Recent News

A Message from the President

It’s time to get back to Spread Eagle for anothergreat summer. For permanent residents, I hope the spring thaw went well.

I’m looking forward to a summer of fun and challenges.  The fun will be enjoying the beauty of the lake plus the joy of family and friends. As you will see in this newsletter, the social committee has planned many activities for us to enjoy.  

Summer challenges will hopefully be few but include monitoring and surveillance of our waters and shorelines. Scott Goodwin, from Florence County Land Conservation Department, has obtained another 2-year grant to allow continued monitoring of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and provide education for those using the lakes. Scott has set up a schedule for boat inspections at North Lake landing for the summer season with an emphasis on weekends and Fourth of July holiday week.  

We are hoping with the help of Clean Boats Clean Waters (CBCW) we can delay and/or prevent new invasive species from entering our lakes. As an association, we make a substantial monetary and time commitment to CBCW and monitoring efforts. You will see from Darlin Verley’s grant report that we are in various stages of applying for new grants and maintaining previous grants for the protection of our lakes.

Darlin Verley, with the grant committee, has diligently worked over the winter to ensure we will get the maximum grant funds available. In addition, as part of the WDNR Early Detection and Response Grant, Dr. Dean Premo of White Water Associates, has provided a detailed report of their results of monitoring invasive species. Unfortunately they have identified another invasive species, the yellow iris, (Iris pseudacorus). The yellow iris is not native to this area and competes with native foliage. You will find Dr. Premo’s complete report on the SECOLA’s website: www.SpreadEagleChain.org

Our SECOLA membership for 2016 was 212 members with a total number of lake properties of 342. As this newsletter goes to print we are currently at 102 paid members for 2017. Thanks go out to Jennifer Kellstrom and Martie Muzzy for getting the word out to encourage Spread Eagle property owners to join. The board is in the process of looking at adding a secure page to the SECOLA website to use for online dues and other contributions such as funding for the Fourth of July fireworks, invasive species funds and fish stocking. We hope this will make it easier for residents to participate.

Another item I want to share is the fact that I occasionally get flyers and e-mails from persons interested in providing services for Spread Eagle residents; such as cottage opening, closing and maintenance. We have a strict policy of not giving out our member’s names, addresses or e-mail addresses. I am willing to share the businesses who have contacted me if you want to call or email me. This would not be an endorsement of their services.

Hope to see you around the lake this summer!

Ed Patrick