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Minutes of the Meeting of the Wolf Lake Cottage Association

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Lot 20, cottage of Paul and Jane St. Germain

Present (by lot number):

3

Mike and Kay Cohen

8

Peter Boonstra

12

Judy Walton-Maitland and Brian Ferguson

19

Dieter and Melissa Marschke

20

Paul St. Germain

21

Jim and Sharon Phelps

23

Marilyn Crockower

24

Hans and Meg Bichsel

31

John and Stella Logan, Dean and Cath Scott

33

Andy Corbett

35

Mick Erskine

36

David Frise

37

Rick and Carolyn Evans

38

Bert Needham

39

Eva and Maria Hergovich

43

Martha Hunter

45

Gunther and Lise Kunzelmann

46

Tobi Nussbaum

52/53 Dana Dvorak

55

Pierce and Linda Reid

Guests: Barry Rand, Deputy Reeve; Malcolm Martini (Loon Call Cottage Association)

President Martha Hunter called the meeting to order at 10:25 pm. She welcomed everyone and

introduced the executive: Paul St. Germain (Treasurer), Linda Reid (Secretary), Dana Dvorak

(Park Liaison), Andy Corbett (Publishing). Lake Steward Ingrid Boonstra sent her regrets.

Martha also introduced visitors: Malcolm Martini from Loon Call and Barry Rand, the Deputy

Reeve of North Kawartha Township.

Paul St. Germain moved and Dieter Marschke seconded that the minutes of the 2008 annual

meeting be approved as distributed in the August 2008 edition of the Howler.

Dana reported on the extensive lobbying by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters

(OFAH) to expand the list of animals approved for hunting and to extend the hunting season. She

thanked Doug Lawrence for raising the issue with the Wolf Lake cottagers. Doug and many

others wrote letters to politicians and to the Peterborough Examiner and posted comments

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online. Dana spoke with the Minister’s advisor and Linda Reid spoke to the Minister at the

FOCA annual meeting at the beginning of March. Dana reported that the hunting lobby did not

get all its wishes and presented detailed information on what is permitted and what is not. See

the spring issue of the Howler for specifics on what can be hunted and the relevant hunting

season. The situation is better than in pre-park days, but not as good as in the first years of the

park.

Dana expressed her disappointment that the final Park Management Plan eased up its original

restrictions on boat caching, motor boar and aircraft use. The Superintendent is committed to

monitoring these uses and to keeping them under a tight control.

Malcolm Martini of Loon Call noted that the Park Charter had suggested a right to a safety zone

around cottages but this was not mentioned in the management plan. Since all rights that existed

prior to the Park’s creation are supposed to be protected, there will be further lobbying to have a

safety zone reinstated.

ATV use is limited to hunters (in season) and residents. In the future the hunters will require

permits. The hope was expressed that they would have a visible identity on their vehicles.

There was discussion of the appropriate attire for hunters (orange for deer hunting and

camouflage for duck hunting). It is recommended that cottagers wear conspicuous attire when

walking in the woods in hunting season. Dana Dvorak will suggest to the park officials that they

advise campers and other visitors to do the same.

Martha Hunter reported that she had attended the meeting of Loon Call Cottage Association on

July 4. Malcolm Martini from Loon Call attended our meeting. It was generally agreed that the

exchange of information was helpful. Andy Corbett moved and Hans Bichsel seconded that the

Wolf Lake Cottage Association form a group with the other cottage associations in the park.

Carried. The executive will appoint the liaison person to represent us.

In response to comments about hunters and others having ATVs on the cottagers’ road, Paul St.

Germain explained that they can use the road because it is over public land. Hunters can only be

there in ATVs during hunting season.

Stella Logan noted that the road runs directly through their property (lot 31) and cuts across

corners of lots 30 and 32. Rick Evans recommended closing the portion of the road that passes

through private property for one day each year. It was also recommended that a sign be posted

indicating that a stretch of the road is through private property.

Hans Bichsel explained that his property assessment under MPAC went up 100%. This means a

tax increase of $300 this year and the same in each of the three following years. He has had

discussions with Glenn Greer of Loon Call who has done a lot of research in this area. Hans has

done a Request for Reconsideration (RFR) but has had no response yet. Seven RFRs have been

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submitted for Wolf Lake and 39 for Loon Call. An individual property owner can do an RFR

any year before March 31.

Our cottages are compared to others in the same “neighbourhood” but it is unclear what our

neighbourhood is. It seems as if the MPAC people want about 250 properties in each

neighbourhood to generate enough sales and Wolf and Loon Call would not be a large enough

group. Hans feels that our whole lake is over-assessed as small lakes are not the same as “big

boat lakes”. He and Glenn Greer are discussing this issue with the MPAC people.

In 2008 we had a $1468 surplus and we started the year with about $9400 in the bank.

Our fees are in two parts: for the Association itself and for the road maintenance.

The Association expenses have dropped considerably as 87% of our membership receive

communications electronically. Our fees cover communications with members, the annual

membership in the Federation of Ontario Cottage Associations (FOCA) and the August fun day.

Road expenses have been high so far in 2009: $1,262.85 for emergency roadwork at the

beginning of the season and $13,220 for regular upkeep– to a total of $14, 482.85.

In 2008 we spent $6009 on road maintenance to a total of $7700 including insurance. Paul

recommended keeping the road fees at their present level.

In the discussion it was suggested that we include a kid fishing derby for “rock bass” at the Fun

Day. Rock bass can apparently be kept as long as they are used for something, e.g. fertilizer,

and not just thrown on shore.

Brian Ferguson asked if anyone was interested in sharing a load of gravel.

Road - Martha Hunter, Road Steward

Martha Hunter explained that we had a lot of road repair this spring, including the replacement

of 8 culverts. This was due in part to the fact that the road was ploughed during the winter. It

was explained that if the road is ploughed the freezing goes deeper over the ploughed portion

and this causes upheaval with the ends of the culverts popping up.

Paul St. Germain explained that the cottagers’ road is insured for seasonal use only. This means

that anyone who undertakes to have the road ploughed during the winter season is assuming

personal liability as there will be no coverage under our policy.

Rick Evans suggested that we post a sign saying “seasonal use only”.

Jim Phelps moved and John Logan seconded that the executive send a letter (modelled after one

Loon Call Road Association sent to all users of its road) to explain the issues of liability and the

fact that those who plough the road will be billed in the spring to cover the costs of repairing

the damage that has been caused by non-seasonal use. Carried.

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Martha also reported that those who make extra use of the road for construction vehicles are

asked to make an additional payment for road maintenance and many have done so.

Barry reported that the Township has a grant to improve the Anstruther Lake Road. It is paved

as far as the transfer station and then will have an oil treatment after that and some bends will be

lessened. Construction is done Monday to Thursday to not interfere with Friday traffic. The

township is also building a new library in Apsley and finishing the arena.

He talked of how our taxes are divided among the township, the county and education. He

pointed out that a higher assessment does not necessarily mean correspondingly higher taxes.

North Kawartha has a high percentage of seasonal residents so most of us will have higher

assessments and will share the load of carrying the permanent residents not on the water whose

assessments did not rise. About 75% of the approximately 3700 residential properties in the

township are located on water and they pay 80% of the taxes. The situation is different for

Peterborough County but we can hope that the rising value of farmland in Cavan/Monaghan

will result in those people getting higher assessments (and a higher share of the county taxes) in

the next round of MPAC.

Barry also outlined the various local services that are available to us (see the page with tax bill

for details). He also mentioned the cards for garbage drop-off that were included in the tax bill

that had just been mailed out.

Barry reminded us that there are mail-in ballots and we should make sure that our names are on

the list of electors. The township website is www.northkawartha.on.ca

Ingrid sent her regrets. Her report will be published in the next issue of the Howler.

Malcolm Martini of Loon Call spoke of concerns of secchi. and urged everyone to ensure that

their septic system is in good repair. He also urged everyone to use phosphate-free detergents.

Paul St. Germain had obtained a copy of FOCA’s Lake Planning Handbook for Community

Groups which he will turn over to Ingrid. It can also be viewed at

http://www.lakeplan.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=125&Itemid=129

John Logan moved and Hans Bichsel seconded that we keep the same executive for the next

year and invite anyone else interested to join. Carried.

Martha Hunter thanked Sharon and Jim Phelps for the coffee and Paul St Germaine and family

for hosting the meeting..

Andy Corbett moved to adjourn the meeting at 1:10 pm.