Loss of boat launch upsets residents near Little Bradford Lake
GAYLORD — Otsego County commissioners heard from residents upset with the loss of an unofficial boat launch site on Little Bradford Lake in Waters.
At Tuesday's board of commissioners meeting, residents complained after a project from the Otsego County Road Commission on Passenheim Road made it almost impossible to launch watercraft near a curve in the road that borders the lake.
Years ago, local lore has it that fire trucks pulled up to the site and took water out of the lake according to Kirk Harrier, managing director of the road commission.
"The area that was used in the past as a boat launch was never an 'official' launch site when it was researched by the road commission," Harrier. "The road commission contacted the DNR and they verified it was not an authorized public boat launch. Otsego Lake Township was contacted and they had no record of it being a township owned or maintained launch site either."
This spring the road commission repaved Passenheim Road including the area used for boats.
"There has been a long-standing erosion issue at this location with the shoulder on the north side washing out. As part of the road resurfacing project on Passenheim Road, the correcting of the drainage issue essentially made the area used in the past as a boat launch less conducive to launching watercraft," noted Harrier.
There was also a safety issue because of the lack of dedicated parking for trailers and/or vehicles when boats were being placed into the lake, he added.
Residents told the board that they have been using the site for years for boat launches and even fishing. While sympathetic to their plight, the county board noted the road commission was responsible for the Passenheim improvements which inadvertently limited the use of the site.
"I have talked to some residents on the lake and there seems to be division among property owners on what the residents desire on the lake regarding type of access," said Harrier. "The road commission does not have jurisdiction regarding who has access to the lake or if it is public or private lake. The road commission only has jurisdiction over the road right-of-way and cannot legally construct a boat launch site using road funds."
The road commission's next meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 21 at the OCRC offices, 669 W McCoy Road in Gaylord.
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In other matters before the county board, commissioners approved a resolution authored by commissioner Henry Mason.
The resolution said on Jan. 6, 2021, over 100,000 attended a "peaceful" rally at the U.S. Capitol and a "very small group" decided to enter the Capitol uninvited. As a result on June 10, a Michigan Republican candidate for governor (Ryan Kelley) was charged with four misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack.
"Therefore be it resolved that the Otsego County Board of Commissioners supports all freedom loving Americans’ right to peacefully assemble without harm, in support of this great country, and its constitutional freedoms, given to us by our founding fathers nearly 250 years ago," said the resolution.
Commissioner Jason Caverson said he has never seen a riot "that was peaceful."
The resolution did not mention that some members of the mob who invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6 were armed with weapons including guns and knives and trashed parts of the building by damaging historical statues, murals and furniture. The rioting also contributed to five deaths, assaults on 140 police officers and the evacuation of a joint session of Congress.
In addition to Mason, commissioners Paul Liss, Brett McVannel, Rob Pallorito, Doug Johnson, and Bruce Brown approved the measure while Caverson, Ken Glasser and Julie Powers voted against it. All are Republicans.