02-14-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, July 24, 2017 7:00 o'clock p.m. 15. CARMAN BAY LAKE IMPROVEMENT PUBLIC HEARING — RESOLUTION NO. 6781 -Continued Jack Eugster, 2655 Kelly Avenue, stated during the time he has lived on the bay the milfoil has been reduced dramatically, particularly in the past few years. Eugster stated on the north and east side the milfoil came out so far that the bay was substantially smaller, and with the reduction in the weeds, the bay has gotten larger. Eugster stated the native weeds are a lot easier to deal with than the milfoil. Eugster stated even on weekdays when the boats are not cutting up the weeds in the lake, he was not able to see three or four feet down in the water but that he can now see more than seven feet down. Eugster stated he is very much in support of the program. Nielsen stated the LID would be in strict compliance with the DNR and that there are specific goals. One goal is to reduce the amount of milfoil by 80 percent and delineation surveys will be done to monitor that. Patrick Selter, Lake Management Company, noted as stated in the lake management plan, this is aquatic invasive species control and not weed control. Selter stated when it comes to the products used, it has been scientifically proven that the bay has not been impacted negatively in one single way. Selter stated what they know is that they can remove the invasive species and that he is here to provide factual information on the products and results. Selter indicated he works with over 130 different groups throughout the state managing AIS and consistently year after year it has been proven that they can control these species. Selter stated in every instance, the most successful organizations have been watershed districts, municipalities, and lake improvement districts. When groups struggle with financing, they tend to see the weeds come back. The treatments will get the bay back to what it was meant to be, a social activity. Selter noted grant money is down due to different legislative actions but that the LID can still apply for grant money and other funding through various sources. Once the LID starts building up reserves, they then can start reducing the fee. Selter noted at any time a petition can be brought to terminate the district. Dankey asked what the difference is between the lakefront and the cove. Selter stated they have designed a system to get cove property owners involved and participate. Selter stated he has managed many coves in the past and that the coves look better this year than they have in the past. Selter stated as a company, if the residents had someone contribute to the program that lived in the cove, they did the treatment. Selter stated he did that because he felt there was a bigger value gained by managing that cove. Reeder noted the City did receive four e-mails in support of the project. Mayor Walsh closed the public hearing at 8:15 p.m. Walsh stated he followed Dave Osgood when this whole program started with the bay captains and asking the residents for contributions. Walsh stated he remembers when Phelps Bay did it for a couple of years but then the weeds came back because they stopped treating the bay. Crystal Bay has also dramatically changed as well, which shows that the treatments have been successful overall. Page 6