Island purchase pays off for Belle Plaine

Permanent homes and seasonal cottages take up most of the shoreline of Shawano County’s Cloverleaf Lakes.

That’s not the case with Gibson Island, however.

The Town of Belle Plaine owns the 25-acre undeveloped island, which sits between Grass and Pine lakes off County Road Y, about halfway between Shawano and Clintonville.

The island is open year-round to foot traffic and can be accessed from a parking area off Cloverleaf Lake Road.

Alvin Bartz, the town’s chairman since 1974, played a big role in keeping the island undeveloped.

“It’s the only area around the lakes that doesn’t have a home on it,” he said. “It was to preserve the quality of the lake. It’s a chance for people to view nature close-up. There are deer out there, and there are bald eagles nesting by the boardwalk where you go out on the island.”

The island’s ownership changed hands over the years, according to Bartz.

“It was owned by some bankers in Clintonville, and then they gave it to the Boy Scouts,” he said. “The Boy Scouts had buildings out there and camped out there. When the Boy Scouts came on hard times, they wanted to sell it. I offered $125,000 for it, and some guy that was associated with the Boy Scouts got it for $80,000, if you can imagine that.”

A small strip of land provided access to the island.

“When we bought it, there was a road going to the island,” Bartz said. “Somehow, the people that owned the house next to it got a hold of somebody, and they got possession of the road. Since that time, we’ve gotten access to the road again, so we can get out there with whatever we need to. We put a boardwalk in, which makes it really nice.”

In 2006, the town purchased the island from Lynne Lenius for $1.025 million. That sounds like a lot of money for a rural township to spend on land it had no intention of developing.

“We really didn’t spend a million,” Bartz said. “Way before we even bought it, we were doing some work at our boat launch there. One of the people from the DNR that appropriates money was there, and we were talking about how we didn’t get it when the Boy Scouts sold it. He said, ‘If you ever get a chance to buy it, go ahead and buy it and we’ll get you the money.’”

“Of the $1 million, Lynne Lenius donated $200,000,” he continued. “The DNR grant was about 50%. We had a lot on the lake that we sold, and the rest was from private donations.”

The island would probably be developed today if the town hadn’t stepped in to purchase the land, Bartz said.

“We had different proposals,” he said. “They were going to buy it and turn it into 26 lots, but people didn’t want more development on the lake.”

In 1998, 12 years before the town purchased the island, the Belle Plaine Town Board identified the island in its Land Use and Development Plan.

“It did take some time,” Bartz said. “They thought they were going to get more money for it or whatever, but we just kept at it. The fundraising took some time, but once we got rolling, it went pretty good.”

Walkers can follow a trail that goes around the entire island.

“It takes about an hour and a half, depending on how fast you walk,” Bartz said. “We’d like to see more people use it. There’s a bicycling group here in Shawano, and we’ve advertised it in some of the trail magazines. We’re always talking about what can we do to get more people to use it. We don’t get outside people as much as I thought we might.”

Most of Gibson Island doesn’t get much foot traffic, as walkers stay on the main trail.

“Eventually, I think we’ll put something across the top,” Bartz said. “It’s not that you can’t walk there; it’s just easier walking on the trail.”

Oak wilt and invasive species are an ongoing problem on the island, but volunteers have been working on an ongoing restoration project.

“We have an oak wilt problem in that whole area, all around the lakes,” Bartz said. “We clean up the oaks when they die and take them out of there.”

The island will serve as the location for a wedding this year, Bartz said.

“She said her grandfather took her out there all the time,” he said. “Now, she wants to get married there.”

FYI

The Belle Plaine Town Board approved the following rules for access and use of Gibson Island, which the Gibson Island Stewardship Committee had recommended:

• Access may be limited during eagles’ nesting as designated by the state Department of Natural Resources.

• The island is open to pedestrian use only. Fires, picnics and camping are not permitted.

• Alcohol use and hunting are not permitted on the island.

• Dogs or horses are not allowed on the island.

• Access is permitted during daylight hours.

• Fencing is planned to keep snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles off the property during winter months. Winter hiking is permitted.

AT A GLANCE

Gibson Island timeline:

1990

• Belle Plaine Town Board’s Planning Committee identifies Gibson Island as a “high-priority natural area.”

1998

• Belle Plaine Town Board identifies island in town’s Land Use and Development Plan.

2000

• Belle Plaine Town Board places island in town’s Comprehensive Outdoor, Open Space and Recreation Plan.

2003

• Dec. 13: Island owner Lynne Lenius expresses support for the Gibson Island project.

• Dec. 17: Introductory meeting for citizens held at Belle Plaine Community Center with consultant Peter McKeever of Heart Lake Conservation Associates.

2004

• Jan. 1: Petition drive begins that collects more than 300 signatures in support of the Gibson Island project.

• Jan. 8: Cloverleaf Lakes Protective Association Board of Directors unanimously endorses project.

• Jan. 12: First meeting of the core group of citizens that eventually becomes the board of directors of the Gibson Island project: Stan Kleiss, Joy Krubsack, Leeann Little, Dennis Thornton, Jan Thornton and Bob Tomczyk. This group meets 53 times over the next 2½ years to achieve the mission: “We the residents and users of Cloverleaf Lakes seek to acquire Gibson Island in order to maintain and protect the island’s natural environment and wildlife for present and future generations.”

• Feb. 2: Gibson Island Citizens Conservation Project is officially incorporated as a Wisconsin nonstock corporation; Belle Plaine Town Board approves a memorandum of agreement establishing a segregated town bank account for tax-deductible contributions to the project and agrees to take ownership of the island if acquisition is successful and to keep the island natural forever.

• Feb. 3: Town/Gibson Island Project bank account established at Associated Bank, Embarrass. Fundraising begins for operational expenses, such as appraisal, consultant fees, earnest money, postage, printing and supplies.

• Feb. 28 and March 6: Public informational meetings held at Belle Plaine Community Center.

• April 28 and May 1: Organizational meetings with Gibson Island block captains.

• July 20: Island appraisal received valuing the island at $1.03 million. Negotiations begin with Lynne Lenius and her real estate representative, Terry Hilgenberg.

2005

• April 10: Purchase agreement reached with island owner Lynne Lenius for $1.025 million (with Lenius contributing $200,000 at closing). Capital fundraising campaign begins.

• May 1: Application submitted to state Department of Natural Resources for Knowles Nelson Stewardship Grant funding.

• July 1: Word received from the DNR that the Gibson Island project is rated No. 1 in the state in its category, and that $416,000 will be awarded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a National Park Service program.

• July 25: Gibson Island purchase agreement approved at special town meeting, as well as a plan to sell a town-owned vacant lot on Pine Lake with proceeds to go toward the project.

2006

• Jan. 16: Bids for town-owned Pine Lake lot opened. Winning bid is $131,101.02.

• March 3: Formal closing on the property.

• March 30: Final payment made to Lynne Lenius.

• April 10: Belle Plaine Town Board appoints advisory Gibson Island Stewardship Committee.

• July 29: Gibson Island dedication and celebration held.