At a public hearing April 7, several community members showed their support for the application of the herbicide Renovate to Cazenovia Lake in order to curb the continuing spread of Eurasian milfoil.

“I’m very appreciative of the leadership that the town has shown, the village has shown, the watershed council has shown in supporting this effort,” said Cazenovia resident Richard Husted. “It’s a true community-wide effort.”

Husted said that he has seen the quality of the lake swiftly deteriorate over the past decade — he has been a lake resident for 14 years.

Bob Greiner represented the Seven Pines neighborhood at the meeting, thanking the watershed council members.

“All fourteen homeowners would like to thank you for your leadership and your work and your efforts to clean up the lake,” Greiner said. “They are behind it financially as well, a hundred percent.”

Since March 1, about $92,000 dollars has been raised, with an additional $8,000 pledged.

“There’s plenty of time for people to still give,” said Preston Gilbert, Cazenovia Lake Association president. “The Lake Assocation still welcomes not only cash donations, but people who want to volunteer.”

The association will depend on volunteers to assist in different parts of the application process, said Gilbert.

After the treatment at the end of May, it is recommended that water not be used for drinking for several weeks. The village will make available potable drinking water for those who currently draw water from the lake for drinking.

In several instances at the public hearing, residents offered support and congratulations for the cooperation between the village, town, lake association and other groups in the initiative to treat the lake.

“I’d like to congratulate all of you on the multi-municipal aspect of coming together to approach this problem. It’s great to see the support of so many people, so many residents around the lake,” Ralph Monforte said. “I look forward to a future on the lake after this process is completed.”

Gilbert offered similar praise.

“This is an unprecedented amount of cooperation between these boards,” he said.

For those who would like to contribute to fund the herbicide treatment, checks can be made payable to Cazenovia Lake Association and mailed to: Save the Lake, CLA, PO Box 55, Cazenovia, NY 13035.

Contributors will receive a membership in Cazenovia Lake Association for the year.

PHOTO: Allied Biological, Inc.