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The ordinance would prohibit the installation and operation of de-icing equipment within the township without installing "signage that is sufficiently visible to strongly warn persons traveling on the ice by foot, snowmobile, ice boat or other means of the danger of open water and thin ice."

It's intended to prevent and avoid hazards for people using the frozen lakes and streams during the winter. But Paul Sak, President of the Friends of Clam Lake, says education rather than regulation is the answer.

"If used right, de-icers are not the problem," Sak said.

Many Clam Lake residents use de-icers to protect their docks from ice jacking and ice expansion damage, Sak said.

"People have a lot invested in these docks and they want to protect their investment," he said.

De-icers typically work by moving warm bottom water that is heated by the earth to the surface to prevent ice formation. If used incorrectly, such as pointed into a lake instead of towards the shore, de-icers can cause problems, Sak said. But he would rather see residents educated on the issue as opposed to an ordinance being passed during the winter when many residents are away and can't voice their opinions.

But township officials say they are trying to prevent any accidents that might occur due to de-icers.

"They open up the lake and someone is going to get hurt," Helena Township Supervisor Penny Wagner said.

The issue was originally raised by County Commissioner Michael Crawford in September 2006. It did not come up again until the Jan. 10, 2008, Helena Township Board meeting.

"You can control having them (de-icers) in the lakes," Crawford said at that meeting. "This will give the public some safety to get on the ice and go fishing. The sportsmen will thank you, believe me."

Crawford had not returned a phone call seeking comment at press time.

But Sak says that public accesses to the lake and the ice itself are already safe and the unsure conditions can be blamed on the weather. The average temperature in January and February is around 21 degrees Fahrenheit, he said. But so far this year, it has been over 26 degrees, a 25 percent increase.

"The weather has been dramtically different," Sak said, also citing the rainfall and thunderstorms in early January as a cause for unsure ice quality.

As for the de-icers, Sak believes with proper edcation, all Clam Lake residents will do the right thing. If they are faced in the right direction and set to turn off at 32 degrees, there shouldn't be a problem, he said. Sak and the Friends of Clam Lake offered to hold an education project in the summer and fall to inform the public on the proper use of de-icers.

"You can't legislate common sense," Sak said. "The reality is that people need to be careful."

Brian Keilen can be reached for question or comment at bkeilen@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-264-9711.