All right, this is the lake management meeting opening at 7 PM and the meeting is recorded and anybody else that's recording this meeting has to notify the chair being me
and anybody else recording hearing none. We'll continue. >> Okay, thank you. Okay, thanks. Okay. >> Oh, we can do that. Uh, yeah.
>> Yeah. Put the two on. >> Can never tell which one. Okay, >> there we go. >> You can put the other one. >> Oh, got them. Okay. >> All right. Take attendance. Uh, Norm's not here. Mike Kums >> here. >> Malcolm Devet here. Mike Deay here. Dick
Ranolds here. Scotty Graves here. >> Eric Muller >> here. Paul Murphy >> here, >> Paul Yoko >> here, >> Ken Phillips here, and Ellen Kurds on the at home on Zoom by Zoom. >> And we have one guest.
>> Yep. >> Mark from Westfield Evening News. >> Okay, got it. And first item up for bid is the minutes from the 828 meeting.
>> I rather at home I didn't see anything anything wrong. So make a recommendation. Make sure to answer. >> I'll second. >> Okay. And all in favor >> I
>> oppose abstain unanimous. I have to affirm it. And we have Mike Kums. Hi >> Malcolm Debet. Hi >> Mike Deet. Hi >> Dick Rles. I Scotty Grave. >> Hi >> Eric Mueller. Hi >> Paul Murphy. Hi >> Paul. >> Hi.
>> Okay. And the for the concom update they did not have a a meeting from my last fell on the holiday. So they did not have one then. However, what I did
include is if you look at page uh 4A that's a question that came up the last meeting and concom been talking about it. So there's a dialogue there about 154, 156, and 158 Bergkshire because
they had not uh put in their LPP paperwork and to cover the docks and and uh votes. So there's the count of what's there. Um, I have some more information, um,
which I wish I had, um, made sure I had written down, but, um, 154 has definitely not submitted anything. Um, but I believe 158 I was waiting on a doc layout sheet for them since May and
they, you know, I called them. Yeah, I I got in contact. I finally got in contact. I told him before fine start, I need that doc layout sheet. So he did get it to me and so I believe he is compliant. >> But they have did they show that they have a moing?
>> Uh yeah. Yep. That was in it too. >> They had to pay for moing too. >> Yep. Yep. It was his application. The whole there was he had or actually I think it's a she that lives there had three applications come in. Two of them
went through and then that was the last one and that had the mooring on it. Okay. Did Did you get one for 156? I >> have one. >> Yeah, I don't believe that one is up to date. I'll have to double check on it, but
>> do and vote. >> Yeah, I know. 154. Nothing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> So, we can move on to the next one, which is
flip the page here. Empic. Um, and normally Norm would cover that, but what I put in here because it was in the newspaper is there's an article that you have a copy of, and all you need to look at is the bracket
uh on page eight and on page uh nine because I uh Eric and I talked about it. He hadn't seen anything about this. I don't think we've ever talked about moving the the >> never had that conver, >> you know, we're gonna move the mountain.
No. >> Yeah. So, I think, you know, so I think one of the questions we'd like to understand is where in the Empic process did this come from because we were under the impression that anything related we would hear about and and, you know, have
an opportunity to say something. So, we were surprised to first read this in the Westfield News. Um, and I think no one here knew it was there, but so I think there's that issue. And then and then the next issue has to you know which I
think Dick has done a nice job of outlining the issues is that um you know the the practicality of that solution seems rather low because to execute it you would have to take
>> people's land by eminent domain >> um you know and knock down whatever structures they had might be houses that have to go and then the cost would be stunning. >> Oh, >> and and there is a dramatically less
costly solution that we have suggested, which is to ask the marinas to shift their dots to create better visibility. And that seems to me to be a a dramatically
easier thing to do, much lower barrier than let's take land and knock down somebody's house and find millions of dollars to take out two bridges and rebuild them with I mean the the north
ramp one that that's what 65 ft long. >> The north the north one is 100 feet. The south one is 65 feet. >> Yeah. you know, you talk, you know, a 100 foot thing and we're going to do what to it. >> And how do you and and when you think about it, you got to manage the water
the whole time? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Which is I mean, so it says you're really going to wind up building a bridge so you can straddle what's there. It's a huge show, you know, >> and and and it just and there are and there are solutions
that are not very expensive >> and not a huge problem. So, so >> there to realign a doc a little bit or >> No, no, we're no. >> Do we have a representative from the
Westfield paper as a guest? Yes. >> Are we allowed to ask him questions? >> Sure. That would be my guess. Will he answer? >> What do you say about that? >> Well, well, he he probably wouldn't know where it came from at the MEC process, right? >> That's what I was wondering. >> Somebody could be misquing something
here, too. >> Well, I I doubt it. >> It's Yeah, it's pretty specific. >> Yeah. >> So, so I I think it came from some piece of the Empic process, but it might have been a piece that Norm wasn't aware of. So we should just ask, you know, because
that our understanding was that any of those things would be brought to lake management for for comment and um so I think we would have commented. >> Yeah. And so nobody else has heard of it. So you know it's at any rate it was
a shock when I when I read the thing. >> Well, you know what comes next meeting? Let's ask him. >> Yeah. Well, and and Dick has written him an email, so you know, he won't be it won't be like, "What?" Yeah. >> You know, he'll have an opportunity to think about it. >> Yeah. >> And and see what the story is.
>> All right. So, the next item up for here is uh starts on page 10 is proposed LPP changes, which have been going on for quite a while. And and it's a good thing I asked because
uh we had not been given copies of this um and I asked what was the status because I knew they were they were had been working on it for a while. So what you have in here is a scan copy of it
and I actually have the ones that are um color red, yellow, and whatnot. I have two of those floating around. Scotty has one of them. >> Yeah. >> But basically, >> who's laying this out? Who?
>> This was done by between uh Concom and Select Board. >> Okay. >> So, this is the first time I've seen it. First time you're seeing it. >> So, you know, you can see what they've inserted because it's underlined. You
know that it's red on here. >> The the red is what they've now added. they've added, right? Or changed, you know, you'll see. >> In some cases, you you have to read the notes to understand whether it was added or deleted, >> right? And and so what you've got, what
you see is what I got. That's all we know about this thing. So, >> we need to we need to digest it. >> Take the time and digest it. And next meeting, let's be prepared to talk about it. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> Um I wanted to get it in your hands because like I said, I just got it. So
anyway, that kind of takes us >> which which means >> so some progress under the chapter 91 license that you could have as long as you had less than 10 boats on your dot, you were not considered a marina. >> That's correct. It still is.
>> It still is. >> It still is. >> Yes, that didn't change. >> And yet for the purposes I'm reading the red now. For the purposes of the LPP, the renting of dock space in quotes and any charge for fee for the use of a dock space on a residential dock is considered a commercial activity that is
not allowed. >> Right. Is that always that way? >> No, >> it's not. When we the the issue was when we read the regulation, it was foggy. >> It was what? It was foggy. In other
words, it was you the the re well specifically the the regulation as it was previously written prohibited commercial activity on a private dock >> but not defined >> but it didn't define what a commercial
activity was. So the existing thing that that exists now says that commercial activity if if we give you an LPP permit for your dock that does not permit you to conduct commercial activity from that dock. >> Right?
>> But commercial activity was not defined. And when we called the state and asked them would renting dock space be considered commercial activity they weren't clear. It was one of one of the people we
talked to said, "Yes, clearly that's commercial activity." And the other one was like, "Well, I'm not sure it's commercial activity." And so one suggestion was we could go through the process of asking the state attorney general's office to define the words commercial activity and then the suggestion was well what might be much
more expeditious. >> But this is you. >> This is you personally doing >> I wasn't just me. Norm had called there this this took place this this was like six months of of discussion and so what was suggested back this is like a year
ago was all right if if you guys want to define commercial activity for the purposes of the LPP to include rental of doc space you can put that in your LPP charter we have to approve it but you can do that and that does not require
the act of god from the attorney general 's office, >> right? >> So, so the suggestion was, well, look, you're making other changes to LPP. Why don't you just make it explicit that renting of dock space is a commercial activity? >> Makes it clear. >> And we all kind were like, yeah, it
seems renting is a commercial. In other words, you commerce is like exchange money for services or goods. >> Renting is exchange in you know, accepting money >> in exchange for services or goods. as an
example so I clearly understand this. You're a guy down on on White Street that had that house that he bought and he rents it out and he put that dock out into the water that there was some big to-do there with Ricky Divine. Remember only a year ago and they put four docks,
four boats on that dock and he's renting all over. >> That would not be a lot that would not be. >> There is at least 50 at least 50. >> Yeah. Let's not dwell on them. Just we know. We know. Let's just keep moving. Yeah, >> there's nothing we can do about it. There's cash. People are given cash. There's so much going on.
>> So the so the idea here would be to make it explicit and then at that point it's a thing that can be enforced. Right now it's very challenging to ask the harbor master to enforce it because the harbor master says, "Well, you guys aren't clear." And
he's right. >> It wasn't. >> It it wasn't clear. Even though we all look and go, well, geez, if I look up in the dictionary, commercial activity, it sounds like renting is a commercial activity. >> But >> yeah, so homeowners never going to admit
it. That's the bottom line, >> right? >> That's a different, >> right? But that that, you know, that that's a different discussion. And I think, you know, the the bigger problem is not, you know, the one where there's one extra boat. It's the >> mini marina, >> right? The mini marinas.
>> Yes. Yes. And you're right, there's quite a few of those. >> I think we should have still pushed the state for clarification. >> Yeah. >> Well, they're the ones that have to accept it. >> We have the mirror, >> right? >> Yes. But the state was very clear. If we put it in here and if they accept it,
>> they will if they accept it, then this is a thing that can be enforced, >> right? >> What's the penalty? >> That's defined somewhere at the end. >> There is the penalties are defined. I think it's a it's either $50 or $100 a day per violation,
>> right? >> So, it's if you've got four votes, >> a section on penalty >> I think it's I think it's a h 100red a day and if if you've got four votes that would be >> under 70 the penalties are $25 a day. >> Oh, it's 25. Okay. >> And violation of the uh another part of
is $50 a day. So, it depends on what you violate. >> I mean, if you could prove it and if you could enforce it, there's no question. >> Yeah. Let's not let's not dwell on it. >> Keep moving. Go ahead. >> All right. >> Um, so that's any Oh, before I forget, any
Do you have anything from CRC? >> Michelle's not only thing is the golf tournament this weekend going on. >> This weekend >> 13th, right? >> So these Yeah, these will not the minutes will not be out for then. So you've advertised it all over the place.
So all right. Um, next thing is the canal and um, great brook dredging which are pages 15 18 through 22. And so we have a meeting tomorrow uh,
NRCS and the contractor, the consultant who's doing the boots on the ground work is PAR engineering P A R U PAR U corporation. And so there's a teams
Microsoft Teams meeting tomorrow. It will be represented by uh Nicole will be there. My uh Eric myself. Um I'm not sure. I think Norm is away, but S uh Sabrina will be there. Um Dennis Clark
may participate. He's invited. We also I went and spoke with Nicole before I did it. And so we invited the mayor of Westfield or his representative. It's going to be the engineering department uh and it's also uh
Sfield and they're going to be there and Graanby because the great the Canal Brook flows into all the way down into Graanby. So we wanted to and I talked to each one of them so they know what's going on and they're very appreciative that that they've been invited to participate in this. So, this is a
they've already started the assessment part. So, this is to bring us up to speed with what they've done so far and where they're headed and introduce everybody to everybody. So, uh but that's it's going along going
along quite well. And that's going to be in here, correct? It's >> going to be in here right here. Yeah. And at 11 o'clock tomorrow. Yep. Looking forward to it. And then the the next one is the South Ramp Cove dredge earmark.
That's if there is money there. It's 500k there to do that work. And it is an earmark. And uh the senator has got one of his uh staff tying us into DCR. Apparently DCR is
going to be our our our >> Yeah. our place to to go just like we have on the hydraulic grant that's DCR which actually it works out kind of well because we work well together. So they become the the bookkeep excuse me the
bookkeepers for it. So we don't have to do all that. What we do is rate you know write uh purchase orders spend money >> and then send them send them the uh >> for reimbursement.
Um, so at any rate, that's that's moving along. >> The uh, is that going to happen this year or >> Well, it it won't it won't get dredged this year. It will get approved. It get
approved and then it's got to be um got to go out for bid and all that stuff. >> You know, still multi- nation. >> Yeah, that might happen next year, which we're hoping next year. >> That's great. >> Yeah, >> because it really needs it, right, Ken? Then he'll be able to get his boat out.
>> Yeah, right. >> My neighbor >> without pushing it out and through the mud. >> Stuck. >> Oh, yeah. >> Took us 45 minutes to get out. >> Jesus. Wow. All right. So 159 Bergkshire
um is they've actually started some work and and uh so at any rate we we had talked about it and I think John um page 29 summarizes
>> what uh Norm Chver said. >> Yep. Was Norm was quite straightforward. >> Right on. >> Yep. Very good. And and uh if you read that and it's nice big bold print, I think you get the idea what's going on. And and it should not be because it was
never permitted to put a a a dam in there in the first place, >> ponded, >> you know. >> Right. >> So at any rate, they they're and uh Pong's going to bring it up at their meeting, which is Monday.
>> It looks like it Monday coming. >> So that's good. And uh so yeah, he's he's doing a doing a good thing there. So, and we've got, you know, Concom is now looks like they're going to get
involved with it >> because it is if you if you look at it, it's an intermittent stream and it's it's defined. And I I gave you it's tough to see the the pictures, >> but I >> they're dark, but they're they aren't
really dark. If you go to, and this is what was pretty interesting, if you go to pages 36, 7, 8, and nine, >> you can see 48. >> So, >> yeah, >> 2005 was all woods, >> right?
>> And and then you go to 200 again, 2005, looking >> right at that area, it's all woods. >> Now, you look 2019 >> and you go look at 2019 and there's hardly a tree left. Yep. Right. >> And and then and you go
>> 2023 >> 2023, you know, it's worse yet. >> So that there in lies the problem. >> And that's a violation of the stormwater bylaws also. So because once you clear more than an acre, you have to go
through a whole it's a lengthy process if you want to touch more than an acre. So anyway, that's I think finally getting some traction. They are doing some work and there's pictures of it. Uh if you go to page 40, there's a schedule
there and on page 43 there's photos on pages 44 through 49. And you can see where they where they're working. They're working up. They're work they're not working down where the
uh uh dam is. All that work is where the stream in the stream bed, which again, you need uh concom permits if you're going to move a stream. So, at any rate, does anybody have any
questions on that one? >> Uh are they meeting the timeline that they have set here? Well, the we're hoping what they should what we're hoping that they do >> is only remove the dam
reveate everything that they and that's not what their schedule says, but reveate if that's why that meeting on Monday because uh conservation could issue a ceaseed assist and force them to
uh just stop reveitate everything there. Get get the unpermitted dam out of there because it's an empoundment and that's worse because when it fails you all that water goes as a wall of water but the design
we and you can read my my input on the design. The design if I guess I got to ask first has have all of you been to the oldtown beach where the detention pond is there. Have you seen it? >> Because it's it's got what's called
gabian baskets. And I didn't before that was done. I really didn't know what a gabian basket was. >> But I quick learned and I'll tell you, you don't pile a bunch of rock and expect it to stay there. But those gabian baskets, nothing will move because they're
they're all interlocked. The rock goes inside the basket. The baskets are all coated uh wire, really heavy gauge wire. and and the there's like a a lid on them of wire and those get uh once they're
filled with stone, they get the the top gets wrapped tight, you know, closed and sealed to the bottom to the other five sides. So now you have a six-sided box and then those in turn get locked one to the other. So, and the way they did it
to make a spillway is you have a level like this and then there's a a trough. The trough is to allow certain amount to go over slowly the capacity of the of the spillway, the normal overflow. And the other one is for an emergency overflow, a higher level, right? But it
but in this >> it has not gone over. But and and so if if um 159 Birkshire if they were to obtain a permit to build a dam Yeah.
>> then probably this Gabian basket approach would be a good approach, right? >> But they have no permit to build a dam. So we're not we're not interested in them improving their illegal empowerment. Okay? You know, because their proposal was to do a better job of
the illegal thing they already did. >> Yeah. >> So, it's like, no, the point here is that needs to go. If you want to apply to do that, go ahead and apply, >> right? >> And then that design may well wind up being Gabian baskets if it were to be improved.
>> But, but loose rip wrap is just going to wind up plugging the hole between, you know, under uh Birkshire Avenue, >> right? I mean, we know what happens with the size of the rocks that are down on the the the canal there. >> Oh, yeah.
>> You know, and those are big rocks. Six inch rocks will flow like water. >> Really? >> So, anyway, um >> Well, on their schedule that's in there, they're supposed to be removing the burn. >> Yeah.
>> Next few days. >> Yeah. Which we we And but don't put it back. That's what we Yeah. >> Don't put anything back. So, we like the step where you remove it, but just don't put anything back. >> We just don't want that step where you start rebuilding the thing that you're not supposed to have,
>> right? >> And that's where can help us, >> you know, help the >> Yeah. This is EMP structure installation. >> Yeah. Yeah. Don't do that part. >> Yeah. Who who's overseeing that now, Dick? Now
that's Randy Brown's not there. Is there someone? >> I think John is. I think John got >> John. He's He's uh filling He's the assistant DPW director, but they did not assign him as the acting, which is significant.
He's not the acting director, he's the assistant director. So there are things that were in town um who does what >> and what not. >> Per code. It says explicitly the DPW
director. >> It doesn't say or >> Yeah. >> You know, is it is it one of these guys? Is that there's pictures from guys doing work there? Like Roy was wondering. >> Uh none of those is John. There's
Well, those are just guys working on it, but there's another guy up in the nut picture, too. >> Yeah, he might be out there because he's been watching them. >> Okay. >> So, uh and then page uh 50. Now, I've got a couple other
versions of that you can pass around and look at. >> Oh, yeah. That the hydr. basically hydrilla and there's not a lot. Okay, >> which is good. >> Which is really good. >> So, you know, kind of look at those
>> and you can you can see the colors on there to say whether it's sparse. Um, you know, just the little dots, the color dots, and you know, so there's not a lot, which is good news. >> Yeah.
>> And it's not all over the place. >> As long as we stay on top of it. So, what if what they're talking about doing >> and you could pass this around and I've asked them to change a word on there where it says because we had a lot
of questions nuisance aquatic that should read invasive, >> right? Not nuisance, >> right? And I already sent that email out. He's going to fix it >> good because that just >> implies the wrong thing, >> right? So, at any rate, um,
>> Bond's queen. >> Yeah. >> One little one little spot >> right little area. >> And so, and and Middle Pond, the biggest part of Middle Pond is is south where it started was at the South Ram >> and across from it is, you know, most
certainly how it came in. >> Yeah, we know that. And then there's a little little bit >> over in Middle Pond >> off of Grove Street. >> Yeah, >> little spot there. >> So, we're treating next week.
>> Well, that's the plan. >> I asked but I asked I sent an email this evening to to uh Sabrina and and Norm to bring it up at the conservation meeting which is Monday. And if they need if they need to approve it, then please
bring it up on Monday. It may postpone it a week. If they have say, well, you know, we have to vote on it and then blah blah blah because we'll have to pull the trigger and put up the signs over the weekend. So, I'm waiting for a response tomorrow before I uh do the
sign the the uh posters before I print them. >> Yep. >> Because it may have to go a different be pushed off a week. Is Norm going to be there or is he still on vacation or >> I don't know when he's coming back. I I have no idea. Um
but I already asked I I sent it to Dennis, to Norm, and to Sabrina. Dennis is the vice chair. >> So, we've got the vice chair, the conservation coordinator, and and the uh chair all informed. and they have this
map, they have, you know, everything else and my comments that, you know, we we want to pull the trigger on it now. Um because you never know whether this week is coming. It's supposed to be decent weather and you never know when there's going to be a hurricane coming
up the the east east coast. So, at any rate, uh, and so we'll be looking for, as we normally do, looking for somebody, a few people. There won't be that many places to post because when you look at it,
>> it's not many areas. >> Not many areas. So, we, you know, we'll post the ramps. We'll post uh some of the streets just in general, but the like Grove Street has to be posted uh down around uh the South Ramp area.
um on the Connecticut Cove there >> and and you know a few areas that need to be posted and it will go out as a code red >> code red >> in Southwick and the equivalent in Southfield and it'll be on the on all the websites as we did before and and
they got it on to Facebook too the last time which was good. Uh CRC was really good about getting it out to the you know blasting it out. So, and the other good thing is that the beaches are not open right now. So, uh, Babs Beach and
and Southwick Town Beach, they're they've been closed now for >> weeks. They're filled with geese. >> Oh, yeah. Oh my god. Yeah. >> Stills are still used. >> Babs are still used, but it's closed. >> It's close on there all the time. at
some point. One question I have is do we want to put onto our agenda at some point >> uh engaging in discussions and approaches for geese and ducks. >> There are you know any of the more direct approaches we can't you you can't
do and you can't discharge firearms all kinds of things but um there are techniques that have been used in places um for example putting out food that has uh contraceptives in it. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. >> Um, you know, >> we get fake coyotes, too, guys, that
move. I have them on my dock. I had one and there was no ducks for season. >> That's great. It just moves the duck to your neighbor. >> Well, that's the thing. It's exactly it. >> In other words, I I'm What I'm asking is >> the problem is the reproduction rate is six to eight. >> Are we all going to just hang condoms on
our box? >> Small ones. Yeah. >> So, so I'm I'm suggesting we put it on the agenda as a thing we start discussing. >> You know, I think it's great. I think it will take a while for us to figure out what to do and how to do it. >> But maybe there's something that by next
season >> and if anybody wants to do some Googling, you know, to see if you can find any hints to Hoise as to what others have done. >> Right. >> Um >> Right. We're New York. >> We're not the only people who have >> The other the other place that they have a big problem is golf courses. >> Yeah.
>> Oh, yeah. and they they have found ways to control on golf courses >> on the day that we're treating this this next kind of around is that a one day of no swimming >> just one day of no swimming >> it's only in the areas but it's only the
areas it does not migrate and that's one of the things that >> that we've >> we have explained >> and it will go out in the in the uh >> with our rampended snow one of the reasons why this chemical is chosen
because it doesn't diffuse, >> right? >> It stays >> where you put it. It stays. >> So, so that's one of the advantages to it. >> Yeah. I just don't want to run into the same problem we had last time. >> No. >> Anyway, so I'd like to suggest that we
add that and start some dialogue around there. >> And if any, you know, anybody please feel free to research. >> I I don't believe we have to invent that wheel. >> No. >> No. But is that something be where we would need to talk fishing game
and those sort of >> I'm sure we would. I'm sure we would. >> But the idea is let's see if we can find some some places where they've been successful and what did they do? >> So my thought is you know we start the discussion and then you know we'll
go we'll do some researching around we'll come back. I'm sure we'd have to go to fishing game. I'm sure we'll have to go to Coming off getting >> right just to get it started because it's the problem isn't going away. And in fact, it's probably getting worse.
>> Well, and absolutely is because each pair, like I started to say before, makes either six or eight little ones. Up to eight little ones. >> They love your grass, by the way, cuz when I went by your house, >> that's why it fenced, >> dude. They they were up there. >> They go right
around it. I've seen them up on the top side. >> We were we were driving by your house and they were on your that big lawn coming down. >> We haven't been for we they knock down the fence and they do >> they knock down the >> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. They what they do is
they fly onto it >> and then knock it down. So we had to push >> additional post you know the uh what I'm using is >> my snow markers. You know I got a whole bunch of those. I just stick them in the ground and zip tie them to the the
fence. >> It helps, but it's not a carb tank. >> And the and it turns out when you surprisingly enough when you go through the numbers with regard to the um nitrogen contribution from the geese and
ducks, it's actually significant. >> Yeah. Oh, some crazy number though. >> Yeah. But it's it's even on a lake our size with the number we have, it's actually significant. It actually affects water quality. >> Like a pound per goose or something
per goose. I was going to say it's more than that. >> It's a pound and a half and it's a dunk as a pound a day. >> So it it's uh so it's it's interesting. It it can be surprising. So it's it's a water quality issue. We can see it's a public health issue. You know, it it
shut down beaches here multiple times. Yeah. Um, you know, so that's just a very obvious public health issue. There's the public health issue of just, you know, on everybody's >> on everybody's frontage, you know. >> Yeah. >> No bubblers should be allowed >> should resend any permits that were ever
given for bubblers. >> Oh, you mean for the winter? You're talking about freezes. They're not >> If you have no bubblers, you have you have a smaller area, right? >> More area of ice, less area. Except for the issue we've had is for we've had many years where we don't ice in ice. We
don't >> we don't ice in. >> We iced in last year. >> Last year we had >> Well, we iced in. >> Yeah, we did and then it went up the year before. >> Well, the three years before we never iced >> and that's why they were there all year. >> Yeah. Right. We're not icing in. And the
problem is is that the flock now is is I've done, you know, if you look and you you say 10 10 10 10 100 100, then you look over here, there's another hundred. And we have upwards of 500 resident geese that move around and they move
around in in groups of 50 to 100, you know, and and that's a lot of, you know, what and >> you see them in the corn fields. If you see them in the corn tobacco field over by Griffin Road. >> Oh yeah. >> That whole area covered well.
>> And the thing is that once you've got generations that >> they haven't migrated. >> Well, they're magnetically tied. It's the other thing. If you read about them, when they're born, wherever they're born, they're magnetically tied to there. Well, they come back.
>> Yeah. >> And it And it's it's not so much they're coming back as that they never leave. >> Right. It's Yeah. They haven't gone away. >> Same humming. >> I'm not I'm not objecting to the visit. >> They come back every year. Same one. >> But they don't leave big piles. >> Yeah, that's true.
>> Right. Right. If you want to replace the geese with hummingbirds, I'm on both. >> Okay. Do we have anything else? Anybody? >> No, I think that's it. >> Okay. >> Do you want me to mention that I'm going to the meeting this week? >> To which one? >> On.
>> Oh, yeah. Uh, yes, Scotty. Go ahead. So I did did go in to see Sabrina Puller after the last directive that we have about nobody touching anything down in the canal or wear gates or anything. Right. >> So I went to see her and her suggestion
was that uh she listened to me uh quite intensely and and uh I think she agrees with me that handpicking should certainly be allowed. I certainly understood the fact that if you have commercial equipment down there, whether it be DPW, whether it be a private
contractor or whatever, permission should be given from conservation for people to do that. And then I explained to her that, you know, I you want to drive down in a vehicle through the tobacco fields, through the mud, through this, through that. And then when you
get down there, you say, "Well, it's a 15minute handpicked today, or it's no handpicked today, or it's a hours handpicked today, and do do I decide to get my truck completely a disaster? This is twice a week." And I explained to her
that basically uh if I were to ask the DPW all the time to do that, I'd be waiting a week and a half every time for that to take place, the kind of a thing. So uh I suggested handpicking and the fact that we're all 30-year veterans with
>> LMC and we know what we're doing and blah blah blah blah blah. So her opinion was, why don't I come to a conservation commission meeting so that I could explain to many of these people who have never been down there >> as to what we're up against. And the
most important thing is is that we need a continued flow of water. Right. Right. In order to keep the lake healthy best we can, >> we need to have water, even if it's minimal, flowing at all times. >> Right. And I also explained to her that
when it comes to lake level, it it's our role in life to try to maintain the 2244 as best we can all year long. And whether you believe it or not, we only adjust the gates if we know there's
something horrible coming or if it's drastically low or drastically high. More high than low. But basically, we only probably adjust these gates three or four times a year. And she also understands the fact that just because you do that doesn't mean it
>> magically happens in 5 minutes. It takes days. >> She's talking days to accomplish these things. So she and she's walked there many times. So he understands what we're up against. I also explained to her that John Kaine when he came down and was nice enough to
volunteer himself and his equipment that 90% of anything he did was on the Connecticut side. And when he did come down to the wear gates, he only had a grappling hook. So he accomplished nothing with that grappling hook around the wear gates. >> He didn't have a bucket. >> He had no bucket to dig and do any
digging or anything. And then DPW came back down and I explained to her, so DPW comes in, finishes the job on a Monday. By Tuesday morning, I've already got debris, >> right? >> And by a week later, it's packed solid. >> Yeah. >> Already, you know, already this is what
people don't >> I think this will be good to have them. >> They don't understand that, you know, >> and we're we're not getting paid to damage our vehicles and scratch them and scrape them in gas and everything else. It's all volunteer work. But by doing this the way we do this, we don't have
anybody and everybody down there playing with these things. >> Yeah. >> And now we have a camera. >> We got a camera. >> We have a camera on there to watch for any potential vandalism. >> Yep. >> Which has been rare, but >> thank God. I'm >> glad you mentioned that. >> That's my
>> Okay. Anything? Anything? Anybody else? Anything anybody else? >> No. >> So, you'll go to the next meeting, Scotty. >> Okay. >> I'm going Monday. >> Motion to adjourn. Direct >> Mike D. >> I'll second >> Eric. >> All in favor? I
>> opposed. Stain.