RECIPE: Mini pierogy mac ’n’ cheese skillet

My husband, publisher of this paper, has been asking me to provide a regular recipe for the Lake Panorma Times for awhile now, so I thought I would share one this issue. Fall is my second favorite season (after summer, of course!) I love watching the leaves change, enjoying a good, easy, hot meal and cozying up to an evening bonfire. Nothing beats mac and cheese with homemade muffins, fresh out of the oven. This recipe is a little different than your traditional mac and cheese and I encourage you to try it. Enjoy! — Jolene Goodman

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 box Mrs. T’s Mini 4 Cheese Medley Pierogies
2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 cup broccoli florets
1 small red pepper, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 ounce cream cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

Directions
In large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute pierogies until golden brown, about six minutes per side. Remove pierogies from pan.
   Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Saute white parts of scallions over medium-high heat until fragrant and translucent, about two minutes.
   Add broccoli, peppers and squash. Cook 5-8 minutes until tender but still crisp.
   Remove veggies from pan.
   In same skillet, whisk flour, salt, pepper and heavy cream. Simmer until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese, stirring until melted.
   Remove skillet from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until sauce is melted and smooth. Add pierogies and veggies back to pan, gently stirring until coated.
   Top with green scallions before serving.

LPN Women’s Solheim results

The LPN women’s Solheim tournament was held Aug. 21-22. Team Captains Sue Greiner and Lisa Grossman used the theme “The Good, The Bad, The Lucky” for the event. Team pairings were announced after the regular Thursday women’s golf league Aug. 20.

A team shootout was held Friday evening, with the winning team consisting of Kathy DeLucca, Karen Hanson, Cindy Sanger, Emily Spradling and Susan Thompson. The shootout was followed by appetizers and Blackjack card games in the conference center.

Forty players participated in the team competition Saturday, with two-person teams competing using three different formats over 18 holes — match play, alternate shot and better ball. Three points were up for grabs in each foursome, with one point for each six-hole format. When all the teams were in, the two teams were tied at 15 points each. After discussion, the team captains agreed to stick with a tie rather than a sudden-death playoff between the two captains.

Eight two-person teams chosen based on their scores from Thursday’s league play competed in a shootout after the Solheim tournament, with Danna Krambeer and Shanell Wager winning that event. Dinner followed, and the 2021 captains of Deb McDermott and Tricia Steffen were introduced.

RAIN GARDEN AT PANORAMA WEST FLOURISHES
The idea of installing a demonstration rain garden first was discussed at a Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors meeting in 2016.

Posted 9/8/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

It’s been more than three years since a rain garden was installed along the east side of the Panorama West clubhouse parking lot. Even though 2020 hasn’t brought a lot of rain to Lake Panorama, the native plants in the rain garden have been putting on a show this year.

Some plants bloomed their first year in the garden, but it generally takes two to three years for native plants to hit their stride. That’s because natives first establish deep root systems before substantial growth happens above ground.

A rain garden is a perennial flower garden strategically located to capture runoff from rain that falls on parking lots, roofs, driveways and yards. The idea of installing a demonstration rain garden first was discussed at a Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors meeting in 2016.

Derek Namanny, an urban conservationist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, began working with the group that fall. He visited Lake Panorama to look for possible rain garden locations and found an existing water drain on the east side of the Panorama West parking lot that receives rainfall runoff. Namanny designed a garden that covers 500 square feet surrounding this drain.

“Rain gardens help reduce surface runoff and protect water quality,” he said. “Runoff that travels to a rain garden is temporarily ponded, but it doesn’t stay ponded for long. Plants in the garden use the water, pollutants are filtered out, and the water percolates down through the soil rather than running off into the lake and nearby streams and rivers.”

The cost of this project was about $2,500. In December 2016, the Guthrie County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners approved an application from Friends of Lake Panorama for $1,250 in cost-share funding for the rain garden. These funds were made available through Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection program, better known as REAP.

The Lake Panorama Association provided site preparation assistance. Excavation was done before layers of rock, sand and soil were covered with a hardwood mulch. A biodegradable erosion blanket was placed over the mulch to keep it from washing away. Holes were cut in the blanket, and the plants placed and watered by volunteers.

In 2018, large rocks were placed around the three elevated sides of the garden to help reduce weeds and protect the garden. Smaller river rock was placed along the west side.

An informational sign installed nearby explains how rain gardens help improve water quality. The Panorama West rain garden features 170 native plants in a dozen different varieties, that bloom at various times from spring to late fall. The sign shows the names and photos of eight varieties. Details on all 12 plant varieties are available on the Friends of Lake Panorama website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.

This Red Milkweed plant in the Panorama West rain garden is popular with pollinators, as well as butterflies like this Painted Lady.

The tall plants with white plumes along the east side of the rain garden are Culver’s Root. This plant blooms in July and August, and stands three to six feet tall. Along the rock wall are several volunteer common milkweed plants, that have been left in place to support monarch butterflies.

An informational sign explains how rain gardens help improve water quality. The Panorama West rain garden features 170 native plants in a dozen different varieties. The sign shows the names and photos of eight varieties. Details on all 12 plant varieties are available on the Friends of Lake Panorama website.

The purple-colored flowers on the Prairie Blazing Star attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. A bonus is that this plant is deer resistant.

Auditor Dani Fink announces campaign
ahead of November election

Dani Fink of Panora announces her campaign for Guthrie County Auditor in the Nov. 3, 2020 election, and promises to keep the residents and taxpayers of Guthrie County as her first priority.

“I am dedicated to working for the people of Guthrie County and continuing to serve them with integrity and honesty,” said Fink. “As Guthrie County Auditor, I have streamlined our election process, updated voting equipment and made the entire process much more voter friendly. Elections are only one portion of my responsibilities as Auditor, although they are the most discussed.”

As the current Guthrie County Auditor, Fink has taken on the role as Commissioner of Elections for Guthrie County and is certified as an Iowa State Elections Administrator — a requirement she must maintain with regular continuing education provided by the Secretary of State’s office. Beyond elections, Fink is also charged with preparing and certifying tax levies, maintaining accurate financial records county-wide and managing real estate transfer records for Guthrie County.

“Elections are a large part of being County Auditor, but they are not the only important aspect of this role. Since being appointed Auditor on May 12, 2020, I have taken on the responsibility as the County budget director, Clerk to the Board of Supervisors, overseeing County payroll and accounts payable,” said Fink. “I have a proven track record and am proud to hold the title as your Guthrie County Auditor. I look forward to continuing to work for you.”

Fink has been employed with the Guthrie County Auditor’s office since April 2017 and served as the Elections Deputy until she was appointed as County Auditor by the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors in May of this year.

Fink resides in rural Guthrie County and is community-centered in her personal life, holding previous positions on the Guthrie County Hospital Board and as a Panorama Community School Booster Club officer. Fink enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as her partner, Jeremy, and their two dogs, Ella and Rip.

LPA BOARD APPROVES DOG PARK CONCEPT
Cost of dog park plan developed by task force is $50,000.

Posted 9/8/20

By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

At its Aug. 25 meeting, the Lake Panorama Association board of directors voted unanimously to allow Friends of Lake Panorama to begin raising funds for a dog park.

The idea of a dog park on LPA property has been discussed off and on for nearly a decade. In April 2019, Friends conducted a survey to gather input from LPA members on possible future projects. The Friends board met June 24, 2019, reviewed and discussed the survey results, and approved several action items.

One action item dealt with the possible development of an LPA dog park. While a dog park didn’t rank as high in the survey as other projects, there was strong support from a segment of the LPA membership. For that reason, the Friends board decided to recruit volunteers to serve on a dog park task force to study location, design, costs and rules.

By early September 2019, a seven-member task force had been assembled. Julie Tibbles served as chair. Other members were Roger and Mary Hansen, Sherri Miller, Ann Appleseth and Karen Hanson. Representing Friends on the task force was board president Jan Reinicke. Susan Thompson, Friends executive director, assisted the task force.

One part of the task force’s research included a 15-question online survey conducted in November 2019. About 100 people took the survey, with 75 people saying they and their guests would use a dog park. Another nine said they needed more information before deciding.

At its June 22, 2020, meeting, the Friends board received the dog park task force report and voted unanimously to endorse the project and advance the report to the LPA board. The Friends board also agreed to manage donations to this project.

The LPA board reviewed the dog park proposal at its July meeting and gave final approval at the August meeting. The cost of the dog park plan developed by the task force is $50,000. All funds will need to be raised with support from dog park enthusiasts and dog lovers, as LPA will only be partnering with in-kind contributions such as running a water line.

If the needed funds are raised, the dog park will be located at the corner of Sage Trail and RV Road, near the east campground and across the road from holes 12 and 13 on the Lake Panorama National golf course.

A 6-foot-high chain link fence that is 650 feet long and 155 feet wide will encircle the park. There will be two sections, one for small dogs and one for large dogs, with chain link fence dividing the two areas. The property currently is planted to soybeans, so funds will be needed to improve the seedbed and establish turfgrass.

A single entrance will be protected by a keyless lock. Once inside this gate, users can choose a gate to either the large dog area or the small dog area. A concrete slab at the entrance will be covered with a steel roof structure.

Crushed rock will be used to create a 5-foot-wide walking path along and under the fencing to provide a weed barrier and keep dogs from digging. A small gravel parking lot will be adjacent to the park.

Amenities inside the park fence included in the $50,000 cost estimate are four benches, four stations where bags for dog waste would be available, and two domed waste receptacles. A dual station pet fountain placed in the fence line between the two sections would make it possible for dogs to access drinking water from either side.

The facility will be open to LPA members and their guests. The entry code will be available to members and guests of members by calling LPA security or the LPA office, and will be changed periodically. Signs will be posted for responsible use, with volunteers helping decide on these rules as fundraising is underway. One rule already determined is all dogs must wear a tag showing they are up to date with state-required rabies vaccinations.

Because Friends of Lake Panorama is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit charity, all donations are tax deductible. Donors of at least $500 will be recognized on a sign at the dog park, plus on the Friends website.

Checks made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama can be mailed to P.O. Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donors should include a note or designate on the check funds are to be used for the dog park. More information about the dog park and other donation options are available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.

Playgrounds continue to be Friends’ priority project

By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

While the LPA board of directors recently approved fundraising for a dog park, the Friends of Lake Panorama’s priority project will remain new playground equipment at Boulder and Shady beaches until that $70,000 goal has been reached.

The Aug. 1 Beach Ball raised nearly $30,000, which was a huge boost to the playground project. There already was $25,000 in the bank received from donors since this fundraising effort began in November 2019.

The Beach Ball increased visibility of the playground project, with another $3,000 in direct donations received since that event. Another $12,000 is needed.

In late July, the Friends board of directors voted to order the play equipment for Shady Beach. Once the remaining $12,000 is raised, the Boulder Beach equipment will be ordered. The Friends board hopes to reach this goal before the end of 2020, since a price increase on the playground equipment is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2021.

All donations are tax-deductible. Checks made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama can be mailed to P.O. Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donors should include a note or designate on the check the funds are to be used for the playgrounds.

Donors of $500 or more will be recognized on signs erected near both playgrounds and on the Friends website. More information about the playgrounds and other ways to donate is available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.

This graphic shows the proposed Lake Panorama dog park. If enough funds are raised for the park, it will be located at the corner of Sage Trail and RV Road, near the east campground. The layout plan was donated by Jim Tometich, who lives on Helen’s Cove.

New food and beverage manager at LPN
Blake Wenzel brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry to the LPN.

By Susan Thompson
Posted 9/8//2020

That new guy working at Lake Panorama National in the Links and at special events is Blake Wenzel, who joined the staff in late July as the LPN food and beverage manager. A native of Mt. Pleasant, Wenzel is a graduate of the two-year culinary arts program at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa.

Royce Shaffer, LPN operations manager, says he’s happy to welcome Wenzel to the LPN staff.

“Blake comes to us with a ton of industry knowledge. Combine that with his energetic personality, and I am excited to see where he can take our food and beverage department,” Shaffer says. “I look forward to working with Blake and creating a restaurant that provides consistently good food and service, where Lake Panorama property owners will want to visit again and again.”

Wenzel, who reports to Shaffer, now oversees LPN’s kitchen and restaurant operations and schedules all front-of-house employees. Brent Gaffney, LPN’s head chef since February 2019, schedules the kitchen staff. Gaffney and Kashley Sneller, who has managed the Links for the past year, will work with Wenzel to pursue opportunities for growing LPN’s business. This fall Sneller is managing Spikes. During the off-season, she will move into the restaurant as a bartender and server.

Wenzel has worked as a sous chef, chef, front-of-house manager and more at a number of well-known restaurants in central Iowa. He worked in the kitchen at the Greenbriar in Johnston before being promoted to the front-of-house manager.

“That’s where I started to really learn and enjoy the hospitality aspect of this industry,” he says.

The Trostel family, which owns the Greenbriar, opened Chips in Ankeny, with Wenzel helping get it underway. He also helped get Trostel’s Dish in West Des Moines established. Later he worked as sous chef at the popular Centro in downtown Des Moines, where he says he learned to place even greater focus on hospitality and a quality experience for diners.

In 2008, Wenzel was recruited by Bruce Gerleman to help launch the first Jethro’s BBQ near Drake University.

“That was a neat challenge, being involved in the development of what was a relatively new concept in Des Moines — a sports bar that featured barbecue,” he says. “It was fun to see that business grow into a nationally recognized brand.”

Next Wenzel spent time in Ames as a personal chef for a company called Greek House Chef. The company signed contracts with fraternities and sororities to provide three meals a day. The meal preparation was done in Greek houses that had larger kitchens, with food delivered to houses with small kitchens.

“This was both a catering operation and an opportunity to really get to know the people eating what I was cooking,” Wenzel says. “I was used to being in restaurants where you might get feedback from some diners. But now I was learning the names of my diners, their likes and dislikes, their food allergies. It gave me a whole new respect for home cooking.”

Wenzel and a partner opened a restaurant called Guru BBQ in Des Moines, which later closed. His next stop was the Range Grill & Golf in Urbandale. The facility has six golf simulators, plus a restaurant that offers a wide variety of dishes, including some featuring wild game. Wenzel helped develop a mixology bar program, creating an extensive bar menu that includes specialty cocktails, draft beer, wine and dessert.

Most recently he was at Echo Valley Country Club near Norwalk, assisting in all aspects of that operation, including special events and golf outings.

“I was drawn to this position at Lake Panorama National because there are a lot of moving parts,” Wenzel says. “There is the restaurant, golf outings for both members and non-members, special events in the banquet room, people at the pool wanting lunch. I like to be active throughout the day, and that’s certainly possible here.”

In his new position, Wenzel says he’s looking for ways to improve the experience of LPN guests.

“I tell the servers our guests chose to come here, so we need to do everything possible to make their experience the best one possible,” he says. “We need to take the blinders off and look at all aspects of the operation — see the big picture, have fun and help our guests have a good, consistent experience.”

Wenzel says there are challenges, but through his previous jobs he’s seen and dealt with many of the same challenges, so he feels prepared to do that here.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity,” he says. “I am passionate about my career in the hospitality industry, and the things I’m doing at the LPN are right in my wheelhouse. I like to have fun while I’m working, and I hope that will create a ripple effect.”

Wenzel met his wife Shelly on the first day of culinary school in Ottumwa and says they’ve been together ever since. They live on 10 acres they purchased between Woodward and Bouton. Shelly is the executive chef at Gilroy’s in West Des Moines. They have a 2-year-old son, Malcolm Dean.

Wenzel says LPN members have been welcoming to him.

“I really like it here. I can see there is a great group of members, and I love their friendly attitudes. The LPN has a lot of great things happening,” he says. “I hope to bring a little more professional, yet relaxed and approachable atmosphere to what’s already here.”

Current restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic make things more difficult for restaurants, yet Wenzel has adopted a positive attitude.

“Out of respect for our guests, it’s important we adhere to CDC guidelines,” he says. “We’re really part of the health care profession now, since we’re so involved in helping protect our guests’ lives.”

Wenzel says the pandemic has caused the hospitality industry to take a step back and sharpen its focus.

“This has really shone a light on every action we take,” he says. “For instance, how salt and pepper shakers should be handled. What other small details do we need to consider to make everyone’s life better?”

Wenzel offers ideas on things he hopes to implement once there are fewer CDC restrictions on how the restaurant can be arranged.

“I really like doing theme dinners, offering foods paired with either beer or wine, so we’ll be doing more of those,” he says. He also plans to find ways to “bring more energy” to the Links dining room, plus revamp the area behind the bar, reducing clutter and adding more visual interest.

Irv Gerlich Memorial Ryder Cup results

Posted 9/8/20
The 26th annual Irv Gerlich Memorial Ryder Cup was held Aug. 14-16 at Lake Panorama National. This event has been held every year since 1995 when it was started by Gary Soreide and Jim Scherbring.

This year 76 members of LPN participated in the event. Every year two captains are appointed by the previous year’s captains. This year Dave Greiner and Teddy Hawley were the two team leaders. They drafted the two teams and established the match-ups for the competition, which took place over a three-day period.

The first day was better ball competition, the second day was a combination of best shot and alternate shot. There were 38 individual matches the last day. The winning team was led by Captain Hawley with a close score of 39.5 to 36.5.

An employee shootout was held Friday night, with the winning team being Dave Greiner and Corey Welberg. A second shootout Saturday evening featured the best 12 net and gross scores from the Friday competition. The winner of that event was Bill Douglass and Richard Duzenberry.

Captains for the next Aug. 12-14, 2021, Irv Gerlich Memorial Ryder Cup are Jim Koch and Tristan Monaghan.

Ask Lake Panorama Times
If you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

Q. Should I be concerned about the data that Nextdoor is collecting about me?
A. Nextdoor is a social networking service for neighborhoods that was founded in 2008 by Nirav Tolia, Sarah Leary, Prakash Janakiraman and David Wiesen and is based in San Francisco. The short answer to your question is yes, you should be concerned about data that any company is collecting about you, and that includes Nextdoor. The long answer is in Nextdoor’s privacy policy, which can be found at https://legal.nextdoor.com/us-privacy-policy-2020. The 6,533-word document defines how and why the company uses your information, who they share it with, and your legal rights. Nextdoor admits to automatically collecting technical information from your browser, your computer or your mobile device including device data, log data and cookie data when you visit or use Nextdoor or read a message from them. As always, proceed with caution when providing personal data to any company for any reason and know that, at least for now, most everything you view or post is being tracked, used or sold in some way.

Q. I was told I cannot put a Vote for Trump election sign on my lake property. Why not?
A. According to the Lake Panorama Association Rules and Regulations, yard signs are prohibited with a few exceptions including property for sale signs, temporary open house signs, temporary garage sale or auction signs, dock identification signage, and personal signage that identifies the owners and/or name of a property that is not larger than 10 square feet in area and that is wholly located within the survey lot boundaries of the property. No other advertising signs shall be displayed on any numbered lot, LPA property, parks or roadways in the project area without written permission of the Association. LPA security may pull any signs that are prohibited, including election or campaign signs.

Q. Are there any restrictions at the lake on burning leaves?’
A: This question was addressed in a recent Lake Panorama Prompt email, which stated that burning is not allowed on the streets, in roadside ditches or in drainages. Burning may be done only within the actual lot pins of a resident’s property, and only items that grow on a lot can be burned. No construction debris, trash, garbage or other materials are to be burned on one’s property.

Get a flu shot and give 12 meals to food pantry

This year more than ever, it is important to get your annual flu shot. The flu shot is still the best way to protect yourself and those around you from the flu. Not only will it protect you, but it will help reduce trips to the doctor’s office and hospitals, which will be important this year to help conserve valuable healthcare resources.

Timing of your flu shot does matter. It is important to get the flu shot at the right time to make sure it lasts the entire season. Just recently the CDC reiterated that it is important to get a flu shot by the end of October and receiving one prior to September may be too early, as vaccine immunity may wane before the season is over.

When you choose Medicap Pharmacy as your flu shot destination, you are helping those in need right in your own community. Through the partnership with the Food Bank of Iowa, Medicap Pharmacy will donate 12 meals to the local food pantry for every flu shot given at participating Medicap Pharmacy locations from Sept. 23 through Nov. 23, 2020.

Medicap Pharmacy is located at 615 E. Main St. in Panora.

PANORA CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT SEPT. 27

The Panora Chamber will hold its annual golf tournament Sunday, Sept. 27, at Lake Panorama National. All proceeds will help support Panorama Days 2021. The tournament is a four-person best ball with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The cost is $65 for those who are not LPN members, and $35 for LPN members. Costs cover green fees, golf cart, dinner and prizes. There still is room to enter a team or sponsor a hole. To participate, contact Dave Grove at 757-9956 or Kristen Crouthamel at 757-2737.

Art in the Village Square set for Oct. 3

Enjoy music and art from local talent on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Panora City Square during Art in the Village Square Fall Festival. Bring a lawn chair and hang around to enjoy the festivities. In case of rain, the festival will be held in the Veteran’s Auditorium. This event is sponsored by the Guthrie County Arts Council. For more information, visit guthriecountyartscouncil.org.

CHARITABLE GROUP CHOOSES TO HELP FOOD PANTRY
Each of the 150 members will write a check for $100 for a total charitable gift of $15,000.

By Barry Monaghan

Ten Squared Plus Men for Guthrie County met Aug. 18 at the Lake Panorama National Conference Center. Due to the influence of COVID related issues, the crowd was small, but the enthusiasm and quality of presentations still was evident.

David Van Ahn presented for the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Chaplains group, Dan Wilhelmi presented for the Bagley Library, and Frank Teale presented for the Guthrie County Food Pantry. Following the presentations, a vote was taken and the winner was the Guthrie County Food Pantry.

Each of the 150 members will write a check for $100 to the Food Pantry for a total charitable gift of $15,000. Since the organization began in 2016, 13 Guthrie County entities have been chosen for a total contribution so far of $178,750.

Ten Squared Plus Men for Guthrie County would like to send a special thank you to Guthrie County State Bank for purchasing refreshments and to the LPN Conference Center for opening the facility and allowing its use without charge.

The organization will meet for the final time in 2020 sometime in late November or early December.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

July 28, 2020
LPN Conference Center
The Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors met July 28, 2020, at 5 p.m. at the LPN Conference Center. Board members in attendance were Mary Jane Carothers, Emily Donovan, Gary Evans, David Finneseth, Rich Schumacher, and Jim Spradling.
LPA Staff in attendance: Danna Krambeer, Lane Rumelhart and John Rutledge.
President Carothers called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.

Agenda Item 1 – Approval of the Agenda
Rutledge announced changes to the agenda. Agenda item 4c was withdrawn and agenda item 4i was added. Agenda item 4i was the sale of LPA lot 1124, which was recommended by the Land Sales committee prior to the meeting.
Spradling moved to approve the revised agenda. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 2 – Open Forum – No one present for open forum.

Agenda Item 3 – Consent Agenda
Schumacher moved to approve the consent agenda. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Consent agenda to include:
a) LPA General Manager’s Report
b) Approval of minutes from 06.30.2020 LPA Board Meeting
c) Acceptance of 06.30.2020 consolidated financial report – LPA & LPN, LLC
d) Set date for next board meeting
e) Accept minutes of the 07.13.2020 Building Code Committee meeting
f) Accept minutes from 06.22.2020 LPN LLC Board of Managers meeting

Agenda Item 4a – Variance Request: Terry & Kersten Gebard, Lot 582/3755, side lot setback for storage shed as recommended by Building Codes committee
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Terry Gebard (lot 582/3755) at 4822 Castle Point presented plans to the committee asking for a variance to build a storage shed within 8 feet of the side-lot line. Terry also requested a variance for a roofed walkway to extend off the side of his proposed shed. After discussion, the committee decided that the side-lot request was fine, as LPA is the adjacent lot owner and is OK with the placement. The committee decided no roof should be allowed to be built, as a roof would deem the area underneath as part of the structure, therefore exceeding the square footage requirements. Schumacher made a motion to allow the shed to be built up to 8 feet closer to the side-lot line, (with no roof to be built). Motion seconded by Gary Evans and carried unanimously.
Schumacher moved to approve an eight-foot side lot setback variance for construction of storage shed for lots 582/3755, Terry & Kersten Gebard. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4b – Sale of lot 2367
The land sales committee reviewed an offer to purchase lot 2367 for $12,500. The committee collectively decided to counter. An agreement was reached for $18,000.
Schumacher moved to accept the offer of $18,000 to sell lot 2367 to Greg & June Anderson, Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4c – Sale of lot 3079 - Withdrawn

Agenda Item 4d – Sale of lot 6503
The land sales committee reviewed an offer to purchase lot 6503 for $12,500 and recommended offer be accepted.
Spradling moved to accept the offer of $12,500 to sell lot 6503 to Lawrence Smith, Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4e – Rule / Building Code changes regarding solar and wind power
This has been an issue of focus for the committee since LPA received a request for freestanding solar power in early 2020. The proposed rules are listed below addition of 2905 Alternative Energy Sources (Solar and Wind)
The entirety of this change is the ADDITION of new language. No existing language is being deleted or modified.
2905 Alternative Energy Sources (Solar and Wind)
2905.1 Solar Energy A Solar Energy Device shall be defined as a system, or series of mechanisms, designed to provide heating or cooling or to produce electrical or mechanical power by collecting and transferring solar generated energy. This definition includes, but is not limited to, a mechanical or chemical device that has the ability to store solar-generated energy for use in heating or cooling or in production of power.
2905.11 A Solar Energy Device may only be installed with advanced written approval by Lake Panorama Association’s Building Code Supervisor. All structures must abide by the following guidelines:
2905.111 Member must present to-scale drawings of the installed system.
2905.112 Photos of the roof-mounted system.
2905.113 Materials, photos, manufacturer’s description of the system.
2905.114 All piping, conduit, wiring, etc. will be concealed where possible and placed inconspicuously as possible when viewed from all angles.
2905.115 No ground or wall mounted systems allowed.
2905.116 Roof mounted systems must use panels that are parallel to the roof.
2905.117 Panels must not be visible from the lake unless they are of an architectural design whereas they do not appear as solar panels (example: solar shingles).
2905.118 System must be commercially produced/manufactured.
2905.119 Components of the systems must be integrated into the design of the home.
2905.120 System shall not extend beyond the ridgeline, eaves or gutter line of the roof installed upon.
2905.121 Installation must be a permanent, non-rotating or non-motorized system.
2905.122 All systems installed prior to June 30, 2020, pre-date the implementation of this rule and shall be allowed to remain in-place. Replacement of these systems shall be subject to the above rules and regulations.
2905.2 Wind Energy A Wind Energy Device shall be defined as a system, or series of mechanisms, designed to provide heating or cooling or to produce electrical or mechanical power by collecting and transferring wind generated energy. This definition includes, but is not limited to, a mechanical or chemical device that has the ability to store wind-generated energy for use in heating or cooling or in production of power.
2905.21 Wind Energy Devices are prohibited at Lake Panorama.
Evans moved to adopt new building code sections 2905.1 (solar) and 2905.2 (wind). Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4f – Rule/Building Code changes regarding deck size on storage sheds
There have been some storage sheds on undeveloped lots with extensive decking systems surrounding the storage sheds. LPA building codes is recommending the attached rule additions to address this. (LPA is also notifying these members that overnight occupancy is prohibited in storage sheds.)
The entirety of this change is the ADDITION of new language. No existing language is being deleted or modified
2840 Storage Building Permit and Requirements
2840.11 Decks added on to storage sheds must not exceed the square footage of the shed itself.
2840.12 Square footage of a shed is to be measured by the foundation.
2840.13 The overhang of the roof must not exceed 24 inches; no deck shall be covered by a roof.
2840.14 Permanent skirting is required on the entirety of any deck that has, at any given point, more than 24 inches of distance between the top of the deck and the top of grade. Skirting must be of a fixed nature and materials must be consistent in appearance with the deck.
2840.141 Approval of skirting material shall be confirmed by LPA prior to installation. LPA has sole discretion to approve materials used for deck skirting.
Spradling moved to adopt new building code sections 2840 regarding storage building permit and requirements, including 2840.11, 2840.12, 2840.13, 2840.14 and 2840.141. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4g – Rule/Building Code changes regarding roof pitch for minor components/percentages of roof.
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Lane Rumelhart presented an idea to the committee to allow LPA management to approve roof pitches less than 6:12 if the area of the roof is less than 10 percent of the total roof structure. The committee agreed that roof pitch variance requests of this nature should not need a variance request and could be approved by LPA building codes supervisor. Westercamp made a motion to allow the LPA Building Code Supervisor to approve roof pitches with less than 10 percent of the total roof area not meeting the 6:12 roof pitch guideline. Motion seconded by Schumacher and carried unanimously.
Schumacher moved to approve a motion clarifying the LPA building codes administrator may consider a roof as being compliant with LPA’s roof pitch requirements, provided 90% or more of the roof meets the 6:12 roof pitch requirement. It is the intent of the board to avoid variances for minor components of the roof, such as transitional sections, eyebrows, crickets and dormers, which comprise 10% of the roof, or less. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4h – Approve deer hunting regulations for 2020-21 deer season
One substantive change is proposed for the 2020–2021 hunting program. The number of guests a member may register will be limited to three. This is different from allowing registering unlimited guests as has been done the past couple of years.
Spradling moved to approve the 2020-21 Deer Hunting Program, to include the change to limit number of guests a member may register to three, all other rules remain the same as the 2019-20 Season. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4i – Sale of lot 1124
The land sales committee reviewed an offer to purchase lot 1124 for $12,500. The committee collectively decided to counter at $15,000, Buyer accepted the counteroffer of $15,000.
Donovan moved to accept the offer of $15,000 to sell lot 1124 to Adam Hackfort. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 5 – Old Business
Rutledge informed the board Neil Wright has resigned from the LPA Board of Directors citing health considerations. Wright conveyed his regrets for not being able to finish his term and thanked the LPA board and staff for their support.
Rutledge noted an appointment can be made by the board and will serve until the next election.
Donovan moved to regretfully accept Wright’s resignation and appoint Larry Babcock to serve until the next director election. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 6 – Closed Session – The board entered closed session at 6:09 p.m. to discuss legal matters. The board exited closed session at 6:57 p.m.

Agenda Item 7a – Dog Park
Friends of Lake Panorama submitted plans for a dog park, to be funded 100 percent by fundraising efforts. Proposed location is along East RV Road by the East Campground. Several questions were raised by the Board regarding who would maintain and police the dog park. After a short discussion which raised several questions, it was decided to ask representatives of Friends to come to the next board meeting to answer questions and provide more details.

Finneseth moved to table the Dog Park discussion until the next meeting. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Adjourn - With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

A Q&A with LPA General Manager John Rutledge
LPA WATER RATE INCREASE IN OCTOBER BILL

By Susan Thompson
Posted 9/8//2020

The quarterly rate for Lake Panorama Association water customers will increase with the bills they receive in early October. In this month’s Q&A, John Rutledge, LPA general manager, talks about the reason for the increase, plus improvements being made to the LPA water system.

Q. Let’s start with a review of the history of the water plant upgrades that necessitate this rate increase.
A. For several years, LPA has been exploring long-term options that would allow the association to discontinue reliance on two Dakota Aquifer wells. These wells have served LPA since the 1990s but have been temperamental in recent years. LPA determined the Dakota wells did not represent a reliable source of water for the association’s future.
In 2017, a three-month reverse osmosis pilot study was conducted at the water plant. The results showed good finished water quality would be possible using only Jordan water treated by reverse osmosis. LPA began pursuing a project that includes adding a second Jordan well, along with a reverse osmosis treatment system and concentrate discharge line.
Total cost for the entire project is $4.7 million. Funding for the project is through the State Revolving Loan Fund for drinking water improvements, at a fixed rate of 2 percent interest for 20 years.

Q. When was the decision on this rate increase made?
A. At the LPA board of directors’ meeting Nov. 26, 2019, the board voted unanimously to increase the minimum charge for water rates from $90 per quarter to $160 per quarter for all residential and commercial members. The increase will take effect with the Oct. 1, 2020, water billing. Money generated from the increase will be used to make the State Revolving Loan Fund payments, and will not be used for operational expenses.
No other changes in LPA’s rate structure are being made at this time. The LPA rate structure is subject to periodic adjustment by the LPA board of directors, and LPA does reserve the right to increase or decrease rates as needed to support the operation of LPA’s potable water plant and associated distribution system.

Q. When the work is complete, what improvements will LPA water customers notice?
A. Water quality will be substantially increased with our new system. Brown and black discoloration caused by iron and manganese will no longer be a concern. And LPA’s traditionally “hard water” will be greatly improved.
Water hardness can be described as either parts per million or grains per gallon. LPA water currently has a hardness of 615 parts per million or 36 grains per gallon. The new system is designed to produce water that is 120 parts per million or 7 grains per gallon. This will be consistent with what many municipalities in the Des Moines metro provide to their customers.
Once the new system is in operation, members who have in-home water softeners should have them recalibrated. Recalibration is not an urgent requirement for homeowners but will help them enjoy the cost savings of reduced salt usage. An increased lifespan of water softeners and other appliances is another expected benefit of this system upgrade.

Q. What’s the timetable for the water plant improvements to be complete?
A. LPA is pleased to report all phases of the project are on schedule and progressing as planned. The contractor is experiencing some modestly increased lead-time on pipe orders, but this should only add a few weeks to the job. We hope to be on the new system in late 2020, with some of the disconnection and deconstruction lingering into early 2021. Further information will be provided to water customers when transition to the new system occurs.

Calendar of Events

Event dates and times are subject to change.
Contact hosts for updated details.

Friday, Sept. 11
Varsity Football: Panorama vs. Van Meter
7 p.m.
Panorama High School
www.panoramaschools.org

Monday, Sept. 14
Panora City Council Meeting
6:30 p.m.
www.cityofpanora.com

Monday, Sept. 14
School Board Meeting
6:30 p.m.
Board Room
www.panoramaschools.org

Tuesday, Sept. 15
Girls HS Swim
6:30 p.m.
www.panoramaschools.org

Thursday, Sept. 17
Cross Country: JV/Varsity Invitational
5 p.m.
www.panoramaschools.org

Sunday, Sept. 20
PIRATE OPEN - ENTER IF YE DARR!
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
5071 Clover Ridge Road
Start: 11 a.m. Shotgun
Format: 4-Person Best Shot
Cost: Entry includes golf, cart, flag events, contests and prizes.
LPN Golf Members - $140/team
Non LPN Golf Members - $260/team
For more information or to register contact the LPN Pro Shop at 641-755-2024.
www.lakepanoramanational.com

Thursday, Sept. 24
Girls HS Swim
6:30 p.m.
www.panoramaschools.org

Friday, Sept. 25
No school

Sunday, Sept. 27
Panora Chamber Golf Tournament
Lake Panorama National
Four-person best shot
1 p.m. shotgun start
$35 for LPN members; $65 for non-LPN members
All proceeds support Panorama Days 2021
Contact Dave Grove at 757-9956 or Kristen Crouthamel at 757-2737.

Monday, Sept. 28
Panora City Council Meeting
6:30 p.m.
www.cityofpanora.com

Tuesday, Sept. 29
LPA Board Meeting
5 p.m. Lake Panorama National Conference Center
www.lakepanorama.org

Friday, Oct. 2
Varsity Football: Panorama vs. ACGC
7 p.m.
Panorama High School
www.panoramaschools.org

Saturday, Oct. 3
Art in the Village Square Fall Festival
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Panora City Square
Local artists and musicians. Bring a lawn chair and stay awhile. In case of rain, festival will be held in the Veteran’s Auditorium.
www.guthriecountyartscouncil.org

Friday, Oct. 9
Panorama vs. Kuemper Catholic
7 p.m.
Panorama High School
www.panoramaschools.org

Monday, Oct. 12
School Board Meeting
6:30 p.m.
Board Room
www.panoramaschools.org

Tuesday, Oct. 13
Varsity Volleyball: Panorama vs. Woodward Granger
7 p.m.
Panorama High School
www.panoramaschools.org

Sunday, Oct. 18
CHILI DIPPER OPEN
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
5071 Clover Ridge Road
Start: 11 a.m. Shotgun
Format: 2-Person Best Shot
Cost: Entry includes golf, cart, prizes and Chef Brent’s Chili.
LPN Golf Members - $60/team
Non LPN Golf Members - $120/team
For more information or to register contact the LPN Pro Shop at 641-755-2024.
www.lakepanoramanational.com

Friday, Oct. 30
Panora Beggars Night
6-8 p.m.
www.cityofpanora.com

Area Church Guide

Bagley
Bagley United Methodist Church
401 Main St., Bagley
www.umc.org
641-439-2458

Bayard
Bayard United Methodist Church
500 Third St., Bayard
www.umc.org
712-651-2307

St. Patrick Catholic Church
124 Prairie St., Bayard
www.guthriecounty catholicchurches.org
641-747-3843

Casey
Saint John’s Lutheran Church
104 E. First St., Casey
www.idwlcms.org
641-746-2734

United Methodist Church
100 E. Second St., Casey
www.umc.org
641-746-2210

Guthrie Center
First Christian Church
105 N. Fourth St., Guthrie Center
www.christianchurchgc.com
641-332-2571

First United Methodist Church
405 Prairie St., Guthrie Center
www.gcumcia.org
641-332-2408

First Presbyterian Church
701 State St., Guthrie Center
641-332-2425

Guthrie Center First Baptist Church
113 N. Fifth St., Guthrie Center
www.guthriecenterbaptist.com
641-747-8198

Guthrie Center Seventh Day Adventist Church
1305 North St., Guthrie Center
www.guthriecentersda.com
641-322-2778

Immanuel Lutheran Church
713 N. 12th St., Guthrie Center
www.immanuelgc.org
641-332-2918

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
1300 Grand St., Guthrie Center
www.jw.org
515-747-8524

Open Bible Church
606 Prairie St., Guthrie Center
515-747-3961

Saint Mary Catholic Church
603 Main St., Guthrie Center
www.guthriecountycatholicchurches.org
641-747-3843

Seventh-Day Adventist Church
1305 North St., Guthrie Center
www.adventistdirectory.org
641-332-2761

United Methodist Church
405 Prairie St., Guthrie Center
www.umc.org
641-332-2408

Wesleyan Church
101 S. 7th St., Guthrie Center
641-747-3844

Menlo
Methodist Episcopal Church
402 Sevnth St., Menlo

Primitive Church
504 Third St., Menlo

Panora
Calvary Chapel of the Raccoon River Valley
604 E. Main St., Panora
https://calvaryraccoon.com
641-755-4268

Church of the Brethren
2946 200th Road, Panora
641-755-3800

Faith Bible Church
2096 Highway 4, Panora
www.fbcpanora.com
641-755-3034

First Christian Church
102 E. Church St., Panora
www.panorafcc.org
641-755-2227

Fountain Of Life Church
2322 Wagon Road, Panora
www.FOLCPanora.com
641-755-2322

Lighthouse Assembly of God Church
400 S.E. Third St., Panora
www.panoralighthouseassemblyofgod.com
641-755-3060

Panora Community Church
2322 Wagon Road, Panora
641-755-2322

Saint Thomas Lutheran Church
2100 N. Highway 4, Panora
641-755-2051

St. Cecilia Catholic Church
220 N. First St., Panora
www.guthriecountycatholicchurches.org
641-747-3843

United Methodist Church
119 W. Main St., Panora
https://panoraumc.org
641-755-2655

Stuart
All Saints Catholic Church
216 All Saints Drive, Stuart
https://stuartallsaints.org
515-523-1943

Fairview Congregational Christian Church
1706 Stuart Road
515-523-1493

First Congregational Church
224 N. Division St., Stuart
www.stuartfccbible.org
515-523-1570

Jefferson Center Chapel
1298 130th St., Stuart
641-524-5358

New Beginnings Open Bible Church
207 S.W. Seventh St., Stuart
http://stuartnbchurch.org
641-757-0192

Stuart Friends Church
723 N. Fremont St.
515-523-1541

Stuart-Mount Vernon United Methodist Church
219 N.W. Second St.
http://umcstuartia.org
515-523-1078

Yale
Jamaica Union Church
219 Main St., Yale
515-439-2458

Panorama Wildlife

Posted 9/8/20
We thank Lake Panorama resident Christopher Duree for his photos of Panorama hummingbirds.

Have wildlife photos to share? Send to shane@dmcityview.com and look for them in this publication.

Lake Dogs and Cove Cats

Posted 8/11/20
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times

Lake Dogs
Jack and Jill
21 months
Cockapoos
Owners: Wade & Lea Sundeen

Jack and Jill are half-brother-and-sister, with Jack being the “brother from another mother.” Ironically, they were born on the same day, and they rule the roost. They love playing fetch all day long with their favorite ball. And they love boating, swimming, kayaking, riding on the hydra-bike, and of course, jet-skiing.

Cove Cat
Vonzell, aka Miss V
15 years
Owners: Diane and Duane Apling

Vonzell was rescued as a kitten from a barn in Virginia and has grown into the princess she always knew she was meant to be. She likes watching the wildlife outside her window, stretching out in the sunshine and naps. Her pet peeves are car rides to the vet and not getting enough attention from her “staff,” Diane and Duane Apling.

Panora Pets is a non-profit rescue consisting of several volunteers like Tim Randall and George Jones, providing shelter and services for cats in need in the Panora area. Stop in and visit the beautiful kitties and hopefully take one home. Through contributions from the community and beyond, P.E.T.S maintains its dedication to animals in need.

LAKE PANORAMA AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ASSESSING STORM DAMAGE

By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

Severe thunderstorms brought strong winds and heavy rain to Lake Panorama mid-morning on Monday, August 10. Extensive tree damage occurred throughout the Lake Panorama community, including on the two golf courses

By afternoon, volunteers were being recruited to help clear downed branches and leaves first from the tees and greens at both Lake Panorama National and Panorama West, then from fairways. LPA and LPN staff were using chain saws to clear and remove downed trees from the golf courses and other LPA property.

Some boats were overturned in their lifts. People commenting on Nextdoor Lake Panorama asked for help finding missing dock chairs, kayaks and paddles, a firepit, and swim platforms.

Straight-line winds were reported in the 60 to 80 mph range. The LPA issued a statement Monday afternoon saying storm damage was still being assessed, and the office was receiving a large number of calls.

LPA's brush dumps are normally closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but now will be open until further notice to accommodate storm clean-up. Brush dumps remain limited to limbs and trees of 12" diameter, or less. Anything over 12" in diameter is prohibited. No root balls.

LPA crews will not be engaging in the removal of trees from private property. Private property owners should contact a tree service and also consider talking with their insurance agent about any coverage that might assist them with these expenses. Members are asked not to place trees and limbs on the side of the roadway, as LPA does not have plans to clean up trees stacked alongside the road.

Anyone with substantial damage to their home may contact Guthrie County Emergency Management at (641) 431-0468. Substantial damage is generally described as a condition that would prevent you from staying in that home overnight.

Straight-line winds Monday morning damaged these two trees in the exact same fashion. The trees are north of the entrance to Boulder Cove Colony.

Live music on the lake
Residents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

Using music to combat stress and improve health is well-documented. We’re living in frenzied times, with COVID-19 taking top billing for the stress we feel in our daily lives. This summer, several Lake Panorama residents have shared their love of music with the greater community and gained rave reviews in the process.

Will and Sarabeth Anderson live on Lake Panorama’s east side, in the Narrows.

“We have known Rich Webster for 25 years and known his daughter her entire life,” Sarabeth says. “Rich has been inducted into the Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame twice, once with a band called ‘Dogs on Skis’ and the other time as an individual.”

Sarabeth says during the spring while almost everyone was staying in their own homes, Rich and Stella started to do Saturday night live performances on social media.

“Watching them on Facebook made us feel a little bit normal in a crazy time,” she says. “Once the weather warmed up, Will and I thought it would be fun to have the Facebook live concert from the lake.”

They scheduled the first performance June 13, with a second one July 3.

“We were hoping to have a few neighbors and four or five boats out in the water,” Sarabeth says. “On the 13th, there were 24 boats and about 50 people in our yard and spread out in the neighbors’ yards. The second time there were the same number of people in the yards and 31 boats.”

For the two local performances, Rich and Stella were joined by Sarabeth and her son Isaac as featured singers, her brother Zach on drums and guitar, and bass player Risto Rautiainen from Omaha.

“Everyone had such a great time July 3 that Ron Eike asked us to perform at his house the next night. We spread the word via texts, and there were boats gathering and anchoring to listen before the fireworks,” says Sarabeth.

As a result of these two waterfront performances, the group “Rich and the Riff Raff” was officially formed and is available for gigs. They are planning another “float in” performance at the Anderson property at 4183 Panorama Drive on Saturday, Aug. 15, beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Another couple that offered free music on the shores of Lake Panorama is Jamie and Ellen Pollard.

“We have always thought it would be a neat idea to have a musician play off of our dock in Jones Cove, because it just felt like a great setting to do it,” says Jamie. “With COVID this summer, it also motivated us to do something for the community, because of what we all have been dealing with over the past several months.”

The Pollards named their July 18 event Panaroo 2020 after Bonnaroo, an annual music and arts festival in Tennessee.

“We thought that had a nice ring to it,” Jamie says. “We also hoped things would go well so we could make it an annual event. Having it named seemed like a fun idea.”

The couple chose Brian Congdon for their free music event.

“He is someone we had hired for previous parties we hosted at our home in Ames,” says Jamie, who is director of athletics at Iowa State University. “People seem to really enjoy his wide array of music, and he was really excited to do it.”

The weather cooperated, and a great crowd formed for the two-hour performance.

“We stopped counting when we got to 50 boats,” Pollard says.” We are guessing there were 50 to 75 boats in the cove, which is really neat. I am glad so many people were able to enjoy the evening.”

The Pollards plan to make Panaroo an annual event and say they already are thinking of ways to make it better next year.

On July 31, Jim and Dee Tometich hosted a musical event in Helen’s Cove. Little Joe McCarthy from Omaha, who was set to perform at the Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball the following night, played for a couple of hours from the Tometich’s home on Helen’s Cove.

The event was part of a weekend celebration of Dee’s birthday. A number of boats rafted together in front of the Tometich home, with other boats anchoring a bit further away. A couple of kayaks floated through, as did some other boats throughout the evening. Neighbors in Helen’s Cove enjoyed the concert from their yards and decks.

The Lake Panorama Association policy is that music needs to end by 11 p.m. The LPA requests that musical events start to wrap up around 10:30 p.m. to ensure activities conclude by 11 p.m.

The Port receives a few exemptions to this rule each year, which they request in advance and must receive board approval. The volume still has to go down at 11 p.m. but not completely off.

Posts on social media have offered thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable. If there is a positive to be found in COVID-19, perhaps it is this new trend of Lake Panorama residents sharing their love of music with other music lovers.

Boats floated in the Narrows and friends and neighbors gathered on nearby lawns during two musical performances hosted by Will and Sarabeth Anderson.

Panaroo 2020 was hosted by Jamie and Ellen Pollard in Jones Cove July 18. Performing from the couple’s dock was Brian Congdon, who offered a mix of alternative, country, rock and sing-along hits for guests in the nearly 75 boat that floated into the cove.

Members of “Rich and the Riff Raff” band, which provided free music performances on Lake Panorama three times in June and July are, left to right, Sarabeth Anderson, Rich Webster, Risto Rautiainen, Zach McVey, Isaac Anderson and Stella Webster.

ON THE LAKE
Beach Ball, upcoming church guide and free help wanted ads

By Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Posted 8/11/2020

I attended my first Lake Panorama Beach Ball on Aug. 1, and I was immensely impressed. A bit of much-needed rain didn’t dampen anyone spirits, and the showers were short-lived anyway. Wonderful people, live music, tasty food and drinks, meaningful conversations, incredible auction items and a great cause. What more could you ask for? My thanks to the amazing Susan Thompson for spearheading this event and to the entire board and the members of Friends of Lake Panorama for their commitment in making this an even better place to be. And thank you to all of you who put up with this newcomer and my interruptions to take your photos. If you didn’t attend this year, be sure to get this event on your calendar for next year. Look here for details.

Church directory
Starting next month, you will notice another new addition to the Lake Panorama Times, as we are gathering local church service information from a variety of sources and compiling it into an area church directory. Have news or information from your church that you want to share with readers of Lake Panorama Times? Send those to me as well.

Help wanted ads
I mentioned last month that we were adding free classified listings to the paper, and several of you sent in items to sell. Continue to send those, and we will get them posted in print and online at www.lakepanoramatimes.com. Please note that we will run help wanted ads in our classifieds at no charge as well. Have a job opening at your business, club or organization? Send us the copy, and we will help you fill the position. Submit classifieds online at www.lakepanoramatimes.com. Garage sales, too.

Photos
You have often heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. In the publishing industry, that certainly holds true. One of the editorial goals I had when I first purchased this newspaper was to add more photos of people at the lake. We started that this month with photos from the Beach Ball and from a Panora chamber business-after-hours event. If you have photos from an event that you are involved with, please send those to me at shane@dmcityview.com, and I would be glad to share them. Remember to include names of the people in the photos. Or if it works for one of us to attend and take photos, we will certainly do that, too.

Live music
One of the many pleasant surprises I have experienced on the lake is the addition of live music. From concerts on the docks of residents to the bands on The Port’s tiki bar, live music has been a wonderful addition to the relaxing scene at Lake Panorama. I hope you enjoy these sounds, too. Look for a story on local live music in this issue.

Decks, docks and flip-flops
And finally, a few of you detail-oriented readers may have noticed my new column photo. I was told by more than one of you that the suit, tie and dark-rimmed glasses had to go if I were to be the publisher of a lake publication. And you were right. It’s decks, docks and flip-flops from here on — at least until October.
Take it easy, and thanks for reading.

Live music on the lake
Residents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

Boats floated in the Narrows and friends and neighbors gathered on nearby lawns during two musical performances hosted by Will and Sarabeth Anderson.

2020 Beach Ball raises $30,000 for playgrounds
Silent and live auctions bring in more than $15,000.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

An estimated 200 people attended the Friends of Lake Panorama 2020 Beach Ball on Aug. 1 at the Lake Panorama National Conference Center. After expenses, the event showed a profit of $30,000.

Friends has a goal of raising $70,000 to provide new playground equipment at both Shady and Boulder beaches. Add the Beach Ball’s $30,000 profit to about $25,000 in direct donations received over the last few months, and just $15,000 remains to reach the playground project goal.

To ease concerns about COVID-19, both outdoor and indoor spaces were used for the Beach Ball. Outside tables were under a series of tents located on the grass between the conference center and the golf course. Despite a 20-minute rain shower, those outside stayed dry while enjoying their meal and live music by Little Joe McCarthy, a singer and songwriter who lives in Omaha.

The event raised money for the playground project through 30 table sponsorships of $125 each, which went directly to the project, plus half of each $40 event ticket. Friends also received a portion of drink ticket sales and all dessert ticket sales.

Seventy items were donated for a silent auction, which raised $5,440. The live auction raised $9,665. Tickets purchased in the 50/50 raffle totaled $1,935. No one responded to the first ticket drawn. The second ticket pulled belonged to Jan Reinicke, Friends of Lake Panorama president, who graciously donated her half of the money pot back to Friends.

Direct donations came from eight couples or individuals who donated $500 or more as part of the event’s “add your name” challenge.

Fundraising will continue until the $70,000 goal for the playgrounds is reached. Donations are accepted at any time and can be mailed to P.O. Box 488, Panora, IA 50216. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama.

All donations are tax-deductible. Donors of $500 or more will be recognized on signs erected near both playgrounds and on the donor page of the Friends website. More information about the playgrounds and other donation options is available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.

PLAY EQUIPMENT ORDERED FOR SHADY BEACH
In late July, the Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors voted to order the play equipment planned for Shady Beach. The board determined direct donations, plus expected proceeds from the 2020 Beach Ball, would be enough to cover the cost of one playground. The board voted to begin with Shady Beach, because the current equipment there is the oldest and in need of complete replacement.

At Shady Beach, the existing swings and teeter-totter will be removed to make way for a multi-faceted play set, three swings and a freestanding “spring rider” designed to accommodate a physically challenged child. The spring rider has space for two children. It is hoped the play equipment can be delivered and installed in October of this year.

Once another $15,000 is raised, the equipment for Boulder Beach will be ordered.

At Boulder, the gray mountain and play set currently there will remain. The spring horses and tire swing will be removed. The same freestanding spring rider ordered for Shady Beach will be added. A new playground nearby will include a play set with features geared to both older and younger kids, plus three swings.

Kristen Crouthamel and Josh Eike

Live music from Joe McCarthy

Brian and Rebecca Peppmeier

Craig Heineman, Merlin Muench, Martha Heineman, Jan Jensen and Kathy Pierce

Andrew Knorr and Jaimee Knorr

Mark Chew, Tamera Chew and Brandon Monaghan

Gary Youngberg and Karen Youngberg

Jean Seeland, Cheryl Muller, Mark Bienhoff, Mike Muller, Troy Zwart and Jan Reinicke

John Rutledge and Tricia Rutledge

Dick Groom and Joyce Groom

John Worth and Angie Worth

Larry Wykoff, Jim Spradling and Joe McCarthy

Larry Babcock and Susan Thompson

Dee Eckley and Doug Eckley

Deb Jorgensen and Mark Jorgensen

Julie Tibbles and Jim Tibbles

Russ Hawley and Lori Hawley

Rick Langel, Mare Langel, Deb McDermott and Bill McDermott

Kane Powell, Dee Powell, Scott Kemble and Laura Kemble

Mark Watson and Scott Temple

Cindy Watson and Sue Hendricks

Kristin Rumelhart and Ryne Rumelhart

Erickson announces run for Guthrie County Auditor

Posted 8/11/2020
Hans Erickson announces his campaign for Guthrie County Auditor, seeking to protect the integrity and transparency of elections in Guthrie County.

“I’m committed to the integrity and transparency of our elections. That means providing access to all eligible voters in Guthrie County and making the voting process easy and secure,” said Erickson. “I look forward to meeting with voters across our county and discussing this important office and how we can work together to move Guthrie County forward.”

Erickson, a graduate of Drake University and Drake University’s College of Business and Public Administration, says Guthrie County can be a model for productivity and ingenuity in government.

In addition to his career in financial services, Erickson previously served on the Iowa Senate research staff and as an intern in the Iowa Governor’s Office. He has also been politically active as a candidate or the Iowa Legislature and staff member for Senate and Congressional campaigns.

Erickson lives in Panora and has called Guthrie County home for nearly a decade.

LPA Board officers elected

Posted 8/11/20
Election of officers for the Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors took place at the board’s June 30 meeting. Normally officers are elected at the May meeting, but because the LPA annual meeting was delayed from May until June, that also delayed officer elections.

A unanimous vote at the June meeting has the officers who were in place for the 2019-2020 year being retained for a second year. Mary Jane Carothers is president, Rich Schumacher is vice president, Emily Donovan is secretary, and Gary Evans in treasurer.

One change in the board makeup was made at the July 28 meeting. Neil Wright has resigned from the LPA board for health reasons. To replace Wright, the board voted to appoint Larry Babcock to the board, beginning with the August meeting. Babcock will serve on the board until an election can be held in May 2021. He previously had served a three-year term on the board, which ended in 2019. Wright was elected at the 2019 annual meeting, and had earlier served six years on the LPA board from 2010 to 2016.

Other board members are David Finneseth and Jim Spradling.

Prairie landscaping suits Lake Panorama resident
Plants and grasses attract a wide variety of insects and butterflies.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

In 2012, Tammy Deal was having an Arts and Crafts style bungalow built on two timbered lots near Helen’s Cove when she noticed an abundance of deer in the area.

“I knew I was going to need to work with nature if I wanted to keep the deer from ruining my landscaping,” Deal says. “I started researching native prairie plants and found a couple companies on the Internet where I could order bare root plants. I planted some in the fall of 2013, and, to my surprise, they came up the next spring.”

Her next step was to connect with two Iowa State University senior landscape design students. Together they created a landscape plan to surround her new home with a variety of native plants, and she continued to add new plants to match the plan.

Five years ago, Scott and Becky Rolfes moved to Lake Panorama. Scott had just retired, after spending the last 40 years as a natural resource specialist with the Army Corps of Engineers at Saylorville Lake, working mainly to establish native plantings.

In retirement, Scott started his own business — Scott’s Native Landscaping. Deal tells the story of being behind a pickup and seeing a bumper sticker with his company name and phone number on it and snapping a picture for future use. She hadn’t gotten around to calling Rolfes when they met while playing pickleball with others in Panora.

Since then, Rolfes has been helping Deal refine and expand her native prairie landscape. Each fall, Rolfes mows down the prairie flowers and grasses that have grown throughout the summer, then burns the remaining mulch.

“Especially when a prairie is being established, it needs to be burned annually,” Rolfes says. “The flowers always bloom brighter the next year.”

Deal built her house on a “B” lot, and later purchased a nearby “A” lot, which gives her water access on Helen’s Cove. The two lots combined cover 38,000 square feet, giving her plenty of space to experiment with native plantings.

“In the front of the house, there are more tallgrass prairie plants and flowers. There is greater diversity, with perhaps 40 to 50 plant species there,” Rolfes says. “As you move toward the south side and back, the trees mean less sunshine, so the types of plants there become fewer.”

Deal and Rolfes are restoring an oak savanna between her house and waterfront dock, reached by a winding path through the woods.

“I like knowing some of the oak trees there were alive when Abraham Lincoln was president,” Deal says.

A savanna involves grasses growing under large trees, with the trees spaced further apart than would be the case in a forest.

“These naturally occurring landscapes were along the Raccoon River where the prairie met the forests associated with a river valley,” says Rolfes. “These very open forests, or savannas, were dominated by burr oaks and other trees that are most tolerant to prairie fires. Remnants of the oak savannas are all around Lake Panorama.”

Some native plants were in the area where large burr oaks stand on Deal’s property, but there was too much shade for them to thrive. Selected trees have been removed to allow more light to reach the ground. This area will be burned for the first time this fall, which will help eliminate shrubbery, poison ivy and other undesirable plants while encouraging native plants to grow.

“Native prairie plants require minimal care while still being visually attractive,” says Rolfes. “You remove weeds and apply mulch in the spring. No chemicals are used, which makes it perfect for use around the lake. Once you get native plants established, there isn’t much to do.”

The wide variety of plants and grasses attracts a wide variety of insects and butterflies. But what about the deer? Deal and Rolfes say deer still browse on native plants, although they avoid some. Even if deer like a plant, they don’t kill it because the seeds fall out and new plants grow.

Deal clearly is enjoying learning about and growing native plants.

“There are so many resources available. I think it is interesting and fun,” she says. “But it may take some getting used to for people who are accustomed to more conventional landscaping.”

A swallowtail butterfly flits through the native flowers and grasses near Tammy Deal’s Lake Panorama home.

Tammy Deal shows off the blooms on a prairie hibiscus plant near the porch of her Arts and Crafts style home at Lake Panorama.

Scott Rolfes shows the flower of a native milkweed plant, as he talks about the variety of flowers and grasses growing in the prairie surrounding Tammy Deal’s home.

Monarchs are frequent visitors to prairie plantings near the Deal home.

An oak savanna is being restored on Tammy Deal’s lot that has waterfront access in Helen’s Cove. Some trees have been removed to allow native plants to thrive.

Many species of bees can be seen in the prairie plantings, including this bumblebee in a patch of purple coneflowers.

The front yard of Tammy Deal’s house includes a patch of traditional grass, surrounded by sections of native plantings.

LPN Junior Golf School teaches fundamentals
Thirty-seven participants, divided into three age groups, take part.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

As with many things, COVID-19 forced a change in the way the 2020 Lake Panorama National Junior Golf School operated. Because of the need for social distancing, two sessions with three weeks each were offered, and no final event was held at Panorama West.

Young people ages 5 to 17 are eligible to attend the school. This year there were 37 participants, with 19 in the first session the first three weeks of July, and 18 in the second session the following three weeks.
During the school, juniors learn full swing, pitching, chipping and putting fundamentals along with golf etiquette and rules of golf. Participants are divided into three age groups and rotate between the putting green, chipping area and driving range. At the end of the hour, the juniors head to Spikes to choose a free drink.

The school was led by Michael Kleinwolterink, LPN pro shop manager. Assisting were Gary Babcock, LPN head golf professional, plus several past and current players from the Panorama High School boys golf team — Will Babcock, Dylan Douglass, Kolby Shackelford and Ryan Klinge. David Van Ahn, coach of the Panorama boys golf team, also volunteered his time for the junior golfers.

The Junior School has two sponsors that have supported the school for many years — the Lake Panorama Association (LPA) and Guthrie County State Bank (GCSB).

“LPA and LPN are proud to support junior golf,” says John Rutledge, LPA general manager and LPN director of operations. “We view it as our opportunity to grow the game of golf. There’s nothing better than seeing two or three generations of golfers enjoying our Lake Panorama courses.”

“Guthrie County State Bank is proud to continue our investment in the Lake Panorama National Junior Golf Program,” says Mike Underwood, GCSB president and CEO. “Over the years, we’ve witnessed the commitment of the LPN staff to this program. These dedicated golf professionals and staff ensure the junior golfers not only learn golf technique, but, more importantly, they learn course etiquette and the professional demeanor the game of golf requires. We believe these skills are transferrable to many aspects of life.”

Sponsorship funds made it possible to give each junior golfer a cloth backpack, a $10 LPN gift card and a certificate for a free round of golf at Panorama West.

Will Babcock, assisted by Dylan Douglass, talks with some junior golf school participants about things to consider when lining up a putt.

Mike Kleinwolterink, LPN pro shop manager and director of the LPN Junior Golf school, works with a participant on proper alignment.

David Van Ahn, who is coach of the Panorama boys golf team, talks with a group of junior golfers about short iron shots.

New owners for Lake Panorama Realty

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

The ownership of Lake Panorama Realty in Panora has changed hands. Effective July 13, Bob Nevitt sold the real estate company to Kane and Dee Powell. Nevitt will continue to own and operate Nevitt Real Estate in Perry.

The Powells have lived in the Lake Panorama area since 2000.

“We have raised our five children here and enjoy living in a small community,” says Dee Powell. “The opportunity arose for us to acquire Lake Panorama Realty, and it was the logical progression since we have been in the residential and commercial building industry for so many years.”

Kane Powell will continue to run Paradigm LLC, his building and electrical company. Dee Powell, who earned her real estate license earlier this year, will manage the day-to-day operations of Lake Panorama Realty.

In addition to Dee, the Lake Panorama Realty team continues to include Julie Wykoff as managing broker and John McDermott and Lee Anne Howe as sales associates.

Lake Panorama Realty is independently owned by the Powells and located at 505 E. Main St. in Panora, next to Guthrie County State Bank.

The Powells say they are looking forward to sustaining and growing the reputation and standing that Lake Panorama Realty has built over many years.

Kane and Dee Powell are the new owners of Lake Panorama Realty.

New debris skimmer arrives
The $400,000 piece of equipment will replace the skimmer LPA purchased more than 20 years ago.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

When the Middle Raccoon River rises because of heavy rains or snow melt, it doesn’t just bring more water to Lake Panorama; it brings debris. For many years, LPA staff and members would spend days, or even weeks, tracking down and removing debris from the lake after a heavy rain.

Attempts to stop debris at the upper basin began in 1990 with the development of a structure to keep debris from entering the lake. Various improvements to both the type of structure and the placement have been made since then with increasing levels of success.

Improvements also have been made in the equipment designed to remove debris from above the trap, as well as throughout the lake if the trap fails or isn’t in place. Such was the case this spring, when the lake still was covered in ice, and the trap hadn’t yet been deployed. A surge of water as the ice went out brought debris into the lake.

In June 1999, the Lake Panorama Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ) purchased a new trash skimmer, to skim small logs and branches from the lake. In 2009, a special-order utility barge was a joint purchase between LPA and RIZ. A boom mounted on the barge accommodates a grapple attachment to remove logs from the water.

A new and larger debris skimmer was delivered to Lake Panorama July 17. RIZ purchased the $400,000 piece of equipment, which will replace the skimmer LPA purchased more than 20 years ago. The original skimmer will be retained and serve as a backup or as a second unit for large events.

Mike Monthei, LPA maintenance supervisor, says the new debris skimmer is bigger, faster and holds more debris.

“When the gates on the front open, it is 16 feet wide,” says Monthei. “It will gather debris on a conveyor belt system that moves it to the back of the skimmer for storage. Once it is full, we will back it up to an elevated conveyor on shore and unload the debris into dump trucks.”

Monthei said the old skimmer could hold one small truckload of material, while the new one will hold three times that amount.

“The speed of this skimmer on the water is important, especially when there is a debris event in Burchfield Cove. In the past, debris coming in that way would scatter all over the lake before our old skimmer could even get there,” he said. “This skimmer is must faster in the water.”

LPA’s goal is for the boom at the north end of the upper basin to hold debris upstream, giving the maintenance staff time to collect and dispose of it before it gets into the lake.

The new LPA debris skimmer, purchased from Aquarius Systems by the Lake Panorama RIZ, arrived by truck in mid-July. It was launched at the LPA fuel dock above the upper basin July 20.

This view of the skimmer shows the gates on the front closed, shortly after the vessel was launched on the Middle Raccoon River.

An employee of Aquarius Systems was on hand to demonstrate how the debris skimmer operates. This view shows the front gates open and the conveyor belt, which work together to scoop up debris and move it to a storage area in the back of the skimmer.

Shown here is the utility barge purchased in 2009 by RIZ and the LPA. A boom mounted on the barge accommodates a grapple attachment to remove logs from the water. Shown beyond the barge is LPA’s dredge, which has been working through the summer in the Middle Raccoon River above the debris trap.

Once the skimmer is filled with debris, it backs up to the elevator shown here. A conveyor belt on the elevator moves the debris upwards to be deposited into dump trucks.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

Posted 8/11/20
June 30, 2020
LPN Conference Center

The Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors met June 30, 2020, at 5 p.m., at the LPN Conference Center. Board members in attendance were Mary Jane Carothers, Emily Donovan, Gary Evans, David Finneseth, Rich Schumacher and Jim Spradling.
LPA Staff in attendance: Danna Krambeer and John Rutledge.
Visitors in attendance: None
President Carothers called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.

Agenda Item 1 – Approval of the Agenda
Spradling moved to approve the agenda. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 2 – Open Forum – No one present for open forum

Agenda Item 3 – Consent Agenda
Rutledge informed the board there were two typographical corrections to committee reports.
Spradling moved to approve the consent agenda with the noted corrections. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Consent agenda to include:
a) LPA General Manager’s Report
b) Approval of minutes from 05.26.2020 LPA Board Meeting
c) Acceptance of 05.31.2020 consolidated financial report – LPA & LPN, LLC
d) Accept minutes of the 06.15.2020 Water Safety Committee meeting
e) Accept minutes of the 06.08.2020 Building Code Committee meeting
f) Accept minutes from 05.18.2020 LPN LLC Board of Managers meeting
g) Approve date of the next LPA board of directors meeting
Agenda Item 4a – Variance Request: Brian Stoufer, Lot 640, shoreline setback as recommended by Building Codes committee   Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Brian Stoufer (lot 640) presented plans to the committee asking for a variance to rebuild and add on to a storage shed. The shed sits back 38 feet from the shoreline. Brian wanted to re-do the siding on the shed to make it more appealing. He also wanted to add 2 feet to the length of the shed along with a deck. After discussion, the committee decided that the additional length of the building was fine, as it still met the square footage requirements. The committee decided no roof should be allowed to be built over the deck, as a roof would deem the area underneath as part of the structure, therefore exceeding the square footage requirements. Schumacher made a motion to allow the remodel, extension and deck addition to the storage shed on lot 640 (with no roof to be built over the deck portion) in its current location, which is 38 feet from the shoreline. Motion seconded by Gary Evans and carried unanimously.
Schumacher moved to approve granting a variance to allow the remodel, extension and deck addition to the storage shed on lot 640, Brian Stoufer, (with no roof to be built over the deck portion) in its current location, which is 38 feet from the shoreline. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4b – Variance Request: Kent Miller, Lot 1177 roadside setback as recommended by Building Codes committee
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Kent Miller (lot 1177) proposed a garage addition next to his home that would require a 10-foot setback. The home on the lot already sits 10 feet closer to the road and the garage addition would be built parallel with the existing house. Westercamp made a motion to approve a 10-foot road setback variance for lot 1177, pending approval of plans from either Lane Rumelhart or Michael Gliem. Motion seconded by Knudsen and carried unanimously.
Donovan moved to approve a 10-foot roadside lot setback variance for lot 1177, Kent Miller, pending approval of plans by LPA staff. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4c – Variance Request: Jacqueline De Maria Trust (Kevin and Jacqueline Wellik), Lots 4059 - 4062 combined, roadside setback as recommended by Building Codes committee
Lots 4059 & 4060 are in process of closing from LPA and will be combined with currently owned lots 4061 & 4062.
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Kevin Wellik (representing Jacqueline De Maria Trust lots 4060 and 4059) asked for a 20-foot road setback variance to build a garage. Wellik wanted the variance to avoid the steep topography of the lot, minimize tree removal and prepare for a future driveway. The committee decided that allowing this structure would make the garage seem more likely to be a part of the property instead of having it back and down the steep grade. Based on neighbor’s approval and pleasing aesthetics, Westercamp made a motion to approve a 20-foot road setback variance for garage construction on lots 4059 and 4060. The motion was seconded by Powell and carried unanimously.
Spradling moved to approve a 20-foot road setback variance for garage construction on lots 4059 & 4060, Jacqueline De Maria Trust. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4d – Variance Request: Jim and Sue Davidson, Lot 622, roof pitch for minority percentage of roof as recommended by Building Codes committee
A permit request from Jim and Sue Davidson was submitted after the building codes committee meeting. Most of the roof pitch is compliant, with a few transitional sections being non-compliant.
Through emails, the building codes committee discussed this with two conclusions:
Davidson’s roof complies with the intent of the rule. The variances requested are very minor in scope. A variance approval is recommended for the June Board meeting.
The committee is preparing a rule adjustment for July, which will give LPA staff the ability to approve permits for which a majority percentage of the roof is compliant. This will eliminate the need for variances that address minor “eyebrows” and “crickets” that are technically non-compliant but routinely achieve variances from the LPA. Initial discussion is leaning toward allowing a roof to be considered “compliant” by LPA staff if 90 percent of the roof meets the pitch requirements.
Evans moved to approve a roof pitch variance for Lot 622, Jim and Sue Davidson, as presented in their building plans. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4e – Sale of lot 8010
The land sales committee reviewed an offer to purchase lot 8010 for $12,500. The land sales committee collectively decided to counter at $15,000. Buyer accepted the counteroffer of $15,000 for the lot, offer contingent on a perc test and the purchase of lot 866 from Mercados. The perc test was completed on June 26 and is acceptable to buyer. Buyer also requests a septic easement to run under the road from lot 866 to lot 8010; they are directly across from each other.
LPA staff has reviewed the lot and has no objection to the sale of this lot. The land sales committee recommends accepting the offer of $15,000, with the addition of the septic easement.
Schumacher moved to accept the offer of $15,000 to sell lot 8010 to Michael and Sara Luft, and to approve execution of an easement for septic to be bored under the road from Lot 866 to Lot 8010, cost of easement preparation, $300 to be paid by buyer. Easement to be drafted by LPA attorney. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4f – Sale of Lot 3083 & 3084
The land sales committee reviewed an offer to purchase lots 3083 & 3084 for $25,000 for the two lots. The land sales committee collectively decided to counter at $30,000 for the two lots. Buyer accepted the counteroffer of $30,000 for the two lots.
LPA staff has reviewed the lots and has no objection to the sale of these lots. The land sales committee recommends accepting the offer of $30,000. There will be some savings in selling the two lots together, and this appears to be a good price with all considerations.
Evans moved to accept the offer of $30,000 to sell lots 3083 & 3084 to James Albert. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4g – LPA Committee appointments
The board discussed the General Manager’s recommendation for committee appointments and Board members for each committee. Rutledge noted the board would need to select two members of the board of directors to serve each committee.
Building Committee   Term Expires
John Miller - 2023
Dirk Westercamp - 2023
Rod Knudsen - 2023
Kent Brown - 2022
Ken Powell - 2022
Nate Esser - 2021
Richard Schumacher - LPA Board Member
Gary Evans - LPA Board Member
Evans moved to approve the building committee member appointments, as listed with term dates. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Water Safety Committee   Term Expires
Therese McConeghey - 2023
Todd Nevenhoven - 2023
Dale Behrends - 2022
Todd Hyde - 2022
Mike Appleseth - 2021
Chad Tope - 2021
Lyn Coulter
Marina Tenant (Continuous)
Emily Donovan - Board Member
Jim Spradling - Board Member
Schumacher moved to approve the water safety committee member appointments, as listed with term dates. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Land Sales Committee    Term Expires
Bob Batschelet - 2023
Kathleen DeLucca - 2023
Maureen Lubeck - 2022
Tom Jeschke - 2022
Charles Schnack - 2021
Rich Schumacher - Board Member
Dave Finneseth - Board Member
Spradling moved to approve the land sales committee member appointments, as listed with term dates. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Appeals Committee   Term Expires
Pam Johnson - 2023
Andy Harrelson - 2023
Linda Reis - 2022
John McDermott - 2022
Mindy Larsen Poldberg - 2021
Schumacher moved to approve the appeals committee member appointments, as listed with term dates. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 5 – Old Business - None

Agenda Item 6 – Closed Session – The board entered closed session at 5:49 p.m. to discuss legal matters. The board exited closed session at 5:54 p.m.
Donovan moved to approve a confidential legal agreement, as discussed in closed session. Document to be drafted by LPA attorney and execution by LPA general manager. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 7a – Election of Officers
Carothers asked for nominations of officers.
Spradling moved to nominate the following slate of officers, to take effect upon adjournment of the June 30, 2020 board meeting:
President Mary Jane Carothers
Vice President Rich Schumacher
Secretary Emily Donovan
Treasurer Gary Evans
Motion seconded.
Carothers asked for any discussion or other nominations. With no further discussion or other nominations presented, Carothers called for the vote. Motion carried unanimously.

Adjourn - With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:55 p.m.

Security camera installed at marina ramp
Goal is to ease concerns about unauthorized use of the boat ramp.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

A security camera has been installed at Coulter’s Marina, positioned to record boats both as they are launched and also pulled out of the water at the ramp.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled this past January the waters of Lake Panorama are public, and subject to enforcement by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The ruling also noted the land surrounding Lake Panorama is privately controlled, and clarified the Lake Panorama Association and its membership has no obligation to allow access to the water.

“As we’ve always known, Lake Panorama is a de-facto private lake despite the fact it is one and the same with the Middle Raccoon River,” says John Rutledge, LPA general manager. “We expect no changes in how LPA operates but certainly answered a lot of questions based upon social media posts and speculation that Lake Panorama was now ‘open to all.’ ”

The new camera at the marina will help ease concerns about unauthorized use of the boat ramp there.

“We are working on improved signage near the ramp and continue to rely on our close partnership with Coulters for oversight of the boat ramp,” Rutledge says. “Our main focus is to see how many boats come and go during hours when Coulters is closed. We also will be using the camera to help ensure boats launched there adhere to LPA rules regarding invasive species.”

Anniversary celebration

ReShape Fitness Studio celebrated its second anniversary on July 10.

Dan Wilhelmi and Keith Fulton

Sue Bump and Julie Fulton

Neil Bump and Dave Wagler

Laura Kemble, Shanell Wagner, Sue Bump and Kim Kent

Bailey Schreiber and Courtney Hodges

Gretchen Wilhelmi and Gayle Shackelford

GCSB launches $50,000 matching donation program for AC/GC Strength & Conditioning

Posted 8/11/20

GUTHRIE CENTER — In a final push to complete an energized fundraising effort to raise $160,000 for equipment for the new AC/GC fitness center, Guthrie County State Bank (GCSB) announced a $50,000 matching donation program. GCSB will match every dollar donated up to $25,000 until the $50,000 goal is reached.

AC/GC Community Schools will soon have a state of the art fitness center for students and the community to invest in their health and physical fitness. While the school district financed the construction of the building, the activities department was tasked with raising the $160,000 needed to equip the building with weights, machines, turf, and workout equipment. Activities Director Cody Matthewson has spearheaded the fundraising effort from zero to the $110,000 mark. GCSB’s goal is to motivate community members, alumni and friends to finish out the campaign.

“This new fitness facility is an investment in the future of our students, staff and community,” said Mike Underwood, president and CEO of Guthrie County State Bank. “Beyond athletics, this will be a place of community connection. Healthy residents make a healthy community, which is a key component of economic vitality. We’re proud to help AC/GC make the final push to complete their fundraising.”

Students and community members frequenting the AC/GC fitness center will enjoy a spacious modern facility with free weights, cardio equipment and access to the gymnasium. Matthewson noted that this summer the AC/GC Charger Strength and Conditioning program has averaged more than 100 students per day.

“The support from the AC/GC community for this facility and for the equipment fundraising has been outstanding,” said Matthewson. “We are thankful to Guthrie County State Bank for its leadership in making the push for the last $50,000. You can feel the excitement of our students each day as they imagine the future strength and conditioning workouts in the new facility.”

How to donate
For every dollar donated, GCSB will donate a matching dollar. As an example, a donation of $50 becomes a $100 donation. That means donations of $50 by 500 people will reach the goal of $50,000 through the matching program. Donations can be made in a variety of ways:

Drop off your donation in the drive-through at Guthrie County State Bank.

Mail your donation to: AC/GC School District, ATTN: Equipment, 906 School St., Guthrie Center, Iowa, 50115

Donate online at https://www.gofundme.com/f/acgc-weight-roomfitness-center

For more information, visit Charger Strength on Facebook or Guthrie County State Bank’s website.

Calendar of Events Aug. 12-Sept. 14, 2020

Posted 8/11/2020

Aug. 12, Aug. 13, Aug. 17, Aug. 19, Aug. 20, Aug. 24, Aug. 26, Aug. 27
Water aerobics
Lake Panorama National Resort pool. Water aerobics classes are offered every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Classes begin at 9:30 a.m., are led by volunteers, and are free of charge. Those who haven’t purchased an annual LPN pool membership will need to pay the $3 daily fee at the LPN pro shop before entering the pool. If you like, bring a pool noodle. For those who do not have a pool noodle, some are available for pickup from the LPN Fitness Center before class begins. These noodles are used at your own risk. No signup needed. www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 13-16
Irv Gerlich Memorial Ryder Cup
LPN Golf Course www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 14, Aug. 28
Fore Fun Friday Couples
Registration at 4:30 p.m., shotgun at 5 p.m.
Panorama West Golf Course. Two-Couple Scramble with a Just-For-Fun Golf Game. $1 per couple. Non-members of Panorama West will need to pay green fees, and anyone needing a cart, call the clubhouse at 641-755-2250 to reserve. Please respect others’ space when interacting. The game will be sent via email a couple of days prior to play, no paper copies. The Ebys will draw cards for pairings and hole assignments at 4:55 p.m. After play, circle golf carts safely spaced in the parking lot to enjoy conversation. No sharing of snacks and beverages, but feel free to bring your own. Call Bill & Karen Eby at 515- 480-4633 with questions. www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 21
Varsity Football: Panorama vs. Ogden
7 p.m. Panorama Community School www.panoramaschools.org

Aug. 22
Panorama West Golf Course
Kim Lubeck Memorial Golf Tournament, Sponsored by Panora Lions Club, 12 p.m. registration, 1 p.m. shotgun start, $160 / Team (Members Receive $10 Off). Includes 18 holes of golf with a grab and go meal. For more information or to register contact the Panorama West clubhouse at 641-755-2250 or email maggliem@netins.net. Proceeds go to Panora Lions Club causes.
www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 24
First day of school, K-12
www.panoramaschools.org

Aug. 24
Panora City Council Meeting
6:30 p.m. www.cityofpanora.com

Aug. 24, Aug. 31
Nine & Wine Couples
Lake Panorama National Golf Course, Panorama West Golf Course. 4 Person Best Shot. Teams will be assigned at each week’s event by blind draw. LPN Member - $75 / Panorama West Member - $180 (includes green fees and carts). Weekly prizes will be awarded and a series MVP prize will be awarded for couples with lowest ranked finishes in all events. Wine and dinner available in the Links restaurant after golf. Call the LPN pro shop with any questions or to register at 641-755-2024. www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 25
LPA Board Meeting
5 p.m. Lake Panorama National Conference Center www.lakepanorama.org

Aug. 26
Men’s League Shoot-out
3 p.m. Lake Panorama National Golf Course www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug. 25
Varsity Volleyball: Panorama vs. Interstate 35
7 p.m. Panorama High School www.panoramaschools.org

Aug. 27
Women’s League Shoot-out
5:30 p.m. LPN Golf Course www.lakepanoramanational.com

Aug 27
Varsity Volleyball: Panorama vs. Earlham High School
7 p.m. Panorama High School www.panoramaschools.org

Aug. 28
Varsity Football: Panorama vs. Grundy Center
7 p.m. Panorama High School www.panoramaschools.org

Sept. 1
Varsity Volleyball: Panorama vs. Ogden
7 p.m. Panorama High School www.panoramaschools.org

Sept. 8
Deadline for Building Code Variance Requests
www.lakepanorama.org

Sept. 11
Varsity Football: Panorama vs. Van Meter
7 p.m. Panorama High School www.panoramaschools.org

Sept. 14
Panorama School Board Meeting
6:30 p.m. Board Room www.panoramaschools.org

Submit your free items for the Lake Panorama Times calendar of events at https://www.lakepanoramatimes.com/contact-us
Event dates and times are subject to change. Contact hosts for updated details.

Courtney Allen celebrates 93 years

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

Courtney Allen has a long history at Lake Panorama. He was a stockholder in Mid-Iowa Lakes in about 1965, bought his first lot in 1969, and traded it in 1971 for the one where his home now stands north of Sunset Beach. He and his wife Dilma, who he has been married to more than 65 years, built their home in 1980 and moved here permanently in 1984 when they sold their home in Urbandale.

Allen’s 93rd birthday was June 25. He has been playing in the Thursday morning men’s league at Panorama West for many years.

“I thought it would be fun to have a party for myself with my best friends, many of whom I have played with for years,” Allen says.

“I worked it out with the gals in the pro shop to have plenty of coffee, and I supplied lots of bakery products. I also said I would pay for any ice cream, candy and pop for anyone else who played the course the rest of the day,” he says. “Everyone was surprised and helped me celebrate my new age with good cheer.”

Allen is from Massachusetts and Dilma from Curacao. After college, he went to work for HyLine Poultry Farm in 1950. He stayed there 21 years before starting his own company, Sunnytime, Inc., in 1971. He sold that business to Cargill in 1987 and moved to Minnesota to operate the total egg operation until he turned 65.

The couple retired and moved back to enjoy their Lake Panorama home. It was badly damaged by a tornado in 2014, but they rebuilt it and are enjoying life there.

“We love Guthrie County and all its people,” Allen says.

As for his birthday, Allen said, “You can quote me as saying it was the best birthday I have had in years, but I’m looking forward to the next one.”

Courtney Allen, standing in the middle of the photo holding a half-eaten doughnut, turned 93 years old June 25. He celebrated with the Panorama West Thursday morning men’s golf league by throwing a surprise party for himself. He brought pastry items for the golf league members, plus paid for ice cream, candy and drinks for anyone who played at Panorama West that day.

Ask Lake Panorama Times
If you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

Posted 8/11/20
Q: How do I get one of those blue and white dock signs with my address?
A: A dock sign can be ordered anytime for $25 through the Lake Panorama Association website. This is the official way to comply with LPA sign uniformity rules and Iowa DNR dock regulations that require street address and dock permit number displayed on member docks. The signs are reflective, which assists visibility for those navigating at night. To order a dock sign, go to the LPA’s website and complete the form. Either scan it and email it to lpa@lakepanorama.org or mail it or drop it off at the LPA office (P.O. Box 157, 5006 Panorama Drive, Panora, IA 50216) with a check for $25 for each sign.

Q: What is the maximum length of a boat that can be on Lake Panorama?
A: No single-hulled boat (non-pontoon) can exceed 24 feet in length including the swim platform. Measurement is made from the forwardmost tip of the bow to the end of the swim platform (if so equipped) or the stern (if no swim platform.) No pontoon vessel can exceed 27 feet in length measured from the forward-most tip of the pontoon to the end of the swim platform, if so equipped, or rear of the pontoon.

Q: I am seeing a blue-green algae bloom. Should I be concerned?
A: Dry weather and clear water have created ideal conditions for a “bloom” of blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. At first, levels of the algae will appear as a light greenish tinge to the lake water. As the population increases, the water may turn a “Kool-Aid” green. White, green, blue-green, or reddish-brown suds/scum will float to the surface in calm areas of the lake, such as the marina and small coves. Blooms most often appear on the downwind side of the lake after several days of a steady breeze. LPA will continue to test for microcystin concentrations in blue-green algae blooms. To-date, NO microcystin tests at Lake Panorama have approached the prescribed thresholds for safety warnings. Swimming or water recreation activities such as water skiing, wake surfing or tubing should be avoided in areas of heavy bloom. The algae can be an irritant to skin and water spray containing lots of algae can be breathed in and irritate the lungs. Small children should also be kept out of algae blooms, as they can unknowingly drink the water. Dogs are especially susceptible to severe illness (or death) if they drink water infested with blue-green algae. If conditions look scummy or the water appears like paint, swimming and water recreation should be avoided. Shower after water recreation. Don’t allow water contact or allow your pets to drink the water. Keep small children and anyone with immune-deficiency issues or allergies out of the water and away from the spray while boating.

LPN WOMEN’S LEAGUE RAISES NEARLY $5,000 FOR TORI’S ANGELS
Foundation’s namesake is Tori Heckman, who had life-saving heart surgery in 2011 at the age of 5 after several other heart surgeries.

Posted 8/11/20
By Susan Thompson
Lake Panorama Times

On July 9, the usual Lake Panorama National women’s league night turned into a Rally for Tori’s Angels. The result was a donation of $4,903 being presented to the foundation, which provides financial support to Iowa children with life-threatening medical challenges.

This is the third year for this event. The evening included a nine-hole, four-gal best-shot tournament. Great weather led to 44 players for the event, and games on most holes led to a low score of 29 for the winning team. Winning team members were Kathy Moline, Shanell Wagler, Shelby Lewis and Maggie Armstrong.

The foundation’s namesake is Tori Heckman, who had life-saving heart surgery in 2011 at the age of 5 after several other heart surgeries. The foundation recently accepted its 71st child for assistance.

After golf there was a silent auction and a presentation by Tori’s grandmother, Jackie Wicks, of Panora. She talked about Tori turning 15 years old, current children sponsored by Tori’s Angels and the challenges the foundation has faced this year with fundraising because of COVID-19. In 2019, Tori’s Angels took on 22 new children. So far in 2020, four children have been approved for sponsorship, and seven fundraising events have been canceled due to the virus.

Money raised at the LPN women’s league July 9 event included the purchase of donated silent auction items and a freewill donation bucket. The rest of the funds collected were from individual donations. LPN women’s league leaders say they’re already planning for the fourth annual Tori’s Angels fundraiser sometime during the 2021 golf season.

Donations can be mailed at any time to Tori’s Angels Foundation, 4677 Panorama Drive, Panora, Iowa, 50216.

Fun games on most holes led to a low score of 29 for the winning team, which consisted of Shelby Lewis, Kathy Moline, Maggie Armstrong and Shanell Wagler. Photo by Michael Kleinwolterink.

Lake Dogs and Cove Cats

Posted 8/11/20
By Cheryl Temple
Lake Panorama Times

Lake Dog
Gracie
9 months old
Petite Goldendoodle
Owners: Brian and Lisa Wegener (Pictured grandsons Rylen and Rees)

Gracie enjoys whipped cream, sprinklers, snow, golf carts, boat rides, her “babies” (stuffed animal toys), spinning in circles with her rope toy, and going for walks. Gracie is an energetic, happy puppy who seems to love everyone.

Cove Cat
Butterball
9 years old
Owner: Tamara Deal

Butterball came from a barnyard near Bagley. A little girl named her, and the name stuck. The previous owners were worried that she would be ran over by farm machinery. As for owners, does anyone ever really own a cat? But, Butterball would definitely claim that she lives with Tamara.

Butterball receives a weekly bath because it has allergies. Yes, it is possible to bathe a cat.

Butterball has a doggy sibling, a standard poodle, and did not appear to be happy when the puppy came to live with them The dog is now 7.5 years old, and when Butterball gets mad at her, she chases her around the house. All 8 pounds of her will attack the 50-pound dog.

Butterball likes to eat, be held and sleep — in that order.

Panora Pets is a non-profit rescue consisting of several volunteers like Tim Randall and George Jones, providing shelter and services for cats in need in the Panora area. Stop in and visit the beautiful kitties and hopefully take one home. Through contributions from the community and beyond, P.E.T.S maintains its dedication to animals in need.

Blue-Green Algae

It’s that time of year again all over the freshwater lakes and ponds of the Midwest. Weather and water conditions are producing a “bloom” of blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. Warm weather, low rainfall, dissolved nutrients and clear water have combined to start a rapid increase in algae population. The primitive one-celled plants have always been around, but certain conditions cause the population to increase.

At first, levels of the algae will appear as a light greenish tinge to the lake water. As the population increases, the water may turn a "Kool-Aid" green and white, green, or blue green suds or scum will float to the surface in quiet areas such as the marina, small coves and other spots where boats do not stir the water or the wind can't blow it away. The scum looks unappetizing and is sometimes mistaken for sewage because there can be an unpleasant, sulphurous odor accompanying the bloom. The floating material is usually white, blue-white, blue-green, or green, but sometimes can be a reddish brown. Usually it is more evident in coves or shallow areas and often appears the worst on the downwind side of the lake after several days of strong breezes.

When to Take Precautions
Swimming or water recreation activities such as water skiing or tubing should be avoided in areas of heavy bloom. The algae can be an irritant to skin and water spray containing lots of algae can be breathed in and irritate the lungs. Sometimes there is a toxin produced by the algae that can be more harmful to persons and animals. Dogs are susceptible to severe illness or death if they drink water infested with algae containing toxins. Unfortunately, there is no way to easily determine whether there is toxin present by looking. Seldom does the toxin cause problems, but it is important to be aware of the situation. The toxin can come and go before water test results are complete. If skin or breathing is irritated after water recreation, see a physician to determine the cause. If conditions look scummy or the water appears like paint, swimming and water recreation should be avoided. It’s always a good idea to shower after water recreation. In heavy infestations of scum, don’t allow water contact or allow your pets to drink the water. Keep small children and anyone with immune-deficiency issues or allergies out of the water and away from the spray while boating.

Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to remove the algae. Open areas of the lake are less likely to have serious issues as boat traffic and wind keep the algae mixed throughout the water profile. Rainfall, water movement, and cooler temperatures are the best solution to reducing the effects of the bloom, but are obviously not something under the control of the LPA.

Annual Fireworks

Even though Panorama Days have been cancelled this year, there will still be a fireworks show. The fireworks sponsored by the LPA will be launched from the South Shore around 9:30 p.m. on Friday Aug. 7.

Beach Ball 2020

A limited number of tickets remain for the Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball on Saturday, August 1. Proceeds will go towards the Friends’ current priority project to raise $70,000 for new playground equipment at Shady and Boulder beaches.

To ease concerns about COVID-19, both outdoor and indoor spaces will be used at the Lake Panorama National conference center. Outside tables will be under tents, located on the grass between the conference center and golf course. Live music and a live auction will take place outdoors.

Registration will be open 4-6 p.m. in the conference center dining room. A boxed evening meal will be available 5:30-7 p.m. Tickets are $40 each, with half going directly to the playground fund. A “sweet treat” dessert bar, offering donated dessert items plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream, will be open 6-7:30 p.m. Tickets for the dessert bar will be $3. Both silent and live auctions will be held to raise money for the playgrounds, plus a 50/50 raffle. Those who have auction items to donate or want to purchase tickets can call Susan Thompson at 515-240-6536 or email staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.

The Links restaurant reopens

The Links restaurant at Lake Panorama National Resort reopened July 25 at 11 a.m. Normal business hours resumed Sunday, July 26 at 8 a.m. Current hours of operation are.

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday - 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday - 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday - 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ON THE LAKE
Buy, sell or trade and post your calendar events for free

By Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Posted 7/8/2020

Summer is upon us, and, as typical, it is moving along all too quickly. We are living in a world today with none of us truly sure how to respond. Meanwhile, we all need to keep moving forward. With that in mind, here are a few updates with your Lake Panorama newspaper.

It’s classified
Remember perusing the classified ads in a local newspaper? Free online services have changed how people buy, sell and trade today, leaving the traditional classified sections in the dust. But as consumers become more knowledgeable about how their data is being mined and sold from items they list for sale on sites like Facebook marketplace and Craigslist, they are doing so more cautiously. With that in mind, we are offering a free service for Lake Panorama residents — both in print and online — to help you sell your stuff. From homes to cars to boats to that old 8-track player, we can help. List anything and everything (that is legal) on our Lake Panorama marketplace site for FREE! See details at www.lakepanoramatimes.com under the classifieds pulldown. We will publish those classified ads in this publication for free as well.

Something bigger
Speaking of classifieds, you will notice regional ad listings in this issue of Lake Panorama Times. Those ads are part of a network that this publication now belongs to called Midwest Free Community Papers. It is an association of mostly independent publishers like us who group together to share ideas and to benefit from training. Each member agrees to run these ads and can also sell them. So if you have a need to affordably reach more than 2 million consumers in more than 120 publications in the Midwest, let me know and I will gladly show you how.

Ask Lake Panorama Times
If you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers. That’s what I promised you in this column last month when I announced that we would be adding this feature. We have three great questions this month. Be sure to check them out and send me any other questions you may have.

A calendar of events
One of the main reasons people read local publications is to seek out things to do. We are pleased to oblige. In this month’s issue, you will notice this new feature, as we work to eventually compile a comprehensive listing of events in the area. Yes, COVID-19 has forced the closure of many events, but many of you are still seeking things to do safely in the community and even from your home. If you have a personal, business, club or community event that you would like to have included, submit it online at www.lakepanoramatimes.com, and we will be sure to add it.

Digital edition emails keep rolling in
Want to view, share or save Lake Panorama Times editions on your phone, tablet or computer? Have friends or family members who would like to receive Lake Panorama Times? Sign them up. The service is free, and anyone can sign up or unsubscribe at any time. And you can do so knowing that we won’t collect and sell your data to anyone for any reason. Find details at www.lakepanoramatimes.com.
I continue to look forward to seeing many of you on the lake. As always, thanks for reading.

SETTING SAIL ON LAKE PANORAMA
The Tometichs say they enjoy sailing on Lake Panorama, but it can be challenging.

Posted 7/8/20
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

It’s not every day you see a sailboat on Lake Panorama. In fact, it usually only happens a couple of times a month, mostly for Sunday night sunsets, or other times when the weather cooperates and the crowds are gone. That’s when Jim and Dee Tometich decide it’s time to sail.

The couple has lived at Lake Panorama since 2006. From their home in Helen’s Cove, they enjoyed seeing a sailboat docked at a home across the cove. About five years ago, Dee decided she wanted to buy the sailboat as a surprise birthday present for Jim. She did a little detective work to learn the owners’ name and get a phone number.

Dick and Lynda Pawlowski were the owners. They purchased their house in Helen’s Cove in 1994, although they owned a Lake Panorama lot for more than 40 years.

“I called Dick and told him if they ever decided to sell it, to please let me know,” says Dee.

At the time, the Pawlowskis had owned the boat more than three years.

“I’ve done a lot of things in my life, but I always wanted to learn to sail. I saw an ad for a Catalina 22 sailboat, which is a popular model for people just learning to sail,” Dick says.

“A gentleman who lived in Johnston used the boat on Saylorville Lake. He had never sailed before buying this boat but had learned and now was ready to sell it,” Dick says. “He had lots of books and videotapes on sailing and gave all those to me.”

Pawlowski used the material he received, plus help from a friend who came from Nebraska a couple of times, to learn to sail on Lake Panorama. He says he enjoyed it, but Lynda preferred their pontoon. So when Dee called, Dick decided it was time to let someone else live their dream of learning to sail.

“Working with Dick, it took us many attempts to get the lift and sailboat over to our dock before Jim would get home from work. But we finally pulled off the surprise,” Dee says.

The boat is a 1978 Catalina 22, which means it is 22 feet long. The mast is 25 feet tall. It has two sails, a main sail and a jib. Because Lake Panorama is so narrow, the Tometichs typically only use one. It has a large lead keel, about 5 feet below the bottom of the boat, which provides stability. Below deck, the cabin has a table for dining, and could sleep two people. The boat capacity is six people. The boat has a 9.9 hp Mercury four stroke motor.

“We love to use the sail as much as possible,” Jim says. “But due to the lake’s position and narrowness, it sometimes is necessary to use the motor.”

“We appreciated Dick giving us a couple of Sailing 101 lessons and helping us get started,” Dee says. “Now we also sail at Lake Dillion in Colorado, where we rent a boat when we visit.”

The Tometichs say they enjoy taking their sailboat out on Lake Panorama, but it can be challenging. Pawlowski agrees.

“But it also makes you a better sailor,” he says. “It’s easier to sail on larger lakes, because you don’t have to worry about it being so narrow,” Pawlowski says.

Despite the narrowness of Lake Panorama, sailboats are not banned. Sailboards are banned, which is something akin to windsurfing.

“This isn’t the most practical lake on which to sail,” says John Rutledge, LPA general manager. “LPA does not prohibit sailboats but discourages widespread use on Lake Panorama. The thought of dozens of sailboats on our narrow lake would be a concern if it became a popular trend.”

The Tometichs have learned what works for them — wait for most boaters to call it a day, then set sail from Helen’s Cove to enjoy the beauty of Lake Panorama.

Jim and Dee Tometich recently invited Dick and Lynda Pawlowski to sail with them on a Monday evening. A nice breeze had them moving along without using the motor.

Jim and Dee Tometich raise the main sail on their boat. Because Lake Panorama is narrow, they keep navigation simple by using only one sail.

The Tometichs live in Helen’s Cove and use the sailboat’s motor to reach the main channel before raising the sail.

BOATING SAFETY REMINDERS
Eighty-four percent of drowning victims who died from a boating accident were not wearing their life jackets.

Posted 7/8/2020
Provided by Lake Panorama Association

Boating While Intoxicated
Summertime on the lake is a great time to kick back with friends and family. For some, this involves enjoying an afternoon or evening on the water with a few adult beverages. Lake Panorama Association reminds all members to practice responsible boating when alcohol is involved.

Iowa DNR’s authority to enforce Boating While Intoxicated laws was brought into question regarding a July 7, 2018, citation against a Lake Panorama member. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld DNR’s authority to issue Boating While Intoxicated citations on Lake Panorama.

DNR already has issued multiple Boating While Intoxicated citations during the 2020 season and will continue to patrol the lake at their discretion. As a reminder, DNR operations are independent of LPA and operate under the authority of the State of Iowa.

Boaters should establish a designated driver plan for their time on the water. This has become common sense when travelling on highways, and the same safety precautions should be adopted on the water.

Boating Violations
A good share of the boating citations and warnings that are issued by both LPA Security and DNR officers are for guests who are operating vessels owned by LPA members. As a reminder, LPA violations apply to the LPA member’s account. If three fines occur in a given year, the member loses boating privileges for the season.

Perhaps more important is that LPA members may be found legally and financially liable for any injuries or damages that occur when guests are operating their equipment. It is the member’s responsibility to make sure guests know the rules and are competent and safe operators.

Personal Water Craft Reminders
When it comes to young people operating Personal Water Craft (PWC), Lake Panorama rules are more restrictive than state law. Youth under 18 may only operate a PWC at Lake Panorama under the following conditions: Operators must be at least 16 years old. Operators 16 or 17 years of age must pass the Iowa Boater Safety Education Course and have the boater education certificate with them while operating the vessel. It doesn’t matter whether an adult is riding with the teen or not.

Anyone riding or being towed by a PWC must be wearing an appropriate personal floatation device. Anyone being towed counts towards the rated capacity of the PWC, whether they are riding on the PWC or not. PWC operation is forbidden before sunrise and after sunset.

Life Jackets Required
State law requires life jackets on every watercraft, whether it’s a motorized boat, jet ski, kayak, canoe or even a paddleboard. Under Iowa law, any child younger than 13 must wear a life jacket while the boat is underway, including canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. On boats, a Type 4 throwable device is required in addition to the number of life vests required for each passenger. The throwable device does not count as a life vest.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 84 percent of drowning victims who died from a boating accident were not wearing their life jackets. It is best to wear a life jacket at all times, no matter your level of swimming or boating expertise.

Additional boating reminders
These are the most common issues LPA water patrol and DNR law enforcement come across:

Unattended vessels
There has to always be someone in the vessel, even while anchored, or tied to other boats. This includes jet skis.

Capacity sticker
This is required on the back-starboard side of the vessel (including jet skis), showing how many people the boat is able to hold. The sticker must be above the water line so it is visible, and must be at least 3 inches high and of contrast color to the boat.

Fire extinguishers
Check fire extinguishers often and know the location in your boat. Life expectancy of a fire extinguisher in a boat is shorter, because of the constant temperature changes and the hard impacts of running the boat through waves.

Speed
No vessel traveling at a speed in excess of 10 mph shall operate directly behind another vessel at a distance closer than 200 feet.

THIRD WETLAND NOW PROTECTS BURCHFIELD COVE
Past dredging and now the upstream Smith Wetland have made it possible for property owners to enjoy waterfront amenities.

Posted 7/8/20
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

Dredging at Lake Panorama has been going on for decades and is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. Yet, in recent years, attention also has turned to ways to reduce the flow of both sediment and nutrients into the lake.

One solution for Lake Panorama has been the establishment of upstream wetlands to protect specific areas of the lake. This spring was the first test for the third wetland built at Lake Panorama, which is positioned to help protect Burchfield Cove.

In the late 1990s, Iowa State University researchers began studying the use of small wetlands in drainage areas to slow water runoff from farm fields. They found these strategically placed wetlands could reduce the amount of nitrates moving into streams and rivers by 40 to 70 percent. By 2000, state officials were promoting a new incentive program to encourage landowners to install wetlands.

The Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a joint effort of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the U. S. Department of Agriculture. State and federal technical assistance and cost-share funds are available for landowners who voluntarily establish wetlands for water quality improvement in 37 north-central Iowa counties, including Guthrie County

During a strategic planning session in 2012, the Lake Panorama Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ) trustees decided to see if there were locations where CREP wetlands could be installed to help protect the lake.

In October 2016, the 26-acre Helen’s Cove/Donahey CREP wetland was completed. It includes a six-acre water pool, which hosts microbes that turn nitrogen into gas. The nitrogen removed by the wetland is equivalent to taking about 400 acres of row crops out of production. A special forebay collects sediment, which is cleaned periodically. This isn’t something done in all CREP wetlands, but because of the desire to keep as much sediment as possible from reaching Lake Panorama, special approval was granted to include this feature.

Construction on a similar wetland to protect Hughes Cove began in 2016, with final touches in the spring of 2017. The 23-acre Hughes Cove/Elmquist CREP wetland includes a control structure above a plunge pool, which routes the water back into a creek leading into Hughes Cove.

In 2018, planning began for a third wetland to be built in 2019 on RIZ-owned ground north of the Burchfield Cove bridge. This one, named the Smith wetland, has a higher percentage of deeper water for the wetland basin than the first two.

This 35-acre project consists of a nine-acre pool of water surrounded by cool season grasses and native grasses. It is a deep-water wetland, with a control structure above a plunge pool, which then routes water back into a creek leading into Lake Panorama at Burchfield Cove. The land surrounding the water pool has been seeded with a mix of 13 species of native grasses and 18 species of native wildflowers.

This project was possible because of a grant partnering the Soil & Water Conservation Society, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University, Lake Panorama RIZ and Lake Panorama Association.

This grant funds projects that integrate in-field management practices with edge-of-field nitrate removal wetlands to provide a combined watershed approach — reducing in-field nutrient losses while providing edge-of-field treatment at small watershed scales.

The grant also targets restored wetlands in locations that receive significant shallow subsurface drainage, which is the primary transport mechanism of nitrates to surface water. This grant project was specifically designed for nitrate removal while also improving habitat for wildlife. The idea is to explore the development of wetlands that fall slightly outside of CREP guidelines.

RIZ has acquired property for a fourth wetland, which is upstream of the Smith Wetland. Preliminary conversations with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has indicated a willingness to partner with RIZ on this fourth wetland.

Also in the planning stages is a streambank stabilization effort along the stream leading into Burchfield Cove. This type of project, in combination with wetlands, play important roles in the ongoing effort to protect Lake Panorama’s water quality.

This is the view looking north from the Burchfield bridge. Most of the water here would earlier have been pooled in the Smith Wetland for a period of time, leaving nitrogen and sediment behind.

Water coming through the outlet structure pools below the wetland dam, before heading south to Burchfield Cove, a distance of nearly three-quarters of a mile.

This is the view looking south from the Burchfield bridge. By now the water is picking up speed as it heads into Lake Panorama.

Water comes through the wetland outlet structure and spills out onto a rock bed on its way to the creek that leads to Burchfield Cove

This square concrete box with a metal grate is an inverted pipe that houses the wetland control structure. It contains a channel with stop blocks that are added or removed to taper the water level of the wetland. Flow levels are adjusted seasonally.

This is the view from a boat on Lake Panorama heading north toward the Burchfield bridge. In days gone by, it was impossible to have boats on lifts in this area because the stream was silted in. Past dredging and now the upstream Smith Wetland have made it possible for these property owners to enjoy waterfront amenities.

UPGRADES TO LPA WATER PLANT MOVING FORWARD
LPA water bills will increase by $70 per quarter, going from $90 to $160 beginning in October.

Posted 7/8/20
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

Steady progress is being made on major upgrades to the LPA water plant. The project includes three main components — drilling an additional Jordan Well, upgrading to a reverse osmosis treatment strategy, and installing a discharge line to accompany the reverse osmosis process.

A line to carry discharge water away from the new reverse osmosis (RO) system to the Middle Raccoon River by Highway 44 was installed in early summer, with only some soil restoration remaining.

An addition was constructed on the north side of the current building to house the RO system, which arrived by truck a few weeks ago. Work is underway to install the system, which will improve LPA’s finished water quality.

Mike Gliem, LPA’s water and dam supervisor, says the water will run through the RO tubes twice, using eight the first time and four the second time.

“Then we’ll combine this water with 20 percent raw water for the finished water provided to our customers,” Gliem says.

The Jordan Well has been drilled, and a pumping test completed, with excellent results. It will be another month before a pump is installed in that well, and water line connections completed. The well joins another one-half-mile deep Jordan well that was drilled in 2011.

The current system uses the first Jordan well and two Dakota wells constructed in the 1990s. The Dakota wells, which are in a shallower aquifer, had become less reliable. These wells have been the source of iron and manganese, that resulted in some customers having black and brown water flowing from their taps at times. Eliminating dependence on these temperamental wells was a key reason for this latest project.

Gliem expects to be able to stop using the Dakota wells sometime this fall. If all goes as planned, those two wells will be plugged, capped and covered with fill dirt next spring.

In 2017, a three-month reverse osmosis pilot study was conducted at the water plant. The results showed good finished water quality would be possible using only Jordan water treated by reverse osmosis.

Water hardness can be described as either parts per million or grains per gallon. Gliem says current LPA water has a hardness of 615 parts per million or 36 grains per gallon. The goal is to produce water that is 120 parts per million or 7 grains per gallon. “That goal is typical of what the Des Moines Water Works and other municipalities offer their water customers,” he says. “The pilot plant study showed we will be able to reach that goal.”

Once the RO system is complete and providing water to LPA members, Gliem says those who have water softeners in their homes will want to adjust their settings, and that the lifespan of softeners and other fixtures will be much longer. Those who have inline water filters probably will want to keep those, he says, but filters won’t need to be changed as often.

Large blue water mixing tanks in the water plant will be removed once the new system is online along with other old pieces of equipment and pipe. That area then will be the home for some components of the new system. Gliem expects the new plant to be online by late this year, or early in 2021.

Total cost for the entire project is $4.7 million. Funding for the project is through the State Revolving Loan Fund for drinking water improvements, at a fixed rate of 2-percent interest for 20 years.

To pay off the loan, LPA water bills will increase by $70 per quarter, going from $90 to $160 per quarter. This will begin with the October 1, 2020, bill. A reminder on this will go out in July, with the July 2020 bill being the final invoice at the old rate.

John Rutledge, LPA general manager, says even with this increase, LPA water bills are very comparable with other municipalities.

Options for a future infrastructure assessment have been discussed by the LPA board with no proposal finalized yet.

“The board will revisit this in late 2020 and determine if this is something they want to pursue in 2021 or a future year,” Rutledge said. “But for now, members need to know the cost of this plant is very affordable and will position LPA for decades to come.”

The two large components of the reverse osmosis system arrived by truck and had to be lifted by a crane into the new building addition at the water plant.

These white tubes are the heart of the reverse osmosis process. Water runs through the tubes twice, using eight the first time and four the second. Once that process is complete, 20 percent raw water will be mixed in to come up with the finished product.

A 40-foot by 40-foot addition to the existing water plant building was constructed to house the reverse osmosis equipment.

Drilling a second Jordan well on the grounds near the LPA water plant was done in late May. When the water plant upgrades are complete, only Jordan well water will be used, and two Dakota aquifer wells will be closed.

BEACH BALL 2020 - LET’S PLAY OUTSIDE!
So far $20,000 has been raised toward the $70,000 goal for the playgrounds.

Posted 7/8/20
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

The Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors voted at a meeting June 22 to proceed with Beach Ball 2020 on Saturday, Aug. 1, using the theme “Let’s Play Outside!”

To ease concerns about COVID-19, both outdoor and indoor spaces will be used at the Lake Panorama National conference center. Several aspects of the event have been modified to help with social distancing.

Funds raised at the 2020 Beach Ball will go toward the Friends’ current priority project to raise $70,000 for new playground equipment at Shady and Boulder beaches.

Direct contacts are being made with table sponsors so they can choose a reserved table inside or outside. Outside tables will be under a series of tents, located on the grass between the conference center and the golf course. A drink bar and a dessert bar will be on a roped-off section of the parking lot. The live auction also will take place outdoors.

Adding this outdoor venue made it possible to include live music for this year’s Beach Ball. Little Joe McCarthy is a Midwest singer and songwriter who grew up in Omaha. At first, McCarthy played as a solo acoustic performer, before spending many years in different bands. More recently, he has come full circle, playing acoustic guitar and singing as a solo performer around the Midwest. McCarthy will perform from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Registration will be open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and take place in the conference center dining room. Attendees can park in both the west and east parking lot, and enter the dining room from either side. There will be two lines for registration. It is hoped that beginning registration an hour early will make social distancing easier.

At registration, each couple or individual will be assigned a number, and all charges through the evening can go against that number. These can include drink tickets, dessert tickets, and purchases of both silent and live auction items. The exception will be the 50/50 raffle, which will require cash only so the appropriate amount of cash will be available when the winning ticket is drawn.

The evening meal will be served 5:30-7 p.m. Tickets are $40 each, with half going directly to the playground fund. A “sweet treat” dessert bar, offering a variety of donated dessert items plus a scoop of vanilla ice cream, will be open 6-7:30 p.m. Tickets for the dessert bar will be $3.

Drink tickets will cost $6, and can be redeemed at either the outside bar or the bar in the banquet room. These tickets will cover domestic canned beer, well drinks and glasses of wine. A portion of each ticket sold will go to Friends.

Announcements will be made toward the end of the evening when people can start checkout. Payment by check or cash will be encouraged. There will be a laptop where credit cards can be used to pay online on the Friends website, with the processing fee of 2.9 percent added on.

So far, about 75 items have been donated for both silent and live auctions, but additional items are being sought. Of particular interest in the live auction will be a 14-feet shuffleboard table with accessories, donated and delivered by Kurt Johnson, valued at $3,500; signed footballs from Iowa and Iowa State; 14K white and yellow gold pendant necklace with a garnet and diamond, donated by Ames Silversmithing, valued at $975; handcrafted cedar kayak, donated by Chris Welp and valued at $2,500; and a case of Busch Light, signed by Carson King, the ISU student who raised $3 million for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, donated by Carrie Hansen and valued at $500.

Beach Ball organizers are considering offering live auction items first as an online auction, beginning July 20. The starting bid at the live auction Aug. 1 would then be the last bid placed online. Online bidders would be encouraged to attend the Beach Ball if they want to continue their pursuit of a particular item. Watch for additional details in the LPA and LPN newsletters, plus the Friends of Lake Panorama Facebook page and website.

Silent auction items will include a variety of gift baskets; two $100 Target gift cards; five $50 Casey’s gift cards; two handmade quilts; an LPN Stay-and-Play package valued at $680; both Iowa and Iowa State engraved cast iron skillets; a Utah Jazz NBA jersey signed by Georges Niang; and a Cake-of-the-Month item that will provide one home-baked cake creation every month for a year, prepared and donated by Tammy Deal.

Those who have items to donate to the auctions, or want to purchase tickets to the event, can call Susan Thompson at 515-240-6536 or email staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.

Anyone who already paid for a table sponsorship or tickets, and now can’t or doesn’t want to attend because of the date change or concerns about COVID-19, can receive a refund on request. Or leave the money with Friends as a donation for the playgrounds.

So far $20,000 has been raised toward the $70,000 goal for the playgrounds. Donations for the playground project are accepted at any time, and can be mailed to P.O. Box 488, Panora, IA 50216. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama.

All donations are tax-deductible. Donors of $500 or more will be recognized on signs erected near both playgrounds, and on the donor page of the Friends website. More information about the playgrounds and other donation options is available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.

An outline of Lake Panorama is incorporated into the center of the shuffleboard table. Johnson has built more than 15 of these tables, which sell for $3,500.

This shuffleboard is 14-feet long, handcrafted and donated by Kurt Johnson. The legs and sides are made of reclaimed barn boards, with the playing surface a southern yellow pine. Included in the purchase price will be eight pucks, plus free delivery and setup.

The winning bidder of the Cake of the Month item will be able to consult each month with donor and baker Tammy Deal each to discuss timing and baked options. Shown here are red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting baked by Deal, and delivered in a flower pot.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

Posted 7/8/2020
May 26, 2020
Lake Panorama Association Office - Via Web Conference

The Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors met May 26, 2020, at 5 p.m., via Web Conference. Board members in attendance were Mary Jane Carothers, Emily Donovan, Gary Evans, Tom Jeschke, Rich Schumacher, Jim Spradling and Neil Wright.
LPA Staff in attendance: Danna Krambeer and John Rutledge.
Visitors in attendance: Dave Finneseth, LPA Member
President Carothers called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.

Agenda Item 1 – Approval of the Agenda –
Schumacher moved to approve the agenda. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 2 – Open Forum – No one present for open forum

Agenda Item 3 – Consent Agenda
Donovan moved to approve the consent agenda. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.
Consent agenda to include:
a) LPA General Manager’s Report
b) Approval of minutes from 04.28.2020 LPA Board Meeting
c) Acceptance of 04.30.2020 consolidated financial report – LPA & LPN, LLC
d) Accept 2019 Audit Report from Meriwether Wilson
e) Approve date of the next LPA board of directors meeting
f) Approval of minutes from 2019 LPA annual meeting
g) Approval of 2020 annual meeting agenda
h) Approve ballot counters for 2020 annual meeting
i) Accept minutes from 04.27.2020 LPN, LLC Board of Manager meeting
j) Accept 05.11.2020 Building Code Committee Minutes

Agenda Item 4a – Variance Request: B&T Snyder, LLC, Lot 1229, roof pitch as recommended by Building Codes committee
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Tristen Snyder, Lot 1229, (5218 Panorama Terrace) presented house plans requiring a 4/12 roof pitch on four small planes of the roof. The committee decided the house was aesthetically pleasing and noted that other houses this year have been granted 4/12 roof pitches. Evans made a motion to approve a variance allowing a 4/12 roof pitch for lot 1229. Motion seconded by Dirk Westercamp and carried unanimously.
Evans moved to approve granting a variance for 4/12 roof pitch, per the plan presented, for B&T Snyder, LLC for lot 1229. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4b – Variance Request: Jeff and Tracy Drury, Lots 554, 555 & 556, setback of lighthouse from shoreline as recommended by Building Codes committee
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Jeff Drury, Lots 554, 555 and 556, (4733 Panorama Drive) presented plans for a light house to be put between his house and the lake shoreline. He was asking for a variance of 25 feet closer to the water. Based on the light house’s ornamental nature, the nature of the surrounding shoreline, the neighbor’s approval and one neighbor preference to have the light house closer to shore and further from his own home. The committee weighed both approval of the structure, as well as the structure’s location. Motion Van Wyk to approve the lighthouse and the 25-foot setback variance, with clarification LPA would retain authority over any concerns regarding hours of operation and lumens of light discharged. Motion seconded by Esser and carried unanimously.
Evans moved to grant approval of the lighthouse and awarding a 25-foot lake setback variance, with clarification LPA would retain authority over any concerns regarding hours of operation and lumens of light discharged, for Jeff and Tracy Drury, for lot 554, 555 & 556 all combined. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 4c – Variance Request: Darrell & Leisa Jobe, Lots 334 & 335 combined, front lot line setback and 3/12 and 4/12 roof pitch as recommended by Building Codes committee
Excerpt from Building Codes Minutes:
Rick Hayes presented building plans for Darrell and Leisa Jobe’s new home, Lot 334 and 335, (6522 Coven Court). The plans would require a 10-foot setback from the front lot line along with two - 4/12 roof pitches and a 3/12 roof pitch over the front entryway. Based on neighbor’s approval and pleasing aesthetics, motion by Esser to approve a 10-foot front lot setback variance and roof pitch variances of 3/12 and 4/12 for lots 334 and 335, as presented in the building plans. Motion seconded by Knudsen and carried unanimously.
Evans moved to approve granting a variance for a 10-foot front lot setback variance and a variance for roof pitches of 3/12 and 4/12 for Darrell & Leisa Jobe, Lot 334 & 335 combined, per the plans submitted. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Agenda Item 5a – Old Business - None

Agenda Item 6a – Other Business – None

Agenda Item 7 – Closed Session – The board entered closed session at 5:25 p.m. to discuss legal matters. The board exited closed session at 6 p.m.
Schumacher moved to approve a confidential legal agreement, as discussed in closed session, contingent upon final document review by LPA attorney and execution by LPA general manager. Motion seconded, carried unanimously.

Adjourn - With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m.

About Lake Panorama Times

Lake Panorama Times and lakepanoramatimes.com are a monthly newspaper and website of Big Green Umbrella Media, a locally owned publishing company. The print version of Lake Panorama Times is mailed to the home address of every property owner and home owner on Lake Panorama for free each month, making it the strongest method to deliver news and information to residents of the lake. This website offers additional news items and archives, all available for free.

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8101 Birchwood Court, Suite D
Johnston, IA 50131

Phone: 515-953-4822

Monday - Friday: 8:30am - 5:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

RECIPE: Mini pierogy mac ’n’ cheese skillet

LPN Women’s Solheim results

RAIN GARDEN AT PANORAMA WEST FLOURISHESThe idea of installing a demonstration rain garden first was discussed at a Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors meeting in 2016.

Auditor Dani Fink announces campaignahead of November election

LPA BOARD APPROVES DOG PARK CONCEPTCost of dog park plan developed by task force is $50,000.

New food and beverage manager at LPNBlake Wenzel brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry to the LPN.

Irv Gerlich Memorial Ryder Cup results

Ask Lake Panorama TimesIf you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

Get a flu shot and give 12 meals to food pantry

PANORA CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT SEPT. 27

Art in the Village Square set for Oct. 3

CHARITABLE GROUP CHOOSES TO HELP FOOD PANTRYEach of the 150 members will write a check for $100 for a total charitable gift of $15,000.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

A Q&A with LPA General Manager John RutledgeLPA WATER RATE INCREASE IN OCTOBER BILL

Calendar of Events

Area Church Guide

Panorama Wildlife

Lake Dogs and Cove Cats

LAKE PANORAMA AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ASSESSING STORM DAMAGE

Live music on the lakeResidents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

ON THE LAKEBeach Ball, upcoming church guide and free help wanted ads

Live music on the lakeResidents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

2020 Beach Ball raises $30,000 for playgroundsSilent and live auctions bring in more than $15,000.

Erickson announces run for Guthrie County Auditor

LPA Board officers elected

Prairie landscaping suits Lake Panorama residentPlants and grasses attract a wide variety of insects and butterflies.

LPN Junior Golf School teaches fundamentalsThirty-seven participants, divided into three age groups, take part.

New owners for Lake Panorama Realty

New debris skimmer arrivesThe $400,000 piece of equipment will replace the skimmer LPA purchased more than 20 years ago.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

Security camera installed at marina rampGoal is to ease concerns about unauthorized use of the boat ramp.

Anniversary celebration

GCSB launches $50,000 matching donation program for AC/GC Strength & Conditioning

Calendar of Events Aug. 12-Sept. 14, 2020

Courtney Allen celebrates 93 years

Ask Lake Panorama TimesIf you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

LPN WOMEN’S LEAGUE RAISES NEARLY $5,000 FOR TORI’S ANGELSFoundation’s namesake is Tori Heckman, who had life-saving heart surgery in 2011 at the age of 5 after several other heart surgeries.

Lake Dogs and Cove Cats

Blue-Green Algae

Annual Fireworks

Beach Ball 2020

The Links restaurant reopens

ON THE LAKEBuy, sell or trade and post your calendar events for free

SETTING SAIL ON LAKE PANORAMAThe Tometichs say they enjoy sailing on Lake Panorama, but it can be challenging.

BOATING SAFETY REMINDERSEighty-four percent of drowning victims who died from a boating accident were not wearing their life jackets.

THIRD WETLAND NOW PROTECTS BURCHFIELD COVEPast dredging and now the upstream Smith Wetland have made it possible for property owners to enjoy waterfront amenities.

UPGRADES TO LPA WATER PLANT MOVING FORWARDLPA water bills will increase by $70 per quarter, going from $90 to $160 beginning in October.

BEACH BALL 2020 - LET’S PLAY OUTSIDE!So far $20,000 has been raised toward the $70,000 goal for the playgrounds.

Lake Panorama Association Board of Directors Meeting

RAIN GARDEN AT PANORAMA WEST FLOURISHES
The idea of installing a demonstration rain garden first was discussed at a Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors meeting in 2016.

Auditor Dani Fink announces campaign
ahead of November election

LPA BOARD APPROVES DOG PARK CONCEPT
Cost of dog park plan developed by task force is $50,000.

New food and beverage manager at LPN
Blake Wenzel brings a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry to the LPN.

Ask Lake Panorama Times
If you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

CHARITABLE GROUP CHOOSES TO HELP FOOD PANTRY
Each of the 150 members will write a check for $100 for a total charitable gift of $15,000.

A Q&A with LPA General Manager John Rutledge
LPA WATER RATE INCREASE IN OCTOBER BILL

Live music on the lake
Residents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

ON THE LAKE
Beach Ball, upcoming church guide and free help wanted ads

Live music on the lake
Residents offer thanks and praise after each free musical event, saying they found the music relaxing and enjoyable.

2020 Beach Ball raises $30,000 for playgrounds
Silent and live auctions bring in more than $15,000.

Prairie landscaping suits Lake Panorama resident
Plants and grasses attract a wide variety of insects and butterflies.

LPN Junior Golf School teaches fundamentals
Thirty-seven participants, divided into three age groups, take part.

New debris skimmer arrives
The $400,000 piece of equipment will replace the skimmer LPA purchased more than 20 years ago.

Security camera installed at marina ramp
Goal is to ease concerns about unauthorized use of the boat ramp.

Ask Lake Panorama Times
If you’ve got questions, we’ll find the answers.

LPN WOMEN’S LEAGUE RAISES NEARLY $5,000 FOR TORI’S ANGELS
Foundation’s namesake is Tori Heckman, who had life-saving heart surgery in 2011 at the age of 5 after several other heart surgeries.

ON THE LAKE
Buy, sell or trade and post your calendar events for free

SETTING SAIL ON LAKE PANORAMA
The Tometichs say they enjoy sailing on Lake Panorama, but it can be challenging.

BOATING SAFETY REMINDERS
Eighty-four percent of drowning victims who died from a boating accident were not wearing their life jackets.

THIRD WETLAND NOW PROTECTS BURCHFIELD COVE
Past dredging and now the upstream Smith Wetland have made it possible for property owners to enjoy waterfront amenities.

UPGRADES TO LPA WATER PLANT MOVING FORWARD
LPA water bills will increase by $70 per quarter, going from $90 to $160 beginning in October.

BEACH BALL 2020 - LET’S PLAY OUTSIDE!
So far $20,000 has been raised toward the $70,000 goal for the playgrounds.