President's Message -- by Dean Crump
What a fortunate people we are to be able to live in such a wonderful part of the world. There are so many problems in the world today that many people forget the beauty and blessings that are to be enjoyed in this wonderful modern day.
We have many wonderful and dedicated people who live around the lake. Several have given freely of their time and talents to serve as officers and board members of DLPOA. Many hours have been spent to keep our lake a safe and beautiful place to enjoy.
Recently, two fine men who have contributed greatly to he Deer Lake area have passed away. Those men are Bill Paton and Lew Houdak. We express our deepest sympathy to their families. We are grateful for their past contributions. They will be missed by all but we will remember them by continuing to keep Deer Lake the "jewel" that it is to all of us.
Lewis Joseph Houdak -- by Norm Allbery, Jerry Block, Ken Brinkman
The DLPOA officers and board members, past and present, wish to express a sincere thank you to Lew Houdak who passed away on February 13, 1995.
As an "old timer" around the lake, Lew worked hard for the preservation and beautification of Deer Lake. He could tell stories of events that occurred long before the increase in population around the lake. He would point in a direction and say, "this was all swamp, good fishing over in that spot, water level was so low you could walk on more beach than I care to ever see again", etc.
Lew did not live in the "I remember when…", he lived with thoughts of the future. Any project to promote the betterment of Deer Lake would find Lew as an active participant.
Besides being a past vice-president and board member, Lew was chairman of the woodcutting committee. He dedicated many hours to this project and worked closely with Boise Cascade to ensure a smooth operation and a good selection of wood.
During our annual spring clean-up, Lew took charge of the chili feed and personally prepared some tasty chili. Additionally, as a member of the Deer Lake Fire Dept, Lew was always behind the griddle during their annual pancake feed, an event he truly loved.
We owe Lew a lot and appreciate all he did to make Deer Lake a better place to live. Thanks, Lew!
Bill Paton - by Jerry McBride
Bill Paton was President of DLPOA fourteen years. He will be remembered as a good person who got things done.
I met Bill and his wife Eleanor in 1981 not long after my wife and I bought our place on Deer Lake. He encouraged me to join DLPOA and run for a position on the board, which I did.
Bill was President in 1986 when DLPOA purchased 20 plus acres of land at the head of the Narrows. The opportunity to purchase the land came up suddenly and was available for a very short period of time. The property serves as a buffer, absorbing nutrients from the stream that flows through the meadows above the Narrows into Deer Lake. It also provides habitat for wildlife which was getting in short supply as development proceeded around the lake.
Bill called a special board meeting at his home on Deer Lake and we discussed the pros and cons of purchasing the property. One big problem we had was that the property owners wanted full payment up front and DLPOA didn't have enough money. Bill and Eleanor volunteered to put up certificates of deposit they had for their retirement as collateral so DLPOA could borrow the additional money needed to buy the property.
This offer tells what kind of dedication and commitment the Patons had to Deer Lake and the faith they had in the people in the community. Thanks to the generous donations by many people who love Deer Lake, DLPOA was able to pay off the loan in just a few months and return the CDs to the Patons. This property, which carries the Shoreline Management Plan's Conservancy designation, will be there for future generations.
Even after Bill and Eleanor sold their home on Deer Lake and moved to the Fairwood Retirement Village in North Spokane they still remained interested in what was going on at Deer Lake. As President of DLPOA, I sought Bill's counsel on several occasions. He was a good listener, gave me sound advice and probably most importantly, lots of encouragement.
Bill is survived by his wife of 57 years, Eleanor Paton; one son, Jim Paton of Spokane; one daughter, Cheryl Liedke of Kirkland, Wash.; one sister, Edith Davey of Seattle; three grandchildren and one great granddaughter. We will miss you Bill. God bless you and your family.
Annual Chili Feed and Cleanup -- by Jerry McBride
Put it on your calendar. We will be having our annual Spring Clean-up and chili Feed again this year on May20,1995. It certainly makes our area look a lot more attractive and is a lot of fun. If you like chili you will find some of the best -- prepared by local experts -- plus lots of other goodies. As we get closer to the date, we will provide more information.
Membership Drive -- by Mike Travis
We will be launching our annual membership drive in late March and we need your help. Our membership has been increasing for several years now (over 470 paid members last year!) and we would like to continue that trend.
The problem is that with all the new development around the lake and the constant change of ownership, it is becoming extremely difficult for us to maintain an accurate mailing list.
Our mailing list is our primary means of keeping property owners apprised of current happenings. Note we said property owners! We want everyone around the lake to receive our newsletter whether they are a member of DLPOA or not.
DLPOA exists for the protection and betterment of Deer Lake. By becoming a member, you indicate support and provide us the means to carry out special projects.
If you have new neighbors or know of somebody who is not receiving our newsletter, please let us know.
Emergency Services -- by Gerry Block
Its that time of the year again. A little too warm for a roaring fire but just right for a small one to take the chill out of the house. We all have the tendency to allow our fires to smolder and this leads to creosote build-up. Perhaps we could take the time to check the firebox and chimney and prevent a call to 911! We have had a very safe winter so far, so keep up the good work.
Jerry Brinkman has completed the instruction and testing for an EMT position. Jerry still needs to complete her 10 hour clinical requirements and then the Deer Lake Fire Dept will have a fully qualified EMT,. Jerry is also taking the CPR Instructor Course. You will be hearing a lot about Jerry Brinkman as she is working closely with Fire District #1 on the EMS requirements. Congrats and many thanks to Jerry.
It has been brought to my attention that there is a real concern about the number of large dogs roaming freely. We do not have a leash law around Deer Lake and I think most people do not want one. However, in the absence of responsible ownership it could become a reality. So lets all be responsible and considerate of our neighbors. Many people come to the lake because of the relaxing atmosphere and lack of "city structure". Lets all work together to keep it that way.
DLPOA will change the reward for individuals providing information about criminal activities that end in arrest and conviction from $500 to $100 effective march 1, 1995. The good news is the program is working -- DLPOA paid out $1500 last year. The bad news is we cannot continue to pay at the same rate. The three signs will be removed and updated. They should be back in place by the clean-up weekend.
Mike Phillips has volunteered to serve as a third member of the DLPOA Sheriff's Boat Patrol. This should alleviate some of the complaints of "where is the sheriff?" -- thanks Mike!
The call is out for any persons willing to volunteer time as a member of the Deer lake Fire Dept. At the present time, the training sessions are at the station in Deer Park. We hope to see the training sessions changed to Loon Lake in the near future. Please think about volunteering.
We appreciate everyone's continued support of the fire department.
A Conservation Reminder -- by Elyse Benson
Remember when you were a kid and you threw your gum wrapper on the ground? Your mother's response was something like this: "What if everyone did that??? The neighborhood would look like a pig sty!" Your mother was talking about the concept of cumulative effects. Every little bit of contamination adds up to become a big problem. We are all responsible.
You have all contributed to the effort to clean up your lake and you have shown that your concern continues. We know that phosphorus moves into the water attached to soil particles, is found in fecal material from cattle and dogs and is present in many household detergents. Did you also know that phosphorus is present in many soaps used to wash your car? Is that gray water contained so that it does not get into the lake? Can it leach into the soil?
As I drive around the lake I see many homes with nicely tended lawns. Are you applying fertilizer in a blend that contains phosphate? As you know from experience, your soils do not hold water very effectively; the water you apply filters down through the soil and may eventually leach fertilizer into the lake. Also consider the rate of application. A 21' X 21' lawn is 1/100th of an acre and needs to be treated with the correct amount of fertilizer. Typically, homeowners apply 3-20 times the recommended agricultural rate of fertilizer. Again this excess will leach down into the soil and eventually into your lake.
We recommend that you take the following precautions:
Following these suggestions will have the result of minimizing the cumulative effects on water quality in your lake and will have the added bonus of being like throwing your gum wrapper in the trashcan. It will get your mother off your back!
(Elyse Benson works for the Natural Resources Conservation Service and has been studying possible pollution sources around Deer Lake).
Open Burning -- The Facts! -- Don Stragis
There are several governmental agencies involved with burning and they each have differing yet similar regulations. Where, what, how and when you are burning determines which agency has jurisdiction.
Lets review some general rules and background information. The driving legislation is the Washing Clean Air Act established in 1991. It identifies air pollution as a serious threat to our state and outdoor burning as a major source of that pollution. Therefore, burning will continue to be restricted and in fact, the act calls for a ban on open burning by 2001 in urban growth areas and cities with populations of 10,000 or more.
The law divides outdoor burning into three primary categories with specific rules for each. The categories are open burning, agricultural, and sivicultural.
Open burning includes residential, commercial, construction and land clearing sources. Most of the Deer lake residential area falls in this category. The primary source of material is yard and garden debris. Lead agencies are the Dept of Ecology (DOE) and your local fire district.
Agricultural burning encompasses the burning of debris generated from agricultural activities. Lead agencies are the DOE, conservation district offices and some local fire districts.
Silvicultural burning encompasses forest activities on lands protected by the Dept of Natural Resources (DNR). This mainly involves the burning of slash and debris generated by forest management operations. The lead agency is the DNR. If you live in a "Non-Attainment" area (Spokane, Suncrest and the Loon Lake area) slash burning is prohibited at all times.
Agricultural and silvicultural burning are regulated by a permit system with appropriate fees and conditions. You might see these people burning when you cannot.
Most small private landowners (like all of us at Deer Lake) are governed by the open burning regulations. When open burning does apply, the rules are as follows:
These regulations are tough but there are alternatives. You could compost yard waste yourself. Non burnable items may be recycled or you can take them to the landfill station. By the way, the landfill station fees are based on weight now and are much more reasonable. For more information or a detailed brochure on burning, contact Stevens county Fire District at 233-8015, DOE at 456-3150, or DNR at 684-7474.
Road Improvements -- by Floyd Stewart
As quickly as the weather will allow, Stevens county will prepare the Southwood Shore Road for the installation of the new guardrail.
According to Mr. Jerry Bryant, the work should take no more than two weeks once the frost is out of the ground and the grading and shoulder preparation begins.
It is the intent of the County to have the entire job completed in advance of the Memorial Day Holiday and the beginning of our summer season.
We are also looking into other possible road improvements and safety measures that we can work with the county or that will improve our community for all. More on this in the next newsletter.
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