Ossami Lake Homeowner’s Association president Todd Curtis can sit and relax in his newly remodeled sun room in his house that overlooks the entire body of water.
The lake over which he presides is a beautiful, privately-owned oasis located just off North Morton Avenue.
Curtis’ view is exceptional. He can see the foliage that surrounds the lake. He can watch an annually returning group of ducks, including the infamous Aflac, who have made the lake their home for the summer.
The lake looks great, but it has not always been a joy to maintain its beauty.
For years, Ossami Lake has been subject to numerous contaminations, mostly by motor fuel. It is located between a creek that often funnels trash and contaminated fluid into the lake, sometimes leaving a greasy sheen across the top layer of the water.
Every time it happened, Curtis would give me a call to let me know. Often, he would be clad in muddy jeans standing near the lake working with officials from the EPA as they tested the water.
Curtis is not a tree hugger, but he truly appreciates nature, which is largely the reason he enjoys his home along Ossami Lake.
He attends nearly every village board meeting, whether his lake is involved or not. He maintains a line of communication between the homeowner’s association and village officials.
Curtis is extremely involved in local affairs, and even more entrenched in the concerns of his fellow homeowners.
Perhaps, his mentality is reflective of the nature of the residents who live near the lake.
He said residents were always concerned when they noticed something wrong with the lake.
“(Contamination) was in the minds of not only the residents, but the health department, as well,” he said, adding the lake’s swimming access was nearing an end after numerous contaminations.
That is no longer the case. And, after recently being dredged, adding up to 5.5 feet of additional depth, the lake is in the better shape than it has been in a long time, Curtis said.
The dredging, which cost the homeowner’s association about $60,000, was completed earlier this month.
“This whole thing has been a change in mindset for everybody,” Curtis said. “The majority of the homeowners knew this needed to be done.”
He noted that was during a period when gas was selling at $4 a gallon.
“The way the economy is today, we’ve got people that are willing to dig into their pockets (to fund the dredging),” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people helping and working together.”
