Where did our beautiful summer go? What a great summer season it was on Lone Lake and a beautiful fall is on its way. Our annual fall road clean-up was held that past Saturday, September 8th and we want to thank the 20 loyal members that came out on a beautiful day to do our road pick-up. We were treated to rolls and coffee complements of Mike Paulbeck from Paulpecks Country Market in Aitkin. Members sipped coffee, shared the latest news on the lake and had a group picture. Thanks to the county the roadsides were newly mowed and it was great walking and cleaning of our Lone Lake environment.

Our last event of the season is the Shoreland Preservation Workshop to be held Saturday, September 22nd from 10 to noon at the Wetmore property at 30097 Oak Avenue with Shelly Larson presenting. We need your participation because our grant from Aitkin Soil and Water is funded by your volunteer hours so bring the whole family! The LLPOA is sending out a postcard to all members promoting the event and see details elsewhere in this News Brief. This is truly part of our mission to enhance, protect and preserve the beauty of Lone Lake for the future.

IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH! Mark Ritter contacted the LLPOA to let members know that there will not be any gravel crushing this year. Due to timing and weather conditions the company that contracted with Mark had to cancel it plans. We appreciate Mark Ritter’s willingness to work with the LLPOA and to let us know of future activities at the gravel pit.

The LLPOA Board held its final meeting of the year to finish-up details on 2018 and to plan for 2019 and beyond. The Board established the 2019 LLPOA Program Calendar with some new and notable changes. We would like to direct you to four important dates:

(1) We will hold a Future of Lone Lake Planning Session on May 4, 2019 at the Aitkin County Library in the Community Room from 9:00AM to Noon with lunch provided. This event is open to all LLPOA members to participate in updating our Lone Lake Management Plan. We do this roughly in five year cycles to monitor and make action plans in the areas of Water Quality, Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention, Planning and Zoning, Fish and Wildlife, Shoreland Preservation and Communications. We divide into teams to discuss and set action goals for the next five years and you are invited to be part of this important process of lake management planning.

(2) We have moved the spring road clean-up to Saturday, May 18th which is a week later and after the Fishing Opener to avoid conflicts of having both things on the same day.

(3) The LLPOA Boat Parade will actually be held on Thursday, July 4th in 2019

(4) The final goal set by the LLPOA Board was to have the LLPOA become paperless by the year 2020. This goal will be discussed at the LLPOA Annual Meeting to be held on Saturday, July 20, 2019.

Finally, thank you for your membership and support of the LLPOA in 2018. Together we can protect Lone Lake for the future.

Steve Frazier, LLPOA president