Cannon Wells Lake Association
2023 Association Board Summary Report
CWLA Board
Tony Langerud, Chair Jay Voegele, board member Melissa Lutz, board member
Keith Valentyn, Vice Chair Mel Canfield, board member Tim Clark, board member
Tim Mathre, Secretary/Treasurer Brian Schultz, board member James Scholljegerdes, board member
Membership Update
Currently have 136 members, up from 105 in 2022. Membership is open to ANYONE who has an interest in helping our lake community be the best it can be. Although costs of most everything have gone up, 2023 Membership Dues remained at $50 per household. This will continue to be evaluated based on the project needs moving forward.
Financial Update:
REVENUES:
Weed Harvesting $20,915
Dues $6,800
Misc Contributions $4,322
Fundraisers $7,061
EXPENSES:
Cormorant Harvesting $5,565
Website and Postage $552
Weed Harvesting $24,981
Total Revenues $ 39,098
Total Expenses $31,098
Cash on Hand $19,652
Project Update:
Cormorant Shoot: Again in 2023, the board coordinated this effort by working with landowner Skip Schwartz, federal officials from the USDA and membership. A shoot was completed in early May reducing the cormorant population by a whopping 1400. 2021 saw 1071 birds eliminated and 2022 resulted in 1297 fewer birds. The overall cost of this project was approximately $5565 compared to $5300 in ‘22. A special thanks to Mel Canfield for coordinating this important project.
Weed Harvest and Control: Lakes Aquatic Weed Removal was the contracted harvester again this year. 29 properties had weeds harvested in front of their shorelines, up from 26 in 2022. 9 acres of pathways were harvested, up from 8 acres in 2022, creating cleared waterways and access to Cook’s Point. Thank you to Tim Mathre for coordinating!!
Buoy System: This complements our Weed Harvest efforts indicating where the pathways were cleared, creating better access throughout the lake. The goal of our Buoy System is to minimize weeds being cut down by boat motors and thus floating and spreading throughout the lake. The idea is to guide boat traffic through ‘cleared and harvested’ pathways in the areas of the lake where weeds are more prevalent.
We will continue to expand this project and work on better ‘mapping’ so all boaters have a better understanding of the Buoy System and how to utilize it. Special thanks to Brian Schultz and Tim Mathre!!
CWLA Digital: We have a great website at www.cwlakes.com that will continue to be developed and updated. This is our main communication hub for all things CWLA. You can also pay your membership dues using Venmo now by going to the website. Please join the Cannon Lake Neighborhood Facebook page as this is another great digital way to stay connected and share information. The association email is cwlakeassoc@gmail.com. If you aren’t getting emails periodically, be sure to check your spam/junk Folder and adjust your settings accordingly. Many updates and announcements are communicated via this email. You can also share ideas, concerns and/or questions by emailing the association address as it is monitored by the CWLA Board.
CWLA Summer Fundraiser: Another great community event was held on Saturday, July 15 at the Channel Inn. It was a great day full of fun, food, fellowship and fundraising. Food was donated by The Channel Inn and; Doc’s Dock; Tony Langerud State Farm donated the supplies. We had a small but mighty group of volunteers and a nice crowd. As a result, CWLA was fortunate to generate about $7100. A
huge THANK YOU to Michelle and Jay Voegele, Lori and Brian Schultz, the mighty team of volunteers and all donors.
Blue Water Science: Steve McComas and Blue Water Science completed a full survey of Cannon and Wells lakes. The report is complete and can be accessed on lake association website.
A look ahead….
1. Recruit more volunteers to help with projects, fundraising, board participation.
2. Continue to expand our membership base.
3. Cash Raffle to generate additional revenue.
4. Create Liaisons to work with local authorities such as the DNR, county and watershed groups.
5. Cormorant Shoot 2024.
6. Weed harvest 2024.
7. Further development and expansion of our Buoy System, along with mapping and signage.
8. Review and evaluate additional fundraising ideas and funding sources.
9. Continue to expand fun activities, social events and fundraising efforts.