Shafer & Freeman Lakes Environmental Conservation Corporation

Dredging Areas for the upcoming 2025 season will include north of 8289 N Kiger Dr on Lake Shafer in Monticello, IN 47960. From there, the dredge will work down-river and hopefully make it near N Barekman Ct. by the end of the season. The dredge being used is a 12-inch dredge, which means that it has a pump with a 12-inch discharge port. It will be removing sediments coming down the Tippecanoe River. Watch for the pipeline and the buoys marking it. The pipeline is transporting the sediments to a disposal site. These projects are occurring within Idle Zones established and enforced by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Please respect the Idle Zones.

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the resignation of our Executive Director, Gabrielle Haygood, effective December 13, 2024.

After 20 years of dedicated service, Gabrielle has worked tirelessly with our Staff, Board of Directors, and the local community.

We deeply appreciate Gabrielle’s countless contributions, and wish her and her family the best in their future endeavors.

~Carrie Woodruff, SFLECC President

SFLECC Board of Directors President, Carrie Woodruff, called the meeting to order and welcomed those in attendance. She introduced the Board of Directors and went over what the SFLECC has been doing over the past year.

Carrie Woodruff then introduced the seven candidates for the five available Director positions: Rick Stetler (incumbent); Jack Werner (incumbent); Greg Deitz; John Engler; Darin Griesey; Ed Lucy; Rick Sweet. Voting took place throughout the meeting and ballots were collected at the end.

In lieu of Treasurer Tracey Linder’s absence, Carrie Woodruff presented the financial state of the organization. She reported that finances were within the projected budgets for operations and dredging. Operations revenue was at 103% of the budget at the end of July and operations expenses were at 49%. On the dredging side, expenses were at 40% through July.

Up next, Executive Director Gabrielle Haygood thanked all who came to the meeting and introduced the board and the staff. She proceeded to inform the attendees of all SFLECC has been doing this year. In April, SFLECC stocked fish and installed some fish habitats in both lakes. In May, SFLECC bought a new-to-us office building/meeting room/garage and moved to it. She talked about dredging, updating equipment, and maintaining the retention ponds, and how the flooding in July set back the dredging schedule greatly. Since then, the cleanup crew has been in overdrive with all the logs and debris that came down from the river. There has also been an invasive aquatic plant species called Eurasian Milfoil found on Lake Shafer and Aquatic Control Inc out of Valparaiso will be spraying the weed on September 4, 2024.

Land Manager Owen Lovvorn then talked about the Cleanup Crew and the debris that has been collected this year. He then discussed the Shore Front construction happening on the lakes.

At this point, Carrie Woodruff thanked the board for their volunteer service and presented Director & Secretary Marie Green with a gift for her many years of dedication to the SFLECC.   

After a period of questions and answers, the meeting was adjourned.

Votes were then counted. Incumbent Jack Werner was voted back on the board, along with new board member Greg Deitz. John Engler, Ed Lucy, and Rick Sweet will also be returning to the board.

*After the September Board Meeting, here is the new lineup of the Board of Directors for 2024-25: President-Carrie Woodruff, Vice President-John Engler, Secretary-Mike Triplett, Treasurer-Tracey Linder, Scott Bechtel, Greg Deitz, Bob Dion, Steve Haines, Dave Hardy, Lindy Karberg, Ed Lucy, Steve Pollack, Joel Stiller, Rick Sweet, Jack Werner.

Aquatic Control, Inc. will be spray-treating areas of Lake Shafer for Eurasian Milfoil tomorrow, September 4th, starting at 7 a.m. They will have two boats going – one boat will be starting upstream and one boat in the southern treatment zones – both working their way back to the launch at Big Monon Camp. It is recommended to limit boat traffic in the treated areas and to turn off lake-drawn irrigation systems for 3 days.

More detailed maps of the areas that will be treated for Eurasian Milfoil on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, starting from the PJ’s Gas Station area and going downriver. These maps do overlap but are more specific than the overall map posted previously. Aquatic Control, Inc has posted signs near all the areas that will be treated next week.

On August 22^nd, 2024, at 7 pm in the SFLECC Office, the Board of Directors met to discuss the treatment of Eurasian Milfoil in Lake Shafer. In an 8-6 vote, the majority was in favor of treating the invasive aquatic vegetation through chemical spraying the 44 acres of Lake Shafer on which it has been discovered. On September 4^th, Aquatic Control Inc. will be spraying the chemical, ProcellaCOR EC that has been approved by DNR, US Dept. of Agriculture, US Fish & Wildlife, and EPA. It is a selective and systemic herbicide that is said not to have any effect on humans, wildlife or other aquatic plant life such as Coontail, Duckweed, Eel Grass, Water Lily pads, etc. Aquatic Control Inc. will be posting signs on Wednesday, August 28^th near the areas that will be sprayed to inform property owners to turn off lake-drawn irrigation systems for the first 3 days following treatment.

The Shafer & Freeman Lakes Environmental Conservation Corporation Annual Meeting will be on Saturday, August 24th, 2024 at 10:00 am in the SFLECC’s New Office Building at 514 South Railroad Street in Monticello.

Five board positions will be filled at the meeting. Directors must be legal residents of the state of Indiana. Only members* of the SFLECC are entitled to run for the board and vote.

*Members of the corporation consist of persons who have a paid current Shore Front License or have made a donation twice the amount of a standard Shore Front License during the calendar year. They could also be a recorded member of an association with a paid current Shore Front License. Members are encouraged to attend this meeting. Ballots will be available at the registration desk.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their thoughts with SFLECC regarding the recent post about Eurasian Milfoil treatment. We believe it’s important to provide additional time for public education and notification.

Please be assured that the SFLECC Board of Directors is diligently conducting thorough research to ensure that we make the best decisions for the lakes. Our commitment remains the same, to operate transparently, openly, and fairly.

Our next regularly scheduled board meeting is Thursday, August 15th at 7 pm in our office at 514 S. Railroad St. Monticello. You must call our office at 574-583-9784 to be added to the agenda if you wish to speak.

A reputable aquatic treatment company has confirmed an invasive species called Eurasian Milfoil in some areas on Lake Shafer. While it is not Shafer & Freeman Lakes Environmental Conservation Corporation’s responsibility to manage this problem (as it does not own the waters), we have taken on the responsibility to research a solution. One of the processes for eliminating this invasive species is to have those areas treated with a specific chemical spray by a licensed technician. After meeting with this company, SFLECC decided to treat the lake with a selective herbicide that has been approved by the US Department of Agriculture and the Indiana DNR called ProcellaCOR EC. It is a selective and systemic herbicide that is said not to have any effect on humans, wildlife or other aquatic plant life, but will kill grass, sedge weeds and broadleaf weeds. Systemic means that the plant will take it up from the roots, release it throughout its entire structure, and will die with in 2-4 weeks. The chemical will then break down naturally within 3-4 days. The process will take place on Tuesday, August 27^th and it is recommended to turn off all lake-drawn irrigation systems for 3 days. The cost of this treatment is expensive and not something that was budgeted for this year. Because of this, SFLECC could really use your help covering the cost. Any donations you can provide would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to SFLECC, PO Box 372 Monticello, IN 47960.