The

               O.W.L.

    HOOTER

A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF WOODLAND LAKE

Volume 9        November 1990     Number 10

ATTENTION

We may be ordered by the DNR to the 4’ drawdown before we get to that level and or to bring the lake level back up to normal or to some level above the 4’ drop before the winter freeze. To date OWL has not yet received such a letter directly, but we advise that it could be forthcoming.

Consequently, homeowners are urged to remove the docks boats etc. in the event an over winter drawdown is not permitted by the DNR.

* * *

You may recall in last month’s Hooter, Doug Taylor graded a few of our representatives that we contacted in regard to our fight against the ‘Drain”. Well, we got one response from our Hooter article, It was from Susan Grimes Munsell.

She felt that Doug’s classification of “no response useless” could not go unanswered. She attached copies of all the correspondence she received and issued on this matter. She also said, “I would think that you as board members with fiduciary responsibilities to the association would be a little more concerned with the accuracy of your published information than is evident in the above-referenced newsletter.”

What she mailed us was three letters from concerned citizens regarding our “Drain”. The first letter was from Michael Nasiatka on Cortez. This is how she answered. “Thank you for writing in regards to the drain controversy at Grand River and Woodland Lake. The articles I’ve been following in the local media seem to indicate that the DNR has reviewed the situation. If this is not so, or if you would like more input from them, please let me know. I’d be glad to put you in contact with the proper person.

The second concerned person was ins. Jean Gardner on Granada. Her answer - “Thank you for writing in regards to the drain controversy at Grand River and Woodland Lake. The articles I’ve been following in the local media seem to indicate that the DNR has reviewed the situation. If this is not so, or if you would like more input from them, please let me know. I’d be glad to put you in contact with the proper person.

The third concerned letter was from Mr. and Mrs. William Nemith on Granada. Her answer - “Thank you for your letter of July 26th regarding Woodland Lake and the proposed drain issue. I just received your letter on August 28th, since it was sent to an address I haven’t lived at since march, 1989. My former husband delivered it along with a stack of other mail.

As I’ve indicated to other people who have written me on this issue, I have no direct decision-making authority on this issue. That particular stretch of Grand River is a County road and therefore under the control of our elected county commissioners, their appointed road commissioners, and our elected drain commissioner.

I am very willing, however, to call on the expertise of the DNR as a source of objective evaluation of the appropriateness of the planned drainage. If this would be any service to you, please feel free to contact my office again.”

Three letters - three replies. We therefore apologize for our remark of “no response useless”. We are changing it to response useless”

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Leaves of orange, red and gold; corn shocks, pumpkins and goblins ringing door bells this beautiful time of the year. It is fall, my favorite season. Looking back we had a hectic spring and summer trying to stop a drain coming into our lake. All of the telephone calls, all the letters we wrote and all the meetings we attended, it was nonstop and is continuing until we get some answers - we have sure learned about politics and bureaucrats. “The Good Old Boy Network” is alive and well. The DNR says “Since the drain would be emptied on the ground and not right into the lake there is nothing we can do, the drain commission does not need a permit.” With this simple technicality, drains are going into the lakes and rivers all over the state. Since this state, the water wonderland, does not have any laws that would make road and drain commissions seek alternatives, we decided something has to be done. The Federal EPR told us to begin with our local township officials. On Friday (Oct. 19) I and another board member. Wanda Gillette, met with the Supervisor to talk about ordinances. The wetlands ordinance we had asked for should be in effect in about three weeks. This will protect the wetlands of our township. Rnd the supervisor is working with us on an ordinance to stop the dumping of road drains in our lakes in this township. We have taken water and mud samples from several areas of the lake and turned them over to Dr. David Jude for testing. Should that drain go in, we’ll have data to verify what they are putting in the lake as opposed to what the tests show we now have.

Sunday. October 21st. the gates to the dam were opened to start the drawdown. We will be doing a thorough inspection of the dam to determine any repairs. The DNR instructions say this must be done EVERY THREE YERR (new law) since we are in the high hazard classification because of cities and people down below us. The OWL owns the dam and spillway and we are responsible for its condition. Hopefully the snow and ice will hold off for awhile. Should repairs be needed, we will be asking for volunteers since we don’t have the money to hire engineers to do it.

By Effie Tompkins

WELCOME

We would like to welcome Anita Grapentien, Warren Howard and Julie Bertoia into the OWL board. We are looking forward to a very successful year ahead. We also would like to thank Dallas Owoc and Denise Maxwell for their service and hope only the best for them.

Newsletter published by: Wanda Gillette