PRESIDENT'S DESK
March 2007
Hello to all,
A big thanks to those
who were able to attend
our recent annual CAWLB
meeting at the beach
park. We had a good
turnout, 60 or more. The
kids enjoyed the fun
station, and everybody
enjoyed seeing their
neighbors and digging
into the hot dogs,
burgers, etc. Thanks to
all the volunteers who
made this event happen,
and to those who renewed
their neighborhood
memberships! Thanks
also to Cathy Garrett,
who volunteered to
become our newest board
member. The next board
meeting is Wednesday,
April 4th, 7:00 p.m. at
the Hunt Club sheriff's
office.
The new boat ramp awaits
a final permit clearance
from the county, which
had questions about the
seawall we eventually
will build.
We don't expect this
temporary delay to take
long. Once the county
says go, and the canal's
inlet from the lake is
clear of excess dirt,
the actual boat ramp
installation should
happen in a matter of
weeks.
The residents decided to
let the carp continue to
"home" in the main
canal, and voted
unanimously to keep the
canal barrier up until
Memorial weekend, May
26-28, which is just 8
weeks away. This will
give the carp plenty of
time to acclimate to our
waters and start
reducing the unwanted
weeds. Please do
your part by not letting
fertilizers and debris
enter the waters.
Also, please consider
raking out the dead gunk
that's already there.
The waters will be clean
again if we all help to
make them clean and
avoid doing the stuff
that makes them clog
up. For those that want
to boat before the end
of May, please
discretely and privately
call a friend or two
that are anywhere on the
lake and ask
permission. We cannot
flood any adjacent
community with requests
for our 150-plus
residents who own
watercraft to suddenly
use their facilities and
have them incur the
noise, trash, and
liabilities that would
create for them. Nor
would we appreciate
outsiders suddenly
flooding us with such a
request. Here's a
recent email from Fred
Streetman, who
inaugurated the
reinstallation of the
carp to get our
lake and waterways
cleaned up:
"I believe that
there have been definite
benefits from having the
Carp contained in your
canal. In the CAWLB
Canal, there is little
hydrilla and the
containment forced them
to eat what was present.
Hopefully they have
developed a taste for
the vegetation you have.
They were stocked in
there at 10 fish per
acre which is a density
almost 50 % higher than
elsewhere in Lake
Brantley.You may have
lost some fish to otters
or other predators, but
I doubt they have wiped
out a substantial
portion of the entire
Grass Carp population.
There is good cover for
fish there and there are
also other fish besides
the Carp in the
predators' food chain.
"One of
the difficult aspects of
this program is actually
determining the number
of fish and the level of
activity. This can be
helped with a
continuation of your
monitoring program. In
time, as the warmer
months come, it will be
more obvious as to
whether or not the Grass
Carp are making a
positive contribution in
the Canal.
"From the
beginning, the CAWLB
Canal was recognized as
being a challenge. Dean
Barber, the Regional
Biologist with the
Florida Department of
Environmental
Protection, met with a
group at Martin van
Duyvenbode's home to
discuss the problems of
the Canal and approaches
to treating it. He
wrote, " The Lake
Brantley canal system,
especially the CAWLB
canal, are heavily
dominated with submersed
aquatic plants. These
plants are thriving in a
poor circulation system
with possible nutrient
impact from their
watershed and canal
submersed substrates."
At this meeting the
idea of using a gate at
the entrance of the
canal to contain the
Grass Carp was
discussed. As long as
the gate remains,
it probably makes a
beneficial contribution.
If it is decided to take
it down, it was almost
certainly helpful to
have had it in place for
two months.
"I do want to
address the comparison
of Lake Rena and it's
canal, called the Susie
Channel, with the CAWLB
Canal. First, the Lake
Rena/Susie Channel has
much better water
circulation than your
Canal when the water
level is so low as to
have no outflow.. The
hydrilla, the Grass
Carp's preference, is a
major invader in Lake
Rena/Susie Channel
whereas it is not so
prevalent in the CAWLB
Canal. Lake Rena and the
Susie Channel have
relatively clean bottoms
with few scattered
pockets of muck. I
understand the bottom of
the Canal is layered
with dead vegetation in
many areas. In other
words, the two bodies of
water are dissimilar in
many ways. Progress in
the Canal can best be
measured by changes
within itself rather by
comparisons to other
areas.
"The improved
appearance in the Susie
Channel and Lake Rena
are due mostly to the
fact that during the end
of the summer and
through the fall we had
a company, Clean Water
Consulting, treat the
area with herbicides on
a weekly basis. Later
the company removed dead
growth by hand and also
with a two-day use of a
mechanical harvester.
The real key to the
success of the treatment
was, in my opinion, the
weekly treatment rather
than once a month. That
is not to say that we
are not beginning to
also have some benefit
from the Grass Carp, but
it is too early for it
to be readily
observable. We have
experienced great
benefits from the Grass
Carp in the past and
believe we will see it
in the future." --Fred
Streetman
Thanks again to all who
could attend the recent
meeting, and here's to
many, many years of
enjoyable living in our
waterside community.
Probably the best thing
I can say is, we're not
perfect, but everything
we do is a volunteer
effort on our part and
is meant to improve and
enhance our community
and its people. So
please, take the time to
value this place we call
home. Outsiders aren't
going to care if they
litter or foul up our
area while they
trespass--but we DO
care. It's ours. So
show you care by
protecting your
privileges.
--John Goring
CAWLB president
February 2007
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
We are in the second
month of barricading the
main canal as the
triploid carp make these
waters
their home. Already,
these fish are beginning
to eat away the hydrilla
and other aquatic weeds.
Thank you for
understanding the minor,
temporary inconvenience
of restricting the canal
access
to the lake as we
address the greater good
of re-establishing the
carp in our waters.
Hopefully, as
boating season begins in
earnest, we can remove
the barrier and return
to normal. Notice will
go out
when the time is best to
reopen the main canal.
Dale Cody attended the
recent CAWLB board
meeting, which granted
and notarized him
with limited
power of attorney to
proceed with the boat
ramp project for us. We
also plan to indemnify
Dale and
all those who labor on
the ramp from any
personal liability
in our behalf. Thanks
to your generosity
in the past, funds are
available to begin phase
one, the actual pouring
and placement of the new
ramp,
and your neighbors have
plans underway for the
process. It's important
to know that compared to
outside
bids, labor by expert
neighbors will
ultimately save us a
lot. In many ways
already, your neighbors
are
foregoing reimbursement
and lending their
expertise to this
project for free, for
the good of all of us
and
our boat facility.
While we're thanking our
neighbors, let's be sure
to thank John Kalepp and
his brother Ray for
cementing
the floor of the beach
park gazebo. Martin V
and Chris Gibbons also
assisted, as did "Joe."
Thanks to Joyce Cole
and Linda Crockett for
continuing to pull weeds
at the beach. Diane and
Richard Petrie and Ron
Terrell have assisted
with trash removal at
the beach park-- big
thanks to them for this
service.
Farrell Culberson
recently erected an
attractive neighborhood
bulletin board on the
edge of the Klinger's
nursery property. The
bulletin board faces
north up Westwood Drive
and is just across the
street from the Brantley
Isles welcome
sign. Lynne Davis
and Farrell raised funds
from garage sales with
items donated from the
VanValkenbergs and
Cassady-Forbis families
for this, so it wouldn't
encumber the
Association's budget.
When funds were still
lacking, Farrell and her
husband Doug pitched in
to make it happen.
Neighbors Betty and
Denny Davis ordered
the message board,
at cost, through
their company
providing a great
saving to
us.---Thanks to all.
Please stop by and
check out the sign.
Bigger, more readable
letters will be
forthcoming.
Next month the board
plans to mail out the
newsletter to the entire
community, along with
invoices to those who
have yet to remit their
2007 dues. Martha Kiser
and Linda Crockett may
also go door to door
with flyers to boost
attendance for the
annual meeting, which is
Saturday March 17 at 10
am at the beach park on
Terrace Blvd.
The purpose is to
welcome all neighbors,
whether members or not,
providing a cook out
picnic and fun play
setups for the children,
like the last few
years. The emphasis
will be a great get
together for all ages.
As you receive your
facility key, be aware
that a specific number
is etched onto that key,
linked your particular
household. So please
don't lend or lose or
sell this key to
others. Being a part of
this waterfront
community is a special
privilege, meant only
for those who actually
live here and support
their community.
February's yard of the
month goes to Gary and
Barbara Fowler at 2305
West Lake Brantley
Drive.
As you can see from the
above, this community
works together for the
common good, for common
goals.
There are countless
other good things that
residents have done and
continue to do, too
numerous to list them
all. This kind of cooperation
and support contribute
to this being a great
place to live.
--John Goring, February
10, 2007.
January 2007
We have good news to report,
regarding the seawall
construction just east of
the bridge on W Lk Br
Drive. The new owners
understand our
concerns about the their
builders constructing the
wall two to three feet over
the property line, and they
will move the wall back
inside their line, as well
as remove their overspill of
dirt in the canal. We thank
them very much for
understanding and
complying.
The initial fish drop of the
triploid carp occurred on
January 5th. The Lake
Management team will now
monitor the carp's numbers
and weed-eating
effectiveness. The canal
system is now barriered
against any use so that the
carp can become well
established in our canal
waters. By the time the
water warms up--by May or
June--the barrier at the
mouth of the canal will be
removed and normal boating
can resume. We thank you in
advance for respecting this
temporary arrangement, so
that the fish can--over
time--begin to consume and
reduce the weeds in our
clogged canal. The fish are
in Lake Brantley and its
other canal inlets already.
Their weed eating will
increases as the water
warms. Spraying the weeds
has ended, as that method
simply adds to the muck
layer.
Late spring and early summer
is also a good target
deadline for not only a
return to boating but for
the new boat ramp project.
Chris Scroggins presented
detailed plans of the new
boat ramp, which were
approved. The plans call
for three phases and the
reserve of cash is in place
to proceed with Phase One,
the actual boat ramp
construction. Phase Two
will come later, with a new,
attractive sea wall to shore
up the banks against
erosion. Phase Three will
further develop the property
as a facility to be proud
of. Each phase will occur as
the funds are ready to
proceed.
On Saturday morning, January
20th, from 10 am to noon, we
will hold our annual Key
Swap at the beach park. The
locks will change just prior
to that date. Please bring
your dues (they go up $5
thereafter) and old key and
swap out for the new one.
For those of you who have
already remitted their 2007
dues, thank you, and your
key will be ready to swap
that morning.
After we get the boat ramp
project underway, we are
eager to eliminate the
constant trouble with the
beach park's buoy line by
discarding it in favor of a
wrap-around, 3-sided dock
that will protect the swim
area from watercraft
intrusion and also provide a
tie up for visiting
watercraft. All good
improvements need community
support, which Linda
Crockett and other dedicated
neighbors will be
spearheading. We greatly
value your support in all
these efforts. Without you
and your community spirit,
no improvements could be
made.
We send our heartfelt
condolences to Harold
Torrey, on the recent
passing of his wife
Barbara. Barbara was a
wonderful, gentle neighbor,
always a warm smile for
everybody, and a
neighborhood booster. She
will be greatly missed.
Martha Kiser recently
"awarded with orchids" those
holiday lights that were
particularly spectacular.
First place went to the
family at 2261
Poinsettia. Second place
went to the family at 2450
Westwood, and third place
went to the family at 1750
W. Lake Brantley Rd.
Special congrats to these
families, and thanks to all
of you who decorated the
neighborhood's nights so
well! This month's Yard of
the Month goes to Ori Kantor
at 2041 Camellia Drive.
Have a great, prosperous
2007!
--John Goring 1-12-2007
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
December 2006
The holidays are here! May
everyone have the best
season ever! Your
Association just held their
monthly board meeting and I
want to send this out in
between holiday errands.
First off, the three area
improvement committees are
pushing ahead with their
agendas. The boat ramp
construction committee is in
their county permitting
phase, where the site plans
and costs get determined.
Secondly, the fundraiser
committee will take
these estimated costs and
work on fun, painless
strategies to meet these
costs. And thirdly, the
canal cleanup committee
reports that if all goes as
planned, Fred Streetman from
Lake Rena and his board of
directors plan sometime
around December 15 - 18 to
drop the triploid grass carp
into the lake and our
canals. A gate is planned
for the mouth of our canal,
to prevent as much as
possible the carp from
swimming to the lake. The
gate would likely be
retractable so that boaters
can pass in and out-- more
details as this develops.
Again: the gate is simply
to encourage the carp to
remain in our canals and is
NOT intended to restrict
boaters from going to or
from the lake.
We have officially dropped
the Lake Doctors, who have
been spraying herbicide on
the canals for six years.
The spraying does nothing to
clean the waters, since dead
plant matter simply drops to
increase the layers of
muck. It's hoped that the
grass carp will-- over the
next few years-- eat the
weeds faster than they can
grow. A healthy water
environment will still have
a 30% aquatic plant
coverage. Meanwhile, please
avoid dumping plant debris
(or any other trash) into
the water, and please don't
let lawn fertilizer ever
make its way directly into
the water-- the nitrates and
phosphates that make your
grass green are the same
chemicals that make the
water green.
For 2007, we have an "un-duplicatable"
key that we ask each member
to value for their own
personal use, and not to let
folks from other communities
avail themselves of
our waterways for free.
People from outside our
neighborhood simply want to
trespass on our private
waterways. They do not
enhance your waterway, in
fact, they help degrade it,
introducing unwanted plants
and parasites, leaking fuel
and oil, etc. Why encourage
trespassers and their
problems on your waterway?
Little things like keeping
the beach park and boat ramp
gates closed and locked,
picking up someone else's
trash, etc., are great
things that mean more than
you realize.
At this time of good will,
let's send our well wishes
to Barbara Torrey on
Palmetto Drive
and to Norm Kagan on
Westwood Drive. Both of
these fine neighbors have
resided here for many
years. They are having a
rough go of it lately,
healthwise. This is a great
time of year to be extra
thoughtful to them. (And
extra thoughtful to any
other neighbors who would
need and appreciate some
extra T.L.C. right now).
The days are short this time
of year, so please be
vigilant to curb crime.
Report suspicious persons
immediately by calling 911.
Look after your neighbor's
welfare, especially the
elderly. Someday--if we're
lucky--WE will be
elderly. And while we're on
the subject, we had the
police curtail the reckless
vehicle traffic speeding
through the unlocked gap to
Sweetwater. Pedestrians and
bikers can still pass
through, as usual.
We're pleased to announce
that Rob and Suzanne Neely
have the Yard of the Month!
In January, we'll announce
our picks for best holiday
decorations. Feel free to
nominate those you wish by
emailing to our website.
Again, happy holidays to all
of you from all of us!
--John Goring, president
12-09-2006
September 2006
Message
from the President
