A few fall tidbits

Please continue to clean your boat— if changing lakes; allow your lake items or items for your lakeshore to dry for 3 weeks if coming or going to another lake, and confirm that those who move your dock clean their equipment before changing lakes.

Looking ahead to 2024

Add this date to your calendar.

WHEN: Saturday, May 5, 2024, 10am-12 noon.

WHAT: The Future of Lone Lake meeting

WHERE: Aitkin Public Library

WHY: You're chance to look five years ahead and help plan what is needed to keep Lone Lake a top notch lake. Your property value depends on thi

(Lunch included) 😜

Remember Facebook now has two places for Lone Lake information.

New group—Lone Lake Fans | Aitkin, MN, on which you can share photos, post questions, compare information (seems like the last big rainfall had a variety of amounts from west to east). All superb info for those here full time and those wishing they were.

Remember the millions of leaves we have been enjoying tend to always fall in the water….please take some minutes to remove them now.

Another looking ahead item…..July 4th 2024 is a Thursday. How about a Thursday, July 4th boat parade? How about a Saturday, July 6th parade? (The 2023 Tuesday midweek date didn’t draw many participants.) Think about it.

Thanks to the 20 participants in this fall’s annual road clean-up this past Saturday. Great weather, great treats (thanks to Paulbeck’s County Market for the rolls and coffee), and to all participants….even those who cleaned Cty Road 39 ahead of time. Like some, please take a bag with you on your daily/weekly/every so often walk and pick up the litter as you see it. We all thank you for that.

Enjoy the photos of the September 2023 fall road cleanup crew.

This edition of the newsletter contains a summary from board members sharing their 2023 activities. Please read the summaries and consider joining the board in the future. We need input from all points of view. Hours and hours not necessary, just a dedication to keeping Lone Lake the beautiful retreat we all want it to be.

Lastly…..the LLPOA newsletter is a summary of news to share. Frequency depends on the topic, board meetings, upcoming/past events, and information available. 2023 brought 16 newsletters to your email so far. Too many? Too few? Thoughts? Please share your input at lonelakepoa@gmail.com 

2023 UPDATE | Treasurer & Secretary

Secretary/Treasurer 2023 | Linda Kics

Finishing out the remainder of the term for treasurer this year, I monitored the Lone Lake P.O. box for those that mailed their yearly dues, updated the roster with any changes and made weekly deposits to the bank. I also collected the checks and cash from the spring membership drive and deposited those as well. I balanced the bank accounts each month and issued checks for our yearly donations to several organizations. Passing the duties of Treasurer to Linda Szymanski was a welcome change as I am not familiar with financial software and I’m sure she will automate and streamline many of the processes! 

As Secretary this year I attended all of the board meetings either in person or via zoom and recorded the minutes. 

Treasurer’s report as of September 9, 2023 | Linda Szymanski

The Lone Lake Property Owners Association is in stable financial condition. 

We currently have 127 dues paying members, down 3 from last year. 

Expenses for the year are currently $2,040.52. 

Donations by the LLPOA this year were to the following organizations:

  • ACLARA - $25

  • Conservation MN - $150

  • First Responders - $100

  • Rivers and Lakes Fair - $200

  • U of M St. Anthony Falls Research $200

2023 UPDATE | Surface water & Planning & Zoning

Planning & Zoning  | Team Leader Steve Frazier

This year we have seen several new cabins/homes startups with all construction having building permits and no variances that we are aware of. We urge those of you that are making renovations and/or new construction to contact Aitkin County Environmental Services (Planning and Zoning) before commencing on projects. The LLPOA has planning guides to help you as we all work together to protect our lake in a law abiding manner.

Surface Water Use (No Team Leader) | Steve Frazier:

As a lake association the LLPOA strives to bring members together to cooperate and to follow best practices for protecting Lone Lake. This year we have not received any specific complaints but members have expressed two general concerns and they are boats cruising and water sports too close to shore, and concerns about wake boats. 

 To keep peace in our lake community we continue to urge the following best practices:

  1. Cruise around the lake at least a depth of six feet as to not disturb the lake bottom, but also far enough from lakeshore owner’s docks to allow them their privacy.

  2. Water skiing and tubing, etc., please stay out in deeper water—- further from shore to prevent wave wash of the shoreline.  

  3. The U of M St. Anthony Falls research lab recommends best practices for wake boats of 425 feet (more than a football field) from shore to prevent wave wash. The LLPOA recommends we all cooperate and conduct wake boat activities in the middle of the lake’s two bays and not in shallow areas or in the narrows between the bays. 

Former President Steve Frazier looks back at 2023

All in all it was a quiet, successful and historic year for the LLPOA in 2023. All of our association events came off without a hitch! We have 127 members as of August and we thank you for your support and membership in our lake association. Member turn out for events was outstanding.  

This year was historic in the sense that I completed my 22nd year as LLPOA President and at a full capacity annual meeting retired. We transitioned to new leadership. Joining us is new President Tiffany Frazier, new Treasurer Linda Szymanski, Barb Dusbabek as AIS Team Leader and Bob Burgmeier as Director at Large. Re-elected continuing board members were Beth-Anne Rowe as Communications Director and David Scott as Water Quality Team Leader. 

Thank you for all the fun, friendship and challenges we have shared over the years and I look forward to serving for two years as Past President and hopefully providing wise counsel to our new leaders.  

2023 UPDATE | Fish & Wildlife

Inside Lone Lake | Zint Kics

What does the board member in charge of fish and wildlife do?

Attend all LLPOA team member meetings either in person or via Zoom. 

Work with Rick Bruesewitz, MN DNR Fish and Wildlife, section of fisheries to determine fish stocking requirements for Lone Lake; 

The Minnesota DNR does assessments/surveys every few years to determine quantity and size of fish species found in that particular body of water. This determines the quantity and size of fish, (only walleye for Lone Lake) that are needed for restocking of fish. The next scheduled assessment/survey for Lone Lake is scheduled for 2022 but because no walleye fry were restocked in 2020 the lake survey may be postponed. The next survey is scheduled for 2024.   

Work with Walt Weiser and his team to help maintain Lone Lake water levels determined by the DNR; 

Lone Lake has an overflow at the west end of the lake that was hand dug in the 1920's to keep the lake water at a natural average level. The Minnesota DNR has jurisdiction over the overflow from the lake to Township Road 1031 (Tower Hill road) and has given the LLPOA the responsibility to maintain it. This entails removal of any debris that causes blockage and the lake level to increase. Blockage occurs when logs, branches, lake weeds etc. get tangled or lodged in the overflow or culvert screen. Beavers will occasionally dam up the overflow which causes our lake level to rise over the natural level. There is a team of LLPOA members that check the overflow daily and remove any obstructions that cause blockage and to maintain the optimal lake level.  

Before the annual team start-up of checking the culvert for blockage I cleared the culvert pipe opening of mud and debris 6 times early this spring. The culvert pipe has since been plugged somewhere in the middle of the pipe (center of road) which cannot be reached. Culvert pipe may have collapsed and need to be replaced    

 

Get the Lead Out Program 

Work with Steven Yang: MPCA (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency); Steven sent to me, for handing out at the LLPOA annual picnic Lead Free Tackle Samples, stickers, printed information materials 

Introduce State Funded Rebates of 35% of lead-free tackle, up to $2000 per year for tackle shops in the town of Aitkin. So far not a lot of interest and there is a budgetary limit to this grant 

Provide materials and information at annual picnic as to why we want lead tackle removed, what are the causes of using lead tackle and where to dispose of lead tackle, also where to purchase lead free tackle 

Thanks to all of you who help keep our lake area an excellent area of nature for all.

2023 UPDATE | AIS

AIS Aquatic Invasive Species  | Barb Dusbabek

As the end of summer approaches and we start to think about removing our boats, lifts and docks let’s remember…

 C L E A N - D R A I N - D R Y

The DNR recommends these steps for lake property owners:

  • Look on the posts, wheels and underwater support bars of docks and lifts, as well as any parts of boats, pontoons and rafts that may have been submerged in water for an extended period.

  • Hire DNR-permitted lake service provider businesses to remove boats, docks, lifts and other water-related equipment. They have been trained on Minnesota’s aquatic invasive species laws and have experience identifying and removing invasive species.

  • Contact LLPOA (lonelakepoa@gmail.com) if an invasive species is discovered. We will connect you with the appropriate county representative.  

Attached is a link to an Aquatic Invasive Species Guide for identification. 

These few extra minutes can save our lake! 

How is Lone Lake in 2023?

The good news……our lake is often utilized by DNR regional staff to test equipment and other new items because of our clarity.

Most of the summer, the Secchi disc measurement (how far down into the water it can be seen) has been just above 20’. Usually later in the summer it drops into the high teens. What makes 2023 different? Is it the lack of additional rain? Is it the efforts made by lakeshore owners to keep leaves and other phosphates out of the lake? Is it helped by the big boats working to stay in the middle of the lake so as not to turn up the bottom of the lake?

We don’t know.

But please….keep up your efforts this fall. Get those leaves out of the lake as they wash up on your shoreline. (An icky job but it could be paying back benefits.) Thanks

More good news….the grant money that was to be used on a lakeshore project in 2023 will carry forward to 2024. Consider your lakeshore…..do you need willow wattle and plants to keep your shoreline on the shore? (Of course more evident during times of high water.)

Or would you be interested in a discount on a coir log?

Use these next months to consider what your shoreline is asking for in ‘24😜

Email lonelakepoa@gmail.com with your questions.

August news around the lake

Travel on MN Highway 47 in this neck of the woods? Road reconstruction started Monday, Aug. 14 and will last until later October. Isle to Aitkin. Details found here.

True to lake history, the Secchi disc reports that lake clarity is only about 21’ in August. As we use the lake we make waves, waves stir up the lake bottom and potassium is released. Another reminder to remove as many leaves in the fall and the spring as possible. Thank you.

Are you part of the 123? Thanks! 123 lakeshore owners so far have joined LLPOA for 2023. Forgot to complete that membership form? Never too late…..become a LLPOA member to help plan for the future, enjoy the now, and know you are part of the membership to keep Lone Lake clean for years to come. Click here for the link.

Last call for anyone interested in lakeshore assistance. Please contact lonelakepoa@gmail.com by August 18. Willow wattle (more info) or coir logs (more info) could be an option to keep your lakeshore on your lakeshore. Waves challenge all of us and water levels change all the time. 

Almost September? Time to make sure Saturday, September 9 @ 9:00 a.m. is on your calendar. With winter (⛄️) not that far away, all hands needed to clean the roadsides before the snow covers the ground. Delicious coffee and rolls donated by Paulbeck’s County Market (thank you!) will greet you, meet neighbors, friends, and new friends, and assist with the clean-up. Only takes an hour, great example to your family of giving back to the community on the exact “volunteering” day in MInnesota.

Bring the family, the guests, and friends to help clean our roadsides. 

(Can’t make it that day? Please let us know which section you cleaned. Lately the public beach has had many visitors with more than desired trash left behind on the grass and sand. Check that area out on a walk and help keep it clean. Pay it forward!)

Another reminder to make sure you and all guests remember the “rules of the road” when driving a boat on the water.

Simplest is to STAY RIGHT when two boats are coming towards each other. Lone Lake has plenty of peninsulas that need to be taken on the “wider” side when you cannot see the oncoming traffic. If you cannot make that turn/curve at your current speed, slow down for the safety of all, especially when pulling a tow rope. Thanks from all boaters and the loons as well.

Hello lake friends! by Tiffany Frazier

Wagenknecht family accepting their award.

I hope you are enjoying this last bit of summer on Lone Lake!

The board welcomed myself and two new members: Barb Dusbabek (AIS team leader) and Bob Burgmeier (Director at large) and Fraz (Steve Frazier), (past president). We had an informative first meeting, including a couple of board members attending up on zoom! 

(Hint…..as we continue to look for more board members to represent all points of view, know that meetings are available online as well.)

1. Road clean up September 9th, 9am at the beach! Come help keep our lake area clean, it only takes an hour. Coffee and rolls, courtesy of Paulbeck’s, will be provided : )

2. Keep our lake clean! Any visiting guests with boats or watercraft must be looked over before putting in the lake. I was shocked to hear the staggering amount it would cost to treat the lake if we got AIS : No bueno!)

Gmach-Mann family award recipient

3. Logo Contest! Submit your entry by September 15th, for an opportunity of bragging rights and one year free membership dues! (See below in newsletter)

Looking forward to picking up trash with you next month! Wear gloves-vests and bags will be provided!

Summer Smiles,
Tiffany

PS…..above and below photos are such a fun part of the job…..delivering the July 4 trophies to the winners of the annual LLPOA boat parade and dock competition!

Best pontoon-above- Wagenknecht family

Best boat-below-Gmach/Mann family

Is Starry Stonewort coming closer?

Have a bit of time this Saturday morning? (8/19/23).

Join many Aitkin County residents and lakeshore owners to discover more information (and a hands on opportunity) about Starry Stonewort, an invasive species that spreads rapidly, creates health issues for lakes, and issues for lakeshore owners.

Check out this link, call the Aitkin County SWCD to tell them of your interest, or consider bringing a friend and helping to check out local lakes, including ours, with their shared knowledge and expertise.

Some LLPOA members have attended past events and some will attend this one at Clear Lake in the Glen, MN area……not far at all. less than 7 miles east on county road 12.

9:00 a.m., this Saturday, August, 19.

Information from the Aitkin Age

What is your Lone Lake design? Lone Lake makes me think of...

As time flies, we all appreciate exciting gear representing our favorite teams, cities, schools, states…..and LAKES!

Time now to help design the new Lone Lake gear. Get your creative juices flowing!

Some families have designed their own, others have looked on and wished for something portraying Lone Lake.

Contest is now open. Rules are simple:

  1. Create a design of your own….no plagiarism (using a design already used for another purpose)….something that incorporates Lone Lake into the design. If you would like to use the Lone Lake logo - contact us via email and we will send you the artwork.

  2. Colors are your choice.

  3. This design will be shared with all via our online store for purchase. Online shirts (adults & kid sizes), mugs, hats, wall art, magnets…..

  4. Online ordering will begin in October, right in time for that holiday season.

  5. The winner will receive a free membership for 2024 to LLPOA. (We have heard that those who are children, grandchildren, relatives and friends of all sorts who have entered a LLPOA contest have traded that free membership to the lakeshore owners they know in exchange for wonderful treats!)

  6. Contest starts now, ends at midnight, September 15, 2023

  7. Email your design to lonelakepoa@gmail.com

Winner will be determined by a vote open to all LLPOA members towards the end of September. Good luck to all!

Another LLPOA step into technology!

A new Facebook page has been created based on feedback from the last owners’ survey. It was suggested we develop a Facebook page/group where members could:

  • Share photos

  • Ask questions about recent weather, electric status, etc. around the lake

  • Ask about service providers used or recommendation on service providers

  • Share information on lost/found items

  • Etc

Below is the information for you to use on your Facebook account to find the new group. This is a private group so new users will need to request to join and be asked a question on two. It is open to Lone Lake property owners and their friends/family.  

Lone Lake Fans | Aitkin, MN | Facebook

Check it out and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions.

(FYI, it already works well —both a beautiful photo of the super moon and a lost ski and life jacket found their owner. Two different Lone Lake families shared their finds and both were returned to the owner, a guest at a cabin. Thanks to the honesty and effort of our lakeshore owners.)