Lake Views Fall 2018 Newsletter

A few months ago, I introduced myself as the new president of LBPIA. Now I write a final letter as my nine years on the board comes to an end. I will use it to offer a piece of advice. At my age, I can do that without concern of repercussions.

In my early years in the forties as a young boy on Lake Beulah, the family naval fleet consisted of a flat bottom wooden row boat that my grandfather built one summer. Oars powered the boat, augmented later by a 2.5 horse power Elgin outboard motor. Few residents, at least on the upper lake site of our home, had much in the way of power boats. One with a 25hp outboard had a big boat.

Think of how that has changed over the years. Most of us have more boats of ever increasing size, of ever increasing speed, of ever enhanced capabilities, and featuring the finest in accouterments. Yet the lake remains the same size as in the 1940s, a bit over 800 acres. More boats, bigger boats, faster boats can create troublesome situations.

One of those troublesome situations came to a head this summer. Some Mill Lake residents, upset with high waves they attributed to operations of boats with water‐filled ballast tanks, sought help from the Town of East Troy. The town board, after considering a proposed ordinance to restrict the use of wave enhancement boating, instead decided to place 14 buoys 200 feet from shore at various points around Mill Lake. The hope is that with revised and expanded placement of buoys and increased enforcement effort by town police will improve conditions.

Will it? If the buoy plan doesn’t fix the problem, from my perch on the fence post, the town board can always return to considering other options, including the proposed ordinance.

So, what should you and I do? My answer is, follow respectful and safe boating practices. Consider where you are on the lake, of how close you are to other boats or to shore or to activities taking place on the water. Think of the impact your boating has on others. Adopt courteous boating practices. Follow that approach and all may continue to enjoy the benefits of this outstanding body of water called Lake Beulah.

John Sonderegger - Outgoing LBPIA President