It appears that the Kalkaska County Board of Commissioners is prepared to vote to end the point of sale septic inspection program at their regular monthly meeting next week, Wednesday August 21, 2019 at 5:00 PM at the county courthouse. This will be our last shot at trying to talk them out of enacting this wrong headed policy that will do nothing but increase the threat to our ground and surface waters from inadequate septic systems. None of our letter writing, emails or testimony has been effective at convincing the commissioners that the voices of the hundreds of citizens in this county should be listened to instead of the voices of a handful of realtors who go out of their way to make the program ineffective.

So we have one more shot and I want to encourage all of you who have committed so much time and energy to this cause to come out one more time and let your county commissioners s know how you feel. Our forceful presence at their meetings all summer have stopped this decision from moving ahead so far. They are hoping that we all are tired of showing up and being heard so they can do what they always wanted to do without any witnesses. DO NOT LET THEM. One more time, show up and be heard.

The Manistee County Board of Commissioners still has not approved Kalkaska’s request to end this program. Last month a motion was made at the Manistee County Board of Commissioners meeting to approve Kalkaska’s request and no second was offered. So no action was taken. The next meeting of the Manistee County Board of Commissioners is on Tuesday , August 27, 2019 at 9:00 AM in Manistee. Since no one would second the motion last time, it may be possible to convince the Manistee board to turn this proposal down. If any of the ten county boards in our health district turn the proposal down it can not be implemented. So anyone wishing to travel to Manistee on the 27^th to let them know you care would be more than welcome.

NOTICE OF HEARING OF PRACTICABILITY AND REVIEW OF

MANISTEE LAKE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL

TAKE NOTICE that the Manistee Lake Improvement Board will hold a public hearing on the practicability of a five-year (2020 – 2024) improvement program on Manistee Lake in Kalkaska County. The program is proposed to include invasive aquatic plant control, aquatic vegetation monitoring, water quality monitoring, fisheries management/special studies, project administration, reports and contingencies and have an annual budget of $39,000. The hearing will be held at the Excelsior Township Hall located at 987 Co. Rd. 571 NE on Monday, September 16, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a special assessment roll has been prepared for the purpose of assessing the cost of the project to benefitting property owners, and immediately following the hearing of practicability, the Manistee Lake Improvement Board will review said assessment roll and hear any objections thereto. An owner of or party with interest in real property to be assessed or his/her agent may appear in person to object to the special assessment or may protest such special assessment by letter filed with the Lake Board at or prior to the time of the hearing. Written objections may be filed with or mailed to Manistee Lake Improvement Board, 4547 E Shore Dr NE, Kalkaska, MI 49646. Notice is also given that the owner of or party with interest in any real property within the Manistee Lake Special Assessment District who, having made an objection to said special assessment either in person or in writing, may, within thirty (30) days after the confirmation of the special assessment roll, appeal such special assessment to the Michigan Tax Tribunal or other court of competent jurisdiction.

Manistee Lake Improvement Board

Kalkaska County, Michigan

Welcome to the new and improved Manistee Lake Association web site. We hope you like the look and the many additional features. We have tried to make the site far more useful as a source of information and communication. Many of the features are in the members only area so we encourage everyone to become a member and to register for the member area. Access is free to MLA members. Members please make sure to update your member information so we have current contact information for you. If you are a new resident who does not receive our newsletter, please give us your contact information so we can add you to our database. Just click on the contact us link under website feedback on the lower right of this page and submit your information.

We invite comments and suggestions to improve the site as well. We want to make this site as useful and user friendly as we can.  We have tried to minimize some features to lessen download times for those of you with slower internet connections. We will continue to add information to the site and to improve features as we go so please check back often and let us know what you think. I hope you enjoy our new home on the web. Spread the word around. Manistee Lake can always use more friends.

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Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (Act 451 of 1994) Part 413 has recently been amended with changes for boaters and anglers that take effect March 21^st, 2019.

The changes are intended to strengthen protection for Michigan waterways against the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species.

Prior to the amended changes, the law only required that a person not place watercraft or trailers in the waters of Michigan if an aquatic plant is attached. In addition to this requirement, the new changes require all of the following prior to transporting any watercraft over land:

• Removing all drain plugs from bilges, ballast tanks, and live wells
• Draining all water from any live wells and bilges
• Ensuring that the watercraft, trailer, and any conveyance used to transport the watercraft or trailer are free of aquatic organisms, including plants

This means that after trailering boats, and before getting on the road, boaters must pull plugs, drain water, and remove plants and other debris. Additionally, the new amended law also incorporates requirements from Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources’ Fisheries Order 245 that will also help to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species as well as fish diseases:

• A person shall not release bait fish in any waters of this state. A person who collects fish shall not use the fish as bait or cut bait except in the inland lake, stream, or Great Lake where the fish was caught, or in a connecting waterway of the inland lake, stream, or Great Lake where the fish was caught if the fish could freely move between the original location of capture and the location of release.
• A person, who catches fish other than bait fish in a lake, stream, Great Lake, or connecting waterway shall only release the fish in the lake, stream, or Great Lake where the fish was caught, or in a connecting waterway of the lake, stream, or Great Lake where the fish was caught if the fish could freely move between the original location of capture and the location of release.

Violation of the law is a state civil infraction and violators may be subject to fines up to $100.

To comply with the law and prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species, boaters should:

1.  CLEAN boats, trailers and equipment.

2.  DRAIN live wells, bilges and all water.

3.  DRY boats and equipment.

4.  DISPOSE of unwanted bait in the trash.

Just a reminder to all our lake residents and users on easy things you can do that will help protect  Manistee Lake water quality. (From the Manistee Lake  Homeowners Guidebook)

1. Don’t use lawn fertilizer or weed killer.

2. Help prevent the spread of invasive species! If you trailer your boat

from lake to lake, wash your boat and trailer before launching back

into Manistee Lake.

3. Water the lawn sparingly to avoid washing nutrients and

sediments into the lake.

4. Don’t feed ducks and geese near the lake. Waterfowl

droppings are high in nutrients and may cause swimmer’s itch.

5. Don’t burn leaves and grass clippings near the shoreline.

Nutrients concentrate in the ash and can easily wash into the lake.

6. Don’t mow to the water’s edge. Instead, allow a strip of natural

vegetation (i.e., a greenbelt) to become established along your

waterfront. A greenbelt will trap pollutants and discourage

nuisance geese from frequenting your property.

7. Infiltrate drainage from your downspouts rather than letting it flow

overland to the lake.

8. Don’t dump anything in area wetlands. Wetlands are natural purifiers.

9. Have your septic tank pumped every 2 to 3 years.

10. Don’t be complacent—our collective actions will make or break

the lake!