WAYNE LAKES — The sudden death of former Wayne Lakes Mayor Gary Lee Young has brought a little head-scratching to the Wayne Lakes Council.
While Wayne Lakes Councilwoman Karen Sink said John McRoberts, Mayor Pro Tempore, is doing a good job, many projects/duties have to be ironed out. That is why Sink started the Wayne Lakes Fish and Lake Meeting.
“I thought if we have some meetings, maybe we can get some answers for the community, and at the same time get them involved,” Sink said. “It is my hope this community group will grow and work together to make the lakes their healthiest – making us all happy and healthy.”
The meetings take place the first Tuesday of each month at the Wayne Lakes Community Building. At the Aug. 1 meeting, Sink communicated her questions and concerns to an audience of seven. She said she is attending some training to learn about the chemicals required to maintain the lakes. She also said people are currently maintaining the lakes, but she wants to be sure that the process is the same for everyone. The lakes were just treated in June, Sink said.
“I think the goal is to have a better healthy plan of properly depositing the chemicals,” she said. “I believe that we are not all on the same page of treating the lakes. Everyone has a different opinion. I have been looking at the chemicals we use, and they are top of the line. We should look at that company and do it by the book.”
One community member said taking care of the lakes all boils down to money.
“Back in the ’60s and ’70s there was more care done with the lakes and the village property, because it was a park back then,” he said. “Two hundred fifty of those households probably spent membership fees to pay for fish and swimming chemicals. They raised their own fish in the hatcheries; that is all gone. That money that used to pay for treating these lakes and to pay guys to take care of them is not here. That is how it got to this point. There was some testing done last fall, and reports showed that Wayne Lakes was one of the cleaner lake systems around.”
Some considerations and questions consisted of the following: water temperature when depositing chemicals, lake testing, other things feeding the lakes, algal bloom, where specifically to deposit chemicals, gaining knowledge about the flow of the lakes and educating people on fishing guidelines and ordinances.
The outcome of the meeting led to the following action items. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources and other wildlife management groups will be contacted for help and education on lake health; a list of jobs beneficial to the lakes will be created, including descriptions on how to do them and people will ask their neighbors to attend the meetings.
In the meantime, Sink is seeking information, ideas and help. For those interested in volunteering or providing information, contact Karen Sink at 937-336-2293.
