From left, Lakewood Trustee John Shedd, Trustee Ellen Barnes, Mayor Randy Holcomb, and Trustee Ben Troche conduct village business Monday. P-J photo By Michael Zabrodsky

LAKEWOOD – After much discussion, Lakewood Village Trustees tabled a decision to approve the Chautauqua Lake Partnership’s herbicide application.

Trustee Ellen Barnes said the CLP is applying for permits from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for municipalities including the town of Ellery, Bemus Point, the town of Ellicott, Celoron, Lakewood, the town of Busti, and the town of North Harmony.

She added that Glenn Sullivan of Ready Scout already has submitted to the DEC applications for herbicide use in wetlands (Article 24), but the DEC said to him, the Article 15 applications must be submitted before the wetlands applications are submitted.

Lakewood resident John Jablonski said that because of weed harvesting, the northern basin of Chautauqua Lake has a healthy diversity of plant growth. He added that instead of herbicide treatment in the southern basin, funding should go to the Chautauqua Lake Association for weed harvesting.

“I think the best thing we could do is to fund the CLA to use harvesters where we really need channels to be maintained and around docks,” Jablonski said.

The reason for the CLA, Jablonski said, was to circulate money in the community whereas with Ready Scout, the money would not get circulated in the community.

“So I caution you on proceeding with this, and I strongly caution you from spending any money on it,” Jablonski said.

Jane Conroe of the Chautauqua-Conewango Consortium echoed Jablonski, and said that the north basin of the lake is treated differently than the southern basin.

The herbicides that are scheduled to be used are Clearcast to control Curly Leaf pondweed, ProcellaCOR EC to control Eurasian milfoil, Komeen Descend to control Starry Stonewort, Captain XTR to control nuisance plants and algae growth.

Trustee John Shedd said he needs more time to study data on the herbicides that will be used in the lake.

“I think if we waited for us (trustees) to understand this more, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I think it’s more responsible than moving forward hastily without really understanding,” Shedd said. “I would like more time to look into this.”

Trustee Ben Troche agreed with Shedd and said he needs time to do research.

“I’m also not comfortable with voting on something that I still have some questions with, and want to call some people and do some research,” Troche said. “I think it’s a good compromise.”

Barnes said the window is closing for the application process, and the longer the board waits, there is no guarantee the herbicides will be applied.

With the tabling of the resolution for DEC herbicide application, Lakewood may not be included in the application, and so the commercial areas associated with Lakewood may not get treated.

“I would feel better if we voted on it tonight, with all the other municipalities having done so. That would be my preference,” she said.

The trustees will meet again on March 23, and because it is an urgent matter, Troche said he is OK with calling a special meeting to approve the CLP’s application for Article 15 permits.