April 25. With Lincoln County’s expected withdrawal from the Lake Norman Marine Commission effective June 30, it looks like the half-century old commission will dissolve in the midst of the fight to halt the spread of lyngbya as well as greater efforts to regulate the boat charter business.

What replaces the LNMC remains to be seen. It was established in 1969 to include Lincoln, Catawba, Iredell and Mecklenburg counties and has regulatory authority over matters relating to or affecting public recreation and water safety.

In a letter, LNMC Commissioner John Johnson said that a “back room” group involving legislative efforts to replace the Lake Norman Marine Commission would result in less safety on the lake.

Johnson

“Bottom line, 2024 was the safest year on the lake in quite a while,” Johnson, a Cornelius resident, said in a letter.

“The current revision [of] the ‘workgroup’ draft, if enacted, would result in a reduction in public safety on Lake Norman. The Lake Norman Marine Commission cannot endorse such an approach that does not include citizen input or public comment,” Johnson said.