June 1991
1990-1991 President's Report by Lee Bayley
Sewer construction is under way and many sewer hook ups have been completed. Most of the sewer system in the area around Haney's Resort is in operation. The contract for Southwood Shores has been let with final completion scheduled for this fall. Clyde Mix has contracted to remove timber on a large section of the East side of the lake. Allen Reed has completed log removal on the south side of the lake. Boise Cascade is continuing operation on the Nugent Road area. Many individual lot owners have done extensive excavation and total removal of vegetation and more are continuing.
Development, Development, Development
Real estate values have risen 15% in 1990 and another 20 to 25% in 1991 already.
We are in constant turmoil around the lake with the consequence that heavy pollution run off in the form of phosphates and nutrients are entering the lake at an accelerated rate. Spring rains in April and May have caused the lake level to rise, thus washing more of the dangerous toxins into the lake. The disappointment is that continued disregard for the water quality with inappropriate measures in regard to water quality further affect our water. Lack of strict enforcement on violations by Stevens County certainly does not help. An enclosed letter by Bill Twitchell, a long time resident and charter member of DLPOA, highlights the concern of all Board Directors and officers. Every property owner should also be concerned and be willing to pitch in, in a responsible manner, to do all that we can to put a stop to phosphorous entering our lake water.
A recently completed water quality study will be reviewed at our Annual Meeting on June 22. Full reports will be given by Disk Price, Stevens County PUD, and Jerry McBride, DLPOA Water Quality Committee chairman, on where we are now and what should be done to restore Deer Lake to its former pristine beauty. The sewer project is just one measure which we have some direct control over, since we have been the cause of the problem. Other problems, that are man made, are now surfacing which are also in out power to control.
The proposed Zoning Ordinance will be presented in its entirety at our annual meeting for your preliminary support.
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Water Quality Committee Report by Jerry McBride
A lot of progress has been made this year. Some of the more important accomplishments are:
* Sewer connections have been made in the Haney's and Swanson's Additions area.
* The line from the Loon Lake Sewer Treatment site to Deer Lake is complete.
* A water tank has been installed above Southwood Shores.
* The contract for sewer and water from Stymans around the north end of the lake, around the Narrows to Julius Terrace has been let. Work will start soon and is scheduled to be completed in August 1992.
* EWU completed their water quality study and presented it at a public meeting recently. Basic conclusions were as follows:
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An Editorial
by Bill TwitchellTo the people of the Deer Lake Community and those other who prize the lake:
I am asking the Board of DLPOA to include this in the June Newsletter because I think it is terribly important to all of us.
Now that the $90,000 Official Water Study of Deer Lake has been completed and confirms that which many of us have been saying for the past 10 years, the next move is: what are we going to do about it; when are we going to get started; and who is going to pay the tab?
The public sewer and water systems are going in, and will accomplish their purpose of modernizing the Lake Community, allowing stifled development to move forward, and eliminating the few "Oil Drum Plumbing" remaining.
This was a necessary step in our avowed purpose of preserving the Lake for future generations. It is being accomplished on a funding basis which took the combined and often heated effort of the entire community to achieve. But it in itself will NOT clean up the lake.
The silt is here, covering the spawning beds and lining the bottom with a layer of soft mush; the effluent continues to enter the lake at the Narrows each spring; and only once in the past 20 years has the lake overflowed and partially emptied itself.
Let us hope now that our DLPOA board will pursue a clean up program as vigorously as they have a sewer program. It is a shame, and in fact a disgrace, that Deer Lake fishing is no more and the water is approaching unfit and while of us who have loved and nurtured these waters for the past 40-50 years will not live long enough to see the lake come back to its former self. We must all get behind the effort without delay.
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Pothole Perils on East Deer Lake Road by Virgil Gering
The road on the east side of the Narrows has progressively been deteriorating to the point where it is now a serious hazard to vehicles. We are talking POTHOLES!! Huge potholes that can swallow a Volkswagon! This is a private road which runs through everyone's property and is not a county road. At one time DLPOA had an unofficial, friendly "understanding" with the county and the county commissioners to provide some minimum maintenance and snow plowing. This agreement was immediately canceled when one of the property owners threatened to sue the county because he thought they may have damaged a building. They will not under any circumstances enter our private road again. Once the sewer and water are installed, perhaps we can address a permanent solution to the problem. Until then, we all need to do our part by filling in the potholes with a shovel It doesn't take that long and your neighbors will dearly love you for this effort.