A man who stood several times claiming the winter was ‘the worst since 1888? later admitted what he actually meant was ‘one of the worst? or ‘the seventh worst.?
He couldn’t remember, exactly, nor was he sure where he’d collected the data.
Such was the tone of a meeting held by the Waumegah Lake Improvement Board April 21.
Another person claimed to hear of fish kills worse than that suffered by Waumegah Lake on nearby Watkins, Williams and Scott Lake.
But Oakland County Commissioner John Scott, who sits on the Scott Lake Improvement Board, said he’d heard of no fish kill on Scott Lake.
Mark Freeborough, Williams Lake Improvement Board chairman, said there’s been no fish kill on Williams Lake.
Waterford Township Trustee David Kramer, who lives on Watkins Lake, left a message at The Clarkston News, and while he was careful to point out he’s ‘not an expert? said he saw no dead fish on his lake.
Gary Towns of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, also left a message at The Clarkston News confirming those facts. While a number of lakes and ponds in the state have indeed suffered fish kills over the winter, Towns said he wasn’t aware of any at the afore mentioned lakes.
Waumegah Lake resident John Bistoff said the misinformation was typical of what he and his neighbors have been fighting against for years.
‘We’re treated like criminals for wanting to determine some accountability and for wanting some type of investigation into what caused the fish kill, rather than just blowing it off as an act of God,? he said.
Bistoff noted it’s ‘no wonder more people don’t stand up to ask questions.?
‘It’s like going in front of a firing squad,? he said. ‘All the facts we produce are supported by hard copy documentation, and yet those facts are treated as meaningless. They say what they want, support it with nothing, and it’s treated as gospel.?
Springfield Township Supervisor Mike Trout, who also serves as the township’s WLIB representative, along with riparian representative Jerry Kinsey, were the only WLIB members present at the meeting.
Kinsey did not return either of two phone calls seeing further information.
Trout replied to a follow-up phone call via a short e-mail: ‘We are continuing to monitor the winter fish kill and I believe the meeting last week was productive,? said Trout in his e-mail response to The Clarkston News. ‘Our lake management team is working on a proposal to evaluate the best approach to move forward. They will perhaps have that ready by the May meeting.?
At the beginning of the April 21 meeting, Kinsey a told a roomful of residents the purpose of the gathering was to discuss the fish kill and come up with issues to research.
Much of the meeting, however, was spent with residents hearing a presentation about Starry Stonewort, a recently-declared invasive aquatic plant species, which experts claim is rapidly growing in many area lakes.
‘I think the most provocative thing to come out of the meeting was the conversation on starry stonewort,? said resident Steve Forney. ‘The lake froze early, and we had a heavy snow cover, but so did a lot of other lakes.?
The Starry Stonewort, he said, may have played a part in the fish kill, noting the plant is growing ‘thick and spongy? in many areas of the lake.
‘It was probably a number of dominos that fell,? he said.
Forney said he’s been more than happy with the approach taken by the lake board, as well as the work of the company doing chemical application in the lake.
‘Those folks are professional people,? he said. I have a lot of confidence in what they do.?
Forney said he and some of his neighbors want what they paid for — an all sports lake.
‘I was disappointed to hear all the negative remarks,? he said. ‘Last year was one of our best years ever on the lake.?
Whatever the case, changes are in store. According to Trout, Chip Tischer will replace Gary Nigro for the Water Resource Commission and Jim Runestad will replace Bill Bullard for the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. Gary Nigro did not return a call seeking comment.
In addition, Independence Township Trustee Mark Petterson, who also serves on lake boards for Clarkston Mill Pond, Van Norman and Lake Oakland, will replace Larry Rosso as the Independence Township representative.
Rosso said he was leaving the WLIB because his participation on the board ‘ran its course,” and he’s looking for new ways to get involved locally and broaden his interests in other aspects of local government. Rosso also stepped down from the Independence Township Planning Commission for the same reason, he said.
Rosso pointed out, however, that Waumegah Lake has ‘had all kinds of issues over the years.?
‘We certainly had our contentious moments on the lake board,? he said. ‘It’s the most involved lake board I know; of my colleagues sitting on other lake boards, this is the one that stirred the most controversy over the years.?