.

•   Judy asked if anyone could sell a camera, we no longer need, on eBay. Member Scott Jones said he would ask his wife to do this.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:55 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Barbara Videen

Secretary