HomeMy WebLinkAboutAquatic Invasive Species Committee - Minutes - 2/16/2022MINUTES
February 16th, 2022 (to be approved)
Present: Nan Olson-Chair, Sally Pease-Vice Chair & Friends of the Eau Claire Lakes Association/Town of
Barnes AIS Committee, Reed Saam-Red Cliff Treaty Natural Resources Division, Steve Sandstrom-
Board of Supervisor District #1; David Zepczyk-Board of Supervisor District #11; Andrew Teal-AIS
Coordinator/Surface Water Conservation Specialist, Mike Higgins-Pike Chain of Lakes Association
Board, Ramona Shackleford-NCWMA Coordinator, & Melissa Kraft-LWCD Assistant
Absent: Ben Dufford-Director of Land & Water Conservation Dept.
Nan Olson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Introductions: Introduction’s roundtable.
Public Comment: None.
Motion: Approve minutes from December 7th, 2021. Sally Pease/Steve Sandstrom – motion carried.
Grant Updates:
Clean Boats Clean Waters-Iron River (CBCW-IR) program-
Nan gave an update on discussions with the Town of Tripp from December & January regarding their position on
whether the Town of Tripp is willing to process the payroll for 2022 for the temp CBCW interns. Nan stated they
expressed a lot of concern regarding having the financial resources in the summer to make payroll for someone else.
Other issues of concern were the possible workman’s comp, liability insurance, & unemployment issues that could
arise with the interns. Nan said they sympathize with the need and understand it is very important to Bayfield County
and the Iron River area but again they have many concerns. Nan has been checking into the possibility of different/
other resources such as payroll services. With that though, Nan discussed a lot of things are needed such as an
employee ID#, a WI withholding #, a Federal ID to hire a payroll service. Nan noted that Iron River was not able to
continue processing the payroll as they had in the past because once they exceeded 50 employees they would’ve been
required to pay medical and it was not feasible with the resources available. Nan would like to set up a meeting with
the Town of Tripp individuals along with Andy and her so they can discuss these issues further and to go over the
language in the grant. Nan also asked to receive a copy of the minutes from today so that she can provide a copy to
them. They were also wondering if there was money they could get to them in order to make payroll. Andy will contact
the DNR to see if the match money of $6600 that the lake groups come up would be allowed as a resource to transfer
to the Town of Tripp upfront to cover some of the cash flow needed prior to running the payrolls. It was noted that
further clarification of liability should be looked into to see what the Town of Tripp would potentially be liable for if they
agreed. Nan also noted that someone is going to reach out to Absolute in Iron River to see if they would be willing to
process the payroll. Andy will contact Mark Abeles-Allison to clarify that Bayfield County would not need to go through
the whole hiring process to bring the interns on board (no advertising positions, interviewing, on-boarding and
orientation, filing employment paperwork, etc.); it would just be running payroll and generating the appropriate tax
documents after seasonal employment ends.
Discussion regarding ordering materials for the Landing Blitz & Drain Campaign: towels and CBCW materials.
Normally ice packs are handed out for the Drain Campaign; however, this year it will be towels and geared toward
anglers rather than all boaters. Sally suggested 40 towels per landing for Drain Campaign in Barnes and some
additional ones to be used for the 4th of July/Landing Blitz. Nan will email Karen Austin. Andy also asked if any CBCW
t-shirts are needed. Sally and Nan would like some t-shirts and Sally also mentioned she needs more hats. Andy will
take care of ordering the supplies and will deliver them when they come in. They will email Andy with the specifics.
Update on AIS grants: The AIS#6 AEPP grant had a carry-over balance from 2021 of $6,385.82 which will be utilized in
2022. Once those funds are completed then the new LMPN AIS#7 grant award will be utilized. The 2022 LMPN AIS
grant #7 award is $20,090 and 90% is paid up front and it was noted that this type of grant does not require match as
the AEPP grants in the past required. It was noted the 2021 grant reimbursement for the 2020/2021 CBCW-Iron River
grant was received and that we have the 2022 CBCW grant award. The partial reimbursement request for 2021 AIS
grant #6 expenses were submitted to the DNR yesterday.
AIS Coordinator Report. Andy Teal discussed his report, in detail, which is on file. Some highlighted points made
were as follows:
At the last AIS Committee meeting, Andy was asked to reach out to the City of Bayfield Harbor Commission to inquire
whether there is an AIS decontamination plan in place to help ensure that the Viking Ocean Cruises ship service will
not bring invasives into Lake Superior. An AIS decontamination plan would help ensure that they will not bring
invasives on the boat or in ballast water. The ship would be coming from various Great Lakes, such as Lake Michigan,
and intends to dock on Lake Superior at the Bayfield docks this summer. Andy has not received a response back from
them and will try reaching out again.
The spring LEEP day will be either the 1st or 2nd week in May at Tomahawk Lake Park. Land Records may also attend
and ask some questions about how they might be involved in the future, either with LEEP or by creating a program with
high schoolers (or possibly another option).
Andy was notified by Alex Selle, Lakes Superior AIS Coordinator with the DNR, that the watermilfoil samples collected
from Delta and Hay Lakes were genetically 100% northern watermilfoil, Myriophyllum sibiricum.
Andy and Sally plan to attend the Northwest WI Lakes Conference in person in Stevens Point in June.
Partner/Department Reports:
Ramona Shackleford- Intends to have 5 interns this spring/summer. Two will be doing the Boat Wash and two doing
invasive species treatment and one crew leader. Ramona noted that last year 88 sites of Knotweed were treated. She
will also help with aquatic invasives, specifically Yellow Iris and Purple Loosestrife this year. She has begun organizing
spring Garlic Mustard site pulls. The problem sites are along the river floodplains. One is in Mellen and the other is in
Montreal and have been a big focus each year. Ashland County has forest land on which it is spreading due to
disturbance by logging, ATVs, bottom of shoes, etc. It was noted that it is spread by seed and can transfer populations
very easily and it’s hard to control. Bayfield has problems with it spreading in yards and most sites are right around
town (the compost site also has a garlic mustard population). Ramona also noted work that has been done and is
planned in the Northwoods Cooperative Weed Management Area for knotweed management.
Sally Pease- Noted if anyone is interested in seeing the weed harvesting BAISS (Barnes Aquatic Invasive Species
Sucker) boat and/or the barrier system completed by the Conservation Club around the Eurasian watermilfoil for
herbicide treatment at Tomahawk Lake. Late ice and warm weather around the dock jump started the watermilfoil and
Sally had a hard time keeping up with it. She also noted that she didn’t have a lot of volunteer hours other than her
own time last season at the Robinson Lake landing, so there is discussion about cutting that landing from the grant—
but no action has been taken at this time. It was also noted that there is talk of a kayak landing being put in at
Tomahawk Lake.
Steve Sandstrom- Steve thanked everyone for their volunteer work and time spent on protection and care of the lakes.
Brief discussion of wave action on shorelines and pontoon activity is increasing on the lakes.
Dave Zepczyk- Asked status of Pigeon Lake. Sally said that the water is down some. She can see 8 foot of boat
landing. Discussion of no outflow on the lake and there is marsh on three sides of the lake. It may be a long time to
get back to where it was.
Reed Saam- Update that he dropped of some zooplankton samples to UW-Superior to get analyzed. Mostly looking for
zebra mussel veligers (juveniles, /spiny water fleas, and assessing the native zooplankton community for the bays
around the northern peninsulas such as Little Sand Bay, Red Cliff Bay, and Raspberry Bay as they seem more
susceptible to invasive species since they warm up more than the rest of the lake. In the summer months the bays can
often reach 72-degree temperatures. He noted he applied for grant funding through the BIA (tribal-specific funding)
from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grants, to continue monitoring the lake. The National Park Service
put up a big effort towards zebra mussels and control methods and sending divers down to shipwrecks to hand remove
zebra mussels, which is difficult. Ballast water regulation in the Twin Ports (and all of the Great Lakes) seems to be the
most effective effort. Brief discussion on last year’s near shore gill netting survey. They saw a positive huge increase
in yellow perch, though it is unclear if that was just a great year or if there is a larger trend. They also saw a decrease
in Eurasian ruffe which is a highly invasive fish. Reed also noted he works with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on sea
lamprey treatment on rivers. Raspberry River and Red Cliff Creek both have established populations and they are on
the rotation of sea lamprey treatments. Surveys are done every summer of all Lake Superior tributaries and a ranking
statistical analysis is done for priority treatments, as the chemicals used for sea lamprey control are expensive.
Future AIS/Surface Water Activities:
a. WI Lakes Partnership Convention, April 6-8, 2022, in Stevens Point/Holiday Inn Convention Center.
b. Town of Barnes CBCW & Shoreline Monitoring training on April 22nd & May 20th, 2022.
c. Drain Campaign June 3rd-5th, 2022 for anglers only.
d. Northwest Wisconsin Lakes Conference, June 17, 2022, in person and online.
e. Landing Blitz July 1st-5th, 2022 for all boaters
f. AIS Snapshot Day, August 20th, 2022, location to be determined.
g. Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference, KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Oct. 25th-27th, 2022.
h. Plant ID workshop for Diamond Lake, May 27th, 2022 at 2 p.m.
Adjournment: Meeting ended at 10:25 a.m.
Future meeting date(s) for regular AIS Committee meeting:
• May 18th, 2022 at 9AM in the EOC
• Aug 17th, 2022 at 9AM in the EOC
• Nov 16th, 2022 at 9AM in the EOC