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OUR COMMITTEES

MEMBERSHIP

The Membership Committee maintains the membership list, sends annual dues notices, collects dues, and develops activities to attract new members.

Members are kept up to date with important lake related issues.
 

Committee Members:
Connie Hagen (Chairperson)
George Corrigan

FINANCE

The Finance Committee maintains the checking account, makes deposits, pays invoices, prepares monthly financial information and balances accounts. The Treasurer prepares and submits 501(c)3 Federal and Wisconsin State tax filings.


Committee Members:
Connie Hagen (Chairperson)
Janice Kellogg

George Corrigan

COMMUNICATIONS

The Communications Committee is responsible for all communications to our members including the newsletters, emails, the FOLKS website, social media and surveys.

  • Newsletters: are emailed to members quarterly. A paper copy is available for an additional $10/yr to cover printing & mailing costs.

  • Emails: intermittent FOLKS emails are messages of immediate interest and reminders that are emailed to all members with an email address between regular newsletters.

  • Website and Social Media: The FOLKS website and social media is updated on a periodic basis.

  • Surveys: FOLKS conducts email surveys once or twice per year to learn what members think about lake issues.
     

Committee Members: 

Connie Hagen (Chairperson) - Newsletters and Emails

George Corrigan - Website

Eric Olson - Social media

Connie Hagen (Chairperson), George Corrigan, Kim Walz, Janice Kellogg - Surveys

Image by Timothy Eberly

LEAF COLLECTION

The Leaf Management Committee is responsible for educating members of FOLKS and the community on the impact leaves have on our lake. Other responsibilities include:

  • Work with the City of Stoughton (the City) to continue the sharing of their leaf vacuum with the Towns of Pleasant Springs and Dunn (the Towns).

  • Develop a budget for the project to provide grants to the Towns to help them with the annual leaf collection around Lake Kegonsa.

  • Work with the Towns to determine appropriate weekends for leaf collection in the fall.

  • Work with the Towns to develop educational materials for distribution to residents.

  • Work with the Towns to make refuse site hours easily accessible to residents.

  • Develop grant requests as necessary.

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Committee Members:
Claudia Quam (Chairperson)
Connie Hagen
Eric Olson
Kim Walz

Image by Mid Atlantic Stocking

FISHERIES

The Fisheries Committee works to enhance fishing in Lake Kegonsa.  They evaluate the effectiveness of various fish stocking programs and decide on the amount of the FOLKS donation.  This committee is leading a carp removal project, conducting meetings with the DNR and fishermen, and recommending to the Board what FOLKS should be paying to subsidize the effort. They work with the WDNR to understand the fish survey and communicate relevant information to our members.
 

Committee Members:
John Bottorff (Chairperson)

Image by Alexandros Giannakakis

AQUATIC PLANT

The Aquatic Plant and Barge Debris Committee monitors aquatic plant growth in Lake Kegonsa.   The committee evaluates the problems, needs, and effectiveness of aquatic plant harvesting in cooperation with Dane County.   They also determine if aquatic plants have become a big enough problem to consider additional plant harvesting. The committee coordinates aquatic plant and debris pick-up with Dane County.

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Committee Members:
John Bottorff (Chairperson)

RUN-OFF

The Run Off Committee identifies, samples and monitors sites that have water running into Lake Kegonsa. The objective is to determine and alleviate major sources of phosphorus entering the lake. The phosphorus coming into the lake is determined by the level of P in the run-off water times the amount of run-off flowing into the lake at that point. The Run-Off Committee previously identified sites on Lake Kegonsa where water is flowing into Lake Kegonsa on a regular basis or periodically after rain events and sampled some of these runoff sites to determine a baseline phosphorus level. The committee:

  • Samples selected run off sites after major rain events, to determine phosphorus level.

  • Prioritizes run off spots based on phosphorus analysis and estimated flows.

  • Designs projects that will slow or alleviate the run off at sites contributing significant phosphorus to the lake.

  •  Promotes best practices such as planting native plants on shorelines through workshops and subsidizing the use of rain barrels to reduce run-off.
     

 

 

Committee Members:
Eric Olson (Chairperson)
Connie Hagen
Janice Kellogg
Kim Walz

WATER QUALITY

This Committee is responsible for monitoring the water quality on Lake Kegonsa and the surrounding area and then reporting the data to FOLKS members. The Committee continues to develop an extensive database of water quality data for the Lake. To view the data, click here. The Committee also:

  • Works closely with Clean Lakes Alliance (CLA), Rock River Coalition (RRC), Dane County Land and Water Resources (LWRD), and UW Limnology.

  • Provides volunteers and coordinates 12-16 monitoring sites for data collection under the CLA ‘End of Pier’ monitoring program.

  • Purchases and maintains clarity and temperature equipment for the Lake Kegonsa ‘End of Pier’ monitoring program.

  • Provides volunteers and coordinates sample collection under the RRC water data programs at important sites:

    • Yahara River inlet (Fish Camp Park)

    • Yahara outlet (LaFollette dam)

    • Door Creek (at the inlet to Lake Kegonsa)

    • Door Creek (at Co Rd MN)

  • Provides phosphorus sampling at opposite points on the lake to expand current data.

  • Provides continued monitoring and seasonal water sampling at the ‘Deep Hole’, the deepest part of Lake Kegonsa.

  • Monitors the lakeforecast.org (CLA) and SWIMS (RRC) databases where nutrient and observational data is stored.

  • Cooperates with and provides volunteers to UW water quality studies such as Microcystin testing and foam collection for PFAS study.

  • Monitors lake levels and communicates with Dane County to provide feedback.
     

Committee Members:
Kim Walz (Chairperson)
George Corrigan
Claudia Quam
Janice Kellogg
Connie Hagen

SOCIAL AND EDUCATION

The Social and Education Committee plans and arranges social events, the annual business meeting and educational activities for the members.  They also conduct the annual Ice On and Ice Off contests held each fall and spring.


Committee Members:
Anne Meisner (Chairperson)

Eric Olson

Claudia Quam
Kim Van Brocklin

Kim Walz 

Deb Kundert

Permanent Prairie

The Permanent Prairie Committee works with landowners, municipalities, and state agencies to encourage creation of permanent native prairies that slow runoff and improve the water quality of Lake Kegonsa.


Committee Members:
John Bottorf (Chair)

Eric Olson

George Corrigan

WILDLIFE

This committee coordinates ecological projects and shares data with the membership about the various species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals that call Lake Kegonsa home. Fish Camp County Park has existed as a designated "release site" where injured and orphaned animals from our lake and wetlands are returned to their lake habitat after medical assessment or rehabilitation from the Wildlife Center within the Dane County Humane Society.  View Lake Kegonsa wildlife pictures and videos here. Interested in assisting with various wildlife projects? Click here to learn about various projects or donation opportunities.


Committee Members:
Kim Van Brocklin (Chairperson)
Pat Guiney

Anne Meisner

Deb Kundert

Mike Krueger

FISH CAMP PARK

This committee works with Dane County Parks on maintenance, education and improvement projects at Fish Camp Park.  The committee identifies and organizes projects that prevent run-off and enhance the public use of the park.  Successful projects include restoration of the Net House, planting and maintaining a shoreline demonstration garden, creating additional gardens at the boat launch and the entrance.   FOLKS has also made contributions for picnic tables and an accessible fishing pier.  Some of our events at Fish Camp County Park have included kayak tours, archeology talks, raptor fest, and a waterski show.


Committee Members:
Janice Kellogg (Chairperson)
Connie Hagen

Deb Kundert

Executive

The Executive Committee consists of the Officers of the FOLKS Board and transacts regular business between monthly meetings of the Board of Directors.".


Committee Members:

George Corrigan (Chairperson)

Janice Kellogg

Connie Hagen

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