By Gail Peckler-Dziki~Correspondent
Paddock Lake Village Administrator Tim Popanda reported that he would be coming to the Paddock Lake District annual meeting to request money to repair the weed harvester at a July 18 meeting of the lake protection and rehabilitation district commissioners. The village board is also the lake protection and rehabilitation commission.
“The harvester continually struggles. In the past,” he said, “We waited for the machine to break down. Now we are attempting to troubleshoot, analyzing what needs to be repaired to keep it functioning.”
Popanda explained that the request would be for money to rebuild the front end of the harvester, including the cutters.
“We want to extend the life of the harvester,” he said. “In 2014, we expect a grant to purchase a new cutter. There are monies available until 2018. The grants are no longer 50 percent, they are now 40 percent.”
Marlene Goodson, village president and chair of the Lake District Commission said, “We have enough money saved to purchase a machine outright and then we would receive the grant as a 40 percent reimbursement. And we would also be able to sell the current machine.”
Popanda also reported that they were one-week away form shutting down harvesting because of low water. The other option was to move the harvesting operation to the channel on 248th Avenue.
“The water there is 15 feet deep,” he said. “The harvester would not be there overnight.”
If the lack of rain continues and the water levels drops further, using the conveyer on the harvester to move cut weeds to the land conveyer which moves them to the truck to be hauled away would become a tricky proposition.
“The water is so low that when the harvester is ten feet from shore, the harvester conveyer is hitting the ground.
Pay increase for weed harvester operator
Trustee Terry Burns was the only no vote for the motion to raise the wages of Brian Schlichting from $9.50 to $11.50 an hour. Schlichting has taken over the operation of the harvester while regular operator is on sick leave.
“We don’t know when or if he is coming back,” Goodson said. “Brian also has learned how to perform different testing procedures on the lake water and has come back to work for the Lake District for six years.”
Burns asked what Schlichting would be paid next year.
“These are new hires very year,” Goodson explained. “That would be decided if he were rehired next year.”