>> I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[00:00:03]
INITIALLY, SAYING THAT WE'VE GOT FOUR OF FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT, WHICH CONSTITUTES A QUORUM, AND WE WILL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME WITH THAT.
>> WELCOME. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VISITORS HERE TONIGHT.
APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US HERE.
FIRST OFFICIAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
[Approval of Agenda]
IS THERE ANY CHANGES, ADDITIONS, SUBTRACTIONS? I AM AWARE OF ONE THAT ITEM 13, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, CONCEPT PLAN REVIEW ON 245 FERNDALE HAS BEEN PULLED AT THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, SO THAT WILL BE COMING OFF THE AGENDA TONIGHT.ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE ABOUT THE AGENDA?
>> HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA,
[Consent Agenda]
WHICH ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE WILL BE ACTED ON ONE MOTION.NO DISCUSSION, UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR STAFF REQUESTS.
IF A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON A PARTICULAR ITEM, WE'LL CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.
TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM OUR LAST MEETING, CLAIMS AND BILLS.
UPCOMING WORK SESSION AND COUNCIL TRAINING SCHEDULE, HIRING A POLICE OFFICER, HIRING SEASONAL EMPLOYEES, TWO SEPARATE FIREWORKS DISPLAY REQUESTS, A SOLICITOR LICENSE, 2025 SEWER REHABILITATION AWARD, AND A FINAL PLAT AMENDMENT FOR 430 OLD CRYSTAL BAY ROAD, AND 4745 NORTH SHORE DRIVE AFTER THE FACT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AMENDMENT.
>> MR. MAYOR, MAY I REMOVE NUMBERS 9 AND 11, PLEASE.
ANYTHING ELSE? NINE AND 11 WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE OTHER ITEMS OTHER THAN NUMBERS 9 AND 11?
>> MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NOT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
[Public Comments]
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL.COUNCIL WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION OR TAKE ANY ACTION ON ITEMS PRESENTED AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY REFER ISSUES TO STAFF FOR FOLLOW UP OR CONSIDERATION AT A FUTURE MEETING.
SPEAKERS SHOULD STATE THEIR NAME AND HOME ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM BEFORE SPEAKING.
SPEAKERS SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF TIME AND LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHERS TO SPEAK.
WE ENCOURAGE SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS THEIR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND TO KEEP THEIR REMARKS RESPECTFUL AND RELEVANT.
CRITICISM OF IDEAS IS CERTAINLY ACCEPTABLE, BUT ATTACKS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT TOLERATED.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR STATEMENTS IN A CIVIL MANNER.
SIMILARLY, WE ASK EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO BE RESPECTABLE SPEAKERS AND REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS SHOUTING, HECKLING, OR MAKING EXCESSIVE NOISE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER COMMENT ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.
WE ARE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
COMMENTS WILL BE ALLOWED AT THAT TIME DURING THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION, IF YOU'RE HERE TO COMMENT ON THE LID, YOU CAN HOLD YOUR COMMENTS UNTIL THEN.
BUT OTHERWISE, IF YOU'VE GOT COMMENTS ON OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE BEFORE US, PLEASE USE THIS TIME TO COMMENT TO US.
WITH THAT, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR US TONIGHT? YES, SIR.
>> MY NAME IS RICHIE ANDERSON.
I LIVE AT 205 CRYSTAL BAY ROAD.
I WAS JUST THINKING TODAY, WHICH IS A COOL PROJECT, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT AN UPDATE WITH THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT, AND I WAS THINKING MAYBE ADAM COULD DIG IN AND LET US KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
THEY'RE COMING UPSTREAM FROM LONG LAKE AND DOING SOME, NOT SILT PONDS, BUT STORAGE.
YOU MAYBE REMEMBER STORAGE AREAS TOO, AND I WAS CURIOUS IF THEY STARTED THAT BECAUSE THE WATER IN TANAGER BAY IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, WHICH WILL BE THE NATURAL RUNOFF.
IT WILL BE FUN TO JUST GET AN UPDATE ON THAT.
HEARING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 9,
[9. 2025 Sewer Rehabilitation Award (25-012)]
[00:05:02]
THE 2025 SEWER REHABILITATION AWARD.>> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE, ADAM.
IT MENTIONS THAT 80% OF THE OVERAGE OF THIS FORM WATER ISSUES COME FROM PRIVATE SOURCES, AND IT ALSO MENTIONS IN THE ITEM THAT EDUCATION FOR RESIDENTS IS BEING PROVIDED, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN TOUCH ON THAT.
>> I THINK YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT IN THE BACKGROUND PORTION?
>> THOSE ARE SOME STATISTICS THAT COME FROM THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND FOR THE COUNCIL ON WHAT I&I IS AND WHERE IT COMES FROM.
YES, THEIR ESTIMATES ARE THE MAJORITY OF IT DOES COME THROUGH THE PRIVATE SIDE OF THE SYSTEM.
THE COUNCIL ACTION THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC SIDE, OR IN THIS CASE, THE CITY PORTION, WHICH SITS IN BETWEEN THE PRIVATE PORTION AND THE MAIN COUNCIL PORTION, WHICH IS OUR SEWER MAINS AND MANHOLES IN OUR SYSTEM.
>> IT SAYS IN THE BACKGROUND THAT SINCE 2005 MET COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED ORONO AS ONE OF THE COMMUNITIES WHO CONTRIBUTE EXCESSIVE INFLOW, HAS THIS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS TO WHY?
>> WHAT WE GET IS EVERY YEAR, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DOES AN ANALYSIS ON ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT CONNECT INTO THEIR INTERCEPTOR AND TREATMENT FACILITIES.
THEY WILL DO A REPORT BASED ON WHAT THE EXPECTED AMOUNT OF FLOW COMING INTO THE SYSTEM FROM US IS.
IF WE IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, EXCEED THAT EXPECTED AMOUNT BY WE HIT 80% OF THE MAXIMUM, THEN WE GET AN EXCEEDS WARNING.
IF WE EXCEED CERTAIN PRIMERS, AND WE GET A PENALTY FOR THAT EXCEEDANCE.
WHEN WE'VE GOTTEN THOSE PENALTIES IN THE PAST, I THINK SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE GOTTEN THEM TWICE.
USUALLY THEY HAPPEN WHEN WE HAVE A REALLY WET SUMMER.
AS WE'RE GETTING I&I THAT IS COMING INTO THE SYSTEM FROM OUTSIDE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DO ALLOW US TO DO IS WORK OFF THAT PENALTY BY OUR CITY LEVEL I&I MITIGATION PROCESSES, SO LIKE THIS PROJECT.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT UNDER A PENALTY FROM THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL, BUT WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
>> IT'S NOT CONSECUTIVE YEARS SINCE 2005?
>> NO. IT'S HAPPENED, I THINK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY TWICE.
LAST TIME WAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO.
WE'VE BEEN IN A DROUGHT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, SO WE HAVE NOT HAD HUGE NUMBERS FOR OUR FLOWS GOING INTO THE MET COUNCIL IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THOUGH.
>> TO THE LAST PART OF MY QUESTION, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE CITY IS DOING CURRENTLY TO EDUCATE? I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE PUBLIC SIDE OF IT, BUT IF 80% IS COMING FROM PRIVATE SOURCES, ARE WE PUTTING INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THESE ISSUES THAT I READ UP ON?
ONE, YES, THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL IS GREAT AT PROVIDING SOME EDUCATIONAL STUFF WHICH WE WILL INCLUDE ON OUR WEBSITE OR ON OUR LIKE NEWSLETTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT THE CITY OF ORONO DID A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO IS IMPLEMENTED OUR POINT OF SALE INSPECTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT GOING AFTER THE I&I THAT'S COMING IN ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
RIGHT NOW IN THE CITY OF ORONO, IF YOU GO TO SELL YOUR HOUSE AND YOU ARE CONNECTED TO CITY SEWER, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE YOUR SERVICE LINE TELEVISED INSPECTED, AND IF THERE ARE ANY LEAKS OR CRACKS OR THOSE THINGS TO GET THOSE REPAIRED BEFORE THE HOUSE SELLS AND OR THERE'S AN OPTION TO PROVIDE AN ESCROW FOR THE NEW HOME OWNER THEN TO UNDERTAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
BUT THAT'S HOW WE'VE TRIED TO GO AFTER, THE STUFF IS COMING IN ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
YEARS BEFORE THAT, WE DID SOME OTHER THINGS WHERE WE WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT CROSS CONNECTIONS.
PARTICULARLY IN SOME OLDER AREAS, YOU HAVE WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE CONNECTED THEIR SUMP PUMPS DIRECTLY INTO THE SANITARY SEWER, OR EVEN IN SOME RARE CASES WHERE THEY'RE TAKING THE RAIN GUTTERS AND CONNECTING THOSE DIRECTLY INTO THE SANITARY SEWER, BUT 15 PLUS YEARS AGO, THE CITY WENT THROUGH AN INSPECTION PROCESS LOOKING FOR THOSE CROSS CONNECTIONS AND HAVING THEM ELIMINATED.
IT'S ALSO SOMETHING WE INCORPORATE INTO SOME OF OUR OTHER ACTIVITIES.
WHEN WE'RE GOING IN TO DO WATER METER REPLACEMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE WATER SYSTEM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE INSPECTOR
[00:10:01]
LOOKS FOR WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE WATER METER INSTALL IS, ARE THERE ANY CROSS CONNECTIONS THAT ARE VISIBLE AS WE'RE DOING THAT, SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SENDING CLEAN WATER DIRECTLY INTO OUR SANITARY SYSTEM.>> THAT'S ALL I HAD. WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2025 SANITARY SEWER REHABILITATION PROJECT TO HYDROCLEAN FOR 261,339.76 AND AUTHORIZE BOLTON & MENK TO PERFORM DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT FOR A FEE NOT TO EXCEED 12,800.
>> WE'VE HAD A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT POINT? IF NOT, I WOULD CALL THE QUESTION.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
[11. LA25-000007, 4745 North Shore Drive, After-the-Fact Conditional Use Permit Amendment - Resolution 7589]
THE 4745 NORTH SHORE DRIVE.>> THANK YOU. I PULLED THIS ITEM BECAUSE, WELL, TWO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WEREN'T HERE WHEN WE HEARD THIS ITEM LAST.
BASED ON OUR WORK SESSION DISCUSSION TODAY, AS WELL, I WANTED TO REVIEW A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.
THIS APPLICATION WAS FOR A CUP ON LAKESHORE, AND WE'D SENT IT BACK TO STAFF LAST TIME TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION.
WE DIRECTED STAFF TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT, IN OTHER WORDS, ON VEGETATIVE SCREENING, BOULDER WALLS, AND ALSO SLOPE STABILIZATION BECAUSE THIS WAS A PROTECTED BLUFF AREA.
I NOTED THAT IN THE ANALYSIS PORTION HERE, STAFF HAS MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT SOME OF THE LANDSCAPE PLAN INCLUDES GRASSES THAT REQUIRE MORE FREQUENT FERTILIZATION, MOWING, AND WATERING, ETC., AND THAT KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS IS NOT NATIVE AND WILL REQUIRE MORE CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND ALSO WON'T PROVIDE SOME OF THE SCREENING ON THE LOWER WALLS.
BUT MAYBE, MELANIE, IF YOU COULD JUST REVIEW THE PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT IS GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES THAT YOU WORKED WITH THE APPLICANT ON THAT ARE WRITTEN INTO THE RESOLUTION, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS A CORRESPONDENCE THAT WENT FROM THE APPLICANT TO STAFF, AND THEN THE RESOLUTION WAS WRITTEN AFTER THAT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S FOR A VOTE. THE APPLICANT PROVIDED THE LANDSCAPE PLAN THAT'S SHOWN IN YOUR PACKET.
THEN STAFF DID RESPOND BACK WITH THE FEEDBACK.
ESSENTIALLY, ON YOUR COVER MEMO, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS, AND I THINK YOU SUMMARIZED THEM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TYPE OF PLANTS THAT WERE SELECTED.
TALKING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE APPLICANT AND THE TIMING LED US TO MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MADE ABOUT THE KEEPING THE ADDITIONAL SCREENING.
IN THE RESOLUTION, ALTHOUGH THE APPLICANT'S PLAN IS NOT SHOWING ANYTHING OTHER THAN KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS BETWEEN THE LOWER WALLS AND THE LAKESHORE AND UP THE SIDE OF THE SLOPE.
STAFF ANNOTATED THE APPROVED LANDSCAPE PLAN TO ALSO INCLUDE SOME ADDITIONAL PLANTS ON THE LAKE SIDE OF THE WALL TO SCREEN IT.
WE DIDN'T ADD ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE OTHER THAN REFERENCES FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH SPECIFY THE CITY'S PRIORITIES IN MAINTAINING NATURAL LAKE SHORES, AND THAT WAS UNDER FINDING A6 ON PAGE 3.
I'M JUST SUMMARIZING SOME OF THOSE PRIORITIES FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AFTER THE FACT CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WITH THE PLANTINGS THAT THE APPLICANT HAS LISTED HERE AS FAR AS NO-MOW FESCUE, HOSTAS AND LILIES ALONG THE STAIRS THAT SO POSSIBLY SCREEN A LITTLE BIT OF THOSE WALLS WITH THE ADDITION THAT PLANTINGS BE PLACED ON THE LAKE SIDE OF THE LOWER WALLS TO SCREEN THEM FROM THE LAKE.
YOU PRINTED OUT A COPY FOR EACH OF US BECAUSE IN THE PACKET, UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WERE ORIENTED HORIZONTALLY.
>> I'M SORRY. I PRINTED THAT COPY. I APOLOGIZE.
THE COUNCIL DOES HAVE THIS BEFORE US.
IT'S ON PAGE 3, AND YOU SAID A6?
>> A6 IS JUST LANGUAGE FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
I CAN READ IT IF YOU WANT ME TO READ A6.
>> IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
>> ORONO'S 2020-2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
[00:15:02]
PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPMENT NEAR THE LAKESHORE.IT STATES THAT LAKE SHORELINES WILL BE PROTECTED FROM ALTERATION.
SHORE LAND AREAS, INCLUDING BLUFFS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON LAKE WATER QUALITY, AND NATURAL VEGETATION IN SHORE LAND AREAS WILL BE PRESERVED TO LIMIT SURFACE RUNOFF AND SOIL EROSION.
CLEAR CUTTING WILL BE PROHIBITED.
EXCAVATION, FILLING, AND OTHER GRADE CHANGES AT OR NEAR THE SHORELINE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ACCOMMODATING DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DISCOURAGED.
THE COMPLAIN FURTHER STATES THAT THE RETENTION OF NATURAL VEGETATION WILL LIMIT THE IMPACT OF URBANIZATION AS VISIBLE FROM THE LAKE.
MINIMUM GREEN BELTS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH PROHIBITIONS AGAINST CLEAR CUTTING OR EXCESSIVE THINNING OF VEGETATION.
NATURAL VEGETATION WILL BE PRESERVED ON SLOPES, AND RETAINING WALLS WILL BE DISCOURAGED, EXCEPT WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO PREVENT EROSION.
IN SUCH CASES THEY WILL BE SCREENED WITH NATURAL VEGETATION.
>> THANK YOU. THIS APPLICATION, I THINK WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS IS THAT THIS IS INVOLVED, AS THE APPLICANT KNOWS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, AND I DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE APPLICANT TONIGHT.
BUT FOR ME, WHAT THIS HAS HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT WITHIN THIS CUP AND WITHIN THIS WORK THAT'S HAPPENED HERE ON THE SHORELINE, THAT IT'S LEFT A LITTLE BIT TO BE DESIRED IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, AND IN TERMS OF OUR CITY'S CURRENT ABILITY TO GIVE SOME MORE GUIDANCE IN THESE AREAS AROUND VEGETATIVE SCREENING AND WHAT IS ALLOWED IN TERMS OF THAT THE STONEWORK AND THE REBUILD OF THOSE STAIRS.
I APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT'S EFFORTS TO TAKE GUIDANCE FROM STAFF.
I THINK THERE WAS ONE OUTSTANDING ISSUE REGARDING THE APPLICANT AND REACHED OUT OR AT LEAST TO STAFF AND MENTIONED THAT HE WAS UNSURE OF WHERE TO ACCESS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND CERTAIN TYPES OF SEED MIXES, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT STAFF COULD POINT HIM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON THAT ISSUE, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY.
BECAUSE THIS WAS COMING FROM OUR WORK SESSION JUST A MOMENT AGO IS THAT OUR CITY'S COMMITTED THROUGH THE COMP PLAN AND THROUGH THE GUIDANCE OF THE CURRENT COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE ARE WORKING ON SHORELINE, AND THIS IS, AGAIN, A PROTECTED BLUFF.
IT'S EVEN MORE THAN A REGULAR SHORELINE, THAT ISSUES OF EROSION, ISSUES OF FILTRATION AND MAINTAINING HEALTH OF THE LAKE ARE REALLY PARAMOUNT.
>> WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE RESOLUTION, AND THE REASON I PULLED IT IS TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR BECAUSE THIS APPLICATION HAS HAD A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THE STAFF, IF WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT ON THE VEGETATIVE SCREENING, AND THAT WHEN WILL AN INSPECTION BE DONE? IS THAT GOING TO BE IN THE FUTURE HERE ONCE THIS LANDSCAPING [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'LL START THE PROPERTY WHEN THE APPLICANT LETS US KNOW THAT IT IS PLANTED AND READY FOR INSPECTION.
THE RESOLUTION DOES PROVIDE A TIMELINE FOR THAT BECAUSE OF THE AFTER THE FACT CONDITION.
WE ARE ASKING THAT THE INSPECTION BE CONDUCTED BY AUGUST 1ST.
IF IT'S UNABLE TO BE CONDUCTED FROM WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE APPLICANT SHOULD REACH OUT TO US TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT DEADLINE TO UPDATE US AND TO RESCHEDULE.
>> HOPEFULLY THAT'S BEEN MADE CLEAR TO THE APPLICANT AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN THESE TYPES OF INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE DEALING WITH A COMPLEX ISSUE THAT'S HAD MULTIPLE VIEWS IN FRONT OF COUNCIL THAT WE'RE HEARING THE SAME THINGS IN REAL TIME SO THAT WE CAN APPROVE OF THIS UNDERSTANDING WHAT STEPS STILL NEED TO BE TAKEN WITH THE VEGETATIVE SCREENING.
AND ALSO, KNOWING THAT STAFF HAS DONE, I THINK, A VERY GOOD JOB OF RECOMMENDING TYPES OF PLANTINGS THAT FOR A HOMEOWNER INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH OF THE LAKE, WHAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO EROSION CONTROL.
THESE THINGS ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN THE CITY.
I APPRECIATE STAFF'S EFFORTS ON THAT, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS UNLESS THERE'S OTHERS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES.
[INAUDIBLE] I CAN MAKE A MOTION IN THAT CASE.
MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 7589 AS DRAFTED.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? THANK YOU FOR GOING INTO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR WORK SESSION, AND THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES TO US AS A LAKESHORE CITY.
OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
WE DID DISCUSS ON THE WORK SESSION, THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO BE AT A REGULAR MEETING IN ORDER TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION TO STAFF ON THIS VERY ISSUE.
[00:20:03]
WE JUST DISCUSSED THAT.I DON'T KNOW IF LAURA IS STILL HERE MELANIE.
YOU WEREN'T AT THE WORK SESSION, BUT WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE ABOUT RELATED TO THE CUP AND RELATED TO THIS LANGUAGE, IF THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR COUNSEL TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME GUIDANCE TO STAFF ABOUT LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE RELATED TO THIS LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY REGARDING THE REPLACEMENT OF STAIRS TO THE LAKESHORE AND VEGETATIVE SCREENING AS PART OF THE CUP.
JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING GOOD GUIDANCE AND THAT THE GUIDANCE IS MADE, KEEPING IN MIND HEALTH OF THE LAKE AND EROSION CONTROL AND EVERYTHING RELATED.
>> I'M SORRY. WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IN THE WORK SESSION WAS, IF COUNCIL WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE TO STAFF ON SOMETHING YOU MIGHT WANT TO US TO SEE IN A FUTURE TEXT AMENDMENT RELATED.
I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE SOME DIFFERENT LANGUAGE OR MORE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AROUND VEGETATIVE SCREENING, AND PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO SLOPE STABILIZATION AND RETAINING WALLS IN THE SHORELINE.
>> IN RETAINING WALLS, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I BELIEVE WHERE IT STANDS IS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF REQUIRED MINIMAL AMOUNT OF WHATEVER IT WAS, BOULDER IS REQUIRED FOR STABILIZATION.
IT'S NOT VERY PRESCRIPTIVE AT THIS TIME.
>> YOU LOOK AT MORE [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S WHAT I'VE DISCUSSED WITH LAURA OAKDEN PREVIOUSLY, YES.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S COMING FROM ME, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE HAD ANY SIMILAR DISCUSSION.
>> WELL, I THINK THERE WAS A GENERAL AGREEMENT AMONGST THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE WORK SESSION THAT WE AGREE WITH THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY TAKES AN OPPOSING VIEW.
>> THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
>> YES. THANK YOU. NOW IT'S TIME FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
[12. Stubbs Bay Lake Improvement District Public Hearing]
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON A PROPOSED ACTION OR ISSUE BEFORE DECISIONS MADE.RELEVANT COMMENTS OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION FROM THE PUBLIC END UP BEING REFLECTED IN THE MEETING RECORD AND GET CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL AND TAKING THE ACTION THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO TAKE.
I WOULD CALL FORWARD, I GUESS, THE GROUP THAT IS THAT IS PROPOSING THIS LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR STUBBS BAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTS.
I WOULD SAY, I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT AT IN THE SAME RULES AS WE DO FOR REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT, LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN HEAR EVERYBODY.
TRY TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR FROM THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT X ISSUE.
UNLESS THERE'S A DIFFERENT ANGLE AT THAT ISSUE THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL HEARS.
DO TRY TO COORDINATE YOUR COMMENTS, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING SO THAT WE AREN'T HEARING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
>> KARENA CASEY, 255 LANDMARK DRIVE ORONO.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE PROPOSAL HERE FOR THE LID FOR STUBBS BAY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND IT'S GOING TO BE WE HAVE A LOT OF SLIDES TO GO THROUGH, SO I'M ASKING YOU TO BE PATIENT.
IT'S AN IN DEPTH PROCESS FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT IN ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS SO YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD DECISION.
JUST ASKING FOR KINDLY TO HAVE PATIENTS THROUGH THAT.
I'LL TRY TO MOVE AS FAST AS I CAN.
KARENA CASEY, AND MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED ON STUBBS BAY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, RAISED OUR KIDS THERE. LOVE IT.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE BAY CAPTAIN.
IT WAS JUST ONE OF THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION'S BAY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, AND I STARTED THAT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
HOW I GOT ALL INTO THIS BEFORE I GET INTO OUR LID IS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
I WAS SITTING AT THE END OF THE DOCK IN ITS EARLY SPRING, AND I LOOKED AROUND AND IT WAS JUST SURROUNDED BY MATS OF WEEDS, JUST MATS FLOATING ON THE TOP, AND I THOUGHT, HOW AM I GOING TO GET OUR BOAT OUT THIS SPRING? THEN ON THE SHORE, THERE WAS THE DISINTEGRATION, DECAY OF THESE MASSES OF WEEDS THAT HAD DISINTEGRATED INTO THIS MUCKY, SMELLY MESS.
[00:25:03]
I'M LIKE, THE STENCH WAS SO GREAT TO SIT THERE WAS AWFUL, AND I SAT THERE.I'M LIKE, IS ANYBODY CONTROLLING OR MANAGING LAKE MINNETONKA IN THIS PROBLEM? SERIOUSLY, AFTER 30 YEARS, I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
>> ARE YOU DONE WITH THE SLIDES?
>> ADAM. THANKS. THE NEXT SLIDE HERE.
LAKE MINNETONKA IS SUPER HEAVILY USED IN MINNESOTA AND IN THE MIDWEST.
IN FACT, IT IS THE MOST POPULAR LAKE TO ENJOY IN THE TWIN CITIES.
WE GET A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND NOT ONLY INTERNAL TRAFFIC, BUT PEOPLE COMING, BRINGING THEIR BOATS IN KIND OF TRAFFIC.
STUBBS BAY IS A DEAD END BAY. IT'S CLOSED.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO THE LAKE AND TO USE IT RECREATIONALLY.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC USES IT, BUT IT'S REALLY THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE TO CARE FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE 'CAUSE WE NEED YOUR HELP.
AIS, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT TERM A LOT BECAUSE IT'S QUICKER TO SAY THAN AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES.
THE NON-NATIVE AIS HAS GONE UNCHECKED FOR YEARS, AND IT'S CREATING AN UNHEALTHY AND UNUSABLE BODY OF WATER.
THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT THERE IS FROM THE END OF MY DOCK, AND WHICH IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BAY.
WE GET MASSES OF CURLY LEAF POND WEED AND MASSES LATER ON OF MILFOIL.
THOSE ARE OUR TWO PROBLEM WEEDS.
THE WATER QUALITY IS CLASSIFIED AS POOR BASED OFF OF THE EXCESSIVE PHOSPHORUS LEVELS.
THEN THIS IS FROM THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT.
THAT WAS NOTED IN THE DNR REPORT.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN AS FAR AS HEALTH OF THE BAY AND HEALTH OF THE FISH AND SWIMMING AND EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO PUBLICLY USE THIS BAY? IT CHOKES OUT NATIVE VEGETATION SO THESE MATS OF WEEDS DO NOT ALLOW THE SUNLIGHT TO COME THROUGH TO ALLOW NATURAL NATIVE VEGETATION TO GROW BECAUSE THE INVASIVES GROW FAST.
INCREASING PHOSPHOROUS LEVELS, I MENTIONED THE DECAY OF WEEDS AND THE STENCH OF THAT.
THAT ALSO INCREASES THE PHOSPHOROUS LEVEL WHEN THINGS DECAY.
THAT INCREASED PHOSPHORUS DEPLETES THE OXYGEN LEVEL FOR FISH.
LARGER FISH AREN'T GOING TO SURVIVE IF THE PHOSPHORUS GETS SO HIGH AND OXYGEN GETS SO LOW.
IT BECOMES UNDESIRABLE FOR PUBLIC RECREATION.
LOWERS OUR PROPERTY VALUES, AND IT'S UNSAFE FOR SWIMMING.
ALGAE BLOOMS ARE ACTUALLY DANGEROUS. THEY CAN BE TOXIC.
OVERALL DIMINISHES THE WATER QUALITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
LET'S LOOK AT WHO IS MANAGING THE PROBLEM.
WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY MANAGING THIS PROBLEM.
THERE IS SURPRISINGLY NO LOCAL REGIONAL OR STATE AGENCY THAT MANAGES AIS IN STUBBS BAY OR LAKE MINNETONKA FOR THAT MATTER.
THE THREE ITEMIZED AGENCIES HERE, THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DOES NOT CONTROL OR TREAT AQUATIC INVASIVE WEEDS.
THE MINNESOTA DNR DOES NOT ACTIVELY TREAT AQUATIC INVASIVE WEEDS.
THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB OF GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT WILL BE CHECKING TO SEE IF THE BOATS HAVE ANY MILFOIL ON THEM WHEN THEY'RE COMING INTO THE LAKE.
BUT WHEN IT'S IN THE LAKE, IT'S OUR JOB TO GET RID OF IT OR LIVE WITH IT.
THEN LASTLY, THE LAKE MINNETONKA CONSERVATION DISTRICT, KNOWN AS THE LMCD HAS RECENTLY DISCONTINUE MANAGING AND FUNDING ALL OF THEIR AIS PROGRAMS. THERE IS $0 IN THE BUDGET FOR CONTROLLING AIS.
EVEN WHEN THEY DID, IT WAS A MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE FOR EFFORTS.
A LOT OF THAT CAME FROM THE POCKETBOOKS OF RESIDENTS ON THE BAY.
AS A RESULT, TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF AIS IS BEING DONE BY RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE TO MANAGE THE PUBLIC BODY OF WATER.
NEXT ONE. THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS THIS IS BEING DONE TODAY.
[00:30:03]
INDIVIDUAL LAKESHORE MANAGEMENT.THERE ARE CURRENTLY EPA APPROVED HERBICIDES ARE BEING USED ALL THE TIME OFF DOCKS AND OFFSHORE LINES.
YOU NEED TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS ON THE BAG, BUT THERE'S NO FOLLOW THROUGH.
SOMEBODY COULD GET FRUSTRATED AND DUMP A WHOLE BAG OF THIS AGAIN THE NEXT WEEK.
YOU HAVE THIS PERHAPS OVERDAMPING, GOING ON, OVERTREATING PROBLEM THAT IS AD HOC AROUND THE LAKE.
NOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN DO AND DO DO PULLING, CUTTING, WEED ROLLERS.
BUT NONE OF THESE ARE REALLY ADDRESSING THE BAY-WIDE PROBLEM.
THERE IS UTES LIKE DANDELIONS.
YOU CAN PULL THE DANDELIONS, DIG THEM OUT ONE YEAR, BUT IF YOUR NEIGHBOR DOES NOTHING, GUESS WHAT? IT'S EITHER A COLLECTIVE THING, OR IT DOESN'T WORK.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS AN OPTION OUT THERE ARE THERE BAY-WIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION, THE LMA, DEVELOPED THESE SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN LEADING THESE PROGRAMS WITH BAY CAPTAINS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN FOR OVER A DECADE.
WHAT'S WORKING WITH BAY-WIDE PROGRAMS? LIKE I SAID, I AM THE CAPTAIN FOR STUBBS BAY.
A BAY-WIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ON LAKE MINNETONKA.
THEY PARTNER WITH THE MINNESOTA DNR.
I HAVE SPOKEN ON THE PHONE WITH KATHY AND KNOW WHAT SHE DOES.
I KNOW THE AIS SPECIALIST, APRIL, AND WHAT SHE DOES.
IT'S JUST REALLY A GREAT SUPPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE.
STUBBS BAY IS ONE OF 13 BAYS DOING THIS BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS.
THE DNR, THE LMCD, THE LMA AND UFM, HAVE AGREED THAT HERBICIDE TREATMENT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE BAY-WIDE APPROACH TO CONTROLLING AIS.
>> BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS ARE CRITICAL FOR LAKE HEALTH BECAUSE THEY SPREAD.
YOU PULL YOUR BOAT OUT, OR THE WATER FLOWS ACROSS THE BAY.
THEN ANNUAL TREATMENT IS ALSO CRITICAL BECAUSE THE SEEDS AND CLIPPINGS AND THE BUDS CALLED THE TURANS CAN LIVE IN SEDIMENT FOR YEARS.
THIS IS A RIGOROUS EFFORT REQUIRED.
IT'S A EXTENSIVE AND RIGOROUS, AND IT'S ONGOING.
WHAT IS NOT WORKING OR WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE OF THESE BAY-WIDE PROGRAMS IS THAT, THE BAY CAPTAINS HAVE TO RAISE MONEY TO DO THIS.
UNLESS THEY'RE EXTREMELY WEALTHY, THEY HAVE TO RAISE MONEY EACH YEAR.
NOW, THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND $35,000 TO DO SO, TO DO OUR TREATMENT, AND IT WILL GO TO WASTE.
ALL OF THAT USE, AND ALL OF THAT FUNDING, WE'LL GO TO WASTE IF WE DON'T GET ENOUGH FUNDING TO FOLLOW UP ON A POST TREATMENT, WHICH WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH, BUT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY.
AGAIN, IF YOU'RE MANAGING THE WEEDS IN YOUR YARD, YOU DON'T JUST DO IT ONE YEAR AND THEN NEXT SPRING, EVERYTHING'S JUST FINE AND YOU DO NOTHING.
THE PROBLEM, I MENTIONED, PHELPS BAY UP THERE, THIS IS EXACTLY THEIR TROUBLE THIS YEAR.
LOTS OF WEEDS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SKIP TREATMENT BECAUSE OF FUNDING.
NOT EVERYONE DONATES TO THE FUNDING TREATMENTS OR THE FUND, BUT EVERYBODY DOES BENEFIT.
GRANT MONEY IS BECOMING LESS AVAILABLE.
WHEN I SAY THAT, IT'S NOT A LOT OF GRANT TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING BY ANY MEANS.
LMCD NO LONGER HAS MONEY FOR AIS, AND THE DNR HAS 10,000 LAKES TO CONSIDER.
IT'S A LOTTERY SYSTEM FOR THE DNR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR BUDGET WAS JUST CUT FOR THIS PROGRAM.
TREATMENTS ARE SKIPPED IF MONEY IS NOT RAISED, AND SO AIS WINS, AND WE START OVER.
A FEW PEOPLE MAKE THE DECISIONS.
THIS IS THE LAST THING THAT I THINK IS A CHALLENGE IS THAT JUST A FEW PEOPLE ARE MAKING DECISIONS FOR THE ENTIRE BAY.
JUST A BAY CAPTAIN OR TWO BAY CAPTAINS HAVE TO WORK AND DO ALL THIS, AND THAT'S OKAY, BUT THERE'S A BETTER WAY, A COLLECTIVE WAY WHERE YOU GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
THEY'RE DOING THIS ONE YEAR AT A TIME BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY PLAN ONE YEAR
[00:35:03]
AT A TIME BECAUSE THERE'S NO CONTINUOUS SOURCE OF FUNDING.THAT BRINGS US TO THE THIRD OPTION, WHICH IS LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, WHICH IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
PROVIDES CONTINUITY FOR LONG TERM MANAGEMENT.
THE COST IS SHARED EQUITABLY BASED OFF THE LINEAL FOOTAGE OF LAKESHORE, OFFER SUSTAINABLE FUNDING VERSUS FUND RAISING.
IT'S NOT A ONE YEAR ON, ONE YEAR OFF PROGRAM.
DEMANDS A HIGHLY COORDINATED AND REGULATED APPROACH UNLIKE DIY.
ALLOWS PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT TO ADDRESS NEW THREATS, SERVES AS A DEMOCRATIC ENTITY SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR PUBLIC ENGAGED.
I LOVED THE DNR'S REPORT ABOUT THAT WHOLE THING OF A LID GIVES US OPPORTUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT IDEAS THAT WERE PRESENTED OF, WHAT CAN WE DO IN ADDITION TO AIS THAT WE CAN START EDUCATING EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW DO WE PUT THE RIGHT KIND OF GRASSES AT THE EDGE OF OUR LAWN, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE EXCELLENT THINGS THAT WITH A LID, WE CAN BEGIN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
OVERALL, IT'S HEALTHIER, FEW THE BAY, TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S FEWER TREATMENTS ANTICIPATED OVER TIME.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE CARMAN BAY LID EXACTLY THAT POINT.
IF YOU STAY ON IT, YOU CAN ADDRESS AND CONTROL AIS.
TO SUMMARIZE A LID PROVIDES A STRUCTURE FOR RELIABLE FUNDING, AND THE GOVERNANCE TO TAKE A LONG TERM COORDINATED APPROACH TO SAFELY MANAGE THE HEALTH OF THE BAY.
OUR COMMITTEE HAD A QUICK CONVERSATION.
WELL, IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY QUICK, IT IS AN EXCELLENT CONVERSATION.
JASON FARRELL, HE IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR AIS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
WE JUST HAD THIS CONVERSATION TODAY, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCELLENT.
HE IS THE GUY REGARDING CONTROLLING AIS AND THE STUDY OF THAT IN THE NATION.
NON NATIVE INVASIVES WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE LAKE.
ONCE THEY'VE BEEN INTRODUCED, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THEM COMPLETELY.
THEY WILL ALWAYS BE THERE TO SOME DEGREE.
WE NEED LONG TERM EFFORT AND IF WE DON'T DO A LONG TERM EFFORT, THEY WILL DESTROY THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEM IF THEY'RE NOT CONTROLLED.
QUICKLY, HOW IS A LID FORMED? WE'RE DOING IT BY THE CITIZENS PETITION, WHICH WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC CONCERNS WHICH THE DNR IN OUR REPORT OR OUR PROPOSAL ADDRESSES AND THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT BEING HANDLED BY NORMAL GOVERNMENT ACTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE OVERARCHING CRITERIA.
THERE'S A SPECIAL TYPE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE WOULD BE UNDER YOUR WING AS A PARENT CHILD, SO TO SPEAK.
THE FIRST LID IN ORONO, AS YOU ALL KNOW IS IN 2017, THAT'S CARMAN BAY LID, AND THE FIRST ONE IN LAKE MINNETONKA, WAS ST. ALBANS BAY IN 2015.
QUICKLY, THE REASON I HAVE THIS SLIDE IS REALLY IS A TOOL FOR EVALUATING THE LID.
THIS IS WHAT THE MINNESOTA ADMINISTRATIVE RULES PROVIDE FOR THIS EVALUATION.
THE LOCAL NEED FOR DISTRICT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
BUT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT REAL BRIEFLY THESE OTHER THINGS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT, AND I GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE WHOLE ASPECT OF OUR PROPOSAL.
THE PROPOSED BOUNDARIES, THE APPROPRIATENESS OF PROPOSED BOUNDARIES WAS ONE OF THE POINTS TO EVALUATE.
WE'VE DESIGNED IT WITH 68 PARCELS THAT HAVE DIRECT ACCESS OR DEEDED ACCESS, AND YOU CAN SEE IT FOR THE MAP.
THE DNR HAS APPROVED A PROPOSED BOUNDARIES IDENTIFIED IN THE RESOLUTION.
THE BOUNDARIES SELECTED INCLUDES A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THE LAKES WATERSHED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT FEASIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THE LID INTENDS TO ADDRESS.
I JUST WANT TO QUOTE IN THE REPORT, SUFFICIENT BOUNDARIES TO ADDRESS IN LAKE ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH THE LID IS BEING PROPOSED.
[00:40:07]
WE'RE ONLY ADDRESSING IN LAKE ACTIVITIES.NOW, WE HAVE GOALS TO IMPROVE THE PHOSPHORUS LEVEL, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT OUR OWN LID.
WE CAN DO SO MUCH BECAUSE GETTING RID OF SO MUCH WEEDS WILL HELP IN REDUCING THE PHOSPHORUS.
BUT IF WE CHOOSE TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER, WE ARE WORKING, WE ARE COLLABORATING, AND IT IS CLEAR IN THAT DNR REPORT.
I WANTED TO JUST READ SOMETHING REAL QUICK FROM THE MINNESOTA DNR ADVISORY REPORT.
WE APPROVE OF THE PROPOSED BOUNDARY FOR THE STUBBS BAY LID FOR THE PURPOSES OF MANAGING EXISTING AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES AND PREVENTING THE INTRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW ONES, MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITY, MONITORING WATER QUALITY, IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL SOURCES OF PHOSPHOROUS INPUTS TO THE BAY, DEVELOPING A PHOSPHOROUS BUDGET, AND IN DEVISING AND UNDERTAKING PHOSPHOROUS REDUCTION PROJECTS.
IT SAYS, THE GOALS OF OUR PROPOSED LID, ARE TO MANAGE EXISTING AND POSSIBLE FUTURE AIS IN THE LAKE.
SECONDARY GOALS OF THE LID INCLUDE MONITORING FOR NEW AIS INTRODUCTIONS, MAINTAINING THE HEALTH OF THE NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITY, MONITORING WATER QUALITY AND UNDERTAKING PROGRAMS, AND COLLABORATIONS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY.
THE COLLABORATIONS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DIGGING HOLES IN THE MINNEHAHA WATERSHED DISTRICT AREA.
AGAIN, THE SAME DOCUMENT, THE LIDS EFFORTS TO REDUCE AIS ABUNDANCE IN THE BAY, YIELD POSITIVE RESULTS.
OH, SORRY, THAT'S ON A DIFFERENT THING.
RESTRICTION OF THE DISTRICT'S BOUNDARY TO THESE PROPERTIES IS SUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS THE IN LAKE ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH THE LID IS BEING PROPOSED.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THERE IS QUESTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL OF WHY DON'T WE INCLUDE ALL THE AREA ALL THE WAY UP TO CLAWSON CREEK? FULLY THAT ONE FOCUSES THAT.
THE FUTURE IS THAT WE CAN DO THIS, BUT WE WOULD COLLABORATE WITH OTHER AGENCIES IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
BUT THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST EXACTLY THE FIRST TWO THINGS.
LET'S MOVE ON. THE TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT'S THE DNR, AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT FOR EVALUATING WHETHER WE CAN HAVE A LID.
AGAIN, THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE MINNESOTA DNR.
OUR WHAT'S CALLED THE LAKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN, LVMP HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE MINNESOTA DNR AND REFLECTS TREATMENT PROTOCOLS WITH OVER A DECADE USE IN LAKE MINNETONKA.
THERE'S NOTHING NEW OR UNSTUDIED IN THE LMVP.
IT'S PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR MILFOIL AND CURLY LEAF PONDWED.
THE PLANT SURVEYS ARE DONE INDEPENDENTLY, NOT DONE BY THE APPLICATOR, SHOW THAT DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS HAVE IMPROVED IN THESE BAYS WITHOUT COMPROMISING WATER QUALITY OR AQUATIC LIFE.
I HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT AND WALK THROUGH THE REPORTS WITH YOU.
ONLY HERBICIDES APPROVED AS SAFE BY THE EPA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OF MINNESOTA ARE USED.
HERBICIDES ARE APPLIED AT OR BELOW THE RECOMMENDED RATES.
I WOULD RATHER TRUST THE EXTENSIVE STUDIES AND DATA BY THE EPA AND ALL THEIR REVIEWS.
THEY HAVE TO REVIEW HERBICIDES EVERY 15 YEARS, AND IT'S AN EXTENSIVE PROCESS.
I'D RATHER TRUST THE EPA THAN AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN AI GENERATED SUMMARIZATION.
WE'RE TALKING CHEMICALS HERE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THERE ARE OTHER WAYS A LID CAN ACT.
THERE'S NOTHING KEEPING A LID FROM USING HARVESTING, CUTTING, PULLING, OR OTHER METHODS OF AIS CONTROL.
[00:45:01]
THE INDIVIDUAL, THE EXPERT THAT WE TALKED TO ON THE PHONE TODAY, ABSOLUTELY SAID, THERE IS A TIME IN PLACE FOR EACH OF THESE THINGS.WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S, EXTENSIVE LIKE A BAY-WIDE ISSUE, YOU NEED TO START THERE WITH HERBICIDES.
JUST THE QUOTE ON THE RIGHT, IT JUST INDICATES FROM OTHERS OF THE TEN YEARS THAT HAS SHOWN NATIVE PLANT DIVERSITY IS REBOUNDING.
TWO EXAMPLES, AND I FOCUSED, OF COURSE, THERE'S 13 DIFFERENT BAYS DOING THIS, BUT LET'S FOCUS ON LIDS.
LIDS HAVE THE CONTINUOUS FUNDING TO DO IT RIGHT.
IN YOUR PACKET IS THE AIS REPORT FROM 2024.
IT SHOWS A LOT OF YEARS OF DATA AND IT'S PREPARED BY PLM, AND PATRICK IS HERE TODAY AND CAN SPEAK TO ANY QUESTIONS.
BUT INVASIVE SPECIES CONTINUE TO BE MAINTAINED AT LOW RATES AND THROUGH THE VARIOUS MEASUREMENTS, NATIVE PLANTS, DIVERSITY, AND OVERALL BAY PLANT HEALTH HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED OR HAVE IMPROVED.
THIS IS THE SUMMARY DISCUSSION.
THE PROGRAM HAS SOLIDIFIED THAT INVASIVE SPECIES CAN BE MANAGED WITH LITTLE TO NO IMPACTS FOR THE BAY AND SUGGEST A HEALTHIER PLANT COMMUNITY TODAY THAN WHEN THE PROJECT BEGAN.
ALSO NOT WITH US TODAY CARMAN BAY, OUR FORMER MAYOR OF ORONO, JIM WHITE.
HE LIVES ON CARMAN BAY, AND ESSENTIALLY SAYS, IT'S CLEARED UP THE BAY.
THEY USED TO DO CUTTING OF THE ML FOIL AND THE CURLY LEAF, AND THAT JUST LEFT A MESS ON EVERYBODY'S SHORES.
USING AND HERBICIDE IS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT AND HAS SOLVED THEIR ISSUES.
ST. ALBANS BAY, TOM FLETCHER, THEIR LID WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2015 THAT AFTER TEN YEARS, EXTREMELY POSITIVE FOR THE BAY AND NON CONTROVERSIAL, IT'S A STABLE PROPERTY OWNER DRIVEN FUNDING SOURCE.
EXPENSES HAVE BEEN LESS THAN FORECASTED BECAUSE THE INVASIVES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET OUT OF HAND.
ANNUAL MONITORING AND TREATING IS AS NEEDED IN TURN.
THIS PUNCTUATES THE BEAUTY OF A SUSTAINABLE LID EFFORT THAT YOU KEEP ON IT, AND WHY THE COSTS ARE LESS 'CAUSE THEY'RE USING LESS STUFF AND HAVING TO DO LESS MANAGEMENT.
>> WE'RE ALSO ASKED TO SHOW HOW WE WILL FINANCE THE LID, AND THE ASSESSMENT WOULD ONLY BE ON THOSE WHO BENEFIT THE MOST.
THE ASSESSMENT DOESN'T COME TO ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE A DEEDED ACCESS OR DIRECT ACCESS.
ANNUAL SURVEYS AND THE MINNESOTA DNR APPROVED LAKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN WILL DETERMINE WHAT IS NEEDED AND HOW MUCH FUNDING IS REQUIRED.
WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR PARENTS NEEDS TO BE.
THE BUDGET COULD RANGE FROM 12-35,000 JUST TO DO THOSE TWO WEEDS, CURLY LEAF POND WEED AND MILFOIL AND WOULD BE DETERMINED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S STUDY.
A LID WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET AND APPROACH AT EACH ANNUAL MEETING.
THE LID WILL USE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT, JUST LIKE CARMEN AND ST. ALBANS, AND THE PROPERTY TAXES THAT THEY PAY TODAY IS RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT.
WHEN YOU'RE GETTING TAX $20,000 TO LIVE ON A BAY, STUBBS BAY, AND YOU ARE GOING TO CHARGE AN EXTRA $300 TO MAKE YOUR LAKESHORE USABLE.
ZERO PERCENT OF THE TAXES PAID TODAY GO TO MANAGING AIS PROBLEM ON STUBBS BAY.
THERE'S NO DUPLICATION OF TAXES.
MORE AFFORDABLE, MORE EFFECTIVE.
WE CAN MOVE ON. ADEQUACY OF PROCEDURES.
FORTUNATELY, THERE IS A HANDBOOK ON THIS.
IT'S AN OPEN AND DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THERE'S STATUES IN PLACE TO FOLLOW, AND WE HAVE TWO EXPERIENCED LIDS RIGHT ON LAKE MINNETONKA TO ALSO BE OUR GUIDES IN HOW TO WORK THROUGH THIS,
[00:50:03]
AS WELL AS THE ORONO CITY, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE LMA, LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION'S EXPERIENCE TO DRAW UPON.THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD GUIDANCE ALONG WITH, OF COURSE, THE DNR.
THE STUBBS BAY LID WOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION RUN BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO LIVE ON THE BAY.
THE FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE HAVE INDICATED FIVE.
I SEE THAT YOU HAVE IN THERE AS SEVEN AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BUMP THAT UP OR HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT YOU WOULD APPOINT THOSE TO START WITH, AND THEN SUBSEQUENT BOARDS WOULD BE ELECTED BY THE LID.
BUDGETS AND POLICIES LIKE BYLAWS ARE VOTED ON BY LID MEMBERS.
LID MEMBERS VOTE ON THE TAX RATE AND ASSESSMENTS ARE PRO RATED, AS I ALREADY MENTIONED.
LID BOARD MEETINGS AND ANNUAL MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
RESIDENTS CAN SPEAK ON EACH TOPIC, VOICE CONCERNS, AND INFLUENCE DECISIONS.
THIS IS PUBLIC. THIS IS NOT JUST MEMBERS.
PEOPLE THAT AREN'T PART OF THE DISTRICT, THE 68 PARCELS CAN COME AND SHARE THEIR FEELINGS AND PROVIDE SOME GOOD THOUGHTS.
THEN THE LID IS REQUIRED TO CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE AND HIRE ONLY LICENSED INSURED APPLICATORS.
THE STUBBS BAY LID WOULD POSE LITTLE LIABILITY TO THE RISK OF THE CITY.
THIS IS PER YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER, THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES INSURANCE TRUST.
YOU HAVE THAT EMAIL LETTER DATED MAY 13 IN YOUR PACKET, AND IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY THAT THE ROLE FOR THE CITY IS PRETTY MINIMAL.
THERE'S THE GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS LIVE ON YOUR SITE AND YOU WOULD BE CHARGED TO TAKE THE FUNDS FROM HENNEMAN COUNTY AND DEPOSIT THEM INTO OUR LID ACCOUNT FOR USE.
WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE A LID? YOU HAVE TO HAVE PUBLIC ACCESS PUBLIC USE.
IT CAN'T BE JUST A PRIVATE LAKE.
STUBBS BAY HAS A PUBLIC DOCK ON THE NORTH SIDE.
IT'S MOSTLY FOR FISHING AND SOME DOGS JUMPING OFF.
IT'S CONNECTED TO THE CHANNEL TO MAXWELL BAY, AND IT'S REALLY KNOWN FOR GOOD FISHING, AND IT'S A HOT SPOT FOR TUBING AND SKIING AND SURFING BECAUSE IT IS A DEAD END BAY.
WHAT'S AT RISK TO THIS PUBLIC JOY? UNHEALTHY WATER WILL LIMIT EVERYBODY'S USE.
AGAIN, IF WE DO NOTHING, IT'LL CONTINUE TO GROW.
DEPLETION OXYGEN LEVELS CAN CAUSE FISH KILLS, AND FISH CAN MOVE OUT OF THE BAY.
MILFOIL MATS ARE DANGEROUS FOR SWIMMERS, SKIERS, SURFERS, AND THERE'S EVEN BEEN STUDIES SHOWING THAT MOSQUITOES LIKE TO BREED ON MATS OF INVASIVE WEEDS OR ANY WEED THAT'S MATTED AT THE TOP.
THE TAKEOVER OF AIS CAN CAUSE ALGAE BLOOMS, INCLUDING BLUE ALGAE, WHICH IS TOXIC TO PETS IN HUMANS.
TO DO NOTHING IS NOT A GOOD SOLUTION.
SO FAR, WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY GOOD SOLUTION FROM ANY OPPONENTS OF THIS.
THE NEXT ONE IS ABOUT LONG TERM STEWARDSHIP, ADEQUACY OF LONG TERM MONITORING, ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS, AND DISTRICT PROGRAMS. MONITORING THE HEALTH OF THE BAY.
LIDS PROVIDE US THE STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE TO DO THIS.
EDUCATING RESIDENTS, DISCUSSING OPTIONS, STUDYING ALTERNATIVES, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
THESE FIRST FOUR, YOU CAN'T REALLY DO WELL WITHOUT HAVING AN ENTITY, A STRUCTURE, A GOVERNANCE THAT A LID PROVIDES.
BAY CAPTAINS CAN CERTAINLY IMPLEMENT PLANS.
BUT AS BAY CAPTAINS, WE'RE NOT REALLY DISCUSSING WITH OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE, WHAT WE WANT TO DO NEXT.
HOW'S YOUR LAKESHORE? THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
THE DNR ADVISORY BOARD HAD EXCELLENT IDEAS IN ADDITION TO APPROVING OUR DISTRICT AND OUR PLAN AND GOALS.
THEY TALKED ABOUT DOING SHORELINE RESTORATION.
I THINK THAT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY BRING THAT INTO OUR LID STRUCTURE.
THE STUBBS BAY LID WILL BE REQUIRED TO MONITOR PROGRAMS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AS INDICATED IN THE LVMP.
THIS CHART BELOW, THERE'S BASICALLY A SEQUENCE OF FOUR DIFFERENT MONITORING PROTOCOLS.
THESE ARE NON NEGOTIATED REQUIRED BY THE MINNESOTA DNR. YOU HAVE TO.
[00:55:01]
YOU HAVE TO DO A POINT INTERCEPT STUDY IN THE SPRING TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE CURRENTLY.THEN YOU HAVE TO DO POINT INTERCEPT SURVEY POST TREATMENT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED, AND THEN ONGOING WATER MONITORING AND THEN THE DNR FULL DATA REPORT IS EACH YEAR.
ALL OF THOSE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS TO SEE.
THIS IS THE LAST OF THAT LITTLE CHECKLIST, COORDINATION WITH OTHER SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS, AND THIS IS JUST HAS TO DO WITH WHO DO WE WORK WITH? ALL ACTIVITIES THE LID WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE, LOCAL, REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS, RULES PLANS, AND PROGRAMS. THIS IS HIGHLY REGULATED.
WE DON'T JUST GO OFF AND DO WHAT WE WANT.
IN THE FUTURE, WE COULD COLLABORATE, AS I SPOKE EARLIER, WE COULD COLLABORATE WITH MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT, CITY OF ORONO, THE MINNESOTA POLLUTION AGENCY.
WE CAN'T DO THAT ANY PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF WHAT'S IN THE WATER IN OUR BAY.
BUT IF WE WANTED TO COLLABORATE WITH SOME ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE, THEY COULD LEAD AN EFFORT.
WE COULDN'T LEAD THE EFFORT. THEY COULD LEAD AN EFFORT.
HAVING A COLLECTIVE VOICE ALLOWS THAT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COLLECTIVE VOICE, THEN IT'S JUST KARENA CASEY TRYING TO SEE IF THE MCWD WANTS TO TALK.
THIS GETS BACK TO OUR LAUNDRY LIST, HERE, THE CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING LIDS THAT WE WALKED THROUGH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE ON THAT.
BUT I KNOW I WANT TO ADDRESS A FEW PIECES OF MISINFORMATION.
CORRECTING SOME MISINFORMATION.
JUST ONE TO TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SPREADING MISINFORMATION, WHO HAVE BEEN SPREADING MISINFORMATION AND THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE STUBBS BAY LID AS THEY DO NOT HAVE DIRECT OR DEEDED ACCESS, AND THAT'S TOTALLY FINE, BUT THEY DO NOT FULLY EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD NEVER PAY A CENT FOR THE LID SOLUTION.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW THE LID SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES LIABILITY TO RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
THERE'S BEEN SOME SCARE TACTICS USED CLAIMING CATASTROPHIC PROJECT FAILURE WITH CRIPPLING LIABILITY, BUT THEY FEEL THEY FAIL TO NAME ANY LID RELATED EVENT.
THE TRUTH, AS THEY SAY THE MINNESOTA DNR IS GOING TO TRANSFER ALL THEIR LIABILITY TO ORONO RESIDENTS IS JUST INCORRECT.
THEY CAN'T. WE ASKED OR ACTUALLY, HARRISON BAY ASKED THE DNR CLARIFY THIS THAT THE STATE AND DNR MAINTAIN RESPONSIBILITY FOR HARRISON BAY OR STUBBS BAY IN OUR CASE.
ALL LAKES IN MINNESOTA, THEY HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
THE ONLY LIABILITY IS FOR PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE LID.
THESE ARE TIGHTLY DEFINED IN SCOPE. THESE PROJECTS.
THE LID MUST CONTRACT WITH LICENSE INSURED CONTRACTORS.
YES. ALL PROJECTS TAKEN ON THE LID MUST APPROVE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE MINNESOTA DNR.
YES. IN THE WATERSHED AND THE CITY OF ORONO.
THE LIABILITY IS WHAT WE DO, OUR VERY DEFINED PURPOSE OF THE LID.
ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE'RE REQUIRED, AS IS ANY ASSOCIATION, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, GOVERNMENT ENTITY, TO CARRY LIABILITY INSURANCE.
AS ARE THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE WOULD HIRE, ANY PROFESSIONAL APPLICATORS, HERBICIDE DISTRIBUTORS, MANUFACTURERS ARE ALL INSURED.
ALL ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT BODIES CARRY INSURANCE.
WHEN YOU BUY A CAR, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INSURANCE.
WHEN YOU BUY A HOME MORTGAGE OR GET A HOME MORTGAGE, YOU HAVE TO GET INSURANCE.
WE LIVE WITH THIS IS JUST AS NORMAL THAT WE LIVE WITH RISK MITIGATION AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
BAY-WIDE HERBICIDE TREATMENT PROGRAMS WITH THE LMA HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO LITIGATION.
NONE. SO FAR, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WILL MITIGATE LIABILITY.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE LIABILITY FOR AIS CONTROL IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE WOULD NUMBER 1, FOLLOW LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS.
TWO, USE PROFESSIONAL LICENSED INSURED APPLICATORS.
[01:00:03]
THREE, INDEPENDENTLY MONITOR TREATMENT PROGRAMS. IS THERE ANY PROBLEM? HOW DID IT GO? THOSE ARE THREE THINGS THAT WOULD BE SUPER, WOULD MITIGATE ANY RISK.BUT BACK TO THE COMMENT THAT I SAID EARLIER, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, YOUR INSURANCE FOR ORONO'S INSURANCE SAYS WOULD BE LITTLE LIABILITY RISK TO THE CITY.
I AM SURE THE CITY OF ORONO'S ATTORNEY MIGHT HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT.
THE NEXT THING IS THAT'S MISINFORMATION IS THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT, AND THE LMCD OPPOSED THESE LID.
THE WATERSHED DISTRICT IS NEUTRAL.
WHY? BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT'S A LOCAL MATTER.
THEIR FOCUS IS ON REGIONAL ISSUES, AND YOU HAVE THIS LETTER IN YOUR PACKET.
THE SECOND ONE HERE, LLMCD POSITION ON STUBBS BAY IS NEUTRAL.
THERE WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON THIS BECAUSE THEY USED TO BE INVOLVED IN AIS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR THAT ANYMORE.
THEIR FOCUS IS ON DOCKS, LAKE NAVIGATION, AND SURFACE WATER ISSUES.
THE LETTER IN YOUR PACKET AGAIN SAYS THAT LMCD SUPPORTS CONSTITUENT AND CITY DECISION MAKING REGARDING LOCAL AIS MANAGEMENT PROVIDED IT'S NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THEIR REGULATIONS.
THEY JUST CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE.
THEN THE THIRD MISINFORMATION IS A LID WOULD ALLOW UNSAFE CHEMICALS TO BE USED IN THE LAKE.
WELL, THE TRUTH IS THAT PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE CHEMICALS TO TREAT THEIR SHORELINES OR BAY, AND THEY ARE, AND IT'S NOT BEING CHECKED UPON.
THEY DO THIS ON THEIR OWN OR COLLECTIVELY, AND HERBICIDES USED ARE, AGAIN, EPA APPROVED, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REPUSE THEM.
THE DNR REGULATES THEM, AND THEY'VE BEEN STUDIED IN THE ENVIRONMENT SINCE THE 1950S AND THE '70S.
A LID ACTUALLY WOULD PROVIDE MORE REGULATED AND SAFER APPROACH FOR USING HERBICIDES VERSUS DIY.
IT'S BEEN SHOWED THAT OVER TIME, FEWER CHEMICALS WOULD BE NEEDED AS AIS BECOMES CONTROLLED, AND THEN PERHAPS IF THE LID CHOOSES, WE WOULD SAY, WELL, LET'S GO CUT OR PULL THIS LITTLE SECTION IN THE LAKE.
THERE'S NOTHING KEEPING A LID FROM CHOOSING TO USE AI TO CONTROL AIS USING NON CHEMICAL METHODS.
FORMING A LID DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH CHEMICALS.
IT HAS TO DO WITH FORMING AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN DECIDE HOW TO MANAGE A PROBLEM ON A LAKE.
>> THE TRUTH IS A LID OFFERS A BETTER WAY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF STUBBS BAY.
IT'S EFFECTIVE, IT'S COMPREHENSIVE, IT'S REGULATED AND PROACTIVE, IT'S RELIABLE AND EQUITABLE FUNDING, DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE FOR LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP.
THE FIRST TWO BULLETS, THE LMA BAY CAPTAIN CAN APPROACH.
THE LAST THREE BULLETS ONLY CAN REALLY BE APPROACHED WITH A LID.
WE WANT SUSTAINABLE FOR LONG-TERM, WE WANT TO HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE RELIABLE FUNDING SO WE CAN THINK BEYOND SPRING TREATMENT.
TAKING LEADERSHIP WITH LIDS, WE ARE THE LAKESHORE CITY.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP RESIDENTS TAKE CARE OF LAKE MINNETONKA.
AS TOM FRAHM, THE PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR LAKE MINNETONKA, YOU HAVE THIS LETTER FROM HIM THAT, "THE SIGNATORIES OF STUBBS BAY PETITION RECOGNIZE OUR STEWARDSHIP TO SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO ASSURE THE BAY IS MANAGED FOR YEARS TO COME." OUR PETITION IS GREATER THAN 70%, INDICATES OUR DESIRE TO BE STEWARDS OF STUBBS BAY.
IN FACT, OUR STEWARDSHIP IS GROWING.
JUST TODAY, I RECEIVED TWO MORE SIGNED PETITIONS.
[01:05:02]
EVEN WITH SOME NEGATIVE MISINFORMATION, WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BODY OF WATER.I DIDN'T BRING THOSE BECAUSE I FIGURED IT'S LATE, BUT I CAN SEND THEM.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE CERTAINLY THAT WANT TO COME UP AND TALK BUT TO VOTE YES, TO ESTABLISH THIS LID FOR STUBBS BAY.
IT OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHERE NO ACTION EXISTS.
LIDS PROVIDE THE STRUCTURE AND FUNDING AND RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN MANAGING AIS.
CONTINUITY AND PLANNING ARE CRITICAL FOR EFFICACY.
THIS IS NOT AN AD HOC AND IT'S NOT A ONE YEAR OFF.
LIDS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MINNESOTA DNR AND OTHER AGENCIES TO BE FORWARD-THINKING, TO BE SCIENCE-BASED TO MANAGE THE PLAN.
THIS COORDINATED EFFORT IS GEARED TO RESTORE THE BAY'S NATIVE ECOSYSTEM AND CONTROL AIS THAT HARMS WATER QUALITY AND MAKE RECREATION DIFFICULT.
IN THE MINNESOTA DNR ADVISORY REPORT, THEY TALK ABOUT REMOVING SOME OF THE AIS SO THEN YOU WOULD EXPECT THE NATURAL VEGETATION TO ADVANCE.
WE HAVE SOME TESTIMONY IN THAT AREA.
ORONO RESIDENTS WITH THE DIRECT AND DEEDED ACCESS ARE IN FAVOR OF FORMING THIS.
THE CRITERIA AND STANDARDS ESTABLISHED THAT LIST THAT WE WALKED THROUGH HAVE BEEN MET.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING FOR THAT VERY LONG CONVERSATION.
IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, WE HAVE SCIENTISTS, HERBICIDE SPECIALISTS, AND APPLICATION SPECIALISTS, OTHER BAY CAPTAINS TO TALK ABOUT REAL CHALLENGES.
THE LMA IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH BAY PROGRAMS AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CARSON BAY LID TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED THERE.
PLENTY OF SUPPORTERS HERE AS WELL IF THEY CAN COME UP.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
NOW WE WILL ENTERTAIN COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, PRO OR CON.
AGAIN, PLEASE SAY YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TRY TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES AND TRY NOT TO BE DUPLICATIVE OF THE POINTS ALREADY MADE.
>> MAYOR TUNHEIM AND THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS LEE HARREN. I LIVE AT 175 LANDMARK DRIVE.
I HAVE LIVED THERE WITH MY WIFE FOR 45 YEARS AND I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH A LAKE.
I FISHED THE LAKE, PRIMARILY STUBBS BAY.
AS CARENA INDICATED, WE TALKED TO DR. FARLA THIS AFTERNOON.
PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD TOURED THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AAS RESEARCH FACILITY, SO I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.
BUT ANYWAY, I WANTED TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF COMMENTS THAT DR.
FARLA MADE IN THIS AFTERNOON'S CONFERENCE CALL.
HE REFERS TO THEM; THE WATER MILFOIL AND THE CURLY-LEAF POND WEED AS BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS WHICH WON'T GO AWAY BUT THEY CAN BE CONTROLLED.
HE ALSO SAID THAT JUST BECAUSE IT'S GREEN DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOOD.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY BASIC AFTER ALL OF THE TECHNICAL BIOLOGICAL ISSUES THAT WERE DISCUSSED DURING OUR MEETING.
THE LID GIVES US A FORUM TO DISCUSS OBJECTIVES AND PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING.
CARENA HAS TALKED ABOUT THAT EXTENSIVELY.
AS TO FISH, WE SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED WALLEYE.
DR. FARLA'S COMMENT WAS, "PREY FISH SEEK COVER AND THE PREDATORY FISH FOLLOW THE PREY FISH.
IF YOU TAKE OUT SOME OF THE CURLY-LEAF POND WEED, THERE WILL BE LESS COVER FOR THE FISH AND THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE TO WHERE THEY ARE.
NOW IF YOU GET RID OF THE CURLY-LEAF POND WEED AND THE WATERMILFOIL,
[01:10:06]
THE NATURAL BIODIVERSITY WILL COME BACK, THE FISH WILL COME BACK.I'VE HEARD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT FISH BEING AFFECTED.
WE TALKED ABOUT WHETHER THERE WERE ANY RISK TO THE HEALTH OF THE FISH AND HE SAID THERE WERE NOT.
THOSE PREDATORY FISH WILL FOLLOW THE PREY FISH.
WE ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS JOHN TC. I LIVE AT 38455 BAYSIDE ROAD.
I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THAT AREA FOR 37 YEARS.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK CARENA AND MR. HARREN FOR THEIR GOOD WORK ON THIS INITIATIVE.
I AM FOR THIS. I SENT AN EMAIL TO ALL OF YOU.
IT'S IN YOUR BINDER. YOU CAN READ.
>> I'M SORRY. IT'S HARD TO HEAR YOU.
COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE MICROPHONE.
>> I SENT AN EMAIL TO ALL OF YOU THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS MORNING OR SOMEWHERE.
IT'S IN YOUR PACKET AND YOU CAN READ WHY I AM FOR THIS INITIATIVE. THANK YOU.
>> MR. MAYOR, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
JEFF STRANBERG. I'M AT 3895, BAYSIDE ROAD.
MY WIFE CAROLYN AND I HAVE A DOCK ON STUBBS BAY AND WE URGE YOUR SWIFT CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF THE LAKE MINNETONKA STUBBS BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
I FOLLOW A GOLF WIDOW FROM LADIES GOLF ON MONDAY NIGHT AND I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER GOLF WIDOW ON MONDAY NIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HELLO, MAYOR AND TEAM FOR THE COUNCIL.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK WHAT A TERRIFIC JOB THAT CARENA HAS BEEN DOING AND IS TRYING TO DO GOING FORWARD, AND I HOPE YOU CAN APPROVE EVERYTHING THAT SHE WANTS TO DO.
I'M AT 3845 BAYSIDE ROAD WITH MY WIFE AND SHE'S GOLFING.
WE TOTALLY SUPPORT EVERYTHING; WHAT LEE HARREN AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS SAYING HERE.
AS FAR AS THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS, IT'S TERRIFIC.
WE'RE GRATEFUL AND LUCKY THAT SOMEBODY'S WILLING TO DO ALL THIS WORK. THANKS.
I LIVE AT 3300 CARMAN ROAD, CARMAN BAY.
I'M A CURRENT BOARD MEMBER AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXISTING CARMAN BAY IN ORONO.
I'M ALSO THE PAST CHAIR OF THE CARMAN BAY LID AND WAS INVOLVED IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR LID IN 2017.
AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CARMAN LID, I AM HERE TO GIVE OUR STRONG SUPPORT TO THE PROPOSED STUBBS BAY LID.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED ON CARMAN BAY FOR 50 YEARS.
WE RAISED OUR FAMILY HERE AND NOW OUR GRANDCHILDREN WHO LIVE OUT OF STATE COME TO STAY WITH US IN THE SUMMERS.
LAKE MINNETONKA IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IN THE 1990S AND EARLY 2000S, THE AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES, EURASIAN WATER MILFOIL BECAME ESTABLISHED IN CARMAN BAY AND MADE BOATING AND SWIMMING IMPOSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS OF OUR BAY, DUE TO THE THICK MATTING THAT COVERED A GOOD PORTION OF THE BAY.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE LIMITED TO THE USE OF A BARGE-LIKE WEED HARVESTERS TO ESSENTIALLY CUT THE TOP PORTIONS OF THE WEEDS OFF MUCH LIKE MOWING YOUR YARD.
THIS WAS INEFFECTIVE AND PROBABLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AT THAT TIME, WE HAD NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR AQUATIC INVASIVES ON A BAY-WIDE BASIS IN LAKE MINNETONKA.
THERE WAS INTEREST TO SEE IF HERBICIDES COULD EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY CONTROL THE INVASIVE SPECIES OF MILFOIL.
THERE WAS A PILOT PROGRAM IN 2007 ESTABLISHED BY THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT.
THEY WERE JOINED BY THE MINNESOTA DNR, THE LMCD, AND THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION.
WE AT CARMAN BAY WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ONE OF THREE BAYS ON THE LAKE CHOSEN TO BE IN THIS PILOT PROGRAM.
AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAM, WE FOUND IN CARMAN BAY WE WERE ABLE TO CONTROL INVASIVE PLANTS WITH CONSISTENT, COORDINATED SCIENCE-BASED HERBICIDAL TREATMENT.
THIS PILOT PROGRAM IN 2007 WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LARGE SCALE SCIENTIFICALLY MONITORED HERBICIDAL TESTS IN MINNESOTA TO ADDRESS AIS AND PUBLIC WATERS AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT DATA THAT SHAPE FUTURE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON LAKE MINNETONKA AND OTHER LAKES IN MINNESOTA.
WE DID THESE BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS ON A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER BASIS FOR TEN YEARS.
IT IS DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN THIS COMMUNITY EFFORT AND FUND RAISING OVER TIME.
IN FACT, THERE WERE TWO YEARS WE WERE UNABLE TO TREAT
[01:15:03]
CARMAN BAY FOR AIS BECAUSE OF FUNDING FATIGUE.THE RESULT OF THOSE TWO YEARS WHICH WAS 2013 AND 2014, WE HAD AN EXPLOSION OF MILFOIL AND TREATMENT COSTS SOARED IN 2015 WHEN WE RESUMED TREATMENT.
LESSON LEARNED. TO SUCCESSFULLY CONTROL AIS, WE NEED CONSISTENT SUSTAINABLE TREATMENT WHICH ALLOWS FOR GOOD CONTROL WITH LESS CHEMICALS AND LESS COST.
AROUND THIS TIME IN 2015, WE LEARNED ABOUT ST. ALBANS BAY SUCCESSFUL INITIATION AS A LID AND WE CONSULTED WITH THEM.
WE LEARNED A LID CAN PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK TO ALLOW STAKEHOLDERS TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE, CONSISTENT TREATMENT OF AIS AT A REASONABLE COST.
IN 2017, WE SUCCESSFULLY WERE GRANTED LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT STATUS BY THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL.
THE LID HAS GIVEN US THE PLATFORM TO IMPROVE WATER CLARITY AND NOT ONLY MAINTAIN NATIVE PLANT LIFE, BUT EVEN INCREASE AN ALREADY HEALTHY DIVERSITY OF AQUATIC PLANTS IN OUR BAY.
WE HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED AS AN A RATED BAY BY THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT.
THE RESULT IS CARMAN BAY IS WONDERFUL FOR SWIMMING, FOR BOATING, FISHING, AND OTHER WATER RECREATION AND OUR NATIVE PLANTS ARE THRIVING.
WHAT BEGAN AS A MILL CONTROL PROGRAM HAS TURNED INTO A RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF CARMAN BAY.
THESE ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS WHEN DONE BY OUR LID ARE DONE WITH FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AS MANDATED BY STATE STATUTE.
WE HAVE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE POST REPORTS, SURVEYS, MEETING MINUTES, FINANCIALS, ON THE ORONO CITY WEBSITE.
MEMBERS OF THE LID AND THE PUBLIC WHO SIGN UP WITH THE NOTIFY ME PROGRAM WITH THE CITY GET NOTIFIED WHENEVER CARMAN BAY POSTS INFORMATION.
IN ADDITION, AN ANNUAL REPORT WHICH IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE IS SENT TO THE CITY, MINNESOTA DNR, MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY, AND HENNEPIN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
2025; THIS YEAR MARKS OUR EIGHTH SEASON AS TREATING OUR BAY UNDER THE LID PLATFORM.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THE LID PLATFORM ENABLES LOCAL LAKESHORE COMMUNITIES SUCH AS STUBBS BAY TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND IMPROVE THEIR BAY OR LAKE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
STUBBS BAY IS AN IDEAL CANDIDATE TO BECOME A LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND THEY HAVE OUR COMPLETE SUPPORT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT. YES, MA'AM.
>> MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE SO I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> DO YOU MIND SAYING YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD?
I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF AND MY SISTER, BARBARA GAGE, AND MY PARENTS' HOME WHICH IS NOW OWNED BY A COLLECTIVE OF OUR FAMILY.
THERE ARE GOLF WIDOWS I'M FOLLOWING, BUT I AM A WIDOW.
BUT MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED ON THIS BAY FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
WE'VE INVESTED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO MAKE OUR PROPERTY BEAUTIFUL, TO HAVE OUR GARDENS BEAUTIFUL, TO KEEP OUR HOME UP AND LIVABLE WITH THE HOPE THAT THIS WILL ENDURE IN OUR FAMILY FOR MANY GENERATIONS.
THE ONE THING THAT'S BEEN TOTALLY OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL IS THE LAKE.
IF NOTHING IS DONE, ALL THOSE DREAMS ARE FOR NOTHING.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY MY FIRST GREAT GRANDSON IS GOING TO BE SWIMMING IN THE BAY THAT I LOOKED AT IN 2024.
NO WAY. IT WOULDN'T BE SAFE, IT WOULDN'T BE FUN, AND HIS PARENTS WOULD WONDER WHY I HAD EVEN THOUGHT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY TEACH HIM TO BE LAKE SWIMMERS AS WELL AS POOL SWIMMERS.
I'VE INVESTED IN A LOT OF THINGS OVER MY CAREER AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IS, WHO ARE THE LEADERS? ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE? ARE THEY STEWARDS? DO THEY PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL? IS IT ABOUT THEM OR IS IT ABOUT THE PROJECT? WE HAVE THE LEADER.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT PERHAPS WITH YOUR APPROVAL AND CARENA'S ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO LEAD, THAT WE CAN STOP BLAMING AND POINTING
[01:20:01]
FINGERS AND FINALLY TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO US IN THIS GENERATION AND THOSE THAT WILL FOLLOW. THANK YOU.>> SANDY RASMUSSEN, 1186 WILDHURST TRAIL.
I HAVE NO POSITION ON STUBBS BAY.
I LIVE ON FOREST LAKE BAY, HAVE LIVED THERE FOR 32 PLUS YEARS.
JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE POINT ABOUT THIS, AND THAT IS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS THE COUNCIL TAKE THIS UNDER CONSIDERATION THAT YOU RECOGNIZE GOING FORWARD, THAT EACH BAY REALLY WILL NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, GIVE ITS INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
I BRING THAT UP ONLY BECAUSE HAVING LIVED ON THE LAKE FOR SO LONG, WE HAVE FOUGHT MILFOIL FOR YEARS.
EVERY YEAR, WE CUT IT, WE DRAG IT ON THE SHORE, WE HAUL IT AWAY.
IT'S AN ANNUAL RATE OF LIVING ON THE LAKE WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS OUT ON THEIR BOATS.
BUT INTERESTINGLY, WHEN THE QUESTION OF A LID CAME TO US LAST YEAR, AND WE INITIALLY SAID, WOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.
WE LEARNED THROUGH A MAPPING THAT WAS DONE THAT THAT MILFOIL DISAPPEARED LAST YEAR.
NOW WHAT WE HAVE IS CON TAIL, CONTAIL BEING A NON INVASIVE.
IT'S A NATURAL PART OF THE LAKE AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT CANNOT BE TREATED WITH HERBICIDES ON A MASS SCALE.
IF I HAD GRAY KIDS, WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO SWIM NEXT TO MY DOCK? NO. THAT CON TAIL IS WAY TOO THICK.
WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.
I BRING IT UP ONLY BECAUSE I THINK A LONG TERM QUESTION YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF IS, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CON TAIL BECOMES THE ISSUE FOR ACCESS AND ENJOYMENT OF THE LAKE, WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED VERY HEALTHY? FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR THE FISH.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT TOOK OVER.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THE MILFOIL WENT.
I JUST BRING IT UP AS A QUESTION, AND MY INTEREST IS, OF COURSE, FOREST LAKE BAY.
I AM NOT OPPOSED TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT STUBBS BAY IN ANYWAY.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE LAKE AND THE CITY OF ORONO THAT WE DON'T FOR ANY REASON, APPLY THIS AS A BLANKET BELIEF ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER BAYS, BECAUSE I THINK EACH COULD BE A LITTLE UNIQUE IN ITS CHARACTERISTICS.
THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS MIKE LEE, AND I LIVE AT 3424 EAST STREET.
INITIALLY, I WAS HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE LID, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNICATION AND EFFORTS THAT CARINA HAS PUT IN PLACE.
AFTER WATCHING WHAT YOU DID TODAY, IT IS SO CLEAR THE UNSEEN WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO MOVE THIS ALONG.
I REALLY APPRECIATE CENA'S LEADERSHIP IN THE SPIRIT OF NOT VIOLATING YOUR RULE ABOUT DUPLICATIVE, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE PEOPLE LIKE ME FOR THIS REASON.
I WAS REALLY GLAD TO GET THE PIECES FROM A COUPLE OF OTHER GROUPS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPPOSING THE LID.
IN THEIR PIECES AS WELL, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.
IN MY VIEW, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SOLUTION.
THEY RAISED SOME GOOD POINTS AND THERE ARE THE POINTS THAT CARENA TALKED ABOUT THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.
BUT I'VE ONLY SEEN ONE VIABLE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE LAKE.
>> I'M BRIAN RASMUSSEN, 11 86 WILDHURST, FOREST LAKE BAY.
I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING IN THAT.
FOR ALL THE MILFOIL I'VE HAULED AWAY, TRAILER LOADS AND TRAILER LOADS.
LAST SUMMER, I FOUND OUT IT WASN'T MILFOIL.
I DON'T KNOW, ADAM, IF YOU CAN PROJECT SOMETHING CONTAIL COMPARED TO MILFOIL.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED AS I WAS.
MY HUSBAND, GLENN AND I HAVE LIVED ON THE LAKE FOR 26 YEARS.
WE FIRST BOUGHT OUR HOME ON NORTH ARM, MOVED TO FOR BAY, AND NOW WE'VE BEEN AT STUBBS BAY FOR EIGHT YEARS.
WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN WEEDS.
[01:25:03]
I COME FROM A FARMING FAMILY.I GET IN THE WATER WITH MY FOUR CHILDREN.
MY BROTHERS COME TO TOWN, EVERY SPRING, WE PULL EVERY SINGLE WEED AND GO IN THE WATER AND DO MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
WE'VE DONE THAT FOR EIGHT YEARS TO MAINTAIN OUR DOCK SPACE.
OUR CHILDREN CAN ENJOY THE DOCK.
WE CAN SWIM IN THE LAKE AND ENJOY LIVING ON LAKE MINNETONKA.
THIS YEAR, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET IN THE LAKE.
THE WEEDS ARE SO BAD, AND WE HAVE TONS OF DEAD FISH.
IT'S JUST A REAL PROBLEM, AND WE CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE ON OUR OWN.
I'M SO PLEASED WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF IT.
MY FAMILY AND I ARE DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 1420 BALDER PARK ROAD.
I'VE LIVED ON LAKE MINNETONKA FOR 27 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN AN LMA CO BAY CAPTAIN FOR TEN YEARS ON NORTH ARM BAY, ALONG WITH TONY MURPHY.
WE'VE HAD STELLAR RESULTS WITH BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS ON NORTH ARM BAY.
HOPEFULLY IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER, NANCY.
ANYONE WHO'S LIVED AND RECREATED ON THIS LAKE WILL KNOW HOW BAD AND HOW DEVASTATING THESE WEEDS CAN BE.
YOU ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 1990S, I THINK MILLFOIL SHOWED UP IN THE 80S.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT OTHER NOXIOUS WEEDS AND SPECIES ARE COMING TO LAKE MINNETONKA.
CURRENTLY, ONLY TWO TO THREE SPECIES OF AIS WEEDS ARE BEING TREATED.
THREE MORE ARE NEARBY AND COMING IN MEDICINE LAKE.
NOW, THIS IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE HUNDREDS OF PLANT SPECIES IN LAKE MINNETONKA.
WE'RE NOT TALKING A WHOLESALE KILLING OF WEEDS.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT WISH THAT WE ARE, BUT WE'RE NOT.
SADLY, ONE INVASIVE SPECIES CAN INVADE A LAKE AND TAKE OVER VERY QUICKLY WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS AS CARINA SAID.
THIS RENDERS A LAKE UNUSABLE AND KILLS OFF NATIVE PLANTS AND FISH, AND IT'S DANGEROUS TO HUMANS.
NOW, THAT MIGHT SOUND LIKE HYPERBOLE, BUT IT'S TRUE THAT IF SOMEONE GOES INTO THESE MATS OF WEEDS AND THEY PANIC AND THEY START SWIRLING THEIR LEGS AND ARMS AROUND, THEY CAN BE TAKEN DOWN BY THESE WEEDS AND DROWN.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS DROWNINGS ON LAKE MINNETONKA.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS 100% DUE TO THE WEEDS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF CORRELATION HERE WITH SOME OF THE DROWNINGS.
WITHOUT EFFECTIVELY MANAGED BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS, THE LAKE WILL BE UNHEALTHY, UNSAFE, AND UNUSABLE FOR RECREATION, AND WE KNOW THIS FROM RECENT HISTORY.
I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THE RESULT OF NO BAY-WIDE TREATMENT IS THAT MORE UNAPPROVED AND UNREGULATED HERBICIDES WILL BE DUMPED INTO THE LAKE BY INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS.
THIS MEANS MORE CHEMICALS VERSUS LESS.
THE HOMEOWNERS SIMPLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE BIG PLACES OF WEEDS, OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BAY.
THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO ADDRESS AROUND THEIR DOCKS.
THEN THE PROBLEM JUST KEEPS PROLIFERATING.
IF YOU LET THE BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS GO, ONCE PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT IS STARTED UP AGAIN, THE CATCH UP PROCESS TO GET THE LAKE ELSE AGAIN TAKES YEARS, A LOT OF MONEY AND MORE HERBICIDES THAN IF A LONG TERM MANAGED TREATMENT PROGRAM IS ADOPTED.
THIS HAS BEEN PROVEN REPEATEDLY, ALSO, AS WAS MENTIONED, BECAUSE THESE TREATMENTS ARE SO REGULATED THAT YOU CAN ONLY PUT SO MUCH INTO THE LAKE AT ONE TIME.
IF YOU CAN ONLY PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND YOU'VE GOT THIS MASSIVE PROBLEM, YOU HAVE TO DO IT YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND THEN AS CARINA SAID, THE TURANS WILL LIVE IN THE MUD FOR UP TO TEN YEARS, AND THEY WILL JUST KEEP PROPAGATING.
ONTO THE VOLUNTEER DONATION APPROACH, FUNDRAISERS OR BAY CAPTAINS BURN OUT,
[01:30:01]
AND IT'S HARD TO FIND REPLACEMENTS.LIDS WILL ELIMINATE THAT HOUNDING FOR DONATIONS.
ON NORTH ARM THIS YEAR, AND WELL, HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD ABOUT A 30% PARTICIPATION RATE FOR DONORS.
A FEW PEOPLE PAY MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
THIS YEAR, OUR GOAL IS 25,000 ON NORTH ARM.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES LAST YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T FUND RAISE LAST YEAR.
THIS IS FOR TWO YEARS, AND WE GOT A GRANT THIS YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.
BUT THIS YEAR WE'VE ONLY RAISED ABOUT $9,000.
WE NEED TO KEEP SENDING OUT COSTLY LETTERS THAT I PERSONALLY STUFF AND STAMP UNTIL WE REACH OUR GOAL.
EACH MAILING RUNS ABOUT FOUR TO $500 FOR NORTH ARM.
WE DID GET A GRANT THIS YEAR, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THESE GRANTS ONLY COME EVERY FEW YEARS.
I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT OVER TIME, WE'VE PAID FOR FIVE TO 15% OF OUR TREATMENTS OVER THE YEARS.
IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT IT DOES HELP.
RECENTLY, WITH THE STUBBS BAY LID FORMATION, THERE'S BEEN SOME DISINFORMATION BEING SPREAD AROUND.
THERE'S BEEN SOME BLATANT MISSTATEMENTS OF FACTS AND SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS MADE TO INTIMIDATE AND DISSUADE SOME SUPPORTERS.
I WANT TO REITERATE WITH CARINA THAT THERE'S ONLY A FEW WHO ARE AGAINST THE LID, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL.
I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD WANT A LID APPROACH FOR EVERY BAY ON LAKE MINNETONKA, BECAUSE OF HOW HEAVILY USED THE LAKE IS AND WHAT A PRECIOUS RESOURCE IT IS TO ORONO CITIZENS AND THE PUBLIC AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF THESE INVASIVES AROUND AND THROUGH THE BAYS.
IF WE'RE DOING IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING IT NEXT DOOR, THEN THE WEEDS JUST KEEP COMING.
THOUGHTFUL MANAGEMENT OF FACTORS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT IS SOMETHING WE ALL NEED.
LIDS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN WATER QUALITY AND LAKE HEALTH AROUND THE STATE, AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE 56 LIDS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF ONE ORGANIZATION HAD THE CHARTER OF MANAGING WATER QUALITY FOR THE ENTIRE LAKE.
ALL GROUPS AND MOST HOMEOWNERS WANT HEALTHY WATER QUALITY, AND SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THIS.
HOWEVER, AT THE MOMENT, NONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE THE BUDGET OR MISSION TO ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT'S NOT ON THEIR HORIZONS TO START.
EVEN IF IT WERE, IT WILL TAKE YEARS TO GET THIS GOING WITH THE 14 MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE LAKE THAT WOULD HAVE TO AGREE ON A COMMON APPROACH FOR THIS.
THIS IS A DAUNTING PROJECT, AND THIS IS WHY IT HASN'T BEEN DONE ALREADY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE AIS ISSUES WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE, BUT THANKFULLY, SO DOES THE RESEARCH AND SO DO TREATMENT OPTIONS AND EFFICACY.
FORTUNATELY, THE LMA PROVIDES GUIDANCE, EXPERTISE, AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS TO HELP BAYS ADDRESS THE WEED PROBLEMS. WE ON NORTH ARM ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LMAS HELP OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS.
NORTH ARM IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PROACTIVE LAKE MANAGEMENT LEADING TO FEWER TREATMENTS, AND SOME YEARS, WE'VE NOT REQUIRED ANY TREATMENTS.
WE'VE ALSO SEEN A RETURN OF NATIVE PLANTS AND FISH AND RECREATIONAL USE.
THE LAKE NOW HAS A PROLIFERATION OF NATIVE SPECIES OF PLANTS.
BUT AT LEAST THESE PLANTS ARE NOT CHOKING OUT THE LAKE AND LEADING TO CASCADING EFFECTS OF INCREASED ROGUE CHEMICAL USAGE BY HOMEOWNERS, WHICH IS INEFFECTIVE BAY WIDE FOR ALL THE REASONS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
WHILE I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE WEEDS AT MY DOCK, JUST DEAL WITH THEM, OKAY BECAUSE WE DON'T USE THEM.
I THINK YOU COULD GO AROUND THE LAKE AND SAY THAT NOT EVERYONE CARES THAT THERE'S NATIVE WEEDS AT THEIR DOCK, BUT SOME PEOPLE DO, AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO TREAT THEM.
BUT THE BAY-WIDE TREATMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO GET THE INVASIVES.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU WILL EMBRACE LIDS AND THAT MORE LIDS ARE FORMED ON LAKE MINNETONKA UNTIL THERE IS A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND LAKE WIDE SOLUTION.
LIDS ARE OUR BEST SOLUTION TO THIS MASSIVE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME.
WE ALL NEED TO PARTNER TOGETHER TO KEEP LAKE MINNETONKA HEALTHY AND USABLE,
[01:35:02]
AND IT'S UP TO US.THANKS TO CARINA AND CREW OVER ON STUBBS BAY FOR PROVIDING ALL THIS GREAT INFORMATION TO US, AND I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR THEIR WORK. THANK YOU.
>> CASEY. HERE IS MY LOVELY WIFE, AND I'VE BEEN LEARNING THESE SLIDES FOR ABOUT A WEEK.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK WITH HER AROUND THE BAY.
I DONE WHAT YOU GUYS DO WHEN YOU GO RUN FOR OFFICE.
IS THAT DOG OKAY? I'M NOT SELLING [INAUDIBLE], AND HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND THE BAY.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY, THEY WERE FOR THIS.
THEY'RE LIKE, "YOU'RE KIDDING ME.
I PAID $20,000, $30,000 $40,000 IN TAXES, AND I CAN DO THIS FOR THIS AMOUNT." IT WAS ABSOLUTELY EMBRACING US, SO I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE A DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
THE ENTIRE BAY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING.
CAN YOU IMAGINE A COUNCIL BEING ABLE TO GO TO A GROUP OF BILLS AND CAN YOU DO THIS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THIS? IT'S WONDERFUL, AND I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD BE JUST AMAZED AND IMPRESSED BY THIS AND WANT TO EMBRACE IT BECAUSE AS WAS MENTIONED, I THINK LIDS ARE THE WAY TO GO ON THIS.
I THINK IT HELPS THE CITY COUNCILS, IT HELPS THE CITIES, AND YOU HAVE A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OF STUBBS, THE VAST MAJORITY, 75% WANT TO DO THIS.
I SEE NO REASON NOT TO PROCEED AHEAD AND WOULD COVET THAT YOU GUYS WOULD KEEP THIS THING DONE AND GET IT VOTED. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THERE'S ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT WANTED TO SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TOM GOODYEAR, 712 TONKAWA ROAD, AND I'VE LIVED ON THE LAKE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I JUST WANT TO BRING UP SOME CONCERNS THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO REGARDING THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE USED FOR THE MILFOIL.
RIGHT FROM THE LABEL OF THE FLURIDONE, NOT RECOMMENDED TO USE WATER THAT CONTAINS FLURIDONE TO WATER PLANTS, SUCH AS GREENHOUSE PLANTS, NURSERY PLANTS, NEWLY SEEDED LAWNS, AND SOME VEGETABLE PLANTS.
WELL, JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ON THE LAKE HAS A PUMP THAT THEY USE FOR IRRIGATION OF THEIR YARDS.
THEY SPEND A LOT OF MONEY, AND THEY GO TO HOME DEPOT AND THEY BUY ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS.
WELL, WHEN IT'S USED WITHIN 30 DAYS, RIGHT FROM THE LABEL OF THE FLURIDONE, USING THAT WATER WITHIN 30 DAYS WILL KILL THE PLANTS BECAUSE THE CHEMICALS IN THERE, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY MAKE THE PLANTS STOP PRODUCING CHLOROPHYLL.
ITS JUST PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED AT ALL IN ANY OF THE INFORMATION, AND THAT'S RIGHT ON THE LABEL FOR THIS, AND THAT'S WHEN IT'S USED PROPERLY.
IT'S JUST A CONCERN THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER.
SOME STATES ACTUALLY HAVE MORE RESTRICTIONS THAN THAT, AND I CAN GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION.
THAT WAS FROM THE CAYUGA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN NEW YORK AND RIGHT FROM THE LABEL.
THEN ONE OTHER THING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK INTO, THE CHEMICALS DO NOT HARM THE ADULT FISH, AND THEY'VE DONE STUDIES ON THAT, BUT THEY DO HARM THEM THE MINNOWS.
INCREASED PRESENCE OF NUPTIAL TUBERCLES IN ADULT MINNOWS, WHICH IS AN ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION.
THIS IS FROM A STUDY CALLED EFFECTS OF SUBCHRONIC EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL RELEVANT CONCENTRATIONS OF COMMERCIAL FLURIDONE, FORMULATION ON FLATHEAD MINNOWS.
THAT WAS THE TARGET THAT THEY USED FOR THAT.
THEY DIDN'T USE WALLEYE, THEY USED FLATHEAD MINNOWS.
IT ALSO DECREASED THEIR PRECAPTURE ABILITY IN THE LARVA, IT ENLARGED THE LIVERS IN THE ADULT MALE MINNOWS, AND IT DECREASED THE LARVAE MOVEMENT.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS LIGHTLY.
I KNOW A LOT OF BAYS DO THIS, AND THERE ARE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
WHENEVER WE DO SOMETHING, THERE'S ALWAYS A CONSEQUENCE TO IT.
I'M JUST SAYING, LET'S LOOK INTO THEM AND NOT BE RASH IN DOING THIS.
I'M AN ENGINEER, SO I GET VERY CURIOUS ABOUT THESE THINGS, AND IT JUST POPPED WHEN I MET THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS.
I JUST STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH, AND ANYONE CAN FIND THIS ON GOOGLE.
I FOUND A NINE-YEAR STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF FLURIDONE,
[01:40:01]
AND THIS IS THE CHEMICAL THAT THEY USE FOR THESE TREATMENTS, OVER NINE YEARS TO CONTROL EURASIAN MILFOIL IN A MESOTROPHIC LAKE.THIS LAKE HAPPENED TO BE IN LAC LAVON IN BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA.
I'D JUST LIKE TO READ JUST THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.
THE FIRST TREATMENT OF LAC LAVON WITH FLURIDONE IN 1996 REDUCED THE FREQUENCY OF MILFOIL FROM 88% TO 13% DURING THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THE SECOND TREATMENT IN 1998 REDUCED THE FREQUENCY OF MILFOIL TO ZERO DURING THE YEAR OF TREATMENT.
BY AUGUST OF 2000, MILFOIL INCREASED TO 25% FREQUENCY, AND IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001, MILFOIL WAS AGAIN THE DOMINANT PLANT IN THE LAKE.
THE THIRD TREATMENT IN 2002 REDUCED MILFOIL TO 4% IN 2002 AND 2003.
MILFOIL INCREASED IN 2004, AND BY AUGUST 2005, MILFOIL WAS AGAIN THE DOMINANT PLANT IN THE LAKE.
IN MY VIEW, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, $35,000 PER TREATMENT.
THEY DID THREE YEARS OF TREATMENT AND LOOKED AT IT IN 10 YEARS AND DID THE STUDIES.
THEY ALSO KILLED SOME OF THE NATIVE PLANTS IN THE LAKE.
IT WAS EFFECTIVE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT OVER 10 YEARS, EURASIAN MILFOIL WAS THE DOMINANT PLANT IN THE LAKE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE, AND IT HAS TO GO ON AND ON.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE? I'M NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU TO COME UP, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S HEARD.
>> MARYANN MERIDETH, 405 OXFORD ROAD.
AT THE RISK OF BEING REPETITIOUS, I'VE LIVED ON STUBBS BAY FOR 25 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN LAKE MINNETONKA FOR 38 YEARS, THE WEEDS HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS BAD.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE A YES ON THIS LID.
I REALLY THINK IT'S BEEN WELL RESEARCHED, AND IT'S WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU.
>> NOT TO BE REPETITIVE, MARK JOHNSON, 555 OXFORD ROAD, MY NEIGHBOR.
WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE '79 AND EMULATE WHAT MERIDETH JUST SAID.
IT JUST HASN'T EVER BEEN THIS BAD BEFORE.
THEY'RE NOT PARTIES, IT'S JUST GETTING TOO MUCH.
I THANK THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
I JUST DEEPLY WISH YOU CONSIDER IT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> KATHY SAWICKI, 4510 NORTH SHORE DRIVE, FOREST LAKE BAY.
I HAD NOT PLANNED TO COME UP TONIGHT, BUT I WAS HEARING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POINT INTERCEPT STUDY THAT WAS DONE ON FOREST LAKE BAY, AND I WAS HEARING THAT MILFOIL HAD DISAPPEARED FROM FOREST LAKE BAY, AND I HAVE PHOTOS OF MY SHORELINE AND VERY CLEARLY HAS NOT DISAPPEARED.
I WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT THE POINT INTERCEPT STUDY WAS DONE IN LATE FALL AFTER A MAJOR WEATHER EVENT WHERE WE SAW BASICALLY THE SURFACE OF THE LAKE FLUMMOXED AND WHERE THERE HAD BEEN FLOATING WEEDS OR WEEDS MATTING.
THEY BASICALLY DROPPED DUE TO THE WEATHER EVENT PRIOR TO OUR POINT INTERCEPT STUDY.
I DON'T FEEL IT WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, BUT TIME WILL TELL.
WE HAD NEARLY 70% SIGNATURES, AND THEN WE HAVE OPPOSITION ON THE BAY, OF COURSE.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A PROCESS BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE HEARD, AND WE'RE NOT BIG FANS OF FORCING PEOPLE PAY FOR THINGS THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT MILFOIL HAS DISAPPEARED FROM FOREST LAKE BAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE MORE. YES.
>> HI. MY NAME IS BARBARA SCHMIDT, AND I LIVE AT 50 LANDMARK DRIVE.
[01:45:03]
WHAT I HAVEN'T HEARD TONIGHT IS ABOUT A LOT OF BALANCE, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING TO POINT OUT SOME GAPS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT ONE AND DONE, THIS IS AN OPTION, BUT WE'RE STILL ASKING HOMEOWNERS TO TAKE ON LIABILITY.WE'RE STILL FORCING EVERYONE INTO A TAX.
ISN'T THERE ANOTHER OPTION? I'VE WRITTEN YOU ABOUT THAT AND WHETHER WE CAN COME UP WITH ANOTHER OPTION, WHICH I THINK IS POSSIBLE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PICK ONE THING.
BRIEFLY, HERE ARE SOME OF THE GAPS THAT I SEE.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR POLICY GAP BETWEEN LAKE VERSUS LAND.
CITY USED TO ALWAYS BE LAND, AND THEN WE HAD OTHER GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE LAKE.
NOW THAT LINE IS MOVING, THERE'S BEEN NO BIG POLICY CHANGE.
ARE WE DECIDING THAT THE LMA IS NOT GOING TO TREAT ANYMORE OR THEY CAN'T, OR THAT WE'RE OUT OF MONEY, OR WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WHY AREN'T WE REGULATING THIS? I AGREE THERE'S A WEED PROGRAM, I AGREE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING DONE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE JUST THIS WAY.
IT COULD BE ANOTHER WAY, AND WE HAVE MANY LAKES.
WE START TO DO THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT FOR EVERY BAY.
THIS IS A BIG DECISION, AND IT NEEDS TO BE THOUGHT ABOUT EXTENSIVELY.
DO WE SHIFT OUR JURISDICTION? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A GAP, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.
IT'S NEVER BEEN TALKED ABOUT, AND THE LMA REALLY NEVER EXPLAINED IT EITHER.
THERE'S ALSO A GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE MINNESOTA DNR WANTS AND WHAT THE LID IS PROPOSING, AND IT'S DRAMATIC.
IF YOU READ THE DNR PROPOSAL, AND I SENT IT TO YOU AND HIGHLIGHTED WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, IT SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH, AND THEY WANT PROGRAMS AND EVERYTHING.
ALL WE'VE SEEN IS A WEED PROGRAM AND FRANKLY, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE TERMINOLOGY.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CONSIDERING NATIVES AND INVASIVES.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE WHOLE PICTURE, NOT JUST, WE GOT TO GET RID OF WEEDS.
THERE'S ALSO A GAP BETWEEN THIRD-PARTY ANALYSIS AND THOSE WHO WILL GAIN FINANCIALLY AND THEIR VIEW.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER WHO'S TALKING AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GAIN OUT OF IT, AND WHAT ARE THE EXPERTS SAY.
I WISH THERE WERE A WHOLE LOT MORE EXPERTS HERE, LIKE THE DNR.
I JUST WISH THERE WERE MORE EXPERTS, THERE AREN'T.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY UP HERE BUT THE CITIZENS.
THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN FORCING A LID AND THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS' VOICES.
AS YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THE WETLANDS OF STUBBS BAY FOR 18 YEARS NOW, AND THIS WASN'T PRESENTED TO ME.
YET I SEE THE MINNESOTA DNR IS RECOMMENDED THAT THEY INCLUDE THE ENTIRE CATCH BASIN FOR STUBBS BAY IN THIS LID, AND I AGREE WITH THAT.
I HAVE WATER LEVELS IN MY BACKYARD, I DRIVE THROUGH THE WETLANDS.
I SEE THE WATER CHANGE, SO WHY AREN'T WE INCLUDED IN IT? IT SEEMS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN THE MINNESOTA DNR LIMIT.
THEY SAY THAT THERE'S A LIMIT.
WE NEVER LETS MORE THAN 15% OF THE LAKE GET TREATED AT ANY TIME, BUT YET IN THIS VERY PROPOSAL, THEY'RE ALREADY OPENING THAT UP TO BE MORE FOR THIS BAY, WHICH IS HIGHLY CONCERNING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE CHEMICALS.
THERE'S ALSO A BIG GAP BETWEEN THE LID UNDERSTANDING OF BEST PRACTICES, SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM, AND THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RECOMMENDING BEST PRACTICES, SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM, AND THIS NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS, POLLUTION CONTROL, DEPARTMENT OF AG.
THEY ALL AGREE, THE BEST THING TO DO LONG TERM IS TO PULL.
THAT'S COST-PROHIBITIVE, BUT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IT AT LEAST IN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS.
WHY IS IT ONLY CHEMICALS? IT SHOULD BE A MIXTURE.
WE SHOULD USE ALL THE TOOLS IN THE SHED, NOT JUST ONE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
THERE'S ALSO A GAP BETWEEN THE COSTS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND WHAT THE COSTS ARE IN REALITY.
NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S A $35,000 PROGRAM, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE THINKING THEY WERE ONLY FLIPPING 100 BUCKS IN.
WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THEIR LAKESHORE, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A DISCREPANCY THERE ON WHAT IT'S REALLY GOING TO COST LONG TERM, AND THE COMMITMENT.
THERE'S ALSO A GAP IN WHAT IS PERCEIVED SAFE AND WHAT IS NOT.
ARE FLAG CHEMICALS SAFE? ARE CHEMICALS THAT HARM FISH SAFE? SOMEONE ELSE BROUGHT THAT UP, I THOUGHT HE DID A GREAT JOB.
THERE'S PLENTY OF EVIDENCE OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE
[01:50:03]
CONCERNED ABOUT SWIMMING WITH ALL THOSE.ALSO, THERE'S BEEN NO SILT TEST, AND THE DNR REQUESTED THAT TOO.
THERE'S BEEN NO SILT TEST, SO ALL THE STUFF THAT'S SITTING ON THE BOTTOM, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WELL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MITIGATE THAT? THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE PHOSPHORUS PROGRAM.
THEN THERE'S A GAP IN PERCEPTION OF WHO BELONGS IN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC WATERS AND WHO DOES NOT.
I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS TO HAVE NO OPINION, BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE STUBBS BAY WETLANDS AND NOT ON THE WATER, BY TWO OF THE GENTLEMEN THAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.
IF IT'S OPEN ARMS FOR EVERYBODY, WELL, NEIGHBORHOOD WASN'T EVEN INFORMED THIS WAS GOING ON.
THEN AFTER CANVASSING THE STUBBS BAY NEIGHBORHOOD, I FOUND THAT RESIDENTS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEIR ASSUMED LIABILITY OR THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO BE TEXT, WHETHER THEY WANTED THE PROGRAM OR NOT.
I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT IS A LINCHPIN.
ARE WE REALLY GOING TO DO THAT ALL AROUND LAKE MINNETONKA? CAN WE HAVE A DIFFERENT OPTION? SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVE AT 4888 EDGEWATER DRIVE IN MOUND, MINNESOTA.
I'VE LIVED ON THE LAKE FOR 24 YEARS AND ON LAKES FOR OVER 53 YEARS IN MY LIFE.
I'M HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING THE CONCERNED PROPERTY OWNERS IN ORONO AND SURROUNDING AREAS, INCLUDING MOUND.
I'M SPEAKING IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT [INAUDIBLE].
WHILE THE PETITION SPONSORS HAVE ENOUGH SIGNATURES TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT DOES NOT JUSTIFY APPROVAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN SO MANY IN THE LAKESHORE COMMUNITY REMAIN OPPOSED DUE TO SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE TAXATION, THE LIABILITY, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE ON THE LAKE.
[NOISE] IF THIS IS PASSED BY STUBBS BAY, YOU WILL BE PAVING THE WAY FOR ALL OF THE OTHER BAYS IN ORONO TO COME TO THE CITY AND REQUEST FOR LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 14 LAKES AND BAYS IN ORONO ON LAKE MINNETONKA.
THEY ARE WEST ARM, FOREST LAKE, NORTH ARM, STUBBS BAY, MAXWELL BAY, CRYSTAL BAY, SMITH BAY, TANAGER LAKE, BROWNS BAY, CARMAN'S BAY, LAFAYETTE BAY, LOWER LAKE, AND A FEW LAKES, NOT PART OF LAKE MINNETONKA, LIKE LONG LAKE AND FRENCH LAKE.
PROVING THIS LID WILL BE THE PRECEDENCE FOR ALL THESE BODIES OF WATER TO APPROACH THE CITY AND HAVE THE CITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE LIDS, INCLUDING THE LIABILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS.
EXPECT THIS TO COME IN THE FUTURE IF THIS LID IS APPROVED.
YES, CARMAN'S BAY HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, SO THE TREND HAS ALREADY STARTED.
DO YOU REALLY THINK ALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN ORONO, BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD USE OF THEIR CITY'S TIME AND RESOURCES.
ON AVERAGE, A LID EXTRACTS $30,000 SOUNDS LIKE IT'S 35 FOR THIS PER LID FOR THE HOMEOWNERS.
WHEN THESE 14 BAYS AND LAKES APPROACH THE CITY OF ORONO AND ONO FOLLOW SUIT, THAT COULD BE $30,000 TIMES 14 LAKES AND BAYS WOULD EQUAL ABOUT $420,000 PER YEAR.
OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THAT COULD BE $4,200,000 OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS MONEY EXTRACTED FROM YOUR HOMEOWNERS FOR PUTTING CHEMICALS INTO THE LAKE.
IF THAT MONEY DOESN'T GO INTO THE LAKE IN THE FORM OF CHEMICALS, INCLUDING FOREVER CHEMICALS LIKE PRISCILA CORE.
IT COULD BE SPENT BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY HERE IN ORONO AND NEIGHBORING CITIES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. THINK ABOUT THAT.
AN INTERESTING FACT IS THAT LIDS ARE BEING PUSHED BY THE LMA ACROSS ALL OF THE LAKE.
LMA SOLELY USES A NATIONAL COMPANY CALLED PLM LAKE AND LAND MANAGEMENT.
THIS IS NOT A LOCAL OR MINNESOTA COMPANY.
PLM IS A LARGE DONOR TO THE LMA.
THIS MONEY WILL GET SUCKED OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY ON EFFORTS THAT WILL CAUSE LONG TERM DAMAGE AND IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR YOUR CITY.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, FOLLOW THE MONEY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CITY OF ORONO SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING OR DISTRIBUTING FUNDS FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS.
THE LAKE IS A STATE OWNED PUBLIC BODY OF WATER, NOT A CITY ASSET.
ORONO SHOULD NOT BE USING ITS STAFF, TIME OR RESOURCES TO OVERSEE A TAXING ENTITY WHOSE GOALS LIKE INCREASED HERBICIDES USED IN THE LAKE MAY NOT ALIGN WITH ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTS VALUES.
THIS SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENTS THAT COULD DRAW THE CITY INTO FUTURE LEGAL OR FINANCIAL DISPUTES.
IN THE PAST, THE CITY OF ORONO COUNSEL HAS ALREADY HAD EXTREME DRAMA THAT
[01:55:03]
HAS ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS CAUSED DISTRUST AND CHANGES TO YOUR COUNSEL.THINK ABOUT HOW APPROVING THIS COULD CONTINUE THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS AND CONTINUE TO DISRUPT DISTRUST SEEN BY YOUR COMMUNITY.
MAKE A CHANGE NOW AND DO NOT APPROVE THIS LID, AND START GETTING YOUR CITY IN ORDER AND UNITE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> I ALSO HAVE A HANDOUT THAT SHOWS ON THE LMA ASSOCIATION WHERE PLM IS A MAJOR DONOR.
I DON'T KNOW WHO I CAN GIVE THIS TO, BUT I MADE A COPY FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
>> MAY I ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AGAIN.
I DIDN'T MENTION THIS EARLIER BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE IN THE CONVERSATION.
BUT I AM THE TREASURER FOR THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR FIVE, SEVEN YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT PLM HAS NOT DONATED $0.05 TO THE LMA.
>> JUST A FEW THINGS TO CLARIFY THAT WERE BROUGHT UP, AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE PEOPLE'S OPINION IN VOICING IT.
MINNESOTA DNRS WANTS VERSUS THE LID PROPOSAL.
WE STARTED OUR CONVERSATION WITH THAT THAT THEY HAVE ACCEPTED, AGREED TO THE BOUNDARIES AS THE MOST PRACTICAL IF WE DO IN LAKE PLANS AS THEY HAVE ACCEPTED AS WELL.
THEY ALSO GAVE US SOME GREAT WAYS TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY TO WORK BEYOND JUST INVASIVE WEEDS, SUCH AS A POTENTIAL SHORELINE VEGETATION.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT A LID CAN DO.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THE DNR WANTS, WE WANT, TOO.
BUT WE HAVE TO START WITH WHAT'S IN FRONT OF OUR FACE.
THEN LAKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLANS THAT DICTATE THAT PERCENTAGE THAT WE CAN TREAT, THOSE ARE, AGAIN, PART OF THE DNRS ALLOWANCES.
NOBODY IN OUR TEAM WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A JUDGMENT.
NOBODY ON THE BAY COULD MAKE THAT JUDGMENT.
THE MINNESOTA DNR MAKES THAT JUDGMENT.
BEST PRACTICES, I DID TALK ABOUT.
WE HAVE THIS HUMAN AVERSION TO THAT WORD.
LET'S BE CLEAR THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE AND USE SAFE EPA APPROVED MEANS TO DO THAT.
THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY EPA IS WHAT WE CAN, WHETHER IT'S OFF OUR DOCK OR THROUGH THE LMA AS A BAY CAPTAIN OR AS A LID.
CHEMICALS, IT'S NOT EVEN PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
WE DO WANT OVER TIME TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE IT AREAS OF THE BAY IN A MORE HOLISTIC WAY.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF THE NEW INVASIVES THAT ARE IN MEDICINE LAKE.
IF THEY GET INTO A SMALL AREA OF THE BAY, LET'S NOT TREAT IT WITH CHEMICALS.
MAYBE THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO DO A WEED PULLING AREA THERE TO GET THE NEW INVASIVES BEFORE THEY'VE SPREAD.
BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW THAT UNLESS YOU'RE WORKING TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY.
THE COSTS WERE PRESENTED TO OUR LID DISTRICT, AND $100 FOR EVERY 50 LINEAL FEET WAS VERY CLEAR IN ALL THE COMMUNICATION MATERIALS.
TAKING THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT, IT'S NOT 35,000 EVERY YEAR.
WE EXPECT, AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM OTHER BAYS, THAT IT GOES DOWN, THEN IT GOES UP, IT GOES DOWN.
BUT THAT'S NOT A HIDDEN COST TO ANYBODY.
WHAT IS PERCEIVED SAFE? LET'S LOOK AT THE EPA FOR THAT.
THEY HAVE A MORE RIGOROUS STUDY, A CONTINUOUS REVIEW PROCESS THAT NOBODY IN THIS ROOM CAN REALLY TALK MORE ABOUT.
THAT CAN DO ANY BETTER, I SHOULD SAY. SILT TESTS.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE GETTING TOGETHER.
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE.
[02:00:03]
THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.I KNOW NORTH ARM HAS OPENED THEIR EYES AND SAY, "IS THERE A BETTER APPLICATOR?" WE CAN DO THE SAME, BUT THEY HAVE GONE BACK TO PLM FOR VERY GOOD REASONS.
WE WILL DECIDE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY, THE LID WOULD WANT TO DO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? YES, SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ERIC EVENSON.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION.
MY INTENT REALLY WASN'T TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE AUDIENCE WAS VERY WELL-INFORMED, AND KARINA IS AMAZINGLY WELL-INFORMED ON THIS ISSUE.
SHE'S DEFINITELY DONE HER HOMEWORK.
I'M FRUSTRATED BY A COUPLE OF THE LAST SPEAKERS TO COME UP, AND THROW OUT INFORMATION THAT WHILE THERE'S A GRAIN OF TRUTH TO IT, IT'S NOT THE TRUTH.
WELL, YOU CAN TAKE AND MISREPRESENT THINGS QUITE EASILY.
FOR INSTANCE, 15% IS BASED ON A NON VARIANCE A THING.
THIS LAKE ACTUALLY HAS AN APPROVED DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES LAKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PLAN.
WITHOUT THAT, WE COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THE LID NOR ANY OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
THE AREA OF OR THE COMMENTS ABOUT LIABILITY ARE FRANKLY CONFUSING TO ME.
I DON'T GET MY LEGAL ADVICE FROM SOMEBODY SITTING DOWN AT THE END OF THE BAR, I GET IT FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S PASSED THE BAR.
UNLESS THAT PERSON WHO PASSED THE BAR IS SITTING AT THE END OF THE BAR, I'LL TALK TO THAT PERSON ALL NIGHT LONG.
THE LIABILITY ISSUE YOU'VE SEEN FROM YOUR INSURANCE CARRIER SAYS IT'S MINIMAL.
THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE STATE TRANSFERRING LIABILITY IS INCORRECT BECAUSE THEY REALLY DIDN'T READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER OR THE ENTIRE STATUTE.
IT'S JUST SIMPLY NOT CORRECT TO SAY THAT THE STATE CAN DIVEST ITSELF OF ALL LIABILITY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE NUISANCE LAWSUITS VERY POSITIVELY.
THERE HAVE BEEN NUISANCE LAWSUITS AGAINST YOUR CITY ON A PRETTY ROUTINE BASIS.
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN STOP THAT.
YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF THROUGH LIABILITY INSURANCE AND SUCH.
BUT NOBODY HERE AND STUFF THAT I'VE BEEN READING ONLINE ABOUT THE LID REALLY DEFINES WHAT THAT LIABILITY IS.
I'D LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
IF IT'S A LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH HERBICIDE USE, THAT'S A BIGGER ISSUE BECAUSE THAT LIABILITY IS GOING TO GO TO THE MANUFACTURERS OF THE PRODUCT.
IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE DISTRIBUTORS, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE APPLICATORS, AND IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE.
THAT IS THE ONLY WAY FOR IT TO BE ADDRESSED IS NATIONALLY.
THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T EVEN APPLYING IT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIRING THE APPLICATOR TO APPLY IT ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUED FOR THIS, AS LONG AS THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS AND WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS.
THE DNR CAN'T DIVEST ITSELF OF THEIR PERMITTING AUTHORITY.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO ANY OF THESE GROUPS.
I WAS TOUCHED ALMOST TO THE POINT OF TEARING UP A LITTLE BIT WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO MARGARET NELSON TALK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE ON THE LAKE AND HER WANTING HER KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND SWIM IN THE LAKE.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON LAKE MINNETONKA NOW FOR CLOSE TO 30 YEARS.
I USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT.
FOR YEARS, I WAS ARGUING WITH THEM, PLEADING WITH THEM, THAT AIS IS A REGIONAL PROBLEM.
AS A REGIONAL ORGANIZATION, LAKE MINNETONKA IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST USED LAKES IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT WE, AS AN ORGANIZATION SHOULD GET OUT IN FRONT OF THIS THING AND MANAGE AN INVASIVE SPECIES ON THE LAKE.
FOR A WHILE, WE WERE DOING IT.
WE HELPED WITH SOME OF THE STUDIES.
I PROVIDED MONEY TO THE LAKE MINNETONKA ASSOCIATION TO THREE PARKS DISTRICT AND OTHER GROUPS TO ACTUALLY GET OUT AND HELP MANAGE LAKES.
BUT BOTH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SAID, "NO, THIS ISN'T A REGIONAL ISSUE FOR US.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH." THERE'S NOBODY ELSE DEALING WITH IT.
I WOULD ASK YOU TONIGHT, AS YOU CONSIDER THIS, TO PLEASE ASK YOURSELF, IF NOT THE LIDS, THEN WHO? YOU CAN'T LOOK AT THE LMA.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE DOING THIS FOREVER.
I WAS TAKEN BY MISS NELSON'S COMMENTS, BECAUSE I HAVE LOOKED AT ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS OUT THERE.
WHEN DICK OSGOOD FIRST CAME TO ME 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THE LMCD,
[02:05:02]
OR WORKING WITH THE MINNEHAHA CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT RATHER, I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAID NO HERBICIDES ON THE LAKE OVER MY DEAD BODY.I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AWFUL THING TO DO IT BECAUSE I REACTED GUTTERLY TO THE IDEA OF USING HERBICIDES ON THE LAKE.
IT TOOK ME A WHILE IN MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DICK TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ACTUALLY WORK AND HOW THE RELATIVE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH AIS IN THE LAKE VERSUS TRYING TO TREAT IT.
IT IT WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE OF TRYING TO CONTROL THESE THINGS.
A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE SAT ON THE SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL.
HER HUSBAND WAS A DEAD BODY RECOVERY OR RESCUING RECOVERY FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
I ASKED HIM ONE TIME ABOUT STORIES I'VE HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING TANGLED UP IN WEEDS IN THE LAKE AND DROWNING.
HIS RESPONSE TO ME WAS, "ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS WHEN I PULLED BODIES OUT OF THE LAKE, THEY'VE BEEN WRAPPED WITH WEED.
YOU DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS." I KNOW OF A CASE WHERE A YOUNG MAN, NOT THAT MANY YEARS AGO, SWAM OUT TO RESCUE A COUPLE OF LADIES WHO WERE ON JET SKIS, WHO JET SKIS GOT PLUGGED UP WITH AIS.
ON THE WAY SWIMMING BACK, HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK.
NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO AIS, BUT I THINK IT'S A CLOSE ENOUGH RELATIONSHIP TO RAISE THAT AS A QUESTION.
DO YOU WANT THIS STUFF IN YOUR LAKE? WHAT IS THE OPTION IF YOU DON'T WANT IT IN YOUR LAKE? THERE AREN'T OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
>> WE CAN TALK ABOUT HAND PULLING. I THINK IT'S GREAT.
IN THEIR PLACE, THEY WORK REALLY WELL.
WE CAN TALK EVEN ABOUT HARVESTING.
BUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DID THE HARVESTING SAID, NO, WE'RE SPREADING AIS BY HARVESTING IN THE LAKE.
WE DON'T WANT THAT TO DO THAT.
HAND PULLING WORKS, BUT IT CANNOT WORK ON THE SCALE OF A LAKE.
WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS? EITHER LIVE WITH THE STUFF, OR WORK WITH YOUR CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SEE IT CHANGE.
HONESTLY, LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, YOUR OWN CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SPEND THEIR OWN TIME AND MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAKE FOR EVERYBODY.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT 75% OF THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS WATER BODY, SAYING, WE'RE WILLING TO SPEND OUR OWN MONEY TO MAKE THIS BAY BETTER FOR EVERYBODY ON THE LAKE, EVERYBODY WHO LIVES IN ORONO.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
WHY WE WOULD NOT SUPPORT THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE WILLING TO SPEND OUR OWN TIME AND OUR OWN MONEY TO GET THIS TO HAPPEN.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET 100%. THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A FEW PEOPLE WRITING ON THE COATTAILS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.
I VOTE FOR SCHOOL REFERENDUMS, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN.
I VOTE FOR THEM BECAUSE I THINK SCHOOLS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF A COMMUNITY AND THEY ADD VALUE TO MY PROPERTY.
I VOTE OR I'VE SUPPORTED PARK PROGRAMS, NOT BECAUSE I PLAY SOFTBALL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE SOFTBALL OPPORTUNITIES.
I DON'T ROLLER OR I DON'T SKATEBOARD, BUT I SUPPORT THAT.
I CERTAINLY DON'T PLAY PICKLEBALL, BUT I'LL SUPPORT A PICKLEBALL COURT GOING UP NEXT TO MY HOUSE. IT'S OKAY.
AGAIN, I JUST ASK YOU, AS YOU LOOK INTO THIS.
YOU'VE GOT SUCH A RESOUNDING REQUEST FROM AN OVERWHELMING REQUEST FROM THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE BAY TO SAY, HELP US TO TAKE CARE OF THIS LAKE.
HELP US TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BAY.
HELP US MAKE THIS BAY A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR KIDS, FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
I'LL EVEN TAKE THIS A STEP FURTHER.
HELP KEEP THE PROPERTY VALUES UP ON THE LAKE.
RECREATION IS A $10 BILLION INDUSTRY IN MINNESOTA.
LAKE MINNETONKA IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT INDUSTRY THAT PRODUCES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF REVENUE TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND TO THE AREA.
PLEASE HELP US KEEP THIS LAKE AS GOOD AS IT POSSIBLY CAN BE.
THIS GENTLEMAN WE TALKED TO THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, ONE OF THE LEADING EXPERTS ON AS MANAGEMENT IN THE COUNTRY, SAID LAKE MINNETONKA IS TYPICALLY LISTED AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 BEAUTIFUL LAKES, NOT IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IN THE WORLD.
AGAIN, IT FALLS ON YOUR SHOULDERS TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD THE PROTECTION OF THE BAY, AND WE DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF THE STUBS BAY. THANK YOU.
>> DO YOU HAVE IN THE PACK THE ACTUAL LEGAL LANGUAGE OF THE MINNESOTA STATUTE THAT DID YOU PUT THAT IN THERE? BECAUSE I WON'T READ IT IF WE DON'T NEED TO READ IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE STATUTE, BUT WE DO HAVE A CLIP.
>> LIKE, THREE PARAGRAPHS. DID YOU PUT THAT IN THERE?
[02:10:03]
THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THAT SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LIABILITY IS? I'M NOT SURE.I DON'T KNOW IF SOREN WOULD EVEN HAS LOOKED AT THAT OR HAS ANY COMMENTS ABOUT IT.
NOT REALLY. IS IT IN THE PUBLIC RECORD? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. IF IT ISN'T, I CAN READ IT QUICK, BUT OTHERWISE, WE CAN MOVE ON.
>> 6115.0980 ADMINISTRATION OF LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SHALL ASSUME ALL LEGAL RISKS AND LIABILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE FOR DAMAGES, OR ANY INJURY TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ARISING FROM THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, ALTERATION, OR ABANDONMENT OF ITS PROGRAMS, PLANS, OR ACTIONS.
IN THE EVENT OF TERMINATION OF THE DISTRICT OR FAILURE OF THE DISTRICT TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS, THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES SHALL FALL UPON THE UNIT OR UNITS OF GOVERNMENT WHICH ESTABLISH THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SHALL NOT IMPOSE ANY LIABILITY UPON THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONSULTANTS FOR ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY TO ANY PERSONS OR PROPERTY RESULTING FROM THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
THAT'S THE CRUX OF WHY EVERYONE WAS WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT STARTED AT ALL.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A LAWYER, TOO.
I DON'T KNOW. SOMEBODY CAN HELP WITH THAT'D BE GREAT.
>> ANYONE ELSE WHO HAVE A COMMENT? WELL, THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXCHANGE OF OPINION HERE, AND NOW THE COUNCIL WILL DELIBERATE ON THIS AND SHARE OUR POINTS OF VIEW.
NOW IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LEAD OFF THE CONVERSATION.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK ADAM IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE MAP THAT I REFERRED TO EARLIER THAT SHOWS OUR SHORELINE OVERLAY FROM THE COMP PLAN THAT INCLUDES THIS AREA.
STUBBS BAY TO GET AN IDEA OF WHERE IT IS AND ALL THE OTHER BODIES OF WATER TRIBUTARIES THAT ARE AFFECTING THE ACTIVITY IN THIS LAKE.
BECAUSE I DO JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I'M NOT PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THE SCIENCE OF THE CHEMICALS, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL WELL UNDERSTOOD HERE THAT THIS IS REALLY THE COUNCIL IS NOT BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER WHETHER ONE CHEMICAL USE IS APPROPRIATE AND ONE IS NOT, AND WHAT EFFECT IT HAS HERE BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY NOT THE ISSUE AT HAND HERE.
THE ISSUE AT HAND HERE IS WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY IS GOING TO SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT TAXING DISTRICT FOR THE PURPOSES OF MANAGEMENT OF VARIOUS ISSUES AROUND THIS BAY.
ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO PULL UP THE MAP WAS TO JUST GIVE AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE OF THIS BECAUSE THIS IS ONE BAY, AS SOMEBODY PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IN A LONG LIST OF BAYS IN THE CITY OF ORONO.
OUR CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ACTIVITIES AROUND THE LAKESHORE IN ALL OF THE BAYS.
IN FACT, OTHER TRIBUTARIES, STREAMS, WATERSHEDS, FLOODPLAINS ALL AFFECT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WATER OF LAKE MINNETONKA, AND STUBBS BAY IS NO DIFFERENT.
ADAM, COULD YOU PULL UP FROM THE COMP PLAN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PART 3A.
I THINK IT'S PAGE 2. IF YOU COULD MAKE IT BIGGER.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM, WHICH I ALWAYS LIKE TO REFER BACK TO THE COMP PLAN BECAUSE IT'S OUR GUIDING DOCUMENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER TODAY AND TO REALLY GROUND THE CITY IN WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE AS A CITY AND WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
IT CLEARLY DEFINES HERE IN THE THIRD BULLET POINT OR FOURTH ONE.
LAKE MINNETONKA ECOLOGY MAKES IT EASILY SUSCEPTIBLE TO POLLUTION HAZARDS.
THE FINAL BULLET POINT THERE TALKS ABOUT HISTORICAL, THIS LAKE HAS SUFFERED FROM TWO PROBLEMS, WHICH DIRECTLY AFFECT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
ONE IS, AND THAT'S I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN LARGE PART HERE TONIGHT IS THE WATER QUALITY.
I'VE LEARNED A NEW WORD, EUTROPHICATION, THE AGING PROCESS BY WHICH NATURAL WATERS ARE ENRICHED WITH NUTRIENTS THAT MAY STIMULATE EXCESSIVE PLANT GROWTH, INCLUDING ALGAES AND FLOATING THINGS.
HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO CAN BE ACCELERATED THROUGH INCREASED INPUTS OF NUTRIENT ELEMENTS, PARTICULARLY PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN.
[02:15:02]
ON THE NEXT PAGE, THERE IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO THAT.I THINK AT THE FINAL BULLET POINT THERE DOWN FURTHER, ADAM, DOWN THERE.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING INTO THE IMPACT THAT URBANIZATION AND WHAT WE ARE DOING WITHIN OUR CONSTRUCTION SITES AND HOMES THAT IS AFFECTING WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE LAKE.
THIS ALGAE GROWTH AND INVASIVES AND OTHER THINGS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY HERE.
IT SAYS CLEARLY HERE THAT WE HAVE THE LARGEST LAND AREA AND POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
WE ALSO HAVE THE LARGEST CITY TOTAL WITHIN THE WATERSHED, WHICH IS LARGE, 1/6 OF THE TOTAL DRY LAND.
I WANT TO STOP THERE FOR A MINUTE AND JUST TALK ABOUT THIS IN RELATION TO THE FORMATION OF A LID, BECAUSE OUR CITY, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER TODAY AT THE WORK SESSION, WE ARE VERY MUCH COMMITTED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF LAND USE POLICIES BECAUSE THE REALITY IS WATER QUALITY IS MOST AFFECTED THROUGH LAND USE POLICY.
WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE LAND IN ORONO HAS THE HIGHEST EFFECT ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WATER.
WHICH IS WHY WHEN IT CAME TO A APPLICATION EARLIER IN THE EVENING, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EROSION CONTROL.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT USING NATIVE SPECIES AS PART OF A BLUFF SIDE PROJECT.
I WOULD HEAVILY ENCOURAGE, AS DID STAFF RECOMMEND EARLIER THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND USE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE BEING VERY MINDFUL OF WHAT WE ARE ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO DO BECAUSE IT'S A KNOWN FACT THAT NATIVES THAT INVOLVE FILTRATION THAT HAVE DEEP ROOT SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO PROTECT OUR LAKESHORE.
THIS IS CLEARLY SPELLED OUT, AND I WANT TO JUST ALSO THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S PUT TIME AND ATTENTION INTO THIS MATTER BECAUSE AS I SAY OFTEN, I HAVEN'T MET ONE PERSON WHO ISN'T HEAVILY INVESTED IN LAKE QUALITY.
I THINK WHERE I'M AT WITH THIS PROPOSAL IS THAT LAKE QUALITY.
SOMEBODY MENTIONED DANDELIONS EARLIER, AND PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF DANDELIONS AND WHAT CONSTITUTES A WEED, AND IF THERE ARE TOO MANY OR HOW CLEAR A LAKE SHOULD BE.
I THINK WHAT I'M COMING BACK TO HERE IN MY THOUGHTS ON THIS ISSUE IS WHAT EXACTLY THE CITY OF ORONO IS TRYING TO SOLVE.
IF WE ARE GRANTING LIDS, I WOULDN'T SAY ENCOURAGING NECESSARILY, BUT AS THEY COME UP, IF WE ARE APPROVING INDEPENDENT TAXING DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR CITY, WHAT PROBLEM IS OUR CITY TRYING TO SOLVE? BECAUSE OUR COMP PLAN GUIDES US.
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN LATE QUALITY.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHAT OUR CITY IS TRYING TO SOLVE WITH THE FORMATION OF THE LEAD.
I HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS, AND WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE SPEAKING TONIGHT WHO FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT BEING TAXED.
BY THE CITY FOR WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A COLLECTIVE THAT THEY DID NOT PURCHASE A HOME UNDERSTANDING AS YOU WOULD WHEN YOU'RE MOVING INTO A MANAGED HOA, THAT SOME FOLKS HAVE NOT MOVED IN AGREEING TO THIS ADDED LAYER OF TAXATION.
I ALSO FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAD ABOUT 30% PARTICIPATION IN THE PAST YEAR.
YET 70% OF PEOPLE ARE IN FAVOR OF THE LID.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S FUNDRAISING FATIGUE, AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY FULLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING ONTO.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A REFERENDUM PROCESS FOR THIS, EVEN IF WHATEVER THE VOTE IS TONIGHT THAT THE FOLKS ARE ABLE TO COME BACK AND BE HEARD AGAIN.
I DO QUESTION WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY LIES WITH CREATING A NEW TAXING DISTRICT AND WHAT OUR CITY IS ULTIMATELY DOING TO AFFECT WATER QUALITY ISSUES IF THAT IS A GOAL OF THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S QUITE CLEAR THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON LAND USE POLICY, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED.
THE ISSUE OF CREATING NEW TAXING DISTRICTS, FOR ME, KNOWING THAT THERE IS OPPOSITION IS A CHALLENGING ONE BECAUSE IT DOES MOVE FORWARD INTO PERPETUITY.
THERE ARE SOME STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FOLKS SHOULD FEEL INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN VERSUS REQUIRED.
>> OTHER THOUGHTS, COUNCIL MEMBERS?
[02:20:02]
>> I CAN SEE THAT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT'S BEEN PUT ON BY BOTH SIDES.
I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY.
THE WEEDS ARE A HUGE PROBLEM ON THE LAKE.
I KNOW AT MY CABIN THAT I WAS TRYING TO RAKE THE WEEDS OFF THE TOP OF THE LAKE AND MOVE TO THE SIDE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS AS FAR AS PULLING THE WEEDS OR APPLYING HERBICIDES TO THE LAKE.
AS A FEW OF YOU HAD SAID, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING THE LID, THAT CHEMICALS AREN'T ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE A GREAT NEED TO DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY TO TRY TO STIFLE THIS IN ITS PLACE.
IT SEEMS THAT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING US TO DO IS TO FORM THE LID AND THEN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TAXATION.
I AM CONCERNED AND I HAD READ IN THE PACKET ABOUT IF IT WAS TO DISBAND, WE ARE STILL HELD LIABLE FOR IT AS A CITY, AS AN ENTITY, A GOVERNMENT, WHO ULTIMATELY SAID YES TO THE LID.
THAT GREATLY CONCERNS ME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT INTO THE FUTURE.
I KNOW EVERYBODY SAID THAT THERE CAN BE PERMITS, AND THERE'S ONLY SO MANY CHEMICALS THAT CAN GO IN AND STUFF.
BUT NORMALLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUED, IT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE THAT HAPPENED.
WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO LOOK TO YOU TO SEE WHAT HOW YOU READ THAT PART OF THE STATUTE THAT BARK JUST QUOTED.
I JUST WANT TO CORRECT IT IN A MINOR WAY.
IT'S NOT A STATUTE. IT'S A MINNESOTA RULE THAT'S BEEN FLASHED UP HERE. IT DOES.
IT SAYS EXACTLY WHAT FOLKS HAVE SAID IS THAT THE WAY THE RULE IS PUT FORWARD IS THAT THE LID IS WHOLLY AND ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE ACTIONS TAKEN PURSUANT TO THAT LID.
THERE IS THE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS IN THE EVENT AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT FOLKS ARE FOCUSING ON FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITY.
IT SAYS, IN THE EVENT OF TERMINATION OF THE DISTRICT OR FAILURE OF THE DISTRICT TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS, THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES FALL UPON THE UNIT OR UNITS OF GOVERNMENT WHICH ESTABLISHED THE LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AS I'VE LOOKED AT THIS, I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE FORMATION OF SOME LIDS.
I WAS HERE FOR YOUR LAST ONE, AND OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE APPROVED THESE.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A FORWARD LOOKING PROVISION TO THIS POINT I'M NOT AWARE OF, AND I DID TALK TO THE TRUST ABOUT THIS OF ANY LITIGATION OR RESPONSIBILITIES OR LIABILITIES BEING CREATED BY LEAD FOR A CITY.
I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT GOING FORWARD AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE TRUST EXTENSIVELY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FROM A COVERAGE STANDPOINT.
YOU DO HAVE COVERAGE IN PLACE.
WE DID NOT FEEL THE NEED TO PUT IN THE ADDITIONAL RIDER IF YOU WILL.
LID CERTAINLY HAVE TO CARRY CERTAIN INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRIMARILY LIABLE ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMFORT, IF ANY, THE FACT THAT IT'S AN INSURED EVENT PROVIDES.
IT ONLY COMES INTO BEING IF THE LID DISSOLVES AND OR WHETHER THEY CAN'T MEET THEIR OBLIGATIONS.
BUT THE LANGUAGE IN THE RULE DOES STATE WHAT IT SAYS.
IT'S HOW IT'S BEEN APPLIED HASN'T HAPPENED YET, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
>> LET'S SELL IN AN INTERJECT WHILE YOU'RE COMMENTING ON THAT.
WHAT WOULD BE AN EVENT IN WHICH THE LID WOULD FAIL TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS? I'M HAVING A TOUGH TIME IMAGINING WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
>> WE TRIED TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ALMOST LAW SCHOOL EXERCISES.
I THINK THE BIGGEST UNKNOWN, AND THEN IT STARTS TO SPIRAL IS, WHAT DOES THE CHEMICAL APPLICATION MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY NEGATIVE REACTIONS AT THIS POINT.
WE ALL KNOW WITH ENVIRONMENTAL THINGS, SOMETIMES THEY SHOW UP RIGHT AWAY, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
THAT'S SOMETHING FOLKS HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.
IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE CITIES ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF PLAYGROUNDS, SO THERE'S SLIP AND FALL.
THERE'S ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN.
THE LIDS AREN'T PUTTING TOGETHER ANY STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS.
IT REALLY IS A DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO SAY IT, BUT A WEED OR AN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT IS THEIR PRIMARY CALL.
IT'S HARD TO THINK OF ANYTHING BEYOND THE APPLICATION OF THE CHEMICALS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
>> I'M SORRY. I INTERRUPT YOU.
>> NO, YOU DIDN'T. THAT'S FINE.
THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO COME IN AND WE CAN COME BACK TO IT LATER IS THE LMA HAS BEEN TREATING THE LAKE FOR YEARS.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LMA TREATING.
[02:25:03]
THE LAKE AND HAS IT BEEN SUCCESSFUL OR NOT SUCCESSFUL, THAT NOW WE'RE TURNING IT OVER TO THE LIDS.THEY HAD ON THEIR WEBSITE, THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE LIST OF THE BAYS THAT THEY'RE TREATING.
IT LOOKED LIKE STUBBS BAY WAS TO BE DETERMINED FOR THIS YEAR'S APPLICATION.
I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT CHANGE THERE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE LMA WASN'T GOING TO BE.
HAVE THEY NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL? IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HERBICIDES, THEN WHY ARE WE SAYING NOW THAT THE LID IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HERBICIDE?
>> I DON'T WANT TO MESS AROUND WITH YOUR PROCESS HERE AT THE.
>> BUT WE DO HAVE SCIENTISTS HERE, PATRICK, WHO DOES THE APPLICATIONS, AS WELL AS THE PERSON FROM THE DNR WHO USED TO MANAGE THIS WHOLE PROGRAM FOR THE STATE.
THE ANSWER IS THAT THE TREATMENTS HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WHAT YOU SAW ON THE SITE WHERE WE SAID STUBBS BAIT TO BE DETERMINED IS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THE SCHEDULING OF THE TREATMENTS ARE GOING TO BE.
TREATMENTS FOR CURE POND WET HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
THEY HAD TO BE COMPLETED BY, I BELIEVE, MAY 15 OF THIS YEAR.
WE'RE NOW GOING INTO TREATING EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL.
EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL WILL BE TREATED.
WE SUSPECT IT'LL BE STARTING AROUND THE 16TH OF THIS MONTH.
WHAT I DID IS I SENT OUT POSTCARDS TO EVERYBODY WHO LIVES AROUND THE LAKE, WHO LIVES AROUND THE BAYS THAT ARE BEING TREATED TO GIVE THEM A HEADS UP TO CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR THE EXACT DATE THAT IS GOING TO BE TREATED BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT IF I WANT TO IRRIGATE MY YARD THAT DAY.
THAT'S WHY WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
QUITE TO THE CONTRARY, WE'VE SEEN EXTREMELY POSITIVE RESULTS FROM THE TREATMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE ON THE BAYS.
WE'RE SEEING REGROWTH OF NATIVE VEGETATIONS IN ALL OF THE BAYS.
THERE IS GREAT INFORMATION THAT IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO DIG INTO THE WEED, SO TO SPEAK, PATRICK CAN PROVIDE FOR YOU, BUT WE'RE SEEING VERY POSITIVE RESULTS ABOUT THE REGROWTH OF NATIVE VEGETATIONS.
WE'RE SEEING VERY POSITIVE RESULTS ABOUT THE CONTROL OF EURASIAN WATERMILFOIL, AND CURT LEAF POND-WEED.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING GOOD RESULTS FOR TREATMENT OF FLOWERING RUSH.
NOW, ONE THING THAT DIDN'T GET TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT WAS TREATMENTS OF ZEBRA MUSCLES, WHICH ARE INFESTING THIS LAKE.
THE LID IS ABLE TO TAKE THAT ON, AS WELL, AND TO USE SOME OF THESE THEY'RE LOOKING AT LOW DOSAGE OF COPPER SULFIDE, WHICH IS A VERY COMMONLY USED PRODUCT TO CONTROL ZEBRA MUSCLE GROWTH.
THE ANSWER IS, YES, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
YES, THIS LID IS ALL ABOUT CONTROLLING AIS IN THE BAY.
IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT LOOKING UP BEYOND, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH CONSUL PERSON BENSON ABOUT THE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND AND TREAT AND DEAL WITH THE PHOSPHORUS FROM A WATERSHED BASIS.
THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE LID.
THE PURPOSE OF THE LID IS TO CONTROL AND TO MANAGE AIS, WHATEVER FORM THAT IS, WHETHER IT BE CUTTING, HARVESTING, OR TREATMENTS.
WE DO KNOW THAT THE EXPERTS OUT THERE SAY TREATMENTS ARE THE BEST APPROACH.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT THIS WIDE SCALE OF A PROBLEM, IT'LL NEVER GO AWAY UNLESS YOU DO SOMETHING TO KNOCK IT BACK.
ONCE IT'S KNOCKED BACK, THEY WANTED TO USE ANOTHER APPROACH.
THAT'D BE FINE. BUT WITHOUT THE LID, NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ON A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH PROJECT TO USE DNA AS WATER SAMPLERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT HYDRAULIC OR FLOWING RUSH I'M SORRY, STONEWOT IS PRESENT.
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS TO TRY TO CONTROL THE AAS IN THE WATER BODIES.
IT'S I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO DO IT.
I DON'T WANT TO AGAIN, I'LL LET YOU HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING, ACTUALLY.
ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU JUST TOLD US HOW SUCCESSFUL IT IS.
>> IS THAT EXPERIENCE ALL THESE TANS?
>> WE HAVE 13 BAYS THAT ARE DOING IT.
SOME BAYS COME IN AND THEY GO OUT BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T RAISE MONEY.
WE DON'T RAISE MONEY DIRECTLY FOR THIS AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN MY EXPERIENCE ON THIS LAKE IS THAT WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT THE LIDS.
WE'RE NOT GETTING OUT OF IT BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT'S ALL VOLUNTEER.
I'M GOING TO GO AWAY IN A FEW YEARS.
[02:30:02]
THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO SUSTAIN THIS PROGRAM.IF EITHER THE CITIES DON'T STEP UP, IF THE LMCD DOESN'T STEP UP, IF THE WATERSHED DOESN'T STEP UP, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINED. IT'LL GO AWAY.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO BE OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS, ASKING PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING WHEN THERE IS A STRUCTURE IN PLACE.
TO ADDRESS THIS, AND IF THERE IS A WILLINGNESS OF PEOPLE TO HELP SUPPORT CLEANING UP THE BAY FOR EVERYBODY.
DO I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? WE'RE NOT I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE CAN HAVE IF WE COULD RAISE MONEY WITHOUT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RAISING MONEY TO GET THIS DONE.
BUT THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. DOES THAT-
>> THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, EVEN IF THERE WAS ENOUGH MONEY, IT'S BETTER TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOLISTICALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR COOPERATION.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EDUCATING EVERYBODY ON THE GRASSES AND SHORELINE ISSUES, AND IT'S ABOUT YOUR LOVE OF THE BAY.
AGAIN, EVEN IF THERE WASN'T A MONEY THING, AND THERE'S A MONEY PROBLEM.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, YOU CAN'T DO IT NEXT YEAR AND THEN START OVER.
BUT IF THERE WAS THE MONEY, THE LID IS STILL A BETTER CHOICE FOR THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THE BAY TO WORK TOGETHER.
>> IF MONEY IS THE ISSUE, THEN WHY AREN'T WE JUST PAYING MONEY TO THE LMA? WHY DON'T WE JUST COORDINATE PAYING MONEY TO THE LMA, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE TAX, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE LIABILITY, AND WE HAVE THE EXPERTS WORKING ON IT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT PAYING THE MONEY TO THE LMA AND JUST SKIPPING ALL THIS STUFF.
>> THE LMA LAKE MENDOC ASSOCIATION IS A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, WHO ARE A 501 C3.
WE COLLECT MONEY FROM CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ON THE LAKE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 800 MEMBERS AROUND THE LAKE.
AS TO OUR PARTICIPATION WITH THE LAKE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WE OFFER THE COORDINATION AND THE FACILITATE AND THE EXPERIENCE AND LINE UP THE CONTRACTORS DO THE CONTRACTS.
THE BAY CAPTAINS GO AROUND DOOR KNOCKING AS CARINA HAS DONE, AND AS CARMAN'S BAY DID PREVIOUSLY, UNTIL THE LIT IS FORMED.
BUT THE WAY IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, ON OUR BAY, 30% OF US ARE FUNDING THE PROGRAM.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE IN TEN YEARS PROBABLY.
WE NEED A CONTINUOUS FUNDING SOURCE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. WE NEED YOUR APPROVAL, AND WE WOULD HAVE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
I'M AN INVASIVE SPECIES BIOLOGIST.
I WORKED AT THE DNR FOR 11 YEARS AS THE LEAD INVASIVE SPECIES BIOLOGIST FOR THE MINNETONKA AREA ISSUED ALL THE PERMITS.
THERE WAS A COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT THERE NOT BEING AN EXPERT.
I DON'T LIKE TO WEAR THE EXPERT HAT, BUT I AM AN EXPERT.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT WE SEE IN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT IS LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT PLANS SUPPORTED BY LONG-TERM FUNDING.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT HERE.
IT ALLOWS FOR MULTI-YEAR SUPPORT OF A MULTI-YEAR PROBLEM.
TO MANAGE INVASIVE MILFOIL SUCCESSFULLY IS USUALLY A THREE TO FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH LAKE MINNETONKA SINCE 2012.
AND, I ALWAYS SAID, WHY ISN'T THERE A GOVERNMENT ENTITY THAT'S DOING THIS? IT'S BECAUSE THIS LAKE IS SO COMPLEX.
HOW MANY CITIES ARE THERE THAT ARE REPRESENTED AROUND THIS LAKE? YOU ALL KNOW. YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM OF ADDRESSING INVASIVE SPECIES.
YOU HAVE WAY TOO MANY GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO ADDRESS ONE PROBLEM.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, A LID IS REALLY THE BEST SOLUTION TO
[02:35:04]
THIS PROBLEM TO GET EFFECTIVE INVASIVE SPECIES REDUCTIONS.A LIT IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT.
BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER FUNDING MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS FOR THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO GET THE ECOLOGICAL OUTCOME THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH STATE FUNDS TO DO IT.
THE DNR OFFERS $400,000 A YEAR TO LAKE ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
IT'S NOTHING. ANYWAY, WERE THERE ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU?
>> NO, I JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU SPEAKING ON BEHALF? ARE YOU A RESIDENT OR.
>> ARE YOU SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE DNR THEN TONIGHT?
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT-
>> I'LL BE TRANSPARENT. I WORKED AS A LEAD DNR BIOLOGIST FOR 12 YEARS.
I MOVED ON TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
I REPRESENT INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PROJECTS ACROSS FIVE STATES.
I WORK WITH GOVERNMENTS ACROSS ALL OF THOSE STATES.
I'M HERE AS A TECHNICAL EXPERT.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS BEFORE I GIVE MY OPINION?
>> WELL, THANK EVERYONE FOR ON BOTH SIDES AND UNDERSTANDING AND CARING FOR LAKE MINNETONKA AND CARING FOR THIS GREAT COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN.
IT'S A TOUGH THING. I GREW UP ON THIS LAKE.
I WAS THE ONE WHO CUT THE WEEDS MY HAND, AND ACTUALLY, I HAD THE FIRST HARVESTER ON LAKE MINNETONKA BACK IN 1983.
WAS OUT OF THE BUSINESS TWO YEARS LATER.
THEN MILFOIL CAME, AND BOY, I MISSED OUT ON THAT ONE.
BUT I KNOW THROUGH EXPERIENCE AND FROM LIVING ON HERE AND BEING WITH FRIENDS OF MINE WHO HAVE GROWN UP HERE AND STILL LIVING ON HERE.
IF THEY DON'T IF THIS ISN'T TACKLED, WHETHER IT'S A LIT, HOW IT IS.
PEOPLE ARE DOING IT INDIVIDUALLY AND DOING IT BY THEMSELVES.
THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT PARTS, AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MY OPINION, AGAIN, IS THERE'S GOING TO BE GREATER HARM DONE.
IT'S GOING TO BE DONE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT, PEOPLE WANT TO ENJOY THE LAKE THEY LIVE ON.
THEY DIDN'T MOVE TO LAKE MINNETONKA TO NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT.
WE HAVE THIS GREAT COMMUNITY HERE, AND IT'S MY VIEW LOOKING ON THIS, IT'S WE'RE TAKING A ONE BAY AT A TIME, LOOKING AT A ONE BAY AT A TIME, JUST LIKE WE DO WHEN PEOPLE COME TO VARIANCES, RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT A OVERALL THING, SAYING RUBBER STAMP APPROVAL ON ANYTHING, AND AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT THIS, AND IT'S A BAY TO BATH SITUATION.
BUT KNOWING THAT STUBBS BAY AND KNOWING A LOT OF OTHER BAYS AND SEEING THIS AND HEARING THE EFFECTS OF WHAT'S WORKED IN CARMAN'S BAY.
I'VE TALKED WITH PEOPLE OVER IN CHRISTMAS LAKE AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE THERE WITH THEIR AQUATIC EVASIVE WEEDS.
SOMETHING'S GOT TO BE DONE FOR THE LAKE OWNERS.
ALISA, YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT WHAT IS OUR ROLE HERE IN REGARDS TO THAT.
PART OF IT IS WHEN I THINK OUR CITIZENS COME TO US AND SAY, WE HAVE A SOLUTION HERE THAT IS PROVEN 50 TIMES OR WHATEVER THAT NUMBER, I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT NUMBER IS.
THROUGHOUT THE STATE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THIS TOOL TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS.
PART OF WHAT I THINK OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS IS DO WE USE THAT TOOL.
I THINK, BARB BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT.
THERE'S OTHER TOOLS ON THIS TO USE, TOO.
BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY TOOLS THAT HAVE COME UP HERE.
TO SHOW US WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
THE THINGS I HEAR FROM THE LID, AND WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE TALKING HERE IS, THIS IS A START IN THE STUBBS BAY.
AS CARINA SAID WE CAN LOOK AT THAT SILT.
WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE THINGS, BUT WE CAN'T DEAL WITH EVERYTHING AT ONCE.
YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE FOR US AS A COUNCIL HERE TO DECIDE ON FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I'VE LIVED IN ORONO FOR JUST PAST MY 28TH ANNIVERSARY.
BUT ONLY THE LAST SEVEN-PLUS YEARS HAVE BEEN ON THE LAKE.
WE BOUGHT OUR PLACE ON THE LAKE IN JANUARY, AND WHEN SPRING ROLLED AROUND, THE ICE MELTED AND THE WATER STARTED TO WARM UP,
[02:40:01]
I WAS HORRIFIED TO SEE ALL THE WEEDS TAKING OVER MY DOCK.I THOUGHT, WHAT A MISTAKE WE HAVE MADE.
WE DIDN'T SEE THIS PLACE WHEN IT WAS IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND NOW WE'VE GOT THIS WEED PROBLEM.
I WENT TO ONE OF THE LOCAL HARDWARE STORES AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE GOT THIS STUFF YOU CAN BUY AND PUT ON THE WEEDS, AND IT TAKES CARE OF THEM OR YOU CAN GO OUT AND HARVEST THE WEEDS, AND VERY MUCH AN INDIVIDUAL APPROACH TO HANDLING THE WEEDS IN FRONT OF MY PLACE.
I TALKED TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS AND SAID, OH, WHILE WE HIRE A FIRM, I THINK IT'S CALLED AQUA CARE, THAT COMES AND DOES BASICALLY CHEMICALS TO IMPROVE OUR SHORELINE.
YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT, TOO, BECAUSE IF WE'RE ALL BANDING TOGETHER, WE CAN HANDLE THIS.
WE'VE DONE THAT SINCE WE MOVED THERE.
IT HAS HANDLED THE WEEDS PRETTY WELL.
BUT I THINK THE POINT IS, IT'S BEEN A ONE-OFF, DO-IT-YOURSELF ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION TO TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM BAY-WIDE.
I THINK WE'VE GOT A GROUP HERE THAT HAS CLEARLY DONE ITS HOMEWORK, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
IT'S 70 PLUS PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS HAVE SAID THEY WANT IT.
PART OF THAT PROCESS IS GETTING THE CITY IN WHICH THAT BAY IS LOCATED TO APPROVE IT BY STATUTE.
WE HAVE TO DO THAT, AND I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I DON'T PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND THE CHEMICALS, THE SCIENCE, BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DO.
THE BEAUTY OF SETTING UP A LID, I THINK, IS TO ALLOW THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY WHATEVER TREATMENTS THEY'RE PUTTING INTO THAT BAY, TO DECIDE ON A YEARLY BASIS, WHAT'S THE BEST TREATMENT FOR THIS YEAR? WHAT'S THE BEST TREATMENT LONG-TERM AND HAVE A STEADY SOURCE OF FINANCING FOR THAT, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO DOOR TO DOOR AND ASK FOR DONATIONS.
I THINK MOST OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED ALONG THE WAY HERE.
BUT REALLY, IT PUTS THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE QUALITY OF THE LAKE, REALLY IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY AS A COLLECTIVE, NOT AS DO IT YOURSELF OR GO OUT AND TAKE CARE OF THE WEEDS IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN DOCK, BUT AS A GROUP OF HOMEOWNERS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THAT, THAT TAKE CARE OF IT.
IT REALLY IS DEMOCRACY IN ACTION, AND I THINK I'VE NOT HEARD FROM ANYBODY WHO EITHER SUPPORTS OR OPPOSES THIS, THAT DOESN'T AGREE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
THERE'S A PROBLEM OUT THERE, AND LAKE MINNETONKA IS, I WOULD ARGUE, OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE.
WE LIVE HERE BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL LAKES AND THE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS AND WONDERFUL SCHOOLS, AND WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT LAKE, AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO IT.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO CONSIDER.
I GUESS I COULD SAY IT'S UNCLEAR.
THEY APPROVE OF THE PROPOSED BOUNDARY IS WHAT IT IS.
THIS CAME UP WITH THE CARMAN'S BAY PROJECT AS WELL, THAT BESIDES TREATING THE WEEDS OR THE VEGETATION, I SHOULD SAY, WITH CHEMICALS, THERE'S OTHER EITHER MITIGATION, SHORELINE RESTORATION EFFORTS AND/OR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN OTHER LIDS THAT HAVE FORMED? THAT'S SOMETHING I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT.
BECAUSE THE DNR DOES CLEARLY SPELL OUT.
I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE THERE ARE VOICES IN THIS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH.
MEANING, YES, WE CAN TREAT WITH WHATEVER WE ARE GOING TO IN THESE PROCESSES, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO EDUCATE AND TO LOOK AT OTHER WAYS OF MITIGATING.
BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING, AND WE'VE RECEIVED QUITE A FEW EMAILS.
THE THEME IS WE CARE. THAT IS THE THEME.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE IN PROCESSES LIKE THESE THAT SOMETIMES IT CAN BECOME DIVISIVE, BECAUSE SOME FOLKS MAY PREFER NON-CHEMICAL MEASURES,
[02:45:03]
MITIGATION, BUFFERS ARE EMPLOYED PRIMARILY.THERE'S NO SIMPLE ANSWER, BUT I THINK IT DOES MATTER FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUPPORT TO UNDERSTAND, IN THIS LID, WHAT IS PROPOSED, BECAUSE IT'S CURRENTLY NOT HERE, AT LEAST IN THE DNR'S PROPOSAL AROUND OTHER APPROACHES, A PRONGED APPROACH OF MITIGATION EFFORTS, REDUCTION OF LAWNS, LAWNS TO LAGOONS, NATIVE PLANTINGS.
THOSE ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED IN THE DNR'S REPORT, AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE ISSUES CONTRIBUTE TO LAKE HEALTH IN A NON-CHEMICAL WAY.
IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I WAS DELIGHTED WHEN I READ THIS DNR REPORT BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
OUR PLAN, THE RESOLUTION, THAT WENT TO YOU GUYS AND WENT TO THE DNR, BASICALLY WAS TALKING ABOUT REALLY THE INVASIVE WEEDS AND WATER QUALITY PHOSPHORUS.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH KATHY AT THE DNR, AND SHE WAS ALL ON BOARD.
THIS SEEMS TO BE THE RIGHT BOUNDARIES TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THIS IN THE LAKE THING.
BUT THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE, I WAS, AGAIN, DELIGHTED TO HEAR BECAUSE I SO DO WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR PROPOSED LID PEOPLE ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET OTHER VEGETATION, HOW WE CAN MITIGATE HAVING SOME RUNOFF FROM GRASS INTO THE LAKE AND SOME OF THE SLOPED AREAS, ESPECIALLY.
THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY, AND TO START CHECKING THE SEDIMENT.
WHAT'S GOING ON THERE? THESE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TO DO IN ADDITION FOR THE LID, AND TOTALLY IN SUPPORT.
I WOULD HOPE THAT AS WE GATHER, IF WE DO FORM A LID, THAT WE CAN ADOPT AS MANY OF THESE THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE THAT'S CAPABLE TO DO, BUT ANYTHING, EVEN TAKING A LITTLE SOIL SAMPLE OF A SEDIMENT OR SILT COSTS MONEY.
TO DO THESE THINGS, YOU NEED MONEY, AND SO THAT THE LID STRUCTURE PROVIDES THAT. THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> IT DOES. IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE ALL ANSWERS AT THIS TIME.
I THINK IT WOULD HELP ME AS A DECISION-MAKER IN THIS ROLE, HAVING SEEN SOME OPPOSITION AND NOT JUST TO THE TAXING DISTRICT, BUT ALSO TO THESE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT A COMMITMENT OF LAKESHORE OWNERS, AS WE TALK ABOUT LAND USE, TO UNDERSTANDING THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, IS GREATER ON LAKESHORE OWNERS, OR FOLKS WHO LIVE NEAR THE WATERSHED, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE AS INDIVIDUALS AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY, THEY AFFECT THE LAKES.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME UP A LOT IS PULLING VERSUS CHEMICAL TREATMENT OR BUFFER ZONES OR WHATNOT.
MY INCLINATION IS TO SUGGEST AND HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THAT HOMEOWNERS ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DIFFERING VOICES AND DIFFERING OPINIONS IN THIS PROCESS, AND THAT A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH NOT ONLY HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED, BUT IT'S ALSO HEAVILY FAVORED BY THE COMMUNITY, RATHER THAN LOOKING TO ONE SOLUTION, AND I'M SURE THAT THE EXPERTS WOULD AGREE HERE THAT REALLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR MULTIPLE WAYS OF ACHIEVING RESULTS, WHICH DO REQUIRE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMITMENTS, NOT ALWAYS MONETARY, AND EDUCATION AS A PART OF THAT TOO.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GIVEN THAT SOME THOUGHT.
I THINK THAT THAT'S HELPFUL AS A DECISION-MAKER TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THIS, BUT I WOULD AGREE THE PROCESS IS MEANT TO BE DEMOCRATIC AND ALSO THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO LONG-TERM HELP THE LAKES AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE LAKE OR NEAR IT. THANK YOU.
>> JUST TO TALK FURTHER ON THAT.
OUR THINKING ON THIS IS THE LID PASSES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I'VE GONE AND MET AT OUR HOUSE TO GET TOGETHER AND START TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE OTHER THINGS CAME UP.
THEY DID COME UP WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
WE WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
BUT WITH THE LID, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN A DEMOCRATIC FASHION WITH PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE LAKE, TO SHARE THESE IDEAS AND TO COME UP WITH THE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[02:50:01]
I'M IN INTENSE AGREEMENT WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.>> TO CLARIFY, HOW IS THE BOARD INITIALLY FORMED, AND THEN IF IT'S APPROVED, IT WOULD BE VOTED ON IN THE FUTURE, BUT CURRENTLY IT'S.
>> I BELIEVE WE NAME THE BOARD.
>> THE COUNCIL NAMES THE BOARD.
>> IF WE APPROVE THIS, WE NAME THE FIRST BOARD, AND THEN IT'S AN ANNUAL ELECTION IN THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, BY THE CITIZENS.
>> YEAH, THE FIRST BOARD. THERE IS A SLATE OF DIRECTORS THAT WAS INCLUDED, PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO.
THEN THERE'S A WHOLE SWATH OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET INVOLVED.
WHETHER THAT'S BOARD OR NOT, BUT IT'S JUST THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM IN THIS.
IS THAT LIST OF WHO BECAUSE WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE PETITION, WE SAID, DO YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED? A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID. IT'S ALMOST 50%.
IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE. AGAIN, AS MARK SAID, THAT'S THE EXCITEMENT OF LET'S DO SOMETHING.
WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING BETTER FOR THE LAKE, AND THAT INCLUDES A LOT OF THINGS.
IF IT IS APPROVED, WE HAVE A SLATE, YOU WOULD APPROVE IT OR HOWEVER THAT IS DONE HERE, AND THAT WOULD BE OUR FIRST BOARD.
THEN AFTER THE SERVICE TIME, WE WOULD THEN HAVE OUR ANNUAL MEETINGS WHERE THAT NEW BOARDS ARE ELECTED.
>> THIS BOARD, HOW ARE THESE NAMES CHOSEN OR RECOMMENDED?
>> WE HAD A LITTLE CONVERSATION INTERNALLY FOR OUR SMALL GROUP, AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE DIFFERENT AREA ON THE LAKE, PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED ON BOARDS, PEOPLE THAT WERE ENTHUSIASTIC IN THE WHOLE PROCESS, OF PEOPLE THAT WERE LIKE, I CAN GET INVOLVED.
THEY KNEW PEOPLE. THEY WANTED TO REALLY GET INVOLVED.
>> I'M READING THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION, AND IT DOES TALK ABOUT SEVEN MEMBERS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
ARE THERE SEVEN PEOPLE YOU'VE GOT ON YOUR LIST OR IS IT FIVE? YES.
>> SORRY. ON THE DAIS, I HAVE PUT THE UPDATED RESOLUTION.
>> NUMBER. IT WAS THE INCORRECT VERSION ON THE ONLINE PACKET.
THEN I DID ALSO PUT THE FIVE PROPOSED BOARD MEMBERS ON THE DAIS.
>> IS THAT STANDARD THEN FOR LIDS? I KNOW THAT THERE IS A STANDARD FIVE VERSUS SEVEN.
I THINK IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE COULD BE MORE.
>> I THINK IN THE STATUTE FOR LIDS, IT DOES SAY 5-9.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED, I THINK, FOR FIVE TO START.
I KNOW THAT THE CARMAN BAY ENDED UP ADDING MORE.
THAT IS CERTAINLY, AND WE'LL TAKE YOUR ADVICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO DO THAT.
>> PERSONALLY, I'M FINE WITH FIVE, WHATEVER YOU'RE PROPOSING IN THAT REGARD TO MANAGE YOURSELVES.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, THAT PROCESS OCCURRED, ESPECIALLY THAT INCLUDING VOICES IN THAT BOARD THAT HAVE DIFFERING OPINIONS.
I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL.
IF THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY THAT LEVEL OF OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY, THEN POTENTIALLY TWO MORE COULD BE ADDED.
>> I WOULDN'T KNOW THOSE DETAILS BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT APPROVING SOMETHING THAT ALL DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES, I THINK THAT MAKES FOR A GOOD BOARD.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ENLIGHTENING DISCUSSION AND VERY HELPFUL, IT'S ALL AROUND.
>> I GUESS I DID LIKE THE COMMENTS YOU HAD MADE, AND CARINA, I THINK YOU AND BOB ALSO ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT PHOSPHORUS IS VERY HIGH IN THE LAKE.
ANYTHING THAT THE LANDOWNERS CAN DO TO MITIGATE THAT BECAUSE IN THE DNR LETTER, IT DOES SAY THAT YOU ARE AFFECTED BY ALMOST 11,000 ACRES OF LAND AND THE DECISIONS THAT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE MADE ALL GETS TO RUN DOWN INTO YOUR BAY.
YOU'RE THE BOUNDARY FOR THAT, AND ANYTHING YOU GUYS CAN DO, BOB HAS WETLANDS.
YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT THERE AT THE BORDER.
ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO AT THE LAKE MAKES A HUGE IMPACT, I THINK.
THE EDUCATION, LIKE YOU SAID, TALKING ABOUT VEGETATION THAT COULD BE PLANTED AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO MITIGATE THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS TOO THAT I JUST TAKE NOTICE OF.
[02:55:01]
I LOVE WHAT DR. FARRELL SAID, AND I NEVER THOUGHT OF IT THIS WAY, BUT IT'S BIOLOGICAL RODENTS.THINK OF HOW THEY HAVE BECOME ON THAT LAKE.
LIKE I SAID, I GREW UP ON THE LAKE.
ONE OF THE THINGS AND MARILYN NELSON TALKED ABOUT IT, IS LEAVING THIS LEGACY, AND PART OF IT IS LEAVING THIS PLACE A BETTER PLACE THAN WHEN I CAME.
WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERING IN OPINIONS ON WHAT THAT IS AND HOW TO GO ABOUT IT, BUT LIKE I SAID, I GREW UP IN MOUND AND I RAKED WASTE.
WE DUMPED OUR CHEMICALS IN THERE, GOT THE NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AND DID THAT WHOLE THING AND THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
MY FAVORITE COMPANY OF ALL TIME, TONKA TOYS, WAS DUMPING THEIR SEWAGE RIGHT THERE, RIGHT INTO HARRISON'S BAY, AND THEIR FRIEND FROM EDGEWATER OVER THERE.
AT THE TIME, THAT'S WHAT WAS DONE.
WE'RE MAKING DECISION NOW WITH TRYING TO BE FORWARD ON IT.
BUT AS I LOOK AT THIS THING, WE'RE LOOKING AT A DECISION NOW THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
HOW DO WE HANDLE WHAT WE HAVE TODAY? WE'VE GOT A TOOL TO DO IT.
WE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO STEP UP.
TO YOUR POINT, THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, AND I'M NOT FOR ADDITIONAL TAXING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IS, IF IT'S NOT DONE THIS WAY, THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE.
BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE LMA PEOPLE, YOU HEARD FROM THE OTHER PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW WHAT? SOME PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED, SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T, AND THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S PART OF THAT, BUT THEN YOU END UP NOT HAVING THAT CONSISTENT LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF THAT.
THEN YOU'RE STARTING OVER EVERY OTHER YEAR OR WHATEVER THAT IS.
>> I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION REGARDING THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THE PROCESS FOR REFERENDUM, COULD THAT BE EXPLAINED BY SOREN OR MAGGIE?
>> I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.
>> BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A FOREVER THING IF A MAJORITY OF THE LANDOWNERS THERE DECIDE THAT IT'S NOT WORKING.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR NOT RECALL, BUT THE PROCESS.
THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT PIECE, I THINK, TO TALK ABOUT AS PART OF THE FORMATION.
>> LET ME. I BELIEVE IT IS 26.
I JUST WANT TO GET THE EXACT LANGUAGE.
SORRY. EXPANDING ANNUAL MEETING.
DO YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU, MEG? SORRY. I KNOW IT'S IN THE REPORT.
I JUST WANT TO GET IT FROM THE ACTUAL STATUTE.
>> ANYBODY HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER? [BACKGROUND] TWENTY-SIX PERCENT CAN PETITION FOR IT. THEN IS IT A VOTE? [OVERLAPPING] YES.
SO 26% CAN PETITION, 51% DECIDE.
>> THAT WOULD OCCUR AT THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE AS PART OF A BALLOT MEASURE? AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S HOW IT WOULD BE.
>> THE PETITION IS RECEIVED FROM AT LEAST 26% OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THE LID, THEN THE ESTABLISHMENT WOULD BE STAYED UNTIL A REFERENDUM IS HELD, ALLOWING THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS TO VOTE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT, SO IT STAYS.
WE'RE STILL COMING BACK, BUT THE 26% IS ACCURATE.
>> IT'S IMPORTANT TOO TO NOTE THAT'S 26% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PROPOSED LID.
>> THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE REFERENDUM, NOT THE CITY AS A WHOLE?
>> MR. MAYOR, I THINK SOMEBODY'S IN THE BACK.
>> MY NAME IS ED ROCKWELL, HARRISON BAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE BIOLOGIST, I THINK.
>> WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE PHOSPHORUS AND GREEN LEVELS IN THE LAKE AND HOW IT'S ALL RUNNING OFF FROM THE CITIES, AND THAT'S THE MAIN REASON OR THE MAIN CAUSE.
BUT WHAT NOBODY IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS HOW THE CHEMICALS RAPIDLY DECOMPOSE THE WEEDS AND CAUSE HIGH LEVELS OF PHOSPHORUS TO RAPIDLY GO INTO THE LAKE AND CAUSE ALGAL BLOOMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IF WE GO THROUGH AND WE USE A LOT OF CHEMICALS, MY MAIN ISSUE IS THE CHEMICALS.
IF WE USE LOTS OF CHEMICALS AND WE KILL THESE WEEDS WITH CHEMICALS,
[03:00:05]
IT'S GOING TO RAPIDLY INTRODUCE PHOSPHORUS INTO THE LAKE.IF WE DO IT ON ALL 14 BAYS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, IT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THE STUDIES I'VE READ ONLINE ALL INDICATE THAT THAT'S A PROBLEM.
>> THINK OF PHOSPHORUS CYCLING IN LAKES AS A CYCLE.
IT'S NATURAL UPTAKE FROM THE SEDIMENT, AND THEN AS THOSE PLANTS DECOMPOSE EITHER LATE IN THE SEASON OR AFTER AN HERBICIDE TREATMENT, IT'S RELEASE OF THAT PHOSPHORUS, BUT IT'S A CONTINUOUS CYCLE.
SO IT'S NOT THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW PHOSPHORUS.
THE PHOSPHORUS IS ALWAYS THERE IN THE SEDIMENT.
WHAT MOST LIDS ARE USING FOR HERBICIDES ARE SELECTIVE HERBICIDES THAT VERY SLOWLY TARGET THE INVASIVE PLANT AND KILL THEM SLOWLY.
IDEALLY, IF THE TREATMENTS ARE TIMED ADEQUATELY, THEY'RE DONE EARLY, SO THERE'S LESS BIOMASS AND LESS PHOSPHORUS RELEASE.
IN GENERAL, I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO FAR INTO THE WEEDS.
FAST-ACTING CONTACT HERBICIDES, WHICH ARE NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, KILL PLANTS QUICKLY AND RELEASE PHOSPHORUS.
SLOW-ACTING SYSTEMIC HERBICIDES ARE A SLOW GRADUAL RELEASE AS THOSE PLANTS.
THE TARGET PLANTS SLOWLY DIE, SO IT REALLY MATTERS THE DOSE AND THE PRODUCT THAT YOU CHOOSE.
THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH DETAIL.
>> TO TREAT CURLY-LEAF PONDWEED, THEY USED DIQUAT, WHICH IS A FAST-ACTING HERBICIDE.
THEY USED IT IN HARRISON BAY ON MAY 1ST.
THREE WEEKS LATER, WE HAD AREAS OF ALGAE BLOOM ALL ALONG OUR SHORELINE INTERMIXED WITH CURLY-LEAF PONDWEED.
I LIVE ON THE SOUTH SHORE, THEY TREATED ON THE NORTHWEST SHORE.
WE HAD PROBABLY A WEEK'S WORTH OF SLOW WIND COMING TOWARDS US.
IT ALL FORMED ALONG OUR SHORELINE, AS FAR AS I COULD SEE THAT WAY TO AS FAR AS I COULD SEE THAT WAY.
THEN ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS LATER, WE HAD PROBABLY 20 DEAD POND FISH ALL ALONG OUR SHORELINE.
I DID PUT A POST ON THE LAKE MINNETONKA COMPLAINT PAGE, SHOWING MY VIDEO IF YOU GUYS SAW IT.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU DID OR NOT, BUT I ALSO HAVE VIDEO OF ME WALKING ALONG MY SHORELINE, SHOWING ALL THE DEAD FISH.
SO USING CHEMICALS DOES MESS WITH THE ECOSYSTEM, THAT'S COUNTING THE FISH.
>> ADAM, ONCE THE LID IS FORMED, DO THESE GROUPS TYPICALLY PRESENT TO COUNCIL WITH ANY REGULARITY, OR THEY SIMPLY SELF-MANAGING AT THAT POINT?
>> IN OUR ONE EXAMPLE, THEY'RE SELF-MANAGING.
THEY SEND THE MINUTES OF THEIR ANNUAL MEETING TO THE CITY, AND THEN MOSTLY WORK WITH FINANCE ON GETTING THE ASSESSMENT ROLE CERTIFIED, AND THEN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TAX FUNDS ONCE THEY COME IN.
>> DOES THE WATERSHED CONTINUE TO MONITOR? IS IT MONTHLY, OR HOW OFTEN DOES THE WATERSHED CONTINUE TO MONITOR?
>> IT IS REQUIRED THAT IT IS MONTHLY.
>> IS THAT CHEMICAL THE ONE THAT WAS JUST MENTIONED, THE ONE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR STUBBS BAY DIQUAT?
>> WE USE DIQUAT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, SO DIQUAT IS ON FOR CURLY-LEAF PONDWEED.
HOPEFULLY, I WON'T SPEAK OUT OF SCHOOL HERE.
THE DNR REQUIRED A SUPER TIGHT WINDOW.
BECAUSE CURLY-LEAF PONDWEED GROWS EARLY, IT'S OKAY WITH GROWING EARLY AND COLD WATER, SO IT GETS A HEAD START BEFORE ALL THE NATIVES GET GOING.
THAT'S WHY THE MINNESOTA DNR IS VERY CAREFUL AND SAYS, YOU HAVE THIS SMALL WINDOW TO TREAT CURLY WEED EARLY SPRING SO IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE OTHER INVASIVES.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE ISSUES THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE LAST [INAUDIBLE]
>> I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONCERNS REGARDING HERBICIDE SAFETY.
WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE LOVE THE LAKE, BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT THE LAKE HEALTH.
BUT THE POINT ABOUT DIQUAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.
THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE TO USE IT IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A FUNDING MECHANISM TO PAY FOR
[03:05:01]
SOLUTIONS THAT ARE SELECTIVE AND COST 3-4 TIMES THE COST.>> ARE WE READY TO MAKE A MOTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? ANYBODY?
I'LL START WITH NUMBER 1, MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CERTIFIED PETITION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STUBBS BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
>> NO, THAT'S NOT A RESOLUTION. SORRY.
THAT'S JUST A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PETITION BEFORE YOU TAKE.
>> THREE ACTIONS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN HERE.
AT LEAST THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BROKEN UP HERE.
>> I'LL JUST START WITH WHAT I SEE IN FRONT OF ME AS THE FIRST MOTION, TO ACCEPT THE CERTIFIED PETITION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STUBBS BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
>> FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
MOTION CARRIES. THE SECOND MOTION?
>> THE SECOND IS MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION 7594, ESTABLISHING THE STUBBS BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
>> THE THIRD IS MOTION TO APPOINT THE INITIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE STUBBS BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
TO CLARIFY, THERE ARE FIVE OF THEM AT THIS TIME, WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO GET INVOLVED, APPARENTLY. THAT'S THE MOTION.
>> TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S LEE HARREN, KARENA CASEY, BRUCE LEE, MARK JOHNSON, AND BRENT TILLEY, IS IT? IS THAT HOW YOU PRONOUNCE IT?
>> WHAT'S THAT? [OVERLAPPING] SOMETHING ELSE HAS CHANGED FROM WHAT I HAVE HERE.
JOE GILBERTSON BEING NUMBER 5.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THOSE ARE THE FIVE THAT WE WOULD BE MOVING.
YOU'VE MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD PUBLIC DISCUSSION.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU ALL, PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT BROUGHT OPPOSING POINTS OF VIEW.
WE NEED TO HEAR THOSE, AND YOU WERE VERY ELOQUENT ABOUT THEM.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
THIS IS THIS COUNCIL'S FIRST LOOK AT A LID, SO WE WERE EDUCATED BY YOU, FOLKS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, AND BEST OF LUCK.
WE'LL LET THE CROWD SHUFFLE OUT.
>> MR. MAYOR, COULD WE DO A FIVE-MINUTE RECESS?
>> WHERE ARE WE? I THINK WE'RE AT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT, I GUESS.
WE DON'T HAVE ITEM 13 ANYMORE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO BE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORT? YOU'RE GOOD. ATTORNEY REPORT.
>> I'LL HOLD MY COMMENTS FOR THE CLOSED SESSION.
[Attorney Report]
>> CITY ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEER REPORT?
[City Administrator/Engineer Report]
>> JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK UPDATES.
TODAY, WE DID AWARD THE SEWER AWARD THAT WILL TAKE OUR MANHOLE ON PIPE MAINTENANCE FOR THIS YEAR.
THE BROWN ROAD PROJECT NOW HAS A NEW PROJECTED START DATE OF THE 23RD, SO A FEW WEEKS BEHIND NOW, MOSTLY WAITING ON CENTERPOINT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR TO CLEAR FROM HIS OTHER PROJECTS, AND THEN THE CRYSTAL BAY BUSINESS CENTER, WHICH IS A DEVELOPMENT-LED PROJECT, BUT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES ARE NOW COMPLETE.
TESTING IS THIS WEEK ON THOSE, AND THEN THEY'LL FINISH THEIR ROAD IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
THEN FROM A CITY ADMINISTRATOR POINT OF VIEW, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, I KNOW I SENT OUT THAT WE DID HAVE
[03:10:02]
A FORCED ENTRY ATTEMPT AT THE FRONT DESK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.WE'VE BEEN MEETING AS STAFF TO REVIEW THAT INCIDENT AND LOOK AT SOME IMPROVEMENTS WE MIGHT MAKE, AND SO WE'VE GOT A LIST OF THINGS.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEE ON YOUR AGENDA IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO DO SOME MORE SECURITY CAMERAS, SECURITY ACCESS CONTROL, AND SOME MODIFICATIONS TO HOW THE FRONT GATES WORK AND ARE CONFIGURE, SO WORKING THROUGH THOSE. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS, ANYTHING?
[14. Council Committee and Board Reports]
>> THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS THE LONG LAKE FIRE ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE ATTENDED.
>> TRUE. YES. MR. EDWARDS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN, AND I ATTENDED THE FIRE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
IS THAT WEDNESDAY? I BELIEVE SO.
WE WERE BACK AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT TO MEET REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EXCELSIOR FIRE DISTRICT TO GLEAN SOME LEARNINGS FROM THEM AS TO HOW WE WERE MERGING OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN FORMING A JPA, AND THAT WAS VERY INSTRUCTIVE.
FIRE ADVISORY REPORT, I THINK, WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EVERYBODY, THE MINUTES FROM THAT, AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF HANDOUTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR TO POINT OUT THERE.
>> IT WENT ACCORDING TO THE AGENDA, I THINK, AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY NOTHING CONTROVERSIAL.
>> ACTUALLY, ON MONDAY, WE GOT INVITED TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS FOR A TOUR.
COUNCIL MEMBER PERSIAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER BENSON AND MYSELF, I GUESS WE'RE TREATED TO A TOUR.
>> I HAD SIGNED UP FOR THAT AND THE CLIENT THING CAME UP, AND I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.
SO I'M SAD ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY INTERESTING.
I APPRECIATE HEATHER EDELSON INVITING US TO THAT, AND MAYBE THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER.
>> MAYBE JON AND I CAN GO NEXT TIME.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> ANYTHING ELSE? MAYOR COUNCIL REPORT,
[Mayor/Council Report]
ANYTHING ELSE TO REPORT? WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO NOT TURN THIS INTO A 1:00 AM DEPARTURE.[LAUGHTER] I THINK WE WILL GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. IS THERE MAGIC LANGUAGE?
[Closed Session]
>> THERE IS, MAYOR. I THINK THE IDEA WAS WE WOULD DO THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS FIRST, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT LISTED.
IT DOES NEED TO BE READ BY YOU, MAYOR.
IF YOU GO TO THE PURPOSE SECTION ON THE STAFF MEMO, IF YOU COULD READ ITEM NUMBER 1 INTO THE RECORD, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. RIGHT THERE.
>> IT IS 9:27, AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE MEETING AS PERMITTED BY SECTION 13D 0.05 SUBDIVISION 3A, TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AND ALSO TO DISCUSS LABOR NEGOTIATIONS.
THAT IS PERMITTED UNDER SECTION 13D 0.03, I THINK IT IS.
>> YES. LABOR NEGOTIATION STRATEGY RELATED TO THE CITY'S NEGOTIATIONS WITH LELS LOCAL 168, POLICE SERGEANTS, LES LOCAL NUMBER 40 PATROL OFFICERS, IUOE LOCAL NUMBER 49 AFL-CIO AND OPEIU LOCAL NUMBER 12 AFL-CIO.
WE WILL CONDUCT BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS OF BUSINESS DURING THE CLOSED SESSION.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO SEND US INTO CLOSED SESSION?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.
MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.