Koontz Lake Conservancy District

Why was the Conservancy formed?

The Conservancy was formed to enhance the water quality of Koontz Lake by reducing algae, invasive weeds and muck. Up till now, the only funding for this type of effort has been through donatinos and grants. A steady stream of funding is required to ensure ongoing care of the lake.

Who pays for the Conservancy?

There are approximately 900 “free holds” (individual property owners) in the boundaries of the KLCD which are the same as the Sewer District. Each freeholder pays 16.98¢/$100 of the assessed value of their property. For example, if your assessed value is $100,000, you will pay $169.80 per year in KLCD special assessment tax.

Is the aeration going in this year?

As of June, 2020, we are in the process of getting our plans reviewed by the DNR, who then must recommend to the Starke County Circuit Court that they approve our plans. We then need to secure the necessary permits. This permitting came as somewhat a surprise as we believed we had been told in the past that none were required. Bottom line – we still have two major approvals we need to secure from the DNR and we are working diligently to receive them.

How much money is going into the pockets of the KLCD board members?

Zero dollars are going into the pockets of the KLCD board members. Board members receive no monetary stipend of any kind and sit on the board as an appointed or elected volunteer. The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) monitors our activity to ensure that we are spending appropriately, and the State Board of Accounts will conduct ongoing audits of our accounts. In addition, as we only recently received our first revenues from the Starke County Treasurer on May 28th, 2020, we will be posting our financial reports as well as our meeting minutes in our Meeting Archive.

It’s been 3 years. Why has nothing has been done?

Please see our June Newsletter for a detailed timeline of what has been done and what our plans are.

Why do we need the KLCD? I thought the sewers were supposed to clean the lake.

The sewer system was a necessary first step in improving health of the lake. The sewer system allowed us to eliminate septic fields which were continuously adding nutrients to the lake. Those nutrients contribute to our weed and algae problems.

I live off the lake. Why should I have to pay for the KLCD when only the people that live on the lake will benefit from it?

The plan will benefit everyone in the neighborhood – not just lakefront property owners. If the lake becomes unusable (as it was Labor Day of 2015), studies have shown that surrounding property values can drop by as much as 20%. And that is NOT just lakefront properties – that is everyone in the community. So, for example, if your home is currently worth $100,000 and the lake dies, it would be worth $80,000.

Can I treat my lakefront for weeds?

Yes. For recommendations on what to use and how to use it, see the article “Private Weed Treatment on Your Personal Waterfront” in our March Newsletter.