Okoboji Protective Association

Spring, 2007

From the OPA President

This year there has been some good news, bad news, and then there has been no news at all. There is some just flat out good news. Tom Shive (long time OPA member) donated his boat to the OPA, it sold over the winter, and the OPA has $1200 more for our treasurer to worry about. Many thanks to Tom and his family for the donation.

Greg Drees, OPA board member and former president, has been appointed by the governor to the DNR's Natural Resource Commission. The NRC is a citizen board that plays a key role in the management and protection of Iowa's public lands. Congratulations!

The OPA board voted last fall to send a letter to the Iowa Attorney General urging enforcement of the law in regard to silt fence violations during the construction of Bridges Bay Resort on East Okoboji last summer. The Attorney General office has now filed suit in Dickinson County against Bridges Bay for alleged violations pertaining to air and water pollution.

The OPA is starting a concerted membership drive this spring, thanks to Deidre Rosenboom. You will see the new OPA logo and membership information in the Lakes Art Center playbills, Summer Theater playbills, new dock signs, and much more.

There has been no news from our newly elected governor concerning local control, even though Chet Culver said he was in favor of local control while campaigning for the office. Stronger laws and penalties for driving a boat while intoxicated have been shelved by the Iowa legislature for now. Phil Peterson, OPA vice president, has worked hard to get this legislation passed as communications director of the IGL Water Safety Council.

Some bad news is Jeff Vonk is no longer the director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The good news is Governor Culver has named Rich Leopold, former director of the Iowa Environmental Council, as the new director of the DNR. Rich is very familiar with the Iowa Great Lakes area as he was the former Dickinson County naturalist. The governor replaced four Environmental Protection Commissioners as well. OPA board member Donna Buell was one of the four replaced. The insight, knowledge, and experience of these five people will be missed, but hopefully the five new appointees will do more than a credible job.

Here are the good news/bad news or bad news/good news summaries. The bad news is that Governor Culver didn't put the monies needed for Angler's Bay in his budget. Rumor has it that this was an oversight and that money will be back in the budget in 2008. The OPA has pledged $25,000 over a three-year period to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation towards the purchase of Angler's Bay.

The Watershed Enhancement Board (W.E.B.), conceived by OPA board member Greg Drees to assist city and county governments of Dickinson County make better-informed decisions concerning the environment, seems to be at a stand still.

The OPA's 102nd year is going to be a great and exciting one. Whether you are a board member or not, I encourage you to attend the OPA board meetings held the last Saturday of the month at 8 a.m. at the Waitt Lab on the Lakeside Lab campus.

Enjoy the summer and the lakes!

Hank Miguel
OPA President