The Cazenovia Town Board is gearing up for the spring and summer season by approving a number of measures that affect the health and recreational use of Cazenovia Lake.
During its April 11 regular monthly meeting, the board approved an inter-municipal agreement with the village to allow town residents to apply for village boat launch use permits without paying the non-village-resident charge, authorized the purchase of a new 2016 11-foot weed harvester for $240,046 that will remove eight times the amount of invasive species than did the old harvester, and approved new fees and rules for the installation and use of benthic barrier mats by lakeside property owners.
For the benthic mat rental program, which has been offered for the past three years as one way to manage excessive weed growth in Cazenovia Lake, the board contracted again with Windsong Farm to install the mats and increased the mat rental fees from $75 to $85 dollars.
Benthic barrier mats cover a portion of the lake bottom and prevent plant growth by blocking the sunlight required for plants to grow. They also provide a physical barrier against the spread of macrophytes or, more specifically for Cazenovia Lake issues, Eurasian water milfoil.
Board member Tom Driscoll and Supervisor Bill Zupan emphasized at the meeting that the town does not make any income from the benthic mat rental program, the fees charged simply cover the cost of the program.
Also at the meeting, the board awarded a bid of $147,000 to James and Son Construction, of Skaneateles, to complete external repairs on the Gothic Cottage, to include the repair of two chimneys, the roof, wood siding and painting. No interior work is included in the repair and stabilization project, Zupan said.
More information on town lake health activities and the Gothic Cottage can be found on the town website at townofcazenovia.org.
