October 1980
YOUR PRESIDENT'S REPORT
A medical unit, now being organized by Loon Lake Fire Dept. (Stevens County District #1) to equip an emergency medical van to provide immediate service while other service is enroute. This unit is a volunteer group, and is not intended to replace other ambulance services. The unit as we understand it, will have life-saving type equipment and emergency fire equipment. DLPOA has pledged $1,000.00 from your membership dues to this project. We challenge all property owners around Deer Lake and the adjoining area which would be serviced by this unit to also contribute $10.00 or more each to this fund. As this project is now being set up, your contributions are needed at once. Please make checks payable to DLPOA, Emergency Medical Team, address: Rt. 1, Box 78, Loon Lake, WA 99148. The goal desired from this challenge is $500.00 or more. Four men are now being trained to treat emergencies and to be on call from Loon Lake. If you should desire this service call the Fire Dept. at 466-0911 and ask for the emergency medical van. At the same time let's pick up the challenge in dollars now to insure the best service that can be rendered if you should call.
Much conversation at recent DLPOA Board meetings concerns fire protection around Deer Lake, what is available and what is not available and where the deficiencies are. Future Board meetings will spend considerable time on this subject and will feature guest speakers to expand the possibilities and discuss the needs. We definitely need a volunteer fire unit and a fire house, equipped, on the north side of the lake. How are we to accomplish this? Where is the money going to come from? ANY thoughts that our READERS may have in this regard, drop us a note on it or come to any DLPOA Board Meeting.
A WORD OF CAUTION ... Sunrise Point Resort, owned by Clyde Innis, a DLPOA Director, reports to DLPOA that having taken recent water samples from in front of the resort, and tested by Tri-County Health, they were advised of deteriorating water conditions and advised Sunrise Point to start up their clorinator to improve their water. Not wishing to alarm anyone around the lake who is pumping water directly from the lake, Sunrise Point sent in another sample after clorination for inspection. The results were okay. HOWEVER, one of our prime goals at DLPOA is to strive to keep our lake beautiful and our water pure, for generations to come. If anyone is interested and concerned enough to see what your water condition is, take a clean 8 oz. jar, filled with water sample to Tri-County Health Dept., Colville, WA for inspection. Many times the activity around the lake will cause a change in the condition of the water. Let DLPOA know of any problem areas, maybe we can help in correcting it. CLEAN WATER IS A MUST...
CONGRATULATIONS LES ... Les Schneider, a property owner on Deer Lake and a member of the Board of Directors of DLPOA recently announced his candidacy for County Commissioner, District #1, representing Southern Stevens County. Although DLPOA's Board of Directors is not making formal recommendations of support, we have been extremely pleased with the support Les has given on the Board of Directors to the numerous projects he has been involved in. Road and Water Safety has been a sub-committee that Les has been able to assist us in greatly. Being involved as a State Patrolman during his adult life, has enhanced his values and knowledge of procedures within the county. His awareness of happenings in Southern Stevens Co. should make him an outstanding commissioner to represent all the people of Stevens Co. and if so elected, feel his voice in county government would be beneficial to all residents of the county. Our best wishes to Les and to his success.
Tom Cropp, Fish Management Officer for Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry counties, spoke at our annual meeting in June and expressed appreciation of Wes Waggoner and his success on the local Deer Lake fish hatchery. He promised continued egg support for this hatchery as the state will not be able to plant any more legal size fish than was planted in 1980 (35,000 approx.). No future plans were announced concerning planting of any more silvers in Deer Lake unless our local hatchery wants to attempt this project.
Tom did express great concern for the curtailment of any landfill going into the lake as this alters the natural habitat of shallow waters necessary for fish growth. As you know Deer Lake does not have an abundance of shallow water. So let's all do our part, stop our neighbors if you see landfill going into the lake. Of particular note, this type of activity also violates two state laws of which heavy penalties can be assessed.
Also at our June meeting, Fred Mataya, Stevens Co. Sheriff's Dept., informed the group about water safety and the department's plans to patrol the lake and roadways around the lake and will assess tickets - NOT WARNINGS - to correct violations. Suggestion was given that vehicles parked along the narrow roadways around the lake and particularly in the Narrows will be subject to being towed away and subsequently heavy cost for owners to retrieve their vehicles. (Although our summer season is now over it will not lessen the chance of the Sheriff's Patrol writing a ticket for illegal parking.) This summer has brought many such fines for violations on and off the water. Please remember as winter approaches, the road conditions drastically change and become very hazardous for the unprepared driver; AND the beauty of Deer Lake in the winter time is worth the effort on everyone's part to take that weekend drive. Besides how else can you check up on your property and be attentive to the fact that we have had too many fall and winter break-ins of cabins; some even forgot to lock a door or a window when leaving. So we encourage you to take time to frequently check on your cabins, etc., and report immediately any damage or loss to the Sheriff.
ACTIVITY on and off the water at Deer Lake is the creation of memories not soon forgotten. Those happen, joyful times of youth, of camp, or fishing, skiing, swimming, etc., the relaxing warm day for Dad, the time for Mom to catch up on her reading or sewing, or whatever your reason for enjoying Deer Lake. This tranquility was broken early in 1980 and all too frequently by unnecessary boating accidents. An early accident in the Narrows when a high-speed boat ran over the top of a fishing boat, seriously injuring two occupants. Another collision at a resort entrance of two high-speed boats; a third, near miss of a skier when a high-speed boat cut a ski rope five feet in front of the skier as he lay in the water, ready to take off (and he was never seen); and lastly a wave from the wake of a boat going too fast and perhaps too close to a fishing boat, caused it to capsize and eventually lead to the death of one of the fishermen by drowning. The near misses and close calls that were reported are too numerous to mention. THE CAUSE - the careless and sometimes reckless and unthoughtful operation of a boat, the not paying attention of the conditions around you, and perhaps the violation of the boating laws themselves. The importance and criticality of public safety dictates that this article be the most important item to reflect on in this newsletter. GOD be with us in 1981 if we are to endure and even survive another year of memories such as prevailed in 1980.
Along this same thought, it is readily apparent that we need to encourage the Sheriff's Dept. to have a full-time Sheriff's boat on Deer Lake. A boat properly identified with lights, siren, insignia, radio, etc. Not a borrowed boat of some generous property owner, but a boat whose presence on the lake at anytime and properly equipped with lifesaving apparatus, can serve the residents of Stevens County. Perhaps this boat could transit between Deer and Loon lakes or even Long Lake, Waitts Lake, Eloika Lake, etc. We have talked repeatedly with county authorities about this, but get the same response - no money to purchase such a vehicle. It's time then for the voices of all of us be sent to the Stevens Co. Commissioners requesting such a boat for Sheriff patrol on our lakes. Call or write your County Commissioner and demand action in the name of public safety if nothing else. Of course I know that 95% of Deer Lake property owners will do nothing in this regard of contacting county officials. Perhaps your membership in DLPOA should be a more pressing priority. Together we can be a strong voice in Stevens Co. but we need your support, financial or otherwise.
NOMINATIONS were made and the following members were elected to DLPOA's Board of Directors at the annual June meeting:
Vacancy for two year term:
Three year term:
MEMBERSHIP is always important to organizations that provide a service and benefit to all. What is your reason for not belonging. $12.00 per year is a bargain if collectively with your neighbor we may help save a life, or prevent a fire, or strive to maintain the purity of our lake, or secure to you your right to purchase the second class shorelands, or determine the feasibility of a sewer system and on and on.
All of these and more projects are undertaken by DLPOA for the benefit of all. Send your 1980-81 dues to our treasurer NOW or directly to DLPOA if you wish.