On Saturday, August 29th, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their fourth and final meeting of the 2020 season.

The Trustees gave their reports on many topics - Click here to see the full meeting agenda. Meeting minutes compiled by Kemi McShane Bostock.

August 29th 2020 Meeting of the Lake St. Catherine Board of Trustees

Google Meet - Online Meeting, 8:30 AM

Meeting Called to Order by President, Jim Canders at 8:35 AM.

Attendance: Jim Canders, Jeff Crandall, Elaine Bagley, Ken Abt, John Belnavis, Martha Pofit, Frank Callahan, Bob Williams, Kemi McShane, Ed Laird, Nancy Liberatore, Jerremy Jones, Mary Jo Teetor

Absent: Rob Nesbit

Meeting Called to Order at 8:35 AM

Opening statement by President, Jim Canders. President Canders thanks Owen and Beck for the DASH work for this season, and the Greeters from the Boat Launch and State Park Greeter Program.

Beck Sinclair reports on the 2020 season for the DASH season at LSC. He stated that he emailed a map of the final treatment to the trustees. He provided a financial invoice and stated not completed all the work in Halls Bay and thanked the Board for the 7-day extension to complete the work in Bay. Beck and Owen have worked the DASH program for the past 7 years and he believes the lake is in the best shape that he has seen it. He is seeing little milfoil and believes this is from the balanced approach of DASH, herbicide and due diligence from the lake residents. The collection of milfoil buckets is down 90% - they collected 132 buckets in total.

Jeff Crandall stated the future treatment map may contain Halls Bay, along Route 30, the Sunken Island and the Channel as milfoil is coming from LL into those areas.

Beck: not seeing any growth in Atwater Bay, Oxbow Bay and Horseshoe Bay.

Jeff: last year floating milfoil fragments saw a lot of them and not seeing any this season.

Beck: North Bay is mostly seeing native plants

Martha: thanked the DASH team for all their hard work, important message to address the Channel, and remind the LL that all the hard work and strides in the Big Lake can be compromised because milfoil is traveling up the Channel and into the Big Lake. It is a cause and effect situation and compromises our success and has a direct impact on the work already done.

Beck: he can provide pictures and videos of the diving work to show milfoil collected around a raft in the Channel and how the DASH team saw lots of floating milfoil there. The wind, boats, and water currents bring large mats of floating milfoil up into the Channel and then it flows into the Big Lake.

Martha needs this information to show evidence to support the grant writing that she is involved in.

Jeff: wants all this information included in final report to document the progress for the 2020 season.

Beck: can provide maps and pictures

Martha: for grant writing purposes need entire buckets collected, time spent, and square footage and density of time spent working the lake. This contribution is valuable to support the grant.

Beck: the final report is 132 buckets in 2020. Will calculate the square footage as the hose line extension and covering the area DASHed.

Beck explained how the DASH team did hand picking in the low dispersed areas. It allowed them to move quickly as opposed to dragging the hose and moving the boat within a 50-foot radius. Would hand pull and place into a bag and bring to boat. Helpful in Channel and allowed them to cover more area.

Martha: The Greeters program shows data that more milfoil is leaving LSC than is entering the lake. Not a good position to be in.

Beck: Recommends signage and awareness pamphlets to distribute to educate people. Overall, the DASH team is well received and residents like the work that is being done by the DASH team.

Martha: Any sighting of Zebra Mussels? (Beck: no) Lake Dunmore has them at the boat launch and LSC needs to be in the prevention mode. Working on a grant and need a baseline established. Due to COVID, state did not allow informational pamphlets to be distributed, but have them ready for nest year.

Beck: Owen and Beck available to remove the buoys as made a GPS map for finding the markers and anchors.

Frank- appreciates the extra help in this Fall. The buoys are kept at people’s property for easy removal and installation. Some are stored at Frank’s.

Beck- will collect and store where wanted.

Jim: Harry and Sylvia Bingham initiated the buoy program. Jim thanked Beck for the in-depth report and excellent work on the Lake this 2020 season.

Beck: asked about the contract for the next 2021 season?

Jeff: need to have the Fall survey to determine the sights to be treated. And based on this year’s final report.

Discussion took place regarding the joint meeting between the LSCA and the LSCCF on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. Present at this virtual / recorded meeting were: 5 LSCA trustees, 6 board members of the LSCCF, 4 VT DEC members, Dr. Jennifer Jones and moderator, Gary Kupferer. Jerremy outlined the follow up plan from this meeting. The DEC will meet with the LSCCF in the next few weeks to discuss the permits that the LL wants to put in place. Jerremy discussed with Rick on a plan to get back in touch with the LSCCF to help the LL next year. It will be necessary for the LSCA to have financial support from the LSCCF to treat the LL with ProcellaCOR. Jerremy believes this was a positive meeting, moving forward to collaborate with the LSCCF. The LSCA will write a grant to help LL and also use the tools the LSCA already has in place for assistance: such as The Lake Champlain Basin watershed funding, The Lake Wise project, as they can focus on the LL. This program help educate LL residents (and all LSC residents) to see how shoreline and property management contributes to storm water run-off that contributes to sedimentation. Concern was voiced about the sedimentation issue in the LL. THE LSCCF was promoting the scientist, Jennifer Jones for the aeration project.

Discussed ongoing concerns over the use of harvesting and the efficacy and safety of aeration.

Jerremy discussed a future meeting with the LSCCF after they meet with the DEC in early September.

Business meeting began at 9:42

1. Recording secretary’s Report: correction of trustees in attendance for the July 25, 2020 virtual meeting. Motion made to accept the report as presented, seconded and so moved.
2. Treasurer’s Report: Report posted; Elaine Bagley stated that the insurance was paid for the year. Pay checks are in good order. Has sent multiple reminders to outstanding members, with no response. 34 non-paying members from last year. John requested that the Greeter’s program manager, Marsha Baker McNally be reimbursed for the purchases totaling $300.00 for supplies for the Greeters. Jim asked for a motion to reimburse Marsha, Elaine made a motion to allocate the money and Martha seconded it. Motion carried to pay Marsha. Jerremy outlined projected income and expenses. Jerremy asked if it was appropriate to purchase a gift in recognition of the joint meeting moderator, Gary Kupferer. There were 4 meetings prior to the Tuesday night joint meeting. It was discussed that it would not be appropriate to give him a gift card without the LSCCF involved in it as well. Jerremy will contact Rick from the LSCCF and see if they too would like to contribute and thank Gary for his time. Motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report, approved.
3. Milfoil Control: Jeff Crandall reported the 3 sites were treated with ProcellaCOR, Lily Pond, North Bay and South of the bridge in the Channel. DASH program addressed all sites. The team requested an extension to complete the work in Halls Bay. Referred to the map, main presence is in Halls Bay, Forest House Bay and up from the Channel to the Sunken Island. Milfoil fragments are floating up from the LL and rerooting/regrowth. Next year 2021 SOLitude survey may not need to treat in the Big Lake and the focus can be the LL. Next year 2021, LSCA can keep the DASH program busy in the main lake. DASH can not work in the LL as it is difficult to see what the team is doing. Discussion about how well ProcellaCOR has worked in combination with DASH over the past 2 seasons.
4. Greeter Program: John Belnavis reported that at the State boat launch there is a bulletin board for signage and information to be distributed to the public. It needs to be updated. The State Park opened late this season and at that time the LSCA did not have the funds to support the second Greeter site there. Money was allocated and we did in fact establish the Greeter Program at the State Park. August 14, the grant for funding the Greeter’s was received and the Greeter’s work hours and increased days of the week was increased. The State Park closes on Labor Day. John will breakdown the hours worked at each location and the staff will be returning next year. The State Park staff reported the numbers are down at the State Park this year. Discussed any evidence of the freshwater jellyfish in LSC as has been seen in Lake Bomoseen. John reported that last 2 years, average of 150 boats leaving LSC with milfoil, most likely because of location of boat launch to LL. Need to get these numbers down.
5. Publicity: Jerremy Jones reports that the Fall Newsletter will be completed and distributed for the Labor Day weekend. To date the LSCA has 343 paid members. Discussion about creating a calendar for next year to sell to generate monies for the LSCA. A local photographer has offered to supply the photos and the LSCA would produce the calendars. They could be purchased from the website, from local stores. We would include the business sponsor on the calendar. Another idea was to make postcards from the photos to sell. It was the general consensus that these would sell and benefit the Association.
6. Lake Safety- Frank Callahan: He thanked everyone for all the help this 2020 season. He was disappointed that he was not able to hold the classes for the boating safety. He was restricted to class size due to the COVID virus.
7. Nominating Committee- Bob Williams: LSCA has 14 trustees. It is a strong hard-working group. One position is open and actively looking for someone to join the Board. Discuss inviting folks to sit in on a meeting so can get a sense of the dynamics of the LSCA work.
8. Boat Parade- Kemi McShane : looking forward to next year’s parade. Ideas to consider: Parade leader to lead procession around lake. Keep voting on-line for a community vote. Poll regarding soliciting prizes, enter a boat in the Poultney 4th of July Parade. Ask the local photographers to take pictures to post. Music onboard the lead boat to announce the parade. Request Stewart’s ice cream cards for children. If do have sponsors for parade, will Nancy elicit these from our local sponsors? Open to ideas and suggestions regarding the boat parade.
9. Annual Membership Meeting- July 25,2020 Our first virtual meeting. Takes advanced planning and hoping can meet in person next year 2021. 200 people watched on YouTube and 150 people watched on Facebook. Will record the meeting regardless as it was well received.
10. Grants- Martha Hicks Pofit: Lake Champlain Basin Program will host a workshop in September. Lake Wise- 32 people contacted us for assessment, 23 assessments done on properties, 11 properties received the Lake Wise award. The grant for 2021 will be focused on property with a wide-open lawn- will be a big outreach program. VT DEC LSCA overall watershed improvement plan to take advantage, involved parties will be the Highway department, DASH, Lake Wise, and the Stormwater Master Plan.
11. Old Business: 1. FOVLAP- benefit of working with them supported by the State water quality. Conflict of interest policy- Ed Laird with current trustees to review and sign, 501C3 organization language from the IRS, LSCA has to follow. MJ questioned if we need to sign in May? Ed- stated the minutes to reflect a review of the funding sources / the grant sources. The board satisfied with the Conflict of Interest Policy. Great visibility with the State, LSCA seen as stewards of the lake.
12. New Business: Elaine requested a vote to purchase can koozies to be the gift for membership next year. Frank made motion was made to purchase the can koozies, Ed seconded the motion, all in favor- the motion was passed. A comment was made on a sewer issue on the Lake and the Public Health Officer will be reviewing the situation. The election of officers was presented and a motion was made to elect the following officers: Recording Secretary- Kemi McShane, Treasurer- Elaine Bagley, Vice President- Martha Hicks Pofit, President- Jim Canders. A motion was made and seconded to accept the slate of officers. President Jim Canders thanked everyone for the hard work that was done this 2020 season. He called for the Adjournment of the meeting, a motion was made and seconded. All in favor to adjourn the meeting at 11:03 AM

Respectfully submitted, Kemi McShane Bostock, Recording Secretary