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August 17, 2006 <br />GLWMO Board Members: <br />Since I am not an official associated with the GLWMO I feel a bit awkward speaking up <br />at your meetings. Still, I appreciate the opportunity to say a few words at your recent <br />meeting of Thursday July 27, 2006. I am writing to express some additional points I feel <br />need to be made beyond the comments I offered at the meeting. <br />Clearly stated Purpose & Objectives <br />Much of the meeting on July 27"' was spent debating whether or not a stated purpose of a <br />water quality study was necessary. Normally, when I have been involved in such <br />discussions, a sometimes controversial, but very necessary and healthy debate ensues on <br />WHAT should be the purpose and objectives; not IF there should be a stated purpose and <br />objective. <br />I am in agreement with Commissioner Moss with regard to the need for clearly stated <br />purpose and objectives for a water quality study undertaken by the GLWMO. Whether <br />an initiative is public or private, defining purpose and objectives are rudimentary. This is <br />why it does not make sense to me that much of the meeting was spent debating whether it <br />was necessary to clearly state a purpose and objective. This should especially be the case <br />when tax payer dollars are ultimately involved. <br />The board then went on to discuss extending the water quality study of Lake Owasso to <br />possibly lease or purchase equipment for $36,000 and possibly hire Barr Engineering for <br />another capital expenditure. How can the GLWMO be talking about additional studies <br />and expenditures when it struggles with the necessity to have a clearly stated purpose of a <br />water quality study? The GLWMO needs to have the WHAT discussion before <br />proceeding further. <br />If the GLWMO is making a concerted focus on Lake Owasso right now, it would do <br />better by focusing on fundamental issues affecting water quality. I will offer several <br />suggestions: <br />Fundamentals: <br />Instead of spending $36,000 on equipment for water quality sampling, why not work <br />towards more basic fundamentals that ought to be completed anyway? Example 1) Why <br />not make plans and recommendations to build a grate at the top of the boat launch with a <br />trench below connected to a sediment chamber just to the west of the boat launch? It is <br />troubling to realize that not one drain exits from the top of the hill on North Owasso <br />Blvd. (NOB) until just west of the boat launch. (The five drains west of the boat launch <br />do not capture much run-off from the hill as the boat launch intercepts that water flow <br />and diverts it directly into the lake). A less expensive option would be to build a speed <br />bump to divert run-off to the west the of the launch, however, people trailering boats may <br />not like a speed bump as they come out of the ramp. Another option might be to use the <br />5' strip of land immediately to the north of the northern most parking spot at the launch <br />for a grate and trench. This brings me to Example 2) Why not work toward building a <br />catch basin for the 5 drains west of the boat launch? In this case you have the luxury of <br />