WHITE LAKE — Three items related to maintaining the health of White Lake were approved by town commissioners Tuesday night.
The board was meeting for the first time since September, and the first time since Election Day. The October meeting was canceled following the accidental death of Gray Williams, a member of the White Lake Volunteer Fire Department.
It was the last board meeting for Tracey Trivette, who declined to run for re-election. Mayor Goldston Womble and commissioners Tom Riel and Tim Clifton each won; commissioner-elect Dean Hilton also attended the meeting.
Dr. Diane Lauritsen, of Limnosciences/Envirochem, will for the first time be in a contract with the town. Lauritsen and other scientists have been tracking data on the lake periodically since 2018. The board approved a services agreement covering fiscal year 2019-20 for $10,600, an amount Womble described as mostly covering her expenses and mileage.
An agreement with Tetra Tech, an engineering and consultant services company, was extended. Tetra Tech was signed on Feb. 8 to conduct the testing of lake water samples collected by Lauritsen.
She will provide limnological technical support and expertise as the quality assurance officer conducting quality assurance review of lake and stormwater quality data analyzed by IEH Analytical Laboratories, town notes say. Tetra Tech will provide feedback on the quality and usability of data to Lauritsen, as well as on-call technical support.
The third item related to the health of the lake was approval of an aquatic weed control program related to hydrilla. The agreement is on a need basis, meaning if hydrilla is not present it would not be activated. The pact has a value of $12,000 in a 50/50 cost-share agreement with the state for herbicide treatments and stocking the lake with grass carp. Presently, neither treatments or the fish are needed; no hydrilla had been found as of Aug. 30.
The board was brought up to date on the resignation of Maggie Spivey, effective Oct. 28, for personal reasons. Her exit as tax collector was voluntary and the position has been filled with the hire of Kim Grey. The settlement of taxes for 2019, in accordance with a state law requirement when a tax collector changes, was approved.
Edward Lawrence was granted a request for another 90 days to remove a building from 6750 U.S. 701. He had a buyer for the structure, but that fell through; he’s now having it demolished.
The Wooten Company was approved as engineer for professional services for the second phase of the multi-use path. The panel also approved a resolution requesting $200,000 in state assistance for construction of that segment that would extend the path from Turtle Cove to the White Lake Marina. The first phase of the path, dedicated earlier this year, runs from Turtle Cove to Waterford.
The town board agreed to take over the wastewater collection system for Camp Clearwater.
The meeting was adjourned to the public workshop on White Lake water quality set for Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Town Hall.