posted Oct 23, 2009 4:03 PM by Larry Ossenkop
By HARRY G. PERKINS
Hub Regional Correspondent, 10-23-09, Kearney HUB on line at: http://www.kearneyhub.com JOHNSON LAKE - Johnson Lake Development directors decided
Tuesday to name the new portion of the hike and bike trail at the
lake in honor of Paul Matson.
Matson spearheaded the effort that resulted in construction of the
Larry Roper Hike and Bike Trail through the state park. Matson died
Oct. 10 after a long battle with cancer.
In its final meeting of 2009, the board of directors approved a
$27,305 budget for JLDI for 2010.
The budget does not include the expenses for the landfill at
$12,700 and garbage removal at $26,568. These expenses are paid
through a grant of $50,000 from the lake's owner, Central Nebraska
Public Power and Irrigation District.
Included in the budget is a proposal for $11,000 in contributions
from the area associations for community betterment. About two
dozen area associations that make up the JLDI membership.
Projects would be done in partnership with entities such as EMS,
the community's first-responder unit; the lake chapel; and
volunteer fire departments.
Projects mentioned include the hike and bike trail, the annual
fireworks display, the carp fund, and lake safety initiatives.
Directors would have to approve projects and use of the volunteer
funds.
Another committee met with Central staff to develop ideas for lake
betterment using a $100,000 contribution from Central. Among the
ideas are connecting the chapel restroom to the sewer system and
dredging parts of the lake. |
posted Sep 17, 2009 5:38 PM by Larry Ossenkop
By HARRY G. PERKINS
Hub Regional Correspondent, September 17, 2009; Kearney HUB on line at http://www.kearneyhub.com JOHNSON LAKE - Most of boating safety violations at Johnson Lake
are committed by cabin owners, a Nebraska Game and Parks supervisor
said.
"Enforcement officers are on the lake every weekend with additional
officers during holiday periods," Roger Thompson, a Game and Parks
supervisor from North Platte, told the Johnson Lake Development
Board of Directors Tuesday. "Johnson Lake is a priority lake for
us."
Thompson was invited to address the board after members recently
complained they rarely see enforcement officers.
He admitted officers don't maintain a high profile as part of their
enforcement strategy. "If they know we're there, they just clear
out," Thompson said.
The principal violation is failing to obey the 90-foot rule by
users of personal watercraft and water skiers.
"I honestly don't think they're aware of the rule," he said. It
prohibits users of watercraft from being within 30 yards of a boat
dock. That violation draws the most complaints, Thompson
said.
Age violations and having an open container of alcohol on board
also are frequent complaints. No one younger than 14 years of age
is to operate a watercraft, and operators younger than 18 are
required to take a boating safety class. Drinking while boating is
a violation on any public body of water.
In other matters, the board re-elected Joann Wieland to another
term as president. Adam Schwindt was elected treasurer. Both are
for two-year terms.
Schaben Sanitation of North Platte submitted the low bid to provide
weekly refuse service for $26,568 per year for two years.
The board tabled the proposed budget.
|
posted Sep 3, 2009 12:59 PM by Larry Ossenkop
posted Sep 2, 2009 9:38 AM by Larry Ossenkop
By LORI POTTER Hub Staff Writer, August 31, 2009, Kearney HUB on line at: http://www.kearneyhub.comHOLDREGE - A Labor Day groundbreaking for a new hike and bike trail at Johnson Lake will feature a "Parade of Spades" carried by bicycle riders, runners and walkers converging at the ceremony site.
The groundbreaking will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 7 at Drive 19B, Johnson Lake Drive.
Participants in a five-mile bicycle fun ride should meet at 9 a.m. at the EMS Building, Drive 8A. Also at 9 a.m., participants in a 3.3-mile fun run should meet at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outlet trail head on Drive 28.
There will be a fun walk of six-tenths of a mile starting at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 7 from Drive 22 (Mallard Beach 5-6 entrance area) and Drive 18 (inlet campground).
At Friday's Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District board committee meeting in Holdrege, CNPPID Public Relations Manager Tim Anderson said the concrete-surfaced trail on the west side of the lake along Central's E-65 irrigation canal will be 1.4 miles long.
Meetings are planned this week on the development plans so that construction can begin in October. Anderson said a contractor hasn't been selected, but work has been done to lay out the trail route and write specifications.
The total estimated cost is $225,000. So far, Central has contributed $158,000 and the Lexington Community Foundation has approved a $50,000 grant.
Anderson said Tri-Basin Natural Resources District officials have agreed to provide in-kind services for landscaping along the new trail.
He said the long-term goal is to link 17 miles of trails around the lake, making it a destination for people who enjoy trails as outdoor recreation.
In another Johnson Lake issue at Friday's CNPPID meeting, board members were reminded that public information meetings are scheduled next week on the district's updated land and shoreline management plan that's required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for Central projects.
The Lexington/Johnson Lake area meeting will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Lexington Holiday Inn Express.
Other meetings are at the Gray Goose Lodge at Lake McConaughy at 7 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time Sept. 9, and the Super 8 in Gothenburg at 7 p.m. Sept. 10.
The draft plan will be posted Tuesday on the Web site at www.cnppid.com. [ http://cnppid.com/Shoreline_Plan_and_Permits.htm ]
CNPPID Natural Resources Manager Mike Drain said comments will be accepted at the three public meetings, but the format will focus on information and answering questions. Then, comments will be accepted for another couple of weeks.
"For most of our established users, not much is going to change," he said.
However, contractors for future shoreline and land developments will face more permit conditions, Drain said, such as making sure habitats used by threatened or endangered species are protected.
The updated plan also must be reviewed by agencies and interests that include the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, counties and State Historic Preservation Office.
Drain said he hopes the plan is ready for board approval at its Sept. 25 committee meeting or at least by the Oct. 5 board meeting. The FERC deadline is the end of September, he said, but an extension won't be required if it's completed within a couple of weeks of the deadline. |
posted Jul 9, 2009 9:45 AM by Larry Ossenkop
Code Red Weather Warning - Residents
of Dawson and Gosper counties have the option to sign up for a phone
notification of severe weather as reported by the National Weather
Service.
Code Red Emergency Alert System - The Dawson County Sheriff office has signed an agreement with Code Red Emergency Alert system to provide a telephone alert for emergency situations to individuals and business in the Dawson and Gosper area. To register for the Code Red Alerts, go to
www.dawsoncountyne.net/sheriff or www.gospercountysheriff.com and click
on the Code Red link. If you need assistance, call Deb White at (308)
324-3011 or Brian Woldt at (308) 324-2070. There is no cost to register for the service.
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posted May 28, 2009 8:19 PM by Larry Ossenkop
| |
By HARRY G. PERKINS
,
Hub Regional Correspondent, 5-28-09, Kearney HUB on line at: http://www.kearneyhub.com
|
JOHNSON LAKE — The first leg of a hike and bike trail on the west side
of Johnson Lake has been endorsed by the directors of Johnson Lake
Development.
A one-mile trail already winds through the state park on the east side of the lake. The west-side trail will be more complex, but the first phase has been
approved by a study committee and was approved by the JLDI board last
week. Phase one would begin at the inlet of the supply canal
and go to the southwest corner of the lake. Phase two, as explained by
Allen McClure, would cross to Sandy Point. Phase three is proposed to
follow the paved highway across the dam and to connect with the south
end of the current eastern hike and bike trail.
Planners
hoped the west trail wouldn’t have to share the road with vehicles, but
learned that hikers and bikers want to be on the dam road, McClure said. “They want to see the lake,” he said. McClure said research with hike and bike trails elsewhere has revealed
that trail users generally ignore alternatives and go where they want
to go. The trail surface will be concrete.
McClure said that Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District
has set aside about $200,000 to help fund the project and supply
engineering needed on phase three.
In other business, a new
management agreement between Johnson Lake Development and the district
was approved at last week’s meeting. The agreement, negotiated by a team of JLDI and Central officials, has yet to be approved by Central’s directors. Many specifics remain to be worked out, but the agreement would call on
Central to take over mowing and seasonal sanitation now handled by
JLDI. JLDI would continue to maintain a sanitary landfill for yard waste and trees and branches.
Road maintenance, including snow removal, would become the
responsibility of Central because it owns the roads, rather than be
left to individual area associations as it is currently.
Also,
JLDI would change its bylaws to make its fiscal year begin Jan. 1 to
coincide with Central’s fiscal year to solve an accounting problem. JLDI would receive $10,000 from Central to cover JLDI’s services. This
is in addition to the annual funding of JLDI’s activities in its
management capacity. In 2008, JLDI received $47,850, according to Joann
Weiland, president of JLDI.
Chuck Olsen, a member of the
negotiating team, suggested that an assessment of $20 may be requested
from leaseholders to finance special projects. The annual meeting of all leaseholders who belong to JLDI will be at 7 p.m. June 19 at the Chapel of The Lake. |
posted Apr 18, 2009 3:30 PM by Larry Ossenkop
[
updated May 3, 2009 1:10 PM
]
Visit the JLDI website at: http://www.jldi.org for current information about JLDI activities, meeting agendas, meeting minutes and to view copies of the by-laws and articles of incorporation. |
posted Feb 27, 2009 7:45 PM by Larry Ossenkop
[
updated Jun 8, 2009 11:32 AM
]
JLDI is your local lake governing board, with two representatives (directors) from each of the leased lot areas.
Also the deeded areas are invited and asked to send a representative to the JLDI meetings. Meetings are held
the third Tuesday of each month from April through October annually, at the EMS Bldg, Drive 8A @ 7:30 p.m. and
are open to the public. Topics of concern should be addressed to your area directors who may in turn request that
the item be added to the next monthly agenda.
The next meeting will be April 21st, followed by May 19th and then the Annual Meeting will be on Friday Night,
June 19th, at 7.00 p.m. at the Chapel of the Lake. Everyone is encouraged to attend for the latest update on
the lake activities.
Officers effective with the new fiscal year, beginning May 1st are: Jo Wieland, President; Tom Mooberry, Vice
President; Jean Edeal, Secretary; and Denise Carlberg, Treasurer.
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