There will be a garage sale at 5038 and 5059 Gallagher, Fri Oct 26 from 12-6pm and Sat Oct 27 from 10am-6pm. Some of the items include furniture, exercise equipment, lots of household and seasonal items, and clothing.
Park Assets Feedback Survey
The Joint Access Committee (JAC) team would like to survey the Association members about their perspectives on the condition and maintenance priorities of the assets in our Park. Please take a few minutes to provide this valuable feedback so we can focus our efforts and limited funds on the most important priorities. Click here to take the survey. The survey will close for responses at 6pm on 11/2. Thank you. -JAC
Joint Access Committee (JAC) Meeting on Sunday Oct 7, 2018
A JAC meeting will be held on Oct 7 @ 10am at the Park, weather permitting (backup location will be at 5206 Gallagher if raining). The Meeting Agenda will be as follows:
1. Porta-Potty: Finalize plans/next steps for the porta-potty enclosure replacement project.
2. Shoreline Restoration Project: Hear recommendations from the sub-team and finalize a plan/next steps.
A big “THANK YOU” to the JAC Committee members for stepping up, volunteering their time, and getting the ball rolling on several projects to improve our community! Volunteers are always welcome, even if your time is limited. You do not have to be a member of the JAC in order to help on a project.
Advisory: Residents Advised To Avoid Swallowing Foam On Huron River
To review this advisory related to water quality from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, please click here.
Shoreline Erosion Mitigation Proposal to be Reviewed at Sept 23 JAC Meeting
This Shoreline Erosion Mitigation Proposal will be reviewed at the upcoming Sept 23 JAC meeting at the Park from 10am-11am after we elect new officers.
We have lost a significant amount of shoreline again this year due to ice, flooding, pontoon slip usage, wave action, and lack of adequate root system protection. We will discuss the approach, cost, and timeline of the project and make a determination if we will move forward with this natural shoreline restoration project. If we decide to move forward with the project, we will draft the appropriate MDEQ project paperwork, submit to both Association Boards for approval and signature, then submit to MDEQ for approval. MDEQ approval could take 60-90 days from the submission date. If you are interested in participating in maintenance of the Park or joining the JAC, please attend this important meeting.
JAC Meeting Scheduled for 10am Sunday Sept 23
We will be having a JAC (Joint Access Committee) meeting at the park on Sunday Sept 23 from 10:00-11:00am. The current agenda for the meeting is to elect new officers for the committee and discuss park maintenance, including the shoreline erosion project status. For those that will not be in town and would like to attend the meeting remotely via phone, we will try to arrange an audio conference to call into. If you would like to call into the audio conference line for the meeting, please RSVP by 6pm Friday Sept 21 by emailing “thepark@strawberryhillestates.org” with a short note letting us know you are interested in the audio conference line option and we will email you details.
Emergency PFAS “Do Not Eat” Fish Consumption Advisory
A warning about fish from the Huron Chain from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
LANSING, MI – State health officials issued an emergency PFAS “Do Not Eat” fish consumption advisory Saturday Aug 4 for several water bodies on the Huron River within parts of Oakland, Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
It applies to all fish between the Huron River at Milford (Oakland County) to the Huron River at Base Line and Portage Lakes (Livingston and Washtenaw county lines) due to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) contamination, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The advisory issued Aug. 4 replaces previous mercury and PCB guidelines that recommend consumption limits for Huron River fish, per the MDHHS.
Fish from Kent Lake in the Huron River were tested for PFOS and elevated levels of PFOS were found in all fish filets tested, according to the MDHHS. Water bodies affected by the Aug. 4 advisory include Hubbell Pond, Kent Lake, Strawberry and Zukey Lake, Gallagher Lake, Loon Lake, Whitewood Lakes and Base Line and Portage Lakes.
The MDHHS reports fish filets were tested because of Michigan’s perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) effort. The advisory relates to the state’s work to address PFAS and PFOS.
Touching the fish or water and swimming in these water bodies is not considered a health risk, according to the MDHHS. PFAS, which includes PFOS, do not easily move through the skin. An occasional swallow of river or lake water is also not considered a health concern, the MDHHS states.
The department annually releases Eat Safe Fish Guides in the spring, and emergency advisories, as needed. The guidelines are set to be protective for everyone, including children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with existing health problems including cancer and diabetes. The state has been routinely testing fish filets for PFAS since 2012, the MDHHS states.
More information including identified Michigan contaminated sites, water filtration, testing, and acceptable limits can be found here on Michigan.gov. Safe fish eating guidelines can be found here.
NOTE FROM PBWOA (Portage, Base, & Whitewood Owners Association): This contamination is NOT related to any weed control activities. It is occurring well above any treatment areas but has progressed downstream.
Time Sensitive Hamburg Township 2020 Master Plan Survey
Hamburg Township is in the process of updating their Master Plan which guides the plan for future growth and development. Your input is important!! The survey input will close sometime in the afternoon on Friday September 7, 2018. Please take the time TODAY to go online and take the survey to voice your opinion on Hamburg Township’s future.
Be sure to include anything specific that you’d like to see in the “other” section. For example, specific locations you’d like to see the Lakeland Trail connect to, types of changes you would like to see with our parks/recreation/entertainment, or something you strongly feel that the township does well or is lacking. The survey can be found at the link below. This survey consists of 13 questions and focuses on what you would or would not like to see in the future of Hamburg Township. This link was tested and is a phishing safe link.
Please take the survey: https://visionhamburgmi.wixsite.com/hamburgmasterplan
Park Spring Clean-Up 2018 – Saturday, May 19th at 10:00am
Please join us for a couple of hours on Saturday at 10:00am (or however long you can offer) to spruce up the park heading into summer. If we get rained out, we will try the following day (Sunday) at 12:00pm.
We will be working on the following:
– Rototilling the volleyball court and beach
– Spreading sand on the beach and volleyball court (sand delivered at 11:30am)
– Repairing / sanding picnic tables
– Stacking / restacking the firewood (wear gloves!)
– Possiby repairing the porta-potty surround
*Note that we will not be raking rocks (that is all done).
Please bring your own tools (rakes, shovels, wheelbarrow, etc). In addition to this posting, we will post a notice on our sign out front.
Plan for possible delays if you are planning to launch your boat Saturday
Due to park maintenance work Saturday from 8-11am, you may experience delays if you are planning to launch your boat during this time. It would be best if you launched it before 730am or later in the afternoon.