The Big Cedar Lake Protection and Rehabilitation District (PRD) is a special unit of government designed to deal with lake management issues. Under Chapter 33 of Wisconsin statutes, a lake district is empowered to operate on its own initiative independent of its creating entity (the Town of West Bend in our case) and the state, but is subject to local ordinances and state law. The PRD monitors the quality of the lake's water, and undertakes projects within the lake's watershed to reduce the flow of sediments and nutrients to the lake. We operate the Water Safety Patrol, the aquatic weed harvesting program and contracts for garbage collection services for about 900 property owners within the PRD boundaries. Our mission includes the development of long range lake management plans, projects to enhance recreation and recreational safety, and protection of Big Cedar Lake’s water quality. Our operations are supported from local property taxes and from cost-sharing grants from the state. Most operations are conducted from the PRD’s building on Gonring Drive at the lake under the direction of Jeff Rollins, Operations Manager for the PRD.
By resolution, the Towns of West Bend and Polk have transferred the responsibility for adoption and enforcement of water and ice safety ordinances to the PRD. The PRD has adopted a water safety ordinance. The Water Safety Patrol issues citations for ordinance violations. In 1994, the Big Cedar Lake Sanitary District merged into the PRD. Thus the PRD also has the powers of the Sanitary District. These powers generally relate to activities necessary for the promotion of the public health, comfort, convenience or welfare of the District. Lake districts have broad powers to carry out their lake management functions. We make contracts; accept gifts, grants and state aids; purchase, lease, maintain and dispose of property; we can sue and be sued; and allocate money for the conservation of natural resources beneficial to the PRD. By statute, the PRD can cooperate with non-profit organizations (such as the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, and the Big Cedar Lake Property Owners Association) on projects. We maintain working relationships with these organizations, as well as with the towns, county and state governments.
