The annual dues for the Berry Lake Property Owners are still just $25.00/year.  Dues are used to cover our operating costs which include EWM control, insurance, membership to the Oconto County Lakes Association, office supplies such as envelopes/stamps, copies, fish stocking, and social events including our annual corn boil.  PLEASE MAIL YOUR BLPOA DUES prior to the meeting payable to the BLPOA.  Prepaying prior to our annual meeting saves time on the meeting day (and will help to get us all back out on the lake a little faster!), and would be much appreciated.  Send in your dues today!  Thanks.

At the Underhill Town Board meeting on April 9th, the Town board approved to do a special charge for Berry Lake property owners not to exceed $12,600.00 (estimated cost to be appx. $120.00 per property owner) to cover the cost of treating EWM this spring at Berry Lake.  This cost will cover a pretreatment assessment, the chemical treatment, the permit application, and a post treatment evaluation.  The area to be treated will be the large stand of EWM near the boat landing which covers appx. 13 acres. 

The Town is hoping that in the future, that the BLPOA will be able to obtain grants to help cover EWM control costs.  Town Chair Gary Frank did suggest that the Town may consider designating a portion of the Town's budget in 2013 to put towards the control of EWM at Berry Lake (although they do not have money in their 2012 budget to do so for our spring treatment).

According to BLPOA president Jim DePrey, Brian Ewart has hired the Lake Management Planning group Onterra as well as Aquatic Biologists who will do the chemical application.  Onterra is a company that prepares Aquatic Plant Management (APM) plans for lakes.  Berry Lake needs to have an APM in place before we can apply for any WDNR grants.

Although it wasn't stated at the meeting, it's assumed that all residents will receive a bill after the chemical treatment has taken place.  This treatment should take place soon, as water temperatures can't exceed 65 degrees for optimum control.

ICE OFF was extra early this year...our "official" ICE OFF date was March 18th.  Congratulations to BLPOA member Mike Cismoski who guessed this date!

ICE OFF DATES:

• 2012 - Mar 18
  
• 2011 – Apr 13
• 2010 – Mar 26
• 2009 - Apr 5
• 2008 -Apr 16
• 2007 - Mar 26
• 2006 - Apr 1
• 2005 - Apr 7
• 2004 - Apr 5
• 2003 - Apr 2

_IT'S OFFICIAL...WE'RE NOW A "QUALIFIED LAKE ASSOCIATION"!
The BLPOA has received confirmation from the DNR that they have approved our application to be a Qualified Lake Association!  This means that the BLPOA has the option to apply for lake planning and protection grants as well as aquatic invasive species grants under Wisconsin's Lake Planning and Protection Grant Program and Aquatic Invasive Species Control Grant Program.