CLMC Debates Future
By PATRICK L. FANELLI
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10/13/2006 - MAYVILLE — When it comes to creating a new entity to manage Chautauqua Lake, the devil’s in the details.
Though they joined forces to develop a unified approach to solving the lake’s problems, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission members don’t always agree — especially when it comes to how exactly it’s going to work.
‘‘I think there’s a huge public sentiment not to create a new bureaucracy,’’ said John Jablonski, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy executive director and commission member, at Thursday’s meeting in Mayville. ‘‘I think there’s a huge difference of opinion that hasn’t been addressed.’’
The issue at hand was how the CLMC would evolve next year once a manager was selected to oversee lake improvement operations and what exactly that position would entail.
Jablonski thought the CLMC should work through an existing agency, such as the county Health Department or the Soil and Water Conservation District, to avoid the creation of a new bureaucracy.
Bill Evans, CLMC chairman, disagreed, believing the whole point of establishing the CLMC was to create a new entity to oversee the health of Chautauqua Lake.
‘‘I have said this ad nauseum. This is a transitional process. The light at the end of the tunnel is this entity to supervise the management of the lake,’’ said Evans, who feels the CLMC should evolve into something of a board of directors for the lake management entity. ‘‘We’re going to supervise the executive director. We’re not going to give it to someone else.’’
Lake Manager
The $567,000 that commission members requested from the county legislature for 2007 did not include any money for a new position. Instead, the full-time lake management position was made possible by a $159,000 state grant through the county Planning and Economic Development
The $567,000 was only requested for additional services, such as more weed harvesting along the shoreline and additional watershed preservation projects. The county legislature is still considering the spending plan along with the rest of the 2007 budget proposed by County Executive Greg Edwards.
Jablonski made suggestions for the lake management commission and submitted some ideas for a job description that he compiled after examining what other lakefront communities have done.
‘‘We probably don’t want someone doing detailed lake studies in the field,’’ Jablonski said. ‘‘We want someone who can manage the whole process and make sure the plan is implemented and administered.’’
Though commission members still haven’t settled on the future structure of the CLMC, four members including Jablonski will have a draft job description ready for the next meeting in November.
The clock is ticking on that, Evans said, since it will take some time to find someone who meets their qualifications once they determine what those qualifications are.
Management Guide
Commission members are also making progress on the Chautauqua Lake management guide — a detailed resource for future lake managers.
‘‘I continue to call it a management guide,’’ Evans said. ‘‘It’s really a base document from which we will develop the action plan for any given year.’’
‘‘And that’s the budget,’’ said Mike Wilson, SUNY geosciences professor, who represents the Chautauqua County Water Quality Task Force on the commission. ‘‘I want the two to meld together.’’
Wilson is developing the lengthy document from submissions and suggestions from other commission members. He reported that it has become filled with changes and suggested taking what they have now and beginning to edit that.
‘‘This thing has so many changes that maybe we would want to start from scratch,’’ Wilson said.
According to Evans, the management guide will be a fluid document that will be constantly revised and changed in the future. It will include everything, from a detailed history of the lake to potential solutions to the lake’s problems.
Though they joined forces to develop a unified approach to solving the lake’s problems, Chautauqua Lake Management Commission members don’t always agree — especially when it comes to how exactly it’s going to work.
‘‘I think there’s a huge public sentiment not to create a new bureaucracy,’’ said John Jablonski, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy executive director and commission member, at Thursday’s meeting in Mayville. ‘‘I think there’s a huge difference of opinion that hasn’t been addressed.’’
The issue at hand was how the CLMC would evolve next year once a manager was selected to oversee lake improvement operations and what exactly that position would entail.
Jablonski thought the CLMC should work through an existing agency, such as the county Health Department or the Soil and Water Conservation District, to avoid the creation of a new bureaucracy.
Bill Evans, CLMC chairman, disagreed, believing the whole point of establishing the CLMC was to create a new entity to oversee the health of Chautauqua Lake.
‘‘I have said this ad nauseum. This is a transitional process. The light at the end of the tunnel is this entity to supervise the management of the lake,’’ said Evans, who feels the CLMC should evolve into something of a board of directors for the lake management entity. ‘‘We’re going to supervise the executive director. We’re not going to give it to someone else.’’
Lake Manager
The $567,000 that commission members requested from the county legislature for 2007 did not include any money for a new position. Instead, the full-time lake management position was made possible by a $159,000 state grant through the county Planning and Economic Development
The $567,000 was only requested for additional services, such as more weed harvesting along the shoreline and additional watershed preservation projects. The county legislature is still considering the spending plan along with the rest of the 2007 budget proposed by County Executive Greg Edwards.
Jablonski made suggestions for the lake management commission and submitted some ideas for a job description that he compiled after examining what other lakefront communities have done.
‘‘We probably don’t want someone doing detailed lake studies in the field,’’ Jablonski said. ‘‘We want someone who can manage the whole process and make sure the plan is implemented and administered.’’
Though commission members still haven’t settled on the future structure of the CLMC, four members including Jablonski will have a draft job description ready for the next meeting in November.
The clock is ticking on that, Evans said, since it will take some time to find someone who meets their qualifications once they determine what those qualifications are.
Management Guide
Commission members are also making progress on the Chautauqua Lake management guide — a detailed resource for future lake managers.
‘‘I continue to call it a management guide,’’ Evans said. ‘‘It’s really a base document from which we will develop the action plan for any given year.’’
‘‘And that’s the budget,’’ said Mike Wilson, SUNY geosciences professor, who represents the Chautauqua County Water Quality Task Force on the commission. ‘‘I want the two to meld together.’’
Wilson is developing the lengthy document from submissions and suggestions from other commission members. He reported that it has become filled with changes and suggested taking what they have now and beginning to edit that.
‘‘This thing has so many changes that maybe we would want to start from scratch,’’ Wilson said.
According to Evans, the management guide will be a fluid document that will be constantly revised and changed in the future. It will include everything, from a detailed history of the lake to potential solutions to the lake’s problems.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
