| Echo Lake Protective Association Board of Directors Meeting January 10, 2010 Attending: Peggy Stevens, Pres. Cindy Swanson, George Thompson, Bill Woolsey, Maryanne O’Brien, and John Simsarian |
| |
| 2009 Milfoil Prevention Report- Outlay last year, 2009, $19,244 includes $6,800 in state grants, $7000 In-kind/ volunteer hours, $500 from the Town and $4,800 Echo Lake Association dues and contributions. 2010 Milfoil Prevention projected budget 23,000; applied for $5000 from the Watershed Grant (Fish and Wildlife), plus whatever Aquatic Nuisance grants offer. Grants won’t be received until July’10 but we have enough in the bank to run our prevention project until grant monies are received. |
| -We will be requesting $800 from the Town this year to support the project, in light of the fact that ELPA has been working on behalf of the Town to secure Better back Roads funding. Potential is to bring up to $10,000 a year for town road repairs through Better Backroads grants. More on that below. |
| -Staffing for 2010: Maryanne O’Brien is coordinating the Milfoil Project, taking it over last summer from Cindy. Maryanne’s hours are worth $20/hr in-kind contribution towards the grant. As for milfoil kiosk inspectors, we anticipate offering two 30-hr./week positions; we may need to advertise for a dependable alternate to cover employee vacation weeks and absences. We could pay one of our regular volunteers for that time. |
| -Tom Wagner is pursuing 501C3 status, so all donations to our association may be tax deductible. We will listen for update on that from Tom. The goal is to complete this process this year. |
| -Discussion about the mapping of the lake bottom begun last year. It is a brilliant idea- the state loves our map. We can now track any changes in vegetation as we know where and what is established plant life around the entire lakeshore and lakebed perimeter. This provides a second line of defense for identifying any nuisances that sneak in on hours the kiosk isn’t manned or that come in on boats launched at sites other than the access. |
| |
| Better Back Roads Grant- Cindy has been working with the Town Selectboard to develop this grant initiative. There are six sites specified for roads improvement in this proposal, two in the Echo Lake area, on Church Hill Road and Tamarack Drive, and four in West Charleston. Ben Copans, Memphremagog Watershed Coordinator, accompanied Cindy to the Selectboard meeting in the first week of January. The focus is on upgrading ditch and bank stabilization to prevent erosion and the need for repeated repair work in the same stretches of road where potholes and washboards occur. The Town will contribute a 34% match. The Select Board has participated in the process and are up to date with the grant process and requirements. There are many other sites, including several on Echo Lake, where road and drainage problems contribute to runoff and threaten watershed health- these could be addressed in future years. Cindy plans to submit to State by 1/25/10. |
| |
| Ecological Solutions flyer- Cindy obtained a copy from the Seymour Lake Association, which has offered that we could adapt and print it for our Association use. We plan to have it printed and to use it as a means to encourage new membership as well as to educate property owners and users around the lake. We will hand deliver it in May/June 2010- any volunteers to help with this effort are welcome! All time spent will count as In-kind. Call Peggy at 723-5951. |
| |
| Website update- the Better Back Roads report, dues request for 2010, minutes from this meeting will be posted soon. In April/May, we will post a newsletter, with updates, Annual Meeting notice, etc., electronically so our postage costs for mailing may be reduced. Tom was updating the membership info to reflect changes in email addresses. Members are requested to send with this year’s dues. We’ll do a postcard for June as a Hold this Date reminder for the Annual meeting. Nancy Engels has done a great job with formatting newsletter in the past- we hope she will again! |
| |
| Cindy is now a member of the Board of Directors of the Vermont Federation of Lakes and Ponds and sits on the Legislative committee. Legislation on lakeshore buffers and green margins is pending. Cindy will attend meeting in Waterbury on January11, and Eric Stevens has agreed to stay on top of legislative issues as necessary on her behalf during the school year. |
| |
| Peggy raised concerns about Northwoods’ shoreline being used as a jet ski launch this past summer. That stretch is on the quiet bay where loons nest and loon families hang out. It seems inconsistent with Northwoods' mission, so maybe Northwoods was unaware of this situation. Maryanne offered to talk to the Northwoods board as ELPA has supported Northwoods' efforts to expand public use of their lands to hikers, bikers and skiers. We will work to keep lines of communication open. Update 1/18- Maryanne O’Brien and Patty Lennon have been invited to meet with the Northwoods' board to assist in future planning for land use. Nancy Engels, Northwoods Board of Directors, says Northwoods has no plans to develop public access to the lake. |
| |
| John raised concerns about Vermont Electric Coop trimming to clear power lines. Property adjoining his was severely cut back, up to twenty feet on either side of the line, which creates both erosion problems and aesthetic concerns. What is VELCOs plan for the rest of Echo? If they followed those guidelines on some parts of the shoreline, they could clear cut to the lake, exactly what the State is attempting to prohibit with legislation requiring a green buffer. What are the laws and protocols for cutting? What is VELCO’s liability? We decided John would draft a letter to VELCO, email draft to Peggy and she will take responsibility for contacting VELCO on behalf of the ELPA. Cindy will raise the question at the Federation of Lakes and Ponds meeting 1/25 and find a point person in the State to address these concerns with. |
| |
| Meeting adjourned |