Twice in the past week, Chautauqua Lake Association officials have raised the possibility of becoming a fee-for-service organization if fundraising doesn’t increase.

We don’t deny the CLA is having a harder time raising money this year from its typical sources. Part of the problem may be the pending nature of a memorandum of understanding that is giving town and village governments pause about how they spend their lake maintenance dollars. Part of the problem could be the way the CLA is approaching the lack of donations — the fee-for-service idea is likely being taken by some as the CLA trying to bully governments and the taxpayers they represent.

Perhaps it is worth remembering that the largest single donor to the Chautauqua Lake Association is Chautauqua County at $90,000. County officials could always call the CLA’s bluff with one of two courses of action — either dictating that the $90,000 of county funding be used in the south basin of Chautauqua Lake or play the bully itself and threaten to pull its $90,000 in funding from the CLA altogether. The second option hurts both a longstanding lake organization and those who want to use the south basin of Chautauqua Lake, but it is an option nonetheless.

Herbicides are likely to be part of the future of maintenance on Chautauqua Lake. That will change long-established funding patterns. Rather than doom-and-gloom, it’s time for all lake organizations to use calmer heads and adjust to the new reality.