3 minute read
From the General Manager
by mac-lpoa
June
From the General Manager, Mark Reid
Heading into mid-year we are adjusting to certain headwinds, primarily labor availability and rates as well as some extended lead times on purchases. The April Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation of 8.2% is concerning on a forward looking basis. We hope inflation tails off before our benchmark July statistics are published. However, it appears that we are going to be in this inflationary period for a while.
Generally I like to keep this article forward looking. No one likes to drive while looking in the rear view mirror. But I think it’s important to talk about a couple of items that became issues in May.
In This Issue
Let's talk about Algae and Aquatic growth.
5 From the General Manager 6 From the Boardroom 6 Board Meeting Minutes 8 Calendar of Events 10 Welcome New Residents 12 Fouth of July in Lakewood 14 2022 Activities Calendar 16 Artist Series May of this year presented optimal growth conditions for Algae and other aquatic growth 20 Clubs like Coontail. High nutrient load from runoff of multiple heavy rain storms combined with 21 Resource Directory unseasonable warm temperatures in the 90’s produced growth that is not normally seen to 22 May Maintenance Update the extent it was this year. We monitored the growth and identified its species. As aquatic 22 2021 Common Violations growth is healthy for our lakes and our fish population, the problem was the unsightly appearance in the shallow coves that warm up at a faster rate than the deep water. This year, we have acquired and are using a mechanical shear (like a hedge trimmer) that trails behind a boat and cuts the growth off at a distance of 5.5 feet below the water line. Mechanical abatement is the first line of safe treatment although it is labor intensive. The second line of treatment is chemical application. To date, we do not put chemicals in the lake to treat aquatic growth. Staff has consulted with our contracted Laboratory and aquatic specialist to provide a list of possible chemical treatments that are effective in treating the algae growth but non harmful to fish and other fresh water life. We have also asked our LPOA Lake Use Committee to make recommendations in this matter. Additionally, we are performing our annual water quality tests of samples taken from multiple coves in the main lakes. We do all of this not because there is a perceived problem, but more so to assure that there is not a problem through test results. I believe that when the nutrient loads diminish and the lake becomes more active with boaters and increased wave action, we will see the remaining algae dislodge and disburse as it has in prior years. It is critically important that when try to achieve the perfect balance between visual appearance and healthy biology in our recreational lakes that we don’t take a step that will cause damage either internally within the lakes or externally to surrounding properties that use lawn irrigation from the lakes. Let's talk about mowing grass.
As with aquatic growth, the fescue grass on common ground loves the nutrients that are applied and the rain and sunshine of April and May as it comes out of its dormant state. This causes an growth rate that is hard to manage with a standard crew that mows common ground throughout the months of May through October. Given the lost time of numerous rain days and ground that is to wet to mow without causing damage, May becomes a precarious month where the grass gets ahead of us. It is not practical to double the manpower and double the equipment for this fast growing month. As the heat arrives in June and nutrients subside, the growth slows. In past years we have always caught up by Memorial Day and stayed ahead of the mowing throughout the summer.
