For the preservation, protection, and maintenance of Lake St. Catherine
Hello good folks of the Lake St. Catherine community! We hope you all had a great time watching and participating in this year's boat parade.
Thank you to our judges around the lake, and to Lila Burgner for coordinating and organizing another successful parade.
Here are the winners!
Overall:
1st Place - Beatles 50th Anniversary, Boat #16 - Jack McVicker & Kimberly Moore and friends
2nd Place - Hawaiian Volcano Luau, Boat #8 - Conine Family
Most Original:
1st Place - Peter Pan, Boat #7 - Corrigan Family
2nd Place - Super Heroes, Boat #1 - Goldman Family
Funniest:
1st Place - Rub A Dub Dub 2 Gals In A Tub, Boat #10 - Erin Wysolmerski
2nd Place - Happy Birthday, Boat #12 - Mulcahy Family
Most Patriotic:
1st Place - Wendell Family, Boat #11
2nd Place - Cook Family, Boat #6
Nice job all!
The LSCA would like to thank these generous sponsors for providing prizes for the Boat Parade:
Are you a member yet? Maintaining the lake costs approximately $100,000 annually. Grants, membership dues and contributions make up the majority of our funding. If you'd like to help, please consider becoming a member or making a donation. The LSCA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and any contribution that you make is tax deductible.
Have a fun and safe 4th of July weekend!
On Saturday, June 24th, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their second meeting of the 2017 season.
The Trustees gave their reports on many topics - Click here to see the full meeting agenda. Meeting minutes compiled by Jerremy Jones and LSCA President Jim Canders.
June 24th 2017 Meeting of the Lake St. Catherine Board of Trustees
Lake St. Catherine Country Club, 8:30 AM
Present: Jim Canders, Jeff Crandall, Mary Jo Teetor, Bob Williams, Frank Callahan, Phil Pope, Rand Burgner, Jerremy Jones, John Belnavis, Bill McLaughlin, Elaine Bagley
Absent: Rob Goldman, Ed Laird, Ken Abt, Rob Nesbit
Lila Burgner reported on her efforts for the 5th Annual Boat Parade. She's collected 8 prizes that were donated by local businesses, and received ice cream certificates for all child participants. She's put up fliers around the lake, and was interviewed for an article that appeared in the Granville Sentinel last Thursday. Boat registrations are down from this time last year, with 7 confirmed - hoping for more signups this week.
Eliane Bagley handed out her Treasurers Report. Membership checks and online dues are still coming in. A suggestion was made that the board should have an audit conducted on the books for 2016. After a brief discussion, it was decided to look into what a non profit may need for an audit or financial review. Elaine also reported that we had received a $24,175.20 check from the State towards our Grant.
John Belnavis discussed the possible menu for the Annual Member Meeting on July 22nd at the LSC Country Club [more info on this soon]. A $15 option for salmon, chicken francaise, pasta and salad. A suggestion was made that we also offer another option for a higher price. For example, $25 for prime rib. John will check in with the CC chef for options. The board voted to provide a $250 facility fee to the CC for use of the dining room for our monthly meetings - including the membership dinner and tips for the waitstaff. Once the menu is finalized, we will start promoting via flyers, the LSCA website, Facebook and Jerremy will make contact with the local papers.
The board also discussed keeping the Trustee portion brief and focused. A projector will be set up to show photos and slides as each Trustee presents. A suggestion was made to bring in a speaker. The suction harvesting team Owen and Beck will speak about the work they are doing to control the milfoil around the lake this season.
Jeff Crandall detailed the milfoil treatment that took place on June 14th. The treatment went well, and followup water tests are underway. 42 acres were treated with the herbicide Renovate. Jim mentioned that lake water should be safe for drinking and preparing foods within the next few weeks. Suction harvesting is underway around the lake. A suggestion was made that the LSCA should create a history of the milfoil treatment in LSC to inform the lake community of the board's efforts to control it.
Rand Burgner gave a report on the boat launch. The 3 greeters are doing an excellent job and have processed 399 boats so far this season. The greeters will be staffing the boat launch Friday - Tuesday over the 4th of July weekend.
Mary Jo Teetor reported finding no issues with the weekly water tests. She mentioned adding the DEC Lake Score Card to the Water Quality page on the LSCA site. There is also a 'Septic Social' scheduled for July 19th in Wells [more details to come]. At a Septic Social, "homeowners learn about the options for a well functioning septic system and the good maintenance practices". Awaiting approval of Lily Pond channel permit. Funding for this potential project was discussed, funding from property owners?
Jerremy Jones discussed updates to the LSCA website and presented a website usage report. The blog is being updated with all the latest LCSA news, as is the LSCA Facebook page. A new business level membership was discussed. The idea discussed would have local businesses receiving a listing in the Sponsors section of the new LSCA site and an option to have their events and special occasions listed on our web Calendar. It was suggested that a committee be formed to decide how to implement it for the 2018 season. Rand and Elaine volunteered to work with Jerremy on this idea.
It was decided that the board would like a printed newsletter to be hand delivered around the lake and to local businesses to be available before Labor Day. Jerremy will call the company that printed the last newsletter to determine how many copies were printed and the cost.
Jerremy also mentioned that he will work to get all LSCA news and events into the local papers and requested that Trustees provide a photo for their listing on the Trustees page on the new website.
Frank Callahan talked about the 2 upcoming Boating Safety courses. Registrations are low - and at least 10 are needed per class. The courses were listed in the Thursday edition of the Granville Sentinel. Frank also discussed 'the rock' buoy washing up on shore, and that one of the cones at the sunken island had come loose. This appears to be from people tying their boats, damaging the line to the anchor. It will need to be repaired.
Bob Williams reports that there will be 3 openings on the board and the Trustees are actively recruiting to find interested lake community members.
Next, membership was discussed. Rob Goldman sent out a new mailing last week in an effort to reach out to those that have not sent in their dues for 2017.
Phil Pope informed the board that the State is very behind on their grant paperwork. He has been in touch with his contact weekly, but he is still waiting for the paperwork that will enable the filing of the Grant-in-Kind Report.
Finally, the board discussed participating in both Wells Variety Day and East Poultney Day, and Jim mentioned the upcoming fireworks by Rick Roberts and Jack Williams.
The next meeting of the LSCA Board Of Trustees will take place on July 22nd at 8:30 AM at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club.
Our Annual Membership meeting will be taking place the evening of July 22nd at 6 PM at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club. More details will be posted soon.
Hello Lake St. Catherine community!
The Lake St. Catherine Association would like to thank our 230+ (and counting...) members for their support in submitting their membership dues this year.
Your membership and the dues and contributions we receive allows us to accomplish our work. Maintaining the lake costs approximately $100,000 annually. While we do receive annual grants from Poultney, Wells, and the State, membership dues and contributions make up the majority of our funding.
However, our membership drive for 2017 is not over! There are still many of you out in the Lake community that we'd like reach - to ask for your support.
This week, we sent out a second round of mailings to the Lake St. Catherine community containing the 2017 Membership Application.
If you'd like to support the LSCA and become a member, you can fill out the Membership Form linked above, or you can fill in our online membership form and submit your dues online. If you'd like to try our new online form, you can click here to go to our Membership section.
Some of the services the LSCA provides are:
After receiving your dues, our Treasurer Elaine will send you a welcome mailing which includes a LSCA member card for your window, a LSCA pen and a hand-written thank you note.
To our members - please spread the word about the LSCA! Your endorsement of the LSCA with your friends, family and neighbors would be greatly appreciated. Building our membership helps us continue to do great work for the Lake and the community.
Thank you for your support!
If you have any questions, please contact us at at info@lakestcatherine.org.
Registration is underway for the Lake St. Catherine Association's 5th Annual Boat Parade!
So, it's time to come up with some creative ideas for your boat theme or decorations... Your creativity will be rewarded. How?
Fabulous prizes, of course!
So, you can see there is a lot at stake this year...
Prizes are awarded for:
To join in on the parade, please contact Lila Burgner at BurgnerL@msn.com or call 802-884-8093 to register your boat.
In celebration of Independence Day, the Lake St. Catherine Association is pleased to announce our 5th annual Boat Parade, taking place on Sunday, July 2nd. All are welcome to join the parade or cheer from the shore.
There will be 4 prizes for decorated boats:
Judges will view the passing boats from the judging stations marked with red, white and blue balloons.
Do you remember last year's winner - Fly Boarder Justice Cook flying through the air?
Creativity and patriotism were on full display last year. What will our boat paraders have in store for us this time?
The parade will begin with a gathering of all participating boats in Forest House Bay at 1 PM on July 2nd (rain date: July 3rd).
Participating is easy! Just contact Lila Burgner at BurgnerL@msn.com or call 802-884-8093 to register and get a boat number.
All children participating in the parade will receive an ice cream cone gift certificate from Stewart's Shops!
...and don't forget about the fireworks! Lake residents Rick Roberts and Jack Williams will be putting on their yearly show the evening of Saturday, July 1st.
It has come to our attention that some buoys and cones have moved or are missing - and we could use your help.
If you:
Please call Trustee Frank Callahan at 802-645-9136 to let him know. He will arrange to make sure they are put back in their proper spots.
Thanks for your efforts in helping to keep the lake safe for all.
The Lake St. Catherine Association is pleased to provide two boating safety courses this season.
The first will be held on June 28th and 29th from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Poultney Volunteer Fire Department on Beaman Street.
The second will be held on July 5th and 6th from 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the Wells Village School on Route 30.
Anyone born after January 1st, 1974 must successfully complete an approved boating safety education course to legally operate any motorized vessel - including personal watercraft.
Frank Callahan, Trustee in charge of Boating Safety, will be conducting the courses.
Space is limited to 24 attendees, so please call 802-645-9136 or email Frank at frank.callahan@lakestcatherine.org to register.
For additional information about boating in Vermont, check out the online Handbook of Vermont Boating laws and Responsibilities.
On Saturday, May 27th, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their first meeting of the 2017 season.
The Trustees gave their reports on many topics, including: milfoil treatment, the annual membership dinner, the upcoming boat safety courses and the annual boat parade. Click here to see the full meeting agenda.
President of the LSCA, Jim Canders provided the following report - including full details of the meeting:
"Jeff Crandall presented details covering this years herbicide treatment and suction harvesting programs (more info here) to begin during June 2017. Both programs are coordinated each year by the LSCA for the purpose of controlling Eurasian Water Milfoil. The herbicide treatment is planned for 6/14 and will be performed by biologist from SOLitude Lake Management headed by Marc Bellaud.
Our Suction Harvesting Program, which will begin in early June is being performed by Owen Teetor and Beck Sinclair.
Our Boat Launch monitoring program, which is operated in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, began in 2004 in conjunction with our lake herbicide treatment and has been continued and enhanced each year since. The Fish and Game Boat Launch Monitoring this year is being coordinated by Trustee, Rand Burgner. This season's monitors are John Baker and Levi Haviland. Both men, as well as a couple of our Trustees attended this years Agency of Natural Resources Workshops. Workshops are held around the state, but we attended the one hosted at the Visitors Center in Castleton Corners on May 13th.
Elaine Bagley, Treasurer, reported that over 250 people have paid their dues for the the 2017 season. The LSCA depends on lake residents for support of the work that is done. Belonging to the Association and paying dues is one way of assisting with work on the lake. If you have any additional time and would like to assist with work on one of our committees, please do not hesitate to contact me or one of our 15 Trustees. If you are not a 2017 member of the LSCA, please consider becoming one, or making a donation.
Vice President Mary Jo Teeter gave a report on the progress of our permit to conduct a cleaning of the channel between the North Bay and Lily Pond. After a number of years and some very serious wind storms which knocked down pine trees exposing much of the channel to sunlight, plants have begun to grow much more rapidly. Keeping the channel from growing over and providing access for fishing and recreation is of paramount importance.
Frank Callahan discussed Lake Safety and the placement of speed limit markers and orange cones to mark shallow spots and dangerous underwater obstacles. Frank indicated that there may be a movement underway to require lake associations to pay for each marker or buoy that is placed in the water body. Frank also elaborated on the Boating Course that he conducts in Poultney and Wells each season (more info soon). The program is to instruct young boaters (born after 1974) on the correct and safe operation of watercraft.
The LSCA will be exhibiting at East Poultney Day and Wells Variety Day. Support for these community events is important to continue good relations with Towns of Wells and Poultney who annually make donations in support of our work in maintaining the health of Lake St. Catherine.
As well, do not forget the LSCA Boat Parade, July 2, 2017.
Finally, a private fireworks display will be conducted on July 1st by two lake residents, Jack Williams and Rick Roberts. Donations can be made to Rick Roberts."
The Trustees also listened to presentations from Sea Grant and the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District.
Linda Patterson and Kris Stepenuck from Sea Grant were up first. Sea Grant "...develops and supports research, outreach and education programs to empower communities, businesses and other stakeholders in the Lake Champlain Basin to make informed decisions regarding the management, conservation, utilization and restoration of their aquatic resources for long-term environmental health and sustainable economic development."
Linda and Kris talk about setting up workshops for the LSC community on topics including landscaping with native plants for pollinators, shoreline erosion control, introductions to certified landscapers and 'septic socials'.
Next up was Hillary Solomon from the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District. The PMNRCD "...has been involved in soil and water conservation projects since Districts were created during the Dust Bowl Era. At our most elemental, we focus on practices that protect water and soil and foster healthy local communities. Our project focus currently involves agriculture, forestry, and stormwater improvement projects. We also participate in research and monitoring efforts in our watersheds, and conduct outreach and education over a broad spectrum of conservation issues."
Hillary discussed their ongoing projects on Lake Bomoseen dealing with erosion issues and water quality. They would like to do the same for Lake St. Catherine by identifying potential projects and applying for grants.
The board would like to thank both organizations for their interest in conservation efforts benefitting Lake St. Catherine.
We'll keep you informed of their efforts, and announce any workshops when they are scheduled.
The next meeting of the LSCA Board Of Trustees will take place on June 24th at 8:30 AM at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club.
In cooperation with Misha Cetner from the Vermont Department Of Environmental Conservation and Marc Bellaud from SOLitude Lake Management (SLM), the Lake St. Catherine Association would like to inform the community that the lake will be treated for milfoil on Wednesday June 14th, 2017.
On May 10th, biologists from SLM visited the lake to perform a milfoil survey. They have identified areas to be treated with aquatic herbicide Renovate in Accordance with the Aquatic Nuisance Control Permit #2014-C01.
During and after the treatment, please be aware of the following lake water use restrictions:
• There shall be NO USE of Lake St. Catherine, Lily Pond and Little Lake FOR ANY PURPOSE, including boating, fishing, swimming, domestic (household) use or irrigation, on the day of and the entire day after the treatment
• Swimming/wading, boating, fishing and domestic use (except drinking or for food or drink preparation) may resume the beginning of the second day following treatment.
• Use of water from Lake St. Catherine, Lily Pond and Little Lake for drinking or for food or drink preparation shall not resume until water sample analyses reveal that the active ingredient in Renovate (triclopyr) is at or below 75 parts per billion by laboratory analysis.
• Use of water from Lake St. Catherine, Lily Pond and Little Lake for irrigation, including use for watering lawns, trees, shrubs or plants, shall not resume for 120 days or until water sample analyses reveal that triclopyr is at or below 1.0 part per billion by laboratory analysis, whichever comes first.
Representatives of the LSCA also surveyed the lake during the week of May 8th. Based on their observations, and in consultation with SLM, 14 areas have been selected for DASH. DASH is an acronym for Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting. This process involves scuba divers using suction hoses powered by a surface compressor to selectively remove milfoil from the lake bottom. They will be working throughout the season to remove milfoil by the roots in these designated areas.
Here is a map of the treatment areas for Renovate and DASH:
Are you a member yet? Maintaining the lake costs approximately $100,000 annually - and milfoil treatment is the largest expense. Grants, membership dues and contributions make up the majority of our funding. If you'd like to help, please consider becoming a member or making a donation. The LSCA is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and any contribution that you make is tax deductible.
If you have any questions about the upcoming milfoil treatment, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org.
The Lake St. Catherine Association has applied for a permit to remove sediment and organic debris from the center of the channel between the Lily Pond and the North Bay of Lake St. Catherine to restore the connectivity, increase water movement, improve water quality, enhance open water habitat and control invasive/nuisance vegetation.
From the Department of Environmental Conservation / Lake Encroachment & Shoreland Permitting:
"A request for a Lake Encroachment Permit required pursuant to provisions in accordance with 29 V.S.A. Chapter 11, Management of Lakes and Ponds, has been received from Lake Saint Catherine Association on 4/25/2017 requesting approval for the use of a hydro-rake (paddle-wheel driven floating backhoe). Sediment and organic debris will be placed on a floating barge that will be pushed to the designated shoreline off-loading location on the northwest shoreline of Lily Pond. Collected material will be removed from the barge with an excavator and will be placed on shore temporarily to dewater. Once it is dewatered, the material will be loaded and trucked to a nearby composting operation, located within the public waters of Lake St. Catherine in Poultney, VT."
Copies of the application are available for review at the Vermont Lakes & Ponds Management and Protection Program office in Montpelier, or on the Agency of Natural Resources website.
Public comments or requests for a public information meeting regarding this project must be received no later than 6/5/17. Please mail or email your comments or meeting request to:
Laura Dlugolecki Lake Encroachment & Shoreland Permitting 1 National Life Drive, Main 2 Montpelier, VT 05620-3522 802-490-6133
Laura.Dlugolecki@vermont.gov
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