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Pequaywan Lakes
Association News
Spring 2015
Let the summer season begin!
The first Lake Association meeting this year is
May 23, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
This date was suggested last year by members who
thought more people would be “up at the lake” by
then.
As a kick off to the summer season, the Association
is planning a brunch for members at this first meeting
of the season, which starts at the usual 10 a.m. time.
Come see your friends and neighbors, catch up on the
news, and help plan our summer activities, including
the Summer Picnic and a possible Dumpster Day.
Dues remain only $10 per family and the form to be
sent in (or brought to the meeting) along with your
check is on the back page of this newsletter.
Calendar
Lake Association Meetings: 10 a.m. at the Fire Hall on
#44. Join us for a summer of great programs.
May 23 General information, committee reports, planning of
summer activities
June 13 Monarch butterflies and the importance of
native plants. Dan Schutte, Lake County Soil
and Water Conservation District, will talk about
Monarchs and show slides from a trip he and his
wife took to the mountains of Mexico where the
Monarchs winter. Dan will also have native plants
for sale that draw butterflies.
July 11
Wolves in our area, Nancy Hansen, Area Wildlife
Manager, DNR
A milder than usual winter, with less snow and an
early melt to that snow, have made for an extended,
dry spring. This translates to a higher than normal
wild fire danger. There have already been fires
down the Rossini Road and off Bear Lake Trail.
No burning permits are being issued. So please be
very careful. You can find out the status of burning
permits and fire danger in our area by going to the
DNR website: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/
fire/firerating_restrictions.html
Aug. 15 FireWise, a program by the
DNR to help homeowners
learn how to create a fire
wise zone around their property.
Sept. 5 Program to be announced.
The good news is that an early warm up and then
a cold spell might have killed emerging spruce
bud worms. If you have dead balsam around your
property, these dead trees really present a fire hazard,
so it is a good idea to have them removed.
Brimson Market Plant and Craft Sale: Saturday, May
23, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Hugo’s. Mostly tomato and
pepper starter plants and craft sale.
And even more good news is that the DNR has
said that it is likely there will not be a major tent
caterpillar invasion this year!
Like the Pequaywan Lakes Association’s
Facebook Page.
Keep up-to-date on lake news.
Road Cleanup: Wednesday, May 20. Meet at the Fire
Hall at 9 a.m. for coffee and rolls, followed by the cleanup.
Yard Waste Day: Saturday, June 6, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
At the gravel pit near the south end of the Big Lake. As an
additional service for those who have dying balsam trees
to dispose of, you can bring debranched balsam trees, up to
8” in diameter, 24” long, to a designated location. The logs
should be stacked in an orderly fashion and can be picked up
by those who want a fuel source or camp fire wood, or they
will be placed in the brush pile in small quantities next fall.
Fire Department Pancake Breakfast: Sunday, July 5,
from 8 a.m. to noon at the Fire Hall.
CLP Wireless Internet Tower Update
Two wireless towers — one that serves the Little Lake and one that serves the Big
Lake­— should be going up this summer. Contracts with the landowners of the two
properties where the towers will be located should be signed within the next several
weeks. Following that, most likely in May, CLP will go a meeting of the St. Louis
County Commissioner to apply for a conditional use permit.
CLP anticipates that the towers will be erected in June. Then there will be about a
month of system testing and upgrades to the system’s “backbone.” Given the above
scenario, installation to the home should begin in mid-to-late July and August.
The main towers will have a radius of 1.5 miles, so there may be some pockets or
areas on our two lakes that might not be reached. It may be necessary to have one or
two repeater towers/antennas located on a building to extend the main towers’ reach
to those areas.
Smokey is right. Only you
can prevent forest fires
Every year, Department of Natural Resources Forest
Officers and local fire departments respond to some
7,500 wildfires. About 40 percent of these are caused by
careless burning of debris. A recent fire, which charred
about five acres near the corner of Howard Gnesen and
Lismore roads on the Rice Lake-Gnesen town line, was
apparently started by someone burning cardboard in a burn
barrel. That fire showed the importance of taking care
when burning material, especially during dry times.
It’s a common misconception that using a burn barrel
means you can burn when you want and do not need a permit and that any barrel
can be used. A permit is required for burner use between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
According to the DNR, an approved burner:
• Shall be constructed of a non-combustible material.
• Shall have no combustible material within 5 feet of the base of the burner.
• Shall have a capacity of at least 3 bushels and be maintained with a minimum
burning capacity of at least 2 bushels.
• Shall have a cover which is closed when in use.
• Shall have no openings in the sides or cover of burner larger than 1 inch.
• Shall only be used where open burning is allowed.*
* To identify where open burning is allowed, check with your local DNR
Forestry Officer or Fire Warden.
There are also restrictions for the size of fire pits/campfires. The fire pit cannot be
placed closer than 25 feet from any combustible materials, including wood structures, debris, trees or fences. The fire cannot be any larger than 2 feet high and 3
feet in diameter.
No fire should be left unattended by a responsible adult. The fire must be extinguished by midnight and must not give off offensive odors or smoke that can cause
problems with neighbors. Fires left unattended can be extinguished and the homeowner or person responsible for the fire fined accordingly. Fires are forbidden
during fire bans in the state. If winds are stronger than 15 miles an hour, no fires are
allowed with no burning ban.
Valley Homemakers ­­— The
annual first gathering will be
cleaning of Lakeside Chapel
Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m.
After the cleaning, the group
will meet for supper at the Inn.
Valley Homemakers meets
on the third Thursday of the
month into the fall. Contact
Donna Johnson (848-2815) for
more details.
Lakeside Chapel —
­ Services
begin Sunday, May 24, at 10
a.m., 8905 Pequaywan Lake
Road, and continue through
Labor Day.
Township News ­— Congratulations to Kim Hand, who
was elected treasurer, and Lee
Kaplan, who was elected township supervisor. At the April
township meeting, Lita Wallace
was appointed clerk to replace
April Smitke, who resigned.
Thanks to Mark Freeman,
Keith Stoneburner and April
for their many years of service
to the township.
Visit the new township Website
(pequaywantownship.org)
which has new information,
including copies of meeting
minutes going back several
years and financial reports.
Township meetings are the
second Tuesday of the month
at 7:30 at the Fire Hall.
Recycling — North Star
Recycling Center is open
Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon,
accepting cans, glass, plastic,
paper, and cardboard.
Page 2
Greetings from the Pequaywan Lake
Volunteer Fire & EMS Department
Association Meeting Minutes
summary from Sept. 6, 2014
There has been a change in leadership for the fire department. John
Lucia reported last year (on his retirement from the Fire Chief position)
that Jack Rinne would take over as Fire Chief and I, Dale Brooks,
would be Assistant Chief. Now, because of job conflicts and commitments, Jack is the Assistant Chief and I am the Fire Chief.
The meeting was called to order by Phyllis
Mead, president, at 10 a.m. with approximately
30 in attendance. Treasurer Jim Guldseth reported $80 income and $75 expenses leaving a
balance of $18,550.76.
A little background: My wife and I moved from Duluth to Little
Pequaywan in February 2004. We have two children, a daughter in
college and a son in the Navy. I joined the fire department in 2008
because it’s a good way to serve and give back to the community
where we live. My son was also a member for a couple of years before
leaving for the Navy. With 7 years of experience on the Fire Department and none of those years in a leadership role, I have a lot to learn
as Fire Chief. In the foreseeable future, I hope to keep improving on
what John has started (updating and improving the equipment, along
with maintaining our membership).
Follow-up calls made to Fire Department and
DNR officials shed no light on the missing
Smokey the Bear sign. Doug Dressen reports
that the theft of such a sign would be considered a Federal crime, as the sign is under a
Federal Department. Sheriff’s office has been
contacted, and they will continue to investigate
the case.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the Fire Department, contact me (848-2056), any other member, or come to one of
our monthly meetings (first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 at the
Fire Hall).
For 2014 we had a total of 2 fire calls and 10 medical calls. The pancake
breakfast is set for Sunday July 5, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Fire Hall.
Have a safe and fun summer. Dale Brooks, Fire Department
Invasive
species still a threat
If you take your boat to other lakes, or if you let friends bring their
boats to our lake, you could introduce zebra mussels, milfoil, spiny
water fleas or other invasives into our clean waters.
Once introduced, these invasives are difficult, if not impossible, to get
rid of. And the cost of doing so would be born by property owners ­­— US!
They cling to boat, docks, rafts, and, in the case of motors, make them
inoperable. They destroy native fish, make swimming impossible, and
lower property values. Don’t let this happen!
Recommended actions ­— Some species are small and difficult to see
at the access, so to remove or kill them before transporting your watercraft to other waters, either:
• Rinse your boat and boating equipment with hot tap water (over
120º F)
• Spray your boat and trailer with a high pressure sprayer. (The hot
water sprayers at a car wash can be used)
• Dry your boat and equipment for at least 5 days before putting it
back in our lakes
A resolution supporting the proposed internet
tower on the Township land was made and
seconded. Motion passed.
Frequent sighting of wolves have been of concern to some residents. The best advise given
by the DNR is to stay alert, keep pets safe and
do not leave food/garbage outside.
Brush Day — Sept. 20. As additional service,
citizens who have a number of trees to dispose
of can bring debranched trees up to 8” in diameter, 24” long and place them in a designated
location at the pit.
Road trash pick-up will be Sept.17.
Baby loons are still being sighted on the Big
Lake; loons have left Pigeon Lake.
Clarity on the Big Lake was read at 8 feet.
Reading are being done on Little Pequaywan
but no fall readings at this time.
Suggestions for programs next year were
FireWise landscaping, wolves, landscaping for
replacing diseased trees and how to selectively
harvest diseased trees.
Gordy Larsen was requested to build a tenttype sign to place at the entrance of the Fire
Hall driveway to announce Association meetings.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary Marialice Arndt
Page 3
Pequaywan Lakes Association Membership Dues
Please send this form or bring it to an Association meeting along with
your $10 check (made out to Pequaywan Lakes Association) to: Jim Guldseth
14550 Beverley Lane
Savage, MN 55378
Even if you pay in person, please attach this form to your payment. It makes it easier for Jim
to match payment to name.
Your Name___________________________________________________________
Cabin Address_ _______________________________________________________
Note: You only have include information that has changed from last year.
New members ­— please complete the entire form.
Cabin Phone____________________________ _Home Phone____________________________ Mailing Address______________________________________________________________
Email______________________________________________________________________
Corrections or additions to your current listing in the Lake Directory_____________________
__________________________________________________________________________