The Chester Town Board is weighing how to enforce boating safety on Loon Lake following the retirement of their constable last December.
CHESTERTOWN | The Chester Town Board is considering whether it should hire a new Loon Lake constable, who is a peace officer with the power to enforce the law, or just hire someone to educate the public on boater safety.
At the March 13 town board meeting, Chestertown Supervisor Craig Leggett said among the distinctions is the 99 hours of training required to become a peace officer.
“Do we need someone who can enforce laws, or more of an ambassador?” Leggett asked the town board.
The board has been considering how to replace former court officer and Loon Lake constable David Cavanaugh, who resigned in December 2017.
If the town board wants to have a peace officer on the lake, it would either have to hire a trained officer or hire someone and pay for the training.
Leggett said during discussions about boaters’ behavior on the lake it has been noted that, when the constable is on the lake, there are few problems noted.
John Nick, president of the Loon Lake Park District Association, said the general feeling is the residents would like a constable who would educate the public about boater safety and boating etiquette. A typical problem, he said, might be skiing too close to the shore line or docks.
“I don’t think most boaters have a problem with someone pointing out something to them,” he said.
Nick said this person could notify the Warren County Sheriff’s Office in the event of a more serious problem.
Nick said there were two serious incidents in the last couple of years, including a jet ski running over a girl’s leg. He said the girl’s parents notified the sheriff’s office.
Several members of the public, including former lake constable Arnold Jensen, felt a safety officer was the way to go. At least one member of the public said people might not listen to a person with no enforcement power.
The board took no formal action on the matter.
BOAT REGISTRATION FEE TABLED
The board also tabled a resolution that would have set a $10 registration fee for boats on Loon Lake. The annual fee would be charged for any vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more.
The registration fee, which is not a launching fee, was being proposed as a means of reducing boat congestion on the lake, while lowering the Loon Lake Park District tax. The two biggest expenditures from the park district tax are dam maintenance and milfoil removal.
Councilman Larry Turcotte said he attended the last meeting of the LLPD board, and the feeling was that the $10 fee would reduce the number of day boaters on the lake. About 600 boats were counted on Loon Lake during the last boating season.
