times & tides
Vol.36 ~ No. 1 ~ 1st Quarter 2008
A Quarterly Publication from the Green Lake Association
2008 GLA Program Highlights Inside this issue:
SPRING
GLA Sports New Website & Ways to Communicate- p2 Thanks to 2007 Leadership Donors - p2 A Sad Note - p2
Saturday Morning (date to be determined) 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.—Fish Rearing Facility Tours Fish raceways, automated fish feeders, and aerators—yours for the viewing. Sponsored by the Green Lake Sanitary District, the GLA, GL County, and others who support the facility. Cost is free.
2008 Program Highlights Continued - p3
MARCH/JUNE
The Green Team - p3 Those Were Some Days- p4 Step Back In Time - p5 GLA Position Statement to the City of Green Lake - p6, 7 Annexation/Development Update - p8 Point of View - p8 Keep Your Septic System Healthy - p9 Scholarship Deadline - p9
Winter Photo: Nancy Hill
Wednesday, March 5, 9:00 a.m. to noon—Revitalization of Shoreland Vegetation Workshop for Landscapers, Green Lake Courthouse, Demonstration Room. Sponsored by RSVP partners: GLA, Green Lake Sanitary District, UW-Extension, & Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Saturday, June 7, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.—Bike, Hike and Explore (or Drive, Hike and Explore) A 12mile roundtrip bike journey from Dodge Memorial Park to the Norwegian Bay Nature Preserve. Hike the Preserve’s 1/2 mile board walk for an unparalleled view of Norwegian Bay and early spring plants. Please contact Jerry Specht, 920-229-4468, for more details. Sponsored by the newly-formed Green Team (see page 3) Saturday, June 14—Green Lake Association Annual Meeting, Thrasher Opera House, 506 Mill St, Green Lake. 7:30 a.m.—Visit with GLA Directors & Partners, enjoy breakfast treats 8:30 a.m.—GLA Annual Business Meeting & Election of Directors 9:00 a.m.—Recognition: Green Lake Association’s First Honorary Trustees 9:15 a.m.—Program: Blue-green Algae-Facts and Fictions Is blue-green algae a significant danger to swimmers in Big Green Lake? Decide for yourself and learn how to avoid blue-green algae by knowing what to look for, and where and when! Saturday, June 21, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.—GLA Lecture: Gypsy Moths-Seek & Destroy… How & Why, Caestecker Library, 518 Hill St, Green Lake. Gypsy moths ARE here. How does cold weather and spraying help curb the spread of these voracious devourers of our forests? How do they alter our environment? Sponsored by the GLA. Cost is free, but registration is required, 294-6480! Saturday, June 28, 8:30 a.m. to 10:00a.m.—Fish Clinic for All Anglers: Catch the Ones that Got Away! Caestecker Library, 518 Hill St, Green Lake. Every angler has one or more dismal tales about “the one that got away.” Avoid the pitfalls of defeat and learn the tricks of victory. Experts will share bait and tackle tricks, tips on best times and places to drop your line, and other secrets. You will leave with fine-tuned skills! Sponsored by the GLA. Cost is free, but registration is required, 294-6480!
planning~preservation~participation
(Continued on page 3)
The Green Lake Association's mission is to ensure that Green Lake remains one of the premier lakes in the Midwest by actively promoting the conservation of the area's natural scenic beauty and intrinsic character.
Green Lake Association planning~preservation~participation BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sara Mueller, President Richard Mueller, Vice President Katie Baird, Treasurer Kent DeLucenay Karen Duehring Leo Duwe Keith Harrington Kristin Hill Steve Wood, JACLUM Chair
STAFF
Nancy Hill, Executive Director Jen Kaiser, Office Manager Vicki Duhr, Events & Publicity Coordinator
The GLA has a newly designed website….. Same address, new look, user friendly format, and great features such as: • The Ability to Subscribe Online to GLA’s E-Blasts (See below) • New Programming Details • 2008 Calendar of Events • Downloadable Membership and Leadership Donor Forms • Volunteer Opportunities • New Methods of Charitable Giving • Information about how to use GoodSearch, an internet search engine which donates a portion of its profits to charitable organizations such as GLA • A Complete Listing of all GLA Business Members
TAKE A PEEK AND ADD US TO YOUR BOOKMARKS! www.greenlakeassociation.com
COMMITTEES
AQWEED Budget/Finance Conservation/Education Fishing Funding JACLUM Lake Use/Safety Legal Master Planning Membership Nominating Personnel Public Relations Sanitation/Pollution
times & tides
Published quarterly by The Green Lake Association P O Box 364 506 Mill Street Green Lake, WI 54941 Editors: Nancy Hill & Vicki Duhr Design & Layout: Jen Kaiser Phone/Fax: (920) 294-6480 info@greenlakeassociation.com www.greenlakeassociation.com
GLA OFFICE HOURS
8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday —or— Call Exec. Director Nancy Hill (Cell) 920-229-2679 9 a.m.~5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Subscribe to GLA’s E-Blasts and receive brief, periodic emails containing: —advance notice for registration of GLA sponsored events— —event reminders— —membership renewal reminders— —updates about important meetings and issues relating to GLA’s mission—
Visit www.greenlakeassociation.com and select the Subscribe Today button in the middle of our home page!
The GLA Staff and Board of Directors have planned another year of interesting and informative programming that we hope you enjoy and attend. Please continue to support our efforts to conserve Green Lake’s intrinsic beauty and remember to renew your annual membership. Renewals must be received before March 15 to ensure your listing in the 2008 membership directory.
A Sincere Thank You to GLA’s 2007 Leadership Donors! A complete listing of GLA’s 2007 Leadership Donors will be printed in our 2008 Membership Directory, unless you indicated otherwise. If your donation qualified you for a special gift and you have not contacted the office about your shipping preference, please call the GLA office, 920-294-6480.
GLA Loses Friend and Mentor Jane Chamberlain The GLA sadly notes Jane Chamberlain’s death on December 18, 2007. Jane, an avid and gifted angler and former GLA director, brought insight, enthusiasm, a sharp wit, a sweet smile, and a great love of the lake that inspired us all. Jane will be remembered by all who knew her. We offer condolences to her family and friends. —GLA Board of Directors and Executive Director
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2008 GLA PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
(continued from page 1)
JULY Thursday, July 3, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.—Lake Stories: Compiled by Science teacher Tom Eddy & Green Lake H.S. Students, Caestecker Library, 518 Hill St, Green Lake. Everyone has a story to tell. Lake Stories is a portal to many of these personal accounts told by the people hitched to Green Lake waters. As a student-driven class project, Lake Stories is a documentary collection of personal video histories recorded during interviews conducted by students enrolled in the Green Lake Schools Lake Studies and Environmental Biology classes. Who are the storytellers? Boaters, sailors, fishermen, business leaders, lake managers, fishing guides, and duck hunters. Everyone has a story to tell...Lake Stories tells many of them. Sponsored by the GLA. Cost is free, but prior registration is required 294-6480. Saturday, July 5, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.—Good Bugs, Bad Plants Meet at the Green Lake Sanitary District (Highway TT off State Highway 23, north of lake) to visit the nurseries raising beetles to control invasive purple loosestrife plants. Learn who, where, and how Green Lake’s wetlands and shorelands are monitored for non-native species and efforts to avoid further dispersal. Drive to sites where purple loosestrife is a problem. Please contact Jerry Specht, 920-2294468, for more details. Sponsored by the Green Team (See below). Cost is free.
AUGUST Saturday, August 2, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.—Bacteria and Beaches Before you take a dip, learn the different tests that ensure that Green Lake’s beaches are safe. Meet as Sunset Park (Highway A, east of lake) for a demonstration of water testing and monitoring techniques that assess water quality at local beaches. For more information, please call Charlie Marks at the Green Lake Sanitary District, 920-295-4488. Sponsored by the Green Team (See below). Cost is free. Thursday, August 14, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.—GLA Lecture: Marine Mail Delivery, Thrasher Opera House, 506 Mill St, Green Lake. In 1930, a Chriscraft was the vehicle of choice to deliver the mail to lake homes. In the beginning, the mail had roughly fifty stops to make during its one hour-long route. By 1948, the number of stops had increased to 135, and the trip took ninety minutes. It was a fun summer job if you possessed the right qualifications—agility, plenty of energy, first rate boatmanship, and a great smile—and were willing to deal with rough weather and waves, rambunctious dogs, and more. You’ll leave this trip back in time with a smile on your face. Sponsored by the GLA. Cost is $3.00. Saturday, August 16, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.—Revitalization of Shoreland Vegetation Tour Meet at Hattie Sherwood Park to join a car caravan. View a water garden, where beautiful native plants control runoff and erosion from steep slopes, a floating bog planted with native species that reduces wind damage to shores and collects pollutants, and learn the basics of the creating your own shoreland buffer. Sponsored by the GLA and GLSD
FALL Saturday Mornings (dates to be determined) 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.—Fish Rearing Facility Tours Fish raceways, automated fish feeders, and aerators—yours for the viewing. Sponsored by the Green Lake Sanitary District, the GLA, GL County, and others who support the facility. Cost is free.
DECEMBER Date to be determined depending on ice conditions, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.—Junior Ice Fishing Outing Young anglers, 16 years old and younger, learn to ice fish in warm shacks on Dartford Bay. Free instruction, fishing gear, bait, and lunch provided. Space is limited to 30, so registration is required. (Anglers must be accompanied by an adult.) Please call 294-6480. Sponsored by the Green Lake Sanitary District, the GLA, Norton Fishing and Hunting Adventures, North Sport and Liquor, the Puchyan Longbeards, and volunteer, experienced ice anglers.
The Green Team The Green Team is a newly-formed partnership of the Green Lake Association, the Green Lake Conservancy Foundation, the Green Lake Sanitary District, and the Green Lake School District. Its purpose is to introduce and share with the public, through the talents of volunteers, those special, unusual or unknown natural features in the Green Lake area. These firstSaturday, family-oriented summer events will also include some hands-on activities for youngsters. 3
Ripon Commonwealth August 20, 1948 “First stop finds the whole family waiting on the pier for the morning mail. Newcomers to Green Lake are amazed at the service and waiting for the mail boat is one of the high spots of the morning. The boat offers complete postal service including collection delivery plus offering stamps and money orders for sale. The old Maxim, “the mails must go through” apply in the marine route, too.” Image courtesy of Doug Norton
“View from the End of My Dock” will be a regular feature of the newsletter. Want to contribute? Please contact Nancy Hill 920-229-2679.
As far back as I can remember, when we finally broke out of school for the summer, off went the shoes, the shirt; and on went the shorts. That's all we wore-I mean all the lake kids. You know, all the kids that lived around the lake, the summer kids, and the “townies.” We spent all of our time at the end of the dock or in the water. Hattie Sherwood beach and Norton’s Landing were favorite spots for all of us. Cliff Norton was happy to have us around and on many occasions he let us use rowboats and canoes and even a sailboat if he new you could handle it. He sure liked kids. Sometimes we had to bail boats for the privilege of using one. By the end of summer a true test of a successful summer would be a running race on gravel stones to prove how our feet were calloused from not wearing shoes. I think we had to buy the larger shoes at the end of summer. We greeted the county fair with some sadness. It was fun, but it signaled the end of summer for most of us and the leaving of the summer kids. I do know one thing: we were never bogged down with computer games or jobs, we had it made. We never ran out of things to do or fun to be had. When our parents called us in for supper and bed we didn’t fight it, we were happy to go to sleep because if we slept real fast we could get up in the morning and do it all over again – on the lake, in the lake, from the end of my dock. Green Lake was and is paradise.
Some things never change...
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—An anonymous lake “kid.”
Images courtesy of Doug Norton
Some things never change...
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POSITION STATEMENT TO THE CITY OF GREEN LAKE COMMON COUNCIL REGARDING THE PENDING PETITION TO ANNEX PORTIONS OF THE GREEN LAKE CONFERENCE CENTER Submitted February 6, 2008 by: Nancy K. Hill, GLA Executive Director; Keith Harrington, Chair, GLA Legal Committee; Sara Mueller, GLA President; Steve Wood, Chair, JACLUM Submission Contributor: T. L. Eddy, Biologist and VP Conservation, Green Lake Conservancy Foundation Introduction The subject of annexation of real property to a city is inherently a political one. Because the Green Lake Association (“GLA”) has tax exempt status under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and on account of the provisions of our charter documents, the GLA generally does not take specific positions on political matters. Hence, we do not at this time express an opinion either in favor of or against the petition submitted by the Green Lake Conference Center (“GLCC”), Lindenwood Development, LLC (“Lindenwood”) and others for annexation of a portion of the GLCC property to the City of Green Lake (the “City”). Nevertheless, the Mission Statement of the GLA does provide, among other things, that: “The Green Lake Association’s mission is to ensure that Green Lake remains one of the premier lakes in the Midwest by actively promoting the conservation of the area’s natural scenic beauty and intrinsic character … [and the] planned and orderly development of lakeshore and other property in the Green Lake area consistent with its essentially single-family residential, recreational and farm character.” As you continue to consider the annexation petition, the GLA is of the opinion that there are a number of critical environmental, safety and other compelling issues that you should bear in mind to assure that the development plans being proposed by the GLCC and Lindenwood on the property for which they seek annexation to the City will in fact be “[well] planned and orderly”. Moreover, we most emphatically recommend that these issues be addressed in an Annexation Agreement to be entered into between the City and the developers prior to completion of the proposed annexation. The purpose of this Statement is to summarize these issues.
Environmental Considerations City Will Become Environmental Steward. If the City does approve the annexation petition, and if the GLCC and Lindenwood do proceed with their development proposals, then the City will by necessity become the primary steward of the environmental integrity of the proposed development. This means that it will be the responsibility of the City and its staff to assure that the proposed development will not only preserve but enhance the environmental quality and stability of the area to be developed, Big Green Lake and the Green Lake watershed as a whole. Before approving the annexation petition, we respectfully submit that the City must affirmatively answer the following question: Is the City willing to assume this vital environmental responsibility and to devote the substantial financial, time and other resources necessary to properly discharge this responsibility? We also respectfully submit that it is imperative that the City promptly finalize the proposed Service Agreement with the Green Lake Sanitary District which includes important provisions regarding environmental protections. Finally, we want to remind the City Council that, under both State law (§59.692(7) Wis. Stats.) and City ordinance (§13-4-8), the provisions of the Green Lake County shoreland zoning ordinance in effect at the time of annexation of the GLCC property which is subject thereto shall continue in effect following the annexation and shall be enforced by the annexing City.
Specific Concerns. If the City does approve the annexation petition, and if the GLCC and Lindenwood do proceed with their development plans, then the City must be prepared to address and satisfactorily resolve the following specific concerns (among other things): 1. Lake Quality. Great care must be taken by the City, the GLCC and Lindenwood to assure that any development of the GLCC property will preserve the existing quality of Big Green Lake and its shoreland, and the recreational opportunities they provide. 2. Land Suitability. The GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to submit an Environmental Assessment Report, an Environmental Impact Report, a Storm Water Management Report, a Soils Investigation Report, an Erosion Control Plan, and such other reports and plans as may be necessary to establish that the property is suitable for development and that such development will not adversely affect Big Green Lake and the surrounding property. These reports and plans must be carefully reviewed by professionals for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 3. Construction Erosion. The GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to take appropriate steps to minimize the clear cutting of trees and shrubbery, and to otherwise prevent construction erosion. 4. Storm Water Runoff. The GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to take appropriate steps to prevent storm water runoff into the Lake or on to adjoining properties. 5. Density. The half acre (or less) lots proposed by the GLCC and Lindenwood are incompatible with the other existing residential properties adjoining the proposed development site which average approximately 1.25 acres. Such a dense development would forever change the natural environment of the GLCC grounds and would adversely affect the entire Green Lake community. Such density must not be allowed by the City. 6. Green Space. Any development that impacts natural areas (including undeveloped green space) should include an effort to create a minimal ecological footprint. Accordingly, the GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to set aside and dedicate a meaningful portion of the development area for use as parks, playgrounds and other public green space. They must also be required to implement a land remediation plan via
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natural landscaping (e.g. butterfly and rain gardens, prairie plots, contiguous plantings of native shrubs and trees, and aggressive management of invasive plants such as European buckthorn and garlic mustard). 7. Endangered Species. The GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to take appropriate steps to protect the existing stand of rare American Chestnut trees and the breeding bald eagles which populate the proposed development area.
Other Considerations As the City contemplates whether or not to approve the annexation petition, it should also consider the following matters: 1. Roads. The road layout of the development plans submitted by the GLCC and Lindenwood to the Town of Brooklyn presented a number of safety concerns due to the inclusion of locked gates and lengthy cul du sacs, among other things. The GLCC and Lindenwood must be required to consult with the Fire Department, Police Department and First Responders so as to resolve these safety issues. 2. Costs and Capacity. The City must do an analysis of the City’s sewer and water systems to determine whether it has (or will have) sufficient sewer/water capacity to serve the extensive development of the GLCC being proposed by the GLCC and Lindenwood, as well as (i) an expanded Industrial Park, (ii) the next phases of the Maplewood development, (iii) Nordic Hills and any new commercial development at that location, (iv) the new medical center at Hwys. 23 and 49, (v) the proposed new safety building, (vi) the other new condominium developments in the City, and (vii) the proposed YMCA facility. The City must also determine the costs of these various extensions, and the source of funding for those costs. 3. Community Relations. The actions of the GLCC and Lindenwood have had the effect of pitting neighbor against neighbor, and the Town of Brooklyn against the City. These painful divisions must be addressed and satisfactorily resolved. In particular, and irrespective of whether or not the City approves the annexation, the City must act promptly to finalize the draft boundary agreement between the City and the Town of Brooklyn. 4. Zoning. The GLCC and Lindenwood have requested that the Seven Gables house at the northeast corner of the GLCC be rezoned from R-1 Single Family Residential to C-2 Extensive Commercial District so that this house can be used as a real estate sales office. Among the permitted uses in a C-2 District are a number of retail establishments, including food stores, drug stores and book stores. The sale of alcoholic beverages is often licensed in food and drug stores, and adult book store operators often successfully argue that they are a permissible use as a book store. Other alternatives to this zoning change must be considered. 5. Gerrymandering. The term “gerrymandering” refers to a form of redistricting in which constituency boundaries are manipulated to advantage or disadvantage particular constituents. In this case, the GLCC and Lindenwood have gerrymandered the GLCC property to exclude and thus disadvantage those residents of the GLCC who oppose their development plans. The result is to create several small islands within the GLCC which would continue to be in the Town of Brooklyn but would be surrounded by the City. Moreover, the residents of these town islands will have had no say in this decision. Finally, such gerrymandering is clearly inconsistent with a planned and orderly property development. This is an unconscionable manipulation on the part of the GLCC and Lindenwood, and must not be permitted or abetted by the City. 6. Cooperation. The GLCC and Lindenwood have been promoting their development plans for more than a year, primarily dealing with the Town of Brooklyn and Green Lake County. During that time, they have demonstrated an unwillingness to respond to the questions and concerns raised by those jurisdictions. They have also been unwilling to discuss their plans with those residents whose property adjoins the development site and who will be most affected by the development. If the City decides to go forward with this annexation proposal, it must be prepared to insist on more forthright cooperation from the GLCC and Lindenwood.
Joint Advisory Committee on Land Use Matters The recently created Joint Advisory Committee on Land Use Matters (“JACLUM”) is a partnership of the Green Lake Association, the Green Lake Sanitary District, the Wisconsin DNR and other interested individuals. One objective of JACLUM is to work with developers and other interested parties to assure to the extent possible that land development proposals in the Green Lake area are consistent with the characteristics of surrounding properties, will make provision for green space, and will not adversely affect surrounding properties or Big Green Lake. By doing so, we hope to promote development plans that will satisfy the various municipal regulatory requirements, that will be beneficial to the developer and property owners, and that will be an asset to the community as a whole. JACLUM is not anti-development, but it does advocate “smart” development. By letter dated September 6, 2007, to the GLCC and Lindenwood, and on several occasions thereafter, JACLUM offered to assist them in opening a dialog with those government entities whose approval of their proposed development is required. That offer was not accepted by either the GLCC or Lindenwood. The development being proposed by the GLCC and Lindenwood is one of the largest in the history of Green Lake County. It is important that it be done correctly. Whether or not the annexation petition is approved by the City, JACLUM remains ready to help negotiate a development plan that will satisfy all applicable municipal requirements, that will be beneficial to the developers and the Green Lake community as a whole, and that will mend the divisions between neighbors, units of government and the developers. Some compromise will be necessary to achieve a satisfactory resolution of these issues. Unfortunately, that will require a give and take by all parties that has not been evident to date.
Conclusion We believe that the central focus of this annexation discussion and any future plans for development of the GLCC must be on what is best for Big Green Lake and the Green Lake community as a whole. The fact is that Green Lake is not only the beloved home of its residents, it is not only a place of respite and recreation for its many visitors, it is not only a place for its business owners to earn a living, and it is not only an ecological treasure and home to many species of plants and critters. Big Green Lake is the economic basis for the entire County and represents approximately one-half of the County’s tax base. We all have a joint responsibility to preserve, protect and enhance this precious resource. This includes the Green Lake Association. It includes the City of Green Lake. It includes the neighboring towns and municipalities. It includes all property owners. And, it also includes the Green Lake Conference Center.
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Annexation—and Development—Plod on On January 14, the Green Lake Common Council considered the Annexation Petition filed by the Green Lake Conference Center, Lindenwood Development, and Lawsonia, Inc. If the council had approved the petition, more than 900 acres would have no longer been under Town of Brooklyn jurisdiction. With Common Council approval, the City would have assumed responsibility for all services necessary to support the proposed Lindenwood Development, a development that could eventually produce 180 building lots.
The council also requested other reports. The “Development Done Right” group was asked for input. This group of property owners within the Conference were not included in the annexation petition. They are concerned about the development’s impact on the environment and the Conference Center itself.
The City Council, however, decided they needed more information before voting on the annexation request. The council directed city staff to "prepare a report and obtain information concerning issues of land use, economic development, environmental protection and the extension of municipal services (including fire and emergency medical service, fire/emergency medical service, sewer and water) all as related to the requested annexation petition dated November 12, 2007.” Council members want written reports prior to the February 20 Common Council meeting.
The council voted in favor of making the petitioners responsible for the “reimbursement of all City costs in connection with the consideration and review of the annexation petition” and also for “indemnification and defense of the City in connection with any challenges or litigation that may arise in connection with the City’s consideration of the annexation petition.” They did not vote on the proposed Sanitary District Service Agreement.
The council invited others to contribute opinions, including: City of Green Lake residents, other concerned parties, the Green Lake Conservancy Foundation, and the Green Lake Association.
GLA: Point of View The GLA Board of Directors closely follows the unfolding events which surround the development of parts the Green Lake Conference Center. Our mission statement provides that the GLA shall promote the “planned and orderly development of lakeshore and other property in the Green Lake area consistent with its essentially single-family residential, recreational and farm character.” Does Lindenwood’s proposed development comply with our mission statement? At this point, no. Our Joint Advisory Committee on Land Use Matters (JACLUM) has offered its assistance several times to open a dialogue with the developer and the government entities which were, or may become, the arbiters of the plan. JACLUM has been excluded from the discussions. We would like to help negotiate a situation that mends divisions between neighbors, units of government, and developers. Some compromise is necessary, but, thus far, we see few players willing to accept the give and take that leads to resolution. Most importantly, we must all ask ourselves “what is good for the lake?” Big Green Lake is the beloved home for many, a place of respite and play for visitors, and an ecological treasure and home to many species of plants and critters. It also THE economic basis for the entire county. Much of Green Lake County’s economy is lake dependent and lakeshore property owners pay at least half of the property tax revenue.
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We support the Green Lake Sanitary District’s Service Agreement. Let’s assume for a moment that the City does approve annexation, or that the Town of Brooklyn returns to the picture. In either case, we believe that Service Agreement with the GLSD should be part of any arrangement with the developer. The Agreement, as it now reads would require that: The City would maintain and enforce standards governing land disturbing activities within the annexed area (including stormwater management, construction erosion controls and runoff management) that are no less restrictive than those applicable to unincorporated areas of Green Lake county. The City would provide management plans for all regulated land disturbing activities to the district for approval at least 30 days before the issuance of any City permit authorizing the proposed work. The District would notify the City of its approval or rejection within 15 days. The District would be required to approve any such plan unless it reasonably determined that it did not meet the standards under applicable ordinances and regulations. The City and the District would maintain or expand the level of their protection and management activities aimed to protect or enhance the water quality or recreational value of Big Green Lake, including the District’s water quality, watershed protection, and aquatic plant management programs.
Many more issues need to be identified and resolved. We believe an honest dialogue must begin, and that we and other stakeholders should be included. Finally, we believe that what is best for Big Green Lake must always be foremost in all discussions.
The Complete Dummies’ Guide to the Love and Care of Your Septic System—that’s a title you probably will never see at your public library or bookstore. But, if you’ve ever experienced the horror of watching water go down the drain only to see it gurgling back into your basement, that is exactly the book you might wish for. There are a handful of actual titles, as well as a number of websites, that provide plenty of useful information on this subject. The Winnefox Library System’s holdings include The Septic System Owner’s Manual and Constructing & Maintaining Your Well & Septic System. On-line bookstores list additional titles and if you Google “septic system care,” you will find a number of websites. Your plumber is also a good information source. All of these resources share very similar guidelines that you and the other people who use your plumbing need to implement to help your septic system last as long as possible. • Conserve water. Repair all leaks; replace showerheads, appliances, and toilets with designs that use less water; keep a pitcher of water chilling in the fridge rather than running the tap until the water is cold; don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth. • Use your garbage disposal as little as possible. Never pour grease or other cooking fats down the drain. • Keep garbage out of your septic system. There are many household items that are not biodegradable or easily decomposed. Dental floss, coffee grounds, cigarette butts, paper towels and facial tissue, disposable diapers and feminine • hygiene products are some of the most frequent culprits that shorten a septic system’s life. • Don’t clean paint brushes in the kitchen or utility sink. • Use only the absolutely necessary amounts of laundry detergents, bleach, drain openers, and other household chemicals. • Carefully investigate the claims of “starters” and septic tank “additives.” At best, they are usually unnecessary and a waste of money. At worst, some may destroy your drainfield or contain toxins that will eventually make their way to your groundwater. • Find a brand of toilet paper that shreds or breaks apart when wet. (Put a strip of paper in a covered container with some water. Shake for a few moments and then check to see if the paper is starting to shred apart.) • Have your septic tank inspected and cleaned on a regular basis. Your plumber or someone from a county agency can provide schedule recommendations. It should be noted that to remove all solids and to make sure that the outlet baffle is clean and clear, the tank’s manhole cover must be removed in the process. Green Lake plumber Steve Stahl, wrote an article published in the September 27, 2007 Green Lake Reporter, “Country Living Part 1— Septics,” which included a similar list. In a recent interview he stressed that the two most important things for septic system longevity is “water conservation and regular pumping.” His advice, and that offered by the other experts includes a double bonus. Besides avoiding the expense and trouble of replacing a septic system, you will save money in other areas. Using less detergent, electricity, and water is both cost effective and kinder to the environment.
In the spirit of protecting and enhancing Big Green Lake, the GLA awards a single, non-renewable $2,000 scholarship to a deserving high school senior enrolled at Green Lake, Markesan, or Ripon High School. To be eligible, the student must have: Participated in projects or activities that relate to Wisconsin’s natural resources, especially those that benefit Big Green Lake and its watershed Demonstrated a commitment to conservation of natural resources Applied to a school for an education related to Conservation Application forms are on the GLA website and are due April 10, 2008. Please contact your guidance counselor for more information. 9
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID GREEN LAKE, WI PERMIT # 16
planning~preservation~participation
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Green Lake Association 506 Mill Street (lower level, south side) Post Office Box 364 Green Lake, WI 54941 The GLA has tax exempt status under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
— What’s in Store for 2008? — Hats off to Leadership Donors — New website & ways to communicate — View from the End of My Dock — GLA’s POSITION STATEMENT — Remember When? — Annexation & Development—Anything New? — What goes down might come up — GLA Environmental Scholarship, Deadline April 10
Printed on non-bleached 100% recycled paper
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The things kids learned at this year’s Junior Ice Fishing Outing could make a mother’s head spin! Yet kids and parents loved it, and so did the volunteers. Thanks to all who helped make this an unforgettable experience: Norton’s Fishing & Hunting Adventures, North Bay Sport & Liquor, the Puchyan Longbeards, the Green Lake Sanitary District & the GLA!