Dues Invoices – You should have received your annual dues invoice shortly after the first of the year. The board wants to thank everyone who pays their dues in a timely manner. MSLIA dues are not discretionary and are payable by all lakefront and unimpeded lake view lots as provided by P.A. 129 under which the MSLIA is incorporated.  We use the funds to further the health and safety of the lake for all, including fish stocking, water quality monitoring, invasive weed control and emergency response in the event of an environmental issue. At the Annual meeting on June 2^nd, 2023 a proposal from the membership was passed to increase the dues for lakefront residents to $150 per year and to increase the dues for the golf course property proportionally to $3,590. Dues for lake associations in good standing and undeveloped lakefront residential lots were not affected. We have also finalized the liens for the top non-payors. For example if you have not paid your dues in 20 years, your principal balance would be $922, yet your penalties would add up to $7,492.36 (10% every 6 months) for a total of $8,469.36.  We have been very successful in recovering dues anytime a property changes hands or is refinanced.

ATTENTION: There is an added line located on your dues this year for donations towards the 2025 Middle Straits Lake Fireworks.

Lake Level Control – Middle Straits Lake level is primarily supported by natural runoff from rain and melted snow. There are very few productive springs, and Upper Straits which naturally feeds into Middle has an established legal level that is one tenth of a foot (1.2 inches) above ours and we are separated by a weir. There is a large augmentation pump that can pull water from the Huron River near the southwest corner of Carroll Lake Rd and Commerce Rd if there is sufficient water in the river. During periods of drought like we experienced (and continue to) we receive no water from Upper, the Huron River or from runoff. When you throw in 90 degree sunny days on top of 80 degree water we lose water through evaporation very quickly. 

The pump is maintained by Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC, formerly the Drain Commission) and its upkeep is paid by lakefront homeowners through a Special Assessment District which appears on your tax bill. This pump is over 50 years old but was fully refurbished over the 2017-2018 winter at a cost of approximately $26,000. This pump is able to push 4,500 gallons per hour, but it only can run when there is available water in the Huron River.

So what is the answer? One option is to install an Augmentation Well. Upper Straits has been attempting to get a permit for a few years now. We are in regular contact with Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC) who is responsible for helping to maintain our lake level. They have a case that is making it’s way through the courts to challenge the denial of Upper Straits permit from EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment and Great Lakes). If that denial is overturned, WRC has committed to working with the Middle/Lower Straits lakes to implement a similar solution. We will keep you informed as this moves forward.

Lake Study – The last major lake study performed on our lake was in 1998. MSLIA commissioned a smaller update in 2015 while looking at the invasive vegetation issue.  We are re-engaging the firm from 2015 to perform a full lake study in 2026. This will help guide the MSLIA in ongoing stewardship of the health of our lake.  

Weed Harvesting – The MSLIA has hired a different firm for the 2026 weed harvest. The contractor is a local company with much newer equipment. A big benefit is that all of the machines are GPS tracked which will be shared with us to verify which areas of the lake were cut.  This firm is significantly more expensive but we hope this will address the shortcomings that many of you have pointed out.

Fish Stocking – According to a DNR fish study several years ago, our fishery was healthy. We are also working on getting a new fish survey performed. Fish stocking was done on October 31, 2025.

Boat Launch – We have been asked if you see a company which appears to be using Bloomer Park Boat launch for commercial use (and not just dropping a boat for our neighbors), please take a picture and send it to Chip Campbell with date and time. He will then forward it to West Bloomfield Parks Department.

Bay Pointe Update – Bay Pointe has been sold. It will remain a golf course for the foreseeable future with a new company managing it.