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2006 Meeting Minutes
Lake
Mitchell Improvement Board
Lake Mitchell Improvement Board - September 25, 2006
Members Present: All present - Lois Poag, James Dean, Mike Solomon, Bill Goodwill, Ray Mayer and Dave Foley. Pam
Tyning from Progressive Engineering also attended.
Meeting called to order: 5:30
Treasurer’s Report: Ray Mayer reported that expenditures for 2006 totaled $71,148, while revenues for that period
were $63, 812 creating a deficit of $7,336.
Drain Commissioner’s report: Mike Solomon reported that lake levels were 1289 feet above sea level which is .2 foot
below the spring high water mark.
Old Business
Lake Survey: The lake survey of August 30 indicates approximately 450 acres of milfoil which is an increase of
three fold from 2005’s 150 acres.
Lack of Funds: As a result of the dramatic increase of milfoil all funds were spent on the first chemical
treatment/harvest so a second one was impossible.
New Business
Public Comments:
Jim and Nan Vick have done preliminary work on instituting a phosphorus ban in Wexford County. Work on this project
will continue through the winter.
Much interest was expressed on finding sources in addition to assessments, to fund aquatic weed treatment.
Mike Solomon suggested a plan and Bill Goodwill formulated it as a motion for administering aquatic weed control
for 2007.
The motion states that all milfoil in the lake will be treated and a combination of chemical and harvesting will be
used to insure that navigation is possible in all sheltered coves and other areas of shallow water weed growth near
docks and homes. The navigational treatments will be done just once during the summer season. No attempt will be
made to clear all weeds from coves.
Meeting adjourned: 7:45
Next meeting: October 23, 2006
Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - June 10, 2006
Members Present: Lois Poag, Ray Mayer, Dave Foley
Members Absent: James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Mike Solomon
Meeting called to order: 10:06
Secretary Report: Approved
Treasurer’s Report and Drain Commissioner Report: not submitted
Old Business: None
New Business:
Shoreline Cleanup: The new system of pickups made on specific days for specific sections of the lake seems to be
going well.
Bass Tournaments: At the annual meeting Memorial Day, many concerns were raised about bass tournaments. The primary
complaint being that Lake Mitchell fish caught by tournament fishermen often ended up in Lake Cadillac where they
were released at Kenwood Beach and the City Park. Probably 25% of the tournaments have their weigh-ins at Pilgrim
Village but again if you live other than in the southeast corner of Mitchell you lose fish from your area.
Dave Foley met with Mark Tonello, one of our area fishery biologists.and learned that in Michigan, tournaments do
not need permits. They need one to use state facilities such as the Mitchell State Park dock but nothing in that
permit pertains to fishing. Tournaments just show up, launch their boats and fish; that’s why some weekends we
might have over a hundred boats from perhaps 2 or 3 tournament clubs. The anglers hate to see that many boats since
it negatively affects their fishing.
State law says you cannot transport fish from one lake to another. If enforced, anyone who catches fish in Lake
Cadillac couldn’t bring them to Mitchell (or vice versa) which would have major implications for all who fish. What
the COs and fish biologists have done is have tournament fishermen return perhaps 50% of the catch to the other
lake. This would be appropriate except with numerous counties to cover and tournaments in Houghton, Hamlin, Duck,
Green, Elk, Torch, and Crystal Lakes as well as ours, there just isn’t enough officers to go around.
A year ago the legislature was approached about changing the season to make it illegal to catch and keep bass until
mid-June, but the bass and tourist lobbies had more clout and the catch and keep season opener remains the last
Saturday in May.
Tonello said he and Rozich searched the Internet and fish study archives looking for something that would show that
the tournaments’ transporting and relocating of fish had a negative impact but could find no studies to back up the
premise. I also did extensive web surfing and also found nothing.
This year 700 bass were caught by tournament fishermen on Memorial Day Weekend and 500 of those were released in
Lake Cadillac.
At the June 10 meeting it was decided that:
1.Ron Moelker, a veteran tournament fisherman would find the wording of the law that requires bass tournaments to
return fish to the lakes where they were caught. Dave Foley and Ron would work to have this posted at all launching
spots used by tournament anglers.
a. Get support of Lake Cadillac Association and City of Cadillac, Pilgrim Village, and Mitchell State Park for this
placement of signs.
b. Ron Moelker will provide wording of the law, type and size of signs.
2. Contact all tournaments in the winter and request that they bring necessary boats and live wells to transport at
least half of bass caught to the other lake. (Mitchell to Cadillac, Cadillac to Mitchell).
3. Gain the support of the DNR so their fishery biologists and/or Conservation Officers will make sure tournaments
comply. Lake Mitchell Association should be prepared supply volunteers at weigh-ins to see that this is done.
4. Clubs that are unwilling to transport fish will be asked not to hold tournaments in our lakes.
Aquatic Weed Control Plan: Tthe upcoming chemical treatment and harvesting work that PLM wiil do was discussed and
Ron Moelker, a property owner on South Franke Cove, brought some pictures taken in the 1970s of the cove. Then it
was an extremely shallow weed-choked body of water. The property owners subsequently paid to have it dredged to a
depth of twelve feet. Now, as you know, it has silted in to an average depth of four feet and they looking to have
it dredged again at a cost of $75,000- $100,000.
Ron’s point, and it seems to be valid, is that this cove was never really a natural body of water - at least at
best is was quite shallow and filled with weeds. Consequently the aquatic growth that is there now just contributes
to the silt problem. What the residents of that cove want is a more aggressive approach to weed control to minimize
the decomposing weed matter that is filling in the cove.
The LMIB will be requesting that PLM to bring in their small harvester and work to do some long neglected
harvesting up close to the southwest and south shore of the cove. Several docks are surrounded by lily pads and the
weed growth in the center of the cove needs to be significantly reduced.
Purple Loosestrife Beetles planted in coves: On June 8, Cyndy and Dave Foley went to Petoskey and collected 40
beetles that feed on loosestrife and these were distributed on plants in Big and Little Cove. Although
supplementary plantings will be needed, it is hoped that these insects will stem the increase of loosestrife in our
wetlands.
Next Meeting: Saturday, July 8 - 10:AM Cherry Grove Township Hall
Meeting adjourned: 110:04
Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - May 8, 2006
Members Present: Lois Poag, Dave Foley, Bill Goodwill & Pam Tyning from Progressive Engineering
Members Absent: Ray Mayer, Mike Solomon, James Dean
A quorum of four members was not present, so no official business was conducted.
Drain Commissioner’s Report: The lake is slightly more than two inches above the legal level so the dam is closed
in anticipation that the lake level will continue to drop.
Shoreline Cleanup: Paul McDonald signed a contract making him the official shoreline cleanup/weed hauler employee
for the 2006 season.
Aquatic Weed Control Plan: The weed survey will be held on one day between June 6,7, or 8. The chemical treatment
will likely be June 12 or 13. Weed harvesting will occur in the week leading up to the 4th of July - June
26-30.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:30.
Next meeting: Saturday, June 10 at 10 AM at the Cherry Grove Fire Hall.
Lake Mitchell Improvement Board Meeting - April 4, 2006
Call to Order: Vice-president James Dean called meeting to order at 5:45.
Present: James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Mike Solomon, Dave Foley
Treasurer’s report:
Foley requested authorization to present bills to Margo Copley for payment of winter bills regarding website,
newsletter, & weed hauler ads.
Board members made a motion and passed it unanimously to approve the payment of the bills.
Old Business:
Two bids for weed hauler job were received. Paul McDonald of McDirt Delivery and Snow Plowing LLC was low bidder at
$6250. (Brent McCumber bid $7,500). McDonald was notified of Board’s acceptance of his bid contingent of his
signing of contract which James Dean will develop with assistance of Pete Stalker.
The Board made a motion to accept McDonald’s bid and it passed unanimously.
New Business:
Dave Foley asked to be reimbursed for expenses of nails and getting signs laminated that will be posted around Lake
Mitchell informing PWC drivers of Michigan Boating laws. The Board agreed to his request.
Foley asked permission to contact Lake Mitchell Association to ask if they would add a sentence on their mailing of
annual meeting notice encouraging property owners that if they fertilized to use phosphorus free fertilizer which
was available at the 13th Street Market and Grahek’s. The Board approved his request.
Meeting adjourned: 5:00 .
Next Meeting: Monday May 8, 5:30 PM Cherry Grove Fire Hall.
Special Meeting of the Lake Mitchell Improvement Board--March 8, 2006 at 401 Lake St.
Members present: Mike Solomon, James Dean, Bill Goodwill, Dave Foley
Members in Florida: Lois Poag, Ray Mayer
Meeting Called to order: 6:00 PM
Motion: Mike Solomon moved (second by Dave Foley) to appoint James Dean as vice-president of the Lake Mitchell
Improvement Board. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion: The Lake Mitchell Improvement Board, through an ad in the Cadillac News, will solicit bids for a weed
hauler the 2006 season. Bids may not exceed $8000. Motion was made by Mike Solomon and seconded by James Dean.
The details of the Weed Hauler’s Job Description and the revised policy for Shoreline Cleanup will appear on the
website www.lakemitchell.org. by March 9.
Meeting adjourned: 6:40 PM
Minutes submitted by Dave Foley
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