CLA Receives Second DNR Grant to
Treat CLP in Lower Cullen
Membership Update
In addition to donations and pledge payments for the curlyleaf pondweed control project, contributions to support CLA’s other programs continue to be received with dues payments. To date, CLA has received $1,555 in such contributions. Each donation for curlyleaf pondweed control, pledge payment, and program support contribution was acknowledged with a thank you note. However, CLA would like to take this opportunity to again thank the many people who included these extra contributions with their dues!
At this time there are 33 past members who have not yet renewed their membership, many of whom have been longtime members of CLA. We hope this is merely an oversight on their part. If you are among those who have not yet joined CLA in 2010, please consider sending your $25 dues as soon as possible to:
CLA Membership
P.O. Box 466
Nisswa, MN 56468
Did You Feed the Deer This Winter?
by Ann Beaver
Meet Your Lake Neighbors!
Upper Cullen Lake, by Terry Ratzlaff
Middle Cullen Lake, by Monica Granrud and Angie Ike
Burning Restrictions Are In Place
Did J’a Know?
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2010 PROPERTY OWNERS’ SURVEY
264 surveys were mailed to property owners on the three Cullen Lakes. 151 surveys were filled out and returned -- 57%.
Section 1: Lake property and its use
*115 of the properties are seasonal and 36 are homesteaded, 29 of which are year round residences.
*Seasonal usage is: spring -- 89, summer -- 115, fall -- 94, winter -- 83
*95 of the properties’ primary structures are winterized, 46 are not winterized, and 8 have no primary structure.
*The approximate year properties first came into the current family’s ownership is as follows:
1911 – 1 1946 – 1 1965 – 4 1977 – 2 1989 – 5 1999 – 2
1914 – 1 1950 –1 1966 – 1 1978 – 1 1990 – 4 2000 – 3
1919 – 2 1953 – 1 1967 – 3 1979 – 1 1991 – 1 2001 – 3
1920 – 1 1954 – 1 1968 – 4 1980 – 4 1992 – 6 2003 – 2
1929 – 1 1956 – 1 1969 – 2 1983 – 2 1993 – 1 2004 – 5
1930 – 3 1957 – 2 1970 – 2 1984 – 5 1994 – 5 2005 – 5
1934 – 1 1960 – 4 1972 – 1 1985 – 1 1995 – 3 2006 – 3
1936 – 1 1961 – 2 1973 – 2 1986 – 1 1996 – 3 2007 – 5
1939 – 1 1962 – 3 1974 – 2 1987 – 5 1997 – 2 2008 – 3
1943 – 1 1963 – 1 1976 – 2 1988 – 2 1998 – 5 2009 – 2
1945 – 2
Summary: It looks as if we have a lot of Cullen Lakes history to uncover and share!
*115 properties (77%) have shoreline buffers at least 1-2 feet deep. 71 properties (48%) have buffers with a depth of 5 feet or more.
*3 times as many respondents (102 to 34) experienced no problem with swimmers’ itch as those who did.
Section 2: General impression of the lakes
Section 3: Use of the lakes
Section 4: The lake association
Swimmers’ Itch Prevention
by Mayo Clinic staff
Shoreline Buffer Expo
Pequot Lakes Summer Concert Series
Date Band Type of Music
June 26 Start Classic Rock
July 3 to be announced
July 10 SKATYRS Classic Rock
July 16 6 Feet and Rise In Country
July 24 Skill & Duff Irish Music
(won 1st place at Irish Festival in the Twin Cities)
July 31 Start Classic Rock
August 7 Two Beats Ahead Jazz
August 14 Hans Blix & the Weapons Inspectors Bluegrass, Fiddle, Irish
August 21 SKATYRS Classic Rock
August 28 Two Beats Ahead Jazz
September 4 to be announced
Reflections From a Beaver Lodge
by Ann Beaver
Meet the CLA Board
Spring Road Clean Up
The Cullen Lakes Association (CLA)
received notice in early March that the Association was awarded a grant
from the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for treatment of curlyleaf pondweed (CLP). The DNR grant awarded the CLA will cover treatment expenses on Lower Cullen Lake up to $15,000.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for treatment of curlyleaf pondweed (CLP). The DNR grant awarded the CLA will cover treatment expenses on Lower Cullen Lake up to $15,000.
This is the second consecutive year that
CLA has received funding from the DNR to treat CLP on Lower
Cullen. Last year’s grant covered the total costs of treatment,
allowing funds raised by the organization to fund treatment on Middle
and Upper Cullen.
DNR grants are awarded to a limited
number of lakes each year and extensive documentation is required to
support each grant application. Requirements include having a
Lake Vegetation Management plan, water quality data, a Water Quality
Plan, surveys of the lake’s vegetation and a map of the proposed
treatment areas, including estimated sizes of the treatment areas.
Due to the efforts of many Board members
and other volunteers over many years, all this material was available
and three grant requests (one for each lake) were submitted to the DNR
in mid-January. Special recognition is due to Carol Lindahl, who
completed and submitted the grant applications, Ann Beaver, who manages
collection of lake water quality data and updates CLA’s three Water
Quality Plans, and to John Szafranski for spearheading our
communications with the DNR regarding last year’s treatments and the
growth of CLP seen during the summer/fall of 2009.
The DNR grant program is for projects
that propose treatment of invasive species for ecological benefit as
well as to provide relief from the nuisances caused by the
plants. As part of the grant, the DNR will survey Lower
Cullen for growth of CLP, monitor the treatment program and assess its
results. The CLA remains responsible for gathering water quality
data on all three Cullens and for monitoring the results of the
treatment programs on Middle and Upper Cullen.
The CLA also applied for and received a
grant from the DNR in the form of additional signage at boat launching
sites on our lakes. The signs will remind visitors to remove
vegetation from boats and be diligent to “Help Stop Aquatic
Hitchhikers” to help prevent the spread of invasive species.
Specifically the signs remind boaters, before launching and when
removing their boats, to Remove aquatic plants and aquatic animals,
Drain lake or river water away from the public landing, and
Dispose of unwanted live bait in the trash.
Membership Update
In late March, final notices were mailed
to those Cullen Lakes property owners who had not yet paid their dues
for 2010. As of April 19, CLA had 214 paid memberships, 19 of
which are associate memberships, meaning they own property in the
Cullen Lakes’ watershed or are family members of shoreland property
owners.
In addition to donations and pledge payments for the curlyleaf pondweed control project, contributions to support CLA’s other programs continue to be received with dues payments. To date, CLA has received $1,555 in such contributions. Each donation for curlyleaf pondweed control, pledge payment, and program support contribution was acknowledged with a thank you note. However, CLA would like to take this opportunity to again thank the many people who included these extra contributions with their dues!
At this time there are 33 past members who have not yet renewed their membership, many of whom have been longtime members of CLA. We hope this is merely an oversight on their part. If you are among those who have not yet joined CLA in 2010, please consider sending your $25 dues as soon as possible to:
CLA Membership
P.O. Box 466
Nisswa, MN 56468
Please include with your dues your full
mailing address, your phone number and email address (if you have one),
and indicate whether you are: 1) a current owner of a Cullen
Lakes shoreland property, 2) a family member of a current Cullen Lakes
shoreland property owner, 3) a previous owner of a Cullen Lakes
shoreland property, or 4) and owner of real property within the Cullen
Lakes watershed.
Did You Feed the Deer This Winter?
by Ann Beaver
If you are like many of us on the lakes,
you fed the deer this winter whether you intended to or not. With
dwindling numbers of natural predators in the area, the deer move
through quite fearlessly, looking for anything around that’s
edible. White pines are a special favorite, so if you want to
protect them on your property you have to do almost everything known to
mankind to do so. The scarcer the food, the harder it is to keep
deer from dining at your table.
Every fall I laboriously put bud caps on
the tops of all the young white pines on our property. Every
spring I discover the weather or a few enterprising deer have removed
some of the bud caps, sometimes still attached to the top needles of
the tree. The result is a white pine with all its
soon-to-be-full-of-life buds munched into oblivion.
What more can I do? The young trees I really treasure I encircle with chicken wire in the fall and I don’t remove it until the trees have finished their spring growth spurt. Yes, it’s a pain and it’s ugly, but it works. I really have no choice if I want to protect the trees from the ever hungry deer.
And now the last three nights the deer have been trying to get into the small, “locked” garbage can of sunflower seeds that we keep by the side of the house! When will enough be enough?! I guess for now I’ll have to put the can inside our fenced yard at night.
What more can I do? The young trees I really treasure I encircle with chicken wire in the fall and I don’t remove it until the trees have finished their spring growth spurt. Yes, it’s a pain and it’s ugly, but it works. I really have no choice if I want to protect the trees from the ever hungry deer.
And now the last three nights the deer have been trying to get into the small, “locked” garbage can of sunflower seeds that we keep by the side of the house! When will enough be enough?! I guess for now I’ll have to put the can inside our fenced yard at night.
Meet Your Lake Neighbors!
Upper Cullen Lake, by Terry Ratzlaff
We are the newest owners on Upper
Cullen. My husband Rollie and I purchased the lake home jointly
with my parents, Harlan and Chris Mohn, who are happily retired. We
have three children -- Ryan, who is a student at the University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Eric, who is a student at the University of
Minnesota; and Nikki, who is in 11th grade at Lakeville North High
School. We are all from Lakeville, Minnesota. We have
dreamed of owning a lake home for many years. Each summer for
almost 10 years, we spent a week with extended family at Cragun's
Resort on Gull Lake. During those wonderful vacations, we always
picked up a real estate guide and would joke about buying a family
cabin. Our dream came true when we found our lake home on Upper
Cullen. We love the beauty and tranquility of the Cullen Lakes
chain and there is a special place in our hearts for "our loons."
We love to fish, waterski, canoe, snowmobile and just spend time with
our family and friends.
Middle Cullen Lake, by Monica Granrud and Angie Ike
We are excited to be part of the Cullen
Lakes Association! Sounds like we’re the newest owners on Middle
Cullen, so here’s a little bit about us. We are from Rochester,
MN. We both work at Mayo Clinic. We’ve been coming to
this area for years and have always wished to have a place of our
own. We would have never dreamed that we would, at this stage in
our lives! We are located just across from the public
landing. Our cabin is the little place between two lovely, larger
homes. We love to fish and you’ll always see us out at the end of our
dock or on the boat. However, we haven’t learned the art of
cleaning our prized catch yet, so for now they return to the
water. We love to listen to the loons and we look forward
to meeting more of the people on the lakes. As we’ve told our new
neighbors (who are wonderful), if we’re doing something stupid, you can
laugh (for a little bit), but don’t let us get too far!
Burning Restrictions Are In Place
The Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) has placed burning restrictions on the northern
two-thirds of Minnesota. Because of the almost total lack of rain
this spring, the fire danger rating as of 4/18 is “very high,” meaning
fires start very easily and spread at a fast rate. No burning permits
are being issued, although campfires (well tended until they are
completely extinguished) are allowed. Note: When burning
restrictions are not in place, to burn yard waste legally you are
required to get a burning permit (available free of charge from most
area hardware stores).
Over the weekend, a fire started along
Wilderness Ridge Road from a spark from a passing motorbike.
Fortunately a DNR helicopter was in the area, spotted the smoke, and
called in the DNR fires crews who were able to extinguish the fire
before it consumed too large an area.
At the present time, if you have yard waste from spring cleanup to burn, you must wait until the burning restrictions have been lifted. Composting is an available option. The Northland Arboretum in Brainerd provides some composting opportunities if you cannot compost on your own property.
At the present time, if you have yard waste from spring cleanup to burn, you must wait until the burning restrictions have been lifted. Composting is an available option. The Northland Arboretum in Brainerd provides some composting opportunities if you cannot compost on your own property.
Did J’a Know?
Shoreland buffers protect aquatic
ecosystems and enhance fish and wildlife habitat. They make use of
deeply rooted plants to keep soil in place, filter nutrients and
pollutants from stormwater runoff, and reduce flooding. Shoreland
buffers also discourage nuisance geese, provide privacy, and require
low maintenance, while adding beauty and diversity to the landscape.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2010 PROPERTY OWNERS’ SURVEY
264 surveys were mailed to property owners on the three Cullen Lakes. 151 surveys were filled out and returned -- 57%.
Section 1: Lake property and its use
*115 of the properties are seasonal and 36 are homesteaded, 29 of which are year round residences.
*Seasonal usage is: spring -- 89, summer -- 115, fall -- 94, winter -- 83
*95 of the properties’ primary structures are winterized, 46 are not winterized, and 8 have no primary structure.
Summary: While only 24% of the
properties are homesteaded, 63% of the properties have winterized
primary structures and 56% or more are used off and on throughout the
year.
*The approximate year properties first came into the current family’s ownership is as follows:
1911 – 1 1946 – 1 1965 – 4 1977 – 2 1989 – 5 1999 – 2
1914 – 1 1950 –1 1966 – 1 1978 – 1 1990 – 4 2000 – 3
1919 – 2 1953 – 1 1967 – 3 1979 – 1 1991 – 1 2001 – 3
1920 – 1 1954 – 1 1968 – 4 1980 – 4 1992 – 6 2003 – 2
1929 – 1 1956 – 1 1969 – 2 1983 – 2 1993 – 1 2004 – 5
1930 – 3 1957 – 2 1970 – 2 1984 – 5 1994 – 5 2005 – 5
1934 – 1 1960 – 4 1972 – 1 1985 – 1 1995 – 3 2006 – 3
1936 – 1 1961 – 2 1973 – 2 1986 – 1 1996 – 3 2007 – 5
1939 – 1 1962 – 3 1974 – 2 1987 – 5 1997 – 2 2008 – 3
1943 – 1 1963 – 1 1976 – 2 1988 – 2 1998 – 5 2009 – 2
1945 – 2
Summary: It looks as if we have a lot of Cullen Lakes history to uncover and share!
*128 (85%) of the respondents reported
they have their septic tank checked, cleaned, and pumped every 1-5
years (66% every 1-3 years). 11 of the other 23 respondents are
either on Nisswa city sewer, have no septic system, or have only a
holding tank which is pumped several times a year.
*Only 18 respondents reported having an outhouse on their property and
only 7 of them are used.*The most commonly owned and used
household appliances that affect a septic system are: washing
machine -- 99 (68%), dishwasher -- 67 (46%), and water softener -- 62
(42%). Only 20 (14%) households have and use a garbage disposal,
a not-so-septic-system-friendly amenity.
Summary: It appears the vast
majority of property owners are maintaining their septic systems well
and not abusing them, which should prolong the system’s longevity and
protect the lakes from contamination from septic system pollutants.
*Shoreline footage of respondents’
properties shows that, although many of the shoreland properties on the
lakes were platted before land use ordinances existed, 70% of the
properties meet today’s DNR standards -- 150’ for Upper, 100’ for
Middle, and 100’ for Lower. Owners of properties that don’t meet
today’s shoreline footage standards should be sure to contact their
governing jurisdiction (Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, or Crow Wing County)
before undertaking building projects.
*115 properties (77%) have shoreline buffers at least 1-2 feet deep. 71 properties (48%) have buffers with a depth of 5 feet or more.
*Almost twice as many respondents (93)
don’t clear aquatic vegetation as do (52). Of those who do
clear aquatic vegetation, 41 (79%) do so by hand, 11 (22%) use
chemicals, and 6 (12%) use a weed roller.
*3 times as many respondents (102 to 34) experienced no problem with swimmers’ itch as those who did.
Section 2: General impression of the lakes
*The only lake related issues perceived
as a moderate problem or worse by 50% or more of the respondents are
aquatic vegetation growth and purple loosestrife shoreline infestation.
*More than twice as many people said the overall quality of each of the Cullen Lakes stayed about the same over the past five years versus those who said it was getting better or worse.
*The most commonly mentioned things by those who felt the lakes’ quality was getting better were: 1) less aquatic vegetation since the curlyleaf pondweed treatments last spring and 2) more awareness on the part of property owners of what to do and not do on their lakeshore.
*More than twice as many people said the overall quality of each of the Cullen Lakes stayed about the same over the past five years versus those who said it was getting better or worse.
*The most commonly mentioned things by those who felt the lakes’ quality was getting better were: 1) less aquatic vegetation since the curlyleaf pondweed treatments last spring and 2) more awareness on the part of property owners of what to do and not do on their lakeshore.
*The most commonly mentioned things by
those who felt the lakes’ quality was getting worse were:
1) excessive aquatic vegetation growth, 2) lake water levels, 3) algae blooms, and 4) snails.
1) excessive aquatic vegetation growth, 2) lake water levels, 3) algae blooms, and 4) snails.
Section 3: Use of the lakes
*The most common non-motorized
watercraft being used on the lakes are canoes, paddle boats, and kayaks.
*Many respondents reported having fishing boats and pontoons with motors of 25 hp or less.
*Of watercraft with motors over 25 hp, the most commonly owned were “speed boats”, with fishing boats and pontoons tying as close seconds.
*The three most popular summer uses of the lakes were: 1) fishing, 2) swimming, and 3) pontoon cruising.
*The top three winter uses of the lakes area were : 1) ATV riding, 2) hiking/walking, and 3) ice fishing.
*Very few respondents (7) said they use the lakes for waterfowl hunting.
*Many respondents reported having fishing boats and pontoons with motors of 25 hp or less.
*Of watercraft with motors over 25 hp, the most commonly owned were “speed boats”, with fishing boats and pontoons tying as close seconds.
*The three most popular summer uses of the lakes were: 1) fishing, 2) swimming, and 3) pontoon cruising.
*The top three winter uses of the lakes area were : 1) ATV riding, 2) hiking/walking, and 3) ice fishing.
*Very few respondents (7) said they use the lakes for waterfowl hunting.
*Respondents’ opinions on the quality of
fishing in the lakes were: Upper Cullen -- twice as many felt it
stayed about the same versus being not as good; Middle Cullen -- 1/3
more felt it stayed the about the same versus being not as good; Lower
Cullen -- an equal number felt it stayed about the same versus being
not as good; very few felt it was improving.
45% of the respondents said catch and
release fishing is very important, 36% said it is important, 11% said
it is somewhat important, and 2% said it is not important.
Regarding CLA contacting the DNR about walleye stocking in Lower Cullen, 58 % of respondents said yes, 10% said no, and 28% said they don’t care.
Regarding CLA contacting the DNR about walleye stocking in Lower Cullen, 58 % of respondents said yes, 10% said no, and 28% said they don’t care.
Section 4: The lake association
*95% of the respondents are members of
CLA.
*Only 30% of the members said they regularly attend the annual meeting, although 68% said they were satisfied with the timing of the meeting.
*Quite a few ideas were offered as to what might make the meetings more worthwhile and interesting. (The board will assess the ideas and incorporate as many of them as possible in future meetings.)
*The comments as to what CLA is currently doing, what it should continue to do, and what it should not be doing were far too numerous to try to consolidate or summarize here. Almost all the comments were constructive, most were positive, and they all will be discussed at upcoming board meetings.
*Only 42% of respondents said they had visited the CLA web site. These people did give us good feedback on it, however.
*All but two respondents said they read the CLA newsletter. Overall satisfaction with it was positive and we received many good ideas for future editions.
*75% of respondents were satisfied with the curlyleaf pondweed fund raising drive process, 18% had no opinion, 1% expressed dissatisfaction with it, and 5% didn’t answer the question.
*Only 30% of the members said they regularly attend the annual meeting, although 68% said they were satisfied with the timing of the meeting.
*Quite a few ideas were offered as to what might make the meetings more worthwhile and interesting. (The board will assess the ideas and incorporate as many of them as possible in future meetings.)
*The comments as to what CLA is currently doing, what it should continue to do, and what it should not be doing were far too numerous to try to consolidate or summarize here. Almost all the comments were constructive, most were positive, and they all will be discussed at upcoming board meetings.
*Only 42% of respondents said they had visited the CLA web site. These people did give us good feedback on it, however.
*All but two respondents said they read the CLA newsletter. Overall satisfaction with it was positive and we received many good ideas for future editions.
*75% of respondents were satisfied with the curlyleaf pondweed fund raising drive process, 18% had no opinion, 1% expressed dissatisfaction with it, and 5% didn’t answer the question.
The CLA Board of Directors appreciates
the time many of you took to respond to this survey. Please know
that the Board will read, discuss, and consider all the comments you
submitted. These survey results will also be used to help the
Board update the Cullen Lakes lake management plan.
Swimmers’ Itch Prevention
by Mayo Clinic staff
To reduce the risk of swimmers’ itch:
*Choose swimming spots carefully. Avoid swimming in areas where swimmers’ itch is a known problem. Also, avoid swimming or wading in areas where snails are commonly found.
*Avoid the shoreline, if possible. Swim from an anchored boat or diving raft, because you may be more likely to develop swimmers’ itch if you spend a lot of time in shallow water.
*Rinse after swimming. Rinse exposed skin with fresh water immediately after leaving the water, then vigorously dry your skin with a towel. Launder you swimsuits often. You might even alternate between different swimsuits.
*Skip the bread crumbs. Don’t feed birds or ducks on docks or near swimming areas.
There’s no evidence that applying sunscreen, lotions or creams helps prevent swimmers’ itch.
*Choose swimming spots carefully. Avoid swimming in areas where swimmers’ itch is a known problem. Also, avoid swimming or wading in areas where snails are commonly found.
*Avoid the shoreline, if possible. Swim from an anchored boat or diving raft, because you may be more likely to develop swimmers’ itch if you spend a lot of time in shallow water.
*Rinse after swimming. Rinse exposed skin with fresh water immediately after leaving the water, then vigorously dry your skin with a towel. Launder you swimsuits often. You might even alternate between different swimsuits.
*Skip the bread crumbs. Don’t feed birds or ducks on docks or near swimming areas.
There’s no evidence that applying sunscreen, lotions or creams helps prevent swimmers’ itch.
Shoreline Buffer Expo
The third annual Shoreland Buffer Zone
Expo will be held Saturday, August 7, 2010, at Deep Portage Learning
Center (about five miles east of Hackensack). Program details are
still to be worked out, but there will be seminars to help people plan
for and create a new shoreland native plant buffer zone or maintain one
(identifying and eliminating common invasive species, etc.), and a
number of exhibitors with helpful information.
The program will run from 9:00 a.m. to
about 2:00 p.m. An info with Q & A session on the new DNR shoreland
rules is planned for the afternoon. There will be a small fee
(which will include lunch) to help defray expenses.
Pre-registration by Aug. 1 is
required. Contact Jack Fitzgerald (218-682-2941 or
jjfitz@tds.net) for more information and/or to pre-register.
Pequot Lakes Summer Concert Series
All concerts are performed at Trailside
Park in the middle to town.
The concerts are from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and are free.
The concerts are from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and are free.
Date Band Type of Music
June 26 Start Classic Rock
July 3 to be announced
July 10 SKATYRS Classic Rock
July 16 6 Feet and Rise In Country
July 24 Skill & Duff Irish Music
(won 1st place at Irish Festival in the Twin Cities)
July 31 Start Classic Rock
August 7 Two Beats Ahead Jazz
August 14 Hans Blix & the Weapons Inspectors Bluegrass, Fiddle, Irish
August 21 SKATYRS Classic Rock
August 28 Two Beats Ahead Jazz
September 4 to be announced
Reflections From a Beaver Lodge
by Ann Beaver
The ice on all three Cullen Lakes went
out on April 1, the earliest I can remember, but then I’ve only been at
the lake for ice out since spring of 1998. Could those of you who
have more history on the lake than I take the time to let me know of
other years that saw an unusually early or late ice out? I think
we would all find it interesting.
What snow we had this winter melted
quickly in early March, and April has been unseasonably warm and VERY
dry. According to the CLA web site, we have had a total of only
0.24 inches of rain so far this spring. It’s amazing spring
flowers are growing at all! Since I checked the lake outlet
gauges April 7 for the water level, the lakes have gone down over 3/4
of an inch. Lake levels were lower than usual shortly after ice
out, so this is not good news. Many respondents
to the property owners’ survey commented on the low water levels of the
lakes the past few years. Unfortunately, right now it looks as if
that’s going to continue and there’s nothing we can do about it -- it’s
in the hands of Mother Nature.
On another note, but related to the
survey results, a few people wondered why Middle Cullen’s Wilderness
Resort only built two villas on the west side of the peninsula and the
rest on the east side. The answer is that the two “villas” on the
west side are not part of the resort. Those two undeveloped lots
were purchased by the Weiblens and the Thordsons a few years ago and
they happened to use the same contractor the resort was using, thus the
similarity in appearance to the resort’s villas. Phase one of the
resort’s redevelopment, the phase now under way, is all on the
northeast shore of the property.
Meet the CLA Board
Jim Kostreba, elected to the Board in
2009 introduces himself:
In the fall of 2001 we finally found our dream home on the lake when we purchased Paul and Tyrolla Smith’s cabin on Lower Cullen. My wife Anne, Riley our dog, and I love it here at the lake and we have great neighbors to enjoy our summers with.
In the fall of 2001 we finally found our dream home on the lake when we purchased Paul and Tyrolla Smith’s cabin on Lower Cullen. My wife Anne, Riley our dog, and I love it here at the lake and we have great neighbors to enjoy our summers with.
In January of 2003 I retired after a 30
year career in law enforcement, the last 12 as Sheriff of Stearns
County (St. Cloud). My wife retired in 2006 after a long career
as a high school teacher and counselor. Our daughter Katie and
husband Justin live in Omaha and son Ryan and his wife Katie just moved
back from Idaho Falls and live in Elk River. They all spend time here
at the lake whenever they can.
I believe it is very important to
preserve the lakes as best we can for our quality of life and for
future generations. The success of the recent fund-raising effort
shows that the people who live on the Cullen Lakes and who are a part
of our Association are proud of what we have and care deeply about
preserving it. I am new to the Board but have seen the experience
and dedication of the members who serve the Association. I
encourage everyone to be an active member and to share your thoughts
and ideas so we can continue to preserve this great resource.
Spring Road Clean Up
Spring has sprung and so has all of the
garbage left from careless winter drivers along 371. We did our
spring road clean up Saturday morning, April 17, about a month earlier
than usual. We wanted to get out there before the grass was knee
high. Five hearty souls spent a couple of hours canvassing our
assigned stretch of highway and although small in number ,we had
abundant energy and enthusiasm (the coffee and donuts helped) and were
able to finish the job, collecting 20 bags of garbage. Many
thanks to Lower Cullen residents Dan Hurley, John MacGibbon (who worked
longer than the rest of us to get it done), Jim and Anne Kostreba and
Mary Scanlan, Middle Cullen.
Boat
Parades
Both Middle and Lower Cullen
Lakes will
once again have a boat parade on the Fourth of July.
Participants should gather at the east end of
their lake shortly before 2:00 p.m.
Photos from each parade will appear in the summer newsletter.
MARK
YOUR CALENDARS
Cullen Lakes Association
Annual Meeting
Saturday, August 14, 2010
4:30 p.m.
Nisswa American Legion
UPDATED April 29, 2010
