P.O. Box 374, Weirsdale, FL 32195 Email: February 2017

SAVE LAKE WEIR NEWSLETTER

P.O. Box 374, Weirsdale, FL 32195 Email: February 2017

Website: savelakeweir.com

Ann Anderson, President MayFair Taylor,Secretary

Vic Knoblock, Vice President Cliff Forrester, Treasurer

Annual Membership Meeting

Sunday, February 19, 2017, 12:00 PM

The annual meeting will be held at the Lake Weir Yacht Club, 13830 SE 145th Avenue Rd, East Lake Weir. The Yacht Club is located 2.5 miles east of Ocklawaha. Turn west off of CR 25 on

SE 139th Place and drive to end of the road.

A light complimentary lunch will be served starting at 12:00 noon. The meeting will start at approximately 1:00 pm. Board of Directors for the coming year will be elected. Members are encouraged to bring to the Board of Director’s attention their concerns and anything they feel the board should address this year.

Membership

Your dues must be current in order to vote at this meeting and receive newsletters. Annual dues are $5.00 per person per year and $100 per person for a lifetime membership. Enclosed for your convenience is a return envelope and membership form to be filled out and returned. Life members should use membership form only to update email, address and phone numbers. In order to keep accurate records, please send in annual dues and update email addresses. According to the by-laws, if dues are delinquent more than one year, membership is terminated. We NEED your membership in order to be an effective organization.

There are currently over 377Save Lake Weir members.

.Invite your neighbors or a friends to attend the meeting - new members are welcome!

Recognition of Board Members

Ann Anderson – At LargeOpen – Weirsdale

Cliff Forrester – Sunset HarborJane Sands – At Large

Bob Hightower – OcklawahaMayFair Taylor – At Large

Jack Harward – East Lake WeirMimi Ayer - Little Lake

Vic Knoblock-At Large

Elections

Three seats on the board shall be filled by election each year as stated in the by-laws. The following current board members have agreed to serve for the upcoming term of 2017 to 2020. If you cannot attend the meeting a proxy is enclosed for you to send in. There will be nominations from the floor at the meeting.

There is an opening for a board member for Weirsdale. Please let a member of the board know if you would like to serve for this area.

Jane Sands – Jane is a native of Marion County, graduated from the University of Florida and taught Biology at Forest High School for twenty-two years. She has been active in Save Lake Weir since moving to Lake Weir from Ocala in 1989 with her husband, Russell. Jane is concerned with all the water issues in Marion County and particularly Lake Weir. She helped to arrange public meetings this past year concerning the Plan for Restoration of Lake Weir.

Robert (Bob) Hightower – Bob is a native of Marion County and graduate of University of Florida. He was employed by Morrison’s Cafeterias. He later became principal owner of both Shells of New Port Richey and Hightower’s Seafood and Steaks of Ocala. He is presently retired and has been doing volunteer work for the Lions Club. Bob moved to Lake Weir with his wife, Carolyn in 1996 and has been a board member for several years.

We thank Kim Preston for serving on the board as a representative of the Weirsdale area for many years. Because of family obligations he can no longer serve.

Speaker at Annual Meeting – George Albright III

A big event on Lake Weir this year was moving the former Ma Barker house by barge from Ocklawaha to Carney Island Park. The Barker lore will always live in Marion County as Ma and her son Fred were killed here by agents of the U. S. Department of Justice in the longest gun battle in the history of the agency. The home is slated to become a museum that will salute the federal agents who helped end a long and violent reign of terror by gangsters in the 1930s. George Albright worked to save this moment in the history of Lake Weir.

There will be a vote on proposed change to by-laws at annual meeting.

Current by-laws pertaining to membership dues reads as follows.

Pg. 1, Article III Membership, Sec. 2 Dues

A. The annual dues shall be five dollars $5.00 ) per member

Proposed change to current by-laws pertaining to dues will read as follows

Pg. 1, Article III Membership, Sec. 2 Dues A. The annual dues shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per member. If approved, the change would be effective January 2018.

Save Lake Weir Association donated $5000 to the Friends of Marion County Parks and Recreation Foundation for improvements and various projects within Carney Island Park. We are a 501 c 3 organization.

There are various activities that are offered at Carney Island throughout the year. Please go to or call (352) 671-8560 for updated activities calendar or to schedule a private event.

Lake Level

In September of 1999, St. Johns Water Management District was required to set a minimum flow water level for Lake Weir which is 54.9 feet elevation. In January of 2015 the lake level was 51 feet, January of 2016 it was 50.7 feet and January of 2017 it is 48.85.

Preliminary Plan For Restoring Lake Weir

Lake Weir has been designated by DEP as impaired. Kim Dinkins, senior planner for Marion County Growth Services, completed a preliminary plan for restoration. This is an in-depth report on the sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and ways that they can be reduced. The report can be accessed by going to savelakeweir.com and clicking on Future Management Plan. We do hope you will read this document and become active in helping to improve water quality. The Nutrient Total Minimum Daily Load (TML) Study that the Future Management Plan was developed from can be accessed on the website also.

Please Contact Kim if you recognize anything of importance that has been left out. It will hopefully be finalized by March and then will be submitted to the Marion County Commission for approval. The restoration process of Lake Weir will only be successful if all property owners participate. This document was sent to you by email in December. If you did not receive it, please note your correct email address on the enclosed member card. We will only send out special information concerning the lake, meetings, or the plan by email. If you do not have email please indicate you want to be contacted by phone.

(352)438-2683

Light Up Lake Weir and Boat Parade

The Lake Weir Yacht Club put on a great Boat Parade again this year with 38 boats entered in the contest. Proceeds raised from the parade, $685.00, was donated the Ocklawaha Food Pantry.

The Winners are:

First Place : Greg Jones

Second Place: Dan and Liz Schnebel

Third Place: Todd Overcash

Many thanks to the sponsors: Eatons Beach, Gator Joes, Transitions, Gateway Bank, and Mike's Lawnmower Sales and Service.

Save Lake Weir would like to thank the Lake Weir Yacht Club for providing the beautiful and historic club for our annual membership meeting.

Guide to Homeowners-Waterfront Living: As a homeowner next to or near Lake Weir, you are aware of the benefits of living by such a waterbody. You may not be aware of how fragile lake systems can be in our region and that impacts to the lake’s quality can come from many sources. Below are a few things a homeowner can do to help the lake so that future generations can also enjoy all that the lake has to offer.

Shoreline Tips

The shoreline edge can significantly impact Lake Weir’s overall health. This area serves as habitat for plants and animals and helps to filter pollutants in stormwater runoff before it reaches open water. Vegetation along the shoreline also serves to protect from erosion. How can you help?

•Limit removal of aquatic vegetation along the shoreline.

•Incorporate a swale that can catch runoff and provide treatment of the stormwater.

•Maintain at least a 10 foot low-maintenance zone between your yard and beach. In this area, use plants that are Florida Friendly, which reduces the need for fertilizer.

The next two links provide good information about waterfront Example of swale along lakefront. living:

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Fertilizer Use Tips

A healthy lawn can act as a sponge to absorb nutrients and prevent them from entering our rivers, lakes and springs. Fertilizers are often used as a component of landscape and lawn care, but too much of a good thing can have a negative impact on your lawn and Lake Weir.

Do not apply fertilizer within 75 feet of the lake.

•If you must fertilize your lawn, conduct a soil test to determine its actual fertilizer needs. More about fertilization rates can be found at BeWiseWhenYouFertilize.com.

•Select a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer with no phosphorus (P).

•Read and follow the application directions on the label.

•Don’t apply fertilizer prior to a rain event.

•Apply only the minimum amount of fertilizer recommended.

•Clean up any fertilizer that spills on sidewalks or roadways.

Septic System Maintenance Guide

•Inspect septic systems every two to three years.

•Pump septic systems at least once every 5 years.

•When necessary, make appropriate repairs.

•Flush responsibly – no diapers, cigarettes, dental floss, coffee grounds, cotton swabs, feminine hygiene products, or trash.

•Keep household hazardous wastes out! Don’t flush paint, gasoline, antifreeze, oil or pesticides.

•Fix plumbing leaks and drips.

•Protect your drain field by planting only grass over and near it. Tree and shrub roots can damage the system. Don’t drive or park vehicles on the drain field.

•Route roof drains away from the septic drain field.