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Will the war of weeds subside on Wayne County bays?

Pictured left are Macedon Supervisor/SWCD Board member Bill Hammond, Sodus Supervisor Steve LeRoy, Huron Supervisor Laurie Crane. (sitting) Wolcott Supervisor Kim Park and SWCD District Director Rob Williams.

Should the annual harvesting of aquatic plant growth in area bays be the responsibility of county government, or should waterfront property owners take the lead in the continual war on weeds?

That is the question that has been bantered about since the Wayne County Soil & Water Conservation District, Board of Directors announced last year that they would no longer head the yearly attack.

According to SWCD District Manager Rob Williams, Over the past several years, the SWCD Board of Directors had received numerous complaints that the weed harvesting program is too small and was not being run efficiently and effectively. The SWCD then made numerous changes to the program which did not appease the public organization representatives. “No matter how much we did, it still wasn't good enough!,” said Rob.

The SWCD Board of Directors then made the decision a year ago that the weed harvesting program was growing large enough that it required an organization that could focus more time and resources into the program which would increase the overall program efficiency. They also announced that the SWCD would no longer administer the weed harvesting program after the 2007 season.

Shortly thereafter, it was suggested that the board look into establishing a not-for-profit so that the program could continue for the benefit of the public. “This is a good thing! We have often said that if "someone has a better idea" let's hear it - but as far as we know only one idea has been brought forward - and it was not accepted by the County Supervisors and I believe that was to put the program into another county department,” said Williams. “This issue was continuously announced at "every" WQCC (Water Quality Coordinating Committee) meeting over the past year in hopes the WQCC representatives would share the information with their respective organizations. “We have hoped for more collaboration, but everyone seems to not take us seriously. Many people have come to us in support of the Not-For-Profit. They say "this is a good idea". We have sent out direct mailings, it's been in the local papers, it's even been in agency newsletters. It is not fair to the Soil & Water Conservation District, the Board of Supervisors and to the public, that, after all of the hard work that's been put into this, that certain people would wait until the last minute and try to derail what could possibly be a great future for the weed harvesting program,' said Rob. “My board's decision to create this cooperative so that the weed harvesting program can continue for the benefit of the public, is a wise decision, it is a responsible decision and it is a good decision,” he added.

Williams spearheaded the drive to set up the not-for-profit corporation and filed all the necessary paperwork with the state. The DEC is expected to approve the donation of the equipment to the new corporation, including three weed harvesters, one dump truck and shore conveyors. According to Williams, the same crews that have been working the harvesting equipment would continue to do so as part-time employees of the Bay-Shore Cooperative.

The new corporation would consist of members from each of the property owner bay associations that now exist: SOS (Save Our Sodus) SBIA (Sodus Bay Improvement Association) East Bay Association, Port Bay Improvement Association and the Blind Sodus Bay Association.

In the past, the annual weed harvesting has been funded through monies administered through the Soil & Water Board. Annually, $55,000 is available through the Finger Lakes Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FLLOWPA) state funding. Bill Hammond, Macedon Town Supervisor and SWCD Board member agreed with Williams that that funding would continue to support the new corporation. In addition, the County Board of Supervisors has agreed to contribute $44,100.

The three waterfront bay towns of Sodus, Huron and Wolcott would also contribute an additional $15,000, more than doubling the current annual budget for weed harvesting. State Senator Michael Nozollio has secured an additional $75,000 for another weed harvester and the corporation could look for another $25,000 from its membership for a fourth weed harvester, if they wished. “The plan more than doubles their (weed harvesting) budget,” said Hammond .

The towns of Sodus and Wolcott have already approved their portion of the contribution. Huron Supervisor Laurie Crane, whose town has the most bay waterfront property and, therefore, the biggest share of the $15,000 pledged to the new corporation, said she would approach her board in April and would push for the funds.

Crane said that, if the various bay associations did not want to go for the new corporation set-up, her suggestion would be setting up “weed districts” where only those affected by the weed growth would pay for the service through an additional tax.

Donna Chittenden, the former Sodus Town Supervisor, and current vice president of SOS, said she believed it should be the County's responsibility for handling the annual weed harvesting. She agreed though, that the new corporation idea sounded promising, if all the promises were kept.

Chittenden questioned whether a stable weed harvesting program could succeed with an all-volunteer board that could see member changes from year to year. She also questioned whether the funding sources would be guaranteed from year to year.

Williams said the FLLOWPA money has been around for years and sees no reason why it would not continue in the future. Steve LeRoy, who along with Crane and Wolcott Supervisor Kim Park, pushed for the County funds for the new corporation said the group would have to request the funding on an annual basis, but saw no reason why it should not continue.