Kathan Lake Association seeks lake district to fund invasive‑species work

Ken Drake, president of the Kathan Lake Association, presented the group's plan to pursue formation of a Kathan Lake District to provide a formal structure and funding for lake management.

Drake said the association has monitored water quality and managed Eurasian watermilfoil for more than 20 years through volunteer effort. He explained that sustaining those efforts solely through volunteers is increasingly difficult, and that a lake district would allow for funding and a more formal governance structure. Kathan Lake is roughly 200 acres and located near Eagle River in the Town of Sugar Camp.

The association has worked with Oneida County staff (including Michele Sadauskas), the county Land Information Department, the Town of Sugar Camp and the Wisconsin DNR during planning. Petitions were recently sent to lake property owners and are expected to be submitted to the committee for consideration—possibly by the July meeting. Drake and staff noted a current logistical challenge: ensuring petition signatures match tax‑roll names.

Committee members discussed logistics for district meetings, noting statutory requirements for quarterly meetings and the common practice of using town halls; Linnaea Newman suggested offering Zoom options to improve winter attendance. Chair Jensen said the CUW Committee would recommend a county representative to the County Board if the district proceeds.

No formal vote was taken; staff provided a tentative submission timeline and said petition documentation would be returned to the committee when ready.