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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-12-2025 CC Minutes - public comment stubbs bay lidMay 1211, council meeting Jim Theisen 1295 Elmwood Ave I have been before this council on three separate occasions to discuss our opposition to the formation of Lake Improvement Districts in Orono. I also sent an email to Alisa Benson, that was to be forwarded to all council members by Adam Edwards. At the council meeting on April 41h it was apparent by the question Alisa asked regarding what was the basis of our opposition. I would like to hopefully make it clear with three main points. 1. We are opposed to the formation of an "association" or LID and forcing our neighbors into this structure to manage a public body of water. 2. We are opposed to the liability placed on us as residents and on the City of Orono by state statute 6115,0980, and "hold harmless" on the State of Minnesota to manage a public body of water. 3. We are opposed to the wide spread chemical treatment of our bays with these potentially harmful /forever chemicals. LID's were first create by legislation in 1973, there are currently 54 in the state, with two that exist on Lake Minnetonka. Why after 52 years do so few exist? Lake Minnetonka Association (later referred to as LMA) is spear heading the creation of multiple new LID's on Lake Minnetonka. Forest Lake, Crystal Bay, Stubbs Bay, and Harrison's Bay. These are only the one's that I'm aware of. North Arm expressed interest in forming a LID at the April 4th meeting. Eric Evenson, the "executive Direction" of LMA presented at the Apr 4th meeting. Eric was previously the executive director of the Minnehaha Watershed District. This organization promotes a more holistic approach of water management, he is now "all in" with chemical treatment, this is shocking to me given his past history. Eric Evanson accidently sent me an email regarding chemical treatments around Brackets Point. This is being done in one of the bays with the best water quality on Minnetonka. He was afforded a separate private meeting with the mayor, city manager and staff. When I asked Adam Edwards if I could have the same access to the mayor I was told "no", I could only submit a letter. LMA board of directors consists of nine members. One is Lee Harren, he is a resident of Stubb's Bay that is promoting the creation of a LID in that bay. He is also listed as "principle officer" on their 501C financial reporting. Another board member is Amanda Walsh, wife of the former mayor Denny Walsh who helped create the first LID in Orono in 2017. And finally Wells Brose of Harrison's Bay. The following is the Organizations Filed Purposes: "TO PROMOTE PRESERVATION AND REASONABLE USE OF LAKE MINNETONKA BY BEING AN INFORMATION SOURCE AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PUBLIC AND LAKESHORE OWNERS AND BUSINESSES AND TO ADMINISTRATE, MONITOR AND PAY FOR AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL PROGRAMS." LMA promotes Cl"d contracts with only two service providers. Freshwater Scienc Services for weed surveys and PLM for actual treatment. With the new LID's is this intended to guarantee an annual income source for their service providers? They also contend that treatment improves native plant population and diversity. Orono has all the data from Carman's Bay dating back to 2018, weed surveys, financial report, annual meetings, etc. I have gone over the weed surveys and find the information misleading. The spring report never shows the native plant numbers, but only shows results after treatment has occurred. Year over year several of the native plants have decreased in population. How many actually existed prior to treatment that were affected by the chemicals. Coontail, a native plant has decreased dramatically over the years. Stubbs's Bay said they had nothing more for data than what is posted on their website. How have they gained DNR approval to treat in years past without weed surveys? Each time I have researched (via Hennepin County Tax map) the organizers of a LID in any particular bay all have marginal lakefront property. They purchased property in historically high weed and silt basin shoreline. It appears they now want all of us to contribute equally to improve the quality of their lake shore by year over year treating the lake. They are promoting that we will all benefit equally and that the cost is minimal. Given the inherent liability and continual use of chemicals we strongly disagree. What is Lake Minnetonka Association's end game? They have found and are pushing the formation of LID's to reduce their need for fund raising to satisfy their $250,000.00 annual budget? Are they working towards a guaranteed source of revenue for their two service providers? I have heard repeatedly about "fund raising fatigue" from Stubb's Bay, Harrison's Bay and North Arm, is this now the case for LMA? Orono City Council, please "pull back the curtains" on the truth behind Lake Minnetonka Association and stop the formation of LID's in our city.