Amston Lake District
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
September 2, 2009 7:00 P.M.
ALA Clubhouse, 16 Wood Acres Rd., Amston, Ct.
A. Roll Call of Officers and Directors – Present: Dave O’Brien, President, Mark Paul, Vice President, Ray DeCormier, Treasurer, John Connor, Laurel Hennebury, Dave Martin, Sherri-Ann Martin
B. Call to Order 7:03 pm
I. Receive Tax Collector’s Report
Motion made by M. Paul to move Eileen Curtin to front of agenda to deliver Tax Report
L. Hennebury, second
Approved unanimously
See E.Curtin’s handout attached
C. Recognition of Guests, Residents and Property Owners’ Petitions
Kevin Connor, 20 Deepwood Drive, Lebanon
Northeast Cove; security taped and unusable now and beach was security taped on Lollipop on Fishing Derby Day; what is Board doing about repairing these issues? D.Martin provided an update on WPCA status in Lebanon regarding the sewer installation on Lebanon side of lake and 2012 tentative completion date; D. O’Brien provided information regarding his discussion with Pullman and Conley and DEP regarding the April 2nd Special Meeting Follow up; the funding plan draft from the Lebanon WPCA is with DEP, and is to go to public vote in Lebanon in May of 2010; Brett – who is going to be getting sewers? Lowland areas need to be included due to flooding; D O’Brien – we are cooperating with Town and DEP – not going to let this slide; D. Martin to have M. Smith place the map of homes to be sewered on the Amston Lake website along with the Amston Lake Engineering Study; L. Hennebury suggested that residents write personal letters to the town of Lebanon and to share their opinions and copy the Board;
D. Martin – DEP Cleanwater Fund will help pay for sewers, 250 seasonal and 100 year round will break up dollars.; K. Connor – time is of urgency and concerned about waiting until May for Town of Lebanon to vote – that is the town process – D. Martin suggested K. Connor attend the WPCA meetings which have open comment periods.
Reggie Miles/Lake Health Coordinator: security tapes were put up due to testing results for ecoli – and he is continuing testing; for further info, please contact him offline; K. Connor requested that the numbers be placed on line so information is transparent to residents; D O’Brien stated that communications need to be improved for resident notification of closed areas
Rich Mikowski, 9 Deepwood Drive, Lebanon
Seeps entering Northeast Cove; what is Board doing about it? Will cove be dredged, when and how? Against drag line being used. D.O: unknown where seeps are coming from – we are trying to determine their source(s) via dye tests, working with the DEP and the Lebanon Sanitarian. DEP has given permission to dredge – R. DeCormier placed RFP in Rivereast one week ago looking for input from vendors. We are allowed to remove up to 6000 cubic yards of materials and will do as much as the budget allows; RM: how do we know what boom is removing? What about sediments? Will dredging make the cove worse? D. O: Dr. Knoecklein is involved and monitoring; RM: Shouldn’t we consult the DEP? D. O: Board did consult with both the DEP and the two Towns
Joe Bruno, 49 Deepwood, Lebanon
What about the trailer in the yard across the street from Northeast Cove? Sewage may be seeping from there. D. O’Brien requested that R.Miles investigate and report back to the Board
Joe Berman, 30 Deepwood Drive, Lebanon
Is there a temporary solution for the Northeast Cove? D. O’Brien: Not yet. M. Paul again suggested writing letters to Town of Lebanon; M. Paul – residents are not getting information – we need to communicate in better ways; D. O’Brien has written to DEP, EPA, Attorney General and Town of Lebanon; Town did not respond to his letters but all others did; D. O’Brien will bring resident concerns to the DEP as promised in the Special Meeting in April
Fred Crocker,109 Deepwood Drive
Fourth of July Fiasco – police had handcuffed residents, people were finding tickets on their cars; said we should use our security instead of the police; D. O’Brien explained legal liability of nonresidents coming on the fourth of July; D.O’Brien has worked with the insurance company to identify what we need to do to police ourselves so we do not need to include state police in the future and it will be posted on the website; R. DeCormier – we needed professional help to stop the glut of people and now we will take care of it ourselves
D. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
July Minutes to be approved – (August meeting was cancelled)
Mark Paul apologized for not putting a note on the clubhouse door
S. Martin motioned to approve the July Minutes as submitted by JoAnn Wool, M. Paul second
D. Martin requested amendments as follows:
· Section H. Receive and Act on Treasurer’s Report: Change reference from “Cave Martin” to “Dave Martin”
· Section J. Receive Standing and Special Committee’s Reports, 3. Lebanon Wastewater Study: Delete “343 meeting” from this section; it does not make sense
J. Connor motioned to approve the July Minutes with D. Martin’s amendments
M. Paul Second
Approved unanimously
D. O’Brien requested to add to the agenda: Nominate Sherri-Ann Martin to assume Clerk’s position:
R. DeCormier motioned to nominate Sherri-Ann Martin to assume Clerk’s position
M. Paul – second
Approved unanimously
E. Receive Clerk’s Report
S. Martin: In studying Roberts’ Rules, learned that the Treasurer Report should not be accepted and/or voted on; we are not auditors; we accept and vote on Treasurer’s data when audited financials are received only
For next meeting:
o S. Martin will work on the changes to the annual meeting budget language in bylaws to remove mil rate reference
o S. Martin will work on the newspaper legal notice language in bylaws to assure that all publications being used are covered
F. Presentation of Correspondence and Communication
See Attached List
G. Receive President’s Report
$15,000 Brett’s Bid - $100 per road; not prepared to sign contract for $12,000 since has not seen scope of work to bid on; bid was put in February; have offline conversation to settle; need to account for stone
H. Receive Treasurer’s Report
Reserve Fund – D. Martin requested that Anita Connor review the Municipal Reserve Funds, Chapter 108 of the Tax law in Section 19 of the Board manual to make sure the reserve funds are being handled appropriately; R. DeCormier will coordinate with A. Connor and report back to the Board
J. Consider and Act Upon Standing and Special Committees’ Reports
1. Dam –
Dave O’Brien – R. DeCormier placed RFP in Rivereast; met with the Matchnik Brothers this morning at 8 am; Matchnik has worked with Karl Acemovic on other projects; we only got approval to do incremental approach of budgeting and funding using sound engineering principles to reach a completed dam over time and budget years; included the dredging in the RFP too; DEP permit approvals include dredging the Southeast Cove and Northeast Coves
C. Wool – to get the lake down one foot, need two days per weir board to go down 2 inches so will take 24 days; do we know when to start lowering the lake? Not known yet. Concerned that will wait too long and will not be able to lower it fast enough to do dam repairs
2. Storm Drains
A. Stormwater Runoff Correspondence (with Mike O’Leary)
D. O’Brien: Reiterated that tax district wants to work with Hebron to fund vortex drain; M. O’Leary is looking for best area to install and will provide info on funding required; Baord will split the cost 50/50 with Town of Hebron and Hebron provides labor
3. Lebanon Wastewater Study
D. Martin – Town of Lebanon realizes that this needs to be done; current sewer plan is the same one submitted by the consultants; will get study data to Mike Smith to post on web for general information; R. Decormier: Are storm drains included? D. Martin: No and requested copy of Hebron study to provide to Lebanon WPCA and Town Engineer; D. O’Brien to provide hard copy to D. Martin; low pressure system approved
4. Drinking Water – Carl Wool – CT Water installing new water pipes and not properly protecting the storm drains; they won’t put in hay bales etc until there is a problem; they should be doing it proactively; Carl has gotten them to correct it and has documentation in pictures
5. Boats & Rafts – ON HOLD for new leader to be assigned; L. Hennebury volunteered if needed
6. Weeds – no update
7. Communications- no update.
8. Ordinances – Fertilizer Ordinance; wants to check with Adam Cohen regarding how to proceed to change or rescind the ordinance; M.Paul will contact A. Cohen to verify how to proceed; CIRMA Risk Management Consultant says we need to add that illegal fireworks are banned from district properties (if not already there)
9. Security – C. Wool: Boat stickers to be inspected after Labor Day; a lot of state police activity on the lake; arrest on Lollipop Beach last night. Possible drug sales occurring on Hebron side of lake
K. Receive Lake Management Reports
1. Caretakers’ Report – camper on Spafford Road until 9/14/09 while home construction is being completed; L. Zimmerman found a pipe found near dam (with a metal detector) that belongs to CT Water but it is no longer connected; preparing to remove straw from lake and work on Ryan Terrace ROW
Lebanon Roads: $12,000 BSA Snow Plowing to be awarded – D. O’Brien: standard contract still needs to be completed; we should put award date in quote/RFP requests
Repairs detailed in Carl Wool’s Lebanon Road Summary (attached); Catherine, Wildwood and open concrete drain box on corner of Andrew’s and West Island Beach; put together statements of work for street repairs and bid them out ASAP; make sure the stone Brett has used is specified in the bid requests; need to solve ASAP – can’t wait until October; can decide prior to next Board meeting; L. Hennebury suggested we put the RFPs on the website so residents see it too-all on Board agreed
2. Lake Health Coordinator – R. Miles is working with G. Knocklein; looking for phased in approach for repair of dam; see attached document titled “Lake Draw Down” for information on how long it takes to lower the lake by one inch or by one foot.
L. Act on Remaining Items of Agenda….Old Business
1. Guidelines & Procedures for Ordinance Enforcement
Mark Paul will write this up and share with Board for next meeting
2. Discuss & Act Upon Possible Change of Board Meeting Dates
First Wednesday of the month often falls on the 1st or 2nd of the month and financials cannot be completed in time for the Board Meeting; look at changing the dates in November at the monthly meeting; Ray DeCormier suggests the second Wednesday of the month
3. North East Cove Issue
Discussed in Recognition of Guests
4. North End…..Possible Lake Development
J. Connor – need a lake resident to be on Zoning Board to push back
Per Dave O’Brien, George Gottawalla – Hebron lake resident is alternate on Zoning Board; D. O’Brien will check in with him
M. New Business……Discussion and Possible Action
1. Cove Road Right Of Way…Resident Complaint
Brush was cut down and person who lives next to it can see the boats and trailers stored on the ROW; per L. Foxwell, as Brett said earlier, there is no catch basin and Lebanon only filled in road with rip rap and dirt.
2. Fertilizer Ordinance – Retraction discussion
M. Paul to discuss with Adam Cohen
3. New member nominations:
M. Paul nominated Scott Forgue, J. Connor second – Scott accepted
R. DeCormier nominated David Moorcroft of 153 Deepwood Drive, Hebron, J.Connor second – David accepted
Both nominees were approved unanimously – Scott Forgue and David Moorcroft will begin immediately and will attend the October Regular Meeting
N. Prepare Agenda for Next Meeting
Add George Knoecklein’s proposal review to New Business to the November agenda per the request of D. Martin
O. Adjournment
M. Paul motioned to adjourn – 9:25 pm
L. Hennebury seconded
Approved unanimously
Respectfully submitted by:
Sherri-Ann Martin, Clerk
Amston Lake Tax District