Volume 33 Issue 4 June, 2024
Two Pronged Attack on Curly Leaf Pond Weed Under Way
Fish Committee Honors Fishing Legends at Spring Tourney
Early last year our friends at the Department of Conservation here in Missouri identified a nasty weed that was beginning to take hold on our lake. Curly Leaf Pond Weed (CLPW).
CLPW grows around the shores of the lake and become big interwoven, nearly impenetrable matts of weed, midseason. The two best methods of eradicating it, or at least keeping it at bay, since it expands by multiples of 4 every year if not killed early in the year, are via chemical treatment and via the voracious appetite of grass carp.
Last year the infestation was discovered too late to chemically treat as seed pods had already set, however the lake, with the Fish Committee’s help, along with the help of many volunteers, stocked 900 grass carp in the lake. They are quite shy fish, so they are rarely seen on the inhabited side of the lake. Hence they’ve been munching primarily on the west shoreline’s CLPW, though they have also eaten some on the eastern side.
Almost a month ago, the lake, along with the DoC, applied hundreds of pounds of herbicide to the areas of growth and likely growth, on the east side of the lake. They contracted with a local business to apply the
chemicals via drone. So if you saw a huge drone flying around in near gale force winds applying something, that was them. They assured us that the chemical did in fact make it into the lake despite the wind.
Getting the chemicals applied is a big step to stopping CLPW’s expansion. Treating them early kills them before they set their seed pods. After which, our best means of attack are the grass carp. So……….
About 2 weeks ago, the lake and fish committee once again released 900 grass carp into the lake to chow down on the CLPW and more. Maybe some of those ever expanding lily pads. One can hope! Go carp go!!
The lake still has some herbicide left if you have a CLPW infestation near your property, or otherwise that needs to be knocked out. So stop by the office or give Rodney a shout and let him know
about it.
This is likely an ongoing effort that will continue for some time as the CLPW can be spread by migrating waterfowl, boats hulls or live wells that have not been properly cleaned prior to launch, and more. To that end, it should be noted that the DoC has also applied herbicide to Lake Mahoney (that’s the lake to the south of Thunderhead that spills into our lake during high water), so that should help stop incursion from Mahoney.
That’s the latest on CLPW and the lake and DoC’s progress on controlling and/or eradicating it. If you’ve got questions, please reach out to the office. They still have a fact sheet from the DoC regarding CLPW. Also, a lot of info regarding the weed was in last May’s BeachComber.
Here’s to a CLPW free lake!! Thanks for your help everyone.
Commemorative Flag Stones
If you are interested in purchasing a commemorative stone for the base and path of our glorious Lake Flag, you must submit your order by May 31 to receive your plaque this calendar year. You can place orders in the office which limits you to inscriptions only. Or you can place your order online at Bricksrus.com/
donorsite/Thunderhead where you can also include an emblem on your plaque. Two sizes are available for purchase; small plaque for $150 or large plaque for $300. Orders can continue to be places throughout the season, but only one order will be placed on June 1.
From time to time, the Lake Thunderhead Fish Committee honors various individuals who have made a difference to the lake’s fishing community, or the lake’s fishery. Unfortunately to this point all of those honorees have been honored posthumously.
Friends and family get to honor these important people, but the honorees don’t get to enjoy their celebrations.
Well this spring, we decided to get ahead of the game and honor two of our own Lake Thunderhead Fish Committee Legends, and their wives, while they are still with us and able to celebrate with us and their families.
The Fish Committee is proud to honor Woody Clapham, Bob Bryant and their wives Mary Clapham and Barb Bryant as Thunderhead Fishing Legends.
This foursome has been around the lake for a LONG time. A really long time. Back when the lake was still under construction, Woody’s uncle ran a bulldozer prepping the site of the lake. Woody got to ride
along on the dozer. How fun!! There truly aren’t many folks who can reach back further into the lake’s history than that.
Woody, Mary, Bob & Barb all lived in the Iowa City/Coralville area back in the 60’s and 70’s. Working. Raising their families, and fishing.
Bob and Barb just happened to build a commercial building that turned out to be Woody and Mary’s home AND places of business. Mary was a beautician and Woody ran Woody’s Pro Lures from the building. Plus they had an apartment there as well. As Woody says, it was the only place “you could get a PERM and a WORM”!
As Bob and Woody grew closer as friends they explored lakes in Northern Missouri and other areas, fishing many lakes that were municipal water reservoirs, as Thunderhead was until very recently. Woody had lots of connections in the area from his lure shop and on the pro bass fishing circuit, where he won many tourneys over the years. Woody won multiple bass boats over
the years on the circuit. So they were able to get on lots of great water.
Woody was the avid bass fisherman, whereas Bob was more of a crappie guy or cat fisherman. But Woody managed to teach Bob the in’s and out’s of bass fishing along the way and the two because a formidable duo on the water. They claim (remember they are fisherman) they sometimes caught between 50 and 60 bass per day between them here on Thunderhead in the lake’s early days. Plus they won numerous tournaments here at the lake and otherwise, along with several big fish trophies.
In 1989, the Bryant’s bought their first place here at the lake. A trailer on a lot adjacent to the house they now own. They got involved in lots of lake events, including the tournaments and placing fish habitat with the Fish Restoration Group that was operating at the lake. They joined the Restoration Group in 1997. Woody and Mary would come down and help out with those efforts. The group put dozens of piles of fish habitat in the lake to maintain the excellent level of fishing. From huge piles of pallets to Christmas trees and more.
Barb’s recollection of the day they closed on their Thunderhead property is very clear, down to the date, time, place and day of the week! She might not remember what she had for breakfast, but she’s got this one indelibly etched. It was a Friday, right before the bank closed at 3PM!
Prior to Bob & Barb purchasing their current home, Bob says he was
Cont. to page 11
Bob and Barb Bryant and Woody and Mary Clapham were honored for their contributions to Lake Thunderhead by the Lake Thunderhead Fish Committee as a part of the ceremonies during the Spring Fish Tournament
Board Meeting Minutes May 14, 2024
Cody Veach called the meeting to order at 5:30pm. In attendance; Kerrie Rose, Tiffany Scovel, Mike Vore, Ced Gilworth, and Rodney Weir.
Public Correspondence – Tiffany said a member inquired about a web camera that would show the lake and possibly weather. She spoke with the office and they will make some calls to NEMR and see if there is something we can add to our security cameras. She also mentioned there is a new business in town, “Wild Wagon” that is a mobile non alcoholic drink service. Would members be interested in having it at concerts? Since it would be after business hours for the Marina it would not be competition. She will investigate. A new flag pole has been bought to fly a NO WAKE flag at the boat ramp when needed. All boaters need to adhere to NO WAKE rules at all times. Also, we’ve had complaints about the Entertainment schedule being posted in open social media forums, luckily the moderators of those forums have been diligent about removing such posts. Reminder, Enumerate Engage is the OFFICIAL communication from WCA and monitored by lake staff. If you need help accessing Enumerate please see Kim in the office.
Secretary Report – Mike motioned to approve April minutes; Tiffany seconded.
Treasurer Report – Reviewed some larger expenses than normal, drone spraying, campground rip rap recovery, full payment for 4th of July fireworks, 9th hole tee box repair, Road Assessment paid early to SRD per their request. Also mentioned that the office will be filing liens in early June of anyone owing more than $1,000 past due. Tiffany motioned for approval; Mike seconded.
Committee Reports
Election Committee – As of today, 274 ballots have been returned. All ballots must be received at the Election PO Box by May 25th. Election results will be announced at Annual Meeting May 26, at 1pm.
A&E Committee – No Report Rules & Regulations Committee – No Report
Fish Committee – Drone spraying for curly leaf weed is complete, grass carp have been stocked. Thank you to everyone who stepped up for Fish Tournament the day was great, the food was awesome and a good time was had. Next event will be the Kids Fishing Day on Father’s day.
Dock Committee – If you have an issue with your dock, please
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Dennis’ Small Engine Repair & Service
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Nick Miller, Owner ~ 660-344-2204
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Timber Clearing & Removal
We Buy Harvestable Timber Melvin Nisley 641-898-2398
call the office for a Work Order so we can track the repairs done.
Commons Committee – Beechnut Circle work will begin when weather allows.
Entertainment Committee –Meet & Greet Potluck has been cancelled due to conflicts with Graduations. The Golf Cart Poker Run is still a GO. New this year is June 1 sand castle, sand sculpture contest open to all ages, great prizes, please participate. Also, we WILL have inflatables again for the kids, on Saturday, July 6 approximately 10:30-2:30. An updated (version 2) schedule will be posted on Enumerate and emailed to members.
Special Road District – SRD put out bids for asphalt overlay and met with the contractors on May 3, they were all in agreement that our roads are not in good enough shape to overlay asphalt. Their recommendations are to dig up the roads to a 12” depth, install 8” of aggregate and overlay 4” asphalt on designated roads. Bids for those are due May 22. Depending on the cost SRD will then decide which roads to rebuild. N. Wildflower & Bufflehead are the top considerations. Bids are also due May 22 for chip seal application, and after considering bids will announce which roads will be chip
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sealed. Running of the Potholes is scheduled for this Sat. and may be postponed (Officially postponed until Saturday, June 1). SRD members have received numerous calls about rain run off and urge all residents to inspect their drainage ditches for clogged culverts & road tubes, and make sure any rip rap is lower than the road level. Please contact SRD with road concerns and questions, not the lake office.
Lake Manager Report – Pontoon Ally south rip rap along road has been added as per request. Our Security boat is in for repair and we hope to have the issue fixed and be on the water with it soon. We have been leaving the gates at trash open and we’ve not had issues, so we hope to continue through summer. There is a scrap metal trailer that you can utilize. Larger dumpsters will be brought in the first weekend of the month and holidays for larger household garbage. Rodney asks that the Board consider
some road repair on the road between Gilworth and Maintenance shed, it is WCA property and needs to be maintained by the Association, not the SRD. He will get some quotes and report to Board. Also, according to policy your lots must be mowed a minimum of once-a-month April – Oct. We’ve had numerous complaints of unmowed lots, get them mowed soon or risk having WCA take care of it and bill you a minimum of $125. Lastly, Lake Thunderhead Ranch (majority owner of West side of lake) has sent a contract to the Board regarding Association members on their property, utilizing beaches. In summary they would like us to patrol their property for members following these rules:
• Only utilize beaches dawn to dusk, no after dark parties.
• No glass, no grilling, and no bonfires
• Do not go into the Board Mtg… Cont. to pg. 10
Heating & Cooling, Electrical, Plumbing, Small Appliances, Heat Pumps, & Grinder Pumps
Jared Chapman, owner 816-518-1361 or 660-947-2402
910 S 21st St - Unionville, Mo crzhvacelectricalplumbing@gmail.com
Sticker Up, Folks!
If you haven’t stickered your boat(s) and ATV/golf carts by now you could be subject to a fine. Stickers must be purchased annually and this year’s stickers are a bright, sunny yellow.
To renew your stickers, you must be current on your annual dues and present your boat regis-
tration in the Lake Office (660/947-3267). Your auto registration stickers are included in your dues each year. ATV’s, Golf Carts and Boat Stickers are $20 each and watercraft require two stickers (one per side). Stickers were to be displayed by April 1. And, if you didn’t have
stickers displayed by May 1, you may be subject to a fine, according to our Association Bylaws and Covenants.
Please also keep in mind that owners are responsible for any guests operating their motorized vehicles. Additionally, only licensed drivers are authorized to operate golf carts and ATV’s.
There’s Still Time To Cast Your Vote!
Your Ballot for electing our WCA Board of Director’s is May 25. All ballots must be postmarked in the Unionville Post Office by 5/25 in order to be counted.
Don’t forget the An-
nual Meeting at which the Board will be announced is Sunday, May 26 at 1 PM in the Lions Building on the Putnam County Fairgrounds.
Voting is a privilege. Exercise yours!!! Pick Up Your Revised Entertainment Schedule from the Lake Office. Office Hours through the Summer at MON through SAT from 8 AM to 4 PM (closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1PM).
32254 Mallard Drive $225,000 ListingAgent: Shelly Seaton
This private oasis offers not only a prime location but also a thoughtfully prepared canvas for your vision. This lot is primed and ready for your architectural masterpiece. The convenience factor is undeniable, as critical utilities have already been thoughtfully installed. Imagine the ease of planning your build with gravity flow sewer, water, and electric connections readily available, allowing you to seamlessly bring your construction plans to life. Beyond the practical features, this property also boasts a few indulgent extras that truly set it apart. A private dock beckons you to embrace the tranquil waters of Lake Thunderhead at your leisure, whether you’re a fan of boating, fishing, or simply basking in the soothing ambiance of the water. Additionally, a shed provides a space for storage or creative pursuits, adding functionality to the property. The charm of this lot is further accentuated by the surrounding natural beauty. The serene lakefront views, framed by the picturesque landscape, create a sense of serenity that’s often sought but seldom found. 32254 Mallard Drive presents an exceptional opportunity to build a custom home in a breathtaking lakeside setting. With utilities in place, a private dock, and the promise of lakefront living, this lot invites you to turn your vision into reality and embrace a life of leisure and natural beauty.
12001 Foxglove Court $92,500
Listing Broker:
Ced Gilworth
This property is what you may be looking for, excellent location, utilities, camper/rv cover, deck, storage shed, and trees. This lake property is located in the Spring Beauty addition. When
you come in the main entrance to the lake, and go south, it is the first road, (Fox Glove) to the left, and this lot corners Wildflower and Fox Glove. When you pull in the gravel drive, the property is flat, with lots of trees. The camper area is all flat as well, with a slight slope to the far north of the property. This will be as simple of a setup as you could get. Just bring your camper, plug it in, and you are ready to go. All utilities have been installed, and the sewer is gravity flow. The camper cover is 28’x42’with a deck platform off of where your camper would set. The storage shed is just off to the side and will provide space for supplies and toys. Close to the boat ramp, golf course, restaurant, tennis courts and gives you that lake feel with all of the trees for shade and privacy.
So much history, as the owners were a part of the original developer of the lake. They have owned this property for 44 years, but life changes, and now you have a chance to own a property on the main body of Lake Thunderhead. The home has been gutted and is ready for you to make it what you want. The home consists of approx. 2700 sq feet, a two car garage, concrete drive, area for volleyball court, and a covered dock. The covered dock has a boat lift, pontoon lift, and two jet ski spots. There is also a swim platform. The lot has slope coming down the driveway but is one of the few low grade waterfront lots available. Electric, water and sewer are on the property, and again, the house is ready for you to finish the way you would have it. If you are looking for more room, the lot next to it is for sale as well.
Scott Ingersoll, (660) 626-8507
Jalynn Shafer, (660) 988-1279
Ron Davis (660) 341-5199
Kris Altiser, (660) 626-4960
Darl D Davis, (660) 216-0639
Nathan Wilt (573) 248-4406
Jason Andrew (660) 956-5060
Ryan VanGenderen (660) 216-8978
Haley Yadon (660) 342-6540
Brian Quint (660) 626-3419
Kevin Lloyd (641) 414-3504 (Lic. IA)
David Mitchell, (660) 341-0902
Larry Hendee (660) 342-1427
Shelly Seaton (660) 956-3710
Scott Whitworth (660) 341-2197
Plentiful Fish and Big Turnout for the Spring Bass Tourney
Saturday the 11th was a picturesque morning. Simply beautiful with temps in the upper 50’s and a near clear sky. Folks told tales of watching the aurora borealis the night before and surviving the rains of the prior weeks. It started out calm. But the breeze picked up after a couple of hours, and so did the bite. The lake was still pretty murky following those rains, yet the pool was back to essentially it’s normal level.
We had 25 boats preregistered with one no show, and one dropping out late the night before. So, a total of 23 boats. That’s down bit from prior years, but still very solid. Our own Mark Daniel and Rick Wulf were not able to fish due to other commitments, so that takes care of at least two boats that normally would have added to the total.
Despite Mark & Rick, nor Mary or Kim, not being there, all things went pretty well. No major complaints that we are
aware of. So, kudos to the body of the committee and our lovely wives and significant others!
Huge thanks to Tim & Lisa Messman and Andy & Becky Schurman for donating and smoking half a hog for our event. It was amazingly tasty and was more than enough to feed our surprisingly large crowd. Take a look at the picture of the line for lunch! That will give you an idea of the turnout for the event.
Of course, the Laker Ladies and others donated some killer desserts to the cause. The
baked beans, two kinds of potato salad, chips, hot dogs and more were well received as well. If you haven’t been to our bass tourney weigh ins and/or the meal, you’re missing out, even if you don’t care about the fish!
Another big part of the day was honoring Woody & Mary Clapham and Bob & Barb Bryant. All four are long time lake residents and major contributors to not only the Fish Committee and lake fishery, but other important lake events and functions. Please see our accompanying arti-
Justin Ballard and Joe Williams came in first with 25.36 pounds of fish. They are pictured with Ben Daniels, LakePropertiesForSale.com.
cle about them, their accomplishments and what they’ve selflessly given to the lake. It was truly our honor to salute them for all they’ve done here at Lake Thunderhead.
We also have another article on the Curly Leaf Pond Weed eradication effort ongoing at the lake, in this month’s BeachComber. So have a gander at that too!
Fish totals for the tourney were great, with 11 of the 23 boats bringing in their full six fish. Though five of the boats got skunked, including four of the first six boats launched that morning. So maybe launch order isn’t really that important!!
Our big fish was caught by Tim Gusick. It weighed 7.83 pounds. Tim has been fishing our tourneys for a long time and always does really well. He’s an avid fisherman and hunter. He and his son Dan finished 2nd overall with six total fish
and a total bag weight of 24.11 pounds. So an average of over four pounds a fish!
Coming in first overall was the team of Justin Ballard and Joe Williams. Their six fish weighed in at 26.36 pounds, or just short of 4.40 pounds each. They had the second largest fish in the tourney at 6.37 pounds.
Rounding out the top three was the team of Kendall & Don Lunsford with a total weight of 22.38 pounds for their 6 fish. Almost 3.75 pounds per fish. Kendall braved the weather the prior week to get in plenty of pre-fishing! It must have helped a bunch!!
Ron & Brian Ashlock came in fourth with six fish as well, weighing in at 21.73 pounds. That’s approximately 3.62 pounds each. The Ashlocks are always in the thick of it.
In fifth place, was Ben Smith & Sawyer (Saw-
yer’s last name, or maybe first name, wasn’t on the entry form). They weighed in six fish at 19.23 pounds total. 3.20 pounds apiece on average.
So our top five finishers all averaged OVER three pounds per fish. That’s fantastic! Well done teams.
Three teams were just off the podium with over 18 pounds of fish each. So eight teams averaged over three pounds per fish!!!
Mary Clapham won the 50/50 drawing and donated the majority of it back to the committee! How appropriate! Thank you Mary!!!
Many, many folks donated on top of the $7.50 lunch fee. Thank you! We also had several people donate to us the day of the tourney. We got some of them up on the board of sponsors before things got crazy. We’ll circle back with a complete list of sponsors soon. Thank you all so much.
As usual Ben Daniels of LakePropertiesforSale.com provided the first through fifth place trophies, as well as some nice custom mugs for the winners. PLUS, he donated the commemorative plaques for Woody & Bob.
John Sutter of Docks by Sutter and Tires & Tailpipes, donated the Big Fish Trophy and $150 prize money, which
Tim Gusick caught the Big Fish. Tim is congratulated by John Sutton, T&T Docks. Tim’s fish weighed 7.83 pounds.
Tim Gusick and his son Dan finished 2nd overall with six total fish and a total bag weight of 24.11 pounds. They are shown with Ben Daniels, LakePropertiesForSale.com.
Tim generously donated back to the committee along with his second place winnings.
Steve Benson of Hometown Realty donated a big wad of cash (don’t tell Doris) and provided the beautiful roses for Mary Clapham and Barb Bryant in honor of their service to the lake. Rumor has it Do-
Kendall & Don Lunsford placed third with a total weight of 22.38 pounds for their six fish. They are shown with Ben Daniels, LakePropertiesForSale.com.
Ron and Brian Ashlock placed fourth with a total weight of 21.71 pounds. They are shown with Ben Daniels, LakePropertiesForSale.com.
Please come to hear Pastor Kevin Collins bring you a reassuring word from God.
ris got a nice bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day since Steve had to go to Appleseeds to pick up the other flowers anyway.
Thanks to HyVee and MFA for their generous donations. Thank you to the Unionville Republican for donating the first rate US flag to the drawing. People were im-
Ben Smith and Sawyer placed fifth with a total weight of 19.23 pounds for their six fish. They are shown with Ben Daniels, LakePropertiesForSale.com.
pressed with it’s quality. Thanks to Renee Morris of Hometown Realty for her donation, along with the Laker Ladies, Forrest & Joy Jones, Ferne Anderson, Mary Daniel for her awesome hair product gift basket, Bill Kreigbaum & Larry
& Karen Howard. Eighteen more folks donated cash to the cause and their names can be found on the accompanying picture! Thanks to all of you and to those whose names we may have missed in the craziness of the day. We’ll
get that fixed later!
Andy Schurman did a yeoman’s job filling in as MC for Mark. Thank you, Andy.
I don’t dare try to name all the ladies who helped with the meal in Mary’s absence……. there are just too many of you. Just know that we truly appreciate all you did to make the meal go smoothly and taste delicious. Once the word got out how good it was, the line grew quite large!
If anyone is interested in making a donation to the fish committee, please feel free to drop cash or a check at the lake office. Kim and Ferne, who handled the pre-registration paperwork and money han-
dling without a flaw like usual, will be happy to help you out.
Of course thanks to the lake crew for prepping the beach house, picnic tables and so much more. You guys are great!
Next up for the committee is the Kids’ Derby. Look for registration info for that coming up in late May or early June. The event will be held at the Kids’ Pond on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16th. No doubt we’re missing something here. So we apologize for that. We’re thinking of reassigning Bruce. All in favor say, “aye”!!! Tight lines everyone!!
Lake Thunderhead Special Road District Meeting Minutes
The Special Road District Board met April 12, 2024 in the Lake Office basement. The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am
Attendees were David Welder, President; Gene Nussbaum, Treasurer; Mary Souers, Secretary present by phone. Guests were Tiffany Scoval, Ced Gilworth, Junior Clark, Cindy and Steve Fogal
Approval of Minutes:
Gene moved to approve minutes. Dave seconded. Motion carried.
Treasurer report: Balance of $135, 107.00
Interest received:
$471.00; $2,375.00 cart payment
Bill: Road Rock$672.00
Mary moved to approve Treasurer’s report. Dave seconded. Motion carried.
Old Business:
1. Policy on Golf Cart and Vehicles on Road - Mary needs to sign at Commissioner on the policy to complete this agenda item.
2. Milling of Roads –Lance was in attendance from W. L. Miller. The commissioners Gene and David will complete a review of roads for milling after today’s meeting.
3. North Bay Road
Update – Ced Gilworth was present at the meeting today, representing the developer for the North Bay. He asked who could do the evaluation of the roads for acceptance from the Special Road District. Ced will follow up on who could do the evaluation. He will take the request
SRD Mtg…
Cont. to pg. 8
Board Mtg…
Continued from page 2
wooded area, stay only on beach/immediate water.
• Do not feed wildlife, no hunting, no firearms/ archery
• Pick up all litter, do not throw litter up into the brush, tree’s, etc.
• Be respectful! This is a conservation area, leave no debris. If members do not follow these guidelines, they will fine us $500 in addition to clean up and repair. They are asking for nothing more than any other owner; for people to be respectful. If WCA doesn’t agree to the contract, which includes paying a lease fee and insuring the property anyone could be charged with Trespassing. The Board will contact the Ranch and discuss in further, including how the insurance policy needs to be stated, so for now please abide by their rules and be respectful.
Security ReportPlease make sure you are going NO WAKE in No Wake zones, especially up North, many homeowners complain that people are going above wake, we will have Security on the water to enforce policy and it’s a $100 fine.
Old Business
Update on sale of misc. Lake Thunderhead property – Discuss
in a future closed board meeting
Discussion on new Storage Building(s) –We will start calling the waiting list and see if we have enough interest to start building.
New Business
Discuss issues with pipeline under the Lake – Klinger & Assoc. Engineering company has given us a quote of $11,500 for the design and overseeing contractors to permanently seal the pipe that runs under the lake that is slowly leaking. This does not include the actual work being done, we’d have to hire contractors & pay for materials, which general opinion is going to run around $110-120,000 based on the engineering quote. Rodney is going to get 2 more bids from engineers as well as discuss with some contractors, after he speaks to DNR to see what their recommendation or policies are regarding work being done so closely to our dam.
Water & Sewer Hookup at Falcon Dr and Wildflower Ave. – remove, no further communication from prospective owner.
Discuss water & sewer hookups outside of WCA – Board needs to approve any offsite water hook up, Mike mentioned we may charge
more since they aren’t members of WCA, further discussion needed as Mike will give Board a recommendation of fees.
Discuss WCA Funded Catfish Fishing Tournament – Rodney has been approached about a 24 hour catfish tournament by some members. He spoke to the Fish Committee and it’s not something they want to under-
take. Board said it is a good idea but it really should run thru the Fish Committee, Rodney will discuss with them.
Lot Consolidations/ Inactivation’s - None Misc. items of interest to the Association –Shoreline alteration for J. Welch approved by Board.
Cody adjourned meeting at 6:49pm
If You’re Lucky Enough
. . .
Green deals, electric cars, electric appliances! All these “earth-friendly” solutions are being promoted everywhere you look. And, yet, an age-old problem still exists: respect for our land and this beautiful place we are fortunate enough to call home. Litter, beer cans, and fires on beaches on the west side of the lake are becoming prob-
lematic.
I don’t know how to say this without sounding “preachy”, but Come On People!!! Please respect the lake and the land surrounding it. Pick up your litter, pet waste and PLEASE don’t build fires on the west side of the lake beach.
It’s the RIGHT THING TO DO!
April Showers Bring . . .
A BIG shout-out to Laura Craft and the Lake Flower Committee. Dozens of bags of mulch and flats of flowers were planted in beds around Lake Thunderhead. Fortunately, many hands made for lighter work and people showed up to help with the effort.
You’ll probably notice we now have three ferns at the office – and the most important Ferne is the one inside!
If you would like to volunteer to help weed or water throughout the season, please all Laura Craft at 641/344-4276.
Dig In and WOW The Judges
On Saturday, June 1 the lake will host a Sand Castle Sculpture Building contest beginning at 1 PM. Three age groups: 1) Ages 8 and Under, 2) Ages 8 to 14, and 3) Adults are invited to bring your own shovels and sculpting materials to North Beach for the competition. Tons of Fun and lots of great prizes will be on hand for this event.
SRD Mtg…
back to the developer to have an Engineer test the
4. Scanning of Documents - We will be reviewing the SRD files for scanning documents to be secured for permanent records. This is an on-going project that will be continuing.
5. Putnam County Ordinance on Lake Speed Limits – Mary took the document to the Courthouse to determine next steps. The Clerk of Court suggests we meet with the County Commissioners to determine the change to lake speed limits. Mary will call to get a meeting scheduled.
New Business:
1. Review Roads to be Chip/Sealed – 39, 603 sq. yard $3.31/sq. yard - $3.64/yard estimated price. $117,000.00 estimate. The estimate will have to be reduced to stay in line with our budget. This is a maintenance product, helping with drainage, milling. Working towards a long range plan.
This led to a discussion of dollars and a possible assessment by the association. Currently there are 815 lots at the lake. Reminder, it took three years for the approval of an additional
Cont. to pg. 8
$50 towards roads assessment.
A suggestion was made to hold an educational meeting on milling vs. asphalt.
2. Roads to be overlayed with Asphalt –Dave will develop the bid for Asphalt. SRD is planning to asphalt across the Dam, Wildflower at Sunflower Hill, Beachnut Curve, Bufflehead, Dogwood, and Spring Beauty. Approximately 96 hundreds of a mile.
3. Running of the Potholes – Discussion was held about a Running of the Potholes. Spreading and filling potholes with cold patch. We agreed this would be a good project to get homeowners involved in. We will look at a date that doesn’t interfere with the Entertainment activities. We will be looking for captains for streets. A lunch will be served after the event.
4. Minutes will begin to be posted on the Association website.
Next Meeting: Friday, May 10, 2024, 10:00 am at Lake office.
Mary made a motion to adjourn at 11:00 am, it was seconded by Gene. Meeting adjourned.
Lake Thunderhead Activities
Welcome to lake life and the Lake Thunderhead Community. Lake Thunderhead residents are a lively group and enjoy a variety of activities. There are any number of groups for you to join, covering a variety of interests. All are recreational and are here to create social opportunities for all who are interested. Below is a list of our current regular activities and the contact information for those coordinating them. We hope you’ll join us in one or more of your choosing.
Activity
Lake Thunderhead Laker Ladies
Contact Phone
Doris Benson 641-510-0050
Meets every Wednesday at 9 AM at the lake office. This is a social group who share information about upcoming events and happenings at the lake and in Unionville. Laker Ladies also raise funds for lake improvements through the annual Summer Bash.
Garden Club
Laura Craft 641-344-4276
A social group that is committed to beautifying Lake Thunderhead. All hands welcome to weed, plant and water.
Can Committee
Ed Penca
563-249-9936
Committee meets as needed to sort redeemable cans and bottles, proceeds from which benefit the lake.
Art Group
Kay Bonifazi
660/947-2327 /660/626-9667
Meets every Wednesday from 10 AM to 2 PM in the basement of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Work on the art project of your choice and we recommend you pack a lunch.
Kayak Club
Doris Benson 660/641-0050
Dawn Billings 641/210-8723
This group meets for casual kayaking followed by a social time. Everyone welcome (couples and singles) every other Tuesday at 3 PM at the hosts house (host changes each time).
Lake Edition Book Club
Doris Benson 641/510-0050
Group meets the third Thursday of each month at the hosts’ choice of location.
Bridge Club
Marge Krigbaum 660/651-1502
Call if willing to sub. Bridge Club meets Mondays at 1 PM.
Quilt Club
Jan Stearns 319/240-1974
Group meets Monday through Thursday on scheduled week in the office building basement. Come join the camaraderie and creativity.
Activity
Contact Phone
Ladies Golf Joy Jones
Meets every Thursday at 9 AM at the lake office.
Bible Study
641/895-4811
Becky Sayre 641/750-0216
Group meets Tuesday mornings at 10 AM at Becky’s house.
Widows By The Water
Vicky Wright 319/230-4563
Mary Schaffner 660/947-3506
Group meets early evening from 5 to 7 PM on the third Tuesday monthly to enjoy a variety of activities; dinner, games and boat rides on Lake Thunderhead, etc.
Men’s Cards
Meets every Monday and Friday in the afternoon in the basement of the office at 12:30 PM.
Thursday Night Cards
Lorena Thullen 319/551-0959
A fun evening of cards and snacks held in the Lake office basement at 6 PM. Bring a snack.
“Kitchen’s Closed”
Dinner out with friends from the Lake. Meet at Leo’s Marina Restaurant at 5PM or at the office at 4:30 for car pooling to chosen location.
Men’s Coffee
Steve Benson 641/510-0040
Forest Jones
641/895-1501
Meets every Tuesday and Friday at 8 AM in the office basement. Once in –season, FRI meetings will be at Leo’s Marina Restaurant.
Fish Committee
Mark Daniel 815/674-2634
Meet as needed to coordinate and plan fishing tournaments at the lake.
Tournaments
1) Two weeks before Memorial Day
2) Two weeks after Labor Day
Tournaments launch in registration order beginning at 6 AM at North Beach. Lunch and refreshments are provided for a good will offering Plus weigh-in and prizes.
Kid’s Fishing Tournament
Father’s Day Weekend, sponsored with assistance from DNR. Fishing instruction, Fish Cleaning instruction, Lunch and refreshments. Plus more!! This committee is responsible for stocking of Lake Thunderhead.
Get Set For a Fun Memorial Day Weekend
As in year’s past, this Memorial Day promises to provide activities for everyone. Plans are in motion for the Breakfast Burrito and Bloody Mary event on Sat., May 25 at 7 AM. Last year’s event sold 215 burritos and raised more than $1,700 which helped fund new signage at the lake.
At 9 AM May 25 a four-person Best Shot golf tournament will kick off at 9 AM. Sunday, May 26 at 10 AM the an-
nual Volleyball Tournament will kick off at the North Playground. Sunday evening at 7:30 PM the country/rock band South 35 will be taking the stage of the band shell at North Beach.
The Walking Path Naming dedication and signage will also go up Memorial Day Weekend. Join your friends and neighbors at any or all of these fun events.
Lake Roads Update
Our SRD (Special Roads District) has been working diligently to address concerns about our roads. At the monthly Board meeting on May 14, Gene Nussbaum updated everyone. Multiple contractors were asked to survey our roads and submit bids for asphalting more sections of our roads this year.
All the contractors came back with the conclusion that our roads are not in good enough condition, having insuf-
ficient base, to justify applying asphalt on the areas proposed. Their recommendation was that the lake remove 12 inches of surface. That 12 inches would then be filled with eight inches of aggregate and topped with four inches of asphalt. Additional steps include deepening runoff ditches and leveling the edges of some roads under consideration. Our SRD asked these contractors to submit bids for this work by May 22.
Communities Offer Volunteer Opportunities
The Unionville and Lake Thunderhead communities are vitally involved in area organizations which rely on the participation of area volunteers to provide bodies and energy to serve various groups. Please review the list below for organizations in which you may want to be involved. We truly are a small community with a very big heart!
Ministerial Alliance Food Bank Marty Schmidt 407/325-6151
Bonnie Snyder 716/640-3558
Second MON of each month, we meet at 10:30 to unload the truck from the Columbia-based distribution center. Then we spend the afternoon assembling boxes and bags of items for distribution.
Second TUES we meet at 8:30 to distribute food and toiletry items to program participants. We meet at the Ministerial Food Alliance Food Pantry located on HWY 136 ½ block east of the square. Any and all help is welcome.
Bargain Barn
Walter Griffin
660/947-3160
The Bargain Barn is supported by local churches and is a thrift shop with clothing, furniture, household items, etc. They need volunteers for various functions including staffing the store, helping unpack donations and other tasks.
Putnam County Museum Judy McDonald 660/341-5157
Karen Bradshaw 660/216-4405
Located on the southeast corner of the square. This volunteer organization can use help receiving and cataloguing donated items, setting up displays, filing, building maintenance cleaning and maintenance and staffing fund raisers.
Putnam County Library Christy Allen 660/947-3192
Beyond the Book Club Mondays from 4:30 to 6 PM for elementary-age students. Volunteers can read, guide students in creative projects, etc. Call Library director to discuss opportunities to help.
“Summer Reading Program”: Wednesdays, dates to be announced.
PC Café
The SRD had asked that all homeowners with culverts under their driveways PLEASE clean these culverts of debris and matter block-
Mary Clapham
660/947-3643
This café provides meals for area residents in addition to the Meals on Wheels program. They need assistance with serving, cleaning, prepping food and special events.
ing the culverts. This one important step contributes greatly with managing run-off from our surface roads.
More fish were added to the lake including Grass Carp to help curb the Curly Leaf Pond Weed.
Fishing Legends…
Continued from page 1
“watering at the mouth” at the size of the crappies the previous owner of their home was pulling out of the water, left and right. 2 pounders!! Those are BIG crappie! No wonder they bought that house when it came up for sale. It’s still a bit of a honey hole!
During this period and prior, the lake’s fishing tournaments were held by Blackbird Creek on the west side of the lake (hence the picnic shelter right across from the mouth of Marina Cove) and run by Michael O’Riley. The guys won more than their share of trophies in those tournaments.
At some point Mr. O’Riley sold the property and hence quit running the tourneys. Jim Woodard and a couple of others took the bait and ran with operating the events. According to Jim, that was in 1993 or 94. Jim says, that prior to that Bill Hurlburt and Nina Sewell ran tourneys, etc., under the fish committee moniker. Those tournaments were typically operated from the marina.
In the early 2000’s
Woody and Mary migrated down to Thunderhead themselves. Moving right up the hill from their old friends, the Bryants. They made sure to build room in their new place for Woody’s Pro Lure shop and Mary’s Beauty shop. So once again, you could still get a perm and a worm under one roof.
Woody ran his lure shop for approximately 22 years at the lake, only retiring a couple of years ago. One the years he donated a ton of lures, rods and more to the Fish Committee for their drawings, etc. He was especially forthcoming with tackle for the kids!
Mary no doubt donated fabulous hair product packages, etc.
Mary continues to give to our community via her job as head of the PC Cafe & Resource Center in town. Her group feeds nearly 100 Meals on Wheels clients daily, along with large groups of folks who come to the cafe to eat.
Plus they provide other resources to the senior citizen community in the county.
Barb ran the lake’s cat
community at the dump for over 15 years. Making sure all the cats got their yearly shots, any necessary medical care, flea meds, along with lots and lots and lots of love at here twice daily feedings. She was there for them whether it was 110 degrees, pouring rain, a blizzard or 30 below. The colony is now disbanded as kitty population dwindled at the dump as they grew too old to live outside or were placed in loving indoor homes.
In 2002 or 3 Bob, Woody, Dwaine Mohr, John Lightner, Harold Krenz, Jay Doman, Jim Greiner, Jim Griffin and Paul Neiman formed the lake’s modern day fish committee. Dwaine was the President, Bob was Secretary/ Treasurer. All continued to work hard to maintain and improve the lake’s fishery. They added more habitat, and around 2005 began stocking the lake with walleye, every other year. Bob recalls that it had always been said that the lake had been stocked with walleye very early in its history. Probably in the early 70’s. However those fish were fingerlings and were more susceptible to ending up as a snack for
the bass, catfish, crappie and other fish in the lake. Walleye do not usually reproduce in our lake due to the lake of current.
Bob was in charge of ordering the walleye for stocking. They always ordered larger fish. He recalls one year when the driver showed up and filled up a couple of buckets of fish from his tanks to show the guys. They were really nice sized. Everyone was happy, until he starting pulling from the next tank on the truck. All of the sudden the walleye were very small. Bob stopped him right there and told him they were refusing the rest of the delivery. So off they went. Sometime shortly thereafter the hatchery returned with the larger fish that had been ordered. Well done Bob!
Another major milestone their generation of the Fish Committee accomplished was to convince the board that they should support the fishery, not unlike they do the golf course, tennis court, playground, beaches, etc. From that point forward the board contributed $3,000 to the Fish Committee’s stocking fund every year! That $3K has really made a difference
in our ability to stock the numbers we need and in getting good sized, quality fish, year in, year out. Hmmm. Now that we think about it, maybe it’s time to raise that $3K.
Bob and Woody were members of the Fish Committee up until 2017 when they handed over the massive chalkboard (since replaced), legendary bait bucket, launch numbers, holding tank, tables, cookers, coolers, wisdom and SO much more to our current group of guys. But rest assured they did not cut bait and run. They made sure we understood the importance of recognizing our sponsors, caring for the lake in general and promoting and improving our lake’s fishery.
When asked how they did it all those years, the guys just said, “they did what they did to get the job done”. How’s that for humble? No one can argue they didn’t get the job done, that’s for sure.
get the food ready for the meals, kept the raffles organized. Helped to properly recognize our sponsors, made sure i’s and t’s were properly dotted and crossed, and gave the fellas a periodic kick in the keister, when necessary. Plus so much more we can’t begin to list it all here.
They’ve been friends and neighbors for a LONG time, all the while working to help the lake be a better place for all. So thank you so much for all you gave to the lake Mary & Barb.
As we close here, we should hasten to note that despite multiple interviews and discussions with Bob, Woody, Mary, Barb and even Jim Woodard, sometimes the details are hair fuzzy around the edges. So we apologize here if we’ve forgotten something or gotten a date wrong here or there, or maybe spelled someone’s name wrong.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t take a few words here to also honor Mary Clapham and Barb Bryant. As we current fish committee members know, we couldn’t get the job done without the very, very valuable assistance and organizational help of the ladies on our team. Truly they are part of the team, as Mary and Barb were for Woody and Bob. They helped
Most importantly we want to honor Woody & Mary Clapham and Bob & Barb Bryant for all they have done for not only the Fish Committee, but the lake in general. You four have made a tremendous difference at our little thousand acre plus lake and it’s community, and beyond.
On behalf of the Fish Committee and the lake community………thank you SO much!
One of the ‘Big Boys’ stocked in the lake this Spring
