Board Members Present: Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Alex Nikora, Teresa Rolland
Guests: Doug Macha, Tom and Laurie Petts, Burns Rolland.
Minutes of Last Meeting: Cece Stramsak made a motion to accept the minutes from the last meeting and was seconded by Lacy Minard. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Lacy Minard made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report and was seconded by Alex Nikora. Motion passed.
Special Events Reports:
A. Fishing Contest: John sent Cece the final report and checks will be mailed to the winners this week.
B. Halloween Party: Pam printed a report thanking everyone who helped out with the event and giving us the turnout. It was much better then last year and very fun!
C. Christmas Lights Contest: Derek was absent but the judging will take place December 15th between 7 and 10.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex reported that everything is in and buttoned up for the winter.
Park Lot Maintenance: Everything is quiet on the lots. The fence on K Lot was not well received on the adjacent property. 500 walleye and 400 crappie were stocked in the lake.
Scouting Report: Teresa let us know that the Scouts had their Court of Honor at the park with a great turnout this year. They camped at Wolverine campground this fall. Coming up is a lock in at the rec center. The Scouts helped Alex with the picnic tables and buttoning up the park lot.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns informed us that it was $32K this year for lake spray expenses. The dredge project is wrapping up, there’s seed on Lot G and Oliver’s lot. Our Secci disk reports are back and the numbers are improving. The watershed study will be posted to the BLC website soon.
Old Business:
A. Lawsuit: Pat outlined the agreement between the Thompsons and the BLC. A brief overview is that he may use the driveway for egress only, and we will be paid a reparation amount within 6 months of the judgement. A complete outline of the overview will be posted at a later date after the settlement goes through.
B. Overview of the Agreement: A motion was made by Alex Nikora to have a new survey done of the park lot to mark the easement not to exceed $1400 and was seconded by Teresa Rolland. Motion passed.
C. Message Board: Derek was absent.
D. BLC Welcome Packet: Teresa and Dee are still working on it.
E. Park Lot Issues: The trees on E Lot will be removed when Steve is able, 3 60lb bags on stones were dropped on the culvert at G Lot, no work done on P Lot retaining wall yet.
F. Road Commission @ Lakeshore and Hillside: Storm work will be done at the corner but we still don’t have a lot of detail from the road commission.
G. Website Info Additions: The lost and found will be coming soon for spring. Deerfield Township will be amending it’s laws for vicious dogs in the future and we put the dog waste ordinance in the mailer. This spring will be a good time to launch an advertisement page on the website.
New Business:
A. Forest Place: Multiple lots are encroaching on Forest Place. Maintaining control of the drain and the health of the lot helps the lake. Burns would like to avoid another dredge since the last one was so difficult from start to finish. The road commission doesn’t have a record of ownership so the BLC will work on getting the deed, surveying the lot, and then send out encroachment letters. Davis will do the survey at a discounted cost to us. Alex Nikora made a motion to have the lot surveyed for $200, seconded by Teresa Rolland and the motion carried.
B. Broken Cameras: Some of the beach and pavilion cameras are failing and need to be replaced. Alex priced the cameras at around $230. Lacy Minard made a motion to buy new cameras with the cost not to exceed $250 and was seconded by Teresa Rolland. Motion passed.
Correspondence: none
Cece Stramsak made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Lacy Minard. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 8:13 PM.
The next meeting is April 5th, 2023 at the beach pavilion.
Brian Menard led the meeting participants in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance
Introductions of Board Members and Guests present
Additions to Agenda
Moment of Silence for two residents who passed away
Minutes of the Last Meeting: Derek Morey made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Brian Menard, all said “Aye”, motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Cece Stramsak presented. Brian Menard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report and was seconded by Derek Morey and Teresa Rolland, all said “Aye”, motion carried.
Regarding the beach area, it will be closed as of 10/15/2022 and the buoys will be removed on 10/31/2022 by Alex Nikora. There may be an issue stocking fish in the Spring.
Regarding Park Lot K, the fence was erected and this was paid for by area community members.
There are 61 watercraft registered for 2023.
Park Lot E and the dead trees thereon was once again discussed and it was agreed that they should come down before Winter.
Park Lot G – Still experiencing the same issues with kids throwing the large stones into the water. Prevention measures were discussed.
The erosion of Park Lot P persists and has not yet been corrected.
The Boy Scouts reported, via Teresa Rolland, that the 1st camp at Morey Outpost was a great weekend. 4 Webelos joined, 4 Sunday night meetings have been held, one scout graduated to Eagle Scout and they’ve planned for a Tawas Point camp later this year.
Burns Rolland discussed the Barnes Lake Improvement Board topics: May stay with Clark for the lake spraying, Oliver’s land was leveled and the lot with the spoils from the dredging was as well. The ruts on G lot need to be restored. Pam added that she is still trying to get answers from the Road Commission regarding their near-future plans for the roads around the lake.
No other items were brought to discussion.
Motion to adjourn was made by Cece Stramsak, seconded by Brian Menard.
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Derek Morey, Brian Menard, Alex Nikora, Teresa Rolland
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Derek Morey, Brian Menard, Alex Nikora, Teresa Rolland
Guests: Scott and Theresa Herrick, Tom and Laurie Petts, Ed and Sue St. Pierre, Cory and Travis Compeau, Burns Rolland.
Additions to Agenda: We discussed adding a lost and found to the BLC website (everyone was in favor), people depositing dog waste into other people’s garbage cans or not picking it up in yards (we’ll put a notice in the Observer), and unsupervised kids causing damage to park lots.
Minutes of Last Meeting: Cece Stramsak made a motion to accept the minutes of the July meeting and was seconded by Derek Morey. Motion carried. There are no August minutes this year due to the meeting being canceled on account of the power outage.
Treasurer’s Report: Brian Menard made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report and was seconded by Derek Morey. Motion passed.
Membership Update: We closed out the year with 220 members. Discussion ensued about how to garner more members.
Bills for Payment: Cece let us know there was a DTE bill for $70.24 and DeLong charged us $100.
Special Events Reports:
A. Coffee Hour: The next coffee hour is 9/17. Tom and Laurie Petts will be taking over for the Morey’s.
B. Beach Concert: The concert was a huge success. It was well attended and everyone had fun.
C. Barnes Lake Observer Summer/Fall: The articles are due September 12th. We will add a note about the lost and found and dog waste. Discussion ensued about whether to send this issue to everyone or only members. A roll call vote about where to send it resulted in a “nay” by all members of the board except for Dereck Morey who voted to send to everyone. There were more ideas shared about garnering new membership including welcome packets to all the new residents or a BOGO membership promotion.
D. Annual Picnic: This year’s picnic was up 13 guests and made $368 more than last year. It was a great event that was fun for everyone (minus the ridiculous heat). Pat took some great feedback from the attendees.
E. Halloween Party: Pam will begin calling around in October for volunteers. Since we scheduled around a lot of the other community events, we should have good attendance.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: The estimates we’ve gotten to fix the building are sky high so that’s an ongoing process. The gate has helped keep a large number of nonresidents out this summer. The ramp and dock were damaged by the barge used for dredging but the cement has been fixed and the dock will be soon.
Park Lot Maintenance: Alex reported that he’s been so grateful for the help on the park lots. Trees have fallen on G and M lot and have been taken care of. The trees on E lot have a quote from Steve Lovasz of $800 to remove. A motion was made to approve $800 to remove the two trees on E lot by Alex Nikora and was seconded by Lacy Minard. Motion carried.
Scouting Report: Teresa let us know that the Scouts had their Court of Honor in August. They’ll have a campout September 9-10 at the Morey’s. They’ve had 4 new Webelos attend the meetings and hope that they will crossover.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns informed us that we’ve had 4 sprays total this year. The purple loosestrife is still spreading and we need to take it out. In regards to the dredging, the bag burst on Oliver’s property and the damage was quite bad. The dredging company and insurance are currently sorting that out. The spoils from the dredge will be distributed back into the watershed at some properties around the lake. The rest of the dredge money will help restore Oliver’s yard. The cooperative lake management program will continue with more samples.
Correspondence: A thank you card from Bob Dismuke’s family
Old Business:
A. Lawsuit: We will find out tomorrow about the the trial dates.
New Business:
A. Free dues: Burns Rolland asked if we could as a club allow free dues for Oliver for the next 5 years since he’s been so accommodating about the use of his property for the dredge. Dereck Morey made a motion that the BLC pay for 5 years of dues for Oliver. A roll call vote ensued and it was unanimously voted through. Motion carried.
B. Road Commision: Questions were asked about what or when the road commission was going to work on the roads. Ray Hayes is still waiting on approval from the state. It was suggested that people can attend meetings at the township hall to get info and voice concerns.
Derek Morey made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Brian Menard. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.
The next meeting is October 5th at the beach pavilion.
Minutes of Last Meeting:Alex Nikora made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Del Shoopman. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: We have 210 members to date. Deanna Hartwell and Teresa Rolland would like to help with getting welcome packets and information to new residents. Brian Menard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and was seconded by Pam Reid. Motion passed.
Bills for Payment: None
Special Events Reports:
A. Coffee Hour: June 18th was well attended. At the next coffee hour on July 16th Derek will be looking for new volunteers to run coffee hour.
B.Beach Concert: His band for July 16th has a scheduling conflict so he’s looking for a new one. If not, another activity will be planned.
C. July 4th Weekend:
Fireworks: Everyone agreed that the fireworks show was great and that there was less traffic on the lake this year. In 2023 the show will be on July 1st and discussion took place about the rising cost of fireworks. Derek Morey made a motion to rebook with the same company as last year for the fireworks show and was seconded by Brian Menard. A roll call vote took place with all board members saying “Aye” and the motion passed.
Home Décor Contest: Del is going from 10 winners to 8 through default since 2 of the homes are not BLC members.
Bike Parade: Teresa reported that the only issue she has was people trying to launch boats at the start of the parade. At the beginning of the parade there were 5 kids and 7 adults but more joined in and at the end there were 13 kids. Lots of golf carts participated.
D. Annual Meeting: Pam reviewed our outline for the annual meeting and we discussed setting up.
E. Annual Picnic: Melinda Bradley and Carolyn Costello will take over the raffles. Pat and Alex will work together on set up and Linda Zukonik will organize volunteers. Pat’s daughter will run the kid’s games.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex shared suggestions on how to fix and stop the rot on the back wall of the building. He’s getting quotes on fixing the outside and is looking into steel siding for the walls.
Park Lot Maintenance: On Park Lot K one of the neighbors has offered to put $300 towards a fence to keep the neighbor on the other side out. There has been a lot of conflict there this year and Alex is hoping that a fence will help. He will let us know once he gets a quote.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns let us know that the dredge is scheduled to start tomorrow or Friday. They’ll start by laying the pipe this week. We will most likely have one more spray for weeds this year to keep them at bay.
Correspondence: John Nowak reached out to the club wondering if there was someone he could rent a boat from on August 16 to the 18. Lacy Minard said she’d get back with him in the event she could help out.
Old Business:
A. Lawsuit: August 19th at 9 AM a meeting has been set up and we will have a date for the hearing.
New Business:
A. Alcohol: Teresa brought up the concern that one of the houses was handing out alcohol during the bike parade. The club felt that since this was a private household that we weren’t sponsoring it wasn’t cause for alarm.
Garage Sale: Brian brought up the low number of people that participated in the sale this year. Discussion ensued about ways to keep people informed about the events around the lake. We will work on putting up a bulletin board at the beach, adding QR codes to park lot signs, and look into who mans the Facebook page.
The Annual Meeting will be on July 9th, 2022 at 10 AM. The next monthly meeting will be on August 3rd, 2022 at 7 PM
Derek Morey made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Del Shoopman. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 8:18 PM.
This report is a brief overview of Barnes Lake Club activities, projects and progress made over the past year:
➢ August 2021:
1. Annual Members Picnic held August 7,2021. This event was a total success. We had a large turnout, and the weather was perfect. In total we had 208 members attend. We had a different kind of picnic menu for this event which went over well. Bryans Market did an outstanding job, as always! This event not only provided a good time for all that attended, but also raised $ 3,143.00 for community events. This event could not be possible without all the volunteer’s and the donations to the raffle. What is even more amazing is the number of volunteers who help with this event:
Linda Zukonik, Pat Betcher, Pats Daughter, Samantha, Alex Nikora, Wally Dotson, Stacy Stables, Theresa Keeling, Kim McClain, Carrie Angus, Pat Rickford, Kathy Shabel, Carrie Costello, and the Scout troop. Thanks to all that make this event a good experience for all!!!!
2. Flotilla held on August 14, 2021. This event is not sponsored by the Barnes Lake Club. Each year Ron Mills donates his time in putting on this event. A portion of the money raised during this event is donated to Barnes Lake Club, which is appreciated and is put to good use around the community. 22 boats attended this event for an all-around good time.
3. Two men were found attempting to pry open the boat launch gate in an effort to put their jet ski in the lake. Minimal damage was done. Repairs were made immediately after the event. They were asked to leave, in which they did without the Sheriffs assistance.
4. Boat dock registration within the Park Lots included 65 registered users, with 13 locations still available.
5. Scouting reported that the troop camped in Bloomington, Indiana. 58 merit badges were earned during this event. The troop offered its sincere thanks to the Barnes Lake Club for their support.
6. No updates regarding the ongoing lawsuit.
7. Derek Morey present to the club the use of PayPal for membership and donations. Barnes Lake Club approved the using PayPal for donations, membership enrollment and renewal.
8. Barnes Lake Club acquired new Park Lot located on Peninsula Drive South. This Park Lot was part of Peninsula Court that was being eliminated by the Lapeer County Road Commission. Burns Rolland and Alex Nikora represented Barnes Lake Club in acquiring this, Park Lot. These two put in many hours in getting this acquisition completed. Barnes
Lake Club received a survey cost from Davis Land Survey to services needed to survey of said lot. It was approved for Davis Land Survey to perform the survey.
9. Debra Shea requested that the Barnes Lake Board consider adding contributions made for Steve be additional to the Fireworks amount paid by Barnes Lake Club. Debra Shea whose husband passed in July as friends and family in lie of flowers for Steve Shea funeral to contribute funds towards Barnes Lake Firework display in 2022. The club and attendance appreciated the gesture, details of the request needed to check on prior to approving.
10. The last weed treatment to the lake was completed in August.
11. Meet with property owner on an encroachment at Park Lot L. Barnes Lake Club worked with the property representative, which resulted in the issue being resolved in November of 2021.
12. Create and approve a Barnes Lake activity calendar for 2022, 2023, and 2024
➢ SEPTEMBER 2021:
1. Concert on the Beach was held September 4, 2022. This event was well attended with good feedback in having a great time. Last concert of the season.
2. The purchase of new Boat Stickers for Park Lot registration was approved for purchase. New registration period is scheduled to begin in December 2021.
3. Barnes Lake Improvement Board reported that four (4) weed treatments were completed in 2021.
4. PayPal activation for membership and donations was close to being completed. The only item remaining was test run and training on the system. It was decided that PayPal would not be installed on our current website. Due to a new website that will need to be created due to Stacy Staples retiring as the webmaster and the license expiring.
5. Linda and Ed Zukonik donated funds to purchase Barnes Lake Club Stickers for all members.
6. A new practice was started in that when attending the Barnes Lake Club monthly meeting participants can sign up to have the agenda emailed to them prior to the scheduled meeting.
7. Park Lot V was surveyed, and corner stakes installed. However, within 24 hours of installing corner stakes they were pulled by an unknown person. Davis Land Survey agree to come back to install new corner stakes at no additional cost. The Club took several precautions to prevent the stakes from being pulled a second time. As a result, the stakes remain in place.
8. The Club gave authority to their attorney to negotiate a settlement in the pending lawsuit.
➢ OCTOBER 2021:
1. The Steve Shea Firework Donation totaled $ 3,655.00. The Barnes Lake Board voted to approve as a memorial to Steve Shea the donation amount of $ 3,655.00 would be added to the Firework cost above what the Barnes Lake Club already pays. Debra Shea requested that the firework show in 2022 would be for the normal length of time (which is around 20 minutes), but with more fireworks for a tremendous show. The board agreed with Debra’s request.
2. Beach buoys were removed from the water.
3. A tree fell on Park Lot G. Due to its location, this was scheduled to be cleaned up once ice is on the lake. This project was completed over the winter.
4. A tree was damaged at the beach by lighting. This tree will be monitored for safety in determining if it can stay or will need to be removed. After a year and in being checked out by an arborist. It was determined that the tree is healthy. It will be monitored to ensure it remains safe and healthy.
5. Barnes Lake Improvement Board requested the use of Park Lot G for a dredging operation. Dredging at the lake in-let to remove a buildup of sediment is scheduled for spring of 2022. The Board approved the use of Park Lot G for dredging.
6. Fishing contest winners were notified for 2021. Please visit our website to see the winners in all categories, Https://barneslakeclub.com.
7. Halloween Party was held on October 16th. It was attended by 46 children vs. 60 the previous year. The weather was not that good, and Zonta Forest Halloween in Lapeer took place on the same day which may be the reason the attendance was lower. Normally this event has a lot of volunteers, but this year there were only four volunteers. A big thanks to the volunteers, Cece Stramsak, Del Shoopman Katie Incarnati and Quinn Minard. We received good feedback on this event with everyone having fun. Parents played cornhole and the children had fun completing crafts.
➢ NOVEMBER 2021:
1. Boat dock registration within Park Lots started for 2022-2025. The first boat dock registration took place in 2019 and ran through 2022. During the first registration we scheduled several days that residence could register for a boat dock within a Park Lot in person. This year for the second registration process we tried a different procedure. Everyone that had been registered was sent a new registration form with a letter explaining what was needed and that date it was due. The first letter was sent in November followed by a second reminder letter in December. We received back around 2/3rds of the registration dock information. Alex Nikora worked through the winter contacting registered dock owner. He also received many calls from new people requesting a dock assignment.
2. A few boats did not get removed from the Park Lots, as required by the Park Lot Rules. Each person who had a boat in the water at a Park Lot was contacted. Within a couple of days after receiving the notification boats were removed.
3. Scout troop held a Bucket Camp, in which campers where only allowed to bring what they could fit in a Bucket. Ten (10) scouts and three (3) leaders participated in this camping event. One (1) of the scouts received a cooking rank and two (2) more received achievement ranks.
4. Barnes Lake Improvement Board notified the Club that the dredging project was moving forward with everything in order to start the project in the spring of 2022.
5. Park Lot V survey was completed. Barnes Lake Club received all the required documentation and Davis Survey was paid in-full.
6. Lake fish stocking took place with 1,400, 3”-5” perch being placed in the lake.
7. Swings were removed from the beach swing set and the pump was removed for the winter.
8. Power to the boat launch and beach access gate was turned off for the winter months.
➢ December 2021, January 2022, February 2022, and March 2022:
1. Park Lot boat dock registration continued through winter months.
2. 2021 Winter Holiday Décor Contest had a lot of participation. However, several cool decorated homes could not win the prizes offered because they were not Barns Lake Club Members. Join the club, become part of the support team. We had eight (8) winners all will great decorations and holiday spirt. Please see winners on our website, Https://barneslakeclub.com.
3. A new website was created. Stacy Staples notified us in the fall that after many many years in being the webmaster for Barnes Lake Club website she was retiring. We thank Stacy for the years she supported the club and maintained an outstanding website. Do to licensing issues a new website needed to be created.
Brian Menard stepped up to the plate working to create a new website. Brian did an outstanding job, but we had concerns with our webpage name. After many discussions Shanna Mills became our new webmaster. Shanna recreated the Barnes Lake Club website. Shanna worked most of the winter in creating our new site. She has done an outstanding job! The new site is full of information and in an easy format. Please check out our new website: Https://barneslakeclub.com.
4. In creating the new website PayPal was implemented. This took a great deal of work from Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak and Derek Morey. The PayPal option works great in becoming a member and/or donating. This is another good reason to visit our website.
5. Communication over a legal issue with the Barnes Lake Club attorney continued over the winter months. Negotiations for a settlement in regard to the legal matter collapsed in February.
6. In January Barnes Lake Fishing Rules were created and adopted by the Barnes Lake Board. Barnes Lake Fishing Rules and Park Lot rules can be found on our website.
7. Alex Nikora and Brian Reeser were helpful in removing 40 people from the ice this year on Barnes Lake. The people removed did not live in Deerfield Parks, nor where they related to anyone in the Deerfield Parks. They came onto the lake from Park Lot S. Lapeer County Sherriff Department was called on several occasions to assist. Alex and Brian did an outstanding job monitoring and controlling persons on the ice, in maintaining Barnes Lake a private lake.
8. Scout Troop went out ice fishing on Barnes Lakes with the support of Alex Nikora. They had a great time and caught some nice fish.
➢ APRIL 2022:
1. At this time, we had 53 boats registered on docks at Park Lots. Registration was not complete but was close.
2. Goose Round-up permits are normally issued at this time. However, due to the Bird Flu EGLE did not issue permits this year. Goose Round-up did not take place in May. We did receive a permit to remove eggs in June. Tom and Laurie Petts run this program each year. These two do an outstanding job in getting volunteers, working with EGLE on obtaining the needed permits, and supervising the entire process.
3. Discussion took place on how to prevent pet owners from allowing their dog to use the Park Lots as bathrooms without cleaning up after them. Barnes Lake Club has done additional monitoring and spoke with pet owner, in stopping this problem.
4. Electric was turned on at the boat launch and at the beach for the summer.
5. In Receiving all the required documentation from Deerfield Township Park Lot V was recorded at the Register of Deeds.
➢ MAY 2022
1. In preparing for the annual Barnes Lake Community Garage Sale. A discussion about whether to purchase banners to advertise the sale. The cost estimate was at $264.00, which was a rough estimate. The Board approved the purchase of 8 banners not to exceed $ 300.00. Banners were ordered and received in time for this year’s garage sale.
2. A problem developed with PayPal, which shut down the system for a short time. Derek Morey and Lacy Minard worked with PayPal to get the issues resolved and to get our system running again.
3. Buoys were put in at the beach and the pump was put back outside.
4. Tom and Laurie reported that 48 goose eggs where pick-up and 9 nest were destroyed.
5. A problem was reported at Park Lot G. Lapeer County put in a new inlet pipe and in doing this they place large piece of limestone around the pipe. It has been witnessed that kids and adults are throwing these large pieces of stone around and in the water. In a discussion it was decided fencing is needed over the stones to prevent removal. This work is scheduled to be completed prior to the end of summer.
6. Discussion took place on the need for building maintenance for the club house at the beach. Water is leaking into the building, wood is rotting, and building improvements are needed to be completed before it is too late. As a result of the discussion a building maintenance line item was created in the budget. Alex Nikora is working on getting a cost estimate for building improvements. Additionally, a discussion took place on how to raise money for this much needed project. Once we have an idea on cost the goal is to raise enough money to support the repairs.
7. Boat dock registration at Park Lots was near completion with a handful of registration forms needed. All completed registration forms where reviewed and put in order per Park Lot. The final count for persons who registered to have a dock in a Park Lot is at 60 completed registrations and 16 dock sites remain available.
8. Scout Troop had 15 scouts and 12 leaders rechartered this year. The troop is looking forward to a summer of normal activities without restrictions.
9. Barnes Lake Improvement Board informed the club that the scheduled dredging at Park Lot G was put on hold due to fish spawning. Work would begin again July 1 once the spawning restrictions are removed. Testing water quality in the lake will continue this summer in working with Michigan Clean Water Corps. This year the succi disk data will be collected for a second year, along with new sampling for phosphorous and chlorophyl levels in the lake.
10. Brian Menard installed the new garage sale signs at 8 locations around the lake and on M-24. He also placed an ad in the County Press and LA View. Only 7 garage sales were seen this year. Mark in your calendar for next year Garage Sale weekend is June 1,2 and 3rd, 2023. Let’s get additional homes participating next year!
➢ July 2022
1. Welcome packets for new residents were discussed. Deanna Hartwell and Teresa Rolland volunteer to get this program running. It is anticipated that by August this program will be in place.
2. A beach concert is scheduled for July 16th. The band that had been scheduled to play at this event cancelled July 5. Derek Morey is looking for a new band to fill the void.
3. The 2022 July 4th fireworks were outstanding. Michigan Family Fireworks has put on the firework show for three years. This year was amazing and in memory of Steve Shea. Debra Shea collected money as memorial for Steve Shea who passed in July 2021.
Debra wanted to do something special in memory of Steve, as a result Debra donated $3,365.00 towards fireworks. She requested that the length of time for the fireworks remain the same but use the additional funds to make the firework show grander in memory of Steve. Debra Shea’s request was approved by the board.
4. It was approved to use Michigan Family Fireworks for the July 4th firework show in 2023.
5. Home Décor Contest had 8 winners this year. 10 homes had beautiful decoration. However, 2 homes were not Barnes Lake Club Members. In order to win a home/person must be a Barnes Lake Club Member. Please visit our website to see this year’s winners.
6. Bike and Golf Cart Parade had a good turnout with approximately 40 golf carts, 13 kids and 7 adults on Bikes. 13 kids were judged for the best decorations.
7. Two dead trees were identified on Park Lot E. These trees are a hazard that need to be removed. The Barnes Lake Club is currently working to get a cost estimate for removal.
8. A wash out by the retaining wall at Park Lot P has been identified. Caution tape has been put up at this location to prevent foot traffic in this area. Barnes Lake Club is currently working on a solution to the problem.
9. Barnes Lake Improvement Board, Burns Rolland reported that dredging at the lake inlet has started. This project should be completed within 10 days.
➢ ITEMS COMPLETED BY THE BARNES LAKE CLUB DAILY, MONTHLY AND ANNUALY, INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
1. Surveillance system at the beach and boat launch is monitored daily.
2. Park Lots are monitored for damage, garbage, and trespassing.
3. Boat launch gate and surrounding gate maintained and repaired if damaged.
4. Maintain Port-a-John and ensure that it is clean.
5. Beach area grass cut, building maintenance completed, garbage picked up, area cleaned and monitored.
6. Beach and Park Lot expenses are paid to cover the following cost, but not limited to: Electrical, interned service, gate controls, Port-a-John dumping, fees from the State of Michigan, Insurance costs, and maintenance materials costs.
7. Other costs incurred include, but not limited to: Printing, materials and supplies needed for events, firework, and entertainment.
8. No Parking notifications placed on vehicles parked on Park Lots, parking on a Park Lot with a vehicle is prohibited.
9. Monthly Barnes Lake Club meetings
10. Barnes Lake Club Finance, Cece Stramsak
11. Barnes Lake Club website maintenance and updates, Shanna Mills
Brian Menard led the meeting participants in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance
Introductions of Board Members and Guests present:
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Cece Stramsak, Teresa Rolland, Derek Morey, Pat Betcher, and Brian Menard
Guests: Burns Rolland, Corey and Jackie Compau, Chris Tluczek, Tom and Laurie Petts, Scott and Trish Herrick, Gage Coe
Moment of Silence for two residents who passed away
Guest Gage Coe, a Boy Scout who lives on the lake requested permission to clean Lady Liberty from July 27 to July 30, and to reinforce the flag pole. Permission was granted by the Board.
Two large dead trees on Part Lot E were discussed.
Minutes of the Last Meeting: Cece Stramsak made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Derek Morey, all said “Aye”, motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: All bills are paid to date including the fireworks and Barnes Lake Directory. The Barnes Lake Building Fund has a $136.26 balance. At the time of the meeting, there were 193 members. Derek Morey made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s report and was seconded by Pat Betcher and Teresa Rolland, all said “Aye”, motion carried.
A discussion was held to begin considering selling ‘hoodies’ and T-shirts again.
It was suggested that we add a bulletin board to the club house area.
Burns Rolland discussed that after all the tree-clearing last year, no road work was done. The road work was given as the purpose of the tree-clearing, so residents are dismayed. It was explained that determining where the roads should really be is a long process. Board members present asked Burns to request Ray Hayes from Deerfield Township to be present at the Annual Meeting.
The erosion on Park Lot P was discussed. Pam Reid said she believes there may be federal funding available or a grant to return the shoreline for that Park Lot to its original condition.
No other items were brought to discussion.
Motion to adjourn was made by Brian Menard, seconded by Derek Morey.
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Derek Morey, Brian Menard, Alex Nikora, Teresa Rolland
Guests: Jackie & Cory Compeau, Burns Rolland, Rich Dickson, Tom & Laurie Petts, Burt Bentley, Doug Macha, and Ed St. Pierre
Minutes of Last Meeting:Cece Stramsak made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Teresa Rolland. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: There was a donation made through PayPal for lawn maintenance and the down payment of the fireworks has been paid. Our balance is $9756.17. Brian Menard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and was seconded by Pat Betcher. Motion passed.
Membership Update: 147 members so far. Last year there were 176.
Bills for Payment: None
Special Events Reports:
A. Garage Sale and Beach Concert: There was a discussion about whether or not to purchase banners to advertise the sales that could be reused every year. The cost estimate for this was $264. Alex Nikora made a motion to purchase banners with a cost not to exceed $300 and was seconded by Del Shoopman. Motion passed. Derek will have flyers and information posted on the website for the June 11th concert.
B.Annual Picnic: Ideas were shared about food for the picnic, and it was decided that we will stick with the sandwiches like last year. Pat and Linda are working on finding someone to organize the raffle prizes.
C. 4th of July Fireworks: The deposit is down, and we will pay the balance the day of.
PayPal and BLC Website Update: Cece thanked Derek and Lacy for all their help getting the site running and working. Teresa reminded everyone to send pictures after events so they can be posted on the site.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex reported that he’ll put the buoys in and get the pump working soon. Tom and Laurie Petts informed us that the goose egg round up garnered 48 eggs and 9 nests were destroyed. All of these were found in the wetlands.
Park Lot Maintenance: Registration is ongoing but will wrap up next week. Jackie Compeau brought up the fact that adults and kids are throwing rocks from the top of the drainpipe on lot G into the lake. We spoke about putting up fencing to prevent this.
Scouting Report: 15 Scouts and 12 leaders rechartered this year. December and April were their Courts of Honor which boasted many rank achievements and two Eagle Scouts. They have many campouts and activities planned for this summer and are happy to have some normal gatherings. Their garage sale fundraiser will be May 21st at the Deerfield Township Hall. Donations will be accepted on May 20.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns let us know that the dredging project has been postponed until the end of June due to the spawning fish. The job wasn’t completed as they ran into some issues. The lot it was on had just enough of a slope that as it filled it would roll toward the lake. Oliver up the hill has offered to put the bag in a hollow in his yard and Burns is working to renegotiate the contract with the dredgers and EGLE. We had our first spray on April 27th and can only spray a limited amount until after July 2nd. The kind of copper spray was adjusted and although it was more money it should be gentler to our aluminum boats and not cause pitting. We are testing phosphorous and chlorophyl levels in the lake. Free training is available and anyone wanting more info should contact Burns Rolland.
Correspondence: none
Old Business:
A. Lawsuit: No updates
B. Donations: Tabled until closer to July.
C. Neighborhood Creeper: The police talked to him, and he works for Spectrum and was checking homes to drum up new business.
D. Forest Place: Burns recounted info from the last meeting about the home next to the lot and their flooding issues.
New Business:
A. Clubhouse Event Rental: Since our clubhouse desperately needs some TLC, Pam Reid wondered if charging to rent the clubhouse for special events could help with some of that cost. Alex shared which repairs need to be made and pros and cons of renting were discussed. Burt Bentley suggested having a volunteer workday for people to help out. Ed St. Pierre said that we should have raffles at all the events this year like the meetings, coffee hours, and concerts.
The next meeting will be June 1st, 2022 at 7 PM.
Lacy Minard made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Cece Stramsak. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Board Members Present: Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Derek Morey, Brian Menard, and Alex Nikora. Absent: Pam Reid, Teresa Rolland
Guests: Jackie & Cory Compeau, Burns Rolland.
Minutes of Last Meeting:Pat Betcher made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Cece Stramsak. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Pat Betcher asked about the electric bill and Cece explained the months that it covered. Brian Menard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and was seconded by Lacy Minard. Motion passed.
Membership Update: Cece was still getting them in at the time of the meeting but estimated that at least 90 to 100 people have joined.
Bills for Payment: None
Special Events Reports:
A. Christmas House Décor: Derek let us know that while there was great participation many of the really well decorated homes weren’t members therefore aren’t able to win.
B.Future Events (Garage sale, first concert): Cece let Brain know what to do as far as advertising goes for the lake wide garage sale in June. Derek will have a band for us on June 11th.
C. Observers: Since our March mailing went out late and to save on all the paper and postage it was decided we will have a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter Observer this year. Pat Betcher made a motion to cut back to two Observers for the year and was seconded by Derek Morey. Motion passed.
D. Annual Picnic: We are in need of a volunteer to organize the raffle prizes for the annual picnic this year. We talked to Pat about seeing if Teresa Keeling would be willing to work on the project since she helped on it last year.
PayPal and BLC Website Update: PayPal has been working well and people have been using it to pay dues. Shanna Mills took over the BLC website and it looks great!
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex reported that the gate was opened as soon as the ice broke. Everything is unlocked and working well.
Park Lot Maintenance: The stakes that were pulled up on V lot have been fixed. Burns asked Davis to come out and resurvey for us. New markers have been put in the ground. At least 40 people were caught coming onto the lake via S lot over the winter. Alex and Brian Reeser were helpful in removing nonresidents from the lake. Burns helped cut down the tree that was overhanging the water on G lot. There are 53 boats registered so far but if Alex doesn’t receive people’s registrations soon, he will let spots go. Brian Menard brought up the fact that a neighbor is letting their dogs use a park lot as a bathroom and not cleaning it up. We talked about posting signs on the lot to hopefully discourage the behavior and if that doesn’t work having a discussion with them.
Scouting Report: Teresa was gone but Alex gave a report earlier in the meeting about having the Scouts out to ice fish. They came out from 2 until dark and caught quite a few fish and a dandy bass.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns informed us that due to the outbreak of the bird flu there would be no goose round up this year. They will allow egg collection but that’s it. We are signed up for weed spray. A survey of the lake will be done soon but they hope to have the first spray before May 1st to cut off the algae growth and before spraying restrictions go into effect. The dredging is going to begin on G lot soon. The amount removed will be 215’ long, 15’ wide, and 2’ in depth of silt.
Correspondence: none
Old Business:
A. Lawsuit: Pam has requested that we schedule a closed meeting about our newest progress on April 20th at 6 PM.
New Business:
A. Fireworks: We need a 40 to 50% deposit ($4500). Using the donations from the Steve Shea memorial fund we will have a massive show this year but a normal time frame.
B. Donations: Burns brought up having boxes around the neighborhood for monetary donations to the fireworks. Pat talked about roaming donations and Derek said he’d drive his golf cart around to collect. Lacy mentioned incentivizing homes that were having parties and rewarding the highest donators with prizes.
C. Neighborhood Creeper: Pat’s neighbor called to tell him that a person was walking around his home and another neighbor’s two days in a row. She got the plate number and a picture of the car. Pat will call the local police department to see if he can get any guidance.
D. Forest Place: Burns advised the family that lives on one side of the Forest Place easement to get approval before making any moves to do landscaping or construction on the lot. The home has been having water issues that need to be addressed and the problem is the water overflowing from Forest Place. Burns was informed by the Road Commission that they had abdicated the road to the Barnes Lake Club.
The next meeting will be May 4th, 2022, at 7 PM.
Cece Stramsak made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Alex Nikora. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 7:43 PM.
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Teresa Rolland, Brian Menard, and Alex Nikora. Absent: Derek Morey
Minutes of Last Meeting:Cece Stramsak made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Cece Del Shoopman. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Brian Menard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and was seconded by Lacy Minard. Motion passed.
Membership Update: We have 246 this year and membership is closed. Anyone who pays from this point forward will go towards 2022.
Bills for Payment: None
Special Events Reports:
A. Halloween Party 10/16: There were only 46 people that attended this year vs. over 60 the previous years. Pam could have used more volunteers. Since Fantasy Forest and Lapeer downtown trick or treat was the same day we think it affected the attendance. We’ll see if we need to change the dates next year so they don’t fall on the same day.
B.Christmas Lights Contest: Will be one day this December, the 18th.
C. Fishing Contest: The last day is October 31st. John didn’t attend the meeting but did send Cece an update on the winners in all the categories. They will be able to be viewed on the website. Congrats to all the winners!
D. Spring Observer: The spring edition will go out in mid-May. Cece explained the difference between the March mailing and the spring, summer, and fall Observers.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex reported that the buoys are all out of the water and he’ll put the toys away and mow the lawn one more time before the snow flies. Alex asked if Justin could take over the grass cutting as his back is in really bad shape. A motion was made to pay for the lawn work to be done for $65 by Pat Betcher and seconded by Lacy Minard. Motion carried. Alex also pointed out that there will need to be work done to the building soon.
Park Lot Maintenance: There are a few boats left on lots that will need to be gone soon. We will be locking the gate after the first ice. The dock registration information was sent out this week. Alex will have the Lot V stakes fixed soon.
Scouting Report: Teresa reported that the bucket camp out at the Morey residence was a success. There were 10 Scouts and 3 leaders. One Scout got his cooking rank and two more had rank achievements.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns let us know that they’ve paid for the permit revision and he hopes they can get it approved this fall. The dredging will move forward before there’s ice unless they can’t find the right bag to pump into. The bag will allow the water to flow back into the lake but trap the silt. We’ll need silt fencing or a curtain to control the flow of the silt that does flow back.
Correspondence: none
Old Business:
A. Barnes Lake Club using PayPal: It will be ready by December 1st. Lacy or Derek will make a flyer for the March mailing on how to use it.
B. Park Lot V survey: Has been completed and paid for.
C. Lawsuit: No new information.
D. Tree Cutting: Tree cutting is on the docket for this winter at some of the park lots
E. Fish Stocking: Alex has the permit ready and will be stocking perch and walleye as soon they’re available.
New Business:
A. Website: Stacey Staples is ready to step down as our webmaster. She will have a conversation with Brian Menard about the amount of maintenance involved in taking over the website and they will go from there.
The next meeting will be April 6, 2022 and Del Shoopman will chair.
Cece Stramsak made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Brian Menard. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 7:40 PM.
October 6, 2021 Meeting called to order at 7:01 PM
Board Members Present: Pam Reid, Del Shoopman, Lacy Minard, Cece Stramsak, Pat Betcher, Teresa Rolland, Brian Menard, and Derek Morey. Absent: Alex Nikora
Guests: Jackie & Cory Compau, Doug & Karen Tuttle Burt Bentley, Richard Dickson, Tom & Laurie Petts, Doug Macha, Linda Zukonik, Burns Rolland. We observed a moment of silence in honor of Paula Bridges and Brian Rumley.
Minutes of Last Meeting: Del Shoopman made a motion to accept the minutes of the last meeting and was seconded by Cece Stramsak. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report: Pat filled us in on item A. from Old Business “The Steve Shea Fireworks Donations”. He spoke with the fireworks company about a show with a bigger bang within the same time frame and they said it was feasible. The memorial garnered around $3,655.00 which would be put towards the fireworks in addition to what the club already pays. Brian Menard made a motion to spend $9,655.00 on fireworks for the 2022 show and a roll call vote was taken. Pam Reid-yes, Del Shoopman-yes, Lacy Minard-yes, Cece Stramsak-yes, Pat Betcher-yes, Teresa Rolland-yes, Brian Menard-yes, Derek Morey-yes. Motion carried. Lacy Minard made a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report and was seconded by Pat Betcher. Motion passed.
Membership Update: We have 246 this year.
Bills for Payment: None
Special Events Reports:
A. Coffee Hour: 6 people attended, and it was rainy and cold.
B.Concert on the Beach 9/4: The concert was fun and well attended with many new neighbors there.
C. Halloween Party 10/16: Pam will call around 8 volunteers to help with set up for that day. 12-1 they’ll decorate and people can drop off candy donations. 5:30 is the start time.
D. Christmas Décor Contest: December 17th will be the day for judging.
E. Fishing Contest: The last day of the contest is October 31st.
F. Observer: Most were delivered today so we will give Brian feedback at the next meeting.
Beach/Pavilion Maintenance Report: Alex was absent but let Pam know he’ll be taking down the buoys after the Halloween party.
Park Lot Maintenance: The park lot dock committee hopes to get the renewal letters out within the next few weeks. A tree fell down on G Lot and will be taken down this winter when there is some ice. Another tree was struck by lightning at the beach and Alex and Derek will take care of that one.
Scouting Report: Teresa reported that the boys had a great camp out with the Handicapable Scouts in Swartz Creek. They’ve had 3 meetings so far and are working hard at their rank achievements. Next up is a “Bucket Camp” at the Morey residence.
Barnes Lake Improvement Board: Burns Rolland gave a recap of the money spent so far this year. The people that wanted their lily pads sprayed had that happen recently. The BLIB was able to do an experiment during the spray to see if the purple loosestrife that’s been taking over can be eradicated. The next BLIB meeting will be held on 10/23 at the Deerfield Township Hall. Burns gave a run down on the topics that will be discussed. The BLIB would like permission to put bags from the dredge on G lot while the silt and water separate which would take 2 to 4 weeks depending on conditions. Brian Menard made a motion to let the bags from the dredge be stored on G Lot and was seconded by Derek Morey. Motion carried.
Correspondence: An unsigned letter that was sent to the board expressing recent violence at other Michigan boat launches was discussed. The sender suggested that we make Barnes Lake a gated community but that idea was quickly dismissed as unnecessary and incredibly expensive.
Old Business:
A. Steve Shea Memorial Fireworks Donation: Discussed during the Treasurer’s Report.
B. PayPal for BLC dues: It is set up for next year. Derek and Cece will meet and have a trial run and then have Stacey put it on the website.
C. Park Lot V survey: Someone pulled out the original stakes from the survey, but Davis has agreed to come and restake for us. We will have to put in metal rods which are harder to pull out. The dimensions of the lot were very large-90x250x435 feet, and a neighboring lots fence was over by about 6 feet.
Lawsuit: When speaking with our attorney he would like to have the authority to negotiate a settlement to the lawsuit. Anything would have to be brought to the board for approval before moving forward. We discussed our parameters and non-negotiables. Cece Stramsak made a motion to allow Mike Nolan to negotiate the settlement and was seconded by Brian Menard. Motion passed.
New Business:
A. Road Commission Marking and Spraying on Lakeshore Drive: Concerns were brought up as to why the Road Commision was marking on LSD. A call to the Township revealed that the Road Commision and Township are working together to evaluate what they can do about the continuous wash outs. Nothing has been done except a survey and a letter should go out to homeowners sometime soon.
Del Shoopman made a motion to adjourn and was seconded by Cece Stramsak. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 7:56 PM. Respectfully submitted, Lacy Minard
BARNES LAKE CLUB 