State Representative Carrie Rheingans Speaks at Lake Association Meeting in Freedom Township
State Rep. Carrie Rheingans speaks to PLPOA on September 10 at Freedom Township Hall.
submitted by Pleasant Lake Property Owners Association
Rep. Carrie Rheingans D-47 showed up on a beautiful afternoon and talked with a gathering of Pleasant Lake area residents about the issues she feels strongly about and lessons she learned as a first-term Michigan House member. She said she grew up in rural areas and has lived in the Ann Arbor area for more than 23 years. She explained that she ran for office to contribute to the health of our residents, including through public health measures, education, and protections of Michigan’s air, water, and land, as well as safety protections. She is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Health Policy on the Higher Education Committee and is also on the Agriculture Committee since she understands how important agriculture is to her district and to Michigan’s economy.
State Rep. Carrie Rheingans
Rep. Rheingans said she was proud to be a member of a large class of new representatives and that her job has been intense right from the start. She is the co-sponsor of House Bill 4480, which calls for improvements to state regulations for septic and waste treatment systems and she has supported a bill for a statewide geological analysis to better understand where groundwater and other elements, like gravel, are located so Michigan can better plan for future requests for land use resources. She is proud of how she and many of her House colleagues are reaching across the aisle to work together on many important bills, including a state budget with $6B of federal funding. She has also been involved in bills on civil rights, education, elections, agriculture, efforts to expand patient access to healthcare, and improving the state tax situation for retired residents.
During the Q&A portion, residents asked about her position on gravel mining, short-term rentals, solar array, safety, and other issues. She stated she believes local government and residents know their issues best and the state should not expand rules limiting local control. Concern was expressed about the increasing amount of recent power outages. Rep. Rheingans was very familiar with that problem as she and her family recently had to stay in a hotel due to losing power for an extended period. She is involved in working on bills to better hold utility companies responsible in an effort to improve the situation.
When asked what has surprised her the most in the short time she’s been in office, Rep. Rheingans noted the biggest surprise has been the large number of lobbyists, many with 20+ years of experience. Legislators work very hard, she said, and sometimes upset the big interest groups, but her dad said: “If they’re upset, you must be doing something right!”
Following Rep. Rheingans, Theo Eggermont, Director of Public Works, Washtenaw County Water Resources Division, and Lauren Koloski, Environmental Supervisor, discussed the top-level goals of the current 2019–2023 SAD II efforts to keep Pleasant Lake viable for recreational use and maintain a good water ecosystems balance. This is achieved by ongoing lake management efforts, which include annual lake assessments and mapping performed by expert consultants, followed by a lake treatment plan and targeted chemical treatment of Pleasant Lake followed by a post-treatment inspection.
Weed growth in Pleasant Lake in 2021
Eggermont and Koloski asked for resident feedback on results. Resident comments included: “We no longer see weeds wrapped around the boat’s prop, which is a good sign.” Another more recent resident added: “One factor in our decision to move here over other possible lake properties was your ongoing lake management program to keep Pleasant Lake accessible for recreational use, which also protects property values.”
Eggermont and Koloski provided a general schedule for the renewal process to secure approvals for a third 5-year SAD III, plus very preliminary budget concepts. They asked questions about resident interest in conducting more lake studies, such as sources of nutrients that support vegetation growth or a fish study to confirm progress and ways to possibly reduce future chemical treatments. The general reaction of residents was positive, though there were also questions about cost increases and how it would be helpful to see data on what are the sources of nutrients in our lake and progress from past treatments.
Pleasant Lake area residents have long supported water and lake protections. In 1981 the PLPOA funded a study performed by water expert Dr. Wally Fusilier of Dexter. The study confirmed the lake at that time had more than 50 acres of dense weed beds made up of invasive Eurasian Milfoil increasing levels of organic material and high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the sediment and sporadic algae blooms.
Lake residents formed a Special Assessment District in 2001 and the planting of Weevils was the agreed-upon solution. Weevils were distributed into the lake in 2002–2003 but results were mixed and the SAD was allowed to end. The vegetation growth in the lake expanded, however, and impacted recreation so in 2011 residents again called for action.
Lake residents funded a new analysis of Pleasant Lake and this report by Aquest, Inc. confirmed the lake was above average in aquatic growth with 21 species. At the October 8, 2013, Freedom Township Board Meeting, the Board voted in support of a lake management program coordinated by the Washtenaw County Water Commissioners office. The Pleasant Lake Special Assessment District (SAD-1) ran from 2014 to 2018 and SAD II from 2019 to today. Residents were pleased with lake conditions in 2022 and 2023 and the Pleasant Lake Property Owners Association is working toward renewal of a SAD-III 2024–2029.
Theo Eggermont, Director of Public Works, Washtenaw County Water Resources Division, and Lauren Koloski, Environmental Supervisor, in Freedom Township on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
Pleasant Lake from the air.
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