June 6, 2009 by admin.

No doubt, this morning’s LIA meeting was a ‘good’ one.  Good attendance.  Good participation.  Lacking a little on ‘good news’.

“It’s a local issue…”  “We could do this…”  “Let’s blame this group…”  “Don’t blame us…”

We heard from a lot of people and reviewed old ideas and more new ones were presented.  Is this 1960?

That’s my take, what’s yours?

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December 10, 2008 by admin.

NOVEMBER 1, 2008
President Bill Ringo opened with comments regarding a recent meeting he attended that included the Lake
Development Corporation, Watershed Coordinator Laura Walker, ODNR Director Sean Logan, members of the
Department of Agriculture, and the EPA regarding the health of our watershed. State officials are aware of the
“hypoxia zones” in the Gulf of Mexico as well as Lake Erie – areas in each with low or no oxygen content. Grand
Lake feeds both these bodies; the Conservation Tillage Information Center is holding a meeting on November 14
at Bear Creek Farms in Indiana, to determine if the Wabash Watershed and ours can work along with 12 counties
in eastern Indiana on this issue. State funding has been cut to nearly 50% staff reduction the past three years in
Ohio’s 74 state parks. A summit meeting is scheduled this year, inviting legislators to advise them of the dire
situation in which our park system finds itself.
Jeff Vossler reports from Political Action that a list of our activities specializing in education has been submitted
to Laura Walker outlining our contributions that enhance her recently adopted Watershed Action Plan.
Tom Rampe, Technical Advisor, passed out a couple of charts indicating the large number of livestock and
poultry farms in this area that are regulated by the Department of Agriculture - those with 2500 or more live
animals. Farms with fewer are not required to secure a permit, nor are they government-regulated. The use of
filter strips, field tiles, and other means of handling manure were the subject of some discussion by the
membership.
A wildlife print donated by Ducks Unlimited was raffled off to a new member (our membership drive has brought
in approx. 131 new members) - the lucky winners, John & Elaine Sherrick of Stillwater Lane, Celina. Rick
Muhlenkamp of Soil & Water Board gave a report from Laura Walker, Watershed Coordinator. An implementation
grant has been received from ODNR, resulting in funding for the watershed program for the next three years,
possibly longer.
Park Manager Craig Morton reports lake level is about 10” below normal pool. The big dredge is at Schell’s
channel by the campground, with room in the DMRA about to run out. The pump-a-little just finished at Barnes
Creek and Rustic channels; hope is to finish Schell’s channel with it next. The track hoe, after cleaning up
debris from the September hurricane including a beaver dam halfway across Prairie Creek, will begin placing
stone there – part of the long-awaited capital shoreline protection project. The DMRA at Uppenkamp is in the
process of being torn down; construction is progressing on the big in-lake DMRA at Anderson. Next year’s plans
include dredging Beaver Creek from Montezuma Bay up to the bridge at rt. 219 and construction of an in-lake
DMRA in front of Kozy Kampground. The geotube project will wait until next year, as will shoreline protection at
Turtleneck Point. A place to pump mud at Coldwater Creek is still needed. Buoys at the west bank spillway
were restrung with new, longer chains so they won’t break as often as in the past. If you have a loaner buoy,
take them out of the water now - if they appear defective, call the park office for replacement. Some were
found to be taking on water, broken, etc.
The contract for the capital shoreline protection project went to the same contractor who did the work at Indian
Lake. As soon as the controlling board approves it, work will begin. West Bank boathouse sea wall and steel
beams are in; foundation plan had to be altered because of the depth of the muck there. The park naturalist
will join with Laura Walker and the Soil & Water Board personnel as part of the ’SWEETER’ Team – Source Water
Environmental Education Team’s Enhanced Resources. Laura will receive training in giving watershed training
interpretive programs to the public and will share it with them. Educational programs are to be presented at
least three times yearly, hopefully more. The dog park is nearly complete, awaiting a 10-foot gate and a good
stand of grass, and will open next year. December’s meeting will be L.I.A. Election Day!! All offices are open
and available to anyone interested in maintaining our great association – are you able and willing to assume one
of the offices and continue our vital mission? Call Dave Meyer at 419-725-4146 to volunteer.
Next Meeting: Saturday, December 6, 10:00 a.m. – Celina Moose Lodge

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June 12, 2007 by admin.

Friday - June 15 - LDC Legislation Day - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Wright State campus - Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Plan to be presented by Theresa Dirksen to O.D.N.R. and Ohio’s legislators.
Monday - June 18 - L.R.C. meeting at 7:30 p.m. - Celina Moose Lodge - Guest speaker: Donna Grube, Mercer/Auglaize County Travel & Tourism.
Thursday - July 19 - L.I.A.-sponsored lawn fertilizer seminar - 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the 4-H camp near Mariner’s Point off route 703 near Celina. Come and get a free lawn-sampling kit which will inform you of your lawn’s nutrient requirements.

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