Author: Beth

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 2—Message from the President
Pages 3-6—Collage from Annual Meeting
Page 7— Meeting Attendance
Page 8— Annual Meeting Minutes
Page 9—Finances
Pages 10-11— Slides from Annual Meeting
Pages 12-13—Slides from Presentation
Page 14—Wildlife Report
Page 15— August Plant Survey
Page 16— Boat Parade, Nature’s Beauty
Page 17—Book Club
Pages 18-21— Our History

Diamond Lakers Newsletter FALL 2025 - Volume 29, #2

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Message from the president

Where did summer go? It is the third of September, and it feels like the sun just got turned off - cold and drizzly. These first days of are setting the stage for a beautiful autumn full of colors, warm sunny days, cool evenings and maybe a haunting call of a loon.
This edition of the newsletter is loaded with light and enjoyable reading and photos. Please note Matt Berg’s aquatic survey, which contains positive and satisfying information, and Ed Wallen’s summarization of the same.
Your board of directors encourages you to visit the website on regular basis. It is a good way to keep up to date on what is happening and what will happen, such as annual and board meetings and town and lake issues. We invite you to attend board meetings. Details are on the website under the “About Us” tab. https://www.diamond-lakers.org/
Our website also contains our by-laws. Reading them will answer many questions that you may have. They are a short read, so go for it. Found under “About Us” tab.
Also on the website is a link to WI Boating Regulations. This is a good resource for boaters that may be new to the experience, especially when it concerns night-time navigation and boat lighting requirements. It is a serious safety matter, proper lighting matters significantly. Look under the “Useful Links” tab, go to pages 14-15.
A Facebook group has been developed by a few Diamond Lakers for the purpose of casual communication of fun events and experiences. (This is not Diamond Lakers Board sponsored.) Click on the link on this page to sign up.
You recently received emails regarding the potential WI wake boat legislation. The information sent was from one of two Wisconsin lake organizations that are looking after the wellbeing of all Wisconsin Lakes. I encourage you to sign up for their emails as they are always full of important announcements and information.
https://www.lakesatstake.org/
https://wisconsinlakes.org/

Also, if you do not receive email updates from Chanz Green and Romaine Quinn these are two more to enjoy.
rep.green@legis.wi.gov sen.quinn@legis.wisconsin.gov
2026 Diamond Lakers Annual Meeting will be held at Grand View Town Hall July 18 beginning at 3 PM. See you there!
Wishing you all the best, Scott

New FaceBook Group, “Diamond Lakers” JOIN NOW This is a member-participation Facebook page, not operated by the Diamond Lakers’ Association… but run by YOU, our members! Use this page to post comments, pictures, make announcements, etc.

Apparel Sale Based on high interest, another apparel sale just launched with proceeds going to the Diamond Lake Association. Watch your inboxes for an email from Trish Leaf. There will be a short turnaround time for ordering with delivery expected in mid to late October. Contact Trish Leaf at pbleaf@yahoo.com if you did not receive an email.

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July 19, 2025 Diamond Lakers Annual Membership Meeting

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DIAMOND LAKERS, INC. - 2025 ANNUAL MEETING July 19 2025–3 pm; Grand View Town Center

Members Present:
Pat Arndt / Joel Stedman	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Sandy and Tom Benson	Twin Pines Lane
Paul Brown	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Juels and Sally Carlson	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Mark and Julie Collins	Twin Pines Lane
Steve Eggimann / Dianne Van Tassell	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Todd and Kristen Gillingham	Chapinwood Road
Bob and Pam Jacobel	Twin Pines Lane
David and Trina James	Diamond Point Road
Joey and Brad Kellogg	Twin Pines Lane
Cathy and Nick Kestle	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Tom Kraker	Chapinwood Road
Dennis Kruse	Canterbury Trail
Raye and Rose Lahti	Diamond Point Road
Kris and Trish Leaf	Twin Pines Lane
John and Jane Miller	Pioneer Road
Sally Moser	Pioneer Road
Carol Neubauer / Mike Starck	Twin Pines Lane
David and Jennifer Nortunen	Canterbury Lane
Cary and Mary Palmer	Twin Pines Lane
Jim and Sally Pathos	Chapinwood Road
Jon and Jackie Pedersen	N. Diamond Lake Drive
John and Cathy Rosebush	Pioneer Road
Todd and Sarah Stivland	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Susan Trankel / Brad Budzsiz	Canterbury Lane
Tracy and Michelle Veillette	Canterbury Trail
Carl and Pat Vilmann	N. Diamond Lake Drive
Ed and Monica Wallen	N. Diamond Lake Road
Mark and Trish Wilhelm	Diamond Point Road

54 individuals, representing 29 member households were present.

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DIAMOND LAKERS 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 7/19/25
Called to order by David James standing in for President Scott Johnson at 3:02pm
1) New Members introduced themselves: Tom and Sandy Benson, Steve Eggimann & Diane Van Tassell, and Dan and Jennifer Nortunen. Welcome to all!
2) Minutes of 2024 General Meeting were approved with motion by Ed Wallen, second by Raye Lahti and general membership voting aye.
3) Board Members John Rosebush, David James and Scott Johnson were approved to be re-elected to 3-year terms. Motion by Mark Wilhelm with second by Pam Jacobel and general membership voting aye.
4) Treasurers Report by treasurer Bob Jacobel. Details available. Broadly, DLers have unrestricted revenues of about $7600 including $3000 dues, $1000 from Town of Grand View, and $3600 of donations. We have expenses of about $2000, most of which involves the camera at the boat landing. We have a total of $15,400 in our coffers with about $10,000 in an interest-bearing Stewardship Fund and the remainder in our checking account for operating expenses.
5) Wildlife update includes “sightings” of wolves on camera monitored by Raye Lahti, and Loon update by Jesse Meschievitz with hatching of two loon chicks on June 10, and survival to date of the chicks. Thanks to Mark Wilhelm for taking the lead on refurbishing the loon island with help from Ed Wallen and Raye Lahti.

6) AIS Station report by David James who did the heavy lifting in regard to writing the grant to obtain funds and literal heavy lifting of positioning the station. We hope it gets good use. “No Parking” signs will be added soon. James hopes we will take a regional view of invasive Species.
7) Culvert that controls outflow of Diamond Lake under North Diamond Lake Road is an Important issue to all, but no update as of yet as Feds and State did not meet as planned. Board will keep Membership updated
8) Healthy Lakes and Rivers update by Ed Wallen. Diamond Lake is Oligotropic but has been considered an “outstanding resource water” by WEX which puts us in the top 1% of all Wisconsin waterways. Ed has seen a Sechi Disc reading this year of 16 feet which is better than our average of 12.5 feet. We have several “practices” that have been completed or are underway to improve the shoreline and lake. These are partially paid for by HLR grants that Ed authored. We have two $1000 grants available, but they must be used by years end 2025. Contact Ed if you are interested.
9) Nate Thomas Fisheries Biologist Wisconsin DNR gave an excellent presentation on DL fish population. We are considered a Trend Lake, so we are studied every 3 years. The 2024 Study was done with Fyke netting, electrofishing, and creel survey. Of note, is that our Fishing Pressure is about 1/2 of other Northern Wisconsin lakes, that our walleye population is the highest it has been in two decades (1.6 per acre despite NO natural reproduction), and that Bass are still the most desired by fishermen.
10) Meeting was adjourned
John Rosebush

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Joe Twohy

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Term expires: 2027—Bob Jacobel, Treasurer 2028—David James 2028—Scott Johnson, President 2026—Tom Kraker 2027—Raye Lahti 2028—John Rosebush, Secretary 2026—Ed Wallen, Vice President 2027—Mark Wilhelm

Our Board of Directors 2024-2025

Many thanks to our board member, Pat Arndt, who has recently turned in her resignation. We are so grateful for her wonderful contribution and dedication to the Diamond Lakers Association.

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The following slides have been taken from Nate Thomas’ presentation at the DL Annual Meeting.

Nate Thomas Fisheries Biologist, Wisconsin DNR

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[August 24—Trish Leaf saw the hind end of a large cat walking into the woods behind her garage at the end of Twin Pines Lane—either a bobcat or a mountain lion. Keep your pets close!]

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DIAMOND LAKE-“CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH” (August plant survey finds no invasives)
By Ed Wallen for the DL Board

A recent survey of aquatic plants in Diamond Lake by our consultant Matthew Berg of Endangered Resources Services, LLC, found no Eurasian Milfoil or other invasive species. This is really good news, especially in light of the fact that nearby Lake Namakagon is now dealing with this problem in multiple areas. According to Berg, efforts aimed at education, vigilance and early detection are the key to avoiding very expensive treatment plans that must go on indefinitely.
In its effort to preserve and protect Diamond Lake (DL), the DL Board of Directors developed a plan to protect DL. This plan is detailed in the “DL Strategic Plan~2021”. Among the highest priorities in the Plan is to prevent the introduction or establishment of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Toward this end, the following measures have been incorporated: lake surveys by experts in identification of AIS, workshops on detection of AIS open to all DLers, a DNR-funded wash station to help prevent introduction of AIS from boaters, our camera system and educational audio messages at the boat launch, and a DL volunteer surveillance effort.
Berg’s August 17 survey of the shoreline areas and northwest bay follows an extensive whole-lake baseline point-intercept survey completed in 2021 which likewise found no invasives. Instead it highlighted the rich diversity of native plants in DL waters. Board members are both very pleased and relieved to report this “clean bill of health.”

CLICK HERE to See The Report

Project Initiated by: Diamond Lakers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Survey Conducted by and Report Prepared by: Endangered Resources Services, LLC Matthew S. Berg, Research Biologist St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin August 17, 2025

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AND THE July 4th BOAT PARADE WINNER IS:
Mark and Julie Collins ~ “ZZ Top” Theme

Joe Twohy June 19, 2025

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A Book Club has begun for Diamond Lake residents , thanks to the efforts of Judy Doonan-Twohy. Tucking a book and connecting with neighbors has already proved to be a positive venture!
Generally we meet the first Tuesday of the month, at 6:30 p.m. We rotate "hosting" -- providing a snack and leading discussion.
If you are interested in joining, or would just read on your own, or like to stay on the list for updates and meetings, please let Judy know, at judydt.new@gmail.com, 612-718-0896.
Current readers are: Angie Burke Maureen “Mo” Chapin Judy Doonan Kris Gillingham Beth Johnson Joey Kellogg Dianne Klump Rose Lahti Trish Leaf Jessie Mischievitz Sally Moser Sally Pathos Jackie Pedersen Laurie Rabe Susan Trankel Michelle Vielette

BOOK
CLUB
2025
*unable to attend Aug 5th; interested in staying on the list

Here are our first book selections. . .
August - Goodnight, Irene, Luis Alberto Urrea September - The River is Waiting, Wally Lamb.
October - Vacationland, Sarah Stonich
November - The Briar Club, Kate Quinn
January - The Personal Librarian, Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray February - Solar Storms, Linda Hogan.
March - The Women, Kristin Hannah.

Postcard Greetings Multi View, 1913

It’s Now Time For Some HISTORY!

(On the next few pages)

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Origins of the Names of Eighteen Mile Creek and Grand View
Taken from Chapter 13 – “Town of Grand View Schools”
Shaping the Future
The History of Early Schools in Bayfield County, Wisconsin
Bayfield County Historical Society, 2024
“Efforts to build a railroad into Northern Wisconsin began in the 1850’s, but it was not until the 1880’s that the Chicago, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad was constructed through Bayfield County on its way to the ports of Bayfield and Ashland. Having reached Cable in 1880, work on the line began again in 1882. As workers pushed on northward, they bestowed “mile marker” designations to reference points and natural barriers along the route. Approximately eighteen miles from the starting point near Cable, the engineers were faced with a chasm seventy-five feet deep through which a stream bubbled and frothed on its way to Lake Superior. They dubbed it Eighteen Mile Creek, and another creek to the east, Twenty Mile Creek. Between the two was a plateau of land where they pitched their tents and erected rough board buildings to house the work crew of nearly six hundred as they prepared to construct two bridges over the creeks. Accordingly, it was called Nineteenth Mile Camp.
Charles Pratt had been in the region since the 1870’s, operating a surveying and real estate business. In 1882, he had his eye on opportunities at Ninteenth Mile Camp and begun buying up land. Pratt set up a saw mill and began shipping timber south to markets in St. Paul. In December of 1882, the U.S. Postal Service established a mail stop at Nineteenth Mile Camp, located in Charles Pratt’s office building on the bluff. It was called Pratt.
In 1905, the village changed its name to Grand View, in tribute to the panoramic view from the bluff over the White River marsh to the north. (The name was spelled both as “Grandview” and “Grand View” over the years.) ….. In 1969, the town name was officially changed to the Town of Grand View.”

Thank you, Pam Jacobel, for sharing the book, “Shaping the Future”, with me! Beth Johnson

Deck Truss Viaduct over Eighteen Mile Creek

Eighteen Mile Creek

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Jean Hansen (from the Cable Namakagon Historical Museum) sent me these fabulous pages taken from the “1980 centennial issue of Cable Commentator”. Beth Johnson

Continued next page

A few names mentioned in Mildred Wells Raw’s memories (along with their possible locale) are:
Art Goff — Developer of Canterbury Trail
Martinet McKay — Pioneer Road
Art Fleming — Canterbury Trail
Nettie Fox — 20045 N. Diamond Lake Drive
Bud Witt — Canterbury Trail
Doc & Syd Conklin — 48085 Chapinwood Road
Ray & Minnie Frick — Pioneer Bar
The Zehners — 20450 Pioneer Road
Mildred and Bud Raw — 46990 Canterbury Trail

Artubus flower

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NEWSPAPER GEMS from Cable Namakagon History Museum

11-28-1996

12-5-1996

4-24-1997

10-31-1996

4-24-1997

Susan Frankel May 21, 2025

Diamond Lakers, Inc. P.O. Box 543 Cable, Wisconsin 54821
www.diamond-lakers.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Our Officers are:
President: Scott Johnson Vice President: Ed Wallen Secretary: John Rosebush Treasurer: Bob Jacobel
Directors at large:
Pat Arndt Dave James Tom Kraker
Raye Lahti Mark Wilhelm

Term expires: 2026 Pat Arndt
2027 Bob Jacobel, Treasurer 2025 David James 2025 Scott Johnson, President
2026 Tom Kraker 2027 Raye Lahti
2025 John Rosebush, Secretary
2026 Ed Wallen, Vice President 2027 Mark Wilhelm

September 26, 2024
Dear All,
First of all, a beautiful autumn greetings!
There is undoubtedly much happening in Bayfield County these days. I am sending this message because you are engaged in District #11 issues. Local issues affect your day-to-day lives, so thank you for your interest.
Content Below: (Click for attachment on each)
Grand View’s intent to withdraw from County Zoning
Countywide EMS Meeting
ATVs on County Road D
All Bayfield County Supervisors received the attached letter (jpeg) from your Town Board Chair. I hope all of you had a voice in this decision to withdraw from Bayfield County's planning and zoning. It is a massive undertaking for the town and a significant expense.
As stated in the attached letter from Jack and other town chairs, Bayfield Counties’ ordinances will be rewritten after 50 years. We contracted an outside consulting group to lead the charge. Also stated in the letter and the state statute, this action allows any town to withdraw from the County's Planning and Zoning.
This code rewrite is imperative since ordinances have been changed throughout the 50 years and, therefore, re-written and cobbled together. We will create a local stakeholder committee with the contracted agency to collaborate in creating zoning codes that work better for everybody. Towns are invited to help with input. We all do better when we work cooperatively to develop environmental zoning protections with community goals and objectives for now and future generations.
If Grand View intends to start its own planning and zoning department, it will embark on a colossal undertaking. Mind you, as taxpayers, you will still be paying and working with Bayfield County’s planning and zoning department since it will continue to handle shorelands, floodplains, quarry operations, stormwater regulations, erosion issues, wetland, and POWTS systems. I am unsure if you will also be asked to pay for your town’s department.
According to SB826, towns creating their zoning department must have zoning ordinances, a comprehensive plan, and an official map within two years of their intent to withdraw. Many deadlines and work details will need to be addressed. In many cases, the town clerks will act as town planners and be responsible for paying and placing all public notices within deadlines. If there are hearings needed for appeals, and there will be plenty. (Without enforceable zoning codes, constituents on quiet residential lots may have a campground with ATVs/UTVs right next door or find a temporary asphalt

Boat Parade Competition

plant as a neighbor.) These hearings are typically $500, and the town will be responsible for creating its own appeals board. Lastly, zoning is a very litigious area, so Grand View will need plenty of money set aside to pay for lawyers.
I am confused about the benefits of Grand View leaving the county’s planning and zoning versus the huge undertaking and expense for the constituents in starting its department. Collaboration with the County rewrite will significantly help some of the issues experienced by Grand View. We are aware of our department losing staff and have been diligently working on recruiting.
The Bayfield County Ad Hoc EMS Advisory Committee welcomes you to a listening session or to the GV town hall meeting, Wednesday, October 9..
REGARDING: A PROPOSAL FOR COUNTYWIDE EMS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BAYFIELD COUNTY EMS SERVICES
Friday, October 11, 2024, 6:00 PM in the Bayfield County Board Room.
Please take a look at the attached information. We need a Bayfield County-wide EMS service. Both nearby Sawyer County and Washburn County have these EMS services to help their aging residents remain in their homes and keep neighbors alive in an emergency by increasing EMS staff. We are requesting to hire a director who will work with a committee to create a Countywide EMS system NOW! Once the system is designed, we will need funds for ambulances, equipment, and staff. And we need money.
ATVs on County Road D:
Just an FYI: The Highway Committee voted on a once-a-year approval for requests for ATVs and UTVs to be allowed on County Highways. Proposals will need to be turned into the Highway Department by the second week of February 2025, which would put them on the Highway Committee's agenda for March 2025. Any approvals by the Highway Committee would then go to the full board at the March 2025 meeting.
I rode my bike down County Road D last week. Many large camper homes, gravel trucks, and cars were on this hilly, curvy road. I can't imagine adding an ATV caravan. The original intent in allowing ATVs on county roads was to connect one trail to another, not as currently proposed, which is a thorough way of ten-plus miles on County Road D. Here is a recent article sent by a constituent; 27 died in fatal ATV/UTV accidents in Wisconsin already this year, 5 within the last four weeks - Merrill Foto News
SUMMARY:
Please don't hesitate to pass on this information to others. Contact the town if you have thoughts on the withdrawal from planning and zoning. Please try to attend the Countywide EMS Listening sessions. Next year, there will be a decision on ATVs on County D.
My Best, Madelaine Rekemeyer District 11 Supervisor on the Bayfield County Board

Other Articles . . .

Planning & Zoning/Countywide EMS/ATVs on County Road D

Due date: Sept. 9, 2022
Publish date: September 23, 2022
I have:
July 4th Boat Parade, Beth Johnson
Board Elections
Pictures from the Annual Meeting, Beth Johnson
Minutes from Annual Meeting—Dave
Articles of interest:
Artesian Well(s) in Ashland
What is a Watershed?
Loons July 11&12; last time=2012, Jessie Loon Platform (Jessie, Ray, Mark)
Still Needed:
Message from the President, Scott
Wake Boats Resolution, Board
Strategic Plan
AIS Monitoring
2023 Grants: Wash Station, Healthy Lakes and Rivers, Shoreline Assessment,
Shoreline Assessment
Michael Sinclair & Nile Merton, Bay Area Environmental Consulting LLC
Water Quality Update—Ed

Michael and Phyllis Walsh (Dome house)
Jean and Randy Farrow (Chapinwood)

	Phone & Address	Email	Date/book
Maureen “Mo” Chapin	715-307-8481 / 47565 Chapinwood	chapinmaureen@yahoo.com
Judy Doonan	612-718-0896 / 46865 Twin Pines	Judydt.new@gmail.com
Beth Johnson *	301-501-0473 / 48075 Chapinwood	sboyumj@gmail.com
Diane Klump	20045 N Diamond	Dklump@cheqnet.net
Rose Lahti	970-471-1364 / 20160 Diamond Pt	roselahti75@gmail.com
Trish Leaf *	47420 Twin Pines / 612-964-1176	pbleaf@yahoo.com
Jessie Meschievitz	970-324-1550 / 20041 N Diamond	Jlmesch852@gmail.com
Sally Moser*	708-220-6198 / 20800 Pioneer	diamondlakemrs@gmail.com
Sally Pathos	715-864-5573 / 47725 Chapinwood	Sjpathos@gmail.com
Laurie Rabe	650-906-8170 / 47120 Canterbury	laurie.rabe@gmail.com	8-5-25 / Good Night, Irene
Susan Trankel	715-798-2494 ? / 46850 Canterbury	sky1944@icloud.com