Since its creation, I've been an active participant in each of the Lake Denton Committee meetings. It's been my shared opinion with others, this issue revolves around overcrowding at the boat ramp by scuba divers seeking certification, a lack of parking space in the immediate neighborhood for them, and some of the illicit and/or illegal activities that too often occurs in secluded areas. Working together, committee members, county employees and several other concerned people have developed a short-term plan that will reopen Lake Denton to the public. I'm glad to say they've made a lot of progress and presented the proposals to the Board of County Commissioners. However, I am very much opposed to one particular aspect of the committee's recommendation. In order to pay for (or at least offset) the costs of improvements and needed personnel, a per diver fee of $25 per day was agreed upon. This amount, after much discussion by the divers present, was deemed to be reasonable and a customary cost incurred as part of their normal certification process. This fee would be waived for the instructors and "Dive Masters" present. ...more

January 6, 2008

SEBRING — A major turning point in the battles over public access to outdoor recreation sites in Highlands County may have occurred Thursday when the only family heir to Allie and Albert Cain surfaced. ...more

January 4, 2008

SEBRING — Ken Melvin and Ray Napper, two of the seven members of the Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee, were not happy with the committee's recommendations to re-open this closed public lake with severe restrictions. Melvin, though, reluctantly endorsed the Highlands County commissioners' decision Tuesday to reopen the popular lake –– closed since early September –– despite the number of controversial restrictions on public access. He described the lake reopening plan as too little, too late and nowhere near a good solution to a big problem. Unlike the other speakers who harshly criticized the plan, though, Melvin didn't oppose the commissioners adopting the committee's unpopular and controversial plan. ...more

January 3, 2008

SEBRING — Don Bates, the Highlands County commissioner who chaired the special Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee, admits there still are unanswered questions about the county's closing of public access to the county's most popular lake. ...more

January 2, 2008

It sounds like someone didn't do his or her homework regarding Lake Denton. And if that's true, the county is in a bad situation. If it is, it's because too much was done too quickly regarding closing the lake without enough research. Lake Denton has been closed for several months after complaints from residents living on the lake prompted the Highlands County Commission to take action. Commissioners voted to temporarily close the boat ramp and restrict access for scuba divers, boaters, swimmers, etc. Residents complained that the weekend visitors to Lake Denton were clogging the road, stripping off their clothes, openly going to the bathroom, having sex and just about everything else imaginable. Most divers, swimmers and other visitors claimed that was nonsense, that perhaps a few people did bad things, but overall, visitors were well behaved. They argued that it was an law enforcement issue. ...more

December 30, 2007

SEBRING — Some Highlands County citizens are calling the tentative plan to re-open popular Lake Denton illegal. Others are calling it ridiculous. One who is doing both is Ken Melvin, one of the seven members of the special Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee. On Jan. 2, the Highlands County commissioners are scheduled to at least discuss, and possibly vote on, the committee's controversial, four-point recommendation to re-open this closed public lake. "I think it's illegal," Melvin said about the committee's recommendation to severely restrict public access and charge weekend "user's fees" of $25 per day to scuba divers, boaters, fishermen, swimmers and sunbathers. "I'm going to say that to the commissioners on Wednesday," Melvin said. He was sick for several months and missed the last two advisory committee meetings. ...more

December 29, 2007

SEBRING –– On March 1, public access should be restored, on a limited basis, to popular Lake Denton. The special seven-member Lake Denton Citizens Advisory Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to send that recommendation to the Highlands County commissioners. Commissioners appointed the committee in mid-September after voting 3-2 to close public access to this lake –– widely considered one of the best scuba diving lakes in the state –– for up to a year. Problems cited by commissioners in closing the county boat ramp, the only public access to this exceptionally clear, 65-acre lake, included: Potentially dangerous overcrowding by scuba divers, swimmers and boaters; illegal parking that sometimes clogged or blocked road access to lakefront homes; and occasional crude, lewd, rude and rowdy behavior by some lake users. ...more

December 7, 2007

SEBRING –– Public access could be restored to Lake Denton as soon as January, under a plan tentatively adopted by a special seven-member citizens committee. Highlands County commissioners may receive the proposal in December. It calls for restricting access through limited parking, weekend user's fees, and closing the county boat ramp at 4 p.m. daily. During summer weekends, dozens of vehicles carrying scuba divers, swimmers, sunbathers and a few boaters often overflowed the county's parking lot at the lake. Committee members are recommending that parking be limited to only eight spaces. Vehicles parked outside of the designated spaces could be ticketed or towed. ...more

November 16, 2007

Boaters may lose again if the county follows through on a suggested land swap plan. The plan being talked about is the possible swap of the boat ramp located on Little Lake Bonnet for a piece of private property located next to the Lake Denton boat ramp. The purpose for acquiring this additional property is to provide a venue for scuba divers. The boat ramp at Little Lake Bonnet was described by Commissioner Don Bates as "seldom used." This has not been my experience. About four years ago, I finally found my way to the Little Lake Bonnet ramp where I found it covered with broken beer bottles, and looking like a trash dump. Later that day, I returned with a broom and a couple of garbage cans, and proceeded to clean it up, so that it could be made usable. Months later I noticed evidence of further clean-up activity. ...more

October 23, 2007

SEBRING — Scuba divers want public access to Lake Denton restored by the beginning of next summer. That's not soon enough, though, for the special seven-member Lake Denton Citizens Committee. At its third meeting Thursday night, the committee set the goal of reopening public access at this popular, exceptionally clear lake in six months, with a target date of April 18. No recommendations on how to do that have been settled on yet. Committee members, though, agreed that parking and/or user's fees will probably be necessary to pay for off-duty law enforcement officers working a private security detail. ...more

October 21, 2007