They're Coming!!!

The Summer visitors and Sunbirds are coming back!  We welcome them all.  Tell them to sign up for RCTonline News http://richcivictimes.blogspot.com/   so that they can keep up with all that is going on in the Bear Lake Valley.

Welcome!  It always makes summer more fun to have you all!

April Sheriff's Report

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

RANDOLPH, Utah.  April 2013.  During the month of April there were 91 incidents throughout the County.  Eighteen of these were citizen assists.  There were also eight alarms, and seven each of the following: animal problems, civil processes, medical emergencies, and traffic accidents with damage.  There were six suspicious persons/circumstances. 

Garden City accounted for 37 of the incidents that occurred during April.  There was one agency assist, four alarms, one animal problem, one burglary, seven citizen assists, five civil processes, one lost property, six medical emergencies, three traffic accidents with damage, two thefts, two traffic hazards, one count of vandalism, two VIN serial number inspections, and one welfare check. 

Laketown had 14 incidents.  There were four citizen assists, two traffic hazards, and one each of the following: agency assistance, animal problem, attempt to locate, harassment, suspicious person/circumstance, theft, trespassing, and VIN serial number inspection. 

Randolph had 25 incidents.  There were five citizen assists, three animal problems, two civil processes, two criminal history calls, two traffic accidents with damages, two suspicious persons/circumstances, and two trespass calls.  There was one each of the following: agency assistance, one alarm, citizen dispute, one juvenile problem, one medical emergency, one theft, and one VIN serial number inspection. 

Woodruff had 14 incidents.  There were three alarms, two animal problems, two citizen assists, one fire, two traffic accidents with damage, three suspicious persons/circumstances, and one trespass problem. 

There was also one incident in the county with no location given and was not defined. 

There were two traffic citations and two traffic violations–one of each in both Garden City and Randolph.  Two speeding tickets were also issued. 

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Wildflowers In The Bear Lake Valley

Photo By Tammy Calder

News on RHS 2013 Graduates

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

Photo by Susan House

RANDOLPH, Utah.  Rich School Board Meeting.  May 15, 2013.  It was noted there are 25 students that will be graduating this spring from Rich High School. Twenty-Four of the 25 have plans to go on to post secondary institutions, go on LDS missions, or enter the military.   

Seven of the 25 completed their associate degree while getting their high school diploma.  These seven are: Lynzee Walentine, Austin Groll, Kylee Frandsen, Alyssa Brown, Mackenzie Asay, Amelia Ward, and Megan Muirbrook.  These seven students went to Vernal and attended the graduation exercises there for their associate degrees.  Rich High was the only high school group at this ceremony.  Those who attended the ceremony felt it was really worth while for them. 

Two other students completed all but one class for an Associate Degree.  Scheduling and being accepted into Math 1050 was a problem.   Mrs. White and Superintendent Lamborn are working with post secondary institutions to see if these institutions could perhaps be more helpful in providing the required courses so that more students can participate in this program.   

Mrs. White noted that she made a presentation to the President of Snow College the first part of the week.  She said her ideas and presentation was very well received.  The President there indicated that they would try and be more accommodating and help the rural schools out with the needed courses.  Hopefully, it will be possible that they will be allowed to do this.  Mone is an issue, and other institutions may try and interfere because Snow College is not in our region.

New Employment Policies Made At School Board Meeting

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

RANDOLPH, Utah.  School Board Meeting, May 15. 2013.  Senate Bill 64 requires all schools to have an evaluation system.  The state has created an evaluation plan that schools can be used or they can create their own.  All schools must submit their evaluation system soon and will need to actually do a summative evaluation every three years.   

Superintendent Dale Lamborn noted that the District will get a formative evaluation using existing standards.  Vernal has an iPad evaluation template that looks quite good.  They will allow Rich School District to use that software which will save both time and money.  It would be good to collect data throughout the school year to make sure all state standards are met. 

Superintendent Lamborn is going to attend a meeting next Thursday of the School Boards Association, Superintendents Association, and Senator Osmond.  They hope to come up with some additional ideas on how to create and work with the evaluation mandate.  Superintendent Lamborn asked for consensus of the Board to move forward with the evaluation draft and programs.  Permission was granted. 

The middle school charges fees of $25 per student to the 7^th and 8^th grades.  Even though in Rich District the 6^th grade is considered part of the middle school, they have not paid fees but were funded by the District at $45 per student because they need more materials in the language arts area.  The last legislature, however, has granted permission to now charge fees for 6^th graders.  If the Board adopts the same fees for all middle school students, there will be less money available than in the past.  The Board decided to charge the 6^th graders a fee and will make up the difference so that needed texts will be available for all students. 

The Board made and passed a motion to change the current policy to allow the District to place the monthly newsletter on the web site instead of mailing it out.  All calendars, schedules, and so forth will be available there.  If an individual does not have access to the internet, they can contact the District Office and asked to have a copy mailed to them. 

The current policy concerning affordable health care needs to be changed.  This policy deals with partial payments.  No employees in the district are involved in partial payments so no one will be hurt by this change.  Partial payments become a benefit if an employee works more than 30 hours.  The District only needs to change the wording on the policy to become compliant with federal law.  

Section 600 of the Policies covers all certified and professional staff members.  When a substitute teacher teaches for more than eight days, that individual is paid according to the lowest level on the pay schedule because they assume much more of the teaching load.  The motion was made to rewrite Section 700 of the policies that deals with classified employees giving them this same type of benefit that the professional staff already receives.  The motion passed.  

In the past, if an employee worked over 20 hours a week, they would qualify for state retirement. 

The hours have been increased to 40 hours to qualify for the retirement benefit.  Also, an individual that is given any other benefit becomes qualified for a retirement benefit. 

Currently, the District offers leave to all employees.  If employees go to the 30 hours threshold, the District will have to do away with the leave benefit.  This will allow employees who desire more hours to work up to the 30 hour limit.  Some of the part time workers would prefer to keep the leave benefit.  However, that immediately would qualify them for retirement which the District cannot afford to do.  Thus, the leave policy will have to be dropped.  Those who currently have the leave benefit will be grand-fathered in, but all new employees will not receive this benefit. 

It was noted that 19 employees have this recurring leave benefit.  Thirteen employees do not qualify for this benefit.  Anyone hired after July 1, 2013 will not qualify for this benefit. 

The policy changes will take affect at the end of this fiscal year.  Those who have accumulated certain benefits up to the end of this year will be reimbursed.  All workers who submit time cards must turn them in on a weekly basis. 

The motion was made by the Board to get these policies changed and bring them in line with State and Federal requirements.  The Board also went ahead and approved the new policies. 

According to the changes in state law, the measurement period will be from August 13, 2013 through July, 2014.  The administration period is a one month period of time.  The renewal period will be September 1.  Hours are averaged every month. 

Superintendent Lamborn will have the new wording for all of the above policy changes for the next Board meeting.

Be Aware Of New, Dangerous & Legal Nicotine Products Used By Teens

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

RANDOLPH, Utah.  May 15, 2013.  Alan Gruning, Bear River Health Department, presented information to the Rich School Board about new products on the market that claim they are not tobacco products.  They are new products that allow straight nicotine to be absorbed into the body.  These products are difficult to spot and are some of the current items that students are beginning to use.  He showed samples of the various products.  These items are small enough that they can be placed under the arm pit or between the toes as well as put inside the mouth.  The nicotine is taken into the body fairly quickly.  Utah State law states that any of these products require that the individuals buying them be 19 years of age or older.

 

A snouse packet is about the size of a Chicklet gum.  It is dissolvable, and the users don’t have to spit.  It is difficult to see if and when students are using this item.  It is a stimulant and very habit forming. 

Electronic Cigarettes are becoming very popular.  They also are a pure nicotine product. 

Another product is called a strip.   It looks like a Listerine breath strip.  This nicotine is dissolved orally and looks like a Tic Tac.  The container also gives that appearance of a breath mint. 

The stick looks like a toothpick.  It, too, is straight nicotine. 

The orb is another nicotine product that looks similar to a Tic Tac.  They come in different flavors such as lemon lime, cherry, and root beer.   

Gruning then gave the Board Members copies of a policy that has recently been written by schools in Cache County that includes these types of products along with tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.  He encouraged the Board to adopt a similar policy because it is important to try and stop these items from coming into the schools.  Principal Larsen indicated that the school does require a tobacco test from all students in athletics, and these products should show up on those tests if the students are using them.  However, he indicated that he was unaware of these products and whether or not they are currently being used in the schools.

New Curriculum Materials Approved

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

RANDOLPH, Utah. May 15, 2013.  RHS Principal Rick Larsen reported that the adoption of a new language arts program is needed.  It will be costly to the District but has been postponed for about three years while waiting for publishing companies to come up with materials that address all the various core topics required by the State.  The school would very much like to get a program that would go from K through 12^th grade level. 

A committee of  faculty members have been working on this project and recommended a program for the coming year that would take reading from kindergarten through 5^th grade and writing from kindergarten to 8^th grade levels. They recommended waiting another year and adding the 6^th - 12^th grade reading and 9^th through 12^th in writing.  

The company being recommended is Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt Company.  It contains explicit instruction which is the method preferred by most of the teachers.  It will cost about $48,000 for the first year materials.  

The core tests that are given each year show that the students in Rich County are low in language arts.  The lowest areas are vocabulary and comprehension.  There is a pacing guide and when this curriculum is implemented, three hours each day will be spent in the language arts area.  Social studies and the sciences are integrated into this program. 

In order to make this program work, all the teachers will have to agree to work with these materials and give it a good try.  The cost is a one time cost except for the consumables.  The workbooks and on-line activities must be paid for each year.   

Because this program needs to be put in place quickly to be ready for fall, the request was made that the board approve this new program so that the materials can be ordered and teachers can be trained in these materials.  Approval was given. 

Principal Kip Motta then presented another curriculum request for the middle school which is an integrated math curriculum that covers the common core.  It is called Digits.  Apparently this program has been accepted by Cache County and Logan Schools.  It is on line and requires students to work through materials that are first presented on the computer, then problems are presented to the students for their practice.  If they are unable to handle the problem, the demonstration is repeated and different problems are displayed.  The computer program is such that students are challenged because if they are able to solve the problems quickly, they are moved on to more difficult material.  If they have difficulty, easier problems and more assistance are provided.  There is a work sheet that students complete to show how they have solved the problems. 

The only difficulty will be that some families do not have access to the internet.  Hopefully, most students will have access.  If not, they can stay after school to complete their assignments.  This program has been very successful in other schools and should really help students who have been struggling with math in the past. 

The Board agreed to the purchase of this math curriculum.

Garden City Fire Department Upgrades

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

 

GARDEN CITY, Utah. May 16 2013. Terry Allen, Chairman of the Board, and Randall Knight were the only two board members present.  Ben Negus was called on the telephone and participated in the meeting electronically. 

It was noted that the current policies and procedures gives the board some leeway in how they allow Chief Kurek to use his comp time.  The Hazmat Awareness Class has its last training class tonight, and exams will be taken this coming Saturday.  The class has been especially good.  It has allowed individuals from the different districts to become acquainted with each other.  Good relationships have been formed along with the training to make all individuals in attendance better firemen.  

Garden City will begin on June 14, 2013, billing for the first and second inspection tours made by Chief Kurek on short term rentals.  A letter will be written as well as a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) and will be sent to the City requesting that they begin this procedure at that time.  The Fire Board needs to write and then pass a resolution allowing the fire department to bill for third and fourth visits made by the Fire Chief on the short term rentals as well as any commercial inspections made by him.  This will be placed on next month’s agenda. 

The IC truck had a dent in the fender that is being repaired.  Tender 40 is a new semi that has been purchased.  Modifications need to be made to the trailer.  These modifications will cost around $1,400 to get this truck ready for use.  Brush 40 needs a new pump.  It will cost approximately $4,200.  Chief Kurek fixed the garage remote control device, and it is now in good working condition.  A request had been made for a pair of boots.  This request has been put on hold until information about the grant is received.  All lights have been installed on Rescue 40.  The place for the radio has also been installed.  Tender 40 will soon have a radio installed as well.  A siren has been installed on Tender 40, a light bar has been ordered and  is coming, and a new pump will soon be in place on this vehicle as well.  The fire boat has been brought down next to the Fire District Office.  Work is progressing well, and it will soon be ready to put in the water for the summer. 

There have been 8 requests for new fire pits, 16 requests for burn permits for burning brush, 2 alarm responses, and 5 medical assists during the past month. 

On May 31 and June 1, there will be a special training class held at Rendezvous Beach.   It will cover wild land training.  The class is full with six attending from the Garden City Fire District. 

On June 6 - 12 there will be five Black Hawk helicopters in the area.  The National Guard will be doing some training in the Valley.  They want to include all of the emergency organizations in this training which will include all County Fire Districts, Search and Rescue, EMSs, as well as those same groups from Cache Valley and Logan City, and any others that desire to work with the National Guard.  The majority of the training will take place south of Round Valley.

Bear Lake Photography

Photo by Lauriann Wakefield

For those of you who want Lauriann Wakefield's photographs for framing, she has a website on which you can buy prints and standouts.  The web site is:  www.BearLakePhotography.Etsy.com. 

She also has postcards for sale at  our local fishing shop Puggstones. And they will have a few "Standout Prints" available soon too.

 

 

BearLakePhotography

www.etsy.com

 

Luxury wall decor and prints for your cabin or beach home. Bear Lake photographs by local artist Lauriann Wakefield. Beaches, sailboats.

Lake Levels

Hey Bear Lakers! Let the summer begin.   Just thought we'd give you a quick update on lake levels and expectations. Today the lake is at 5917.19, for reference, this is about where it was last year in Mid August.   It looks like we are peaking at just one inch above the predicted high. The big difference from the April predictions is in the timing. It was thought that we would probably peak and start pumping in early May, but the surly weather of April and May postponed both the runoff and the need for irrigation.    PacifiCorp stopped diverting water into the lake on May 5th, but started again on the 21st, as they had enough water in the lower reaches and the irrigators want to save all they can.    However, today May 24, seems to be the pivot point, the inflows are dropping and irrigation demand is increasing, so the Outlet will be opened with a target of passing 200 cfs on downstream. How much water arrives in the river will determine if there is any left over to be stored in Bear Lake. Most likely the pumping will start soon if the river continues to fall. (Remember from the April email, that Woodruff Narrow Reservoir will be filling, taking all of the flow until they fill because the lake is above 5911.)   So where we go from here only Mother Nature knows! Have a great summer and don't forget the Annual Meeting and Social June 29th, 4:30PM at the Reserve Lodge. Watch for your invitation in the mail.   See you there, Claudia & David

Claudia & David Cottle Executive Directors Bear Lake Watch, Inc. 4544 Hwy 89 Fish Haven, Idaho 83287 801-243-8980 - Claudia 208-530-0058 - David Working to keep Bear Lake "Clean, Deep and Blue"

 

 

Join us for a night of learning to love ourselves and celebrate our differences and unique qualities Heavenly Father

has given each of us.

June 12th, 7:00 pm
at the LDS church in Garden City

We are thrilled to have Laraine S. Swenson from the
General Relief Society Board come and address us.

Refreshments served.
Nursery provided

Cisco Sonar

By Bryce Nielson

I have been too busy lately.  I hate when it goes from winter to summer instantly.  You all know what I am talking about.  Last winter when there was nothing to do and I was reviewing my "Bucket List" I once again began my quest of the great white sturgeon.  This has gone on for years with no success.  Lots of research but no direction. 

Bryce Nielson

I had met a guide last fall when fishing for Chinook in Tillamook that said he fished for sturgeon so I contacted him and set a trip up even though it was early in the season.  The time finally arrived this past weekend.  As a fisheries biologist, I had seen and read about sturgeon but I had never touched or examined them.  That is how they got on my "Bucket List".  Fishing in the mouth of the Columbia River with the constant rain and wind, it happened.  With an anchovy on a single barbless hook the tap, tap, tap started.  The pole "loaded up" and the jerk.  The battle ensued and in a half hour an exhausted fish and angler finally met.  Too large to keep at 65" we held it for a minute and parted ways.  A sense of satisfaction came over me.  Another lifetime goal accomplished.  Never give up on your dreams.

 

This is why Bryce missed the last Cisco Sonar!

 

Spring!

The Lake in Spring
Photo by Laurianne Wakefield

Annual Bear Lake Conference Made An Impact

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  May 18, 2013. Over 100 citizens  attended The Annual Bear Lake Conference sponsored by the Bear Lake Regional Commission, Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and Garden City bringing citizens, governmental and state agencies together to talk about the future of Bear Lake.

Ed. NOTE:  Many signed up to recieve RCTonline but some e-mail addresses were unreadable.  Please forward to those you think may want to see this report.

GARDEN CITY REPORT

John Spuhler, Garden City Mayor, spoke about Envision Bear Lake. The counties in both Utah and Idaho have a close and good relationship in protecting the lake and area and created the Bear Lake Valley Blueprint which was a year and a half process which involved 35 cities, county and state government entities, and local citizens in creating a vision statement and a blueprint for action. 

The vision centers on protecting the natural resources and creating a great place to live and play.  Bear Lake Valley Blueprint is online for anyone who wishes to see what is being planned.  “Garden City,, a place where families play” became the city motto as a result of this effort.  With only 500 permanent residents ,Garden City serves 60,000 visitors on holidays and weekends which is very expensive for a small local population.  Such amenities as parking lots, lighting, improving trails for ATV use and ATV parking lots have been built.  Garden City also provides conference rooms and a public library.  There is a public pool and paved bike path.  Several festivals are held each summer and fall.  The 500 local citizens provide funding for most of this, however the PAL (Park, Arts and Library)tax has helped to mitigate some of the costs because it  mainly taxes the visitors   Plans are to open new parking lots and beach paths to keep cars off the beach to provide more room for recreation and less pollution.  Garden City officials are working with the State to build good parking lots with shuttle service to the beach. 

During the summer the city uses three million gallons per day with all of the visitors and it cannot afford to expand the water plant, so water conservation is a major item of interest.  Tens of thousands of people are enjoying the beach.  More and more people are building second homes here and as the city grows so do the infrastructure needs.

Garden City has a code enforcement officer and an administrative court to enforce codes.  Garden City is putting more emphasis on arts and community.  And  There are new zoning and building codes which protect against developers who do not do finish projects.

TRAILS

Bess Huefner and Bryan House, Garden City Council members, reported on trails.   House said that this planning effort began two years ago.  The Forest Service was amenable to improving Richardson Canyon if not Hodges Canyon trail now.  The bike trail, which is now so loved,  met with a lot of resistance at first but now people are asking for more.  It is an expensive proposition. But the goal is to encircle the lake.  

The trail committee would also like to make canal bike trails if the private owners will agree.  Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trails. “Stay on the trails, because you tear up the land if you don’t,” cautioned Huefner.  House asked people to respect the land they drive through because not only is it beautiful, it is a watershed area.

The Garden City planner is identifying wetlands and mitigating it with other wetland areas.  Huefner asked for wetland land donations as conservation areas so that if a trail goes through a wetland it can continue.  The Forest Service has trail maps online.

BIKE TRAILS

Dave Cottle, Bear Lake Watch, discussed Bear Lake Legacy Pathway which is a proposed pathway around Bear Lake and beyond.  Garden City’s bike path is 15 years old and now there is a new section near Laketown.  There is also a new section in Fish Haven, Idaho.  The need for a planned pathway was recognized several years ago as the bike and racing use increased.   Six hundred boy Scouts get their merit badges by biking around the lake each year.  And there are hundreds of requests for large group bike races which have to be denied.  Cottle said they have a need for the bigger shoulders for bike racing events and a need to provide a path for ATV use. 

A steering committee of government representatives and citizen advocates created a plan using the Bear Lake Valley Blueprint processes and committees.  The high priorities were pathways, open space and preserving the agricultural areas in the county.  Pathways became an integral part of this and the group went back to work to create a concept plan for the Bear Lake Legacy Path.  It has been completed and approved by both Utah and Idaho counties.

Land has been donated.  Bear Lake West donated land for a bike path.  The Fish Haven section is being extended because Norm Mecham donated land from his Reserve Development and the Fish Haven Cemetery District gave an easement for a bike trail.  Right now they are trying to build the path on the west side of the Lake.  Donations are accepted and more people need to get involved.  They need to work with both counties and the communities on how to implement the concept.  When building on state land, the costs are 1/3 more than if they can go on private land because of federal rules, so private land donation is key.  This is a long term process.

WEATHER FORECASTING

Keven Barjenbruch,  National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Weather Service Office talked about what they deal with as a forecast office and what tools they have.  Lightning and severe thunderstorms are dangerous for boaters on the lake, so they have to have a good warning system.  Wildland fires are always a threat to the area and then since the fire destroys vegetation it increases probability of flash floods.    Winter storms can cause a lot of damage too.  They oversee the third largest county warning and forecast areas in the 48 contiguous states.  They work with the emergency response community. 

Tools include inWS which is a mobile and desktop application suite which gives customized text messages and e-mail alerts.  http://inws.wrh.noaa.gov   This is for use by official agencies.  Wireless Emergency Alerts ,WEA ,started last year and is free.  It is a notification service and is received by phones that are WEA enabled.    In our area with a transient community this could be of benefit to the tourists.  It is simply a radio broadcast, it does not interrupt voice and data systems.

They provide on-site support with an incident meteorologists IMET .  They also train weather spotters from volunteer organizations, law enforcement, fire, radio clubs, parks and monument employees and general public is welcome.

An excellent resource is  www.weather.gov  for anyone who wants more information.

www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/gmap is MESO West which gets 24 hours of data from all of the stations near the lake.  There are point and click maps for forecasts for a one mile by one mile area.

They would like to put in weather kiosk in the marinas but the local community must pay for it and maintain it.  However, there are many great smart phone apps and some are for marine weather.  Radar Scope is an example of one of them. 

BOATER SAFETY

Richard Droesbeck, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, and Andy Stokes, Idaho Division of Parks and Recreation talked about boater safety.  Wind conditions are a primary concern.  When the wind starts to blow there are no safe havens.  “Pay attention to the weather!” said Droesbeck.  There is cooperative agreement between Idaho and Utah to use equipment for rescue.  Some people have taken floatie toys farther than 50 feet without life jackets and there have been deaths of children when the wind blows them away from shore. 

Nearly 80% of people who die in boating accidents do so because they are not wearing life jackets.  If not wearing a lifejacket in the boat, one must be easily available.  You also need fire extinguishers and throwables for extra floatation.  Every boat needs lifejackets, spare propulsion, and a bailing device.  Utah has a law that states that you must be 150 feet away from other boats and swimmers.  That is half a football field.  It is the most abused law in the state but it is dangerous to boat too close to another boat.  It takes 150 feet to stop a wave runner for example.   A BUI is prosecuted just like a DUI.   Utah requires training for people under 18 to use water craft.

Stokes added that there needs to be navigational lights for night boating, flame arrestor on carburetor and a ski flag, Idaho requires a vessel sticker says that the boater has had an educational course.  Life- jackets are required for children.  Idaho side gives prizes when they see youngsters with life jackets on to provide positive reinforcement.  Stokes suggested that boaters learn landmarks on the lake that they can use to guide emergency help to their boat in the event of an emergency.

QUAGGA MUSSELS

Phil Tuttle, biologist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said that quagga are an invasive species, but there are other invasive species or vegetation that they worry about.  Invasive species can be spread easily and are very tiny, so they are hard to detect.  Quaggas survive in many conditions, their larva can survive in standing water for 27 days.  Ballast tanks could harbor thousands of larvae.  The mussels started in the Black Sea and have migrated to the US.  They are prolific and form dense colonies. They cost facilities millions of dollars per year.  They can fill intake pipes.  Back east they have to dig up water lines to replace the clogged ones.  They will encrust any hard surface.  Estimated  US loss due to the mussels is $138 billion a year.  They will ruin a boat and the motor and can kill entire fish populations.  The beaches smell like decay and the shells are very sharp and cut people’s feet on the beaches. 

Once they are in a reservoir there is nothing that can be done. Prevention is the only hope.  They are finding more mussels in Lake Powell and it will be considered an invested site now as is Lake Mead.  They are treating boats from there as if they are infested and will need decontamination.  CLEAN, DRAIN & DRY may be the most effective.   Water at 160 degrees will kill mussels off of a boat.  Bilge tanks are cleaned this way.  But government funding is not there, people must take the responsibility to drain and dry their boats so that the drying process can begin immediately. 

Keep your wakeboards and life jackets clean and dry as well as any ropes or beach toys.   Bleach doesn’t kill mussels.  Only very hot water,  at the marina there is no charge for cleaning if done by the state. 

In Utah you are required to fill out a self- certification form every day that you launch.  There is an online test on the Division of Wildlife Services site that if you pass, you can put on your car and allows you to launch without the daily certification.  There will be a roaming officer checking all public accesses to see if the certificate is there.  It is not inevitable that Bear Lake will be invested if everyone does their part. 

Mayor Spuhler said that the lakeside owners need to be the front line of defense especially with visitors or renters who may bring boats from other lakes.  “Something this important needs enforcement by residents,” he said.

INVASIVE PHRAGMITES

Blaine Hamp, Utah Division of State Lands said that they have sprayed the Utah side in the fall before the first hard freeze  during a narrow window based on temperature, humidity and winds.  High lake levels helped to kill some phragmites but the tall phragmites can live in high water.  They spray with a chemical that is approved for waterways. And then in the spring the weeds are burned. Homeowners should clean up the ones that float into the land.  Mowing helps to clear the area, and there is no objection to just mowing, just no use of mechanical devices to stir up the soil.  Idaho land owners are banding together to pay for spraying since Idaho has no funding.

JOINT PERMIT PROCESS

Dave Harris, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, working with Sovereign Lands, has established a joint permit for permitting of rafts or docks or mooring buoys.  They are working to make things more clear and simple.  The intent is to protect other users, if an anchor line is out and not marked it could entangle another boat , night rescuers have crashed into unmarked docks.  Everything that goes in the lake needs a permit if it is not attended all day and is anchored on the lake.  Floating docks and buoys approval starts with state lands, for example.  State Parks are helping to permit as well.  If the stationary anchor is in 72 hours or more even if the raft is brought in every night it needs a permit.   Any consecutive use must have a  permit.

Impact Of HB 333 On Boat Launching & Lake Use

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  May 18, 2013.  Jennifer Hansen, Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Area Sovereign Lands Specialist said that the Bear Lake Comprehensive management Plan was confirmed in May 2009.  There were two public comment sessions to build this plan. They found that the Bear Lake residents were passionate about the welfare of the Lake and  are considered a great resource.  The objective of the plan was to give flexibility to work with government agencies, cooperators and interested parties on long term solutions to protect the resource and uphold the integrity of the public trust.

There were  four main topics.  Public Safety, spread of invasive species, water quality and appropriate use of sovereign lands.     The legislation just passed this January made the Plan more legally conducive to do that.  There are 14 miles of open beach to monitor where anyone can launch and have launched in the past.  But with the invasive species becoming a danger this may not work. 

Sovereign Lands wanted the state agencies make some management strategies that will allow the local people to manage more effectively.   Not all decisions have been made and they wanted input from the crowd who was at the conference.  So most of the discussion was based on questions from the audience.

Boat Launching was allowed everywhere in the past, but now for the protection of the lake Sovereign Lands wants  to have designated boat launching areas so that invasive species can be  monitored.  So where do we want to allow it?  Many people have un-permitted boat ramps on their lake front property.  They estimate there are 60  un-permitted ramps on the Utah side alone and about 100 other structures like docks along the lake.

What about lake level?  What about invasive plants.  What about the muck that comes up during low lake levels.  Questions flew from the floor.

The CMP incorporates statutes and state rules.  This was the first public meeting to submit comments on what are the issues and solutions on key problems within 30 days.  Draft plan is due by Raspberry days. The Record of Decision is due Winter 2013. Make comments at http://www.ffsl.utah.gov/sovlands/bearlake.php 

Results from Q & A period:

Can  tractors be used to launch from lakeshore owned property?  Hansen answered, "We are working with  the regulatory commission to issue beach launching permits, but it is not complete and we are working on it.  HB 333 was to change the statute to give division flexibility to determine how beach launching is permitted. 

 An amendment to that bill stated  that adjacent home owners to the lake are allowed a beach launching permit.  People behind the first row of homes do not have the right to get a beach launching permit unless the land is held in common.  Any change on the Utah side must be made by legislative rules so contact Sen. Lyle Hillard and Sen. Menlove,  An example,  HOA’s like Ideal Beach are considered  to be adjacent if they have a marina.

As public lands there is a lot of risk and there needs to be some way to limit access and give control to avoid the invasive species.

What public access are available on the south end?  Hansen said that they will be designating areas for public access and launching.  They want to close off any launching except from  designated public launch.   The county has removed obstructions from the Sidoway access but the sand is so soft there is no vehicle access.

Azure Cove, all own in the common ground and filed with county.  At this time only have  permits will be given for adjacent home owners,  the rest of  home owners will be considered to be an HOA which  have 2 permits to share.  They can put it in a lock box after launching.   This is in rules development.  Property owners  will be responsible for quagga mussel inspection.  What liability property owners will have if a boat launched with invasive species from their dock was not known.

Why are permits for buoys and needed every year when it has been every ten years?  Hansen replied. "It has always been annual permit for buoys. We are looking at extending it for 3 years.  Ramps permits are ggenerally issued for 12 years, but they are not permitting new ramps and only 4 of the 64 current boat docks have permits.  Boat docks are permitted for 3 years with 3 year renewals for a total of 9 years.  

What about launching from the marina and then docking at your own beach marina?  If you are not docking more than 72 hours yes.  Otherwise the buoy must be permitted if it is in the water more than 72 hours.

There will be more demand on public ramps because of this new law and there is not enough parking now.  Hansen said "They may need to look at it in the future, and provide more parking."

Bear Lake has three jurisdictions, State Lands, State Parks and the Army Corps of Engineers, but all three jurisdictions need to sign off.  They have asked Corps of Engineers to join in this permitting processing so that there would only be one permit needed, but so far the Corps has declined.

"Do we have permission to clear the dead trees?" asked one resident.   Hansen replied, "you can cut them with a chain saw but not disturb the soil according to the Corps of Engineers.  So the stump must remain.  It hasn’t been addressed in the CMP and needs to be."

Hansen went on to discuss cement ramps, what happens to the non- permitted ones? They are considered a trespass on public lands.  Do we want 64 boat ramps?  What are the consequences?    Public land use by private users need to be compensated.   How much should they pay?  Are they going to be asked to take them out?  State Lands would like public input on this.

When and where can we get a boat launch permit? They are working on it with the Bear River Regional Council.   Call them and get on a list to be notified when the boat launch permits are ready.

No sand can be brought in because it is called illegal fill. 

Is Garden City going to continue to charge for car access?  Yes, said Mayor Spuhler.  The money is used for beach facilities and clean up and anything over that need is used to maintain the bike path.  People can walk in for free. 

If they limit car access how do you get handicapped and old people there?   Some accesses are going to be cut off and alternative ways for getting to the beach will be developed in an interim plan this summer.

Should boat ramps be engineered, so that they don’t break off and run into the lake or other people’s property?  That is being considered, Hansen said.

Pre School Enrollment Now

Little Bear Lake Monster Pre-School

Little Bear Lake Monster Pre-School is now taking applications for the

2013-2014 school year!

ENROLLMENT IS LIMITED!!!!

If you are interested in enrolling your child please contact

Elaine Negus @ (435) 946-3461 or Jennifer Casillas @ (435) 881-6938 ASAP.

Pre-school will be held two days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There will be a morning session form 9:00 am—11:30 am

There will be an afternoon session from 12:30 pm—3:00 pm

Class size will be limited to 6-7 children per session.

Tuition will be $75.00 per month.