Lake Wanda association has a new president - and a new lease on life

Vernon - “The beaver came back and there he is right now,” exclaimed Jay Angrick, the new president of the Lake Wanda Property Owners’ Association, pointing to a familiar resident of the lake. The beaver family had fled when the draining lake had left its lodge high above water. Just a short seven weeks ago, Lake Wanda teetered on the brink of destruction when the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection enforced a long-standing court order for lake owner Dennis Schwarz either to repair the failing dam or drain the lake. But in mid-May the department had the court order lifted when residents pulled together and hashed out a viable contract with Schwarz. Angrick was instrumental in leading the drive to save the lake. Recently, he was elected president of the lake association, replacing Kathleen Agnelli, who had held the association presidency since 2002. Schwarz and members of the property owners association had been wrangling about the terms of the sale of the lake. But today, the contract to purchase the lake is in its final stages, and property owners have contributed over $33,000. The money is in the hands of the Vernon Township attorney, who says he is just waiting to receive the final contract. “We must pull together with fundraising ideas to raise more money, and time is of the essence,” Angrick said. “There will be attorney fees and closing fees involved with the purchase. We must move quickly. There are only a few small details to iron out between the attorneys and Dennis Schwarz, and there should be a done deal in a very short time. After the contract is signed, the association will start to get the work plans in order for the dam,” he continued. Angrick says he has been working nonstop to collect money from property owners to purchase the lake and retire the tax liens on four of the properties Schwarz owns. The cost will be $50,434.50, with the cost of the lake being $27,000 of the total. When the purchase is complete, the lake and the five feet of surrounding lake-front property will belong to Lake Wanda Property Owners’ Association. The township also needs a completed contract in order to cosign the $362,00 low-interest loan Department of Environmental Protection officials have promised the lake association. Vernon Township Manager Teolis has confirmed that the township will cosign the loan. Angrick also praised Schwarz for working with him every step of the way to conclude the sale, and credited him with supplying needed equipment, such as a weed chopper for the lake. “We sill have lot of work to do to keep heads above water, “Angrick added. “The Department of Environmental Protections deadlines are upon us, and without a completed contract we can’t hire a dam engineer.” Angrick described the work he’s been doing to pull the community together and save the lake as more than a full-time job. “I’ve lost 22 pounds and I’ve been running all the time,” Angrick said, adding that the whole affair has caused many community residents untold stress. “People have been put on high blood pressure medicine and heart monitors and there has even been a divorce.” Angrick did take time out last Saturday to compete in his favorite pastime, a bass-fishing tournament on Oakridge Reservoir, where he won first place. Angrick said that many people have helped the association get where it is today, and he is especially grateful to the former president, Agnelli, and the former association officers for laying the groundwork for the purchase of the lake, as well as to Department of Environmental Protection officials and Vernon township officials, including Township Manager Don Teolis, Mayor Janet Morrison, Councilman Austin Carew, and Township Attorney Joe Ragno. Angrick also remarked that he plans to attend the June 12 Vernon Township Council meeting to introduce the new association board, including Dawn Morris (vice president); George Conway (treasurer); Alice Kennedy (secretary); and trustees Dave Brett; Kevin Jobes; Mike Peek; Ken Marsh; and Rich Delorenzo. “We actually had fun at our last board meeting,” Angrick concluded. “That’s a good omen for the future.”