From left, Village Trustee Ben Troche, Mayor Randy Holcomb, and Trustee Ellen Barnes conduct business Monday. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

LAKEWOOD — A lake consulting and management firm will oversee Lakewood’s New York State Department of Conservation herbicide permit application.

Village Trustees approved a resolution 4-1 to authorize Ready Scout LLC to prepare and submit the DEC herbicide application.

Trustee Ellen Barnes said the village wants to submit the application early because of the new proposed wetlands regulations that are to go into effect on Jan. 1.

Concerns surrounding the Freshwater Wetlands Act locally come following Gov. Kathy Hochul signing into law revisions to it in 2022. The act was originally enacted in 1975 to regulate activities near larger wetlands, greater than 12.4 acres, and smaller wetlands considered to be of unusual local importance. The new law eliminates the use of old and inaccurate maps and says that all wetland areas greater than 12.4 acres will be subject to Article 24 regulations and will be monitored by the state DEC. Besides the City of Jamestown, local municipalities surrounding Chautauqua Lake and Findley Lake have expressed concern.

The towns of Ellicott, Ellery, Busti, and North Harmony, as well as the villages of Bemus Point, Celoron, Lakewood, and Mayville have passed resolutions opposing the state wetlands designation.

Jim Wehrfritz with the Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association previously has said the new regs are being interpreted by the DEC to include Chautauqua and other lakes. For Chautauqua Lake, the regulations will require the most stringent restrictions on common activities. All parts of Chautauqua Lake and its shoreline could be regulated – not just the South Basin to which the DEC has given most attention.

“So this resolution is to say, go ahead and do the applications on behalf of Lakewood and to give the mayor permission to sign the application,” Barnes said.

Trustee John Shedd opposed applying for herbicide use and would rather use mechanical weed harvesters on the lake for Curly Leaf Pond Weed removal.

Trustees also approved a summer concert series presented by the Lakewood Community Development Corp.

The series consists of four free shows to be held at Richard O. Hartley Park from 2 to 5 p.m. The show dates are July 6, 2025, July 27, 2025, Aug. 10, 2025, and Aug. 24, 2025.

Each show will be able to be viewed by land or water.

“I know we can make it (the series) successful,” said Michelle Turner with the LCDC. “The intent is to encourage boaters.”

Turner also is seeking available food trucks for the shows.

For more information email michelleturner@gmail.com or visit the LCDC FaceBook page.