Started at 1030 (AM). About 40 people attending.
We had three featured guests:
Larry Gunther, County Commissioner. – got us $500 from county hotel tax for fireworks. Talked about county budget, which they are waiting for the state to get their act together before they will know what they have to do. Cut 10% of positions so far. New computerization of treasurer and assessor office, hope to get to annual reevaluation of property taxes. Need to cut another $300k. Next year will be worse than this year. Grant from state to recondition the county courthouse in Colville. Fixed up the fish fountain, but without the fish. He is in favor of keeping the firehouses open, even if it means a levy increase. Question about paving Southwood shores road. Not much chance. How bout oiling? There are 800 miles of other roads in the county that want the same thing, so not very likely. DLPOA tried to get something together a few years ago to do this, but it was voted down. State will repave 395 from Spokane county line to north of Chewela.
Mark Bette, Fire Chief district 1. Talked about fire stations closing. District is 400 square miles, largest in Stevens county, busiest in Stevens county, only district with a paid staff (6 paid staff and 65 volunteers). Most work out of the district, only 4 volunteers available during the week. Fire budget is $1 million. Cut budget last year by $100k. Primary source of revenue (99%) is property tax. Personnel cost only half the budget. Trucks and fire stations make up the rest. So two options: raise money through a levy, or reduce expenditures. Only way to reduce expenses is whack people or close stations. Aug 18 elections will have a levy (20 cent, over the existing 90 cents with a 6 year sunset). If it does not pass, then stations will be whacked. Deer Lake station is high on the hit list. Insurance rates will dramatically increase if this station closes. Probably not sell the station property, but will sell the trucks and stop maintenance and heating. Question about how past levies have gone. Last year tried twice and got shot down by 300 votes in the August vote, slaughtered in the November vote. Get no money from county or state.
Bill Baker, freshwater fishery biologist with fish&wildlife. 10% budget cut in the state, but this region is doing good. Colville hatchery was going to close, but is still alive. Stocked this year in Deer Lake: 300k kokenee fry, 2200 catchable kokenee, 16k catchable rainbows, 15k released from Jim’s pens. This summer they will gillnet to see how the kokenee did, because the fins were clipped so the stocked fish can be told from the natural fish. Tiger Trout are hybrids between brook and brown trout. They go into loon lake. They are sterile and they eat pan fish, which somebody thinks is a good idea. Question about why no more brook trout in Deer Lake. He did not have an answer, since he has only been around about a year. Trying to get more net pens to raise fish, but there are not a lot of volunteers. You gotta feed the things all winter long. Need 28 ft deep water. Ice issues. Power issues. Most fish that are in the lake cannot reproduce in our lake. Hence the continual stocking. Big predation problem – macks, bass. The only good mack is a dead mack.
Business
Treasurer report – income $12.5k. $600 from dock demo. Fireworks donations $2k. Other donations $700. Dues $6k. Pancake $2k.
Expenses $13.6K. Newsletter $2k Dock Dump fees $200. Fireworks $3k. D&O insurance $3650. Parade $500. Web site $150. Road signs $1300. Prop tax $150.
$8K checking, $45k in CDs. Own 2 parcels, worth $25k. 267 paid members currently, which is way down from normal.
4th of July. We have an extra dock for fireworks space. $500 from county, plus $3k donations, and an additional $2k from Pinelow. We shoot them off on July 3 because we get a discount. Kiddy parade on July 4 from deer lake resort to west lake. No animals in parade. Will have to pay for sheriff help this year, and we will need some monitors. The problem is, nobody can get in or out of the North side of the lake during the parade, including emergency vehicles. Boat parade 730 July 4, counter clockwise.
Pancake feed, Sunday July 5. Set up on Saturday July 4 for the feed on July 5. We will use the bullhorn at 7am. Call 326-0954 to help. Runs till noon. No boat parking available.
Mid Lake social hour, wed and sat, 6pm, middle of the lake. BYOB.
Fish, Jim Santora. Need people for net pens. 15k fish this year, 4 to a pound. Need 20 ft water and electrical power. Fish&Wildlife provides the fish food.
Suggestion of having a community garden with one of our properties.
Road safety – sheriff shows up more, along with the signs. There will not be much of a sheriff presence on the lake this year, because of budget etc.
Water Quality – Mike Phillips – Lake did not get to full this year. Was not down as much as before either. Eurasian Milfoil – another survey will be done in mid July. Biggest patch of milfoil found last year was at Deer Lake Resort. We have a grant from DOE that will last for three more years to help clean this up. Water Quality test was done 3 years ago, and showed better water than pre sewer and pre cattle times. Burning on the beach will generate fertilizer for the lake weeds, unless you take the ash away from the lake. Burning in pits OK if you do it small, and take the ash away. Secci disk went from 12 ft to 27 ft over the last 15 years. Less alge in lake than 20 years ago.
Dock Demo days last week – 25 docks. 4 dump truck loads to dump, 6 loads of firewood. 25 volunteers – several people donated heavy equipment which was a huge help.
NO NEW ZONING or DEVELOPMENT news.
2 New board members were voted acceptance.
Jerry Groom also volunteered to the board. Been here for 23 years, was on the board previously.
Larry Nokes, president for probably the last 8 years, is resigning from being grand poobah but will remain on the board. A plaque and a gift was given to him
Meeting ended at 1230.