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Amston Lake District
Board of Directors Meeting
Minutes
February 17th, 2010 7:00
p.m.
ALIA Clubhouse, 16 Wood
Acres Road, Amston, 06231
www.AmstonLake.org
A. Roll Call of Officers and Directors
Present: Mark Paul, VP, Ray DeCormier, Treasurer, Sherri-Ann Martin, Clerk
, John Connor, David Martin, David Moorcroft, Scott Forgue
Absent:
Dave O’Brien, President, Laurel Hennebury
B. Call to Order 7: 02 PM
C.
Recognition of Guests, Residents and Property Owners’
Petitions
Nothing
presented
D. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes
Jan 29
Minutes: Motion to approve as presented made by S. Forgue, Second by R.
DeCormier Unanimous approval
Jan 20
Minutes: Motion to approve as presented made by R. DeCormier, Second by
J. Connor Unanimous approval
E. Receive and Act Upon Clerk’s Report
Nothing
to report
F. Presentation of Correspondence and Communication
See
attached listing
G.
Receive President’s Report
Nothing
supplied by D. O’Brien. Mark Paul presiding so shared info from Feb 4
Meeting with Lebanon Selectman and Sanitarian; thought made good headway
with improving relationship; Lebanon resident/Selectman Wentworth contacted
D. O’Brien regarding ordinance on capital expenditures – details of
conversation are not known; Lebanon reps were not pleased with hiring of
Robinson & Cole – explained that we were looking for strategy, not a
lawsuit; Per J. Okonuk, Lebanon is trying to get the capital expenditure
ordinance changed and expressed that the Town of Lebanon is working with us
on the sewer issue; M. Paul offered to personally help the Town of Lebanon,
if needed
H. Receive Treasurer’s Report
January Treasurer’s Report:
See attached. The Board will consider preparation of the budget on a
monthly basis for the next fiscal year to enhance their ability to monitor
actual vs budgeted amounts throughout the year.
Financial Statements for the
year ended June 30, 2009: See attached. .The report was prepared by Anita
Connor, a district resident, as was done last fiscal year. The District’s
receipts are under $1,000,000 and current law does not require an audit. A.
Connor was retained by the Board to prepare and present the annual financial
statements. She also distributed a summary of selected financial data from
the report – see attached. She explained that the financial statements are
consistent with reporting for governmental entities and reflects financial
data presented under both the economic resources method (see Exhibits A and
B) and the Current Financial Resources, or budgetary method (Exhibits C and
D and the related schedules 1, 2 and 3).
The Board discussed the
accounting for Reserve funds, especially the Lebanon Roads Fund. As of June
30, 2009 The Lebanon Roads Fund balance was a deficit of $221. The Board
expects to cover the deficit by under-spending the 2010 Lebanon Roads Fund
budget. Discussion ensued about whether the District needs to use a
separate checking account to account for the Road Fund. A. Connor noted that
taxes assessed and collected from Lebanon residents for the Roads fund are
collected and deposited in the General fund and reported as part of Total
Property Tax revenue and that the District maintains a Roads Fund checkbook
to segregate the payment of Road Fund expenses from other District expenses.
The new software system can track the expenses separately, regardless of
whether paid out of the General or Road Fund checkbook, therefore a separate
checking account is not needed for that purpose. The Board also discussed
whether and at what amount the District should maintain reserve fund
balances for the Lebanon Roads and Main Dam. The Board will discuss the
amounts, if any, of reserve funds needed as part of the 2010 budget process.
It was noted that emergency expenditures can be authorized by the Board
under the current bylaws regardless of Reserve funds balances.
The Board discussed how to
transfer funds between budget categories during the year, if needed. A.
Connor suggested that the Board establish a threshold for budget
modifications and amend the bylaws to include the threshold authorized. She
suggested that it be consistent with the current threshold of $2,500 for
overspending any category.
The Board thanked Anita
Connor for her work.
I. Receive Tax Collector’s Report
See
attached report
Dave
Martin moved to accept the report as submitted; Ray DeCormier second –
unanimous approval
J. Consider and Act Upon Standing and Special Committees’ Reports
1. Dam
– D. Moorcroft: K. Acimovic to make as built drawing of dam but snow has
postponed meeting; sand bags still working on side wall water flow; sink
hole has stopped sinking, maybe due to frost, unsure right now; sand bags
won’t hold forever but have solved immediate issues;
what is the purpose of the Duck Pond
and its dam? Originally built as a sediment collector for water flowing
down to the mills at end of Lake Road in Hebron; Move to New Business on
next agenda; Carl Wool seems to remember the costs were high to convert the
Duck Pond into a stream and wetland area
2. Storm
Drains – Nothing to report
3. Lebanon
Wastewater Study – change to Lebanon Sewer Project; income study going to 88
current year round residents (about 115 total possible year round) for USDA
Funding possibility; complicated process to go through town requirements and
residential mailings and town group meetings; Dave Martin is making himself
available to help get the word out to Lebanon residents about the need for
funding for the sewers and the need for the town to approve it so that the
town residents do not have to foot the bill; Mark Paul concerned about
communicating to non-lake Lebanon residents so that they understand the
situation and aren’t just prepared to vote against Lebanon Amston Lake
sewers just because they cannot use the lake
4. Drinking
Water – Nothing to report
5. Boats
& Rafts – S. Forgue – need to set a price on the docks to rent a slip; last
fee was $75 per season; had 2 - 3 empty spots last year; Mark Paul made
motion to keep slip fee same as last year, Second by Sherri-Ann Martin;
discussion – D. Martin thinks we should raise to $100 per slip so we can
make back the cost of the docks; Per S. Forgue, we are now funding the dock
maintenance costs and slip rental fees are not covering them; R. DeCormier
agreed; Mark Paul amended his motion to charge $100 per slip for the
2010-2011 season; J. Connor seconded; unanimous approval
6. Weeds
– Agreed to do ACT contract in prior meeting; Mark Paul will call them to
tell them we plan to go forward; will get signature from Dave O’Brien when
he returns from vacation; follow up treatment is in budget
7. Communications
– R. DeCormier: More people continue to sign up for the announce group on
the web – up to 250 signed up; distribution of newsletter – cost will be
reduced this time since C. Wool removed pins from resident passes to remove
hand stamping mail cost of .70 each; will raise new idea at annual meeting
to place communications boxes around lake to make distribution of
newsletters less expensive next budget year
8. Ordinances
– Nothing to report
9. Security
– Nothing to report; S. Forgue had issues with teenagers driving from
Lebanon with garbage flying out of the back of their truck
10. Lebanon
Roads – D. Martin – Lebanon Board Members – March 6th, June 5th,
Sept 11th and Dec 4th at 9:00 AM meet at the
Clubhouse; go to survey the roads and discuss budgets etc.; need budget info
to make recommendations on March 6th
K. Receive Lake Management Reports
1. Caretakers’ Report – C. Wool chasing off ATVs and gas powered
augers on weekends; against our ordinances – people leave when Carl asks
them to; number of people is about 15-20% less than it was; boat and beach
passes ordered, barley straw ordered, dredging is to occur next week and
Carl will be taking pictures to document process; inserting another weir
board when dredging begins; will set for 6” below spillway when dredging is
completed; have Brett/BSA call Mark Paul about two needed road repairs;
response on task list of items? Installation of docks, swim buoys and
barley straw will require that Carl needs assistance – will Andy be helping
him or will a contractor be hired? Per Mark, Carl needs to tell us how many
hours of help he needs so that we can approve the expenditures ahead of
time; bring estimates for tasks to be performed to each meeting and the
Board will review and approve/disapprove; will take 3 to 4 trips to move
barley straw bales here from Franklin location, will take 8-10 hours to move
and cover with tarps;
Mark Paul motioned to approve up to10 hours
of labor for Carl Wool to go ahead with getting barley straw bales; J.
Connor seconded and all approved unanimously;
Ray DeCormier - don’t want to approve every
task, should assign someone to work with Carl so he does not wait until each
monthly meeting; Mark Paul is trying to work on data to help with this going
forward
2.
Lake Health Report – Nothing to report
L.
Act on Remaining Items of Agenda….Old Business…
1. Beach
Closure Signs and Beach Closure Procedures – Carl is waiting for final info
from Dave O’Brien about sign sizes and copy to get pricing – keep on next
month’s agenda
2. Review
Draft Budget for 2010-2011 – D. O’Brien sent out draft info showing flat
budget; keep on next month’s agenda
3. Invasive
Plants Signs: Installation and Costs – With #1 above – keep on next month’s
agenda
4. Ordering
of Beach Passes: Procedures and Costs – Complete and ready to get mailed
with newsletter; ALIA and Board members have volunteered to help; remove
from next month’s agenda
5. Define
a standard bid procedure - Ray DeCormier is preparing for legal notice
regarding our requests for proposal for next season; wants to send to
newspapers this week; D. Martin – we should add language that we can
accept bids in full or in part; will share with D. Martin too so can agree
on what goes in newspaper and process – remove from next month’s agenda
6. ALD
Self Help Document – should make it an addendum to our Handbook; S. Martin
to send to all for review so we can discuss and possibly vote and approve on
it next month-keep on next month’s agenda.
M.
New Business……Discussion and Possible Action
Barley Straw “Best” Installation Discussion
Identified three options:
1. Chicken
wire boxes to contain barley straw; cost of just wire mesh is about $400 and
labor to build is unknown. All agreed this was too expensive and could be
dangerous with metal ends etc in the water
2. Christmas
tree Bags – fill with a bale of barley straw and pull apart to fill; the
tree bags are not UV proof so the sun broke down the materials and they fell
apart and/or were ripped apart by muskrats for nesting materials last year.
All agreed this was not strong enough to count on it last the season.
3. Use
onion bags; some have survived two years as they seem to be more able to
fend off the UV rays. Use the volunteer method – drop bales off to houses
which need barley straw installed with onion bags. Split each bale into
about five onion bags and fluff to increase ability of barley straw to work
well. Volunteers will stuff and leave on lake banks. Carl Wool can then go
install them with help from Scott Forgue and others
Scott Forgue made a motion to use onion
bags to install barley straw this season; second by S. Martin; discussion
followed
D. Martin - rebar is ugly and dangerous
for placing onion bags in water; R. DeCormier suggested using cinder blocks
and rope to hold them down
Scott Forgue amended his motion to say we
will use onion bags with floats inside (2 liter bottles or empty plastic
containers) and cinder blocks and rope to secure the barley straw in the
lake.
J. Connor seconded
Unanimous approval
S. Forgue agreed to coordinate with Carl
Wool; will design a flyer and go speak with the neighbors who live in area
where barley straw will be installed – remove from next month’s agenda
N. Prepare
Agenda for Next Meeting
Add to New Business: “Purpose of Duck
Pond Discussion”
“2009 Lake Monitoring Report”
“Dredging Schedule Conversation”
O.
Adjournment 10:02 PM
Motion
to Adjourn made by D. Martin
Second
by S. Forgue
Unanimous approval
Respectfully submitted by,
Sherri-Ann Martin
Amston Lake Tax District
Clerk
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